Canon Zoom Digital Monocular Review

Main Specifications & Highlights

• Zoom: 1.2x / 4.8x / 9.6x (100/400/800mm)
• Viewfinder: 0.39-inch OLED EVF, 2.36m dots, 100% coverage, 60Hz refresh rate
• Sensor: 12.1MP 1/3-inch CMOS
• Video: 1080p at 24, 25, 30p
• Memory Card: 1x microSD / microSDHC / microSDXC
• ISO Range: Auto (fixed 100-3200)
• Maximum Aperture: W: f/5.6, T: f/6.3
• Image Stabilization: Optical Image Stabilization (IS)
• Connectivity: USB Type-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth – Compatible with The Canon Camera Connect App
• Battery: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery Life: About 70 minutes of continuous shooting or recording
• Dimensions: 33.4mm x 50.8mm x 103.2mm
• Weight: Approx. 145g
• Water & Dust Resistance: No

Introduction

A while back, I put together an article and video where I compared the view between a wide range of binoculars, monoculars and scopes that all have different magnifications: Scopes & Binoculars Zoom Test – 4x, 6x, 7x, 8x, 9x, 10x, 16x, 20x, 30x, 60x Magnification Comparisons!

To make this video and to make sure I was able to film consistently and fairly through such a wide range of optics, I came up with a rather elaborate setup.

It worked well and for me, spending the day setting up all this gear and then filming these birds with all these different binoculars, monoculars and scopes was fun and not really work.

But even so, I wouldn’t want to have to do it every day and to travel or move about with all this gear would be crazy.

So yes, whilst I know there are much more convenient digiscoping and digibinning setups out there, wouldn’t it be nice to just be able to film whatever you are looking at through your device without any setup at all?

So as an alternative and for the times when you are just going for a stroll or just sitting at the window next to your feeder and a bird lands on it, and you think hey I would like to get a better view of that AND film it, Canon sent me their tiny digital monocular to try out and review.

What Is It?

The Canon Zoom Digital Monocular is a monocular yes, but it is also a digital recorder that can take both still images and video. On top of this, unlike most optical-only monoculars that just have a single fixed magnification, this Canon monocular has an optical and digital zoom with three settings.

Tiny Size & Low Weight

• Dimensions: 3.4mm x 50.8mm x 103.2mm
• Weight: 145g

One of the main strengths of any monocular and why I will usually opt to use one over a binocular is their very small size and convenient, easy-to-carry form factor (for more on this see my video and article on Monocular vs Binoculars).

As you can see in the image above comparing a range of monoculars with a couple of compacts, as small as compact binoculars are, they are no match in terms of their outer dimensions when compared to a monocular with a similar-sized lens.

Indeed the “mid-sized” 30mm Opticron monocular (on the left), whilst a little bigger, has a more convenient and easy-to-store shape than the full compact binoculars that have lenses of 26mm or less.

If anything, I would say that at times, I find the Canon PowerShot Zoom to be a little too small!

I know this may sound strange, but because it is so small holding it in one hand up to your eyes and then adjusting the functions (like the zoom levels) can be tricky, especially if you are trying to keep the image still.

But in terms of portability, you will struggle to find anything that can do what this can that is easier to carry about and use.

Zoom

Another feature that I like on this Canon is that you can use the monocular in its standard wide-view setting to easily locate and then track something of interest (especially good if it is fast and/or erratic – like small birds, or a sporting event) and then once you lock onto it, simply press a button to zoom in and get a more detailed view.

There are three zoom levels and the advertised range goes from 100mm to 400mm and then a 800mm digital zoom (35mm camera equivalent). On the box, it says this equates to a maximum zoom of 8x, but I worked it out to be more like 1.2x to 4.8x and then 9.6x for the digital zoom.

Either way, it is a nice range for the typical kinds of things and distances you would typically use this device for; Birding, Wildlife at Sporting Events etc.

Image Quality – The View

• Viewfinder: 0.39-inch EVF OLED, 2.36 million dots
• Refresh Rate: 59.94 fps
• Eye Relief: 22 mm
• Dioptre Correction: Approx. -3 to +1m (dpt)

As it is a digital device you don’t actually look through the optics as you would on a normal optical-only monocular, instead, the image it captures is then displayed digitally on a small screen.

So, before I go any further it is important to understand that because of this, you can’t really directly compare the view you see through the Canon Digital monocular to an optical-only monocular.

So having said that what is the view like and is it good enough?

The specs for this viewfinder are as follows: 0.39-inch OLED EVF, 2.36m dots, 100% coverage, and a 60Hz refresh rate (59.94 fps).

We could compare this to other viewfinders on other devices like cameras etc, but I think what is more useful is for me to say that when you are just using the monocular for observation (not recording), the image is overall very good and what you see is MUCH, MUCH better than what the device records.

It has a high refresh rate, so the image is nice and smooth. Image brightness is excellent, indeed the brightness of the image you see on the screen is often amplified when looking at darker subjects which is great.

Once focussed, the sharpness is good and I think colour reproduction is more than decent, but because of the fact it is basically a bunch of pixels on a small screen, it is different to an optical-only view you see on a standard monocular.

Thus, if image quality and seeing an image that is as true to life as possible is paramount to you, then I would suggest a high-quality standard optics-only instrument instead.

Having said that, for me, a monocular is more about being able to quickly and easily view or identify something. So if I want to get a very high-quality view then I will invariably choose a binocular or scope over a monocular. A monocular is more about convenience than extremely high-quality views.

So overall I would say, yes for a digital image the view is excellent and easily good enough for what I would generally use a monocular for: So quickly identifying a bird or some other wildlife in the distance. watching sports.

Image Quality – Recording

• Images: JPEG 4000 x 3000 (4:3)
• Video: MP4 1920 x 1080 29.97/23.98 fps (NTSC), 25.00 fps (PAL
• Microphone: Stereo
• ISO Range: Auto (fixed 100-3200)
• Maximum Aperture: W: f/5.6, T: f/6.3

Now in terms of recording, it is kind of a similar case to comparing the Canon Digital Monocular to an Optics-only Monocular in that if captured video image quality is of major importance to you, you’ll be far better off getting a good camera which will have a larger lens and sensor.

Indeed I would even say that the camera on your phone will probably record better 35mm (1x) footage.

Where this Canon Monocular does perform better than your phone camera is when you zoom in. This is because it can record at 4.8x optical zoom, which will be better than zooming in on your phone to 4.8x and recording as that image is likely to be a digital zoom.

So where this device once again excels is in terms of convenience and being able to quickly record something of interest and not out-and-out quality.

Unless you are a dedicated photographer, carrying a large SLR camera everywhere is a no-go. And yes, we now all always have our phones with us, so the camera on them is very convenient, but not so good for taking videos of small birds on a distant branch and you can’t really use the screen on your phone like you can a monocular just for viewing.

So because of its tiny size, it is just one of those devices that you can easily carry about with you in your pocket when you go to a sporting event, out on a walk, bikepacking, backpacking, etc. and if anything interesting happens a little further away, you have the ability to not only see it, but also record the evidence.

Ideal Uses

The ideal uses for Canon Zoom Monoculars are pretty much any situation where portability is of vital importance. So these include:

• Hiking
• Backpacking & Bikepacking
• Camping
• Taking to Sporting Events, especially sports like Baseball, Cricket, Tennis, Show Jumping and Watching Sailing or Surfing Events.
• Golf, not only watching, but why not pop one in your golf bag if you play

Secondary Uses

So whilst this may not be the ideal choice in the following situations, they will still hold their own and hey, they will certainly be better than not having anything at all:

• Forest Birding / Wildlife Observation
• Backyard Birding
• Kayaking / Canoeing – Although you need to be careful not to drop it in the water, so not if on anything other than calm water where you are not likely to tip over
• Taking to an Art Gallery or Museum
• Concerts / Opera

Connectivity Options:

The Canon PowerShot Zoom offers a variety of connectivity options and remote control that further add to its versatility and ease of use:

USB Connectivity: Type-C Port

The Canon PowerShot Zoom has a USB Type-C port hidden under a panel on the side of the device, which serves two main purposes:

1. Charging: The primary function of the USB Type-C port on the PowerShot Zoom is to charge the monocular. I believe Type-C, charging is faster and more efficient than the older micro-USB, but am not sure.
2. Data Transfer: By connecting the PowerShot Zoom to a computer using the included Type-C cable, I found it simple enough to transfer photos and videos for editing, storage and sharing. Once again the data transfer rate is said to be faster than older USB versions and whilst I did not record any super long videos, I did have many files, which transferred across very quickly. No Issues here.

Wi-Fi Connectivity

The Canon PowerShot Zoom features built-in Wi-Fi, which can be used in a variety of ways:

1. Remote Control: Using the Canon Camera Connect app, Wi-Fi will enable you to connect the PowerShot Zoom to your smartphone or tablet. This app then enables you to remotely control the camera, where you can adjust settings, switch between shooting modes and then capture without physically touching the monocular. As you will appreciate, this could be particularly useful in situations where the monocular needs to be positioned in hard-to-reach places, for timid wildlife or you could set it up and use it as a kind of wildlife or security camera.
2. File Transfer: Whilst I didn’t transfer files in this way during testing, you can use the Wi-Fi connectivity for the wireless transfer of images and videos from the PowerShot Zoom to a smartphone, tablet, or computer. If you set this up, this could be a nice way to quickly share your captured footage on social media.
3. Firmware Updates: Wi-Fi can be used to download and install firmware updates.

Bluetooth Connectivity

The Bluetooth feature is interesting and whilst it is not as “powerful” as the Wi-Fi connection in terms of what you can do, once set up it was easy to connect the Canon monocular with my smartphone and they would then automatically reconnect whenever they were in range of each other.

This made it super easy to use the remote control functions or transfer images without having to go through the setup process each time.

Bluetooth can also be used for geotagging photos, but this was not a feature that I tried, but if you are travelling it would be a great way to use your phone’s GPS to automatically add location data to your images.

MicroSD Card Slot

The Canon PowerShot Zoom uses a microSD card as its primary storage medium. This is a common choice for compact devices like this due to the small size and capacity of the cards:

• Storage Capacity: The PowerShot Zoom supports microSD, microSDHC, and microSDXC cards, which means you can use cards with capacities ranging from a few gigabytes up to potentially 512GB or more, depending on the specific card. This flexibility allows you to choose the storage capacity that best suits your needs and budget.
• Removability: One of the benefits of using a microSD card is that it’s removable. You can easily swap out cards if one gets full, or if you want to organize your photos and videos by different events or trips. This also makes it easy to transfer files to a computer or other device by simply removing the card and inserting it into a compatible reader. Which is the method that I use most often.

Controls

The Canon PowerShot Zoom is obviously designed with simplicity and ease of use in mind, and nowhere is this more reflected than in its minimalist control interface. The monocular has six buttons that control most of its functions. Here’s a breakdown of each button, its function, and my experience using them:

1. Power Button

• Location: The power button is located on the top of the camera, towards the rear left.
• Function: As expected, this button powers the device on and off.
• Ease of Use: in time, the power button is fairly easy to locate and press, without looking. It requires a reasonably firm press, which helps prevent accidental activation when the camera is stored in a pocket or bag. The camera powers up quickly, which is important for capturing spontaneous moments. Like all the other buttons, in winter with gloves on it will be hard to locate and use.

2. Zoom Button

• Location: Positioned on the top of the camera, towards the front, close to where your index finger naturally rests.
• Function: The zoom button allows you to toggle between the three fixed zoom levels—100mm, 400mm, and 800mm (digital zoom).
• Ease of Use: The zoom button is a simple switch. Pressing it zooms in and you go around in a loop. The transitions between zoom levels are smooth and precise.

3. Menu Button

• Location: Located on the top of the camera, near the right rear.
• Function: The menu button opens the camera’s menu system, allowing you to access various settings and functions.
• Ease of Use: The menu button is straightforward to use, but navigating the menu does take some getting used to since the camera’s minimalist design means there’s no multi-directional pad. Instead, you use other buttons to scroll through the options. While it’s not overly complicated, I found it a little cumbersome, especially when trying to make quick adjustments on the go.

4. Video Record Button

• Location: On the underside of the monocular on the right side
• Function: The shutter button is used to take photos or start and stop video recording.
• Ease of Use: The shutter button is responsive and a little more obvious than the buttons on top of the monocular making it that bit easier to locate.

5. Shutter Button

• Location: On the left underside of the body, next to the record button.
• Function: The shutter button is used to focus the camera and then take photos.
• Ease of Use: The shutter button is pretty responsive, and without gloves, you can feel a clear distinction between a half-press (to focus and lock exposure) and a full press (to capture the image).

6. Dioptric Adjustment Dial

The Canon PowerShot Zoom includes a dioptric adjustment dial located next to the electronic viewfinder (EVF) on the underside of the body. This dial allows you to fine-tune the focus of the EVF to match your eyesight, making it easier to see clearly with or without glasses.

It’s simple to use, you just look through the viewfinder and turn the dial until the image is sharp. Note that the Dioptre Correction that it can cater for is from -3 to +1m (dpt)

Controls: Overall User Experience

Simplicity: The six-button layout keeps the monocular clean and uncluttered. Each button is placed reasonably well enough, enabling me to hold and operate the functions with one hand.

Learning Curve: There’s a slight learning curve to remembering where each button is and what it does without looking as well as navigating the menu as it does not have a directional dial, but you do soon get used to it.

Weaknesses

I think rather than weaknesses, the right word here might be limitations which depending on your expectations may be seen as a weakness:

Sensor Size and Resolution
So for example, if you are expecting a high-end camera, then aspects like the 12.1-megapixel sensor, while adequate for many casual photography needs, is relatively small and limited in resolution compared to other compact cameras or even smartphones on the market. This can and does result in lower image quality, especially in low-light conditions, where noise can become more prominent, and detail can be lost. For users expecting high-resolution images or those planning to print large photos, this could be a drawback.

However, in those exact same low-light conditions, I found the image that you are presented with when looking at Viewfinder to be much brighter and as a tiny observation device this was far better than my expectations.

No 4K Video Recording
In an era where 4K video is becoming standard, the PowerShot Zoom only offers Full HD 1080p recording at 30fps. While this is sufficient for casual video recording and use on social media, it will be seen as a weakness by those looking to capture ultra-high-definition video or those who want to future-proof their footage. But once again if you are after that, you would be far better off getting a good-quality camera with a large lens and sensor.

Battery Life
The Canon Zoom monocular has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery which is fine, the down size is its capacity. In my testing, I found that it would last a few hours (probably an hour if used continuously).

This is adequate for short sessions, but on full-day outings or events where there is a lot to capture and charging opportunities are scarce, this is a limitation for sure.

The lack of a removable battery also means that you can’t simply swap in a new one when the charge runs out. A battery bank is an option, but not as convenient.

Once again if you mostly use it for observation and not recording, the battery certainly lasts longer.

Lack of Water and Dust Resistance

Another notable weakness/limitation of the Canon PowerShot Zoom is its lack of water and dust resistance. For a device designed to be portable and used in various outdoor settings, this for me is a little disappointing, but you can get around it. You just need to be careful:

So doing my research I discovered that the Canon PowerShot Zoom does not have any official IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which means it hasn’t been tested or certified to withstand exposure to dust, water, or other environmental elements. This is important to consider if you plan to use the camera in conditions where it might be exposed to rain, dust, or moisture.

Limitation for Outdoor Enthusiasts

So as a device that is in all other aspects almost perfect for activities like hiking and kayaking this lack of environmental protection could be a dealbreaker to some, which is a shame.

So unfortunately, with the PowerShot Zoom, if you want to use it in unfavourable conditions, you will need to be more cautious and might need to carry additional protective gear, such as a ziplock bag, waterproof pouch or case, which can detract from the convenience and portability that the camera is meant to offer.

Comparison with Other Devices

Many modern cameras and most reasonable quality monoculars and binoculars, especially those aimed at adventurers or outdoor enthusiasts, offer at least some level of water and dust resistance. Even smartphones, which the PowerShot Zoom competes with in terms of portability and convenience, often come with IP ratings that make them more robust for outdoor use. The absence of such protection in the PowerShot Zoom puts it at a disadvantage in scenarios where environmental exposure is a concern.

Conclusion

The tiny size and very low weight of the Canon Digital monocular is its major strong point and the advantage they have over many other instruments like binoculars, and cameras can be very important in certain uses and areas that I have gone over.

However, you can get standard monoculars that are about the same size. These offer a more natural view, but they don’t have the ability to zoom in, and unless you connect them to your phone or a camera, you can’t record what you are using.

Likewise, a small compact camera with a zoom function may take better photos and video (I’m not sure as I haven’t used one in years!), but you can not use it as an effective tool for just observing.

So the Canon Zoom Digital Monocular is good at quite a few things and in many situations, I think I’m fair in saying they aren’t the ultimate master (or absolute best choice) for most of them. So their strength lies in their versatility, having a zooming device you can use as a viewer and a recorder.

So it is because of this, they most certainly have their place and I know from personal experience, like taking them with me on my bikepacking trips, to the golf course and watching my daughter showjumping they can be a really good choice in the right situations and for the right uses.

Cost & Where To Buy