Digital Camera Home > Digital Camera Reviews > Canon Digital Cameras > Canon PowerShot S50

Canon PowerShot S50 A sleek design, a hot custom processing chip, new-look user interface, direct support for a Canon inkjet printer, and *five* megapixels of resolution! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet S50 Photo Gallery! S50 Sample Images --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Executive Overview 3. Design 4. Viewfinder 5. Optics 6. Exposure & Flash 7. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 8. Operation & User Interface 9. Camera Modes & Menus 10. Image Storage & Interface 11. Video, Power, Software 12. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on S50 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 9:Camera Modes & Menus Review First Posted: 02/27/2003

Camera Modes & Menus

Record Menu: With the exception of the Auto exposure mode, and most of the Image Zone exposure functions, the Record menu provides virtually the same options for all exposure modes. These menus are accessed by depressing the Menu button once while in Shooting mode. Following are the available settings, with notes as to which are not available in Auto mode:

• Flash Sync: Fires the Slow Synchro flash to coincide with the opening (first curtain) or closing (second curtain) of the shutter. (n/a in Auto mode)
• Slow Synchro: Activates the Slow Synchro flash mode, or turns it off. (n/a in Auto mode)
• Flash Adjust: When set to Auto, the flash power adjustment of the Function menu controls the Flash Exposure Compensation. When set to Manual, the Flash Exposure Compensation adjustment actually controls the flash output, with options of 1/3, 2/3, and Full power. (n/a in Auto mode or Program modes)
• Red-Eye: Turns the Red-Eye Reduction preflash on or off.
• Spot AE Point: Sets the Spot AE Point option to Center or AF Point, which ties the AE point to the autofocus area. (n/a in Auto mode)
• MF Point Zoom: Turns on the zooming function of manual focus, which automatically enlarges the center of the screen to assist in determining the optimum focus setting. (n/a in Auto mode)
• AF Assist Beam: Activates the autofocus assist beam, which automatically turns on whenever the shutter button is half-pressed in dim lighting to help the camera focus.
• Digital Zoom: Enables or disables the digital zoom option.
• Review: Sets the time duration of the "quick review" display, with options of Off, or anywhere from two to 10 seconds.
• Intervalometer: Activates the Interval shooting mode, and lets you set the number of frames (two to 100) as well as the shooting interval (one to 60 minutes). (n/a in Auto mode)
• Save Settings: Saves the current exposure settings, so that they can be recalled in Custom mode. (n/a in Auto mode)

Play Menu: This menu is only available in the Replay mode. It lets you scroll through captured images; erase, protect, and rotate them; or set them up in a slide show or for printing on a DPOF compatible device. The Play menu offers the following selections:

• Protect: Write protects the currently displayed image from accidental deletion, except by card formatting.
• Rotate: Rotates captured images 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise.
• Erase All: Erases all images from the CompactFlash card.
• Slide Show: Automatically plays images in a slide show format.
• Print Order: Sets the number of images to be printed on a DPOF compatible device, as well as the number of copies. (The S50 can now print directly to Canon's CP-10, CP-100, 830D, and S530D Bubble Jet printers, without the need for a computer.)
• Transfer Order: Sets selected images to be transferred with your e-mail software.

Setup Menu: The Setup menu provides universal camera control options that remain the same in both Shooting and Replay modes, with the exception of shutter and speaker volume (see below). This menu is accessed by depressing the Menu button once and scrolling to the right with the Omni selector arrow pad. Following are the available settings:

• Beep: Turns the camera's Beep sound On or Off.
• LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness level of the LCD monitor to Normal (small sun) or Bright (large sun).
• Auto Power Down: Activates or deactivates the camera's automatic shutoff feature.
• Date / Time: Sets the camera's internal clock and calendar.
• Format: Formats the CompactFlash card, deleting all images saved on the card.
• Shutter Volume (Shooting): Adjusts the volume of the shutter sound when an image is recorded. Volume options are on a scale of 1 to 5 and Off.
• Playback Volume (Replay): Adjusts the camera's speaker volume when listening to recorded movies. This function uses the same scale and method of selection as above.
• Startup Volume: Adjusts the volume of the camera's startup sounds, with the same scale as above.
• Operation Volume: Controls the volume of the operation sound, which sounds whenever a button is pressed.
• Self-Timer Volume: Controls the volume of the Self-Timer countdown beep.
• File No. Reset: Resets file numbering with each new CompactFlash card (On setting), or continues file numbering from card to card (Off setting). (Continuous file numbering is very handy to avoid accidentally overwriting images you've previously copied to your computer's hard drive.)
• Auto Rotate: When activated, automatically rotates images in the display that are shot vertically.
• Distance Units: Specifies whether manual focus distance is measured in feet and inches or meters and centimeters.
• Language: Changes the menu language to one of 12 languages.
• Video System: Sets the video output signal to NTSC or PAL.
• Communication: Sets the USB mode to Normal or PTP.

My Camera Menu: This menu lets you customize certain camera functions, including the startup image, and startup, shutter, button, and self-timer sounds.

• 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, and nature scene. You can also apply your own image using the Canon software, when the camera is connected to your computer.
• 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 also apply your own sounds using the Canon software.
• Operation Sound: Sets the sound when any control or switch is use (except the Shutter button). Options include Beep, Loud beep, Boing, and Chirp.
• 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, and Howling.
• 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, and Bark.