Judging
by the volume of e-mail we receive at megapixel.net, the Canon
PowerShot S400 Digital Elph(Digital IXUS 400 in Europe)
has garnered a lot of interest. The S400 is one of a small group of super-compact
4-megapixel cameras. The S400 carries on with the basic design of previous
Digital Elph cameras, but adds a flat and chromed plastic trim around
the lens, a finish that makes the S400 a bit more sober than earlier models,
such as the S330.
Indeed,
the S400 seems to borrow design elements from a number of its predecessors.
The top controls resemble those found on the S230, with a shutter release
that has the zoom control around it, a power switch to its left.
Of course, the zoom control — wide angle when pushed to the left
and telephoto when pulled to the right — also doubles as a way to
view an index screen of photos stored on the card (9 thumbnails at a time),
or a way to magnify a part of an image (up to 10X).
Also
reminiscent of earlier models, the Mode Switch sits astride the
ridge at the upper back of the camera, and provides 2 simple settings:
Recording
Mode (still images and movies)
Playback
Mode
The Shooting Mode Dial is located on the upper left side of the
back, near the optical viewfinder. The
Shooting Mode Dial offers 4 settings:
Full
Auto Mode: a point and shoot mode that provides limited controls
over the S400
Manual
Mode: offers control over a number of parameters that impact
the image.
Stitch
Assist Mode: to capture a series of images that will be part
of a Panoramic image.
Movie
Mode: to capture video clips with sound.
The
other external controls of the S400 are positioned beneath the 1.5 inch
LCD monitor (118,000 pixels), and as part of a cluster that doubles as
directional controls for menu navigation:
The
top arrow button also serves to select the Metering mode,
Evaluative,
Centre-Weighted,
or Spot.
Additionally, the Metering button can be used to lock exposure settings
(AE Lock), or flash exposure settings if the flash is forced
on (FE Lock).
The
right arrow button controls the Flash Mode, Auto, Red-eye
reduction Auto, Forced On, Forced Off, Slow Synchro.
The
down arrow starts the Continuous Mode (Standard Continuous
with monitor preview at 1.5 fps); or High Speed Continuous
Shooting (no monitor preview at 2.5 fps) if pre-selected in the
menu. The next option is Self-timer, either 10, or 2 seconds,
again as pre-selected in the menu.
The
left arrow provides first the Macro Mode (5 to 46 cm/2 inches
to 1.5 ft in wide angle); and Infinity focus (Landscape).
In addition, the same button can be used to lock the focus (AF
Lock) allowing recomposition of a shot without having to maintain
the shutter release half pressed.
Finally,
a row of 4 buttons under the screen serve for monitor and menu functions:
Confirms
some of the choices made in the main menu.
Calls
up the main menu of the S400.
Turns
on or off the LCD screen. In Playback the button can be used to
display the histogram of an image.
Turns
on the Function menu which appears as an overlay on the left side
of the screen. Depending on the shooting mode, the Function menu
provides all the image-related settings.
In
addition, the Function button can be used to delete one image at a time,
either immediately post capture, while the camera is showing the photo
briefly on the screen, or when the S400 is in Playback mode.
The
S400 benefits from a good layout of the controls. Although very compact,
there is sufficient space between each of the buttons so they can be used
without touching others. Likewise, the viewfinder has a large enough exit
pupil to make it quite useable, even if wearing glasses.
