Canon S2 IS - more than an upgrade

Monday, October 31, 2005

Unlike most of the new cameras coming out, the Canon PowerShot S2 IS is not just packed with the latest and greatest of features, it is larger and is sturdier built. This is mostly attributed to its larger sensor, which leads to a larger (more zoom equipped, 12X instead of 10X) lens. Overall though it is essentially the same design with most of the Canon S1 IS kinks worked out.

The PowerShot S2 IS will look almost identical to those who are familiar with the PowerShot S1 IS. It is slightly bubblier than previous Canons. As with the S1, the 'miniature SLR' design works well, no space has been wasted, and a lot of attention has been paid to handling and ergonomics. Overall no major changes where thrown into this camera. The Canon S2 is no revolution of camera design; it is evolution from the Canon S1 IS.

The Canon S2 IS is common with most higher end cameras in the PowerShot series in such a way that it is covered with buttons. The buttons are for the more common features so you dont have to go through a lot of on-screen menus to get to the setting you want.

The S1 IS is praised for its speed in shutter lag and focus, but thanks to the DIG!C II processor the S2 IS beats the S1 IS in most all areas of competition. This is very nice because the S2 IS deals with larger images and still manages to be a faster camera. The Cannon PowerShot S2 does have a little more trouble finding a focus point than the S1 IS though. In a direct shootout with an easy subject, the Canon S2 IS always beats the S1, but only by around 0.1 to 0.2 seconds.

The Canon PowerShot S2 IS has a very impressive macro mode (close-up). It can focus all the way to something that is touching the lens. The Canon S2 IS also has very good color and skin tone definition. The red eye reduction does indeed work.

The S2 IS also has a very impressive video function that should not be overlooked. The video button is conveniently placed on the back; making recording possible from any function the camera is in. You can edit video from the view screen as well as preview it. The video mode does offer a few special effects but nothing too exciting. It would be good for users who are not very good in the post-production area of video editing. The built in image stabilization makes the videos much more enjoyable and you ca zoom while recording, which is a feature hard to come by. You can also adjust video brightness form the camera.

Conclusion - Pros

Good resolution
New 12x zoom offers excellent 36-432mm range
Packed with features
Image stabilization works really well (and can be used in movie mode)
Very quiet
Fast and responsive (faster focus than S1 IS)
Stunning movie mode with high quality stereo sound
Impressive continuous (burst) shooting
Good color, good exposure, generally accurate focus
'Punchy' results straight out of the camera
Clean images at lower ISO settings
Impressively little distortion for such a large lens
Enjoyable and easy to use
Swing out tilt 'n' swivel screen
AF illuminator
Optional wide and tele adapters

Conclusion - Cons

Occasional focus errors - especially at the telephoto end of the zoom in low light
Fairly noisy above ISO200
No rechargeable batteries supplied in the box
Viewfinder and screen can be difficult to see in very bright conditions
Images slightly soft and slightly over-sharpened
Chromatic aberration and purple fringing
Some problems with blown highlights and exposure in bright, contrast-y scenes
No RAW or TIFF mode
Limit to highest shutter speed usable at wide apertures

Conclusion. The Canon PoweShot S2 IS is not just a mere upgrade to the S1 IS. They did more than that. They added features in almost every aspect of the camera's features. But ultimately the appeal of the Canon S2 IS goes beyond simple pixel peeping; it has a class-leading feature set, a very reliable image stabilization system (the benefits of which cannot be overstated) and superb handling. It's well priced, incredibly versatile and - above all - highly enjoyable to use. For fast action (where the focus system still isn't fast enough), I'd go for the Panasonic FZ5, and it will be interesting to see how the Sony H1 fares in our upcoming review, but for sheer shooting pleasure and versatility the PowerShot S2 IS takes some beating.