Characteristics of the Canon SX260 HS digital camera
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Photo from Canon SX260 HS page

Sensor type:1/2.3" CCD
Pixels:12.1 Mp, 4:3
Pixel pitch:1.54 μm/pixel

3000 pixels
4.55 mm
= 659 px/mm
4000 pixels
6.17 mm
= 648 px/mm
WideTele
Focal length4.5 mm90 mm
ƒ/stopƒ/3.5 - ƒ/8.0ƒ/6.8 - ƒ/8.0
Diffraction-limited Yes (ƒ/4.9)  Yes (ƒ/4.9)
Arc-seconds/px70.13.5

Remote capture:  No
Remote focus control: n/a
Lens compatible with eyepieces: Yes
Raw mode: No
Filter mount: No

No computer control ('remote capture')

The SX260 does not support control of the camera from a computer via USB. When mounted on an optical device, eg., a microscope, photos need to be focused and captured using the camera.

Photographing what human eyes can see through optical instruments

The entrance pupil of this camera is similar to the human eye, so it's suitable for taking photos through optical instruments such as a microscope or binoculars. Here's a page with ideas for afocal adapters to use this camera with various optics.

When in manual focus mode, this camera displays an expanded, actual pixel view of the center of the image, as an inset into the normal view displayed on the camera's LCD. This greatly assists focusing.

Focal length versus Angle of view

The camera was set at Distance from a perpendicular tape measure (measured from the back of the camera). Photos were taken at various focal lengths, and then the angle of view was calculated. It's possible the angle of view is affected by the focus distance.

Distance (cm)Focal length (mm)Angle of view
1004.565.5
1005.654.6
1006.548.5
100840.8
1008.638.2
1009.634.6
10012.326.4
34114.223.8
1001521.9
10016.220.4
34116.620.2
34119.617.4
34123.614.4
34125.813.2
34127.712.5
34135.49.8
34140.38.7
34150.57.0
34159.16.2
34170.85.3
341904.6