Quick Review
Canon PowerShot A95 Digital Camera
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Camera QuickLook | |
Review
Date |
10/18/2004 | |
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User Level |
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Product Uses |
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Digicam Design |
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Picture Quality |
Very Good, 5.0-megapixel CCD | |
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Print Sizes |
4x6, 5x7, 8x10, 11x17 inches | |
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Availability |
August, 2004 | |
| Suggested Retail
Price (At introduction) |
$399 | |
Introduction
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Last year, Canon's PowerShot A70 topped the charts on the IR website for popularity, outstripping all other camera models. This was particularly impressive given that our readers generally gravitate toward higher-end models. This year, the PowerShot A75 and A85 updated the A70, with a larger CCD, more manual controls, and a slightly different control layout. Now, the Canon PowerShot A95 continues the series with a 5.0-megapixel CCD, nine-point AF, and a larger, 1.8 inch rotating LCD monitor. The camera accommodates a wide range of users with its variable level of exposure control. Experienced shooters will appreciate the Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority modes, while novices will find the Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes useful. Plus, the PowerShot A95 has a full range of creative effects, and the benefit of Canon optics with its 3x zoom lens. The A80 was a definite bargain with its competitive price and heavy feature set, and the Canon A95 looks to be just as much of a deal. Bottom line, the Canon A95 is a camera that gets just about everything right, with very few limitations or shortcomings. Read on for more details.
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The Canon PowerShot A95 looks very similar to the previous A80 model, and indeed features many of the same exposure options and features. However, this newest addition to the PowerShot A-series boasts a larger CCD at 5.0 megapixels, for a larger maximum resolution of 2,592 x 1,944 pixels. The increased resolution allows printing to 8x10 inches and even much larger with great detail. (Lower resolutions are also available, including an email-friendly size.) Other key features include a larger 1.8 inch LCD monitor, a nine-point AiAF system now enhanced with FlexiZone AF, and a Custom shooting mode, which lets you save an individual set of exposure options that can be quickly recalled. The Canon A95's all-plastic, two-toned silver body is lightweight and compact, although just a little too large for the average shirt pocket. Still, the A95 should easily fit into larger coat pockets and purses, and comes with a wrist strap for more security while shooting. Like many Canon digicams, the A95 features a shutter-like lens cover and a retracting lens that keeps the camera front fairly smooth when the camera is powered off. Without a lens cap to keep track of, the Canon A95 is quick on the draw (you just have to wait a couple of seconds for the lens to extend forward before you can shoot).
Equipped with a 7.8-23.4mm lens, the Canon A95 offers a 3x optical zoom range equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera. Aperture ranges from f/2.8 to f/8.0 depending on the zoom setting, and can be manually or automatically adjusted. The PowerShot A95 uses Canon's AiAF (Artificial Intelligence Auto Focus) system, which judges focus based on a nine-point area in the center of the frame. Whatever portion of the subject is closest to one of the AF points is what determines the overall focus. You can alternately choose to base focus on the center of the frame only. New to the line is FlexiZone AF, which offers the user the ability to move the AF point around the center 60% of the screen. Optionally, users can program the camera to spot meter off the same AF point, or keep the spot centered in the frame. The PowerShot A95 also offers a manual focus mode, displaying a numeric distance scale on the LCD display, and an optional magnified portion in the center of the frame. A bright orange AF Assist Beam on the front panel helps the camera focus in dark shooting conditions, and can be deactivated if necessary. In addition to the optical zoom, the A95 also offers as much as 3.6x digital zoom. However, I always remind readers that digital zoom often decreases the overall image quality because it simply enlarges the center pixels of the CCD image. The Canon A95 has both a real-image optical viewfinder and 1.8-inch LCD monitor for composing images. The LCD monitor lifts out of a compartment on the rear panel and flips out to face the front of the camera. It can then swivel 270 degrees. In addition to the selection of viewing angles, another benefit is that you can flip the LCD monitor around to face the rear and then close it up in the compartment, thus protecting it from incidental scratches. (When you do so, the LCD is automatically powered off and the lens aperture closed to conserve power and protect the CCD sensor). The LCD monitor's information display includes detailed exposure information, including shutter speed and aperture settings in the manual shooting modes.
Like the A80 before it, the Canon PowerShot A95 provides a full range of exposure control, from Manual to Auto exposure modes, and a handful of preset scene modes as well. All exposure modes are accessed by turning the Mode dial on top of the camera. Canon divided the dial into three exposure types: Auto, Creative Zone, and Image Zone. Shooting in Auto mode puts the camera in charge of everything except the Flash and Macro modes. Exposure modes in the Creative Zone include Program AE (P), Shutter Speed-Priority AE (Tv), Aperture-Priority AE (Av), and Manual Exposure (M). Program AE lets the camera choose the aperture and shutter speed settings, but gives you control over all other exposure options. Aperture and Shutter Speed Priority modes allow you to set one exposure variable (aperture or shutter speed) while the camera chooses the best corresponding variable. Manual mode gives you full control over all exposure options.
Exposure modes in the Image Zone include Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Fast Shutter, Slow Shutter, Stitch Assist, and Movie. Portrait, Night Scene, and Landscape all make automatic camera adjustments to optimize settings for specific shooting conditions. The Portrait mode uses a large aperture setting to focus on the subject, while maintaining an out-of-focus background. Landscape mode slows the shutter speed and maximizes depth of field with a small aperture setting. Night Scene mode illuminates your subject with flash and uses a slow shutter speed to evenly expose the background. Fast Shutter mode uses a fast shutter speed to freeze action, while Slow Shutter mode uses a slower shutter speed to blur moving objects (such as waterfalls or fountains). The Stitch-Assist mode is Canon's answer to panorama shooting, in which multiple, overlapping images can be captured horizontally or vertically. They are then "stitched" together on a computer using Canon's bundled PhotoStitch software or other image editing software. Movie mode allows you to capture up to three minutes of moving images and sound at approximately 15 frames per second in 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 mode. A 640 x 480 mode is also available, but is limited to 10 frames per second.
The White Balance setting adjusts color balance, with settings for Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, and Fluorescent H (for daylight fluorescent lighting). There's also a Custom setting to manually set color balance based on a white or gray card. Exposure Compensation increases or decreases the overall exposure, from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments. An ISO adjustment offers 50, 100, 200, and 400 ISO equivalents, as well as an Auto setting. By default, the Canon A95 uses an Evaluative metering mode, which links the metering area to the focus area (when AiAF is activated). Also available is a Spot Metering option, which bases the exposure on the center of the subject (or the chosen AF point in FlexiZone mode), and Center-Weighted, for a larger area in the center of the frame. The A95's flash operates in either Auto, Forced, Suppressed, or Slow Synchro (in Night Portrait mode only) modes, with an available Red-Eye Reduction setting through the Record menu.
A creative and fun Effects menu lets you play around with image color, offering Vivid and Neutral color settings, as well as Sepia and Black and White options. A Low Sharpening option softens the image. Continuous Shooting mode works like a motor drive on a 35mm camera, capturing a rapid burst of images for as long as the Shutter button is held down (or until the memory card runs out of space). Actual frame rates will vary depending on the image size and quality selected. The Canon A95 also features a 10-second self-timer, which delays the shutter for about 10 seconds after the Shutter button is pressed, letting you run around and jump into the shot. (You can also set the delay interval to two seconds.) The A95 also features the My Camera menu, which lets you customize camera settings to your own preferences. For example, you can set the image that appears at startup, or assign a fun sound at startup or to button functions. For further camera customization, the A95 features a Custom mode, which lets you save a set of exposure settings for quick recall.
The Canon PowerShot A95 stores images on CompactFlash memory cards, and comes with a 32MB starter card. I highly recommend purchasing a larger-capacity CompactFlash card right away, given the A95's maximum 2,592 x 1,944-pixel resolution. The camera uses four AA-sized batteries for power, either alkaline or NiMH type. Four alkaline batteries come with the camera, but I strongly advise picking up a couple of sets of rechargeable batteries and a charger, and keeping a spare set freshly charged at all times. Click here to read my "battery shootout" page to see which batteries currently on the market are best, or here for my review of the Maha C-204W charger, my new favorite. The optional AC adapter is useful for preserving battery power when reviewing and downloading images, and plugs straight into a DC In jack on the rear of the camera, but good-quality rechargeable batteries really eliminate the need for it. The Canon A95 features a USB jack for quickly downloading images to a computer, and comes with two software CDs, one loaded with Canon Digital Camera Solution Disk and the other loaded with ArcSoft Camera Suite (both compatible with Macintosh and Windows systems). Additionally, an AV Out jack and the included video cable lets you connect the camera to a television set. The A95 is DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatible, with a range of print settings available through the Playback menu. The camera can also print directly to several of Canon's accessory photo printers or other PictBridge printers.
Basic Features
- 5.0-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as large as 2,592 x 1,944 pixels.
- 1.8-inch color LCD monitor.
- Real-image optical viewfinder.
- Glass, 3x 7.8-23.4mm lens (equivalent to 38-114mm zoom on a 35mm camera).
- 3x digital zoom.
- AiAF autofocus, FlexiZone AF, and a manual focus mode.
- AF Assist light for low-light focusing.
- Full Automatic, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, and Manual exposure modes, as well as five preset exposure modes.
- Manually adjustable aperture setting ranging from f/2.8 to f/8.0, depending on lens zoom position and shutter speed.
- Shutter speed range from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds, depending on aperture.
- Built-in flash with five operating modes.
- CompactFlash memory storage.
- Power supplied by four AA batteries or optional AC adapter.
Special Features
- Movie mode (with sound).
- Sound caption recording.
- Stitch-Assist mode for panoramic shots.
- Continuous Shooting and 10-second Self-Timer modes.
- Creative Effects menu.
- White balance (color) adjustment with seven modes.
- ISO adjustment with four ISO equivalents and an Auto setting.
- Low Sharpness setting.
- Evaluative, Center-Weighted, and Spot metering options.
- DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility.
- USB cable for connection to a computer (driver software included).
Recommendation
Offering a complete range of auto and manual exposure controls, the Canon PowerShot A95 is perfect for novice users and experienced amateurs alike. The full automatic controls keep things simple for novices, while offering the opportunity to gradually step up to more control. Plus, the range of preset exposure modes ensures that less-experienced photographers will get good pictures in difficult shooting situations. The 5.0-megapixel CCD captures high quality images, quite suitable for printing as large as 11x17-inches, or 8x10 with heavy cropping while maintaining very good detail. The compact design should fit well into a larger coat pocket or purse, and the lens design protects it when closed, while keeping the camera body smooth and low-profile. In addition to the range of exposure controls, a menu of creative effects makes the Canon A95 fun too. Like the A70 before it, the A95 is marketed and priced as an "entry level" camera, but its features and capabilities extend far beyond that category. If you're looking for an inexpensive camera that you can grow with (and that shoots excellent photos as well), the Canon A95 could be the camera for you.
The Canon PowerShot A95's compact body has a solid feel, thanks to a combination of plastic body and metal decorative panels, plus a healthy heft. Measuring 4.0 x 2.5 x 1.4 inches (101 x 65 x 35 millimeters), the A95 probably won't fit into your shirt pocket. It will, however, find its way into larger coat pockets, purses, and hip packs, good for travel. The A95 has good heft, with its 12.31-ounce (349-gram) weight, with batteries and CompactFlash card, but isn't at all uncomfortable to carry. The two-toned silver body is sleek and understated, yet sophisticated enough for any age group.
The Canon A95's front panel features the telescoping 3x zoom lens, which extends an additional 3/4-inch when fully extended. Also on the front panel are the optical viewfinder window, small microphone, flash, and a light emitter lamp that serves multiple purposes, including autofocus assist, red-eye reduction, and the self-timer countdown. On the lower right side of the lens (as viewed from the rear) is a small button that releases the ring around the lens barrel. Removing the ring allows you to attach a lens adapter for extended telephoto, wide angle, or macro capabilities. There's also a large hand grip on the front panel, created by the battery compartment.
On the right side of the camera (as viewed from the rear) is the CompactFlash card slot, covered by a hinged, plastic door. The door slides toward the back panel before opening outward. At the top of the right side is the eyelet for attaching the wrist strap.
On the opposite side of the camera is one of the connector compartments, covered by a flexible, rubbery-plastic flap that snaps in and out of place. (This compartment shares the rubbery flap with a second one on the rear panel, and the flap wraps around the corner.) When opened, the flap remains connected to the camera body, and folds out of the way to accommodate cables. Inside the compartment are the Digital (USB) and A/V Out jacks.
The Canon A95's top panel features a Mode dial with 14 shooting positions divided into three basic categories: Auto Exposure, Image Zone, and Creative Zone. The Shutter button is located diagonally in front of the Mode dial, with a Zoom lever surrounding it. Behind the Shutter button and Zoom lever is the camera's speaker. A Power button is on the other side of the Mode dial. Directly beside the Power button is a small LED, which lights green when the camera is powered on.
The rest of the exposure controls are located on the camera's rear panel, along with the optical viewfinder and rotating LCD monitor. The LCD monitor lifts off of the rear panel to face forward, and can also swivel 270 degrees to face several viewing angles. The eye-level optical viewfinder features two LED lamps that report camera status. A Mode switch puts the camera into Playback or Record modes, and is adjacent to the top right corner of the LCD monitor. Below the Mode switch is a four-way multi-controller that navigates settings menus, pressing up, down, left, and right. The top edge also controls flash mode, while the bottom edge accesses Macro and Manual Focus modes. Below the multi-controller are the Function/Erase and Display buttons. The Set and Menu buttons are just beneath the LCD monitor. Also on the rear panel is the DC In jack, covered by a flexible, rubbery flap that wraps around from the side of the camera.
The Canon A95's bottom panel is reasonably flat, with a sliding door to access the battery compartment and a threaded plastic tripod mount at about center. Because the battery door and tripod mount are so close to one another, it would be difficult to make quick battery changes while working with a tripod, something I always look at, given the amount of test shooting I do in the studio. On the other hand, Canon's AC adapter plugs into the back of the camera. Thus, for studio use, there's a convenient way to get power to the camera while on a tripod. The location of the CompactFlash door on the side of the camera is also conducive to use on a tripod.
While the Canon A95's user interface may seem slightly cryptic at first approach, it's actually quite efficient. Most camera functions are controlled externally, and a few of the external control buttons serve multiple functions. When you do need to enter the LCD menu system, navigation is straightforward with only two main pages of options. That said, the majority of external controls do require the LCD display to be active. Regardless, the A95's external controls cut down on the amount of time spent searching menu screens, and I particularly like the "Function" menu which became standard on Canon digicam models in the 2003 model year. Combined with the instruction manual, the A95's user interface shouldn't take more than an hour to get comfortable with.
Record Mode LCD Display: In Record mode, the Canon A95's LCD reports various
exposure settings, including camera modes, the resolution and quality settings,
number of available images, etc. Half-pressing the Shutter button reports the
aperture and shutter speed settings, in all modes except Manual. (Aperture and
shutter speed are displayed continuously in Manual mode, whether the shutter
button is pressed or not.) Pressing the Display button cycles through the available
display modes, including the image with information, no display at all, and
the image only.
Playback Mode LCD Display: In Playback mode, the LCD reports the image
series number, resolution and quality setting, file name, and the date and time
of image capture. Pressing the Display button once pulls up an enhanced information
display, with a histogram for checking the exposure. A third press cancels the
information overlay entirely. The telephoto side of the zoom toggle lets you
zoom in on a portion of the image, while the wide-angle side backs you out again,
and lets you step out to an "index" view of captured images, displayed
as nine thumbnails at a time. Zooming out one step past the point at which the
index display appears adds a "jump" bar to the bottom of the screen,
letting you jump forward or back 9 images at a time, rather than scrolling from
each image to the next individually.
External Controls
Shutter Button: Resting in the center of the Zoom lever, this button sets
focus and exposure when halfway pressed, and fires the shutter when fully pressed.
Zoom Lever (see previous image): Surrounding the Shutter button on the top panel, this lever controls the optical and digital zoom while in Record mode. In Playback mode (when not using the playback zoom), the "W" side displays a nine-image index display of all images on the memory card, and accesses a "Jump" function that lets you scroll through index display screens quickly. Alternatively, the "T" position enlarges the currently displayed image as much as 10x, so that you can check on fine details.
Mode Dial: Also on the camera's top panel, this large, notched dial is used
to select the camera's shooting modes. Canon divides these functions into three
categories: Auto, Image Zone, and Creative Zone. The options are as follows:
Auto:
The camera controls everything about the exposure, except for Flash and Macro
modes, image size and quality settings.
- Creative Zone
Program
AE (P): Places the camera in control of shutter speed and lens aperture,
while you maintain control over everything else (i.e., white balance,
ISO, metering, exposure compensation, flash, etc.).
Shutter-Speed
Priority AE (Tv): Allows you to control the shutter speed settings
from 1/2,000 to 15 seconds, while the camera controls the aperture. All
other exposure settings are available.
Aperture
Priority AE (Av): Allows you to set the lens aperture from f/2.8 to
f/8.0, while the camera controls the shutter speed. The maximum aperture
depends on the zoom setting, ranging from f/2.8 at the wide angle end
to f/4.9 at the telephoto position. In this mode, you maintain control
over all other exposure variables.
Manual
(M): Provides complete control over all exposure settings, including
shutter speed and lens aperture. As with aperture-priority mode, the maximum
aperture varies with the zoom setting from f/2.8 at wide angle to f/4.9
at telephoto. The fastest shutter speed varies with the aperture and zoom
setting:
- 1/1000 at all apertures
- 1/1250 at f/3.2 (wide) or f/5.6 (tele) to f/8
- 1/1600 or 1/2000 at f/4.5 - f/8 (wide) or fixed at f/8 (tele)
Custom:
This position recalls previously-saved exposure settings of the user's
choice.
- Image Zone
Portrait:
Uses a large aperture setting to blur the background while keeping the
primary subject in sharp focus.
Landscape:
Employs a small aperture setting to keep both the background and foreground
in focus. (May use a slower shutter speed, so a tripod is recommended.)
Night
Scene: Uses slower shutter speeds and flash to even out nighttime
exposures. The slow shutter speed allows more ambient light to be recorded
in the low-light areas, while the flash freezes the subject. The Red-Eye
Reduction mode can be used with this exposure mode to eliminate Red-Eye
in night portraits.
Fast
Shutter: Uses fast shutter speeds to stop action and maintain sharp
focus on moving subjects.
Slow
Shutter: Uses slow shutter speeds to blur fast-moving subjects.
Stitch-Assist:
Allows you to record a series of images, either horizontally, vertically,
to be "stitched" together into one large image or panorama on
a computer.
Movie:
Records as long as three minutes of moving images with sound, at approximately
15 frames per second.
Power Button: To the left of the Mode dial, this button turns the
camera on or off.
Mode Switch: Adjacent to the top right corner of the LCD monitor
on the rear panel, this switch selects between Record and Playback modes.
Multi-Controller Rocker Button: This four-way rocker button isn't
marked with arrows, but actuates left, right, up, and down, simulating arrow
keys to navigate through settings menus. In Record mode,
the left and right buttons adjust available exposure settings, as well as manual
focus, when enabled. The top button controls flash mode, while the bottom button
accesses Macro and Manual Focus modes.
In Playback mode, the left and right buttons scroll through captured images. When an image has been enlarged, all four arrows pan within the view.
Function / Erase Button: Directly below the Multi-Controller, this button
displays the following Function menu while in Record mode:
Exposure Compensation: Increases or decreases the exposure from -2
to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments. Not available
in Manual mode, since the user controls the exposure variables directly there.
- Flash Output: (Manual mode only, takes the place of the Exposure Compensation option): Adjusts the overall flash intensity in three steps from Low to Full. In Manual mode, the flash fires only a single pulse, handy when you want to use the A95 with conventional "slave" triggers for external flash units.
- White Balance: Controls the color balance of images. Options are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, and Custom (manual setting).
- Drive Mode: Accesses Continuous Shooting and High Speed Continuous Shooting modes, and the two Self-Timer modes (a two- or 10-second delay).
- ISO Speed: Sets the camera's sensitivity to Auto (except in Manual), or to 50, 100, 200, or 400 ISO equivalents.
- Photo Effect: Enables Vivid Color, Neutral Color, Low Sharpening, Sepia, or Black-and-White picture effects.
- Light Metering System: Sets the metering mode to Evaluative, Center-Weighted, or Spot.
- Resolution: Specifies the image resolution and quality settings. Still image resolutions are 2,592 x 1,944; 2,048 x 1,536; 1,600 x 1,200; and 640 x 480 pixels. Postcard mode also offers 1,600 x 1,200 pixel resolution for quick printing of 4x6 prints. Quality options (activated by pressing the Set button) are Superfine, Fine, and Normal. Movie resolutions are 640x 480, 320 x 240, and 160 x 120 pixels.
In Playback mode, this button displays the single-image erase menu.
Display Button: Below the Function / Erase button, this button controls
the information and image display modes in Record and Playback modes.
Print/Share Button: Just right of the Display Button, the Print/Share button
is new on all PowerShot models. When connected to a printer or Windows computer,
this button lights up, indicating that sync or printing is one button away.
Menu Button: Underneath the lower right corner of the LCD monitor, this
button calls up the settings menu in Record and Playback modes. It also dismisses
the menu screen and backs out of menu selections.
Set Button: To the left of the Menu button, this button confirms menu selections.
It also switches between available exposure adjustments in Manual mode.
Battery Compartment Latch: Nestled in the center of the battery compartment
door on the bottom of the camera, this sliding switch unlocks the door, so that
it can slide forward and open.
Lens Ring Release Button: Tucked under the lens on the camera's front panel,
this button releases the lens ring. Once unlocked, the lens ring can then be
turned and removed to accommodate accessory lens kits.
Camera Modes and Menus
Record Mode: Marked on the Mode switch with the red camera icon, this mode sets up the camera for capturing still and moving images. The following exposure modes are available:
- Custom (C):
This custom mode instantly calls up a previously-saved set of exposure options.
- Manual
(M): Provides complete control over all exposure settings, including shutter
speed and lens aperture (available shutter speeds depend on the aperture and
lens zoom settings).
- Shutter-Speed
Priority AE (Tv): Allows you to control the shutter speed settings from
1/2,000 to 15 seconds, while the camera controls the aperture. All other exposure
settings are available.
- Aperture
Priority AE (Av): Allows you to set the lens aperture from f/2.8 to f/8.0
(depending on the zoom setting), while the camera controls the shutter speed.
In this mode, you maintain control over all other exposure variables.
- Program
AE (P): Places the camera in control of shutter speed and lens aperture,
while you maintain control over everything else (i.e., white balance, ISO,
metering, exposure compensation, flash, etc.).
- Auto:
The camera controls everything about the exposure, except for Flash and Macro
modes, and image size and quality settings.
- Portrait:
Uses a large aperture setting to blur the background and keep the primary
subject in sharp focus.
- Landscape:
Employs a small aperture setting to keep both the background and foreground
in focus.
- Night
Scene: Uses slower shutter speeds and flash to even out nighttime exposures.
The slow shutter speed allows more ambient light to be recorded in the low-light
areas, while the flash fully exposes the subject.
- Fast
Shutter: Uses fast shutter speeds to stop action and maintain sharp focus
on moving subjects.
- Slow
Shutter: Uses slow shutter speeds to blur fast-moving subjects.
- Stitch-Assist:
Allows you to record a series of images, either horizontally or vertically,
to be "stitched" together into one large image or panorama on a
computer.
- Movie:
Records as long as three minutes of moving images with sound, at approximately
15 frames per second.
Record Menu: Pressing the Menu button in Record mode pulls up the following options (not all options are available in all modes):
AiAF/FlexiZone: Turns the AiAF system on or off. If on, the
camera judges focus based on the subject's proximity to nine focus areas arrayed
in the center of the image. If off, the camera bases focus on the very center
of the frame. In FlexiZone, the user can move the AF point around the center
60% of the frame. Just press the Set button, which turns the center point
frame green, then use the Four-way navigator to move the AF point around the
screen.
- Red-Eye Reduction: Turns the Red-Eye Reduction pre-flash on or off, which works with all flash modes.
- Spot AE Point: When FlexiZone mode is active via item 1 above, selects whether the Spot meter works from the center point or follows the user-selected AF point.
- MF-Point Zoom: Turns the MF Point zoom option on or off. If on, the center of the frame is enlarged on the LCD display for better viewing while adjusting the manual focus.
- AF Assist Beam: Turns the AF Assist light on or off. If on, the light automatically illuminates in dark shooting conditions.
- Digital Zoom: Turns the 3.2x variable digital zoom on or off.
- Review: Turns the instant image review function on or off, with available image display times from two to 10 seconds in one second steps.
- Reverse Display: Designates whether images are displayed in reverse when the LCD monitor is open and tilted 180 degrees.
- Save Settings: Saves the currently-set camera settings in both the Function and Record menus as C, for instant recall via the C option on the Mode dial.
Playback Mode: This mode lets you review captured images and movies on the memory card, as well as erase them, protect them, or tag them for printing and transfer. The traditional green Playback symbol denotes this mode on the Mode switch. Pressing the Menu button displays the following options:
Protect: Marks the current image for write-protection, or
removes write-protection. Protected images cannot be deleted or manipulated,
except through card formatting, which erases all files.
- Rotate: Rotates the current image 90 or 270 degrees clockwise.
- Sound Memo: Records a short sound clip to accompany a captured image.
- Erase All: Erases all files on the memory card, except protected ones.
- Auto Play: Automatically plays all captured images in a slide show.
- Print Order: Determines how many copies of the current image will be printed, with options for creating an index print, imprinting the date and time, and imprinting the file number.
- Transfer Order: Marks images to be transferred to a computer later.
Setup Menu: This menu is available in all exposure modes, simply by pressing the Menu button and selecting the Setup tab.
-
Mute:
Turns the camera's start-up, operation, self-time, shutter and playback sounds
on and off.
- Volume: Displays the volume settings for the camera's start-up, operation, self-timer, shutter, and playback sounds.
- Power Saving: Accesses the camera's Auto Power Down and Display Off settings. Power Down can be enabled or disabled, and Display Off can be set to 10 / 20 / 30 seconds, or 1 / 2 / 3 minutes.
- Date/Time: Sets the camera's internal calendar and clock.
- Format: Formats the CompactFlash card, erasing all files (even those marked for write-protection).
- File No. Reset: Resets file numbering with each new CompactFlash card. If disabled, the camera continues numbering in sequence, regardless of memory card.
- Auto Rotate: Specifies whether images appear vertically in the LCD monitor when the camera is held vertically.
- Distance Units: Sets the manual focus indicator to Meters/Centimeters or Feet/Inches.
- Language: Sets the camera's menu language to one of 12 choices. English is the default setting.
- Video System: Designates the camera's video-out signal as NTSC or PAL.
My Camera Menu: This is the third menu tab on the menu screen, and appears in every mode.
Theme: Selects a common theme for each My Camera menu settings item.
Four options are available, the first one being Off. When a theme is selected,
all of the following settings automatically adjust to that theme.
- Startup Image: Sets the startup image when you turn on the camera to: Black screen, Canon logo, Canon logo w / sunset, nature scene and user. You can apply your User image in Playback mode by pressing the Display button and choosing an image from the CompactFlash card. The image is copied to the camera's internal memory, and is still displayed when the CompactFlash card is removed.
- Startup Sound: Sets the startup sound when you turn on the camera to: No sound, Musical tone (1), Musical tone (2), or Birds chirping. You can apply User sounds in Playback mode by pressing the Display button and choosing a sound from the CompactFlash card. The sound is copied to the camera's internal memory, and is still displayed when the CompactFlash card is removed.
- Operation Sound: Sets the sound when any control or switch is use (except the Shutter button). Options include Beep, Loud beep, Boing, Chirp and User. See the Startup Sound item for a description of User sounds.
- Self-Timer Sound: Sets the sound that signals you when the shutter release is two seconds away. Options include Fast beeps (1), Fast beeps (2), Telephone ring, Howling and User. See the Startup Sound item for a description of User sounds.
- Shutter Sound: Sets the shutter sound that you hear when you depress the Shutter button (there is no shutter sound in Movie mode). Options include Beep, Shutter sound, Boing, Bark and User. See the Startup Sound item for a description of User sounds.
In the Box
The PowerShot A95 arrives with the following items:
- Wrist strap WS-200.
- Four AA-type alkaline batteries.
- USB cable IFC-300PCU.
- AV cable AVC-DC100.
- 32MB CompactFlash card FC-32M.
- Two software CDs.
- Instruction manual, software guide, and registration kit.
- Larger capacity CompactFlash card.
- Rechargeable batteries and charger.
- AC adapter kit.
- Soft case.
- Lens accessory kits.
Recommended Software: Rescue your images!
Just as important as an extra memory card is a tool to rescue your images when
one of your cards fails at some point in the future. I get a lot of email from
readers who've lost photos due to a corrupted memory card. Memory card corruption
can happen with any card type and any camera manufacturer, nobody's immune.
A surprising number of "lost" images can be recovered with an inexpensive,
easy to use piece of software though. Given the amount of email I've gotten
on the topic, I now include this paragraph in all my digicam reviews. The program
you need is called PhotoRescue, by DataRescue SA. Read our review
of it if you'd like, but download the program now, so you'll have it.
It doesn't cost a penny until you need it, and even then it's only $29, with
a money back guarantee. So download PhotoRescue
for Windows or PhotoRescue
for Mac while you're thinking of it. (While you're at it, download the
PDF manual and quickstart
guide as well.) Stash the file in a safe place and it'll be there when you need
it. Trust me, needing this is not a matter of if, but when... PhotoRescue
is about the best and easiest tool for recovering digital photos I've seen.
(Disclosure: IR gets a small commission from sales of the product, but I'd highly
recommend the program even if we didn't.) OK, now back to our regularly
scheduled review...
See our test images and detailed analysis here. The thumbnails below show a subset of our test images. Click on a thumbnail to see the full-size photo.
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"Gallery" Photos
For those readers interested in a set of less "standardized" photos from the Canon PowerShot A95, we've put together a "photo gallery" of more pictorial shots captured with the A95.
In keeping with my standard test policy, the comments given here summarize only my key findings. For a full commentary on each of the test images, see the Canon PowerShot A95's "pictures" page.
As with all Imaging Resource product tests, I encourage you to let your own eyes be the judge of how well the camera performed. Explore the images on the pictures page, to see how the A95's images compare to other cameras you may be considering. (For a more pictorial set of sample photos, check out our A95 Gallery page.)
Not sure which camera to buy? Let your eyes be the ultimate judge! Visit our Comparometer(tm) to compare images from the A95 with those from other cameras you may be considering. The proof is in the pictures, so let your own eyes decide which you like best!
- Color: Very pleasing color. Somewhat high saturation,
some hue errors, but apparently in a way that results in very appealing images.
Like many consumer digicams, the A95's color is fairly bright-looking.
- But that's because most consumers like bright, snappy-looking photos. The
A95's color balance was generally quite accurate, and its Incandescent and
Manual white balance options both did a very good job with the difficult household
incandescent lighting of my "Indoor Portrait" shot. The one oddity
I found in its color rendition was obvious only in the analytical results
from Imatest. - The camera tends to shift cyan colors towards the blue range
somewhat. As noted, I wasn't really aware of this visually, other than to
note that the A95 tends to render shades of off-blue a little more "richly"
than in real life. I suspect that the main impact of this tendency would be
more appealing sky colors.
- Exposure: Generally accurate exposure. Somewhat high
contrast, but good ability to hold onto highlight detail. The A95's exposure
system was generally pretty accurate, requiring the same or slightly less
exposure compensation on challenging shots than most cameras I test do. Like
most consumer digicams, its tone curve is a little contrasty, but despite
this, the A95 does a much better than average job of holding on to detail
in strong highlights. A very good performance overall..
- Resolution/Sharpness: Very high resolution, 1,350-1,400
lines of "strong detail." The A95 performed very well on the
"laboratory" resolution test chart. It started showing artifacts
in the test patterns at resolutions as low as 700 lines per picture height,
in both horizontal and vertical directions. I found "strong detail"
out to at least 1,350 lines. (You could perhaps make a case for resolution
as high as 1,450 lines in the horizontal direction, but there are too many
artifacts at that point for my conservative standard to permit that high a
rating.) "Extinction" of the target patterns occurred around 1,650
lines.
- Image Noise: Slightly higher than average image noise for its
5-megapixel class, but very little loss of subtle detail to anti-noise processing.
The A95 has a tendency to produced slightly high image noise on average, with
some noise visible even at ISO 50. The grain pattern is fine and tight though,
which makes it less objectionable than it would be otherwise. I don't personally
care for the results at ISO 400, but visually, they look better than those
of many consumer cameras at that level (despite the fact that the numeric
noise figures are a fair bit higher than average), and I suspect that a lot
of people would find them acceptable for limited usage.
- Closeups: A small macro area with excellent detail,
but the flash has trouble up close. The A95 performed well in the macro
category, capturing a minimum area of 2.04 x 1.53 inches (52 x 39 millimeters).
Resolution was excellent, and detail was very strong in the dollar bill. The
brooch and coins were soft, however, due to the close shooting range and the
resulting limited depth of field. (An optical fact of life, not the camera's
fault.) Details were sharp on the dollar bill, but all four corners of the
frame were quite soft, a common failing of digicam macro modes. Color and
exposure looked good as well. The A95's flash had trouble throttling down
for the macro area, and overexposed the shot. - Plan on using external lighting
for your closest macro shots with the A95.
- Night Shots: Very good low-light performance, with comparatively
low image noise. Autofocus works down to about 1/2 foot-candle. (About half
as bright as typical city street lighting at night.) The A95 produced
clear, bright, usable images down to the 1/16 foot-candle (0.67 lux) limit
of my test at the 100, 200, and 400 ISO settings. At ISO 50, images were bright
as low as 1/8 foot-candle (1.3 lux) light level. Color was good with the Auto
white balance, though just slightly pink at the lower exposures. The A95 handled
image noise well here, producing low noise levels at the 50 and 100 ISO settings,
rising somewhat at. Even at ISO 400, noise is high, but not overpowering.
The A95's autofocus system works well down to a light level of 1/2 foot-candle
without its autofocus illuminator, or to a bit over 1/4 foot-candle with the
AF illuminator working. This isn't spectacular, but is quite adequate for
typical city night scenes, which average around one foot-candle of illumination.
- Viewfinder Accuracy: Near-perfect accuracy from the
LCD monitor, but a very tight optical viewfinder. The A95's optical viewfinder
was very tight, showing only about 80 percent of the final image area at wide
angle, and about 78 percent at telephoto. The LCD monitor proved much more
accurate, at almost exactly 100 percent. Given that I like LCD monitors to
be as close to 100 percent accuracy as possible, the A95's LCD monitor is
just about perfect in this regard, but its optical viewfinder could use some
help.
- Optical Distortion: Slightly better than average barrel
distortion, low chromatic aberration, good sharpness in the corners. Optical
distortion on the A95 was a little better than average at the wide-angle end,
where I measured approximately 0.6 percent barrel distortion. The telephoto
end fared better still, as I measured 0.1 percent barrel distortion there.
Chromatic aberration was quite good, showing three or four pixels of fairly
faint coloration on either side of the target lines. (This distortion is visible
as a very slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field
of view on the resolution target.) The A95's images were also sharper than
average in the corners of the frame. A good performance all around.
- Shutter Lag and Cycle Time: Shutter lag and cycle times just on
the fast side of average. Overall, the A95 is slightly faster than average
in most aspects of its performance. Startup and shutdown are a bit quicker
than most digicams with telescoping lenses manage, shutter lag is just on
the fast side of average in full-autofocus mode (at 0.86-0.87 second), and
very fast (0.09 second) when the camera is "prefocused" by half-pressing
and holding down the shutter button prior to the shot itself. At just over
two seconds, cycle times are good if not astounding, and the camera's seven-
to eight-shot buffer memory should be more than enough for most consumers.
Its "high speed" continuous mode gives respectable continuous-shooting
speed of just under two frames/second. All in all, not blazing speed, but
a solid performer all the same.
- Battery Life: Excellent battery life. With worst-case runtime of 184 minutes in capture mode with the rear panel LCD illuminated (based on "standard" 1600 mAh NiMH cells), and more than 13 hours with the LCD turned off, the A95's battery life is much better than average. I still recommend buying at least two sets of high-capacity NiMH AA cells and a good charger, but the A95 does a lot better than most cameras on the market in the battery-life department. (See my Battery Shootout page for test results from a variety of batteries, and read my review of the Maha C-204W to see why it's my new favorite AA-cell charger.)
The PowerShot A95 is one of the few digital cameras that just seem to
get everything right, with very few weaknesses. In virtually all respects (color,
resolution, image noise), its images are good to excellent, and its range of
features and capabilities is hard to beat for the price. Its 5-megapixel CCD
and good-quality lens deliver sharp images with good color and little distortion.
At the same time, it manages to make just the right tradeoff between image noise
and sharpness, delivering plenty of the latter, with very little of the former.
(A difficult balance for any camera, and one that many models get wrong.) Its
combination of automatic and manual features make it very approachable for novices,
but interesting for experienced users, the net result being a camera that will
satisfy a broad range of interests and provide a good path for novice users
to expand their photographic horizons as their experience grows. Other features
like its excellent battery life and nifty tilt/swivel LCD are added bonuses.
Bottom line, if you're looking for a great "all around" digicam for
either individual or family, the Canon PowerShot A95 deserves serious consideration.
Easily a "Dave's Pick!"
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Other Reviews
- User reviews for the Canon PowerShot A95 on PC PhotoREVIEW
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