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Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH Digital Camera

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4.1 out of 5.0 stars 242 Ratings (38 Reviews)

Product Description: Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH

The biggest breakthrough for the slim and trim ELPH line is the increased resolution of the PowerShot S500 Digital ELPH camera. Utilizing the same CCD sensor as is found on the top-rated PowerShot S50 and G5 model digital cameras, this five megapixel model captures JPEG images in SuperFine, Fine and Normal resolution modes and is also the first model in its class to...
The biggest breakthrough for the slim and trim ELPH line is the increased resolution of the PowerShot S500 Digital ELPH camera. Utilizing the same CCD sensor as is found on the top-rated PowerShot S50 and G5 model digital cameras, this five megapixel model captures JPEG images in SuperFine, Fine and Normal resolution modes and is also the first model in its class to offer 640 x 480 movie recording at ten frames per second for up to 30 seconds per clip. With the PowerShot S500 Digital ELPH, users also have the option of capturing 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 movies with sound at 15 frames per second for up to three minutes per clip.

The PowerShot S500 Digital ELPH features an ultra-compact and fast (f/2.8-4.9) 3x (36-108mm equivalent) optical zoom lens. The lens - with its seven-element design - also offers a wide Autofocus range from as close as two inches (in macro mode) to infinity. Canon has also extended the power and range of this camera's digital zoom to 4.1x (from a previous high on Digital ELPH Cameras of 3.6x).

For taking pictures on the fly, the S500 Digital ELPH camera offers a continuous burst mode that captures up to 2.2 frames per second at full resolution. The PowerShot S500 Digital ELPH model also has a shutter speed that extends to a fast 1/2000 of a second and features a built in flash with a range of up to 11 feet and automatic, red-eye reduction and slow synch settings. The camera's sharp, clear and easy to read 1.5-inch LCD monitor even allows users to check the smallest of details thanks to a 10x playback zoom.

Product Specification: Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH

Megapixels:5 Megapixels
Optical Zoom:3.0 X
Digital Zoom :4.1 X
LCD Screen Size:1.5 in
Recording Method:CompactFlash
Product Line:PowerShot
Camera Type:Digital camera

User Reviews: Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH

  • Overall:

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    Great compact camera

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  May 1, 2004 | 204 out of 210 found this Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH review helpful

    Pros: Small size, solid construction, picture quality, good focus in dark situations. Really fast to power on and get ready for next shot. Good balance of features for a compact camera.

    Cons: Battery life could be better, does not use the same battery charger as other canon cameras, included memory card is small (but isn't that always the way)

    I bought this camera primarily for its portability. I have owned a Canon G3 for over a year and it is an incredible camera, but just too bulky to fit in a pocket. I wanted something that could be taken anywhere but would still take high quality shot...s. The S500 seemed to fit the bill.Image quality is excellent for a camera this small. It is NOT as good as the G3 (which is only 4MP), but that is hardly surprising given it's tiny lens. But you really have to put the two shot side by side to see that there is some room for improvement in the S500. The S500 is also really fast - much faster than the G3. You're ready to take the next shot in just a second which is really useful.The camera is the perfect size and weight. There are smaller cameras on the market, but anything smaller than the S500 is very hard to hold and keep steady. It is also a beautiful looking camera and feels really solid.For a camera this size it has some nice features like panorama mode and and AF assist light that allows it to focus in total darkness (more useful than I at first imagined it would be). The camera works with Mac computers right out of the box too. The first time I used the camera, the battery seemed to drain fast. I was using a lot of flash however. The battery indicator on the LCD only appears when the battery is almost dead which is not particularly useful. Probably a good idea to get a second battery. The battery charger is a sleve type device that you insert the battery into - you cannot charge the camera with the battery still in it like you can with other Canon cameras and video camcorders.One other disappointing thing was that my 1GB IBM Microdrive that I use in the G3 is too thick to fit in the S500 memory slot. The S500 is short on memory out of the box.Finally, I'm not sure whether it was worth paying the extra $100 for the S500 over the 4MB S400. Apart from the higher resolution, most other features are identical.All in all however, this is an excellent camera and probably one of the best in the compact class. Read more Less

  • Overall:

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    Powershot S500

    By Yahoo! Shopping User  Mar 24, 2004 | 59 out of 72 found this Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH review helpful

    Pros: 5.0 Megapixels; all of the features;panoramic ability;B/W pictures

    Cons: Price; included CF memory card is too small

    I have only owned traditional cameras. This is my first digital camera and it has brought me over! I will never buy another traditional camera again. The picture capability, features, and size of the camera are all very appealing. It can do everythin...g a traditional camera can do and more! Read more Less

Pro Reviews: Canon PowerShot S500 DIGITAL ELPH

  • PC World

    Canon PowerShot S500 Digital Elph

    Small 5-megapixel model doesn't include scene modes.The latest addition to Canon's popular pocket-size Digital Elph line, the $499 Canon PowerShot S500 retains its predecessors' elegantly designed, pocket-size format but adds 5-megapixel resolution. Read more

  • CNET

    Canon PowerShot S500

    Though the S500 is a respectable pocket snapshot camera, its performance and its feature set make it seem creaky next to the competition. Read more

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