This month's Technical Report introduces the PowerShot S2 IS, featuring a 5.0-megapixel CCD, 12x optical zoom lens (35mm equivalent: 36-432mm) and DIGIC II. It was released at the beginning of June 2005.
While the compact digital camera market has been mainly focusing on compactness and thinness, there is steady demand for advanced digital cameras with higher zoom ratios or advanced movie functions.
The PowerShot S2 IS (see Photo 1) is such a new model, developed as the successor to the PowerShot S1 IS. It features a 5.0-megapixel CCD and 12x optical zoom lens, with the capability to shoot high-quality still images during movie recording. The development concept is as follows:
Digital camera with more stability, higher speed and advanced movie shooting mode
Shift-lens image stabilizer (IS)
Higher magnification lenses tend to increase the effect of camera shake on image quality.
The PowerShot S2 IS is equipped with shift-lens image stabilizer system of the PowerShot S1 IS.
Unlike electronic image stabilization (EIS), the shift-lens image stabilizer system works with either still images or movies. Image stabilization improves image quality about the same as using a shutter speed two to three steps faster.
Additionally, the PowerShot S2 IS has three image stabilizer modes to match shooting conditions, and can also be turned off as required.
High-speed USM zoom
The PowerShot S2 IS employs an ultrasonic motor (USM) for the zoom drive, the same proven lens technology used in EF lenses, giving smooth high-speed zooming. Only about one second is required from wide angle to telephoto, even with the 12x zoom lens.
Feature 2: Advanced movie mode
High-quality still image shooting during movie recording enabled with MovieSnap
At any time while shooting a movie, users may encounter something that they want to record as a still image. With most existing cameras, still images up to VGA size (640 x 480 pixels) can be recorded but higher resolutions are not possible.
The PowerShot S2 IS allows users to shoot high-quality still images up to 2592 x 1944 pixels during movie recording to capture dramatic moments (see Fig. 2).
Whether the camera is in still image or playback mode, users can instantly start movie shooting just by pressing the movie button. When a still photography subject unexpectedly turns into a movie subject, you can immediately go into movie mode.
Optical/digital zoom and manual focus during movie recording
The PowerShot S2 IS's USM zoom drive allowing optical zooming while shooting movies, as well as digital zooming and manual focusing.
High quality sound and stereo sound
Sound quality is an important element in shooting movies. The PowerShot S2 IS allows users to choose the sampling frequency from 44kHz, 22kHz and 11kHz. It offers high sound quality with a 16 bit quantization bit rate.
The PowerShot S2 IS is the first Canon's digital camera equipped with stereo sound.
Four image quality modes
The PowerShot S2 IS allows users to select from four image quality modes in movie shooting. It can record movies continuously up to 1GB in size, depending on camera usage and memory card capacity.
Recording times for each image quality mode/memory card combination is listed in Table 1.
| Number of Recording Pixels/frame rate (Movie) | ||||
| 640 x 480 | 320 x 240 | |||
| 30fps | 15fps | 30fps | 15fps | SDC-16M | 6 sec. | 13 sec. | 19 sec. | 15 sec. | SDC-32MH | 13 sec. | 25 sec. | 34 sec. | 55 sec. | SDC-128M | 1 min. 02 sec. | 2 min. 01 sec. | 2 min. 53 sec. | 5 min. 12 sec. | SDC-512MSH | 3 min. 57 sec. | 7 min. 30 sec. | 10 min. 29 sec. | 17 min. 58 sec. | SD 1GB(for reference) | 8 min. 07 sec. | 15 min. 44 sec. | 22 min. 23 sec. | 40 min. 17 sec. |
The PowerShot S2 IS incorporates a new feature: slow motion playback. Four speeds are available.
High-speed editing of movie files
Three light metering modes
Feature 3: High image quality
CCD sensor with about 5.0-million effective pixels
The PowerShot S2 IS features a CCD with about 5.0-million effective pixels (total pixels: about 5.3 million) compared to about 3.2-million effective pixels for the PowerShot S1 IS. Together with the primary color filter, it produces high resolution and fine color reproduction with up to 2592 x 1944 pixels.
High-quality image processing with the DIGIC II digital imaging engine
Powered by the DIGIC II digital imaging engine, the PowerShot S2 IS offers enhanced resolution and white balance accuracy. Shortened startup time, improved AF speed and response time are also achieved.
High-speed AF and precise AE/AWB based on iSAPS technology
Iris diaphragm gives multi-stop aperture control and elegant bokeh
Feature 4: Advanced functions and comfortable operation
Super macro function offers close shooting range of 0 cm
In addition to the standard macro function that allows users to shoot at 10cm from the subject at maximum wide angle, the PowerShot S2 IS incorporates a super macro function enabling even closer shots at 0cm. With the super macro function, the available shooting area is 22 x 16mm (see Fig. 3), covering the entire frame.
| Normal shooting | Macro shooting | Super Macro shooting | |
| Shooting distance | 50cm - infinity | 10 - 50cm | 0 - 10cm |
| Image examples (distance from the subject) |
 (50cm) |
 (10cm) |
 (0cm) |
| Field of view | 500 x 370mm | 117 x 86mm | 22 x 16mm |
The PowerShot S2 IS features''My Colors'' *, first incorporated in the IXY DIGITAL 600/55. This function allows users to change or enhance the colors of any part of the subject in an image when it is shot.
*Please refer to the April 2005 Technical Report.
Fastest shutter speed of 1/3200 sec.
The fastest shutter speed is improved to 1/3200 sec., up from 1/2000 sec of the PowerShot S1 IS.
Night Display function
With many cameras, when shooting at night the image on the LCD monitor may be too dark to compose the subject, but with this camera the Night Display function automatically brightens the LCD monitor to suite the illumination of the subject (see Fig. 4).
Fig. 4 Night Display function
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| Previous models | With Night Display function |
Taking full advantage of the high sound quality of 16 bit/44.1 kHz, users can use the camera as a stereo sound recorder. The maximum recording time is two hours.
International user interface (UI) supporting twenty-one languages
The LCD monitor supports twenty-one languages, up from twelve languages for PowerShot S1 IS.
Safety Shift function
Six Special Scene Modes
Registering settings to the shortcut button
Electronic viewfinder
Digital zoom (up to about 4.0x maximum, or about 48x maximum in combination with the optical zoom)
AF frame can be moved to arbitrary position
Second-curtain sync flash
Two bracketing functions (AE/Focus)
Interval shooting function
Histogram display of playback image
Audio annotation of up to 60 seconds can be appended during replay
Enlarged display of image for easy confirmation (approx. 2x to 10x)
1.8'' Vari-angle LCD monitor with 100% picture coverage
Jump function
Feature 5: Extensive system accessories
High-Power Flash HF-DC1 to easily increase illumination
When the subject is too far from the camera, the built-in flash alone may be unable to generate sufficient illumination. In such a situation, illumination can be easily increased with the High Power Flash HF-DC1 (see Photo 2).
As the HF-DC1 is a slave flash, it can be used with cameras without accessory shoes like the PowerShot S2 IS. When the HF-DC1 is used together with the built-in flash, the flash range is about doubled.
The PowerShot S2 IS accepts the Tele-converter TC-DC58B (see Photo 3-a)*, which increases the focal length of the master lens by 1.5x to 648mm (35mm film equivalent) at telephoto and the Wide converter WC-DC58A (see Photo 3-b)*, which reduces the focal length of the master lens by 0.75x to 27.0mm (35mm film equivalent) at wide angle.
*In order to attach these accessories, the Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58E is necessary.
*In order to attach these accessories, the Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58E is necessary.
Feature 6: Digital communication
Two Movie Print functions
Cameras of the PowerShot and IXY DIGITAL series from 2004 onwards incorporate the Movie Print function, which allows users to print an index print sheet of a series of frames selected from a recorded movie at fairly regular intervals. In addition, the PowerShot S2 IS can print a single frame selected from a movie.
Direct printing with dedicated printers (PictBridge compatible)
The PowerShot S2 IS supports direct printing with dedicated printers. It is also PictBridge compliant, the industry standard, and layout printing and file name printing are possible in addition to the functions of the PowerShot S1 IS.
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed supported
The PowerShot S2 IS supports USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, which significantly reduces data transfer time to the computer.
Driver-less computer connection with PTP support (on the latest computer operating systems)
''My Camera'' function with on-camera content creation function
Bundled with a comprehensive package of software applications
This issue of the Technical Report introduces the PowerShot S2 IS. Table 2 shows major specifications comparison between the PowerShot S2 IS and the PowerShot S1 IS.
The PowerShot S2 IS Kit comes as shown in Photo 4. There is no recommended retail price.
Table 2 Major Specifications Comparison between PowerShot S2 IS and PowerShot S1 IS
