Canon PowerShot S1 IS Digital Camera Review

Likes

-Movie button/Still Image Shutter button are separate, emphasizing a design style reminiscent of camcorders -Image stabilization feature a necessary inclusion for ultra zoom lens -Electronic Color Viewfinder makes it so that image viewing with this feature is accurate and easy to see with its larger size -Stitch assist allows for users to create panoramic scenes with ease and overlay options

Dislikes

-Poor automatic focusing: offsets effectiveness of image stabilization feature -Cumbersome metering features make using them overwhelming and aggravating -Although solid feeling, the substantial weight of this camera makes transporting this camera a bit of a process in itself -Viewfinder can, at certain angles, obstruct viewing of the LCD screen -Small LCD screen is minuscule compared to overall camera body size

Conclusion
With a low price of US$399, I was immediately attracted to this camera, hoping for strong manual controls, design layout and overall features. However, the rotating and flippable LCD screen seems toy-like and diminutive on a camera with such size and bulk. The fact that it is possible to replace the screen facing inwards is a great attribute and consideration when paired with the useful electronic color viewfinder detailed above. Its auto modes are simple to use, and many of the menus are quickly scanned and manual control changes, such as EV and white balance, neatly altered with expediency. However, the 3.2 MP, 1/2.7-inch CCD is much smaller than many of the similarly priced sleek and miniaturized models produced by other manufacturers. This impacted performance greatly with excessive noise in all shots taken at ISO 100 or beyond. Resolution was disappointing as well, producing images with far less megapixels then advertised. The 32MB CF Memory Card, added features and controls are a saving grace but purely as an imager, the S1 does not impress.