Canon PowerShot S500 Digital Camera Review

Value (6.5)
The Canon PowerShot S500 is a great digital camera with a host of options and a reasonable price between US $400 and US $500. For a 5 megapixel imager that performs well all around, with excellent handling and ease of use, the Canon PowerShot S500 is a great value. Its price point is comparable to several digital cameras on the market, but the S500 manages to get it right by combining the right elements of handling and ease of use all across the board.

Comparisons
The Canon PowerShot S500 has a MSRP of $499.98, but can be found online and in stores for about a hundred dollars less. As a 5 megapixel camera designed for the point-and-shoot audience, it can be compared to several other digital cameras.  

Sony DSC-P100 The Sony DSC-P100 is the smallest camera in this list, but it can carry its weight among comparable 5.0 megapixel contenders. The Sony DSC-P100 boasts competitive image quality with its Carl Zeiss lens. The camera’s small size and weight may dismay some users, but Sony’s engineers have managed to cram in a plethora of options while increasing the camera’s speed over the Sony DSC-P100, and put a 1.8-inch 136K LCD screen on the back. The P100 is much smaller than the Canon PowerShot S500, and because of this, the S500 is an easier digital camera to manage and handle. But if small size is your bag, then the P100 is certainly worth a look.

Nikon Coolpix 5200 The Nikon Coolpix 5200 ($499) has many features similar to the Canon PowerShot S500, and, as with most cameras in this price point, the differences are subtle. One such difference is that of LCD size and resolution. The Nikon Coolpix 5200 has a 1.5-inch LCD with a resolution of 110K. Compare this to the 1.8-inch, 134K LCD screen on the PowerShot S500. The Nikon Coolpix 5200 is approximately the same size, with a small protruding handgrip that aids in shooting but takes away from portability. One unique feature on board the Nikon 5200 is its Auto Red-Eye fix. The more streamlined design of the PowerShot S500 and its extreme ease of use put it slightly higher on list than the Nikon 5200. No doubt, these cameras are close, measure for measure, but my pick would be the S500.  

Olympus C-60-- In the Olympus line of point-and-shoot cameras the Olympus C-60 ($449) model is quite comparable to the Canon PowerShot S500. The Olympus has a slightly higher megapixel count at 5.9 MP, as well as some subtle settings, such as super high resolution. Pound for pound, the two cameras are very similar. There aren’t as many movie mode options on board the Olympus C-60, compared to the multiple frame rate options on board the Canon. This technology is likely borrowed from Canon’s camcorder division. Additionally, the Olympus is slightly heavier, at over 8 oz, than the Canon PowerShot S500. Again, for overall design and portability, the S500 might be the smarter choice. But the Olympus, as with all these digital cameras, is worth checking out.  

Konica-Minolta’s DiMAGE G500-- The DiMAGE G500 ($449) camera has a comparable zoom (3x) and megapixel count (5.0) to the Canon PowerShot S500, but it is a bit wide, with a heavier weight (8.3 oz) which can hamper portability. The DiMAGE’s 15 fps movie mode is also a bit of a disappointment. With a smaller 1.5-inch 118K LCD screen, users who like increased size and resolution on the camera’s body might look elsewhere. The Konica-Minolta DiMAGE G500 does have three image quality modes, and a low ISO option of 50.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – The Canon PowerShot S500 is definitely a point-and-shoot camera, with a sleek design and intuitive layout. Consumers who like ease of use and care about the way their gadgets look would be happy with this camera.

Budget Consumers – Not a bad choice at all for the consumer on a budget. Overall great images can be achieved on the Canon PowerShot S500.

Gadget Freaks – Of course the chic design will have gadget freaks clamoring for the Canon PowerShot S500 to help improve their Geek Chic persona. There are perhaps not as many buttons on board as a true freak might expect; look to the inside and to the way it looks this time.

Manual Control Freaks – The Canon PowerShot S500 is a decent camera for those who like to control their images. There are enough options available, but the number of selections possible within those features might dismay the avid manual control freak.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – Definitely not a serious photographer’s choice. Great for a vacation camera, but hard core digital photography “pros” will likely see this as another consumer toy.