The PowerShot S500 is a very pleasant camera. Its very compact
size and high quality finish make it an ideal companion to
catch photos as the opportunities arise.
Although particularly simple to use in the Auto mode, it does not sacrifice
image to achieve simplicity. Moreover, the Manual mode allows quick access
to some critical functions such as white balance and ISO.
Aperture: f2.8, shutter speed: 1/6 sec.
This model, as well as the S410,
which is a revision of last year's S400, adds a Print/Share button
that simplifies image transfers when connected to a computer.
It also allows direct printing from the camera to a printer using
any one of a variety of standards, such as PictBridge.
Aperture: f2.8, shutter speed: 1/320 sec.
In both the Auto and Manual shooting modes, the S500 has
an overall image quality that can be relied upon to capture
most subjects accurately.
Much of the quality of the S500's image is due to the fact that the default Evaluative metering
handles many different types of lighting situations well, including shots
captured under less than ideal lighting, like the photo at left, which
was taken on a day with a heavy overcast.
Like other AiAF (Artificial intelligence
Auto Focus) equipped Canon cameras, the S500's 9-point AF system
is usually reliable. The little green rectangles will pop-up
on the monitor precisely where the focus should be. As the AiAF
system is the only option in the Auto mode, when occasionally
it elects the wrong subject, the camera must be switched to Manual
mode and the AiAF disabled in the menu to ensure the focus is
where it should be.
With outdoor photography the
best results are obtained at the 50 ISO setting under bright
sunshine, and 100 ISO under cloudy weather. Images are generally
noise-free, even in the deeper shadows, at 50 ISO. With flash
photos however, it is preferable to set the S500's sensitivity
to Auto ISO. The built-in flash has a short range and
when the camera is allowed to boost the CCD sensitivity, images
are considerably better.
Aperture: f4.9, shutter speed: 1/60 sec.
Aperture: f2.8, shutter speed: 1/5 sec.
As always, Canon provides
a low compression JPEG format, Superfine, that
saves the image with a relatively reasonable file size — just
over 2MB — and which does not cause artefacts.
The S500 also benefits from the nearly distortion free 3X zoom lens.
Only at the wide angle setting is a tiny amount of barrel distortion
noticeable, but even then, it can only be noticed when there are straight
elements in an image, aligned along the long sides of the frame. Likewise,
the images reveal no serious chromatic aberration.
We noted that the
S500 displays neither the aperture nor the shutter speed on the
LCD monitor when the shutter release is held halfway. This being
an observation we also made last year while reviewing the S400.
This is regrettable since for many users the information gives
an idea of the depth of field. As it is, the only indication
given is a "possible camera shake" symbol, sufficient
to let the user know that the camera should be braced, but insufficient
to ascertain if the camera should be mounted on a tripod.
Aperture: f2.8, shutter speed: 1/50 sec.
Aside from this detail however,
the PowerShot S500 is ideal for users that want a very compact
and solid camera, and need high resolution images that will yield
perfect 8 x 6 inch prints with a dye sublimation printer or via
a photo service, and excellent prints up to 8 x 10 with an bubble
jet printer.
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