Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera with 3.8X Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Old Model)

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.

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! 12 21 2010 Still doing a great job! I've (gasp) dropped it onto concrete once. Still taking great pics!!! I really like the flexibility and the features. No regrets whatsoever with this little camera! I carry it with me every day (I bought a nice leather case that goes on my belt) and it's so easy to just take out quickly and snap a shot or two. I walk 3 miles each morning and I take it with me for some great sun rises and fog shots.