Canon PowerShot S2 IS
The PowerShot S2-IS is a compact high resolution, exceptionally long and excellently engineered zoom digital camera with stylish movie recording capabilities and an exciting collection of shooting options. The S2 was launched in April 2005. The S2 is a major upgrade to the S1 specification’s and spots a new body. A comparison with its predecessor the S1, gives an idea of what’s new in the S2. The S2 is larger and heavier due to the large sensor which leads to a larger lens and ultimately provides a wider zoom range. Problems in the S1 model have been rectified and addressed in Canon’s PowerShot S2.
The Canon S2 IS accommodates a wide range of users with its changeable level of exposure control. Experienced photographers will appreciate the Manual, Aperture Priority, and Shutter Priority modes, while for novices the Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes would be extremely useful. The most prominent feature of the S2 is the 12x optical zoom lens. The optical image stabilization feature of the Canon S2 is found only in handful of digital cameras. The S2 has a tremendous movie recording capability which is at 640×480 pixels and can capture 30 frames per second. The camera has good movie modes with stereo sound and the silent zoom lens feature can be used while recording a movie.
Some of the drawbacks of the Canon S2 are:
- High Image noise at ISO 400
- No rechargeable batteries or charger included with the camera.
- Movie files are restricted to 1 GB
- Focus is difficult to determine from the LCD screen while in the manual focus mode
- No RAW file support
Specifications:
Megapixels – 5.0
Weight (oz.) – 14.3
Optical Zoom – 12x
LCD Size - 1.8 inch
Flash Range (ft) – 2.3 to 17.1 ft
Image stabilizer – Yes, Lens 3 modes
Battery type - AA-size Alkaline Battery (x4)
AA-size NiMH Battery (x4)
Special features – NTSC, PAL, Stereo, SD Memory Card, JPEG, AVI, WAV, Red Eye Reduction, Auto and Custom white balance.
Summary
The Canon PowerShot S2 IS priced at $499 is ideal to be placed in the multi-purpose and family camera category. It is a good buy considering the specifications and features that it has and not to forget that you also get the Canon advantage.