Canon PowerShot S5 IS

Auto Mode (7.25)
This digital camera has 22 shooting modes, but the most prominent one on the mode dial is Auto mode. Auto is printed in black upon a shimmering green background, whereas the other modes are printed in silver on a black background.

The S5’s Auto mode’s functionality is the closet to a point-and-shoot. It automates everything, including exposure. Users who want some control can access the Program mode, which gives access to exposure compensation.

Much of the Recording menu remains intact in Auto mode; it is missing a few more manually oriented flash options such as slow sync. The Function menu allows users to change the video and image sizes, but the rest of the options are unavailable. The ISO button has automatic and high ISO automatic options to choose from. Face detection and central autofocus points can be selected from the set button, too.

There are still a few features available in Auto mode, but it is basically a point-and-shooter’s dream because nothing has to be changed to snap a decent picture.

Movie Mode (8.25)
There is a Movie mode located on the mode dial, and it can also be accessed by pressing the designated video recording button. The button isn’t well labeled; it’s marked only by a red dot on a chrome button to the right of the viewfinder. There are a few advantages to having a separate recording button from the shutter release button. Movies can be recorded any time and there is no need to waste time flipping the dial to the Movie mode. In addition, full-resolution still images can be taken while a video is being recorded. Canon calls this separate button its MovieSnap function.

Flipping to Movie mode on the dial isn’t a complete waste of time because it allows users to see what shooting parameters, such as white balance, are currently activate. In the Movie mode, users can access white balance, My Colors, video resolution, and image size from the Function menu. The ISO button can be pushed for a +/- 6 gain adjustment that brightens and darkens the video.

Video resolution options are 640 x 480 at 30 frames per second (fps), a more compressed "LP" 640 x 480-pixel option, also at 30 fps, a smooth 320 x 240 pixels at 60 fps, and a more e-mail-friendly 320 x 240 pixels at 30 fps. The Motion JPEG files can record up to an hour or until the memory card is full (the camera accepts up to 4GB SD cards). On older PowerShot cameras, including the S3, the 60 fps Movie mode was limited to one minute of recording time. That has since been upgraded to record as long as the rest of the modes.

The specs claim there are four Movie modes: Standard, Color Accent, Color Swap, and My Colors. The My Colors can be set from just about anywhere, but the Accent and Swap modes are only found among the Scene modes – so they cannot be accessed if the dial is rotated to Movie mode. This isn’t very intuitive.

The Canon PowerShot S5 IS’s videos look great most of the time. They are properly exposed and smooth. The 12x optical zoom is functional and quiet. The optical image stabilization helps keep videos steady, even when there isn’t a tripod around. The only videos that aren’t fabulous are those shot in low light; they look noisy and dim.

The generally excellent videos are complemented nicely by clear stereo audio. Most digital cameras offer monaural audio only, although the new Kodak EasyShare Z812 IS offers stereo capabilities. The Canon’s audio is hard to beat, though. Users can turn a wind filter on and off and adjust the sensitivity of the microphone by 21 levels, or let the camera automatically adjust the microphone level. Audio in Movie mode is recorded at 44.100kHz and sounds great.

The S5’s excellent Movie mode is unparalleled in any digital camera, except perhaps the PowerShot TX1. The TX1 sports high-definition video recording and a functional 10x stabilized lens in a more compact but less comfy body; it is touted as a hybrid camera-camcorder. The Canon S5 IS provides a much more substantial body to hang onto, giving it the edge for standard 640 x 480-pixel video.

Drive / Burst Mode (6.0)
The Drive modes are found by pushing the tiny circular button behind the shutter release button. There are lots of options; more show up in Manual modes, though. Single, Continuous, Continuous AF, and three self-timer options fill the order. In Single mode, the camera can take one picture about every three seconds. The Continuous mode speeds that up to 1.5 pictures every second. The Continuous AF mode, which focuses before each picture, is a bit slower at 0.9 fps. The standard Burst mode took 57 shots and filled up the memory card. The Continuous AF mode took 16 pictures at its 0.9 fps pace and then stuttered on subsequent images and took even longer.

The three self-timers include 2 and 10-second delays and a custom self-timer that can be set to delay 0-30 seconds and then take 1-10 shots in a row. Computer-controlled shooting is possible with the included software, so a mouse click can take a picture, too.

The Panasonic FZ18 has a quicker Burst mode that shoots 3 fps, but it doesn’t last long at all. At full resolution, the camera stops after only four pictures to take a rest before the next burst. The Canon PowerShot S5 IS outdoes its competitors in the length of its burst, but should be faster given its $499 price tag.

Playback Mode (7.75)
The S5's Playback mode is accessed by twisting the power switch to the right. The Playback mode is displayed on the nice 2.5-inch LCD screen that rotates and is visible from most angles.

Pictures can be viewed individually and magnified up to 10x. They can be categorized for later access through the menu or the LED-adorned button on the upper left of the camera’s back. There is an automatic categorizing feature that sorts pictures by the mode they were taken in. For example, using this feature, the Portrait mode pictures are sent to the people category.

Pictures are deleted with the designated button to the right of the LCD, and users can navigate quickly through lots of images by using the jump button just below the delete button. The jump button skips to every 10th or 100th image, or to movies, folders, categories, or shot dates. Users can also navigate by pushing the wide end of the zoom ring that displays nine images at a time. Pictures can be set to automatically rotate in the Setup menu.

Scrolling through individual pictures quickly is a chore. A red LED blinks on the back of the camera while between pictures. Playback mode just tends to be a little slow.

There are a few editing options available in the Playback menu, but nothing like cropping and resizing; there are My Colors and red-eye correction settings, though.



There is a sound recorder in the menu that doesn’t have much to do with playing back pictures. It simply records audio and can play it back in the menu. Somewhat related are the sound memos, which can be added to pictures. Up to one minute of audio can be attached by pushing the button on the left shoulder of the camera. The audio records at 11.025 kHz, so it isn’t very clear.

Videos can be played back with VCR-like control. They can be played normally or in five levels of slow motion. Users can cut the beginning or end and save the file. The volume can be adjusted in five levels while the video is playing back by pushing the selector up and down. Movies look good and the stereo audio sounds great.

Custom Image Presets (6.25)
This PowerShot has a decent list of Scene modes that include Portrait, Landscape, Night Snapshot, and Sports directly on the mode dial. The rest of the Scene modes are grouped within a "SCN" portal on the dial. The following are accessed by pushing the right and left portions of the selector: Night Scene, Indoor, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, Color Accent, and Color Swap. This selection is bigger than those on Sony’s ultra-zoom cameras; they have only seven Scene modes. The Canon S5 is outdone by others in this area though: the Olympus SP-560UZ has 25 Scene modes and the Kodak EasyShare Z812 IS has 16 Scene modes. Most users of this digital camera won’t care; the Canon S5 covers the basics and has plenty of other exposure modes to play with.