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Canon PowerShot S5 IS

83

Very Good

  • Pros
  • Sturdy and fully adjustable LCD screen
  • Top-notch image stabilization
  • Cons
  • Poor manual focus
  • No RAW support

Product Specs

Battery
Number of Batteries4
Digital Format
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF)0
Display
ViewfinderOptical
Exposure
Shutter Priority1
Image Processor
Number of image sensor pixels8 megapixels
Image sensorCCD
Maximum horizontal image resolution3264
Maximum vertical image resolution2448
Image sensor quantity1
Image formatJPEG
White balance0
Included Hardware
Included Hardware
  • USB cable
  • strap
  • a/v cable
  • batteries
  • SD card.
Included Software
Included Software
  • Photo Record
  • Driver
  • ZoomBrowser
Lens
Accessory Lens0
Lens Model12x Canon Zoom Lens
Telephoto Aperture Maximum3.5 mm
Wide-Angle Aperture Maximum2.7 mm
Shutter
Starter Media or Internal RAM1
Storage
Media SlotsSD Card
LCD Screen
LCD screen size2.5 inches
Exposure Controls
Maximum shutter speed3200
Minimum shutter speed15
Bulb setting0
ISO equivalencies
  • 80
  • 1600
Exposure settings0
Exposure compensation range0
Number of scene modes22
Dimensions
Width4.6 inches
Depth3.1 inches
Height3.2 inches
Weight20 ounces
Flash
Flash characteristics
  • Flash Slow Sync
  • Yes
Lens Features
Camera body only0
Optical zoom12 X
Minimum focal length36
Maximum focal length432
Lens mountInterchangeable
Focus featuresYes
Connectivity
Interface connectionNo
Other Features
General features
  • Pict Bridge
Image stabilizationHardware
Included components
  • No
Power sourceAA

What You Should Know about the PowerShot S5 IS

Larger-Than-Average Optical Zoom Range

The optical zoom range on this camera is sufficiently broad to give you considerable creative control. Your options extend from individual portraits to group shots to wide-angle landscapes. Most point-and-shoots offer a focal length range that’s roughly equivalent to 35mm to 105mm on a 35mm film camera. At the wide end (the 35mm, in this case), they shoot a bit wider than what you see with your eye. At the telephoto end (the 105mm, in this case), they can zoom in a good deal closer than you’d be able to with the naked eye.

User Reviews for Canon PowerShot S5 IS

  • Reviewed by: jsussex

    Duration of ownership: 1 Month

    Strengths: Quick response especially with HS SD card Fully adjustable for those who like to have creative freedom. Face detection works great 640x480 30 fps works great ( I used 2 GIG HS type III SD memory) Easy to use slide show tool and movie tool direct from camera to TV

    Weaknesses: lens covers - after 3 generations Canon should have got a lens cover that stays on. A wider wide angle even a 32 would be much better than the 36mm You need an extension tube and must purchased an expensive wide angle attachment to extend the Wide Angle range.

    Overall Evaluation: I purchased the camera and a 2 gig type III HS SD card. I photographed candid shots at an outdoor 35th high school reunion party. The full articulated view finder made it easy to take candid pictures. Kicking up to the auto ISO high speed allowed me to shoot without a flash into the evening under outdoor lighting after sunset. As the speed increased the image did degrade but no different than the old film days. Flash pictures continued to be well exposed when face detection was used. Including dark backgrounds and brightly lit areas. The next day I photographed pictures of my brother in law playing with his grandson. I switched to the 640 x 480 movie mode. During the filming I was able to take a few stills that only created fraction of second blank spots while the audio continued. I bi-passed the USB process and slid the SD card into my computer Card slot to speed the file transfer. Again the HS SD moved the files to the hard drive faster than expected. Note SD HS memory may not read unless you have a very new computer. I've loaded an HP patch to my 3 HP computers running XP and all 3 now read the HS SD card in the computer memory slot.

  • Reviewed by: sportfanatic66

    Duration of ownership:

    Strengths: Great quality pictures. Excellent camera for the price.

    Weaknesses: Lens cap

    Overall Evaluation: This is a excellent digital camera. Have used it alot during sporting events. Love the sport feature. shutter speed excellent. Have own numerous name brand digital cameras and not one of them compare to this Cannon S5 IS.

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