Model Design / Appearance (6.5)
The PowerShot A570IS is a relatively attractive budget compact camera, but it lacks the flashy styling of Canon's more expensive point-and-shoots. Its plastic shell will show scuffs and dings; the PowerShot A570IS is not a status item.
Size / Portability (5.5)
At 3.52 x 2.53 x 1.69 inches and a bit more than 6 ounces without batteries, the PowerShot A570IS is a small item that you can carry just about anywhere. Its poor seals against dirt and moisture make it vulnerable in rugged environments, such as purses and backpacks, but it will fit in them. It is best to put it in a protective case for safe keeping.
The PowerShot A570IS has a push button power switch and a lightweight telescoping lens. Though it is small and recessed, it could still be activated accidentally, causing the lens to extend, conceivably even while it's being carried or stored.
Handling Ability (7.0)
The PowerShot A570IS's body is made of smooth, hard plastic, which is harder to hold on to than rubberized or textured surfaces. The A570IS should have better grips. The PowerShot A570IS is small enough that the user has to think to find space for both hands without blocking functional parts of the camera. The user's middle finger may cover the microphone grille; we've seen beginners block the flash on A-series PowerShots with their left index fingers. That said, there isn't anything puzzling about the A570IS's layout or shape.
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Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.0)
The buttons on the PowerShot A570IS are small and relatively close together, but they have to be on a small camera. They are laid out well enough that it's rare that a user will hit two at once or accidentally press the wrong one. The 4-way controller works well, and users with average-size hands won't have trouble hitting the center button. Like some other Canons, the A570IS’s buttons don't seem durable or well-constructed. This includes the shutter release, which is a particular frustration. Without good tactile feedback, it's hard to take a shot at just the right moment.
Menu (7.0)
Like other Canons, the PowerShot A570IS has a Menu button, which brings up Record, Playback and Setup menus that replace the live preview, and a Function button, which shows controls along the side of the preview. The Record menu settings control the way the features operate, while the Function menu settings control photographic parameters directly.
Canon menus are typically easy to read, and the A570IS follows the trend. Though the type is small, it is set in a clear, plain layout. The controls are divided between the various menus well. It's particularly useful to have shooting parameters, such as ISO, white balance and file size, accessed with the Function button. On a more complex camera, these controls often have buttons of their own, but on a simple camera like the A570IS, they're nearly always under a menu of some kind. Having them separate from other settings, and having them show up while the live preview is active, make the camera more useable that it would be otherwise.
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Record
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AiAF
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Autofocus settings, including face detection
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Digital Zoom
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Faux telephoto created by resampling the middle of the image. It degrades image quality.
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Flash Adjust
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Set flash output manually or automatically.
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Red Eye
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Set to reduce red eyes in flash pictures.
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FE Safety
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Limits shutter speed when flash is on.
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MF Point Zoom
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Controls view for manual focus.
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Safety MF
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Autofocuses after user manually focuses.
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AF assist beam
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Turn on beam to help autofocus in low light.
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Review
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Show image immediately after it's shot for 2 or 10 seconds.
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Display overlay
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Show grid while shooting to aid composition
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IS mode
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Image Stabilization mode
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Converter
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Set when wide-angle, telephoto or macro supplementary lens is attached.
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Date Stamp
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Imprint date or date and time on image
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Set print/download button
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Set function of the print/download button in record mode. Choices include white balance, ISO, digital zoom, and grid overlay
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Set-up Menu
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Mute
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Prevent PowerShot A570IS from making annoying beeps.
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Volume
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Set volume for beeps and audio playback
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Startup image
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Set display shown during startup
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Power saving
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Set interval before the PowerShot A570IS turns off the LCD and save power other ways.
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Date/Time
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Set date and time
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Format
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Set up file system on SD card, a process which deletes all existing data.
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File number
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Set sequence for numbering images.
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Create Folder
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Make a new directory on SD card.
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Auto rotate
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Turn verticals so they display correctly.
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Distance Unit
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Feet or Meters
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Lens retract
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Set interval before lens retracts and covers itself.
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Language
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Set the language for menus and text alerts
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Video System
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Set to PAL or NTSC
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Function Menu
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ISO
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Sensitivity, from 100 to 1600
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White Balance
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Set to type of lighting. Choose from presets, Auto of Manual.
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Drive Mode
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Single, Burst, self-timer delay of 2 or 10 seconds
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My Colors
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Set to Vivid, Normal, Sepia, Black and White, or separately set Saturation, Contrast and Sharpness.
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Flash EV
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Set flash exposure compensation.
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Meter Pattern
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Set to Evaluative, Spot or Center-weighted averaging.
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Playback Menu
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Auto Play
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Slide show
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Red-eye correction
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Attempts to remove red-eye effect from saved images.
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Sound memo
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Records audio memo to associate with a given image.
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Protect
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Prevent an image from being deleted.
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Rotate
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Turn an image in 90-degree increments.
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Erase All
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Delete all unprotected images (The format command deletes the protected ones.)
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Transfer order
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Download a DPOF print order
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Print
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Set options for printing, including selecting images to print, creating an index print, imprinting the date.
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Ease of Use (7.0)
People familiar with other digital cameras won’t have a hard time getting used to the PowerShot A570IS. However, users who are a part of the shrinking segment of the camera market that is unfamiliar with digital cameras will have a longer learning curve, and the A570IS lacks the extensive help systems some other entry-level cameras have.
The PowerShot A570IS's special features – face detection and image stabilization – kick in automatically in auto modes, but their controls aren't obvious in the manual modes. Face detection is under the auto focus menu, which makes sense to people who are familiar with how cameras operate, but might not to casual users. Image stabilization has its own menu entry, but it's way down the list. Most users ought to simply leave both features on.
Older A-series cameras had separate doors for batteries and the memory card. It's too bad the A570IS has one compartment for both; users beware the batteries may slide out when replacing the memory card.
The PowerShot A570IS's manual overrides work with scene modes as well as the standard manual modes, which more sophisticated shooters will appreciate.
