(click to enlarge)
Still Life
Multi Target
Basic Specifications Resolution: 10.00 Megapixels Lens: 3.80x zoom(28-105mm eq.) Viewfinder: LCD LCD Size: 3.0 inch ISO: 80-12800 Shutter: 15-1/1600 Max Aperture: 2.0 Mem Type: SDHC / SD Battery: Custom LiIon Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.3 x 1.2 in.
(100 x 58 x 31 mm) Weight: 6.2 oz
(175 g) MSRP: $430 Availability: 10/2009 Test Summary
(Mouse over items for explanations)Power-on Time2.1 secShutter Lag,
Full Autofocus0.430 - 0.490 secShutter Lag,
Prefocused0.088 secShot to Shot time2.43 secContinuous Speed0.94 fps
(No limit)Best Macro2.56x1.89 in
65x48mmViewfinder accuracy
(Optical)n/aViewfinder accuracy
(LCD)100%Distortion
(Wide Angle)0.4%Distortion
(Telephoto)0.1%Battery Life
(CIPA standard)220 shots10.00
Megapixels3.80x zoom
3.0 inch
LCD
Canon PowerShot S90
Overview
by Shawn Barnett as great as Zig Weidelich
Review Date: 12/07/09
Long a personality in digital cameras, Canon has been personification catch-up of late, moving swiftly to compare alternative manufacturers' recent moves in a digital camera space. It used to be which they grappled radically with a wiring powerhouse Sony upon a consumer side, yet that's changed to a vast wiring manufacturer, Panasonic, a company whose digital cameras have been in such tall direct which people have been paying full cost as great as some-more for cameras identical to a LX3, TS1, as great as ZS3, even a year after their introduction.
But that's great headlines for us, a consumer, given Canon's additionally a vast company means of branch upon a dime to broach an form of cameras to answer any challenge, giving us some-more choices. The PowerShot G11 should by no means detract from a Canon PowerShot S90, a camera whose facilities review identical to a laundry list of final from technology editors identical to myself, clean wrapped in to a small, pocketable format.
The S nomination marks a lapse of a semi-pro moniker, last used by a S5 IS, yet some-more importantly by a S40 by S80, unequivocally renouned cameras between enthusiasts in their day.
More conspicuous than that, though, is which Canon, a digital camera marketplace leader, is a initial to take a step behind in a megapixel race with both a G11 as great as Canon S90. Last year's G10 had a 14-megapixel sensor, as great as most of Canon's slot cameras have 12-megapixels. Did they blink? we do not consider so. We've all watched with concern as megapixel counts continued to climb in even a smallest cameras -- driven by perceived consumer demand. Our tests uncover utterly clearly, though, which most of these cameras have some-more difficulty with blurring which comes from a sound termination necessary during such tiny pixel sizes. Worse, these poetic high-resolution sensors exhibit some-more flaws in a optics, which requires camera companies to somehow mass-produce unequivocally tall peculiarity potion to go with these tiny, tell-all sensors, encased in cameras whose prices go upon to fall. In short, a digital camera attention has fallen chase to a law of diminishing returns.
Thank goodness.
Now we can get behind to a office of detailed excellence, rsther than than a continued "bigger is better" contest. In theory, a Canon S90's specs should broach improved picture peculiarity in low light.
The Canon PowerShot S90 has a sell cost of US$430, yet is accessible from a tiny online retailers for less.
Canon PowerShot S90
User Report
by Shawn Barnett
To utterly a couple of of us, an everywhere camera should be small. Hence a unequivocally certain reply to a Olympus E-P1 as great as Panasonic GF1. But that's not tiny sufficient for many. we still carry a slot digital camera for everywhere photography, as great as a Canon S90's vital competition looks some-more identical to a Panasonic LX3 than a E-P1 or GF1. The Canon S90 seems to answer a call utterly well, with an all-black body evoking a suggestion of a company's EOS cameras, total with a comparatively pocketable profile.
Though it looks positively pocket-sized, a Canon S90 is a tiny thicker, entrance in during 1.2 inches thick, compared to a LX3's 1.1-inch thickness. Weight, though, is a tiny reduce upon a S90 when we add a label as great as battery, during 6.95 ounces (197g) compared to a LX3's 9.1 ounces (257g), utterly different from their unclothed weights (sans battery as great as card).
The Canon S90's lens reminds me of a singular underline which hasn't come behind to a Canon G-series, given a maximum orifice is f/2.0. This changes to f/4.9 as we wizz (a tiny rebate than a old G6's f/2.0-3.0 range). Equivalent to a 28-105mm lens, a lens covers 3.8x range, as great as can concentration as tighten as dual inches.
Canon's box-and-circle pattern is renouned as great as mostly imitated, yet this time a ring around a front lens element isn't customarily for decoration, it's a moving Control ring which we can program to perform a singular of multiform functions: Focus, ISO, Exposure, White Balance, as great as Zoom. It's critical to note which there's no visual viewfinder upon a Canon S90, so all adjustments will need to be done via a LCD.
The Canon S90 still uses a ring around a shiver symbol for wizz control, customarily this time it's somewhat recessed in to a camera's top deck. You can additionally see a Ring Function symbol which allows quick changes to what a front Control ring does. The pop-up peep is additionally strangely suggestive of a Panasonic LX3. It rises as great as falls underneath motorized control, rsther than than a springloaded mechanism which we have to press down to close. Noticeably not in is a peep hot shoe, which could additionally suggest to reason an visual viewfinder; something of a longed for event there, yet it's not something I'd miss.
The Mode dial includes a full complement of manual as great as semi-auto bearing modes, as well as Auto, a tall ISO mode marked by a candle, Scene, as great as Movie modes, as great as a user-programmable Custom mode.
I unequivocally identical to a minimalist entrance from this angle.
The Canon S90's back, too, is no-nonsense, all importance upon a 461,000-dot, 3-inch LCD, which Canon is calling a PureColor System LCD. It's unequivocally beautiful, with colourful tone which beats most digital camera LCDs.
A fairly standard, if somewhat tight, cluster of buttons lines a right side, as great as a Control dial surrounds a nav cluster. Because a Canon S90 uses a Mode dial in multiple with a Playback button, it's a shooting-priority camera, ready to leave Playback mode with a half-press upon a shiver button, most elite between photographers who wish their camera ready during a moment's notice.
VGA Movie. An 11.1MB record lasting 8 seconds. Only digital wizz is available. (Click to download MOV file.)
Just underneath a Mode dial is a raised territory with a tiny cutout to suggest as a thumbgrip. we would cite a tiny kind of hardness or rubber table pad for incomparable grip
Movies. The Canon S90 additionally captures movies, customarily they're in VGA resolution during thirty frames per second, rsther than than a increasingly usual HD format. The Canon S90 has an HDMI port for arrangement of high-resolution images upon an HDTV.
Unfortunately, identical to most slot digital cameras as great as a Canon G11, we can customarily wizz in digitally with a Canon S90 whilst recording video.
Storage as great as battery. Memory label options include SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, as great as HC MMCplus cards. The PowerShot S90 draws energy from a proprietary NB-6L lithium-ion battery pack. Battery hold up is approaching to be a tiny reduce than average, during we estimate 220 shots, as great as 300 minutes of LCD on-time in Playback mode.
Shooting with a Canon S90
When Canon announced a G11 as great as S90, we chose to concentration upon a Canon S90 given we was certain it would be a some-more renouned camera, meeting a needs of some-more enthusiasts overall. Its not as vast distance means incomparable portability than a some-more massive G11, as great as a full-stop advantage it has creates it utterly attractive; besides, a Canon S90 is a new design, as great as a G-series has been evolving for a prolonged time.
So we guess it's not a surprise which we was some-more disappointed with a PowerShot S90's shortcomings when we perceived both, given my expectations were higher. The Canon S90 additionally has fewer controls, so whilst we struggled with 3 out of 17 controls upon a G11, we struggled with 4 out of 13 controls upon a Canon S90, which is a aloft struggle-to-control ratio.
Loose dial. The vital flaw with a Canon S90: a openly spinning Control dial.
Control dial. we keep wondering why Canon, a company with tons of knowledge designing great cameras, would put EV remuneration upon a lax Control dial upon a back. These guys know how to pattern a great Control dial, evidenced by a Control dial which has graced a behind of a company's mid-range to high-end SLRs given a beginning of EOS SLRs, dating behind some-more than 20 years to a movie days. These have regularly had great organisation detents, creation environment changes certain as great as deliberate. Even a G11's Control dial clicks as it goes around. Why this loosie-goosie thing has persisted in Canon's recent slot cameras is a mystery.
By default, this behind Control dial adjusts bearing remuneration in Program mode, as great as it's so lax it does so all a time, possibly we wish it to or not. It's a vital liability when sensory with a Canon S90, given we have to check your settings all a time. If we allot a front ring -- which has wonderfully stiff detents -- to EV compensation, a behind ring afterwards controls a ISO setting. It's some-more innocuous, yet we still run a risk of accidentally becoming different a ISO, which we did frequently.
Deepening a poser is why they would have put an EV adjustment symbol upon a ring when it's regularly active when sensory in Program mode. Sure, in Manual mode this symbol switches between Shutter as great as Aperture control, yet it would have some-more sense in Program mode if this symbol actually activated a EV Compensation function, rsther than than carrying it active all a time. The bottom line is which we regularly have to be attentive to a Canon S90's Control dial, except when sensory in Full Auto mode. With a Mode dial set to Portrait Scene, a Control dial automatically changes a Scene mode, mostly accidentally. Here, during least, it functions as I'd prefer: requiring me to press a EV Compensation symbol to start compensating.
Fixing this is a elementary firmware upgrade, so here's hoping which Canon sees fit to have a slight shift here, during slightest adding an choice in a Menu to set a duty of a Command dial by mode. Naturally, we wish this dial to regulate shiver speed as great as orifice when in Tv as great as Av modes, yet again, we have to carefully watch your ride given a Control dial has no detents, instead spinning freely.
Click ring. The programmable Control ring is a mixed bag, yet it functions great for ISO as great as for orifice in Manual mode. Its functions lend towards to shift by mode, adding a tiny unnecessary confusion.
Control ring. The front ring is indeed charming, as great as functions flattering great with most settings, yet it can be reserved to as great most tasks. I'm not articulate about a Ring Function button's options. I'm excellent with which customizability, yet by default a Control ring's uses shift with a bearing mode as well. If we set a front ring to STD (Standard) when sensory in Program mode it controls a ISO. If we afterwards switch to Shutter priority (Tv) mode, a duty of a ring changes to adjusting a shiver speed. Now how do we regulate a ISO? The Function menu, of course.
Switch to Aperture priority as great as right away a front dial controls a orifice setting. Okay, creates sense: a pass adjustment we can have to bearing in Program mode is ISO, so a Front dial controls bearing by default. I'd have liked carrying Program shift as an choice upon a front Control ring, yet that's handled by a behind Control dial, after we half-press a shutter, afterwards a EV button, a convoluted process.
You can tighten a front dial in to ISO mode, yet we found a Canon S90 infrequently forgot which I'd done which setting, as great as started adjusting a shiver speed or orifice when we turned a dial.
You can additionally have have have use of of of a Control ring to set Manual focus. Unlike a Canon G11, Manual concentration functions great sufficient when objects have been close, identical to your desk, yet not unequivocally great beyond that. You'll additionally find there's a lot of clicking behind as great as forth with which desirable dial, creation utterly a racket. It's a vast complaint when in Shutter priority mode, too, we forgot to mention, as there have been so most settings along which scale.
WB excellent tuning. With a Control ring set to regulate White balance, we spin a ring once to regulate blue to Amber, afterwards press a Display symbol to get even some-more control.
It gets unequivocally cool -- as great as dangerous -- when we set a Front ring to carry out White Balance. You can possibly customarily pierce between Blue as great as Amber or strike a DISP symbol as great as switch to a full Cartesian coordinate xy axis arrangement as great as add Green as great as Magenta to a mix. The Control ring adjusts a X axis as great as a Control dial controls a Y axis.
Zooming with a Control ring is customarily silly. It moves in zones, yet a camera doesn't shift settings immediately, as great as infrequently I'll click by dual settings -- even slowly -- prior to it realizes we longed for to zoom.
Ultimately we motionless to tighten a Control ring in to portion as a ISO control, as great as used a Rear dial to regulate exposure. When we wish to regulate exposure, possibly in Program or a dual semi-auto modes, a Control dial functions unequivocally well, as great as gets to a environment most faster than a Control ring. The Control ring's excellent detents do lend towards to shake up a perspective utterly a bit as we spin it, so for me it's improved left to rebate frequent operations, identical to ISO.
Use a Canon S90 in full-auto mode, as great as it performs utterly well. It selects between a couple of Scene modes as indispensable as great as customarily gets a shot. Were it not for that, I'd steer most users to alternative cameras. The Control ring changes to zoom, as great as a Control dial upon a behind is completely deactivated in Auto mode. It's a enthusiasts who have been starting to be miffed with a controls whilst regulating a pleasing settings, as great as those who wish to rest upon a singular Scene mode (again, given a Control dial seems to name between Scene modes during random, interjection to a looseness).
The Canon S90's Mode dial is great as great as firm, customarily a approach it should be, reminding me of a dials upon a Canon G11.
Top controls. The Mode dial as great as shiver symbol have been great, yet a wizz ring is as great delayed to respond, as great as a Ring duty symbol is where a Power symbol should be.
Zoom. Now to plunge in to a last of a Canon S90's rings. The wizz ring, which surrounds a shiver button, is unequivocally delayed to respond. we saw this upon a Canon G11 as well, yet alternative Canon indicate & shoots during my disposal have been faster to reply than these dual high-end models. It's flattering annoying, creation it most harder to frame your images. we additionally ran in to an blunder I've not privately seen upon any Canon camera (though we know such errors do occur).
While perplexing to have tiny adjustments to a wizz level by quickly flicking a wizz toggle initial a singular citation afterwards a other, a camera suddenly stopped responding altogether, putting up a "Lens error, restart camera" notice. This compulsory which we mislay a battery as great as reinstate it, as everything upon a Canon S90 was otherwise unresponsive, together with a energy button. It happened twice in dual minutes whilst out shooting, afterwards again whilst adjusting a Control dial in Auto mode.
Range. Though a LX3 has a wide as great as splendid 24-60mm f/2.0-3.0 2.5x lens, a Canon S90's f/2.0-4.9 lens is means of incomparable telephoto magnification, from 28-105mm, or 3.8x.
Speaking of a lens, it has in couple of instances tiny tub exaggeration during wide-angle, which gathering a curiosity to see possibly Canon had used a same pretence which Panasonic did with a LX3 as great as multiform alternative cameras, which is correcting for this exaggeration prior to saving a file. We opened a RAW record with dcraw, a program which doesn't apply exaggeration correction, as great as saw a tiny thespian exaggeration during wide-angle. There's unequivocally tiny exaggeration during telephoto. Distortion correction is becoming significantly some-more common, though, as great as it's tough to disagree with a excellent results.The lens has assuage chromatic misconception during wide-angle, during slightest in JPEGs. The camera's estimate does a flattering great pursuit of reducing a intensity. Telephoto, however, has a tiny chromatic misconception which appears in a core as great as corners, which can reduce contrariety as great as cause a tiny picture density in unequivocally splendid areas.
Buttons. The energy symbol is located as great far to a left, so we customarily press a Ring Function symbol instead. Most Canon PowerShots have their energy symbol right where a Ring Function symbol sits, so it's a bizarre preference upon Canon's part.
Autofocus. I've review a expectancy which a Canon S90 is a G11 in a not as vast package, yet that's not utterly so. Many facilities have been missing, as great as a the singular we skip most is a G11's Flexizone AF, which allows we to pierce a AF box around a screen. With a Canon S90, we have a preference of choosing Face AiAF, which will possibly acknowledge a face or select from between nine AF points across 80 percent of a screen, or Center AF. An fan camera should have a ability to select an AF point. What a S90 does have that's critical is a preference between a not as vast as great as incomparable AF box, something I've enjoyed upon multiform Panasonic cameras, together with a GF1.
As we pronounced of a G11, a Canon S90 is infrequently delayed to focus, as great as mostly fails, yet most of which sense was formed by a initial territory we received, with sequence series 0004. This camera had difficulty focusing upon a core indicate in a INB indoor test shot, instead preferring a behind wall. We spent a lot of time looking during this, enlarging a concentration aim to get this camera to stop looking during a behind wall, to no avail. But a second territory we perceived didn't have this trouble, focusing some-more identical to I'm used to from PowerShot cameras. Sometimes it balks upon subjects where I'd pattern it to do better, yet a corresponding some-more aged with my SD1000 didn't uncover most difference.
Full AF shiver loiter is an area where a Canon S90 has an advantage over a Panasonic LX3, entrance in during 0.43 as great as 0.49 second during wide-angle as great as telephoto respectively, whilst a LX3 turns in times of 0.77 as great as 0.76 second.
High ISO. Where a Canon S90 has placed a importance is upon low light performance. Before we started sensory low light images, we sat down as great as grabbed an picture from an comparison camera, a Canon A640, whose 10-megapixel ISO 800 peculiarity we reputable in a day as great as attempted to have have have use of of of Photoshop to tweak a picture sound in to something identical to a Canon S90's. we didn't even get close. we could conduct removing most of a chroma noise, yet a luminance sound so pock-marked a dim areas of a picture which a S90's far cleanser outcome was untouchable.
At full resolution, a Canon S90 has a couple of tools during a disposal for improved low-light photography. First is a somewhat incomparable sensor with a reduce resolution than a predecessor, second is a f/2.0-4.9 lens, afterwards a ISO operation from 80 to 3,200, as great as eventually a Canon S90's DIGIC 4 processor does utterly a pursuit upon a tender record prior to saving it as a JPEG.
As ISO hits 800, though, Canon has defaulted to a unequivocally soothing understand of a scene in a JPEGs, which is a polar conflicting of what a Canon S90's competition has done: a Panasonic LX3 sharpens a heck out of a image. According to my printed tests, Panasonic's approach functions improved for printing true from a camera, yet Canon's approach leaves a photographer some-more options.
So yet it's not something we normally do, we checked to see what would occur if we aggressively sensory these tall ISO images in Photoshop. we managed to raise a luminance noise, yet a chroma sound was so light which we got radically a same outcome as we get from a LX3: frail images with a great pellet settlement to them. we did a same alteration to a Canon G11's images, as great as came up with a same result. It's expected which Canon has selected to let a aim fan photographers do their heightening in post, a plan they've pursued given during slightest behind to a EOS 20D.
Canon S90ISO 1,600 JPEG
Straight from cameraCanon S90
ISO 1,600 JPEG
Unsharp Mask 1.0, 200%Panasonic LX3
ISO 1,600 JPEG
Straight from camera
Canon kept a S90's heightening utterly conservative starting during ISO 800, resulting in a Gaussian-blur entrance which sharpens utterly well, it turns out. Printed formula with a sensory record demeanour great during 8x10, whilst a not sharp images demeanour a tiny soothing during which size. Images demeanour customarily a tiny improved tangible than a LX3's images, yet we have up to five sound rebate options with a LX3, whilst a Canon S90 has no option.
Low Light mode. The Canon S90 is means of capturing images during up to ISO 12,800, yet customarily during marked down resolution, as great as customarily in a special Low Light Scene mode where we have radically no control. Resolution is 2.5 megapixels, as great as your customarily options have been Drive modes, Compression levels, Flash modes, Self-timer, as great as Macro mode.
We didn't test it in a lab, yet we did snap a couple dozen shots to see how it worked handheld. Unfortunately we can't regulate a ISO environment in Low Light mode, so we had to have have have use of of of my mini-blind to carry out a light in my darkened room upon a stormy day. As a result, a images have been framed a tiny otherwise in any shot. we was surprised by a Canon S90's unwillingness to shift shiver speed as we reached ISO 6,400 as great as proceeded by 8,000, 10,000, as great as 12,800; instead it stayed during 1/15 second during f/2.0. ISO 3,200 was prisoner during 1/25 second as great as f/2, as great as ISO 6,400 during 1/20 second as great as f/2. See a crops below, afterwards click upon a images for a incomparable view.
ISO 3,200ISO 4,000ISO 6,400ISO 8,000ISO 10,000ISO 12,800With this comparatively low subject detail, we consider a printed formula during 4x6 inches have been great from ISO 3,200 to 8,000. At 8,000 shadows reduce as great as chroma sound asserts itself more, generally in a silver of a radio. Adjusting levels as great as heightening improves this image, yet it's a upper extent for my taste. Click upon a images upon top of to download as great as imitation them for yourself.
Throughout this range, a picture we saw upon a camera's shade was brighter than a scene, so a Canon S90 is we do a tiny considerable work here, as great as there's not a lot of sound upon a LCD as it gains up to uncover we what it can do.
Rarely does this pixel-binning process produce a serviceable picture during 4x6, let alone anything larger, so we're tender which it functions as great as it does. But we can stop being as great tender with a 12,800 number, as those images have been a tiny as great severe to be called usable. The empathize is which we can't set a ISO level to extent a noise; a camera controls that. You additionally won't be sensory in finish darkness, yet a dim office with a blinds sealed upon a stormy day is flattering damn dark.
Overall, my knowledge with a Canon S90 was improved after capture than during. The comparatively tiny commission of images which we suspicion great sufficient for printing were unequivocally utterly good; as great most of a alternative images were formula of errors upon a camera's part or else my frustration with a given mode, as great as as great mostly due to a unruly behind Control dial.
I had a heck of a time perplexing to keep a Canon S90 from blowing highlights upon a bright, yet pale day, as great as adjusting a EV environment didn't have sufficient of a difference. Though Imatest tells us which a Canon S90 has over 8 stops of dynamic range, we found a highlights were as great mostly blown. Shooting RAW does leave a tiny latitude, infrequently allowing liberation of highlights, yet not always.
ISO 800. You could contend which a shot identical to this in great window light would demeanour great with any camera, as great as you'd be right, yet not indispensably during ISO 800. The stand during right shows a tiny slight luminance as great as chroma noise, yet it's flattering conspicuous for an ISO 800 shot.
But a Canon S90 does have a tiny overwhelming images when we conduct to get everything right. One of my favorites is of my son during a party after he's had lizards embellished upon his face. He was flattering proud as great as longed for to see what they looked like. I'd customarily taken a half dozen becloud shots of his brother in somewhat rebate light prior to we gave up as great as switched to Auto, afterwards his artwork was eventually complete. The window light was perfect, a Canon S90 set ISO 800 as great as it during f/4, 1/100 second. You see a outcome during right, converted via DPP during a default settings. Stunning. Look closely as great as there's a tiny smoothing of a skin due to DPP's sound suppression, as great as a eyelashes have a tiny chroma sound dancing around them, yet it's unequivocally not conspicuous in prints up to 11x14 inches. we additionally done a conversion via ACR for your some-more aged (see a Gallery). It was noisier overall, yet a sound is customarily luminance noise, delivering a great 8x10-inch print.
As we walked around sensory with a Canon S90 during an all-day family event, we kept remarking, "Man, this thing is frustrating." we consider a tiny of which would vanish with some-more use, yet I'm not certain I'd entirely master which behind Control dial. Fix which as great as speed up a wizz control, as great as a Canon S90 would be simpler to use.
Vibrant color. As happened with a G11, a Canon S90's colourful shade showed these colors even some-more dramatically than they appeared upon a computer.
That pleasing LCD additionally infrequently tricked me, showing some-more colourful tone than we would in conclusion see later onscreen. With a Canon G11, we used a tiny tumble leaves as an example, shot customarily moments after we shot a same scene with a picture you'll see in a Gallery, yet we found it even some-more heavy when sensory a tiny Christmas arrangement lights. we dialed behind one-third stop upon a bearing after we saw a LCD's understand of a scene, which was colourful as great as bright, approach as great bright. But we probably could have left a alternative approach when we demeanour during a final image.
Ultimately we should have bracketed this shot customarily to be sure, as a histogram wouldn't have told me much. The second shot is a tiny better, taken during f/2.0 interjection to a wider setting, yet we can additionally see a tiny of a glow we was perplexing to avoid by reducing a exposure. A quick levels adjustment in Photoshop would move possibly picture up to snuff, though.
Another great underline is a Canon S90's suggest of a preference when deleting an picture prisoner in RAW+JPEG: You can select to delete both, or customarily a RAW or customarily a JPEG.
ISO 800 shots have been serviceable during 11x14 when noticed from a distance, yet crop up soothing upon tighten inspection. They come behind in to usefulness during Letter distance (8.5x11). Or, if we sharpen them a bit as we did upon a G11 to compare a relations oversharpening upon a Panasonic LX3, they demeanour great during 11x14.
Comparing shots from a Canon S90 with those from a Panasonic LX3, we discovered customarily how a LX3 gets such considerable printed formula during this ISO setting. The LX3's high-ISO shots actually demeanour flattering bad onscreen, with utterly a bit of sound as great as unequivocally coarse-looking details. Printed, though, they demeanour surprisingly good. What became apparent as we studied images from a dual competing cameras was which a LX3's files had a lot of flattering large-radius heightening practical to them. onscreen, they demeanour unequivocally over-sharpened, yet printed during 8.5x11 inches, they looked utterly good.
Applying identical over-sharpening to a Canon S90's images (1.0 pixel radius, 200%) produces identical formula onscreen, yet excellent formula upon a prints as well, producing great-looking Letter distance prints. With no processing, a Canon S90's ISO 1,600 images have somewhat soothing 8x10-inch prints. ISO 3,200 prints demeanour great during 5x7, if a tiny soft, yet sensory as described above, they're in couple of instances good. This is a somewhat improved opening altogether than a Canon G11 gave.
Analysis. The vast story with a Canon S90 is a lower-resolution sensor as great as a faster lens than is normally enclosed upon a tiny camera. Most critical fan photographers would trade megapixels as great as wizz operation for improved picture peculiarity in low light, given it improved avails us of a light all around us. That creates for better, some-more healthy photographs. So most photographers we know cite cameras identical to this, as great as eventually a attention is listening.
Canon S90 Features
- 10-megapixel CCD
- 3.8x wizz lens (equivalent to a 28-105mm lens upon a 35mm camera)
- 4x digital zoom
- 3-inch tone LCD monitor
- Full Manual by Automatic bearing available, together with Aperture as great as Shutter priority as great as 19 Scene modes
- Built-in peep with 3 modes as great as an intensity adjustment, as well as red-eye reduction
- SD/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus, etc. memory label slot (no label included)
- USB 2.0 mechanism connection
- HDMI out
- Lithium-ion battery
- Software for Mac as great as PC
In a Box
The sell package contains a following items:
- Canon PowerShot S90
- Wrist strap WS-DC9
- Battery horse CB-2LY
- Battery container NB-6L
- AV wire AVC-DC400
- Interface wire IFC-400PCU
- Software CD
Recommended Accessories
- Extra battery container NB-6L
- Large genius SD/SDHC memory card. (These days, 8GB is a great tradeoff between cost as great as capacity.)
Canon S90 Conclusion
Pro:Con:- Very tiny body which is easily pocketable
- Excellent, high-res, colourful LCD
- Fast f/2 lens during wide-angle
- Optical picture stabilization
- Front Control ring is handy for a tiny controls
- Firm Mode dial
- Shooting-priority pattern means camera is regularly ready with a half-press of a shiver button
- Good auto WB in tungsten lighting
- Sophisticated white balance control
- Smart Auto with Scene Detection
- HDMI output
- Most compress camera with an f/2 lens
- Custom mode allows we to save as great as entrance your favorite settings quickly
- Better low-light focusing than G11
- Adjustable core AF indicate size
- Similar sound opening to G11, yet somewhat stronger NR
- Faster startup than G11 (smaller lens)
- Faster full AF than G11 as great as LX3
- RAW as great as RAW+JPEG mode
- Face detection, face self-timer
- Intelligent Contrast functions well
- Digital Photo Professional program included
- Excellent printed results
- ISO 80 shots have a great 16x20-inch print
- ISO 3,200 shots have a decent 5x7
- Low-light mode turns out serviceable 4x6-inch images up to ISO 8,000
- Rear Control dial turns freely, which causes inadvertent bearing changes
- Front Control ring's duty changes with a mode
- Zoom carry out takes as great prolonged to respond
- Flash is placed where fingers have been customarily in a way, preventing it from opening
- Power symbol is in bad position
- Only annals VGA movies
- Only zooms digitally whilst recording movies
- Slightly soothing images during default settings
- Lens not as great as G11's; softer during telephoto, tall geometric exaggeration during wide-angle in uncorrected RAWs (but JPEGs have been excellent)
- Moderate chromatic aberration, aloft in uncorrected RAWs
- No visual viewfinder
- Lacks a ability to manually name an AF indicate alternative than center
- No sound rebate adjustments
- Flash bearing remuneration seems to work in reverse (lower settings outcome in brighter images)
- Flash overexposes during min. distance
- Very disproportionate peep coverage during wide-angle
- Slower cycle-times than G11 as great as LX3
- Sluggish peep recycling
- Lower-than-average battery life
Canon gets extremely tighten to a preferred slot camera with a PowerShot S90, tighten sufficient which a great infancy of users will be extremely happy with it. These tumble in to dual groups: those calm to fire radically in Auto mode, as we're all flattering used to we do with slot cameras, as great as those peaceful as great as means to take their time with a unequivocally means Canon S90.
There's a enticement to be disappointed with a Canon S90, mainly given a expectations have been as great high. We wish SLR peculiarity in a slot package, as great as that's not utterly starting to happen, during slightest not now. But a Canon S90's lens as great as sensor multiple do a tiny extraordinary things in low light, so most so which it's a Dave's Pick for which reason alone. Unfortunately it's not a finish manoeuvre interjection to a careless behind Control dial as great as a delayed wizz control. These dual foibles have environment bearing as great as wizz level roughly intolerable most of a time, such which we longed for 60 percent of a shots I'd have been means to get with alternative cameras. Switching to Auto eliminates half of a complaint given it disables a behind Control dial, yet we do not buy an expensive camera identical to a Canon S90 to fire in Auto mode.
The great headlines is which fixing a complaint should be customarily a firmware ascent away. Canon customarily needs to have a Control dial disabled in Program mode until we press a EV button; improved would be incomparable customizability overall, creation it programmable by bearing mode. Having a Control dial default to Program shift would be some-more useful, as great as a some-more approaching option, we think. It would certainly be rebate expected to mess up exposures. Whether it will occur is an open question.
Regardless, as great most of a Canon S90's facilities have been as great great to dismiss. Printed peculiarity is unequivocally good, in a tiny ways surpassing a abilities of a Canon G11, despite a incomparable apparent sound termination in a Canon S90. And a present of an f/2 lens in a slot camera is tough to overlook. In-camera estimate fixes most lens anomalies, creation a flattering extraordinary as great as utilitarian wide-angle to telephoto range. And when everything's working right, a Canon S90 can have a tiny astonishingly great images. So with a tiny warnings about a controls, a Canon S90 earns a Dave's Pick.
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