Canon PowerShot A570 IS

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.



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.

Record
AiAF	Autofocus settings, including face detection
Digital Zoom	Faux telephoto created by resampling the middle of the image. It degrades image quality.
Flash Adjust	Set flash output manually or automatically.
Red Eye	Set to reduce red eyes in flash pictures.
FE Safety	Limits shutter speed when flash is on.
MF Point Zoom	Controls view for manual focus.
Safety MF	Autofocuses after user manually focuses.
AF assist beam	Turn on beam to help autofocus in low light.
Review	Show image immediately after it's shot for 2 or 10 seconds.
Display overlay	Show grid while shooting to aid composition
IS mode	Image Stabilization mode
Converter	Set when wide-angle, telephoto or macro supplementary lens is attached.
Date Stamp	Imprint date or date and time on image
Set print/download button	Set function of the print/download button in record mode. Choices include white balance, ISO, digital zoom, and grid overlay

Set-up Menu
Mute	Prevent PowerShot A570IS from making annoying beeps.
Volume	Set volume for beeps and audio playback
Startup image	Set display shown during startup
Power saving	Set interval before the PowerShot A570IS turns off the LCD and save power other ways.
Date/Time	Set date and time
Format	Set up file system on SD card, a process which deletes all existing data.
File number	Set sequence for numbering images.
Create Folder	Make a new directory on SD card.
Auto rotate	Turn verticals so they display correctly.
Distance Unit	Feet or Meters
Lens retract	Set interval before lens retracts and covers itself.
Language	Set the language for menus and text alerts
Video System	Set to PAL or NTSC

Function Menu
ISO	Sensitivity, from 100 to 1600
White Balance	Set to type of lighting. Choose from presets, Auto of Manual.
Drive Mode	Single, Burst, self-timer delay of 2 or 10 seconds
My Colors	Set to Vivid, Normal, Sepia, Black and White, or separately set Saturation, Contrast and Sharpness.
Flash EV	Set flash exposure compensation.
Meter Pattern	Set to Evaluative, Spot or Center-weighted averaging.

Playback Menu
Auto Play	Slide show
Red-eye correction	Attempts to remove red-eye effect from saved images.
Sound memo	Records audio memo to associate with a given image.
Protect	Prevent an image from being deleted.
Rotate	Turn an image in 90-degree increments.
Erase All	Delete all unprotected images (The format command deletes the protected ones.)
Transfer order	Download a DPOF print order
Print	Set options for printing, including selecting images to print, creating an index print, imprinting the date.

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.