35MM Features in a Digi-Cam Canon "Powershot" Pro 70
Written: Mar 06 '00 (Updated Jan 15 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: ease of operation, feature set, and price
Cons: autofocus cycling is a bit slow
The Bottom Line: Canon's first serious Digital Camera and the first digicam
to feature the fully articulated tilt/swivel LCD
|
|
|
| Howard_Creech's Full Review: Canon PowerShot Pro 70 Digital Camera |
The Canon Powershot Pro 70 digital camera, like the much more expensive Nikon D1, has more in common with it's 35mm cousins than with it's digital brothers and sisters. The Pro 70 bears a strong family resemblance to the EOS cameras in both appearance and operation. For many traditional photographers the jump to digital imaging and equipment can be almost frightening, I mean you are an expert with lots of experience, and all of a sudden you are in unfamiliar territory, asking advice from people who are young enough to be your children. The Pro 70's controls and operation will feel familiar and comfortable to traditional photographers, this will insure a smooth and non-threatening switch to digital imaging and digital equipment.
The feature set for the Pro 70 is very impressive. A 1/2 inch 1.68 million pixel CCD with resolution settings for 1536 x 1024 and 768 x 512 pixels. This Canon offers both a 2 inch TFT LCD screen viewfinder AND an optical viewfinder (very important to traditional photographers who want to see the "real" scene) the optical viewfinder is bright, contrasty, and offers a focus adjustment for those who wear glasses. A NiMH battery charger and battery are included and since digital cameras are known to go through batteries like Grant went through Richmond, having the (optional) battery pack is a good thing. Additional good news is that up to 400 images can be made on one fully charged battery pack.
Flash options for the Pro 70 are quite impressive, two Canon speedlites, the 220 EX and the 380 EX are available (advised) for this model. Flash is often a weak point in digital cameras, usually either no flash or an almost worthless "pop up" flash are the only options. Flash for the Pro 70 can be handled in much the same way it would be handled with a 35mm SLR camera. Another tremendous feature in this camera is the ability to hold, not one, but two compact flash cards, including one type II. Canon was the innovator here, being first to offer this feature. You can either use the 8mb card that comes with the camera, or use two 80mb cards, this will allow shooting in CCD "raw mode" and switching back and forth between the two cards.
Results for both auto and program modes are first rate. Low light situations are not a problem for the fast f2.0-2.4/28-70 (35mm equivalent) optical zoom lens. The Pro 70 comes complete with everything you need to get started, however replacing the included serial cable with a CF card reader would probably be a good idea. The software package bundled with the Pro 70 includes Adobe Photoshop LE, Ulead Photocompact, Photo Stitch, Time Tunnel, and Slide Show Maker.
The digital revolution in photography can be very intimidating to traditional 35mm photographers. Most of these traditional photographers have anywhere from ten to thirty years of photographic experience, yet when it comes to "digital" they are "Newbies" and all that experience is very difficult to transfer to the new medium. Cameras like the Pro 70 will help traditional photographers make this transition more easily, by providing a familiar platform, logical controls, and traditional handling.
For information on How to Choose a Digital Camera please see my review:
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2E46-17B174E2-39A418E3-prod1
For information about specific Digital Camera models, please see my Digital Camera Reviews:
Nikon Digital Cameras
Nikon Coolpix 5000
http://www.epinions.com/content_52720406148
Nikon Coolpix 885
http://www.epinions.com/content_46290931332
Nikon Coolpix 995
http://www.epinions.com/content_40256769668
Nikon D1X
http://www.epinions.com/content_36023996036
Nikon D1
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-4868-E2433E5-38737CF8-prod2/tk_~CB003.1.78
Nikon Coolpix 880
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2DA8-DF21E52-39E118CA-prod5
Nikon Coolpix 990
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-3B78-3C431D90-3A345313-prod3
Canon Digital Cameras
Canon Powershot G2
http://www.epinions.com/content_47646084740
Canon Powershot S10
http://www.epinions.com/content_7563808388/tk_~CB003.1.74
Canon EOS D30
http://www.epinions.com/content_11625991812/tk_~CB003.1.58
Canon Powershot PRO 90IS
http://www.epinions.com/content_30440001156/tk_~CB005.1.9
Canon Powershot G1
http://www.epinions.com/content_8768294532/tk_~CB003.1.70
Canon Powershot PRO 70
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-6496-25768DA-38C3E01A-prod9/tk_~CB003.1.70
Sony Digital Cameras
Sony DSC S85
http://www.epinions.com/content_51957567108
Sony MVC-CD 300
http://www.epinions.com/content_45591793284
Sony DSC-S50
http:http://www.epinions.com/content_15885897348
Sony Mavica MVC-CD1000
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-5F01-365BA12-3980602C-prod3/tk_~CB003.1.14
Olympus Digital Cameras
Olympus Camedia C3040
http://www.epinions.com/content_42675179140
Olympus Camedia C3000
http://www.epinions.com/content_26106105476/tk_~CB003.1.30
Olympus Camedia E10
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-59FB-183DFC73-3A17388F-prod2/tk_~CB003.1.42
Fuji Digital Cameras
Fuji Finepix S1 “PRO”
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-5591-16816C34-39047A87-prod5/tk_~CB003.1.18
Minolta Digital Cameras
Minolta Dimage 5
http://www.epinions.com/content_49104522884
Just “cut’n’paste” the URL into your browser’s address window.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Howard_Creech
|
 in Electronics |
 in Home and Garden |
 - Top 10 |
|
Member: Howard Creech
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 333
Trusted by: 1274 members
About Me:
Photographer/Writer fascinated by Movies, Music, Books, American Diner Food, History, "Popular Culture", and Travel.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.