Review based on a production Canon PowerShot TX1
Announced back in February just before this year's PMA, the PowerShot TX1 is an unusual offshoot of the hugely popular IXUS / ELPH range that attempts to straddle the divide between digital stills and digital video cameras with its unusual vertical styling and 720p HDTV video capture. Despite its diminutive dimensions (it's little bigger than a pack of playing cards) the TX1 packs a fairly impressive punch, offering a 10x optically stabilized zoom, 7.1MP CCD, vari-angle LCD and 1080i HDTV component video output. So does the TX1 represent a new direction for compact digital cameras or has Canon set off down a blind alley? Let's find out, starting as ever with the headline features:
| Street price | • US: $480 • UK: £300 (the TX1 doesn't appear to be officially imported into Europe) |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Plastic and metal |
| Sensor | • 1/2.5" type CCD |
| Image processor | DIGIC III with iSAPS technology |
| Image sizes | • 3072 x 2304 |
| Movie clips | • 1280 x 720 @ 30fps |
| File formats | • JPEG Exif 2.2 |
| Lens | • 39-390mm (35mm equiv) |
| Optical Stabilization | • Yes (lens shift type) |
| Focus | • TTL autofocus • AF illuminator • Face Detect AF / 9-point AiAF • 1 point AF (center) • Macro mode • Normal: 1.6 ft./50cm-infinity (WIDE), 3.3 ft./1.0m-infinity (TELE) • Macro: 3.9 in.-1.6 ft./10-50cm (WIDE) • Super Macro: 0-3.9 in./10cm (WIDE) |
| Metering | • Evaluative • Centre-weighted average • Spot (Center) |
| Shooting mode | • Auto |
| Scene modes | • Portrait • Night Snapshot • Indoor • Foliage • Snow • Beach • Aquarium |
| Shutter speeds | • 15 - 1/2500 sec (dependent on shooting mode) |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 2EV in 1/3 EV increments |
| Sensitivity | • Auto • High ISO Auto • ISO 80 • 100 • 200 • 400 • 800 |
| White Balance | • Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Fluorescent H • Custom |
| Image parameters | My Colors: My Colors Off, Vivid, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Neutral, Sepia, B&W, Positive Film, Light Skin Tone, Dark Skin Tone, Custom Color |
| Continuous | • Continuous (2.2 fps, no frame limit) • Continuous with AF (1.1 fps, no frame limit) |
| Flash | • Auto • Forced on • Forced off • Red-eye reduction • Flash exposure lock • Slow synchro • Normal: 1.6-6.6 ft./50cm - 2.0m (W), 3.3-3.9 ft./1.0-1.2m (T) • Macro: 1.1-1.6 ft./35-50cm (W) (when sensitivity is set to ISO Auto) |
| Storage | • SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus compatible • 32 MB card supplied |
| Viewfinder | No |
| LCD monitor | • 1.8-inch polycrystalline TFT • 115,000 pixels • Night Display, Quick Bright LCD available |
| Connectivity | • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed |
| Power | • NB-4L Li-ion cell • Charger included • Optional AC adapter |
| In the box | • Canon PowerShot TX1 |
| Other features | • Up to 60 sec sound memo per image |
| Weight (inc batts) | Approx 220 g (7.8 oz) |
| Dimensions | 89 x 60 x 29 mm (3.5 x 2.4 x 1.1 in) |
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).
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Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window. To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top. DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C. |
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This article is Copyright 2007 Simon Joinson / dpreview.com and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey
Canon PowerShot TX1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom | $649.99 |
Canon PowerShot TX1 7.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom | $649.99 |
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Canon PowerShot D20 Shock & Waterproof GPS Digital Camera with 32GB Card + Case + Battery & Charger + Flex Tripod + Float Strap + Accessory Kit | $334.95 |
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Canon PowerShot D20 Shock & Waterproof GPS Digital Camera with 32GB Card + Case + Battery + Accessory Kit | $324.95 |
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