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**The Reaper** · 06-26-2004, 08:57

NDD:

This is a little like someone asking what kind of gun you recommend without knowing who they are or what they want to do with it.

What do you want to do with it? That will drive a recommendation. Drop in a pocket to take quick snapshots, take surveillance photos, clandsestine photography, publish pics, what? The 5MB Canon S500 is very sexy and compact, like Sofia, but probably overkill for a pocket camera, and makes the camera much more expensive than the older lower res Canon S400. High maintenance, anyone?

I would go with a less expensive $200-$300 model till you see what you really like/dislike.

If you get the S500, get a 256 MB card, and at least one spare battery at $45 each.

Some reviews to read. Look for the comparisons, or just decide what you need the camera for and look for recommendations on the sites.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...ew/index.shtml

http://reviews.cnet.com/Canon_PowerS...2.html?tag=top

http://www.photoxels.com/canon_s500_execSummary.html

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/s500.html

http://www.megapixel.net/cgi-bin/fs_...00-review.html

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0402/04020906canon3ucs.asp

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1581455,00.asp

Bottom line on the S500 from some of the reviews:

What I liked:

Very good photo quality
Small, beautiful metal body
Very fast performance
Good burst modes (esp. the S500)
AF-assist lamp
VGA movie mode (S500 only), although limited compared to competition
Excellent bundle
Optional underwater case
What I didn't care for:

Redeye
Flimsy plastic doors over battery/memory card compartments
Sluggish frame rates, recording time limits in movie mode
Scene modes would be nice

Pros:
Compact size; sharp images; excellent battery life

Cons:
Heavy; some flash shots overexposed; menus can be confusing

Bottom line:
The Canon PowerShot S500 Digital Elph is easy to slip in a pocket, like an ultracompact, but this 5-megapixel 3X optical zoom camera brings a lot more shooting power with it. Sharp pictures and excellent battery life make this camera a solid choice.

Editors' rating: 7.4 Good

User rating: 83% 17% from 42 users

The good: Attractive and functional design; pleasing photos.

The bad: Small LCD; blur on the frame's left side.

What's it for: Taking 5-megapixel photos and capturing VGA (640x480) video clips.

Who's it for: Snapshot photographers who want an ultracompact camera.

Essential Extras: A CompactFlash Type I card with a capacity of at least 128MB.

The bottom line: Though the S500 is a respectable pocket snapshot camera, its performance and its feature set make it seem creaky next to the competition.

HTH.

TR

06-26-2004, 08:57	#10
The Reaper Quiet Professional Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Free Pineland Posts: 24,820	NDD: This is a little like someone asking what kind of gun you recommend without knowing who they are or what they want to do with it. What do you want to do with it? That will drive a recommendation. Drop in a pocket to take quick snapshots, take surveillance photos, clandsestine photography, publish pics, what? The 5MB Canon S500 is very sexy and compact, like Sofia, but probably overkill for a pocket camera, and makes the camera much more expensive than the older lower res Canon S400. High maintenance, anyone? I would go with a less expensive $200-$300 model till you see what you really like/dislike. If you get the S500, get a 256 MB card, and at least one spare battery at $45 each. Some reviews to read. Look for the comparisons, or just decide what you need the camera for and look for recommendations on the sites. http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/ca...ew/index.shtml http://reviews.cnet.com/Canon_PowerS...2.html?tag=top http://www.photoxels.com/canon_s500_execSummary.html http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/s500.html http://www.megapixel.net/cgi-bin/fs_...00-review.html http://www.dpreview.com/news/0402/04020906canon3ucs.asp http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1581455,00.asp Bottom line on the S500 from some of the reviews: What I liked: Very good photo quality Small, beautiful metal body Very fast performance Good burst modes (esp. the S500) AF-assist lamp VGA movie mode (S500 only), although limited compared to competition Excellent bundle Optional underwater case What I didn't care for: Redeye Flimsy plastic doors over battery/memory card compartments Sluggish frame rates, recording time limits in movie mode Scene modes would be nice Pros: Compact size; sharp images; excellent battery life Cons: Heavy; some flash shots overexposed; menus can be confusing Bottom line: The Canon PowerShot S500 Digital Elph is easy to slip in a pocket, like an ultracompact, but this 5-megapixel 3X optical zoom camera brings a lot more shooting power with it. Sharp pictures and excellent battery life make this camera a solid choice. Editors' rating: 7.4 Good User rating: 83% 17% from 42 users The good: Attractive and functional design; pleasing photos. The bad: Small LCD; blur on the frame's left side. What's it for: Taking 5-megapixel photos and capturing VGA (640x480) video clips. Who's it for: Snapshot photographers who want an ultracompact camera. Essential Extras: A CompactFlash Type I card with a capacity of at least 128MB. The bottom line: Though the S500 is a respectable pocket snapshot camera, its performance and its feature set make it seem creaky next to the competition. HTH. TR __________________ "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910 De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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