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Canon Powershot G6 By: Dave Etchells The next generation of Canon's popular "G" model updates the line with a larger, 7.1-megapixel CCD and a redesigned camera body. Select a topic Reference: Datasheet G6 Sample Images G6 Imatest Results G6 Photo Gallery! --------------------------------- 1. Intro and Highlights 2. Changes from the Canon PowerShot G5 3. Executive Overview 4. Design 5. Viewfinder 6. Optics 7. Exposure & Flash 8. Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests 9. Operation & User Interface 10. Camera Modes & Menus 11. Image Storage & Interface 12. Video, Power, Software 13. Test Results & Conclusion --------------------------------- Print-Friendly Review Version Additional Resources and Other Links Reader Comments on G6 Review --------------------------------- Digital Camera Comparometer (TM) --------------------------------- <-- Digital Cameras (Home) <-- Digital Camera Reviews Index <<Operation & User Interface :(Previous) | (Next): Image Storage & Interface>> Page 10:Camera Modes & Menus Review First Posted: 09/28/2004

Camera Modes and Menus

The G6 has a single Mode dial on the rear panel, which controls the exposure mode. A second Power lever controls whether the camera is in Record or Playback mode. Within Record mode, the Mode dial sets the exposure mode to either Movie, Stitch-Assist, Night Scene, Landscape, Portrait, Auto, Program AE, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, or Custom (C1 & C2).

Record Menu (Red): With the exception of the Auto exposure mode, most of the Image Zone exposure functions, and the Movie mode, the Record menu provides virtually identical options for all exposure modes. These menus are accessed by depressing the Menu button once while in a Shooting mode. Following are the available settings:

• Flash Sync: Syncs the flash with the first or second curtain. (That is, when the shutter first opens, or just before it closes. Second-curtain sync is needed when shooting flash photos of moving objects in conjunction with long shutter speeds, in order to make the "motion trails" of the subjects follow the subjects, rather than appearing to stretch in front of them.)
• Slow Synchro: Turns Slow Synchro flash mode on or off.
• Flash Adjust: Sets whether the flash strength is set automatically (with a pre-flash), or manually (no pre-flash). Flash strength can be adjusted with either setting. Auto allows two-stop adjustment in one-third stop steps, and Manual allows three steps for the internal flash, or from 1/16 to Full in one-third stop steps.
• Red-Eye Reduction: Activates the camera's Red-Eye Reduction flash mode, which reduces the occurrence of Red-Eye in portraits.
• Continuous Shooting: Specifies whether normal Continuous Shooting or High Speed Continuous Shooting modes are available via the Drive setting. (High Speed mode gives faster frame rates, but with fewer shots possible in each sequence.)
• Self-Timer: Sets the duration of the self-timer countdown to two or 10 seconds.
  
  


• Wireless Delay: Sets the duration of the self-timer when used with the remote control. Times are zero, two, or 10 seconds.
• Spot AE Point: Establishes the area the Spot metering system bases its exposure on, either from the center of the frame or from the currently selected autofocus area point.
• ND Filter: Flips the ND filter in or out of the optical path. If enabled, the ND filter cuts the incoming light by a factor of eight (three f-stops). The ND filter is handy for closeup flash work, or for enabling wider apertures or longer shutter times under bright shooting conditions.
• Safety Shift: If set to On, the camera will override your selected shutter / aperture setting in Shutter or Aperture Priority modes if the metering system detects that the exposure will be incorrect with your selected setting.
• MF Point Zoom: Determines whether or not the focusing point is magnified in the LCD display when manual focus is adjusted. (Note that the MF point follows any AF point you may have selected with the FlexiZone feature.)
• AF Mode: Determines when the autofocus mechanism operates. Single autofocus sets focus whenever the Shutter button is pressed halfway. Continuous autofocus adjusts the focus continuously, any time the camera is in a record mode.
• AF Assist Beam: Turns the AF assist lamp on or off. If set to On, the AF assist lamp will illuminate as necessary while the Shutter button is half-pressed to obtain correct autofocus.
  
  


• Digital Zoom: Turns digital zoom on or off.
• Review: Sets the Quick Review time duration, with options ranging from 2 to 10 seconds, in one-second increments. You can also disable the Review function.
• Reverse Display: Sets whether or not the image is reversed when the LCD is turned 180 degrees to face towards the subject in front of the camera.
• RAW+JPEG Record: Allows you to select the size of the JPEG thumbnail that is contained within each RAW file captured by the camera, with an attendant change in the size of the RAW file on your CompactFlash card. Options are L (3,072 x 2,304 pixels), M1 (2,592 x 1,944 pixels), M2 (2,048 x 1,536 pixels), M3 (1,600 x 1,200 pixels), or S (640 x 480 pixels).
• Intervalometer: Activates Interval shooting mode, letting you capture a series of images at specific intervals. Intervals can range from 1 to 60 minutes, with a maximum of 100 shots in a series.
• Save Settings: Saves the currently selected menu settings for subsequent recall in the C1 or C2 camera modes.

Setup Menu (Yellow): The Setup menu provides universal camera control options that remain the same in both Shooting and Replay modes. This menu is accessed by depressing the Menu button once and then scrolling to the right with the Four-Way Arrow pad. Following are the available settings:

• Mute: Turns the camera's sounds On or Off. When set to On, no sounds will be heard, with the exception of the error warning signal.
• Volume: Accesses a sub-menu where the volume of the camera's Start-up, Operation, Self-Timer, Shutter and Playback sounds, with each type of sound being adjusted separately on a five-step scale, plus the ability to disable that particular sound altogether. This option is not available when Mute is set to On.
• LCD Brightness: Adjusts the brightness level of the LCD monitor to Normal (small sun) or Bright (large sun).
• Power Saving: Accesses a sub-menu where you can set the camera's Auto Power Down and Display Off functions. The Auto Power Down function selects whether the camera turns itself off after three minutes of inactivity in Record mode, and five minutes of inactivity in Playback mode / when connected to a printer, or whether the power remains on indefinitely. The Display Off function lets you select from choices of 10, 20 or 30 seconds, or one, two or three minutes, before the LCD display is turned off automatically to save power.
• Date / Time: Sets the camera's internal clock and calendar.
  
  


• Format: Formats the CompactFlash card, deleting all images saved on the card (even write-protected ones).
• File Number Reset: Resets file numbering with each new card. (The default is to continue the numbering sequence across multiple cards, to prevent accidental overwriting of image files when they're copied to a computer.)
• Auto Rotate: Designates whether the camera automatically tags vertically-oriented shots to be rotated in the LCD monitor during playback, and in compatible software applications on a computer.
• Distance Units: Sets the focus measurement to read out in either meters / centimeters or feet / inches.
• Language: Changes the G6's menu language to one of 14 language options.
• Video System: Sets the video output signal to NTSC or PAL.

My Camera Menu (Purple): The third menu available in any Record mode, this lets you customize the camera's start-up screen, sounds, etc. Each setting offers three choices already programmed into the camera (Canon screen, scenic view, or bird image), but you can also load your own images and sounds. I guess some folks may find this amusing, but I really don't understand Canon's expending the engineering resources to put this sort of thing in a camera for the serious amateur. I mean, do any of the G6's prospective buyers really care about having their cameras play a different startup sound or tune?

• Theme: Selects the theme for each My Camera setting item, adjusting all of the following items together.
• Start-Up Image: Selects which image appears at camera start-up.
• Start-Up Sound: Sets the sound that plays at camera start-up.
• Operation Sound: Specifies the noises played when the Four-Way Arrow pad is pressed, or any button other than the Shutter button.
• Self-Timer Sound: Sets the noise for the Self-Timer beep.
• Shutter Sound: Sets the shutter noise.

Play Menu (Blue): This menu is only available in the Replay mode. It allows you to scroll through captured images; erase, protect, and rotate them; or set them up in a slide show or for printing on a DPOF compatible device. The Play menu offers the following selections:

• Protect: Write protects the currently displayed image from accidental deletion, except by card formatting.
• Rotate: Rotates captured images 90 or 270 degrees clockwise.
• Erase All: Erases all images from the CompactFlash card (excluding protected images).
• Slide Show: Automatically plays images in a slide show format. You can choose to include all images on the card or one of three Program selections. You can also set the Play Time (amount of time between images) from three to 30 seconds or Manual; and turn the Repeat function on or off
• Print Order: Sets up images for printing on a DPOF compatible device. Options include Standard or Index prints, the number of copies, Date Stamp On or Off, and File Number On or Off.
• Transfer Order: Selects images to be transferred with email software, when the camera is connected to a computer.