Canon PowerShot S5 IS

Connectivity
Software (6.75)
The Canon S5 comes with a Canon Version 30.2 Solution Disk. The CD-ROM includes the following programs for Macintosh: ImageBrowser 5.8, PhotoStitch 3.1, and EOS Utility 1.1. For Windows, ZoomBrowser EX 5.8, PhotoStitch 3.1, Camera TWAIN Driver 6.7, and EOS Utility 1.1 are provided. Apple QuickTime 7 is also included.

The ZoomBrowser program is the main hub for viewing and editing. There are quick access buttons along the left side of the window to upload images, view and classify them, edit, export to other programs, print, and upload to the Internet. Viewing is done in three modes: zoom, scroll, and preview. Shooting information, histograms, and other file information is displayed along with user-generated comments, ratings, and keywords.

There are basic editing tools, but nothing that would impress enthusiasts. Red-eye correction, automatic adjustments, color and brightness adjustments, sharpness, trimming, and inserting text can be done from the editing tab. Links from ZoomBrowser open up other programs such as PhotoStitch, which links all the pictures taken with the Stitch Assist mode on the camera.

Overall, the included software is enough to crop and prepare pictures for printing but won’t be enough to satisfy more advanced photographers.

Jacks, ports, plugs (6.5)
The camera’s jacks are located under rubber covers on the right side of the camera. There are two covers. The top one protects the power adaptor jack, and the longer, skinnier cover beneath it protects the separate USB and AV jacks. The included USB cable is a high-speed 2.0 mini-B type. The AV function can be set to NTSC or PAL standard in the Setup menu, like many other digital cameras.



Direct Print Options (7.0)
The Canon S5 is equipped to print directly with its USB cable and designated LED-adorned print button. The camera also has a print submenu within the Playback menu. From there, users can print individual images or create and save print orders. When creating a print order, users can scroll through the images and select which ones to print and how many, from 0 to 99, of each to print. Users can manually scroll through the images or select images by date, category, or folder. The S5 is PictBridge, Canon Direct Print, and Bubble Jet compatible. Our only complaint is that it doesn’t have an image size formatted to the most popular print size: 4 x 6 inches. The crop of the images is left up to the printer, which isn’t always a good idea.

Battery (5.0)
A few years ago, most ultra-zoom digital cameras were powered by AA batteries. That has changed, and there’s now a fairly equal spread of cameras that offer AA batteries and those that accept lithium-ion batteries. The AA batteries are more convenient; if you run out while on vacation, you can find them at a gas station or grocery store. They don’t pack nearly as much power, though. Lithium-ion batteries last longer, but if they are lost or the charger is accidentally left at home then there’s almost no hope for those vacation pictures. The Canon PowerShot S5 IS is powered by convenient AA batteries. Four of them, however, make the camera feel quite hefty. Four alkaline AA batteries are included in the box with the Canon S5, but Canon also sells longer-lasting NiMH AA batteries and a charger for them. The NiMH batteries get 450 shots per charge while the alkaline set only lasts for 170 shots. In comparison, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 has a lithium-ion battery that can snap 400 shots at a time.



Memory (4.0)
The Canon PowerShot S5 IS accepts SD, SDHC, and MMC cards up to 4GB. It does not have internal memory but comes with a 32MB MMC card instead. The older S3 had a memory card door on its right side, but the new S5 places the memory card slot in the battery compartment on the bottom of the camera. This makes changing the memory card or the batteries while using a tripod difficult.

Other features (4.5)
Voice Memo – Available in the Playback menu, this feature allows users to attach up to one minute of audio to each image. The audio isn’t very high-quality. It records at 11.025 kHz only, so it is made to record the photographer’s voice and that’s about it. The button to activate this feature is located on the left shoulder of the camera’s back.

Sound Recorder – This feature is also buried in the Playback menu, although it doesn’t have anything to do with pictures. It has three audio quality levels: 11.025, 22.050, and 44.100 kHz, and can record up to two hours of audio at a time.

Stitch Assist – This mode is located on the dial. It provides previews that allow users to line up pictures from right to left or left to right, along with four-square layouts that allow users to make square-shaped pictures. The images aren’t stitched together until loaded into the PhotoStitch 3.1 software, which is included with the camera.