Field-test of the Canon Prima Super 90W. Modern technology has enabled manufacturers to come up with better products than ever before. Such technologies also allow them to make their products lighter and affordable. Cameras, like any consumer products, have also benefited a lot from modern technologies. Take for example, Canon's range of Prima (known as the Sure Shot series in North American and some European markets) AF 35mm compact cameras. From the original Sure Shot AF 35M (I still have one - and it's a working unit), which only has a fixed 35mm lens, the range available today comes with 2x and 3x zoom lenses built-in. The ease of use and the idiot-proof qualities of the Prima models make photography simple for many who know next to nothing about taking pictures. However, a seasoned professional like me seems to be struggling when it comes to using most of the Prima range as well as the latest point-&-shoot APS models that Canon has. Years of using 35mm SLR cameras seems to be the cause of the problem. I won't have problems using any 35mm SLR camera, AF or manual focus, of any brand or their fast and slow lenses - but auto-everything 35mm compacts is a hassle for me. I am still able to create great images with any of the latest Prima models despite the problems encountered. This is normal, at least that's what some former 250cc riders have told me - after having mastered the techniques of handling the 500cc GP bikes, the quarter-liter types felt really slow, they opined. I felt the same thing when riding a 110cc moped after years of riding big motorcycles - full throttle all the way, whether the moped was moving on a straight road or at corners. Canon Prima Super 90W The lens cover and the built-in zoom lens     Its LCD panel located at the back Close-up of the LCD panel and zoom button The best modern Prima camera that I like best was the Super 120, a model that Canon made to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the aforementioned Sure Shot AF 35M compact. The latest version, the Prima Super 90W as tested in this issue, is quite complicated, by my standards. It is more suited to people who know nothing about photography. The Prima Super 90W has a unique ON/OFF switch. You will never guess where it is located the first time you pick it up. The front lens cover is itself the ON/OFF switch. All you got to do is slide the cover open and the camera will activate itself and the zoom lens automatically set to the 28mm position with the built-in flash popping out and ready to shoot - just make sure that a film is loaded. It also has a large LCD display at the back, which also acts as the Command Dial and PIC (Programmed Image Control) mode selector. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 .