Summary: I got to borrow this camera for a few weeks last year to do take pictures at an event I attended. I took a mix of indoors and outdoors shots.
The camera is very sturdy and easy to carry around. It’s very easy to use, yet offers many advance manual settings that will appeal to the advanced user. It takes super crisp and clear pictures – especially at ISO 50 – on the downside, the ISO 400 setting shows a lot of noise. Should only be use in extreme cases, like if you’re not allowed to use a flash indoors.
Overall it’s a great, bring with you everywhere, point and shoot camera. Good bang for the bucks.
Strengths: + Build quality and it's Black
+ Resolution/quality of images
+ shoots RAW
+ Well priced
Weaknesses: - heavy
- No Battery life meter
- Macro not the best
- barrel distortion
Similar Products Used: Canon S45, Sony DSC-T1, HP R707
Summary: The camera takes good pictures and has good features, as many other articles illustrate. The problem is that the camera is extremely sensitive to its environment, and is prone to experiencing failure when used in conditions in which you would never expect to have problems.
I purchased the s50 six months ago. Since then, it has been in for repairs to Canon's Factory service twice for a combined time of over a month and a half.
The first time I sent the camera in for repair was after only a week of use. The lenses failed to operate and the lens assembly was replaced. The camera was returned in a reasonable amount of time (within 2.5 weeks).
The second time I sent the camera in for repair was a month and a half ago. The lcd panel on the rear of the camera body stopped functioning.
After the camera had been in the service center for over a month (dated from the date on the Canon Repair Acknowledgement letter -- which stated that I should expect the camera back inside of 10 days), and after placing 5 calls to the repair center -- leaving 2 voice mails which went unanswered; being disconnected twice; and speaking with a repair center person who took my number and said she would call back -- she never did, the status of my camera was finally updated on the Canon website (sorry for the run-on). The web site now stated that my repair had been re-estimated and that I needed to remit $164 for the repair.
I called the Canon repair center to provide payment --> this time they managed to get a live person on the phone. While on the phone, she informed me that the camera had been evaluated and the repair cost estimate had been made a month earlier -- yet, nobody had contacted me, the website had never been updated, and even after calling on five prior occasions, this had not been communicated. I was also informed, while making payment, that the damage requiring repair was "water related."
As a brief word on the "water related damage," I should note that this camera was never subjected to anything which one would associate with mishandling or water contact. At most, it has been used, in a protected fashion during misty conditions. You can find plenty of other articles that people have written describing their troubles with "water damage" resulting from use in high humidity climates.
My conclusions on this camera are as follows:
1. The product itself is flawed -- it requires absurdly cautious handling and babying. My Canon 35mm SLR is far more reliable and much better constructed.
2. Canon customer service is abysmal. Although their CSRs are polite on the phone --> they are useless. My camera has been in repair for 1/3 of the time I have owned it. Their communication of the status of my camera has been non-existent. Even when I have attempted to actively contact them, it has been a fruitless exercise.
Weaknesses: The product is flawed -- it requires absurdly cautious handling and babying. My Canon 35mm SLR is far more reliable and much better constructed.
Similar Products Used: Canon 35mm SLR cameras -- have loved them all.
Customer Service: Canon customer service is abysmal. Although their CSRs are polite on the phone --> they are useless. My camera has been in repair for 1/3 of the time I have owned it. Their communication of the status of my camera has been non-existent. Even when I have attempted to actively contact them, it has been a fruitless exercise.
Summary: I was looking for a small digital camera for my briefcase. I wanted feature rich unit with above average picture quality. I found it in the Canon S50. A terrific shooter with above average digital quality. I take it every place and pack it in a lens slot in my larger SLR bag as a digital backup. It is not a substitute for a DSLR, but it is one of the best for compact shooting. The S50 is a "no brainer" value at $400. If you want a loaded compact this is it.
Strengths: Exposure control features
Size and weight
5mp images with good image quality choices
Uses compact flash common with other cameras
Fast shutter speed when needed
Remembers saved settings in each exposure mode.
I like the metal body.
Weaknesses: Some of the menus take a little time to learn
Flash, so what is new on this size
Average auto focus and zoom speed
Needs more custom settings (has only one feature set memory in the C mode)
35 to 105mm zoom is a bit narrow
Similar Products Used: Nikon 800
Minolta Dimage 7HI
Summary: This is my first digital camera, after using film in Canon F1n, A1 and AE-1 models. I also like my Canon ELPH 370Z. After reading all the other reviews, one would think that there are a lot of problems with this camera. I think there are minimal weaknesses.
The size and weight of the camera is optimal; any lighter and you couldn't hold the camera stock-still for low light non-flash shots. I am a fan of the APSCanon ELPH series, and its light weight was always a problem for low light shots. The flash is more than adequate for the most situations.
The features are nearly identical to the G5, without the hot shoe and the size. There are so many features that some will not use them; I feel lucky to have them, so I can really plan my shots and maximize the experience of photography. My wife can use the camera in auto-mode and get great shots. I also bought a 340MB IBM microdrive, and I haven't run out of space after 150 images and videos.
I would recommend at least two batteries, because the battery will go down soon after the the warning indicator comes on.
The auto white balance and manual choices remind me of my camcorder. This camera will take some video, with sound, for up to 3 mins. The ease of use is the strongest point of the camera. The images you can achieve are stunning and instantaneous; you may eliminate images quickly if you don't like it.
There are 13 modes, including video, multiple images, auto bracketing modes, auto and manual focusing, six photo effects, and adjustments of both the flash or ISO by 1/3 increments for up to -2 or +2 stops.
The LCD measures 1.8 in. I would recommend a plastic cover for protection; I got one from Radio shack.
I got used to the multidirectional set button quickly. It may take some getting used to, but the learning curve is not steep. I liked turning all the noisy crappy songs and beeps down or off on startup and things like shutter noise. Should there be a shutter noise on an electronic camera? I don't think so.
Strengths: Ease of use, images, size, water housing cover, lens (equivalent to 35-105mm on 35mm, minimal delay after depressing shutter.
Weaknesses: No battery strength indicator, no indicator of space on compact memory card, wish for a better lens cover,
Similar Products Used: No other digital cameras, but this one is built well, like all Canons
Customer Service: I've had service on the ELPH after falling during skiing, and cleaning of the old SLR's by authorized Canon service. Canon service agencies are all over the place. I've never needed service during the warranty periods, usually I take it in after a mishap. They are courteous.
Summary: Very good and compact 5 megapixel camera with enough zoom. Too heavy and not so thin, but some weight and some volume is needed to handle a camera firmly and take good pictures!
It comes with all the features you could desire from a compact camera and picture quality is good enough to replace completely your compact analogue camera.
My reflex, anyway, is not going to be replaced by this camera at all, of course.
The lens is the worse part: geometry distortion at wide zoom is very bad and smearing is really an issue in light areas. Resolution is poor at the angles of the image. I didn't find the 4 Megapixel version (S45) much worse than the s50.
Price has dropped down and now I think this PowerShot is a great deal.
Video mode uses the poorly compressed AVI format, MPEG would have been much better.
Battery indicator is poor, and you never know how long the batter is going to last until it's too late. Better to have a couple of spare charged packs always available.
LCD is poorly protected, and sensible to scratches, this is the worse part.
Serigraphy tends to fade away with usage, it should have been more robust.
Strengths: Feature rich
Manual modes
Compact Flash (also Type II)
Low noise and high sensibility at 50 and 100 ISO
Manual Focus
Macro Mode
Good JPEG compression in SuperFine and Fine modes
Weaknesses: Noisy
Smearing effect
Poor resolution at the borders
Poor battery indicator
Very noisy at 200 and 400 ISO
AVI Video format
No picture resampling or editing on the camera
RAW Format is compact but complicated to use and export
More intermediate formats between maximum and 1600x1200 would have been useful (e.g. 2200x1650)
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