Canon PowerShot S1 IS 3.2-megapixel digital camera

Features
Inputs and Outputs Notes
Supplied Software
Specifications

Features

Recording Media: The PowerShot S1 IS records images on a Type I or Type II CompactFlash Card.

Image Recording Format:  The camera records still images, or moving images with mono audio. Still images are recorded in JPEG format, and the movies are recorded in AVI format (Image data: Motion JPEG, Audio data: WAVE (monaural)).

Viewfinder: The PowerShot S1 IS uses a color LCD viewfinder with a diopter adjustment knob. By adjusting the diopter to suit your eyesight (with or without eyeglasses), the viewfinder image will look clearer.

Vari-angle LCD Monitor: The PowerShot S1 IS has a 1.5" low temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD monitor featuring approximately 114,000 pixels. The monitor can fold out from the camera body and swivel 270 degrees (180 degrees forward and 90 degrees backward). If the monitor is swiveled to point in the same direction as the lens, the image on the monitor is inverted. When folded out, the monitor adds approximately 1-15/16" to the overall width of the camera.

Image Stabilizer: The image stabilizer function allows you to minimize the camera shake effect (blurred images) when you shoot distant subjects that have been magnified or when you shoot in dark conditions.

DIGIC Imaging Processor and iSAPS Technology: The PowerShot S1 IS features DIGIC Imaging Processor, for even greater picture quality and faster processing speed. The iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology produces more accurate autofocus, auto exposure, and auto white balance.

Image Sensor: For optimal image quality, the camera uses a 1/2.7" CCD image sensor with approximately 3.3-million total pixels and 3.2-million effective pixels.

Image Resolution/Compression: You can change the resolution and compression settings to suit the purpose of the image you're about to shoot. You can choose from the following resolutions: Large (2048 x 1536 pixels), Medium 1 (1600 x 1200 pixels), Medium 2 (1024 x 768 pixels), and Small (640 x 480 pixels). For each resolution, you can set the compression to Superfine, Fine or Normal. Movies can be shot with the following resolution: 640 (640 x 480), 320 (320 x 240 pixels), or 160 (160 x 120 pixels). Movies can be recorded at 15 or 30 frames per second. The maximum clip length is approximately 1 hour, if the card can store that much information.

Auto Focusing: The AF frame indicates the area of the composition on which the camera focuses and can be set manually to the desired area. This is convenient for focusing accurately on an off-center subject to obtain the composition you desire. However, the AF frame is fixed to center-point when the digital zoom is used, even if you previously set the AF frame to the position you desire.

Focusing Range: The camera features the following focus ranges:

• Normal AF and Manual Focus: 3.9" to infinity (wide), 3' to infinity (telephoto)

Focus Bracketing: You can shoot three images while the focus changes automatically when shooting with the manual focus. Three ranges (small, medium or large) can be selected. When focus bracketing is used, the camera will shoot an image with the focus in the selected position, then an image with the focus further away, and one with the focus closer.

Auto Rotate Function: The PowerShot S1 IS's Auto Rotate function uses an Intelligent Orientation Sensor to sense whether your images were shot horizontally or vertically. It then adjusts AF, AE, and white balance accordingly and your images will be automatically rotated to the right position for viewing during playback.

Power Saving Function: In Shooting Mode, the power will automatically shut off approximately 3 minutes after the last function is accessed. In Playback Mode, the power will automatically shut off approximately 5 minutes after the last function is accessed. While connected to an optional printer, the power will automatically shut off approximately 5 minutes after the last camera function is accessed or printer ceases to print an image. 

Shooting Modes: The PowerShot S1 IS offers several different shooting modes arranged in the following zones:

• Image Zone:

  • Portrait: use this mode when you want the subject to appear sharp and the background to blur

  • Landscape: use this mode to shoot expansive landscape scenes

  • Night Scene: use this mode to capture human subjects against the backdrop of an evening sky or night scene

  • Fast Shutter: use this mode to shoot fast moving objects

  • Slow Shutter: use this mode to shoot moving objects to make them appear blurred

  • Stitch Assist: use this mode to shoot a series of overlapping frames for merging (stitching) into a large panoramic image using a computer

  • Movie: use for shooting movie frames (at 15 or 30 frames per second)

• Creative Zone: 

  • Program AE: use the program AE mode to have the camera automatically set the shutter speed and aperture value to match the brightness of the scene

  • Shutter Speed-Priority AE: when you set the shutter speed in the shutter speed-priority AE mode, the camera automatically selects an aperture value to match the brightness

  • Aperture-Priority AE: when you set the aperture in the aperture-priority AE mode, the camera automatically selects a shutter speed to match the brightness

  • Manual Exposure: you can manually set the shutter speed and aperture to achieve a particular effect

  • Custom Settings: you can save frequently used shooting modes and various shooting settings to the custom mode

Flash Modes: You can choose from the following flash modes:

• Red-eye Reduction, Auto: the flash may fire automatically as required by the light level. The red-eye reduction lamp fires with each shot.

• Auto: the flash fires automatically as required by the light level

• Flash On With Redeye Reduction: the red-eye reduction lamp and the flash always fire

• Flash On: the flash fires with every shot

• Flash Off: the flash will not fire

• Slow-Synchro: the flash timing is adjusted to slow shutter speeds

Locking the Flash Exposure Setting (FE Lock): You can lock the flash exposure so the exposure settings are correctly adjusted for a particular portion of the subject.

Flash Output Adjustment: When the flash is set to Auto, you can adjust the flash output from -2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV increments. When the flash is set to Manual, you can adjust the flash output in three steps. If full flash washes out the subject, you can reduce the amount of flash output for better results.

Flash Timing: The flash timing can be set to 1st-curtain or 2nd-curtain. When 1st-curtain is selected, the flash fires right after the shutter opens, regardless of the shutter speed. When 2nd-curtain is selected, the flash fires right before the shutter closes, regardless of the shutter speed.

Photo Effect Modes: You can choose from the following Photo Effect Modes:

• Vivid: emphasizes the contrast and color saturation to record in bold colors
• Neutral: tones down the contrast and color saturation to record neutral hues
• Low Sharpening: records subjects with softened outlines
• Sepia: records images in sepia tones
• B/W: records images in black and white
• Custom Effect: allows you to adjust the contrast, sharpness, and color saturation
• Off: records with no effect

Continuous Shooting: In Continuous mode, the PowerShot S1 IS stores approximately 1.7 frames per second, with each image being set to the following resolution and compression: Large/Fine. The actual interval depends upon shooting conditions and settings.

Intervalometer: You can shoot images at a set interval. This function can be used for fixed-point observation of plants and blooming flowers. The shooting interval time can be set from 1 to 60 minutes and 2 to 100 images can be shot.

Metering Modes: You can select from the following metering modes:

• Evaluative Light Metering: appropriate for standard shooting conditions, including backlit scenes. The camera divides images into several zones for light metering. The camera evaluates the complex lighting conditions, such as the position of the subject, the brightness, the background, the direct light, and the backlighting, and adjusts the settings to the correct exposure for the main subject.
• Center-Weighted Averaging: averages the exposure from the entire image, but places more weight on the subject at the center
• Spot AE Point: allows you to select Center, which meters the area within the spot AE point frame at the center of the LCD monitor (or viewfinder), or, AF Point, which meters the spot AF point corresponding to the AF frame

Exposure Compensation: If you are shooting against a bright background or strong backlight, you may need to correct the exposure so that the subject doesn't come out too dark. You can set the adjustments from -2EV to +2EV in 1/3EV increments.

Auto Exposure Bracketing: With auto exposure bracketing (AEB), the camera automatically changes the exposure level up to +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments for three successive shots.

Locking the Exposure Setting (AE Lock): You can set the exposure and focus separately. This is effective when the contrast is too strong between the subject and background, or when a subject is backlit.

White Balance: You can choose from the following white balance settings:

• Auto: the camera sets the white balance automatically according to shooting conditions
• Daylight: for recording outdoors on a bright day
• Cloudy: for recording under overcast, shady or twilight skies
• Tungsten: for recording under tungsten and bulb-type 3-wavelength fluorescent lighting
• Fluorescent: for recording under warm-white, cool-white, or warm-white (3-wavelength) fluorescent lighting
• Fluorescent H: for recording under daylight fluorescent, or daylight fluorescent-type (3-wavelength) fluorescent lighting
• Flash: for flash photography
• Custom: allows you to manually set the white balance and store the custom setting

ISO Speed: The ISO speed can be set to 50, 100, 200, 400, or Auto.

Instant Review:  After an image is recorded, it will appear in the LCD monitor for a preset number of seconds for reviewing. You can adjust the review time from 2-10 seconds in 1-second intervals. You can also turn off the review function.

Self-Timer: The self-timer starts when the shutter button is pressed. The delay time can be set to 10 seconds or 2 seconds.

Editing Movies: The Edit function in the movie control panel enables you to cut unwanted portions at the start or the end of a movie clip.

Sound Memos: In playback mode (including single image playback, index playback, magnified playback and the review immediately after shooting in Shooting mode) you can attach sound memos (up to 60 seconds) to an image. The sound data is saved in WAVE format.

Slide Show: Images stored on an CompactFlash card can automatically be displayed one-by-one using the Slide Show function. You can display all the stored images or you can customize up to 3 separate slide shows. Up to 998 images can be marked per custom slide show. You can also set the amount of time each image is displayed in a slide show. You can choose 3-10 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or Manual. In addition, the repeat function allows you to repeat a slide show after it has finished.

Index Playback: This feature allows you to view nine images at once on the LCD monitor so that you can search for an image quickly.

Image Magnification: When viewing a still picture in Single Image Playback mode, you can magnify the image 2.5x, 5x, or 10x.

Rotating Images: You can rotate an image by 90 or 270 degrees clockwise in the LCD monitor.

Protecting Images: The protect feature allows you to protect important images from accidental erasure.

Power Requirements: The PowerShot S1 IS comes with 4 "AA" alkaline batteries. You can also use Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries. For long periods of continuous use, or when connected to a computer, it is recommended that the camera be connected to the optional CA-PS700 AC Adapter.  It is not recommended to use Lithium Ion or manganese batteries, as these battery types may overheat in the camera. While "AA"-sized Nickel-Cadmium batteries may be used, their performance is unreliable and their use is not recommended.

Direct Print Function: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a CP-series printer that supports the Direct Print function. You can also connect the camera directly to certain Canon Bubble Jet printers. In this way, you can make prints directly from the camera without ever having to hook it up to a computer.

PictBridge Printing Capability: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer. PictBridge is a new standard that allows you to connect a PictBridge compliant camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer and make prints, regardless of brand.

Exif Print (Exif 2.2): The Canon PowerShot S1 IS conforms to "Exif Print", a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos that can be even better than the originals.

DPOF Print Settings: On your CompactFlash card, you can select which image or images you want to print and how many copies you want. This is convenient for printing images all at once, on optional Canon direct print function compliant printers or at participating photo labs.

DPOF Transfer Order: You can use the camera to specify settings for images that you wish to send by e-mail. The settings used on the camera comply with the Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) standards. Once images are selected for transfer, you can use the supplied software to actually transfer the images to an e-mail program. A maximum of 998 images can be selected per CompactFlash card, and are transferred in order from oldest to newest by shooting date.

My Camera Function: The start-up image, start-up sound, operation sounds, self-timer sound and shutter sound can be customized with the My Camera function and edited on your computer using the software provided with the camera.

Wide Converter and Tele-converter Lens Compatibility: The camera supports use of the separately sold Wide Converter WC-DC52A and Tele-converter TCDC52B. In order to attach any of these lenses, you also need to use the separately sold Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC52E.

Inputs and Outputs Notes

Digital Terminal: The PowerShot S1 IS has a USB 1.1 terminal to allow you to connect the camera to a compatible computer or compatible Canon printer via the supplied USB cable.

AV Output: The camera's minijack output allows you to connect the camera to a TV or video monitor with RCA audio and composite video input jacks using the supplied audio/video cable. You can set the video output to NTSC or PAL.

Supplied Software

Minimum System Requirements:

Specifications

Estimated Image Capacity of CompactFlash cards:

Battery Performance: