The 7.1 megapixel CCD of the S70 yields large and superbly
detailed images that could readily be mistaken for images captured
with a significantly more expensive camera.
In use, because of the fact that it shares so much in terms of design
and ergonomics with the S60, the S70 feels identical to the S60. This
is a well-designed camera that responds quickly, be it when the camera
is turned on, or when the shutter release is pressed.
Aperture: f2.8, shutter speed: 1/640 sec.
Aperture: f8, shutter speed: 1/20 sec.
But, by the same token, these
similarities also mean that the S70 has the same foibles as the
S60.
When the lens is set to the widest angle, a slight chromatic aberration
can be detected in the corner of images that contain sharp contrasts in
these areas. Likewise, a slight amount of barrel distortion is visible
with wide angle shots, while at the fullest telephoto setting, images show
no indication of any pincushion distortion.
Moreover, with the S70 we did note
that the extreme corners of wide angle shots are slightly less
sharp than the rest of the frame, a phenomenon that was not really
noticeable with the photos of the S60, and which disappears as
soon as the lens is past the widest angle.
Last, when using the flash while the lens is at the widest
angle, and the subject is relatively close by (2m or 6.5 feet),
the images show some light drop off in the corners. This indicates
that the flash would be better suited to a 35mm lens than a
28mm (equivalent).
Nevertheless, as with the S60, the flash of the S70 is quite powerful.
It allows the camera to capture clear and well-lit images of subjects
that are relatively distant, even at the lowest sensitivity of 50 ISO.
Aperture: f2.8, shutter speed: 1/15 sec.
In one respect, the 7 megapixel CCD
of the S70 is quite comparable to the 5 megapixel CCD of the
S60. At 50 ISO and 100 ISO, the S70's photos are effectively
noise-free. While at 200 ISO, some noise becomes visible, increasing
further at 400 ISO. Still, even at the 400 ISO level, photos
remain perfectly useable albeit with a touch of "grain".
Like the S60, the S70 offers the advantage of being equipped with a very
well supported RAW image format.
Aperture: f3.2, shutter speed: 1/1000
sec.
Canon's RAW format is sufficiently
quick that a 7-megapixel image is stored in under 7 seconds if
a fast memory card is used, making it practical for many applications.
And, in addition, the camera provides a buffer that is large
enough to allow up to 5 RAW images in succession before the camera
starts to slow down while the data is being transferred to the
card.
The advantage of Canon's RAW format is that it is loss less. While the
data extracted from a JPEG image to give it a smaller file size can never
be recovered, the compression algorithm used to compress the RAW data leaves
the image intact once decompressed, making it possible to save it as a
JPEG or as a TIFF while still retaining the original data. Moreover, the
software Canon provides with the camera offers 4 levels of JPEG compression,
one more than the camera itself offers, and the highest image quality applies
a lesser compression than the Super fine format of the S70.
With all its capabilities, like
its complete array of shooting modes and the 3.6X zoom's excellent
range of focal lengths, what is the most impressive about the
PowerShot S70 is the ease with which its 7-megapixel CCD captures
ultra-detailed images. Seen on a monitor at 100 % scale, the
photos show some fine details that would easily escape notice.
Printed, the 7 megapixel image allows for a 10 x 8 inch print
(26 x 19.5 cm) at 300 dpi, a resolution that is indistinguishable
from a continuous tone print made from film.
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