Cheap Canon Powershot S2 IS 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and Digital Camera Reviews

Canon Powershot S2 IS 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Dreaded E18 Error 2008-05-30

After 16 months, my camera stopped working. The lens does not retract and I am getting the E18 error. Canon wants me to pay to repair because I am outside the 12 month warranty period. I am extremely disappointed.

Doesn't work 2 years later 2008-05-28

This camera was great until it stopped working 6 months ago. Mine gets the E18 error message and won't take pictures. Canon will fix it for $150 but the camera itself is only worth $200 new. Even though this is a common problem for canon they refuse to fix it for free. I will NEVER buy a canon again.

Dread Black Screen 2008-05-15

You know, until a month ago, I was a life long Canon fan. My little A60 and my S2 both served the purpose for there purchase very well. Now I have an A60 with only lines across the LCD. and a S2 with a black useless screen. The S2 had maybe 700 pics in a year and a half. Yes I'm a casual user, but have I have used Canon products for over 35 years. What a let down! I have two weddings this summer with lots of family attending. Now I must choose another camera and although the Canon S5 looks apealing, how could I possibly purchase another Canon product!! Any Suggestions?

This product has black screen problem 2008-04-26

I have purchased Powershot S2 IS in 2006, at first I was in love with it. It delivers great picture quality. In fact, I like it so much that I bought it another one for my Dad.

However, yesterday when I tried to use this camera, the screen is completely black, I thought I mis-pressed a button, so I tried everything. It seems that everything else is fine, you can still see your previous pictures, change menu options.

So I googled "black screen on Canon Powershot S2 IS" and found a big forum with about 1000 customers complaining the same problem. The S1 IS model had exactly same problem, and canon had recalled it. However, Canon does not admit the same problem existing for S2 model. And usually this problem happened after 1 year, which is after the warranty period. And the estimate for fixing the problem is about $120 plus shipping. Moreover, It appears that the same problem happened for S3 model as well.

I have not used this camera very often, and took a great care of this product. I bought this product mainly because Canon brand, I was very disappointed. So when you buy, please consider this problem.

Excellent - But only for as long as it works 2008-04-19

The camera gave amazing results while it worked. Unfortunately, for me it was only for about 15 months - just 3 months after the warranty expires.
Looking up various digital photography forums on the net, I found that the CCD failure that happened to my S2 is not uncommon in S2-IS and in S1-IS before it.

I'd advise ppl planning to buy later cameras in the series S-3IS, S-5IS etc. to first look up the digital photography forums and investigate whether Canon has fixed this CCD failure problem. Otherwise you run a risk of being left with a $500 paper-weight after 1-2 years.

Don't buy 2008-04-15

My S2 only made it 16 months lucky for Canon the warranty is only 12 months. Google Canon Black Screen of Death. Canon likes to act like they know nothing about this.

Outstanding camera. 2008-04-15

I purchased this camera in early 2005 so that I could take high quality photos of my deployment to Iraq. This camera performed brilliantly straight out of the box and continues to see extensive use. Although I've used and abused this camera all over the world, it is still my workhorse.

Love it but photos don't enlarge well 2008-04-10

I bought the camera as an upgrade directly from Canon when my previous Canon died. I got it refurbished, so I think the "black screen death" thing was "fixed" before I got it. The camera is easy to use, a little bulky for traveling/vacation purposes, the lens cover falls off all the time. But overall, I have taken some REALLY nice photos with it. My problem is that I shoot wildlife often. Don't have time to zoom in, so I point and shoot... then crop in Photoshop. If I have to crop down then enlarge back to an 8X10 for my photo club contests, many.. most of my shots are very grainy... I'm looking into a Canon G9 with 12 megapixals. Hope that will be better.

Horrible experience with this camera 2008-04-07

Just as everybody describes here, 15 months after purchase, suddenly comes this black screen. The viewfinder and LCD are completely blackout, while menu can still show properly and also the previously taken pix can be reviewed. An obvious manufacturing defect! However, when I called their customer service, they wanted $135.00 for repair, another option is $175.00 for a refurbished S3. How outrageous it is!

Don't ever think of Canon again!

Great till the E18 error 2008-04-05

Awesome camera till it dies, NOW I read online all about E18.... discouraged... google Canon E18 and you will see also

Defective Product 2008-03-22

Owned the camera for over two years and loved it. Then one day we got the "black screen of death". Checked online and found a Google page of links to forums devoted to consumers horrible experience's with this camera. The S1 IS has been recalled due to a defective CCD (the light sensing chip in the lens). After the S2, the S1's replacement, had been on the market for awhile the same thing started to happen. Bad CCD's. Canon claims the problem with the S2 isnt bad enough yet to warrant a general recall and is handling claims for repair out of warranty on a case by case basis. Still fighting Canon to repair my S2 IS.
Replaced it with a Nikon D40, nice camera. I will never buy Canon again.
Link below is to the Cnet forum about Canon CCD failures.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7593_102-0.html?forumID=58&threadID=228519&start=30

We love it 2008-03-08

We bought it 1 year ago. It works perfect. Never a problem. It takes pictures very fast. It has a very nice zoom. I took pictures of the moon without problems. When you buy something more expensive of 300 dollars you want to be sure it works fine. You can be sure you will not put your money in the trash.
Just remember to buy a 2 Gb card to videos, because it are hevies. The sound of videos is great.
The only detail, it say that can take picture during filming. It is true, but it affect the video.

It's great for 2 years tops 2008-02-18

I have been upgrading my digital cameras every couple years. And these Canon model works great. It won't fit in your pocket but will go in a medium size camera bag. The menu and settings are super easy to use. I love the 12X zoom because I am a nature photographer and the image stabilizer makes the camera shake a non-issue. I would highly recommend getting a larger SD card - I got a 512mb, which lets me shoot all day. Battery life is not too bad and I just carry extra AAs in my bag.

IMPORTANT: It is a very expensive model since after a year and a half or two it is going to break down, since it has a mayor faillure in one sensors so one day you wont be able to take any pictures just whatch what you have in your card. To fix it is going to be as expensive as buying a new model.
Canon does not recognize this as a faillure, and their service could not explain or told me what I did wrong or what bad use the equipment i Made of it. For them you made the mistake and is your problem to know and of course it has to come from your pocket to fix it or buy a new one.

Fix that silly, flippy lens cap! 2008-02-09

Great camera. Amazing stability for telephoto, and ability in low light. The lens cap flaps around, though. I fixed it by using velcro to keep the cap stuck to the camera strap until it is put back on the lens.

More than your money's worth 2008-01-29

I have owned this camera for a year and a half. I have taken pictures with it indoors, at the beach, on the open ocean, in the jungle. The camera performs flawlessly in all situations, and never fails to deliver optimum quality images. It is sturdy, withstands rough treatment and the elements, versatile, easy to use, and produces excellent quality pictures unless you are an over-demanding professional photographer. For the price, features, ease of use, quality of photos (and video, too), this is definitely an excellent camera that will not disappoint, and will faithfully carry out its mission in all conditions...to take good pictures.

Black Screen - No Picture on LCD 2008-01-24

I've owned the S2 for a little over two years and have had the black screen of death problem for the second time last month. When using the camera it appears that the iris or shutter gets stuck closed and no image appears on the LCD screen. The first failure occurred just before the 1 year warranty period was over so was covered under the warrany, but the camera failed again recently and Canon wants $129 to repair it or $190 to upgrade to an S3. The S3 seems to suffer from the same problem, so that's not a very good option. Spending more money to repair the camera doesn't seem very good use of money either since it most likely will fail again in a year or so anyway.

Great camera! 2008-01-16

This is a great little camera! I am very happy with the quality of pics it takes. Easy to use. Not too big or too small. Canon makes the best cameras, in my opinion. This camera is definitely not a disappointment.

Great camera while it worked (17months) 2007-12-13

My wife and I liked the camera a lot, but our experience with Canons is that they last until just past the warranty. Not going to buy a Canon next time.

best camera i've had so far 2007-12-08

I've had this camera for nearly a year, and ive had absolutely no problems with it. The features on it are amazing, and it's great at making the picture as clear as possible, although a tripod could make it even better. If you bring it outside during the winter, just be aware that the battery drains a little tiny bit faster than normal, which most cameras do. Overall, this camera is great, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting an amazing camera with great features.

Pleased over all 2007-12-07

I own this product from last 2 years and am pleased over all. Picture quality, color reproduction, ease of use if very good. Overall a very good product.

My S2IS died some 2 months back, I am looking for service centers to fix it (I am not in US). Graduated to SLR anyways.

DO NOT RECOMMEND!! 2007-12-07

I purchased the camera from a friend, who had only purchased it 3 months previous. I absolutely LOVED the camera for about 4 months!!! The camera was only 7 months old when I got the black screen.... Well, the person I bought it from didn't give me the receipt with it & without the receipt, Canon will not do any warranty work. WHAT ARE SERIAL NUMBERS FOR??? Can't they track their items to see when they were manufactured & when they were purchased. They offered me the repair--but never told me how much it would be, only that it would be a minimum of $119. Or they told me I could buy a refurbished one for $199. WHY WOULD I SPEND $199 on a camera that they are replacing with the same parts that malfunctioned? Not only on my camera, but a whole bunch of cameras.. WHY? So I can respend $199 EVERY 2 years or so?? I DON'T THINK SO!!! I will not purchase another Canon product again! They have horrible customer service & if they do know there is a problem.. they should have done a recall on them and given everyone back their $$$$$ or repaired all cameras that had this malfunction for FREE no matter if it is within the warranty time or if they had the original receipt!! They shouldn't be selling something they know is JUNK!!! I would have thought that since Canon has been around for so long, it would be a company people could trust & depend on... I WAS WRONG!

Great mid-range camera between point-and-shoot and SLR 2007-11-17

I have owned this camera for about 15 months; I am just a typical amateur photographer - no special skills. This camera is great. I have probably taken between 1000-1500 pictures with it so far. Here are my impressions:

PROS:
1. Great zoom lens - the 12x optical zoom (48x with digital zoom) is fantastic. Even at 48x, the photo comes out sharp and not grainy. I attended a pro football game recently, and was sitting at the 2nd highest row in the stadium, yet I took some photos with the zoom that amazed people I showed them to - so much so that they became interested in the camera. Even action shots came out very clear, at a high zoom level. And although I haven't used it much for this purpose yet, except at the zoo - the zoom would be great for wildlife photography too.
2. Auto image stabilization - closely related to no. 1 in importance. If the camera did not have this feature, it would be tough to take a clear shot at a high zoom level. With this feature, even 48x photos can be taken clearly without a tripod, as long as you are sitting or bracing against something to hold the camera steady.
3. Long battery life - the longest life comes from rechargeable Canon batteries (between 400-500 shots, I think). The ability to accept regular AA batteries is also a plus in my opinion; you can find them anywhere.
4. Excellent sharpness and color on photos - again I am not a professional, but to me the pics look awesome, whether they are super macros or long-range zoom photos.
5. Nice continuous shooting feature - this camera shoots approx. 2.4 frames/second - a nice feature! At the football game I would focus prior to the snap, then hold the shutter down thru-out the play and I got some amazing shots -- the ball in mid-air after being snapped, and after being thrown by the QB.
6. Enough megapixels. Like you probably have, I've read articles saying that for photo quality results with larger than 8x10 photos, you need much more than 5 megapixels. Don't believe it. I printed an 11x14 from this camera, and it came out wonderfully. Then I got curious to see what a 16x20 would look like -- and it looks fantastic too!! I honestly cannot see any degradation in quality at the 16x20 size - this even surprised me! I liked that size so much that I have now gotten others printed for myself and family members.
7. Enough features/options for probably any amateur enthusiast - many of which I haven't even used yet!
8. Versatility (lens-wise) - to get the same versatility in an SLR, you'd probably have to pay well over $1,000. (probably $2,000 or more for multiple lenses to match what the S2 can do, from super close macros to extra long zoom range..)

CONS:
1. A little bulky/heavy. But this is a small price to pay for all of the features of this camera.
2. I am running out of wall space from all the photos I've printed and framed!

Summary - a great camera. If I were in the market now, I'd probably buy the S3IS, just because it has 1 more megapixel and a few additional features, for only a little more money. But if that extra megapixel and few extra features don't matter to you, I'd say buy the S2 - what a deal! I think you will be very pleased with it.

Very very good photos 2007-11-14

This a excellent camera.
PROS
1. In video mode you can zoom it
2. Excellent pictures quality, for me it's the better
3. 12x Zoom

CONS
1. It's bulky, heavy
2. The batteries last no so much
3. Slow autofocs with longer zoom

I bought the Panasonic TZ3 to replace it but I'm not convinced to sell this one.

Fantastic Ultra-Zoom 2007-11-10

This is a terrific ultra-zoom camera, probably the best you can purchase without shelling out the money for a digital SLR. It looks, feels, and produces images like a professional camera, without the limitations of trendy, pocket-sized point-and-shoots.

The only complication you might encounter is that the digital viewfinder is sometimes difficult to use in high sunlight. Also, and this is minor, you have to remember to keep your finger off of the digital auto-focus sensor. People who aren't used to the camera frequently cover the sensor as they're taking a picture. Other than that, if you want a good camera that can grow with you, but you can't afford an SLR, this is the one to get.

Black Screen of Death 2007-11-08

This was a great camera, until, just out of warranty, the CCD sensor failed and we're left with the dreaded black screen of death. Canon has offered to fix it, for $140.

Great Zoom camera for the money 2007-11-01

After taking thousands of shots with this camera over the period of about a year and a half here are my impressions.

Pros:
-12x Zoom is amazing.

-Image Stabilized.

-5mp is more than enough MP if your taking 4 x 6's or 8 x 10's

-Battery life is good, I can get a couple of hundred shots off before I need to recharge.

-Shoots with double A's. Some people look at this as a minus because it makes the camera heavier. My last camera has a LI battery and I though I would miss it but I don't. Pick up some rechargeable AA's from Amazon for less than $20 and your all set. The extra weight is really nothing significant and if you run out of power while shooting you can pop in a couple AA's and your up and running again. Much cheaper than buying an additional LI battery.

-Super Macro mode is great for taking clear up-close photos. I have some great shots of bugs and flowers I've taken with this.

-Video and sound are surprisingly good.

-There are some neat shooting modes that are easily accessible, my favorites are under the Color's(not sure if that's right) wheel option. There are some options that allow you to have certain colors stand out in your pictures. For example when shooting a sunny day and I want a deep blue sky, sometime I will switch over and tell the camera I want to make blue stand out. There are some preset colors but you can also point with the camera and choose your own. The other neat option is the ability to only shoot a single color and make everything else black and white.

-Pictures are beautiful and sharp. I love the closeups I can get of peoples faces.

-Manual mode allows the user a bit more freedom with this camera than most Point and shoots. I rarely use Auto-Mode, but if you need it, the pictures Auto takes are usually great.

-Good logical step for people looking to move from the Point and Shoot world that are aren't ready for a DSLR but would like to learn more about photography and possibly move to a DSLR at some point in time.

Cons:
-Only goes to ISO 400 and trust me it's not pretty. This camera excels in taking pictures during the day, not really in low light hand-held conditions or at night using the flash. If you've got a tripod the pictures can still be great in low light, but bumping the ISO to 200, or 400 gives the pictures way to much noise for me.

-Flash is good but sometimes a bit too much. You can adjust the flash to three settings in manual mode (low, med, high) but I just really don't like this cameras flash much. It blows out faces a little and makes them a bit whiter than I would like. I still use it...but I wish the camera took better pictures indoors without a flash.

-Small LCD. May be a big deal for people that have trouble seeing small objects. I don't mind it , but I have pretty good eyes. This LCD is impossible to see in the Sun so I find myself looking through the viewfinder a lot more than using the LCD.

-Manual focus is pretty tough. Don't try manually focusing through the LCD, you can't see what your doing, it's way too pixelated. I only look through the viewfinder when manually focusing and even then it's difficult because the electronic screen has a fairly low resolution. I do use manual focus when taking Macro photography and it does work pretty well but for other conditions I let the camera auto-focus, it's too much of a pain to manually focus every shot with this camera. The button placement for the MF is poor as well.

-Size may or may not matter to you. This is not a Small P&S that will slide in your pocket but it's also not a DSLR. I don't mind the size at all but some of you may. Go hold one in the store before buying it to see if the size is too big for you.

-Lens is not interchangeable although there are some adapters to fit a wide angle lens that I've seen.

If your looking at this camera you are probably also looking at the S3 and the S5. The big things the S3 has going for it are the extra mega pixels, the gun-metal look, larger LCD, and a couple of in-camera features you may or may not use. I haven't researched the S5 much, but it's $100+ more.
You can't go wrong with either of the three but if you're on a budget stick with the S2 or S3. The S1 is a good camera too, but the MP are even lower, I personally would stay away from it with. The S2 and S3 are almost identical, I've used both and the pictures you are going to get out of either are the basically identical. If the extra MP and larger LCD are worth it to you than go with the S3, otherwise save some money and go with this camera and I promise you will not be disappointed.

Excellent camera...............until after a year of use 2007-10-11

Received the "Black Screen of Death" and my warranty just expired. How convenient. If you want a free repair, you will have to be really patient and find a Canon customer rep that will offer you a One-time courtesy repair. Otherwise, they will charge you $137 for a well-known product defect.
If you're thinking of purchasing this, please take the defect into consideration.

Good for outdoor photos only 2007-10-09

Great camera for outdoor photos in full sunlight...outdoors in low light or indoors in any kind of artificial lighting...this camera's auto focus goes crazy!...MOST if not all of your non-flash indoor or low light photos will be at least slightly if not totally out of focus....As a result, I'm looking for a manual focus digital SLR...this one goes to eBay!!!

good camera 2007-10-03

Good product. The lens cap is a terrible design, but it appears to be a good camera that gives good results. I like the zoom and the operation, but the manual is difficult to decipher.

The stabilization is excellent, but I seem to cut off a lot of heads with this camera.

Black Screen Problem, nightmare 2007-09-30

I have purchased S2IS on Aug, 2005. I have been very happy with it until early this year. Black Screen occured after 18 months i got this camera. At the beginning, i didn't know what had happened. by swithching between shot and replay mode several times, plus turning on and off a few times, i got it back function. After that, i didn't even get a chance to use it any more, then i found it totally failed today one day before i am leaving for a vacation. After i did a few research online, i am much sure it is what other customers called black screen problem. Planning call canon company next week. Don't anticipate too much. If they don't accept this manufacture default, and ask me to pay for the fix. I will be very disppoited. Cross finger.

Canon Powershot S2 Digital Camera 2007-09-29

This is an overall great camera, but I have to knock Canon for thier exeptionally poor ability to own up to a manufacturing defect. I also recieved the dreaded BLACK SCREEN that others have experienced after owning the camera for exactly 24 months to the date of purchase. Unfortunately, they give you some lame spiel about a flat fee of $127 for repair. To boot, it can only be repaired in Illinois, so you have all the trouble of sending it out and waiting, waiting for the repair and then waiting to get it back. I can't say I am thrilled with Canon at this point in time considering the camera was initially almost $500 +taxes. Canon needs to step up to the plate a bit. God knows I have shelting out alot of hard earned money!

Value for Money 2007-09-25

This camera not only offers the best picture resolution also help in exploring the photography with its functions. I now proudly display some of the close shots taken which has come out very well. I would suggest all the beginners to try this camera to learn more into the photography before going to DSLR.

Excellent camera for non or semi professional use 2007-09-23

I love this camera, provably S3 IS is the option now. It takes very nice photos in auto and custom modes. Cons are little slow to take unexpected events and difficult to fix manual focus

Reach out and touch someone 2007-09-11

Combine the camera's 12x zoom with a tripod and the results are great. Even without a tripod the IS works very well. I'd say about 95% of my pictures turn out print worthy, the other 5% I have found that certain lights cause blurred pictures. Like mercury vapor lighting, but that's not the camera's fault.
My wife's aunt bought this same camera and she had the same complaint about picture quality that some of the other reviewers had that gave the camera a 1 star rating. When I watched her use the camera I saw why. She was just aiming the camera long enough to frame the subject then pressed the button without setting the apature. I tried explaining how to only press the button halfway to allow the camera to gather its needed info to capture great pictures, but it was a futile effort.
As for the black screen of death, Canon has a link on their website about this problem and offering a free of charge fix. They even send you a shipping label. I know this because my dad's camera experienced this problem and 2 days later he had a lable and 1-week later had his camera back.
My only gripe with Canon (at the moment) is the puny 16mb memory card they include with the camera. You need at least a 1gb high-speed card for this camera.

Stunning camera 2007-09-10

This is a stunning camera.
- Fast and silent 12x zoom, equivalent to 454mm!!
- Very good optics, with a max aperture of f3.5 in max telephoto
- Very good video quality at 640x480, with stereo sound and ultrasilent zoom while shooting video
- Excellent quality pictures at ISO 100. At ISO400 it can be a bit too noisy, if you are used to a dSLR quality

The very convenient one-touch buttom to shoot video, make it a serious altenative to a video camera for family shootings, especially when you do not want to carry both video camera and photo camera.

All in all, an excellent pack.
If you are travelling a need not carry too much weight, this is a very good alternative to a dSLR.
Ok, you do not have RAW, nor the picture quality at higher ISO, but on one single body, you carry a 454mm zoom with IS, and a more than decent video camera.

This model has been replaced by the Powershot S3 IS, which has all the virtues of the S2, but in dSLR-like dark color and with higher max ISO settings and more megapixel power.

Truly, a highly recommendable lower-cost alternative to a digital SLR.

Worst customer service ever!!! 2007-09-07

I purchased this camera 20 months ago and for the first 19 months thought it was the best camera ever...until I got the black screen of death! At one of my best friend's weddings I turned the camera on and got a black screen. Checked the lens cap, the controls, batteries...nothing could make the image show on the screen. I tried taking pictures, but they were all black. The menus showed up on the screen and in the view mode pictures from a few weeks ago were perfectly viewable. Went online and found hundreds of others with the same problem. Many of them outside of warranty, but were able to get Canon to pay for the repair. Each of the posts stating success admit that it took several hours of their time to get this repair covered by Canon...talking with many supervisors and support staff. So I followed the successful posts instructions and got to the point where they say you need to start calling and talking with multiple people. Now I'm a busy person, work at least 80 hrs a week, not including paperwork. I don't have time to be calling these people over and over. I told Norris, the supervisor, that I'm really upset with Canon's unwillingness to back up their products and charging me $130 for repair of my 20-month-old $500 camera. He offered 50% off repair costs. That's a nice offer if I was the one to cause the problem, but the camera stopped working because of one of Canon's components. I told him I would go to every site I could find online to share my story so that others don't make the same mistake and buy a Canon product. I used to think about Canon as a top quality company. I saved money for over a year to purchase this camera thinking that it was going to last me at least 5 years given Canon's name and quality...boy was I wrong!

Photo & Video in a neat package 2007-08-25

Love the applications that allow you to take wide angle photos and stitch them together to get a 360 degree shot.
A little bit hazy on the close zoom action shots - digital zoom - best to take while using a tripod to stabilize shot.

The video quality is good and the sound comes through very clear. Managed to edit good short videos in iMovie.

best bang for the buck 2007-08-06

I bought my S2IS 2 years ago and I can honestly say that I still have to regret my purchase... This camera has given me the chance to enjoy photography thanks to its easy-to-use features. For a point-and-shoot camera, this is by far the best bang for the buck in its category. My brother's Sony DSC-H1 doesn't work as nice as mine. His pictures are not as color-true as mine and the Sony's menu is really difficult to deal with when you want a quick personalized snapshot.

I'm sad to sell mine but I'm upgrading to a Canon Digital SLR because I know that it'll exceed my expectations just as the S2IS did.

a little disapointing...... 2007-07-22

I bought this camera for my dau....It isn't always clear.......The zoom isn't what we thought, and inside pictures don't come out always.......when it is good it is great!!! but when it isn't it ISN"T!!!!!like one is good....very next pic is bad, nothing changed, soooooo I wouldn't buy it again,but I can't really say it is completely bad either........ so I give it a 3......

Have had this camera for over a year . 2007-07-18

This is an amazing camera. Takes GREAT pictures and is very easy to use.
You can have this camera be as easy to use(auto) or more intensive as you want(more manual).
Take it out of the box...put in batteries & card and start shooting!
The video feature is pretty cool too.
I have had this camera for over a year and have not had one lick of problems with it. The batteries (2550 rechargeable) last forever even with using the flash.
The toughest part of this camera is remembering what all the little icons mean, but I am getting the hang of it.
I tend to be technologically challenged, but I find this camera fairly easy to understand and more importantly to use.

Nice camera... if it works... 2007-07-13

My wife and I bought this camera to take photos of our first child. It took very nice pictures for the first year. Then, suddenly, it began showing only a black screen with icons. After a quick web search, I found that this is a common and expensive problem with this particular Canon product. We are very disappointed that Canon has not addressed this increasingly common problem with the S2IS model. I wish we had known of this issue before we spent $400 on the camera...

Excellent Buy 2007-07-09

I bought this camera for my daughter who is pretty creative for a teenager. Once she got her hands on this she became a fanatic and seldom leaves home without this camera. This camera is solid, user friendly and feels like a professional camera. For those looking for a camera with some substance, I encourage you to buy this one. It might be a little dated but you can't go wrong with a Canon.

EXCELLENT! 2007-07-02

The Canon Power shot lives up to its hype. Ease of use, crystal clear pics and a sony rechargable Ni-MH battery pack is all that you need for tons of photos and fun!

Value, Consistency, Quality, its a Canon. 2007-06-24

This camera is top notch. As far as high zoom goes, the Powershot Sline has been stellar. I have the S2, my roommate has the S3 and the S5 just came out and is looking mighty fine.

If youre looking at this camera because you want a high zoom high feature camera for the price of a 8 mp point and shoot, then you're looking in the right place. The S2is will never grow old. 5MP is enough, and if you are worried about cropping or making 8x10's then worry no more. Just shoot at the highest resolution and your 8x10's will look just as good as your buddy who claims he has a nicer camera because his p&s has 10MPs.

This camera is feature rich, especially since, in todays high end DSLR world, this camera is kind of outdated. I have shot some of my best stuff with this camera. The fully customizable Manual mode is a godsend. Also for those of you who are new to Digital Photography there are plenty of presets ready for you to shoot at until you get your feet wet and decide to start messing around with the Av, Tv, P, and M modes....

The 12x optical zoom is amazing. I can shoot in a variety of settings with confidence when I have this baby slung over my neck. Ergonomics are good too, as the camera fits in my hand perfectly and I have never once been close to dropping it. Its not bulky nor is it lightweight and flimsy.

This has to be the best value for money digital camera out there right now. High zoom, good Megapixel amount, loaded with customizable features, and a great interface that is easy to use. I highly recomment this camera to those who need a great camera but dont want to spend a thousand bucks on a DSLR. If you can't decide between this and the S3is then let money be the factor....there is not too much of a difference between the two except for MP increase to 6, "action" mode, and a few other cool things that shouldn't matter all that much to someone who is interested in these types of cameras anyhow.

Well done Canon!

Powershot S2 IS --- Defective Optical Unit 2007-06-20

This is a good camera when it is working. Canon refuses or is just ignorant of the fact that the optical unit in the product is DEFECTIVE.

There are many of us out here who are being charged $119-127 for a repair. How convenient that this part seems to last about 1 year just when the warranty expires. There are a few people who after becoming irate and speaking to managers have gotten this fix free of charge.

Symptom: The camera screen is black both on the LCD and on via the viewfinder.

Cause:Defective Optical Unit

See what others have been through with this problem:http://www.digitalcamera-hq.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-s2is_question.html?qid=3894

I was really surprised by Canon 2007-06-13

I had Canon PowerShot S2 IS for almost 2 years. Last month I got all money back, $449 - American Express extended warranty, barely made it. It had so many problems, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw almost 5 stars as an average from over 500 reviews! I highly encourage everyone to start reading the reviews from WORST to BEST, this will give a really true picture. I found all problems I had experienced have been covered, most important of which are:

1) Blurry and out-of-focus pictures
2) Memory card compatibility issue
3) Long delays for focusing
4) Quality of the pictures

I couldn't believe the quality of cheap Canon's ELPHs - these tiny cameras produced much richer and much higher quality pictures. Canon really surprised me. I was lucky the camera stopped working eventually and I got all money back. I had Canons all my life, and now I am thinking about something else. They should have never put their name on a product with so many obvious issues.

camera doesn't live up to the press 2007-06-10

I love the look and feel of this camera but the program mode went out immediately, and to get sharp photos I have to use portrait mode in most cases. Am taking it back to get it fixed/replaced this week.

Wow - fantastic. 2007-06-07

I resisted the move to digital for years - carrying an assortment of digital pocket cameras for snaps... and my reliable Canon FTB (circa 1974) for real photography. I loved digital (going back to my Apple Quicktake 150), but it just wasn't competitive on price/quality for the longest time.

This is the first camera I have owned that really can produce spectacular digital results... and it's absurdly cheap for what it does. The lens is simply outstanding. Nothing in the price category compares right now. The zoom is smooth and fast, and the stability feature is gives me about 2 f-stops better than I deserve.

The S3-IS is even nicer, but I dare you to justify the price difference. On top of the simply quality of the results and flexibility of the settings (from fully manual everything to auto-preset-scenes), it takes movies better than many mini-DV cameras I've seen. Sure they're short - and the light weight makes for a less-than-steady-cam presentation, but it's truly incredible.

Only drawback - it's too old to support the newest high-capacity SD cards (4GB and up). It's fine with the 2GB cards however, and at $15 each on sale these days... you wont run out of "film".

Fast pix, fast zoom, great video...I am glad I got this. 2007-05-24

Yes, it is bigger than a micro camera, but it works great.

Battery life sucks, but since it has the viewfinder built in, I use that to extend the battery life.

Wonderful pictures. Fast.

Very good camera for the price 2007-05-19

I brought this camera for my wife.

I join most of the other reviewers here. Am happy with the purchase. Good value for money

Has some limitations, especially the shutterlag, which could be a problem

AWESOME CAMERA 2007-05-18

Couldn't beat the deal!! Very nice camera, and it takes GREAT pics. I looked at the reviews, and they seemed great. The upgraded S3 doesn't give you much more, this is the bang for the buck right here.

AWESOME!

Incredible value 2007-05-13

I have had this camera for 3 years now without so much as a hiccup. Every time I show my photos (and believe me, I'm a 'point and shoot' kind of guy!) people treat me like I know what I'm doing! I don't, the camera does! This camera has about 400 reviews with four and a half stars as a rating. You can count on one hand that belongs to a careless woodworker the number of products on Amazon that can sustain that kind of rating over 400 reviews. There's a reason for that! Whether by accident or design, Canon has made perhaps the best value camera in their history here. The e18 error has to be mentioned, only because it exists and it shouldn't, but the cures for this are legendary and posted all over the internet, so I don't feel it is a major concern for most people. I haven't had the problem, so I am 'shooting from the lip' here, but that is my gut reaction without having experienced it.
However, if you shy away from it for this reason, so be it. Just realize that you are passing up one truly great product, and these days that is a lot rarer than hen's teeth!

It works pretty good 2007-05-12

I bought 2GB flash and Now I can take all sorts of pictures.

Very Nice Pick 2007-05-09

I bought it for my parents and they loved it. Nice handling, precise pictures, impressing resources for the price. The 12x zoom is FANTASTIC. I almost kept it for myself... For sure the new S3 6MP delivers now an even more attractive package. Go for it.

SIX (6) stars would be more appropriate! 2007-04-11

This camera is just soooo good! It has everything. I would happily pay $700 if I lost it to get a replacement! The zoom is crazy! The image stablizer is wonderful. Could not be happier!

Could not be more pleased! 2007-04-11

We have had a digital camera before but this gives us everything we need. The zoom is fantastic and so are the pics.

Happy in PA

Powershot S2 IS 2007-04-08

Product is as advertised. Has many features but I have not tried all of them. If you want a camera that can do most anything this would be the one for you. Powerful 12x zoom, macro capabilities, movie and many adjustments for versality.

AWESOME Camera!!! 2007-04-07

I've had this very cool camera for 3 months and I just LOVE it!!! I never leave home without it!! LOL It takes amazing photos....the colors are fantastic and it's very easy to use!! I just leave it on the "Auto" setting and each time the pics turn out great!!! The batteries last a long time too!! The 12x zoom and Image Stabilization are super!! I just can't think of anything bad to say about this camera so I must give it 5 stars!! :-)

Excellent camera! 2007-04-06

One of the best I've owned. I was a little nervous because I didn't really know anything about the brand, but it was well worth the money.

I love this camera 2007-04-06

I needed to replace my old digital camera (Olympus camedia Stylus 410) that got lost at Disneyland and I knew I wanted something with high zoom. I do some photography as a scientist and have some experience digital imaging etc and I did my homework for a long time before deciding on this camera. I was looking for high zoom, with image stabilization, the option for manual settings and I wanted excellent image quality. After 6 months with this camera I am completely happy with it. My only disappointment is that I failed to notice that the view finder is not a real view finder, I am still looking at a digital image processed through the CCD chip but this has been a trivial issue. I have taken my new Canon to to Disneyland, to Christmas with the family and trips to the snowy mountains and the hot desert and it has performed well in every case. It does go through batteries and I got two 1 GB Ultra Sandisk chips which have worked out well and I use Energizer rechargeables. The zoom is spectacular, I haven't had much problem with the view finder even on sunny snow or bright sun in the desert. I worried a little bit about the size, I was used to the small Olympus that I could cram in my pocket while hiking but the quality of the images etc make up for the increased bulk. The videos have been great too. I expect that the 3S with the 6 MB chip is better but I don't think it is worth the extra money. If you can get this one for less go for it.

Great product. 2007-04-05

Saved a ton buying a refurb. I see no reason to pay the extra for the next model up, this works great and actually focuses faster than the next model up. The only complaint that I have is that it is not as weather proof as the S1 model.

Great Camera 2007-04-02

Still learning about the camera but so far I really like it. The 12x optical is great feature allowing you not to have to carry accessories.

All-in-one Wonder Device 2007-04-02

I've owned this camera for about 3 months now. It takes great pictures both indoors and out. Video requires an ample amount of light to avoid 'noise' but there are settings in video mode to compensate some as well. Zooming in and out does make a decent amount of noise in the video but I can live with it.

I really like the settings this camera has to allow for better indoor shots. The main one I use is the delayed flash. It allow me to get the light I need for a clear picture without totally washing out the subject I'm making the picture of.

Some complain about the cover popping off so easily but I think this is great. I just turn the camera on, the lens cover pops right off and I'm ready to shoot.

The right camera for the price indeed. Battery life is very acceptable. You shouldn't be disappointed with this camera.

Canon Quality 2007-03-31

Canon hit a home room when they designed this camera. I have taken it to Alaska 2 times on a vacation trip and the pictures were excellent. I used it in a helicopter ride over the Alaska Range mountains and the image stabilization feature worked great because the helicopter was probably traveling 70 miles per hour and they have a shake in the helicopter. My pictures did not even blur at all. Thats amazing. I could go on forever how good this camera is . It also takes excellent pictures in dark conditions also. The only thing I have read is that its a little slow when you want to take a bunch of fast shots. I have not used that feature ,but that is what I have read. The software that comes with the camera works pretty good also. You can lighten up your pictures , etc. Very pleased with my purchase.

Awesome Cam 2007-03-30

This is one of the best in the market, dunno why recently the price came down., but when i got it, it was 290 bucks., and worth the money.,

No troubles till now., excellant zoom, and quality, and the rotating LCD is the Magic touch

A complete camera. 2007-03-27

I bought this camera to replace my A85 canon. I wanted more lense. 12x is about as big as you can get right now, in this class of cameras. I love it. The sony and the panasonic are comparible,but I find that canon seems to cater to us old school SLR users. They allow us to choose shutter speeds, apperature, ISO settings. I took pictures of my city at night, from across the harbour on manual, I tried from an aperature of 4.5 and I tried a shutter speed of 1sec, 2 sec, 3 sec, on a tripod and I got some great pics. The image stabilization works well, videos are great. The only thing I feel I am lacking in is megapixils, since 10mp cameras are a dime a dozen now. I have gotten some great 8-10 prints from this camera so I think 5 MP is still enough for prints up to 11 x14. I dont think I will trade it for an S3 yet. I would recommend this camera to anyone who wants a little more than a point and shoot.

Best Camera I've ever owned 2007-03-25

I LOVE this camera. A friend of mine let me borrow his after the birth of my son. I was hooked and bought my own after only one day.

It's easy to hold.
It's easy to flip from still photos to motion.
For someone who just wants to shoot family photos and movies, the quality is great.
If you just handed me the camera and asked me how much I would expect to pay for it, I'd think double what I actually did.

What a great camera 2007-03-23

I have bought this camera twice, once for my office and then for myself personally. It takes beautiful photos and the color is perfect. The zoom is great and that is one of the reasons I first looked into the product, but it has impressed me in nearly every way. For beginners it has great automated options including indoor, bright color, beach, snow, night, and foliage. It also has an impressive amount of manual capabilities for the more advanced user without adding onto the price.

Pleased with Camera and Value 2007-03-23

I did some research before buying the Camera and I was surprised to find that in many instances the S2 was preferred over its replacement the S3. I had to throw away the Nikon Coolpix I had previously. It took terrible pictures . I'am very impressed with the features and quality of the S2. You have to read the manual but it is very simple to operate considering all the features. Canon has a great reputation for fine quality so I'am looking forward to years of good pictures.

Works better then i hoped 2007-03-19

It is very light and easy to use. The first day we had it, my son took a picture of a police helicopter, in TV mode. The rioter blades where completely stopped and in focus.

Canon Powershot S2 IS Camera 2007-03-18

The camera is working out well and is everything that Amazon reviews and Consumer Reports said that it would be.
It come with a small 16 MB card which is virtually useless except for trying the features.
Be sure to buy a larger card.
I have added a charger and 8 rechargeable high capacity (NiMh) AA batteries and they are working very well with the camera.
Sadly the camera is becoming hard to find!

Simply Superb! 2007-03-13

Just like other many customers, I got confused between buying a 6 MP and 5 MP. The more I researched the more I realize that I may not get a lot of better picture quality with 6MP as I do not use it so much for printing and the trade-off was large picture sizes, which means more memory on computer and the camera. So I decided on 5mp and did a two months research after which I bought this camera. It paid off the time spent.

Blurrrry action shots 2007-03-09

I really had hoped this camera would be it. I have 3 children all in sports and I wanted one camera to take with me...this is not the one. If there is much of any movement in the shot it is a blur of color.

excellent 2007-03-09

I'm learning to use the camera and I'm sure that it will exceed my requirements.

Love this Camera 2007-03-09

I am so pleased with the quality of pictures and features of this camera. It feels good and comfortable in your hand and assists with the ease of taking great pictures! The My Colors feature is awesome and so much fun to use. I had bought a Fuji Finepix 5200 a month before this one and ended up returning it because I wasn't impressed with the picture quality. You just cant go wrong with a Canon.

I'm done buying Digital cameras!! 2007-03-08

My search is over--many cameras later I think I've finally found the best camera ever! I got it yesterday and I've taken many photos already. Not one is out of focus or noisy. All the colors are true and beautiful. I just love it. I can't wait until spring and summer now. Thank you Canon!!

Canon S2IS 2007-02-27

I absolutely love this camera. Takes excellent shots. There are numerous additions you can purchase for this camera such as, lenses, filters, tripods, water kits, etc.

Great Camera! 2007-02-21

I love it!!! Is not expensive, and has a lot cool functions!!!
Perfect!

Very Nice Larger Camera 2007-02-20

This camera does everything a 35MM camera does but digitally. If you want an action shot of your dog running you can turn the top dial to a fast shutter speed without going to a "menu". You can also make a real time movie if you want. Like all new cameras you have a computer in your hand so you do have to read the manual to get familiar with all of the great features. It has the option to switch lenses as well. It's soft wear is nice as well. It is not a "pocket camera". It's meant to be around your neck on a strap. Battery life can be hundreds of shots with good batteries. The ones sent with the unit are not quality, but who cares?

Wow, I'm so impressed for the $ 2007-02-18

I debated between this and the S3 for a few weeks. I finally decided the S3 was not worth the extra money, based on several reviews, comparisons, and advice from more experienced photographers.

I use this mainly to take pictures of my son, my pets, flowers, etc. I can't wait to take it on a vacation. With my old Canon A520, I almost always got red eyes, even with the "red eye reduction" enabled. My entire family has blue eyes, and it took a lot of time to fix on every photo. With this camera (it has an ADJUSTABLE FLASH!), I hardly get red eyes at all. This is one of the most significant benefits for me - and my cats do not have green eyes, even with the flash! Absolutely amazing, in my opinion.

The zoom is insane, taking pictures outdoors is much more fun now. The zoom also makes it easy to take pictures of my son and my animals without disturbing them, or interrupting a candid moment. The macro function is just great, and the quality and crispness of the photos is incredible.

Good Price, Great Options 2007-02-16

I'm definitely not an experienced photographer, but I'm really enjoying working with the Canon Powershot S2. Lots of auto and manual adjustments. The awesome video recording feature is a big hit at our house. We live in the country, and with the 12x optical and additional 4x digital zoom I can get great pictures of the wildlife without leaving the comfort of my nice warm house, its cold out there!

I loved this camera when I first bought it... 2007-02-16

It takes great pictures, it is easy it use, and gave me the ability to customize what I wanted; however, after I had the camera 1 year I was using the camera and when I went to zoom in the screen went black and I got an "E 18" message. I turned the camera off and tried to restart it, but I kept getting this message. The lens is stuck out and will not go back in.

The "E 18" error message is not listed in the manual, so I did a Google search and found this is a common error message in these models. It usually happens after about one year. I never dropped the camera or treated it roughly... I was very disappointed, especially after spending the money to buy lenses and filters to go along with my camera.

I am hesitant about recommending a Canon now.

Great Zoom 2007-02-15

Forgive my english, the zoom is awesome, I take a shot in a concert and once downloaded the pictures to my pc, you can even print the images as posters, a clean image.
I also recommend you to read the manual, yes, all the 200 pages, the manual is wrote for several languages so you have no excuse.
Good buying, it's my first digital camera but I've used others before and this one exceeds all of them.

good buy 2007-02-14

I bought it for one year. although the accessories add up another 100 dollars, it is a good camera that I want to recommend.

Nice Camera! 2007-02-12

I bought this camera because I wanted to change my Canon A40 for a higher model. I love to take pictures of my travels and I found that the S2-IS is a good camera for who wants to take good pictures but is still learning and acquiring the skills required for professional photos. I was thinking to buy the S3 but I think that the relation benefits/cost of the S2 is so good for this price. I've been using my camera for a month and I'm convinced that I chose the best option.

Canow Powershot S2 IS 5MP Digital camera. 2007-02-12

I did a lot of researching and I wanted this camera, because it fits my needs. 1 It has Image Stabilization which I need. 2 I don't have to buy special battries that will only work in this camera or a special batter charger that will only work with a special battery.This camera will work great with rechargable and over the counter regular batteries. I don't understand why any one would want to " have to buy special abtteries and charger for same" when you can shoot longer with batteries cheaper and you can buy them any place. I had that other kind of camera and sold it for a good price and bought a better out fit that I'm very happy with.Don't buy just any good camera buy one that fits you needs and this S2IS is really a great camera. I have recomended this to my friends.

As easy or as detailed as you want it....... 2007-02-11

Used as a point and shoot with a high speed SD card and set on auto it snaps off frames like a quality film camera. The built in image stabilization also makes it easy to make pan shots during sports events or for a quick opp shot. Do some reading and all kinds of interesting uses offer themselves. All for not a lot of money. Sweet.

Very pleased with this camera 2007-02-11

Use as a point and shoot or take the time to learn the manual functions..either way this is a great product.

Does what I wanted it to based on my expectations 2007-02-10

I wanted a camera I could zoom in on my kids sporting events. I didn't really care that it was a 5mp, I already had a Pentax Optio with a 3.2mp and I got great results. The extra megapixels over 5 wouldn't be that important for my use, and not worth the extra $100 to $150.

The zoom works great (12x - equivalent to over 400 zoom in a 35mm camera). The flash works great. You really do need to read the manual to get the best results. I love that in dark rooms it sends out a green light beam to measure so that pictures come out great. I took pictures of my kids in a totally dark room, and the picture came out perfect on the Auto setting. Can't say enough about it. I also got a free 1gig SD card when I purchased it in January through an amazon promo.

Oh, it takes great movies in .avi form. And you can zoom in while taking them! Then play them back on your tv with the cords that are included and make your own home movies. You can take a picture while filming too, but you do hear a click.

Canon Powershot S2 IS 5MP 2007-02-08

It is really good, the only thing is that you will need to read a bit in order to use all the cool features it has. Another thing is the batteries it comes with run out of power rather fast.
But it is a good purchase.

First digital camera 2007-02-05

This is my first digital camera. I used to be a photographer using SLR cameras but my vision started being too unreliable for decent photos.

The camera is easy to hold although I find I am hitting the buttons on the back too often.

The manual is decent, although I wish there were more information about troubleshooting (i.e. why is the moon just a dot?)

The software is good and it is not needed to download images from the camera. What is good about the software is you can use the computer to operate the camera - Remote Shooting. The images are saved directly to the computer. The ZoomBrowser is good for organization of images.

This is a large camera. It does not feel nor look nor act cheap. If you want a point-and-shoot, this will be overkill. But if you want to play with the images some, manipulate your own F stops and shutter speed, and you also want point-and-shoot, then this camera will do it all.

If you are waiting for the prices of true SLR digital cameras to drop in price, get this one in the mean time.

I love this camera. 2007-02-05

I am not an experienced photographer but with this camera I get good photos of scenery, people and also my paintings (good enough to enter in competitive shows). It fits the hand easily, works very well, gives great pictures. Some reviewers commented that the view finder is too small but I like using it better than the LED screen for quick shooting. Also there were negative comments about the need to lift up the flash. Maybe not having it pop up automatically saves a little bit of battery energy. Anyway its a great camera. The new version of the canon software works very well, no learning curve. I got the Sony rechargeable batteries and charger and found that the batteries lasted for several weeks of light duty photography.

image died 2007-02-04

Excellent camera, for about a year. Shortly after warranty expired the image started to fail - nothing in viewfinder except icons. This could be corrected for a while by repeatedly turning on and off but it has now died completely, about 18 months old. Very disappointed in Canon. I was offered a refurbished model for $200 as part of their 'customer loyalty' program when new model is offered for $280!! Very generous!! This customer will not be very loyal. Fool me once...

Almost a pro camera - Really nice 2007-01-31

Excelent product, clear pictures, pleanty of functios available, and years of use granted.
If you are looking for a good Digital Camera, this is your best choice.
I specially recommend to buy an UV filter and the adapter, to protect the electronic zoom.
You will not regret.

Defect? 2007-01-30

Maybe I got a defect, but every single picture was blurry or dark. I changes settings, but nothing helped. I sent it back and hope to find another one to purchase!

What a terrific camera!!!! 2007-01-29

I am so impressed with the quality & features of this camera!
I used it right out of the box and felt like a pro. The quality of the picture is excellent and I particularly love the graduated zoom ability.
Thank you for a wonderful camera at a great price!

I love this camera 2007-01-29

This is the best camera ever. I've had many cameras before this one and this one takes the cake. It takes professional quality pictures but is very easy to use. If I took the time to go over all of the functions on this camera you'd be reading for hours. All that I have left to say is great camera!

Nice value and options for the money 2007-01-27

I have only had this camera a few weeks but it has met all my expectations--I got it to photograph jewelry and small artwork primarily, at which it excels. I am also am finding it does a great job on a lot of other kinds of shots. I find I enjoy photographing birds--a tough subject--and have gotten some nice shots of them with this camera. The controls are easy to operate, conveniently located, and pretty easy to figure out even without resorting to the manual. I'm still doing a lot of experimenting with different settings to "learn" the camera's capabilities and get a feel for its sensitivity to light and its optics...an exercise highly recommended for folks like me who are new to cameras with manual controls. Have taken a few video clips with it that came out great.

The memory card it came with is kind of a joke--I bought a Kingston 2 GB card to use instead and have been real happy with that. It writes super-fast and I come nowhere close to ever running out of room (but I delete a lot of shots, too). Also, rechargeable batteries are HIGHLY recommended. I have three sets...one set lasted for three weeks of casual use--even with the LCD often open.

I've added a 52mm adapter tube and a few filters, plus a hood. Mainly I wanted the adapter and a UV filter to protect the lens for tight super-macro shots. One of these days I might get a wide angle lens. If you're going to be doing macro stuff or using the zoom a lot, use of a tripod will be key in getting clearly focused shots.

Great camera for the advanced user 2007-01-27

Great camera, L-O-V-E the large zoom.
the only downside is that it is a little heavy.
if you don't mind the weight and the size, this camera is the best.
if you are looking for a simple and compact camera, then this is not the camera for you.

Best camera ever!! 2007-01-27

This is the coolest most detailed camera i've ever owned, its provides superb resolution pictures , quiet and rugged construction. If you don't mind the extra space for a point and shoot camera you should go with this.

Nice "Almost SLR" 2007-01-26

I have owned this camera for about a year now, and have had superb results.
No it does not have every digital feature under the sun but the zoom and the image stabilization is fabulous. It is a little light on the pixels if you
do any kind of cropping after the fact. Half the fun of digital photography
is working with the pix after they have been taken. I recommend Picasa - a
free Google digital imaging suite that is powerful and completely intuitive to use.
I recently went to a digital photography seminar put on by a local camera store, featuring classes given by reps from Canon and Nikon. Really great SLR's to buy for thousands of dollars, but not one of the Mega buck/pixel
SlR's could do what the S2 IS can do...take a great movie. or even take a picture while you are taking a movie. Not one. Imagine all the great sights and sounds those SLR photographers are missing!
My point is that with good editing software, you can do wonders with your pictures AND do movies too. Only when Digital SLR's can take video, will I upgrade from my S2 IS

Great Camera 2007-01-24

PROS: Very good camera for most intermediate to advanced users. I have owned this now for almost a year. Great res with the high optical zoom and image stabilizer works well in most situations. This camera takes quite good video for a still camera, and offers an excellent choice for those wanting a still camera and video unit with a budget for only one; just get a large (1GB min, 2 or 4 recommended) high-speed SD card. Like all cameras, batteries get used quickly, get rechargeable Nimh's if you don't already have some, keep fresh in it and another charged set ready to go. Excellent creative tools and auto functions, good manual features as well. LCD screen pivots and tilts for getting overhead shots in crowds, etc.

CONS: Wimpy SD card (32mb) from Canon included. Some noise and blurring in lower light conditions. Standard lens filters need an extender adapter kit from Canon and are too expensive and bulky, so I don't like having my lens unprotected without a UV filter, and wish it had Polarizer. LCD screen is way to small.

I think the newer S3 has better improvements and is probably the one to buy now.

Professional Photo Quality All The Time 2007-01-23

This is my second Canon camera and I love it. While I've used many other brands Canon works really well for the novice, and also those that are a bit more technical. The portraits taken with this camera are really good. The focus is on the object and not the background. I took out photos of the moon and the definition was fantastic. This camera has a very powerful lens. By the way I take hundreds of pictures in a week and they all come out nice and sharp. The stabilisation feature makes this a true gem. Go ahead and buy it from Amazon the price is very good.

Solid and reliable 2007-01-23

Now, this review is based on only one month of possession, which may not be long enough to give a reliable estimation of the product ... so I'll do this again in a year. However, for a non-professional who has been an avid photographer in the past, I find it is perfectly adequate and works well, with very little "research" required before getting good use out of it. The chip that comes with the camera only holds 10 or 11 photos, so you'll have to purchase a chip that holds a lot more memory if you don't want to worry about running out of space real soon. I suggest a chip that holds a gigabite, at about $50.

Great Quality Camera 2007-01-22

Great camera for beginners just taking auto shots and great for those who would like to control their own manual settings. I love the pictures I have taken with this camera. Well worth the money and I don't see any reason to pay the extra $$ for the S3.

Great Value Great Camera 2007-01-21

After shopping around Amazon had the best price! Great out of the box camera, I love it! Super pictures, very little noise in dark areas. Only two gripes, small memory card & it's a little small for big hands, but I am learning where to put my fingers. Two things you must do, buy re-chargable batteries and a 1 gig card. 5 mega- pixels is plenty, I though about buying the 6 meg camera, but $120.00 more just didn't make sense.

Thanks, Amazon for a super deal!

Canon Powershot S2 Digital camera 2007-01-20

Excellent, got it for my daugher and son in law for Christmas. I have 3 grandchildren. During Christmas they took 200 to 300 pictures. Pluged it into tv and had a great time reviewing each one.

It is better than what the advertising states

Bang for your buck 2007-01-19

This is probably the most capable camera you'll find for $300. For all the gory details, check one of the popular review sites. I'll just mention a couple of pros/cons:

Pros: 12x zoom, manual controls, AA batteries, remote capture capability and not least tilt & swivel LCD. It is so convenient, and it boggles my mind why so few cameras have this feature - not even high end ones.

Cons: The lens cap is very loose and falls off all the time. Probably made so to prevent strain/damage to the lens motors if you forget to take off the cap before switching camera on (I am certainly guilty there).

Canon S2 IS - You Just Can't Go Wrong!! 2007-01-19

This is easily the best camera I have ever owned! I have a friend who has this same camera and when we were ready to start looking for a new one I was hopeful of getting something a little more compact, however after I used my friends a couple of times...I was "smitten." For a novice, like myself, the pictures I have taken so far look like a pro did them. Once you figure out some of the "bells and whistles" on this camera....you will love it and can't help but take good shots! We have even used some of the "nature" shots as backgrounds for some of our worship slides @ church. I primarily got it for a "family" camera to take pics of the kids and stuff but it I think I have found a new "joy" and love in just shooting candid shots. If I had to get another...I would do it in a heeartbeat! Well worth the money!!!

Good 2007-01-19

Good camara, with sufficient characteristics to take fotografias as a professional. Optical zoom lens 12X are good, and when combining it with digital zoom it gives good resolution. The only not so good thing is that the screen is a little small.

Cannon S2 IS 5MP 2007-01-18

Great camera for the price. Has a little trouble with tricky lighting but all in all a great camera. Video records flawlessly....zoom lense is outstanding.

Good camera 2007-01-18

The camera is not bad considering that this is not the top of the line model. It has some troubles when shooting with max zoom if the light conditions are not the best. But otherwise it is a nice camera, easy to use, great pics.

Very satisfied 2007-01-17

I've had my camera for about 1 month and love it. I use it to take family pictures and also my grandchildren's athletic and school events. The continuous shooting mode is great for getting action shots. The Zoom is enough to get good close ups of soccer games from the stands in a large high school stadium. The 3 repeat shots for talkng time delay shots of my large family is also very helpful. The only improvement I would make is to enlarge the view finder.

Excelent 2007-01-17

Good price, excelent optical zom and video, very easy to operate, and full manual to special picture

Great Camera 2007-01-17

I purchased my S2IS a week before Christmas, and easily began using the basic functions within a few minutes. Keep in mind, this is the first time I have ever used a digital camera. I have owned a 35MM Minolta
Maxxum camera for years, but rarely used it, mostly because of its weight,and bulk,so the much lighter weight and smaller size of the S2IS are very pleasing. The Cannon allowed me to take great pictures of Christmas with my grandkids. I have many wonderful pictures I wouldn't have had without my new camera. I have not explored all the options and modes available on the camera, and doubt if I ever will use them all. My picture taking activities are fairly basic, although with this camera I probably will get more sophisticated. The S2IS makes it so easy to take great photos of people, wildlife and nature scenes. I demonstrated the S2IS to my brother, and he was so impressed with it, he bought one for himself. I highly recommend the S2IS to anyone who wants an easy to use, flexible, superzoom camera. The 5 megapixels of the camera produce exceptional 8x11 prints. My only complaints about the camera are the small size of the flip-out LCD, and the placement of the menu button, but those issues are minor when you consider the many great features and functionality of the S2IS. It is a really fun camera to use.

Features are superior to megapixels in choosing this camera 2007-01-17

The image stabilization feature and 12x optical zoom far outweigh the fact that this camera only has 5 megapixel resolution. As usual, when you go with a Canon product and opt for features rather than bling-bling, you get a superior product. Worked instantly with a 1GB SD card, menu to format it was easy to understand. Have not even begun to use all the features of this excellent instrument, so far extremely pleased.

I love my new Canon S2 IS 5MP Digital Camera! 2007-01-16

I shopped around for a digital camera within my price range with a 12X zoom. I finally found it in the Canon S2 on Amazon. I switched to buying only Canon digital cameras with my last camera purchase. I love the Canon cameras and have never found to have any trouble with them. I was concerned about having to use regular AA batteries in this camera as I have experienced rechargable batteried in a past camera and preferred that to buying AA batteries over and over. However, this camera is not a "battery hog!" I have not had to put batteries into it as frequently as I did with other cameras. I have been pleased with that aspect too. It takes GREAT pictures. I can zoom in on my kids from across the yard and get their expressions and it is always a clear, crisp picture. I have not yet used all the features available on this camera (there are lots of neat "bells & whistles" still undiscovered for me), but I will soon learn them all. I really like the movie feature. I had it on my last Canon camera, but on the S2 you can use the zoom feature while filming a movie. You can also snap a still picture in the middle of filimg in case a special moment happens! The power up of this camera is super fast. Just this weekend I was sitting with it turned off in my lap. I saw a great photo op about to happen. I turned on the camera, zoomed in, and snapped the photo before the moment passed - it was FAST! I am in love with this camera. It was worth every penny!!!!!!

Canon S2IS digital camera 2007-01-16

I bought this for my daughter for Christmas because she wanted a hi-power optical zoom camera. She's taken still pictures and videos, and used the telephoto and the macro function and hasn't even looked at the owner's manual. The camera is comfortable to hold, easy to use and the menu system is quite intuitive. The image stabilization works very well, and the pictures are clear and sharp. Color rendition is excellent. Some reviews have mentioned some chromatic aberrations (vignetting or purple fringing), but in truth that even occurs with digital SLR's and some lenses. We haven't found any aberration in my daughter's pictures, from macro to full zoom, indoors or out. The S2IS is not a professional camera, but if you want an easy to use, hi-zoom camera for every day use and family vacations, you won't be disappointed with an S2IS.

Great Camera 2007-01-16

This is my first digital camera and I think it is great. I had never used one until I purchased this one. It is fairly simple to use and the photos are great. It was very easy to hook up with my computer. I would reccomend this camera to anyone who has need for an all around camera. Even a green horn can use this camera. It is great. The price was great also. I looked in alot of different places for cameras and Amamzon had it all.

Awesome!!!! 2007-01-15

This is no doubt the best digital camera I have owned. I wanted a Point and Shoot but I wanted a camera where I could experiment and do other things. I don't know too much about photography but I want to learn more. I'm a little more than half way thru the manual that came with the camera. It's very informative and you can actually learn from reading it. The photos come out incredible indoors and outdoors. I was happy with my Minolta until I saw my sister's Canon A610. Everyone was telling me how good Canon is. They weren't lying. I wanted a camera with higher optical zoom, thats why I went with the CP S2 IS. The Optical Zoom is incredible! I focused on my DVDs across the room(approx 25' away) not using a tripod and it came out incredible. It looked like I took the pic from 3 feet away. The image stabilization is incredible. Without the image stabilization the photo would have looked blurry.

It's great being able to control the shutter speed. In the "Portrait" setting I take pics of my little boy smiling and jumping up and down. When you look at the pic it looks like he is standing still smiling. There are so many features to brag about w this camera. You can also set the camera to take a pic automatically every second or any interval you choose.

I'm very happy w the software also. The setup is incredibly easy. Install the drives and software with the supplied CD, hook up the usb cable and waaala...done.

My wife and I recently had twins and I wanted a camera that would take the best pics. For the price this was the camera. I did lots of research on cameras before I bought this one. I really didn't come across any bad ones for good reason. I would recommend this camera to anyone and everyone.

Great camera for the price now! 2007-01-14

I bought this when it was still over 400 Buckaroos. I did not dish out for a DSLR because I knew I would get the camera jones and start buying all the extra stuff like i did with the S2 IS.

If you are dissappointed with the AUTO mode pics you're getting, please practice with the more manual settings---you won't be dissappointed. (Set AF mode to SINGLE, and IS Mode to SHOOT ONLY) In good lighting, esp outdoors on a sunny day, it is hard to beat the S2 in it's class now. Using an add on lens adapter with a quality linear polarizer and you will get some WOW! pics, esp if you are going on vacation (for accessories, try lensmateonline dot com).

Low light situations CAN be it's achilles heel. I say can because if you learn some of the manual settings you can take some pretty good indoor shots as long as you are resigned to using the flash (other wise you will need to go the DSLR route). Also ISO 200 can be acceptable, but use 400 only if there is no other way to get the shot---you can clean it up with some postprocessing later on your comp.

Indoor Tip#1: Use the Night Snapshot mode in the Scenes setting. Turn down exposure compensation to -2/3, and you will get a better indoor flash photo that doesn't result in a dark background.

Indoor Tip#2: Using AV mode with aperture set to 5.0 (4.0 to 5.6 is the sweet spot for the S2),go into the settings menu and set Flash Sync to '2nd curtain', and Slow Synchro to 'On'. Set ISO to 100, exposure compensation between -2/3 to -2. Using the flash and a steady hand, this results in slower shutter times, but for indoor poses and 'portrait' type shots, it blows away just using the flash regularly. Backgrounds won't be dark, and your subjects won't be so washed out.

Bottom line, if you prefer black, want an extra megapixel, can spend the extra dough get the S3, but right now it's difficult to recommend it due to the price the S2 is going for now.

Great buy! 2007-01-13

I looked at the reviews for this camera before i bought it..the reviews were overall pretty good...so i bought it. Personally i found this camera easy to use with-out looking at the manual. The camera is compact with a lot of buttons close together but once i got comfortable holding the camera this was not a problem. The adjustable screen is awesome...it enables me to take difficult pictures with ease. Speaking of pictures..i am extremely pleased with the quality of the pictures. The batteries the camera came with lasted me several days and then i bought the rechargable ones. Overall i am happy with the camera and the price...i am thinking about buying another one as a present.

It is a pleasure to be able to brag on this camera. 2007-01-13

The Canon Powershot S2 1S is not a light weight or simple camers. It is one to keep your brain active and it amazes me by what it is capable of, much more than I have learned so far, but I am pleased with what I can do with it.I enjoy the lens stabilizer and like to take pictures of birds, animals, and scenery. This includes a lot of snow pictures from recent snows - 46 inches since the 19th of December. It is easy to look at the pictures on my computer or TV.

Canon Powershot S2 IS 2007-01-12

Love this camera. It is easy to get the basics down and the pictures are great. I wish the view finder was larger, but I really enjoy the zoom power. For the money it is great.

Awesome camera I ever had... 2007-01-12

I bought this S2 IS a month ago and took above 3000 pics so far. I covered almost all modes, settings of image capturing. I think this is the camera I ever hunted for. Look at its 12X optical zoom!!! Earlier i thought itz a print mistake...lol. Later, when i knew in detail, i cudn't believe it. Apart from SLR cameras, this is one of the best and simply superb cameras.

Canon S2 Review 2007-01-12

Really awesome camera for all kinds of places. its real power is when your outdoors. The only drawback i see is its a bit heavy, as its having four batteries and a 12X optical system in place. But this disadv is something you cannot escape from.
Unfortunately i lost a better deal from Dell a few days after my purchase from Amazon.
I would give 4.5 stars to this product.

Digital Camera 2007-01-12

I purchased this camera for my daughter as a present and it is an amazing and superior camera.

awsome camera 2007-01-12

great camera for those wanting a more flexible camera than a point and shoot. If you grew up with an SLR this is the digital for you. I have a s1is. I bought this one for my daughter. It's great. the zoom is super and the macro is sharp.

Great little camera! 2007-01-11

I purchased the S2IS because the offered price was very attractive, and it was hard to believe a camera at this price could offer so many really great features. I had been hoping to save enough for a digital SLR sometime later in 2007. But, reading the specs, info, & reviews for the S2IS convinced me that this is a serious camera with all the capability I would want and more, all at a fraction of the cost of even a low-end digital SLR. I like to take pictures, and good ones, but do not consider myself an accomplished photographer. But this little marvel has already opened the door to more photographic possibilities than I ever had with my old all-manual SLR. The 5mp resolution is more than adequate for my purposes. More might be better for a serious photographer, and I think succeeding generations of this one will offer more. But for me this is quite enough. And the lens is incredible. Think of this: a 12x crystal clear optical zoom -- In 35mm equivalent, that's a max focal length of 432 mm! I shoot lots of wildlife. The S2IS allows me to get really close without overly disturbing the subject. Plus it has great macro capability. Plus, if you want to customize (And who doesn't -- there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to photographic situations; auto just can't do everything every time), the S2IS offers compensation for all kinds of lighting conditions, manual settings for ISO, shutter speed, aperture, focus, light metering, and more. I still haven't begun to explore the possibilities. Yet, for the novice, this camera is a snap to use. The image stabilization feature really works, even at slow shutter speeds. This is the first digital camera I have owned; actually it is the first automatic camera of any kind I have used. I have had it for about a month, and so far the images are spectacular. Plus, it's digital. I can shoot away & experiment all I want. In one small, affordable, incredibly engineered package, the S2IS is everything I have been looking for in a camera, and more. For quality, capability, and price, it is one of the best purchases I have ever made.

The best non-slr camera available today 2007-01-11

Amazing camera. I recently bought this before going on a hiking trip. The photos that came out were simply amazing. Day or night, full zoom or macro, land scape or portrait, manual or auto, you name the mode and this camera simply rocks. I'm extremely pleased with this product.

Nice lens camera but not so good in low light conditions! 2007-01-11

I brought this camera after doing a good amount of research in the internet and this is what I can tell about this camera....
Pros:
1) Optical Zoom(12X)****
2) Movie button option
3) Twistable LCD screen
4) Rich photos in day light

Cons:
1) Very bulky(with batteries loaded)
2) Small LCD screen
3) Not so good photos in low light conditions
4) The Image Stabilizer is of little or no use!

good camera 2007-01-11

I've had it for like 7 months.. it's a great camera, I love it. I've went through about 4 or 5 other digital cameras and this one is my favorite. If you really want the best use of it, buy a bigger memory card, it's only like 30 dollars.. a san disk one. The only thing that's kinda bad about the camera is that it's hugeee so I wear it around my neck sometimes if I'm taking a lot of pictures and I look like a tourist hahahaha.

Great Camera 2007-01-11

Very easy to use and produces great pictures. If you do not need an SLR and 5MP are enough, this is the camera for you.

Nice camera for the $$......... 2007-01-11

Our first digital died last year and we just recently purchased the Canon S2 IS in November to replace it. Couldn't justify the differences (from my research) to put out the extra $ for the S3. At first didn't really like the quality of pictures we were getting with it. Plus the size was a bit big and heavy for everyday use so we were planning on returning it. I was also a bit intimidated by all the functions that I did not know how to use. Started looking and researching another, smaller camera, simpler functions. Wanted to stay with the A series Canon because they use AA batteries and SD card. Researched (and researched and researched!!) and it came down to the A630 and the A710IS, both of which are very good cameras. Finally decided on A710IS mainly because of the IS. After playing with and reading up on how to use some of the features on the A710 I realized Auto is not the best mode and have actually learned some of the functions of the manual controls (only way to go, IMO) and am extremely pleased with that camera. Had not returned the S2 yet and got it back out of the box. Tried again to use some of the functions (much less intimidated but I still have much to learn) and got great results!! I am loving this camera, loving the zoom and the few extra features it has over the 710 and have decided to keep both cameras (A710 and the S2)for the versatility. This way we have a nice small, compact camera to take to events where a larger camera might not be as convenient. With the S2 we have the longer zoom, swivel screen and a few other different features. Plus the awesome movie quality that we will most likely use for all movies(the A710 has a good one also but still can't beat the S2).
Take the time to learn the functions and you will be MOST pleased. I didn't and almost sent back a wonderful camera! I am now very happy with my S2!

Canon Powershot S2 2007-01-10

Awesome camera. Have taken Many great shots. Need large camera case. Also bught large memory card to go with it. Only bad thing is lense cover keeps falling off.