The Canon PowerShot ELPH 500HS serves as the top tier of Canon’s new PowerShot ELPH 2011 lineup and this PowerShot ELPH 500HS review will help you determine if it is a worthy upgrade over its predecessor the SD3500 or other competing touchscreen cameras.
The PowerShot ELPH series is one of the longest running camera series by Canon. These cameras widely influenced the way compact digital cameras are made and were one of the driving forces in getting just about everyone into leisure and creative photography.
Things are a bit different now with so many strong contenders in the digital camera scene and everyone is challenged to come up with new innovations to please consumers with different price preferences.
Design
Owners of the PowerShot SD3500 IS will immediately notice the similar design when comparing it with the PowerShot ELPH 500HS. When actually holding the device, you will notice that it is a bit smaller which is a good thing as it can fit inside smaller pockets.
Canon had to make a minor compromise with the screen size as it now measures 3.2 inches instead of 3.5 inches but the 461,000-pixel resolution was fortunately retained. The “Playback” button also moved to the back panel which is also a welcome change for people that are used to that position. You also get to choose from brown, pink, and silver colors.
The reduced size certainly gives this PowerShot ELPH 500HS review some positive points.
Usability
The large display uses capacitive technology just like the SD3500 IS so you can freely browse the menus by touching the screen elements although you may encounter some minor sensitivity glitches. The touchscreen serves as a neat way to track AF points, record and playback videos, and adjust settings.
You will need to take some time exploring these menus because there are plenty of auto and manual features in this camera making this suitable for advanced point-and-click enthusiasts. Some of the new features include shutter and aperture priority along with an increased f/2.0 – f/8.0 aperture range.
Even if the manual features are not emphasized, the PowerShot ELPH 500HS deserves a lot of praise for its automatic functions.
The reliable Auto mode makes this one of the easiest cameras to use if you simply want to take good shots. There are 32 predefined scenes to choose from if you want hassle-free adjustments and the auto focus works wonderfully.
Image Quality and Performance
Like the other new Canon PowerShot ELPH models, the PowerShot ELPH 500HS comes with a new HS sensor that brings vast improvements to its low light performance. It keeps the ambiance while eliminating blur even if the flash is used. The increase in max ISO adjustment to 3200 also expands the low light possibilities.
The 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor still combines with Canon’s best technologies including the DIGIC 4 Image Processor which enhances the low light performance even more while reducing noise and processing images faster. One of the fun features that you can try is the High-Speed Burst Mode which effectively captures details by snapping shots at 8.2 frames per second.
This makes it similar to the cheaper PowerShot ELPH 300 HS but the PowerShot ELPH 500HS enjoys the widest aperture.
The optical zoom features take a slight cut as well going from 5x optical zoom in its predecessor to 4.4x optical zoom. This won’t affect the PowerShot ELPH 500HS review too negatively because most its intended audience can manage just fine with even a 4x optical zoom. You still get the Optical Image Stabilizer benefits which is great for beginners because pictures remain clear.
Video Quality and Performance
The PowerShot ELPH 500HS is proof that 1080p is hitting the compact division at it executes it nearly gracefully shooting 24 frames per second. This may not be ideal for all those that cannot tolerate slightly sluggish video but there is an option to boost it to the smooth 30 frames per second if you are willing to tone down the resolution to 720p.
You can also take slow route and have fun with the Super Slow Motion recording feature which bumps down the resolution to SD while being capable of recording at 120 and 240 frames per second. The quality is average for the most part which is no surprise but this PowerShot ELPH 500HS review gets some creative points that past cameras simply lacked in video recording features.
Bottom Line
The PowerShot ELPH 500HS is all about automatic power and excellent low light performance. The usability could use some minor improvements but chances are high that you will be using the auto mode most of the time and switching to video isn’t so hard.
The added manual controls add some spice for a compact camera leaving this PowerShot ELPH 500HS review to conclude that this camera is great to take with you on family trips or parties.
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