Canon PowerShot S95 camera review: Powerful Compact Sidekick

The following Canon PowerShot S95 camera review is a guest post written by Blake Sanders.

The Canon PowerShot S95 is a powerful compact camera that delivers photographs with incredible realism at high resolutions. Though the camera will fit in your pocket, it features a variety of professional attributes that consumers would not expect from a camera of this size.

The 3.0 inch LCD display aids in getting the perfect shot and is ideal for viewing images instantly. The camera has a full range of manual shooting modes as well. Consumers simply cannot deny the capabilities of this camera with its 10 megapixel CMOS sensor, extensive zoom lens, fast maximum aperture, and reasonable price.

Image Quality

Pros:

• Excellent Image Quality:
  Most people that have used the Canon PowerShot S95 have commented on the incredible image quality that this compact camera produces. The camera produces both JPEG and raw shots. The JPEG images usually are delivered at a 12:1 compression. However, some professional photographers have obtained high quality photos at a 7:1

• Compression ratio:
  Sharp JPEG Photos. The JPEG photos are sharp and “usable” up to ISO 400. There specifications provide a lot more options than other ultra-compact cameras in their class. The camera reproduces color with excellent accuracy. The overall images of the Canon PowerShot videos are “very good.”

• Metering and Exposure:
  Metering and exposure on the camera are consistent.

Cons:

• Asymmetrical Distortion:
  At the widest angles, many consumers have noticed some asymmetrical distortion. However, for the most part the lens is sharp and bright.

• Super Fine compression:
  Super Fine compression is not available and this is a disadvantage for most consumers. However, quality images are still produced.

• Colors Reproduction Not Exceptional:
  The camera produces accurate color; however, the default modes extend the limits of the color saturation capabilities of the camera. In videos, the colors are not exceptional quality, but they are good considering the type of camera shooting the video.

Size of Camera

Pros:

• Smallest and Lightest in its Class:
   The Canon PowerShot S95 is the smallest and lightest camera in its class. The camera will fit into the front pocket of a shirt so that is a significant change for an avid photographer that is carrying a significant amount of equipment.

Cons:

• No View Finder or Hot Shoe:
  There are some tradeoffs to having a camera this small. The camera lacks an option for the viewfinder, and it also does not have a hot shoe.

• Not Designed for Frequent Settings Changes:
  If you do not need to change your settings often, the ultra-compact may be the solution for you. The camera is not designed for frequent settings changes, but for the recreational user that wants to produce near professional images using mostly basic settings.

Specifications

Pros:

• Large Three Inch Screen:
  Instead of an optical viewfinder, this camera comes equipped with a three inch, 461-dot resolution LCD.

• High Resolution Production:
  The 10 Mega-Pixel CMOS Sensor allows the camera to produce high resolution images.

• High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) Connection:
  The camera may also be connected to an HDTV set to view photographs and videos on a larger screen. High speed internet connections may also allow you to share photographs directly from the television as well.

• Digic 4 Processor:
  This high speed processor allows for faster processing of images and reproduction of quality images.

• Aperture:
  The f/2.0 lens allows in more light than others in its class. The f/2.8 aperture optic does not perform as well. Canon can achieve faster shutter speeds and a shallower depth of field than its competitors.

• Records High Quality Audio:
  Users of the Canon PowerShot can expect also to record quality audio while shooting videos with the CanonPowerShot.

• S95 Smart Auto Function:
  This feature offers 28 different variables; whereas, the competition offers five or six options. The HDR mode, in conjunction with this mode, combines three separate images. This expands the dynamic range of the image.

• Numerous 1/3 Stop Adjustments:
  The camera possesses numerous 1/3 stop adjustments to increase the type of shot that the camera can obtain. The lowest setting is ISO 80.

• Memory Card Slot and Battery Compartment:
  The memory card slot is available to allow photographers to shoot more images without transferring the images to an external drive. The battery life may also be extended with an upgraded battery.

• Pop-Up Flash:
  The pop-up flash is protected when not in use.

• Numerous Effects Modes:
  These modes allow three successive shots to be taken at once. The photographer may also switch between the continuous shooting modes, evaluative, spot metering or center weighted average. Photographers may also select between one in five different aspect ratios, as well as a choice between 200% or 400%.

Cons:

• Low Light Modes Decreases Resolutions:
  The ISO speeds will reach an equivalent of ISO 12800; however, at these speeds the resolution drops to 2.5 megapixels.

• Video Recording Not Optimal:
  The resolution of video recording is not the greatest. Currently, the camera shoots 720p movies (1280×720 pixel resolution). The video is shot at 24 fps. This is an improvement over the S90, but the video has not achieved the level that most professionals require. At four times digital (4x), the images are rated “very good.” Furthermore, no optical zoom or auto-focus is available on this particular camera.

• More of a “Point and Shoot” Camera:
  While the images are high quality, this is more of a “point and shoot” type camera than a camera for advanced artistic photography.

• Battery Life Not Optimal:
  The battery life does not last as long as many would hope. The battery will last 200 shots without a flash and 300 minutes of video shooting time. A spare battery will be necessary with this camera.

Price

The price of the Canon PowerShot S95 is available for $399. This is a relatively inexpensive price for a camera that offers so much in terms of versatility for the size of the camera.

Improvements

The camera features improved handling and more flexibility with manual controls. For high contrast scenes, the designers built in the in-camera High Dynamic Range mode. A Control Ring is also featured to allow consumers maximum adjustability of the picture functions. Simply twist the selector to achieve the desired settings. Multi-Aspect shooting allows a variety of formats to create unique photographs.

Canon PowerShot S95 Sample Photos

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Blake Sanders is a tech writer at broadband comparison site Broadband Expert. Blake writes on all things technical, with a specialization in high speed internet, cell phones, and the latest gadget news and information. With over 10 years of experience writing and exploring the world of tech, he’s showing no signs of stopping.

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