Canon PowerShot ELPH650 HS M Black

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS is a tiny camera with a big 12x zoom and a painfully short battery life. It takes lovely daylight photos and is dead simple to use, but the lack of 4K video and a tilting screen hold it back. Worth it if you find it under $430 and just want a pocket zoom that beats your phone.

That 20.2MP sensor paired with the old DIGIC 4+ processor delivers surprisingly pleasant photos in good light, with colors that pop without looking fake. The zoom is genuinely useful and the Intelligent IS does a solid job keeping things steady at the long end, landing in the 79th percentile for stabilization. But the cracks show fast when the sun goes down or you try to push the speed. The 7.2 fps burst is fine for a casual camera, but the 180-shot battery life is one of the worst we've seen, and the 1080p video capped at 30fps feels ancient. The fixed 3-inch screen is also a letdown if you're trying to shoot from a low angle.

Stacking this against the Sony Alpha a6600 or Fujifilm X-T4 is almost unfair, those are interchangeable lens beasts in a different league for both photo and video. Even against something like the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, the Canon gets crushed on build quality, burst speed, and battery life. The ELPH 360's only real win is its size and simplicity. It's a camera for someone who would be overwhelmed by a Nikon Z6, not someone cross-shopping one.

Pricing is a bit of a mess, ranging from $410 to $530 depending on where you look. At the low end, it's a reasonable buy for a dedicated zoom camera that slips into a purse. At the high end, you're flirting with used mirrorless territory, which makes this a much harder sell. If you can snag it closer to $410, it's a fair deal for the zoom range alone.

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS is a pocket-sized point-and-shoot that knows exactly what it is: a simple, stylish upgrade from your phone for zoom shots and everyday snaps. It's not trying to be a pro camera, and that's honestly refreshing. The 12x optical zoom is the star here, letting you reach out to 300mm equivalent from a body that weighs less than a deck of cards. Just don't expect it to replace a modern mirrorless rig for anything serious.

If you shoot a lot of video or need a camera that lasts all day without a charger, look elsewhere. The 1080p cap and 180-shot battery life will drive you nuts. Anyone wanting to learn manual photography should also skip this and grab a used entry-level mirrorless body instead.

This is the camera for your mom, your non-techie friend, or anyone who just wants to zoom in on a concert or a bird without lugging a bag of lenses. It's a fun, simple point-and-shoot that nails the basics in daylight. If you need anything beyond casual snapshots, you'll outgrow it in a week.