Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD
by Canon
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Our Price: $519.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD
Customer Review: Great point and shoot even if pricey.
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Customer Review: Best Camera in its class.
Summary: 5 Stars
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 LCDand 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.
Customer Review: Excellent Low Light P&S
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Customer Review: Excellent Camera with slight adjustment of holding it.
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Customer Review: Still Love it!
Summary: 5 Stars
We've had our S-90's for over 6 months now and still are amazed by them. 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!
Macros are fine for a point and shoot. There is a learning curve for using the manual settings... you definitely need to practice before going on that botany tour. And I still have yet to figure out how to get better dynamic range from it... I don't carry a tripod, which may be required for taking macros of white flowers without having the brightest white tones block together.
Videos are great... lovely crisp focus, good sound, zoom is not like a dedicated video camera, but if you only want to carry one camera, its fine.
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. Buy extra batteries for trips with no access to electricity... especially if you use lots of flash, use the focus lamp a lot, or shoot lots of video.
The camera makes truly excellent "guesses" about what you want when operated on auto. Again, for manual functions, study the manual... 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.