Canon Powershot S90 Reviews: Digital Compact Camera

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Score 9.1/10 Read 27
customer reviews

+ This digital camera scores high on features. - It has no outstanding negative points.

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Canon Powershot S90: See full product description

Ease of use	8.7
Image quality	9.4
Features	9.3
Build Quality	8.9
Value for money	8.7
Overall rating	9.1

Some customer reviews of Canon Powershot S90

Most helpful reviews

Steve, Sheffield Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: An excellent camera for those considering a compact camera to compliment their SLR, or someone wanting to experiment with more creative shooting modes (manual, aperture priority etc).
Bad points:: Expensive! However, not as pricey as a G11, and has the same sensor.

Ease of use	8.0
Image quality	9.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 28 Jun 2010

Roger, London Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: This is simply the best compact I have owned. I bought this as a companion to my DSLR and for shooting when I don't want to carry a lot of equipment.
Bad points:: It's a bit on the pricey side.

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	10.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 18 Jun 2010

DustyC, Fareham Professional photographer

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: RAW images and manual control on a camera that fits in your shirt pocket!
As a professional photographer having something as discreet and compact as this is ideal for certain assignments.
It also means I can now carry a camera everywhere I go.
Bad points:: Although the thumb wheel control is excellent it needs a lock out feature. You get used to it though.
I have also read reports that it is difficult to hold but I have no trouble. Maybe its just the Americans greasy fingers from all those fries!

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	9.0
Value for money	9.0
Overall rating	10.0

Was this review helpful? 3 of 5 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 17 Jun 2010

Dimitris, Kiato, Greece Experienced amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Awesome picture quality for a compact camera
Very good performance under low light conditions
Bad points:: Reviewer left no comment

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

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Confirmed purchase: 16 Sep 2010

Confirmed purchaser Keen amateur

Score 10.0/10

Good points:: Fantastic camera, even better than expected. Bought to replace a Powershot S60 and very impressed by how much better it is - very compact, big screen, no red eye ever, great night time pics, vastly improved battery life etc. Strongly recommend.
Bad points:: None

Ease of use	10.0
Image quality	10.0
Features	10.0
Build Quality	10.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	10.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 13 Jul 2010

Confirmed purchaser Keen amateur

Score 8.0/10

Good points:: Pleasing Image Quality
Comprehensive Features
Compact and Portable Design
Bad points:: I've seen comments on ergonomics, but this hasn't proven to be a problem for me because of the way I handle the camera. The newer S95 appears as if it may have addressed some of these issues.

JPEGs could possibly be a little sharper - but there is RAW, which is sharper.

Lack of HD video might be an issue for some.

It is now superseded by the S95.

Ease of use	7.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	8.0
Value for money	8.0
Overall rating	8.0

Was this review helpful? 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 13 Jul 2010

George, Thassos Greece Experienced amateur

Score 9.0/10

Good points:: Compact, good manual settings, good photos.
Bad points:: Operating buttons to unprotected to lock and inure functions.

Ease of use	9.0
Image quality	8.0
Features	9.0
Build Quality	8.0
Value for money	10.0
Overall rating	9.0

Was this review helpful? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Confirmed purchase: 04 Aug 2010

Read all 27 customer reviews

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Product Features

Camera Type	Compact
There are 2 main types of camera: The SLR and the Compact. SLR stands for Single Lens Reflex. SLR cameras use a prism to reflect the exact image as seen through the lens and so offers a more accurate viewfinder. SLR cameras have detachable lenses offering greater flexibility if you wish to take a variety of different photographs. Compact cameras have a built in lens and an ‘above lens’ viewfinder which is less accurate but they are often cheaper, more sleekly designed and easier to carry anywhere with you to capture that moment perfectly without having to fiddle with complex settings or a bag full of lenses.
Resolution (Megapixels)	10

Optical zoom ratio	4
The amount by which the camera optics (lens) can bring the subject closer.
Screen size (Inches)	3
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Digital zoom ratio	4
Not to be confused with optical zoom, digital zoom enlarges a portion of the image thus simulating optical zoom. In doing so, some image quality is lost.
Type of image stabiliser	Optical Image Stabiliser
If a photo is taken at a slow shutter speed, or at a long focal length, the effects of ‘hand shake’ will be amplified. Some cameras come with built-in image stabilisation which is designed to act against this to produce sharper images. It’s great for low light shots without a tripod, like at a gig.
Touchscreen	No
Touchscreen technology allows you to move and click things directly on the screen using your finger or a stylus pen.
3D	No

Colour	Black
The main colour of the product.
Media format	SDXC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	MMCplus Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SDHC Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
Media format	SD Card
This is the type of storage that your digital camera or camcorder uses to save images to. The main types of card media format: Compact Flash Micro SD MMC (Multi Media Card) SD Card (Secure Digital) SDHC (Secure Disk High Capacity)
PictBridge	Yes
An industry standard allowing images to be printed from camera to printer, without needing a computer. CIPA PictBridge Standard Website
Video recorder	Yes
Video recording functionality allows the capture of videos in mpeg or avi format which is great if you want to capture a whole scene, not just one moment.
Manual Focus	Yes
Almost all modern cameras have autofocus. Manual focus allows you to override the autofocus and set the distance yourself. This is especially useful if your camera is struggling to focus in a low-light or confusing scene.
Timer	Yes

Weight (g)	198
The weight of the product in grams.
Flash	Yes
Whether or not your camera has an in-built flash. Flashes are essential for fully capturing a low light image.
Body Only	Yes
dSLR cameras have detachable lenses and are sold in a variety of combinations. This facet lets you know whether the package your are considering comes bundled with a lens or whether it is just the body of the camera.
WiFi	No
Wifi allows you to connect your device to wireless routers or modems which allows you to connect to broadband internet.
Shortest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/1
This is the fastest speed at which the camera can take a photo. Faster shutter speeds really freeze the action and are great for sports photography.
Longest shutter speed (Fractions of a second)	1/15
This is the longest exposure your camera will take. The longer you take a photo for, the more light is let in and the more motion is captured. Long shutter speeds can give fantastic, artistic results. Try photographing the night sky at 30s or longer to see how the rotation of the Earth causes the stars to curve through the scene.
Waterproof	Yes
If your camera is waterproof you will be able to film under water which is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
Viewfinder	Yes
USB port	Yes
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components.
Dimensions (mm)	100x58.4x30.9
The size of the device in millimetres, in width x height x depth.
RAW Format	Yes
GPS Receiver	No

Release date	2009-09-03
The date the product was originally made available for purchase.
Height in mm	58.4

Width in mm	100

Depth in mm	30.9

Serial Shot Mode	Yes
Bluetooth	No
Bluetooth is a technology for the wireless transfer of data such as contacts, photos and music between mobile phones, computers and a host of other Bluetooth enabled devices. Read more about Bluetooth on Wikipedia
Autofocus	Yes
Changeable Lens	No
Highest focal length (Millimetres)	105

Lowest focal length (Millimetres)	28

Also known as: PowerShot S90, Canon S90, PowerShot, S90

Digital Cameras Buyers' Guide

Manufacturer's Description

Features

High-sensitivity 10 MP CCD
f/2.0, 28mm wide, 3.8x zoom lens, with IS
Compact design & lens Control Ring
3.0 LCD
Dual Anti-Noise System with DIGIC 4
Full Manual control & RAW
Smart Auto mode & Servo AF/AE
Face Detection
i-Contrast
VGA movies (30fps) & HDMI

Creative control. Pocketable performance.

High-sensitivity 10.0 MP sensor
A high-sensitivity CCD sensor gives outstanding image quality in a wide variety of lighting conditions. Even images taken at high ISOs show exceptionally low noise levels and a wide dynamic range.

Wide & bright
A bright f/2.0 aperture allows exceptional versatility, capturing low-light images and fast-moving subjects at higher shutter speeds. A wide angle of 28mm lets you put more in the frame, while Canons optical IS reduces blur caused by camera shake.

Compact control
The PowerShot S90 combines pocket-sized proportions with a sophisticated lens Control Ring, to which functions such as step zoom, exposure, focus, and ISO can be assigned for fast, easy adjustment.

3.0 PureColor LCD II
A 3.0 PureColor LCD II screen (461K dots), with wide viewing angle, makes framing and reviewing shots a pleasure.

Dual Anti-Noise System with DIGIC 4
Working with the high-sensitivity image sensor, Canons DIGIC 4 processor delivers vastly improved noise performance across the ISO range. Shoot full-resolution images up to ISO 3200, or expand to ISO 12800 in (2.5MP) Low Light mode.

Full Manual control & RAW
For creative control while shooting, the PowerShot S90 features Full Manual mode. The option of RAW shooting with support for Canons Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software provides complete control over image parameters during post-shoot editing.

Smart Auto and Shooting Modes
Smart Auto mode analyses subject brightness, contrast, distance, hue and movement. Intelligent Scene Detection Technology then selects the scene type from 22 variables, applying the best settings for optimum output. 25 dedicated shooting modes are also available including Nostalgic and VGA movies.

Intelligent technologies
For perfect portraits, Canon Face Detection technologies include FaceSelf-Timer and Face Select & Track, which tracks focus for a chosen person in the frame. Also included are Canons blur-beating Motion Detection Technology and Servo AF/AE, for accurate focus and exposure on moving subjects.

i-Contrast
In shooting or playback, enhanced i-Contrast optimises dynamic range according to the scene – retaining detail in shadows and preventing overexposure of highlights. The result is natural images with the best possible contrast.

HDMI terminal
An HDMI mini output terminal lets you display still shots on any HDMI compatible TV without loss of quality.

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