I compared pictures taken with this XF1 against compact digitals offering 14 and 16 megapixel outputs and the XF1 actually beats them on image quality even with the lower megapixel count.

The SX40's tiny sensor and huge zoom range lens also implies the same lacking detail resolution of all such lens/sensor combinations.

The diagram below compares the size of the XF1's 2/3" sensor to those in its nearest competitors - in general larger sensors potentially offer better image quality.

As a consequence you can't quite achieve the same cinema-like depth-of-field as an APS-C or even full-frame DSLR but the effect is still much better than any digital compact camera.

For some reason, switching off the camera to stand-by mode is made as rotating zoom toward wide angle.

I guess I would shoot normal and relatively wide angle (to allow for shorter distance) and then crop later, but that slows down PP.

The circular control wheel can be used to change the shutter speed and aperture and select other settings, while around it are four options for setting the exposure compensation, flash mode, self-timer and focusing mode.

The G1 X has a very useful front control dial, as featured on EOS DSLR cameras, which makes changing the aperture and consequently the full Manual shooting mode very easy.

Other notable features of the XF1 are its 4x 25-100mm, f1.8 (at the 25mm wide-angle zoom setting) to f4.9 (at full 100mm telephoto) manual zoom lens (which can double to a 200mm equivalent digital zoom in certain modes), full 1080p movie recording, a high resolution 3 inch LCD screen and 7 frames per second burst shooting mode.

As I stated at the beginning of this review, I and some other people desire an advanced, highly capable, camera with a high-quality fixed-zoom-lens, a large sensor, and the ability to take pictures under many varied conditions (including low-light without flash) and have those pictures turn out exactly as desired (and at the same, or at the very least practically the same, high image quality as those which can be obtained with much more expensive DSLRs).

Measuring 107.9(W) x 61.5(H) x 33.0(D) mm, it's almost pocketable but perhaps best suited to life in a small camera bag or large coat pocket.

The weight and feel are right, with the hand grip providing a perfect control surface.