Viewfinder (7.0)
The Canon PowerShot S1 has a Color LCD Viewfinder with 100% picture coverage, allowing for images to be displayed both upon the Viewfinder and the LCD screen.

LCD Screen (6.5)
The Canon PowerShot S1 comes with a 1.5-inch, 114K pixel color LCD screen on the back of the camera body that offers a picture coverage rating of 100%. The LCD screen is mobile and will extend and rotate as well as snap back into the camera facing outwards when needed. Unfortunately, it is not a very large screen and may pose issues for those far-sighted users.

Flash (6.5)
The Canon PowerShot S1 can set the flash to automatic, or turn it on or off. Red-eye reduction is available in both active modes. There is no accessory shoe available so the user will have to make due with the stock flash available.

Zoom Lens (8.0)
The 10x optical, 3.2x digital zoom lens gives the Canon PowerShot S1 an advantage in its price bracket. Stock zooms with this type of range are hard to come by, particularly with an image stabilization function. Fortunately, the S1 also has conversion capabilities, offering an additional WC-DC52A Wide-Angle (26.6mm) and TC-DC52B Telephoto (608mm) lens with the purchase of the LAH-DC10 lens adaptor. As the first Canon camera to have the IS system since the Pro90, the Canon S1's zoom lens is designed for close telephoto shots with little blur and noticeable camera shake. Acting somewhat like an invisible tripod for the ultra zoom shot, the image stabilization function will help the user get closer in on the action without fear of blur or motion, giving the S1 a distinct advantage over most other compact ultra zoom cameras that rely on a fixed lens.