Have you been searching the market for a good standard point-and-shoot camera? If so, then the Canon PowerShot S70 could be right up your alley. Featuring a maximum resolution of 7.4 megapixels and a 3.6x optical zoom, the Canon PowerShot S70 is a great digital camera that will prove to be suitable in many photographic environments. Let's explore some of the unique features of the S70 in this article.

 

The Canon PowerShot S70 digital camera
 

Two unique features of the Canon PowerShot S70 struck me as I wrote this review - the fact that it has the ability to shoot in RAW format and is is PictBridge-compatible to connect directly to supported printers. That being said, some of the quirks of this digital camera are that it has only mediocre video capabilities and has an unprecise zoom at times.

Let's now jump right into the review and check out the features of the Canon PowerShot S70.


Design and Construction

In terms of design and construction, the Canon PowerShot S70 is sturdy and well-built. It measures 4.49" by 2.22" by 1.53" (WHD) and weighs 0.51 pounds. Take its black color and its small and compact size, and we have one beautiful digital camera.
 

Optics and Resolution

The optical system of the Canon PowerShot S70 has obviously been carefully thought out to enable one to take great photos. The digital camera comes with a 7.4 megapixel resolution and a 3.6x optical zoom. It also features an impressive ISO range of Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400, along with an aperture range of f2.8/f5.3 (wide/tele). The shutter speeds range from 15 - 1/2000 sec. These settings allow one to take photos in a wide variety of environments and yet still achieve great results.
 

User Controls

Ok, now let's look at the user controls for the Canon PowerShot S70. This digital camera has manual controls to allow one to better control the exposure settings. There are comprehensive focusing options available if you’re more adventurous and want to play around with advanced manual camera options. The Canon PowerShot S70 also comes with a movie mode which works pretty well. You can take fun video clips as and when you like using this feature.

When handling the Canon PowerShot S70, I was impressed by its 1.8 inch LCD screen. Colors on the LCD were vivid and bright, so I could easily see the pictures I took without having to strain my eyes.
 

Battery Life

The Canon PowerShot S70 makes use of proprietary lithium batteries. The advertised battery life is about 240 images, which I found to be pretty decent for a day's shooting. If a long battery life is very important for you, you can always pack along some extras - buy them at your local camera store.
 

Storage and Transfer

The Canon PowerShot S70 allows your pictures to be stored in CompactFlash Type I/II memory cards cards. These days, its pretty standard practice to have at least a 128MB memory card in your digital camera (or even a 512MB card). You can also easily transfer the pictures from the camera to the PC via the USB interface. In writing this review, I managed to transfer about a hundred photos in a very short time.
 

Shortcomings

There are some quirks I noticed in the Canon PowerShot S70. Though not serious problems, they did serve to mar my experience with this digital camera somewhat. What are these quirks? Well, for one thing, this digital camera has only mediocre video capabilities - a fact I find pretty limiting. Also, the Canon PowerShot S70 has an unprecise zoom at times, which was another disadvantage I detected. On the whole, though, the Canon PowerShot S70 is still a pretty good performer.
 

Conclusion

I do hope this review of the Canon PowerShot S70 has been of help to you. If you’re looking for a decent camera to take shots with, then the Canon PowerShot S70 might be tough to beat. I’d recommend this camera to you because many of my friends just starting out in digital photography have been raving about it. Of course, do your own research first before shelling out your cash. Happy shopping!

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