Here are a few images that accurately reflect the abilities
of any given camera model. The images are altered only in
terms of size and sharpness after reduction and by the JPEG
compression used. Unless otherwise mentioned, assume that
any marbling or artifacts visible in the images are due to
the compression required to display them here. We feel however,
that they still faithfully represent the results we experienced.
STILL LIFE PHOTO
This subject is photographed in a room that has a mix of fluorescent and
incandescent light, but which is not brightly lit. The camera's flash is
used to add fill light. The backdrop is 1.95 m (6.5 ft) from the camera.
Wide angle shots show that the built-in flash is able to
provide adequate lighting at 50 ISO. Still, the extreme corners
of the frame also reveal
a slight decrease in illumination.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f2.8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/60 sec.
Res:
2592 x 1944
Flash:
On
Quality:
Super Fine
ISO:
50
File Size:
2.0 MB
Focal Lgth:
38mm (35mm Eq.)
Metering is excellent, and yields
a very good image. Likewise, the compression does not appear
to lower the image detail and there is no visible noise.
ZOOM PHOTO
Now we zoom in on a specific area. The intent is to test the sharpness
of the image at the zoom's maximum setting. The camera remains at the same
distance as with the preceding photo.
At its maximum telephoto setting, the zoom of the A95 is
equivalent to a 114 mm in the 35mm format, which makes it possible
to close in on a relatively
small section of the subject. The image reveals a lot of detail,
from the texture of the drop cloth to the printing screen that
creates the light
blue grey on the old photographic paper envelope.
Using either the Macro mode, or the Manual focus mode, the
A95 is able to focus on a subject a mere 5 cm (2 inches) from
the front element of the lens; while at the maximum telephoto
that distance becomes 25 cm (9.8 inches).
At the closest distance, and at the wide angle end of the
zoom, the A95 captures a field of view of 5.5 cm (2.2 inches)
horizontally.
The A95's flash can be used in macro
as the camera automatically reduces its power. It is nevertheless
more effective when the zoom is used for macro shots, as with
wide angle shots the lens casts a shadow when the flash fires.
BUILDING PHOTO
This image is our outdoor test. The architecture of the building, in particular
the angled girders, immediately show the presence of jaggies. The shadowed
entrance can also often reveal the quality of the exposure.
The A95 captures an excellent, well-exposed image with very
natural colours.
With this type of subject, the slight barrel distortion that
can occasionally be seen is not detectable. However a bit
of purple fringing — a chromatic
aberration — can be seen below the building's beams as they contrast
with the background sky.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f5.0
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/251 sec.
Res:
2592 x 1944
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Super Fine
ISO:
50
File Size:
2.3 MB
Focal Lgth:
38mm (35mm Eq.)
ZOOM PHOTO
Photos captured when the 3X of the A95 is at the maximum telephoto show
no pincushion distortion. Similarly, no chromatic aberration is noticeable
in the high contrast areas.
The exposure also shows that the metering avoids overexposing
the directly lit items in the foreground and still captures
a very high level of detail
in the shadow areas. Also worth noting, noise, even in the shadows,
is quite minimal.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.9
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/125 sec.
Res:
2592 x 1944
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Super Fine
ISO:
50
File Size:
2.5 MB
Focal Lgth:
114mm (35mm Eq.)
NIGHT PHOTO
As this camera is capable of a long exposure, a photo
taken at night is included.
Aperture: f3.2; speed: 15 sec, 50 ISO.
As with most PowerShot cameras,
the A95 is capable of capturing a 15 second long exposure when
set to Manual mode.
With night photography, the Manual mode allows for a fair bit of experimentation.
Different combinations of aperture and exposure times can be tried, producing
images with variations in brightness or depth of field. In addition, the
ISO sensitivity can also be adjusted, adding to the exposure range of the
camera.
To capture this image, the white
balance is set to Tungsten to take into account the urban
lighting, and thereby record an image with more natural looking
colours. With an f3.2 and 15 seconds exposure at 50 ISO, the
image the camera captures is very good, although noticeably brighter
than what can be seen with the naked eye.
The A95 automatically uses noise reduction for all photos captured with
a shutter speed of 1.3 seconds or longer. As always, the process works
by capturing a second exposure of the same duration but without opening
the shutter, allowing the electronic noise to build up in the dark frame.
The position of the noise gathered from that frame is then used in a complex
algorithm to factor it out of the first exposure before it is saved.
Compare Prices for Canon PowerShot A95 Digital Camera Battery (B-162)
Test Photos
