The Canon PowerShot N2 is redesigned to cater to modern photographers, particularly those who enjoy taking selfies. The camera features a distinctive squarish design lacking a traditional zoom rocker and shutter button. Instead, it employs control rings around the lens for zooming and capturing images. Despite its minimal physical controls, it offers a touch-screen interface for navigating shooting settings easily.
Design and Features
The Canon PowerShot N2 stands out with its unique square design and minimal physical controls. Its control rings positioned around the lens act as the primary method for zooming and taking photos. The camera features an 8x zoom lens covering a 28-224mm field of view with an aperture range of f/3 to f/5.9. Creative enthusiasts will appreciate the Creative Shot mode, which captures a series of images using various artistic filters and crops, providing creative variations.
Wireless Connectivity
Canon has included Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities in the PowerShot N2 to facilitate easier photo transfers and remote control via the Canon Camera Connect app. The app allows users to browse and copy images from the camera to a smartphone. Despite the convenience provided by these features, the remote control capabilities are mainly limited to adjusting zoom, setting the self-timer, and firing the shutter.
Performance and Image Quality
Performance-wise, the N2 has a startup time of 1.4 seconds and good focus lock speed. The camera's lens sharpness is measured at 2,085 lines per picture height. Up to ISO 1600, noise levels are kept low, peaking at 1.7 percent at ISO 3200. However, image quality begins to suffer at higher ISOs due to aggressive noise reduction. The camera's video recording capability is at 1080p30, although it introduces some graininess and rolling shutter effects during fast pans.
Battery and Storage
One notable downside is the lack of an external battery charger. Users have to charge the battery in-camera via an AC adapter and mini USB cable. The camera uses a micro SD memory card for storage, which is compatible with up to 64GB SDXC cards.
Recommendations
The Canon PowerShot N2 is an intriguing choice for smartphone photographers seeking image quality and optical zoom. However, it retains an awkward design with limited controls and faces challenges in ergonomics, flash performance, and battery life. For those prioritizing image quality, the Canon PowerShot N100 or alternative compact options such as the SX600 or Panasonic ZS50 might be more suitable choices. Despite some design flaws, the N2 delivers strong image quality with low noise, crisp details, and accurate colors, making it a viable option for specific user preferences.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Design & Controls | Square design, control rings around lens for zoom and shutter, 8x zoom (28-224mm), f/3 to f/5.9 aperture |
| Creative Shot Mode | Captures images with various artistic filters and crops |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities, Canon Camera Connect app for remote control and photo transfer |
| Performance | 1.4-second startup, focus lock speed, 2,085 lines per picture height lens sharpness, low noise up to ISO 1600 |
| Image Quality | 1080p30 video recording, some graininess and rolling shutter effects in video |
| Battery & Storage | In-camera charging via AC adapter and mini USB, micro SD storage up to 64GB SDXC |
| Recommendations | Good for smartphone photographers, potential ergonomics and battery life issues; alternative models include Canon PowerShot N100, SX600, Panasonic ZS50 |
