Canon’s first P&S “bridge” camera (the S30) was designed to blend the diminutive size and ease of use of the ultra compact digital elf family with the creative photography capabilities and advanced imaging technology of the “G” family. The new S70 is an almost perfect realization of Canon’s initial “Bridge” P&S concept; it’s very compact, extraordinarily easy to use, and provides virtually all the creative potential of the G6.
Important note: The product image displayed above is NOT the S70. If you want to see what the S70 looks like, follow this link
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/app/images/d_eos/s70_586x225.jpg
What’s New
The S70 is basically a “Pro” black S60 with 7 megapixel resolution. The S70 retains the 3.6X zoom, updated user interface, improved macro performance, and more powerful battery pioneered on the S60. In addition, the S70 has a substantially larger buffer than its predecessors, a very important feature for a digicam that generates 3 Mb RAW image files.
NUTS & BOLTS
Viewfinder/LCD
The S70 utilizes a standard real image tunnel style optical viewfinder that covers about 80 per cent of the image area. The viewfinder zooms with the lens, but provides no parallax correction lines (making close-up and macro shooting a bit more difficult). The LEDs beside the OVF denote autofocus and flash status. There’s no diopter correction for eyeglasses wearers.
The S70's 1.8" LCD screen is bright, sharp, and fluid. The default display provides all the data most users are likely to need (battery status is shown only when power is low). LCD screen brightness can be adjusted.
Lens
What really sets the S70 apart from its competitors is its all-glass 3.6x f2.8-f5.3/28-100 (35mm equivalent) wide angle to portrait telephoto zoom. The zoom was specially designed for the S60 and S70. The true wide-angle (28mm) setting makes it a natural for landscape shooters, group shots, and travel photography. The 100mm telephoto length is perfect for formal portraits, environmental portraits, and street/candid photography. The S70 (and the S60) allow the use of auxiliary lenses (the S50, S45, S40, and S30 didn’t).
Minimum focusing distance (in macro mode) is 1.6 inches and the 100mm focal length can be doubled to 200mm with Canon’s optional 2x tele-converter. The new lens utilizes Canon’s advanced Ultra high refractive index aspheric lens element molding process to create a very compact lens with lower levels of optical distortion than was previously possible. Chromatic aberration (purple fringing) is a bit higher than average, especially visible in high contrast color transition areas at the maximum aperture. Optical performance at the telephoto end of the zoom is consistently excellent, but the underwhelming f5.3 maximum aperture at the telephoto setting will limit the S70’s usefulness indoors. Pincushion distortion (straight lines bow in toward the center of the frame) is remarkably well controlled at the telephoto end of the range.
The extra grab room at the 28mm setting is something of a mixed blessing. We were able to use the wider zoom to better compose some of our shots, but barrel distortion (straight lines bow out from the center) was noticeable in a few of our images. Use the extra width for landscapes or crowding a couple of extra folks in your group shots – the S70 probably isn’t the best choice for architectural studies. The S70’s lens also displays some very minor softness in the corners, especially at f2.8. Overall, the S70's lens is very sharp, especially for an optic this small and complex.
Auto Focus
In all automatic exposure modes the S70 defaults to a nine focus point AiAF (Advanced intelligent Auto Focus) system. The AiAF system analyzes the scene in front of the lens and accurately calculates camera to subject distance to determine which AF point is closest to the primary subject (closest focus priority) and lock focus on that AF point, even when the subject is not centered in the viewfinder. Savvy shooters can choose which of the 9 focus points they want to manually line up with the most important element in the composition (like the eyes or face in a portrait) providing a high level of individual input.
In aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual mode, the S70 utilizes Canon’s proprietary Flexizone AF, which defaults to the center focus point or permits users to manually shift that AF point around the central two thirds of the frame for maximum creative control. When Spot metering is enabled, the metering spot can be set for the center of the frame or linked to the active Flexizone AF point, allowing the photographer to align the AF target on the most important element in the composition and tie the camera’s metering to that same spot.
The S70’s AF Bracketing (AFB) function allows the camera to capture three exposures in rapid succession (with a single push of the shutter button) marginally shifting the focus for each (one just slightly in front of the optimum focus point, one at the optimum focus distance, and one just slightly behind the optimum focus point), virtually guaranteeing at least one sharply focused image even in rapidly unfolding action/sports situations. This is an especially useful feature when focusing is critical.
Auto Focus is very fast and consistently accurate (virtual real time with pre-focusing and almost instantaneous from scratch) noticeably faster than the S50.
The S70 utilizes the standard digicam stepped distance type manual focus (useful but slow and cumbersome) option with a reference scale (displayed on the LCD) and the center of the LCD screen enlarged as an aid to precise focusing.
Flash
The S70’s built-in multi mode (Auto, Redeye reduction, Slow-sync --1st and 2nd curtain synch effect, Fill and Off) flash does a pretty good job, considering its tiny size. Flash exposure can be adjusted from +2/-2 EV (in 1/3 EV increments) and the Flexible Flash Option allows users to manually select flash output levels of 1/3 power, 2/3 power, or full power which is an especially nice feature for balancing ambient light and flash lighting.
Users can also select first or second curtain sync effect (the S70 like virtually all digital cameras has a combined iris/shutter rather than a focal place shutter---so there are no actual shutter curtains) allowing the camera to mimic SLR flash timing (first curtain synch fires the flash immediately after the shutter opens and second curtain synch fires the flash immediately before the shutter closes). Second curtain synch is great for showing a sense of motion (blurred areas of runners, race cars, bicycles---for instance--- are behind the subject).
Macro performance has been noticeably improved (minimum-focusing distance is 1.6 inches) close-up images show very high central resolution (although corners are slightly soft) but flash coverage up close is uneven and balancing hot spots with underlit areas will be a real challenge. Flash exposure can be adjusted up to +2/-2 EV (in one-third-step increments) or flash output power can be reduced from full power to 2/3 or 1/3 power, just like the G6.
The S70’s Focus Assist feature automatically projects a beam of patterned light that helps the AF system to get a lock on subjects in low light. When red-eye reduction is enabled the Focus Assist beam remains lit (as long as users half-press the shutter button) which will reduce the size of the subject’s pupils in low light portraits. In Manual flash mode the S70's on board flash fires only a single burst of light (there's no pre-flash), so standard slave triggers will synchronize properly with the opening of the S70's shutter, making it possible (but unwieldy) to use external flash units. Canon claims the S70’s on board flash has a maximum reach of about 14 feet. Based on my limited tests, 10-11 feet seems more realistic.
File Formats/Memory Media
The S70 captures images in JPEG and RAW image file formats and those images are saved to CompactFlash (type I or II) cards. The S70 is FAT/FAT32 compatible so high capacity microdrives can be used.
Connectivity
A/V out (for connection to NTSC and PAL televisions) USB 1.1 out (for connection to computers) and DC in (for connection to an AC/DC adapter).
Power
The S70 draws its power from a single rechargeable NB-2LH lithium battery. Battery life is pretty decent for a compact camera, but not good enough to preclude buying a back-up battery. My friend and I used the S70 pretty heavily over the course of a weekend and battery life was consistent; the NB-2LH is good for about 140-150 images (full time LCD use, occasional flash use, and moderate image review). The included CB-2LT charger needs about 90 minutes to fully charge the NB-2LH battery.
EXPOSURE
The DIGIC Processor (Digital Imaging Integrated Circuit) is a major factor in why Canon’s digicams consistently capture stunning images. DIGIC technology improves auto focusing accuracy and processing speed, and optimizes exposures for detailed resolution, balanced contrast, low noise, and accurate color. The DiGiC processor also reduces power consumption by approximately fifteen per cent, noticeably improving battery life.
The S70 provides a full slate of exposure options (Program AE with Shift, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, Manual exposure mode, and Scene modes (Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Fast Shutter Speed, Slow Shutter Speed, Portrait, Night Scene, and Landscape). The S70 utilizes Canon’s proprietary Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space (iSAPS) technology to produce exceptional exposures in all scene modes. The camera matches the scene in front of the camera to an on board database of known scene types and then compares that information with data provided by the S70’s DIGIC processor (contrast, lighting, color, and focusing distance) to select the correct exposure settings.
The S70’s Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) function allows users to automatically capture a series of 3 images, each at a slightly different exposure setting. Users can manually set the exposure variables from +2/-2 EV in 1/3 EV increments. The camera captures all 3 exposures with one press of the Shutter button, which virtually guarantees at least one “right on the money” exposure in tricky lighting or with subjects that are noticeably darker or lighter than their surroundings. The flash can’t be used with the AEB feature. The S70’s exposure compensation (exposure can be adjusted through a +2/-2 EV range in 1/3 EV increments) function can also be enabled to help manage difficult lighting.
Movie Mode
The S70’s Movie Mode, unlike most of this camera’s features, is nothing to write home about. Short video clips can be recorded (with audio) at 640 x 480 @ 10 fps (for up to 30 seconds at the highest resolution and lower resolution clips can be recorded for up to 3 minutes). The S70’s competition provides VGA resolution and up to 30 fps (with clip duration limited only by CF card capacity). The S70 does offer an in-camera editing function, which is pretty neat – and a bit confusing (like caviar on a saltine). Why provide editing capability for jerky motion 30-second video clips?
If video capture is an important consideration check out Canon’s nifty S1-IS for much better video capabilities (although at significantly lower resolution).
Metering
The S70 provides three user selectable metering modes (Evaluative, Center-Weighted Averaging, and Spot). When Spot metering is enabled, the metering spot can be set for the center of the frame or linked to the active Flexizone AF point. Unlike its competition the S70’s metering options are instantly available (rather than buried somewhere in a menu) via a dedicated metering button.
White Balance
The S70 provides several pre-set white balance modes (Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, and Underwater) designed to cover most standard shooting situations. In the auto white balance mode the S70 splits the image area into segments and then evaluates each segment for more accurate color balance, even in tricky lighting. Users can select the Custom White Balance mode and then point the camera at a white wall or ceiling (or a 3x5 white index card) and store the reading. The custom white balance mode can store two different (custom 1 & custom 2) lighting situations, making switching between indoor and outdoor shooting environments simple. The S70’s “underwater” WB preset automatically optimizes color for underwater images so divers and snorkelers can focus (no pun intended) on capturing the action without having to worry about washed out subjects or the dreaded “blue” underwater color cast.
Sensitivity
The S70 provides a fairly pedestrian range of sensitivity settings, including Auto, 50, 100, 200, and 400 ISO (35mm equivalent).
In-Camera Image Manipulation
The S70's PhotoEffects Mode (accessed via the FUNC button) allows users to select from six pre-exposure image adjustment options: Vivid color, Neutral color, Low Sharpening, Sepia, Black-and-White, and Custom mode.
CONTROLS, DESIGN, & ERGONOMICS
The S70 is an attractive, tough, and compact (small enough to drop in a shirt pocket or very petite purse) general use digital camera. The camera’s controls are logically placed and quickly become intuitive and the redesigned control layout makes the S70 (and the S60) easier to use than previous “S” models. The black metallic body is comfortable to hold and use, even for extended periods. The S70 is durably built and should be tough enough to go just about anywhere (excluding hostile climates and combat zones) and do a good job when it gets there.
Experienced photographers will love the
Creative Zone on the SLR-style mode dial – it provides instant access to Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Manual exposure modes. Canon’s engineers designed the S70’s improved user interface so that most shooting functions can be accessed via external controls. When users need to resort to the menu system, pushing the
FUNC button provides an abbreviated menu overlay for quick access to the most commonly changed/adjusted exposure settings. I don’t understand why Canon didn’t include the S1’s inspired new Shortcut button. I’ve always liked Canon’s FUNC button, but the Shortcut button took this concept one step further by providing instant and direct access to specific (user chosen) exposure parameters that require frequent adjustment.
Technical Specifications
Resolution: 7.1 Megapixels (3072x2304)
LCD: 1.8-inch TFT Color LCD
Viewfinder: Real-image Optical (zooms with lens)
Lens: f 2.8-f5.3/28-100 (35mm equivalent) all glass (8 elements in 7 groups) optical zoom
Exposure: Auto, program, shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual
Flash: Built-in multi mode-- Flash Exposure Compensation +/-2 EV (in 1/3 stop increments) and manual flash output (1/3, 2/3, or full power) adjustment
Metering: Evaluative (default), Center Weighted Averaging, or Spot
White Balance: TTL Auto and Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent Hi, Flash, underwater, and Custom 1 & 2)
Auto Focus: TTL 9 point AiAF
Exposure Compensation: Yes ( +/-2EV in 1/3 stop increments)
Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): Yes
Sensitivity: Auto, 50, 100, 200, and 400 ISO (35mm equivalent)
Image File Formats: JPEG and RAW
Image Storage Media: CompactFlash Type I or II
Connectivity: USB 1.1, A/V out, DC in
Noise Reduction: Yes (automatic on exposures longer than 1 second)
Power: NB-2LH
Street Price Range $499.00--$599.00
Included
NB-2LH Lithium-Ion battery, CB-2LT battery charger, 32 MB CF card, Wrist strap, USB & AV cables, Software CD-ROM, User’s Manual and software manual
Optional
WP-DC300 Underwater Housing, AC Adapter Kit ACK700, Car Battery Charger CBC-NB2, Soft leather Case PSC30, SP-PS900 soft case, Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC10, Tele-converter TC-DC10, and Wireless Controller WL-DC100.
In the Field/Handling & Operation
I have an old friend who sells new and used (digital and film) cameras, he knows I love to play with new techno toys so when he stopped by and asked if I wanted to check out the new Canon Powershot S70, my answer was a foregone conclusion. I’ve used (and liked) each of the S70’s predecessors (S30, S40, S45, S50, & S60) so I was pretty sure I’d like the newest member of the family.
In Louisville, Kentucky the first weekend in October is always reserved for the St. James Court Art Fair. The SJCAF is consistently rated one of the best fine arts shows in the U. S. and usually draws around 300,000 spectators, special event fans, and patrons of the arts for the three-day show. My friend and I both enjoy it because it is one of the best "people" shows in the Midwest. The crowd is an eclectic mixture of young and old and hip and square and everything in between. Among the many offerings (paintings, drawings, prints, hand blown glass, wood carvings, textiles, furniture, and hundreds of other art forms) are the works of several fine art photographers, so it is always possible that we’ll discover a budding new Robert Doisneau, Jock Sturges, Eve Arnold, Duane Michals, or Ernst Haas.
Saturday started out cold and gray with a harsh north wind, but by late afternoon the sky cleared up nicely ---it never did warm up, though. We parked on Burnett Street and walked up to Louisville’s landmark Magnolia Bar & Grill (a funky retro-hip local hangout that attracts a truly eclectic crowd) for the "Un-Fair" a low key counter art show staged each year by starving local artists who’ve been frozen out of participation in the upscale St. James Court Art Fair. The Mag Bar is THE neighborhood watering hole for Old Louisville college students, young professionals, aging hipsters, rock/blues/punk/bluegrass musicians, and baggy pants kids with tattoos and multiple pierceings. My friend and I spent about half an hour shooting environmental portraits of the local cognoscenti seeing and being seen checking out the un-art and the un-artists. When we got done at the Unfair we walked up to St. James Court.
St. James Court was built on the site of the 1883-1887 Southern Exposition. The Southern Exposition was the first major U. S. industrial exhibition to be completely lit by electricity. President Chester A. Arthur and Thomas Edison threw the switch that lit up the grounds and opened the exhibition (staged to honor the post civil war rebirth of Southern industry). On an interesting historical note, as the World’s very first electric trolley hauled tourists around the brightly lit Southern Exposition grounds, Geronimo and a small band of Apache warriors was engaged in a fight to the death with the U. S. Army 1500 miles to the west in the Arizona Territory.
After the Southern Exposition ended in 1887 (and Geronimo was safely locked up at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma) a consortium of wealthy Louisville businessmen bought the property and built a group of opulent homes designed to look as if they were a part of Victorian London. St. James, Belgravia, and Fountain Courts are among Louisville’s most impressive landmarks. The tree-shaded courts are lined with dozens of magnificent homes that easily rival anything seen in New Orleans Garden District.
St. James Court was a little gloomy and the late afternoon light was a little weak. We spent a couple of hours walking around shooting some of the more interesting art patrons, a few of the lovely old houses, and a selection of close-up shots of the colorful fall blooming floral displays. We also shot architectural details at a Moorish style mansion, some backlit shots of waterspray from the classic bronze fountain, lots of stuff from the colorfully decorated sales booths, and candid shots of the huge crowd. We stopped to watch a cigar rolling demonstration and talked to several fellow photographers (both those selling their fine art wares and a couple of local shutterbugs who were interested in the S70). The warm oblique afternoon light worked really well and the S70 did a great job on everything we tried. When evening shadows started getting fairly long we did a couple additional circuits and called it a day.
Sunday morning was beautiful with blue skies, wispy clouds, and warm. We headed for Cave Hill Cemetery to look for some early signs of the changing season. It is still a bit early for fall color here in the Ohio Valley, but Cave Hill is Louisville’s unofficial arboretum and the old cemetery is filled with rare plants, trees, and bushes (in addition to thousands of 19th century grave markers, hundreds of mausoleums, and a rustic groundskeepers cottage) so the first signs of autumn tend to appear at Cave Hill a few weeks before they are visible everywhere. We did find a few interesting single trees (Dogwoods, Sourwoods, Black Gum, and a couple of exotics) that were starting to show some color, but overall the trip was a bust. After we finished looking for autumnal landscapes we shot some pictures of the ever-present families feeding the ducks, geese, and swans at the small lake at the center of the old burial ground.
PERFORMANCE
The S70 is an excellent general-use digital camera that offers users just about all the manual exposure controls a serious photographer might want. The S70 also works great for neophyte photographers who want to put the camera in auto mode and shoot high quality digital images without the need to learn basic photography skills.
Image Quality
Image quality should always be the number one consideration when assessing camera performance --- everything else is tied for second place. The S70 consistently delivered image quality that is well above average. We printed two (one shot at ISO 50 and one shot at ISO 100) 5X7 enlargements with an Epson Stylus Photo 2200 on Epson photo paper) of our adventure at St. James Court. ISO 50 is definitely the S70’s prime setting, but both enlargements were as sharp as a tack when viewed with a Mamiya 4X loupe (designed for checking out medium format prints) with bright well-saturated picture postcard perfect colors. Noise levels begin to rise a bit after ISO 100 (but not objectionably so) and noise is a bit off-putting at ISO 400, but much better than the S70’s competition can manage. Despite the hype surrounding Canon’s new 7 megapixel CCD sensor, noise is still visible.
Timing/Shutter Lag
The S70 is a very quick camera, but not substantially faster than the S50 (except for the boot up cycle, which is noticeably faster). Shutter lag times are a bit quicker than average (for compact general use digicams) and with pre-focus the S70’s response is essentially real time. RAW format write to card times are much quicker than average (Canon wisely included a much larger buffer) Shot to shot times, are virtually identical to those of the S50. AF speed is very quick, well above average and noticeably faster than the S50.
A Few Concerns
S70’s movie mode is pretty dull (especially when compared to Canon’s nifty S1-IS). The built-in flash is positioned too close to the lens so red-eye will be a persistent problem. Battery life is decent (and somewhat improved over the S50) but not good enough to rule out the purchase of a back-up battery. The optical viewfinder only shows 80 per cent of the image frame.
Who is the S70 best suited for?
Serious photographers who want a compact digicam with a high level of individual control. Casual photographers, hikers/bikers/backpackers, and travelers will also love the S70
Conclusion
On the surface the new Powershot S70 may look like nothing more than a 7 megapixel version of the S60, but “underneath it all” (with a nod to
No Doubt and
Gwen Stefani) the newest addition to the Canon digicam stable provides almost the same level of creative capability as Canon’s flagship G6. Plus, it’s smaller, lighter, cheaper, more fun, easier to use, sports a true wide-angle zoom, and looks better than its bigger sibling. The S70 is simply the coolest new addition to Canon’s digicam family since the landmark G2. For those who don’t need 7 megapixel resolution check out the spiffy 5 megapixel Powershot S60, it’s a virtual clone of the S70 and it’s about a hundred bucks cheaper.
Links
For definitive advice on How to Choose a Digital Camera please see my review:
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2E46-17B174E2-39A418E3-prod1
Here’s some other 5 to 7 megapixel digicams you may want to consider
Canon Powershot G6
http://www.epinions.com/content_156270825092
Canon Powershot S60
http://www.epinions.com/content_147368873604
Canon Powershot A95
http://www.epinions.com/content_155132661380
Canon Powershot S500
http://www.epinions.com/content_135678955140
Olympus Camedia C60
http://www.epinions.com/content_150048509572
