Canon Powershot S2

[Bob Riggins]

I’ve been looking for a new digital camera have pretty much decided on the Canon Powershot S2 IS.

[Zach Matthews]

Hey Dunfly-

I don’t know anything about Canon at all so I won’t pretend to offer advice, but I will point out that by leaving the DSLR out of the picture, you open up a whole world of affordable underwater housings!

[fly-boy]

Hey Dunfly,

My major professor has this camera, but it’s the older Powershot S1 IS (3MP version).  She is a bird watcher, and last year had asked me to research which camera would best fit her needs.  At the time, the best “Ultra Zoom” point-and-shoot choices were the Olympus C-740UZ, the Panasonic FZ-3, and the Canon S1 IS.  The choices were narrowed down to the Panasonic and the Canon because they have “stabilized” lens capabilities.  She ultimately chose the Canon because of its compact design.  She has taken fantastic pictures with the S1 IS, and it was the closest thing she could get to a DSLR, but in a point-and-shoot body.  The internal stabilizer works well.  As Zach mentioned, the Canon has tons of accessories available.  She purchased the lens extender (seen here: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/s1is/s1_tele_lens.jpg ), and it works nicely…….but a tripod is a must when using the extender.  A wide-angle lens adapter is also available.    

A good review of the Canon S2 IS can be found here: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/s2is.html.  The main thing I don’t like about the Canon (which they didn’t improve on when upgrading the S1 to the S2) is the tiny LCD screen.  It’s so small…..that you almost can’t tell how well your picture came out.  

Be sure to check out the Sony DSC-H1, and the Panasonic DMC-FZ4 and DMC-FZ5 (the Panasonic’s also have a small LCD screen).  Reviews on all these cameras can be found here:  http://www.steves-digicams.com/cameras_dig5.html.  The Sony looks VERY promising……it has a large LCD screen, a front command dial, and an AF-assist lamp.  For me, it would be a tough choice between the Sony and Canon.  They are both compact, and almost exactly the same size.  In the Sony review (found here:  http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/sony_h1.html ), Steve states the following:

 The H1 presents a worthy alternative for consumer digicam users considering an upgrade to a consumer dSLR. While its image quality and viewfinder quality are not quite up to dSLR standards, the H1’s versatility is unmatched by any dSLR available today. If you have a need for megazoom focal lengths, the H1 also represents a terrific value; while dSLR image-stabilized long focal length lenses sell for thousands of dollars, the H1 can be had for under $500, image-stabilized zoom lens included.

If you’re looking for a light-weight, stylish, moderately-priced digicam that is versatile enough to handle most family events while getting you close to sports action or wildlife, the SONY Cyber-shot H1 should be high on your list. You should also consider the Canon PowerShot S2 IS. Both cameras carry similar specifications and are capable of delivering high-quality images. The S2 IS advantages include better Continuous AF tracking of moving subjects, industry-leading movie mode, articulating LCD monitor, faster shutter speeds, greater playback magnification, and greater continuous shooting speed and buffer depth. On the other hand, the H1 provides better indoor flash and AF-assist performance, a larger LCD monitor, lower image noise at high ISO settings, shorter shutter lag and faster AF performance.

It’s difficult to choose between these two high-quality digicams. Please have a look at our Sample Photos, including S2 IS comparison shots taken at the same time under identical conditions.

OK, enough babbling.  Hope this helps.

Kyle

[Bob Riggins]

Thanks Zach and Fly-Boy.

I read your comments and looked at the review link, along with a couple of more I found and decided on the Canon S2 IS.

[fly-boy]

It’s a fantastic camera……you’ll love it.

Kyle

[Author]

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