The S1 has one useful addition
over other recent Canon cameras: the Shortcut button.
The shortcut button can be configured to control a variety
of commonly needed settings, and while it does not replace
the Function menu, it comes in handy when one photo
parameter — something such as ISO, Image Quality, White
Balance, etc. — requires modification very often.
Aside from this one important difference, the PowerShot S1 IS' interface
is very much like the those of a number of Canon cameras. Both Recording
and Playback menus are divided into three parts, two of which, Setup
and My Camera, are common. As usual, the Setup menu controls basic camera
settings, and allows formatting the memory card:
Mute: On or Off, turns off all camera sounds.
Volume: allows adjusting the volume over 5 increments
for:
the Start-up sound,
the Operation sound,
the Self-timer sound,
the Shutter sound,
and the Playback volume.
LCD Brightness: to adjust the brightness of the
LCD monitor, Normal or Bright.
Date/Time: to set the S1 IS's internal clock/calendar.
Format: formats the memory card or the Microdrive,
and displays the card/drive's capacity.
File Number Reset: decides whether file numbering
restarts at 1 when a new or formatted card is used, or continues
being incremented.
Auto Rotate: On or Off. When On the camera uses
a sensor to keep track of its orientation while a photo is
taken, and accordingly rotates the image upon playback.
Distance Unit: sets the units to be used for the
Manual Focus mode (ft/in. or m/cm).
Language: sets the language for the interface, English,
French, German, Danish, Dutch, Finish, Italian, Norwegian,
Swedish, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese.
Video System: NTSC or PAL.
Canon provides a printed manual
with the PowerShot S1 IS. The Camera User Guide is laid out so
information is easily located, and procedures and camera functions
are clearly explained making it simple to use the camera quickly.
Software
The Canon PowerShot S1 IS tested
here contained 2 CD-ROMs in the box: ArcSoft Camera Suite
2.1, and Canon's Digital Camera Solution version 17.1.
ArcSoft Camera Suite is composed of 2 programs, both available for Microsoft
Windows and Macintosh computers: PhotoStudio and VideoImpressions, the
first to edit and work on still images and the second to edit movies.
Canon's Digital Camera Solution
disc encompasses a group of programs that operate as modules
of ZoomBrowser, a program specifically made for Canon
digital cameras.
ZoomBrowser serves to access the camera via USB; sort and organize images
and make corrections to white balance, colour, brightness, contrast, sharpness,
and saturation if needed.
ZoomBrowser can also be used
for printing photos or index sheets with a variety of printers.
Complex print layouts are possible, and the program offers preset
templates onto which selected images can be placed for printing
at a variety of sizes.
Furthermore, PhotoStitch 3.1, the program Canon includes to assembles
images into panoramas, can also be called up directly from the ZoomBrowser
window.
Remote Capture is another component of the package. Remote capture
makes it possible to control the S1 IS and take photos when the camera
is connected to a computer by USB. The interface provides control over:
image size, quality, zoom position, flash, white balance, exposure compensation,
macro mode in addition to the shooting mode, aperture and shutter speed.
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Interface & Software
