Most of the characteristics
of the PowerShot S70 may be identical to those of the S60,
but in one area they differ completely. The S70 is equipped
with a 7.4 million pixel, 1/1.8 inch CCD with 7.1 million effective
pixels which allows the camera to capture an image measuring
3072 x 2304 pixels. CCD sensitivity starts at 50 ISO, but can
be manually increased to 100, 200 or even 400 ISO if the camera
is used in any of the P, Tv, Av or M modes.
The 3.6X zoom on the other hand is the same lens as is used with
the S60, a lens devised specifically for these cameras. It has a focal
length of 5.8 to 20.7 mm, 35mm
equivalent to a 28 to 100mm zoom, and has a starting aperture
of f2.8 at the widest angle, becoming f5.3 at the maximum telephoto end.
These apertures are combined with a shutter speed range
that covers from 1/2000 second to 15 seconds, albeit a 15 second
exposure is only available when either the Tv or M modes
are used. With other modes the slowest shutter speed stops
at 1/30 second for the Auto mode, and 1 second for Program, Av and
all Scene modes.
When used in the Auto or Scene modes the S70 offers either its AiAF (Artificial
intelligence Auto Focus) system or a centre focus point.
The AiAF system is able to find one, or more, focus points
within a wide area in the centre part of the frame, while the
centre focus is fixed. The selection of either is made by pressing
the button.
Used in Program, Tv, Av, or Manual, the centre focus point is the default,
but the user is able to manually move the AF frame to any point within
the same area used by the AiAF with the Omni Selector. And, when needed
the AF point can return to the centre of the frame simply by pressing and
holding the button.
With its extra 2 million pixels over the S60, the S70 offers
an additional image size for a total of 5:
L
(Large):
3072 x 2304 pixels.
M1
(Medium 1):
2592 x 1944 pixels.
M2
(Medium 2):
2048 x 1536 pixels.
M3
(Medium 3):
1600 x 1200 pixels.
S
(Small):
640 x 480 pixels.
Images are saved at any one of three levels of JPEG compression: Super
Fine, Fine or Normal, available for all image sizes. In addition, when
the camera is set to P, Tv, Av or M, photos can also be saved using Canon's RAW format
at the full resolution of the sensor (3072 x 2304 pixels). RAW format images
are unprocessed but settings for white balance, sharpness, and contrast
are saved along with image. RAW format images must later be converted to
either TIFF (8
or 16 bit), or JPEG using RAW
Converter, software which is supplied with the camera.
Image size and quality settings are amongst the most commonly needed functions,
and are set in the Function menu, which is shown when the []
button is pressed. As usual, the options presented in the menu vary according
to the mode in use, and for instance, the Auto mode only offers
two options: selection of the self-timer/remote and image quality. The Scene modes
on the other hand offer more choice, with the exception of two which are
identified below by an asterisk and of the RAW image format.
The widest number of options is available when the S70 is used with the
P/Tv/Av/M modes:
Exposure Compensation makes it possible to shift the exposure
over a range of ±2EV in 0.3EV increments.
White Balance provides, in addition to the Auto mode, preset
white balance settings for Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent
(warm white), Fluorescent H (daylight), Flash, Underwater (for use
when the camera is used in its optional water-tight housing), and Custom,
which allows the white balance to be set to ambient lighting conditions.
Continuous controls the frame rate and the Self-timer. The
first option is Single which captures one shot at a time. The
next two are for the continuous shooting modes, Standard Continuous shooting
at 1.2 frames per second, and High-Speed Continuous shooting
at approximately 2 frames per second. In both cases the frame rate
presupposes that the image size and quality are set to Large/Fine and
that the monitor is turned off. The remaining options are Self-timer
with a delay of 10 or 2 seconds, or Remote, to use the optional infrared
remote control.
* ISO provides settings for sensitivity: Auto, 50, 100, 200
or 400 ISO.
Effects offers control over the way the image
is recorded. Vivid (increases contrast and saturation); Neutral (lowers
saturation and contrast); Low Sharpening; Sepia; Black
and White; Custom Effect (allows setting levels
for contrast, sharpness and colour saturation).
*Bracketing offers exposure bracketing for 3 frames
over a range of ±2 EV in 1/3EV steps. In addition
Focus bracketing is available when manual focus is used.
Three images are captured, the first with a focus point
slightly in front of the selected focus, one at the focus
point, the third slightly behind the selected focus point.
Flash Compensation is available in all modes with
the exception of the Manual mode. Flash compensation has
a range of ±2EV in 0.3EV increments. The Manual
mode, on the other hand, provides an option for Flash
Adjustment which allows increasing the output of the
flash in 3 increments. In addition, the Tv and Av modes
are also able to use Flash Adjustment instead of Flash
Compensation if the Flash Adjust option of the main menu
is set to Manual instead or Auto.
Image Size and Compression: image size, or the
use of the *RAW format, is selected directly in
this option, but the compression is selected by pressing
the SET button at the centre of the Omni selector,
which replaces the image size option with one for compression.
All the other user settings for the PowerShot S70 are found
in the Recording menu. As with other Canon digital cameras,
the menus called up when the Menu button is pressed, be it
when the camera is set a capture mode or to the playback mode,
consist of three parts. The first, on the left, is the menu
that corresponds to the camera's current mode. The second and
third parts are common to all modes. The second is the Setup menu,
covered in the Interface and Softwareportion
of this review, which offers options about the basic configuration
of the camera, including the option to format the memory card.
The third part is called the My Camera menu, and serves to
customize the start up image and sounds produced by the S70 (see
further).
In the Recording modes, the main menu provides:
Flash Sync controls the moment at which the flash fires, either
at the beginning of the exposure (1st curtain), or just before it ends
(2nd curtain).
Slow Sync: On or Off. Sets the flash to operate in slow sync
mode according to the setting in the previous option.
Flash Adjust: Auto or Manual. Replaces the option for Flash
compensation in the menu
with an option to adjust the flash's output over 3 steps in most modes
with the exception of the Manual modes.
Red-eye:turns ON or OFF the red-eye reduction function that
pre-fires the flash prior to taking the photo so as to constrict the
subject's pupils and reduce the likelihood of red-eye.
Wireless Delay: to select the delay before the shutter is
released when the remote control is used (2 or 10 seconds).
Spot AE Point: decides whether the spot metering takes place
at the centre of the frame, or follows the AF point.
Safety Shift: ON or OFF. Automatically adjusts
the settings when an inappropriate selection has been made
for the aperture or the shutter speed in the Av or Tv modes.
MF-Point Zoom: decides whether or not the focus
point is magnified when manual focus is in use.
AF-Assist Beam: ON or OFF. Controls whether or
not the AF assist lamp is used when the ambient light is
too low for the S70 to autofocus reliably without it.
Digital Zoom: ON or OFF. Decides whether or not
the 4.1X digital zoom is active. The digital zoom crops
the central portion of the image and interpolates it to
the selected image size.
Review: sets the length of time a just captured
image is displayed on the monitor (0, or from 2 to 10 seconds).
RAW+JPEG Rec.: selects the size of the JPEG image
that is recorded and stored internally within a RAW format
image (L, M1, M2 or S). The JPEG image is used during playback
and the higher its resolution, the more detail can be seen
when the image is zoomed in playback.
Intervalometer: serves to automatically capture
images at a preset interval and for a preset number of
shots (from 2 to 100 photos with an interval of 1 to 60
minutes between each shot).
Save Settings: this option is accessible in the
P, Tv, Av, or M modes and saves the current camera settings
so they can be recalled by turning the Mode dial to the C position.
The Playback mode menu is shorter than the Recording mode menu,
but provides options for selecting images to be printed, or
for inclusion in slide shows. The PowerShot S70 is compatible
with Canon's Direct Print and Bubble Jet Direct, making it
possible to print images directly from the camera to compatible
Canon printers, and in addition the S70 is compatible with PictBridge printers.
Moreover, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) allows the camera
to tag images for printing by a professional service. DPOF
options are selected as part of the Playback menu:
Protect: serves to prevent an image from being accidentally
erased.
Rotate: allows rotating an image by 90° or 270°.
Erase All: erases all images on the memory card
except those marked as protected.
Slide show: makes it possible to create up to
3 different slide shows, based on images that have been
marked for DPOF, or of all images on the card. The on-screen
time can be specified, and the show can be specified to
repeat or not.
Print Order: serves to select images for Printing
with a DPOF compliant service or printer. The number of
prints to make of each image can be specified, and if desired
the date can be imprinted directly on the photos.
Transfer Order: allows selecting which photos
will be transferred automatically to a computer running
Canon's software when the camera is connected via USB.
The third and last part of the S70's main menu, be it with
the Recording or the Playback menus, is the My Camera options:
Six options make up the My
Camera menu. The first of these can be used to apply
one of the three themes — an image to be displayed
on the screen at start-up and an assortment of sound effects
that match the image — that are pre-loaded on the S70.
Over 40 such themes are available with the camera's software
and can be uploaded to the camera to replace the existing
ones. In addition, images and sounds can be mixed and matched
at will, allowing a great deal of flexibility in personalizing
the camera. Or, if desired, all sound effects can be turned
off.
A single solid door covers a compartment
underneath the S70 that houses both the battery and the memory
card slot. The camera is powered by a Lithium-ion battery (NB-2LH)
which is supplied with the camera, along with a charger, either
CB-2LT or CB-2LTE depending on where the camera is purchased.
The battery is held in place by a spring-loaded clip so it
cannot fall out when the door is opened. Recharging a fully
discharged battery takes approximately 90 minutes, but the
battery can be recharged at any time, without waiting for it
to be fully discharged. The S70 can also be powered from household
current using the optional AC-DC adapter (ACK700).
The S70 uses CompactFlash Type
I and Type II memory cards or Microdrives. A Canon
brand 32MB CompactFlash type I card is included with the
S70, allowing it to store:
RAW
L
M1
M2
M3
S
3
SF
F
N
SF
F
N
SF
F
N
SF
F
N
SF
F
N
9
15
33
11
21
43
18
33
67
30
54
107
119
195
336
The external connections of the S70 are on its left side, and are protected
by a flexible plastic cover which is tethered at the bottom. The upper
connection is the A/V (Audio/Video) out jack, and the signal it provides
can be set to be either NTSC or PAL in the Setup menu.
The lower connection is the USB
(1.1) port which serves to connect the camera to a computer.
Compare Prices for Canon PowerShot S70 Camera Battery
Characteristics
button. 
]
button is pressed. As usual, the options presented in the menu vary according
to the mode in use, and for instance, the Auto mode only offers
two options: selection of the self-timer/remote and image quality. The Scene modes
on the other hand offer more choice, with the exception of two which are
identified below by an asterisk and of the RAW image format. 
