Probably the most surprising
thing about the Canon's PowerShot Pro1 is how similar it is to
many of Canon's compact cameras in terms of functions and features.
Even though the Pro1 is equipped with priority and manual modes, their
range and capabilities are quite comparable to other Canon compact digital
cameras. In other words, the features offered on the Pro1 are not those
one associates with a Pro label.
Aperture: f7.1, shutter speed: 1/100
sec, 50 ISO.
Aperture: f3.2, shutter speed: 1/125
sec, 50 ISO.
Indeed, the most notable feature
of the Pro1, aside from its 8 megapixel resolution, is its 7X
zoom which offers a focal range equivalent to a 28 to 200 mm,
placing it in direct competition to Sony's F828 and Konica Minolta's
A2.
The lens of the Pro1 is composed of Low-Dispersion and fluorite glass elements
that control chromatic aberrations. Their impact is noticeable since only
the slightest chromatic aberration is detectable at the widest aperture.
Colour rendition is also helped by
the lens construction, the use of high quality glass, and the
computations of the DiGiC image processor. The Pro1 yields bright
images which have very accurate colours.
At the wide angle end of the zoom, the 28mm equivalent focal length allows
the Pro1 to capture a generous field of view, ideal for scenery, architecture,
or indoor shots.
We noticed however that photos
captured at a large aperture (f2.4) were a bit less sharp on
the edges of the frame than at the centre. While at smaller apertures,
f4 through f8, this phenomenon was not noticeable and images
were sharp from edge to edge.
Irrespective of the aperture however, wide angle photos revealed only a
bit of barrel distortion, and telephoto shots showed negligible pincushion
distortion, evidence that the correcting elements used in the Pro1 's lens
are effective.
Overall the image quality and
colour rendition of the Pro1 is excellent, but the camera yields
its highest quality images when set to 50 ISO. At 100 ISO, some
noise starts to creep into the image, but it remains difficult
to see. Beyond that however, at 200 and 400 ISO, noise becomes
easily detectable in shadow areas.
The Pro1 offers a built-in neutral density filter, a feature
first introduced on the G3, which can decrease the camera's sensitivity
to light by 3 f-stops. This allows the creation of specific effects through
the use of longer shutter speeds even when using the camera with bright
ambient light.
The autofocus system of the Pro1
is normally reliable, but we did note that once in a while the
camera would indicate that it had focused, but a later inspection
of the photo would reveal that it had been, in fact, slightly
out of focus.
Although the Pro1 does not have an AF assist lamp it is able to focus under
very low light as long as there was some ambient light. We found
the system worked well, but would have still preferred some assistance.
Aperture: f4.0, shutter speed: 1/800
sec, 50 ISO.
Aperture: f7.1, shutter speed: 1/250
sec, 50 ISO.
We'll admit to being slightly
disappointed by the PowerShot Pro1. Our experiences with the
camera left us with mixed feelings. For example, while the Pro1
has a good ergonomic design overall, the placement of some of
the controls on the back edge of the grip is not ideal. Similarly,
while its LCD monitor is one of the best we've come across, the
EVF is not as sharp as those found on some competitive models.
These mixed impressions extended to other aspects of the Pro1.
For instance, while the lens' zoom control is
quite ingenious, even allowing for the smooth magnification of
an image being shown in Playback, the AF's performance is a bit
less than one would expect on a camera which, at this time,
commands a comparable price to Canon's Digital Rebel.
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