Canon PowerShot S110 Digital Camera Review

Handling

The Canon S-series has always had one specific reason for existing: your pockets are only so big. The S110 is no different than previous S-series cameras in this regard, with a tightly designed body that easily slips in and out of a pocket or small bag. While the end result is more or less the same, we're disappointed to see that some of the rubber touches on the S100 have been eliminated. The small rubber inlay on the front of the S100 is no longer there, while the rear rubber thumb rest has also been replaced by a small plastic ridge to push against.

The coating on the S110 provided a bit of tack when we were shooting with the camera, and bare handed we never felt like it would slip out of our hands. The matte paint also helps prevent finger prints, though the top plate is still a glossy plastic that can get marked up. Overall we found the camera to be adequate for shooting during the day, and it's easy enough to stow in your jacket pocket and forget about when you don't need it.

Buttons & Dials

The S110's physical design is very well refined, with most of the buttons and dials being tailored just right for the user. The camera has two main control dials, one around the lens and one on the back that also functions as a four-way directional pad. The ring dial is fantastic, as it has been on all the recent S-series cameras, while the control dial has been tightened up just a bit to prevent errant adjustments.

The shutter button on the S110 is great, and it's quite easy to find a half-press for focus and exposure lock. The other buttons on the S110 are easy to operate, but they're crowded around the rear control dial. While this placement leaves room for the thumb rest, their location makes the camera slightly harder to operate in dim lighting.

Display(s)

The Canon S110 uses a 3-inch, 461k-dot rear touchscreen LCD. It's practically identical to the one found in the S100, save for the touchscreen operation. Unlike with the recently released Canon EOS M or the Rebel T4i, the menu system on the S110 doesn't particularly facilitate touch operation. In our time shooting with the camera we frequently forgot about the touch functionality. While Canon earns points for making the touchscreen as unobtrusive as possible, in our opinion it isn't of great benefit.