Tracey Capen
Canon PowerShot S300 Digital Elph
Short battery life is the penalty you pay for a small camera. The lithium-ion rechargeable lasted only 98 shots, or 70 minutes; the average for cameras we've tested is over 160 shots. If you are on vacation and AC power is in short supply, you'll want a second battery. And since this camera will end up getting tossed into pockets and purses, it would be nice if it came with a soft case--instead, the case is an option. The S300 is pricey for a 2.1-megapixel model, but again, you are paying a premium for its small size. Other things we'll keep on our wish list: a manual focus override and an LCD screen that's a bit larger. Images are awfully small on the 1.5-inch screen, and while it's bright and easy to see through, its area is significantly smaller than what the camera actually records. If you aren't careful about your compositions, you'll have to crop the images in an image editor.
One of the S300's more unusual new features is its panorama-assist mode. When you take a series of shots in this mode, you see a portion of the previous image in the LCD screen. By overlapping it with a portion of the image you are about to shoot, the camera allows the bundled stitching software to do a better job. (Our one try at it worked surprisingly well.) Like many of the digital cameras we've looked at, the S300 produces somewhat inconsistent images. Our lab-based indoor shots had accurate colors for the most part, but they tended to be a bit underexposed. Casual outdoor photos taken on a sunny day had bright--bordering on garish--colors and precise exposures. Despite its small size, the S300 is comfortable in the hand and its controls are nicely grouped for easy use. Changing the shooting mode (from still shots to movies, for example) or controlling the zoom is within easy reach of your right thumb. You can use your left thumb to rapidly work through the five dedicated exposure-control buttons. Flash, macro, EV, white balance, and a rapid-fire mode are all set through the buttons. You can also quick-delete unwanted images while in shooting mode. Almost everything else is handled within the simple, extremely clean text-based menus. However, the camera's manual mode is limited: It only lets you adjust the exposure value (EV), pick one of six white-balance settings, and apply the camera's Slow-Sync flash option. You cannot adjust the aperture or shutter speed. Switching from optical to digital zoom works well, though. When you press the telephoto button, the zoom stops at the top of the optical zoom range. If you press the button again at that point, it adds up to another 2.5X of digital zoom. Another clever feature is a cable-less recharger. The rechargeable battery snaps into a small box that plugs directly into an outlet. It's easier to carry around, but you could have problems if the outlet is hiding behind a desk or bed. Canon includes an ample, though not outstanding, software bundle. In addition to the capable ArcSoft image editing package, Canon includes an image management utility, a handy image downloader, and the unexpectedly easy-to-use photo stitcher.
Anyone who travels frequently or who just wants a camera with them at all times should consider the PowerShot S300 Digital Elph. Occasional photographers should find it easy enough to use, yet it's also likely to attract the eye of hard-core digital shooters.
| Buying Information |
| Canon PowerShot S300 Digital Elph 2.11 megapixels, 1600 by 1200 maximum resolution, 35 to 105mm focal range (35mm equivalent), f2.7 to f14 aperture range, shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/1500 second, optical and LCD viewfinders, USB and video connections, bundled 8MB CompactFlash card, one rechargable battery, 10 ounces with batteries; Canon Digital Camera Solution v4.0, ArcSoft Camera Suite software. One-year parts and labor warranty; toll-call support for 11 hours on weekdays. $ 599 2.11 megapixels, 1600 by 1200 maximum resolution, 35 to 105mm focal range (35mm equivalent), f2.7 to f14 aperture range, shutter speeds from 1 second to 1/1500 second, optical and LCD viewfinders, USB and video connections, bundled 8MB CompactFlash card, one rechargable battery, 10 ounces with batteries; Canon Digital Camera Solution v4.0, ArcSoft Camera Suite software. One-year parts and labor warranty; toll-call support for 11 hours on weekdays. 800/652-2666 http://www.powershot.com |