Canon PowerShot S80 Review

Posted on July 4th, 2008

The Canon S80 is not content to integrate an 8-megapixel sensor. It is also equipped with a multitude of functions playful and a range of options manually.

Verdict Canon PowerShot S80
except one or two minor defects of its objective, the new flagship model of its S series Canon stands out for other aircraft in its class.

Last flagship model in the series PowerShot S Canon PowerShot S80 differs from other devices to 8 megapixels almost all points of view. This small camera playful strikes indeed a great blow in terms of features, performance and photo quality. Its automatic exposure modes and its treatment intelligent impress casual photographers to find photos correct. His hand and its advanced features will delight fans of settings. Finally, its LCD screen space of 6.35 cm, its elegant design and excellent quality manufacturing satisfy all users.

Canon PowerShot S80 Review

Design

This camera is full of useful features and boasts a remarkable design. Attractive and robust, the Canon PowerShot S80 features a glossy black finish aluminum with a matte silver perimeter. Some elements in black textured rubber are not only elegant but also optimize the grip. The screen, the viewfinder and the doors are properly adjusted and density of the breathing apparatus quality. The S80 is not as compact as the ultra models that can be found, but it is easily in a pocket of a jacket or trousers floating. Its large LCD screen by 6.35 cm and its optical viewfinder (a combination rare nowadays) justify its size but also give a misleading idea. If the ultra models tend to be equipped with one of these large screens, their format does not generally allows them to host a viewfinder.

The PowerShot S80 commands are fairly easy to understand, but some icons can lead you to consult the instruction manual. Among the useful features of the S80 include a switch quadridirectionnel being equally office scroll wheel (such as the iPod) and a quick button that you can program so that control the image size, balance of white, the color mode, method of measuring or lock auto exposure, among others. Other settings have quick access: the mode of training, ISO sensitivity, the point autofocus, flash and macro mode or manual focus. Unfortunately, rising adjusting the opening to the shutter speed with wheel control manual exposure mode, you must press a button overtime. In cases where you really need menus, be aware that Canon had made their display as clear as possible. The captions accompanying the icons sibyllines and the large size of the LCD makes menus more readable.

Characteristics

Á Like its predecessors, the Canon PowerShot S80 is full of features for both casual photographers for more sophisticated users. It resumed its objective 28-100 mm (equivalent to a 35 mm camera) f/2.8-f/5.3 PowerShot S70. The aim, rather slow, does not offer a wide range focal length, but provides a focal length quite satisfactory end to the wide angle.

We regret that the PowerShot S80 will not record images in formats such as uncompressed TIFF and RAW, which derive from the 8-megapixel sensor in the camera. However, other characteristics are there to compensate for this shortcoming. You have three exposure modes, including a spot mode allowing more precise control and a well-designed evaluative mode, which manages very well against a light-day and lighting mixed. An algorithm noise reduction automatically activates for exposures greater than 1.3 seconds, but its effect is unfortunately negligible. Besides, it multiplies by two processing time and you can not turn it off.
If you are creative, the Canon PowerShot S80 includes interesting color effects. Although they are not very practical, they are playful without being too childish and are certainly preferable to executives naive and legends predefined proposed by many other models. From Color Accent, all colors of the image are converted into black and white, except one chosen by the user, which gives the feeling that the picture was painted by hand. The mode Color Swap replaces him about the color chosen by another, you can transform an apple green apple red or a red light to green light. You can also customize the colors of the aircraft by adjusting all channels (red, green and blue) or a special channel Skin Tone.

Those who wish to make small movies with the Canon PowerShot S80 appreciate the VGA mode, which can record clips of a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second (fps) and the way to 15 fps d A resolution of 1 024 x 768 pixels, less common.
The S80 gratifie followers photo submarine setting a white balance and a special waterproof box as an option. For creative minds, Canon also offers an optional external flash wireless and complementary optical wide angle and telephoto.

Performances

Through its Digic II processor and an intelligent programming, the Canon PowerShot S80 can be fast when required, outscoring many competing models and higher-end in several tests of speed. The time to bring the S80 is only 2.8 seconds. Moreover, if the period of the shutter of 0.7 seconds in good lighting conditions is nothing remarkable, the ability of the device to produce the same performance in a low-contrast lighting is quite impressive. The new version of its sensor AF probably explains its satisfactory performance under the lights low contrast. According to Canon, the sensitivity of the S80 is one notch higher than its predecessor, the S70. Despite the slowness of the shooting burst (between 1 and 1.3 fps), the S80 has a time between every shot dazzling: it allows you to take two shots in 0.7 seconds (1.4 seconds with flash) .

When it comes to navigate menus, change settings, view photographs or format the memory card, the S80 is quick and responsive. But this is not just a sprinter. " He also plays with his stamina battery lithium ion offering excellent autonomy. We were able to take more shots of 1000 optimal resolution, half with flash, from a single charge, having deployed the zoom a hundred times and having turned off and back on the aircraft 10 times l ‘Battery indicator had not even changed.

The LCD spacious 6.35 cm could be brighter, but his time is short refresh and it restores the colors accurately. The small optical viewfinder does not offer adjustable diopter, but optical viewfinders are rare anyway on digital cameras equipped with a large LCD screen. The manual focus is difficult: the S80 automatically enlarges the image mode manual focus, but it is too rough for this operation.

Image Quality

While some minor problems at the end of the wide-angle camera we were disappointed, the Canon PowerShot S80 produced an overall excellent photo quality. The colors are well balanced, a little bright. The images have an excellent range of tones and details net both in the dark areas as clear as the differences are not extreme.

When we looked closely at the larger 100%, we observed a chromatic aberration, color artifact usually caused by an against-important day or an environment with high contrast. However, this problem will appear insignificant to the user. On our gallery of high voltage power lines and trees in front of a bright sky, the effects of fringe or burrs were very slight. We would have appreciated to see how it behaves sensor with an image size uncompressed but the S80 does not offer this format. The JPEG compression artifacts (areas colored agglomerated diagonals or irregular phenomena halo in areas of high contrast, for example) were minimal.

Canon PowerShot S80 Review
True to its regularity, Canon control noise. The photos are clear in S80 software to retouch images and are particularly pleasing to the sensitivity of ISO 50. The photos taken at ISO 100 have almost as little noise if you look normal, but feared if the artifacts are much more visible at 200 and 400 ISO. However, the manifestation of noise is one of the most natural, giving the images a diffuse similar to that of a film. By combining a goal and a sensor dedicated to the sharpness, the S80 perfectly text and fine details on macro shots.

The objective 28-100 mm poses some problems in the wide-angle end, particularly in terms of vagueness in the corners and vignetting, a phenomenon whereby corners appear darker than the rest of the image. It manifests itself even if the opening is set to f / 8, setting a general effect to minimize or eliminate the problem. We have also noticed a distortion barrel at the end wide angle. All these problems may be due to the fact that the lens offers a focal length large enough (28 mm) in a compact body. The deployment zoom halfway or all is conducive to uncertainty and the effect of vignetting, and it adds a distortion pad barely perceptible which is normal for all zooms. With the exception of the effect of vignetting, most of these artifacts are difficult to detect on routine shots.

The measurement system very intelligent Canon PowerShot S80 uses the same orientation sensor in its algorithm of exposure. He managed to expose correctly the first plans against-day photos of vertical and horizontal landscape taken under a bright sky.

The video mode Canon PowerShot S80 is a little disappointing, despite its impressive high-resolution specifications. On our videos filmed at a resolution of 1 024 x 768 pixels, which are limited to 15 fps, almost all lines showed irregularities.

Filed under Canon, Digital Cameras |

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