[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: [AT-L] Re: [AT-L] Re: new toy!
A few more notes about APS and the Canon Elph.
The first is inconsequential... according to my friends at Kodak (and the
trade mags) the magnetic "strip" is actually a transparent magnetic coating
over the entire back of the film. The low end APS cameras don't use the
strip (they use some sort of optical marking to indicate print formatting).
The higher end cameras record all sorts of info including exposure
information. Supposedly they can use that information to do a better job of
automated printing.
Next, I noticed the light printing on the back of the prints. It is
readable in bright light, but is certainly annoying. One person I talked to
claimed that it would vary based on who made the processing equipment (Kodak
or Fuji). I don't know who's equipment processed my film, so I won't
comment further.
As for picture quality: the prints I've gotten back from my Elph are
wonderful. The pictures were uniformly sharp with good color (even in back
lit situations). I wouldn't be surprised if larger blowups show more grain
than 35mm, but for casual picture taking the quality is GREAT. Also, being
able to select from three cropping formats IN THE VIEWFINDER is nice...
particularly since you can change your mind later. All pictures are taken
in the "HDTV" format: the "conventional" format is achieved by cropping the
left and right edges; the "panoramic" format is achieved by cropping the top
and bottom, and enlarging the middle. The index prints show the HDTV format
with the cropping indicated by lines.
One final advantage of APS is that, for now, all the processing equipment
out there is brand new and state of the art.
With regards to the Elph: the camera feels very solid and is surprisingly
easy to use. I was amazed that Canon managed to get adequately sized
buttons in all the right places on a camera that small. The only
egregiously wrong thing I found on it is that the on off button can be
pressed through the (thin leather) case.
I'm leaving tommorow for a one week trip and taking my Elph.
-- Jim