Best word to describe it is "WOW!'
I'm not a deeply experienced digital camera buff. But, I'm fairly tech literate, have a very critical eye for color, detail, and composition for photos and painting, and I did my homework on this purchase. Tried out Kodak, Nikon, and Konica cameras with similar MP and zoom specs and features, and the Canon Powershot S1. Didn't even KNOW the store had this Canon S2 model in yet, and stumbled across it. The better quality in its clarity, color and sharpness images was IMMEDIATELY apparent. So, too, was the ease with which I could quickly navigate the settings (as a complete novice) and find what would get me a dynamite shot. I've had it less than 24 hours and have tested out its Macro, Super Macro, optical zoom, optical + digital zoom, autofocus, and a few other settings. With Macro and Super Macro I'm already getting professional quality images with detail, exact color, and clarity that would blow you away. Other settings are good, but my skill in applying them is lacking so the compositions are not stellar.

Other competing cameras did not come close to matching the color reproduction of the Canon, nor did they match the image clarity, ease of handling, set up of menus... Most were not a patch on this camera. In fact, with the exception of the Nikon and Konica Minolta Z5, the Canon Powershot S1 beat most of the 5 MP cameras for color and clarity, too. So, if money is an issue you might consider whether you would be happy with 8"x10" as a maximum enlargement and go with the 3.2 MP Canon instead. But, if you want 5MP detail, high-speed 48x zoom with image stabilization, color and clarity that will blow you away, plus features and form organized to make it a breeze to use...get the Powershot S2.

It's expensive, but WORTH EVERY PENNY. While you've got your pocketbook open, plan on getting over to Wally World and buying a good 1hr recharger and two sets of 4 NIMH batteries for this puppy, plus at least one 1GB high-speed SD card (San Disk Ultra II or Lexar 32x). You should be able to cram in about 800 full-size, full detail 1.2 MB photos on a single SD card that way. If you can get a better deal on 512 MB SD cards and wonder if you should get several of those instead of one whopping big 1GB card, go for it. Swapping the card out is a breeze. If you plan on needing more, memory is getting cheaper every day. But be sure to get the high speed stuff to save on batteries and keep the options open for fast continuous shooting.

I am running a Gateway tablet PC with Windows XP and haven't even installed the Canon photo shop type software for image manipulation. But, with XP it's plug-and-play to download images. I hooked up the USB cable and in a snap my test photos were downloaded to a folder under MyPictures. No muss, no fuss, no setup, not learning new software...a breeze.

Bought this camera to satisfy my desire to get telephoto shots and macro close ups for artsy photog hobbying, selling stuff online, bird- and animal-watching. Also got it to satisfy my wife's need for a portrait camera that would allow fast shooting without a lot of composition set-up, yet have enough megapixel detail to allow it to be cropped later and still blow up if need be. This bad boy has it all, and then some. I am delighted with it and haven't even begun to tap its potential.

This is my perfect camera!
I have been upgrading my digital cameras every couple years and my dream camera was one that was compact, 5-6MP, 10-12X zoom, and image-stabilized. This is it!! It won't fit in your pocket but will go in a medium size camera bag. My camera goes with me everywhere in my purse; I always like to be ready for that once-in-a-lifetime picture, and this camera starts up so fast you won't miss a shot. The clarity, color,and detail of the pictures are excellent. The menu and settings are super easy to use. I love the 12X zoom because I am a nature and wildlife photographer and the image stabilizer makes the camera shake a non-issue. I would highly recommend getting a larger SD card - I got a 512mb, which lets me shoot all day. Battery life is not too bad and I just carry extra AAs in my bag. It is a bit expensive but I got a good deal at Amazon and it has been worth every penny. I can highly recommend this camera, Canon has come through with the best of class!

PowerShot S2 IS
A wonderful camera, the quality of the shots both in color and clarity is remarkable. The 12x zoom is excellent and detail is amazing. The camera also has a very good super macro feature which is as good if not better than cameras I have tried costing much more. The selection of "special" shots is very useful and appropriate. Adding manual exposure/shutter speed is a nice feature but one I think most people will find redundant. I recommend this camera to anyone who aspires to taking more than "snapshots". This is my third Canon camera and I have been very satisfied with all of them and this is certainly the finest I have owned.

Best ultra zoom camera out there!
I love this camera. It has everything I wanted on a camera plus a whole lot more. I had a Sony P-73 before this one the image quality doesn't even come close to the S2! What was I thinking when I bought that Sony? The S2 comes with full-manual controls and a very capable automatic mode for those who want to just point and shoot. 12x optical zoom, great macro mode (0cm in super macro mode!), amazing movie mode plus you get image stabilization! What else can you ask for on a camera? Canon really made a great job!

It is everything I was looking for.....and more!
I have owned 5 digital cameras, first a sony, then a kodak, then another kodak, then another sony (that cost me $500++) and now this. All I can say is, where have you been all my life!

I wanted a camera that my wife could use as a point & shoot, and something where I would have some control without getting into a digital SLR. This looked like it had the things I was looking for, though I was a bit reluctant going for it because of the 5 mega pixel resolution (I really was hoping to get a camera with 7). Well, this is so sharp, that I can't imagine 7 megapixels. Now for the review:

This camera takes awesome photo's no only in the day time, but inside. The flash is very strong and I have not gotten any blurry images (unless I was indoors and did not use the flash). The zoom is truly amazing. The 12x optical is excellent, but I must say I was more impressed with the quality of the digital zoom images that were being produced. The stability control really makes a huge difference I think because I got some pictures I never thought I would get, and they were pretty sharp, too. The basic controls are pretty intuitive, and advanced controls have a small learning curve that anyone with even slight experience with an SLR can master easily (also read the owner's manual). Battery life is very poor, but considering all it does, I don't mind at all. Autofocus is very fast, zoom is very fast, so it will eat up the battery. I am going to buy some rechargeable's, because these lithiums are expensive (though they do last much longer than alkalyne's). The strap that is including is nice, as is the lens cap cover. Cable's are great and transferring the images to my pc was extremely fast. You gotta love the USB 2.0! The LCD is a little tough on the eyes, and for some reason, after looking at it for a couple of minutes, my eyes felt extremely strained. Not a big deal for me, because I prefer the old fashioned way of looking through the viewfinder. Funny thing though, it does not bother me when reviewing photo's. The video is also great, and something that take a bit of learning, but is very cool, is the panoramic function where you can stitch multiple images together. That is very cool (though photo shop will do the same thing, it is nice to have this feature when you are out).

I have used this camera in a variety of lighting conditions from beach to dimly lit auditorium and am extremely happy with the way it performs. The fit, finish, and feel are also quite nice, and the camera has several accessories that expand its capabilites. This is probably as close to a digital SLR as you can get, and still be able to have a P&S that any child could use. I am very happy with this camera! (See my review of the Sony DSC T-1 for a completely different type of review). I highly recommend this camera.

A wonderful camera
This camera is really wonderful. I previously had a Sony digital camera, about 5 years old, and this one blows it away. Of course, that should be expected because this camera is 5 years newer technology. The improvements I am realizing are:

1) 12x optical zoom. This cannot be understated. I am really able to take pictures that otherwise I would have been too far away to capture. The camera's larger size is more than offset by this capability.
2) Good flash. I can light up large rooms with the powerful flash.
3) SD card - one of the more common, inexpensize memory cards out there. I recommend getting a 60X card for maximum speed.
4) AA batteries - in case of an emergency, you can always buy a 4 pack and keep on going. I bought a NI-MH charger with 8 batteries at Uncle Sam's for under $20. No more proprietary batteries for me!
5) 5MP - the picture quality is excellent, better than my old Sony. Since I don't routinely make posters out of my pictures, this is plenty.
6) 640x480 video @ 30 fps with stereo audio. This thing is a high quality camcorder limited only by the size of the memory stick.
7) LCD which can be folded open and seen from front of camera: My wife and I commonly take pictures where I hold the camera out in front of us and take the picture of us arm in arm. Now I can make sure things are lined up before pressing the shutter. It is also nice that the LCD flips over so it can be stored against the body of the camera to prevent scratches.
8) Macro photography - this is a whole new area for me, as my old camera could not do this. I have taken pictures at 3" and had them come out very clear.
9) Through the lens viewfinder - which helps make sure that I am really taking a picture of what I am aiming at.

The only thing which I would like to see improved is the response time between pressing the shutter and the picture being taken when using the flash. The response time is very fast when the flash is off, but it can be upwards of several seconds if the flash is required (in full auto mode). I have not played with the flash and other settings to see if I can improve on this, and believe that I probably can due to the ability to fully customize this camera.

This camera delivers the goods.
This is a tough review to write, as it could take far more space than alotted. Here is the short version...

Some brands of digicams sport German or other Euro lenses. Some will no doubt argue, but after 35 years of being an active photographer, and a tech type of person, I feel that nobody makes high end lenses better than Canon makes them, and nobody makes more lenses that qualify as high end than Canon either.

The lens mounted on the S2 IS is the best of it's class. Even compared to quality SLR zoom lenses, it is a premium product. The camera is not a pocket cam, and does not pretend to replace one. Then again, it can do what no pocket cam can ever dream of, and can compete heads up with most digital SLR's in the hands of most people who buy a digital SLR. Truth is, most people who spend the bucks on a digital SLR would get far more from the purchase of an S2 IS.

The 5mp sensor produces 8x10 prints that rival 35mm quality. The VGA movie mode is simply awesome, and the DIGIC II chip is the same one that powers top of the line SLR's, which means outstanding speed from startup to shutdown. The selection of modes on this camera is incredible, yet it is easy to make a quick shot that looks great no matter what the situation. The continuous shot speed of 2.4 FPS is plenty when you consider that it isn't a burst mode. If you have a 1 gig memory card plugged in, it will shoot at the top speed until the card is full (around 600 pics at max resolution). The intervalometer function is a real treat, as you can shoot time lapse pics with a press of a button, and you have full control of how often the shutter trips, and for how long.

A 1 gig memory card will give you just over eight minutes of VGA movie time with high quality stereo sound. For most functions that don't call for a DV tape camera, 8 minutes of high quality TV screen sized full motion video is a long time. Consider that an old "super eight" film camera was only good for 3 minutes per reel, had no stereo sound, and wasn't as smooth as the S2's 30 FPS speed. Then there is the IS function. Between reviews and first hand experience, nobody makes an image stabilizing system as good as Canon makes it. It works in spectacular fashion for both still pics, and movies.

OK, other reviwers will compare specs, and show that the S2 IS is the top dog in the most useful class of cameras to hit the market in a long time. I just want to make sure that people thinking about buying a digital SLR look at the S2 first. I bought the S2, the lens hood, and lens adaptor, a closeup lens for use at max telephoto, a wide angle lens, a telephoto extender lens, a set of Hoyo UV and Polorizing filters, and a fine quality camera bag for under $1,000. My next purchase will be a slave flash to extend the flash range of the camera. The model offered by Canon is pretty cheap, and there are others to consider.

The bottom line is that the S2 is larger than a pocket cam, but much smaller and lighter than an SLR, and can beat the average SLR package to near death right out of the box for most shooting situations. Equip the S2 with a handful of accessories, and the casual SLR owner will have to spend thousands of Dollars on lenses, accessories, and a reasonable video camera just to keep up.

The S2 is a major compromise if you make a living taking pictures, and choose to spend thousands in order to make sure that you can handle every situation that pops up, but the S2 and a full compliment of accesories will fit in a medium small camera bag, weigh very little, and capture 95% of your shots just as well for under a grand. And it does awesome image stabilized still pics and movies.

I suspect that more than half of the people who buy digital SLR's would have been far better off with an S2, and would be enjoying new features well into the first Months of ownership. If you have the itch to step up, and you are torn between an SLR and a S2, buy the S2. You will be thrilled with what the UPS guy delivers. Buy the SLR in two or three more years. They might break out of the mold, and be ready for prime time in the consumer market by then.

Last note. I took my first pic with the S2 set to auto, flash on, at 12x zoom. I was sitting on my couch 18 feet away from my kitchen in dim evening light, with one incandescent light burning near my couch. I focused on a box of Cheerios sitting on top of my refrigerator (unlike many earlier digicams, the S2 locked on in a flash), and snapped the pic. The box was in a 3/4 view, so I could see the side panel, and the front face. Reviewing the pic on the camera, I was able to clearly read even the finest print on the side panel of that box. Take a look at the print on the side of a standard sized box of Cheerios next time you are in the market, and imagine snapping a handheld shot from 18 feet away, and reading every word in sharp detail on the camera display afterwards. Canon knows how to make a proper lens. And yes, Canon does Linux. I have been Windoze free for several years now, but free open source apps work fine with this camera, and I heard a rumor (I will try it soon on my Xandros box) that the Canon Win apps run under Crossover Office for Linux. Meanwhile, the camera app included in SuSE 9.3 communicates with the S2 as a PTP device with no problems.

Update - 7.10.05.

I have now used the camera for a little longer time, and had the chance to compare it more closely to it's Panasonic and Sony competitors. The S2 holds up like a champ. It has (by far) the best movie functionality among the three, and allows full and quiet use of the zoom capability of the camera while shooting movie clips. The stereo sound has amazing quality, and the built in wind screen function for the microphones work like a charm. The image stabilizer also does a fine job of eliminating vertical jitter when shooting a movie, yet does not interfere with zooming and panning at all. The zoom rate in movie mode makes for smooth operation, without a hint of lens motor noise spoiling the finished movie. Auto focus, and auto exposure during movie shooting are nothing less than spectacular. The S2 is simply the best TV quality movie taking still camera on the market. Period.

Memory cards.. I now have two SanDisk Extreme III 1 gig SD cards. They are flawless, and can shoot almost 600 full size pictures at a clip in 2.4 fps high speed continuous mode without a glitch. A good set of rechargeable batteries are able to keep up as well. None of the othe other cameras in this class can match it. I read from one reviewer that the Lexar 32x cards, and the SanDisk Extreme II cards work just as well. If so, it can save you about $20 per card. The more cards you have, the more movie time you can record.

On the primary still image side, I have concluded that it is a tight battle between the top brands, but Canon still retains it's title as the manufacturer of the overall best premium lenses. That's not a slap directed at the other two, as they all represent incredible optical quality. One area where the S2 is a clear winner is in function controls. Once you get used to the button layout, it is possible to execute very quick shooting decisions by pressing the right button, rather than roaming through nested menus. The other area is the Image Stabilizer. The Canon Image Stabilizer beats the offering from the other two hands down in both functionality, and user control. It is so good, you can take a handheld pic at 1/60 to 1/30 of a second at max zoom (nearly 500 mm compared to a 35 mm SLR), and clearly read the license plate of a subject vehicle located several hundred yards away from the camera.

Try that with a handeld SLR that does not have an image stabilized lens that alone costs more than the entire S2 package... The above issues are among the most important in the real world, and Canon delivers. Speed of startup, focusing, continuous shooting, and shutdown are close between the top three cameras, and Canon is not the fastest in all areas, but it has the best balance across the board. The final result will not only impress those who view your work, it will also impress you. Again, the ultimate margin from one to the next is small, but Canon offers the most complete package.


To sum up the update, the S2 has a very fast learning curve, outstanding accessory lenses, and overall best in class quality. I bounced mine off the asphalt from about three feet today with no ill effects. I wouldn't suggest you try it, but it survived just fine. The only scratch was to the ring of the Hoya UV filter I had attached to the lens (Thank God). If you are looking for the top camera in the new top consumer camera class, the S2 is it. Buy it and be real happy about how you spent your money.

Fabulous Camera
I absolutely love this camera! I had two requirements for buying a new digital camera: long zoom and powered with AA batteries.

We own an Olympus 4MP D40 and I really love that camera because it fits in my purse and takes great snapshots. But the Olympus eats batteries like mad and lacks a good zoom.

The Canon S2 IS doesn't fit in my purse but it is well worth carrying an extra bag.

The photos are amazingly clear and the Super Macro mode is unreal. I took some photos of my flowers in that mode and uploaded to this site. You can see the shots are clear, have fantastic color and I swear the lense was nearly touching the flower.

I did purchase an Ultra SD card and am using rechargable NiMH batteries. After using the camera for more than a week I haven't changed the batteries. My Olympus would have gone through dozens of sets with all of the work I've put the Canon through.

Bottom line...this is a great point-and-shoot camera that has so many other great features that even a non-professional can take professional photos.

Absolutely amazing
This camera is everything it is advertised. The photo quality is wonderful, the 12x zoom is very versatile and, along with image stabilization, delivers very crisp pictures. I don't even have the digital zoom enabled, and I have never felt it was necessary.

Video mode is very good as well, and the zoom motor is so quiet that it is not picked up by the microphone. The only thing to watch out for is in 640x480x30 mode, each second of video takes almost 2MB, so even a 1GB SD card will hold only about 8 minutes of video.

Highly recommended!

Great camera with one minor flaw
I agree with all the rave reviews already posted, so I won't rehash the same points again. But I will add one minor criticism and one great feature not previously mentioned. The criticism is that the viewfinder (which I prefer to use instead of the LCD screen) is dim and difficult to use in bright sunlight. Be that as it may, I noticed that one of the special scene modes was "fireworks", so I took the camera out to our July 4th celebration. The shots I took were fabulous! If you want to try this yourself, just make sure that you track the flare upward and try to shoot a moment before it explodes. This is because the camera is set to a relatively long exposure time and you want to catch the outward movement of the exploding colored particles from the beginning. Hold the camera as still as you can while the shutter is open, but of course the image stabilization feature is very helpful in obtaining sharp images under these conditions (it also renders the recommended use of a tripod unnecessary in my opinion). All in all, a great camera for the money!

Canon Powershot S2 IS 5MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zooml
Excellent camera and a lot of zoom for the buck. Ordered through Amazon because of a much better price than anyone else on line or in the stores around me. Timely delivery was another plus for Amazon, this is the 4th product I've ordered from Amazon and wouldn't buy from anyone else. Excellent, excellent service department.

Thank You

Right On!
Considering it offers more than all of it's competitive comparision models: Sony, Panasonic, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Nikon & Olympus. The CANON offers more like 9 picture effects, night shot, stereo sound, self timer 2 or 10 sec. & custom, LCD w/ variable angle function, movie snap (capture a still) while rec. up to 30 frames a sec., macro + super macro 0-3.9 in. 0-10 cm.. And thats it folks, with many months of research and help. We've scored! Salute CANON...

Fantastic Camera
My first digital camera was a Kodak 2 megapixels and 3X optic zoom. It was the latest thing when I got it. I had some problems with it about 2 months ago and decided to upgrade. I was all set to buy the Canon PowerShot S1 when I read about the new Canon PowerShot S2 that was suppose to hit the market in June, so I decided to wait for this camera. Believe me, it was worth the wait. This camera has everything and can do everything I want it too. It has many options: You can set it for night photos, fireworks, foilage, snow scenes, and beach scenes. you can shoot in auto or manually set it to your specifications. It allows you to shoot in color, black and white, gray tones, and sepia, and "My Color Mode." On top of this it allows you to take movies with sound which is great for family get-togethers.The 5 megapixels and 12X Optic Zoom allow for great images. Battery life is exceptionally long. This camera can do it all. When I opened the package, I was a little intimidated with all the manuals and paperwork that came with it, but after reviewing them it was a cinch to use this beauty. It is a little pricey but I feel it is worth the money. The only other problem is that is is bulky and definitely not a camera you can stick in your pocket to carry, but it comes supplied with a neck strap. I would recommend this camera to both a novice or an experienced camera buff. Canon has a real winner with this product.

Excellent choice
I've taken many, many pictures with this camera since bought, a lot lot more than with any other camera owned because it is so easy to use, the camera is so fast and the IS works pretty well as well, the pictures are just crisp and beautiful. Very happy. Recommended with 5 stars. It feels a bit bulky at times but nothing is perfect.

6th and Final (probably)
I've had quite a few digital cameras and thought I was satisfied with the Fuji 6X zoom until I saw this in a local retail store. It was so new, they haven't even priced it yet. My friend just paid over 50% more for a Nikon 4MP and had most the bells and whistles as the Canon had. I also liked the SD card rather than the Fuji xD. The SD fits my PDA so I can save/show pics when I travel. I went online and found out it was cheaper than I thought. Then Amazon had the better price so I went for it. I've had it for about a month now, the camera is awesome. I haven't used all the features yet but it's well worth the money just for what it's produced in the short time I've had it.

Spectacularly designed camera
Pros:
12x optical zoom, uses non-proprietary AA batteries, large image sensor produces better pics than cameras with more more megapixels!

Cons:
The lens cap falls off to easy, slightly heavy, difficult to hold with two hands, plastic threaded tripod mount, and separate adapter is required to install lens protecting UV filter.

The Canon S2 IS produces incredible images, much better than other cameras in its class with more megapixels! Having a 12x Optical zoom allows you to get closer to most shooting subjects especially ones that used to be out of reach with other digital cameras.

The 1.8-inch tilt-and-swivel LCD makes shooting pictures from unique angles super easy. For example you can shoot over your head to get pictures from behind a crowd or shoot from waist level to get pictures without attracting attention to yourself.

Most other digital cameras on the market are powered by a proprietary battery that can cost upwards of $40 and have a typical service life of less than one year. Since it is powered by standard AA batteries you'll always be able to find inexpensive replacements any place you go. In most grocery and drug stores you can find 4 rechargeable AA 2500 mAh batteries bundled with a charger for only $20.00. These batteries provide enough power for a typical day's shooting and are inexpensive enough to replace each year for optimal performance.

I love this camera
Great color and features. I had a sony before this one, nothing compares. Canon is the best!

Perfect if you don't know what you're doing, but luv doing it!
I adore taking pictures. Especially of tiny bugs, butterflies, and flowers in addition to far away things like birds and the moon etc. However, I'm not a patient person when it comes to learning what all of the buttons do and reading manuals et al and I wasn't educated in photography so AUTO is important to me!

For anyone that wants to pull a camera out of the box, snap a picture, and have others say "WOW! You're good at taking pictures!" this is the camera for you ;)

It's auto mode is amazing in a variety of lighting conditions and on a variety of subjects. BUT WAIT! There's More!

If you'd like to enhance your pics just a bit, but find too many settings and options and weird names/acronyms way too confusing this camera is GREAT! It's buttons are labeled and pictured in EASY TO UNDERSTAND Words and Pictures. Their uses and the menu descriptions are CLEAR, easy to find, and just about ANYONE could figure out what they do. If you'd love to be able to adjust the shutter speed, ISO, Aperture, etc..but are never quite sure exactly what they do or which way they should go...this camera makes it SIMPLE! "lighter, darker, cloudy, fair skinned, dark skinned, nighttime" are an example of the words you will see. BUT WAIT! There's More!

You need a camera your 2 yr old can use... but you also need a camera "smart photographers" can use. If you want to have it totally manual with a ton of settings to choose from (for a consumer grade digi cam) this cam is the way to go! You can enter total manual mode and go for it. Or you can enter "semi manual modes" where you set "this and that" and it adjusts everything else automatically.

If you're a one camera family.... I HIGHLY recommend this camera. Young or old... clued in or CLUELESS this camera can be used to take breathtaking photos from far away to so close it's bumping the lens.

The pano stitching is excellent as well by the way. I snapped 10 pics (just testing out of the box) and hit the stitch button in the included software and it did everything for me. In seconds I had an amazing panorama image ... snap, click, done!

Cons: Yes...there's always cons...but these are mild in my opinion. It comes with cheesy batteries so be sure to pick up some camera grade rechargables before you check out. It also comes with a very small memory card (considering the size of the images) so you'll want to pick up a larger card as well. The 16MB will hold about 10 images at their highest settings. The ON switch takes a tiny bit of getting used to but the off switch is really easy to find.. be careful. Thankfully, turning it on is FAST so even if you make the mistake...you shouldn't miss the shot.

Did I mention the video camera that's in this thing? No more tiny 320X240...this does a full crisp and clear 640X480 and it does it well!

One last note... the stabalizer is amazing too! My old cam made it difficult to use the full power of zoom without a tripod. SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE...hard to keep the subject inside the viewfinder. NO LONGER A PROBLEM WITH THE CANON! No tripod...full zoom...you can hold onto your subject even if you are a bit wobbly ;)

Go for it!

Great Camera for Novice photographers
It's about a month since I purchased this camera. Great pictures. Have taken about 300 pictures till date. If you have a regular SD card instead of a High Speed SD card, then images are distorted when you click during video recording. Other than that, no problems at all. Great Camera Indeed.

Replace your camcorder
Others have written some very detailed reviews of this camera so I will not duplicate what has already been said. Suffice it to say that this is a quality camera loaded with features. I almost bought an S1 last year. I was intrigued by the VGA movie mode on the S1, but wanted a model with 5MP or better still resolution. The S2 is the camera I was waiting for.

My goal is to replace my current digital camera and camcorder with the S2. So far I'm very impressed with the movie quality of the S2. The only drawback is, of course, the enormous size of the video files. It would have been nice if Canon had used MPEG compression (hopefully in the S3), but I've found a workaround to that problem. I've purchased two 1GB Transcend 80x SD cards and a 40GB PD7X CompactDrive hard disk portable storage device. The CompactDrive will download a full 1GB SD card to its internal notebook hard disk in about 3 minutes without using a computer. It's powered by 4 NiMH batteries and can download somewhere between 17 to 20GB on a single charge. Since you can shoot 1GB worth of video in 8 minutes, theoretically by swapping cards and downloading I could shoot about 2.5 hrs of nearly continuous video without even having to change batteries on the PD7X. I haven't actually tested this procedure yet, but I think it's workable. As soon as my son's soccer games start up in a few weeks I'll be putting it to the test.

Another great feature of this camera is the macro and super macro . You can shoot extreme closeups with the camera lens virtually touching the subject. I was just messing around with the camera and took a macro picture of a photo taped to my refrigerator. I was amazed to see that it was sharp and relatively well exposed even with poor lighting. It got me thinking about the piles of photos I have sitting in boxes waiting to be digitized. I have a flatbed scanner, but scanning is very tedious. Why not just take a snapshot of them with the digital camera? I decided to convert an old 35mm photo enlarger I had in the attic to a makeshift copy stand. I rigged up a camera mount and grabbed a couple of clip on reading lamps and started playing around. After some experimenting I found that using macro mode with Tungsten white balance setting produced great copies of my snapshots. Once I figured out the settings, I whipped through a couple stacks of snapshots in about 10 minutes. It's still tedious, but much better than scanning with my slow flatbed scanner.

With the S2 you can have your cake and eat it too. It takes great photos and videos and is easy to use yet powerful enough for those of us that like to experiment.

Update 8/04/05

I finally got to put the camera through its paces. I took it to a Braves night game last weekend and was able to capture a beautiful shot of Andruw Jones breaking his bat. The photo is sharp, in focus and you can clearly see both the broken bat flying apart and the hit ball. I took the shot handheld at iso 200 from my seat about halfway up the lower section (terrace 221 if you're familiar with Turner Field). I was amazed to be able to zoom all the way up to home plate and see that level of detail!

I also went to a museum and got to play around with the indoor modes. The museum had several large dinosaur displays in a large atrium. I used the panorama mode to take a series of shots of the dinosaurs. After I downloaded the photos I used the photostitch software to put the panorama together. It worked flawlessly and the results look great!

I'm also happy to report that the CompactDrive PD7X worked well. I downloaded several SD cards to it in the field with no problems.

I have one comment about the lens cap. Many people have pointed out that the lens cap comes off too easily. I noticed that too shortly after I got the camera and considered it annoying. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that the cap is designed that way for a reason. Have any of you turned the camera on before removing the lens cap? Immediately upon turning on the camera, the lens pops out from its stowed position, and if the lens cap is on it simply pops off without straining the motor. A tight fitting lens cap would probably be hard on the motor if the camera was turned on with the cap in place. Just my 2 cents.

The best camera for the price
I'm extremely happy with this product. It has lots of functionality, a good lense, and, what I personally really appreciate, a very powerful optical zoom. The best small digital cameras I've ever used. It's also light, so easy to carry around even when backpacking. And the image stabilizer really works! My only gripe about it is that Canon is not putting out a waterproof housing for this model (it has one for the S1 IS), so I can't take it diving or even sailing with me. I was actually thinking about getting a digital SLR (EOS or Rebel), but changed my mind. This powershot has hardly any delay; also, it has a great video mode with stereo sound recording, lighter, has a zoom (which I'd have to purchase separately for an SLR), not mentioning the price. A great buy!

Very good camera...BUT!!!!!
I've had the S2 IS for about two months now and I must admit that it is a great camera. I've gone through and read all the other reviews for this camera and I do agree with everyone on the quality, features ect..ect, so I won't get into that. What I'm going to talk about is durability!

I was worried when I bought this camera that it just wouldn't stand up to the abuse I know I was going to put it through. I'm always outdoors doing something so, knocks, falls, dings, dust, dirt and water seem to always do battle with my electronic "toys". I can't count how many cell phones, cameras, walkmans...ect..ect, I've had damaged or even destroyed by Mother Nature's wrath.

When I took the camera out of the box I was worried because of how beautiful the camera is. I thought to myself, damn, this thing just reeks beauty which seems to attract extra attention from the elements for some reason. Not the case with this camera though.

I've dropped it once, had it covered in sand and covered in water by a salty wave while deep-sea fishing. I've even put it to the ultimate test....CHILDREN,,,nooo,nnooo,,Ahhhahhhh!!!!

These same children managed to break my Leatherman WAVE tool the first five minuets they possessed the thing; how could a camera possibly survive such grappling, clenching, twisting, clumsy, sticky, dirty hands? It did though.

I know you may think I'm stupid for putting such a nice camera through such treatment but, I'm one that likes to use what I buy right along with how I live. I'm not a clean freak, stay behind closed doors, air-conditioned type. I also remember how it used to feel as kid when no one would trust me with a "cool", expensive piece of equipment. It's only a camera and if the kids can feel good by being trusted enough to use it, I'm going to let them use it.

After all this wear and tear, the only damage I can see is minor cosmetic damage such as scratches. The lens is still as clean as a brand-new. The only problem I had was when the camera locked up one time with the lens sticking out. No buttons would work and I couldn't get the thing to respond to anything; I began to worry; one of the kids brought it to me in this condition. After opening the battery housing door and closing it again the camera came back to life and is again in perfectly working order. I love this camera, after all it's been through it still starts up quickly, uploads quickly, takes beautiful pictures and zooms in and out smoothly. I'm glad I decided to wait for the S2 rather than settling for the S1 but,..... Yes there's always a but....

There is no underwater housing for this camera yet. If I'd of known this I would have chosen a different camera. In fact, if Canon does not make an underwater housing I'll never buy Canon again. That's why I took away a star from it's perfect rating so far. I've been pestering Canon every day now to build an underwater housing with no luck, can you help????? PLEEEASSEE!

So, if your looking for a pretty, powerful camera and don't plan on taking it underwater, this is the camera for you.

Good shooting!

Bulky, slow to focus, poor design, useless viewfinder and weak lens cap
That sums it up. I ordered it on line. So I did not hold it before buying it. Price was reasonable, but the camera is too big to take along anywhere, the view finder is poorly located and practically useless (Try the Nikon DSCH1 or D50 to see what I mean) and it struggles to focus on high zoom. Too many blurry photos. Also the lens cap is too loose on the camera and keeps falling.

I find the workmanship and quality of photos exceptional. It is also fast to turn on and take photos. The engineers at Canon have done a great job on the inside. The controls are also easy to use and nicely located. But boy they missed in design. This is one unattractive camera and its silver.. You will not look cool carrying and using this camera. Has anybody noticed that all professional cameras are black. There is a reason for that. If S2 is pretending to be a semi-prosumer, make it black body.

My final three comments.. 1. No manual focus ring and 2. No RAW format, hard to find a case for it.

S2 is a potent camera, but not very useful... I wish I could return it and wait for S3.

If you want to carry a heavy, bulky camera, and have some blurry photos go for this or wait for the next generation.

Great camera got it cheaper elsewhere
I just got this camera...and love it. Weighty, but helps when shooting a picture for stability.

I got mine for $384 out the door through Dell and coupons.

Still a great camera

Choosing the right megazoom - for me it was S2 IS
Hope this helps you in making your choices--- there are several good mega zooms out there and the decision is not easy!!

My main focus was the S2 IS, FZ5, FZ20, Pro 1 and Minolta Dimage A200. Here is where I ended up --

I bought and researched most of my information through dpreview, image resource and mega pixel. But I tried the hardware at BH Photo in NYC where I live (actually in NJ across the river). They have a great return policy and I was able to take the FZ5 on a significant adventure to Agra, India -- the Taj Mahal.. The camera performed extremely well. The shots taken were 99 % accurate, the trimming feature was great and the sharpness of the pix were as good as I have ever seen. However I ended up sending it back because of the following - needed more function on the movie settings, the zooming feature was very fast but a little choppy expecially at the long end of the zoom (7-12x) when you I was trying to make subtle changes to framing my shot, I needed more control over the exposure compensation and white balance settings. The FZ5 only allows you to max out at 8 seconds one way and 1/1600 the other way (or was it 1/2000?). Lastly I felt that the camera needed a little more weight for my hand comfort. That is while initially it feels a little flimsy, it is quite well built; but for me it seemed as though I was holding a feather and it didn't feel as right when I was moving to take shots. The spot focus was awesome and got it right all the time though the center-weighted made me do a few double takes from time to time.

So what did I do? I went with the S2 -- Why? Because, I like the fact that I can take pix while taking movie clips. I didn't know how much I actually toggle between both modes. I have alot more control over exposure compensation and white balance. S2 offer's more sophisticated flash options (1st-2nd curtain and high/low flash sync). Its cool to have a swivel display. Manual Focus is good for night shots where focus assist can be fooled. Lastly I like the usb20 interface which means I don't have to wait till forever to download a gig (though I do use a reader half the time). The fz5 is usb 1.0. S2 has 15 seconds and 1/3200 on both ends of the shutter I believe.

I miss the trimming and resize function the fz5 has; it makes it real easy to make photo adjustments on the fly. Don't like the fact that the S2 has a plastic tripod hole. Like the fact that S2 has AA compatability. And of course love the fact that both cameras have quality long zoom lenses and OIS.

My super duper biggest worry on the S2 is the stuff I'm reading on the reviews about the chromatic abberation. I would hate to invest time taking shots I'm looking forward to enjoying only to see purple fringes around my subject. I'm also not as happy about the s2 not providing in the package a lens adaptor -- that whole system is alot larger than the fz5 where I had a uv filter attached to the fz5 body without it protruding too much. The s2 has a longer lense when it is on so the adapter hood is longer too -- that means I'll probably more often than not, skip putting it on and probably scratch the original lense by accident one of these days...

So I went with S2 for the features I needed -- the FZ5 is an awesome camera with no CA that I saw. and is extremely fast. It doesn't get fooled especially with spot focus on.

Oh btw -- I looked at a200 but didn't like the size, looked at H1 but didn't like size and memory stick and looked at fz20 but didn't like the size and value for the money.. Looked at Pro 1 but felt that if i want 8mp, i'll wait for the rebel xt to go down in price and resurrect my eos lenses...

I paid 460 at bhphoto for the s2...

Happy hunting

Engar...

Size Matters in Optical vs Digital zoom.
I bought this to replace a canon A-80 I owned. I wanted a better zoom and a zoom while taking movies. This camera has done all that and more. The photos even in the auto mode are flawless. The camera is also very sturdy and seems to surpass all my expectations. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a great all around camera. I've put it through the ropes and has not disapointed me yet. A++ to canon on this one, it will be with me for awhile to come.

Keep in mind that this camera is one of the largest in the point and shoot class, but this is needed to house the 12x optical zoom. Don't get confused between Optical and digital zoom.Optical zoom is the real deal, bringing the subject closer. Where digital zoom just crops the subject, usually causing blurry low quality pictures. If a Super zoom is more important than size then this is the camera for you.

Great Ultra Zoom
I agree with all the rave reviews already posted, so I won't rehash the same points again. This camera took a wondeful trip with us to Maui. I have used several digital cameras and this is by far the easiest to use straight out-of-the-box. Our main complaint was the lens cap; however, it did stay attached within the camera bag. The one thing that would make this camera even better would be an underwater case. The fireworks mode worked perfectly. The low light mode actually surprised me with how well it worked. The images allowed for printing of terrific 8 x 10s. A big thumbs up for a quality camera.

getting better
somehow, Canon has made most features of the camera come pretty well to hand...except the exposure lock...with gloves, this is a true pain to activate ..it needs a dedicated button for this.

Niggling aside, this box is probably the next best thing to a DSLR.

the clear and usable viewfinder almost makes the camera into an SLR and works on the brightest of glaciers. Call me old fashioned, but i like viewfinders. I love this feature.

The supermacro is delightful, but with a zoom of 12, you hardly need a macro at all.

In the focus bracket mode you can just about assure yourself a picture in focus...thereby averting the consistent focus problem that plagued all six of my six previous digital cameras.

If you are up to the size and weight this camera, you will be satisfied with its performance and features.

Great camera!
Only 2 complaints about this camera (that have been covered already). Lens cap is terrible, but that's not a huge issue for me. Also, the low-light focusing leaves a bit to be desired, but overall is good. I had tried a Sony DSC-H1 before this ... and there simply is no comparison. With the Sony was difficult to get good (non-blurry) pictures without the flash. The Canon, no problem unless it's dark. I am very, very happy with this camera and it worked great out of the box in auto 'dummy mode'.

One word " OUTSTANDING"

I have been into photography for over 30 years. I've been though many cameras in my day, but I must say this camera is the best. From ease of use to the quality of photo's and videos it's superb. I have it for over a month and have taken over 500 photo's. It has not let me down once,from low light to bright outdoor shots it has come through like a champ. The image stablization is a added bonus for those times when our hands just aren't as steady as we wish. Bottom line is this a well built camera that will come through in any envirorment. I'll have this one with me everywhere I go.

5 stars to Canon , you built a true winner here.

no image
3 times out of 4 on switching the camera on there is no image. when there is an image the camera works fine except for focus at low light levels.
i have used canon cameras for many years and this is the most disappointing product from them that I have ever had
If you can get one that gives an image very time, and you do not want to take photos in low light it would probably be okay

Go For It
This camera was the first I was interested after my Sony DSC-V1 crashed and burned on me 1 month after the warranty. But instead of buying it on the fly, I researched hard for 1 solid month. I was still considering the Sony H-1 for the big LCD but it had no Carl Zeiss lens. The Panasonic had a Leica lens, and Canon has always made great lenses for SLR's so I trust them with digital.(I owned the AE1 and the EOS Rebel). I am really happy with the purchase.
I'll just comment a little on what others have written.
-The lens cap is not a big deal and the problem is getting blown way out of proportion.
- The zoom is fast and accurate. The programmed and manual controls are easy to use. Some reviewers who said their pictures are blurry, I think they have themselves to blame.
- The ISO control is a great one to have and easy to use if you want to work with light conditions. My Sony did not have this feature, and it is something to appreaciate. This can be changed in every mode but the AUTO.
- I took over 250 pictures, overplayed the zoom and used the flash for a few days on 1 set of batteries. (much better than the Sony DSC-V1 i owned)
- The video is great and should be a BIG selling item. I honestly have not tested the memory psace needed for long videos but the clarity and smoothness is great.
- The 12x zoom has great speed sensitivity. To clarify, a hard push moves really fast and a soft touch zooms it at a great slow speed.
- some users do not understand you must be patient with the clos up macro. This one works really well with a little practice.
- It would have been great if the 1.8" LCD was larger but this is fine. At least, it can be flipped around and closed to protect it when not in use.

I see experienced digital SLR users buying this for the quality, zoom capacity and size. I am by no means a point and shoot camera person, but this one could be used by those that are. I enjoy manual controls (shutter spped and aperture) when the time is right. This camera does it all and does it well.

Canon does it again...
By no means am I a professional photographer, but I adore the art of photography. I previously owned a Canon PowerShot S30 that I have been using that camera since 2003. I am happy to say that through all my clumsiness that camera is still as good today as it was the day I bought it. However, it didn't have the features I desired in a digital camera...

So I did some research, and ended up with the Canon S2 IS. Not only did it have the features I loved in the S30, but it fixed all of the frustrations as well. I really like the size and feel of this camera. The added features are amazing, including the optical zoom, stability control - very useful, manual focus, super macro mode, high quality videos, and the incredible color enhancement options. I am particularly impressed with all the add-ons available, including telephoto and wide-angled lenses, and an ultra-bright flash. With all the options and features available with this camera, it should enthuse even the grumpiest photographer.

I admit, with every picture I take, I love this camera more. I would, without hesitation, recommend the S2 IS to anyone who is looking for a high-quality digital camera. My only word of caution: the batteries get drained rather quickly, but it only requires 4 AA batteries, readily available at most stores and gas stations.

After a little heartache about the price (I'm a college student), I realize that you have to spend money to get a good, high quality product that will last you for years.

Canon can consider me one of their most loyal customers.

A great all-around camera
I've been using the S2 for a few weeks and I'm extremely pleased. I've used many cameras over the years, from point-and-shoot to completely manual. I really researched this camera.

The bottom line for me is how many of the pictures I'm happy with. This camera takes better pictures than anything I've used. Perhaps only 1 out of 100 is not quite in focus or blurred. That's a great ratio.

I've taken superb close-ups at 12x zoom of a bee flying up to a flower. The bee and flower are perfectly in focus with the bee's wings frozen in mid-beat. The background is perfectly out of focus, just as it should be. I've taken excellent 360 degree panoramas of mountain vistas. Shots of people are especially nice if you use the "people" setting.

It's hard to take a bad photo with this camera!

A few of the pluses:

- Excellent image stabilization
- Superb full TV resolution video
- Very good user interface
- Comfortable to hold
- Very good button layout
- Uses regular AA batteries (use NiMH)
- Uses common SD cards

The manual pop-up flash is actually a great idea. I thought auto pop-up would be better but it is very easy to pop it up and it gives you much better control over when to use it, for example with fill flash.

I recommend the leather case and the leather strap. And get at least one 1GB card so that you can do movies up to 7 minutes long.

I could go on and on. Bottom line: This is a great camera at a great price.

Perfect camera for all recreational uses
I just took this camera to Northern California (Yosemite and Santa Cruz) and had a great experience. ALL the shots came out, even when my 9-year old took them -- no focus issues, no color problems, no blurred images. The image stabilization is amazing -- I'd been happy with my Nikon Coolpix 2500, but there's no going back now!

A couple of highlights -- there's nothing like a panoramic mode for handling spectacular vistas, and the S2's "photo stitch" mode was easy to use and superb at stitching together full-sized images. I shot the Mono basin in 8 full-size frames and am very pleased with the results. Some of the modes were also unexpectedly fun, such as taking shots in old western mining towns using the "sepia" mode.

I spent about 30 minutes reading the manual and playing with the camera and got everything I needed. As I got more used to the camera, I investigated some of the display details and was impressed with how much control I could have if I wanted or needed it. An example was taking time-delayed shots of our entire family. But frankly, you can just put the S2 on auto and fire away.

At the highest resolution I put 327 shots on one 512GB card. The software to download and edit the shots is very straightforward. Even with considerable review on the camera, I'm just on my second set of AA batteries.

If you've read the other, more comprehensive reviews, you'll know you need to invest in higher storage and some rechargeables. Overall, I'm very happy with this camera.

manufacturer's seal?
did anyone who purchased their canon s2 through amazon have an official canon seal on their package. I believe mine is an open item because it did not have the seal

Simply the best 5 MP camera out there
After the lens cracked on my Nikon 5400, which was a fantastic camera, i did a lot of research to find the best 5 MP camera available under $500. The canon Powershot S2 IS is easy to use for point-and-shoot and takes vivid and clear pictures with perfect color. You lose nothing in quality when you zoom in to its max. For camera buffs who enjoy the manual features, this camera is even better. It is so easy to understand, that even novice can learn how to customize picture-taking. The camera is also very light and has all the extra convenience features, such as the swivel screen, to make picture-taking enjoyable.

Far exceeded my expectations
I bought my S2IS last week, after months of research and indecision. Initially I was leaning towards the Sony H1, but I finally decided on the Canon after several sales reps from different retailers categorically stated that the Canon was definitely superior, primarily because of a superior lens and therefore superior picture quality. As one rep said, "If you're looking for the highest quality TV, you buy Sony. But if you're looking for the highest quality camera, you buy Canon".

The camera handles beautifully and operates very quickly. Startup and focus times, as well as successive-picture and shutter lags are almost nil. This is probably because of the DIGIC II processor, which no other camera in this category even comes close to. Because I do not like bulky cameras, I bought a case that fits the camera like a glove, and is not one of those "backpack-like" cases. The S21S is the smaller sized camera among those in the same category.

This is my first digital camera. I had refused to buy a digital camera in the past (vs. 35 mm) because of the lower quality of prints in older digital cameras. I was amazed the degree to which the printed photos of the S2IS have crisp, natural and bright colors. No fading colors or irregular borders. No visible differences vs. 35 mm. prints, with the exception of minimal chromatic aberration (purple fringing), but only in very high contrast settings. I have not had the need to retouch a single picture. The prints will come out identical to what you see in the LCD (or the viewfinder). This is especially important, since in other brands (Sony, especifically), the LCD is artificially brighter, so pictures would seem brighter and clearer in the LCD than when actually printed (or downloaded), which would be a big letdown when you get your prints. Do note however, that the S2IS LCD does provide a "higher brightness" option for use in brighter, sunny days.

The flash performance was very important to me, and I am glad that it works wonderfully. I have tested the flash in low light and in pitch black darkness, and the photos come out fully focused and with great brightness. I tested a distance beyond the 18 ft. specified maximum range, and the pictures came out very well lit, at all zoom levels. Specifically, I took a picture of a lit candle in total darkness 20 ft. away with 12X zoom, and the photo came out fully focused, and well lit, including the backgroundand and surroundings. The flash is high enough from the lens that red eye is not a problem. But at the same time, not too high that it casts a "shadow" under the targets.

The image stabilization system works impecably. Even with maximum optical zoom (12X), and a somewhat shaky hand, absolutely all pictures came out fully focused, bright and with no decrease in resolution. When taking videos, the quality is great, and again, fully focused even with 12X zoom. I have dowloaded pictures and videos to my computer and TV, and I was blown away by the clarity and overall quality in both cases. The included software package is easy to install and very versatile.

Just one fact to point out. If the LCD will be your primary way of viewing your pictures (instead of prints), or if LCD size is the major factor in your consideration for a digital camera, then this camera is not for you. I was willing to sacrifice to a relatively smaller LCD size (1.8 inch) in order to obtain superior printed pictures at the $500 price point.

The camera comes bare with no accessories. I believe that important accessories include a compact case, a high capacity memory card (my camera came with a free 256 MB SD card, and I bought an additional 1GB), and long lasting (2500 mh) rechargeable NimH batteries.

All in all, this camera far exceeded my expectations. The more I use it, the more I like it.

Right choice?
I bought my Canon S2 last week and spent lot of time to discover it. it is amazing, lot of features, i took lot of beatiful photos, nice movies, the battery life is amazing and i don't want to repeat what others are saying.

But my worry is the following question. Do we really need to carry that bulky size of camera to take such good pictures?

You may vote No to consider Canon S2 is a bulky camera.

My first and the best!!!
I have always been a film camera enthusiast, but for the past couple of years, I have been contemplating the idea of going digital. I was certain that I wanted a mega zoom camera - one that gave me at least 10X optical zoom and a host of manual controls. After doing an exhaustive research on the Sony DSC H1, Panasonic FZ20, FZ5 and the Canon S2 IS, I decided to get the S2 and thank God I did. Simply put - this camera is amazing. As other reviewers have pointed out - most users would never need to use any other modes than the "Auto" mode. The pictures are sharp and the lens is just magnificent. The Optical Image Stabilization works great - my S2 has yet to give me a blurry picture. I am also extremely satisfied with the manual controls that the S2 provides - still haven't tried all of them.

On the flip side, the lens cap is one of the "worst" I have seen - it simply doesn't like to stay on. Also, the tripod mount is plastic, so be careful while attaching the tripod base.

Overall, Canon just got a very satisfied customer!

Great Replacement for Nikon 4300
This Canon is a replacement for my Nikon 4300.
I had some experience with various digital cameras. As a result, I made up my mind on how much I wanted to spend and what features I expected to get for my money. I wanted to have a camera with at least 5 mp, it had to have good optical zoom, it had to be fast.
After long and exhausting research and experiments, I decided Canon S2 was meeting all my needs.
I did not have the time to explore all features Canon S2 offers, but so far I'm impressed.
Although this camera is larger than any point-and-shoot camera, it is extremely comfortable. If you don't feel like experimenting with manual features, you can leave the camera in auto mode and it will do really nice pictures.
So far I did not need to use the LCD. In this camera a viewfinder performs as LCD. The viewfinder on this camera is not a simple hole with glass. It catches the image through the lense; therefore there is no need to use LCD. This way in bad conditions you can keep the LCD closed. By the way this is the only camera that allows you to keep the LCD closed. You can also rotate the LCD to various angles. Keeping the LCD closed saves the batteries.
Long lasting batteries is another great feature of this camera. So far every camera I used consumed batteries like crazy. I mean I had to replace or recharge batteries after only 80-200 shots. So far I took around 200 pictures with this Canon with one set of batteries. The batteries are still good. I wonder how many more pictures I will take before the first set of batteries die.

I did not explore many features on this camera yet. I photographed in Auto, Landscape, and Portrait mode. I got excellent quality portrait photos, great landscape photos. This camera performs extremely well in auto mode.
I will add to this review as I experiment more with various modes. So far I'm very happy with this camera's performance.

Excellent balance of feature set, execution, and price.
Strengths: Excellent balance of feature set, execution, and price. Fast on time, focust time, sequential picture mode. Sharp capable optics with 12x optical zoom. Excellent movie mode. Decent price at $500.
Weaknesses: Picture slightly oversharpened. Noise at ISO 200. Some autofocus/autoexposure difficulties. No wireless remote. 1GB movie size limit. No Hot Shoe. No lens filter to protect lens.
Summary: Have taken about 6.5GB worth of pictures and movies with this camera. I am not needing to use my movie camera anymore (have not had to in my last 2 weekend trips).

Key positives for me:

1. Takes sharp pictures.

2. Fast enough so that I do not lose the perfect photo moment.

3. 12x zoom so that I can get close, and achieve the limited depth of field of a long lens.

4. Take movies in stereo sound, with optical zoom capability. A 1GB card can take about 7mins of 640x 30fps video. So for casual everyday events (parties, weekend trips), this is all the camera you need. I can see myself needing the DV for graduations, sporting events, musicals, etc.

5. Uses standard SD memory. I am using ATP (1GB) and Transcend (512MB) and are happy with both. These are fast cards that enhance the fast write capabilities of this camera.

6. Uses standard AA batteries -- 2200ah nimhs lasted me 2.5 GB of pics/movies in a weekend.

7. Variable Angle LCD allows pictures to be taken from awkward angles (not even available with Digital SLRs).

8. No wireless remote but the custom self timer is great. Can set to take the 5 shots in 30 secs so that I can take my time to get to my spot in the pics.

I had an Olympus C3040 (died recently), and so I was spoiled by its excellent picture quality and ability to take pictures even in low light (f1.8). But it was very slow, and so I missed a lot of picture moments, plus 3x optical won't handle musicals, football games.

The Powershot S2 allows me to acquire all the above features, with a minor compromise on picture quality, at half the price of entry level DSLR. And I get some of the features missing from a DSLR -- movie mode, variable angle LCD, light weight.

Very compelling proposition. Good Luck!

Digital Camera Novice - Loving the Technology!
OK- this isn't my first digital camera. I used my first one quite a bit, and paid as much for it as this fabulous Canon! Got fewer, lesser quality photos from it. Right out of the box I loved it! I was able to load it with power and card and was snapping photo's within minutes of arrival. The instructions explained things clearly...this camera is idiot proof (on one level) while offering excellent photographic options for those who are more technolgically, or artically inclined.

This all around great camera is one whose options I'm going to enjoy exploring in the coming days, weeks and months. On the basis of my immediate experience, I'd definitely recommend it.

THE BEST all around camera
This is quite probably the most versatile digicam out there - it's got all the zoom you want, it's got all the creative controlls you want, it's super fast, it's got image stabilization (without it, you could forget about the long zoom), it's got good to great image quality (unless you shoot exclusively at low light, in which case you will need a digital SLR anyway) and it's got THE GREATEST video mode of any digicam. I now use it as my primary camcorder. The videos are bitingly sharp, and while in low light they show significant grain, it is because the camera nicely gains up the video to make it bright and sharp. Certainly better in quality than any camcorder I've seen in the price range of the S2. It's not the smallest or lightest camera (not one to just carry around in your pocket), but it can do basically anything you throw at it. It's also not the easiest camera to use - if you want pure point'n shoot, look for a different camera. If you want versatility, the S2 is for you!

I love this camera
I bought this camera very recently and, with little chance to play around with it, took it to a concert (indoor venue) and shot a couple of hundred photos. I set the shutter speed manually, used center spot metering, and had a blast.

The photos were, in short, amazing. Very few blurry, unusable pictures.

I love this camera.

Really Good Camera
I upgraded to this camera after using a Nikon 2.5 MP for a number of years. This camera is great. The zoom works well and gives vivid pics at 5 MP. Its easy enough to use and the ability to tape live video is an added bonus. The software for transfering the images works real smoothly to the extent that once the camera has been plugged in it opens the software immediately.
The LCD is difficult to use in bright sunlight but then the traditional viewfinder is a good alternative. Cannon should sell the unit with a larger memory card, 16 MB just does not cut it. I bought a 512 card and now I can tape up to 2.5 minutes on the highest quality setting.
The camara is not too heavy and the flip out LCD takes some getting used too, but this is a great buy and lots of fun.

Great camera with a few flaws
Other reviewers describe the good points -- and they are many --with this camera, my photography now verges on art and I am pretty sure that the camera will always have more capability than I can use.

There are, however, two problems a prospective buyer should be aware of: My old camera was a 4mp Kodak. Both the viewfinder image and the LCD image on the Kodak were better -- brighter and sharper. When I aim the S2 at a subject, the image is blurry enough that I can not tell if everyone in a group shot is smiling. Pressing the shutter button half way down, allowing the auto focus to work, sharpens the image a lot, but still not as sharp as I was used to with the Kodak. This is true of both the LCD and the viewfinder in any light. After I take the pictue, I can view it in the LCD and the image is bright and sharp. Since no other reviewer has mentioned this as an issue, it may be related to the technology and affects all cameras using this same technology. I am hoping the problem will disappear as I become more skilled using the camera but after taking several hundred photos, it is still annoying.

The second problem is that you will need to spend about $200 more than the price of the camera to get rolling. You will need two sets of rechargable batteries, a battery charger, a 1 gig memory card and a camera case. Oddly, the recommended camera case has no room for spare batteries.

It is likely that all of these problems are problems with every other camera in this class, and none of them has stopped me from consistently great pictures. The 12X lens with image stabilization allows me to get shots that were not possible with my old 3X camera and the 5mp resolution allows me to get screen sized sharp pictures after croping.

Great camera!!!!!!!!!!!Better than Sony DSC-H1
I went to Disney with my best friend she took her Sony DSC-H1. I of course took my new Canon S2. Eight days later she went to Best Buy to return her Sony!!! We are beginners so all the pics were shote at auto mode. The canon shots were far better than the sony ones.
Yes the lents caps keep falling. And the canon case is thight no space for batteries. I went to Best Buy and get the Kenneth Cole Reaction case and its great and not expensive. you can fit the Energizer battery charger, spare batteries, memory and more.

Things I'm pretty sure you have not considered before deciding if buying or not.
I will address some points I have seen very few people have touched about, maybe this could help you deciding.

1) LENS CAPS: Yes, it pops out easily. It can be solved in a silly easy way: Put the tiny cap cord between the cap and the lens border (laterally), so it will be tight. Voilý!

2) IMAGE STABILIZATION: It's useful NOT ONLY for HIGH ZOOMING! For example: I love to take low light shots with no flash. Obviously, I need a very slow shutter speed. Shots impossible with the Canon S60 I previously owned (no way I can get a non-blurry image at 1/15s) are perfectly sharp even at 1/8s, and using no tripod but my bare hands!

3) VARI ANGLE LCD: Yes! For all of you still deciding between this one and the Sony H1: Have you ever tried doing shots at floor level? Ever been in a concert, sports venue, trying to do a shot above the heads of people? Taking shots of yourself? Kitty corner shots? I could go on and on...

4) COLORS MODE. I didn't know the S2 has this feature before buying it. And I read tons of reviews! You can take a shot in black and white, but making stand out a color! Also, you can swap or replace colors!. I know you can do that with Photoshop, but it is cool to test it live, so that you can in advance test different shots and angles.

5) SIZE & CASE: Yes, it is big. No, it is not AS big as you can imagine. It fits easily in one hand.
Case: I own the "official" Canon one. YES, you can't put anything else in the case. NO, I am not annoyed for that. I LOVE the fact the case is just the size for the camera, I don't like to carry a big bag with extra batteries, charger, etc. I love attaching the case to my belt and popping the camera in & out from it as taking walks.

-- Well, This these are the things that firstly come out from my mind. I suggest buying at ebay a kit with wide angle/telephoto lens, adapter and hood. They are at $95 roughly. That is the nearer you'll be to a PRO equipment at a surprisingly cheap price!

Romeo E. Cabrera

Returned it, waiting for S3
I received the S2 and spent several days trying it out. It took some great pictures even at 12X zoom -- nice and clear and more room to crop if needed.

I decided though, that I would probably regret my purchase when the next model comes out, which is due for June 2006. What are my reasons for waiting?

- I would like more MP, and the next version will probably be 8 megapixels.

- The next version is rumored to have 15X zoom, and the image stabilization should be at least (maybe better) than the S2's

- This is a big reason -- I do not like the tiny screen. Yes, I do like that it tilts, but if I had to choose a tiny screen that tilts or a larger one (like Kodak's 2.5 vs Canon 1.8) I would choose the larger one any day. The S3 will probably have a larger screen.

- This may not change with the S3, but I would prefer a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. I like being able to "dock" a camera in a battery charger or have 3 lithium ion's that would more than satisfy my needs. Four AA's also make the camera heavier.

So, even though the S2 is a great camera, I think the S3 will be a GREAT camera -- one that I will be much more happy with over the next decade or so.

Until then my little Canon SD200 will have to do :-)

Update:

The S3 isn't that great of a camera either!!! The LCD is small compared to the competition. Look at the Kodak P850, or the new Kodak, or the Sony H5, and you will be much happier.

Hopefully Canon gets it right with the S4.

good stills, bad movies.... so far
This camera has an incredible array of settings. I use the "bracketing" feature to take an overexposure and an underexposure along with the automatic exposure when shooting buildings against the sky, and the continuous shooting feature when shooting people. The ability to zoom in on the computer screen and see more detail, rather than just pixelation, makes the extra megapixels amazing to me, so I'm glad I didn't go for the S1.

So far, my movies have been jerky in the extreme, even on lowest resolution setting. I low-level formatted the 1 GB card (one of the ones listed below the camera on Amazon) but the movies still stop and start. Any suggestions?

Canon does it again!
I have a Canon Powershot A95 (5 megapixel 3x optical zoom) and absolutely love it! However, the zoom is simply mediocre; i craved a lot more zoom. I decided to spend a little more money for the newer s2 is model(for 12 x zoom). Canon is top of the line for cameras...so invest in a canon, no other brand will compare. I feared when the zoom was fully extended i would only get blurry shots...but canon's image stabilizer makes the photos appear like you are actually that close to the object. I also feared the weight of the camera...but when I compared it to the canon powershot a95, i couldn't tell the difference. The color accent feauture is VERY addicting. I take a lot of close up (macro) shots, and this camera, like the a95 takes great macro shots. If you are not looking at this camera for the zoom, buy the A95...same quality photos, just less zoom and no color accent/swap features. . . and $200 cheaper and smaller.
Complaint(minor): the lens cap can be rather annoying. I think canon made it loose so it would fall off when the camera was turned on; but because of it's looseness, it falls off sometimes when you don't want it to.

Go for the DSLR
I bought this camera based on some of the reviews and because I didn't want to shell out $1000 for an DSLR. I got it home and started playing with it.

Sure, it's a decent camera, but it was obvious that I would eventually want to upgrade to an DSLR.

All things considered, there are a couple of ways to think about this camera:
One is that it is a relative bargain for what it offers. High resolution, relatively fast shooting speed (compared to other point and shoot cameras), high quality video capability (amazingly good), image stabilized lens (low light shots were still blurry), 12X zoom, macro capability in an all-in-one package. You don't really need any addons except for more memory and a case.

The other side is that it is expensive. $450-500 is expensive for anything, and this camera is no exception.

For me, I believed the latter. Since I was spending $500, why not spend a few hundred more (ok 500 more) and just get the Digital Rebel XT?

Anyway, after battling the 2 sides for a day or so, I returned the camera and bought the digital rebel XT. My advice is to definitely go for the DSLR, they are in different leagues.

The S2 performed poorly in low light. It has an overly complex menu system. The DSLR has more buttons. I like buttons. They are much more accessible than a nested menu system.
The S2 was slow, offering 1.5 fps (max) while my DSLR has 3 fps. I found the wait to take my next shot with the S2 agonizingly slow, with the flash much longer.

Strangely, the S2 has a lens cap that just won't stay on. Perhaps one of the weakest aspects of the camera. I was holding the camera still, and the cap just slid off to the floor. Be prepared to lose the cap eventually.

The S2 has a cheap plastic silver look to it. It looks like the "flavor of the month". I'm not sure why so many electronics are plastic silver. Guess it's the trend. I'd much rather have black. I believe the S2 is as heavy as or even heavier than the Digital Rebel XT.

Bottom line is the camera may be one of the best sub-DSLR camera out there but it doesn't come close to the DSLR . Not by a long shot.

Great camera!
Love the quality of the pictures! Great speed in taking them too. Seems to be good with battery life. The only drawback is for camera neophites like myself, it's a bit more techy than I need. But, I wanted a camera that had a bit of substance to it...and it certainly fits my expectations. Overall, very happy with this camera!

Canon Powershot S2 IS
The one thing it does not have is a meter to show you how much of a charge you have left in your batteries.

One Of the Best Cameras Available In It's Price Range
Up until the very first picture I took with camera I was a Olympus user but as soon as I saw what this camera could do I immediately knew I was wrong. When I was first started using this camera I was just shooting randomly and was amazed at those pictures, but after experimenting with some of the advanced settings it only got better. Compared to other cameras in this one's price range I feel it is one of the best. My only complaint is that the battery is a little below average using the LCD screen.

Canon Powershot Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image
I love this camera. It is so user friendly. The Optical Zoom works better than expected.

First Digital Camera purchase
I bought this camera for our recent trip to Bonaire and it arrived 2 days before we left (very responsive seller - Adorama Camera). That didn't leave me much time to figure things out before we left, so it was my project for the plane ride. By the time we arrived I felt fairly comfortable using the camera - the owners manual was very easy to follow and the camera itself easy to use.

I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but I have dabbled a little in photography and the pictures I had printed from the S2 IS rivaled those from my Canon AE-1 (and oldie but a goodie) and far surpassed those from my SureShot. (Just a footnote: I did decide to go with the premium prints rather than standard, not sure how much of a difference there would be). I also decided to buy a 1 GB memory card as well as the rapid charger (Energizer) both were well worth the money and I would recommend doing that.

My only complaint is what I have seen others mention and that is the lens cap. It does not want to stay on. Kind of a hassle, especially while traveling (taking it in and out of the camera bag, etc).

So far a great camera that I am so happy we bought!

Great Camera!
After a great deal of investigation I decided to buy the Canon Powershot S2. After checking prices Amazon had the best deal.
So far I have really enjoyed this camera. I am an old SLR fan but this camera does everything and more. The only problem is learning all the different programs and settings.
I am going on vacation soon and will take the owners manual with me to learn and I shoot.

Excelent Camara!!
I used to have a powershot A70, now that i got the S2 IS i can see the difference in performance, i have a 256 scandisk sd card and the write speed after taking a picture is awesome, also the flash is pretty good even on really dark environments, the image Image Stabilized really help me to take blurless photos. I am really happy with the upgrade.

I am loving it!!!!
I am not beginner/novice photographer. The picture quality is top quality compared to other 5 MP camera brands that I have dealt with(Olympus, Sony and Kodak). It seems Canon has one of the best lenses. I owned Canon A95 and loved it. I decided to get into more serious into photography. This camera give you the point and shoot capability yet a lot of flexibility for the prosumer-wannabe like myself.

The size seems big at first, but it's relatively comparable to other upstarter prosumer camera.

I have taken few Macro shots and the resolution with default lens and the resul was great. Few things that I loved the most:
* Customized Self-Timer: This is great for me who tend to shake camera when I press the shutter. Self-timer reduces my shake, plus of course they comes handy in group pictures.
* Very fast multi-frame shots.
* Very good battery life. I think the 4-battery last me 150-200 pictures.
* They still use AA battery. Though this preent the camera to be smaller but it is just more practical for me during travel.

It would be better if this camera is sold with a remote. (I have been looking and still can't find it). The lens cap could be designed a little better. Overall this little nuisances are easily overlooked by the picture quality thatI have seen.

I am also ordering the hood and adapter (they are backordered though... :( Hoping I can use with creative filters.

If I were to summarize this camera in one sentence, it will be " A great quality camera that can do 99% of Profesional Camera at 50% of the price"

I LOVE THIS CAMERA
I won't go into the technical aspects of this camera as I am still learning them, but other reviewers have and I agree with all that I've read and experienced with my own camera. I still own a Canon SLR film camera that I bought in 1969. Yes, it still works as good as new. I used my experience with Canon to sway my purchase of the S2IS. This camera works easily, so far the manual appears to be easy to understand and the pictures I've taken look great. In fact, one photo in particular was so good I decided to enter it in a contest. The Amazon price ($395 in my gold box) was the best anywhere. No tax and no shipping. The 5 megapixel with the zoom lens is really cool. I took a picture of a horse drawn carriage at a distance of about 75 feet, opened the photo with my computer and zoomed in on the horse. I then realized the horse was wearing a medallion on his chest. I zoomed in further and was able to read it (his name was Prince) with very little distortion. Buy it, you'll love it.

Very nice camera
This is my third digital camera in six years and is, by far, the best yet. It's easy to use right out of the box. My only complaint is that it doesn't have an "action" mode, and pictures taken with the "continuous" feature come out very blurry. Since this is such a terrific camera, I have a feeling that this is probably due to something I'm doing incorrectly, rather than a problem with the camera itself. I'm blown away by what this camera can do for the money. I bought mine through Amazon for a little over $400 with a pre-order and never expected to get so much for the money. I've owned an Olympus digital, which I was also very happy with and was a bit hesitant to change brands, but I can recommend this camera to anyone who wants more than a point-and-shoot, but doesn't want to be a slave to the manual.

sweet camera
Takes very nice pics and the movie function is super. Tons of setting for customizing you own pics or just point and shoot on auto mode. I really have no complaints with this camera.

Great camera for the money
I've heard all the blather about the small, hard to see LCD, the poor EVF, and the slow recycle time, but I personally haven't had any problems with those. I've had nothing but success with this camera and have taken some amazing photos at 12x zoom that were crystal clear.
My only complaint is the lens cap that falls off with the slightest provocation!

Alaskan vacation with the Canon S2
We recently booked a trip to Alaska, one of the pre-trip decisions was to purchases a new camera. I had previously owned a digital camera it was three years old. Since the technology has advanced rapidly in that length of time a new camera was desirable.

After reading a substantial number of reviews, and talking with people that are highly knowledgeable about photography, I was able to narrow down my choices within the budget I wanted to work with. I have owned through the years, a number of fine film cameras and have been satisfied with the results; however, the allure of digital cameras is hard to resist, the ability to take large numbers of shots and instantly review your efforts is hard to resist.

The camera I finally settled on was the Canon Powershot S2 IS it seemed to include most of the features I felt were needed or desirable and was in the dollar limit I had budgeted.

I had very little time before our trip to work with the camera however; controls were logical and easily understandable. My impressions are from an informed amateur standpoint, not a professional, and should be weighted with that in mind. The Canon had no issues mechanically or electronically all features and controls worked out of the box, quality control is evident.

The final configuration of this camera is as follows:

1 - Canon Powershot S2 IS
1 - Canon LAH-DC20 Lens Adapter and Hood Set for the S2 IS Digital Camera
2 - ATP 1GB 60X Secure Digital Memory Cards
2 - Hoya 58mm Lens Filters / UV and Polarizer
1 - Lowepro Camera Bag - Novo 1 AW

The quality of the pictures was I felt excellent for the dollars spent. There are SLR cameras on the market such as the Nikon D 70 that likely surpass this camera however, costing twice the price. It is highly unlikely that the average user such as myself needs or would use all the features on a digital camera costing over a thousand dollars. For the semi pros out there and professionals they are a different story, and the money they spend would be justified.

I have been able to compare pictures with the Canon against cameras costing a great deal more taking similar shots and the quality differences are negligible at best.

I agree with many of the expert reviews regarding this camera, it does a great job for the money spent.

Canon S2 vs. 20D vs. SD Series
I own both the S2 and SD400, and have used the 20D extensively with L-Series glass, so I'll write a review about the differences. A featured review compared the S2 with the 20D, and having used both, there's absolutely no comparison, the 20D blows it out of the water. The 20D consistently produces framable "art work" with the right lens, however, getting the body plus the right lens will cost you over $2,000. So if you've used the 20D, don't purchase this as a substitute, you will be very disappointed. With all settings on auto, your shots with the 20D with L-Series glass will all make your mouth water, the S2 will "only" produce a very nice, and crisp shot, those shots that "wow" you, are few and far between. The 20D can also shoot shots instantenously back-to-back-to-back, and focuses nearly instantaneously, whereas with the S2 there will be a noticeable lag between shutter depression and the shot being taken, even in burst mode, so this camera is definitely not the best for sports or fast action photography, but then again, no digital is shy of the semi-pro DSLRs.

A much closer comparable to this model is the SD400, which I also own. Both produce great shots with great color, with the S2 having the slight edge in terms of clarity, detail, and moderately less CA. So if they're so similar why would you pay more for a much larger camera? Well obviously the zoom is huge, especially for wild life photography. The manual features are very rich, and the camera hunts slightly less, and is noticeably faster (in terms of shutter depression to taking the shot, and in terms of continuous shooting recovery time) than its smaller counter parts.

My recommendation: unless you need the zoom, or will use manual shutter speed / aperture frequently, you'd probably be better of buying an SD camera, as your shots will be of comparable quality, and you'll probably end up using it much more as the SD series cameras are pocketable, whereas this thing is pretty huge. And you'll end up saving some cash in the process. I bought this camera for wildlife photography, but for everyday use when I'm with friends or going on day trips, I'll most likely still use my SD400, and not worry about sacrificing much on picture quality.

In its class, the S2 is the best camera, hands down, Canon currently makes the best "point-and-click" lenses, period. On the DSLR front, it's a bit more competitive. I've had a chance to use a few other point-and-clicks, and none have been in the ballpark. So choose Canon, and choose practically.

The best Canon camera - UPDATE: Not so good after all...:(
I had own several digital cameras. From Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, and Canon. I owned Canon S40, S45, S1 IS, G6, and currently S2. First of all, let me tell you. The absolutely best pictures are only made by Canon. And among Canons that I owned S2 IS is absolutely winner. It takes crisp photos at any light conditions. The 12x optical zoom is unbelivable and IS is must have. So far, I shoot about 200 pictures of moving cars, people, animals and NONE of them are blured. Prior to purchasing this camera, I was concern if 1.8" screen will be enough as I was spoiled by Canon's G6 2.0" screen and Kodak's V550 2.5". I can tell you now that with optical viewfinder that is installed of S2, I am not using screen at all while shooting pictures. The lense cap is something that might be better but as much as I got used to G6 identical one, I am not seeing it as a problem. Now comparing G6 to S2, I am in most occurance prefer latest one as DIGIC II processor is absolutely awesome. It is fast and acurate. And one more thing, S2 makes awesome stereo movies with a lenght of almost 20 min (1G), not like my old G6 that is restricting me to 3 min mono sound movies. So unless you need to print large prints (like I do) of 20"x30", S2 is the best Canon camera on today's market.


UPDATE (01/07/06):
About month and a half ago, my Canon S2 started turning itself off for no apparent reason while I was taking a picture. First I though that it could be a short time limit when camera goes in stand by but it wasn't not the case. The set of 1 month old 4 x 2,300 mAh AA batteries (Sanyo, made in Japan) were always fully charged whenever it was happening and screen was not used. I called Canon Service Dept and they asked to ship it to them. Upon receiving camera back, I found that even though it was not shutting itself that often as before, this problem had still existed and at least once a day, I was expiriencing that problem again. Canon customer service said that they did everything that could possibly be done and there is nothig else that they could do. So I sold that Canon :( Until today, I have no clue what was wrong with my camera and I couldn't find anyone else complaining of the same problem. So I guess this camera was just possesed. This is my first Canon product that did not lasted in my hands for more than a year (I used only for two months when it was problem free). I don't want to discourage anyone from purchasing this camera as it isn't bad at all but as for me, I wouldn't buy this one again.

Great Camera Great pics Even low light!! Great Special Effects
I have had several digital cameras, Including Panasonic
Lumix, and the kodak dx7590.
I HATED the Panasonic, as I could NOT get a good pic indoors
or true colors. Only outdoors. WAY Over Rated!
The Kodak is also a GREAT camera and VERY easy to use,
BUT...The flash is not strong enough for low light and My
pics had a purple or Blue cast that I would have to
manually remove with a program.
That got really old, and last it had a VERY hard
time focusing in low light. I thought I would Pick up
one of these cameras to just play with as I had seen
the Color Accent which by the way are VERY nice, Just
imagine your daughter holding a pink flower and all the rest
in black and white!! You will love that!
SO, I start using it and comparing it, well the low light
pics are great! Flash is very bright and you can't tell
you even had a lighting problem. Also focus is great in low light too. Colors are true to life as well, no blue tones.
The lens cap is a pain, but like someone said, just put
a bit of the lens cap cord under the cap and it keeps it tight
and it won't fall off.
Very nice pics and Nice Camera!

Fantastic
This is my second Cannon digital camera. I had the Powershot S45, loved it, but they no longer made that model so I had to find something else after I broke it recently.

S2 was the right choice for me. I have been taking photographs both as a hobby and as a paid professional for many years, and I was very impressed with this small digital camera delivering beyond expected qualities.

The color is very accurate, and there is no waiting in between shots. The zoom is powerful AND takes focused photos. To top it off, the flash has an amazing range no other miniature digital/non digital camera can come close to (very important for me in terms of photo quality).

The macro and super macro mode took AMAZING crips images, and all the other fun gadgets are and will continued to be used fully by me.

I love the movie mode that is flexible in resolution/length of time - my older model was very limited in this regard.

Over-all, nothing to complain about, except the rechargeable batteries takes a long time to recharge fully - but who cares, they last incredibly long time too! I bought two sets, so I always have another set ready to go, but so far I have never needed to reach for the spare batteries, since they last so long after recharging.

The photo quality is mint, and I can't complain about anything so far. Yes, people are mentioning the flimsy lens cap, but it has not been any concern for me so far.

Love that zoom! Superfast! Great LCD, Awesome video settings!
This camera really surprised me in a good way! I didn't do any research on this camera at all but it has turned out to be even better than my Olympus 5060 or my old Canon G2. The things I really love about this camera are:
1) The zoom, wow, got some great pictures of whales and glaciers on an Alaska cruise! You just can't beat 12X optical zoom :)
2) Really fast! I've had a series of digital cameras including Canon G2, Olympus 5060 etc and this is by far the fastest of the bunch. On all the others there was a noticeable processing time delay; on this camera it almost always snaps the shot right away!
3) The same LCD I came to love on the G2 that flips out and twirls around. This is invaluable for getting good shots with the camera above your head, I often use it when taking pictures of my food for website restaurant reviews.
4) Great video settings, you can really take some high res quality video footage if you have enough memory!

In addition, the menus are easy to use and things like picture resolution settings are very easy to access (as opposed to being buried in the menu system somewhere!). I find that 5MP is plenty for my web pictures and I think for most people it is perfectly adequate. Downloading pictures is very easy via the supplied USB cable, doesn't seem to require a special driver the way my old G2 did.

The things I don't love so much:
1) The camera is a bit on the bulky side; but then so were my other cameras so I'm used to that. At least it is pretty lightweight for its size.
2) I'm not such a big fan of the flip out flash, several times I take a nighttime photo and wonder why the flash didn't go off! Just takes getting used to; at least its easy to turn off the flash if you don't want it!
3) Where is the high speed/sports setting on the dial? If you want to take high speed shots you will have to dig into the menu system.

Overall, this is the best camera I've ever owned of the 5 previous digital cameras; I'm a happy camper :)

Best super zoom camera
I have had other super zoom cameras from other brands. The only reason that I waited so long to buy this S2 IS is that its predecessor S1 IS is only 3 mega pixel. After using Olympus C-765 and Konica Minolta Z5, I have to say, Canon makes the best digital cameras. Here are the highlights of my opinion.

Pro (what the Olympus' and Konica Minolta's counterpart lacks)
* Superb image quality (this is also agreed by dpreview.com). Image quality is not just mega pixel, but also the clarity and sharpness.
*** Canon cameras produce less "noise" than other brand. In case you don't know what noise in photography means, it looks like random sand grain on a low-light photo. Konica Minolta is very very bad in terms of noise. If you can avoid vibration (e.g. with the help of a tripod), Canon S2 IS is ideal in all scenario. However, don't expect you can take anything decent with Z5 under in-door scenario without flash.
*** Good JPEG compression. The more compressed, the lower the image quality, but the more it can store on a memory card. So there is always a trade-off, and everyone has their optimal balance/compromise between file size and image quality. I find Canon's compression optimal for me. Olympus' compression is way too compressed. I can actually see the dots around high contrast edges with naked eyes, without enlargement. That is how it led me to verify the fact by some computer software. If you take a lot of geometric objects like architectures, this is the camera for you.

* FAST!! With DIGIC II processor, turning on, off, shooting is much faster. And zoom is also very fast (due to the ultra-sonic motor)
* Better operation interface. A simple thing like "2 second review window" where one has the chance to immediately remove a bad picture makes Canon more pleasurable to use.
* tilt-and-swivel LCD monitor. Great for self portrait, and unusual shooting angel (e.g. shooting from above head)
* You can add additional converter lens. Cannon offers a 1.5x telephoto and 0.75x wide. With the existing 12x zoom, you can get 18x optical zoom or 72x digital combined zoom. This is how some people shoot the moon.
* Super macro mode. You can shoot the micro print off a paper money (a very small text as an anti-counterfeit device. It is available on the 5 dollars bill or higher. see my pictures)
* Long battery life. Using 4 AA size rechargeable batteries (capacity around 8000 ~ 9600 mAh), S2 IS lasts much longer than Olympus C-765 (1050 mAh)


Cons
* Movie files are not compressed enough
* The official 0.75x wide converter lens is not wide enough for me

In conclusion: I will keep this camera for a long time.

Canon S2 IS Review, highlights and lowlights
I previously owned a small canon digital camara and learning to use this one was very easy. All the options are very similar, and finding new features is very intuitive.
Highlights:
1. great and FAST processor: using the features and navigating through pictures is really fast.
2. great advanced features for a non professional camera, including manual focus, which give more options
3. great image stabilizer, it really works
Lowlights:
1. Plastic sucks, my old canon camera is metallic, which gives a much better appeareance
2. 4 batteries and no options for recharging? yes!! you have to buy an external recharger, with AA 2500 mh batteries to make them last
3. very small lcd screen

In general, great camera, great features, great price!!!

Great Camera for the Price 4.8 Stars
Great camera for the price...and for a novice user like me. This is our first digital camera. My fiance and I bought an S2 IS and two 256 MB SD card. We were able to shoot more than 400 shots with the LCD on before the 2500 mAh single charge (4 AA rechargeable batteries) gave out.

The S2 goes from shooting mode to play mode in a second, and browsing the images is fast, even with largest format ( 2592 x 1944 px at 180 px/in. ). I have not fully gone through every mode...but for the everyday novice photographer, this camera does real good in taking quick-on-the-go shots.

For OS X users, make sure to install the software/drivers before connecting the camera. Photoshoot subjects with flash-on no closer than 2 feet indoors/night setting...but no farther than 16 feet away.

My Pros:
- Ease of use, rugged and versatile with the 1.8 LCD...shoot-n-go outta the box.
- Lots of shooting modes...snow, foliage, night, fireworks, manual settings etc.
- Has panoramic mode to help you take better shots for a panorama, CD comes with pano-stitcher.
- 640 x 480 px video at 30 frames/sec in stereo 44khz (colors look better than my Canon ZR50) You can shoot video for as long as you want...depends on the size of your SD card also.
- You can add additional lense for wide/macro and telephoto.
- A/V output, A/C adaptor...USB 2.0 connectivity
- Okay Manual Focus
- Has Macro mode...as close to 0 cm on the subject? Having the lense about 6 inches away works for me, and I just zoom in.
- Has subject/image stabalizer.

My want:
- Lens cap slides off easily, but necessary because the lense extends once turned on...some people are pretty picky with this feature.
- No hotshoe...the flash can be stronger...and needs to lock in place.
- Body a little bulky...can be more streamlined.
- For the price, camera should get 6.3 megapixel treatment.
- No RAW format mode...just high resolution JPEGs.

This is a Great Camera
This camera is awesome. Besides taking great still pictures, it has a number of bells and whistles built into it AND it takes movies. Suggest at time of purchase you get your self a minimum of 1 gig memory card to go with it (Approx $100) the 12X Optical Zoom is awesome. I took a picture of my cousin from the 86th Floor of the Empire State Building down to the 24th Floor of the building next door and I could make him out fine. If you have a young family or just want ease of use, this camera works for me. This camera has dual microphones which when you opt to video mode, picks up all sounds. Converts it to an .avi . Works super with Winamp when you play it back. If I had to come up with one criticism it would be that the LED Viewer is difficult to see what your shooting on a bright day. There is a view finder you can switch to that will get ya over but over all, I am very very happy with the camera. [...]

The Best
Canon makes some of the best lenses in the prosumer (and professional) digital market.
You can't take great pictures without a great lense. This is a great lense.
You also can't take great pictures in an indoor large room (hall, ballroom, convention, etc) without a big lense. This is a big lense.
You can't take a massively zoomed in picture without image stabilization or a tripod. This has fantastic image stabilization.

It also takes very good video, has some really neet color exposure / swaping functions that allow you to be really artistic without necessarily knowing what you are doing. User friendly doesn't begin to explain it.

If you know what you are doing, and you want compelte flexibility and amazing pictures, buy a Canon digital SLR. If you are trying to get that action shot of your kid playing soccer, but you can't get the photo to come out focused and not blurry, get this camera and save yourself the headache. The photos are wonderful (not professional, but wonderful) and a 5 year old can use it.

Macro falls short
I currently have a Canon G3 that I love, but I've had it for a couple years now, and I'm interested in an upgrade. I use my camera mostly for macro nature photography and everyday around the house photos. Most of the time I use automatic settings and come out with decent results. I've been wanting a better telephoto lens for birding. This is what I was comparing the Canon S2 IS against when I took it out for a test drive this weekend. I will be returning the S2 - it wasn't worth it as an upgrade to me.

There are a few design features that I did not like. The S2 uses the LCD to show what features are enabled. I prefer how the G3 has two seperate screens - one as a view finder and one for displaying settings. That way, if the LCD is closed, I can still see what settings I have selected. The eyepiece viewfinder is digital, not optical. When I'm zoomed in all the way, I will use it to track an animal, where I can see more of the scene, but the S2 eyepiece displays the same picture as the LCD, and when zoomed in all the way it was too blurry to see anything.

I loved the image stabilization and the telephoto lens. I was able to stand in my house and get decent photos of squirrels and birds in trees outside. I could get clear basketball players at dusk from a distance. The colors did not seem as rich as my other camera, but the image quality for normal shots seemed just as good. The camera focuses quickly and the pictures are quick.

The macro lens is what I was very disappointed about. It's true that you can get a photo with the lens directly on the object - I got a shot of the newspaper with the lens touching, but no animal or insect is going to let me get that close for a photo anyway. The part I disliked the most with the macro is that you cannot zoom in that mode. Usually I get as close as I can physically and then zoom in, but not with the S2.

Personally, I still want a camera that can do a telephoto zoom as well as this one, but not lose the macro capabilities I have with my G3. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any available right now that meet my needs, without me going to SLR.

aweeeeesome
This camera ROCKS.

keeping in mind, this is my first digital high zoom camera(even though I used other canon cameras with less zoom), this camera is just awesome.

I have carried this camera along with me for quite sometime now and I appreciate all the minute details that canon provides.

just to mention some few:
1) I have taken pics in las vegas with this camera and just turned out to be fantastic especially when I used the night vision mode. And the red-eye reduction is also good.

2) I have taken this to grand canyon and taken panaromic views and they are just great. not all cameras come with a feature where you can overlap pictures.

3) the color settings mode is cool. you can get one color highlighted and not the rest.

4) the video quality is just great and the sound recording is high quality stereo sound.

5) the flash works PERFECT. I have used my full 12x optical and 4x digi and zoomed on a book 16 feet away in another room and using flash I could get a very clear picture with titles and authors.

Only drawback I see is the lens cover.. but hey who cares.. for the rest of the features I get from this camera its very negligible.
I used 1GB memory card and 2400mAh rechargeable batteries for best results.

great camera
I just wanted to write if you are looking for a great all around camera, this is it. It is bigger than a compact camera, but smaller than a SLR camera. The pop up flash helps to reduce redeye, since the flash is farther away from the lens. It is a great camera. I have the canon digital rebel, but find that it is big and bulky to take everywhere. I have small kids, but I found this to be a compromise, without a sacrifice on quality.

Lens cap fix/Finally I can take photos again!
How To Keep Your Lens Cap From Falling Off

(late addition to review already posted)

Here's the best solution I've found. Go to a hardware or home-improvement store, and buy a sheet of small, felt "feet". The adhesive kind: which you can buy cheaply in sets of 50 or more, usually in assorted sizes. Typically they're used (in sets of four) for putting underneath items so that they don't slide around, or scratch the surfaces underneath. But we're going to use them in a way other than intended.

Peel off only one of them; I'd recommend a circle about 1/4" in diameter. Use scissors or utility knife (watch your fingers!) to cut it in half, being careful not to touch the adhesive too much. You want it to remain sticky.

You now have two tiny semicircles. Affix each of them to opposite sides of the inside rim of the lens cap. This makes the lens cap act as if it's ever so slightly "smaller".

The result is that the lens cap won't fall off anymore, but is still easy to remove.

If you find that the lens cap becomes difficult to take off, try to find an alternative method with a material of lesser thickness.

Most such "feet" have adhesive which doesn't stick