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Canon PowerShot S90 reviews
You can find here the most interesting reviews / ratings from the well-known expert sites about the Canon PowerShot S90 Camera. Here are the reviewers:
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- 10 December 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 10 December 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 08 December 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 07 December 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 22 November 2009 - |
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- 5 |
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- 20 November 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 19 November 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 17 November 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
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- 13 November 2009 - |
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- 0 |
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- 10 November 2009 - |
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- 4.5 |
DCResource 's conclusion / rating - 10 December 2009 |
“ When Canon announced the PowerShot S90, I was pretty excited. Manual controls and a fast lens in an ultra-compact body? Yes, please! My enthusiasm waned quickly once my review unit arrived. Not because of the picture quality or feature set, but because the usability and ergonomics are so poor. It's like Canon designed the camera without thinking that people's hands would actually be touching (witness the free scrolling dial, pop-up flash, and identical power/ring func buttons). The PowerShot S90 has impressive photo quality, a fast lens and nice LCD, and lots of manual controls, but using it was just too frustrating for this reviewer. Now, you may disagree with my assessment, and the the only way to find out is to try one yourself. If you can live with its design quirks, then the S90 will do whatever you require. If you're like me, then you'll probably want to consider one of the cameras listed below instead... ”
Complete review here
Steves Digicams 's conclusion / rating - 10 December 2009 |
“ Canon's PowerShot S90 is an exceptional ultra-compact model that offers the latest in Canon technologies and features, along with a wealth of exposure controls options; somewhat like a shrunken down G11. While aimed more towards advanced users looking for a compact camera to carry around on their "light" days, the S90 can still be appreciated by the novice to beginner users. With excellent image quality, robust shooting performance, great high ISO shooting performance, and a well-built frame, I can highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for an extremely versatile camera that can be tucked into your pocket. While we really like the S90, it does carry a lofty price tag of about US $399. With this said, I feel the level of control offered by such a compact camera, along with the high-end features it boasts, justify the price increase over the top of the line Digital ELPH models. So, we urge you to make certain this model has everything you want and need in a camera. If you love the image quality and performance offered by the S90, but do not need all of the manual control options, be sure to take a look at some of Canon's other compact models that might a bit easier on the pocket book. These include the PowerShot SD980 IS and SD940 IS... ”
Steves Digicams's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
Imaging Resource 's conclusion / rating - 08 December 2009 |
“ Canon gets extremely close to the ideal pocket camera with the PowerShot S90, close enough that a great majority of users will be extremely happy with it. These fall into two groups: those content to shoot primarily in Auto mode, as we're all pretty used to doing with pocket cameras, and those willing and able to take their time with the very capable Canon S90.
There's a temptation to be disappointed with the Canon S90, mainly because our expectations are too high. We want SLR quality in a pocket package, and that's not quite going to happen, at least not now. But the Canon S90's lens and sensor combination do some amazing stuff in low light, so much so that it's a Dave's Pick for that reason alone. Unfortunately it's not a complete coup thanks to the wayward rear Control dial and the slow zoom control. These two foibles make setting exposure and zoom level almost unbearable most of the time, such that I missed 60 percent of the shots I'd have been able to get with other cameras. Switching to Auto eliminates half of the problem because it disables the rear Control dial, but you don't buy an expensive camera like the Canon S90 to shoot in Auto mode.
The good news is that fixing the problem should be just a firmware upgrade away. Canon just needs to make the Control dial disabled in Program mode until you press the EV button; better would be greater customizability overall, making it programmable by exposure mode. Having the Control dial default to Program shift would be more useful, and a more expected option, I think. It would certainly be less likely to mess up exposures. Whether it will happen is an open question.
Regardless, too many of the Canon S90's features are too good to dismiss. Printed quality is very good, in some ways exceeding the abilities of the Canon G11, despite the greater apparent noise suppression in the Canon S90. And the gift of an f/2 lens in a pocket camera is hard to overlook. In-camera processing fixes most lens anomalies, making a pretty amazing and useful wide-angle to telephoto range. And when everything's working right, the Canon S90 can make some astonishingly good images. So with some warnings about the controls, the Canon S90 earns a Dave's Pick... ”
Imaging Resource's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
Camera Labs 's conclusion / rating - 07 December 2009 |
“ Canon’s PowerShot S90 is an ideal choice for enthusiasts who want a pocket camera without compromising on control and features. By essentially squeezing the PowerShot G11’s quality and control into a considerably smaller body with a brighter lens on the front, the S90 becomes one of the most desirable models in Canon’s current range.
Think of it as an IXUS / ELPH for the more demanding customer. The person who fondly gazes at the attractive bodies of models like Canon’s IXUS 100 IS / SD780 IS, but wishes they had wide-angle coverage, manual control, RAW file support and a fast, bright lens. Written down it sounds like a tall order, but one the S90 essentially delivers on.
The appeal of a smaller body cannot be underestimated. Sure the PowerShot G11 may enjoy a number of key advantages including an articulated screen, flash hotshoe and optical viewfinder, but with both on our desk during the test period we found ourselves reaching for the S90 much more often than its bigger brother. Where the G11 requires some thought as to where you’ll put it when you go out, whether it’s a garment with a bigger pocket, a bag or a strap, the S90 will simply slip or squeeze into pretty much whatever you’re wearing without a fuss.
The bright lens is also a joy. The S90 may have an average aperture when zoomed-in, but zoom it out and you can enjoy f2.0, allowing the S90 to shoot at half the sensitivity of the G11 under the same conditions for much better-looking results.
As for its closest rival, Panasonic’s older LX3 still manages to out-feature the S90 and for the same money it’ll be the preferred choice for many. But as discussed above, the big problem is actually finding one for sale, and the simple fact Canon’s popularity with stores and buyers means the S90 will be much easier to try and buy, not to mention more likely to fall in price over time. This coupled with its smaller body and sufficient degree of sophistication for most enthusiasts will see the S90 become one of the favourites in Canon’s range.
For us it’s the sleeper-hit of the current Canon line-up. A model initially overshadowed by the PowerShot G11 at launch but one that’s gradually gained attention and well-deserved affection. Once again it’s not perfect: the absence of HD video, a flash hotshoe or filter mount may be a deal-breaker for some photographers, but for many it delivers a compelling combination of the G11’s power and control in a truly pocketable body. As such it comes Highly Recommended, but please Canon, next time make sure it has HD video... ”
Camera Labs's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
NeoCamera 's conclusion / rating - 22 November 2009 |
“ The Canon Powershot S90 is an excellent model which is a pleasure to use. Its extensive functionality is really well complemented by an efficient interface with direct control over most important settings.
This digital camera turns in a really good performance in terms of image quality with less noise than most, very little distortion for a small wide-angle lens, good color rendition, better than average automatic white-balance and a good retention of details. The only troublesome spot is a metering system which tends to over-expose. Speed of operation is a little weak with some average and some below average performance.
The bottom line is that the Canon Powershot S90 can be highly recommended as one of the best cameras in its class. This means it is great for outdoor and general snapshots but falls short for action photography, like so many other small cameras.
In terms of a final decision, the top ultra-compacts are the Fuji Finepix F200 EXR for its superior image quality and the Canon Powershot S90 for its efficient interface and very respectable output... ”
Complete review here
DigitalCameraReview 's conclusion / rating - 20 November 2009 |
“ I enjoyed taking pictures with the PowerShot S90. It takes excellent photos outdoors and very good pictures indoors as well. It has a high quality lens with minimal distortion. Leaving the flash off in most low light shooting situations was another bonus. It features excellent build quality and is quick and responsive.
Canon's smart auto mode works well, but the S90 has so many options it won't be long before most users migrate to its program and manual modes. The lens control ring may seem like a gimmick but it does make it easier to fine tune your shots once you take the camera out of auto mode.
I would have liked more optical zoom, and I'm surprised that Canon did not include HD movie capability. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that the S90 is an excellent point and shoot camera - one of the best around... ”
DigitalCameraReview's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
TrustedReviews 's conclusion / rating - 19 November 2009 |
“ The Canon PowerShot S90 is an excellent high-spec compact camera with the emphasis on image quality and controllable versatility. The range of features, build quality and results are excellent, although the fiddly controls and slightly sluggish performance are minor disadvantages. The only real problem is the extremely high price compared to rival models... ”
TrustedReviews's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
Pocket-lint 's conclusion / rating - 17 November 2009 |
“ The Canon PowerShot S90 brings some powerful creative controls in a package that fits right into your pocket. But it is a compact camera first, and as such, delivers impressive point and shoot performance. For those looking for a little more fun, then the S90 delivers it by the bucket load.
It isn't alone in this regard, with Canon taking some of the lessons from the popular G10 and giving you a tighter pocket-friendly (if not wallet-friendly) package. It joins cameras like the Panasonic Lumix LX3 which still stands as perhaps its biggest rival and on paper, perhaps the more attractive package.
But in the hand the S90 is an absolute delight, with the Control Ring flirting with the playful side of photography, putting controls literally at your fingertips. Yes, it costs a lot for a compact, but it really puts power in your pocket... ”
Pocket-lint's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
DigitalCameraInfo 's conclusion / rating - 13 November 2009 |
“ Okay so there were just a few thing we didn’t care for with this camera but the main one was the bad video. Compared to it high def competitors on the market the S90’s video is archaic. For people who are after a “do everything” camera are going to be disappointed. For poeple just taking still photos this is probably too much of a camera in terms of cost. However, with that being said, for photographers that want control and a small camera the S90 will be a delightful choice... ”
DigitalCameraInfo's rating: |
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- 0 |
Complete review here
PhotographyBLOG 's conclusion / rating - 10 November 2009 |
“ With the race for more megapixels momentarily slowing at consumer level, it seems that small is the new big. Just as other manufacturers have been attempting of late to introduce compacts with the power of a DSLR, the Canon PowerShot S90 is, in effect, a bridge model without that class of cameras' associated bulk and occasional operational obstreperousness. It's user friendly, without lacking the sophistication that a fairly generous helping of manual control/s provides; shame about the lack of anything approaching a grip though.
So to the (other) major obstacle in the S90's way: its retail price, which matches that of an entry level DSLR. To the uninitiated browsing the selves of their local camera emporium, picking it up and having a cursory play, a cost of £250-299 (the standard price for sturdy if lesser featured 10 or 12MP compacts) will feel apt. A price tag of a cool £150 more will, under such circumstances, we'd argue come as a bit of a shock.
If you already own a DSLR, and possibly also a bridge camera, ownership of the S90 - more portable and with nearly as much on-board sophistication - starts to make a little more sense. Or perhaps if you view the S90 as the one and only compact you're ever going to buy or need.
Financial concerns aside, offering advanced features and yet compact dimensions, the Canon PowerShot S90 can count itself among the rare number of cameras we feel sad (and slightly aggrieved) to have to return to the manufacturer at the end of our review period. Impressive stuff... ”
PhotographyBLOG's rating: |
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- 4.5 |
Complete review here
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