Canon PowerShot Pro90 ISAn impressive update to the PowerShot "Pro" line, with a 10x optically stabilized zoom lens and 2.6 megapixel CCD!<<Design :(Previous) | (Next): Optics>> Page 4:ViewfinderReview First Posted: 2/6/2001 |
ViewfinderThe Pro90 features a color LCD electronic viewfinder that operates just like a smaller version of the larger LCD monitor display. The mini-LCD viewfinder is only activated when the main LCD monitor is off. A tiny diopter adjustment dial under the eyepiece adjusts the view for eyeglass wearers. A soft rubber lip partially surrounds the eyepiece, helping to block out excess light and cushion your forehead from the hard camera surface.
The viewfinder provides the same information display as the larger LCD monitor, which is controlled by pressing the Display button. On both LCD screens, the information display reports camera settings such as metering, exposure, and flash modes, as well as the aperture or shutter speed when the camera is set in one of the manual exposure modes. (We noticed that in Aperture or Shutter Speed Priority, only the selectable value is reported, not both.) Pressing the Display button cycles back and forth between the information display and no information.
Whenever the camera is first powered on, or a shooting mode is changed, a partial information screen automatically appears for six seconds, even if the Display is turned off. This partial display includes the shooting, flash, and drive modes, plus it displays the metering mode, white balance, exposure compensation, auto bracketing, and flash exposure compensation, if enabled. A small green dot appears in the lower left corner of the LCD display when focus is set, and a yellow dot appears when metering is set in Manual focus mode.
The 1.8-inch, low-temperature, polycrystalline silicon, TFT, color LCD monitor on the back panel is activated as soon as it is opened (disabling the viewfinder eyepiece). The LCD monitor lifts up off of the back panel and when extended, swivels around 270 degrees to face just about any direction. You can also turn the LCD monitor to face the camera, and then close it to protect the screen. Just like the viewfinder eyepiece, the Display button cycles between the two on-screen information display modes. (Canon notes in the User's Manual that the information display is not available when the LCD monitor is turned 180 degrees toward the lens, or when facing the front of the camera). An automatic image preview displays the previously captured image on the LCD screen for about two seconds while recording it to the memory card. You can instantly delete the image by pressing the AE Lock button (marked with an "*"), which asks you to confirm the deletion.
In Playback mode, the LCD monitor also offers a range of information display options, including Simple Display, Detailed Display, and No Display, all controlled by pressing the Display button. The Simple display reports the file number, image number, date/time, compression setting, resolution size, file format, movie (if a movie file), and protection status. The Detailed Display includes all the same information, in addition to the shooting mode, exposure compensation, white balance, metering, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and flash exposure compensation settings. An Index View mode displays nine thumbnail images at a time on the screen and is activated by pressing the Index button on top of the camera. Captured images can also be enlarged for closer inspection at 2.5x and 5x, by pressing the Playback Zoom (Metering) button on top of the camera. Once an image is enlarged, the arrow keys of the Arrow rocker button navigate through the image.
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