Canon PowerShot® S5 IS Digital Camera

Pros: Would be nice if it would not fail.
Cons: CCD problems; customer-relation problems.

I used a Canon powershot S1-IS for 1 1/2 year in the tropics; then it stopped working! The CCD showed only purple smears on a black background. Canon admits this same problem for about 20 other camera's, but not for the S1-IS, so no free repair.
Olympus, which used the same defect CCD material (from Sony) is different: they repair their defects for free no questions asked.

Pros: Optics 12x zoom easy to learn on
Cons: none that I've found after 2500+ shots...

Moving up from a complete p&s while educating myself about photography & shooting in the different modes (manual, aperture & shutter speed priority, etc), I have found that this camera was about the best camera for the job. The optics are top-notch for any camera anywhere near its price range, the 12x zoom is much more powerful & useful than that of most other cameras, and the camera's ability to take good photos in any level of automation is fantastic. I really have no complaints at all, especially given that I paid 319.99 + tax for it.

Pros: Zoom, Video, Flip out LCD screen, Pro features
Cons: Size, Lens cover

This is my first digital camera and I just love it. I am by no means a professional but the this camera is simple enough for the novice and has the added features that the more experienced photographer would want and need. It takes very good quality pictures and the 10x optical zoom rocks. I really love the flip out LCD screen. The only setback is the size which is bigger than I wanted but to get the features I was looking for I had to give up something. I would buy this camera again. I would recommend buying at least a 1GIG Compact flash card if you want to use the video feature, which is great as well.

Pros: Picture quality, Rotate-able view finder.
Cons: Price, a little on the pricey side.

I got this camera as a birthday present and I have been extremely impressed.

The picture quality is awesome and it responds pretty quickly to taking pictures.

I had an old HP camera which I thought did well but after getting this camera I am very impressed.

One of the reasons I went with this camera is because of the bigger size, it fits better in my hands, and because what you see in the viewfinder is what the camera is seeing so no guessing what your picture will look like.

Pros: Video quality and picture quality is awesome. 10X zoom is top knotch.
Cons: No focus control and AVI format takes up a lot of memory.

30 Frames Per Second AVI format. HOWEVER! A 128MB Compact Flash card can hold only 1 minute of video. The quality is awesome, but you better spend the bucks for a good 2GB card, you'll be able to take 16 minutes of video on that.
The USB interface is USB slow, and the video processing is slow too. After you take your video, it takes approximately 1 second per megabyte to process. Sounds fast? Not really, immagine taking 16 minutes of video at 2 Gigs, you're talking 200 seconds of processing which is about 3.5 minutes.

Pros: LCD rotates ecerywhere. Many options. Good battery life.
Cons: LCD monitor too small to see the real deal.

i had Canon S1 IS for a year and half..and it broke today - ON CHRISTMAS EVE!! Aghhh... it would record my pictures deleting the old ones after i shut camera down and then turn on on again.

On the other hand... 3.2 MP is not the best choice. :(

Battery life is fairly good :)

LCD screen - I have MAJOR problem with that - the picture on a screen is not the same as on computer screen. After you take a picture you will be amazed how sharp and perfect your pic looks on the camera screen. When you download it to your computer you might be very disapointed. The quality wouldn't be the same. AND it turns MUCH MUCH darker on a computer and on a printed pictures than you see on your camera screen. So it is not "what you see is what you get". :(

very cool looking camera :)

I like how you can tilt the LCD screen at any angle you want :)

cap is always loosen :(

To make my long story short: I delete 80% of the pictures because they dont look good at all.

Pros: 10X zoom, AA batteries as power source, camera options plentiful, picture results great
Cons: LCD too small, lens cap poor, no autofocus assist, no hot shoe

You can point and shoot with this camera, or go manual and be creative. Many options to choose from, once you get the hang of the menus and buttons. Manual is very detailed and it doesn't take long to figure things out. Video capture is excellent. Picture quality is great, although low light presents a challenge. Image stabilization works great, and combined with the 10X zoom that is what made me buy this camera.

Pros: Fast upstart, several capture modes, full manual control, big zoom,excellent images, Cannon quality
Cons: No provisions for RAW photos.

Excellent weight balance allows for comfortable feel in ones hands. All buttons are easy to access and utilize. Many people complain about the lens cap falling off easily which is true and by design. If the camera lens is activated with the cap in place if just pops off and no damage is done, by design! There is noise at ISO greater than 400 but you can photoshop the noise away. I've taken around 2000 photos with mine and they improve as my knowledge of various settings improve. I would recommend this camera to anyone who doesn't want the burden of carrying around an slr with a series of lenses. I did add a lens hood capped with a UV filter to protect the lens. I would recommend everyone do that since its very inexpensive.

Pros: user friendly, perfect zooming, quality photos
Cons: battery life

The first time I used Canon S5 IS was really great. I will not trade in this camera for any other brand. The zooming feature of Canon S5 IS gives the most accurate result as every photographer wanted.

Pros: Image stabilizer, extra features, zoom is great, able to change lenses.
Cons: It's a little bit bulky, but does fit in my photo vest pocket.

My brother bought one and I needed a new camera. It is great. I'm no expert and I tend to move when I shoot a picture. The image stabilizer (IS) stops it from coming out in the photo.
I recommend to buy a 256 MB compact flash card with it.
I recommend it to anyone.

Pros: Easy operation, settings, etc.
Cons: Menu's may be a little difficult for novices

Very good camera. Great for those new to the digital world as it is easy to use and will grow with you as you learn more about the format.

Great photo's!

Get some rechargeable batteries! Goes through regular batteries like a kid through sweet tarts. But last forever with rechargeables.

Pros: Makes you feel like a pro when you're not!
Cons: not much, lens cap and focus and close range

I'm not a pro - but this camera makes you feel like one. I have three beautiful children under the age of 5 and I love taking pictures of them. I have taken many amazing quality pictures that I have emailed out to many family - they reply back, what kind of camera do you have - "amazing pictures". I also bought the Canon Pixma iP 60000 color printer - it too is fantastic. Quick speed and high quality prints. I am very happy I went with Canon - difference of night/day compared to my former Kodak.

My only issues with the camera is the lens cap does not affix onto the lens like my sony handycam (not really a big deal)and that the camera has some difficulty zooming and focusing in close range. Other than that I highly recommend buying the camera $399 and the printer $179.

Pros: Good Zoom Good Picture Quality Wonderful Movie Mode
Cons: The shot to shot speed and the flash recycle time are rather slow.

If you have less than $300 and want to buy a nice camera (not just those flaky point and shoots), the S5 is defiantly your best choice. Here's why

Let's start out with the features. First, the megapixel-age. The camera is 8 MP (which is higher than most cameras on the market). This means you can print up to 30x40 inch photos without them appearing grainy.

However the megapixels is not the only thing a camera needs. The S5 has an amazing optical zoom. A 12x optical zoom to be exact! Combined with the digital zoom you can get up to 48x closer with the S5 (you should use this in movies, since it does not lose quality).T

The S5 also has tons of features such as a Red-Eye Correction, face detection, etc.

The Movie Mode is amazing. You can zoom while taking the video and even take pictures while taking the video.

Pros: Great beginner camera. Professional Look.
Cons: Costly for a 3 megapixel camera; Lens cover sucks

I love this Camera. Bought it simply b/c of Canon name and it's professional look. Takes great pictures, fairly lightweight, and the Image Stabilizer works like a charm. I am not pro photographer by no means, but I would highly recommend this for beginners. I actually plan to by the newer S2 IS model out now. The lens cover sucks and doesn't stay on half the time, very annoying.

Pros: Simple point and shoot in AUTO, zoom and image stabilization fantastic.
Cons: no simple viewer brightness control like my old Kodak DC240

Replacing my trusty Kodak DC240 was not a simple process, I finally decided on the Canon S1 IS on the basis that a 10x optical zoom was of more use than extra mega pixels.

On unpacking the box I was at first overwhelmed by the proliferation of buttons and setting options, however after 30 minutes or so it became clear that this camera is very flexible and simple point and shoot on AUTO setting is fine for most situations.

The zoom lense is fantastic, the image stabilization really works and the camera is large enough to provide a firm hold.