Review: Canon Powershot 350/Konica Q-mini
John McVey
After some shopping around and reading various news posts and
magazine reviews, I recently purchased a Canon Powershot 350
digital camera.
I'm posting this review to hopefully help others by providing
information that I could not find from any source other than
buying the camera and testing it. I will *keep* the camera.
This camera was designed by Matshushita and is marketed under
three different brand names/models:
Panasonic Card Shot NV-DCF1
Canon Powershot 350
Konica Q-mini QM3501
First some specs:
Video Output Signal: NTSC color signal (active in record or playback)
Image Sensor: 1/3-inch CCD image sensor, VGA (640 x 480 square pixels),
progressive-scan (non-interlaced system)
Lens: f=6 mm (equivalent to 43 mm on 35-mm camera), F 2.8
4 elements in 3 groups
21mm filter thread
Shutter Speed: 1/4 ~ 1/2,000
Photometry System: Optical TTL center weighted average with CCD
Exposure Control: Automatic Program AE
Manual exposure compensation eight 1/3 EV steps (+- 4)
Equivalent ISO Speed: 120
White Balance Adjustment: Automatic / Manual
Recording Format: JPEG compression
6:1 Compression Fine
12:1 Compression Normal
24:1 Compression Economy
Recording Media: Compact Flash memory (CF) card
Image Resolution: 640 x 480 pixels
Recording Mode and Capacity:
Fine: 11 pictures (with 2MB CF card)
Normal: 23 pictures (with 2MB CF card)
Economy: 47 pictures (with 2MB CF card)
Additional Shooting Data: Date, time, picture serial number, etc.
automatic calendar until 2097 (independent battery backup)
Special Effects: Negative mode
Focusing Range: 0.7m - infinity Standard mode: Pan Focusing
0.03m - 0.7m Macro mode: Manual lever focusing
Flash: Built-in flash Flash operating range: 0.7 m ~ 3.0 m
Auto Flash
Flash On
Flash Off
Red-eye reduction
Shooting Interval: 10 sec with flash
~2 sec without flash
Self Timer: 10 sec.
LCD Monitor: 1.8-inch color LCD (approx 320 X 240 pixels)
LCD Data Display: Frames remaining, frame number, negative/positive mode,
white balance mode, self timer, image quality mode,
battery warning, data/time, exposure compensation,
flash mode, PC status
Playback modes: 1 image, 4 images, 16 images
Erase modes: Selective or all
Video Output Terminal: M3 (double-pole jack) 1Vp-p, 75-ohm
Digital Output Terminal: M3 (four-pin jack), serial interface
Power: AA alkaline dry cell (or Ni-Cd battery) x 3 or AC
adaptor (DC 6 V)
Power Consumption: Record: 4.2 W Playback: 2.7 W
Battery life: Alkaline: 30 min Record or 60 minutes Playback
Ni-cad: 50 min Record or 80 minutes Playback
Battery recharge time: 8 hours
Operating Temperature: 0 deg. C ~ 40 deg. C
Dimensions: 93 (W) x 94 (H) x 51.3 (D) mm
Weight: Approx. 290 g
Approx. 366 g (with CF card and 3 R6-type Ni-Cd batteries)
The included SW and accessories vary depending on whether you buy the Panasonic, Canon or
Konica version. My Canon Powershot 350 came with:
AC Adapter/battery charger
3 AA Ni-cad batteries (1000mA-Hr)
2MB Compact flash card (other sizes up to 15MB or 24MB are available)
Wrist strap
Carrying case with belt loop and extra battery storage
Cables for video and PC/MAC connect
Ulead PhotoImpact software on CD-ROM
Twain Drivers on CD-ROM
Adobe Photo Deluxe free with registration (while supplies last)
You can visit www.powershot.com to see Canon's web page for the Powershot 350/600
cameras.
Several magazines have reviewed this camera:
ComputerLife - August, 1997
ComputerShopper - August, 1997
Popular Photography - September, 1997
HomePC - October, 1997
HomePC preferred the Canon version over the Konica version for subtle reasons like
included nicads and SW. Popular photography found this camera to be one of the most
color accurate of the models tested.
I have found the camera to be a convenient size and comfortable to hold. One handed
shooting is great. The video out is also active during picture taking which allows me
to use a TV as viewfinder when desired. The camera also has excellent low light
senstivity and the flash is often not required.
The macro mode focuses down to 1.2 inches and focusing is easy with the LCD and manual
lever.
The filter threads allow me to use a polarizing filter to improve sky saturation and
use auxiliary wide angle/telephoto lenses or even attach to my telescope with a custom
fitting.
The only thing lacking on this camera in my opinion is a zoom lens.
I plan to get a web site running with my own sample photos. For now you can find some
on www.powershot.com.
best regards,
John McVey
jmc...@boi.hp.com
John McVey
I forgot to elaborate on the negative feature:
The macro mode, combined with negative mode and manual white balance enables
you to convert negatives into positive pictures in the camera. The procedure is to
enter negative mode and set the white balance based on an unexposed (and developed)
piece of negative. Then photograph the desired frames in the negative. This mode
works well but require some source of illumination for the negative like a light table.
John McVey
Here is some more information regarding the Canon Powershot 350.
I bought it from MDIUSA for $599 including a free 8MB Simple
Compact Flash Card. Shipping was standard UPS ground for $7.50.
The camera arrived in 3 days.
The 6mm lens allows handheld available light photos without
flash. I took a handheld picture of my house at night illuminated
only by streetlights and porchlight and it looks just like you'd
want a night scene to look.
I've also been comparing the Fine, Normal, Economy compression
mode quality. They are all 640X480 resolution, but the compression
is more agressive in the Normal and Economy modes. I viewed the
photos on my 20" computer monitor, my 27" Sony TV, and printed on
a Canon BJC-610 (admittedly not the best anymore). Fine and Normal
were nearly the same. Economy was only slightly less detailed.
I'm impressed with how usable the Economy mode really is!
I would like to hear from other Powershot, Q-mini or Cardshot
users about how their software uploads to the computer.