The Canon EOS 80D

When faced with the launch of a new camera, the quickest way to decide if it’s for you is to think about the sort of photography you like, and then look at the key features that the camera offers.

Enjoy portraits or still-life shots? You’ll want accurate exposures and high-quality detail. More of an action fan? Look for fast continuous shooting speeds and exceptional autofocus. Prefer moving pictures? Seek out responsive, smooth video capture and maybe even in-camera special effects. This practice enables you to quickly discard cameras that aren’t suited to your style – or alerts you to times when you need to learn more.

Occasionally, you’ll meet a camera that’s actually got it all – and this is one of those times. Take look at the specs of the Canon EOS 80D and think about your own picture-taking:

Quite. Canon isn’t kidding when it uses the word “versatile” to describe the EOS 80D: it’s a unique blend of a user-friendly experience and professional quality images and video, and it’s hard to think of a type of photographer who wouldn’t find this new camera suited to their style.

If the Swiss Army made lenses: Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

IS USM

If you’ve been considering investing in an all-rounder optic, look no further than the newly launched Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM – this compact wide-angle zoom will enable you to capture all sorts of different scenes on camera without having to swap or carry extra lenses. You’ll be able to move from shooting wide landscapes to close-up detail work, or from capturing stills to movies in an instant – it’s a real Swiss Army knife of a lens. This makes the 18-135mm the ideal travel companion, or perfect for situations where you don’t quite know what sort of photographic opportunity to prepare for – such as documentary or street work.

Super Spectra coating helps to keep ghosting and flare to a minimum, for premium picture quality in all sorts of lighting conditions. Nano USM technology provides “whisper-quiet” focus, perfect for movies or wildlife work, while a 4-stop Optical Image Stabiliser promises to keep your images sharp even when working hand-held. If you’re on the move while filming movies, a Dynamic Image Stabiliser will keep your shots sharp – and if your subject’s the one rushing around, there’s a dedicated Panning Mode built in that automatically detects if you’re capturing a moving target.

I’m ready for my close-up: Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1

An exciting accessory launched alongside the EOS 80D (and designed to work with the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM) is the Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1. This small black box sits beneath the camera, cradling the lens, and gives you smooth zoom control when capturing video on camera – making it almost essential for those who love creating movies. A slider control that’s positioned just beneath your fingertips allows for fine, smooth zooming in an instant. You’ll be able to zoom the 18-135mm quickly, dramatically, or super-slowly for a gentler effect – whatever best suits your creative vision. What’s more, you can also control the Power Zoom wirelessly, via a compatible smartphone with the Canon Camera Connect app – perfect for situations where silence is golden.

The camera’s lens has a 9-bladed aperture for super smooth background blur in out-of-focus areas, so you can capture stunning portraits or professional-style still life shots with ease. A large 1.0-type CMOS sensor means you won’t have any trouble taking pictures in low light, and you’ll also enjoy exceptionally fine detail when photographing more conventionally-lit situations.

If movies are more your thing, this camera’s definitely one to consider – with Full HD 60p footage, control over pin-sharp focus with MF Peaking and in-camera Time Lapses. A clever control ring around the G7 X Mark II’s lens makes it simple to adjust settings while you’re holding the camera, while touchscreen control on the large, bright rear display allows you to create cinema-style focus pulls with just a few taps of the screen.

It’s also a camera that can grow with you as your skills improve, thanks to its advanced settings and the ability to capture Raw files – so as you gain confidence, you’ll be able to take full control over the look and feel of your stills and movies.

Into action, or fast-moving subjects? The G7 X Mark II’s ready for you – it offers up to 8fps shooting whether you’re capturing JPEGs or Raws, and a DIGIC 7 processor makes response times impressively speedy.

Getting your pictures and films off the camera is extremely simple, thanks to built in WiFi and the Canon Camera Connect App – so you’re only ever a few taps away from getting your new photos or movies in front of your online audience. And trust us – thanks to all the features this camera’s got to offer, your creations will look so good that you’ll want to share them as quickly as possible…

An update to the extremely popular Canon SX710 HS, the SX720 has a 20.3MP CMOS sensor and the latest version of Canon’s signature HS system for capturing clear, crisp photos in any sort of lighting. You’ll also be able to capture realistic Full HD 60p movies, even when working at the very end of that monster zoom – and a large, bright high-resolution LCD will make reviewing your shots and short movies easy.

When it’s time to get your photos and videos off the camera, built-in Wifi with Dynamic NFC can send your selected shots to compatible devices in just one tap. Wireless remote control lets you take control of your camera from a distance and use a smartphone to see what’s in shot – great for group photos or wildlife work.

There’s all sorts of creative features to explore within the camera, including Canon’s Creative Shot – which captures the same subject in a variety of different artistic styles – and Story Highlights, which intelligently gathers together photos and clips on similar themes, subjects or dates to create a short movie album of your adventures.

And when you’re ready to take the next step, the SX270 HS will allow you to take full manual exposure control over the way your pictures and movies appear. It can be as simple or advanced as you want it to be – and whichever you choose, you’ll be taking photos and films that you’ll definitely be proud of.