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Canon PowerShot S2 - The Best Camera of 2005

Written by Administrator

Monday, 08 May 2006

Canon PowerShot S2 IS - Rated as the Best Prosumer Digital Camera of 2005 by IT Portal.org

Even if Canon announced the availability of S3 IS one month back (Priced Rs.25,000) we highly recommend the last year Hero S2 IS (Priced Rs.17,000) for our visitors.

'S2 IS' is a Five Megapixel Hybrid Digital Camera Features 12x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom, High Quality VGA Movie Mode, "MovieSnap" Function and Stereo Sound etc. The newly announced S3 IS is same as S2 IS but with 6 Mega Pixels.

Interesting Features of this camera are:

5 Megapixel CCD
12X optical zoom lens
DIGIC II image processor and Ultra Sonic Motor
Larger LCD display (1.8" tilt-and-swivel LCD monitor)
Stereo sound recording
Optical Image Stabilizer
More movie mode options: wind filter, selectable sound quality and mic level
My Colors feature lets you highlight and even swap colors right on the camera
Uses Secure Digital (SD) memory cards
USB 2.0 High Speed support

Photo Features

The five megapixel PowerShot S2 IS digital camera provides users with the high quality resolution, color and low noise that consumers have come to expect from Canon. The camera's fast f/2.7(W)-f/3.5(T) image stabilized 6.0-72.0mm 12x zoom lens (36-432mm equivalent) makes tack-sharp long telephoto shooting positively practical. When the optical zoom is augmented with the camera's 4x digital zoom, the maximum focal length effectively becomes equivalent to a 1728mm lens on a 35mm camera. Despite its extensive optical range, the lens is ultra-compact and retracts securely into the camera when it is powered down. In addition, there are two levels of close-up shooting, Macro and Super Macro. Super Macro mode enables extreme close-up shooting to 0 cm from the end of lens barrel, for creative shooting - great for shooting flowers to use in scrapbooks, on invitations and more.

High Definition 12x Optical Zoom Lens With Image Stabilizer

Canon used its unrivalled optical expertise to produce an ultra-compact 12x zoom lens that features 11 elements in nine groups, including one aspherical surface and one ultra-low dispersion glass (UD) element. The UD element is particularly effective at reducing chromatic aberration when the lens is zoomed out to its maximum telephoto range for enhanced sharpness and color fidelity.

Print Features

You've taken the picture, reviewed it, like it and can not wait to print it out. What next? Direct Printing significantly expands the appeal of the PowerShot S2 IS digital camera by making it simple, quick and convenient to produce high-quality photos without the need for a personal computer. Simply connect the S2 IS directly to a Canon Compact or Canon Direct Photo Printer, as well as PictBridge compatible printer and press the blue lighted Print/Share button on the back of the S2 IS and you are printing. True one touch printing it is really that simple. Beyond its Direct Print capability with Canon's Compact Photo Printers and acclaimed Canon Direct Photo Printers, the camera is also PictBridge compatible, an industry standard that offers the flexibility of direct printing to other brands of PictBridge compatible printers.

Ergonomic Design

The camera's compact ergonomic design includes strategically placed controls for convenient telephoto and movie shooting, plus a large rubberized grip, which makes holding the camera easy, well balanced and secure. The grip even includes a soft back and bottom to maximize comfort during long periods of shooting. The PowerShot S2 IS digital camera also features a variable-angle 1.8 inch LCD screen. By positioning the vari-angle LCD monitor appropriately, the user is free to compose shots, even self portraits, without having to move or twist into uncomfortable positions.

Stay Right There

Are shaky hands a problem? Do pictures never come out the way they ought to look? With Canon's optical Image Stabilization technology, users have the flexibility of actually shooting at shutter speeds two stops lower than would otherwise be possible. The PowerShot S2 IS digital camera is also the first PowerShot digital camera with multi-mode Image Stabilization - users can choose between Continuous IS, Panning IS and a new "Shoot Only" IS mode that is only active during exposure while shooting still photos.

Versatile Exposure Modes and More

PowerShot S2 IS digital camera users will enjoy the flexibility of a full array of exposure control settings similar to SLR models, including Program, Shutter and Aperture-priority AE modes, and Manual Mode. In addition, there are 18 Shooting Modes including six Special Scene Modes, which are Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Indoor and Night Snapshots, for optimum results in certain shooting situations . The PowerShot S2 IS digital camera has a maximum shutter speed of 1/3200 second and can capture still photos continuously at rates up to 2.4 fps

Fast Focus And Zoom

Did you ever attend wedding, try to sneak a picture of the bride and groom after the ceremony started and the sound of your camera gave you away? Not anymore with Canon's Ultrasonic Motor (USM) technology. The silence of the USM is particularly beneficial in the PowerShot S2 IS digital camera's movie mode to preserve and enhance the quality of audio recording.

Movie Features

The PowerShot S2 IS digital camera keeps data compression rates low, so movies record at high quality with VGA resolution at 30 frames per second (fps). Individual movie clips can last as long as 60 minutes or produce file sizes up to 1GB on an SD media card. What's more, powerful features such as optical and digital zooming, manual focus, Photo Effects and My Colors are available for greater freedom and flexibility while shooting movies.

What Did You Say?

That question will never be asked again with the PowerShot S2 IS digital camera's stereo sound capabilities. The new camera is equipped with 16-bit audio recording at sampling rates adjustable up to 44 kHz. Microphone recording levels are adjustable in 5 steps, as well as built-in wind filter to minimize extraneous sound. Now Mom will not miss baby's first words while she is at work or running an errand. Additionally, the camera can be used for recording lectures, dictation.

MovieSnap - Never Miss Another Photo Opportunity While Shooting Your Movies

Have you ever missed a defining moment in your child's life because you had to switch from video to still or vice versa? Not anymore! Now with the PowerShot S2 IS digital camera's new MovieSnap feature it is possible to capture still images at resolutions up to five megapixels while recording movies. The MovieSnap feature provides consumers with the luxury of "preserving the memory as a movie," while capturing high quality 5MP stills of the defining moments. For instance, a father can record his daughter's dance recital and take quality still photos while in movie mode, or record movies of his son's first steps while capturing a still image of his first fall. Regardless of mode dial position or whether the camera is in shooting or playback mode, the PowerShot S2 IS digital camera automatically starts or stops recording movies simply by pushing a button on the back of the camera.

Other Movie Enhancements

In addition to the 30 fps VGA movie mode, S2 IS camera users can also shoot VGA movies at 15 fps to reduce file sizes and increase recording time. For maximum recording times, resolution can be reduced to QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) at framing rates of 15 or 30 fps. The PowerShot S2 IS digital camera features a five-mode slow motion replay function, as well as an in-camera editing that lets users chop unwanted footage from the beginning or end of a movie clip.

DIGIC(R) II - Hi-Speed USB 2.0

True to the tradition of all PowerShot digital cameras, the PowerShot S2 IS model has the latest advances in Canon technology including the proprietary DIGIC II Imaging Processor. DIGIC II enhances picture definition, crisp vibrant colors and quality, while helping increase the speed of the cameras' startup, autofocus, shutter response and playback as well as the image processing speed. The pace of image transfer is accelerated with the inclusion of a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port. The USB 2.0 port is backwards compatible (at no increased speed) with computers featuring standard USB 1.1 connections.

My Colors Function

Now even the most casual picture-taker can easily opt for verdant valleys of greener greens, juicy apples of redder red, skies and seas of bluer blue and even add or reduce a little tan to the skin tone as they are shooting. Whether the desired effect is to make the color "more real" or surreal, these digital dynamos are capable of capturing and saving both the original still image and the enhanced color versions as separate files on the camera's SD memory card.

Convenience of AA Batteries

For all of its features, versatility and capabilities, the camera is powered by four easily accessible AA batteries and accepts either Alkaline (disposable) batteries or rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. Alkaline batteries are rated for approximately 130 shots before they need to be replaced, while Canon NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride NB4-200 AA-size batteries) provide peak performance and approximately 550 shots on a single charge.

What's in the Box

The 5.0 effective Megapixel Canon PowerShot S2 IS digital camera
16MB Secure Digital card
Four AA alkaline batteries
Neck strap
USB cable
A/V cable
CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solutions
185 page camera manual + software manual (both printed)

Spec Sheet

Camera Effective Pixels

Approx. 5.0 million

Image Sensor

1/2.5-inch CCD (Total number of pixels: Approx 5.3 million)

Lens

6.0 (W) - 72.0 (T) mm (35 mm film equivalent: 36 - 432 mm)
f/2.7 (W) - f/3.5 (T)

Digital Zoom

Approx. 4.0x (Up to approx. 48x in combination with the optical zoom)

Viewfinder

Color LCD viewfinder Picture coverage rate 100%
Dioptric Adjustment -5.5 - +1.5 m^-1(dpt)

LCD Monitor

1.8-inch, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon
TFT color LCD (115,000 pixels, picture coverage 100%)

AF System

TTL autofocus (continuous or single)
Focus lock and Manual focus are available
Focusing frame: 1-point AF (any position is available)

Shooting Distance
(from tip of lens)

Normal AF:	50 cm (1.6 ft.) - infinity (W)/ 90 cm (3.0 ft.) - infinity (T)
Macro:	10 - 50 cm (3.9 in. - 1.6 ft. (W))
Super Macro:	0 - 10 cm (0 - 3.9 in.) (W)

Shutter

Mechanical shutter + electronic shutter

Shutter Speeds

15 - 1/3200 sec.
*	The shutter speed varies according to the shooting mode.
*	1.3 sec. or slower shutter speeds are available in Shutterpriority mode or Manual mode.
*	Slow shutter speeds of 15 to 1.3 sec. or slower operate with noise reduction.

Light Metering System

Evaluative, Center-weighted average or Spot (Center or AF-point)

Exposure Control System

Program AE/Shutter Speed-priority AE/Aperture-priority AE /Manual exposure control
AE lock (AEB) and Safety Shift is available.

Exposure Compensation

?2.0 stops in 1/3-stop increments Auto exposure bracketing (AEB) and Safety Shift is available.

ISO Speed

Auto^*, ISO 50/100/200/400 equivalent
* Camera automatically sets the optimal speed.

White Balance

TTL auto, pre-set (available settings: Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H or Flash) or custom

Built-in Flash

Auto^*, on*, off
* Red-eye reduction is available.

Flash Range

0.7 - 5.2 m (2.3 - 17.1 ft.) (W), 0.7 - 4.0 m (2.3 - 13.1 ft.) (T)
(When ISO speed is set to Auto.)
* Macro: 0.3 - 0.7 m (1.0 - 2.3 ft.) (W/T) (Auto ISO speed)

Flash Exposure Compensation

? 2.0 stops in 1/3-stop increments, FE lock, Slow synchro and 1st-curtain/2nd-curtain flash are available.

Flash Output^*

3 stops
* Can be set when flash exposure setting is [Off]

Shooting Modes

Auto
Creative zone:	Program, Shutter-speed priority, Aperture priority, Manual, Custom
Image zone:	Portrait, Landscape, Night scene, Special Scene^, My Colors, Stitch Assist, Movie Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Indoor, Night Snapshot

Continuous Shooting

Approx. 1.5 shots/sec. (Large/Fine mode)
Approx. 2.4 shots/sec. (High-speed continuous shooting, Large/Fine mode)

Intervalometer

Shooting interval: approx. 1 - 60 min. (1-min. increments)
Number of shots: 2 - 100 shots (Maximum number of shots varies according to memory card capacity.)

Self-timer

Activates shutter after an approx. 10-sec./approx. 2-sec. delay, Custom Timer

PC-controlled Shooting

Available (USB connection only. Exclusive software program is included in the camera kit.)

Recording Media

SD Memory Card

File Format

Design rule for camera file system and DPOF compliant

Data Type

Still images:	Exif 2.2^*1(JPEG)
Movies:	AVI (Image data: Motion JPEG; Audio data: WAVE (stereo))

Compression

Superfine, Fine, Normal

Number of Recording Pixels (Stills)

Large:	2592 x 1944 pixels
Medium 1:	2048 x 1536 pixels
Medium 2:	1600 x 1200 pixels
Small:	640 x 480 pixels

Number of recording pixels/Frame Rate (Movies)

640 x 480 pixels (30 frames/sec.)

640 x 480 pixels (15 frames/sec.)

320 x 240 pixels (30 frames/sec.)

320 x 240 pixels (15 frames/sec.)

Continuous until memory card is full
(Maximum Size: 1 GB/movie)

Audio

Sampling frequency: 44.100/22.050/11.025 kHz
Quantization bit: 16 bit

Playback Modes

Single (histogram displayable),
Index (9 thumbnail images)
Magnified (approx. 10x max. in LCD monitor/viewfinder, forward or reverse selection through magnified images possible), Image search (Jumps over 10 or 100 images, to a movie, or to the next shooting date, or nine images at a time during Index playback)
Slide Show
Sound memos (recording/playback up to 60 sec.)
Movie (slow-motion playback possible)
Sound Recorder (up to two hours sound-only recording/playback possible)

Direct Print

PictBridge compliant, and Canon Direct Print and Bubble Jet Direct compatible

My Camera Settings

The start-up image, start-up sound, shutter sound, operation sound and self-timer sound can be customized using the following methods:

1.	Using the images and sounds recorded on the camera.
2.	Using downloaded data from your computer using the supplied software.

Interface

USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (mini-B), PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol)
Audio/Video output (NTSC or PAL selectable, stereo audio)

Power Source

1.	Four AA-size alkaline batteries (included in the camera kit)
2.	Four AA-size rechargeable NiMH batteries (NB4-200) (sold separately)
3.	Compact Power Adapter (CA-PS700) (sold separately)

Operating Temperature

0 - 40 ?C (32 - 104 ?F)

Operating Humidity

10 - 90 %

Dimensions

113 x 78.0 x 75.5 mm (4.4 x 3.1 x 3.0 in.) (excluding protrusions)

Weight

Approx. 405 g (14.3 oz.) (camera body only)

Comparison (Why Canon S2 IS is the Best)

Name	Canon PowerShot S2 IS	Sony Cybershot DSC-H1
Avg Street Price	Rs. 17,000	Rs. 16,0000
Type	Compact	SLR-like
Megapixel	5.0 million	5.0 million
Sensor Type	CCD	CCD
Min Res	2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480	2048 x 1536, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480
Max Res	2592 x 1944	2592 x 1944
ISO	Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400	Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400
Zoom wide	36 mm	36 mm
Zoom Tele	432 mm (12 x)	432 mm (12 x)
Digital zoom	up to 4X	2X
Image stabilizatior	Yes, lens	Yes, lens
Auto Focus	Yes	Yes
Manual Focus	Yes	Yes, 5 presets
Auto focus type	TTL, FlexiZone	Multi-point 5 area (selectable)
Normal focus range	10 cm	Unknown
Macro focus range	0 cm	2 cm
White balance Settings	6 positions & manual preset	5 positions
Aperture	F2.7 - F3.5 / F8	F2.8 - F3.7
Min shutter	15 sec	30 sec
Max shutter	1/3200 sec	1/1000 sec
Built-in Flash	Yes, pop-up	Yes, pop-up
Flash guide no	4.2 m (13.7 ft)	3.8 m (12.4 ft) 8 m
External flash	Yes	No
Flash modes	Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Off	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync
Exposure compensation	-2 EV to +2 EV in 1/3 EV steps	-2 EV to +2 EV in 1/3 EV Steps
Metering	Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot	Multi-Segment, Spot
Aperture priority	Yes	Yes
Shutter priority	Yes	Yes
Focal length multiplier
Lens thread	Yes, optional Bayonet	Yes
Continuous Drive	Yes, 2.4 fps unlimited	Yes, 0.7 fps up to 9 images
Video	Yes, 640 x 480, 15/30 fps with stereo audio, unlimited	Yes, MPEG VX (VGA, 8/16/30 fps, unlimited) with audio
Remote	No	No
Tripod mount	Yes	Yes
Self-timer	2 or 10 sec or custom	10 sec
Media Card	SD/MMC card	32 MB Internal, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro
Media Card Included	16 MD SD card	32 MB Internal
Uncompressed format	No	No
Compressed format	JPEG (EXIF 2.2)	JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Picture Quality	Super-Fine, Fine, Normal	Fine, Standard
Viewfinder	EVF	EVF
LCD Screen	1.8 " (flip-out & twist)	2.5 "
Video out	Yes	Yes
USB	Yes, 2.0	Yes, 2.0
Firewire (IEEE 1394)	No	No
Battery/Charger	No	Yes
Battery	AA (4) batteries	AA (2) batteries (NiMH rechargables included)
Weight (with batteries)	505 g (17.8 oz)	591 g (20.8 oz)
Dimensions	113 x 78 x 76 mm (4.5 x 3.1 x 3 in)	108 x 81 x 92 mm (4.3 x 3.2 x 3.6 in)