I tried out Canon's latest vlogging camera for astrophotography, the PowerShot V1 and managed to capture the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way!
Surprising astrophotography performance from an all-in-one compact camera with a video and vlogging focus, but it lacks key stills-focused functionality you would want.Best cameras for astrophotography 2026 — shoot the stars and planets with these top camerasLaunching in February 2025 as part of Canon’s video-focused 'V series', alongside the Canon R50 V, the Canon Powershot V1 is a vlogging-focused hybrid compact camera with a built-in lens, 3x optical zoom and a 22.
5MP sensor. It rivals Sony's ZV range of cameras, which are also aimed at content and video creation. With an active cooling fan and Canon Log-3 recording mode for professional shooting ability, video is the main function of this camera. The ultra-wide-angle lens is specifically good for selfie-style vlogging and capturing everything in frame. That being said, I tested it for a range of modes, including video and stills photography and found that it performed well in a hybrid workflow. I wasn't expecting strong astro performance from the Powershot V1, but I was pleasantly surprised with its ability to capture constellations, the Milky Way and even the Andromeda galaxy .The Canon Powershot V1 feels good in the hand, even if a bit bulky, thanks to the cooling fan. Some users may find the design too chunky or the 0.94 lb weight an issue, but I thought it was a handy size for taking on trips without having to take into account a separate body and lens. It's a great grab-and-go camera for hybrid shooting thanks to its 1.4-inch 22MP sensor. Primarily a vlogging camera, the build is constructed so that it is easy to hold in a selfie stance, but if you want to shoot extended videos with it, I would recommend grabbing one of the For stills shooting, the built-in lens has an ultra-wide, 16mm full-frame equivalent, focal length with a 3x optical zoom extending that up to a telephoto length equivalent to 50mm full-frame. The maximum aperture for the wide-angle focal length is f/2.8, which really helped during my astrophotography testing.The 3-inch LCD screen has a 1.04-million dot resolution, allowing for bright viewfinding and media playback during day and night. A lack of astrophotography-specific features, like night vision mode, means that it can be hard to preserve night vision while out in dark sites.Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors Touchscreen capability for most functions makes changing exposure settings very simple. It has touch-to-focus and touch-to-shoot functionality along with access to the quick menu for easy manipulation of your favorite settings. For those who might want a more traditional experience, the lens ring twists easily and can be used to change aperture and ISO in creative modes.The back panel is a simple array of the usual buttons, but lacks as many tactile exposure controls as a full-frame or APS-C camera. The mode dial comes with auto, creative and custom functions, along with an easy lever for changing between camera and video functionality. The shutter button is easy to use with a lever at the side for zoom operation. Next to the shutter is a red record button, which can be used at any time to start shooting video, and a power button.For astrophotography testing, I took the Canon Powershot V1 to a dark field in South West England with a Bortle level of four. I mounted it easily on a basic tripod and set about trying to capture some night sky treasures. For an all-in-one camera, I was amazed by the astro capability of this camera. The low-light performance was impressive, and I managed to capture the constellation Aquila and the Big Dipper asterism. In the Big Dipper, I was even able to resolve the double stars of Mizar and Alcor. Thanks to the ultra-wide perspective, I was also able to frame a copse of trees under the starry night sky, along with the Pleiades star cluster on the right-hand side.The Big Dipper asterism can be seen here with the double stars Mizar and Alcor clearly resolved. Shot with Canon Powershot V1, Aperture: f/4.5, Shutter speed: 13 sec, ISO 3200 | Bortle class 4.The Canon Powershot V1 even had good high ISO performance and was able to capture the core of the Milky Way at ISO 3200 with an f/2.8 aperture and 15-second shutter speed. Zooming into these images finds a mid-level amount of noise, but it is acceptable for the class of the camera. Pumping the ISO up to 6400 made the dust lanes in the Milky Way more visible, but made it quite noisy.The galactic core of the Milky Way. Shot with Canon Powershot V1, Aperture: f/3.2, Shutter speed: 15 sec, ISO 3200 | Bortle class 4.The faint Milky Way band is visible among a star field. Shot with Canon Powershot V1, Aperture: f/2.8, Shutter speed: 10 sec, ISO 3200 | Bortle class 4. For a camera that is not focused on stills or astrophotography in any way, the Canon Powershot V1 performed way above what I expected it to. Despite the noise, I think that a hybrid camera that can shoot Milky Way dust lanes and clear constellations has something worth shouting about. Despite some visible noise, it is still impressive for this camera to capture the Andromeda galaxy . Shot with Canon Powershot V1, Aperture: f/4.5, Shutter speed: 20 sec, ISO 3200 | Bortle class 4., which I shot with an f/4.5 aperture and 20-second shutter speed. Despite being a small yellow smudge in the centre, it clearly shows the stretched shape of the galaxy well enough to identify it as part of the Andromeda constellation.The flip-out, fully articulating screen is really handy during astrophotography shoots in the summer when it is easy to manipulate controls in the warm weather. Touch screen controls are useful in some conditions, but some users may find the lack of tactile controls annoying, especially when trying to preserve night vision or in cold weather, when it is harder to use touchscreens. Whilst there is a small dial on the back panel and a bigger lens dial that can be used to change exposure settings, it doesn't feel as easy or as satisfying to change as on bigger models. Most of the functionality is geared toward its primary use as a vlogging camera, such as a headphone and mic jack, along with a USB-C and micro HDMI port for charging and output. The inclusion of a high-density windscreen is a nice touch for those who are really focused on getting high-quality audio on their recordings. It has a built-in cooling fan to prevent overheating during extended video use, but this adds a lot of bulk to the camera. As a purely still-focused camera, it is quite thick when compared to competitors like the Sony ZV-II.If you plan on using a tripod a lot with the Powershot V1, then make sure you use an appropriate baseplate so you can switch out SD cards and batteries without having to take it off the tripod head. The battery compartment was nice and easy to open with a sliding latch, but, honestly, I didn't need to replace it as I charged it via USB-C during use and never needed to replace the battery during my shoots.When I first started using the camera, I was using an SDHC SD card, and single shooting was fine, but there were errors when I tried to shoot video or do burst shooting. I would make sure that you have an SD card with at least a V30 speed rating for good write speeds.I tested the Canon Powershot V1 in a Bortle class 4 area in southwest England in August 2025. The nightly temperature was around 53-degree fahrenheit . I shot images of the constellation Aquila, Big Dipper asterism, Milky Way core and the Andromeda galaxy . I also used the V1 for recording some video content as well as shooting different photography styles.Other users find the camera’s 4K video quality great, especially when used in home studio setups, with the ultra-wide angle able to capture everything in frame. Most of the praise comes from its strong video capability, with users praising the built-in ND filter and built-in fan to prevent overheating. Some users have complained about the battery life but I didn’t have any issues with it during my testing. A majority of the criticism comes from the camera's optimization for videography over photography. As a pure photography camera, some users thought that it lacked the functionality required of a stills-focused camera like a built-in electronic viewfinder .On top of having a fixed lens, the V1 also comes with a built-in cooling fan for extended video capture and a good microphone, so you can be ready for hybrid shooting without carrying around a bunch of gear.If you shoot a wide range of subjects and only take pictures of stars now and then, this will suit you, as it produces good results for casual astrophotographers.The Canon Powershot V1 is primarily meant for vlogging use and its design is primed for this. If you don't shoot a lot of video, the video-focused features won't be useful.Whilst having good astro performance for its class, you would easily outgrow this camera if purely using it for astrophotography and you would be better off getting another If you want a small but powerful video camera that can get you shooting immediately out of the box, then go for the Powershot V1. If you are a hybrid shooter who likes to take a wide range of styles of photography/videography, this will offer the adaptability to choose. It really is optimized for vlogging and videography, so this should be your main requirement if buying this camera. I have tested it successfully for astrophotography and was impressed with the low-light performance for an all-in-one camera. Whilst it is capable of pretty good photography in a range of styles thanks to the sensor and 3x optical zoom lens, stills-focused users will probably feel a bit underwhelmed with the stills performance compared to stills-focused cameras.If you are looking for a similarly sized camera but with more of a creative photography focus and the ability to change lenses, check out the Fujifilm X-M5. It has a 26 MP APS-C sensor and can shoot 6.2K open-gate video, so you are getting a strong photography camera with a strong video performance, although it does lack the built-in cooling fan and neutral density filter of the V1. You can also use any of the XF series of Fujifilm lenses that are available, allowing you to upgrade your images.which has interchangeable lenses as well as a larger APS-C 24MP sensor. It also features dual tripod threads for different mounting styles while shooting.is a good option for those who want a compact, photography-focused camera. Whilst bigger than the V1, the Z fc offers an electronic viewfinder , a slightly larger APS-C sensor and compatibility with Nikon Z series of lenses. Harry joined Space.com in December 2024 as an e-commerce staff writer covering cameras, optics, and skywatching content. Based in the UK, Harry graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in American Literature with Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. A keen photographer, Harry has strong experience with astrophotography and has captured celestial objects with a range of cameras. As a lifelong skywatcher, Harry remembers watching the Perseid meteor shower every summer in his hometown and being amazed by the wonders of the night sky.I can't find it any cheaper, $450 off this Canon EOS R5 Mark II camera is my favorite Black Friday camera deal so far See the March Lunar eclipse in more detail for under $50! These binoculars are now even cheaper than on Black Friday It's toys vs technology in the 1st 'Toy Story 5' trailer, and the toys have an army of Buzz Lightyears
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