The pocketable PowerShot S90 gives powerful everyday shooting. Shoot quickly with a lens control ring and get superior low-light performance with a high-sensitivity 10.0 MP CCD and f/2.0 lens.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.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 Canon’s optical IS reduces blur caused by camera shake.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars love it so far
i just got this as a present. been using for a few weeks and absolutely love it so far. i’ve done a lot of photography with SLR’s over the years, and wanted a tiny, inconspicuous point and shoot, that i can have around at all times. this seems to be it. shooting at F2.0 on manual, with IS, means you almost never need flash. incredible!
5 Stars My “Derringer”
I’m not one to belabor camera specs that already appear in a manufacturer’s description, so this will be short and sweet. I have 33 years of professional photography experience, and am floored by the image quality (IQ) of this little camera! I immediately captured over 300 photos with it after I unpacked it, all indoor without flash, and was amazed at the little-to-no noise appearance in my images, many of them taken at a music concert. The build of the camera is not flimsy or plasticky, as aluded to in another review. I find it to be solidly built, and now call it “my little derringer”, that will go with me anywhere more easily than my Canon 40D.
If you want to ascend above the ordinary in a P&S camera, and can afford to do so, then go for it. It’s well worth it!
5 Stars The perfect camera?!
Of course, there is no such thing as the perfect camera. But man, does this come close! I have never been so happy with a camera — and I’ve owned quite a few.
Right off the bat, the sensor size is larger than on your average P&S (point and shoot) camera, but the resolution isn’t any higher. This allows the camera to take MUCH better pictures in low light. And you will be amazed at how good this camera is in low light! Short of a DSLR camera, it has no equal.
In addition, this camera is built for the serious enthusiast. Full manual controls make it almost like having a DSLR in your pocket! And there is a control dial plus a control ring — making it much easier to control your settings. Plus, a fast lens and the ability to shoot in RAW … no wonder so many photographers consider this the best pocket camera available. And yet, you can keep it in Auto mode and treat it like any other point & shoot.
Oh, and the LCD is truly beautiful!
The main thing that keeps it from being “perfect” in my estimation is the limited zoom: less than 4X. I need much more zoom. But I’d give it all up for this camera! And, if you want to use the camera as a camcorder, the standard definition video mode is a bit disappointing. Why not high-def, Canon?
The main problems with the camera are pretty minor. The control dial on the back is very loose and you have to be careful not to accidentally change your settings. It’s also a shame that you can’t independently set the control dial and control ring for whatever you want: instead, you have to choose among a number of pre-sets. It’s a little disappointing. And, if you are very serious, it’s worth noting the serious barrel distortion in RAW; but the camera takes care of that in processing JPEGs, so most will never know.
Some people complain about the build quality. Trust me, it’s perfectly fine. It’s light, which can be misleading. But there’s nothing wrong with the build quality. Perhaps they expect more for $400. I guess I can understand that. But I’m perfectly comfortable with the build quality.
The competition for this camera are the Panasonic LX3, the Fujifilm F200EXR, and maybe the Sony WX1 or TX1. The Sonys are good low-light cameras, but have no manual controls. The LX3 and the F200EXR are more serious cameras, but they are no better than the S90 and much more difficult to use. The S90 seems to get things right right out of the box more often than these others … from all that I have heard, anyway. I don’t have any of these cameras. But don’t discount ease of use when you consider the competition.
I give this camera the highest recommendation possible, even if it’s not quite perfect!
5 Stars After extensive researching …
I searched online for almost 30 hours, looking for a camera with a small form factor, that has excellent image quality & low light capability for my wife to take family & friend pictures, so it also needed to be simple to use. I have owned many cameras. The S90 has exceeded my perfectionist expectations. Fantastic photos. Low light abilities are incredible and the flash was terrific. Even with the red-eye correction off, no red-eye. Very surprised to have no red-eye with pictures of her cats. Amazing. Can take decent shots with 1 candle burning. The auto setting has been excellent. While not SLR fast, it was extremely quick for a P&S shoot camera. The RAW capability along with the manual controls are total overkill for her, but the camera is excellent for what I was looking for.
4 Stars Fantastic camera!
My very old Canon SD600 recently began to show its age (a terrific little camera during its prime, however), so I decided to gift it to my younger brother and get myself a new toy. After a few weeks of shopping, I finally bought a Canon S90. This little gem is amazing! It takes great pictures in low light, I enjoy the large LCD screen on the back, and the picture quality is stunning for a point and shoot. I have a few jealous friends who were surprised by the quality of pictures I was able to take, especially compared to their cameras. Having photographic bragging rights is nice. The creative abilities you have with the manual controls of this camera were a deal-maker for me. I work with DSLRs a lot, and having a large amount of those manual controls on a DSLR in a small, take-everywhere package was the most important reason I bought this camera. While one obviously cannot expect this to take pictures on quite the same level as a DSLR, the pictures are certainly superior to any camera I’ve seen of this size and price range on the market. The weight is nice, it feels really sturdy. The control ring on the front is a nice feature. I was worried it was going to be gimmicky, but it’s actually well designed. The other ring on the back doesn’t get in my way and I don’t have problems taking pictures with one hand. Just be careful to keep the wrist strap on, it can get a bit slippery. The customizable button the back is really nice. I set it to turn off the screen so I could save battery life between shots. The flash itself is great, it lights up a dark room nicely. Color swap/accent are nifty little features to have, also.
Some things I don’t like about this camera (unfortunately, it could not be perfect…) are the shutter release and main zoom control because it feels too plasticy for the $400 price tag. Everything else is fairly solid. Also the battery life leaves something to be desired. I did get about 450 shots on one charge, but the actual time spent shooting was short. I am buying a second battery to carry around with me. The camera is slightly larger than most point and shoots and it took me a while to find a case that properly fit without paying a fortune. I don’t think it’s as sleek looking as other Canons, but I understand that’s entirely subjective. The flash can be intrusive. It’s right where I put my finger. Thankfully, it comes up really forcefully, much stronger than I’m holding the camera so I’m not afraid of breaking it. It’s similar to someone rolling a car window up when your arm is still sticking out. You’re not going to break the window, but it is a little startling.
Overall, if you’re shopping for a pocketable camera with superior image quality and more manual control, there is not a better camera out there. You won’t be sorry for the money you spent.
