Canon Powershot S60 5MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Optical Zoom

Canon updates its popular S-series PowerShot digital camera line with the 5-megapixel S60. It features a number of enhancements over the previous S50 model, including larger optical zoom (3.6x versus 3x), a closer macro zoom distance, larger video resolution, support for conversion lenses, and a higher capacity battery.

Optics and Resolution The PowerShot S60 has a 5-megapixel sensor with a maximum resolution of 2,592 x 1,944 pixels, enough detail for 4-by-6-inch to 20-by-30-inch (poster size) photos. Other resolution modes include 2048 x 1536 (3MP, 1600 x 1200 (2MP), 1024 x 768, and 640 x 480. It features a 3.6x optical zoom and 4.1x digital zoom for a total 14.8x zoom. The lens features Canon's new UA (Ultra-high refractive index, Aspherical) lens, allowing for the design of a more compact lens--making the S60 almost 8% thinner than the S50. The 28-100mm focal length range expands to 200mm with the addition of an optional 2x tele-converter.

Canon's powerful DIGIC image processor provides a huge capacity for complex assessment of the scene to be captured. The PowerShot S50 uses information from the zoom position, scene brightness, and other systems to determine what sort of subject is being photographed in order to optimize AF speed, exposure accuracy, and white balance performance.

Movie Mode
The S60's movie mode has been upgraded to a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 (10 frames per second); it also offers 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 modes (15 frames per second). Individual movie clips are limited to 3 minutes maximum per clip (and 30 seconds maximum for 640 x 480 mode).

More Features
For beginners, the camera is point-and-shoot simple. Just twist the dial to Auto and start snapping pictures. The PowerShot S60 offers a myriad of setting options, including three light metering modes, white balance presets with two positions for custom settings, exposure and focus bracketing, manual focus and AF lock, aperture and shutter-speed priority, and adjustable ISO-equivalent sensitivity.
The PowerShot S60 features 13 shooting modes, including subject-based modes and semi-auto modes such as aperture priority. Photo Effects are an easy way to add creative dimension to your photography, with settings including Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, Black & White and Custom. A fast sequence mode allows a maximum frame rate of 2 frames per second, maintained for up to eight images. A new Macro Function lets you shoot as close as 2 inches with incredible detail: the shortest focal length of any Canon compact digital camera not equipped with Super Macro.

Report

One Critical Note / Report October 26, 2005
I previously owned a Canon S-30, a 3-megapixel, which performed adequately for four years. Therefore, I was pretty much sold on the S-60 after reading Consumer's Reports and the ratings of this and other similar quality cameras on Amazon. After only a relatively short ownership period, I have found that the camera works as advertised. Some advantages over the previous design include the higher meapixel resolution, a larger LCD screen, greatly improved menu controls, and a noticeable speed difference as to when the camera is ready for the next shot.

Although I bought a 512 MB compact flash card with the camera, I was also able continue using a CF card from the old camera, its battery, and charger. A distinct advantage as these items run $30+/- each.

One critical note, however, was that I was never able to connect the camera directly to my computer to download the images (A Dell Dimension 8250 running XP SP2). Each time I connected the USB wire, my computer would not recognize the "device." After several emails to the Canon support staff, we tried everything from re-installing the software supplied with the camera to using troubleshooting from "InstallShield." No success!

My solution to the problem, since I was determined to keep the camera, was to purchase a USB 2.0 Hi-speed Reader (SanDisk SDDR-88-A15 8-in-1 no longer available on Amazon). It installed without problem, and I am able to download images by removing the CF card from the camera. A minor inconvenience.


Canon S60 / Report October 24, 2005
Great Camera! Also own S70, like it so much we bought the S50 as a second camera.
Best built in wide angle zoom currently available, nice selection of control Manual thru Program, good battery life.

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