| Likes |
- Great videos
- Sturdy body
- Rotating LCD
- Accurate colors and white balance
- Optical image stabilization
- Wide f/2.7 aperture |
| Dislikes |
- High noise levels above ISO 200
- Significant chromatic aberration
- Limited dynamic range
- Heavy
- Finicky multi-selector
- Grainy viewfinder
- Slow 1.5 fps Burst mode
- High $499 price |
Conclusion
The Canon PowerShot S5 IS combines a few aged components with some new technology and upgrades. The 8-megapixel ultra-zoom digital camera has a 12x optical zoom lens that has made several appearances on previous S-series models. The 12x lens used to be considered long, but is now one of the shorter lenses on an ultra-zoom camera. Newer cameras have 15x and 18x lenses – and are less expensive.
The S5’s $499 price tag is steep and hard to justify when the competition is offering more features. In addition, the S5 doesn't perform as well as it should. Granted, its colors are beautifully accurate, but its dynamic range and noise levels are subpar, even when compared to less expensive compact digital cameras.
The S5 is still a great hybrid digital camera. It takes excellent video with stereo audio, and its 12x optical zoom and image stabilization are functional. If only the pictures were as good. The burst mode lags at 1.5 fps, the autofocus isn’t as quick as its DSLR-like body suggests, and noise renders some images nearly unusable. There are better options for the price.
