Canon PowerShot S2 IS Digital Camera

Image stabilizer really works!

By Yahoo! Shopping User  Jul 18, 2005 | 199 out of 202 found this Canon PowerShot S2 IS review helpful

Pros: size, weight, IS, uses AA rechargeable batteries, great zoom

Cons: needs adapter for wide-angle lens (optional), focus slightly off

I have several digital cameras including the Canon Digital Rebel with several different lenses. I felt I needed a smaller, lighter-weight camera that 'did it all' instead of carrying the Rebel with several different lenses when walking around.... I had read the reviews on this camera and most were excellent. Even the camera stores raved about this camera so I decided to buy it. I don't like the electronic viewfinder and the LCD screen doesn't work too well in bright sunlight but the picture quality is really outstanding. I went to the Santa Barbara zoo and took photos of animals using the full telephoto range (equivalent of about 400 or more mm) and used the image stabilization. The shots were absolutely gorgeous even blown up 3 times. The detail on the fur, eyes, etc. was incredible! On the other hand, I tried to focus on a bird's head while still including some of the surrounding background. The photo had the head slightly blurred while the background grass was sharp and clear. I don't know if it was my fault or the fault of the camera focusing slightly incorrectly. I did NOT use spot focusing which may have produced a better shot. I used one of the evaluative metering systems instead. The camera was lightweight and easy to carry around compared to my Rebel. I tried out the macro capability while shooting pics of the lion who just luckily was snoozing right next to the glass of the cage. I was just amazed at how sharp and clear the photo was of his face! I tried to take shots of the frogs, snakes, centipede, etc. but they were in darkened cages with dirty glass and my shots showed the dirty glass clearly while the critters were slightly out of focus. Again, it may have been something I could have improved upon with different settings. Shots taken with an ISO of 400 showed up with a visible graininess but shots taken using ISO 50 or 100 were so detailed and sharp. This has been a complaint of this camera. I did purchase the lens adapter and wide-angle lens (at additional cost) but have not used it yet so can't comment on it. I wish Canon would have made this camera so it didn't need such a large adapter ring to accomodate filters. I like to keep a UV filter on my lens at all times to protect it from scratches and the only way to do that on this camera is by attaching it to the end of the adapter which adds additional length to the front of the camera. Overall, I really love this camera and it takes wonderful pictures. I'm sure it will be the one I grab for times when I'm walking around and want a good zoom range. The image stabilizer is a fantastic addition and IT REALLY WORKS even when the lens is fully extended. There is no way I would have been able to use a telephoto lens at anything above 200 handheld and gotten the sharpness and details this camera produced. Read more Less