Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Consumers Report

Consumer ratings: Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

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Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Report

Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Review by Rishikesh Bhalerao (Boston, MA, United States)

I have been a dedicated film camera user for several years and a skeptic of digital photography. Until now.

I chose the Canon S50 after about two months of research into contemporary cameras. I relied upon a digital photography portal called "Digital Photography Review" to compare different models, and then used Amazon to compare prices. If you are making the move to digital, it is wise to factor in the price of image editing software (I use --and highly recommend--Adobe Photoshop Elements), an upgraded memory card, and an additional battery. The S50 does not come with a case, so add that to the list as well.

There has been some fair criticism leveled at digital camera manufacturers for their emphasis on mega pixels. I cannot argue with this; however, having 5-mega pixels over 4 (at a slight price premium) does give you the flexibility to later crop images to your liking, yet, retain good resolution. One of the common complaints against the S50 (over the slightly less expensive 4-mega pixel S45) is the issue of purple fringing at wide angles. My own experience has been that, even at the widest angle, color distortions are virtually non-existent in this camera. The image quality is excellent and skin tones are very good even when using a flash. The flash is a tiny band at the top right (when you face the lens) but, despite its small size, it is very effective for indoor pictures. The camera is quite small for all it can do. The number of manual controls is astounding; I have a feeling this camera offers much more creative freedom than my previous one, a film SLR from the mid-eighties, which came with three detachable lenses, a separate flash unit, and a large carrying case that, when filled with all equipment, weighed about 8 pounds!

Digital cameras generally have one drawback--shutter delay, and this is one area that the S50 does not perform well. I have seen shutter delay to vary between almost no delay to little more than a full second. Of course, I have not used other digital cameras, so I cannot tell how this compares. Another weakness is the flimsy lens cover: you have to be careful when closing the cover. I also managed to scratch the LCD screen within a few days of receiving the camera, although this does not affect the images in any way. A protective case would have helped (why doesn't Canon include one!). The included compact flash memory card has a capacity of only 32MB. I would recommend buying a much larger card (such as a 512MB card) that can store a very large number of images (several thousand at lower resolutions). With a large card, the battery inevitably runs out out before the card is full. Buy a spare!

Overall, I enthusiastically recommend the S50, especially if you are making the move away from film cameras. The S50 has irreversibly drawn me away from film cameras, even though I did not think that was possible just a year ago. Perhaps it will also transform your perspective.

Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Review by Vee (NY)

I think I've found the perfect digital camera. Check out the positives and negatives with the PowerShot S50.

Positives: (where do I begin?)
* Made of solid, sturdy metal. Feels like a real camera not a cheap plastic toy like other digital cameras.
* Has features galore!!! Has standard features plus some pretty nice extras such as:
-customizable flash-can change the strength of the flash, helping to prevent washed out pictures which is common with most digital cameras when you use the flash.
-flips landscapes pictures that would normally appear sideways. the camera lets you flip these pictures rightside up so you won't have to do it on your computer.
-can take panoramic pictures.
-the camera is customizable! What does this mean? This camera lets you customize the startup screen. You have an option between clear blue water, evening skyline or a sitting bird. You can change the startup sound, your options include a default theme, science fiction and animal sounds(dog barking or bird chirping). These sounds are designed to presumably match the startup screens but they can be mix and matched. The shutter also has various sounds you can choose from. All these sounds can, of course, be turned off.
-this list goes on and on. Check this camera out to see everything.
* Superb true true-to-life daytime and night pictures.
* Pictures come out crisp and sharp with or without the flash, in brightly lit or darky lit areas.
* What you see is what you get. What you see on the LCD screen is usually how the pictures will appear on your computer monitor or when you print them out. The LCD, when you press lightly on the shutter button, will show you actually how the picture will appear once viewed on screen or on paper. So if your LCD has a bright contrast and you are in a dark room, when you press the shutter button lightly, the LCD will adjust itself to the actual lighting of the room. There will be no deception and you won't have to wonder why the pictures look lighter on the LCD than on the computer screen or in print.
* Can record mini movies with sound.
* Uses compact flash card.
* Unbeatable price.

There is much, much more that I can add on to this list but you will have get this camera and see for yourself.

Negatives:
* Joystick navigator takes some getting used to. Very hard to maneuver through the menus resulting in accidently going to the wrong options.
* There is no power button. You have to shut the lens' lid to turn off the camera. This makes me nervous. I'm always scared that this will somehow damage the lens.
* The macro setting isn't the best. Sometimes the macro pictures can appear blurry.
* Uses the very expensive NB-2L rechargable battery as opposed to inexpensive, more common rechargables such as NiMHs or other types. Plus NB-2Ls can only be used with PowerShot S30, S40, S50 cameras and Elura 40mc camcorders.

Get the Canon PowerShot S50 if you want superior quality in a small package.

Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Review by Woo Song (Irvine, CA USA)

INTRO:
I've had this camera now for 2 weeks and absolutely love it. I already have a Sony F707, and was looking for a camera to take around that still had the 5 mp output, but a smaller form factor. When it came down to it, it was either this camera or the Olympus C50Z and I'm glad I decided on the S50. You just can't beat the Canon for features and design. Plus, the C50Z supposidly doesn't have a mic for video.

PROS:
From what the reviews have said, this is just a scaled down version of the Canon G3, but with 5 mp output vs. 4 with the G3.

It's got a very solid construction and I love the brushed metallic look of the body. It's not quite pocket sized - I tried lugging it around in my pocket for a day...a little bulky for that, but i'd say it's a great compromise for those that want more features than what the digital Elph series offers.

Speaking of which, it's got a great bundle of features. Images are bright and very real to life. From what I can tell, it's very similar in general shooting modes as my Sony. I leave the camera glued to Program AE, as I seem to get the best quality and still have the ability to adjust the different modes on the camera. The continuous shooting mode is excellent and the intervalometer (time lapse photo shooting) is definitely a nice new feature. Further the stich assist and video modes with sound make it a better buy over the C50Z.

Also, the camera is very fast - from taking it out of the bag to turning it on, it's a little less than 4 seconds and it's ready to shoot.

Further, the camera uses non-memory lithium ion - I have yet to drain the battery fully from a days worth of shooting. I almost never turn off the view finder and the battery's held up like a champ. It also uses standard compact flash, which I picked up at Amazon (256mb Viking) [at a good price]after rebates. Just can't beat that...

COULD IMPROVE ON:
The only thing with the construction that got me a little concered was the slide door for the lens. If you moved it a certain way, it can move up and down. Still, the overall construction is very solid.

The macro is pretty average. It says in the guide that you can get as close as 5 cm or thereabouts, but the closest I could get in focus was about 3 inches. I guess it's the size of the optics.

Also, why only the black? I really like the brushed stainless look of the S45, but you can't get that flavor with the S50. From what I've heard, it's only available in Europe. I guess it's a marketing thing, but still... Don't get me wrong, I like the black, but it'd be nice to have the choice and black tends to show dust quite easily.

And while I like that it uses standard compact flash, I've noticed it's a little slower in tranfers and reading than Sony Memory stick.

Anyway, these are negligible issues and overall, Canon has really outdone themselves again.

More Reviews...

Canon PowerShot S50 5MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom:: Description

x 32 MB CompactFlash English F/2.8-4.9Stylish pocket size fully featured digital camera. With 13 flexible shooting modes and new Canon technologies this is the ideal camera for taking photos in all situations. The

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