Just ordered a Canon S95, What Can I Expect?

[tedwhite]

I got it instead of a G11 or G12 because, unlike the G series, it's actually small enough to fit into a jeans pocket, and, from reading various reviewers, the image quality seems comparable. Any S90-S95 users out there who would care to comment?

I've got DSLR's and SLR's and use them when I go out the door with the intent of performing photography, commercial sometimes, other times when I just feel like wandering about and taking pictures. But I don't otherwise, and I'm continually missing a photo opportunity when I'm out doing routine trips, such as the grocery store or the bank or going down to the coffee shop to socialize with friends or driving over to the next (larger) town for shopping. And many of these sorts of trips are on a motorcycle, so a Domke bag full of bodies and lenses is not an option.

I had been reading Kent Rockwell's reviews of the G11, G12, and he kept inserting plugs for the S90 and S95, so I thought I'd take a look at his reviews. Then - as I don't always agree with his take on cameras - I read other reviewers, and concluded, as most of you would perhaps agree, that there really isn't such a thing as a jack-of-all-trades camera.
Some come close. I understand the limits of a small sensor and the compromises involved, but I admire Canon for backing out of the megapixel race on this one.

 

[pagpow]

I've got several G series Canons, but not the G11 or 12, so can't compare directly. But I have theS90, precursor to the S95, and it goes with me everywhere, even where the G series didn't and don't, and it comes along even when I take my RD1 or other camera out.

It's very quick to use, it's very easy to carry, it's very easy to set up the way I want.

I don't print large from it, in fact, I don't print -- and it's true, there are many times when I prefer the IQ from the RD1, but there are times when I would have no picture if I didn't have the S90.

 

[useless generation]

Got one for my girlfriend and I use it quit a bit! The lens is excellent and the photos taken with it are awesome! I would definaty reccomend it!

 

[tedwhite]

Thanks, Pagpow, for the reply. Your experience obviously predates mine, but it basically mirrors my intentions with the camera, with the exception that I have tendency to print some of what I do. I have a wide-carriage printer and can make 13X19 prints. My friend, the photographer Charles Fiel (Feil?) has made very good 11X14prints from his G11, so I find that encouraging. And you're right about the "no picture" issue.

 

[The Meaness]

I also own the s90. It is a great little camera for what you describe - really compact and discrete. I was thrilled with the manual control rings. In practice they are really handy and straight forward. IQ is excellent for what it is, but full sized files on my 24" monitor reveal it's limitations.

Ultimately I have not used the s90 as you describe, though I too hoped it would be an "everywhere" camera. It's a little too big to go absolutely everywhere (but the iPhone does), and the quality is clearly not as good as my M8. 99% of the time if I'm motivated enough to find room for the s90, I grab the M8 w/just one lens instead. At least then I don't have to find room for something else in my pockets, and the camera's more accessible from my shoulder, too.

That said, I do agree that it is a superb camera, I just don't have a need for anything like it right now (other than loaning it to my brother in law).

 

[250swb]

I had various versions of the G model, the last a G11. They never got used, but I kept buying them because I thought I needed a fully featured small camera.

Eventually I did realise it was a waste of time as I could count on one hand the number of pictures I ever took with the G's that I liked. So I got an S90 a year or more ago and its not only been everywhere with me but its been mighty productive. Its a great little camera, top quality images, and so easy to use. The G has had its day anyway, there are too many other small cameras that are not much bigger with lots of features that can outdo its image quality.

Steve

 

[NLewis]

I have the S90. My take:

It is basically a point-and-shoot with the same sort of "Japanese consumer device" handling.

The image quality is excellent at base ISO, which is ISO80. It deteriorates quickly at higher ISOs though. Since it has a zoom lens, only the 28mm-equivalent has f/2.0. It is more like f/3.5 at 50mm-equivalent. The combo of low ISO and small aperture makes it best in outdoor light. If you want to take pictures of your friends indoors, you will eventually want something with a larger sensor.

The color is a little funny at all ISOs but particularly so above ISO400. Anything above ISO400 is rather marginal, to be honest, although a BW conversion via SilverEFX can mask a lot of that grunge (with artificial film grunge). I would try to shoot at ISO80 as much as possible, and image stabilization helps so you can shoot as slow as 1/4 sec with good results.

The handling is very good, with two "dial" type controls and full MASP selection. Autofocus is superb.

The "Amnesty International" high-ISO mode is pretty useful, I think. At f/2.0, you can shoot at ISO3200 and get decent results, although at reduced resolution of 2.5mp. You can go up to ISO12600, and with BW conversion it looks sorta like TMax3200.

I think there is some diffraction blur at smaller apertures above f/4.0. If you look at a diffraction calculator, it shows that with this sensor size, resolution falls off quickly above f/4.0.

Like any small-sensor camera, there is a lot of depth-of-field, which is good sometimes and not so good at other times. This is a great macro camera, for example. If you want to shoot people and get the backgrounds to blur ... forget it.

It has a flash and it seems to be a relatively "smart" flash. This can be nice if your other camera doesn't have a flash (e.g. film camera).

All in all it is a fine take-anywhere camera, and for non-moving subjects in good light it can produce results just short of a DSLR.

The combo of a compact film camera like Leica M2 and the S90 is working for me these days when I don't want to carry a DSLR.