As someone who used to do technology reviews on a part-time basis nearly 2 years ago, I still receive press-releases and review-products. Most of the products that I receive deliver convenience or experience. They don’t deliver results.
However, I was recently made aware of the Canon PowerShot S90. This post covers various aspects of the camera, including high ISO performance, portability, and affodability. If you’d like to read all the way through the review, you’re welcome to do so. If you just want to see results and read the conclusion, scroll below.
One of the biggest problems with current non-SLR cameras is that their sensors are too small. Camera manufacturers keep stuffing un-necessary megapixels into tiny sensors, making them nearly useless for no-light photography. Many people use cameras for family events or for vacations. However, often times, results from these cameras are disappointing. The images are either too bright, too dark, out of focus, or have a motion blur.
While camera companies are focusing on megapixels, they’re ignoring the most basic photography need — memories. People want to capture photos and memories of their family and friends. But, just because companies can create cameras with numerous megapixels, it doesn’t mean that they should.
The Canon PowerShot S90 was designed to solve a majority of these issues. Priced at $399, the S90 is one of the higher priced point-and-shoot cameras. However, it is more affordable that Canon’s flagship PowerShot G-series lineup by roughly $50.
Despite it’s price, the camera body feels inferior compared to Canon’s $150-$200 products. Furthermore, the battery and memory card cover are flimsy. Given the price, the construction of this camera should have been better.
When it comes to image quality, the camera performs well. However, no camera is magical. There’s a reason why professional photographers can still create stunning images with decades old equipment.
If you’re a photographer and know the basics of photography, you’ll absolutely enjoy the camera and get great results. However, if you’re not a photographer, you should familiarize yourself with 3 terms — ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. You may learn about them here. And, once you’re familiar with them, the camera will perform wonderfully.
The S90 allows you to independently control exposure, shutter speed, and aperture — something that most compact cameras do not allow.
The S90 comes with an adjustable lens dial. You can customize the operation of this dial and use it for various purposes, including adjusting the exposure, modifying the ISO, and a host of other options. Having this adjustable dial makes it easy to change settings instantly rather than navigating through countless digital menus.
The camera has a lot of functions, and it’s clear that Canon had to cut a few corners to make it a pocketable device. Among them are:
- A small shutter button.
- Inconvenient flash placement.
- Lack of a viewfinder.
However, these three issues are mainly convenience related. The first and foremost job of a camera is to produce good images. The S90 does that.
Sample Images (all images © Aanarav Sareen 2009. May not be used without permission)
This past weekend, I visited London and carried my Nikon D300 as well as my new Canon S90. While it’s acceptable to roam around with the D300 during the day as a tourist, using it at night, during dinner and other events is not an option. The following images are all hosted in a Flickr set. You may view each image’s EXIF properties by opening them up in Flickr and then clicking on ‘More Properties.’
Conclusion:
Even though I’ve personally invested thousands of dollars in a semi-professional Nikon DSLR setup, the Canon PowerShot S90 is nothing short of impressive.
The S90 is an excellent camera for a) vacations b) special events c) indoor shoots and d) when you just don’t want to carry 10 pounds of camera equipment across the world.
If you know the very basics of photography, you’ll absolutely love this camera.
As someone who looks at more than 100 consumer electronic gadgets a year — many of them before they’re released, this is one of very few products that I whole heartedly recommend to anyone that is looking for excellent photos.
Full disclosure: All images used above are from a production camera purchased by Aanarav Sareen.
