Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD review summary

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Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD

- Manual controls : while great , there are limitations like no Bulb mode , and no way to set the exposure for longer than 15 seconds . - F / 2.0 ( and other aperture findings ) : f / 2.0 only available at wide angle 6 mm ( 28 mm equivalent ) . All the way zoomed in at 105 mm equivalent that aperture is 4.9 . While the large aperture is nice for low light , it has shortcomings when it comes down to the length of the depth of field ( DOF ) because of the small sensor size . It's usually a very long depth of field . At F / 2.0 the DOF on this camera is the equivalent of the DOF at ~ f / 9.2 in a full frame camera . This might not be a limitation if you only plan to take story-telling photos in which everything can be seen clearly but if you want to create the perception of depth with a nice bokeh ( the blurry parts ) without macro-mode , forget it , it's no good . - F / 37 equivalent DOF for smallest aperture ( f / 8 ) . Basically you get more details in less light so that's an advantage but be careful about the diffraction . At that tiny aperture diffraction eats up the sharpness like a big evil monster that it is . - Sensor size : while bigger than most point-and-shoots and equivalent Nikons , it is still small . - RAW mode - great to have RAW files from a camera this size . - Fastest shutter speed is 1 / 1600 which is not enough in bright light or if you want to do HDR in very bright light . - Speed - less than 1 frame per second is really slow . Kind of annoying capturing static images in action shots . - AEB - Auto Exposure Bracketing - Nice that it has it but has issues . You can choose it in aperture priority mode but then the photo is metered and if you want to adjust the center exposure up or down , it doesn't move the whole bracket so you end up with something like + 2 0 and - 1 or + 1 0 and - 2 . That can be adjusted by metering somewhere else in the photo ( half press of the shutter button ) and then re-composing while holding the shutter pressed half way down and taking the shot but it's still annoying . - Focus points - you can only focus in the center or use face detection ( lame ) . The above mentioned trick of focusing with the subject centered while holding the shutter button down half-way and then recomposing and completely pressing the button works . - The dial on the front for manual controls - I really like this . I wish other cameras would have that too . - Macro mode - you can't get close enough to the subject . The minimum focus distance is very far for good macro shots .

045 4 The Canon S90 is an excellent choice for the experienced amateur who doesn't want to miss a shot but is unwilling to lug his DSLR everywhere he goes . The mountains of western North Carolina abound in unexpected photo ops : unusual sunrises , rime ice , and the occasional black bear with cubs . With my S90 I no longer miss these shots . It has a complete set of program modes that function very well . Picture quality is good to very good , and performance in low light situations is outstanding ( I hate flash photos ) . It is a very solid camera with a large , bright LED display and a pleasingly quick shutter response . It's a bit larger and heavier than most pocket cameras , so if ultra-portability is important you might want to look elsewhere ; but for me , the quality , features , and picture quality are well worth an extra ounce or so . If I lost mine today , I would buy another S90 immediately !
113 4 Great small camera , with full manual controls and smart dial around the lens . Low light performance is great for such a small sensor . RAW file recording another plus . Video is poor , no HD even at 720p . This is the camera to always have in your pocket . I also have two Canon DSLRs , but you cannot always have them in your pocket . The s90 allows you to always have a camera ready for good RAW pictures taking . The best camera is always the one you have with you .
133 4 reviews prior to this one seem to have covered this camera pretty good so just point out my favorite things about this camera : 1 ) exposure bracketing ( i like making HDR pics ) 2 ) very compact size , but still has all the manual settings i need 3 ) ability to save RAW + jpg 4 ) smart metering , and ability to lock exposure 5 ) bright , good quality lens 6 ) don't feel so bad about leaving my SLR at home when packing light ! i been using various canon elphs for many years , if you're looking to upgrade your compact this is way to go .
139 4 I am a photographer for a major Fire Deptarment . This a great little camera for me to carry on the engines as well as the rescue units out in the field . It has also been used in the air support unit with out any issuses . I think that people need to take a hard look at this unit when they are looking for a DSLR features in a point & shoot camera as well as the price point . I have friends that have used this camera for the major newspapers here in the la area covering stories .
140 4 As a beginner I wanted to get a camera that would allow me the ease of taking great photos using the auto format and still have the ability to grow with me as I become more proficient in taking photos and with the AV , SV , Manual and P modes on this camera I know the s90 is the right camera for me . All of the features that a beginner would need are included here : Landscape for taking photos with the wide depth of field , Sunset for capturing the sunset with the proper white balance and exposure , Foliage for taking plant photos with vivid colors just to name a few . It also has the ability to shoot RAW , adjustable white balance properties , and an f-stop of 2 at the widest the s90 is worth every penny that you pay for it . If you're like me , a beginner who wants to become better but don't want to shell out the big bucks for a DSLR or a Micro Four Thirds then pick up an s90 . The sensor size and picture quality will allow you to take excellent photos and the size and form factor will allow you to take it pretty much anywhere
145 4 If you are looking for a high quality camera to put in your pocket when you don't want to pack your SLR , look no further . I was also pleased to see the included software from Canon was significantly improved over that delivered earlier with my SLR .
170 4 this is beyond point and shoot camera . very good in low light shooting and fast lens give you good image quality . perfect size for you hand . nice design also . easy to use and great overall image out put . I have DSLR camera but i bring this one everywhere i go .
178 4 I shoot a lot with P & S cameras ( over 1,000 a month ) and up till now , my favorite ones were the Panasonic Lumix ( FX . . , ZR1 , LX3 ) . What made me jump ship was the larger sensor on the S90 , RAW shooting and a greater range on AEB from - 2,0 , + 2 for HDRs - and of course the size . Cons Compared to Lumix cameras : - Slower overall - the shutter button feels really cheep , with terrible feedback - the famous wheel on the back has a mind of its own ( but hey , all the reviews mention that , so you are ready for it ) - the fact that you cannot push the flash back down is frustrating . . - I have had the camera for a couple of weeks now and I have already seen a dead pixel in the screen - very strange for cameras now a days ) here are some samples of the photos i have taken with it : [ . . . ]
205 4 Now that I had this camera for a while , I have to update my review . The main reason I got this camera is for the size , availability of the underwater case , and manual controls . Here are some of the selling points of the camera and their shortcomings : - Manual controls : while great , there are limitations like no Bulb mode , and no way to set the exposure for longer than 15 seconds . - F / 2.0 ( and other aperture findings ) : f / 2.0 only available at wide angle 6 mm ( 28 mm equivalent ) . All the way zoomed in at 105 mm equivalent that aperture is 4.9 . While the large aperture is nice for low light , it has shortcomings when it comes down to the length of the depth of field ( DOF ) because of the small sensor size . It's usually a very long depth of field . At F / 2.0 the DOF on this camera is the equivalent of the DOF at ~ f / 9.2 in a full frame camera . This might not be a limitation if you only plan to take story-telling photos in which everything can be seen clearly but if you want to create the perception of depth with a nice bokeh ( the blurry parts ) without macro-mode , forget it , it's no good . - F / 37 equivalent DOF for smallest aperture ( f / 8 ) . Basically you get more details in less light so that's an advantage but be careful about the diffraction . At that tiny aperture diffraction eats up the sharpness like a big evil monster that it is . - Sensor size : while bigger than most point-and-shoots and equivalent Nikons , it is still small . - RAW mode - great to have RAW files from a camera this size . - Fastest shutter speed is 1 / 1600 which is not enough in bright light or if you want to do HDR in very bright light . - Speed - less than 1 frame per second is really slow . Kind of annoying capturing static images in action shots . - AEB - Auto Exposure Bracketing - Nice that it has it but has issues . You can choose it in aperture priority mode but then the photo is metered and if you want to adjust the center exposure up or down , it doesn't move the whole bracket so you end up with something like + 2 0 and - 1 or + 1 0 and - 2 . That can be adjusted by metering somewhere else in the photo ( half press of the shutter button ) and then re-composing while holding the shutter pressed half way down and taking the shot but it's still annoying . - Focus points - you can only focus in the center or use face detection ( lame ) . The above mentioned trick of focusing with the subject centered while holding the shutter button down half-way and then recomposing and completely pressing the button works . - The dial on the front for manual controls - I really like this . I wish other cameras would have that too . - Macro mode - you can't get close enough to the subject . The minimum focus distance is very far for good macro shots .

012 4 I decided to purchase a new pocket camera to take on a trip to Disney World . I needed low light capabilities for indoor and nighttime pictures without a flash and a wide angle lens . I purchased two cameras and compared them for several days prior to the trip . The two cameras were the Sony WX1 / B and the Canon S90 . Each has its advantages and disadvantages . The Sony is smaller , has better battery life , and does HD video . It has some unique and interesting modes including the rapid 10 shot and slick panoramic modes . The Canon has faster glass ( f / 2.0 ) , full manual controls , a unique flexible control ring / dial , RAW capability , great build quality / feel and very low noise levels for a pocket camera . Its battery charger requires only two hours . The downsides of the Sony include a slow included battery charger ( 6 hours but you can buy a faster charger for $50 ) , cheaper build quality / feel , and really poor auto white balance requiring constant manual tweaking . The contrast and exposure levels on the Sony images were also inconsistent and almost always worse than those on the Canon requiring a trip to Photoshop for corrections . The Sony also had higher noise levels at all ISO values than the Canon . Lastly , the Sony engineers messed up placement of the flash . At the widest lens angle , the lens actually blocks the flash from illuminating the lower left corner of the image . The downsides of the Canon are it's larger size ( but still pocketable ) , the lack of HD video , worse battery life ( buy a second battery ) and its narrower zoom range ( 28 - 105 mm equivalent vs . the Sony's 25 - 120 mm ) . The bottom line was that I was getting a camera mainly for pictures and while I will miss the HD video and some of the Sony's special modes , the picture quality of the Canon was superior to the Sony . Its low light capabilities were also greater with the faster lens , its own lower resolution high sensitivity mode , and lower noise levels . I sent the Sony back and kept the Canon . I took about 700 pictures and shot about 50 videos with the Canon on my trip and feel that I clearly made the right choice . While the Sony was good , the Canon was the winner for me . Even in auto mode , the Canon took consistently good pictures . This was important when handing the camera to someone to shoot a picture of me . For me , it was all about the picture quality .

076 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Excellent quality f / 2.0 lens makes all the difference . Those folks that try to compare it vs . an entry level DSLR with a kit lens are trying to justify their $600 - $700 purchase with the use of the larger camera , lenses & an upgraded flash . If that be the case , they are fooling only themselves unless they mention comparing to a Canon 40D or Nikon D90 - - which are not entry level DSLR's . If small camera size - - that you can put into a pants pocket or put in a small case looped onto your belt or put into a fannnie pack - - is critical with features and picture quality that rival any entry level DSLR , this is the camera to take with you . If you want to compare every picture taken vs . that from a 40D or D90 , they win . The S90 flash is an annoyance and you do have to train yourself not to block it - - or worse - - eventually break it . The back control wheel can be easily moved and also requires one to check often to insure settings have not changed . Pictures are excellent ; don't be fooled into thinking camera's having 12 - 14 MP sensors are better than the S90 10 MP camera . You can go buy new 10 MP digital cameras for $60 - $80 . For each shot , you can set the camera so the S90 will take both a RAW as well as JPG image ( of the same picture ) , so you can play with the RAW image to your hearts content . If spending approx $400 for the S90 causes you to want to jump to an entry level DSLR , remember why this camera matters - - no extra lenses needed if 28 - 105mm will do , small size , f / 2.0 lens , loaded with features including RAW and good low light ( high ISO capability ) because of the f / 2.0 lens .
077 4 Excellent quality f / 2.0 lens makes all the difference . Those folks that try to compare it vs . an entry level DSLR with a kit lens are trying to justify their $600 - $700 purchase with the use of the larger camera , lenses & an upgraded flash . If that be the case , they are fooling only themselves unless they mention comparing to a Canon 40D or Nikon D90 - - which are not entry level DSLR's . If small camera size - - that you can put into a pants pocket or put in a small case looped onto your belt or put into a fannnie pack - - is critical with features and picture quality that rival any entry level DSLR , this is the camera to take with you . If you want to compare every picture taken vs . that from a 40D or D90 , they win . The S90 flash is an annoyance and you do have to train yourself not to block it - - or worse - - eventually break it . The back control wheel can be easily moved and also requires one to check often to insure settings have not changed . Pictures are excellent ; don't be fooled into thinking camera's having 12 - 14 MP sensors are better than the S90 10 MP camera . You can go buy new 10 MP digital cameras for $60 - $80 . For each shot , you can set the camera so the S90 will take both a RAW as well as JPG image ( of the same picture ) , so you can play with the RAW image to your hearts content . If spending approx $400 for the S90 causes you to want to jump to an entry level DSLR , remember why this camera matters - - no extra lenses needed if 28 - 105mm will do , small size , f / 2.0 lens , loaded with features including RAW and good low light ( high ISO capability ) because of the f / 2.0 lens .
100 4 I purchased the s90 about two weeks ago and I usually don't write reviews but I am so pleased with the camera I felt compelled . Before buying the camera I went to a local camera shop here in Chicago to compare the s90 with the lx3 . First let me say that both are great cameras . The reason I ultimately decided to buy the canon was its manual features , I love the control ring , RAW , I liked the lens better on the canon because it is more versatile than the lx3 , the low light pictures that it takes are sensational , and it is small enough to fit in most pants pockets . The only negative about the camera is that it doesn't shoot video in 720p only standard definition video . For me I bought the camera to take pictures not shoot a ton of videos so I don't care . The lx3 however does shoot hd video and also costs $75 to $100 more depending on where you decide to buy your camera . The build quality of the camera is very solid and well put together . For me this camera is perfect . I wanted something small I can fit in my front pocket with great manual controls and a bright f2 lens . The s90 went above and beyond what I thought a camera of this size could do . I love it , I love it , I love it .
129 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is one of the best compact cameras out there , and I won't repeat the major points of previous reviews but will add my own thoughts and suggestions using this camera on various travel shoots . Overall , I was pleased with the image results on a recent trip to Tuscany . Being able to handle low-light well , and provide an f / 2 at a wide-angle ( 28mm equivalent ) setting cannot be understated , as many group photos occur under these conditions . For landscape , panoramic photos it worked well ( almost as good as early DSLRs ) . A few things to keep in mind : * ) The camera takes a * long * time to focus and process an image . Forget this camera for sports , active kids , etc . * ) There is a noticeable chromatic aberration ( CA ) although this can be corrected somewhat with Photoshop plugings and RAW converters . * ) At wide-angle settings , the lens has significant barrel distortion . This is somewhat corrected in JPG , but not in RAW , although there are various ways of dealing with this in post . * ) The AUTO white balance tended to render outdoor scenes with a blue-ish cast . Can be compensated by adjusting the default temperature towards the RED range . * ) The ISO can be * easily * changed from the round flywheel in the back , and often the camera would go from AUTO-ISO into 3200 . Not good . Several shots were ruined this way . * ) I went though several cases for this camera before settling on the Case Logic TBC312 . It's less than $10 and fit the camera the best . The shortcomings listed above are very small compared to the positive points . Overall , this is one of the best ( if not * the * best ) compacts out there , and would recommend it highly .
186 4 Image quality is really very good for such an amazingly small camera . This is probably the best really compact camera currently on the market and the RAW capability just increases its all-around usefulness . Sensor quality up to ISO 800 is surprisingly good for a small sensor . This is an excellent carry-around camera . I would have rated this camera as a 5 except for the somewhat uneven optical quality and ergonomics . The 3.8X lens is excellent at the center but a bit soft at the frame edges . Ergonomics are inevitably difficult in such a small package , but Canon should have provided at least some front mechanical grip surface or some rubberized material . You really need to use your wrist strap with this $400 camera . I nearly dropped ours several times . Also , the rotating adjustment wheel and four way controller on the rear are both much too loose and easily dislodged . They don't feel as well-constructed as I would like . All things considered , spending another $40 or $50 fotr the sligtly larger G11 makes a lot of sense . The camera body is more rugged and usable and the 28 - 140 Equiv . lens is sharper edge to edge . The G1 uses the same sensor as the S90 .
202 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is a solid , well built camera . The lens is awesome , one of the brightest in the field at F2.0 at 28mm , although some competitors ( Panasonic ) have cameras with 24mm F2.0 lenses . The camera packs some great high end features , like full manual control and RAW capability . It also offers manual focus , a pretty useless feature in cameras that don't have a focusing ring on the lens barrel . Picture quality is excellent , awesome dynamic range , great colors and resolution . The problems come with the handling of this small camera . It has 2 control dials , one on the lens barrel ( controls things such as aperture or exposure compensation , not manual focus ) and one to the right of the LCD screen . The one on the lens barrel is very useful and easy to control , but the one on the back is easily rotated unintentionally and a bit too small to use with precision . If you're not very careful , you can graze the dial by mistake and change the exposure . The pop-up flash is also a bit of a nuisance . Since the camera is small and doesn't have a grip on the body , one generally needs to hold it with your left index finger on top , which is where the flash pops up from ! I'm afraid it may even break if it tries to pop out and I'm pressing to hard on it . Since it can be fully automatic , it may catch you by surprise . I think this camera is testing the limits of packing too many advanced features into a really small package . Although I'm happy with it , I would probably be happier with a slightly larger camera , such as the G11 , which would have the same high end features , be easier to handle and would add a hot shoe , which the S90 doesn't have .

070 4 I've fallen in love with a camera ! The Canon S90 is 2009 ' s best of the smaller digital cameras for those who highly value a 28 mm wide lens , superb low light capability , manual control of shutter and aperture , and RAW capability . There are numerous bonuses , such as the two programmable rings , and a third programmable button , for fast control of things like focus , exposure , ISO , or white balance , instead of scrolling through a hodge podge of menus . If you want a 10x zoom , interchangeable lenses , or a larger camera for your grip , look elsewhere . I don't like using flash , and the f 2.0 lens and superb high ISO resolution is wonderful . I took photos in a very dim restaurant of friends and my food , and the photos are clean and fairly noise free at ISO 800 , and quite good at ISO 1600 . Photos at 3200 are surprisingly good if shooting in dim light , not darkness . If you blow them up , sure you'll see noise , however on my wide screen monitor , they are quite good . The photos at 1600 and 3200 are not the quality of a new higher end Digital SLR , however at this ISO , they are far , far better than any other point and shoot sized camera to date . To be fair , the S90 ' s chip is a small fraction of the size of an APC or even full frame sensor chip , and thus does a wonderful job in low light . The S90 does drop image size to about 1.3 Megapixels to get the ISO 3200 photo if light's truly dim . This is a minor drawback to some , not if having a decent photo is far better than no photo to you . The LCD screen is large and bright . Focusing is easy . Overall picture quality , colr and macro photography are superb . The antishake stabilizes well-I take photos at 1 / 6 second , and letters on a menu in low light are sharp-slower speeds than that and I brace my arms or camera . While point and shoot cameras can take a few seconds between exposures , the S90 has a continuous setting in the candle low light mode and in P mode , that , as long as your finger presses the shutter button down , it lets you take numerous photos slightly faster than every second , for over a dozen photos , if in decent light . One drawback-the expensive Canon OEM battery only gives ~ 200 shots . Canon should put in a more powerful battery . Some cheaper off brand NB - 6L compatible batteries offer 1300 mAH instead of Canon's 1000 mAh NB - 6L , and folks have been happy with those batteries in other Canon cameras . 300 more mAh means 30% greater capacity , not a different voltage . Whether you buy Canon OEM , or another brand , it's best to have two batteries with you . Sometimes 3 batteries as a safety factor if you use the flash a bit , take videos , and will be unable to charge up for a while , Play it safe if you are at a wedding , or once in a lifetime event . Another minor drawback-the back adjustment ring is looser than I'd like , as it can be moved too easily and change settings if you are not vigilant . The front ring around the lens is a dream to work with . I use the Nikon D80 and D90 for serious work , and used to keep the Canon SD 850 in my pocket for photos anywhere , anytime . I am often indoors in low light , and the S90 trounces the SD850 ' s mediocre ISO 400 and up performance . My S90 stays in hard carrying case on my pant's belt . While the S90 is just a tad too big for fitting in tighter jeans-it fits easily in looser pockets . This gets 5 stars , and I've just started to learn its many capabilities and quirks .

024 4 Purchased as a better low-light compact alternative , there are some pros and cons to the Canon S90 . The low-ISO capabilities and low light shots from this camera are excellent . The fast f 2.0 lens allows you to take great shots in low light , at night , in museums , etc . It compared favorably with the Panasonic LX3 , the only serious competitor at this time for affordable low light compacts . This goes one better by having a focal distance almost twice as long . The battery life is Very subpar - - Canon rates it for 200 shots on a battery charge - - I'm getting about 150 , and an extra battery is a MUST , even for a casual evening out of shooting . A typical day of shots at Walt Disney World , for example , will kill your battery before noon . I'm not a video shooter , so I can't comment on the video quality , except to note that this does NOT have HD video mode . One important note - - the camera is not optimized for JPG shooters out of the box , In My Colors , change Contrast + 1 ; Saturation + 1 ; Sharpening + 2 and you will have the same canon JPG settings you would normally find in other canon point and shoot cameras . Finally - - the very small compact size of this camera results in some clumsy buttons - - assign ISO to the front change ring so that you don't keep changing it when accidentally hitting the back control dial . larger fingers are going to be unhappy with the size of the button controls .
043 4 Canon PowerShot S90IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD I purchased the Canon S90 approximately 2 weeks ago . I also have a Canon SD630 , Canon SD1000 , Nikon D50 and a Nikon D300 . My favorites are the D300 and the S90 . However , I still love my D50 . All of my camers needs have now been met . You can't beat the S90 for a grab and go camera with excellent features that take beautiful pictures . It is very portable and is not cheaply made as stated in another review . Before using the camera , I read the manual and became knowledgeable about the various features . They enable you to take excellent pictures under a variety of lighting conditions by simply selecting the scene you want to use or you can go automatic all the way . It is big fun to use the additional features . I usually don't load the software , but I did this time and I am happy I did . When I purchased the camera , I also got an extra battery and a Canon case . I just purchased the AC Adapter Kit yesterday . I don't have to drain the battery to transfer pics to my computer and this also allows me to take advantage of the software that came with camera . In taking pictures , there was one annoying glich . My finger gets in the way of the flash ( there is not a lot of room ) so I lowered my finger , as the book illustrates . If I forget , I turn off the camera so it can reset . The S90 is excellent in low light . I recently took pics of my son's new home at night . I couldn't believe how beautiful the pictures were . I also took pictures of his children in bright clothing ( also beautiful ) and video of the kids and their dog . The camera allows you to zoom in and out while taking video . I am extremely happy with this camera . Ken Rockwell called it the World's Best Pocket Camera . I also read camera reviews on numerous Web sites , including Amazon's ( always very helpful ) , before making a decision . Finally , yes it was expensive , but I plan on having this gem of a camera for a very long time .
114 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Nice little camera . Spent several months researching different cameras and reading hundreds of reviews before deciding to purchase the Canon S90 from Amazon on December 26th as an upgrade to my Canon Powershot 570 . It took about 2 weeks to arrive , but mail is slow during the holidays and this is Alaska . While I've been very happy with my 570 , it doesn't produce high resolution enlargements that my full size Canon Rebel is capable of . I was primarily wishing for a pocket camera with better resolution , and so far the S90 has delivered remarkably well . An important feature that attracted me to the S90 , is the fast f2.0 lens - very useful for low light and night time photos . I like to shoot sunset and aurora photos , so this was a major item for me . My chief complaint about the S90 are the small flat control buttons which are difficult to feel and locate in the dark . The on / off button is especially annoying . This button feels like its almost recessed a bit and it's much too small and extremely difficult to feel and locate in the dark . I've pretty much overcome this problem by becoming more familiar with the camera , but the buttons are still aggravating at times . Suggestion to Canon : redesign the buttons so they're elevated a bit , which makes them easier to feel and locate in the dark . Most other Canon cameras I've looked at have elevated buttons which are a much better design and vastly more user friendly . My other complaint about the S90 is that when you shoot a 15 second night time exposure , it takes at least 15 seconds , perhaps even more , to process the image before you can view it on the display . My full size Rebel processes similar images in 2 or 3 seconds . Overall , I really like the S90 . It has a nice solid feel to it , and many extra features not found on other cameras . I haven't used the RAW format feature yet , and some of the other features I'll probably never use , but they're nice to have just in case . While this camera will never compare with my Rebel and wide-angle lens for aurora shots , it's really nice to have a quality camera you can just put in your pocket and carry with you anywhere .
115 4 Nice little camera . Spent several months researching different cameras and reading hundreds of reviews before deciding to purchase the Canon S90 from Amazon on December 26th as an upgrade to my Canon Powershot 570 . It took about 2 weeks to arrive , but mail is slow during the holidays and this is Alaska . While I've been very happy with my 570 , it doesn't produce high resolution enlargements that my full size Canon Rebel is capable of . I was primarily wishing for a pocket camera with better resolution , and so far the S90 has delivered remarkably well . An important feature that attracted me to the S90 , is the fast f2.0 lens - very useful for low light and night time photos . I like to shoot sunset and aurora photos , so this was a major item for me . My chief complaint about the S90 are the small flat control buttons which are difficult to feel and locate in the dark . The on / off button is especially annoying . This button feels like its almost recessed a bit and it's much too small and extremely difficult to feel and locate in the dark . I've pretty much overcome this problem by becoming more familiar with the camera , but the buttons are still aggravating at times . Suggestion to Canon : redesign the buttons so they're elevated a bit , which makes them easier to feel and locate in the dark . Most other Canon cameras I've looked at have elevated buttons which are a much better design and vastly more user friendly . My other complaint about the S90 is that when you shoot a 15 second night time exposure , it takes at least 15 seconds , perhaps even more , to process the image before you can view it on the display . My full size Rebel processes similar images in 2 or 3 seconds . Overall , I really like the S90 . It has a nice solid feel to it , and many extra features not found on other cameras . I haven't used the RAW format feature yet , and some of the other features I'll probably never use , but they're nice to have just in case . While this camera will never compare with my Rebel and wide-angle lens for aurora shots , it's really nice to have a quality camera you can just put in your pocket and carry with you anywhere .
117 4 I Purchased the S90 as a replacement for my Canon IXY 800IS , I wanted a small compact pocket camera with the same customability of my 5D . Originally I was looking a the G10 or G11 , but I wasn't a fan of how bulky those compacts were . I've since put the S90 to the test on a 10 day trip to Costa Rica and have been very happy with the results . Excellent image quality with full SLR customization , what more could you ask for . My only complaint is that the scroll wheel on the back does not click like every other digital camera Canon makes , I found it quite annoying on a few occasions when my thumb would accidentally graze the scroll wheel resulting in an exposure , shutter speed or ISO change + or - a step . . . I also found that I had to disable the special settings button because of it's placement , kept tapping it with my thumb and opening whatever settings were available for the Camera Mode I was in . For those that complain that the S90 doesn't have a metal body , I'm not too concerned with it , the camera feels very solid . . . Plus the new G11 also sports a plastic body as well , so . . . Overall , I've been very happy with the S90 and would recommend it to anyone .
119 4 Bite the bullet and drop the $400 on this camera . It's worth it . I bought this camera for my wife at Christmas . We are still amazed by the pictures that we take with it . My wife just got through telling me again that I made a good purchase . I was planning on adding an SLR camera to this purchase , but I no longer think I need it . The pictures we get from this are just spectacular . The screen is huge . I recommend a screen protector for it . Whenever I have to use someone else's compact camera , it just seems like such a step down . This camera actually exceeds the hype .
157 4 I bought this camera for those times I didn't want to lug my DSLR and assorted lenses around . I found very quickly it takes amazing pictures and , having been a Canon user all my life , the controls were very intuitive . The camera can be a little difficult to hold onto at times because of its small size but I plan on purchasing a small grip which attaches to the right side of the camera to make it easier to use one-handed . My only complaint is the difficulty of seeing the LCD in sunlight but then I believe this is a problem relative to virtually every point & shoot . An optical viewfinder would have been very desirable . I would highly recommend to anyone considering buying this to try to find it in a store where you can actually hold it & play with it a little bit . I will say I have some friends with small compacts of other brands and this camera beats them hands down !

103 4 I purchased a fujifilm f200exr camera less than three weeks ago , I wanted a small quality camera to take pictures of work in progress . In the hast of loading the truck with pallets of lumber I set it on the bed of the truck . So if you find a fujiflim f200exr in a red and black case on the road I would appreciate if you put on craigslist under lost and found . But since there has not been any postings of yet , the only way to console my anxiety was to buy a even more expense camera . I bought the fuji f200exr because it got such great reviews for its low light ability . But this S90 blows it out of the water for low light performance . Low light photos are really impressive even at medium high ISO's , a lot better than the f200exr . All the features this camera has in the way of manual controls are mind blowing . Its like a little miniature SLR . I do have one worry about the S90 , in full light on a sunny day the f200exr I think out performed it . In my opinion on Auto the S90s colors are just a little bit over saturated . Maybe I can adjust the settings or stay a way from auto . But the greens are a bit to much and the blues look a little to blue where as the f200exr took fantasist daylight photos . But all in all the photos are superb and I would highly recommend both cameras , the Canon is a lot of fun to use if you like to play with manual settings .

035 4 This camera works well for natural light photos . I like that it fits in my pocket , is very light , and I can carry it around easily . I feel the picture quality is as good as we can get in these small cameras with our current techology . At any rate , it definitely meets my quality expectations . The down side : I don't like the control dial on the back that requires too much attention to recheck that it hasn't moved accidentally . The motorized pop up flash is an annoying gimmick . The menus and function menu Canon has used for so many years are nice but navigating with the tiny S90 controls is a nuisance . I can operate the Panasonic LX3 more easily . The S90 focuses noticeably faster than the LX3 . The S90 auto white balance is superior . I feel the S90 is well built . If the S90 did not have the positive attributes I've cited , I'd send it back . As it stands it is a good camera on its own merits and many of its annoyances can be overcome with practice and experience .
073 4 Had the camera for a month and used it mostly to take candid shots . Very user friendly controls but be careful not to accidentally nudge the rear control ring as it is quite loose . Low light results are acceptable to good but do not expect this camera to replace your digital slr for overall picture quality ! Solid build . Overall the best compact I ever owned but still find it quite expensive .
083 4 I read tons of reviews on this camera before biting the bullet and buying one of my own . I was torn between this and a G10 . I am a pro photographer and just wanted something I could fit easily into my purse when I didn't want to lug heavy equipment with me on vacation . Because the compactness was so important to me , I opted for the S90 . I am not disappointed at all - I heart this camera and continue to be impressed at the beautiful the images coming SOOC . Some people say that they don't like the build quality and that it is almost too small . It's not an issue for me b / c I have small hands to begin with . It is very light , but no lighter than other point-and-shoots that I've used , and for the quality of the pictures , well worth the money spent . I wish the battery lasted a little longer though !
125 4 This camera is what I wanted but I had trouble with the too freely rotating control dial on the back and with holding on to it , both of these problems were solved with easy to use accesaries . From Lensmate I got the Richard Franiec Custom Grip and a product they call the control dial solution [ which does work ] .
172 4 I bought this camera because it is supposed to be able to take great low light pictures without a flash and it is much more portable than other cameras that do well in low light . This camera lives up to the expectations . It takes great pictures and is compact enough to bring almost everywhere . The button layout and ease of use is not the best , but it doesn't matter much because the great low light performance out shines all the other weirdness of this camera . I hate using the flash and now I hardly ever have to .
188 4 I was a little hesitant to by a brand new model of Canon , but this camera seemed to have all the features I was looking for . I was pleasantly surprised at how compact and light it was , despite the fact that it's jam packed with great features . The pictures it takes are beautiful . . . such an improvement over my past small / lightweight cameras ( various Cannons ) . I haven't had a chance to use all the features in this camera , but so far so good !
218 4 Amazon doesn't identify that the battery charger comes with the box , which in fact it does . Instead , they link you to a charger you can purchase separately . No need - the charger comes in the box . I've asked Amazon to correct their product description several times .
223 4 . . . All I have to say is this little camera does a great job for a point & shoot . I upgraded my SD800 IS to this camera and I just love it ! ! . . . Highly recommended ! ! Not to mention that when everytime I pull this camera out from my pocket , all my friends love it and envy and wanted to have one as well : )
227 4 I love this camera . It works really well in the house with low light . I have tried macro and enjoy that as well . I still have to figure out all of the features . . .

155 4 I have owned an LX 3 , G10 and now S90 , always in search for the ultimate pocket camera . This is as close as I have seen . Controls are assignable and really adds to ease of use , picture quality is very good , ISO at 400 and 800 is very good , not too grainy . As has been mentioned before , the only issue is the rather limited zoom , although I liked range better than LX3 , which always seemed a bit short on the longer range side . Close to the perfect pocket camera , as a big zoom will never work well in this size camera .

055 4 i just got this as a present . been using for a few weeks and absolutely love it so far . i've done a lot of photography with SLR's over the years , and wanted a tiny , inconspicuous point and shoot , that i can have around at all times . this seems to be it . shooting at F2.0 on manual , with IS , means you almost never need flash . incredible !
143 4 This camera represents a perfect blend of portability and useful features . It permits great flexibility and creative control . The fit and feel of the camera are solid , and yet it fits easily into a pocket . The screen is visible even in bright sunlight . Pictures are crisp , clear and vivid , even in low light with the ISO setting advanced . I cannot think of a better compact camera .

229 4 I searched online for almost 30 hours , looking for a camera with a small form factor , that has excellent image quality & low light capability for my wife to take family & friend pictures , so it also needed to be simple to use . I have owned many cameras . The S90 has exceeded my perfectionist expectations . Fantastic photos . Low light abilities are incredible and the flash was terrific . Even with the red-eye correction off , no red-eye . Very surprised to have no red-eye with pictures of her cats . Amazing . Can take decent shots with 1 candle burning . The auto setting has been excellent . While not SLR fast , it was extremely quick for a P & S shoot camera . The RAW capability along with the manual controls are total overkill for her , but the camera is excellent for what I was looking for .

Canon 7D - with ' L ' series lenses . Pentax W60 ( waterproof ) - for surfing , sailing , biking , hiking , skiing and handing to the kids to beat each other with over the head . Canon SD980 - which was my * quality * pocket camera but will now be relegated purely to U / W scuba photography ( since I own the U / W case anyway and would live in fear that my S90 meets the same fate as my S80 and gets flooded shark diving in Tahiti ) . Here's the deal with the new Canon S90 : If you are willing to delve into the sub menus and experiment it will become a very , very powerful camera in your arsenal . It can do anything the G11 can do but because of the size you might have to work a little harder initially to figure out the functionality curve . It's like flying . Once your familiar with the controls ( which takes awhile ) the interface becomes transparent and you can make it do just about anything you want . But it will take a lot of tinkering . No lie . I'll leave the critique on picture quality for the professional sites but will just offer this : the results are very good for the size of the camera . The low light performance is best in class , period ; and I've tried them all including the LX3 ( which is also darn good but noisier - love that 24mm lens though ) . Bottom line , if you want SLR quality go buy an SLR . You're not going to get the same results with the S90 . Duh . If you don't like small cameras or have large fingers then maybe you should look at something like the G11 . The S90 is * too small * for all of its functionality but that's the dichotomy , isn't it ? The functionality is all there but by design is forced into a sometimes frustratingly cramped interface . That said , this camera is very good at what it is : a pocket camera with a wide fast lens that can shoot in RAW . Let's talk about size . I'll agree that the build quality initially seems * cheaper * than what you would expect . That said , the case , dials , and shutter are all solid in real life day to day use . Especially the shutter . To be honest , it's a bit strange but you can't deny the light weight and I love that it's smooth and flat and easily fits into your jeans . It's as small as any compact with the exception of the lens ring / bulge and while I wish the bulge weren't there , it is what it is and the functionality of that ring is surprisingly awesome . It's definitely more pocketable than the LX3 . The screen is gorgeous and I don't miss the viewfinder at all . The power up / down flash is irritating and I pray it doesn't break but I got to admit there is less red-eye than most cameras ( which is supposedly why they went with the design ) . As long as the motor doesn't give out because I'm inadvertently holding the flash down when it tries to pop up I'll live with it and tip my hat to Canon's engineers . The control ring functionality is awesome and the Ring Function button is very , very functional and remains customized for each mode you select . In this way you can set up your camera for high speed Av photography different than for say Tv photography . Nice . On that functionality , making this camera do what you want really boils down to getting to know the camera . After a month , I can finally adjust aperture , shutter speed , and the four directional manual white balance without thinking about it . ISO , exposure bracketing , flash intensity , metering , and continuous shooting are just a button / spin / button / spin away . Once you've memorized the function layout , exposure adjustments are fairly quick and painless . And of course you've got the outer control ring and function ring give you instant access to two of your major settings wether that be ISO , exposure metering , manual focus , white balance , zoom , aperture , or shutter speed . You're really wasting the power of this camera if you just leave it in Av so you can shoot fast . Whew . Exhausted yet ? If you are then maybe this camera isn't for you . ; ) No , seriously . However , if you are willing to commit yourself Canon has given you the tools to get the shot you want . Or I suppose you could just leave it in AUTO . I'll see if I can figure out how to upload some sample shots but here are some real life experiences I've had . Day shots of the NYC skyline are beautiful . A little soft compared to a Canon 7D with an ' L ' series lens , but like I said before , duh . The same shot at night can be accomplished without a tripod at about 1 / 60 of a second . No blur . At an English Beat concert the other night I was snapping away at f2.0 ( wide ) and 1 / 100 of a second . Not always fast enough but about five times what I could do with my SD980 . Stepping it down from ISO100 to 800 sped it up and while a little noisier , fit the concert like feel . Ice skating at night at Rockefeller Center ( well lit ) I was taking photos without the flash as if it were daytime . In summary , this camera rocks . UPDATE : Low light photos uploaded to Amazon . Look for NYC skyline and adjacent concert pics . Unfortunately Amazon resolution is limited but you'll get the idea of what you can get away with . The one thing I don't get is the 640X480 movie mode . I ask why , why , why knowing full well that there is an engineering answer that hasn't found its way on to the Interwebs yet . Somewhere in the software / hardware mix there must be an answer because not including HD video is inexplicable to me . On the other hand , most video I take with this kind of camera just gets uploaded to YouTube anyway so 640X480 is fine . That's what I've got a dedicated HD camcorder for . One thing I will add , the sound quality is noticeably better than any other mono point and shoot I've used . I'm not sure what's up with that but it's noticeably clearer with deeper base . Kind of a nice surprise , really . At the end of the day this is a great camera and a very worthy successor to my beloved ( and flooded ) Canon S80 . If you want the smallest * quality * camera you can currently buy the S90 is it . There are a few issues but that beautiful fast lens makes them bearable . If you want an SLR like interface and are willing to sacrifice the size , then you should take a serious look at the G11 ( or similar ) . This camera is too small for that kind of interface and while the top level functions are intuitive ( aperture , shutter speed , ISO ) you'll have to commit yourself a little to go any deeper . The beauty is , you can ! Bottom line : If I lost this camera today I'd buy another tomorrow . From a camera geek that travels the world , that says a lot .

001 4 I bought this camera on 10 / 9 , which is the first day it was available here in Kansas City . I have already taken a couple hundred shots with it comparing images side by side with my G10 at various settings . This review is of my initial impression based on the short time that I have had it . I was anxiously awaiting the release of this camera . I own a Nikon D90 DSLR , but there are many times when I prefer to just take a compact . In the past the Canon G10 has served that purpose , but the S90 boasts improved low-light performance and smaller size . The first thing I wanted to test was image quality and noise at high ISO settings . Most photography hobbyists and pros know that low light performance is the number one factor influencing camera and lens prices . This is the main reason an f / 2.8 zoom lens costs 3 - 5 times as much as an f / 3.5 - 5.6 zoom . The S90 performs superbly in this regard . RAW images from the S90 set at ISO 800 were equal to or better than RAW images from the G10 set at ISO400 . Both luminance and chrominance noise were lower in the S90 images . This represents a 1 stop improvement , which is what I was hoping for . These comparisons were made with all noise reduction disabled in camera and in the DPP software . I tested all other ISOs and found the S90 to be better at all ISO settings above 100 and the 2 cameras demonstrated equal IQ at the base ISOs of 80 and 100 . Canon also boasts about the S90 having a faster f / 2.0 lens compared to the f / 2.8 on the G10 , but this part of the camera did not impress me . The lens only has the 1 stop advantage at the absolute widest setting and the max aperture closes down fast from there . The G10 / G11 lens is faster at the telephoto end and the difference is negligible at all zoom settings in between . Both lenses are equally sharp throughout their zoom ranges . The ergonomics of the camera will take me a while to get used to . I was looking for a smaller camera and the S90 definitely fits the bill . But now that I am using it , I wonder if it might be too small . I hope that it will become more comfortable in my hands as I get used to it . On the G10 , I could operate all of the controls on the right-rear of the camera with the thumb of the hand holding the camera . With the S90 there are fewer controls that I can operate one-handed and at times I feel like I might drop this camera , because I just can't get a good grip on it . Other ergonomic concerns are that the rear control ring turns too easily and I have found myself unintentionally adjusting settings because of this , which was never a problem on the G10 . I think I might miss the external ISO and Exposure Compensation dials on the G10 , but I have set the front control ring to adjust the ISO setting and I would honestly need to use it more before I say the controls are not easy to access ; again this should improve with more use . None of the concerns I have about the size and controls on the camera would dissuade me from the purchase ; the trade-off is worth it for the smaller carrying size and improved performance . The camera ships with a newer version ( 3.7 ) of Canon's Digital Photo Professional software . There is not much difference compared to older versions , but there is one nice improvement : the lens aberration section is enabled for images taken with the S90 . This allows for correction of vignetting , CA and distortion . I do not understand why the same controls are not available for RAW files taken with the G10 . There is still no straighten function in the software , which is a disappointment . Another disappointing factor about the software is that Canon has not yet released a new RAW Codec ; the current version ( 1.5 ) does not support the S90 or G11 . This allows raw files to be viewed in Windows and for thumbnail images to be created in Windows explorer . I am sure they are working on an update , but I wish they had this ready by the time the camera was released . I went step-by-step through the menus and features of both cameras during my comparison and most functions are very similar . The S90 has fewer AF options and no remote control , but I do not think I will miss either of these . I considered giving this camera only 4 stars because of the couple of hits I mentioned above , but then decided that would not be fair . The title of Best Compact has been debated feverishly on the web , with most votes going to the G10 and LX3 . But now , I think Canon's new release of both the S90 and G11 will put a quick end to these debates . There is no question in my mind that this pair sits above all competitors . Therefore a five star rating is the only logical choice . I highly recommend this camera .
006 4 Be warned , I am a self professed camera geek . I believe cameras are like surfboards ; you need a quiver of surfboards / cameras for the right wave / job . The Canon S90 is - by far - my new go to pocket camera and the one I will always carry with me in my flight bag . I have been using it for just about a month now and after a couple thousand shots , only now am I getting comfortable with its functionality . This is NOT the camera to buy your mother-in-law for Christmas . She will never speak to you again . My other cameras are : Canon 7D - with ' L ' series lenses . Pentax W60 ( waterproof ) - for surfing , sailing , biking , hiking , skiing and handing to the kids to beat each other with over the head . Canon SD980 - which was my * quality * pocket camera but will now be relegated purely to U / W scuba photography ( since I own the U / W case anyway and would live in fear that my S90 meets the same fate as my S80 and gets flooded shark diving in Tahiti ) . Here's the deal with the new Canon S90 : If you are willing to delve into the sub menus and experiment it will become a very , very powerful camera in your arsenal . It can do anything the G11 can do but because of the size you might have to work a little harder initially to figure out the functionality curve . It's like flying . Once your familiar with the controls ( which takes awhile ) the interface becomes transparent and you can make it do just about anything you want . But it will take a lot of tinkering . No lie . I'll leave the critique on picture quality for the professional sites but will just offer this : the results are very good for the size of the camera . The low light performance is best in class , period ; and I've tried them all including the LX3 ( which is also darn good but noisier - love that 24mm lens though ) . Bottom line , if you want SLR quality go buy an SLR . You're not going to get the same results with the S90 . Duh . If you don't like small cameras or have large fingers then maybe you should look at something like the G11 . The S90 is * too small * for all of its functionality but that's the dichotomy , isn't it ? The functionality is all there but by design is forced into a sometimes frustratingly cramped interface . That said , this camera is very good at what it is : a pocket camera with a wide fast lens that can shoot in RAW . Let's talk about size . I'll agree that the build quality initially seems * cheaper * than what you would expect . That said , the case , dials , and shutter are all solid in real life day to day use . Especially the shutter . To be honest , it's a bit strange but you can't deny the light weight and I love that it's smooth and flat and easily fits into your jeans . It's as small as any compact with the exception of the lens ring / bulge and while I wish the bulge weren't there , it is what it is and the functionality of that ring is surprisingly awesome . It's definitely more pocketable than the LX3 . The screen is gorgeous and I don't miss the viewfinder at all . The power up / down flash is irritating and I pray it doesn't break but I got to admit there is less red-eye than most cameras ( which is supposedly why they went with the design ) . As long as the motor doesn't give out because I'm inadvertently holding the flash down when it tries to pop up I'll live with it and tip my hat to Canon's engineers . The control ring functionality is awesome and the Ring Function button is very , very functional and remains customized for each mode you select . In this way you can set up your camera for high speed Av photography different than for say Tv photography . Nice . On that functionality , making this camera do what you want really boils down to getting to know the camera . After a month , I can finally adjust aperture , shutter speed , and the four directional manual white balance without thinking about it . ISO , exposure bracketing , flash intensity , metering , and continuous shooting are just a button / spin / button / spin away . Once you've memorized the function layout , exposure adjustments are fairly quick and painless . And of course you've got the outer control ring and function ring give you instant access to two of your major settings wether that be ISO , exposure metering , manual focus , white balance , zoom , aperture , or shutter speed . You're really wasting the power of this camera if you just leave it in Av so you can shoot fast . Whew . Exhausted yet ? If you are then maybe this camera isn't for you . ; ) No , seriously . However , if you are willing to commit yourself Canon has given you the tools to get the shot you want . Or I suppose you could just leave it in AUTO . I'll see if I can figure out how to upload some sample shots but here are some real life experiences I've had . Day shots of the NYC skyline are beautiful . A little soft compared to a Canon 7D with an ' L ' series lens , but like I said before , duh . The same shot at night can be accomplished without a tripod at about 1 / 60 of a second . No blur . At an English Beat concert the other night I was snapping away at f2.0 ( wide ) and 1 / 100 of a second . Not always fast enough but about five times what I could do with my SD980 . Stepping it down from ISO100 to 800 sped it up and while a little noisier , fit the concert like feel . Ice skating at night at Rockefeller Center ( well lit ) I was taking photos without the flash as if it were daytime . In summary , this camera rocks . UPDATE : Low light photos uploaded to Amazon . Look for NYC skyline and adjacent concert pics . Unfortunately Amazon resolution is limited but you'll get the idea of what you can get away with . The one thing I don't get is the 640X480 movie mode . I ask why , why , why knowing full well that there is an engineering answer that hasn't found its way on to the Interwebs yet . Somewhere in the software / hardware mix there must be an answer because not including HD video is inexplicable to me . On the other hand , most video I take with this kind of camera just gets uploaded to YouTube anyway so 640X480 is fine . That's what I've got a dedicated HD camcorder for . One thing I will add , the sound quality is noticeably better than any other mono point and shoot I've used . I'm not sure what's up with that but it's noticeably clearer with deeper base . Kind of a nice surprise , really . At the end of the day this is a great camera and a very worthy successor to my beloved ( and flooded ) Canon S80 . If you want the smallest * quality * camera you can currently buy the S90 is it . There are a few issues but that beautiful fast lens makes them bearable . If you want an SLR like interface and are willing to sacrifice the size , then you should take a serious look at the G11 ( or similar ) . This camera is too small for that kind of interface and while the top level functions are intuitive ( aperture , shutter speed , ISO ) you'll have to commit yourself a little to go any deeper . The beauty is , you can ! Bottom line : If I lost this camera today I'd buy another tomorrow . From a camera geek that travels the world , that says a lot .
008 4 I'm a very amateur camera user . I understand the basic terms and settings ( ISO , aperture , shutter speed , image stabilization , exposure ) but I am impatient and like to get things set and just use the camera . I bought this camera because I wanted the ability to use the camera indoors in low light without a flash . Due to the relatively high price , my expectations were high . My cam was delivered just last week , and having used it at an event in a local bar the best word I can use to describe this camera is magic . This camera takes in so much light it really seems like magic . The event I was documenting was in a very dimly lit room . The only lighting sources in the room were incandescent chandeliers dimmed as low as they would go . I set my iso to 1000 in aperture priority mode , f2.0 ( this level is only available in the widest zoom ) , adjusted white balance for incandescent , and took some shots . Most of the shots used 1 / 6 - second shutter speed , which was just fine due to the image stabilized lens . The IS performance is improved over my last Canon compact . I don't have steady hands , and I like to take quick sloppy shots . If the IS in this cam can handle my hands , a very-careful steady shooter could probably get away with 1 / 4 second . The resulting images were so bright and had such great color everyone that saw them was in awe . The resulting images appeared more bright and colorful than with a naked eye . Shooting with such high ISOs is like having night vision built into the camera . Noise levels were low enough and color was so good that I can easily print very nice 5x7s from this night . I took a few candid shots of people in motion at the bar , so I had to bump the ISO to 1600 to get a faster shutter speed ( at ISO 1600 I got about 1 / 30sec in the dimly lit bar ) . At ISO 1600 , color is still acceptable and very nice 4x6 prints , web postings , and email will be no problem . ISO 1600 on this cam is comparable to what most compact cams produce at ISO 400 . I've never seen a compact cam take such great shots using high-ish ISO settings . I am just as happy with the results as when using my EOS 20D digital SLR . A critical professional may argue that this cam isn't as great as an SLR , but for normal-sized prints and digital sharing , this camera makes images that are as good as a consumer SLR . My last compact was a Canon SD800is . I love that camera , but images are mostly unusable above ISO400 , due to muted color , and grain . The S90 goes two full ISO stops beyond what can be done with a typical $300 compact camera . Combine high-ISO performance with the f2.0 option and you can take great shots in 1 / 3 of the light required for most $300 compact cams . Adjusting camera settings is a dream . I am just as in control as I am with my EOS 20D SLR . I've used friends ' canon rebel SLRs , and the controls on this compact are even better than them . Between the front ring , rear dial , and shortcut button , you have instant control of three camera functions without even really looking . All of the controls are customizable . If you've ever used other canon cameras in the past , you won't really even need to use the excellent printed manual ( yes ! a printed manual ! ) . I've not taken enough shots with it to test whether the battery can actually deliver 200 from a charge , but 200 isn't really great battery performance and I bought a backup battery from an Amazon marketplace seller for longer outings ( under $30 shipped ) . I also highly recommend the Canon compact leather case . This camera easily fits in any pocket , but I'm pretty sure that pocket lint and dust is what did in my last compact camera . The Canon compact leather case for the S90 mounts on your belt and offers light protection away from keys and pocket lint . The body is comparable in size to Canon elphs . My SD800 elph is 1 / 2in shorter , but the height and thickness is identical ( not counting the lens ring , which makes the overall thickness of the S90 slightly thicker ) . I posted comparison pics between the SD800 and the S90 in the gallery . The rear display is really sharp and is viewable outdoors . I haven't bought a new camera in over three years and the display blew me away compared to my other cameras . I really can't compare the display to newer cams . Simply judging by the way it feels in the hand , the build quality is just average . The only real performance weakness is continuous shooting . Continuous shooting is really really slow . If you want a compact and think you'll ever want to photograph dimly lit subjects without a flash , this is THE camera to own . The price is 40% higher , but it takes in 300% more light . Unless you're shooting a lot of action , this cam is probably a better choice for people considering consumer-level SLRs like the Canon rebel line . I can't imagine anyone regretting buying this camera . It beats other compact pocket sized cameras by a wide margin .
009 4 Canon S90 vs . Canon G11 : A Matter of Personal Preference ( I'm posting a very similar review under both the S90 and the G11 . ) I've been trying to find a ' carry everywhere ' camera to always keep on my person so that I don't miss the amazing things that make up the events of everyday life ( like tomorrow when I actually get to get off the R train at Cortland Street in Manhattan , something I haven't been able to do for years due to construction ) . I wanted something that was ( 1 ) Small and ( 2 ) Had the ability for full manual controls for shutter speed and aperture . The two cameras that fit this bill very well were Canon's S90 and G11 - Canon's top of the line point and shoots in their respective series ( S and G ) . But which one ? The two major things that the cameras have in common ( in addition to the above mentioned manual controls ) are : 1 . The same image sensor ( same size , etc ) 2 . The same image processor Anyone who's written a comparison of the cameras will point this out quickly - because normally ' which camera ' would come down to these one of these two issues . In addition to these things , there are dozens of other features that both cameras share : this makes it very difficult to decide which camera ? Having owned both of them ( but ultimately deciding to go with the G11 and returning the S90 ) I would like to make a short list of positive / negatives which I think could be deciding factors when trying to choose between these two excellent cameras . Instead of listing both positive and negative points by each camera , I'll simply point out the positives of each that the other model does not share - I hope that this is helpful in your decision ! S90 : Advantages - Very compact : quite a bit smaller than the G11 , it would easily fit in pockets and cases that the G11 never could . If you're into Pelican cases like I am , you can fit the S90 in the Pelican Micro Case 1010 with room to spare . - More efficient controls : the ring around the lens is amazing and an excellent idea . Especially when in manual mode , this makes setting aperture and shutter speed a snap ( it's more awkward on the G11 - you have to use the small back dial and then toggle between aperture and shutter speed with a separate button which can get to be messy when you're trying to shoot quickly ) . - The f2.0 lens : a full stop faster than the G11 ' s 2.8 lens . This is a LOT of light , and especially important when you want to take photos in low-light situations ( note though that the lens on the S90 doesn't zoom in far as the G11 if that's important to you - both lenses are the same focal length when zoomed out ) . G11 : Advantages - Hot shoe : but on a compact ? Some people will say it's pointless to use an external flash on a compact camera - the whole point is to be compact ! That's a valid critique , but at the same time there are times when it's nice to be able to throw a flash on a compact if you really need one . I own the 430EX and the 580EX II ( both compatible ) but I picked up the newish 270EX with the G11 and it works fantastically with the camera without adding a lot of weight . Both the camera and the flash fit perfectly into the Pelican 1060 case side by side but with enough room to stay padded with the foam insert . And hey - if I want to throw the nearly-twice-as-big-as-the-camera-itself 580EX II on the G11 I can do it ! Yet I can also do without it - the camera is versatile this way in a way that the S90 is not . - Vari-Angle LCD : which at first I found annoying . The screen adds just enough bulk to the camera that it does not fit in smaller cases which it otherwise would . When I first got the camera I was really rather annoyed by it in fact - not only because of the bulk but because it is actually smaller than the LCD on the S90 . I had to read another review to realize that it was a much better thing than I realized - because it allows you to hold the camera at all sorts of different levels and angles while still allowing you to see what you're shooting . I really enjoy doing photography with the camera low to the ground ( I have an angled viewfinder for my DSLR ) and so this works perfectly for what I need . As others have pointed out , the Vari-Angledness of the LCD allows you to flip it while in storage so that it's even more protected . - Remote Shutter Release : you can use one ! I love doing night photography and that the G11 allows me to use a cable release really seals the deal on the S90 vs . G11 for me personally ( granted on the S90 you can always use the 2 second self-timer ) . Good news too if you use a Canon Rebel DSLR - it's the same cable release . Both the S90 and the G11 are beautiful , well made cameras that will serve any photographer well when you're looking for something that's not DSLR sized .
011 4 I've agonized about which compact camera to buy , the G11 or the S90 for a couple of weeks . In the end I bought the S90 and some of the reviews really helped me , so here's my contribution to the people making that decision today : Do you own a DSLR ? Definitely go with the S90 . Are you looking for a camera to take in your pocket ? No doubt about it , go with the S90 . I've used the G10 and G11 and , believe me , there's NO WAY you are taking them in your pocket ! The big differences between the two , which I'm fairly sure you all know by now are : - The focal length ( 105mm for the S90 and 140mm for the G11 ) - The manual controls - The size - The hot-shoe ( only the G's have them ) - The flash Well , let me start by addressing one of the main complaints I've been reading about , the fact that the rear wheel is loose and that you can change your definitions without noticing it . It was a concern when I bought the camera and , to my surprise , it has NEVER been an issue while shooting . I don't have small hands and I don't know how other people hold a compact camera , but for it works like clockwork , no problem whatsoever . I even dare to say that if it was a bit harder to move it , it might take from the easiness of changing your controls before shooting the picture . The difference in focal length doesn't bother me . Would it be nice to have more on the S90 ? Yeah , sure . But is it a concern ? No , not for me . I'm strictly against using the digital zoom , but on the few times I tried just to see the result , I confess I was a bit surprised ( on the good side ) by it . The manual controls are exceptional , the combination of frontal ring , back ring and shortcut button make it easy to change configurations and control the camera . And for those of you wondering about the speed in doing it , I can say that I've been taking pictures to make a book about the life guard service here and it's all about speed . Sometimes I take the S90 to the beach instead of the big DSLR's because people won't even notice me taking pictures with it , and the DSLR's always cause a fuss , specially when people are being rescued and are ashamed to be seen in that light . . . As for the size , I bought it to have a everyday camera always with me and this is the perfect one for this . A couple of friends decided to buy one after seeing mine ( one of them is abandoning his G10 for it ) . And I was very , very pleasantly surprised by the image quality and camera quality I got with the S90 , I never regretted choosing it and now , after having handled a G10 and a G11 , I think I would be mad with me if I had chosen the G11 instead of the S90 . Some reviewers have questioned the built quality of the S90 , but I don't have any complaints about it , and it has been living in my pocket for over a month now , receiving some fairly rough treatment sometimes . As for the shutter release on the S90 , yes , it is in a bit awkward position to be sure , but after one or two days with the camera you'll adjust to it . Is it a serious problem ? Not even close ! Regarding the hot-shoe and flash : well , I own two DSLR's , so if I want to put a big flash on top of the camera , I'll take the big one . It might be different for people who are buying this as their only camera . I hate flash and avoid using it always , even bumping the ISO to the moon , but , on the occasion I used the in-camera flash I was amazed by it's power . When I'm shooting professionally I tend to go with the RAW + JPEG mode , but sometimes I prefer to use the strict JPEG mode and it has a very interesting color control that helps eliminate the need for working the files later on . Anyway , you can change that configuration in about 2 to 3 seconds if you need to ( the RAW / JPEG , because the colors are even faster ) . A lot of reviewers and photographers talk about the S90 exceptional AutoWhite Balance , but I don't really like it , I tend to prefer choosing presets all the time ( I don't like the auto WB in my NIkon's DSLR's either ) , but that is also very easy and fast to do in this camera . Well , that's about it . I'm sure there are other reviews discussing the technical details more deeply , but I've been a VERY HAPPY S90 owner for the past month or so and I'm sure glad that I chose the S90 instead of the G11 . To tell you the truth , I don't see much reason in buying the G11 , as it is not a compact camera , it is not a DSLR , it is not lightweight , so it's a middle everything . But the S90 , and I've been hearing the same opinion from others for the past weeks , seems like the queen of compacts for now ( I hope the manufacturers start a fully manual compact cameras war now ) . I believe that , for most buyers , the S90 will always be the smart choice !
016 4 DPReview will present a more thorough review than any of us might care to write , so I will just give my general impressions . This camera is not perfect . If you are expected it to manage the image quality or low light performance of your Canon DSLR you will be disappointed . But the S90 is the best compact camera I have ever used . You do get more than one stop of performance over the Canon SD880IS , my previous ultra-portable camera . The F2.0 lens , lower density sensor and improved software give you that . Software matters on these small cameras and Canon's software is a pleasure to use . The aperture ring feature , which can be used to control ISO , shutter speed , Aperture and other functions is a pleasure to use and has a very cool visual UI on the back screen when in use ( think of the way the old Nikon cameras showed you the aperture ring in the viewfinder ) . The camers is not quite as pocketable as the regular line of SD powershot cameras , but the improved image quality and control easily make up for that . I like the camera . It has tons of manual controls , nearly all obvious in function without reading the manual if you are a Canon regular . They have increased the amount of on-screen documentation . The Auto ISO feature is better than before . They get that many prosumers don't want a flash and will take a noisy photo over either a flash photo or one too slow to hand hold . I typically own two cameras : a very small camera and a very large camera . This is my small camera and I would say that in the small camera department , if you care about low light performance and image quality more than zoom factor , you will love this camera . How can it be better ? well , if it had the sensor they put in the Canon 7D , it would be much better . I suspect Canon is working on such a camera . Size will be the major challenge there . So why the 5 stars if it is not perfect ? Because at this price and in this size range , there is simply no better camera on the market that I know of .
018 4 I was just as excited about getting this camera as anyone else . Being a lifelong photo-hobbyist , I enjoy owning good equipment . I find myself leaving my DSLR behind so often # and missing great photo opps # the details of the S90 prompted me to make this purchase . I figured I found a great little quality portable camera that will become my new sidekick . Positives are the menu system , and the ability to manually adjust settings . For those of us who like to be creative , they work and the control rings are great . Also low light photos of the family and kids are great , it went along trick-or-treating , and provided some really good results . It is the beginning of a wonderful small camera series , and as Canon addresses some of the below issues , it will shine as it should . Negatives are build quality and battery life . For a $400 plus camera , I'd expect more solid build quality . For those that think this is a metal camera , it is not . The plastic feels like metal , but my camera is already making creaky noises when I hold it , and clicks and squeeks when I adjust the top function dial . I owned a G9 prior to this , and this has no solid feel like that at all . It just feels cheap , like a $200 camera , not a $400 unit . The front control ring is nice , but the small rear one moves way too freely , and is easy to make errant adjustment that you didn't mean to make . Also , in my opinion the shutter release is placed oddly , it just doesn't fit naturally in the hand . Guess they justify the price by the quality of the sensor , and f2.0 lens fitment . Both positives , the camera did take nice pictures . . . but none that were that much better than the above average point and shoot . Video mode is low resolution , and not much better than a good camera phone . That is too bad , I think 720p video in a camera like this is important , after all the idea is to get the footage ( and shots ) because this is the camera we carry with us ! Finally , the deal killer . . . Battery life ! I cannot believe how quickly the battery runs down , charge it before every outing , buy a second , or be left for dead ( like I was ) wondering why I spent so much money on this camera . Mine is going back , and I will jump on Canon's 2nd version . Surely they will address the build quality , and battery life issue . I am really disappointed that this camera didn't live up to the hype , I really hoped it would . Greatful I used Amazon for their simple and friendly return policy .
021 4 If you have realistic expectations on the image quality you can get from a small camera , you will be quite impressed with the s90 . I mainly use a DSLR ( Canon 5DII ) but I needed something that I could carry anywhere and still have the control I m used to with my Canon . The s90 delivers in features ( ease of use of these features ) and on size . I tend to keep things in AV mode , with the aperture control on the front ring and the shortcut button to jump to ISO settings . Between this and the little wheel on the back controlling exposure compensation you can make very quick decision on how to take the shot . The camera also starts up instantly , so you won't be missing shots due to this . Image quality is great when there is enough light and it's capable of taking shots with very low light as well . . . but they will be noisy . That being said , when I use this camera , my photos will simply be emailed to family and friends , or printed no larger than a 6 by 4 photograph . With a little noise reduction and the size reduction to fall between these parameters , the photo quality leaves nothing to complain about . Prints look great , and by the time you get to that point , the noise is completely under control . There are certainly better cameras out there that cost a little less , but none of them will give you all of this at this small size , and that was the most important factor to me . If the camera is not with me , I won't be able to take the picture . . . it's as simple as that . You can keep the camera in a coat pocket or non-jeans front pocket comfortably . ( Jeans are a little tight . ; - ) ) I've ready many complaints that the back wheel is too loose . Note that this is a feature , not a defect . Personally , I didn't even have to adapt to this feature . I've never moved the wheel when I don't want to , as there is a nice detent on the back for your thumb . The free wheel is great for reviewing pictures and making quick adjustments to manual focus . Your mileage may vary with this , though , since it's clear that many other people have problems with it . In conclusion , if your order of priorities are Size , Control , Image Quality - this is the camera for you . And if you will print small - or don't print at all , the image quality is excellent .
022 4 PROS : Very Good Indoor / Low Light Image Quality for a small camera especially at wide angle , Good Flash range ; fast Lens ( f / 2.0 ) at wide angle , manual controls . CONS : Overpriced ; No optical view finder , Image Noise reduction reduces sharpening and detail at telephoto end , camera sometimes blows out highlights at close range , image quality no better ( or worse ) than many other compact cameras in day light , lens aperture slows down to to f / 4.9 at telephoto end OTHER THOUGHTS : Most digital cameras take very good pictures in good lighting conditions ( daylight ) . This camera takes some very nice pictures in such conditions although no better than many other compact cameras including other much cheaper Canon models and with less dynamic range than some others such as the Fuji F200EXR . The challenge for all digital cameras is shooting in lower lighting conditions ( indoors ) . Cameras with large sensors , ( DSLRs and micro 4 / 3 cameras ) , handle this without too much problem in most conditions . Compact cameras which invariably have small sensors and a weak flash struggle in low light ( at higher ISO settings ) . There are some older compact cameras which also have relatively large sensors and a strong flash ( i.e . Fuji F20 , F30 , F31FD , Olympus C - 7000 , Canon G6 ) Some of these cameras are still available used at reasonable prices although they do not have image stabilization nor a wide angle lens . The S90 with a sensor larger than most compact cameras sold today , is the best small low light camera currently available that I have seen ( I am not counting the Panasoniuc LX3 as a small camera ; see below ) . The S90 is not comparable to even the worst DSLR or better than some of the older cameras mentioned above ( especially the C - 7000 ) . The S90 is better indoors than the second best camera currently available , the Fuji F200EXR . The flash on the S90 is stronger and the images look brighter and cleaner than the F200EXR in most instances . The S90 ' s strong flash results in the battery discharging somewhat quicker than other compact cameras ( a worthwhile tradeoff ) . The S90 takes much better photos at the wide end ( where the aperture is at f / 2.0 ) than at the telephoto end . At the telephoto end , the lens is modest in its range ( 3.7x ) compared to some other small cameras and and is also rather slow ( f / 4.9 ) . At the telephoto end , there is obvious and heavy noise reduction being implemented in the . JPG processing . This seriously compromises fine image details . The S90 offers RAW ( unprocessed image ) shooting but this is seriously compromised by serious image distortion ( which does not seem to appear in . JPG images as far as I can see ) . The Panasonic LX3 does a better job in low light at mid shooting ranges ( 50mm equiv or so ) . The LX3 also has a fast lens as well as large sensor ( for a compact camera ) . The LX3 also has a much wider ( 24mm vs S90 28mm equiv ) and faster lens ( f / 2.0 - f2.8 vs . the S90 f / 2.0 - f4.9 ) . I have been able to use the LX3 indoors without a flsh resulting in very usuable photographs . When attempting the same thing for the S90 I was disappointed at all zoom ranges except at its widest ( 28mm equiv ) range . The LX3 may not be a fair comparison though , it is larger then the S90 . The main draw back is the very limited telephoto range on the LX3 ; only 60mm equiv at it longest ( vs 105mm for the S90 ) . The Lx3 is also more expensive than the S90 . CONCLUSION : If you do most of your shooting outdoors , this is probably not your camera . The Fuji F200EXR is better outdoors , is cheaper and does a reasonable job indoors . Similarly , if you are prepared to carry a bulkier camera , a small DSLR ( i.e . the Olympus evolt e - 4xx series ) is in the same price range and is a much better value and takes much better pictures . However , if you take many indoor pictures , need a very small camera and can afford the S90 price , then this camera may be what you are looking for .
023 4 I'm not one to belabor camera specs that already appear in a manufacturer's description , so this will be short and sweet . I have 33 years of professional photography experience , and am floored by the image quality ( IQ ) of this little camera ! I immediately captured over 300 photos with it after I unpacked it , all indoor without flash , and was amazed at the little-to-no noise appearance in my images , many of them taken at a music concert . The build of the camera is not flimsy or plasticky , as aluded to in another review . I find it to be solidly built , and now call it my little derringer , that will go with me anywhere more easily than my Canon 40D . If you want to ascend above the ordinary in a P & S camera , and can afford to do so , then go for it . It's well worth it !
025 4 I'm a professional photographer ( who shoots Nikon for digital and 35mm ) and was looking for a quality camera to have with me for personal use . I certainly don't feel like dragging around my Linhof large format or even my Nikon D3 with the huge body , lenses etc . for general photo taking . Unfortunately Nikon doesn't make a high quality point and shoot with a fast lens ( which is the opposite for pro DSLRs . . . Nikon is a step ahead of Canon these days ) . I was looking into buying the new Canon SD4000 which was just announced because it is so compact , but after looking into all the features , this S90 is still a far superior camera if photo quality , features and manual operation are what you're after , and they are basically the same price . This S90 is also barely larger than the SD4000 . They both have the f / 2.0 lens which is virtually unheard of on a pocket camera and the ISO performance is very good considering the size of these things , and the amount of technology that needs to be squeezed into this tiny body . The SD4000 has these features , but the customizable rings on this S90 alone make this a much better choice for anyone looking for a real camera . Also , the sensor on this camera is larger and the backlit sensor on the SD4000 can make some good low-light photos but will create lower-quality photos for general picture taking . With the ability to control aperture , iso , exposure compensation etc . on the S90 with the rings , and with the small size , high-end sensor and fast lens , this is the best point and shoot you can get . This has the same innards as the more expensive , large , unwieldy G11 but with A FASTER LENSE ( better low-light photos etc . ) . The only drawback to this camera is that it's aimed at people who want great photos , not a bunch of gimmicks or conflicting features . . . so there's no HD video , only standard ( and great looking ) video capture . I bought the S90 because I'm a photographer and I want to take great photos with something that fits in my pocket , and for that there is no better camera on the market as of late May 2010 . The S90 doesn't have the low-light performance or give me the bokeh of my D3 , but that thing ( without lenses ) cost me $5,000 and is like carrying a toaster around .
026 4 Notice in the title I call this a compact camera not a point and shoot . While you can use this as a point and shot camera in auto mode , this camera is far more . It features a larger imaging sensor than most point and shots . Actually the same as the Canon G11 series . It also features Canon's Digic 4 processor , their latest and greatest . It has far more control options and adjustments you can make . On the front of the camera , the lens sticks out about a quarter of an inch ( even when closed ) . Where it sticks out is a control ring that you can set to do different things , such as zoom the lens , change the ISO , exposure compensation , etc . One thing you might notice is you don't see a flash on the front . The S90 has a flash that pops up when needed . Works pretty well as long as your subject isn't farther than about 12 feet ( normal for this size camera ) . A mode dial on the top lets you chose between manual mode , a few auto modes , scene modes , and a custom mode ( you define the settings ) . The S90 features a large 3 LCD on the back that is very bright . I work well in sunlight , a good thing since it doesn't doesn't have an opticl viewfinder . The viewfinders are going to be a thing of the past for these size camera . One thing the S90 has that almost no point and shoot has is the ability to shoot RAW . This means that it saves the data from the sensor directly to the memory card without the camera processing it . When an image is processed , some data is destroyed . The cameras sensor has a wider range than the PC or print can display . When processed , the camera decides which data to keep ( and Canon's Digic chip is very good at this ) . However there are some situations that fool the camera and don't give you the best picture . If you shoot RAW , you get to make the decision when you process it in your computer . You will need software that can handle Canon RAW files ( Lightroom , Photoshop , etc ) . The good news is that Canon includes their DPP ( Digital Photo Pro ) software . This software is very , very good . I like to shoot RAW & Jpeg ( the camera saves both to the memory card at the same time ) . I use the Jpeg pictures unless I have one that doesn't look so good , then I use DPP to process the RAW file . I can then uually get a better image . For more technical details go to [ . . . ] and look up the S90 . The bad things . . . There are a couple of problems with the S90 : 1 . One is it can be a little slippery if you're holding it with one hand . Very easy to drop . However , a company named Lensmate sells an add on grip that does not really add to the size of the camera and really makes it easy to hold . It's a little pricey ( $32.00 ) but it's machined out of aluminum , is light , and looks like it's part of the camera . If you buy this camera , buy this grip . 2 . There's a second control ring on the back and it's very easy to accidentally move it and change a camera setting as it sits right under your thumb . Lensmate sells a little Delron ring ( about $5.00 ) that goes around it and keeps your thumb just off of the control ring . Push down and you can rotate the ring to change settings . Anoither good thing to have . The best things : 1 . The picture quality is fantastic for this size camera . I've made 13x19 prints and they are great ! 2 . It's size . Since you can carry it in a pocket , it can go everywhere . Bottom line . . . I sold my G11 . The S90 is every bit as good for me and a lot smaller .
030 4 I'm an amateur photographer , but am picky about image quality . Digitally I started with a 5 MP Canon in 2000 , went to 6 , and though I can't remember the model number - maybe simply an S6 - I remember the image quality as being superb - without any image stablization mumbo . Later I came to conclude that the nature shots of the SD600 , which was a gift to my girlfriend , to be the best I'd ever seen from a Point & Shoot camaera - yes , maybe the image stablization really works . Wanting my own camera , I bought a Canon SD1100 which was stolen though with few regrets - the image quality wan't there . Next I tried the Canon 1200 , but I just wasn't satified with the crispness . So I switched brands ; I bought a Panasonic DMC-ZS3 with great expectations , but again I was disappointed in the sharpness of the image and in low light performance . I ended up giving that one away . I had read great things about Fujifilm , so I bought the 200 EXR . The colors and contrast were excellent , and I considered it acceptable , but it was stolen from my car . Sold on a longer zoom , I bought the 70 EXR , but even though it shares the same processor with the 200 model , I just wasn't quite happy with image clarity nor with white balance , nor with the graininess of low light shots . I have to agree with the many opinions I've read - that the 200 and 70 models on EXR mode or Auto jack up the ISO too fast , and the result is noise . As for the 70 EXR , I recently gave it away . Enter the S90 , and I must say that it is by far the best digital camera I've owned . The colors are the truest that I have seen in a long time , the images are more than acceptably sharp , and the low light performance is truly impressive . Finally I have found a P & S camera ( which I want for portability ) that I am happy with in every aspect . Reading through the tons of camera reviews , I've come to realize a couple things : 1 ) a huge number of 5 - star ratings doesn't mean squat - individual preferences , refined or not , rule the day ; and 2 ) I had been duped by the propaganda that more pixels are better . In looking at the images from the 10 MP S90 , I realize that the MP war is misguided , and what should be better disclosed is not only MP's but also the size ( area ) of the processor . Then there's the quality of the lense . The S90 has a bigger processor than most P & S cameras , not to mention a brighter lense . The combination gives me just the results that I have been looking for . This one's a keeper - finally .
036 4 I purchased this item from Best Buy , and the cashier scanned the price . When she scanned it , she asked me , You are sure about the price , right ? It's $399 . The people who work in the electronic can hardly believe that this small camera can be that pricey . Well , there must be something about it . I went home and opened it , and took some shot . Now , I'm totally amazed . I compare the picture with the one I took using the famous Canon SD780IS , and let me tell you : It makes SD780IS look like a totally amateur camera . I can't believe what I see , and I think I find the answer : it is the quality of Canon S90 lens that makes the difference . That night my kid has Christmas performance , and I took the shot in the dark using low-light mode . Amazing , no blur at all . The guy sitting next to me said : You did a great job . Beside the quality lens , Canon S90 offers a manual setting that every advanced photographer like . You can set the shutter speed , aperture , etc . You can change the focal length of the lens . It has an HDMI out port . And it is portable . In the process of choosing S90 , I was also considering Panasonic LX3 . It's not that it is not good , but Panasonic is really big . If you want the combination of quality , durability , and portability , please look no further . S90 is the one . Don't think that it is overpriced just because it looks small . Wait until you take your first picture , then you can draw your conclusion about the price . Enjoy !
037 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I got the S90 a week ago and took it on a road trip to a family reunion . Took literally 500 shots in all kinds of conditions , including many with suboptimal lighting that would have resulted in mediocre pictures with most other point and shoot cameras . The S90 took amazingly great pictures indoors , including in poorly lit rooms and rooms with florescent lighting . It took amazing sunset pictures ( using the pre-programmed sunset mode ! ) . Completely wide and fully zoomed images looked equally great , less barrel distortion at the widest angle than every other zoom PNS I've used . Finally , the lag from power-on to first shot and the lag from shot to shot are both better than every other PNS I've owned ( but of course much less than the DSLR , which is almost zero lag ) . I also have a Nikon D60 , which I love , but got this Canon PNS because sometimes it's not practical to bring the DSLR . The S90 truly approaches the Nikon DSLR in image quality in most conditions . The S90 also gives the photographer a lot more control than most PNS cameras , though novices like me will be producing excellent pictures with just the auto and the pre-programmed modes . The image stabilization works transparently in the background and helps improve the quality of shots , especially in low lighting . Only shot a few movie clips . They aren't above average quality for PNS cameras ( though maybe I could get better quality clips if I learn more about the movie settings ) . But at least , you can zoom in / out while shooting movies , something that many other PNSs won't do . I can tell you battery life is great . I got 300 shots on the first battery . I could have gotten probably another dozen or so , but swapped it out for a fresh battery so I'd be prepared for any Kodak moments . But 300 shots on one battery is very realistic , and I did a lot of reviewing between shots . This is my first PNS without an optical viewfinder . I thought I'd miss it , and I thought battery life would be dismal with the LCD display on almost constantly . But battery life was great , as noted above , and the LCD display is so bright and clear , I can completely live without the optical viewfinder . I don't think the camera is particularly stylish , though maybe it is in a nerdy photographer kind of way . And I would have preferred a longer zoom . But I've got my DSLR for that . The most important things to me were great image quality in all sorts of lighting conditions , wide angle at the wide end of the zoom , and good battery life . The Canon S90 delivers on all that and more . I recommend it very highly . At the moment , it's new and in high demand . If you can wait a month or two , you'll be able to find it for less - probably even here at Amazon .
038 4 I got the S90 a week ago and took it on a road trip to a family reunion . Took literally 500 shots in all kinds of conditions , including many with suboptimal lighting that would have resulted in mediocre pictures with most other point and shoot cameras . The S90 took amazingly great pictures indoors , including in poorly lit rooms and rooms with florescent lighting . It took amazing sunset pictures ( using the pre-programmed sunset mode ! ) . Completely wide and fully zoomed images looked equally great , less barrel distortion at the widest angle than every other zoom PNS I've used . Finally , the lag from power-on to first shot and the lag from shot to shot are both better than every other PNS I've owned ( but of course much less than the DSLR , which is almost zero lag ) . I also have a Nikon D60 , which I love , but got this Canon PNS because sometimes it's not practical to bring the DSLR . The S90 truly approaches the Nikon DSLR in image quality in most conditions . The S90 also gives the photographer a lot more control than most PNS cameras , though novices like me will be producing excellent pictures with just the auto and the pre-programmed modes . The image stabilization works transparently in the background and helps improve the quality of shots , especially in low lighting . Only shot a few movie clips . They aren't above average quality for PNS cameras ( though maybe I could get better quality clips if I learn more about the movie settings ) . But at least , you can zoom in / out while shooting movies , something that many other PNSs won't do . I can tell you battery life is great . I got 300 shots on the first battery . I could have gotten probably another dozen or so , but swapped it out for a fresh battery so I'd be prepared for any Kodak moments . But 300 shots on one battery is very realistic , and I did a lot of reviewing between shots . This is my first PNS without an optical viewfinder . I thought I'd miss it , and I thought battery life would be dismal with the LCD display on almost constantly . But battery life was great , as noted above , and the LCD display is so bright and clear , I can completely live without the optical viewfinder . I don't think the camera is particularly stylish , though maybe it is in a nerdy photographer kind of way . And I would have preferred a longer zoom . But I've got my DSLR for that . The most important things to me were great image quality in all sorts of lighting conditions , wide angle at the wide end of the zoom , and good battery life . The Canon S90 delivers on all that and more . I recommend it very highly . At the moment , it's new and in high demand . If you can wait a month or two , you'll be able to find it for less - probably even here at Amazon .
039 4 As a parent of a young child I'm interested in taking pictures inside , at night , without a flash . This requires a camera with a fast lens . What this means is a lens with a wide enough opening ( aperture ) to allow enough light in to use a fast shutter speed . And fast shutter speeds stop action , which is needed when your subject ( young children ) will not stay still long enough to have their picture taken . The Canon S90 has the fastest lens available in a compact camera at f / 2.0 ( smaller number is faster ) . When shooting at low light , I set the camera in aperture priority mode ( Av ) , set the aperture to f / 2.0 ( the lowest number ) , then use the control dial to select an ISO that will allow a shutter speed of 1 / 100 sec or faster . This will stop most action without making the picture too grainy ( higher ISOs reduce picture quality ) . I also have a Canon 30D DSLR with a 50mm f / 1.8 lens which is slightly faster than the S90 , however in the low light situation DSLR cameras have something working against them . Namely , the larger image sensors on DSLRs reduce their depth of field ( DOF ) at a given aperture over smaller sensor cameras like the S90 . Sometimes reduced DOF is a good thing , because it will render the background of your subject out of focus , bringing attention to your subject . But at f / 1.8 on a DSLR-sized sensor the depth of field is so shallow , literally the subject's nose will be in focus but their ears out of focus . To keep your full subject in focus on the DSLR , you would need an aperture f / 2.8 , f / 4.0 , or smaller ( higher number ) . These smaller apertures require a slower shutter speed ( to let in more light ) and reduce the ability to stop action in low light . On the other hand , the S90 ' s smaller sensor doesn't have such a shallow depth of field at f / 2.0 that you can stay there and keep your full subject in focus . ( The S90 can still blur backgrounds with sufficient distance between your subject and the background . ) The S90 is my kids camera of choice .
040 4 I own a nikon D90 and wanted a point and shoot for those moments when you just don't happen to be lugging around the big slr . I didn't know about a camera with more than just point and shoot options until my friend pointed out this camera . I read all these reviews but was turned off by the flash that pops up . It is an odd area and out of place to me . However , I wanted great pictures and the ability to shoot indoors without flash at times by manually adjusting . I bought this camera a week ago and realized it was better than expected . This is definitely a fun camera . It has got manual settings for those of us that like to adjust it like and SLR but a mini version . It also has auto shoot ( don't expect it to shoot as fast as an SLR but expect it faster than a standard point and shoot ) , low light auto , special auto with functions for snowy background , beach scene , black and white shot , nostalgic , selective colors ( select a color of interest and there rest is black and white ) , portrait , landscape etc etc . I love being able to shoot in low light because there is a better sensor than other canon . The pictures were more vibrant and colorful . I couldn't get over how well the colors are captured in this camera . My brother in law said he couldn't figure out why i would spend over 400 dollars on this camera until he compared his $250 cool pix shots side by side with mine . He is currently wrapping his up and returning it to best buy and getting this canon s90 . Overall , very happy with the performance and ease of use . Only downside is the stupid flash that would pop out when your fingers are resting above it to snap a picture . Oh one more thing , the snap button is next to the function button so often times , ppl who are helping me take a picture would need more guidance . Sort of annoying . I gave this camera a five star because I can get over the flash . If you have extra cash , get the special bag that comes with it . It is quite convenient worn on my belt since I like to have it by me a lot . Great and fun camera .
042 4 I purchased this camera in early december 2009 . I have had it a few weeks . I bought it because of reviews that I had read and because on my previous overseas excursions I brought the cumbersome Nikon D70 . I had never been interested in a ' point and shoot ' camera before because of what I perceived as the lack of controls for shutter speed and f stop . Now , I am travelling and it is truly a pleasure and joy to have it strapped on my belt almost all of the time . I have now shot about 300 images . What ' sold ' me on this one was also the high regard in the reviews that I read for the special ' low light ' setting . It really does enable the photographer to shoot in low light situations and although there is typical color shifts , the resolution and lack of pixalation is quite good . It is very cool to have that option . Also , it is very small and Canon makes a case that is perfect to strap on your belt . It is so light and easy to carry that I bring it with me day and night . I had read many previous reviews that thought the ' wheel ' control on the back of the camera was too loose and that it may change your settings too easily . At first , I thought this may be true but after some experimentation , I realized it was a genius design if you use Manual setting and also for flipping thru your saved photos and viewing them . The beauty of the wheel is that when you are shooting in Manual mode , you can spin the wheel to control the shutter speed . This allows you to look at the image and see it progress from light to dark or vice a versa . In my experience , the shutter speed doesn't matter as long as you are not shooting moving objects as long as you can control camera ' shake ' . The f stop is the creative control for most images and you set that via the control ring around the neck of the lens in the front . Using the control ring for movement frees the photographer from thinking about ' the average meter reading and the plus one minus one , etc . that usually happens with an slr . Then you have to check depth of field and it is at least a two step process to see the effects . If you want to change depth of field , you will have to move the ring in the front , but you can see the effects right away and you can easily change the feeling of light with the ' loose ' wheel in the back by changing shutter speeds . The other advantage of the loose wheel in the back is for viewing your saved photos . There are at least two ways to view them . One is by tapping the left side of the wheel to go backward and the right side to go forward . However , by using the wheel and rotating the wheel which moves very easily , you can quickly go thru many photos like you are flipping thru a deck of cards . Another recommended adjunct to the Powershot is the Canon case I purhcased which is specifically for this model camera . If you have a belt on , it slips securely onto the belt and is very easy to open and close . So convenient and compact and solid . The only thing lacking at this point for me is a smooth transition for the zoom lens . I use the control at the top and it is a little jerky and hard to control for exact framing . There may be an alternative method which I haven't discovered yet . This is my first point and shoot and it is a winner . Highly recommended .
050 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I'd been very happy with two earlier compact Canon models before this ( most recently , the SD870 IS ) , but they both lacked the ability to shoot RAW . I much prefer to shoot RAW than JPEG . Given that there are very few compact cameras shooting RAW that are able to fit in my small belt pouch ( to be with me nearly all the time ) , those were key features for me . I typically use the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to do custom color profiles from RAW files in Adobe Lightroom and now can use that with this Canon camera for precise color in any lighting conditions . I'd probably read more than 8 online reviews of the S90 before buying it , so I was aware of criticism of it for its dial on the back being too easily turned . I didn't find that a problem at all . Some found the camera too slippery . That had some truth to it , so I improved the ergonomics of the camera with an extra , custom-made grip from [ . . . ] . ( I never use the tiny strap that comes with compact cameras . ) That made it * much * easier to hold . Having been in photography 47 years now , I'm astounded at the features in this camera ( including some I'll never use , which apply only if you shoot JPEGs ) . It's definitely higher tech than the older SD870 IS which I decided not to get fixed after it broke , but to replace with this camera . I find the meter on this camera extremely accurate , with rarely any need to override it . Some critics online have faulted it for lacking an optical viewfinder , but I'd much prefer to have a 3 LCD on the back than a smaller LCD and tiny , squinty , optical viewfinder combination . I've pored through the manual to understand all the camera can do and configure it to suit the way I use it . Having manual settings , histograms while shooting , and lots more is terrific . I'm very glad for its f2 lens ( and don't really care about the limitations of its flash as I rarely use a camera's built-in flash ) . I'm very glad for the high quality even at higher ISOs , partly due its having the larger sensor of its brother ( much larger , heavier , not pocketable ) , the Canon G11 . It * would * have been nice to have HD video ( or optical zooming while filming ) , but I didn't buy the camera so much for video features .
051 4 I'd been very happy with two earlier compact Canon models before this ( most recently , the SD870 IS ) , but they both lacked the ability to shoot RAW . I much prefer to shoot RAW than JPEG . Given that there are very few compact cameras shooting RAW that are able to fit in my small belt pouch ( to be with me nearly all the time ) , those were key features for me . I typically use the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport to do custom color profiles from RAW files in Adobe Lightroom and now can use that with this Canon camera for precise color in any lighting conditions . I'd probably read more than 8 online reviews of the S90 before buying it , so I was aware of criticism of it for its dial on the back being too easily turned . I didn't find that a problem at all . Some found the camera too slippery . That had some truth to it , so I improved the ergonomics of the camera with an extra , custom-made grip from [ . . . ] . ( I never use the tiny strap that comes with compact cameras . ) That made it * much * easier to hold . Having been in photography 47 years now , I'm astounded at the features in this camera ( including some I'll never use , which apply only if you shoot JPEGs ) . It's definitely higher tech than the older SD870 IS which I decided not to get fixed after it broke , but to replace with this camera . I find the meter on this camera extremely accurate , with rarely any need to override it . Some critics online have faulted it for lacking an optical viewfinder , but I'd much prefer to have a 3 LCD on the back than a smaller LCD and tiny , squinty , optical viewfinder combination . I've pored through the manual to understand all the camera can do and configure it to suit the way I use it . Having manual settings , histograms while shooting , and lots more is terrific . I'm very glad for its f2 lens ( and don't really care about the limitations of its flash as I rarely use a camera's built-in flash ) . I'm very glad for the high quality even at higher ISOs , partly due its having the larger sensor of its brother ( much larger , heavier , not pocketable ) , the Canon G11 . It * would * have been nice to have HD video ( or optical zooming while filming ) , but I didn't buy the camera so much for video features .
054 4 I really like this camera ! But first : If you are a Pro camera user , this camera will probably disappoint you . You know who you are . Your camera is the size of a medium rock , and in all likelihood is carried around your neck to complete that professional photographer look . you have trouble trusting others to take a photo for you because you feel like they'll drop it , and in turn strangers off the street have no idea how to hold it or even work it . However if you're like me , and hate to lug large cameras around your neck like some heifer and you just want a camera to accurately take pictures that reflect what you see . ( i.e . especially at night , in dark places , indoors , close up , etc . ) without having to fiddle with a bunch of settings , this is the camera for you . I found this especially true when trying to take photos indoors , at night , or at dusk without having to use flash . I feel like no camera I've tried out before has the same ability to take the picture that I actually see with my own eyes in these dark conditions . And of course it works great during the day too . Yeah I realize it's pricey if you're shopping for a point and shoot when you can easily snag one for $100 , but those cameras aren't going to be nearly as versatile in capturing as many moments in as many conditions as you want it to . So unless you plan on buying multiple cameras for multiple purposes , I would just buy this one and be done with it . When I bought it in Dec of 2009 it was $399 , by the time you read this , maybe the price will have come down and it'll be even more worth it . The only downside is that it only comes in black . Well I can tell you I wasn't thrilled about it , but it kind of grows on you . It may not be as cute or sleek as the other ones out there , but they don't work nearly as well as this one either .
056 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) My very old Canon SD600 recently began to show its age ( a terrific little camera during its prime , however ) , so I decided to gift it to my younger brother and get myself a new toy . After a few weeks of shopping , I finally bought a Canon S90 . This little gem is amazing ! It takes great pictures in low light , I enjoy the large LCD screen on the back , and the picture quality is stunning for a point and shoot . I have a few jealous friends who were surprised by the quality of pictures I was able to take , especially compared to their cameras . Having photographic bragging rights is nice . The creative abilities you have with the manual controls of this camera were a deal-maker for me . I work with DSLRs a lot , and having a large amount of those manual controls on a DSLR in a small , take-everywhere package was the most important reason I bought this camera . While one obviously cannot expect this to take pictures on quite the same level as a DSLR , the pictures are certainly superior to any camera I've seen of this size and price range on the market . The weight is nice , it feels really sturdy . The control ring on the front is a nice feature . I was worried it was going to be gimmicky , but it's actually well designed . The other ring on the back doesn't get in my way and I don't have problems taking pictures with one hand . Just be careful to keep the wrist strap on , it can get a bit slippery . The customizable button the back is really nice . I set it to turn off the screen so I could save battery life between shots . The flash itself is great , it lights up a dark room nicely . Color swap / accent are nifty little features to have , also . Some things I don't like about this camera ( unfortunately , it could not be perfect . . . ) are the shutter release and main zoom control because it feels too plasticy for the $400 price tag . Everything else is fairly solid . Also the battery life leaves something to be desired . I did get about 450 shots on one charge , but the actual time spent shooting was short . I am buying a second battery to carry around with me . The camera is slightly larger than most point and shoots and it took me a while to find a case that properly fit without paying a fortune . I don't think it's as sleek looking as other Canons , but I understand that's entirely subjective . The flash can be intrusive . It's right where I put my finger . Thankfully , it comes up really forcefully , much stronger than I'm holding the camera so I'm not afraid of breaking it . It's similar to someone rolling a car window up when your arm is still sticking out . You're not going to break the window , but it is a little startling . Overall , if you're shopping for a pocketable camera with superior image quality and more manual control , there is not a better camera out there . You won't be sorry for the money you spent .
057 4 My very old Canon SD600 recently began to show its age ( a terrific little camera during its prime , however ) , so I decided to gift it to my younger brother and get myself a new toy . After a few weeks of shopping , I finally bought a Canon S90 . This little gem is amazing ! It takes great pictures in low light , I enjoy the large LCD screen on the back , and the picture quality is stunning for a point and shoot . I have a few jealous friends who were surprised by the quality of pictures I was able to take , especially compared to their cameras . Having photographic bragging rights is nice . The creative abilities you have with the manual controls of this camera were a deal-maker for me . I work with DSLRs a lot , and having a large amount of those manual controls on a DSLR in a small , take-everywhere package was the most important reason I bought this camera . While one obviously cannot expect this to take pictures on quite the same level as a DSLR , the pictures are certainly superior to any camera I've seen of this size and price range on the market . The weight is nice , it feels really sturdy . The control ring on the front is a nice feature . I was worried it was going to be gimmicky , but it's actually well designed . The other ring on the back doesn't get in my way and I don't have problems taking pictures with one hand . Just be careful to keep the wrist strap on , it can get a bit slippery . The customizable button the back is really nice . I set it to turn off the screen so I could save battery life between shots . The flash itself is great , it lights up a dark room nicely . Color swap / accent are nifty little features to have , also . Some things I don't like about this camera ( unfortunately , it could not be perfect . . . ) are the shutter release and main zoom control because it feels too plasticy for the $400 price tag . Everything else is fairly solid . Also the battery life leaves something to be desired . I did get about 450 shots on one charge , but the actual time spent shooting was short . I am buying a second battery to carry around with me . The camera is slightly larger than most point and shoots and it took me a while to find a case that properly fit without paying a fortune . I don't think it's as sleek looking as other Canons , but I understand that's entirely subjective . The flash can be intrusive . It's right where I put my finger . Thankfully , it comes up really forcefully , much stronger than I'm holding the camera so I'm not afraid of breaking it . It's similar to someone rolling a car window up when your arm is still sticking out . You're not going to break the window , but it is a little startling . Overall , if you're shopping for a pocketable camera with superior image quality and more manual control , there is not a better camera out there . You won't be sorry for the money you spent .
058 4 After years of having two cameras , a little tiny point and shoot ( Canon SD1000 ) and a full DSLR , I was finding myself getting more and more frustrated with the P & S , basically , I stopped taking it with me because the pictures it took were generally just snapshots . I'd compose my picture , take it , look at it when I got home and there would be something wrong . I've now had the S90 for 3 months and have started looking forward to pictures taken with it again . It gives you control where you need it ( in the two programmable rings ) and has excellent image quality . While it is not as small as the elph , it does still fit in my pockets and takes such better pictures that I haven't looked back . The elph has been relegated to my accident camera stored in the glove box of my car . One thing to note , there is a metal grip that I've purchased for the S90 and easily affixed to the front . It is the same width as the lens , so it doesn't make the camera any wider , but it makes it even easier to use .
060 4 As Chase Jarvis says . . . . . . . . The best camera is the one that's with you . So it goes with this little camera . Little in size but pretty big in features and picture quality . I also invested in the belt loop Canon leather carrying case and I have this camera with me wherever I go . So far ( I've had it a few months ) it's doing an excellent job . I shoot in raw ( larger file size ) and process in Lightroom 2 but it will certainly shoot in jpeg also . The quality is really good ( even cranked up to ISO 800 ) . It shoots well in low light . It doesn't have any extreme zoom to it but it's sufficient for most any need . I find that as small as it is , in my shaky hands , I couldn't steady it very well if it zoomed any more than it already does . I have also invested in a monopod for it and that really helps with steadying it . It does have the anti shake feature that most cameras have , but I'm pretty shaky and needed a little more ( or else I have to adjust up the shutter speed ) . Not to mention that it's handy to be able to hold the monopod out in front of me and take my wife's and my picture in whatever setting we happen to be in ( I put a small ballhead on the monopod ) so I could adjust the camera to whatever angle I needed to get our self portrait shots . That's pretty nice ! ! Just set the timer and smile ! ! ! The features are nice , it's picture quality is great , and it truly gives you total control if you want it ( Manual ) . For those that don't care to learn the bells and whistles , it has a lot of modes that allow you to just preset and shoot and let the camera do the imaging . Since photography is a big hobby of mine , I'm enjoying learning it's features and are shooting more and more in manual . I like being able to tell the camera what I want instead of just letting it decide for me . I'm certainly still learning but so far I'm very pleased . In my research , I looked closely at the Canon G11 which , in my opinion , had one other feature I liked which was a hot shoe to be able to put an external flash on ( or put on a pocket wizard and set up the flash somewhere else ) , but my main concern was having the portability . I chose this camera because I can keep it with me and that's worth more to me than having to carry a larger camera . If I want to do that , I'll take my DSLR with me . The S90 has a small pop up flash that is adequate for most needs . I'll have to admit that it takes some getting used to where to put your fingers when holding the camera as the pop up flash pops up right where you tend to want to hold it ( top left hand corner from behind the camera ) . I had read about that quite a bit in other reviews . They're right ! But it's not insurmountable to get past . I have experimented some with the small flash and found that ( 1 ) you can adjust the amount of flash coming out of it and that helps in toning down the flash for just a fill flash on a sunny day and ( 2 ) If you lay a napkin or the end of a handkerchief over the little flash that pops up , it really softens the light that comes out of it . My wife and I are going on a cruise later this year and I really wanted something I could take along easily without carrying a bunch of camera gear with me . I think this is going to do the job just fine . Not to mention I've gotten some great impromptu shots just going back and forth to work . I have no idea how sturdy this camera is or how long it will last in the day to day world , but so far so good . I would recommend this camera to anyone wanting to have that camera with them that goes beyond what a cell phone will do ( at least at this point in time ) . With technology , who knows huh ? The nice thing about it is , if you want just a point and shoot , it's here and if you want to continue to grow and learn more about it's features and other tricks you can do with it , it's capable of that too . The best of both worlds ! ! Enjoy ! ! ! Hope this helps some ! !
064 4 Camera takes excellent pictures . I've had a DSLR since the first generation Rebel ; but , found I rarely used it due to its physical size . I mainly take pictures during my travels and preferred a small camera which I could fit in my pocket . Over the years I went through a half-dozen digital Canon Powershots ( mid line ) , replacing then as new ones were released with improved capabilities . The Powershot pictures never really came out as good as a DSLR and I missed the creative modes ( TV , AV , M , etc . ) . The S90 provides a lot of features and capabilities typical of a DSLR in a point & shoot format ; however , it's not a DSLR replacement . I looked at the Canon G11 and Panasonic DMC-LX3 . The G11 got ruled out due to its larger size ; the LX3 because of my familiarity with Canon camera menus and software . There are many positive reviews which I share on the technical merits , features , and capabilities of the camera . I mainly have three pet peeves with the camera . ( 1 ) Placement of the pop-up flash , which regularly hits my left index finger when it rises . ( 2 ) Sometimes I find it confusing to recall the purpose of lens control ring versus the dial ring on the back of the camera . ( 3 ) The included wrist strap . . . it was wide and silver and really didn't go well with the camera ; I used a thin black wrist strap from an older Powershot .
065 4 If you're like me , you want great photos but need a camera you can take anywhere . So after reading all the wonderful reviews , I went out and bought the S90 . After several hundred photos , however , this camera is going back . Many great things have been said about this camera so there's no need for me to highlight those here . Instead , I'll point out the weaknesses . . . 1 . The rear dial floats too freely . It often makes changes to the settings that you didn't intend . Also , the dial controls a different function depending on what shooting mode you're on so sometimes the change will be small enough that you don't catch it ( until it's too late ) . 2 . The F2.0 lens allows for MUCH better low-light shooting . Unfortunately , in some situations where my Canon SD800 would have used a flash 100% of the time , the S90 still won't use the flash and I end up with many blurred images . You can switch over to manual settings to force the flash but you can't do it from the auto shooting mode . 3 . The surface is very slippery and feels like a bar of soap . Richard Franiec came out with a very nice grip which retails for $33 . Unfortunately , you can't use it with the Canon PSC - 900 case that was designed specifically for this camera . Also , am I the only one bothered by having to spend another $33 just to have a decent grip ? 4 . The flash position is terrible as I'm constantly putting my left index finger over it . Having my finger there , I have jammed the flash on many occasions as it was popping up ( you don't always know when the camera will decide to use the flash ) . The flash would only come up part way and the only resolution is to turn off your camera and turn it back on again . This only takes a few seconds but you can miss some good shots that way . 5 . The NB - 6L battery pack , despite being almost identical in size to the NB - 5L ( of which I own two ) , provides almost 20% fewer shots according to Canon specifications and my own personal experience . If you're like me and like taking multiple shots of everything so you can weed out the duds later , you'll need to get a second battery which retails for $60 . 6 . No HD video . This is everyone's main gripe but it bears mentioning . This has not discouraged me from buying Canon and I'm anxiously awaiting the follow-up to the S90 . Canon , please oh please fix that rear dial ( but keep the great front control ring ) . I could live with all the other issues I have with the camera but this dial is a deal killer .
067 4 I've been using this camera for a week . I also own the SD - 880 , which is a great compact digital in its own right , but the S90 really brings in some capabilities and features I enjoy using . The two best things about this camera are the dedicated control rings on the front ( think traditional aperture spinner like on a SLR or rangefinder lens ) and back . The other great feature is having a 28mm f / 2.0 equivalent lens in a pocket sized camera . I've been able to take some really good pictures with this camera in the past week , some of my family and some nature and cityscapes , all of which were easy to do with the quick operation and easy adjustability the interface provides . I like to use the C mode ( for custom ) where the camera will save my favorite settings . So for me , C mode means Program and Auto ISO with Macro mode enabled and where the front ring adjust exposure compensation and the back ring can take ISO out of Auto and into the ISO I choose . A simple press of the function button gives me a host of other options , like Vivid colors or Flash Exp . Comp . SO much easier to move around than your typical D-SLR . So I'm starting to realize that it's so true that the camera that's with you is the one that takes the best pics . So whether it's my iPhone or the S90 or my D-SLR , you gotta have it with you to capture the moment . I'm infinitely more likely to have the S90 with me than my Nikon D3 , which takes great pics , but is a beast to lug around for amateur use . This is still of course no substitute for a SLR , which is going to give you better autofocus for action and much better noise at higher ISOs among other things , but I just don't think you can find a better camera that's with you than the Canon S90 .
068 4 The holy grail for digital camera manufacturers is to capture the space between compact point and shoot and full size DSLR . Canon is trying to cover this divide with the S90 and G11 , with the S90 being more Point and Shoot like , and the G11 being more DSLR like . Designing for this space is all about trade-offs , and this makes the S90 the camera that I loved and hated , and ultimately returned . Pros : - best picture quality for a point and shoot . Rivals some entry level DSLRs from a couple of years ago - full manual control - solid build quality Cons : - getting the most out of this camera requires A LOT of tweaking in various software menu settings . It would take a solid minute to get settings right every time lighting conditions changed as opposed to 10 - 20 seconds with my full size DSLR . People were always asking Is something wrong with your camera ? as I fiddled through menus and software assigned control rings . I saw a G11 the other day and was lusting after the dedicated ISO and exposure dials . Ultimately , I was hoping to get DSLResque performance in a compact and easy to use camera . While the S90 is compact and DSLResque in picture quality , ease of use is ( understandably ) significantly less than that of a full sized DSLR . Without this last critical piece I just couldn't justify the price as the money might be better used on a cheaper compact or saved towards a wide angle lens .
071 4 The image quality of the s90 is excellent for a compact digital camera . The feature set , high ISO performance ( not as good as a dslr ) and small size are big pluses . For many , including myself , the ergonomics of the s90 are very poor . Most notable is the pesky , free-wheeling rear control dial that moves easily and inadvertently at the slightest touch . Unless you're in auto mode ( s ) , settings change and can mess up photos unless you monitor them . The rear control dial has been criticized in numerous camera reviews and by many s90 owners . Though the camera has many good points , imho the rear dial is a major flaw . While there is not any other camera I'm interested in at this time , I will get rid of my s90 as soon as Canon addresses this problem in the next sXX . Or I will consider another compact camera with a large sensor such as those made by Panasonic . If you're considering buying the s90 be sure to try one before you do . See if you can live with its rear control dial , the placement of the pop-up flash and slick surface .
075 4 I waited a long time for a compact camera which works well in low-light conditions . After I took dozens crisp , clear snapshots day and night on Thanksgiving , I took the camera to the Metropolitan Museum ( no flash allowed ) and took 600 photos of artworks and labels in available light conditions varying from excellent to abysmal . Most are beautifully crisp and clear . Love the wide angle lens . 28mm is just right . . . you really don't need 24mm unless you do lots of architectural pix . And yes , the zoom may not be what you're used to . But the lens is so fast ! Haven't tried macro photography in bright sun , nor videos . But for compactness and portability , it's terrific . Fits right in my purse or pocket , and it's so light I'm happy to take it everywhere . Long backpacks with no access to electricity could be a problem . . . the little battery needs to be juiced almost every night if you take lots of pictures . The camera makes truly excellent guesses about what you want when operated on auto . For manual functions , there is a learning curve . . . there are many , many bells & whistles on this baby , but you don't need to learn them all at once , or ever , for that matter . I love this camera .
079 4 This is going to be more like a story than a product review , but maybe it will be helpful to others who were looking for the same features I was . First of all , I wasn't in the market for a camera at all : I have a Casio EX-Z750 that , frankly , is still nearly unbeatable in its class ( subcompact P & S ) . I happened to be browsing a recent B & H catalog and noticed the Olympus E-P2 - very attractive retro look ! Started reading up on it ( especially the outstanding information on [ . . . ] ) and decided I had to see one of these in the flesh . Found one at a local store , and while it's gorgeous , it's nowhere near as compact as I imagined from the catalog photo . And it has no viewfinder ( Casio does ) and no flash ! But it has a large image sensor and apparently amazing image quality . So I got to thinking : what else is out there that can do better than my beautiful little Casio ? I've always lamented its lack of RAW images , and eventually it will break , but pretty much everything about it is incredible . So my research turned up these cameras ( data largely gathered from [ . . . ] , with additional info from manufacturers ' websites ) : Camera | | Sensor size | | Aperture | | Focal length | | Flash Canon PS S90 | | .43 cm2 | | f / 2.0 | | 28 - 105mm | | Yes Olympus E-P2 | | 2.43 cm2 | | f / 2.8 * | | 17mm * | | No Panasonic LX3 | | .45 cm2 | | f / 2.0 | | 24 - 60mm | | Yes Sigma DP2 | | 2.85 cm2 | | f / 2.8 | | 24mm | | Yes * The Olympus camera has interchangeable lens ; the 17mm F / 2.8 was the fastest normal lens that fits my needs . The Panasonic's lens is a Leica that's very highly regarded . The Canon S90 is , by far , the most compact of the cameras in this group . The Olympus could never be considered a pocket camera . The Panasonic is somewhat larger than the Canon , though perhaps still pocketable . The Sigma is really too large for a pocket , though quite a bit more compact than the Olympus . All of these cameras have RAW mode . None of them has an integral viewfinder ( not many subcompact P & S cameras do , anymore , but I still like them for when the sun is shining directly on the LCD ) . I ruminated about all of this for quite a while before settling on the Canon . Its lens is excellent , the image sensor is the .43cm2 size ( 1 / 1.7 ) of the best-in-class subcompact P & S cameras , and it has RAW image mode . The other cameras were all larger - enough to be the deciding factor for me . But I really do like the idea of the very large sensor - eventually someone will offer a camera closer to my wishes , but there isn't one around at the present time . Concerning the camera itself : there's little need to repeat what's already been said very well by others . I've compared the JPEG images to my Casio ( which is probably the best I've seen on any camera for color balance , saturation , etc . ) and they're just as good . I haven't seen a P & S that does better . But having RAW image recording opens up a world of processing that's not possible with the Casio . There's some barrel distortion , but it's no worse than on any other camera with a similar lens ( and marginally better than the Casio , which can be fairly annoying ) . And , for the desperate , this can be corrected with PhotoShop and other software . My only real complaints have been voiced numerous times by others : the rear control dial looseness and the flash location . The control dial on the rear of the camera is outrageously loose . It's virtually impossible to use the camera in any mode but fully automatic without inadvertantly changing whatever setting the dial controls for the chosen mode ( the dial does nothing in full automatic ) . In fact , the entire control assembly of which it's a part is so poorly designed as to be an utter anomaly in Canon cameras . How on earth could they not notice such a shortcoming before releasing the product ? Nevertheless , I knew about this and had even tried the camera in a store , and it still didn't deter me from buying it . But it will be a constant nuisance . No doubt Canon will eventually get around to addressing this , but as it can't be fixed by a firmware update , those of us who bought this camera are stuck with it . Second , the location of the pop-up flash is absurd : it's at the top left front corner of the camera , exactly where my left index finger is all the time ! I've had the camera for exactly two days , and I can't count the number of times that the damn thing decided to pop up ( since it's usually preferable to leave the flash in automatic than turned off all the time ) and promptly retract after bumping into my finger , with the resulting restart camera error message . I hope that this doesn't eventually cause the flash mechanism to self-destruct , and , with luck , I may get used to holding the camera differently , but even though I knew about this before buying , it is unexpectedly annoying . Given the size and layout of the camera , it's not an unreasonable location for the flash , but still . . . So it's not quite the perfect pocket camera , but for me , it's the best currently available . I really miss a viewfinder , and that control dial and flash are a royal pain . But I finally got my RAW mode on a very compact camera with a good , fast lens and a larger image sensor . So I'll carry both the Casio and the Canon for a while until I decide which one will become the spare . I suspect the Casio might end up in a drawer - unless that dial on the S90 finally drives me crazy . UPDATE 5 / 24 / 10 After less than 2 weeks , the front control ring stopped working . A search on the internet turned up nothing on this , so it apparently isn't common . Returned for replacement ( as advised by Canon tech support ) . Oh well .
080 4 Of course , there is no such thing as the perfect camera . But man , does this come close ! I have never been so happy with a camera - - and I've owned quite a few . Right off the bat , the sensor size is larger than on your average P & S ( point and shoot ) camera , but the resolution isn't any higher . This allows the camera to take MUCH better pictures in low light . And you will be amazed at how good this camera is in low light ! Short of a DSLR camera , it has no equal . In addition , this camera is built for the serious enthusiast . Full manual controls make it almost like having a DSLR in your pocket ! And there is a control dial plus a control ring - - making it much easier to control your settings . Plus , a fast lens and the ability to shoot in RAW . . . no wonder so many photographers consider this the best pocket camera available . And yet , you can keep it in Auto mode and treat it like any other point & shoot . Oh , and the LCD is truly beautiful ! The main thing that keeps it from being perfect in my estimation is the limited zoom : less than 4X . I need much more zoom . But I'd give it all up for this camera ! And , if you want to use the camera as a camcorder , the standard definition video mode is a bit disappointing . Why not high-def , Canon ? The main problems with the camera are pretty minor . The control dial on the back is very loose and you have to be careful not to accidentally change your settings . It's also a shame that you can't independently set the control dial and control ring for whatever you want : instead , you have to choose among a number of pre-sets . It's a little disappointing . And , if you are very serious , it's worth noting the serious barrel distortion in RAW ; but the camera takes care of that in processing JPEGs , so most will never know . Some people complain about the build quality . Trust me , it's perfectly fine . It's light , which can be misleading . But there's nothing wrong with the build quality . Perhaps they expect more for $400 . I guess I can understand that . But I'm perfectly comfortable with the build quality . The competition for this camera are the Panasonic LX3 , the Fujifilm F200EXR , and maybe the Sony WX1 or TX1 . The Sonys are good low-light cameras , but have no manual controls . The LX3 and the F200EXR are more serious cameras , but they are no better than the S90 and much more difficult to use . The S90 seems to get things right right out of the box more often than these others . . . from all that I have heard , anyway . I don't have any of these cameras . But don't discount ease of use when you consider the competition . I give this camera the highest recommendation possible , even if it's not quite perfect !
081 4 I bought this camera based upon David Pogue's review online . If you are considering buying this camera , I suggest you read his review too . I wanted a camera that would take excellent pictures indoors without flash . This camera does that very well - - much better than my last camera , which I thought was good . I wanted a camera with a wide-angle lens to capture everything indoors . This camera does that very well . I was relatively unconcerned about full manual control of aperture , shutter speed , etc . But I have discovered that the user interface on this camera makes it so easy to dial-in the settings I want that I am now using manual control for all my pictures , getting the best pictures ever , and loving every minute of it . Although the camera is slightly thicker around the lens than my last camera , I can still easily put this camera in my pants pocket . I have had to use every camera I have owned for a while to get so familiar with the controls that I don't have to think about them . That is true for this camera too . But the wonderful thing is that the more I use the camera , the more I discover about the features it offers and how easy it is to use them . For example , I recently learned that I can choose an alternate set of display characteristics that are accessible with the push of a button . I have chosen to have the screen divided into thirds horizontally and vertically , making it easier to attractively compose pictures . And I can turn this on or off with the push of a button . Some things that initially seemed awkward now seem to work very well . One great thing about this camera that I have not seen in other reviews is that it remembers the way I want it to work . For example , I choose to have the flash turned off all the time as my normal way of operating . This camera remembers that . My last camera required me to manually turn off the flash every time I turned on the camera , which was annoying , and I occasionally forgot to do this , with irritating consequences . It's wonderful to have this camera ready to go as soon as I turn it on . I've used the camera to take pictures of people playing basketball and pictures at night using long exposures and a tripod . I've been very happy with the flexibility of this camera . One peculiar thing is that when the camera is set to automatically control the exposure , it seems that my efforts to increase or decrease the exposure by a couple of F stops do not have as great an effect as I would expect - - as if the camera is trying to keep me out of trouble . In some cases , this was frustrating , but I am now using full manual choice of the settings , so it is no problem . Another peculiar thing is that sometimes the image on the screen is darker when I shoot the picture than when I view the picture after it has been shot . I am learning to compensate for this , and it is not a serious problem , but I think Canon could improve this a bit . In general , this camera takes wonderful pictures easily and automatically , and it is also very easy to manually control - - it just takes some time and practice to get familiar with it . The more I use it , the better I like it . People who look at the pictures I take are usually blown away by them . And so am I . ( I also posted some of this review on CNET . )
085 4 When I heard that I could own a point and shoot camera with a fast ( 2.0 ) lens for around $400 I was thrilled . No more waiting for the camera to focus while the shot ' went away ' . This little camera takes such good pictures in any amount of light that it's a little like magic . The auto setting exposes perfectly every time in ( again ) any light situation . I shoot a lot indoors and outside at night and the pics are simply beautiful . If you are looking for these features , go !
086 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) We got this after returning a lower-cost Canon model because the pictures were too soft . The first shots we took with this were so sharp they could be embarrassing if you focus too closely on someone's face . Really sharp as a tack , as they say . We have an $800 Leica point-and-shoot here for comparison , and I'd give the nod to the S90 easily . Both are excellent , but this Canon is a bit better when it comes to sharpness . The best ones of that first batch were at ISO 320 with a flash , so there's probably a bit more performance in there . The ISO 800 shots were smooth and pretty noise-free , though a bit soft by comparison , obviously . Still , very usable . We have a DSLR and use a point-and-shoot for snapshots , but this thing seriously threatens the utility of our DSLR . So far the ergonomic problems I've heard others bring up haven't caused us any problems . As you can probably tell we popped it out of the box , charged it and started shooting away . We've yet to take it out for an extensive field test .
087 4 We got this after returning a lower-cost Canon model because the pictures were too soft . The first shots we took with this were so sharp they could be embarrassing if you focus too closely on someone's face . Really sharp as a tack , as they say . We have an $800 Leica point-and-shoot here for comparison , and I'd give the nod to the S90 easily . Both are excellent , but this Canon is a bit better when it comes to sharpness . The best ones of that first batch were at ISO 320 with a flash , so there's probably a bit more performance in there . The ISO 800 shots were smooth and pretty noise-free , though a bit soft by comparison , obviously . Still , very usable . We have a DSLR and use a point-and-shoot for snapshots , but this thing seriously threatens the utility of our DSLR . So far the ergonomic problems I've heard others bring up haven't caused us any problems . As you can probably tell we popped it out of the box , charged it and started shooting away . We've yet to take it out for an extensive field test .
089 4 I usually don't write reviews , but occasionally a product comes along that requires a response : The Canon S90 is such a product . I love this little camera . It is extremely easy to use and yet extremely capable . If you don't want to exercise a great deal of control , just set it on Auto and it will do the rest . If you want more manual control , it's controls and ease of setting them are excellent . If the light is good enough that you can see where you're going , this little camera will get a very decent picture . It the light is better , you'll get a very good picture . And if the light is really good , you'll wind up writing a review on this website . Before I buy a product , I always read the reviews on Amazon and elsewhere because I value other people's experience . However , I need to tell prospective buyers that the negatives I've read about this camera must not apply to me , because I haven't found any valid ones yet . Take battery life , for example . I bought an extra battery because a few reviewers thought the battery life this camera turns in wasn't very good . And they may be right if you typically take 200 exposures or more on your photo junkets . I rarely take more than fifteen or twenty pictures in the course of a day , even out in Yellowstone , and I'm totally satisfied with the battery life the S90 turns in . Some people complained about the daisy control on the back of the camera being too loose . I haven't found it to be a problem . Some people thought the zoom was too short , but this isn't a wildlife camera . This is a put it in your pocket and take it along camera , and it is small enough that you can take it anywhere and almost forget you have it . . . until you need it or want it . Perhaps people who want a manufacturer to make a product specifically for them will have problems with this camera's layout . It's a very small camera . But if you're at all adaptable , this little gem is worth every penny . The only thing I have had to get used to is the placement of the flash ; and I don't know where else you would put it except where it is . On the other hand , it's a very powerful flash for a camera this size . In fact , it turns in excellent results . In short , if you try this camera , I'd bet good money you're going to like it !
090 4 I bought this camera mainly for indoor snapshots . I have been very pleased with the indoor images . I hate using the flash and with the S90 I hardly ever need to use the flash . Thank goodness because the popup flash is awkward . I also own a Pentax K-X dSLR and the S90 gives better no-nonsense , low light pictures . I could probably tweak adjustments on my K-X to get a slightly better shot indoor shots . But these are usually spur of the moment and you don't have time for adjustments . The size of the S90 is really nice too . The K-X is my hobby camera but the S90 is the one I take around with me 95% of the time . There's a nice camera case made by Olympus that fits this camera perfectly . It's black neoprene with a magnetic flap , and can be bought at local electronics store for a few Lincolns . LCD on this thing is awesome . It's big , bright and high-res . It has incredible viewing angle . This is really nice when you are showing pictures to a group and everyone can see . LCD on my K-X is trash compared to S90 . It's not a perfect camera for everyone but for me its 5 stars . I can easily see how someone could rate this 3 stars . Yes , it requires more coordination than the average p-s camera . The button placement takes some getting used to . I still spin the back control wheel on accident every now and then . This is only an issue on non-Auto modes though . This probably isn't a good camera for someone with big , meaty fingers . Battery life is bad . This isn't a big deal to me . I bought 3 off-brand batteries for cheap so I always have an extra . If I was going on a back-country trip for a week , I might be scared of running out of batteries .
092 4 Here's the deal I have a DSLR and love it but I can't carry that thing everyday . Since I got my DSLR I can't stand the lack of control most point and shoots give you I got a Canon G9 to carry around everyday and loved it except it isn't pocketable . Canon s90 comes out I sell my G9 and LOVE my S90 . better low light pictures than the g9 improved ISO sensitivity . Easy to carry , and the control ring is a nice touch . Picture quality is on par with the g9 which is as close to a DSLR in this small format as i'd expect . I carry my s90 every day , where my dslr comes out for days i'm going out to really shoot some pictures I've recommended this camera to everyone camera buffs as a secondary and friends who love taking pictures for fun .
095 4 If you compare this camera to any Point & shoot type of camera , you'll be surprised with it's picture quality . . . Great quality picture @ low lighting . I rarely use the flash with the S90 . Just increase the aperture timing @ low lighting atmosphere , that shall do it . The optional Manual Focus is quite impressive . . . Overall , if you are looking for something much less costy than an SLR , and yet want to play around or learn about photo shooting , this is it . It has enough manual features so that beginners could learn and understand about Higher Spec Cams . . .
096 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I had intended to buy a G11 after playing around with my brother's G10 . However , my wife went out and bought the Rebel XTi , so I thought the G11 was a little too close in size to it . I came across the S90 while looking for the G11 at Best Buy . After reading reviews of it , I decided to get it for my recent trip to Barcelona . It worked great since this little camera fit into my pocket , yet took great pictures with spectacular low light capabilities for a camera this size . I have some great pictures of the insides of churches and museums , as well as restaurants . If you need a very portable camera with awesome adaptability with manual features , this is the one to get . I'm waiting for summer to come around before buying the UW case for it to take it with me to Greece on my next diving trip .
097 4 I had intended to buy a G11 after playing around with my brother's G10 . However , my wife went out and bought the Rebel XTi , so I thought the G11 was a little too close in size to it . I came across the S90 while looking for the G11 at Best Buy . After reading reviews of it , I decided to get it for my recent trip to Barcelona . It worked great since this little camera fit into my pocket , yet took great pictures with spectacular low light capabilities for a camera this size . I have some great pictures of the insides of churches and museums , as well as restaurants . If you need a very portable camera with awesome adaptability with manual features , this is the one to get . I'm waiting for summer to come around before buying the UW case for it to take it with me to Greece on my next diving trip .
101 4 Firstly don't go paying more than the $429 that Canon retail this camera at . Canon will not make the same mistake as Panasonic , the cameras are appearing every week at stores and on Amazon , but they do go fast . I got mine from Best Buy , ( with a 10% off coupon as well ! ) , but all 3 had gone by the following day . As to my thoughts on the camera itself . I love my photograghy and have a nice SLR setup for those times that I know I need to take photos . . . but I am always looking for a decent compact camera that can come with me everywhere and satisfy my fussy needs for a decent quality picture . Many cameras are out there that take great photographs in outdoor conditions , but all these portable cameras suffer as soon as you bring them inside and need to use the flash . Without the ability to bounce the light , pictures just become washed out and the red eyed beast appears more often than not , and since most of my photos seem to be indoors , this is a real issue . But I have to say this little machine is tremendous in low light conditions . I was at a kids party in a bowling alley , the lights were very dim , but in the program mode , keeping the lens towards the wide angles ( 35mm ) , I got great shots with no flash required . I then tried the special low light mode , and I got decent shots at > 50mm range . . . I wouldn't blow them up to poster size , but at 6x4 they are just great . Even when the flash fired , the pictures were better than that obtained from my ageing G7 . Undoubtedly my 40D SLR is better , with much faster focusing and shutter response , but the S90 was no slouch , which frankly surprised me , but remember , it is not meant to replace an SLR , but let you take great photos at times where carrying full kit is not convenient . Although I have seen some complain about build quality , mine is fine . . . no clicking plastic behind the flash . Although its compactness does make me think that it might not survive the 4 foot drop onto concrete that my G7 survived ! SO WHY ONLY 4 STARS ? . . . A compact camera needs to make taking photographs painless . I want to change settings and know that that next time I take a photo , that those settings are the same . However the rear control wheel is VERY sensitive . There is no click stop resistance to it , and unless you are in ' Auto mode , it is always active . In most modes , this wheel controls exposure compensation , meaning that if do not check before you take EVERY photo , the chances are that the exposure compensation has been accidently changed . I have mitigated some of this frustration by changing the front control ring to alter exposture , meaning the rear wheel automatically changes to setting ISO sensitivity . However I found I took four photos yesterday at 3200 ISO becasue I knocked the wheel without checking . This is a potential software fix . Canon just need to to set an additional option for the customizable shortcut button to enable it to toggle locking or unlocking of the control wheel . . . Job Done . If it was not for this annoyance this would be a definite 5 star product from me .
104 4 I'll make this short since the camera has already been adequately reviewed and all it's virtues exposed . Typical of Canon . . . they build this wonderful little camera and then give it a wrist strap without a cinching device so it can easily slip off your wrist . The wrist strap itself is very sturdy , but it's just missing a small cinching piece to make the loop smaller while it's on your wrist . Here's the easy fix I came up with : Go to your local Lowe's or Home Depot and in the plumbing department they sell a clear plastic tubing ( on a bulk roll ) with an inner diameter of 1 / 4 ( 20 cents / ft . ) . Buy a small piece of this and cut off about a quarter of an inch , then feed the cloth end of the strap through this and it works absolutely great . . . and looks good , too !
107 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera a month ago or more after almost buying the G11 , and have taken about a thousand photos with it so far . I couldn't be happier with the wide lens , aperture control ring , manual functions , scene pre-settings , overall low light performance , and ease of customization this little camera offers . Even love the minimal black design of it . I had high expectations with this camera based on its price ( $400 ) and the Canon name ( still have an old AE - 1 from 1982 and used an ELPH powershot extensively ) , and as far as image quality I can't really find any faults . Its JPEGs are hardly better than those from cameras costing less than half as much ; the RAW images on the other hand are stunning . The included software is necessary however to convert the raw CR2 files into Tiff files for Photoshop . Bundled with the included software is a PhotoStitch program that allows you to ' stitch ' individual shots together to make panormas . Very cool . I'm using it almost daily and haven't yet gotten over how powerful this point and shoot is . There is even a simple 3x3 grid you can turn on to help you compose in the frame : can't begin to say how useful that is . It even brackets . The real disappointment here is the build quality . I've never used a Canon product that felt so shoddy . An ELPH PowerShot I used years ago felt considerably more solid than this - - overall more dense and metallic . The camera body seems decent enough , but the plastic dials , especially the menu control , are so sloppy that the camera creaks and rattles as you handle it . While that could be overlooked in a Happy Meal toy , this is a $400 camera . It seems I may have used the flash accidentally once or twice ( I keep it off ) but if I depended on it I might be a little wary of its constant popping up as I'm sure its just a flimsy , plastic rack and pinion mechanism . The location of the flash is unfortunate in that it pops into left my hand as I try to shoot . . . the only other hand-hold would seem to be cupping the body from below , or shooting one-handed . Again not using the flash makes this a non-issue for me , I'd be just as happy if Canon left the flash off entirely or at least integrated it into the body to simplify the design . Other reviewers have criticized the battery life . . . this hasn't been much of an issue for me . I keep the camera off between shots , have the LCD turned down a bit , rarely use the movie mode and flash , so I can get perhaps three days of casual shooting off a single charge . A full heavy day of shooting will drain the battery , but I can live with that . If you were taking this camera on an extended trip to some remote locale a spare battery would be a necessity . As I keep it off when I'm not shooting it does take a bit longer than feels necessary to start up and auto-focus when I want shoot : maybe 3 - 4 secs or so . When you're in a hurry to catch something that can feel like a long delay . Overall this is an excellent camera that puts all the functions I wanted ( RAW shooting , wide lens , full suite of manual settings and f-stop adjustments ) and then some in my back pocket . There's certainly better cameras out there ( the G11 is only marginally more expensive ) , but none I'd want to haul around on a daily basis . Hopefully somebody at Canon is checking these product reviews and the next generation S90 will feel like the smooth , solidly-built slab of metal the older PowerShots were .
108 4 I purchased this camera a month ago or more after almost buying the G11 , and have taken about a thousand photos with it so far . I couldn't be happier with the wide lens , aperture control ring , manual functions , scene pre-settings , overall low light performance , and ease of customization this little camera offers . Even love the minimal black design of it . I had high expectations with this camera based on its price ( $400 ) and the Canon name ( still have an old AE - 1 from 1982 and used an ELPH powershot extensively ) , and as far as image quality I can't really find any faults . Its JPEGs are hardly better than those from cameras costing less than half as much ; the RAW images on the other hand are stunning . The included software is necessary however to convert the raw CR2 files into Tiff files for Photoshop . Bundled with the included software is a PhotoStitch program that allows you to ' stitch ' individual shots together to make panormas . Very cool . I'm using it almost daily and haven't yet gotten over how powerful this point and shoot is . There is even a simple 3x3 grid you can turn on to help you compose in the frame : can't begin to say how useful that is . It even brackets . The real disappointment here is the build quality . I've never used a Canon product that felt so shoddy . An ELPH PowerShot I used years ago felt considerably more solid than this - - overall more dense and metallic . The camera body seems decent enough , but the plastic dials , especially the menu control , are so sloppy that the camera creaks and rattles as you handle it . While that could be overlooked in a Happy Meal toy , this is a $400 camera . It seems I may have used the flash accidentally once or twice ( I keep it off ) but if I depended on it I might be a little wary of its constant popping up as I'm sure its just a flimsy , plastic rack and pinion mechanism . The location of the flash is unfortunate in that it pops into left my hand as I try to shoot . . . the only other hand-hold would seem to be cupping the body from below , or shooting one-handed . Again not using the flash makes this a non-issue for me , I'd be just as happy if Canon left the flash off entirely or at least integrated it into the body to simplify the design . Other reviewers have criticized the battery life . . . this hasn't been much of an issue for me . I keep the camera off between shots , have the LCD turned down a bit , rarely use the movie mode and flash , so I can get perhaps three days of casual shooting off a single charge . A full heavy day of shooting will drain the battery , but I can live with that . If you were taking this camera on an extended trip to some remote locale a spare battery would be a necessity . As I keep it off when I'm not shooting it does take a bit longer than feels necessary to start up and auto-focus when I want shoot : maybe 3 - 4 secs or so . When you're in a hurry to catch something that can feel like a long delay . Overall this is an excellent camera that puts all the functions I wanted ( RAW shooting , wide lens , full suite of manual settings and f-stop adjustments ) and then some in my back pocket . There's certainly better cameras out there ( the G11 is only marginally more expensive ) , but none I'd want to haul around on a daily basis . Hopefully somebody at Canon is checking these product reviews and the next generation S90 will feel like the smooth , solidly-built slab of metal the older PowerShots were .
109 4 Pros : 1 . Shoots in RAW . It's extremely rare for a compact camera having RAW capability . What does this mean ? This means you have more freedom in post-processing to get the best picture possible . This is my first digicam with RAW capability , and I immediately noticed the flexibility in adjusting things such as white balance , exposure , colors , etc on the RAW image versus a JPEG . I use Adobe Lightroom 2 by the way . Note that you need to use at least the program mode to be able to capture pictures in RAW . On the auto-mode , you only have the option to capture in JPEG . So better read a bit of the manual instead of relying on the auto-mode . The RAW capability is worth it . 2 . Very good / big sensor for a compact camera . What does this mean ? This means better low-light pictures ( even without flash ) , like indoors , something that a lot of compact digicams have troubles with . Also , the Auto ISO is not as aggressive as the Fuji F200EXR . Unlike the Fuji , Canon doesn't do anything fancy with the S90 to get better low-light sensitivity . They just put in a bigger sensor , which is not a bad thing at all . Plus , don't be disappointed with the 10MP . Megapixel doesn't mean much anymore today . You noticed that smaller Canon and other digicams have 12MP and up . Don't be fooled . They have tiny sensor , which means really noisy and poor pictures at lowlight . Now , this doesn't mean the Canon S90 produces completely flawless images . This is not a DSLR after all . Using ISO 800 and above , the image is still very noisy , albeit better than most regular tiny digicams . With some aggressive noise reduction using software like Adobe Lightroom , you can still get usable images . 3 . Tons of manual controls . I'm not a photography buff , but I'm sure enthusiasts will love the range of things they can do with this camera . Cons : 1 . Not the most ergonomically designed controls . Many have complaints with the extremely-loose mini-ring control that doubles as a d-pad . By default , it controls exposure , and if you're not careful , you can accidentally set an incorrect exposure during shooting because a slight nudge will turn the ring . The pop-up flash can be annoying too , but I don't use the flash that often , and with practice , you can hold the camera without blocking the flash . The mode setting dial , on the other hand , is extremely stiff . I cannot change it using just my thumb . I have to actually use two fingers to dial it . 2 . Only records 640x480 video . In the age where almost every digicams can record HD video , this is a bit of disappointment . However , thanks to the large sensor , the ability of the sensor to capture more light in low-light situations transfers to the video recording capability too . I find videos recorded with the S90 to be brighter than other digicams . Still , if you're looking for a device that can be used as both a camera and HD camcorder , look elsewhere . The S90 ' s main strength is taking pictures . 3 . Size . Sure , it's not a DSLR , but it's not that small either . This is not IXUS / SD-sized digicam . Not something you can easily put inside your jeans ' pocket . 4 . The camera's auto white-balance is not the best . But hey , that's why you capture in RAW mode . : ) In short , the Canon S90 is an excellent compact camera for picture-taking enthusiasts . Regardless of the cons , such as the lack of HD video recording , the picture quality and the capability to capture in RAW makes this camera worth every penny .
111 4 As a budding amateur photographer I have a dSLR and a few lenses , but even the body and one general purpose lens is too much to be lugging around in many situations , so a month or so back I started looking at super-compacts for those photo opportunities I was missing , something I could have on me at all times . My main criteria : * Truly portable . Jeans or shirt pocket . * Something that will survive there . Molded metal , not token pressed metal covers or plastic . * Extensive and easy to access manual adjustments . * Best image quality available for its class , especially low light - I hate using flash . * RAW capability . Canon haven't released a new S since 2005 I think ( the venerable S80 ) , but it is back with a vengeance and the S90 presses all the above buttons . It is also a much more attractive beast than the older ones IMO - all-black , sleek , very minimalist . The anodized aluminum casing looks to be close to 1mm thick all round and should stand up to quite a lot of abuse . The lens and control ring are plastic but suitably thick and sturdy . I am stunned by its image quality particularly in low light ; it doesn't come close to cameras with larger sensors and lenses but it is impressive for a camera this size . The lens-mounted control ring is great . The camera has all the manual adjustments you could reasonably want using that ring , the rear wheel and the shortcut button , and it can be set to run almost invisibly , e.g . no flash , AF assist lamp or beeps , great for candid shots . The optical image stabilization is a major boon , and I can't overstate the importance of raw - the best shots often happen for me spontaneously in the worst conditions and even the best JPEG encoder will chew a quick noisy shot to pieces and limit recovery options . It does have a few downsides , mostly minor : * The control wheel on the back is too easy to jog . It's only caught me a couple of times ( knocking it to ISO3200 in broad daylight , oops ) and I've learned to work around it by changing my grip , but it could be addressed in firmware - wheel lock on the shortcut button please ! For the next iteration I'd prefer another dial under the mode dial instead though . * The tiny lens has quite bad distortions and aberrations particularly at the wide end , but most of these can be dealt with in software . JPEGs are corrected well by the camera itself while RAWs are rightly left untouched . The included software will deal with RAWs but I use DxO / Lightroom , same flow as my SLR . * The anodized metal coating started to scratch off within a few days of life in my pocket . I kind of like this lived-in look though , makes it look old and even less conspicuous . : ) * No HD video . This seems to be a must-have for some but wasn't an issue for me as I am primarily interested in stills . I don't think you can expect video worthy of HD out of something this small anyway - prosumer video cameras are way bigger and more expensive than this for a reason . * Zoom may not be long enough for some . Instead it's wide and fast which I prefer overall . I wouldn't mind if they dropped it back further to 2.5x or so to gain elsewhere . By the way , you won't get strong depth of field effects from a lens / sensor this size , despite what the promo literature may say . For closeups of small subjects it's noticeable , but you're not going to see much background blur on portraits , say . Like most fast lenses you also need to stop it down a bit to hit its sharpness sweet spot , f / 2 is rather soft at the edges . * The 3 screen is beautiful but I think it might be too big if anything - it does battery life no favors and makes it more vulnerable to damage . Mine also has slight backlight bleed along the top edge but this isn't noticeable most of the time . Shrinking the screen a little would free up rear space for extra controls . * Battery life is an annoyance , bank on no more than 100 shots . I probably won't get a spare , it's just another thing to be carrying around which rather defeats the purpose , so I do need to remember to feed the thing frequently . Also , I don't know what the designers were thinking but the battery gauge gives virtually no warning when the camera's about to die - as soon as it drops from full to two bars you have very few shots left . I hope this is something Canon can fix in firmware because right now the gauge is close to useless . Many of these are compromises made to get class-leading image quality out of a camera so small - all in all very impressed and no way could I give it fewer than 5 stars . It's been ready to pop out of my pocket constantly since I bought it . Canon made the right choice here and with the G11 backing off from the megapixel race . If anything they could go even lower - I got plenty of great shots out of my old Nikon D40 which was only 6MP . Sensor resolution was never a big issue there , and it's even less so on super-compacts with their tiny compromised optics . I'm interested to see how other manufacturers respond to Canon's raising the bar with this camera . Its excellent Sony CCD will surely show up elsewhere soon . Nikon in particular don't seem to have seriously tackled this area of the market yet - never been very impressed by their compacts - I hope this will wake them up .
116 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I Purchased the S90 as a replacement for my Canon IXY 800IS , I wanted a small compact pocket camera with the same customability of my 5D . Originally I was looking a the G10 or G11 , but I wasn't a fan of how bulky those compacts were . I've since put the S90 to the test on a 10 day trip to Costa Rica and have been very happy with the results . Excellent image quality with full SLR customization , what more could you ask for . My only complaint is that the scroll wheel on the back does not click like every other digital camera Canon makes , I found it quite annoying on a few occasions when my thumb would accidentally graze the scroll wheel resulting in an exposure , shutter speed or ISO change + or - a step . . . I also found that I had to disable the special settings button because of it's placement , kept tapping it with my thumb and opening whatever settings were available for the Camera Mode I was in . For those that complain that the S90 doesn't have a metal body , I'm not too concerned with it , the camera feels very solid . . . Plus the new G11 also sports a plastic body as well , so . . . Overall , I've been very happy with the S90 and would recommend it to anyone .
118 4 My first impressions of the Canon S90 Compact Camera are quite good although I do have a few nits : Some functions should be easier to set . For example , Canon requires you to go into the menus to format the SD card . I would prefer to do that with buttons like I can on a DSLR . I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't set more functions in the custom menu ( only five custom items can be set at one time . ) It's really easy to smudge the LCD because it takes up almost the entire camera back . And the manual setting of aperture is backwards . Canon set the lens dial to turn like you are looking at the camera , but it needs to be reversed because you are setting it from the back of the camera . It's counter intuitive - - and there's no way to change the dial rotation to match what comes naturally . Post processing tests show that the S90 takes RAW shots that easy to manipulate . The biggest drawback are with marginal photos ( extremely underexposed , for example . ) I can bring back mistakes in poorly executed shots taken with my DSLR . With the S90 , however , the photos blow out and become surrealistic looking when I try to recover them . But in fairness , we are talking about shots that should really be greeted by the delete key . I shot some low light photos at ISO 2000 and 3200 . These are ridiculously high settings to demand of a digital camera . I was impressed ! This camera handles noise extremely well . Sure , noise is there at high ISO settings . If you look closely enough you will see it , but it's not objectionable . The image quality and detail are quite good . Focusing , even in low light , is fast and on the mark . There is almost no delay from the time I press the shutter button to the time the camera takes the photo . The camera does well in write speed to the SD card as well . Plus , I love being able to manually set aperture and shutter speed without using menus . That's a terrific feature ! And I haven't missed an optical viewfinder . The Canon PowerShot S90 is a well designed , solid camera . The build quality is excellent . It's small , but easy to handle . It has features that aren't on my DSLR and is quite capable . All-in-all , a very good camera and well worth the money .
120 4 I've had the S90 for a couple of weeks and have generally been happy with it ; I bring it with me everywhere now . Last month , I was shopping for a P & S that would fill the niche between my iPhone and dSLR . I had read great reviews of the S90 and the G11 , and so I tried both out at our local camera shop . For me , the S90 was easily superior to the G11 . S90 vs G11 : 1 . The image sensor is the same , so theoretically the image quality should be the same . 2 . The S90 is fully manual , including selecting aperture , shutter speed , ISO , etc . The external controls are customizable , with one control ring on the back and one on the front , so that I don't have dig into menus . 3 . I don't find the lack of an optical viewfinder a problem - I just adapt by using only the screen , which is very bright and easily visible even in sunshine . 4 . The S90 is very compact ( much smaller than the G11 ) and feels sturdy as a brick ( as opposed to the G11 , which feels flimsier and plasticky ) . 5 . The S90 is $50 cheaper . Performance so far : 1 . I have been very impressed with high ISO performance : 400 is fine , 800 is usable and even 1600 can be used in a pinch . 2 . JPEG's out of the camera come out quite nicely , if that's your preference . However , I shoot RAW , so this is irrelevant to me . 3 . Shooting at f / 2 is really nice - getting thin DOF and some bokeh on a P & S is a pleasant surprise ( though see con #4 below ) . 4 . Workflow : I shoot RAW with Adobe ( Camera Raw & Photoshop ) post-processing , and the results are OK . Canon's own post-processing software ( bundled for free with the camera ) does a better job with noise reduction ( making 800 and 1600 usable ) and with correcting barrel distortion ( see below ) . Cons : 1 . The rear control ring is loose ; when in Aperture priority mode , this ring controls exposure compensation - so it's easy to change the exposure by accident . 2 . The flash pops up using a cool servo motor mechanism , but it's in a strange place : right where your left forefinger ought to be . 3 . Terrible barrel distortion - again , Canon's software fixes this , but if you use ACR & PS , you have to fix it yourself . 4 . This is a variable aperture lens : it's f / 2 only on the wide end , and the minimum aperture shrinks considerably ( 4.9 ) at the telephoto end . 5 . Alas , it's only a P & S . It's great for getting a shot when you don't have your gear or when it's inconvenient to have it ( e.g . , when I shot in 4 - degree weather on ice ) , but it's IQ is nowhwere near an SLR's . 6 . Video is SD , not HD . This doesn't matter to me . You can't change settings while shooting video - that's a bummer . Bottom line : I very highly recommend it as a photographer's always-with-me-camera . Its only competition in the same price range is the Panasonic Lumix LX3 , which is over a year old now . You could get a micro - 4 / 3 camera ( e.g . , Panasonic GF1 or Olympus PEN ) , but it will cost twice as much . It is , needless to say , far superior to the iPhone camera .
121 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have to update this again after having it for a week . I don't like it . The picture quality isn't that good to be honest . This is a small camera and even after reading so many reviews once I got it I was still surprised on how small it is . That can be a mixed bag though being great for portability and perhaps being a little difficult for handling the camera . The picture quality is not that good and again it's easy to be underwhelmed expecting something amazing from a point and shoot . Anyone use to the quality of a DSLR with this camera you aren't going to be close . I think another year or so until the four thirds cameras get small enough to be ideal plus have the image quality close to a DSLR . I think many are having a problem with paying almost $400 as I was . I returned it . The PQ wasn't that good . I can't recommend it . I prefered the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 more and thought the picture quality was as good or at times better and the lens was better as well . I just don't think it is worth the money !
127 4 I own a Nikon D300 and a Casio Exilim EX-Z750 . Since the Casio was showing its age , I was looking for a very compact camera to carry in a belt-pouch as a replacement . My review might be a little premature since I've only owned the camera a few weeks but so far , WOW ! The rear control ring , which adjusts EV value by default , is easy to knock if you're not careful but since relative EV value shows on the LCD , it's just as easy to get into the habit of checking the EV setting as you would shutter speed or F-stop ( and it shows right down in the same area of the LCD that those settings do ) . And if you're a skilled photographer making the most of your camera , you will often want to check and tweak the EV value to optimize your shots , anyway . The camera LCD is breathtaking ( not quite as good as a Nikon D300 ' s but great for appreciating your pictures as you take them ) . The pictures are very sharp . The low-light capability of the camera is impressive and I like the motion-warning that's very obvious when you're about to cross the threshold of acceptable shutter speeds in a low-light situation . See ecx.images-amazon.com / images / I / 71ylIfu832L.jpg ( 0.5 sec exposure , ISO 1600 , hand-held by available light ! ) The zoom , as other reviewers have noted , is a bit incremental but with the quality of the pictures taken , hey , I don't mind zooming out a bit more than I want if needed and cropping later . I like the ability to shoot simultaneously in RAW and JPEG . If you do , you lose some of the special tweaks the camera is capable of but I enjoy the latitude having a RAW image affords for post-capture processing . The Digital Photo Professional software that comes with the camera for handling RAW images is pretty easy and intuitive to use , too . Too bad it doesn't offer local area correction like Nikon Capture NX2 does but I guess one can always plunk down the money for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 , which offers local corrections and handles Canon S90 RAW images . I tried two belt cases for the S90 based on online reviews . Both the Canon Powershot 500 case and the LowePro Rezo 30 case fit the S90 well . The Rezo 30 case closes with a zipper , not as convenient as the Velcro flap on the Canon case but better for keeping the dust and dirt out of the case . Canon case has a permanent belt loop while the Rezo case easily detaches from the belt , using a combination of a Velcro flap and button snap to securely attach the case to a belt . All in all , I highly recommend the Canon S90 for a camera you can easily carry anywhere on your belt but takes GREAT pictures and is a joy to use .
130 4 This is one of the best compact cameras out there , and I won't repeat the major points of previous reviews but will add my own thoughts and suggestions using this camera on various travel shoots . Overall , I was pleased with the image results on a recent trip to Tuscany . Being able to handle low-light well , and provide an f / 2 at a wide-angle ( 28mm equivalent ) setting cannot be understated , as many group photos occur under these conditions . For landscape , panoramic photos it worked well ( almost as good as early DSLRs ) . A few things to keep in mind : * ) The camera takes a * long * time to focus and process an image . Forget this camera for sports , active kids , etc . * ) There is a noticeable chromatic aberration ( CA ) although this can be corrected somewhat with Photoshop plugings and RAW converters . * ) At wide-angle settings , the lens has significant barrel distortion . This is somewhat corrected in JPG , but not in RAW , although there are various ways of dealing with this in post . * ) The AUTO white balance tended to render outdoor scenes with a blue-ish cast . Can be compensated by adjusting the default temperature towards the RED range . * ) The ISO can be * easily * changed from the round flywheel in the back , and often the camera would go from AUTO-ISO into 3200 . Not good . Several shots were ruined this way . * ) I went though several cases for this camera before settling on the Case Logic TBC312 . It's less than $10 and fit the camera the best . The shortcomings listed above are very small compared to the positive points . Overall , this is one of the best ( if not * the * best ) compacts out there , and would recommend it highly .
131 4 I bought this after reading all the great reviews it got here and by Ken Rockwell . Overall , its a very easy camera to use . All the settings are easy to get to so adjusting while shooting is quick . I don't have the issue of accidentally spinning the back dial that other people seem to have . And it shoots better in low light than my friend's LX3 There are a couple things they could improve on though . 1 ) The shoot button and the mode dial should be switched . I keep wanting to push the mode dial down to shoot the camera . 2 ) the flash should be made internal . I don't like the idea of moving parts because they tend to break and it is right where my left index finger is when i am holding the camera with two hands . 3 ) When i push the top button to change what the front ring controls , I would like the front ring to actually allow me to select what mode the front ring is in , rather than actually adjust what is currently selected . That way , I can quickly go through and make any adjustment i want in full manual without having to use the back ring . But besides that , its pretty good . Gotta love the f / 2 lens !
134 4 PROS + Excellent handling . The control dial in the front gives me something to hold on to . The front and rear control wheels give me very fast and intuitive control over every setting I change often ( exposure compensation and ISO in P mode , compensation and aperture in Av mode ) . + Very good construction . The black paint has chipped a bit on the edges from when I've dropped it , but it still works very well . + Very good but not great image quality . Expect colored fringing on the borders between high contrast areas , coma of light spots , and distortion at the edges . Still , better than comparable point and shoots . + Flexible flash power control . CONS - The control dial in the back turns too easily . I keep on getting unintentional ISO 1600 photos in the daytime and ISO 80 photos at night as a result . - The control dial in the back doesn't change settings fast enough . Although it physically turns too easily , it takes several seconds to go from one extreme to another . So if I set it for ISO , it takes several turns over several seconds to go from Auto to 3200 . The firmware should be smart enough to know that quick turns should change the setting in full stops while slow turns change it in 1 / 3 stops . - The front control dial lags between photos . I take a shot , adjust the front control wheel immediately afterwards , and there is no effect . I have to wait for the camera to get into ready - mode before turning the wheel has an effect . - Continuous shooting speed is a bit low , about a frame per second . I'm a bit perplexed why low-quality JPEGs have the same continuous shooting speed as RAWs . Nitpicking - The button at the top for choosing what function to assign to the control wheel is a bit of a waste . Once you've set it to your liking , there's really no need to ever press it again . It's in a good spot - I wish it could be reassigned to something else . - The wrist strap doesn't have a wrist lock . - On wide , the lens distorts anything not in the center of the frame . This distortion that isn't fixed by Lightroom .
136 4 I bought this camera as a companion to my 30D . I don't always want to lug around a huge DSLR and lenses yet I don't want to completely give up low-light capability . This has been the Point and Shoot pitfall for too long . The S90 changes the rules , allowing you to get very clean shots at ISO 400 , decent at ISO 800 and usable at ISO 1600 and 3200 . I would print an ISO 800 shot at 8x10 straight out of the camera , to give you some idea of the noise and resolution profile at that setting . Build quality is a mixed bag . While the front and back are metal and solid , the whole camera has a rather dainty feel to it . You have to manipulate he real control dial rather gingerly and the buttons can be hard to find by feel at times . Some of these cameras have a flexy top panel ( press where it says PowerShot ) but my example thankfully is solid here . The front control ring has a little play in it . For the price , this camera should be G-series tough , but it misses the mark by a little . To really appreciate this camera you have to make use of its unique features . The f / 2 lens paired with Canon's excellent IS and a low-noise sensor allows you to do things you simply can't with most other compacts . Full manual control is at your fingertips and the menus feature high-end features like auto exposure bracketing and flash compensation . Still , I can't place the S90 on too high a pedestal . My 30D still rules in terms of image quality by a noticeable margin . The S90 is for those occasions when I want to travel lightly , and perhaps more importantly , discreetly . For these situations I can think of no better compact on the market today .
141 4 I just received my Canon S90 and I love it . The camera overall is excellent and feels a little more solid then the Canon cameras I owned in the past . The camera is a little taller and thicker then most compact cameras I am used to but it is perfectly portable . It is an excellent take anywhere camera with a good zoom and has a nice wide aperture at the wide end . I chose this camera over the Panasonic LX3 of the control ring on the front and the longer zoom . The control ring on the back is free moving and loose feeling however it doesn't feel cheep to me . I was worried that I would accidentally be activating controls but the way that I hold it doesn't come close to touching the ring no matter how I hold it . My hands are a bit large so your mileage may very . A nice little camera for when I don't want to haul my Nikon d300 and it is very good quality . Other then the loose control ring on the back my camera had no defects that I noticed .
142 4 Got this S90 about a month ago and I love it . . . for a compact . I've probably taken a few thousand shots with it , and I am always knocked out by the image quality . My favorite feature : the convenient rings ( one around the lens , one on the back ) that let you instantly dial up various functions / settings . My least favorite : The battery life . It's just not great . I suggest getting an extra one and having one or two ready to go at all times . That is my biggest beef . If you want more than what this has to ofer , I suggest upgrading to an SLR . But if like me , you want compact convenience ( and are willing to sacrifice for it ) , I think you will love this camera and be amazed at the shots you get . Enjoy !
146 4 The other cameras that people compare the S90 to are considerably bulkier and heavier . Out of all of the pocket cameras , the S90 is the best on the market ( I might be overstepping my bounds there , but I haven't seen anything this size that compares ) . The trick is figuring out what you're looking for , if you're looking to take the best pictures possible , stop reading this and go get yourself a DSLR , at some point maybe pocket cameras will replace them , but we aren't there yet . If you're looking to take the best pictures possible without having to drag a DSLR everywhere , then you might have just found what you are looking for . Why not something like the G10 or G11 ? Personally I feel they're too big , if you have to drag something like that around why not get a DSLR ? Cons : - Battery life : I read about this before I got the camera , so I got an extra battery , I'm not bothered , but that's mostly because I knew what I was getting myself into . - limited depth of field manipulation : I was really hoping with the 2.0 aperture it would give a better blur effect , the effect is there , but it really isn't as pronounced as I hoped it would be . - easy to accidentally move the wheel on the back : this isn't a big deal to me , but I do find that I often move the back wheel when using the buttons on the back . Luckily when shooting this is tied to the exposure comp in most modes ( so it doesn't drastically change my shot ) , the biggest annoyance is when I am viewing pictures and I accidentally move to the next image when zoomed in . Other people's cons : - speed : I read someplace that the processing of image series is slow , I haven't tested it because if I am shooting serious action I will have a DSLR ( however if you don't this might be a concern ) . - build quality : I am not bothered by the build quality , and I tend to abuse the hell out of things , but I also tend not to care if things get banged up . If this is a major concern for you , maybe you should check out the G10 / G11 . - Non-HD Video : Personally I think people are making a bigger deal out of this than they should , if you are looking for high quality video you should be looking at video cameras , cameras just don't have the same quality . I view video on a camera as a bonus , so I am perfectly happy with the video quality on the S90 , particularly if it keeps the camera small . Of course I wound't mind HD if they could fit it into the same size body . Pros : - Image quality for the body size : As I said above I don't think there is anything this small that compares . - Control wheels ! Love these things , so much control at your fingertips ! Further more you can program the button on the back ( I set mine to white balance ) , which makes shooting fast . - portability Buying a camera is all about figuring out what your needs are , if you are looking for ultra portable quality above all else , you just found your new camera ! If you are looking at quality above all else check out a DSLR . If you're looking for something in the middle , or you aren't cool with the cons listed , you might want to read other people's reviews comparing some of the other larger cameras to the S90 . I gave it 5 stars , even though I thought about giving it 4 , because it's exactly what I wanted ( aside from the depth of field issue ) , a camera I can take with me all the time so I have it when I'm not going out shooting , a camera that takes great pictures and fits in my pocket .
148 4 The Canon S90 is a good companion for my Canon 40D . Is it perfect ? No , that's why it's 4 stars . Now saying that , as of January 2010 , there is no other camera that compares to this one . - - - Image Quality The IQ of the S90 is outstanding at 80 ISO and good at higher ISO levels . After comparing this to my 40D pics , there is a noticeable sharpness difference , especially at higher ISO levels . Still , comparing it to my friends ' point and shoots , it's ahead of its competition . Currently , I haven't really messed with the RAW features , like I do with my 40D because I use Adobe Lightroom 2 as my photo edit / management software . Maybe the IQ is better there . - - - Features One of the main reasons for my purchase of the S90 is the manual features . With these features , I have good control of the creative aspects of my photos . Av , Tv , P , M , Low-Light , Scene and Video are the dial features and there are more within the menus . Since I do have a 40D , that means I don't have video features , so I'm glad that this camera fills that void . You'll love the front ring and it's versatility = ) - - - Size / Construction The good thing is that the S90 is smaller than the G11 , but it isn't the smallest point-and-shoot . The S90 will fit in a jean pocket . . . but will be very uncomfortable in tight jeans . A carry case would be nice or just throw it in a backpack . At first , I did have my reservations of the plastic body , but I've put it through hell and back on my expedition in the Philippines ( later in the review ) and I'm confident in its durability . - - - Performance Performance is a crucial piece for any camera to ensure you capture the moment . The S90 lags a little . Definitely , it's better than most point-and-shoots , but I was hoping for it to be faster . The start-up time is manageable , but the auto-focus time is a little slow . Also , yes , the f / 2.0 is very welcome , but I'm finding it hard to create the shallow DoF ( depth of field ) in some portrait shots I'd take . I'm assuming it's because that f-stop is only accessible at wide-angles . Of course , the rapid shots aren't anything comparable to my 40D , but I don't use this camera for that ( thank god ) . - - - Low Light Pictures Low light pictures are a main draw for this camera . It's hard to capture these photos on point-and-shoots because of their ISO performance and aperture values . This camera excels in both categories having great ISO performance and a great aperture value at 28mm . This is a make or break for most people and I'm glad to say you'll appreciate these features . - - - Battery Life Definitely a downside of the S90 . It's about 200 - 300 photos worth per charge . Still , I don't take more than that per day with this camera , but I know people will or maybe one day I'll find myself in that situation . This is mostly because of the full-time LCD ( which is a gorgeous 3.0 screen ) So if you plan on shooting more than 300 + photos , buy and bring an extra battery . - - - Overall Yes , I am pleased with this camera . It's not the perfect camera , but it is very close to it . There are things that they could improve , such as 720p HD video recording , better battery life , maybe a constant f / 2.0 value ( haha ) and a metal construction ( just because it'd just be better overall ) . - - - Philippines Experience So recently in December , I took my camera to the Philippines . Needless to say , I'm glad I had it . More on the update . . . later = )
149 4 I had a need for a high quality point-and-shoot to complement my DSLR that is not always with me . The camera needs to fit in a pocket and produce high quality pictures . I looked at the LX3 and actually ordered one in June . When August came and there still was no delivery date , I cancelled the order . I bought a Panasonic FX150 but the camera failed me on its first use ( blurry , out of focus , low resolution pictures ) . I returned it and ordered an S90 instead that I received yesterday . With only one day of use you can still get a feeling for a camera . And the feeling is very good indeed . High quality pictures , reliable function , sturdy build , all the functionalities that I need ( except maybe HD video that I'd like to have but will probably never use ) . I can tell right away that this camera was a solid piece of equipment that will serve me well for years . Exactly what I was looking for in a point-and-shoot to cary everywhere with me . I can retire my trusty Casio EX-Z850 that served me well and got several pictures published .
150 4 I bought the Canon Powershot S90 on Amazon last week . It's easy to use and light , with more features than I will ever use ( I shoot on Manual ) . Not happy with my telephoto images , however . The camera has a number of digital zoom options , all of which can reduce picture quality . This means you really have to be careful using the standard digital zoom settings which is not something I want to have to worry about . Annoying that Canon failed to include a neck strap with the camera , just that dopey little wrist strap that makes you look like a tourist in Times Square . The neck strap Canon offers as a generic accessory for this camera is metal ( can't wait to get scratches all over my brand new camera ) . I searched the web for a neck strap to fit the S90 ' s odd little loop holder and found only one good one , but it's perfect . The Garmin Lanyard Strap , 17.5 long , from [ . . . ] for $2.95 , works perfectly , weighs nothing : #013 - 00052 - 00 . ( Be sure to get the Garmin plain black lanyard with the thin little loop ) . I have no ax to grind , just wanted to share my solution for Canon's failure to include a strap for a $390 camera ! ! ! Shame on them . From a fellow photographer . MK
151 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've owned tons of digital cameras over the years . Of course , my preferred camera is a DSLR , but I wanted a compact camera to take on vacation or to parties . I always used standard point-and-shoot cameras for that role , but last year I stepped up to a Canon G10 so I could have more flexibility and control . I loved the G10 . It took excellent photos , but it was a tank - - big , chunky , heavy , and not what you want to carry around Disneyland for 16 hours . So when I saw that they took the guts of a G11 and put them into an actual compact , I knew I had to have it . The S90 is by far the best point-and-shoot I've used . It outperforms the G10 in picture quality ( both overall , and looking and 100% zooms of the pixels ) , is light and compact , and has full manual control ( and a very clever control ring that makes manual adjustment very easy ) . You will not find a better camera per cubic inch . Yet , I did find that I had to get over my cameras must look big and professional insecurity . The G10 / G11 are beautiful cameras - - big metal rangefinder-like bodies with knobs and levers everywhere . The S90 has a plastic body that can easily be mistaken for a $100 cheapo compact . But the more photos I look at from this camera , the less I care about what the camera looks like .
152 4 I've owned tons of digital cameras over the years . Of course , my preferred camera is a DSLR , but I wanted a compact camera to take on vacation or to parties . I always used standard point-and-shoot cameras for that role , but last year I stepped up to a Canon G10 so I could have more flexibility and control . I loved the G10 . It took excellent photos , but it was a tank - - big , chunky , heavy , and not what you want to carry around Disneyland for 16 hours . So when I saw that they took the guts of a G11 and put them into an actual compact , I knew I had to have it . The S90 is by far the best point-and-shoot I've used . It outperforms the G10 in picture quality ( both overall , and looking and 100% zooms of the pixels ) , is light and compact , and has full manual control ( and a very clever control ring that makes manual adjustment very easy ) . You will not find a better camera per cubic inch . Yet , I did find that I had to get over my cameras must look big and professional insecurity . The G10 / G11 are beautiful cameras - - big metal rangefinder-like bodies with knobs and levers everywhere . The S90 has a plastic body that can easily be mistaken for a $100 cheapo compact . But the more photos I look at from this camera , the less I care about what the camera looks like .
161 4 A very good piece of equipment . I did study it profoundly before purchasing the Canon S90 , but the features presented really surprised me . An excellent equipment for serious photographers to have on hand and very cool camera for the photographic enthusiast . It's the perfect match to an DSLR , as a backup gun . There are few bad things about it . The very small size of the camera makes it difficult to hold . I am actually considering buying a second one to have as a spare . I really wouldn't like Canon to discontinue this one . Highly recommended .
164 4 As an amateur photographer , I have been very disappointed by compact digital cameras for a long time until Canon released PowerShot S90 . Here are the major reasons why buying the S90 was a no-brainer to me : ( 1 ) Smooth wheel-based dials for focus , aperture , shutter speed combined with a light meter and optional histogram right on the LCD , giving the photographer convenient manual control over image quality . ( 2 ) It enables digital negative ( RAW ) output . The file format is compatible with powerful editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom . ( 3 ) Maximal aperture F2.0 + image stabilizer + a wide range of ISO = good performance in low light conditions . It also does macro shots well . ( 4 ) Decent overall build quality and performance of both the camera body and the lens , in both picture and video modes . Just as expected for a Canon PowerShot . I purchased this camera along with a small carrying case ( Caselogic TBC - 302 Ultra Compact Camera Case with Storage ) and an extra battery ( Maximal Power DB CAN NB - 6L Replacement Battery for Canon Digital Cameras / Camcorders ) on Amazon.com . Have been very happy with this combination . I carry the camera around daily , confidently knowing that it will do a good job capturing random interesting scenes in life . Currently I am considering a polarizer lens filter as the next add-on . Due to the popularity of this camera , more and more useful accessories are expected to further enhance the camera's usefulness . Below are a few features I wish to change / improve on this camera , from a dSLR user's perspective . Certainly it would be unreasonable ( at least for now . . . who knows how far technology will bring us to in a few years ? ! ) to expect a consumer-level , affordable compact digital camera to function like a dSLR without the bulk and heavy weight . Hence , the camera is still given 5 stars out of 5 in this review . ( 1 ) Smallest aperture is only F8 . Would have been nice to have F16 , or at least F11 . ( 2 ) Noticeable noise at ISO400 onwards . ( 3 ) Shutter delay makes it very difficult to capture fleeting moments . ( 4 ) No HD video resolution as an option . ( 5 ) Some of the control features feel crammed . From time to time I accidentally turn the back wheel while pressing a button on the back side of the camera . ( 6 ) Does not work with external flashes ( or maybe I just haven't found the needed accessory ? ) . It would be very nice if this camera could wirelessly work with Canon SpeedLight flashes . Also it doesn't look like the standard RC remotes for Canon SLRs work with this camera .
166 4 I've been very happy with the Canon S3 - IS I bought in 2006 , but I wanted something more pocketable that I would actually take along on spontaneous trips ( to the dog park , a friend's house , etc ) . I did NOT want to compromise on image quality . Many of the cheaper compacts ( including Canon's ) have smaller pixels than my S3 , which means more noise . The S90 has about the same pixel density as the S3 , but boosts resolution from 6MP to 10MP . This helps make up for the S90 ' s reduced zoom . The S90 is also much wider : 28mm vs . 36mm . No more backing up to get a scene to fit ! The main reason I love the S90 is its fast 2.0 lens . I can take sharp pictures indoors without a flash and without a tripod . In other words , real life pictures look great . The videos also benefit from the lens . I doubt that the 720p videos from a $150 camera would look better than the 480p videos from the S90 ; resolution is just one measure of video quality . I had no problems handling the S90 . There's a protrusion just under the mode dial that my thumb fits onto , and I could take pictures with one hand if I wanted to . Shooting with both thumbs under the camera feels the most stable and secure to me . I considered a lot of other cameras , but I'm very happy with the S90 . The Samsung TL500 was also very interesting , but is not available yet . Anyway , it's hard to beat Canon's quality and experience .
168 4 Amazing camera for the size and price . My friend has a Canon 450D DSLR with the basic 18 - 55mm kit lens and I compared photos taken by both these cameras during day and under extremely low light conditions and I have to say that S90 was pretty much at par almost everytime . The only thing S90 couldn't do that the 18 - 55mm basic kit lens could do was background blurring ( bokeh ) . For portrait shots it cannot do much of background blurring . But that may not be right ask of S90 . And S90 ' s user interface and operations and far easier and more intuitive than 450D . The fact that this compact camera can even be compared with a DSLR is just amazing .
180 4 The Canon S90 is a perfect , portable , complement to our Nikon D80 DSLR for traveling , hiking , and low-light situations in particular . We use either the LowePro D-Wrap case ( in purse ) or Olympus sport neoprene ( on belt ) . Note that you must use both hands ( index fingers on top and thumbs underneath ) to hold this camera securely . If you need or want one-hand operation , add a Richard Franiec custom grip . The camera still fits nicely in both the D-Wrap and sport neoprene cases mentioned above .
183 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) WOW . I purchased this for my son as a Christmas present after getting a couple of hints . He generally shoots with a Nikon D300 but wanted a high , quality pocket camera . He is thrilled with the S90 for its flexibility and image quality . With the optional underwater housing , he can now even sell his old Nikonos V and go all digital . There are a couple of in-depth reviews on the web that gush about this camera and they are 100% accurate . A great little pocket camera for the professional or amateur .
185 4 I need to take reference photos in zoos and aquariums . My biggest problems are low light conditions and that I can't zoom out far enough to capture the entire scene ( exhibit , visitors , path etc ) . This camera has a wider angle than most in its class , and it takes good photos in low light conditions . There is a learning curve if you want to get the most out it , but mostly I have gotten by on the preset features or automatic setting . It can take photos in RAW format , which is of no interest to me . On the contrary , I take tons of fast shots , seldom well composed , not knowing what I might need as a reminder or for referencing , and all with 1 to 2 MB JPEG settings . What I need is speed : one photo after the next , and a fast start up . This camera does it . I also own 2 Nikon SLRs ( D50 and D80 - and I love them ) with various lenses . They are heavy and no fun carrying around . For my fast reference shots this camera gets the job done . It could be bit slimmer and lighter . I'm not sure I would recommend this camera to my mother-in-law . I think she would be as happy with a simpler model and it would save her money . And she might not like the wide angle when taking photos of people as she might have to zoom in a bit after start up . All no issues for me . I would recommend it to any real estate agent . You can take great wide angle photos inside ( low light ) and it has a features where you can stitch the photos together while you are taking them - well more or less . It works like this : On the monitor you can see the photo you just took and then compose the photo you are about to take by aligning them . It will make stitching them together in a computer a lot faster and more acurate . I bought this camera 3 months ago and I have been traveling quite a bit with it . Although battery life has been pretty good , I recommend buying a second battery .
189 4 Pros : Really great picture quality Cons : The shape of the body and position of the buttons makes it difficult to freely point & shoot This is an attractive camera that takes consistently great shots - - I really wanted to make this my primary point & shoot , but I found it too difficult to grip comfortably . It's a shame that ergonomic problems ruin what would otherwise be a fantastic camera . The shutter-release button is too far from the side for my finger to comfortably locate - - and has almost the same feel as surrounding buttons , so I often found that I thought I was pressing it while in fact I was pressing something else . On many occasions I accidentally pressed a dial that feels like a button but isn't . The flash is raised and lowered by a motor on the other side , and is located exactly where you would want to hold the camera . So if you're holding the camera comfortably and it wants to raise the flash , it will become confused by your finger holding it down and will require a reboot . And when the flash is raised , the camera becomes a bit awkward to hold . Another major drawback : its CR2 RAW images cannot be viewed in Aperture ( and , I suspect , many other apps ) . This will probably be corrected with a patch in a few months , but until then , you have to convert all of your images to Adobe DNG . Fortunately , Adobe's DNG Converter is a free download , both for Windows and Mac . Linux users are out of luck , I suppose . The software is relatively easy to use ; it's nice to have dials to control aperture and shutter speed instead of arrowing around through menus . And the low-light capabilities are particularly good . If only those buttons were positioned more ergonomically ! I would carry this camera around with me everywhere . But sadly , a camera with buttons that are too hard to find is no good at all .
190 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The S90 continues the Canon tradition of S series high quality cameras , featuring advanced creative controls , in a pleasing , pocketable , package . Pros : - Good build quality , feel , and ergonomics - Small and lightweight - Very fast startup and overall responsiveness - Fast lens over a useful zoom range - Extremely good low light performance for its class - Full creative control over focus , aperture , shutter speed , sensitivity , and exposure Cons : - Modist battery life - Modist flash range - Quirky scene selection in Auto mode - No shift in program mode So for photographers looking for a pocket camera with much of the creative control of their DSLR , and ( Compact ) class leading responsiveness and low light performance , the S90 is definitely work looking at . It has many of the capabilities of its larger brother the G11 in a very small , pocketable package .
191 4 The S90 continues the Canon tradition of S series high quality cameras , featuring advanced creative controls , in a pleasing , pocketable , package . Pros : - Good build quality , feel , and ergonomics - Small and lightweight - Very fast startup and overall responsiveness - Fast lens over a useful zoom range - Extremely good low light performance for its class - Full creative control over focus , aperture , shutter speed , sensitivity , and exposure Cons : - Modist battery life - Modist flash range - Quirky scene selection in Auto mode - No shift in program mode So for photographers looking for a pocket camera with much of the creative control of their DSLR , and ( Compact ) class leading responsiveness and low light performance , the S90 is definitely work looking at . It has many of the capabilities of its larger brother the G11 in a very small , pocketable package .
193 4 If you read the 5 - star reviews of this camera , I can tell you that they are all true . This camera is probably the best P & S Canon ever made and then some . I have a long history using Canon P & S and this one is the best ever . I wansn't totally happy with other Canon P & S , having tried most of them . The control ring around the lens make this camera a step above all of its competitors . Depend on the mode you are in ( Av , Tv . . ) , the ring functions differently . For example , if you are in aperture priority ( Av ) , turn the ring will change the f-stops . So in Tv , the ring will change your shutter speed . And then you can reprogram it to change something else if you wish . Image quality is superb . No noise or any bluring even at actual-pixel level . Astoundingly sharp with sufficient light and way above average low light performance . And just imaging you can put all this in your pocket ! Now , Amazon customer service . I purchased this camera 2 weeks ago * on Amazon * for $429 . Today it is $406 * on Amazon * . If I want my $23 credit , I have to return the camera and order a new one . Amazon's new policy does not allow credit in this situation . Just imaging buying a large item and price drops the next day for several hundred dollars . All other retailers would be happy to give you credit for it , but not Amazon . First time I was ever disappointed at Amazon .
194 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The low light performance of this camera never fails to astonish anyone who sees it ! I leave the flash off by default even indoors in low light . It takes amazing quality photos in all conditions I have tried and a very quick to turn on and take a shot ( minimal shutter delay ) . The display is quite nice and works great in bright sun or dark rooms . I do not miss the view finder . The only category I do not give it 5 stars in is ease of use . In full auto mode it is very easy . Most people should just leave it one of Auto / Low-Light / Movie modes . There are so many different settings in the other modes that navigating and configuring them all is relatively tedious and can be confusing to anyone but serious camera nerds . As the camera model is very new the Raw image support for its CR2 files is not yet there in most common photo software . Use the bundled software for os x or windows to develop your raw files into usable image formats for now or just ignore raw support for a year while the software catches up . Also , why does canon require its external charger for their batteries ? Cameras with a mini-USB port should be able to charge over USB .
195 4 The low light performance of this camera never fails to astonish anyone who sees it ! I leave the flash off by default even indoors in low light . It takes amazing quality photos in all conditions I have tried and a very quick to turn on and take a shot ( minimal shutter delay ) . The display is quite nice and works great in bright sun or dark rooms . I do not miss the view finder . The only category I do not give it 5 stars in is ease of use . In full auto mode it is very easy . Most people should just leave it one of Auto / Low-Light / Movie modes . There are so many different settings in the other modes that navigating and configuring them all is relatively tedious and can be confusing to anyone but serious camera nerds . As the camera model is very new the Raw image support for its CR2 files is not yet there in most common photo software . Use the bundled software for os x or windows to develop your raw files into usable image formats for now or just ignore raw support for a year while the software catches up . Also , why does canon require its external charger for their batteries ? Cameras with a mini-USB port should be able to charge over USB .
197 4 There is an old saying in photography that the best camera for the job is the one you have with you . The Canon4 S90 does a lot of things very well and the ring around the lens with its helpful custom features makes it a joy to use under a variety of shooting conditions . However what makes this small camera really stand out is its combination of very high picture taking quality AND portability . I carry mine in a slick secure little cell phone holder made by NiteIze . With my little shooter constantly on my belt I always have my chance for a decisive moment that can be rendered beautifully by the S90 .
203 4 This is a solid , well built camera . The lens is awesome , one of the brightest in the field at F2.0 at 28mm , although some competitors ( Panasonic ) have cameras with 24mm F2.0 lenses . The camera packs some great high end features , like full manual control and RAW capability . It also offers manual focus , a pretty useless feature in cameras that don't have a focusing ring on the lens barrel . Picture quality is excellent , awesome dynamic range , great colors and resolution . The problems come with the handling of this small camera . It has 2 control dials , one on the lens barrel ( controls things such as aperture or exposure compensation , not manual focus ) and one to the right of the LCD screen . The one on the lens barrel is very useful and easy to control , but the one on the back is easily rotated unintentionally and a bit too small to use with precision . If you're not very careful , you can graze the dial by mistake and change the exposure . The pop-up flash is also a bit of a nuisance . Since the camera is small and doesn't have a grip on the body , one generally needs to hold it with your left index finger on top , which is where the flash pops up from ! I'm afraid it may even break if it tries to pop out and I'm pressing to hard on it . Since it can be fully automatic , it may catch you by surprise . I think this camera is testing the limits of packing too many advanced features into a really small package . Although I'm happy with it , I would probably be happier with a slightly larger camera , such as the G11 , which would have the same high end features , be easier to handle and would add a hot shoe , which the S90 doesn't have .
207 4 I have to assume that the folks who have had problems with this camera either have not completely read the manual that comes with it or are too quick on the trigger for shooting ( all digital cameras need a second to focus properly before fully depressing the button ) , or they received a lemon ( which is why companies provide warranties ) and they should have either return the camera to Amazon , as defective , for a replacement or to Canon for fixing . I have found Canon Service to be Excellent over the years . I have used them on a couple of occasions . On one , the camera was well over a year out of warranty , the cost to me was going to be about $149 to fix . After they received it , they wrote to me that this was a component that has been failing , and should not , and thus there would be no charge for the service . Now , I can not ask for a more honest , customer oriented manufacturer than these folks . Now , it is true that because there is a popup flash , I needed to learn to hold the camera differently . The way Canon suggested is Great as it gives me , and the camera , far more stability than the old way . I did use my left hand finger on top of the camera in a pincer hold with my other fingers . Now , it is cradled in my left hand between my thumb and second finger with the first finger cradled along the side of the lens giving me far less shake . By the way , this flash sure does light things up far better than my other cameras with the built in flash on the front ! ! ! Thus far , the zoom shots have been awesome , everyone is raving about the quality of the pictures I have taken of them , , Low light shots are unbelievably clear as if I was using a flash and the day shots are great . This Powershot S90 is a super digital camera . Thank you Cannon for a Great Camera .
208 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Not much to add the many positive reviews . Quality of image and portability tops the list .
210 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I finally made the decision to buy this camera after much research and pondering . I basically wanted a camera with low light capabilities . Was about to order DSLR but some how couldn't come to terms with size / weight . I checked this camera at B & H photo but wasn't happy about the build quality . Anyhow I went ahead and ordered this camera after reading numerous reviews about the low light picture capabilities . And I must say I was 100% satisfied by the picture quality . This camera takes excellent pictures in low light without flash . Pictures at ISO 1600 are usable and excellent with very little noise . Daytime pictures are excellent as well . The amount of details this camera captures is amazing . Another feature I liked is the Nostalgic scene mode . Taking pictures in this mode is like stepping back into time wow ! Some people might say that this can be achieved in PhotoShop ; but who has the time ? The only complain I have is about build quality and ergonomics . The fit & finish and grip of this camera could certainly have been better . It somehow feels flimsy in your hands . One side of the camera does not have grip and on the other side there is a possibility of the flash popping up ! I hope the flash mechanism doesn't give up after some time since your finger is on it much of the shooting time . Anyways these are not big trade offs for the picture quality . I think the reason for a pop-up flash is keeping it far away ( even by few millimeters ) from the lens so as to reduce red eye as much as possible . I read somewhere that keeping the flash as far away from lens reduces red-eye . Yes there are aftermarket grips available but I don't want to spend another $35 on top of the expensive camera price . In a nutshell go for it if you shoot in low light .
211 4 I finally made the decision to buy this camera after much research and pondering . I basically wanted a camera with low light capabilities . Was about to order DSLR but some how couldn't come to terms with size / weight . I checked this camera at B & H photo but wasn't happy about the build quality . Anyhow I went ahead and ordered this camera after reading numerous reviews about the low light picture capabilities . And I must say I was 100% satisfied by the picture quality . This camera takes excellent pictures in low light without flash . Pictures at ISO 1600 are usable and excellent with very little noise . Daytime pictures are excellent as well . The amount of details this camera captures is amazing . Another feature I liked is the Nostalgic scene mode . Taking pictures in this mode is like stepping back into time wow ! Some people might say that this can be achieved in PhotoShop ; but who has the time ? The only complain I have is about build quality and ergonomics . The fit & finish and grip of this camera could certainly have been better . It somehow feels flimsy in your hands . One side of the camera does not have grip and on the other side there is a possibility of the flash popping up ! I hope the flash mechanism doesn't give up after some time since your finger is on it much of the shooting time . Anyways these are not big trade offs for the picture quality . I think the reason for a pop-up flash is keeping it far away ( even by few millimeters ) from the lens so as to reduce red eye as much as possible . I read somewhere that keeping the flash as far away from lens reduces red-eye . Yes there are aftermarket grips available but I don't want to spend another $35 on top of the expensive camera price . In a nutshell go for it if you shoot in low light .
213 4 As a still camera this is a really good point and shoot as others have already mentioned . I am not complaining about not having HD video either . However for a 400 $ camera canon should have included optical zoom and auto focus in video mode . This is huge disappointment for and is a deal breaker . Canon had it for lot of their cheaper models . Some of the reviews here wrongly mentioned that this has optical zoom .
215 4 Really happy with the ease of the auto modes as well as the flexibilty to adjust advanced user settings . I've taken some great advanced shots , and my wife is happy with the ease of the auto mode . I guess it still doesn't take pictures quite as sharp as an SLR , but it takes by far the best compact camera pictures I've seen . Our photos always look better than our friend's with other compact cameras . The 3 LCD screen is nice and big . The only annoying thing we've about the camera is the way the flash pops up right where you want to grip the camera . We have gotten used to this though and simply hold the camera in a differrent way . This is a small blemish in an otherwise GREAT compact camera . It does cost more than other compacts , but I think if you have the money it's a great best of both worlds ( compact and SLR type features ) camera . If you have plenty of money , buy a cheaper compact for portability and a DSLR too for perfect image quality .
216 4 This is the camera I've always wanted for candids - - small , unobtrusive , completely silent and with good low-light capability . We've used it for a party , work events , and a musical recital , and it's perfect for getting un-self-conscious shots of people . You don't need to fire a flash in people's faces , and it can be set to operate absolutely silently . This isn't a perfect camera . I'd like a longer zoom range and more speed at the tele end . I'd like the face detection to work better ( it's fooled by music stands , for some reason ) . Low-light image quality could be better , though it's the best I've seen in a small camera . They could put on a little better grip , or at least put some rubber on the grip area . That said , if you like to photograph people as they naturally act in the places where you meet them , you will * love * this camera .
217 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Amazon doesn't identify that the battery charger comes with the box , which in fact it does . Instead , they link you to a charger you can purchase separately . No need - the charger comes in the box . I've asked Amazon to correct their product description several times .
219 4 If you're a photog this is easily the best pocket camera out there for you . But if you just want to take some quick-n-easy snapshots of the kids or whatnot , then the extra features this camera provides , and their cost , aren't really worth it . Casual users would do much better to get the PowerShot SD780IS which is , as I write this , less than half the cost of this camera . If , on the other hand , you can't live without Tv , Av , full manual control and a fast lens , then you absolutely need this camera . I normally shoot using a DSLR , and a while back I carried an SD870IS with me everywhere . At the time it was the best pocket camera I could find , but I lamented the lack of full manual control . This camera takes care of that problem . Of course by now you have heard about the dial on the front of this camera . Combined with the dial in back this camera has excellent , fast control . I normally shoot in Av , use the front dial for manual focus , and use the back dial for aperture . It allows me to set up the shot very quickly . From pocket to shot is usually just a couple seconds . This camera does have its flaws : ISO 400 is a little noisy . The back dial can be rather over-sensitive ( I've accidentally changed settings a couple times ) . It's a bit hard to hold . The included software is pretty bad , but it gets the job done . But these are all minor complaints . All in all I am very pleased with this camera . Unfortunately the camera I got had a small sensor flaw and I've had to have it replaced . I won't hold this against the camera or Canon , flaws do happen , but I would expect a little better quality control in a camera of this cost . I recommend taking a lot of test images to make sure yours works flawlessly . The particular problem I had was revealed with a 1 exposure in darkness . There have been a lot of complaints about this camera not having HD video . That seems to me like complaining about a bicycle not having 4 wheel drive . Video is not what this camera is about . And no pocket camera takes video with the kind of quality HD should have . What's the point of adding more pixels to an already grainy image ? If you want an HD camcorder go buy one . If you want an awesome pocket camera with full manual control and excellent low-light performance then look no further .
221 4 Have had the camera for a month now and cant say anything bad about it so far . Its picture quality is great . Low light situations are no longer a problem for me . The only thing about this camera is that it isn't cheap but i feel that it is worth it . Another thing that was great about ordering it on amazon was that it arrived super fast very impressive overall experience
222 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) . . . All I have to say is this little camera does a great job for a point & shoot . I upgraded my SD800 IS to this camera and I just love it ! ! . . . Highly recommended ! ! Not to mention that when everytime I pull this camera out from my pocket , all my friends love it and envy and wanted to have one as well : )
226 4 Great camera ! Resurrection of the S-series is a good move by Canon ! My first digital camera was an S30 , which met all my needs for great digital photography / videos . When it finally broke after 5 years , I had to replace it with an SD850IS because the S-series was no longer available . Even though SD850 is a great little camera , it never was able to match my S30 . And finally , I'm happy to say that S90 met my expectations for a great compact in terms of getting great quality pictures , especially in low light . The down side ? None other than the price .
228 4 This is the fifth digital camera that I've owned in the last seven years , including my current Pentax DSLR . Based on my limited use of it so far , I think that the S90 may be the best of the bunch . PROS : 1 . Exceptionally good pictures . 2 . Very good low-light capabilities . 3 . Great versatility and only lacks an optical viewfinder and a greater upper-end zoom . 4 . Very compact for what it will do . I'd initially considered the G11 but wanted something smaller . 5 . A real wide-angle ( 28 mm in the 35 mm format ) at the lower range of the zoom . 6 . Image stabilization . CONS : 1 . No optical zoom . As with most digital cameras , the viewing screen on the back gets washed out in bright sun light . 2 . My other complaints are ergonomic : * The shutter button seems to be in the wrong place and isn't where my finger wants to push . * The pop-up flash is under where place that the fingers on my left hand always seem to be , which causes problems when the flash is set to automatic . * The on / off button is too small .
234 4 Overall I am satisfied with the S90 , but it feels like one model away from being a great camera . As many other commenters have pointed out , the range of features is remarkable in such a small , well-constructed camera , but there are several modest but significant frustrations which keep me from giving this a great rating : 1 . Low light performance - yes , it's possible to capture images in amazingly low light , but at ISO above 1000 the noise is overwhelming and requires major post-processing to get a final image that doesn't look like it was taken with a cell phone . 2 . The adjustment wheel on the back - it's just a completely bone-headed move by Canon to have the adjustment wheel spin freely - truly idiotic and unlike Canon's normal smart design - I am constantly changing the exposure adjustment by accident and feel like I need to babysit the thing constantly to make sure a brush of a finger or cheek hasn't changed settings without my noticing . 3 . Movie mode - the low-res quality is sub-par for the current era ( much cheaper cameras shoot higher res video ) and it's inexcusable to not include time-lapse video functionality 4 . No flash hot shoe - personal choice , but some may find the lack of a flash hot shoe a significant omission . The S90 has a good sensor and packs an amazing array of features into a truly pocketable camera , but I am looking forward to an S100 soon that addresses my concerns above before I would give a real rave .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) As a budding amateur photographer I have a dSLR and a few lenses , but even the body and one general purpose lens is too much to be lugging around in many situations , so a month or so back I started looking at super-compacts for those photo opportunities I was missing , something I could have on me at all times . My main criteria : * Truly portable . Jeans or shirt pocket . * Something that will survive there . Molded metal , not token pressed metal covers or plastic . * Extensive and easy to access manual adjustments . * Best image quality available for its class , especially low light - I hate using flash . * RAW capability . Canon haven't released a new S since 2005 I think ( the venerable S80 ) , but it is back with a vengeance and the S90 presses all the above buttons . It is also a much more attractive beast than the older ones IMO - all-black , sleek , very minimalist . The anodized aluminum casing looks to be close to 1mm thick all round and should stand up to quite a lot of abuse . The lens and control ring are plastic but suitably thick and sturdy . I am stunned by its image quality particularly in low light ; it doesn't come close to cameras with larger sensors and lenses but it is impressive for a camera this size . The lens-mounted control ring is great . The camera has all the manual adjustments you could reasonably want using that ring , the rear wheel and the shortcut button , and it can be set to run almost invisibly , e.g . no flash , AF assist lamp or beeps , great for candid shots . The optical image stabilization is a major boon , and I can't overstate the importance of raw - the best shots often happen for me spontaneously in the worst conditions and even the best JPEG encoder will chew a quick noisy shot to pieces and limit recovery options . It does have a few downsides , mostly minor : * The control wheel on the back is too easy to jog . It's only caught me a couple of times ( knocking it to ISO3200 in broad daylight , oops ) and I've learned to work around it by changing my grip , but it could be addressed in firmware - wheel lock on the shortcut button please ! For the next iteration I'd prefer another dial under the mode dial instead though . * The tiny lens has quite bad distortions and aberrations particularly at the wide end , but most of these can be dealt with in software . JPEGs are corrected well by the camera itself while RAWs are rightly left untouched . The included software will deal with RAWs but I use DxO / Lightroom , same flow as my SLR . * The anodized metal coating started to scratch off within a few days of life in my pocket . I kind of like this lived-in look though , makes it look old and even less conspicuous . : ) * No HD video . This seems to be a must-have for some but wasn't an issue for me as I am primarily interested in stills . I don't think you can expect video worthy of HD out of something this small anyway - prosumer video cameras are way bigger and more expensive than this for a reason . * Zoom may not be long enough for some . Instead it's wide and fast which I prefer overall . I wouldn't mind if they dropped it back further to 2.5x or so to gain elsewhere . By the way , you won't get strong depth of field effects from a lens / sensor this size , despite what the promo literature may say . For closeups of small subjects it's noticeable , but you're not going to see much background blur on portraits , say . Like most fast lenses you also need to stop it down a bit to hit its sharpness sweet spot , f / 2 is rather soft at the edges . * The 3 screen is beautiful but I think it might be too big if anything - it does battery life no favors and makes it more vulnerable to damage . Mine also has slight backlight bleed along the top edge but this isn't noticeable most of the time . Shrinking the screen a little would free up rear space for extra controls . * Battery life is an annoyance , bank on no more than 100 shots . I probably won't get a spare , it's just another thing to be carrying around which rather defeats the purpose , so I do need to remember to feed the thing frequently . Also , I don't know what the designers were thinking but the battery gauge gives virtually no warning when the camera's about to die - as soon as it drops from full to two bars you have very few shots left . I hope this is something Canon can fix in firmware because right now the gauge is close to useless . Many of these are compromises made to get class-leading image quality out of a camera so small - all in all very impressed and no way could I give it fewer than 5 stars . It's been ready to pop out of my pocket constantly since I bought it . Canon made the right choice here and with the G11 backing off from the megapixel race . If anything they could go even lower - I got plenty of great shots out of my old Nikon D40 which was only 6MP . Sensor resolution was never a big issue there , and it's even less so on super-compacts with their tiny compromised optics . I'm interested to see how other manufacturers respond to Canon's raising the bar with this camera . Its excellent Sony CCD will surely show up elsewhere soon . Nikon in particular don't seem to have seriously tackled this area of the market yet - never been very impressed by their compacts - I hope this will wake them up .

007 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I'm a very amateur camera user . I understand the basic terms and settings ( ISO , aperture , shutter speed , image stabilization , exposure ) but I am impatient and like to get things set and just use the camera . I bought this camera because I wanted the ability to use the camera indoors in low light without a flash . Due to the relatively high price , my expectations were high . My cam was delivered just last week , and having used it at an event in a local bar the best word I can use to describe this camera is magic . This camera takes in so much light it really seems like magic . The event I was documenting was in a very dimly lit room . The only lighting sources in the room were incandescent chandeliers dimmed as low as they would go . I set my iso to 1000 in aperture priority mode , f2.0 ( this level is only available in the widest zoom ) , adjusted white balance for incandescent , and took some shots . Most of the shots used 1 / 6 - second shutter speed , which was just fine due to the image stabilized lens . The IS performance is improved over my last Canon compact . I don't have steady hands , and I like to take quick sloppy shots . If the IS in this cam can handle my hands , a very-careful steady shooter could probably get away with 1 / 4 second . The resulting images were so bright and had such great color everyone that saw them was in awe . The resulting images appeared more bright and colorful than with a naked eye . Shooting with such high ISOs is like having night vision built into the camera . Noise levels were low enough and color was so good that I can easily print very nice 5x7s from this night . I took a few candid shots of people in motion at the bar , so I had to bump the ISO to 1600 to get a faster shutter speed ( at ISO 1600 I got about 1 / 30sec in the dimly lit bar ) . At ISO 1600 , color is still acceptable and very nice 4x6 prints , web postings , and email will be no problem . ISO 1600 on this cam is comparable to what most compact cams produce at ISO 400 . I've never seen a compact cam take such great shots using high-ish ISO settings . I am just as happy with the results as when using my EOS 20D digital SLR . A critical professional may argue that this cam isn't as great as an SLR , but for normal-sized prints and digital sharing , this camera makes images that are as good as a consumer SLR . My last compact was a Canon SD800is . I love that camera , but images are mostly unusable above ISO400 , due to muted color , and grain . The S90 goes two full ISO stops beyond what can be done with a typical $300 compact camera . Combine high-ISO performance with the f2.0 option and you can take great shots in 1 / 3 of the light required for most $300 compact cams . Adjusting camera settings is a dream . I am just as in control as I am with my EOS 20D SLR . I've used friends ' canon rebel SLRs , and the controls on this compact are even better than them . Between the front ring , rear dial , and shortcut button , you have instant control of three camera functions without even really looking . All of the controls are customizable . If you've ever used other canon cameras in the past , you won't really even need to use the excellent printed manual ( yes ! a printed manual ! ) . I've not taken enough shots with it to test whether the battery can actually deliver 200 from a charge , but 200 isn't really great battery performance and I bought a backup battery from an Amazon marketplace seller for longer outings ( under $30 shipped ) . I also highly recommend the Canon compact leather case . This camera easily fits in any pocket , but I'm pretty sure that pocket lint and dust is what did in my last compact camera . The Canon compact leather case for the S90 mounts on your belt and offers light protection away from keys and pocket lint . The body is comparable in size to Canon elphs . My SD800 elph is 1 / 2in shorter , but the height and thickness is identical ( not counting the lens ring , which makes the overall thickness of the S90 slightly thicker ) . I posted comparison pics between the SD800 and the S90 in the gallery . The rear display is really sharp and is viewable outdoors . I haven't bought a new camera in over three years and the display blew me away compared to my other cameras . I really can't compare the display to newer cams . Simply judging by the way it feels in the hand , the build quality is just average . The only real performance weakness is continuous shooting . Continuous shooting is really really slow . If you want a compact and think you'll ever want to photograph dimly lit subjects without a flash , this is THE camera to own . The price is 40% higher , but it takes in 300% more light . Unless you're shooting a lot of action , this cam is probably a better choice for people considering consumer-level SLRs like the Canon rebel line . I can't imagine anyone regretting buying this camera . It beats other compact pocket sized cameras by a wide margin .
015 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) DPReview will present a more thorough review than any of us might care to write , so I will just give my general impressions . This camera is not perfect . If you are expected it to manage the image quality or low light performance of your Canon DSLR you will be disappointed . But the S90 is the best compact camera I have ever used . You do get more than one stop of performance over the Canon SD880IS , my previous ultra-portable camera . The F2.0 lens , lower density sensor and improved software give you that . Software matters on these small cameras and Canon's software is a pleasure to use . The aperture ring feature , which can be used to control ISO , shutter speed , Aperture and other functions is a pleasure to use and has a very cool visual UI on the back screen when in use ( think of the way the old Nikon cameras showed you the aperture ring in the viewfinder ) . The camers is not quite as pocketable as the regular line of SD powershot cameras , but the improved image quality and control easily make up for that . I like the camera . It has tons of manual controls , nearly all obvious in function without reading the manual if you are a Canon regular . They have increased the amount of on-screen documentation . The Auto ISO feature is better than before . They get that many prosumers don't want a flash and will take a noisy photo over either a flash photo or one too slow to hand hold . I typically own two cameras : a very small camera and a very large camera . This is my small camera and I would say that in the small camera department , if you care about low light performance and image quality more than zoom factor , you will love this camera . How can it be better ? well , if it had the sensor they put in the Canon 7D , it would be much better . I suspect Canon is working on such a camera . Size will be the major challenge there . So why the 5 stars if it is not perfect ? Because at this price and in this size range , there is simply no better camera on the market that I know of .
020 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) If you have realistic expectations on the image quality you can get from a small camera , you will be quite impressed with the s90 . I mainly use a DSLR ( Canon 5DII ) but I needed something that I could carry anywhere and still have the control I m used to with my Canon . The s90 delivers in features ( ease of use of these features ) and on size . I tend to keep things in AV mode , with the aperture control on the front ring and the shortcut button to jump to ISO settings . Between this and the little wheel on the back controlling exposure compensation you can make very quick decision on how to take the shot . The camera also starts up instantly , so you won't be missing shots due to this . Image quality is great when there is enough light and it's capable of taking shots with very low light as well . . . but they will be noisy . That being said , when I use this camera , my photos will simply be emailed to family and friends , or printed no larger than a 6 by 4 photograph . With a little noise reduction and the size reduction to fall between these parameters , the photo quality leaves nothing to complain about . Prints look great , and by the time you get to that point , the noise is completely under control . There are certainly better cameras out there that cost a little less , but none of them will give you all of this at this small size , and that was the most important factor to me . If the camera is not with me , I won't be able to take the picture . . . it's as simple as that . You can keep the camera in a coat pocket or non-jeans front pocket comfortably . ( Jeans are a little tight . ; - ) ) I've ready many complaints that the back wheel is too loose . Note that this is a feature , not a defect . Personally , I didn't even have to adapt to this feature . I've never moved the wheel when I don't want to , as there is a nice detent on the back for your thumb . The free wheel is great for reviewing pictures and making quick adjustments to manual focus . Your mileage may vary with this , though , since it's clear that many other people have problems with it . In conclusion , if your order of priorities are Size , Control , Image Quality - this is the camera for you . And if you will print small - or don't print at all , the image quality is excellent .
029 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I'm an amateur photographer , but am picky about image quality . Digitally I started with a 5 MP Canon in 2000 , went to 6 , and though I can't remember the model number - maybe simply an S6 - I remember the image quality as being superb - without any image stablization mumbo . Later I came to conclude that the nature shots of the SD600 , which was a gift to my girlfriend , to be the best I'd ever seen from a Point & Shoot camaera - yes , maybe the image stablization really works . Wanting my own camera , I bought a Canon SD1100 which was stolen though with few regrets - the image quality wan't there . Next I tried the Canon 1200 , but I just wasn't satified with the crispness . So I switched brands ; I bought a Panasonic DMC-ZS3 with great expectations , but again I was disappointed in the sharpness of the image and in low light performance . I ended up giving that one away . I had read great things about Fujifilm , so I bought the 200 EXR . The colors and contrast were excellent , and I considered it acceptable , but it was stolen from my car . Sold on a longer zoom , I bought the 70 EXR , but even though it shares the same processor with the 200 model , I just wasn't quite happy with image clarity nor with white balance , nor with the graininess of low light shots . I have to agree with the many opinions I've read - that the 200 and 70 models on EXR mode or Auto jack up the ISO too fast , and the result is noise . As for the 70 EXR , I recently gave it away . Enter the S90 , and I must say that it is by far the best digital camera I've owned . The colors are the truest that I have seen in a long time , the images are more than acceptably sharp , and the low light performance is truly impressive . Finally I have found a P & S camera ( which I want for portability ) that I am happy with in every aspect . Reading through the tons of camera reviews , I've come to realize a couple things : 1 ) a huge number of 5 - star ratings doesn't mean squat - individual preferences , refined or not , rule the day ; and 2 ) I had been duped by the propaganda that more pixels are better . In looking at the images from the 10 MP S90 , I realize that the MP war is misguided , and what should be better disclosed is not only MP's but also the size ( area ) of the processor . Then there's the quality of the lense . The S90 has a bigger processor than most P & S cameras , not to mention a brighter lense . The combination gives me just the results that I have been looking for . This one's a keeper - finally .
034 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera works well for natural light photos . I like that it fits in my pocket , is very light , and I can carry it around easily . I feel the picture quality is as good as we can get in these small cameras with our current techology . At any rate , it definitely meets my quality expectations . The down side : I don't like the control dial on the back that requires too much attention to recheck that it hasn't moved accidentally . The motorized pop up flash is an annoying gimmick . The menus and function menu Canon has used for so many years are nice but navigating with the tiny S90 controls is a nuisance . I can operate the Panasonic LX3 more easily . The S90 focuses noticeably faster than the LX3 . The S90 auto white balance is superior . I feel the S90 is well built . If the S90 did not have the positive attributes I've cited , I'd send it back . As it stands it is a good camera on its own merits and many of its annoyances can be overcome with practice and experience .
044 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Canon S90 is an excellent choice for the experienced amateur who doesn't want to miss a shot but is unwilling to lug his DSLR everywhere he goes . The mountains of western North Carolina abound in unexpected photo ops : unusual sunrises , rime ice , and the occasional black bear with cubs . With my S90 I no longer miss these shots . It has a complete set of program modes that function very well . Picture quality is good to very good , and performance in low light situations is outstanding ( I hate flash photos ) . It is a very solid camera with a large , bright LED display and a pleasingly quick shutter response . It's a bit larger and heavier than most pocket cameras , so if ultra-portability is important you might want to look elsewhere ; but for me , the quality , features , and picture quality are well worth an extra ounce or so . If I lost mine today , I would buy another S90 immediately !
046 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought an S90 as soon as they came out and find that I seldom pull out my Nikon D80 . The best thing about the S90 is how much quality and capability Canon crammed into a small , usable form factor . It goes wherever I go . I get usable pictures even when I turn off the flash in situations that wouldn't have given me anything at all with my last point and shoot , a Fuji . Build quality is superb , and I'm picky . It falls to hand well for something this small , though I'd like a little ridge on the edge under the words IMAGE STABILIZER for holding it more securely when the flash is up . The versatility and ability to make adjustments is fantastic . The only mode I'm disappointed in is the specific low light ( candle icon ) mode . Auto works better . All in all , a great purchase . Highly recommended .
048 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Buy this camera if you have a DSLR and are looking for a good , light camera to carry around when you don't want to lug the big brother around . Don't buy this camera if you're looking for a point-and-shoot . The Canon S90 is far too complex . If you have read that the ring on the back turns too easily , it turns too easily because the reviewers may not have known how to use it . In manual mode , this camera brackets shots , shoots camera raw , and adjusts white balance . If you don't know what these terms mean , look for a more basic point-and-shoot . What's more , Canon S90 takes sharp pictures . You can even adjust the flash output and so much more . I recommend it as a second camera , not a first .
063 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Camera takes excellent pictures . I've had a DSLR since the first generation Rebel ; but , found I rarely used it due to its physical size . I mainly take pictures during my travels and preferred a small camera which I could fit in my pocket . Over the years I went through a half-dozen digital Canon Powershots ( mid line ) , replacing then as new ones were released with improved capabilities . The Powershot pictures never really came out as good as a DSLR and I missed the creative modes ( TV , AV , M , etc . ) . The S90 provides a lot of features and capabilities typical of a DSLR in a point & shoot format ; however , it's not a DSLR replacement . I looked at the Canon G11 and Panasonic DMC-LX3 . The G11 got ruled out due to its larger size ; the LX3 because of my familiarity with Canon camera menus and software . There are many positive reviews which I share on the technical merits , features , and capabilities of the camera . I mainly have three pet peeves with the camera . ( 1 ) Placement of the pop-up flash , which regularly hits my left index finger when it rises . ( 2 ) Sometimes I find it confusing to recall the purpose of lens control ring versus the dial ring on the back of the camera . ( 3 ) The included wrist strap . . . it was wide and silver and really didn't go well with the camera ; I used a thin black wrist strap from an older Powershot .
066 4 I'll make it short and sweet ; this is the perfect compact camera for photogs when they can't bring the DSLR , anybody looking for some extra picture quality , and especially for divers . It costs almost twice as much as other compacts . Here's why : - Shoots RAW . This is a Big Deal . Images are uncompressed and much more amenable to postprocessing than Jpgs . - Half the pixel density as cheaper cams . This means higher sensitivity , lower noise , or subtly better colors . - DSLR - type handling , with a A / Tv / M knob and 2 rings ( 1 on the lens - very cool - , 1 on the back ) If you come from a DSLR background , as did I , you might at first not know where to put your fingers without obstructing something , and perhaps balk a little at all the tweaks and settings necessary to beat this camera into accepting your parameters . But eventually , I predict , you'll love how everything is there , somewhere , and admire what a good job the LCD is doing as a viewfinder substitute . The one aspect in which the S90 looks inferior to its DSLR siblings , is its speed : don't expect more than 1 / 2 fps , never mind the fact it has the same CPU as the high end 8 fps SLRs ( insert your own marketing ploy here . . . ) Scuba divers will find this camera a particular gem . Like for its other compacts , Canon makes an underwater case for a ( relatively ) low price ; the entire contraption ( S90 , Case & weights ) costs about half of what a bare DSLR case goes for . The ability to set the whitepoint on the RAW pictures should prove priceless for the red - deprived underwater world , and if you prefer to shoot in jpg , there is an underwater scene . ( I'll post some pics once I have ' em ) . Sad , sad , sadly , the S90 lacks an HD movie mode . According to lots of internet rants , this is no firmware oversight , but a limitation of the sensor used ( same as in the G11 ) . Granted , I do prefer the RAW and extra image quality to HD movies , but in this day and age , why is that a choice ? The less expensive S9xx series have 720p movies ( which is three times the resolution that the S90 is capable of ) , and DSLRs have 1080p movies now ( SIX times the resolution of the S90 ) , so the old this is a camera not a toy line of 2007 doesn't work anymore . Therefore , even though this is a solid , awesome , practical tool , I'm subtracting 1 star for that .
069 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've fallen in love with a camera ! The Canon S90 is 2009 ' s best of the smaller digital cameras for those who highly value a 28 mm wide lens , superb low light capability , manual control of shutter and aperture , and RAW capability . There are numerous bonuses , such as the two programmable rings , and a third programmable button , for fast control of things like focus , exposure , ISO , or white balance , instead of scrolling through a hodge podge of menus . If you want a 10x zoom , interchangeable lenses , or a larger camera for your grip , look elsewhere . I don't like using flash , and the f 2.0 lens and superb high ISO resolution is wonderful . I took photos in a very dim restaurant of friends and my food , and the photos are clean and fairly noise free at ISO 800 , and quite good at ISO 1600 . Photos at 3200 are surprisingly good if shooting in dim light , not darkness . If you blow them up , sure you'll see noise , however on my wide screen monitor , they are quite good . The photos at 1600 and 3200 are not the quality of a new higher end Digital SLR , however at this ISO , they are far , far better than any other point and shoot sized camera to date . To be fair , the S90 ' s chip is a small fraction of the size of an APC or even full frame sensor chip , and thus does a wonderful job in low light . The S90 does drop image size to about 1.3 Megapixels to get the ISO 3200 photo if light's truly dim . This is a minor drawback to some , not if having a decent photo is far better than no photo to you . The LCD screen is large and bright . Focusing is easy . Overall picture quality , colr and macro photography are superb . The antishake stabilizes well-I take photos at 1 / 6 second , and letters on a menu in low light are sharp-slower speeds than that and I brace my arms or camera . While point and shoot cameras can take a few seconds between exposures , the S90 has a continuous setting in the candle low light mode and in P mode , that , as long as your finger presses the shutter button down , it lets you take numerous photos slightly faster than every second , for over a dozen photos , if in decent light . One drawback-the expensive Canon OEM battery only gives ~ 200 shots . Canon should put in a more powerful battery . Some cheaper off brand NB - 6L compatible batteries offer 1300 mAH instead of Canon's 1000 mAh NB - 6L , and folks have been happy with those batteries in other Canon cameras . 300 more mAh means 30% greater capacity , not a different voltage . Whether you buy Canon OEM , or another brand , it's best to have two batteries with you . Sometimes 3 batteries as a safety factor if you use the flash a bit , take videos , and will be unable to charge up for a while , Play it safe if you are at a wedding , or once in a lifetime event . Another minor drawback-the back adjustment ring is looser than I'd like , as it can be moved too easily and change settings if you are not vigilant . The front ring around the lens is a dream to work with . I use the Nikon D80 and D90 for serious work , and used to keep the Canon SD 850 in my pocket for photos anywhere , anytime . I am often indoors in low light , and the S90 trounces the SD850 ' s mediocre ISO 400 and up performance . My S90 stays in hard carrying case on my pant's belt . While the S90 is just a tad too big for fitting in tighter jeans-it fits easily in looser pockets . This gets 5 stars , and I've just started to learn its many capabilities and quirks .
072 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Had the camera for a month and used it mostly to take candid shots . Very user friendly controls but be careful not to accidentally nudge the rear control ring as it is quite loose . Low light results are acceptable to good but do not expect this camera to replace your digital slr for overall picture quality ! Solid build . Overall the best compact I ever owned but still find it quite expensive .
082 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I read tons of reviews on this camera before biting the bullet and buying one of my own . I was torn between this and a G10 . I am a pro photographer and just wanted something I could fit easily into my purse when I didn't want to lug heavy equipment with me on vacation . Because the compactness was so important to me , I opted for the S90 . I am not disappointed at all - I heart this camera and continue to be impressed at the beautiful the images coming SOOC . Some people say that they don't like the build quality and that it is almost too small . It's not an issue for me b / c I have small hands to begin with . It is very light , but no lighter than other point-and-shoots that I've used , and for the quality of the pictures , well worth the money spent . I wish the battery lasted a little longer though !
091 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Here's the deal I have a DSLR and love it but I can't carry that thing everyday . Since I got my DSLR I can't stand the lack of control most point and shoots give you I got a Canon G9 to carry around everyday and loved it except it isn't pocketable . Canon s90 comes out I sell my G9 and LOVE my S90 . better low light pictures than the g9 improved ISO sensitivity . Easy to carry , and the control ring is a nice touch . Picture quality is on par with the g9 which is as close to a DSLR in this small format as i'd expect . I carry my s90 every day , where my dslr comes out for days i'm going out to really shoot some pictures I've recommended this camera to everyone camera buffs as a secondary and friends who love taking pictures for fun .
093 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Speaking as an avid photographer , Canon got this one right . It has the right mix of technology and traditional photography workflow . Low / ambient light performance is impressive . Almost dSLR quality . I look forward to using it for street shots .
098 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I needed a camera that had to be portable , with wide angle , able to take good low light shots and most importantly have Raw image capability . Canon S901S gave me all this and more . When I placed the order with Amazon it was out of stock but as always Amazon came through and shipped it is less than a week . I have used it for more than a month now I am absolutely thrilled with the results . I use it for work taking pictures of different design projects & the ease of use plus image quality is amazing.One minor design flaw that I find irritating is the placement of press button to take pictures . It is placed to far inside , while taking a picture one tends to instinctively reach for the function wheel , which is much closer . The image quality in both JPEG & RAW format is excellent . I have almost stopped using my DSLR ( Another Canon XTi ) which always was a hassle to carry with all the accessories plus the problem of missed shots .
110 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) As a budding amateur photographer I have a dSLR and a few lenses , but even the body and one general purpose lens is too much to be lugging around in many situations , so a month or so back I started looking at super-compacts for those photo opportunities I was missing , something I could have on me at all times . My main criteria : * Truly portable . Jeans or shirt pocket . * Something that will survive there . Molded metal , not token pressed metal covers or plastic . * Extensive and easy to access manual adjustments . * Best image quality available for its class , especially low light - I hate using flash . * RAW capability . Canon haven't released a new S since 2005 I think ( the venerable S80 ) , but it is back with a vengeance and the S90 presses all the above buttons . It is also a much more attractive beast than the older ones IMO - all-black , sleek , very minimalist . The anodized aluminum casing looks to be close to 1mm thick all round and should stand up to quite a lot of abuse . The lens and control ring are plastic but suitably thick and sturdy . I am stunned by its image quality particularly in low light ; it doesn't come close to cameras with larger sensors and lenses but it is impressive for a camera this size . The lens-mounted control ring is great . The camera has all the manual adjustments you could reasonably want using that ring , the rear wheel and the shortcut button , and it can be set to run almost invisibly , e.g . no flash , AF assist lamp or beeps , great for candid shots . The optical image stabilization is a major boon , and I can't overstate the importance of raw - the best shots often happen for me spontaneously in the worst conditions and even the best JPEG encoder will chew a quick noisy shot to pieces and limit recovery options . It does have a few downsides , mostly minor : * The control wheel on the back is too easy to jog . It's only caught me a couple of times ( knocking it to ISO3200 in broad daylight , oops ) and I've learned to work around it by changing my grip , but it could be addressed in firmware - wheel lock on the shortcut button please ! For the next iteration I'd prefer another dial under the mode dial instead though . * The tiny lens has quite bad distortions and aberrations particularly at the wide end , but most of these can be dealt with in software . JPEGs are corrected well by the camera itself while RAWs are rightly left untouched . The included software will deal with RAWs but I use DxO / Lightroom , same flow as my SLR . * The anodized metal coating started to scratch off within a few days of life in my pocket . I kind of like this lived-in look though , makes it look old and even less conspicuous . : ) * No HD video . This seems to be a must-have for some but wasn't an issue for me as I am primarily interested in stills . I don't think you can expect video worthy of HD out of something this small anyway - prosumer video cameras are way bigger and more expensive than this for a reason . * Zoom may not be long enough for some . Instead it's wide and fast which I prefer overall . I wouldn't mind if they dropped it back further to 2.5x or so to gain elsewhere . By the way , you won't get strong depth of field effects from a lens / sensor this size , despite what the promo literature may say . For closeups of small subjects it's noticeable , but you're not going to see much background blur on portraits , say . Like most fast lenses you also need to stop it down a bit to hit its sharpness sweet spot , f / 2 is rather soft at the edges . * The 3 screen is beautiful but I think it might be too big if anything - it does battery life no favors and makes it more vulnerable to damage . Mine also has slight backlight bleed along the top edge but this isn't noticeable most of the time . Shrinking the screen a little would free up rear space for extra controls . * Battery life is an annoyance , bank on no more than 100 shots . I probably won't get a spare , it's just another thing to be carrying around which rather defeats the purpose , so I do need to remember to feed the thing frequently . Also , I don't know what the designers were thinking but the battery gauge gives virtually no warning when the camera's about to die - as soon as it drops from full to two bars you have very few shots left . I hope this is something Canon can fix in firmware because right now the gauge is close to useless . Many of these are compromises made to get class-leading image quality out of a camera so small - all in all very impressed and no way could I give it fewer than 5 stars . It's been ready to pop out of my pocket constantly since I bought it . Canon made the right choice here and with the G11 backing off from the megapixel race . If anything they could go even lower - I got plenty of great shots out of my old Nikon D40 which was only 6MP . Sensor resolution was never a big issue there , and it's even less so on super-compacts with their tiny compromised optics . I'm interested to see how other manufacturers respond to Canon's raising the bar with this camera . Its excellent Sony CCD will surely show up elsewhere soon . Nikon in particular don't seem to have seriously tackled this area of the market yet - never been very impressed by their compacts - I hope this will wake them up .
112 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Great small camera , with full manual controls and smart dial around the lens . Low light performance is great for such a small sensor . RAW file recording another plus . Video is poor , no HD even at 720p . This is the camera to always have in your pocket . I also have two Canon DSLRs , but you cannot always have them in your pocket . The s90 allows you to always have a camera ready for good RAW pictures taking . The best camera is always the one you have with you .
124 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This camera is what I wanted but I had trouble with the too freely rotating control dial on the back and with holding on to it , both of these problems were solved with easy to use accesaries . From Lensmate I got the Richard Franiec Custom Grip and a product they call the control dial solution [ which does work ] .
135 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera as a companion to my 30D . I don't always want to lug around a huge DSLR and lenses yet I don't want to completely give up low-light capability . This has been the Point and Shoot pitfall for too long . The S90 changes the rules , allowing you to get very clean shots at ISO 400 , decent at ISO 800 and usable at ISO 1600 and 3200 . I would print an ISO 800 shot at 8x10 straight out of the camera , to give you some idea of the noise and resolution profile at that setting . Build quality is a mixed bag . While the front and back are metal and solid , the whole camera has a rather dainty feel to it . You have to manipulate he real control dial rather gingerly and the buttons can be hard to find by feel at times . Some of these cameras have a flexy top panel ( press where it says PowerShot ) but my example thankfully is solid here . The front control ring has a little play in it . For the price , this camera should be G-series tough , but it misses the mark by a little . To really appreciate this camera you have to make use of its unique features . The f / 2 lens paired with Canon's excellent IS and a low-noise sensor allows you to do things you simply can't with most other compacts . Full manual control is at your fingertips and the menus feature high-end features like auto exposure bracketing and flash compensation . Still , I can't place the S90 on too high a pedestal . My 30D still rules in terms of image quality by a noticeable margin . The S90 is for those occasions when I want to travel lightly , and perhaps more importantly , discreetly . For these situations I can think of no better compact on the market today .
137 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is an excellent camera for those who want a DSLR but get bothered by its size . No , it's not a DSLR replacement , but its portability really pays off .
144 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) If you are looking for a high quality camera to put in your pocket when you don't want to pack your SLR , look no further . I was also pleased to see the included software from Canon was significantly improved over that delivered earlier with my SLR .
153 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is a great compact camera for serious photographers who want to be ready to shoot at all times but cannot lug around bulky SLRs and lenses everywhere . Why ? 1 . Image quality is the about the best you can get in a pocketable camera . First , Canon has made the optics and image sensor as large as possible for a camera this size . Second , they have kept the sensor to 10 megapixels , which means less noise in the images . 2 . The LCD screen on the back is full size and makes it easy to compose shots . It also instantaneously shows the effects of changes in exposure compensation , white balance , etc . I really like this feature ! 3 . The camera has a separate control knob on top for setting the shooting mode , from full automatic to completely manual . Just like a digital SLR ! 4 . There is a customizable control ring around the lens that makes it possible to adjust a key setting very quickly , without digging through menus or pushing tiny buttons . 5 . Another control ring on the back of the camera allows a further setting to be adjusted very quickly . And if that is not enough , there is a programmable shortcut key . 6 . The camera is fast for a compact . It turns on in less than one second . Focusing takes a couple of tenths of a second , though your mileage may vary . Once focused , there is no noticeable shutter lag . Get a good memory card for best performance . For example , I often shoot in aperture priority mode . Here , by default , the lens ring sets the aperture , and the ring on the back of the camera sets the exposure compensation to get your lighting just right . I have set the programmable shortcut key to adjust the white balance . Very efficient !
156 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera for those times I didn't want to lug my DSLR and assorted lenses around . I found very quickly it takes amazing pictures and , having been a Canon user all my life , the controls were very intuitive . The camera can be a little difficult to hold onto at times because of its small size but I plan on purchasing a small grip which attaches to the right side of the camera to make it easier to use one-handed . My only complaint is the difficulty of seeing the LCD in sunlight but then I believe this is a problem relative to virtually every point & shoot . An optical viewfinder would have been very desirable . I would highly recommend to anyone considering buying this to try to find it in a store where you can actually hold it & play with it a little bit . I will say I have some friends with small compacts of other brands and this camera beats them hands down !
160 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) A very good piece of equipment . I did study it profoundly before purchasing the Canon S90 , but the features presented really surprised me . An excellent equipment for serious photographers to have on hand and very cool camera for the photographic enthusiast . It's the perfect match to an DSLR , as a backup gun . There are few bad things about it . The very small size of the camera makes it difficult to hold . I am actually considering buying a second one to have as a spare . I really wouldn't like Canon to discontinue this one . Highly recommended .
167 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Amazing camera for the size and price . My friend has a Canon 450D DSLR with the basic 18 - 55mm kit lens and I compared photos taken by both these cameras during day and under extremely low light conditions and I have to say that S90 was pretty much at par almost everytime . The only thing S90 couldn't do that the 18 - 55mm basic kit lens could do was background blurring ( bokeh ) . For portrait shots it cannot do much of background blurring . But that may not be right ask of S90 . And S90 ' s user interface and operations and far easier and more intuitive than 450D . The fact that this compact camera can even be compared with a DSLR is just amazing .
169 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) this is beyond point and shoot camera . very good in low light shooting and fast lens give you good image quality . perfect size for you hand . nice design also . easy to use and great overall image out put . I have DSLR camera but i bring this one everywhere i go .
171 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought this camera because it is supposed to be able to take great low light pictures without a flash and it is much more portable than other cameras that do well in low light . This camera lives up to the expectations . It takes great pictures and is compact enough to bring almost everywhere . The button layout and ease of use is not the best , but it doesn't matter much because the great low light performance out shines all the other weirdness of this camera . I hate using the flash and now I hardly ever have to .
173 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have progressed through several digital cameras , up to this one , which is clearly superior , no complaints whatever , shoots in RAW and has lots of features . If you are looking for the best COMPACT digital , this is it .
175 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) If you want to have full manual controls , on a camera that still fits in your pocket , then this is the best camera you can buy . You won't be disappointed . Low light quality is fantastic . I've taken so many great pictures , because I actually had the camera on me . A DSLR may offer higher image quality etc , but it won't take good pictures when it's sitting at home on your desk .
179 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Canon S90 is a perfect , portable , complement to our Nikon D80 DSLR for traveling , hiking , and low-light situations in particular . We use either the LowePro D-Wrap case ( in purse ) or Olympus sport neoprene ( on belt ) . Note that you must use both hands ( index fingers on top and thumbs underneath ) to hold this camera securely . If you need or want one-hand operation , add a Richard Franiec custom grip . The camera still fits nicely in both the D-Wrap and sport neoprene cases mentioned above .
181 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have an old Canon A640 Canon PowerShot A640 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and it took really nice pictures , but in low light it was still a bit blurry . I shopped around for an upgrade and looked at the Canon SX200 , the SX120 , the SX110 , the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5A . I actually bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5A , Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5A 9.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom ( Blue ) and the Canon SX120 Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD and did picture side-by-side comparisons with the A640 . Neither were an upgrade in terms of picture quality . I returned both and bought this amazing little camera , and the side-by-side comparisons really blew my A640 out of the water . The only con this camera has is that it doesn't shoot videos in HD . Yes it doesn't shoot in HD videos , but I'm not buying a camera to take films , I have a mini-camcorder for that . In low-light , this camera has hands-down the best non-tripod pictures I have ever seen outside of a SLR . Even the auto mode captures pictures in low light that other cameras cannot . Adding the fact that 1 . it has the best sensor in its class , 2 . it's pocket size , unlike the G series ( same sensor ! ! ) and 3 . and it has a manual mode that other cameras don't have , the Canon S90 is the best camera in the hand held category . My advice : I've done the research for my hand-held cameras , go and pay for the more expensive camera , you'll get every penny of your money's worth .
182 4 I have an old Canon A640 Canon PowerShot A640 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and it took really nice pictures , but in low light it was still a bit blurry . I shopped around for an upgrade and looked at the Canon SX200 , the SX120 , the SX110 , the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5A . I actually bought the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5A , Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5A 9.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom ( Blue ) and the Canon SX120 Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD and did picture side-by-side comparisons with the A640 . Neither were an upgrade in terms of picture quality . I returned both and bought this amazing little camera , and the side-by-side comparisons really blew my A640 out of the water . The only con this camera has is that it doesn't shoot videos in HD . Yes it doesn't shoot in HD videos , but I'm not buying a camera to take films , I have a mini-camcorder for that . In low-light , this camera has hands-down the best non-tripod pictures I have ever seen outside of a SLR . Even the auto mode captures pictures in low light that other cameras cannot . Adding the fact that 1 . it has the best sensor in its class , 2 . it's pocket size , unlike the G series ( same sensor ! ! ) and 3 . and it has a manual mode that other cameras don't have , the Canon S90 is the best camera in the hand held category . My advice : I've done the research for my hand-held cameras , go and pay for the more expensive camera , you'll get every penny of your money's worth .
187 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I was a little hesitant to by a brand new model of Canon , but this camera seemed to have all the features I was looking for . I was pleasantly surprised at how compact and light it was , despite the fact that it's jam packed with great features . The pictures it takes are beautiful . . . such an improvement over my past small / lightweight cameras ( various Cannons ) . I haven't had a chance to use all the features in this camera , but so far so good !
198 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've had this camera for one month . It takes very nice pictures specially at night . It has a relatively powerful flash as well and it's wide angle lens is very appealing .
206 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I have to assume that the folks who have had problems with this camera either have not completely read the manual that comes with it or are too quick on the trigger for shooting ( all digital cameras need a second to focus properly before fully depressing the button ) , or they received a lemon ( which is why companies provide warranties ) and they should have either return the camera to Amazon , as defective , for a replacement or to Canon for fixing . I have found Canon Service to be Excellent over the years . I have used them on a couple of occasions . On one , the camera was well over a year out of warranty , the cost to me was going to be about $149 to fix . After they received it , they wrote to me that this was a component that has been failing , and should not , and thus there would be no charge for the service . Now , I can not ask for a more honest , customer oriented manufacturer than these folks . Now , it is true that because there is a popup flash , I needed to learn to hold the camera differently . The way Canon suggested is Great as it gives me , and the camera , far more stability than the old way . I did use my left hand finger on top of the camera in a pincer hold with my other fingers . Now , it is cradled in my left hand between my thumb and second finger with the first finger cradled along the side of the lens giving me far less shake . By the way , this flash sure does light things up far better than my other cameras with the built in flash on the front ! ! ! Thus far , the zoom shots have been awesome , everyone is raving about the quality of the pictures I have taken of them , , Low light shots are unbelievably clear as if I was using a flash and the day shots are great . This Powershot S90 is a super digital camera . Thank you Cannon for a Great Camera .
214 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Really happy with the ease of the auto modes as well as the flexibilty to adjust advanced user settings . I've taken some great advanced shots , and my wife is happy with the ease of the auto mode . I guess it still doesn't take pictures quite as sharp as an SLR , but it takes by far the best compact camera pictures I've seen . Our photos always look better than our friend's with other compact cameras . The 3 LCD screen is nice and big . The only annoying thing we've about the camera is the way the flash pops up right where you want to grip the camera . We have gotten used to this though and simply hold the camera in a differrent way . This is a small blemish in an otherwise GREAT compact camera . It does cost more than other compacts , but I think if you have the money it's a great best of both worlds ( compact and SLR type features ) camera . If you have plenty of money , buy a cheaper compact for portability and a DSLR too for perfect image quality .
220 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Have had the camera for a month now and cant say anything bad about it so far . Its picture quality is great . Low light situations are no longer a problem for me . The only thing about this camera is that it isn't cheap but i feel that it is worth it . Another thing that was great about ordering it on amazon was that it arrived super fast very impressive overall experience
225 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Great camera ! Resurrection of the S-series is a good move by Canon ! My first digital camera was an S30 , which met all my needs for great digital photography / videos . When it finally broke after 5 years , I had to replace it with an SD850IS because the S-series was no longer available . Even though SD850 is a great little camera , it never was able to match my S30 . And finally , I'm happy to say that S90 met my expectations for a great compact in terms of getting great quality pictures , especially in low light . The down side ? None other than the price .
230 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is an excellent , feature-packed small camera that can do about everything . The most important feature about this new camera is the excellent quality-of-construction . Canon is indisputably the leader in the digital-imaging camera field , probably the reason that a former industry-standard in the old film world ( Nikon ) directly targets their camera models at Canon . As such , this new S90IS is amazingly well-built and sturdy . Along with a couple of other competitive models , the S90IS also sets a standard in low-light imagery and the quality of the 3 - inch LCD preview display , yet this camera is small enough to fit into your shirt pocket . - - ARHPG
235 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) My husband and I are amazed at the quality of pictures this camera takes . The viewing screen is big and crystal clear .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) As an amateur photographer , I have been very disappointed by compact digital cameras for a long time until Canon released PowerShot S90 . Here are the major reasons why buying the S90 was a no-brainer to me : ( 1 ) Smooth wheel-based dials for focus , aperture , shutter speed combined with a light meter and optional histogram right on the LCD , giving the photographer convenient manual control over image quality . ( 2 ) It enables digital negative ( RAW ) output . The file format is compatible with powerful editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom . ( 3 ) Maximal aperture F2.0 + image stabilizer + a wide range of ISO = good performance in low light conditions . It also does macro shots well . ( 4 ) Decent overall build quality and performance of both the camera body and the lens , in both picture and video modes . Just as expected for a Canon PowerShot . I purchased this camera along with a small carrying case ( Caselogic TBC - 302 Ultra Compact Camera Case with Storage ) and an extra battery ( Maximal Power DB CAN NB - 6L Replacement Battery for Canon Digital Cameras / Camcorders ) on Amazon.com . Have been very happy with this combination . I carry the camera around daily , confidently knowing that it will do a good job capturing random interesting scenes in life . Currently I am considering a polarizer lens filter as the next add-on . Due to the popularity of this camera , more and more useful accessories are expected to further enhance the camera's usefulness . Below are a few features I wish to change / improve on this camera , from a dSLR user's perspective . Certainly it would be unreasonable ( at least for now . . . who knows how far technology will bring us to in a few years ? ! ) to expect a consumer-level , affordable compact digital camera to function like a dSLR without the bulk and heavy weight . Hence , the camera is still given 5 stars out of 5 in this review . ( 1 ) Smallest aperture is only F8 . Would have been nice to have F16 , or at least F11 . ( 2 ) Noticeable noise at ISO400 onwards . ( 3 ) Shutter delay makes it very difficult to capture fleeting moments . ( 4 ) No HD video resolution as an option . ( 5 ) Some of the control features feel crammed . From time to time I accidentally turn the back wheel while pressing a button on the back side of the camera . ( 6 ) Does not work with external flashes ( or maybe I just haven't found the needed accessory ? ) . It would be very nice if this camera could wirelessly work with Canon SpeedLight flashes . Also it doesn't look like the standard RC remotes for Canon SLRs work with this camera .

094 4 Speaking as an avid photographer , Canon got this one right . It has the right mix of technology and traditional photography workflow . Low / ambient light performance is impressive . Almost dSLR quality . I look forward to using it for street shots .
163 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) As an amateur photographer , I have been very disappointed by compact digital cameras for a long time until Canon released PowerShot S90 . Here are the major reasons why buying the S90 was a no-brainer to me : ( 1 ) Smooth wheel-based dials for focus , aperture , shutter speed combined with a light meter and optional histogram right on the LCD , giving the photographer convenient manual control over image quality . ( 2 ) It enables digital negative ( RAW ) output . The file format is compatible with powerful editing programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom . ( 3 ) Maximal aperture F2.0 + image stabilizer + a wide range of ISO = good performance in low light conditions . It also does macro shots well . ( 4 ) Decent overall build quality and performance of both the camera body and the lens , in both picture and video modes . Just as expected for a Canon PowerShot . I purchased this camera along with a small carrying case ( Caselogic TBC - 302 Ultra Compact Camera Case with Storage ) and an extra battery ( Maximal Power DB CAN NB - 6L Replacement Battery for Canon Digital Cameras / Camcorders ) on Amazon.com . Have been very happy with this combination . I carry the camera around daily , confidently knowing that it will do a good job capturing random interesting scenes in life . Currently I am considering a polarizer lens filter as the next add-on . Due to the popularity of this camera , more and more useful accessories are expected to further enhance the camera's usefulness . Below are a few features I wish to change / improve on this camera , from a dSLR user's perspective . Certainly it would be unreasonable ( at least for now . . . who knows how far technology will bring us to in a few years ? ! ) to expect a consumer-level , affordable compact digital camera to function like a dSLR without the bulk and heavy weight . Hence , the camera is still given 5 stars out of 5 in this review . ( 1 ) Smallest aperture is only F8 . Would have been nice to have F16 , or at least F11 . ( 2 ) Noticeable noise at ISO400 onwards . ( 3 ) Shutter delay makes it very difficult to capture fleeting moments . ( 4 ) No HD video resolution as an option . ( 5 ) Some of the control features feel crammed . From time to time I accidentally turn the back wheel while pressing a button on the back side of the camera . ( 6 ) Does not work with external flashes ( or maybe I just haven't found the needed accessory ? ) . It would be very nice if this camera could wirelessly work with Canon SpeedLight flashes . Also it doesn't look like the standard RC remotes for Canon SLRs work with this camera .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) As Chase Jarvis says . . . . . . . . The best camera is the one that's with you . So it goes with this little camera . Little in size but pretty big in features and picture quality . I also invested in the belt loop Canon leather carrying case and I have this camera with me wherever I go . So far ( I've had it a few months ) it's doing an excellent job . I shoot in raw ( larger file size ) and process in Lightroom 2 but it will certainly shoot in jpeg also . The quality is really good ( even cranked up to ISO 800 ) . It shoots well in low light . It doesn't have any extreme zoom to it but it's sufficient for most any need . I find that as small as it is , in my shaky hands , I couldn't steady it very well if it zoomed any more than it already does . I have also invested in a monopod for it and that really helps with steadying it . It does have the anti shake feature that most cameras have , but I'm pretty shaky and needed a little more ( or else I have to adjust up the shutter speed ) . Not to mention that it's handy to be able to hold the monopod out in front of me and take my wife's and my picture in whatever setting we happen to be in ( I put a small ballhead on the monopod ) so I could adjust the camera to whatever angle I needed to get our self portrait shots . That's pretty nice ! ! Just set the timer and smile ! ! ! The features are nice , it's picture quality is great , and it truly gives you total control if you want it ( Manual ) . For those that don't care to learn the bells and whistles , it has a lot of modes that allow you to just preset and shoot and let the camera do the imaging . Since photography is a big hobby of mine , I'm enjoying learning it's features and are shooting more and more in manual . I like being able to tell the camera what I want instead of just letting it decide for me . I'm certainly still learning but so far I'm very pleased . In my research , I looked closely at the Canon G11 which , in my opinion , had one other feature I liked which was a hot shoe to be able to put an external flash on ( or put on a pocket wizard and set up the flash somewhere else ) , but my main concern was having the portability . I chose this camera because I can keep it with me and that's worth more to me than having to carry a larger camera . If I want to do that , I'll take my DSLR with me . The S90 has a small pop up flash that is adequate for most needs . I'll have to admit that it takes some getting used to where to put your fingers when holding the camera as the pop up flash pops up right where you tend to want to hold it ( top left hand corner from behind the camera ) . I had read about that quite a bit in other reviews . They're right ! But it's not insurmountable to get past . I have experimented some with the small flash and found that ( 1 ) you can adjust the amount of flash coming out of it and that helps in toning down the flash for just a fill flash on a sunny day and ( 2 ) If you lay a napkin or the end of a handkerchief over the little flash that pops up , it really softens the light that comes out of it . My wife and I are going on a cruise later this year and I really wanted something I could take along easily without carrying a bunch of camera gear with me . I think this is going to do the job just fine . Not to mention I've gotten some great impromptu shots just going back and forth to work . I have no idea how sturdy this camera is or how long it will last in the day to day world , but so far so good . I would recommend this camera to anyone wanting to have that camera with them that goes beyond what a cell phone will do ( at least at this point in time ) . With technology , who knows huh ? The nice thing about it is , if you want just a point and shoot , it's here and if you want to continue to grow and learn more about it's features and other tricks you can do with it , it's capable of that too . The best of both worlds ! ! Enjoy ! ! ! Hope this helps some ! !

031 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I am about to study abroad in Europe for 3 months , and decided that I needed a good camera . After a ton of research , I ended up buying the Panasonic ZS3 . While the ZS3 is a great outdoor camera , but indoor shots without a flash are terrible . I have never liked using flash , and being that its winter in Europe , I figured I would be indoors a lot . The ZS3 has a 12x zoom and great picture quality , so I decided to give it to my girlfriend and find a good low light camera . After a little research , I found the S90 . The price on the S90 initially turned me off , but I decided to give it a shot . The first thing I noticed when I took it out of the box was the poor build quality compared to the ZS3 . The top and bottom of the camera are plastic , and the top feels kind of loose right behind the flash . I had already read about this , so it didn't bother me too much . I had also read that the control ring on the back was very loose , but Canon must have corrected this because mine isn't . The LCD doesn't seem to be as high as quality as the ZS3 either , but its acceptable . This camera is a lot bigger than a lot of compact cameras , but its definitely not too big . It fits comfortably in my jeans pocket , but it's not small enough that you'll forget it's there . The 3.8x zoom might turn some people away , but I like to capture the scene as my eyes see it , and zoom isn't required for this . I kind of wish the lens started at 24mm instead of 28mm , but nothing is perfect . The image quality is outstanding in low light . I can't believe how well this camera performs at high ISO . ISO 800 is completely usable , and ISO 1600 isn't that bad . The noise suppression works really well , and there aren't many jpeg artifacts . Outdoor shots are excellent as well . The pictures are often overexposed with no exposure compensation , but its easily fixable . I usually set the exposure compensation to - 1 / 3 to - 2 / 3 for most pictures . I've really enjoyed all the manual controls on this thing . I usually shoot in P mode with the front ring set to ISO , the rear ring set to exposure compensation , and the shortcut button set to white balance . The M mode is really interesting , because the LCD shows you almost exactly what the picture will turn out like . Other than the cheaper feel of this camera , there is not a lot to dislike . If you want a pocketable camera that does great in low light and don't mind the short zoom , this is the camera to get .
032 4 I am about to study abroad in Europe for 3 months , and decided that I needed a good camera . After a ton of research , I ended up buying the Panasonic ZS3 . While the ZS3 is a great outdoor camera , but indoor shots without a flash are terrible . I have never liked using flash , and being that its winter in Europe , I figured I would be indoors a lot . The ZS3 has a 12x zoom and great picture quality , so I decided to give it to my girlfriend and find a good low light camera . After a little research , I found the S90 . The price on the S90 initially turned me off , but I decided to give it a shot . The first thing I noticed when I took it out of the box was the poor build quality compared to the ZS3 . The top and bottom of the camera are plastic , and the top feels kind of loose right behind the flash . I had already read about this , so it didn't bother me too much . I had also read that the control ring on the back was very loose , but Canon must have corrected this because mine isn't . The LCD doesn't seem to be as high as quality as the ZS3 either , but its acceptable . This camera is a lot bigger than a lot of compact cameras , but its definitely not too big . It fits comfortably in my jeans pocket , but it's not small enough that you'll forget it's there . The 3.8x zoom might turn some people away , but I like to capture the scene as my eyes see it , and zoom isn't required for this . I kind of wish the lens started at 24mm instead of 28mm , but nothing is perfect . The image quality is outstanding in low light . I can't believe how well this camera performs at high ISO . ISO 800 is completely usable , and ISO 1600 isn't that bad . The noise suppression works really well , and there aren't many jpeg artifacts . Outdoor shots are excellent as well . The pictures are often overexposed with no exposure compensation , but its easily fixable . I usually set the exposure compensation to - 1 / 3 to - 2 / 3 for most pictures . I've really enjoyed all the manual controls on this thing . I usually shoot in P mode with the front ring set to ISO , the rear ring set to exposure compensation , and the shortcut button set to white balance . The M mode is really interesting , because the LCD shows you almost exactly what the picture will turn out like . Other than the cheaper feel of this camera , there is not a lot to dislike . If you want a pocketable camera that does great in low light and don't mind the short zoom , this is the camera to get .
059 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) As Chase Jarvis says . . . . . . . . The best camera is the one that's with you . So it goes with this little camera . Little in size but pretty big in features and picture quality . I also invested in the belt loop Canon leather carrying case and I have this camera with me wherever I go . So far ( I've had it a few months ) it's doing an excellent job . I shoot in raw ( larger file size ) and process in Lightroom 2 but it will certainly shoot in jpeg also . The quality is really good ( even cranked up to ISO 800 ) . It shoots well in low light . It doesn't have any extreme zoom to it but it's sufficient for most any need . I find that as small as it is , in my shaky hands , I couldn't steady it very well if it zoomed any more than it already does . I have also invested in a monopod for it and that really helps with steadying it . It does have the anti shake feature that most cameras have , but I'm pretty shaky and needed a little more ( or else I have to adjust up the shutter speed ) . Not to mention that it's handy to be able to hold the monopod out in front of me and take my wife's and my picture in whatever setting we happen to be in ( I put a small ballhead on the monopod ) so I could adjust the camera to whatever angle I needed to get our self portrait shots . That's pretty nice ! ! Just set the timer and smile ! ! ! The features are nice , it's picture quality is great , and it truly gives you total control if you want it ( Manual ) . For those that don't care to learn the bells and whistles , it has a lot of modes that allow you to just preset and shoot and let the camera do the imaging . Since photography is a big hobby of mine , I'm enjoying learning it's features and are shooting more and more in manual . I like being able to tell the camera what I want instead of just letting it decide for me . I'm certainly still learning but so far I'm very pleased . In my research , I looked closely at the Canon G11 which , in my opinion , had one other feature I liked which was a hot shoe to be able to put an external flash on ( or put on a pocket wizard and set up the flash somewhere else ) , but my main concern was having the portability . I chose this camera because I can keep it with me and that's worth more to me than having to carry a larger camera . If I want to do that , I'll take my DSLR with me . The S90 has a small pop up flash that is adequate for most needs . I'll have to admit that it takes some getting used to where to put your fingers when holding the camera as the pop up flash pops up right where you tend to want to hold it ( top left hand corner from behind the camera ) . I had read about that quite a bit in other reviews . They're right ! But it's not insurmountable to get past . I have experimented some with the small flash and found that ( 1 ) you can adjust the amount of flash coming out of it and that helps in toning down the flash for just a fill flash on a sunny day and ( 2 ) If you lay a napkin or the end of a handkerchief over the little flash that pops up , it really softens the light that comes out of it . My wife and I are going on a cruise later this year and I really wanted something I could take along easily without carrying a bunch of camera gear with me . I think this is going to do the job just fine . Not to mention I've gotten some great impromptu shots just going back and forth to work . I have no idea how sturdy this camera is or how long it will last in the day to day world , but so far so good . I would recommend this camera to anyone wanting to have that camera with them that goes beyond what a cell phone will do ( at least at this point in time ) . With technology , who knows huh ? The nice thing about it is , if you want just a point and shoot , it's here and if you want to continue to grow and learn more about it's features and other tricks you can do with it , it's capable of that too . The best of both worlds ! ! Enjoy ! ! ! Hope this helps some ! !
061 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) What a delightful camera . It is very compact and yet has a full range of features that allow a photographer to experiment and refine the picture . I like to tinker with the settings , but other members of my family like the automatic setting that allows them to point and shoot . This camera satisfies all . The best features , among many , are the control ring around the lens and another on the back that can be assigned various functions ; this is just brilliant - - so easy to use and yet so powerful . Others have mentioned accidentally shifting a setting because they touched the back ring by mistake ; I have not had this experience at all and find the controls very nicely placed and spaced . That front ring is a wonder - - so easy to make a quick adjustment to a picture . The f / 2 setting and the low light capabilities of this camera are stunning . I have used the flash once inside , and that just to see what it would do . Most of the time it isn't needed , and the natural light pictures are just beautiful . I've been using a Canon S2 IS for a few years , and before that I had a Canon AE - 1 film camera . The S90 ' s pictures remind me of the pictures I could capture with my old 35mm camera . Granted , the S90 isn't an SLR , but I didn't want the size and expense of one of those - - I'd rather have the portability and simple power of this camera right now . The sensor on the S90 captures lovely photographs that confirm my decision with every picture I take . I had been looking at the G-series when this camera came out . The S90 has the versatility of those cameras , but it is so sleek and easy to carry that I'm going to get many , many more pictures than I would with any other camera . Very highly recommended edit : Just returned from a vacation that included several days in museums . This camera is ideal for museum pictures where you cannot use the flash and the light is often low or minimal . I got every shot I wanted , and the camera pleasantly surprised me with the images even in the most challenging of situations through glass cases and under very low light . I used to have to take pictures for my kids because they could not hold cameras steady enough inside to get the shot ; but this camera is so good in low light that anyone can capture inside pictures without a flash . The wide lens helped me capture items and galleries in very tight spaces , and the many manual adjustments helped compensate for different kinds of light and effects I sought . And the camera fit in my pocket or shoulder bag , adding no weight during 12 - hour days of walking . I love this camera .
062 4 What a delightful camera . It is very compact and yet has a full range of features that allow a photographer to experiment and refine the picture . I like to tinker with the settings , but other members of my family like the automatic setting that allows them to point and shoot . This camera satisfies all . The best features , among many , are the control ring around the lens and another on the back that can be assigned various functions ; this is just brilliant - - so easy to use and yet so powerful . Others have mentioned accidentally shifting a setting because they touched the back ring by mistake ; I have not had this experience at all and find the controls very nicely placed and spaced . That front ring is a wonder - - so easy to make a quick adjustment to a picture . The f / 2 setting and the low light capabilities of this camera are stunning . I have used the flash once inside , and that just to see what it would do . Most of the time it isn't needed , and the natural light pictures are just beautiful . I've been using a Canon S2 IS for a few years , and before that I had a Canon AE - 1 film camera . The S90 ' s pictures remind me of the pictures I could capture with my old 35mm camera . Granted , the S90 isn't an SLR , but I didn't want the size and expense of one of those - - I'd rather have the portability and simple power of this camera right now . The sensor on the S90 captures lovely photographs that confirm my decision with every picture I take . I had been looking at the G-series when this camera came out . The S90 has the versatility of those cameras , but it is so sleek and easy to carry that I'm going to get many , many more pictures than I would with any other camera . Very highly recommended edit : Just returned from a vacation that included several days in museums . This camera is ideal for museum pictures where you cannot use the flash and the light is often low or minimal . I got every shot I wanted , and the camera pleasantly surprised me with the images even in the most challenging of situations through glass cases and under very low light . I used to have to take pictures for my kids because they could not hold cameras steady enough inside to get the shot ; but this camera is so good in low light that anyone can capture inside pictures without a flash . The wide lens helped me capture items and galleries in very tight spaces , and the many manual adjustments helped compensate for different kinds of light and effects I sought . And the camera fit in my pocket or shoulder bag , adding no weight during 12 - hour days of walking . I love this camera .
233 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Overall I am satisfied with the S90 , but it feels like one model away from being a great camera . As many other commenters have pointed out , the range of features is remarkable in such a small , well-constructed camera , but there are several modest but significant frustrations which keep me from giving this a great rating : 1 . Low light performance - yes , it's possible to capture images in amazingly low light , but at ISO above 1000 the noise is overwhelming and requires major post-processing to get a final image that doesn't look like it was taken with a cell phone . 2 . The adjustment wheel on the back - it's just a completely bone-headed move by Canon to have the adjustment wheel spin freely - truly idiotic and unlike Canon's normal smart design - I am constantly changing the exposure adjustment by accident and feel like I need to babysit the thing constantly to make sure a brush of a finger or cheek hasn't changed settings without my noticing . 3 . Movie mode - the low-res quality is sub-par for the current era ( much cheaper cameras shoot higher res video ) and it's inexcusable to not include time-lapse video functionality 4 . No flash hot shoe - personal choice , but some may find the lack of a flash hot shoe a significant omission . The S90 has a good sensor and packs an amazing array of features into a truly pocketable camera , but I am looking forward to an S100 soon that addresses my concerns above before I would give a real rave .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Canon S90 IS is one of Canon high-end / advanced Canon Powershot compact camera . Its unique characteristics are slim , low profile body with great noise control in high ISO plus 28 - 105mm f / 2 - f / 4.9 bright zoom lens . The other advantage is the camera is very pocket able . It fits in your jeans ' pocket . IMAGE QUALITY AND ISO Canon S90 IS has 1 / 1.7 sensor size which is slighty smaller compare to its main competitor , Panasonic LX3 ( 1 / 1.63 ) . From my test , S90 IS image quality is very good across focal length but dynamic range ( the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of an image ) is limited . This is also a problem most of digital camera out there , but S90 is slightly worse compared to competitors . However , regarding noise control and handling , S90 IS is excellent . The new algorithm works very well to reduce or erase most ( if not all ) chroma-noises which degrade image quality significantly . Image shot at ISO 1600 is very usable for regular print and web . BODY & HANDLING Canon S90 IS has a slim , low profile look , so it is very good for street photography . It does not attract attention like digital SLR camera . For control , it has two main dials , both of them are round . One is located in the lens , and the back of the camera . The back dials also function as four way buttons . This design is similar to Samsung WB1000 design . Front ring dial can be customized for several options : adjust aperture / shutter speed , ISO , exposure compensation , manual focus , white balance or zoom . The front dial is not like zoom barrel in the lens , it is not smooth , instead , it has several stops point . There will be a click sound to let you know if you hit the stop . I usually use the lens dial to zoom . There are five stops in the dial : 28mm , 35mm , 50mm , 85mm and 105mm . All of them are popular focal lengths . I found this is much better way to zoom rather than traditional way ( pull a lever on the shutter ) . It is faster , less noise and accurate . It is great for learning how focal length affect perspective and distortion too . Mode dial is harder to change because they have put some resistant to it . It is to prevent accidental switch . There is also a shortcut dial which you can customized to many function such as AF servo , intelligent contrast , face detection and many more . Canon S90 has 3 4 : 3 ratio LCD screen with 460k resolution . It is similar to Panasonic LX3 , but better than typical compact camera . It is worse than Samsung WB1000 which has AMOLED screen ( over 1 million resolution ) . However , build quality is not up to par with leading advanced cameras such as Canon G11 and Panasonic LX3 . It made by metal but it feels plasticky . I have a sweaty hand and it registers my fingerprint ! Also because of its flat design , there is no place to secure your grip . But overall ergonomic is not bad . OPERATION & AUTO FOCUS Start up and turn off time is fast . It only takes around 1.5 seconds for each . Compare to LX3 : around 1.75 seconds , Ricoh GRD3 : 2 seconds respectively . Auto focus is typical compact . , around .75 second , will take more time if you point to low contrast subject . Camera operation is very fast and very responsive upon instruction . COMPETITORS Panasonic DMC-LX3K 10.1MP Digital Camera with 2.5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom ( Black ) Panasonic LX3 is an arch-rival of Canon S90 IS . It shares same concept of bright and wide zoom lens . However , there are many differences between the two such as the focal length , build quality , image quality and handling , please read Panasonic LX3 vs Canon S90 IS for complete comparison . Samsung TL320 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Schneider Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 inch OLED Screen ( Black ) Samsung best advanced camera is similar with S90 in one way , they are both compact and has great handling . Samsung WB1000 has AMOLED LCD screen which is a lot clearer , Samsung also has wider and longer zoom . However , Canon S90 IS is better in low light condition . Canon PowerShot G11 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom and 2.8 - inch articulating LCD G11 is a big brother to Canon S90 IS , it has superior control and body handling , but it is much bigger in size . CONCLUSION Canon S90 IS is a great choice for photographer who like a lightweight , pocket able compact but doesn't want to skim on image quality and control . It has very good operational speed and have some great customizable options . I especially like the zoom ring dial on the lens , which has Digital SLR like control . S90 IS is also superior in low light situation . However , Canon S90 Is also has a downside , such as below average build quality ( relative to competitors ) and limited dynamic range . Subjective rating compared to other advanced compacts in 2009 * Image quality 4 / 5 * Body handling 4 / 5 * Performance 5 / 5 * Features 3 / 5 * Value 5 / 5 Please check my website for image sample , ISO comparison and more reviews .

004 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Canon S90 IS is one of Canon high-end / advanced Canon Powershot compact camera . Its unique characteristics are slim , low profile body with great noise control in high ISO plus 28 - 105mm f / 2 - f / 4.9 bright zoom lens . The other advantage is the camera is very pocket able . It fits in your jeans ' pocket . IMAGE QUALITY AND ISO Canon S90 IS has 1 / 1.7 sensor size which is slighty smaller compare to its main competitor , Panasonic LX3 ( 1 / 1.63 ) . From my test , S90 IS image quality is very good across focal length but dynamic range ( the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of an image ) is limited . This is also a problem most of digital camera out there , but S90 is slightly worse compared to competitors . However , regarding noise control and handling , S90 IS is excellent . The new algorithm works very well to reduce or erase most ( if not all ) chroma-noises which degrade image quality significantly . Image shot at ISO 1600 is very usable for regular print and web . BODY & HANDLING Canon S90 IS has a slim , low profile look , so it is very good for street photography . It does not attract attention like digital SLR camera . For control , it has two main dials , both of them are round . One is located in the lens , and the back of the camera . The back dials also function as four way buttons . This design is similar to Samsung WB1000 design . Front ring dial can be customized for several options : adjust aperture / shutter speed , ISO , exposure compensation , manual focus , white balance or zoom . The front dial is not like zoom barrel in the lens , it is not smooth , instead , it has several stops point . There will be a click sound to let you know if you hit the stop . I usually use the lens dial to zoom . There are five stops in the dial : 28mm , 35mm , 50mm , 85mm and 105mm . All of them are popular focal lengths . I found this is much better way to zoom rather than traditional way ( pull a lever on the shutter ) . It is faster , less noise and accurate . It is great for learning how focal length affect perspective and distortion too . Mode dial is harder to change because they have put some resistant to it . It is to prevent accidental switch . There is also a shortcut dial which you can customized to many function such as AF servo , intelligent contrast , face detection and many more . Canon S90 has 3 4 : 3 ratio LCD screen with 460k resolution . It is similar to Panasonic LX3 , but better than typical compact camera . It is worse than Samsung WB1000 which has AMOLED screen ( over 1 million resolution ) . However , build quality is not up to par with leading advanced cameras such as Canon G11 and Panasonic LX3 . It made by metal but it feels plasticky . I have a sweaty hand and it registers my fingerprint ! Also because of its flat design , there is no place to secure your grip . But overall ergonomic is not bad . OPERATION & AUTO FOCUS Start up and turn off time is fast . It only takes around 1.5 seconds for each . Compare to LX3 : around 1.75 seconds , Ricoh GRD3 : 2 seconds respectively . Auto focus is typical compact . , around .75 second , will take more time if you point to low contrast subject . Camera operation is very fast and very responsive upon instruction . COMPETITORS Panasonic DMC-LX3K 10.1MP Digital Camera with 2.5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom ( Black ) Panasonic LX3 is an arch-rival of Canon S90 IS . It shares same concept of bright and wide zoom lens . However , there are many differences between the two such as the focal length , build quality , image quality and handling , please read Panasonic LX3 vs Canon S90 IS for complete comparison . Samsung TL320 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Schneider Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 inch OLED Screen ( Black ) Samsung best advanced camera is similar with S90 in one way , they are both compact and has great handling . Samsung WB1000 has AMOLED LCD screen which is a lot clearer , Samsung also has wider and longer zoom . However , Canon S90 IS is better in low light condition . Canon PowerShot G11 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom and 2.8 - inch articulating LCD G11 is a big brother to Canon S90 IS , it has superior control and body handling , but it is much bigger in size . CONCLUSION Canon S90 IS is a great choice for photographer who like a lightweight , pocket able compact but doesn't want to skim on image quality and control . It has very good operational speed and have some great customizable options . I especially like the zoom ring dial on the lens , which has Digital SLR like control . S90 IS is also superior in low light situation . However , Canon S90 Is also has a downside , such as below average build quality ( relative to competitors ) and limited dynamic range . Subjective rating compared to other advanced compacts in 2009 * Image quality 4 / 5 * Body handling 4 / 5 * Performance 5 / 5 * Features 3 / 5 * Value 5 / 5 Please check my website for image sample , ISO comparison and more reviews .
005 4 Canon S90 IS is one of Canon high-end / advanced Canon Powershot compact camera . Its unique characteristics are slim , low profile body with great noise control in high ISO plus 28 - 105mm f / 2 - f / 4.9 bright zoom lens . The other advantage is the camera is very pocket able . It fits in your jeans ' pocket . IMAGE QUALITY AND ISO Canon S90 IS has 1 / 1.7 sensor size which is slighty smaller compare to its main competitor , Panasonic LX3 ( 1 / 1.63 ) . From my test , S90 IS image quality is very good across focal length but dynamic range ( the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of an image ) is limited . This is also a problem most of digital camera out there , but S90 is slightly worse compared to competitors . However , regarding noise control and handling , S90 IS is excellent . The new algorithm works very well to reduce or erase most ( if not all ) chroma-noises which degrade image quality significantly . Image shot at ISO 1600 is very usable for regular print and web . BODY & HANDLING Canon S90 IS has a slim , low profile look , so it is very good for street photography . It does not attract attention like digital SLR camera . For control , it has two main dials , both of them are round . One is located in the lens , and the back of the camera . The back dials also function as four way buttons . This design is similar to Samsung WB1000 design . Front ring dial can be customized for several options : adjust aperture / shutter speed , ISO , exposure compensation , manual focus , white balance or zoom . The front dial is not like zoom barrel in the lens , it is not smooth , instead , it has several stops point . There will be a click sound to let you know if you hit the stop . I usually use the lens dial to zoom . There are five stops in the dial : 28mm , 35mm , 50mm , 85mm and 105mm . All of them are popular focal lengths . I found this is much better way to zoom rather than traditional way ( pull a lever on the shutter ) . It is faster , less noise and accurate . It is great for learning how focal length affect perspective and distortion too . Mode dial is harder to change because they have put some resistant to it . It is to prevent accidental switch . There is also a shortcut dial which you can customized to many function such as AF servo , intelligent contrast , face detection and many more . Canon S90 has 3 4 : 3 ratio LCD screen with 460k resolution . It is similar to Panasonic LX3 , but better than typical compact camera . It is worse than Samsung WB1000 which has AMOLED screen ( over 1 million resolution ) . However , build quality is not up to par with leading advanced cameras such as Canon G11 and Panasonic LX3 . It made by metal but it feels plasticky . I have a sweaty hand and it registers my fingerprint ! Also because of its flat design , there is no place to secure your grip . But overall ergonomic is not bad . OPERATION & AUTO FOCUS Start up and turn off time is fast . It only takes around 1.5 seconds for each . Compare to LX3 : around 1.75 seconds , Ricoh GRD3 : 2 seconds respectively . Auto focus is typical compact . , around .75 second , will take more time if you point to low contrast subject . Camera operation is very fast and very responsive upon instruction . COMPETITORS Panasonic DMC-LX3K 10.1MP Digital Camera with 2.5x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom ( Black ) Panasonic LX3 is an arch-rival of Canon S90 IS . It shares same concept of bright and wide zoom lens . However , there are many differences between the two such as the focal length , build quality , image quality and handling , please read Panasonic LX3 vs Canon S90 IS for complete comparison . Samsung TL320 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Schneider Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 inch OLED Screen ( Black ) Samsung best advanced camera is similar with S90 in one way , they are both compact and has great handling . Samsung WB1000 has AMOLED LCD screen which is a lot clearer , Samsung also has wider and longer zoom . However , Canon S90 IS is better in low light condition . Canon PowerShot G11 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Stabilized Zoom and 2.8 - inch articulating LCD G11 is a big brother to Canon S90 IS , it has superior control and body handling , but it is much bigger in size . CONCLUSION Canon S90 IS is a great choice for photographer who like a lightweight , pocket able compact but doesn't want to skim on image quality and control . It has very good operational speed and have some great customizable options . I especially like the zoom ring dial on the lens , which has Digital SLR like control . S90 IS is also superior in low light situation . However , Canon S90 Is also has a downside , such as below average build quality ( relative to competitors ) and limited dynamic range . Subjective rating compared to other advanced compacts in 2009 * Image quality 4 / 5 * Body handling 4 / 5 * Performance 5 / 5 * Features 3 / 5 * Value 5 / 5 Please check my website for image sample , ISO comparison and more reviews .
013 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Canon S90 is so handy that my WIFE loves it - - With image quality so good that a SERIOUS photographer loves it too . The Canon S90 just works . It's so small , light , and easy to use , that I always have it with me and always get great image quality . ( You don't get great pictures if the camera's too bothersome to bring along . ) Panasonic's LX3 is the one other compact that matches S90 image quality - - But the LX3 ' s a little too big for my pockets and its low light images are noisier . What the LX3 DOES offer are much wider angle images ( 24mm - - 18mm with adapter lens , vs . the S90 ' s 28mm ) . For wide and ultra-wide angle shooting , I use the LX3 - - For everything else ( convenience , and low light ) I use the S90 . Both cameras are excellent . The S90 ( and LX3 ) are the ONLY compacts with image quality good enough to blend into my Nikon D700 slide shows . Finally , a HUGE plus , the S90 ( and LX3 ) shoot in RAW , not just JPEG . Their RAW format lets me do AMAZING things with their images in digital editors like Adobe Camera Raw / Photoshop , Nikon Capture NX2 , and DxO Optics Pro .
014 4 The Canon S90 is so handy that my WIFE loves it - - With image quality so good that a SERIOUS photographer loves it too . The Canon S90 just works . It's so small , light , and easy to use , that I always have it with me and always get great image quality . ( You don't get great pictures if the camera's too bothersome to bring along . ) Panasonic's LX3 is the one other compact that matches S90 image quality - - But the LX3 ' s a little too big for my pockets and its low light images are noisier . What the LX3 DOES offer are much wider angle images ( 24mm - - 18mm with adapter lens , vs . the S90 ' s 28mm ) . For wide and ultra-wide angle shooting , I use the LX3 - - For everything else ( convenience , and low light ) I use the S90 . Both cameras are excellent . The S90 ( and LX3 ) are the ONLY compacts with image quality good enough to blend into my Nikon D700 slide shows . Finally , a HUGE plus , the S90 ( and LX3 ) shoot in RAW , not just JPEG . Their RAW format lets me do AMAZING things with their images in digital editors like Adobe Camera Raw / Photoshop , Nikon Capture NX2 , and DxO Optics Pro .
019 4 I love this camera ! I realized that most of the pictures I take are indoors , and using the flash makes the pictures look horrible , so I set out on a quest to find a good compact camera that could handle low light . I looked at the micro 4 / 3 cameras but they were a little too big . My last camera was the Canon G9 , it was better in low light than my previous Lumix but not great . I am not a Pro , Semi-Pro , or even an Amateur Enthusiast photographer . I don't care about the manual controls . I want to put my camera in full auto and have it take nice looking pictures . Boy does this camera deliver . The indoor no-flash shots are AMAZING . Compared to the G9 it focuses in low light situations very quickly and the results are clear and beautiful . It can take photos usable in 3X5 size in candle light ! As you should expect from any camera daylight shots are also great . I have never experienced anything even remotely close to the performance of this camera in the pocketable variety . If you are an average consumer who just wants a pocketable camera that takes really great pictures in both low light and full light stop fretting and press the add to cart button . This camera is well worth the extra $100 over other point and shoots as it makes your camera usable for the other half of the day when the sun has gone down and other point and shoots totally fail . It seems most of the reviews that disparage this camera are comparing it to DSLR performance . And yes , a honkin ' huge DSLR will take better pictures , but only if you actually bothered to lug it out with you . I was very hesitant to spend so much on a camera , but since I first took this bad boy out of its packaging I have been nothing but impressed , and am so glad I didn't cheap out . You don't need to be at all serious about photography to buy this camera , you just need to want to take vastly superior photos when you push the take photo button . BUY IT ! Time owned : 2 months Photos taken : Hundreds Profile : Full auto , total amateur , no aspirations to be anything else Satisfaction Level : I have never been so satisfied with a camera's performance ! Recommendation : Look past the price and buy it !
027 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Rather than go over every little thing ( it has been done ) I'm just going to comment on a few main things : - For whom is this camera intended ? - Image quality - RAW format with Macintoch computers - Accidentally bumping rear control wheel FOR WHOM IS THIS CAMERA INTENDED ? Photographers . The occasional , non-photographer user will not get enough out of this camera to warrant the price tag . Snapshooters and informal shooters will be better served by buying a less expensive SD series camera . Snapshooters will not know how to take advantage of all this camera's features , and will likely be annoyed by these features being changed . If you normally leave your camera set to ' AUTO ' or one of the scene modes , you are a snapshooter . If you don't know what ' exposure compensation ' , ' aperture priority ' , ' shutter priority ' ' RAW ' , or ' macro ' means , you are a snapshooter and would be better served by a mostly automatic camera , such as an SD series Elph or even an entry level SLR , if you don't mind a bigger camera for higher quality images . IMAGE QUALITY Remembering that this is a small camera , the image quality is outstanding . It handily beats my Canon SD600 Elph . Of course , being something like 1 / 5 the size of an SLR with a correspondingly smaller sensor , it is not quite up to that level . It is good enough that when I go to Europe in 3 weeks , I will be bringing this instead of my DSLR . The f / 2.0 lens is no joke . It really is f / 2.0 at 28mm . Of course it would be nice if it were f / 2.0 across its entire focal length , but then it would no longer be compact and would probably cost $200 more . At any rate , 28mm is a useful focal length indoors , just not for portrait work . In my dimly lit condo unit the first night , I took a bunch of shots at ISO 400 & 800 . The ones shot at 400 were f / 2.0 at 1 / 6 sec . If I zoom way in and get unrealistically critical , of course I can see some noise , and of course I can see that an image stabilized DSLR will be sharper & cleaner . Again , I remind the reader that such is not the point of this camera . The point of this camera is for photographers , who already own & use a DSLR , to have an option of a high quality , fully adjustable camera that is also fully portable , and has a proper wide angle lens setting . The photos are fully printable at up to 16x20 if the photographer does his part . RAW FORMAT COMMENT WITH REGARD TO MAC USERS I have a Macbook Pro 13 with the 2.26 MHz Intel processor , manufactured in 2009 . I was happily surprised to see that iPhoto supports Canon's RAW format . I don't know if this is because I had installed the Canon software and it just carried through , or if it supported it with a software update . Nevertheless , I was glad to see it . Now I don't really have much use for the Canon software . I may try it out later to see if any of its extra features warrant my learning about it . iPhoto is not the typical photographer's choice when it comes to software , but if you're not trying to do super fancy stuff , it will do the trick . Cropping , highlight , shadow , exposure , rotating , color balancing , blemish removal are all easily accomplished , either on jpg or RAW images with this software . Also , there is a quick fix button that improves the exposure balance on most photos and doesn't blow out the skin tones in the process . It is really pretty brilliant . Go into it with an open mind . ACCIDENTALLY BUMPING THE REAR CONTROL WHEEL I was a bit wary of purchasing this camera for so much money because of all the earlier comments on this . With a little common sense , I don't see why this should be a sticking point for anyone . Looking at the rear of the camera , a sensible person can tell that one's thumb is intended to go in the little divot below the main mode dial . After using the camera only a few times , my thumb naturally falls there and doesn't interfere with the rear control dial at all . Again , I remind the reader that this camera is not intended for ham-fisted individuals who are ready to denounce anything that isn't an DSLR . I remind the reader that DSLRs are designed to fit the user's hand . This camera is designed to fit the user's pocket , with the understanding that the user will need to make some ergonomic adjustment for the privilege of having such a small & highly capable camera . If you go into the purchase with this understanding , you will be a happy customer . The front control ring has click stops and is not easily turned accidentally . For me , the choice came down to either this camera or the Panasonic LX3 . Although I prefer wide angle to telephoto in a zoom lens , I couldn't do without telephoto altogether , so I chose the 28 - 105 of this camera instead of the 24 - 60 of the LX3 . The camera is also notably smaller , which was the whole purpose of using this over my DSLR to begin with . I'll update this in the future ( if I can find it ! ) with further impressions .
028 4 Rather than go over every little thing ( it has been done ) I'm just going to comment on a few main things : - For whom is this camera intended ? - Image quality - RAW format with Macintoch computers - Accidentally bumping rear control wheel FOR WHOM IS THIS CAMERA INTENDED ? Photographers . The occasional , non-photographer user will not get enough out of this camera to warrant the price tag . Snapshooters and informal shooters will be better served by buying a less expensive SD series camera . Snapshooters will not know how to take advantage of all this camera's features , and will likely be annoyed by these features being changed . If you normally leave your camera set to ' AUTO ' or one of the scene modes , you are a snapshooter . If you don't know what ' exposure compensation ' , ' aperture priority ' , ' shutter priority ' ' RAW ' , or ' macro ' means , you are a snapshooter and would be better served by a mostly automatic camera , such as an SD series Elph or even an entry level SLR , if you don't mind a bigger camera for higher quality images . IMAGE QUALITY Remembering that this is a small camera , the image quality is outstanding . It handily beats my Canon SD600 Elph . Of course , being something like 1 / 5 the size of an SLR with a correspondingly smaller sensor , it is not quite up to that level . It is good enough that when I go to Europe in 3 weeks , I will be bringing this instead of my DSLR . The f / 2.0 lens is no joke . It really is f / 2.0 at 28mm . Of course it would be nice if it were f / 2.0 across its entire focal length , but then it would no longer be compact and would probably cost $200 more . At any rate , 28mm is a useful focal length indoors , just not for portrait work . In my dimly lit condo unit the first night , I took a bunch of shots at ISO 400 & 800 . The ones shot at 400 were f / 2.0 at 1 / 6 sec . If I zoom way in and get unrealistically critical , of course I can see some noise , and of course I can see that an image stabilized DSLR will be sharper & cleaner . Again , I remind the reader that such is not the point of this camera . The point of this camera is for photographers , who already own & use a DSLR , to have an option of a high quality , fully adjustable camera that is also fully portable , and has a proper wide angle lens setting . The photos are fully printable at up to 16x20 if the photographer does his part . RAW FORMAT COMMENT WITH REGARD TO MAC USERS I have a Macbook Pro 13 with the 2.26 MHz Intel processor , manufactured in 2009 . I was happily surprised to see that iPhoto supports Canon's RAW format . I don't know if this is because I had installed the Canon software and it just carried through , or if it supported it with a software update . Nevertheless , I was glad to see it . Now I don't really have much use for the Canon software . I may try it out later to see if any of its extra features warrant my learning about it . iPhoto is not the typical photographer's choice when it comes to software , but if you're not trying to do super fancy stuff , it will do the trick . Cropping , highlight , shadow , exposure , rotating , color balancing , blemish removal are all easily accomplished , either on jpg or RAW images with this software . Also , there is a quick fix button that improves the exposure balance on most photos and doesn't blow out the skin tones in the process . It is really pretty brilliant . Go into it with an open mind . ACCIDENTALLY BUMPING THE REAR CONTROL WHEEL I was a bit wary of purchasing this camera for so much money because of all the earlier comments on this . With a little common sense , I don't see why this should be a sticking point for anyone . Looking at the rear of the camera , a sensible person can tell that one's thumb is intended to go in the little divot below the main mode dial . After using the camera only a few times , my thumb naturally falls there and doesn't interfere with the rear control dial at all . Again , I remind the reader that this camera is not intended for ham-fisted individuals who are ready to denounce anything that isn't an DSLR . I remind the reader that DSLRs are designed to fit the user's hand . This camera is designed to fit the user's pocket , with the understanding that the user will need to make some ergonomic adjustment for the privilege of having such a small & highly capable camera . If you go into the purchase with this understanding , you will be a happy customer . The front control ring has click stops and is not easily turned accidentally . For me , the choice came down to either this camera or the Panasonic LX3 . Although I prefer wide angle to telephoto in a zoom lens , I couldn't do without telephoto altogether , so I chose the 28 - 105 of this camera instead of the 24 - 60 of the LX3 . The camera is also notably smaller , which was the whole purpose of using this over my DSLR to begin with . I'll update this in the future ( if I can find it ! ) with further impressions .
123 4 First off , this camera is awesome . Everyone's pros are all true . I won't cover all that since everyone else has . I've owned this camera for a week and have taken about 300 shots . I've owned many canon cameras ( S45 , SD400 , SD600 , S80 , G10 , XT , XTi , 50D ) . I've taken it to a couple restaurants and to the LA Zoo . The way I see it , if I'm paying top dollar , I want top quality . $430.00 is pretty steep . You can get great cameras for around $200 - $250 . For twice the price , I expect this camera to be a darn great camera . This is why I'm nit picking . Here's why I gave it 4 stars : BUILD QUALITY It's just ok . It's not that great . I'm pretty sure a 4 foot drop means bye bye to your $430.00 investment . It's mostly made out of plastic if not all plastic . I've owned the G10 and the S80 . . . talk about solid . Canon made these cameras with a metal body , why not for the S90 . I'm sure the additional weight would have been negligible . A leather grip in the front would have been great too . It would work well with the weird thumb slot in the back . The plastic behind the flash also makes a clicking sound when you press on it . This has been a known issue . Some have it , some don't . Mine does . I may exchange it but not sure . Minor issue , but annoying . IMAGE QUALITY For night shots and low light , it's awesome . I shot in bright day light at the LA zoo on Auto and I felt like the images were overexposed . I switched to P and underexposed the settings and the pictures came out better . The sensor may be too sensitive even at Auto . Hopefully this issue is resolved in the next firmware upgrade . Like most say , it's great in low light situations but I've found SOME shots to be noisy and grainy , even in well lit night situations when the camera is set on a tripod . It was sharp , but noise was visible . I would not enlarge those prints . FLASH The flash pops up automatically and it's a bit freaky at first . You just have to get used to it . Canon should have just made it stationary like they usually do . I don't see any reason why they needed it to pop up and down like that . It's cool at first but it gets old fast . My concern isn't me , it's more when you give it to the waiter / waitress at a restaurant and the flash pops up and startles him / her and drops your pricey S90 . Yikes . Make sure you hand strangers the handstrap when they take pictures for you , just in case . I also wished it came with a hot shoe . Sure it's top heavy and looks funny but the Panasonic LX3 has it . Couldn't hurt . One of my biggest complaits with P & S camera's is the harsh effects of direct flashes . They need to design a flash that can point up and bounce the flash to the ceiling for a softer pictures . Doesn't take a genius to design something like that . Over all it's still a great camera . These issues can be overlooked but this isn't perfect . I think it's still the best point and shoot out there . I hope this helps .
224 4 The Canon S90 is the quintessential photographer's compact digital camera . To properly test the camera , nothing short of a red-eye departing LAX headed for Asia would suffice . The small frame of the S90 ' s body fits nicely into tight pockets ( jeans , suits , etc . ) and packs plentiful features that can be accessed rapidly on the fly . The S90 passed J . Stuart Studios ' extensive travel photography gauntlet with flying vibrant colors ( and subtle tonalities too ) . The bottom line : the Canon S90 is recommended for all who want a compact point and shoot digital camera with a bevy of available manual controls . For more of the real-world review of the Canon S90 with MANY photographs , please visit : [ . . . ]

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera in early december 2009 . I have had it a few weeks . I bought it because of reviews that I had read and because on my previous overseas excursions I brought the cumbersome Nikon D70 . I had never been interested in a ' point and shoot ' camera before because of what I perceived as the lack of controls for shutter speed and f stop . Now , I am travelling and it is truly a pleasure and joy to have it strapped on my belt almost all of the time . I have now shot about 300 images . What ' sold ' me on this one was also the high regard in the reviews that I read for the special ' low light ' setting . It really does enable the photographer to shoot in low light situations and although there is typical color shifts , the resolution and lack of pixalation is quite good . It is very cool to have that option . Also , it is very small and Canon makes a case that is perfect to strap on your belt . It is so light and easy to carry that I bring it with me day and night . I had read many previous reviews that thought the ' wheel ' control on the back of the camera was too loose and that it may change your settings too easily . At first , I thought this may be true but after some experimentation , I realized it was a genius design if you use Manual setting and also for flipping thru your saved photos and viewing them . The beauty of the wheel is that when you are shooting in Manual mode , you can spin the wheel to control the shutter speed . This allows you to look at the image and see it progress from light to dark or vice a versa . In my experience , the shutter speed doesn't matter as long as you are not shooting moving objects as long as you can control camera ' shake ' . The f stop is the creative control for most images and you set that via the control ring around the neck of the lens in the front . Using the control ring for movement frees the photographer from thinking about ' the average meter reading and the plus one minus one , etc . that usually happens with an slr . Then you have to check depth of field and it is at least a two step process to see the effects . If you want to change depth of field , you will have to move the ring in the front , but you can see the effects right away and you can easily change the feeling of light with the ' loose ' wheel in the back by changing shutter speeds . The other advantage of the loose wheel in the back is for viewing your saved photos . There are at least two ways to view them . One is by tapping the left side of the wheel to go backward and the right side to go forward . However , by using the wheel and rotating the wheel which moves very easily , you can quickly go thru many photos like you are flipping thru a deck of cards . Another recommended adjunct to the Powershot is the Canon case I purhcased which is specifically for this model camera . If you have a belt on , it slips securely onto the belt and is very easy to open and close . So convenient and compact and solid . The only thing lacking at this point for me is a smooth transition for the zoom lens . I use the control at the top and it is a little jerky and hard to control for exact framing . There may be an alternative method which I haven't discovered yet . This is my first point and shoot and it is a winner . Highly recommended .

041 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera in early december 2009 . I have had it a few weeks . I bought it because of reviews that I had read and because on my previous overseas excursions I brought the cumbersome Nikon D70 . I had never been interested in a ' point and shoot ' camera before because of what I perceived as the lack of controls for shutter speed and f stop . Now , I am travelling and it is truly a pleasure and joy to have it strapped on my belt almost all of the time . I have now shot about 300 images . What ' sold ' me on this one was also the high regard in the reviews that I read for the special ' low light ' setting . It really does enable the photographer to shoot in low light situations and although there is typical color shifts , the resolution and lack of pixalation is quite good . It is very cool to have that option . Also , it is very small and Canon makes a case that is perfect to strap on your belt . It is so light and easy to carry that I bring it with me day and night . I had read many previous reviews that thought the ' wheel ' control on the back of the camera was too loose and that it may change your settings too easily . At first , I thought this may be true but after some experimentation , I realized it was a genius design if you use Manual setting and also for flipping thru your saved photos and viewing them . The beauty of the wheel is that when you are shooting in Manual mode , you can spin the wheel to control the shutter speed . This allows you to look at the image and see it progress from light to dark or vice a versa . In my experience , the shutter speed doesn't matter as long as you are not shooting moving objects as long as you can control camera ' shake ' . The f stop is the creative control for most images and you set that via the control ring around the neck of the lens in the front . Using the control ring for movement frees the photographer from thinking about ' the average meter reading and the plus one minus one , etc . that usually happens with an slr . Then you have to check depth of field and it is at least a two step process to see the effects . If you want to change depth of field , you will have to move the ring in the front , but you can see the effects right away and you can easily change the feeling of light with the ' loose ' wheel in the back by changing shutter speeds . The other advantage of the loose wheel in the back is for viewing your saved photos . There are at least two ways to view them . One is by tapping the left side of the wheel to go backward and the right side to go forward . However , by using the wheel and rotating the wheel which moves very easily , you can quickly go thru many photos like you are flipping thru a deck of cards . Another recommended adjunct to the Powershot is the Canon case I purhcased which is specifically for this model camera . If you have a belt on , it slips securely onto the belt and is very easy to open and close . So convenient and compact and solid . The only thing lacking at this point for me is a smooth transition for the zoom lens . I use the control at the top and it is a little jerky and hard to control for exact framing . There may be an alternative method which I haven't discovered yet . This is my first point and shoot and it is a winner . Highly recommended .
084 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) When I heard that I could own a point and shoot camera with a fast ( 2.0 ) lens for around $400 I was thrilled . No more waiting for the camera to focus while the shot ' went away ' . This little camera takes such good pictures in any amount of light that it's a little like magic . The auto setting exposes perfectly every time in ( again ) any light situation . I shoot a lot indoors and outside at night and the pics are simply beautiful . If you are looking for these features , go !
154 4 This is a great compact camera for serious photographers who want to be ready to shoot at all times but cannot lug around bulky SLRs and lenses everywhere . Why ? 1 . Image quality is the about the best you can get in a pocketable camera . First , Canon has made the optics and image sensor as large as possible for a camera this size . Second , they have kept the sensor to 10 megapixels , which means less noise in the images . 2 . The LCD screen on the back is full size and makes it easy to compose shots . It also instantaneously shows the effects of changes in exposure compensation , white balance , etc . I really like this feature ! 3 . The camera has a separate control knob on top for setting the shooting mode , from full automatic to completely manual . Just like a digital SLR ! 4 . There is a customizable control ring around the lens that makes it possible to adjust a key setting very quickly , without digging through menus or pushing tiny buttons . 5 . Another control ring on the back of the camera allows a further setting to be adjusted very quickly . And if that is not enough , there is a programmable shortcut key . 6 . The camera is fast for a compact . It turns on in less than one second . Focusing takes a couple of tenths of a second , though your mileage may vary . Once focused , there is no noticeable shutter lag . Get a good memory card for best performance . For example , I often shoot in aperture priority mode . Here , by default , the lens ring sets the aperture , and the ring on the back of the camera sets the exposure compensation to get your lighting just right . I have set the programmable shortcut key to adjust the white balance . Very efficient !
162 4 I feel I need to praise Canon for this wonderfull product . Moving from Fuji F30 I had some high expectations and I think this camera is even better than the Fuji was ( before it felt on the floor ) . I think it is probably the best pocket small sensor size camera you can buy .
200 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I bought camera 2months ago . I think is very easy to use and has a lots of features . Battery live is a great plus ! Only thing what i find challenging is setting the functions right . I tried various of options but each time auto settings gives me better results . I think if you need simple good quality and portable camera this is good choice .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I really like this camera ! But first : If you are a Pro camera user , this camera will probably disappoint you . You know who you are . Your camera is the size of a medium rock , and in all likelihood is carried around your neck to complete that professional photographer look . you have trouble trusting others to take a photo for you because you feel like they'll drop it , and in turn strangers off the street have no idea how to hold it or even work it . However if you're like me , and hate to lug large cameras around your neck like some heifer and you just want a camera to accurately take pictures that reflect what you see . ( i.e . especially at night , in dark places , indoors , close up , etc . ) without having to fiddle with a bunch of settings , this is the camera for you . I found this especially true when trying to take photos indoors , at night , or at dusk without having to use flash . I feel like no camera I've tried out before has the same ability to take the picture that I actually see with my own eyes in these dark conditions . And of course it works great during the day too . Yeah I realize it's pricey if you're shopping for a point and shoot when you can easily snag one for $100 , but those cameras aren't going to be nearly as versatile in capturing as many moments in as many conditions as you want it to . So unless you plan on buying multiple cameras for multiple purposes , I would just buy this one and be done with it . When I bought it in Dec of 2009 it was $399 , by the time you read this , maybe the price will have come down and it'll be even more worth it . The only downside is that it only comes in black . Well I can tell you I wasn't thrilled about it , but it kind of grows on you . It may not be as cute or sleek as the other ones out there , but they don't work nearly as well as this one either .

049 4 Buy this camera if you have a DSLR and are looking for a good , light camera to carry around when you don't want to lug the big brother around . Don't buy this camera if you're looking for a point-and-shoot . The Canon S90 is far too complex . If you have read that the ring on the back turns too easily , it turns too easily because the reviewers may not have known how to use it . In manual mode , this camera brackets shots , shoots camera raw , and adjusts white balance . If you don't know what these terms mean , look for a more basic point-and-shoot . What's more , Canon S90 takes sharp pictures . You can even adjust the flash output and so much more . I recommend it as a second camera , not a first .
053 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I really like this camera ! But first : If you are a Pro camera user , this camera will probably disappoint you . You know who you are . Your camera is the size of a medium rock , and in all likelihood is carried around your neck to complete that professional photographer look . you have trouble trusting others to take a photo for you because you feel like they'll drop it , and in turn strangers off the street have no idea how to hold it or even work it . However if you're like me , and hate to lug large cameras around your neck like some heifer and you just want a camera to accurately take pictures that reflect what you see . ( i.e . especially at night , in dark places , indoors , close up , etc . ) without having to fiddle with a bunch of settings , this is the camera for you . I found this especially true when trying to take photos indoors , at night , or at dusk without having to use flash . I feel like no camera I've tried out before has the same ability to take the picture that I actually see with my own eyes in these dark conditions . And of course it works great during the day too . Yeah I realize it's pricey if you're shopping for a point and shoot when you can easily snag one for $100 , but those cameras aren't going to be nearly as versatile in capturing as many moments in as many conditions as you want it to . So unless you plan on buying multiple cameras for multiple purposes , I would just buy this one and be done with it . When I bought it in Dec of 2009 it was $399 , by the time you read this , maybe the price will have come down and it'll be even more worth it . The only downside is that it only comes in black . Well I can tell you I wasn't thrilled about it , but it kind of grows on you . It may not be as cute or sleek as the other ones out there , but they don't work nearly as well as this one either .
128 4 This camera takes great pictures and is so convenient I use it much more than my bulky Nikon DSLR , which I also love . But this Canon s90 shoots extremely well in low light . And it is fast . So I find I tend to reach for it whenever I am going to be in a dark place or when I know I won't have a lot of time to set the shot . Plus it is very well built and so easy to carry around in a pocket . I highly recommend this camera .
138 4 This is an excellent camera for those who want a DSLR but get bothered by its size . No , it's not a DSLR replacement , but its portability really pays off .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I was just as excited about getting this camera as anyone else . Being a lifelong photo-hobbyist , I enjoy owning good equipment . I find myself leaving my DSLR behind so often # and missing great photo opps # the details of the S90 prompted me to make this purchase . I figured I found a great little quality portable camera that will become my new sidekick . Positives are the menu system , and the ability to manually adjust settings . For those of us who like to be creative , they work and the control rings are great . Also low light photos of the family and kids are great , it went along trick-or-treating , and provided some really good results . It is the beginning of a wonderful small camera series , and as Canon addresses some of the below issues , it will shine as it should . Negatives are build quality and battery life . For a $400 plus camera , I'd expect more solid build quality . For those that think this is a metal camera , it is not . The plastic feels like metal , but my camera is already making creaky noises when I hold it , and clicks and squeeks when I adjust the top function dial . I owned a G9 prior to this , and this has no solid feel like that at all . It just feels cheap , like a $200 camera , not a $400 unit . The front control ring is nice , but the small rear one moves way too freely , and is easy to make errant adjustment that you didn't mean to make . Also , in my opinion the shutter release is placed oddly , it just doesn't fit naturally in the hand . Guess they justify the price by the quality of the sensor , and f2.0 lens fitment . Both positives , the camera did take nice pictures . . . but none that were that much better than the above average point and shoot . Video mode is low resolution , and not much better than a good camera phone . That is too bad , I think 720p video in a camera like this is important , after all the idea is to get the footage ( and shots ) because this is the camera we carry with us ! Finally , the deal killer . . . Battery life ! I cannot believe how quickly the battery runs down , charge it before every outing , buy a second , or be left for dead ( like I was ) wondering why I spent so much money on this camera . Mine is going back , and I will jump on Canon's 2nd version . Surely they will address the build quality , and battery life issue . I am really disappointed that this camera didn't live up to the hype , I really hoped it would . Greatful I used Amazon for their simple and friendly return policy .

088 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I usually don't write reviews , but occasionally a product comes along that requires a response : The Canon S90 is such a product . I love this little camera . It is extremely easy to use and yet extremely capable . If you don't want to exercise a great deal of control , just set it on Auto and it will do the rest . If you want more manual control , it's controls and ease of setting them are excellent . If the light is good enough that you can see where you're going , this little camera will get a very decent picture . It the light is better , you'll get a very good picture . And if the light is really good , you'll wind up writing a review on this website . Before I buy a product , I always read the reviews on Amazon and elsewhere because I value other people's experience . However , I need to tell prospective buyers that the negatives I've read about this camera must not apply to me , because I haven't found any valid ones yet . Take battery life , for example . I bought an extra battery because a few reviewers thought the battery life this camera turns in wasn't very good . And they may be right if you typically take 200 exposures or more on your photo junkets . I rarely take more than fifteen or twenty pictures in the course of a day , even out in Yellowstone , and I'm totally satisfied with the battery life the S90 turns in . Some people complained about the daisy control on the back of the camera being too loose . I haven't found it to be a problem . Some people thought the zoom was too short , but this isn't a wildlife camera . This is a put it in your pocket and take it along camera , and it is small enough that you can take it anywhere and almost forget you have it . . . until you need it or want it . Perhaps people who want a manufacturer to make a product specifically for them will have problems with this camera's layout . It's a very small camera . But if you're at all adaptable , this little gem is worth every penny . The only thing I have had to get used to is the placement of the flash ; and I don't know where else you would put it except where it is . On the other hand , it's a very powerful flash for a camera this size . In fact , it turns in excellent results . In short , if you try this camera , I'd bet good money you're going to like it !
165 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've been very happy with the Canon S3 - IS I bought in 2006 , but I wanted something more pocketable that I would actually take along on spontaneous trips ( to the dog park , a friend's house , etc ) . I did NOT want to compromise on image quality . Many of the cheaper compacts ( including Canon's ) have smaller pixels than my S3 , which means more noise . The S90 has about the same pixel density as the S3 , but boosts resolution from 6MP to 10MP . This helps make up for the S90 ' s reduced zoom . The S90 is also much wider : 28mm vs . 36mm . No more backing up to get a scene to fit ! The main reason I love the S90 is its fast 2.0 lens . I can take sharp pictures indoors without a flash and without a tripod . In other words , real life pictures look great . The videos also benefit from the lens . I doubt that the 720p videos from a $150 camera would look better than the 480p videos from the S90 ; resolution is just one measure of video quality . I had no problems handling the S90 . There's a protrusion just under the mode dial that my thumb fits onto , and I could take pictures with one hand if I wanted to . Shooting with both thumbs under the camera feels the most stable and secure to me . I considered a lot of other cameras , but I'm very happy with the S90 . The Samsung TL500 was also very interesting , but is not available yet . Anyway , it's hard to beat Canon's quality and experience .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Now that I had this camera for a while , I have to update my review . The main reason I got this camera is for the size , availability of the underwater case , and manual controls . Here are some of the selling points of the camera and their shortcomings : - Manual controls : while great , there are limitations like no Bulb mode , and no way to set the exposure for longer than 15 seconds . - F / 2.0 ( and other aperture findings ) : f / 2.0 only available at wide angle 6 mm ( 28 mm equivalent ) . All the way zoomed in at 105 mm equivalent that aperture is 4.9 . While the large aperture is nice for low light , it has shortcomings when it comes down to the length of the depth of field ( DOF ) because of the small sensor size . It's usually a very long depth of field . At F / 2.0 the DOF on this camera is the equivalent of the DOF at ~ f / 9.2 in a full frame camera . This might not be a limitation if you only plan to take story-telling photos in which everything can be seen clearly but if you want to create the perception of depth with a nice bokeh ( the blurry parts ) without macro-mode , forget it , it's no good . - F / 37 equivalent DOF for smallest aperture ( f / 8 ) . Basically you get more details in less light so that's an advantage but be careful about the diffraction . At that tiny aperture diffraction eats up the sharpness like a big evil monster that it is . - Sensor size : while bigger than most point-and-shoots and equivalent Nikons , it is still small . - RAW mode - great to have RAW files from a camera this size . - Fastest shutter speed is 1 / 1600 which is not enough in bright light or if you want to do HDR in very bright light . - Speed - less than 1 frame per second is really slow . Kind of annoying capturing static images in action shots . - AEB - Auto Exposure Bracketing - Nice that it has it but has issues . You can choose it in aperture priority mode but then the photo is metered and if you want to adjust the center exposure up or down , it doesn't move the whole bracket so you end up with something like + 2 0 and - 1 or + 1 0 and - 2 . That can be adjusted by metering somewhere else in the photo ( half press of the shutter button ) and then re-composing while holding the shutter pressed half way down and taking the shot but it's still annoying . - Focus points - you can only focus in the center or use face detection ( lame ) . The above mentioned trick of focusing with the subject centered while holding the shutter button down half-way and then recomposing and completely pressing the button works . - The dial on the front for manual controls - I really like this . I wish other cameras would have that too . - Macro mode - you can't get close enough to the subject . The minimum focus distance is very far for good macro shots .

177 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I shoot a lot with P & S cameras ( over 1,000 a month ) and up till now , my favorite ones were the Panasonic Lumix ( FX . . , ZR1 , LX3 ) . What made me jump ship was the larger sensor on the S90 , RAW shooting and a greater range on AEB from - 2,0 , + 2 for HDRs - and of course the size . Cons Compared to Lumix cameras : - Slower overall - the shutter button feels really cheep , with terrible feedback - the famous wheel on the back has a mind of its own ( but hey , all the reviews mention that , so you are ready for it ) - the fact that you cannot push the flash back down is frustrating . . - I have had the camera for a couple of weeks now and I have already seen a dead pixel in the screen - very strange for cameras now a days ) here are some samples of the photos i have taken with it : [ . . . ]
204 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) Now that I had this camera for a while , I have to update my review . The main reason I got this camera is for the size , availability of the underwater case , and manual controls . Here are some of the selling points of the camera and their shortcomings : - Manual controls : while great , there are limitations like no Bulb mode , and no way to set the exposure for longer than 15 seconds . - F / 2.0 ( and other aperture findings ) : f / 2.0 only available at wide angle 6 mm ( 28 mm equivalent ) . All the way zoomed in at 105 mm equivalent that aperture is 4.9 . While the large aperture is nice for low light , it has shortcomings when it comes down to the length of the depth of field ( DOF ) because of the small sensor size . It's usually a very long depth of field . At F / 2.0 the DOF on this camera is the equivalent of the DOF at ~ f / 9.2 in a full frame camera . This might not be a limitation if you only plan to take story-telling photos in which everything can be seen clearly but if you want to create the perception of depth with a nice bokeh ( the blurry parts ) without macro-mode , forget it , it's no good . - F / 37 equivalent DOF for smallest aperture ( f / 8 ) . Basically you get more details in less light so that's an advantage but be careful about the diffraction . At that tiny aperture diffraction eats up the sharpness like a big evil monster that it is . - Sensor size : while bigger than most point-and-shoots and equivalent Nikons , it is still small . - RAW mode - great to have RAW files from a camera this size . - Fastest shutter speed is 1 / 1600 which is not enough in bright light or if you want to do HDR in very bright light . - Speed - less than 1 frame per second is really slow . Kind of annoying capturing static images in action shots . - AEB - Auto Exposure Bracketing - Nice that it has it but has issues . You can choose it in aperture priority mode but then the photo is metered and if you want to adjust the center exposure up or down , it doesn't move the whole bracket so you end up with something like + 2 0 and - 1 or + 1 0 and - 2 . That can be adjusted by metering somewhere else in the photo ( half press of the shutter button ) and then re-composing while holding the shutter pressed half way down and taking the shot but it's still annoying . - Focus points - you can only focus in the center or use face detection ( lame ) . The above mentioned trick of focusing with the subject centered while holding the shutter button down half-way and then recomposing and completely pressing the button works . - The dial on the front for manual controls - I really like this . I wish other cameras would have that too . - Macro mode - you can't get close enough to the subject . The minimum focus distance is very far for good macro shots .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Canon S90 is a good companion for my Canon 40D . Is it perfect ? No , that's why it's 4 stars . Now saying that , as of January 2010 , there is no other camera that compares to this one . - - - Image Quality The IQ of the S90 is outstanding at 80 ISO and good at higher ISO levels . After comparing this to my 40D pics , there is a noticeable sharpness difference , especially at higher ISO levels . Still , comparing it to my friends ' point and shoots , it's ahead of its competition . Currently , I haven't really messed with the RAW features , like I do with my 40D because I use Adobe Lightroom 2 as my photo edit / management software . Maybe the IQ is better there . - - - Features One of the main reasons for my purchase of the S90 is the manual features . With these features , I have good control of the creative aspects of my photos . Av , Tv , P , M , Low-Light , Scene and Video are the dial features and there are more within the menus . Since I do have a 40D , that means I don't have video features , so I'm glad that this camera fills that void . You'll love the front ring and it's versatility = ) - - - Size / Construction The good thing is that the S90 is smaller than the G11 , but it isn't the smallest point-and-shoot . The S90 will fit in a jean pocket . . . but will be very uncomfortable in tight jeans . A carry case would be nice or just throw it in a backpack . At first , I did have my reservations of the plastic body , but I've put it through hell and back on my expedition in the Philippines ( later in the review ) and I'm confident in its durability . - - - Performance Performance is a crucial piece for any camera to ensure you capture the moment . The S90 lags a little . Definitely , it's better than most point-and-shoots , but I was hoping for it to be faster . The start-up time is manageable , but the auto-focus time is a little slow . Also , yes , the f / 2.0 is very welcome , but I'm finding it hard to create the shallow DoF ( depth of field ) in some portrait shots I'd take . I'm assuming it's because that f-stop is only accessible at wide-angles . Of course , the rapid shots aren't anything comparable to my 40D , but I don't use this camera for that ( thank god ) . - - - Low Light Pictures Low light pictures are a main draw for this camera . It's hard to capture these photos on point-and-shoots because of their ISO performance and aperture values . This camera excels in both categories having great ISO performance and a great aperture value at 28mm . This is a make or break for most people and I'm glad to say you'll appreciate these features . - - - Battery Life Definitely a downside of the S90 . It's about 200 - 300 photos worth per charge . Still , I don't take more than that per day with this camera , but I know people will or maybe one day I'll find myself in that situation . This is mostly because of the full-time LCD ( which is a gorgeous 3.0 screen ) So if you plan on shooting more than 300 + photos , buy and bring an extra battery . - - - Overall Yes , I am pleased with this camera . It's not the perfect camera , but it is very close to it . There are things that they could improve , such as 720p HD video recording , better battery life , maybe a constant f / 2.0 value ( haha ) and a metal construction ( just because it'd just be better overall ) . - - - Philippines Experience So recently in December , I took my camera to the Philippines . Needless to say , I'm glad I had it . More on the update . . . later = )

147 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) The Canon S90 is a good companion for my Canon 40D . Is it perfect ? No , that's why it's 4 stars . Now saying that , as of January 2010 , there is no other camera that compares to this one . - - - Image Quality The IQ of the S90 is outstanding at 80 ISO and good at higher ISO levels . After comparing this to my 40D pics , there is a noticeable sharpness difference , especially at higher ISO levels . Still , comparing it to my friends ' point and shoots , it's ahead of its competition . Currently , I haven't really messed with the RAW features , like I do with my 40D because I use Adobe Lightroom 2 as my photo edit / management software . Maybe the IQ is better there . - - - Features One of the main reasons for my purchase of the S90 is the manual features . With these features , I have good control of the creative aspects of my photos . Av , Tv , P , M , Low-Light , Scene and Video are the dial features and there are more within the menus . Since I do have a 40D , that means I don't have video features , so I'm glad that this camera fills that void . You'll love the front ring and it's versatility = ) - - - Size / Construction The good thing is that the S90 is smaller than the G11 , but it isn't the smallest point-and-shoot . The S90 will fit in a jean pocket . . . but will be very uncomfortable in tight jeans . A carry case would be nice or just throw it in a backpack . At first , I did have my reservations of the plastic body , but I've put it through hell and back on my expedition in the Philippines ( later in the review ) and I'm confident in its durability . - - - Performance Performance is a crucial piece for any camera to ensure you capture the moment . The S90 lags a little . Definitely , it's better than most point-and-shoots , but I was hoping for it to be faster . The start-up time is manageable , but the auto-focus time is a little slow . Also , yes , the f / 2.0 is very welcome , but I'm finding it hard to create the shallow DoF ( depth of field ) in some portrait shots I'd take . I'm assuming it's because that f-stop is only accessible at wide-angles . Of course , the rapid shots aren't anything comparable to my 40D , but I don't use this camera for that ( thank god ) . - - - Low Light Pictures Low light pictures are a main draw for this camera . It's hard to capture these photos on point-and-shoots because of their ISO performance and aperture values . This camera excels in both categories having great ISO performance and a great aperture value at 28mm . This is a make or break for most people and I'm glad to say you'll appreciate these features . - - - Battery Life Definitely a downside of the S90 . It's about 200 - 300 photos worth per charge . Still , I don't take more than that per day with this camera , but I know people will or maybe one day I'll find myself in that situation . This is mostly because of the full-time LCD ( which is a gorgeous 3.0 screen ) So if you plan on shooting more than 300 + photos , buy and bring an extra battery . - - - Overall Yes , I am pleased with this camera . It's not the perfect camera , but it is very close to it . There are things that they could improve , such as 720p HD video recording , better battery life , maybe a constant f / 2.0 value ( haha ) and a metal construction ( just because it'd just be better overall ) . - - - Philippines Experience So recently in December , I took my camera to the Philippines . Needless to say , I'm glad I had it . More on the update . . . later = )
196 4 I'm not going to rehash all of the features of this camera , other than to say I love the front rotating ring and the fact that it can be assigned to different functions . I'm not so crazy about the rear ring , it's way too easy to move . The photos this camera produces are amazing . I've taken night shots hand-held at ISO 80 , F / 3.5 , 1 / 6 sec . shutter speed that are tack-sharp thanks to the IS and the very sharp lens on this camera . It's far and away the best P & S out there at the moment and it's really not expensive when you consider the quality of the photos . I shoot with a 40D and several ' L ' lenses , and dollar-for-dollar vs . image quality this camera is a steal .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is going to be more like a story than a product review , but maybe it will be helpful to others who were looking for the same features I was . First of all , I wasn't in the market for a camera at all : I have a Casio EX-Z750 that , frankly , is still nearly unbeatable in its class ( subcompact P & S ) . I happened to be browsing a recent B & H catalog and noticed the Olympus E-P2 - very attractive retro look ! Started reading up on it ( especially the outstanding information on [ . . . ] ) and decided I had to see one of these in the flesh . Found one at a local store , and while it's gorgeous , it's nowhere near as compact as I imagined from the catalog photo . And it has no viewfinder ( Casio does ) and no flash ! But it has a large image sensor and apparently amazing image quality . So I got to thinking : what else is out there that can do better than my beautiful little Casio ? I've always lamented its lack of RAW images , and eventually it will break , but pretty much everything about it is incredible . So my research turned up these cameras ( data largely gathered from [ . . . ] , with additional info from manufacturers ' websites ) : Camera | | Sensor size | | Aperture | | Focal length | | Flash Canon PS S90 | | .43 cm2 | | f / 2.0 | | 28 - 105mm | | Yes Olympus E-P2 | | 2.43 cm2 | | f / 2.8 * | | 17mm * | | No Panasonic LX3 | | .45 cm2 | | f / 2.0 | | 24 - 60mm | | Yes Sigma DP2 | | 2.85 cm2 | | f / 2.8 | | 24mm | | Yes * The Olympus camera has interchangeable lens ; the 17mm F / 2.8 was the fastest normal lens that fits my needs . The Panasonic's lens is a Leica that's very highly regarded . The Canon S90 is , by far , the most compact of the cameras in this group . The Olympus could never be considered a pocket camera . The Panasonic is somewhat larger than the Canon , though perhaps still pocketable . The Sigma is really too large for a pocket , though quite a bit more compact than the Olympus . All of these cameras have RAW mode . None of them has an integral viewfinder ( not many subcompact P & S cameras do , anymore , but I still like them for when the sun is shining directly on the LCD ) . I ruminated about all of this for quite a while before settling on the Canon . Its lens is excellent , the image sensor is the .43cm2 size ( 1 / 1.7 ) of the best-in-class subcompact P & S cameras , and it has RAW image mode . The other cameras were all larger - enough to be the deciding factor for me . But I really do like the idea of the very large sensor - eventually someone will offer a camera closer to my wishes , but there isn't one around at the present time . Concerning the camera itself : there's little need to repeat what's already been said very well by others . I've compared the JPEG images to my Casio ( which is probably the best I've seen on any camera for color balance , saturation , etc . ) and they're just as good . I haven't seen a P & S that does better . But having RAW image recording opens up a world of processing that's not possible with the Casio . There's some barrel distortion , but it's no worse than on any other camera with a similar lens ( and marginally better than the Casio , which can be fairly annoying ) . And , for the desperate , this can be corrected with PhotoShop and other software . My only real complaints have been voiced numerous times by others : the rear control dial looseness and the flash location . The control dial on the rear of the camera is outrageously loose . It's virtually impossible to use the camera in any mode but fully automatic without inadvertantly changing whatever setting the dial controls for the chosen mode ( the dial does nothing in full automatic ) . In fact , the entire control assembly of which it's a part is so poorly designed as to be an utter anomaly in Canon cameras . How on earth could they not notice such a shortcoming before releasing the product ? Nevertheless , I knew about this and had even tried the camera in a store , and it still didn't deter me from buying it . But it will be a constant nuisance . No doubt Canon will eventually get around to addressing this , but as it can't be fixed by a firmware update , those of us who bought this camera are stuck with it . Second , the location of the pop-up flash is absurd : it's at the top left front corner of the camera , exactly where my left index finger is all the time ! I've had the camera for exactly two days , and I can't count the number of times that the damn thing decided to pop up ( since it's usually preferable to leave the flash in automatic than turned off all the time ) and promptly retract after bumping into my finger , with the resulting restart camera error message . I hope that this doesn't eventually cause the flash mechanism to self-destruct , and , with luck , I may get used to holding the camera differently , but even though I knew about this before buying , it is unexpectedly annoying . Given the size and layout of the camera , it's not an unreasonable location for the flash , but still . . . So it's not quite the perfect pocket camera , but for me , it's the best currently available . I really miss a viewfinder , and that control dial and flash are a royal pain . But I finally got my RAW mode on a very compact camera with a good , fast lens and a larger image sensor . So I'll carry both the Casio and the Canon for a while until I decide which one will become the spare . I suspect the Casio might end up in a drawer - unless that dial on the S90 finally drives me crazy . UPDATE 5 / 24 / 10 After less than 2 weeks , the front control ring stopped working . A search on the internet turned up nothing on this , so it apparently isn't common . Returned for replacement ( as advised by Canon tech support ) . Oh well .

010 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) I've agonized about which compact camera to buy , the G11 or the S90 for a couple of weeks . In the end I bought the S90 and some of the reviews really helped me , so here's my contribution to the people making that decision today : Do you own a DSLR ? Definitely go with the S90 . Are you looking for a camera to take in your pocket ? No doubt about it , go with the S90 . I've used the G10 and G11 and , believe me , there's NO WAY you are taking them in your pocket ! The big differences between the two , which I'm fairly sure you all know by now are : - The focal length ( 105mm for the S90 and 140mm for the G11 ) - The manual controls - The size - The hot-shoe ( only the G's have them ) - The flash Well , let me start by addressing one of the main complaints I've been reading about , the fact that the rear wheel is loose and that you can change your definitions without noticing it . It was a concern when I bought the camera and , to my surprise , it has NEVER been an issue while shooting . I don't have small hands and I don't know how other people hold a compact camera , but for it works like clockwork , no problem whatsoever . I even dare to say that if it was a bit harder to move it , it might take from the easiness of changing your controls before shooting the picture . The difference in focal length doesn't bother me . Would it be nice to have more on the S90 ? Yeah , sure . But is it a concern ? No , not for me . I'm strictly against using the digital zoom , but on the few times I tried just to see the result , I confess I was a bit surprised ( on the good side ) by it . The manual controls are exceptional , the combination of frontal ring , back ring and shortcut button make it easy to change configurations and control the camera . And for those of you wondering about the speed in doing it , I can say that I've been taking pictures to make a book about the life guard service here and it's all about speed . Sometimes I take the S90 to the beach instead of the big DSLR's because people won't even notice me taking pictures with it , and the DSLR's always cause a fuss , specially when people are being rescued and are ashamed to be seen in that light . . . As for the size , I bought it to have a everyday camera always with me and this is the perfect one for this . A couple of friends decided to buy one after seeing mine ( one of them is abandoning his G10 for it ) . And I was very , very pleasantly surprised by the image quality and camera quality I got with the S90 , I never regretted choosing it and now , after having handled a G10 and a G11 , I think I would be mad with me if I had chosen the G11 instead of the S90 . Some reviewers have questioned the built quality of the S90 , but I don't have any complaints about it , and it has been living in my pocket for over a month now , receiving some fairly rough treatment sometimes . As for the shutter release on the S90 , yes , it is in a bit awkward position to be sure , but after one or two days with the camera you'll adjust to it . Is it a serious problem ? Not even close ! Regarding the hot-shoe and flash : well , I own two DSLR's , so if I want to put a big flash on top of the camera , I'll take the big one . It might be different for people who are buying this as their only camera . I hate flash and avoid using it always , even bumping the ISO to the moon , but , on the occasion I used the in-camera flash I was amazed by it's power . When I'm shooting professionally I tend to go with the RAW + JPEG mode , but sometimes I prefer to use the strict JPEG mode and it has a very interesting color control that helps eliminate the need for working the files later on . Anyway , you can change that configuration in about 2 to 3 seconds if you need to ( the RAW / JPEG , because the colors are even faster ) . A lot of reviewers and photographers talk about the S90 exceptional AutoWhite Balance , but I don't really like it , I tend to prefer choosing presets all the time ( I don't like the auto WB in my NIkon's DSLR's either ) , but that is also very easy and fast to do in this camera . Well , that's about it . I'm sure there are other reviews discussing the technical details more deeply , but I've been a VERY HAPPY S90 owner for the past month or so and I'm sure glad that I chose the S90 instead of the G11 . To tell you the truth , I don't see much reason in buying the G11 , as it is not a compact camera , it is not a DSLR , it is not lightweight , so it's a middle everything . But the S90 , and I've been hearing the same opinion from others for the past weeks , seems like the queen of compacts for now ( I hope the manufacturers start a fully manual compact cameras war now ) . I believe that , for most buyers , the S90 will always be the smart choice !
033 4 The images shot by the S90 is simply phenomenal ! It comes mighty close in quality to my DSLR camera , a Canon 450D . ( for those unfamiliar with photography lingo , a DSLR , which stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera , is what professional and semi-professional photographers use ) . I wish to highlight a few points on this camera . - Phenomenal Image Quality Most point-and-shoot ( or compact ) cameras have sensor size of about 1 / 2.5 . The S90 has a sensor size of 1 / 1.7 , much larger than sensors on most point-and-shoot cameras . As a rule of thumb , the larger the sensor , the sharper and better quality the image . ( By the way , the S90 has the same sensor size as the G11 . My DSLR , a Canon 450D , has a sensor size of 1 / 1.6 . ) With a larger sensor , the image quality of the S90 is simply superb ! The images are sharp and there is very little noise in even moderately well-lit environments . Very few point-and-shoot cameras hold a candle to the image quality of the S90 . - Images In Raw Format The S90 can capture images in JPEG and RAW format . Anyone who is serious or even semi-serious in photography should know how to manipulate images in the RAW format . ( Note : there is an option to capture every image in * both * RAW and JPEG . ) RAW vs . JPEG : RAW is an uncompressed and unaltered image as captured by the camera . JPEG is compressed , and the image quality is reduced as a result . RAW is one of the main selling points of this camera . A vast majority of point-and-shoot cameras do not have the ability to capture pictures in RAW format whereas ALL DSLR's are able to capture images in RAW format . Most point-and-shoot cameras save the captured images as JPEG ( . jpg ) format . RAW allows post processing . With the right software , you can create stunning images ! To learn more about RAW , here's a list of books : ( 1 ) Raw Workflow from Capture to Archives : A Complete Digital Photographer's Guide to Raw Imaging ( Paperback ) , ( 2 ) Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS4 , ( 3 ) Camera Raw with Photoshop For Dummies . - Compact Size Well , isn't that the whole point of a point-and-shoot / compact camera ? The S90 fits comfortably in the the size of your palm . The S90 will fit in your shirt pocket . To quote an oft-cited saying , the best camera is the one that's with you . The S90 is so compact , you can take it with you at all times . - - - The S90 captures the best quality images I've ever seen in a point-and-shoot ( or compact ) camera . It is small enough you can easily take it wherever you go . I can't recommend it enough !
078 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This is going to be more like a story than a product review , but maybe it will be helpful to others who were looking for the same features I was . First of all , I wasn't in the market for a camera at all : I have a Casio EX-Z750 that , frankly , is still nearly unbeatable in its class ( subcompact P & S ) . I happened to be browsing a recent B & H catalog and noticed the Olympus E-P2 - very attractive retro look ! Started reading up on it ( especially the outstanding information on [ . . . ] ) and decided I had to see one of these in the flesh . Found one at a local store , and while it's gorgeous , it's nowhere near as compact as I imagined from the catalog photo . And it has no viewfinder ( Casio does ) and no flash ! But it has a large image sensor and apparently amazing image quality . So I got to thinking : what else is out there that can do better than my beautiful little Casio ? I've always lamented its lack of RAW images , and eventually it will break , but pretty much everything about it is incredible . So my research turned up these cameras ( data largely gathered from [ . . . ] , with additional info from manufacturers ' websites ) : Camera | | Sensor size | | Aperture | | Focal length | | Flash Canon PS S90 | | .43 cm2 | | f / 2.0 | | 28 - 105mm | | Yes Olympus E-P2 | | 2.43 cm2 | | f / 2.8 * | | 17mm * | | No Panasonic LX3 | | .45 cm2 | | f / 2.0 | | 24 - 60mm | | Yes Sigma DP2 | | 2.85 cm2 | | f / 2.8 | | 24mm | | Yes * The Olympus camera has interchangeable lens ; the 17mm F / 2.8 was the fastest normal lens that fits my needs . The Panasonic's lens is a Leica that's very highly regarded . The Canon S90 is , by far , the most compact of the cameras in this group . The Olympus could never be considered a pocket camera . The Panasonic is somewhat larger than the Canon , though perhaps still pocketable . The Sigma is really too large for a pocket , though quite a bit more compact than the Olympus . All of these cameras have RAW mode . None of them has an integral viewfinder ( not many subcompact P & S cameras do , anymore , but I still like them for when the sun is shining directly on the LCD ) . I ruminated about all of this for quite a while before settling on the Canon . Its lens is excellent , the image sensor is the .43cm2 size ( 1 / 1.7 ) of the best-in-class subcompact P & S cameras , and it has RAW image mode . The other cameras were all larger - enough to be the deciding factor for me . But I really do like the idea of the very large sensor - eventually someone will offer a camera closer to my wishes , but there isn't one around at the present time . Concerning the camera itself : there's little need to repeat what's already been said very well by others . I've compared the JPEG images to my Casio ( which is probably the best I've seen on any camera for color balance , saturation , etc . ) and they're just as good . I haven't seen a P & S that does better . But having RAW image recording opens up a world of processing that's not possible with the Casio . There's some barrel distortion , but it's no worse than on any other camera with a similar lens ( and marginally better than the Casio , which can be fairly annoying ) . And , for the desperate , this can be corrected with PhotoShop and other software . My only real complaints have been voiced numerous times by others : the rear control dial looseness and the flash location . The control dial on the rear of the camera is outrageously loose . It's virtually impossible to use the camera in any mode but fully automatic without inadvertantly changing whatever setting the dial controls for the chosen mode ( the dial does nothing in full automatic ) . In fact , the entire control assembly of which it's a part is so poorly designed as to be an utter anomaly in Canon cameras . How on earth could they not notice such a shortcoming before releasing the product ? Nevertheless , I knew about this and had even tried the camera in a store , and it still didn't deter me from buying it . But it will be a constant nuisance . No doubt Canon will eventually get around to addressing this , but as it can't be fixed by a firmware update , those of us who bought this camera are stuck with it . Second , the location of the pop-up flash is absurd : it's at the top left front corner of the camera , exactly where my left index finger is all the time ! I've had the camera for exactly two days , and I can't count the number of times that the damn thing decided to pop up ( since it's usually preferable to leave the flash in automatic than turned off all the time ) and promptly retract after bumping into my finger , with the resulting restart camera error message . I hope that this doesn't eventually cause the flash mechanism to self-destruct , and , with luck , I may get used to holding the camera differently , but even though I knew about this before buying , it is unexpectedly annoying . Given the size and layout of the camera , it's not an unreasonable location for the flash , but still . . . So it's not quite the perfect pocket camera , but for me , it's the best currently available . I really miss a viewfinder , and that control dial and flash are a royal pain . But I finally got my RAW mode on a very compact camera with a good , fast lens and a larger image sensor . So I'll carry both the Casio and the Canon for a while until I decide which one will become the spare . I suspect the Casio might end up in a drawer - unless that dial on the S90 finally drives me crazy . UPDATE 5 / 24 / 10 After less than 2 weeks , the front control ring stopped working . A search on the internet turned up nothing on this , so it apparently isn't common . Returned for replacement ( as advised by Canon tech support ) . Oh well .

Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 - inch LCD ( Electronics ) This isn't a review of the S90 , but a reference to a decent compact camera case for it : Caselogic XNDC - 18 Ultra Compact Camera Case ( Black ) . I found this case to be a much sturdier alternative to the one referred to in the accessory links below , even though they are both from the same company . Unfortunately , the tags in my review of the case don't seem to flag it when searching for this camera .

106 4 This isn't a review of the S90 , but a reference to a decent compact camera case for it : Caselogic XNDC - 18 Ultra Compact Camera Case ( Black ) . I found this case to be a much sturdier alternative to the one referred to in the accessory links below , even though they are both from the same company . Unfortunately , the tags in my review of the case don't seem to flag it when searching for this camera .

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