The name given to this PowerShot
may lead to the impression that it offers a higher resolution
than its predecessor, but it is in fact a 5 megapixel model,
just like the S50. The S60 seems to be something of a transition
model, offering a significantly improved ergonomic design, similar
to the soon to be released and higher resolution S70, and a completely
new zoom lens also similar to that of the S70.
At its maximum telephoto this new lens provides the equivalent of a 100mm — close
to the S50's 105mm equivalent — but at the wide angle end the S60
offers the equivalent of 28 mm, a focal length that provides a visibly
wider field of view than the S50's 35mm.
A 28mm focal length is well-suited to interior shots as it captures more
of the indoor space. It is also well-suited to architecture, as it allows
the photographer to be closer to the subject and still capture it in its
entirety.
Photos captured with the S60 prove
that the lens captures a sharp image from one edge of the frame
to the other, throughout its focal length range. Moreover, barrel
distortion — generally associated with wide angle focal
lengths and causing vertical lines in an image to curve outwards
on the edges of the frame — is minimal. The same holds
true for chromatic aberration, which is limited to the corners
of images, and only occurs when there are very strong contrasts.
The Canon S60 is equipped with 3 different metering patterns, the most
precise of which is a spot meter that can be set to follow the focus point
to any position in the frame.
Another is a centre-weighted pattern which is well-suited
to situations that have relatively strong contrasts, and when
the main subject is in the shadows, or partially back-lit.
The third pattern is the default setting, the evaluative metering,
which takes into account all parts of the frame to yield the
best exposure. Indeed, the evaluative metering is so reliable
that having recourse to the alternatives is rare.
Aperture: f5.3, shutter speed: 1/200 sec.
Likewise, the autofocus works well
and accurately under most lighting conditions. However, under
very low light and even with the AF-assist lamp, it can become
slightly hesitant and can, on occasion, capture an out of focus
image.
Aperture: f7.1, shutter speed: 1/250
sec.
With the sensitivity of the S60
set to 400 ISO, noise is visible in areas that have a near uniform
colour, or zones that are in shadows. Nevertheless, in some situations,
such as when the light is not ideal, the 400 ISO level makes
it possible to maintain a high shutter speed that can freeze
action. At 200 ISO noise is more discreet, and becomes minor
at the 100 ISO setting. Still, the least noisy level is 50 ISO,
where noise is usually undetectable in daylight photos, with
the exception of very deep shadows.
While the S60's Super Fine JPEG format
consistently produces images that are excellent and which have
no trace of any compression artefacts, the S60 also offers Canon's
RAW format which offers a non-destructive compression and the
highest possible resolution for the camera.
The RAW format records the raw output of the CCD in under
6 seconds, also recording all camera settings including those
for: exposure compensation if any; white balance; and sharpness
and contrast without applying these to the image. Once the
image is imported to a computer, Canon's RAW converter can
be used to adjust all these parameters and re-save the image
to a more common format such as JPEG or TIFF.
Aperture: f4.0, shutter speed: 1/200 sec.
Aperture: f5.3, shutter speed: 1/160
sec.
The S60 yields excellent images
overall, but has one minor drawback. The coverage of the flash
when the lens is at the widest angle is a bit less than the 28mm
equivalent of the lens. The result is that photos captured inside
a room can show a loss of light in the corners of the frame when
the camera is relatively close to the background; an effect that
disappears quickly as the zoom moves past the widest angle.
These features should make this particular camera very popular with users
that need to photograph buildings, landscapes or even interior spaces,
and also require high resolution and very detailed images.
Compare Prices for Canon PowerShot S60 Duracell Battery
Image Quality
