Color (7.94)
Canon’s DIGIC II image processors will usually produce fairly accurate colors. We tested the S2’s color rendering capabilities by capturing a series of photographs of our industry standard GretagMacbeth color chart, which consists of 24 ideal colors. The photos are uploaded into Imatest Imaging Software, where the accuracy of the colors is analyzed. Pictured below is the color chart modified by the software. The inner rectangle shows the original color of the chart; the outer square shows the Canon S2 IS’s produced colors; the inner square is the adjusted version that most computer programs would produce.

The same information is shown in the chart below. The squares represent the ideal colors and the circles represent the tones produced by the Canon PowerShot S2 IS. The farther these shapes are from each other, the more inaccurate the S2’s colors are.

The Canon PowerShot S2 IS performed decently, but not as well as anticipated. The digital camera’s predecessor, the Canon PowerShot S1 IS, received an 8.8 color score. The new S2 took a step down from that with an overall color score of 7.94 and a mean color error of 7.56. The colors are over-saturated in typical digital-camera-style; the Canon S2 over-saturated by 14.1 percent.

Still Life Scene
Below is our classic still life scene as photographed by the Canon PowerShot S2 IS.

Click on the image above to view the full resolution file (CAUTION: the linked file is very large)

Resolution / Sharpness (3.45)
Unless you want photographs that look like Georges Seurat paintings, the resolution of a digital camera is very important. Most digital cameras market their megapixels as their main selling point, creating various expectations for sharpness in the consumer. Since there is a range of processing methods and various degrees of compression applied by each manufacturer, we attempt to level the playing field by counting the effective pixels in each produced image and reporting the score as a true pixel count and as a percentage of what the manufacturer marketed. Cameras that record 70 percent of the advertised count on our system are considered “good,” while models within 80 percent are considered “very good” and models within 90 percent are “excellent.”

Click on the res chart above to view the full size image

This PowerShot advertises 5 effective megapixels, so it is a bit disappointing that the software only reads 3.45 megapixels at work in the camera’s produced files. That is 68 percent of its advertised count, just short of even the “good” designation. The S2’s predecessor, the Canon S1, had similar problems; it recorded only 62 percent of its advertised count. The Canon PowerShot S2 IS’s resolution is disappointing as photographers will not be able to utilize the full 5 megapixels in printing and will face limitations when prints exceed 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 inches.

Noise - Auto ISO (3.69)
When the Canon S2 was left to select the ISO rating automatically, images were a bit noisy. The digital camera received an overall automatic ISO noise score of 3.67, which is extremely close to the S1’s 3.69 score. While Canon did implement the DIGIC II processor, the alteration did not reap much benefit in the way of noise reduction when ISO is set to auto.

Noise - Manual ISO (3.72)
The Canon PowerShot S2 IS offers an ISO range typical of a compact digital camera. We tested the noise levels at its 50, 100, 200, and 400 ISO sensitivities and used a regression analysis to determine the overall manual ISO noise score. Below is a graph showing the ISO ratings on the horizontal axis and the noise levels on the vertical axis.

The Canon S2 IS barely surpassed its auto score with a 3.72 overall manual ISO noise score. Noise levels increase as ISO ratings increase, but there is still a larger than normal jump from 200 to 400. These results are disappointing, but similar, although ever-so-slightly better than its predecessor’s 3.31 score.

Low Light Performance (6.25)
For photographers who go out to shoot after the sun goes down, we tested the low light performance of the Canon S2 IS. We took several exposures of the GretagMacbeth color chart at decreasing light levels. We tested the camera at 60 lux, which is equivalent to two soft table lamps. We also tested it at 30 lux, which is equivalent to the light emitted from a single 40-watt bulb. We also tested at 15 and 5 lux, which is near darkness and gives us a good idea of the sensitivity of the image sensor.

Low Light Tests
60 Lux	30 Lux
15 Lux	5 Lux

Images are increasingly noisy as the light decreases. However, the images retain their illumination due to the slow shutter speeds available on the Canon PowerShot S2 IS. The colors looked decent at 60 lux; the ideal inner rectangle is hardly visible because it is so similar to the outer square of color produced by the S2. From 30 lux to 15 and to 5, colors got muddier and muddier and noise became more prevalent. Therefore, the camera will record in low light, but image quality will be compromised.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot (7.72)
Canon significantly improved the start-up time from the earlier S1. The Canon PowerShot S2 takes 2.28 seconds to power up and snap its first shot. This is far better than its predecessor, but average compared to other compact models.

Shot to Shot (9.45)
The S2 IS can snap two shots per second, as seen in its 0.5-second shot-to-shot time. This is average for a compact model, but its endurance is impressive. When tested, this camera continued its burst mode until the memory card was full – about 100 images at full resolution.

Shutter to Shot (7.98)
Don’t let the camera’s SLR-shape fool you. It has a 0.51-second shutter lag time uncharacteristic of a high-quality DSLR.

Intro	Page 2 of 12		Physical Tour
Canon PowerShot S2 IS Digital Camera Review Navigation
Intro	Testing / Performance	Physical Tour	Components
Design / Layout	Modes	Control Options	Image Parameters
Connectivity / Extras	Overall Impressions	Conclusion	Specs / Ratings