Is the Canon SX740 HS still good for travel in 2027?

Yes, the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS remains a viable and highly functional travel camera heading into 2027, but only for a very specific type of traveler: someone who absolutely needs massive optical zoom in a pocket-sized body.

While modern smartphones have largely replaced basic point-and-shoot cameras due to superior computational photography and better low-light performance, they still cannot match the SX740 HS's 40x physical optical zoom (24-960mm equivalent).

Why it is still good for 2027 travel:

• Unbeatable Zoom Range: It lets you capture distant wildlife, architectural details, or far-away landscapes that would turn into a blurry pixelated mess on almost any smartphone.
• Ultra-Compact Size: It slides easily into a front pocket, making it far more convenient than carrying an interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera.
• Vlogging Friendly: The 180-degree tilting screen and 4K video capability make it easy to shoot selfies and travel vlogs.

Where it falls short:

• Low-Light Performance: The small 1/2.3-inch sensor struggles significantly in dark environments, indoors, or at night. Your smartphone will easily take cleaner night photos.
• No RAW support: You are limited to shooting JPEGs, which restricts your ability to heavily edit highlights and shadows later.
• No Viewfinder: Framing shots in bright sunlight can be difficult on the rear LCD screen.