Canon PowerShot A20Canon's "value priced" 2 megapixel camera has 3x zoom, takes great pictures!<<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 8:Operation & User InterfaceReview First Posted: 5/10/2001 |
Operation and User Interface
The A20 features a straightforward user interface similar to that of other Canon PowerShot digicams. Though it is somewhat reliant on its LCD display for confirming mode changes and menu settings, the LCD works very efficiently to minimize power drain. Even when the image display is turned off, simply pressing a control button activates the information display, allowing you to change the setting without turning on the image display. Once you've made the change, the information display automatically disappears and shuts off the LCD monitor after a few seconds.
We liked the fact that Exposure Compensation and White Balance are both controlled by an external button (as opposed to sifting through pages of menu options). The Mode dial also simplifies operation by allowing you to quickly change the Shooting mode without having to enter an on-screen menu. Overall, the A20's user interface is very intuitive and quick to learn, although the limited number of arrow buttons (left and right only) makes menu navigation a little quirky. (You have to scroll to the menu item you want to change, press the Set button, and then continue to scroll through the choices available in that menu item, and press the Set button again until you've navigated through all of the submenus and are able to confirm your selection.)
Control Enumeration
Shutter Button: Located on top of the camera, this large, silver button sets focus and exposure when halfway depressed, and releases the shutter when fully depressed.
Zoom Lever: Positioned in the top right corner of the camera's back panel, this lever controls the optical zoom in any Shooting (Record) mode. When the LCD monitor is active in either Automatic or Manual mode, this lever also controls the 2.5x Digital Zoom.
In Playback mode, the wide-angle (left) end of the lever activates the nine-image Index Display mode, allowing you to scroll through the thumbnails with the left and right arrow buttons. A second press of the wide-angle end allows you to scroll page by page through the index display with the arrow buttons. Pressing the telephoto (right) end of the lever returns you to the normal nine-image index display page, a second press enlarges the selected thumbnail to full-screen display, and a third press activates the playback zoom function, which enlarges the captured image by 2x.
Mode Dial: Dominating the lower right corner of the back panel, this notched dial controls the camera's operating mode, offering the following options (clockwise): Playback, Automatic, Manual, and Stitch-Assist.
Display Button: The top button of a set of two located on the right side of the LCD monitor, Display controls the image display in any Record mode, turning it on or off.
In Playback mode, the Display button cycles through three image information display screens: 1) no information; 2) basic image information, including the file name, image number, resolution and compression setting, and date and time it was recorded, and 3) the full information display, including shooting mode, macro or infinity focus, drive, self-timer, flash, exposure compensation, and white balance (in addition to the information in #2).
Exposure Compensation (EV) / White Balance Button: Just below the Display button, the EV / WB button controls the Exposure Compensation and White Balance adjustment menus in Manual and Stitch-Assist shooting modes. The first press displays the Exposure Compensation bar, which is adjustable from -2 to +2 exposure equivalents (EV) in one-third-step increments. A second press pulls up the White Balance page, with options for Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Black-and-White settings. A third press returns to normal display.
In Playback mode, pressing this button allows you to delete the currently selected image (using the Set button), with an option to cancel.
Power Button: Located diagonally from the lower left corner of the LCD, this button turns the camera on and off.
Menu Button: To the left of the Power button, pressing Menu pulls up the settings menu in each camera mode, and turns it off again when you've completed your menu selections.
Focus / Right Arrow Button: To the left of the Menu button, the right arrow button controls the Focus mode in any Record mode. Pressed once, it places the camera in Macro mode. In Manual mode, a second press places the camera in Infinity focus mode, while a third press returns to the Normal focus mode. This button is also marked with a right-pointing arrow, which allows the user to navigate through menu settings or captured images.
In Playback mode, when the Playback Zoom is enabled, this button scrolls to the right within an enlarged image. Also in Playback Zoom, pressing this button while holding down the Set button allows you to scroll down within the enlarged image.
Drive / Left Arrow Button: On the left side of the Focus button, this controls the camera's Drive mode when in Automatic or Manual modes. In Automatic mode, the default setting is Single Capture and pressing the button once activates the Self-Timer mode. In Manual mode, the settings go from Single Capture, to Continuous Shooting, to Self-Timer. Also marked with a left-pointing arrow, this button allows the user to scroll through menu options and captured images.
In Playback mode, with Playback Zoom enabled, this button scrolls to the left within an enlarged image. Also in Playback Zoom, pressing this button while holding down the Set button allows you to scroll up within the enlarged image.
Set / Flash Button: Directly below the lower left corner of the LCD monitor, this button controls the flash mode in Automatic, Manual, and Stitch-Assist modes. The button cycles through Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, On, Off, and Slow Synchro modes (except in Stitch-Assist mode, where it cycles through On, Off, and Slow Synchro only). When a settings menu is displayed, this button is used to access and confirm menu selections.
In Playback mode, when Playback Zoom is enabled, holding down the Set / Flash button, while simultaneously pressing the right or left arrow keys, allows you to move up and down within an enlarged image.
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