Review Canon PowerShot N

The PowerShot N is the strangest looking camera we've seen in a long time. There's an 8x zoom lens on the front, a 2.8in touchscreen on the back and very little else. There are buttons on the side for power, playback and Wi-Fi, plus a mode switch, but no sign of a shutter button or zoom lever.

These key functions are built into the metal rings that encircle the lens. Zooming is achieved by twisting, and pushing the ring up or down captures a photo. The idea is that, like an iPad, there's no right or wrong way to hold this camera. The screen tilts up to allow shooting from waist height. If you want to shoot with the camera held above your head, just turn it upside down the zoom and shutter release controls will work in exactly the same way. They fall comfortably under the fingers in portrait orientation too, although the screen's single-axis hinge isn't any help here.

The design is certainly innovative, but more conventional controls and a screen that tilts both up and down would have achieved roughly the same result. Then again, articulated screens are rare on ultra-compact cameras, and they're always extremely welcome.

The minimal design and integrated Wi-Fi also point towards another form of innovation. Wi-Fi cameras let users take photos with a camera and edit and share them on a smartphone a few seconds later. The PowerShot N's design seems to fully embrace this concept, stripping the camera down to its essential components, including a relatively small 2.8in screen for composing shots, on the basis that they're more likely to be viewed on a smartphone.

It's a compelling idea, but Canon's Wi-Fi implementation is a limiting factor. Photos and videos are transferred on demand, with browsing either on the camera or smartphone app (available for iOS and Android). However, there's no option to transfer photos automatically as soon as they're captured, which would have given much tighter integration between camera and smartphone. There's no remote shooting function either, and the app-based GPS tagging function is a little clumsy. The 200-shot battery life is another worry. This camera might not last a full day's use if the Wi-Fi radio is used extensively.

Click Here To Compare Product

Search Result

Canon's PowerShot N, with its 'either way up' design and Creative Shot processing filters, is one of the most unusual cameras we've seen for some time.,Creativity with a twist. The Canon PowerShot N with Creative shooting mode that produces 6 types of image including the original after automatically applying creative ...,Of all the myriad of compact cameras announced at the CES trade show in Las Vegas at the start of 2013, the tiny Canon PowerShot N, with its either-way-up design ...,YOKOHAMA, Japan--At the Canon booth, we came across the PowerShot N and were immediately taken by its square-ish footprint which goes against the design grain of ...,If you can get past the supercompact design and reimagined controls, the Canon PowerShot N is a fine point-and-shoot companion for your smartphone.,With built-in WiFi, a creative shooting mode and easy-to-access controls, the Canon PowerShot N might be a great camera to take to your next...,First Shots of the Canon PowerShot N digital camera, with a look at early sample images, and a detailed data sheet.,Canon's high-end PowerShot digital cameras incorporate the creative performance of a professional digital SLR camera and the compact convenience of a point-and-shoot.,Consumer & Home Office:Cameras:Digital Cameras:PowerShot N ... Overview. Share Your Artistic Expression. The new PowerShot N opens up a new dimension of photographic ...,New PowerShot N Digital Camera Opens New Dimensions Of Photographic Expression ... Canon's PowerShot N is the ultimate storytelling tool. ...