Here are a few images that accurately reflect the abilities
of any given camera model. The images are altered only in
terms of size and sharpness after reduction and by the JPEG
compression used. Unless otherwise mentioned, assume that
any marbling or artifacts visible in the images are due to
the compression required to display them here. We feel however,
that they still faithfully represent the results we experienced.
STILL LIFE PHOTO
This subject is photographed in a room that has
a mix of fluorescent and incandescent light, but which is
not brightly lit. The camera's flash is used to add fill light.
The backdrop is 1.95 m (6.5 ft) from the camera.
At the wide angle setting and with the sensitivity set to
50 ISO the SD500 produced an image that was a tad dark. Therefore,
+1 EV of exposure correction was used to yield a brighter
and more detailed image. Still even with the exposure correction,
a very slight loss of brightness — light falloff —
can be detected in the corners of the image.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f2.8
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/60 sec.
Res:
3072 x 2304
Flash:
On
Quality:
Superfine
ISO:
50
File Size:
2.8 MB
Focal Lgth:
37 mm (35mm Eq.)
Although the overall sharpness of
the image is a bit soft at the widest angle, the camera captures
very realistic colours and there is a complete absence of noise.
ZOOM PHOTO
Now we zoom in on a specific area. The intent
is to test the sharpness of the image at the zoom's maximum
setting. The camera remains at the same distance as with the
preceding photo.
Zoomed in, it is also through the use of +1EV of exposure
compensation that the best and brightest image was obtained.
The telephoto images exhibited the same qualities as the
wide angle shots: realistic colours and an absence of noise,
but with the addition of excellent sharpness.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.9
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/60 sec.
Res:
3072 x 2304
Flash:
On
Quality:
Superfine
ISO:
50
File Size:
3.3 MB
Focal Lgth:
111 mm (35mm Eq.)
Moreover, the Fine level compression
does not appear to have a noticeable impact on the image details.
Textures such as that of the cloth or that of the paper are
very well-rendered.
Set to the Macro mode, the SD500 is able to focus on a subject
that is from 5 to 50 cm (2 to 18 in.) distant when the zoom
is at the wide angle end, and from 30 to 50 cm (12 to 18 in.)
at the maximum telephoto setting.
At the minimum focus distance and at the wide angle end,
the camera captures a horizontal field of view of approximately
5.5 cm (2.14 in.), while at the telephoto end this expands
to 10 cm (3.9 in.).
In addition, the SD500 is also
equipped with a Digital Macro mode that combines the 4X digital
zoom and the zoom's macro focus mode and which allows an even
greater apparent magnification by cropping the macro image,
albeit at the expense of some degree of image sharpness.
BUILDING PHOTO
This image is our outdoor test. The architecture
of the building, in particular the angled girders, immediately
show the presence of jaggies. The shadowed entrance can also
often reveal the quality of the exposure.
This wide angle image is perfectly exposed, and exhibits
a very good balance between the bright and shadowed areas.
Similarly, the image reveals no chromatic aberration, nor
any barrel distortion.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f7.1
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/200 sec.
Res:
3072 x 2304
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Superfine
ISO:
50
File Size:
3.3 MB
Focal Lgth:
37 mm (35mm Eq.)
While in general the SD500 produces
very sharp images, the sharpness is a touch softer with images
captured at the widest angle.
ZOOM PHOTO
Zooming in on the entrance of the building,
the shadowed entrance takes on a greater importance for the
metering and can cause an overexposure of sections that are
directly lit.
The PowerShot SD500's zoom is equivalent to a 111mm lens
when it is set to the telephoto end, a focal length that still
provides a relatively wide field of view. At this focal length,
the camera captures not only the shadowed entrance of the
building, but a large area of the sunlit exterior of the building
around the periphery of the frame.
Photo
Information
Format:
JPEG
Aperture:
f4.9
Exposure:
Program
Shutter Sp:
1/320 sec.
Res:
3072 x 2304
Flash:
Off
Quality:
Superfine
ISO:
50
File Size:
3.4 MB
Focal Lgth:
111 mm (35mm Eq.)
The exposure is very well-metered
by the default Evaluative pattern and detail is maintained in
both the directly lit and the shadow areas. Furthermore, the
telephoto shot reveals neither pincushion distortion nor any
chromatic aberration.
NIGHT PHOTO
As this camera is capable of a long exposure, a photo
taken at night is included.
Aperture: f2.8; speed:
13 sec, 50 ISO.
Like many of Canon's compact
digital cameras, the PowerShot SD500 can capture exposures
up to 15 seconds long when the camera is used in the Manual
mode, and when the Long Shutter mode is activated in the Recording
Menu. As the aperture cannot be selected, the only way to
vary the brightness of the exposures is by adjusting either
the shutter speed or the CCD sensitivity.
The Manual mode also provides control
over the white balance, which makes it possible to set it to
Incandescent, and thereby reduce the orange tone caused by the
street lighting when the camera is set to auto white balance.
The best results are obtained
when the exposure is set to 50 ISO as this is the setting
that is the least sensitive to noise.
Using an exposure time of 15 seconds the brightest zones
in the image become a touch overexposed, and a better image
results if the exposure is brought back to 13 seconds.
The noise reduction system is quite efficient and even an
image captured at 200 ISO contains little noise — randomly
coloured pixels — after processing. At 50 ISO however,
the sharpness of the image is excellent and there is no trace
of the noise reduction process, a process that can occasionally
cause a decrease of overall sharpness.
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Test Photos
