Our First Take
Along with advanced WiFi connectivity, the main selling point of the N100 is its dual-capture feature. With it, a shooter using a Canon N100 can be a part of any group photo via an adjustable picture-in-picture overlay. It's a grand experiment for Canon: The imaging giant is betting that putting photographers in the frame will be a hit with consumers, and provide an advantage that today's smartphone cameras can't (or don't yet) match.
Design & Usability
PowerShot N series, candidate #2
The PowerShot N100 looks like the other N, but blown up to conventional point-and-shoot scale. That's not to say that it's unwieldy or oversized, but it's a little on the chunky side. A very substantial rear thumb grip makes the camera very stable for right-handed individuals, though one-handed operation is a bit difficult due to the lack of a front grip—that casing is a bit slick.
On the back is a 3-inch, 90-degree tilting LCD with a capacitive touchscreen that feels sturdy enough to use as a kickstand. The rear-facing camera is embedded in the screen frame, so as long as the display is facing the shooter the camera will be facing them. Though you may end up with some up-the-nose shots if you hold the camera at a low angle, it's an effectively simple solution.
Though the bar is set pretty low for controls on point-and-shoots, the buttons on the N100 have a nice tactility to them—just don't expect DSLR-level polish or anything. Keep in mind that this is a more or less entry-level camera that has a unique feature to sell, and you've got an idea of what you should expect. I had no issue flying through menus or changing settings. Autofocus is a tad on the slow side, but perfectly fine for subjects nearby.
Zoom is quite modest at 5x, but the wide-angle f/1.8 lens is great for grabbing low-light stills and video. A 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 6 processor are found under the hood, as well as a bevy of sharing options that make the N100 a camera to consider if your point-and-shoot adventures are mainly centered around family and friends.
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Features
Stare into the camera, and the camera stares back
We mentioned the photographer-facing camera before, but we'll flesh it out a little more here. The N100 has two cameras: a main camera, and a "story camera" meant to include the photographer in any shot or video with a Dual Capture mode.
Located just above the tilting LCD/stand of the camera, this tiny secondary optic captures the person(s) behind the camera and superimposes them in a customizable picture-in-picture window. The effect works in both stills and movies. It's an interesting concept and the feature is super easy to use, though the show floor of CES wasn't exactly conducive to getting the best out of it. You can drag and drop the window to any corner you like, and tapping it will cycle through three available sizes.
Building upon the hardware, the camera's software allows you to make a highlight reel of your photos and videos to catalog an event as it unfolds. You can group these by date, person, or event, along with other user-defined groupings. When each highlight reel is completed, it will span two minutes if only photos are used, and up to five minutes with video and user-defined media.
Canon also has a unique method to pair the camera with your smartphone. With the N100 and other offerings, hitting the button marked with a smartphone icon and then tapping your phone to the camera will boot up the Canon Camera Window App, allowing you to share images and highlight reels.
Conclusion
Know when to hold 'em
Despite the PowerShot N receiving less than stellar marks, it's refreshing to see that Canon is pushing forward and building on the idea. The shooter-facing camera is a convenient way to embed a candid of yourself in a group shot, where you'd normally be stuck outside of the picture. New parents, for instance, will be able to take pictures they've never seen before: Their faces alongside their young ones, as they hit their first milestones.
We're looking forward to putting this camera through its paces, since as far as we're aware this is the only camera that has a second set of optics pointed directly at the shooter. (Panasonic's new HC-W850 pulls a similar trick in camcorder form.) It's a great idea, and we'll have to see how well it does on the market. With smartphones eating the bottom out of the point-and-shoot market, it's taking more and more to make the case for shelling out the coin for an entry-level camera.
Because this camera is so unique, the feature set is front and center when deciding whether or not it's worthy of the $349.99 pricetag. Even if it doesn't deliver the same type of performance a professional would demand, the buyer of an N100 definitely has sharing moments in mind over any other concern. If this sounds like you, the PowerShot N100 should definitely be on your radar. With black and white models, expect to see the plucky new PowerShot online or in stores sometime in May 2014.
Meet the tester
A seasoned writer and professional photographer, Chris reviews cameras, headphones, smartphones, laptops, and lenses. Educated in Political Science and Linguistics, Chris can often be found building a robot army, snowboarding, or getting ink.
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