Picture Quality / Size Options (7.0)
Five image sizes are all available in the three compression settings of Superfine, Fine, and Normal. The following 4:3 formatted resolutions are available: 3072 x 2304, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, and 640 x 480. These sizes can be found within the same menu as the white balance and ISO by pushing the “Func. Set” button. Users can scroll through the JPEG options of L, M1, M2, Postcard, or Small. Luckily, these letters are accompanied by the actual numbers on the LCD screen. Although for packing 7.1 megapixels, the SD500 doesn’t have as many image size options as expected.
Picture Effects Mode (8.0)
The Canon PowerShot SD500 has one of the most expansive color modes available on a digital camera. With a designated My Colors mode, users can add some pretty advanced effects without ever uploading images into Photoshop. The My Colors mode can be found at the top of the “Func. Set” menu. When it is selected, users can choose from the following options: Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Red, Vivid Green, Color Accent, Color Swap, and Custom Color. (The Color Accent mode is the effect you want if you want to recreate those black and white pictures that have a single red rose in it.) The Canon PowerShot SD500's Color Accent mode works best with primary colors, but is not flattering with skin tones. The Color Swap mode works best with bright primary colors too. Users can swap the blue sky for a red shirt. When photographers choose colors to swap or accent, they have to find the color within the image and frame it in a square that is superimposed on the LCD screen. In the Custom Color mode, users can adjust the red, green, and blue channels in five steps each — with an additional Skin Tones adjustment.
When the camera is not in the My Colors mode, it has a smaller selection of basic color modes: Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, and Black & White.
