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Camera Reviews > Canon Powershot SD500 7MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical
Zoom Features
Features of Canon Powershot SD500 7MP Digital Elph Camera
with 3x Optical Zoom
With a host of
new features and a unique "perpetual curve" contoured design, the brushed stainless
steel titanium grey 7.1-megapixel PowerShot SD500 continues the PowerShot tradition
of pushing compact camera design into new territories.
Driven
by the same DIGIC II image processing architecture that propels Canon's EOS-1
pro-series digital SLR cameras, the camera features a 3.0x optical zoom, large
2.0-inch LCD, high-quality VGA video clips at 30 frames per second up to the capacity
of the memory card, high-speed USB 2.0 connection, 'My Color' in-camera color
editing, and a Print/Share button for easy PictBridge direct printing and fast
file uploads. Its 7.1-megapixel sensor allows detailed enlargements up to 15 x
20 inches.
New Design
While still referencing
original PowerShot designer Yasushi Shiotani's 'box and circle' concept, the PowerShot
SD500 design represents a departure from the traditional rectangular PowerShot.
The silky finish and distinctive curves are designed to feel great in the hand,
while rounded contours exaggerate an already slender body, 8% lighter than the
previous top-of-range PowerShot SD500.
The large
2.0-inch LCD screen features a QuickBright function that takes the screen temporarily
to maximum brightness for improved visibility when shooting outdoors. A Night
Display option improves LCD visibility for composition and framing in low light
conditions. A sophisticated mode dial replaces the mode switch of previous models.
Blistering Performance
Trusted by professional
photographers and agencies such as Getty Images for its outstanding image rendering
ability, DIGIC II assures superb image quality through improved colour gradation
and white balance accuracy.
DIGIC II also delivers
instant 0.8 second start-up time, uninterrupted 2.0 frame per second shooting
until the memory card fills, and the new USB 2.0 high-speed interface for fast
uploads. Processing power also supports a new high-speed image playback function,
image jump function (with search facility) during in-camera review, fast image
rotation, and increased card writing speed. Auto focus speed is 55% faster than
its predecessor, thanks to a more compact, redesigned 37-111mm zoom lens and its
new rear focusing system, combined with DIGIC II processing.
Shooting
Features
To increase shoot-and-share enjoyment, a Hold function now allows
users to extend indefinitely the display of a newly shot image, and to delete
it immediately if necessary without the requirement to switch to replay mode.
The camera returns to shooting immediately when the shutter button is pressed
again. A new My Colors menu gives users pre-capture control over image colors
in stills and movies. Nine sophisticated color-editing features include Color
Accent, which gives users the ability to convert all but one chosen color of an
image to monochrome. Other My Colors functions allow favorite colors to be made
more vivid and colors to be swapped--a feature designed for creative or fun purposes
as well as practical applications, such as product design or interior decoration
planning. Users can choose to save 2 copies of the image--with and without an
effect applied.
For maximum versatility and ease
of use, the PowerShot SD500 has a total of 13 shooting modes. These include Auto,
Manual (allowing more experienced or adventurous users to take control of settings
such as white balance, exposure compensation and shutter speed, which extend from
15 seconds to 1/2000 second), and stitch assist for creating panoramas. 9 Special
Scene modes include portrait, snow, and beach modes for simple set-up in popular
shooting situations. A new more powerful flash features 6 modes and has a range
of up to 4.8 meters at ISO Auto.
New movie features
The
PowerShot SD500 incorporates a number of new advanced video features. Digital
zoom is now available while shooting video and users can record up to one minute
at 60 frames per second (fps) for smooth in-camera slow motion playback. Control
over slow motion improves with more sensitive, five speed level adjustment, while
white balance and exposure adjusts automatically when zooming during video capture.
For recording clips suitable for email attachment, a ‘Compact' mode provides for
recording up to 3 minutes of 15 fps, 160 x 120 resolution files.
Ergonomics
Despite
successfully decreasing the size of the viewfinder, Canon's engineers have maintained
a 16mm eye relief, perfect for prescription eyeglass wearers. The Intelligent
Orientation Sensor not only rotates automatically images taken with the camera
held vertically, it also improves auto white balance, auto focus and auto exposure
by helping the Camera's iSAPS 'built-in photographer's assistant' to take into
account likely positions of sky and foreground.
Extending
Creativity
An optional waterproof case allows users to capture exciting
marine life stills and video down to 40 meters. The case includes a diffusion
plate to counter the 'snow' effect produced by particles suspended in the water,
and a double glass lens to prevent fogging. Optional buoyancy compensation weights
prevent the camera from pulling to the surface during scuba or skin diving. A
new optional High Power Flash accessory, the HF-DC1, further extends the options
for night and indoor shooting. With a guide number of 18 (ISO 100, meters), the
slave flash automatically fires in-sync with the camera's in-built flash, ignoring
any pre-flash. It can be adjusted to three power output settings based on the
aperture value of the camera. The unit attaches to the camera with a supplied
bracket that maintains the ability to mount both camera and flash on a tripod.
Print and Share
For photo prints without
first uploading to a computer, the PowerShot SD500 supports full PictBridge functionality.
When coupled with DIGIC II compact photo printers such as Canon's new Compact
Photo Printer Selphy CP600, the camera/printer combination is capable of producing
borderless photo prints in just 63 seconds. Wide (100 x 200mm) format landscape
printing is also supported with these printers, images being automatically cropped
to fit the wide format direct from the camera. Functions such as ID photo print,
N-Up (Multi-image) printing, and movie clip series printing are also supported.
One-touch upload is available via the print/share button and now supports direct
transfer to both Windows and Mac platforms.
Software
and access to Canon iMAGE Gateway Software supplied includes ZoomBrowser EX (Windows)
and ImageBrowser (Mac) for viewing, managing, and archiving images. Other software
includes PhotoStitch and PhotoRecord, plus photo manipulation software ArcSoft
PhotoStudio. Drivers include TWAIN (Windows 98/2000) and WIA (Windows Me). Picture
Transfer Protocol (PTP) support allows the camera to connect to any Windows XP
(SP1-2) and Mac OS X (v10.1.5-10.3) system without the requirement for a driver
installation.
Camera ownership entitles the purchaser
to register for 100MB storage space on the Canon iMAGE Gateway, an online gallery
where images and movies can be stored in albums and shared to selected friends
and family. New My Camera functions (such as shutter sounds and start up images)
can also be downloaded to the camera from Canon iMAGE Gateway.
Canon
Powershot SD500 7MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
