|
TechRevu |
||||||||
|
The S400 ($474.99 street price) has arrived as a camera that you don’t have to apologize about having a thing for. Sure it’s sexy, but it’s tough and smart as well. Since the introduction of the S100 in mid 2000, Canon has kept adding features to the line, and the S400’s 4.0 MP (4.1MP actual, 2,048 x 1,536), 3X zoom lens, and CF memory format make it an ideal second camera for anyone who doesn’t want to lug their Digital-SLR around all the time or a great single camera for anyone who likes its size and style. Everything I’ve liked about the earlier Digital ELPHs is still here. Long battery life, the integrated lens cover, the lack of protrusions on the body to snag in your pocket. Check, check, and check. It’s hard to track the lineage of the S400. Is its predecessor the 2MP, 3X zoom S300, or the 3MP, 2X zoom S230? The S400 combines the best of both worlds, and adds 4MP resolution as well. When the digital ELPH first came out, Canon proudly proclaimed that it was the “World’s Smallest 2.0 MP Camera”. Now, with twice the resolution, it’s almost exactly the same size, and claims a new title, the “World’s Smallest 4MP Digital Camera”. Like all titles, this won’t last, but I don’t really care, because any camera smaller than this is just too tiny for my hand, and the solid feel of the S400 makes it easier to hold steady. There’s just something about the design of the S400 that makes me want to pick it up and take pictures. It’s small, but solid. The controls are right where I expect them to be, and unlike some sexy things I can think of, it doesn’t keep me waiting when I press the trigger…it’s ready to go when I am. Though you might not think a stainless steel exterior could be made tougher, they did it anyway, adding a Cerabrite finish to keep it from getting scratched. The new body on the S400 is slightly rounded and at first I missed the more retro look of the previous version’s sharp edges, but after a few days I’d given in to the S400’s curves. The change is subtle, but it makes the camera a little smoother, a little more comfortable to hold, and a little easier on your pocket.
The LCD is bright and clear 1.5” LCD is viewable in everything except direct sunlight, and even there I had no trouble making out enough detail to frame shots. In darker places, I found the camera’s red focusing beam useful for centering a target in the camera, allowing me to take pictures even when I couldn’t see look through the viewfinder or see the LCD. If the beam annoys you (or the subject whose eyes you’re shining it into) you can turn it off though the menu. Like earlier EPLHs, I found the flash to work exceptionally well in close ups, guarding against burned out shots even when shooting stuff for eBay in the macro mode or important people at a reception. The 36-108 mm equivalent zoom uses provides good coverage for most of your shots, and a 3.6x digital zoom is added for good measure. Because it works with the data in the camera, digital zoom is supposed to be better than just cropping your pictures later, but I’m not a believer. Besides, I’m more concerned with how wide the lens will go since a lot of the shots I want to take with a camera like this are travel and group shots. Though the 36mm equivalent provided is normal for 2 and 3X Zoom cameras, you can use the camera’s panoramic setting to create as wide a shot as you like. The split display and stitching software both help turn out a seamless panorama with minimal effort on your part. I used a 256 MB Lexar CF card, which holds 121 pictures in the “Superfine” quality mode. Other quality modes are Fine or Normal, and you can select three resolutions: Large (2,048 x 1,536), Medium (1,600 x 1,200), and Small (640 x 480). The starter card that comes with the camera is a healthy 32 MB which will hold 14 images at the Large/Superfine setting or 27 at the Large/Fine setting. Battery life was good, and matched Canon’s expectation that you should get about 140 pictures out of a charge, depending on how much you use the display. One of the things I’ve always liked about the ELPHs is their battery chargers. Not much bigger than the camera itself, they come with folding plugs rather than bulky cords, making them easy to take along if you’ll be away for more than a day or want to be sure you won’t run out of juice. Charging time is about two hours. Switching into playback mode is accomplished by sliding a switch near the shutter over and navigation uses the four position buttons next to the display. You can zoom in or out while reviewing, using the same ring surrounding the shutter that you use for zooming while shooting. Though it didn’t bother me during playback, the zoom control is pretty fast, and takes a little getting used to when you’re framing a shot. Since I’m not likely to have just one camera in my life, and sooner or later you probably won’t either, compatibility is a key consideration for getting the most out of your cameras. When it comes to SLRs, the issue is lens mounts, but for digital cameras in general, compatibility means memory format. Though other formats are coming on strong, serious digital photography is still done on Compact Flash, and the digital ELPHs have always supported that format.
At a street price way below the original MSRP of $599, durable construction and resolution that will take you up to an 8x10 print with ease, the S400 makes perfect sense for anyone who wants great picture quality but doesn’t need the option to save images in RAW format. Small cameras tend to opt for one of the smaller sized memory cards, so the ELPH’s Compact Flash is a plus in my book. If you want something small, but not tiny, and the slightly higher than average price doesn’t put you off, I think you’ll find the S400 to be a camera that fits in your pocket, and your plans, for a long time to come. |
advertising
|
||||||
I found the camera to be fun to use, from its quick startup and shooting to the straightforward menu and control layout. Instead of a rocker-type game pad for menu navigation there are four buttons on the back laid out on a circle. When not in a menu, they control useful functions: spot or zone metering, flash, self timer and close-up. When you’re navigating the menus, they provide a positive feel for moving around.
