Pros: 12x zoom, good image quality, stabilization, good battery life, focuses quickly.
Cons: Lens cap falls off. SD card shares battery compartment. Set button in non-intuitive location.
The Bottom Line: If you want an SLR, but cannot justify or afford one, this will keep you happy. Lots of capability for someone wanting to get creative. (Or if you like buttons!)
yospiff's Full Review: Canon PowerShot® S5 IS Digital Camera
I bought this as a replacement for another camera with which I was unhappy with the image quality. I was also looking at the S3 IS in addition to this one. The S3 was only $50 more than the one I was returning, at $300, while the S5 was $400. I went with the $100 difference. I decided that the combination of 2 more MP, the hotshoe and the larger screen were worth the extra money and I would be happier in the long term for it. I've only had it a few days as of this writing, but I have not been disappointed.
Several others have already covered this camera in great detail.(Thank you for helping with my own buying decision!) I therefore intend on covering just my likes and dislikes and I will update as I use it more. I also do not have the breadth of experience with a large number of other camera's to compare it to. Please do not consider this to be a thorough evaluation.
This camera is NOT for people who want something simple. Although it will certainly function that way, it is truly overkill for that purpose. The camera has an intimidating looking array of buttons and switches clustered around it. (I have a reputation for liking lots of buttons!) One button choice I have to question is the location of the select button underneath the 4 way switch, rather than in the middle of it, as has become an accepted standard for a number of products. It is not as quick and initially it is taking conscious thought for me to remember where it is.
There is a shortcut button that can be assigned one of about 8 functions. I gave it white balance, but I would have liked a wider choice of things I could assign to it. Perhaps a means of programming any function into it would have been nice.
I am very happy with the picture quality. As expected, high ISO settings give more noise. I was got some very nice and crisp pictures at a nighttime football game halftime at ISO 200. (Using a monopod and 1/20th second exposure) I can see some minor noise in shadows, but nothing objectionable. At ISO 400, I can see some more noise, but at this resolution, it would only be an issue if I were going to severely crop. Just out of curiosity I bumped it up to the max of ISO 1600. Yuck! Even fitting the image to the screen, there was a lot of grainy noise visible. This is totally expected, of course, and it is there if it is the only way to get the shot.
My first outing with the camera was visiting the Alamo and San Antonio riverwalk. I photographed a dragonfly on a leaf from about 5 feet away, using some moderate zoom. Upon enlargement, I was able to make out the hairs on it's legs! I got some wonderful pictures and filled up a 2Gb card on this trip. I'm impressed.
My biggest complaint is the lens cap that falls off easily. While my wife was looking at the pictures I had taken on it, I was getting quite paranoid because the lens cap had fallen off and I was afraid she would scratch the lens. I will definitely be seeking an aftermarket replacement cap.
Update 9/29/07. This camera has a removable ring around the lens, that can be taken off to mount some Canon designed accessories. I also found a company that makes an adapter barrel which allows the use of standard 52mm accessories. Solves the lens cap problem and provides a couple of other benefits. (But that's another product review.)
The commonly used functions are easy to get at. Press the "function" button, and it displays a menu on the left of the screen. Up/down changes functions, while left/right makes adjustment to that function. Resolution and image quality (JPEG compression) are in the same function, and you need to press the "Set" button to change between them. I find that a little awkward to remember, but my fingers will learn the walk quickly enough.
I have been impressed with battery life with rechargeables. I presently have a set of 2650 mAh Duracells in it, and have put over 600 pictures on it without a low battery warning yet. I've used the zoom a lot, and some fill in flash occasionally, though I did turn off the continuous focus and continuous stabilization as soon as I got the camera. Expect less battery life if those are always running. I am one of the folks that prefers standard AA batteries if possible. It is a little more hassle to swap them out, but they are inexpensive, so I can have several spare sets on hand.
The batteries and SD card are both under the same door. I'm not happy about that, as I have had several cameras break the tabs that hold the battery compartment closed, and I would prefer to open it as little as possible. I'll trust that this has been better designed for a camera in this price range, but I won't know until after several years of use.
Update 10/14-07: On thing I have discovered I like, which I initially had not cared about, is the articulated viewscreen. It makes it much easier to frame shots from odd angles. I have also found I would have preferred a deeper handgrip.
Update 6/20/08: I have added an SLR to my photographic arsenal, but find I still use the S5 IS a lot. I prefer it for tripod shooting of still life and macros due to the articulated screen, and that the small sensor provides a deeper depth of field than my SLR at equivalent settings. The popular open-source CHDK software hack has recently been made available for the S5 and if you like experimenting, this can add a lot of capabilities to the camera, including the ability to shoot in RAW. Note however, that these RAW files are not the same as other Canon cameras generate. The programs that can open them are a limited selection at this time.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
The ultra-powerful 12x optical zoom on the PowerShot S5 IS means you ll get the shot you want with no compromise, yet that s only the beginning of wha...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.