With the PowerShot Pro90 IS, Canon has updated its Pro70 digital camera with better optics--a powerful 10x zoom lens and the image stabilization necessary to use that level of magnification.

While the camera's 2.6-megapixel effective resolution doesn't top the charts, photo enthusiasts will find its image quality competitive with that of many 3-megapixel models. And its easy operation and comfortable handling should make it an appealing choice for casual shooters and business users, too.

Canon's PowerShot Pro90 IS was designed to appeal to photo enthusiasts with a powerful 10x stabilized zoom lens, 2.6-megapixel resolution, and a wealth of features. For casual shooters, it offers easy operation and plenty of preset shooting modes. Although not without its quirks and flaws, the Pro90 deserves a serious look from anyone willing to spend more than AU$2,000 on a digital camera.

Since 3.3-megapixel cameras have been on the market for a long time, you might wonder why a sophisticated model like this one offers only 2.6-megapixel resolution. The answer is that the Pro90's high-resolution sensor didn't become available until after Canon had designed the lens, which doesn't project an image large enough to cover the entire CCD. So Canon masked the 3.34-megapixel chip down, ending up with a 2.6-megapixel effective resolution.

Our testing yielded sharp, detailed images that compare well to those produced by 3-megapixel competitors. We were pleased to find a low level of colour noise and a good dynamic range in our test shots. The camera wasn't able to capture very deep blacks, but on the other hand it didn't block up the details in shadow areas either. White-balance settings worked adequately well, although the camera's apparently limited sensitivity to blue colour values came into play even when we used the manual white balance, giving our indoor test shots a slightly yellow cast. Perhaps the most noticeable problem in image quality was visible chromatic aberration. In images shot under bright outdoor light, it was easy to see the resulting purple fringes. However, we were pleased to see that images suffered from very little distortion, even when shot at the extremes of the long lens range.

One of the problems with a 10x zoom lens is that when you're shooting at high magnifications, the movement of the hand holding the camera is magnified, too. Canon's Optical Image Stabilization system addresses this camera-shake problem with motion-sensing gyros that instantly adjust the lens elements to compensate for your movements.

The system works very well, but it also makes a large lens barrel necessary, and this camera isn't small. However, if you're comparing the Pro90 to other stabilized 10X zoom cameras, you'll find it similar in size and weight to the 626-grams Olympus C-2100 Ultra Zoom, and lightweight next to Sony's 1.02-kgs Mavica MVC-CD1000.

We found the Pro90's buttons and functions easily accessible and well placed, and especially liked the way Canon gives you easy access to the 12 shooting modes with a clearly marked dial. One notable omission is a macro mode, but an optional close-up lens is available for the camera. The camera's rounded body fits comfortably in your right hand, the lens barrel supported in your left. One cool aspect of the camera design is a 4.6-cm colour LCD, which can be flipped over to protect the screen when not in use or folded out and rotated a full 180 degrees. The dedicated viewfinder isn't an optical device, as on most cameras; it's a mini LCD that functions only when the large LCD is turned off. Both the viewfinder and the large LCD provide an accurate full-frame view and have fast refresh rates. The LCD menus, when you need to use them, are clear and intuitive.

There were some downsides to the Pro90's operation: The pop-up flash doesn't open when you switch to flash photography, instead popping up abruptly when you release the shutter. We found it startling and can't see an advantage to this design choice. You zoom the lens with a ring at the end of the lens barrel. When you turn the ring a bit, it activates the zoom motor--after a half-second pause. This was disconcerting at first, and we never grew to like it. You also have to hold a button down and use the omni controller button to focus manually, which we found a bit unwieldy.

In addition to saving JPEGs and Motion JPEG video, you can output lossless uncompressed RAW files with the Pro90. You'll need to spend a little extra time converting them into an editable format with Canon's software when you download them, but they offer a couple of advantages: First, they're roughly a third of the size of TIFFs. Second, you apply image parameters--such as white balance, sharpness, contrast, and saturation--with the software when you import the files instead of in the camera before you shoot. This allows you to make adjustments to an image that you can see, instead of making an educated guess about the parameters you need to set before shooting.

Overall, we think the PowerShot Pro90 IS is a compelling camera that photo enthusiasts will do well to consider. At first glance, it may seem expensive for a sub-3-megapixel model, but when you take into account its powerful optics, easy handling, and generous package (infrared remote control, rechargeable battery, and Adobe Photoshop 5.0 LE included), the price of this camera starts to look about right.

Canon Powershot Pro90
Company:Canon Australia
Ph: 1800 025 119
Price: AU$2,799

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