Canon PowerShot S90IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD
Canon PowerShot S90IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD see short title
Product Rating:
The pocketable PowerShot S90 gives powerful everyday shooting. Shoot quickly with a lens control ring and get superior low-light performance with a high-sensitivity 10.0 MP CCD and f/2.0 lens.A high-sensitivity CCD sensor gives outstanding image quality in a wide variety of lighting conditions. Even images taken at high ISOs show exceptionally low noise levels and a wide dynamic range.A bright f/2.0 aperture allows exceptional versatility, captur... » full description
The pocketable PowerShot S90 gives powerful everyday shooting. Shoot quickly with a lens control ring and get superior low-light performance with a high-sensitivity 10.0 MP CCD and f/2.0 lens.A high-sensitivity CCD sensor gives outstanding image quality in a wide variety of lighting conditions. Even images taken at high ISOs show exceptionally low noise levels and a wide dynamic range.A bright f/2.0 aperture allows exceptional versatility, capturing low-light images and fast-moving subjects at higher shutter speeds. A wide angle of 28mm lets you put more in the frame, while Canon's optical IS reduces blur caused by camera shake. « short desciption
User Reviews
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Review Date: 2009-11-24
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.
User: Anant
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Low Light P&S
Helpful Votes: 0
Total Votes: 0
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Review Date: 2009-11-24
I was very excited when I received this camera...well my excitement was short lived. I may have gotten a lemon because the pictures taken with my canon sd990 was a lot clearer, sharper and cleaner. My sd990 would take low light picture at iso 400 and s90 would take it at iso 800. Both were set on Auto. I compared those pictures that were taken at the same iso 800 and the pictures of s90 was blurred and noiser. Some has white patches on it. I have no choice but to return it back.
User: P22nut5
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Helpful Votes: 0
Total Votes: 3
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Review Date: 2009-11-21
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.
User: Jose A. Ramirez
Rating:
Summary: Portability, excellent control and very acceptable image quality
Helpful Votes: 3
Total Votes: 3
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Review Date: 2009-11-19
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:
[...]
User: Justin Shifrin
Rating:
Summary: The Canon S90, to Asia and Back
Helpful Votes: 1
Total Votes: 3
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Review Date: 2009-11-19
This camera does not do HD videos and in fact the videos out of this camera look no better than what smartphones can do. This is a huge oversight and a camera that costs this much should be able to do HD, something other cameras in this price range and size have been able to do now for over a year.
Also, the battery life is quite bad and will typically not even last you through the day of usage.
For me, these negatives outweigh any positives given that there is a camera that performs better image-wise, can do HD videos and has longer battery life, the Panasonic LX3 or Leica D-LUX 4 (these two are basically the same camera).
User: Mediahound
Rating:
Summary: Does not do HD videos/battery life is very short
Helpful Votes: 1
Total Votes: 17
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Product Details
- New 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System; DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- Improved low-light image performance, plus a Low Light scene mode for ISO settings up to 12,800
- Customizable control ring for easy access and operation of manual or other creative shooting settings
- Wide-angle 3.8x optical zoom with Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer; bright f/2.0 lens
- RAW + JPEG shooting and recording modes; capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
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