Canon PowerShot S60An already sleek 5 megapixel design is updated and improved with a 28mm wide angle lens and new control and menu system.<<Image Storage & Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Test Results & Conclusion>> Page 11:Video, Power, SoftwareReview First Posted: 05/10/2004, Updated: 06/28/2004 |
Video Out
The S60 has a video-out port that supports both PAL and NTSC timing formats. The video output can be used for reviewing previously recorded images or running slide shows from the camera. It also shows all three LCD menu screens, as well as the preview display from the LCD viewfinder.
The output cable is a true AV cable, as it fans out into two RCA jacks, one for video, and one for audio. Plugged into any video monitor (or TV with direct video and audio inputs), the audio capabilities of the S60 make it a potentially effective portable presentation device.
Power
The
S60 is powered by an internal Canon NB-2LH rechargeable lithium-ion battery
pack. This battery is new, offering up to 26% greater capacity than the previous
model, based on Canon's mAh ratings of the two units. The camera ships with
one battery pack and a charger. An AC Adapter Kit ACK700 is sold separately,
with a power adapter, DC coupler, and power cord. A built-in rechargeable battery
maintains the date, time, and other settings, drawing power from the main battery
to recharge.
The camera has a Power Mode Indicator lamp directly to the left of the Replay button, which stays on as long as the camera is powered on. An orange light indicates Shooting mode, a green light indicates Replay or printer connection modes, and yellow indicates computer connection mode.
Because the S60 relies on its LCD display for viewing and selecting some of its settings, it can be somewhat of a drain on the power supply. Fortunately, the camera has an automatic shutdown mode to help conserve battery power, and you can save power by relying on the optical viewfinder whenever possible.
The proprietary battery connection won't let me perform my usual power measurements on the S60, but I did conduct a run-down test with a fully-charged battery, and with the S60 operating in its worst-case power drain mode. (Capture mode, with the LCD turned on.) This produced a very respectable run time of 132 minutes, and the camera would doubtless do much better were the LCD left turned off. I still strongly recommend purchasing a second battery right along with the camera, but overall the S60 showed good battery life for its size.
Included Software
The Canon PowerShot S60 comes with an very nice complement of software on the included CDs. Compatible with Windows (98, ME, 2000, and XP) and Macintosh operating systems, Canon's Digital Camera applications allow you to download images from the camera, process RAW data files, stitch together images shot in Stitch-Assist mode, set up images for printing, and even operate the camera remotely from the computer. For the Mac, the Canon Applications include ImageBrowser v3.6 and PhotoStitch 3.1. For Windows machines, the applications include ZoomBrowser EX 4.6, PhotoRecord 2.1, Camera TWAIN Driver 6.4, and Camera WIA Driver 6.2, and Apple QuickTime. It doesn't appear that the Canon software bundle includes their RemoteCapture program for controlling the camera remotely - You'll have to go with the PowerShot G5 or Pro1 to get that functionality.
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