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Canon PowerShot S40 A new shape, sleek design, direct support for a Canon inkjet printer, and four megapixels of resolution! Select a topic Reference: Datasheet PowerShot S40 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 PowerShot S40 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Viewfinder :(Previous) | (Next): Exposure & Flash>> Page 5:Optics Review First Posted: 10/1/2001

Optics
The S40 features a built-in, 3x, 7.1 - 21.3mm zoom lens (equivalent to a 35-105mm lens on a 35mm camera). When the lens cover is opened, the camera is powered on, and the lens telescopes out from the camera body into its operating position. It retracts again when the camera is shut off. Focus can be automatically or manually controlled, with a range of 2.7 feet (80cm) to infinity in normal mode. Macro mode features a focus range of 3.9 inches to 2.7 feet (10 to 80cm) in wide-angle mode and 1 to 2.7 feet (30 to 80cm) in telephoto mode. The aperture adjusts automatically or manually, with an f/2.8 to f/8.0 range, depending on the zoom setting. (The f/2.8 aperture is only available when the lens is at its wide angle setting. In telephoto mode, the maximum aperture is a rather miserly f/4.9.)

In the manual exposure modes (e.g., all modes but Auto), the S40 offers a manual focus option. Manual focus is activated by depressing the Manual Focus (MF) button on the left side of the back panel. As it's held down, a distance indicator appears on the LCD monitor, providing a reference scale for focusing. The up and down arrows of the Multicontroller are used to focus on the subject in the monitor (the top of the scale represents infinity).The LCD scale is marked numerically with both meters and feet. At the same time, a small window appears in the center of the viewfinder, showing an enlarged view of the center of the frame. This helps greatly in determining when you've reached optimum focus. The through-the-lens (TTL) autofocus system operates in either continuous or single mode, controlling whether the autofocus mechanism works continually, adjusting focus as the image changes in the viewfinder, or sets focus only when the shutter button is depressed halfway.

The S40 offers three AF Frames, left, right, and center. In Auto mode, the camera chooses which of the three to use for focusing, based on which has a subject closest to the camera that it can get a good focus lock on. Alternatively, you can tell it to only pay attention to the central frame, by pressing the Set button of the Multicontroller. In the various manual exposure modes, you can optionally select which AF frame is used via the Multicontroller. Pressing the right or left arrow buttons on the Multicontroller moves the green highlight between the AF frames, selecting which will be used for focusing. A green highlight around the edge of the frames indicates that the image is focused. A yellow highlight indicates that the camera is having trouble focusing. In dim subject lighting requires it, a very bright white LED autofocus assist light on the front of the camera automatically illuminates whenever autofocus is active.

The 3.6x Digital Zoom must be enabled through the Record menu and activated by zooming past the maximum optical telephoto range with the Zoom lever. Once the Digital Zoom function is activated, press the Zoom lever to the right and hold it until it stops at maximum telephoto, then release the lever and press it toward the right again. Readers are warned that because digital zoom only enlarges the center portion of the CCD image, it compromises the image quality by reducing resolution and enlarging noise patterns. Digital Zoom is not available in the RAW file format.

Confused by Apertures and Depth of Field? - Do you know how to use "Front Focus" or "Back Focus" to get *all* your subject in focus? Visit our free Photo Lessons area and click on the lessons "Focusing Up Close" and "Selective Focusing Outside!"