Great camera--small yet packed with performance
I have been playing around with my Powershot S30 for a couple of weeks now, and I must say I am very impressed. This is my first digital camera. 35mm photography has been a hobby of mine for over 10 years now, so I wanted to get a digicam that wouldn't let me down. And the S30 hasn't. It has almost all the features of my Canon Rebel 2000 (except interchangeable lenses, filters, and a hotshoe), but with a fraction of the size. The pictures are great. I have noticed that indoor flash pics tended to be a little too bright, but that was easily fixed by adjusting the flash exposure compensation down by 1/3 or 2/3. The camera takes pictures quickly (not as fast as my SLR, but that's to be expected) and the pics are of high quality. The battery life is relatively short, but a fully charged battery was more than enough to get me through over 100 shots, using the LCD screen for all of them, the flash for most, and spending a fair bit of time reviewing the photos. I *love* the fact that the camera records all the settings you used along with the shot.
The camera is small and rugged, so it can easily be taken everywhere. Even the battery charger is fairly small. I definitely recommend getting a 256MB card (check out newegg.com) and a USB reader. At highest resolution and least compression, I can fit 157 pics on the 256MB card. The only thing I've used the 16MB card that comes with the camera for was to transfer some pics to it so a friend who wanted "doubles" could go to Ritz camera and print them out for herself. Definitely recommend!!!!!!!

3 Megapixels doesn't get any better in a package this small!
I picked this camera up a few days ago after doing pretty extensive research online and talking to some people on bulletin boards. I wanted 3mp camera in as compact form as possible that used CF cards and had a rechargeable battery. Then I discovered Canon's new S30/S40. No doubt the S40 is a great successor to the S30, but I have no need for 4mp. I've only had the camera a few days and I'm already very content with my decision.

It has a build quality like no other camera I've held. I'd say it has a 95% metal casing, only the battery door is plastic, and they mesh perfectly with the design. The sliding lens cover is great. Works flawlessly as a on/off switch and protection for the lens. Gives the camera a great smooth finish too. The LCD is bright and has good visibility in sun light. The buttons are well placed and easy to work with. My only minor complaint is the rubber door covering the usb and power jack. I question it's durability after long term use, but it should be ok.

So how do the pictures looks? Fantastic. If I could sum it up in 3 words, I would say: Sharp, bright and clear. The flash is powerful enough to take great low-light/night shots. Just don't get to far away :) Battery life is average. One of the drawbacks to such a small camera, but the battery recharges fairly quickly. Keep the LCD off for mucher greater battery life! Oh, and get a large CF card. The 16mb that is included won't cut.

No problems using the camera with Windows XP Pro through my monitor's USB hub. Canon's software is kind of bloated, but functional. If you prefer, just use XP's built in Digital Camera support.

Overall, excellent camera for people who want something portable (like the S110, although not quite as small), and a 3 megapixel resolution.

Canon S30
I have had the camera for one week. It is easy to use, fairly intuitive and takes great pictures. My problem is the horrendous software manual that accompanies the camera. We have spent more than 8 hours reading and re-reading the manual, installing and uninstalling software but have been unable to get the camera to communicate to my Windows98 Compaq PC.

Compact Camera with Full Features
The Powershot S30 is an easily transportable digital camera that goes far beyond the norm for "point and shoot" cameras that it competes against in size and price. It features a 3.34 megapixel CCD, a 3 x optical zoom, and 3.3x digital zoom, making it comparable to a number of competing products. What sets this camera apart for the serious photographer is the ability to control exposure, focus, and macro modes in addition to the standard full auto modes. While slightly larger than the Pentax Optio 300 (a close competitor in price and basic features), it has both full automatic and manual modes, as well as apereture priority and shutter priority modes and 7 preset adjustment settings. You can use both manual and autofocus, and with autofocus can specify the default averaging focus mode or select an area of the viewfinder to use to focus on an off-center object. It is possible to automatically bracket pictures to prevent missing the "perfect shot". A virtual "motor drive" mode allows taking several pictures in sequence. A full macro mode allows focusing as close as 0.3 meters. For those interested, it is possible to record movies with sound (in contrast to the Pentax Optio, which cannot record with sound). There is also an excellent software package, and included lithium ion battery with rapid (80 minute) charger. All told, the S30 represents a major breakthrough in low cost, high feature digital cameras that should appeal to the serious photographer.

Awesome
After a month of research I decided on the S30. I couldn't be happier. I would have sought after the S20 if the blue tint wasn't such a well-documented showstopper (the pictures are some of the sharpest I've seen in this class. The S30 is a bit larger than the elphs, but the sturdiness works. The lens cover is a great feature, the LCD is good, the download time is fast, the boot up-to-shoot time is fast. And the pictures are gorgeous - not an artifact in view. This is a great camera, I highly recommend its consideration.

A little pricey, but well worth the money
We bought this camera about 2 weeks ago, and it was easy to set up and use. We were up and running in less than 15 minutes (using the more advanced features in under an hour...(Though make sure you read the directions before you start the set up process, the manual is pretty confusing and out of order somewhat.)

IMAGES
The photo quality is fantastic. This is the second digital camera we have owned, and the difference between the Kodak DC210 and this is amazing. We did a lot of research before selecting this camera and I am pleased with the choice.

And it has video! You can shoot short films 30seconds to 2 minutes. This is really a fun option, and you can string several short clips together using the software that accompanies this to make your own self-contained movie. Definitely a cool feature.

point and shoot plus
My husband and I have different shooting styles, he's more of a point and shooter, and I like to have some flexibility to to try somewhat more advanced techniques. This camera takes great photos on automatic, but is flexible so I can set the settings as I need to, which is great. It's a mix for the novice and the advanced beginner, (and I hear for the intermediate level photographer as well, but I can't speak to that.)

Caveats...
Batteries and memory. You will need to buy more memory (compact flash which is better than the memory stick options out there.) we found a 256 memory card for $90, so it's possible to upgrade for not that much money. Batteries drain really quickly when you use the camera on review. We also just ordered a second battery, and I hope that will help.

(...) All in all a great camera, and we highly recommend it! Good luck!

very good picture quality for its size
I was in the market for a compact digital camera, was looking at the elph or the kyrocera. The picture quality was not there. I read about the pending release of the s30 and s40, with comprable quality to the G2 but at a smaller size. The image quality is definatly there, a little soft in the corners. The camera also allows manual control of the pictures.
One small problem is the lcd screen on the back, does not have the standard anti-reflecting coating other canon's have, but i can live with that

all metal case! yea!
I was going to buy the s110 but it was all sold out! Oh no! Well sitting right next to it was this little jem. Ok so its a little bigger than the s110 but its got MORE...
3.2MP with a RAW file output.
TOTAL control of image quality.
3 settings for JPEG comression.
4 Resolution settings from 640*480 to 2048*1537 JPEG
Photo Stich Feature (makes panoramas easy as pie)
Nifty sliding cover acts as lens and on/off
Fast refresh for taking may pictures in a row!
4in Macro

Of course theres lots more.

Pro: Aluminium case
Con: heavy conpared to the plastic bodied ones

Pro: rechargable battery

etc... go play with it at your local electronics store.

Great camera so far
I just recently bought the S30, and so far, I've found it to be nothing but fantastic. Here's what I like about it most:

First of all, the 3MP resolution is nice. I'm sure that 3 megapixels will be ... cheaper in another year, but for the moment, this is one of the cheapest cameras that offers so high a resolution.

Second, the LCD screen is 1.8 inches, not the 1.5 on smaller cameras.

Third, it's small enough to take with you, and the retractable cover on the front ensures safety when carried around.

Fourth, an *okay* optical zoom that's great for a camera of its size.

Fifth - and this is fairly important - it offers both full auto and full manual control. For me, as an aspring and beginning digital photographer, being able to choose between letting the camera do it's thing or being able to play around with all the exposure settings myself was really nice.

Sixth - a 16MB card. Thank you.

Seventh - fairly good software bundle. As a mac user, there are definitely better software packages out there, but you can get by right out of the box.

Eighth, complete documentation.

I'm still experimenting with taking my first photographs, so I'm reserving final judgement until after having used it for a while.

I love this camera
This is my first digital camera and I am so happy with it.

This is what you get...

A heavier weight than most digital cameras. I wanted to know that I was holding a camera, not a plastic toy.
Nice, easy to use software. The stitch assist software that comes with the camera is fantastic!!
The ability to take mini movies (if a little small and short) The microphone picks up the ambient sound pretty well.
Multiple choices of picture resolution, but why not use the max resolution if you have the memory (see below).
Fully automatic to fully manual settings, so you you can practice your photography without wasting expensive film.
Uses standard compact flash memory (no expensive proprietary memory or limited to 128MB)
This camera will pay for itself (in terms of saving money on picture development) in about a year.
A LOT of fun using it and recording some great memories!

Using it...
I took about 400 shots over two days at Sea World at various resolutions. The high speed picture mode captured the action perfectly under many different light conditions.
It's great for taking long exposure shots (use a tripod).
The 3x zoom doesn't sound a lot but really helps to get better pictures at lower resolutions.
The stitch mode on the camera really helps you line up the next shot for panoramas and completely takes the guess work out of it.
The flash seems pretty strong (much better than my old standard compact camera)

Downsides
It really drains the battery. I went through three in one day. Which is why I recommend getting two more when you purchase (if you can afford it)
The cover for the USB port on the camera looks a little flimsy, so I wouldn't use it too much

What I would recommend.
128MB, or 256MB memory cards
At least three batteries
A dedicated card reader for the PC

Excellent camera in small form factor
This is my first "true" digital camera. I have a basic one included on my VHS-C panasonic camocorder, but that is nothing compared to this Canon unit. I was initially attracted by the metal look, solid feel, size, and when I looked at the feature set, said wow! Have not been dissapointed. You will love the features (many pre-set modes and full manual control for the photo-buff), excellent photo quality, and it looks so cool :). Something you will want to buy: a larger CF card, it comes with a 16MB but you will outgrow that after about 7 shots at the highest resolution. Excellent camera, enjoy!

Just received as Christmas present
Although I am still experimenting with this camera, I am enjoying the flexibility of it. The design also makes it very easy to use. The manual is organized well with easy to use instructions. It is a good camera for a beginner or an intermediate photographer.

Even better than I expected
I've always seemed to have good luck with Canon products so when I decided to dive into digital photography, my short list of manufacturers included Canon. I liked the compact design of the S30 and the features for the price over others I was considering, so I went with it in the end. Now that I've had amonth to fiddle with it I have to admit that it exceeds my expectations in almost every way. The camera is very easy to use and the photo quality is better and more consistent than any automatic 35MM I've ever used. The software included is also intuitive with features and easy editing capabilities that make it a snap to enhance a less than perfect shot. When I print the photos I like, the clarity is exceptional even though I am only using an inexpensive HP932C printer. Crop a shot and put it on glossy photo paper and a routine snapshot becomes an incredibly clear photograph. I am really enjoying this camera.

There are some drawbacks to digital photography. Some are more universal than others, and most are about cost. The camera isn't especially cheap to begin with and you need at least a 64MB card to get a reasonable number of shots. The other additional cost is the extra battery which you should have handy when the one you're using goes dead.

If you're thinking about a digital camera and you've done a little homework, you probably already know that it won't be a cheap hobby. So, cost aside and considering the ease of use as well as the quality of the photos, the Canon S30 is an excellent product that I feel provdes more than it advertises.

It must be close to perfect in it's class!
OK...I had a Digital Elph, which I loved, until it fell out of my pocket on a ski lift. :| The S30 outperforms it hands down in every category except size. A few of the things that weren't toally obvious to me from the advertising: You can do manual focus with this guy. Also has a Macro mode. You have complete apture priority, shutter priority, manual, or several program modes to choose from. 1/1500th shutter on the fast side, ability to pick emulated ISO from 50 up to 800(if I remember right). Raipd fire shutter mode is cool, I haven't seen this on a digital camera before. Basically it snaps off about 3 shots/sec until the camera's buffer is full, then it starts writing to the CF.

The 16MB CF card is a joke..c'mon Canon...you're giving me a camera that I can take 14-16 shots with? Get real. I agree with everybody else saying you need extra batteries. Only other thing I'm still getting used to is this selective focus area - Canon's had this on their film cameras for a few years, but I've been a Minolta guy for years.

Overall, due to the creative control this thing lets me have, I'm considering shelfing my film based gear for a while. The only thing this camera is missing for me right now is interchangable lenses(I'd love to go wider than it lets me).

Great camera. I'd highly recommend for the intermediate+ photographer. For a beginner it will work great, just the extra features might be a little overkill.

POWERHOUSE!
What more can I say? I got the S30 after doing much research. Canon has done it again. I loked at the S300, but the S30 was more muscle. It rivals my best $2500 SLR camera. I am an old shutterbug from the old school so I was sceptical of a high end digital camera that can carry it's own weight. If you shoot alot, have plenty of hard drive space on your PC.

The camera takes fantastic shots.I had a 20 x 30 photo printed with near perfection. The Auto mode is true point and click, so those who are afraid of a high learning curve, forget it. There are so many features in this camera. I love the Sepia and B&W setting. It has settings galore. Cloudy weather, Sunlight, Incandescent, etc..... a true marvel of a camera. A nifty feature is the ability to add custom sounds, such as .wav files to the camera to customize each sound it makes. You can even download an image that the camera will display when it turns on.
The camera is a bit heavy, but I like that. It reminds you you are carrying a REAL camera, not a disposable toy. It fits in the jeans pocket just perfect. I had to turn down the flash quite a bit. It is a pretty powerful flash. I got sick of my Sony Mavica and it's notoriously horrible low light photo's.

The software that comes with it is adequate. Nothing all that great, as with most bundled software. Novices will enjoy the features.

The battery life is short and the memory card is small (16mb), but that is common with every manufacturer. Get a 128mb or 256mb if you want to have plenty of room. The movie mode is pretty cool too. the AVIs are clear, not like MPEG's.

GET THIS CAMERA! You will not be dissapointed.

I love this camera!
This is my second camera so far. I recently bought an Olympus C3020 and realized after a few days that I really felt ripped off for the money I spent. I returned it and got the Canon S30 after doing some more thorough research on reviews of cameras.

So far I like everything about this camera. The metal case, shape and weight feel good in your hands.

Not having to deal with a lense cap is another big plus.

the videos are short and lo-res, but for me it's an opportunity to at least get SOME stuff of my kids on video before they grow up. Certainly getting a digital camcorder is on my wishlist, but personally until I can get an hour of good quality video at a reasonable price, I'm not ready to spend the money.

The battery is GREAT and the fact that it came with both the rechargable battery and the charger was a big plus. When I was looking at cameras, I really liked the Nikon 885, but when I discovered they sold the camera with a disposable lithium battery(excuse me, disposable??) and no charger, I just could not accept that. I'm sorry, if I'm spending 500-600 dollars, don't poor-boy me. I've found that a lot of the cameras in the field out there all have one or more "gotchas" like the Nikon did that unless you really look over the specs, it's easy to miss. The canon does not have any "gotchas" that I have found. Aside from a larger storage card, you really don't need to buy anything else to enjoy this camera.

The battery so far seems to have a very long lifespan. I've been using mine throughout the day and charge it overnight. I've not run out of juice yet, and I always have the screen on when I use it.

There is only one minor things I found about this camera, I wish were included and that is a battery meter so I would know when the battery is getting low.

Overall, my advice is if you looking for a 3.x MP camera you really need to look at either this camera or a sony (which I considered, but did not like the higher cost of media and card readers since I don't own a sony laptop :(

Fantastic buy
After spending a couple weeks researching & reviewing digital cameras, I was interested in the Canon G2 but didn't care for the price on something that becomes obsolete faster than computers! Liked the digital Elph but not enough features. The S30 looked like the right one for my first digital camera. I'm totally impressed with all the functions which many cameras don't have. The LED screen is bright and clear and takes great pictures in low light conditions, indoor or outdoor. Canon's printed manual is very easy to read. Ended up buying an extra battery & 256mb card. No problems with running low on either yet and if you want to save the battery, you can turn off the LED & sound functions. You can manually operate the flash too. Forget about buying Canon's camera bag. I ended up getting a different bag that was advertized and Canon's manual even states that bags do vary depending on location. When you slide the camera into the bag, it's so tight that it opens up the front lens cover. Threw it into the trash and ordered a Case Logic. Canon's software package is very useful but I find using Microsoft's PhotoDraw 2000 much easier to use for web editing. I highly recommend this camera and I'm pleased with every detail. Buy it and you won't regret it. I know if I would have chosen one of the other brands, I'd still be thinking if I made the right decision over the S30!

A loveable camera
Great ergonomics, wonderful image quality and lots of control - a loveable camera!
After lusting after a digital Ixus at a party I upgraded from the Fuji Finepix 2800 I bought recently to the Canon Powershot S30, which at the moment is well-priced compared with the S40 (the 4 mpixel model) and the other 4 MP models. Reviews suggest image quality of the S40 is a fair bit better than the comparable compacts around like the Olympus C-40Z and the Pentax Optio 430 models.
I am delighted with the camera. The images are clear and sharp and colours are deep and beautifully natural. The number of modes give you almost full control over things like aperture priority, time priority, and ISO from 50 to 800, which gives you fantastic flexibility, as well as Canon's photostitch mode which lets you make panoramas easily with the supplied software. All this is readily accessible with all buttons easy to use (except the rocker selector which can be fiddly). It is comfortable and can fit into a coat pocket reasonably comfortably, unlike the bulky and unergonomic Fuji, while being strong (metal body). Despite a couple of weak points this is a great camera that I've basically fallen in love with already.
A couple of minor drawbacks as follows: 1. noise in very long exposure shots (night photos) 2. my camera has a dead pixel in the LCD screen 3. the visual viewfinder only gives you 85% of the shot 4. the viewfinder is not electronic 5. rocker menu selector fiddly to use.

Slick gadget
...It seemed that most camera's had some type of flaw, but when I stumbled upon the S30/S40, most all of the reviews were extremely positive.

So [now] we own one. It's takes excellent pictures inside and out (to the level of a good quality 35mm point'n'shoot). The built-in capabilities are robust and easy to utilize and the accompanying software is slick and easy to use.

Downside is actually indicitive of all digital cameras, and that is the battery life. The proprietary Lithium-Ion is a nice battery, easily charged at any time, and good for 500 chargings before incurring a...replacement fee. But since Canon does NOT include an AC adapter (available), you are forced to rely on their battery more heavily.

The use of metal in the body and clam-shell lens cover is something all makers should copy.

Tiny camera -- just a little short of being aim and shoot...
I was looking for a small but sturdy camera that gave me high quality pictures. On this, the camera does not dissappoint!

The one issue that I noticed early on....too many controls to be a out-of-the-box aim-and-shoot camera. I think a few times with the manual is absolutely necessary. The Kodak DC4800 that I owned before was truly an aim-and-shoot camera that I hardly needed the manual for.

The indoor picture quality is excellent. The colors are little bit more true on this camera than my dc4800. I have only used the auto setting so far and every picture has been of very good quality.

This is a camera for high quality pictures on automatic, indoor setting for a person who does not mind refering to the manual a few times before getting comfortable with the camera. (Most digital cameras do well in the outdoor shots....so, I was looking at this camera for the indoor shots specifically).

More capable than I imagined
When I selected this camera I knew the written specs, so it's hard to say I was surprised at what it can do, but I was surprised! The photo modes work great and produce outstanding shots, no surprise there.

I was annoyed at first that I can't date stamp the images themselves with the camera, but the S30 records the data and time the picture was taken in the meta-data of the JPEG. In addition, there are a dozen more interesting tidbits in that meta-data, like F-stop, shutter speed and the distance from subject. This kind of detail reveals Canon's dedication to the pro-sumer market.

The big surprises came in the movie mode, which does a pretty good job, and with the excellent software Canon bundles with the S30. This software really helps me accomplish the creative things I planned when I bought it.

Canon S30 - A *Wonderful* Digital Camera!
For months, I researched digital cameras...printed off the specs of at least 30 different models. My search led me to the Canon Powershot S30 and after owning it for a mere three days, I LOVE IT!

One of the "complaints" I kept reading about digital cameras in general was the poor quality of indoor pictures (too dark or blurred). This camera takes BEAUTIFUL indoor pictures! We *tried* to make it blur and took some action shots. This camera took a perfectly crisp picture of my husband wildy waving his arms! And, the pics of our young children are perfect every time. The flash is really amazing.

The instruction manual is very well written, very detailed, not confusing at all. In three days, I have already taken pictures (on AUTO) in every resolution, taken three videos with the movie mode and all this was without reading the manual from cover to cover. The controls, menus and manual are so easily laid out that you can use the camera without a lot of studying. Of course, to have more control over my pics, I will need to read more about the manual settings.

Oh, the battery life...excellent! There is not an always-present indicator of battery power; however, when the battery is getting low, a red indicator comes on (so there is some warning). But, so far, I have used the camera quite a bit with each charge and have had plenty of power. The charging process is very fast, too. (less than an hour to get a full charge)

The cover for the USB connection seems rather flimsy...but, I download my pics using my Photosmart printer so I don't have to use a USB port. If I was continually opening and closing the cover, I would be concerned that it might not last. (?)

Compactflash cards...keep in mind, the type this camera uses are available everywhere...they are not "proprietary" like some brands (Sony, for instance). That was a big thing for me...I can buy my cards online from many different sites or go out to Sam's / Wal-Mart. BTW, the 16 MB card holds so much more than I thought it would!

This is my first digital camera, so I am not an experienced user nor do I have anything to compare this camera to. But, I have to say that I am extremely happy with the quality of the photos and highly recommend this camera! It is A LOT of camera for the price...the 16 MB card, rechargeable batteries and base...GREAT package!

BTW, I bought a Case Logic camera bag at WM on clearance that fits this camera perfectly.

Great compact camera
Great camera with complete manual mode.
It's always with me, even if it's not as compact as other canon models (e.g. digital elph s300 or s100).
Perfect balance between advanced features and price and size
Nice deal!
Ciao
Luca

Great Camera
I bought this camera about 4 weeks ago and I love it. Exelent pictures, easy to operate, loads of features, and seems to be well built. It has a good weight and feels good in your hands (small fingers help but not necessary). The only complaint I have is the price dropped after I bought it (thats life). This is a very good camera you can't go wrong.

Very nice camera
This is my first digital camera and I am very impressed. Definately read the manual first, but after that everything is pretty straightforward. The software installed well on my Windows 98SE machine.

Great Camera, but had to return it twice!!!!!
I purchased the S30 from J&R cat. for... great price!! I had to return it twice for the same problem of a burnt pixel, which according to canon was in the CCD not the LCD!! This was something I could not over look since my prints had a green dot in the middle where the pixel was burnt. Camera #3 seems to be OK. Otherwise, the camera is simple to use with many fun options (movie mode, B/W pictures, audio). The prints are impressively film-like (Canon S800 printer). I purchased a NEW 256 mb cf-card...works great...it gives me 154 pictures at the highest resolution!! Works well with its own Canon software, but I found that prints using Adobe LE were blurry...don't know why?!?!? Not a big deal. The bottom line is that it is a good camera, with many features, film-like resolution, good price, good looks, and the Canon name. BUY A LARGER CF CARD!!!!!!

Canon did it again! A great digital camera!
I started using the Canon S100 when it first came out about 2 years ago.. it was the best camera in town... Then came the S110, with more features and better battery life... the best just got better! I gave the S110 to my wife and decided to step-up with a 3.2 MegaPix camera... I bought the Nikon Coolpix 885, and guess what.. I returned it 2 weeks later... because the picture quality was so-so... Then I received the S30.. and believe me.. It's the best digital camera I ever had and have seen... it's great! Same quality as the Digital Elph (s100, s110), great features, and most important, great picture quality.

PROS:
- Great finish, great style, great overall construction
- No plastic or cheap materials
- Incredible picture quality in all modes
- Super fast image processing
- Super fast "ready for next picture"
- Great LCD display
- Great size! (not that small as the S110, but still perfect!)

CONS:
- Heavy for the size. (this because of the good quality materials used)
- The "navigator" joystick, is kind of not intuitive to move.
- Video mode is not good compared to other less expensive cameras I have seen.
- Does not come with a case.

Small, powerful, great pics, fast, and love the short videos
...I love that I can go back to fancying myself a photo hobbyist again with the many settings I can manipulate.. but that if I am in a hurry to get a snap, the auto works great. I love the ability to make short videos to email, and the sound quality, though tinny on the camera of course, is excellent played on the computer or TV.

I was also impressed with the speed of this camera, for a digital... mentioned by many folks, which with a 14 year old doing a lot of sports, and two grandsons to catch in action was very important.

The first night we got the camera, I was telling my son about how it is supposed to do very well in low light, something my Minolta Vectis S-1 APS camera had great trouble with. So, being a kid, he did something I never would have thought of doing - he marched into some of our bedrooms at nighttime, shut the doors and blinds, and in the PITCH black, took some pictures. These babies came out perfect, lit up for all the world as though the room had been bathed in light, super sharp in focus, and my mind was blown....

I cannot see what the point of the S40 would be - this thing kicks out such high resolution pictures, and it is faster than the S40.... great price point... with all the little accessories you need to pick up, I did not want to pay more than [money] for the camera. The Zoom EX browser software for downloading pics to computer works great - the bundled photo editing software was a complete laugh. It got uninstalled about 10 minutes after I installed it. Presently working with the Jasc PaintShop Pro 30 day free trial, and am very impressed. First bunch of pics had quite a bit of red eye (did not use red-eye flash) and I was amazed at how easy it is to fix the eyes in Paintshop.
Fantastic camera!

Terrific, fun and easy to use...
This camera is spectacular! I had no trouble installing it on 2 systems, however I did encounter some small issues when installing the Canon Zoom EX software on a Win98 OS with Twain drivers already installed. In the end, I got it working without much headache.

I received this camera as a gift, and I'm glad I did. I'm not sure I would have purchased it otherwise, as I was hooked on the Sony Mavica. For some reason I was sold on the Mavica since you could store images on floppy. I thought I wouldn't be able to hold enough pics on a Flash card. Boy was I wrong! I took well over 50 pics wile at Sea World for the day, at the highest resolution, and my 256 mb card still had memory to spare. It's well worth getting the 256 mb Flash Memory, but also consider getting an additional battery. By late afternoon my battery was running low on juice and it alerted me, well before any poor pictures were taken.

The clairty and color of the pictures is phenominal. We took a picture of a sweating soda can when we first hooked it up, and we could see even the finest, smallest sweat bead on the can. The digital and optical zooms both work extremely well, making it very easy for you to add drama to a picture. The preview screen is so very clear, I had people in the airport looking at pictures over my shoulder in amazement that they were so good. I also liked the weight of the camera. It was heavy enough to make it feel solid in your hand -- something that I find a lot of the pocket-sized digital cams lack. Also the sounds it makes when powering on, or even the clicking of the shutter when you take a picture, all serve purpose and are easily identified.

All in all it's quick and easy setup has you taking pictures in 10 minutes (after the battery is charged of course). I found that camera to be intuitive as well -- especially good for those people who refuse to read manuals.

One of the nicest cameras I've ever seen
I recently purchased this camera for my girlfriend. And goodness!! Its an awesome camera.....!!!This is my second digital camera that I have. People said to start off with an okay digital camera first and then see how that is and then if you want in the future...purchase a better one. Bad advice..if you want a digital camera...start off with a great one. And the S30 is a wonderful start.....many great functions, a really cool toy to have. Battery life is good, options are great, nothing bad to say about the S30. A truly awesome camera..I know its a bit expensive to dish out that much..but its worth it.

Excellent choice!
"Excellent choice!"
After lots of shopping around, we finally decided on the S30.. boy! was it a good decision! This camera's got it all.. we bought ours at eCost.com (good online experience at a great price!).. it comes with a 16Mb CF card which is nice, but if you can afford it, get an additional 32 or 64Mb CF card. The 30-sec (max) video clips are also sweet! The resolution is really decent and images quality is fantastic. For the money, this is a great deal!

Time to let go my film camera!
Bought this camera a month ago along with a 128MB sandisk. Really enjoyed it. Both my wife and I are taking many more pictures and in more occasions than before.
The focus is very sharp and len is pretty fast. The picture resolution is just blowing you up.
I found Costco has a print service for digital pictures, 20c for each print. So we tends to take 50 or 100 pictures at once and then select a few for print. You can not tell this is a print from digital camera, except the resolution is astonishing.

It takes 30 seconds video clips as well, though somehow the focus is not that great and with low resolution, the video looks
pretty fuzzy.

Will stay with static picture taking.

Great Camera!!!
We've had this camera for about a month and a half...I've taken approximately 200 pics with it. Awesome is all I can say...I've been into photography for about 15 years. My film camera I spent $[money] on between body, lenses, and flash (a Nikon N70, 2 zoom lenses and a zoom flash). The Canon S30 takes just as good pictures and its easy enough to use that my wife can also use it.

Downloading pics to the computer takes 1 or 2 seconds. I can take a picture, download and post it to the internet in less than 4 minutes.

Quality is outstanding. I love this camera. I still have film in my Nikon from my sons birth that I haven't taken out to get developed yet. And unlike my anal photo way that I am, it doesn't bother me because we have the Canon S30.

One other great feature I was able to use while taking pics at the hospital, was the black and white feature. Just turn the dial and take black and white pictures of a mother with her new baby.

One last thing: upgrade to a bigger flash card, I found a 128MG card for $[money] and I also purchased a 2nd battery for $[money]. Both at other online stores...The battery doesn't take long to charge, but if your in the middle of photo taking it is nice to have an extra...

Great little workhorse camera
Well, i just picked this camera up yesterday after returning a Olympus c-3020 that I had bought 2 days prior.
The reason I got the Olympus first was I thought I wanted to be able to use AA batteries because of availability and I thought that the rechargable one that came with the Canon would not alow me to take that many pictures before having to recharge the battery. Boy was I mistaken!!!
The Olympus only gave me about 30 pictures before i had to replace the batteries. Well after tallying up what batteries were going to set me back ( YIKES ) and visiting Canon's web site to look at the PDF manual to see how long the Lithium-Ion battery lasted (about 150 pics acording to the manual) I imeditately packed up the Olympus at took it back to the store and exchanged it for the Canon S-30.
I also picked up a 128 mb CF card at the same time so I can be assured of enough storage to capture everything I might want to take a picture of on vactions, special events etc...
I am very happy with the way the camera feels ie. the brushed aluminum case (all metal...no plastic)
The picture quality is phenomenal after only a few hours of goofing around with it here at home. I can only imagine what the results will be after i really learn all the little cool things this baby can do.
I highly recomend this camera to anyone looking for a mid priced, med-high megapixel camera.

Wonderful.
This is a very sturdy little camera, the mid-level entry in Canon's "S" line. It features great optics and a decent optical & digital zoom combination, as well as awesome 3 megapixel resolution (enlargements of 11" x 14" are no problem). If you had to buy one digital camera for all your needs, chances are you'd find the S30 a satisfying choice. It does require a 2nd battery and a larger memory card to be ready to go, but aside from that, it's nearly perfect.

Fantastic
My wife and I got this as a Christmas present from relatives so we could email lots of pictures of our newborn baby to family. I was planning on buying a digital camera for that reason (and others), but I planned to search for a rock bottom price on a entry level camera, being fairly new to digital photography. Once I saw this one though, I was absolutely blown away.

It's very small, like a small 35mm camera, and it's light as a feather, yet it's constructed very solid with a very cool metal exterior. The resolution is so good that we are not only emailing the pics and saving them on our computer (which pretty much any digital camera can do), but we're ordering high resolution prints of the JPG's that are better than any pics I took with my 35mm camera.

It's nothing but digital for me from now on! This way I take as many pics as I possibly can and don't worry about wasting film or running out. I'm having a blast editing the pics too, it makes me feel like a real photography expert.

I know I've barely scratched the surface of what this camera can do-- I haven't taken movies but I have a digital camcorder so I don't need that feature (although it's nice to have and I'm sure to experiment someday). Although I couldn't afford to shell out the big bucks to buy a camera this nice for myself, we're so happy to have it.

Canon Powershot S30 is for beginners, too!
I was worried about buying a higher mega-pixel camera than the 1.3 mpixel owned previously; fearing the technology would overwhelm me! Not so with this model. The auto photo features are perfect for when I don't have time to figure out the manual dials. Although I would prefer a less cumbersome way of plugging in to an alternative power source, the basic features of this camera are great. I just printed a 4x6 photo on photo paper with amazing results! Well worth the money. This is a sturdy little camera for beginners and photobugs alike. I will enjoy figuring this one out. My family is already sick of me snapping shot after shot. Nicely done, Canon!

great camera
I had an s10 for 6 months but it didn't do too well indoors with colors and blurred if the subject was moving. The s30 can handle so many more situations and does it all so much better. I've used the movie feature way more then I thought I would. I've been real happy with it so far.

Everything you could want -- and more
I've owned this camera for about 6 weeks and have taken more than 300 pictures. So far, it has performed admirably under a wide variety of situations. It has all of the options (shutter speed and aperture control, white balance, etc.) that my high end Canon SLR camera has -- and more. I doubt if I've scratched the surface yet. The quality is excellent (although keeping still the fraction of a second after you hit the shutter release takes some getting used to -- a few blurry pics at first). Macro option is incredible.

Image compression can be set for very high resolution (good enough for reproduction in quality magazines) or lower resolution (for web images).

...

The only minor complaint I have is that it is a very SMALL camera, especially when compared to my big hefty one, which takes some getting use to. People don't take you seriously as a photographer when you tote around this thing. Also, you cannot attach filters or auxiliary lenses (although a session in Photoshop will usually do the same thing).

All in all, I am very pleased. In fact, I'm buying a second camera (exact same) for my partner who keeps "borrowing" the camera to take shots while I twiddle my thumbs.

By the way --- you might be able to get this camera cheaper through other places on the internet, but be careful. There are a lot of rip off companies out there. With Amazon, you know you'll get the product in a timely fashion and they have excellent customer service if anything goes wrong. I have bought repeatedly through Amazon and have NEVER been dissatisfied.

comparison to olympus c3040
I just had my Olympus c3040 stolen, so now I need a new camera. I
borrowed a Canon S30 from one friend and an S40 from the other. I
have decided to go with Canon, and I am chosing the S30 over the S40
because it's faster in a couple of ways than the S40 due to smaller
image sizes. I am not ready to deal with 4 megapixel images yet.
Here's some more information on why I am not going back to Olympus.

1: The Olympus is slower in displaying pictures, focusing, getting
ready for the next shot, accessing menus, etc. The canon is just much
faster.

2: The LCD on the Canon shows you what you're going to see in the
final shot. E.g., if the shot is over-exposed, you can tell before
you take it, and you can see what will happen if you adjust the
exposure as you adjust the exposure. The Olympus LCD always looked
dark and off color to me and didn't seem to reflect reality, and
consequently I never used it except for macro mode. The Canon's LCD
seems very fast as you move the camera around for your next shot. I
will use the LCD for most shots on the Canon.

3: The LCD is still quite visible in outdoor lighting conditions.

4: The menus on the Canon are easily invoked and accessed, and sit on
top of the image you're composing instead of covering the image until
you've made your choice. Olympus menus are a pain to navigate, and
they are not very visible in the sun light, whereas Canon menus seem
to be right there where you need them.

5: Canon uses compact flash, olympus uses smart media. I had more
smart media cards go bad than you can believe, and smart media is more
espensive than compact flash.

6: The Canon's image histogram is a useful and helpful feature for
helping you take better shots. It's also very cool.

7: The Olympus is better in one crucial situation: low light pictures
are only possible if you are within flash range. I have pictures of
my daughter's indoor dance perforamnce that I took with my Olympus
last year, and now have similar pictures I took with the S30. The S30
ones need to be deleted - they are blurred because there wasn't enough
light. The Olympus took amazingly clear and crisp pictures in that
low light situation, even when fully zoomed. That's because its lens is
f/1.8 and the S30 is the more standard f/2.8. The Canon G2 has an
F/2.0 which is closer, but some of the other functions on that camera
are very slow, and that camera is too big and heavy.

In summary, once I used the Canon for a while I couldn't bear the
thought of going back to the Olympus and smartmedia. The one thing
that worried me was the low light photos, but I think I can live
without that. I still have a good SLR camera that I can whip out on
those rare occasions ...

No more film
This is a great camera. It has an array of easy to use features that make set up for various situations very easy.
It has a tremendous light range, from bright daylight to dark interiors using default settings.
With 3MP images, I'd recommend at least 256MB of flash memory.
If you take a lot of pictures a second battery would be worthwhile. Taking 100 shots in a day was well beyond the limits of a single battery.
The biggest problem is the delay between pushing the button and the actual shutter snap. On moving objects you have to go to the sports mode(with lesser quality) or it will get away.
That said, I see no need to ever use a film camera again.

Can this be the best digital camera on the market
Having purchased 3 different digital cameras that I would put in the everyday users class, this camera easily beats out anything I've seen in the market or used before.

Phenomenally simple to use in auto mode, just point and click, although you may find that pictures at night are not the best in this mode, no problem though just move the dial over to night pictures and viola you're the next Ansel Adams.

I would recommend getting a Sandisk USB digital card reader to hook into your computer. Then all you need to do is pop out the card from the camera, slide it into your reader and it acts as another hard drive on your machine. It's 10 times easier then hooking the camera up to the computer to download pics.

I would recommend anyone to purchase this computer.

Great Camera!
I've owned the Canon Powershot S30 for about two months now and am still amazed daily at how well this little camera can take pictures! Pictures come out so clear it is amazing! The prints I have made from my computer look EXACTLY like professionally developed prints. All of my friends have been amazed at the quality and clarity, "You did this from a computer and digital camera!" they have often responded.

Not only is the picture quality superb, but the ease of use is wonderful. The LCD screen features handy little guides that help to frame and focus your pictures just right. Pre-focusing lets you know if all your elements are right for the perfect picture.

I haven't yet ventured into all the more advanced features of the S30 yet, but I hope to soon. From reading the owner's manual, there appears to be an endless amount of experimentation yet to be had.

Suggestions for use of this camera include purchasing a bigger Compact flash card. I use of 256mb card and haven't completely filled it yet. Also look into an extra set of batteries because this camera can drain some power! These can be quite difficult to find, unlike many other Canon accessories. You only the original CANON brand battery. I have only been able to find this battery on the Canon website, but I have yet to check with the more upscale camera stores in my area.

I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone wanting to print there own pictures. This camera has completely replaced by other non-digital Canon camera! A good accessory for this camera is a good quality photo camera. Epson has a wonderful model for under cost.

Great Little Camera
I've had this camera for less than a week and I couldn't be more pleased. I use big 5MP Sony cameras at school and the little SC30 runs circles around them as far as features and ease of use goes. Be sure to pick up another battery and at least a 128Mb Flash Card. My only compliant is that the camera's size and viewfinder is a little small for my big head!

First digital camera
This is my very first digital camera and I just got it about a month ago. I'm not really an expert on cameras but here are my views when it comes to the camera so far:
The camera is nice and compact but it is quite heavy so it is not that easy to carry it aroundin your pocket.
I have heard people complaining about the battery capacity. So far it has not been a problem for me but why didn't canon include som battery indicator?
It is nice to have a lens cover but it seems a bit fragile at times.
The multicontrol button/joystick is not always easy to operate.

Apart from this I'm having a great time with the camera and the quality of the pictures are great.

Ditch the SLR?
As a creative picture taker, I was not about to throw a couple hundred bucks toward a digicam that only took webshots or Point-and-shoot snapshots. I wanted a camera that would take great pictures today and tomorrow and protect my investment.

The S30 takes great pix in the Auto and Program modes (just point and shoot!) But for my creative side, this camera includes most of the features and manual overrides of the higher priced Canon G2. This gives the camera the ability to capture difficult and amazing shots. Exposure Lock, Shutter- and Aperature-priority, ISO settings up to 800 ASA. 3 metering modes. Long shutter times (up to 15s) with noise reduction. Great colors! The stitch assist mode and software make for *seamless* panoramas. Movies are more fun than I expected! The camera is a joy to use, *very* snappy especially for action shots when pre-metered.

Have had it for a couple weeks, long enough to get 4x6 and 8x10 prints back from an online developer. A few of my better informed friends were highly impressed - would have been hard pressed to identify these as digital pix.

Downsides: limited flash range and no hotshoe. Manual focusing is virually useless (uses the lo-res LCD). Buy a bigger flash and second battery.

Very impressed and well worth the wait. No what do I do with the old SLR?

Great Camera!
Easy to use, lots of features, excellent price.

Great Camera, you NEED these accessories.
I've had the camera for about 6 months and could NOT have found a better camera for the money. Picture quality is great, movie mode with sound is an added bonus, plus all the manual features make every picture turn out perfectly. 3.2 meg is the pefect balance between quality and card space used. The ability to use the RAW CCD data sets this camera apart from even more expensive ones.

But enough about the camera. The accessories you MUST get include of course, one or two more batteries (Lithium last longer than Nickel-Cad, and can be gotten on the web... a 128 or larger card (prefer them over the microdrive because the micro can skip while writing if the camera is bumped or when driving); THE camera bag to get is the Lowepro D-Res 20AW. The bag holds the camera snugly in place inside it. It has a shoulder strap or can be worn on your belt. It has an elasticized waterproof cover that comes out of the bottom of it to cover the already water-resistant bag when on your belt or when carrying. However, the real beauty of the bag is on the inside. No scratching of the camera or LCD because it is lined with a soft brushed material. To save the LCD from scratches outside the bag I use PDA screen protector film cut to fit. There is a pouch for holding another CF card, extra batteries in front of that, and the bonus is a pocket along the left side that one of those 4 or 5 inch flexible tripods slides into just perfectly. The bag is also padded all around the exterior. Both the bag and tripod can be purchased at any [local store]... The only other thing I can think of right now is the Canon underwater case for scuba diving or to keep the sand and rain off the camera at the beach. Also would be good for capturing falling rain on the slow shutter setting for that cool effect of streaming water.

Great camera. Disappointing Mac OS X support.
I purchased this camera about six months ago. I wanted a camera that was simple to use, with metal construction, and that took great pictures--and the camera is all that.

Sure, nothing is perfect. The goofy rubber cover on the mini-USB port is an anoyance to open, the port is next to the base where the cover is attached to the camera--a real pain, specially since you have to mess with it to download the pictures to the computer. Another issue is the power adapter. It requires taking the battery out to insert a piece in the shape of the battery. It is not only clumsy, the battery door remains open, and the door is plastic and somewhat flimsy.

The serious problem is Mac OS X support. The camera has a "stitch assist" feature to help taking panoramic pictures. The actual stitching is done on the computer using PhotoStitch, which automates the task. This software is essential for taking panoramic pictures. The camera software bundle does not include Mac OS X versions of the programs, and although some of the programs are available for download, PhotoStitch is *only* available by purchasing (for $20 more) the new version of the software bundle CD.

Bought it after months of research......
After reading everything that Consumer Reports magazine had to say about digital cameras "A 3-megapixel camera provides some breathing room: files large enough for enlargements, yet not so gargantuan than you'll have difficulty saving, storing, or e-mailing them." and looking at the various models that got good ratings as well as mid priced cameras this one is the one I chose.

The slide cover was a big draw as well since I take my camera with me when we ski, run, hike, backpack, fly fish, etc and have in the past dropped cameras or at least had them get banged against rocks a lot. Having a slide cover over the lens rather than worrying about lens cap covers was a big plus. And for a zoom camera it is one of the best.

Having a zoom lens was a must as was a camera that felt at ease in my hands. Although I have bought a sturdy neck strap holder so I don't worry about it falling off a cliff or into a river. I do recommend buying extra card, and will admit the battery could be better, especially if you use the camera a lot. I bought an extra battery so that I always have a well charged fresh one.

The price is excellent too for what you get.

Really good performance
I researched digital cameras at length before I settled on the S30. There were a number of competitors with 3X optical zoom, with compact size, and with sharp display panels. The detail that persuaded me was the battery life - and I am thoroughly pleased. I took the S30 to a party and not only took 70 shots (many of which were moving targets - dancing) but also spent a fair amount of time replaying them for the subjects' pleasure. The Lithium ion battery held up for the entire party. The battery also recharges in only 80 minutes, so I did not feel the need to purchase a backup battery -- a big saving. I did get an optional 128 MB CompactFlash card -- I recommend that. I took all those shots at highest resolution and still had plenty of memory left. I also purchased a CompactFlash Card media reader which reads the card directly into the computer without using the camera's battery OR needing an AC powercord -- another saving. I cropped several of the candid shots, then printed at 8 1/2 X 11, with excellent results. My friends requested reprints to give to their families for Christmas. I have promised to take the photographs for an upcoming family wedding, and I have no reservations about the quality this camera can deliver. Love this camera!

Good in some areas, fails in others
I bought this digital camera based on the reviews that I found in the Internet. The picture I took with it looked good, portrait, landscape. I started shooting for pictures I need to put on my website, ie, up-close, 18inches. I was so disappointed because I was not able to get a clear and true picture. The white background came out golden brown and the item I was trying to get a picture off was fuzzy and did not show the true color. I tried all the settings (including Macro) available but still cannot get a true picture. I suggest to all the people who bought this camera to try and take a picture of a nice piece of necklace with a white background. I am curious how this would come out. Please let me know. For me, I am returning this camera and getting an Olympus Camedia C-4000. I think Olympus has better digital technology than Canon.

Full Featured Point and Shoot
If you used any line of Canon EOS SLRs you will be very comfortable with this little guy. There isn't much the S30 can't do.

I bought the S30 with some consideration for others, like Sony(Overpriced), Fuji, Kodak(minimal features) or Nikon.

The only down side is it is a bit cumbersome in large hands.

Another gadget?
My wife "complained" about me buying one more gadget when I came home with my new Canon S30, but within a few days, I had taken and printed (on my Canon S820D printer) several photos which blew us both away!!! The pure quality of the photos is amazing, even when taken by such an amateur as I.

The true beauty of digital cameras is that you don't worry about the cost of taking a picture - it's virtually free. With film, you worry about running out of film, and whether the picture is worth taking; with digital, you just click away and decide later what's worth keeping.

Other reviewers correctly pointed out the need for an additional battery and extra memory (128 minimum). And I fully agree with another guy who recommended as the ideal carrying case the Lowepro D-Res 20AW - it fully protects the camera, holds extra battery, memory card, and tripod, and what he forgot to mention, but which I love, it can be worn securely on your belt.

All in all, a superb purchase!

Best Compact 3-megapixel on the Market!
I am constantly teased by friends that I am the most thorough consumer they know, so it wasn't unusual when I spent about a month comparing digital camera reviews before buying this camera. (Great reviews can also be found on photographyreview.com and dpreview.com). My criteria for buying a digital camera were that it be a compact 3 megapixel, have a good zoom, have the capability of being manual or automatic, and that it have GREAT image quality. This camera has it all.

I took a huge risk using this camera for the first time on a trip to London in February. (I also purchased a 128MB CompactFlash card and extra battery---a necessity). I read the manual on the plane, and set off to take pictures. I took 140 pictures on the 128MB card at highest resolution--even deleted several pictures to fit more.

I got home a week later, anxious to see whether the photographs would be a cause to celebrate or to auction the camera on E-bay. I printed the photos myself on a photo printer (more on that later), and they looked like postcards.... the color was awesome, the images were sharp---I was sorry that I didn't take more CompacFlash cards with me!

I printed the pics on the Hewlett Packard Photosmart 100, which is a miniscule, portable printer that will print directly from CompacFlash and other media cards (without being connected to a computer)--see reviews on amazon[.com]. The printing quality is amazing, and I now travel with it so I can print my pictures while on vacation.

And my friends that make fun of me? Four of them now own this camera and the printer......

Fabulous Camera
This is the best camera I've ever owned. Very user friendly, great pictures for online and print. Love the 30 sec video feature, B&W, antique, ... When purchasing, be sure to get an extra battery even though the battery can be used for a couple of hours. Also get a 256k card, holds up to 200 high quality pics and more if you decrease the resolution giving you up to at least 1000 shots. LOVE IT!!!!

Great Camera w/ Dead Pixels!!!
Well this has been an excellent digital camera. I have taken lots of baby photoes with it and the quality is great EXCEPT for one or more dead pixels!

I have sent it in for a warrantly repair. But it hasn't been repaired properly. Now the dead pixel is at a different location.

To see if your camera is affected, view the downloaded image at 100% on your PC. Scan the image closely and look for a "bright" pixel.

It would have been a 5 stars if not for the HORRIBLE quality control of the CCD.

Just what I was looking for
I have two digital cameras now, and have researched this area extensively. This camera has some great options: Compact Flash memory cards, great zoom power, movie mode, overrides on everything, a panoramic stich mode, it feels high quality (some of the cameras I checked out locally felt cheap). This camera is so packed with features, it also takes excellent automatic photos too. We're very happy with our purchase!

A perfect camera for novices and professionals alike
If you're looking for dozens of image, flash, zoom, and exposure settings, in a small package, you've got the right camera. The Canon Powershot S30 camera is clearly not a camera intended for photography professionals who want to take hundreds of pictures at different resolutions, want to play with the lighting and other effects, as well as have the ability to zoom into the object many times over. However, it is a complete package. The S30 offers features found in much larger cameras at twice the price for half the price at a much smaller size. The S30 is a compact camera, widely acknowledged as the best bang-for-your-buck camera in its size on the market.

The S30 is virtually identical to its cousin the S40, with several minor differences. The S40 shoots at a slightly higher resolution, has one additional shooting mode, and is 4 megapixels as opposed to the S30's 3.2. However, the S40 is commonly found for over [$$$] more, and these features, in my opinion, are not worth the investment. The S30 shoots images at the maximum resolution of 2048x1536 pixels, at a 3.2 Megapixel resolution. Similar cameras of similar sizes offered by competitors top off at around 2.1 Megapixels, without paying premium prices.

The S30 offers thirteen different shooting modes, all of which can take advantage of its 3X optical or 10x digital zoom from the automatic, where the ISO speed, flash, and shutter speeds are calculated by the camera, to the movie mode, which can record up to 30 seconds of full-audio AVI film at 320x160 resolution, and approximately 20 frames per second. Other modes include portrait, speed, and slow modes. These can be used to shoot pictures of objects up close, where the foreground recieves more exposure than the background, as well as to capture objects, whether fast or slow, in motion with little blur (fast/slow shooting modes). The camera also allows you, with additional settings, to set the shutter speed, ISO settings (up to 800) and lighting setting with a touch of a button.

The S30 accepts both Type 1 and Type 2 compactflash cards, including the IBM microdrive, which comes in sizes up to 1 GB - more than enough space to store approximately 600 pictures, shot at the maximum quality and size on the S30. Because of the camera's size, it might be expected that the battery, card, and all other "removable" parts would be hard to access and would require large fingernails. However, Canon has made a small slot on the bottom with several spring mechanisms which allow easy access for the card (when ejected) as well as the battery.

The LCD is brilliant, and captures much of the color in the viewfinder. Upon moving the pictures to my computer, I found that they looked virtually identical in thumbnail form as they did at their maximum resolution. You can also set the LCD to turn off or on, in order to conserve battery power.

Right out of the box, the camera is very easy to use. The on/off switch is built right into the lens cover, so simply popping in the rechargable battery and flash card and sliding open the lens cover allows for virtually instantaneous use. The "AUTO" mode allows for simple point-and-shoot use, with the camera selecting the right settings, auto-focusing, and taking the picture with a fake shutter "click" sound. (Installing custom software allows you to customize this shutter sound to a soundbyte of your own creation or choosing). Once the pictures have been taken, the camera also can be connected directly to certain Canon printers to print images directly out of the camera.

The camera does have some weaknesses, however. Because of its size, the flash is rather weak, and is quite sensitive if your hand is accidentally cupped over part of it - the image exposure will increase in the top left hand corner. Also, the control pad is sometimes difficult to operate as some operations require that you push it in. I found myself several times pushing the left or right accidentally as I tried to depress the button evenly to produce the desired result. Also, the S30 is a battery hog. An extra battery is a requirement for this camera, as its batteries rarely last over 70 pictures - although I have heard otherwise.

All in all, the S30 is an excellent camera with many benefits that far outweigh its negative points. With the ability of both the novice and the professional to take advantage of its 3x optical zoom, manual or autofocus, and its 13 different shooting modes, the S30 is a camera for everybody...at an affordable price.

Suggestions for accessories
I bought this for a trip to Australia. It's beautiful, easy to use and produces high quality pictures. You will probably need a number of accessories, so you should consider their cost when making this purchase. (Same is true for other digital cameras.) My accessory suggestions:
1. You need more memory. I bought a 256MB flash memory card which was enough to store about 150 pictures.
2. You might consider getting a second battery if you're going to be using the camera much between charges.
3. You will need to buy a camera case. I bought it locally so I could find one that held my accessories comfortably and compactly.
4. I also bought an underwater housing for the camera. I took 50 or so photo's while scuba diving on the GBR. Worked perfectly. If I had known, I would have rented a slave flash unit for even better underwater shots.

Digital Camera that does it all...
This camera was the best purchase I have ever made. After careful searching on the web and reading reviews I settled on this camera. I purchased this camera a year ago and wanted to wait to write the review so you could hear from someone who has owned for more than a weekend. Now, of course the S40 is the same price as I paid for the s30 and would purchase that if you have the money. I thought the s30 was a little more than I wanted to spend, but I have always been into photography and liked all the options, and loved the small size. I have never once regretted spending a little over my budget on this camera. I mean, how many digital cameras can you adjust the shutter speed, over expose or under expose, set all different kinds of light setting, adjust the flash, and be so easy to use a person with no photography knowledge can use. This camera really can do it all! On top of that, the picture quality is amazing. Even printing out on my 150 dollar printer with photo paper my friends swear that they were professionaly developed. If you send them into shutterfly.com, you will NEVER be able to tell they were taken from a digital camera. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a great all around digital camera that can do everything an SLR can do.

AWESOME CAMERA!
I bought this camera in April 2002 (right before I had my first baby). As of this month Dec 02, I have taken almost 3,000 pictures. I LOVE IT!!!!!!! It's small yet durable. I am a picture fanatic. I take a camera with me everywhere I go. Now, I've become so dependant on this digital one, I don't even take another camera with me. The pictures turn out excellent and it is very quick and easy to download. The only problem I have had is keeping the battery charged. I bought an additional battery and think that it is definitely necessary (if you take lots of pictures). I even take my pictures in a medium resolution and they still turn out excellent. I usually fit over 200 photos on a 128 MB card. Well worth the money!

so satisfied!
I recently bought my s30 along with the ibook and am set. This little camera is small, sleek, and light. It is easy to use, and after reading the instructions I can even use the fancy features such as preset contrast( to prevent washout) and a 'cockle doodle doo' to signal a self timer shot (makes every one laugh). These are only a few of the many features included. The quality is also exceptional. Digital cameras sometimes have trouble with 'action' shots. This camera took a crisp close up of my girls face, hair in the wind, while swinging. Enlarged to 8x11, it is great. This point and shoot is great.

Go Canon!
This is my second digital camera and from what I see thus far this will most likely be my last. I think I've found the perfect digital camera. Check out the positives and negatives with the PowerShot S30.

Positives: (where do I begin?)
* Made of solid, sturdy metal. Feels like a real camera not a cheap plastic toy like other digital cameras.
* Has features galore!!! Has standard features plus some pretty nice extras such as:
-customizable flash-can change the strength of the flash, helping to prevent washed out pictures which is common with most digital cameras when you use the flash.
-flips landscapes pictures that would normally appear sideways. the camera lets you flip these pictures rightside up so you won't have to do it on your computer.
-can take panoramic pictures.
-the camera is customizable! What does this mean? This camera lets you customize the startup screen. You have an option between clear blue water, evening skyline or a sitting bird. You can change the startup sound, your options include a default theme, science fiction and animal sounds(dog barking or bird chirping). These sounds are designed to presumably match the startup screens but they can be mix and matched. The shutter also has various sounds you can choose from. All these sounds can, of course, be turned off.
-this list goes on and on. Check this camera out to see everything.
* Superb true true-to-life daytime and night pictures.
* Pictures come out crisp and sharp with or without the flash, in
brightly lit or darky lit areas.
* What you see is what you get. What you see on the LCD screen is usually how the pictures will appear on your computer monitor or when you print them out. The LCD, when you press lightly on the
shutter button, will show you actually how the picture will appear once viewed on screen or on paper. So if your LCD has a bright contrast and you are in a dark room, when you press the shutter button lightly, the LCD will adjust itself to the actual lighting of the room. There will be no deception and you won't have to wonder why the pictures look lighter on the LCD than on the computer screen or in print.
* Can record mini movies with sound.
* Uses compact flash card.

There is much, much more that I can add on to this list but you will have get this camera and see for yourself.

Negatives:
* Hard to install the driver software on th PC. I had to ask Canon tech support for help. Even then the process was very confusing.
* Joystick navigator takes some getting used to. Very hard to maneuver through the menus resulting in accidently going to the wrong options.
* There is no power button. You have to shut the lens' lid to turn off the camera. This makes me nervous. I'm always scared that this will somehow damage the lens.
* The macro setting isn't the best. Sometimes the macro pictures can appear blurry.
* Uses the very expensive NB-2L rechargable battery as opposed to inexpensive, more common rechargables such as NiMHs or other types. Plus NB-2Ls can only be used with PowerShot S30, S40 cameras and Elura 40mc camcorders.

I was initially put off by the price of this camera but I must say it is well worth the money.
Get the Canon PowerShot S30 if you want superior quality in a small package.

Great Camera
We researched digital cameras for 15 months before buying this one. It's awesome! Takes excellent pictures and is fairly easy to use. I purchased a Kodak 4900 for my mom and it felt so light. I love the weight and sturdiness of this camera. It is all metal!
I am used to a point and shoot. This camera has it all. The point and shoot ease with the ability to take more advanced photos. I have had it for 6 months and have taken 100's of photos. The only downside is the battery. I have yet to purchase a second one which would be great for travel. I have not run into any problems with the battery dying. It charges very rapidly and it just takes a bit of thought. At home I keep it charged and charge it before I leave on a trip. It takes WONDERFUL indoor and even better outdoor pictures. I definetly recommend purchasing a 256mb memory card. The software works well and my pics download within seconds. We don't even need a card reader. Overall, a great buy! I would now only upgrade to a G2 because It would be great to learn about the lenses. But for the family who wants a point and shoot camera for the kids and one that can take postcard like photos you won't be disappointed with this purchase. Great job Canon!

a great camera at a great price
trying to decide between S230 and S30 was a hard one: S230 is significantly smaller and much cuter (very much a girl's camera); but s30 has 3x zoom and slightly better optical properties. after going back and forth, i finally decided on s30 and have been very happy with it.

bottom line: if you're looking for portability, go for the S230 because the s30 is too thick to fit in your pocket. however, if you're caring a purse/bag/case around anyway, get this one! (i also found a cheaper price elsewhere so make sure you look around.)

An Outstanding Camera
This is our first digital camera. I wanted one that was easy to use, could take photos as good as a 35mm camera and allow you to be creative. The S30 is very easy to use.
I bought this camera to take with us on a ten day cruise.So far we have taken over 250 photos and printed the ones we wanted, down loaded some into our computer and reused the card for more photos.
The photo's were as good as my 35 mm Canon SLR. Everyone that we showed the photo's and the S30 to, were all impressed. Three of them are going to buy this camera.
I do recommend you buy a 128mb or larger flash card and an extra battery. For me the battery lasted all day and at night I just charged it up.
We are very satisfied and highly recommend the Canon S30.

Best camera I've ever owned - and I've had a bunch
I've owned about 5 digital cameras in my life and this is by far better than anything I've ever seen. The first rule about digital photography is that a camera only takes great photos when you take it with you. If it's too big to carry everywhere you won't get much use out of it. The S30 has a flat shape and travels well - far better than any fuji, nikon or kodak I've owned before. Second, the photos it takes are spectacular. While recently studying abroad I took about 2800 photos and the clarity and color of the shots I took is better than a traditional APS film camera. I have been very surprised with how well these shots come out when I take them to Costco or Shutterfly for printing (even at 8x10 and larger).

It also has some additional features I tend to use a lot more than I expected. A lot of cameras out there today offer the ability to take 30 second movies, but very few also offer sound. The S30 has a built in microphone that makes this feature far more useful and the clips you take much more memorable. Watching a movie of your friends laughing at a joke isn't very funny if you can't hear the punch line. This ability to take small clips and fit the camera into a pocket also eliminated my need to buy a separate video camera. The panorama feature is also a ton of fun to play with and my home now has 30 inch prints of panoramas I've taken in various cities around the world.

Finally, Canon has by far the easiest and most intuitive software for organizing and archiving photos on your computer. Amazingly, the software is simple enough for anyone to pick up but robust enough that hard-core enthusiasts like myself still use it to do nearly everything. Even the using the camera itself is a no-brainer to figure out.

Get a larger memory card and I recommend an extra battery if you are planning on traveling with it. I am probably one of the most critical people when it comes to electronics but this camera has exceeded every expectation I've had and I plan to hold onto it for a long time.

S30 or S230 !!!?!!?!
Before I purchased my s30 , I was orginally going to get the s230. Considering that the s30 had a drop of price to 400 , and now it was the same price as the s230 , that made my decision difficult. Many people buy the s230 because of its size, and that was the reason I was going to get it. But before I purchased a camera I played with both of them and the s230 is so small its hard to navigate between the different shooting modes and I knew I would not take the same quality pictures with it and it did not have the same zoom (6x as opposed 10x), I decided to go with the s30 and I am very PLEASED!!!! its great and the menu's are so easily accesible and I love it! the only con is the movie's are limited to 30 seconds each .(but you can tape many of them on your memeory card depending on its size.) Definetly canon is the way to go!!!!!!!!!! now whether you go for size or better camera is your choice , but trust me the s30 is a much better overall camera and it is not much bigger.

Great Camera
I love this camera. I originally received a HP Photosmart 320 as a gift, but it was too basic a camera and had poor image quality especially if the digital zoom was used (there was no Optical zoom). The person who gave it to me suggested I return it if better quality was something I wanted. So I did some research and came to two possible cameras to trade in for, both made by Canon, the HP reviews just were good enough. I originally went in search for the A40 but being after Xmas it was sold out, so I browsed at the S30 and was convinced to spend the extra money on it, I knew the reviews were awesome for this camera so, So I made the decision and have not regretted since.

The S30 takes high quality pictures, no comparison to the HP.

Setting up the software was originally a problem, I was using Windows 98 and there was simply no response when the camera was connected. I had the intention of upgrading to windows 2000, which I did within 2 days of my purchase and my problem was gone and I am now able to upload my pictures. Wow they look great.

Now, being a Canadian we have cold weather and snow so taking the camera outside is risky, especially when it is snowing, I needed something to protect the camera form the elements. I was able to find the camera underwater casing but it cost was just too much, costing half as much as the camera itself. I do intend to use the camera in and around water, but going any deeper than 10 feet is overkill for me. So the camera case currently is not an option, especially since I am a student with a limited budget. I looked online and came across a British made waterproof pouch called Aquapac which claimed to be 100% waterproof and was rigorously tested. I ordered it and it cost me only about $40.

Now I just have to get some extra memory and a spare battery.

If you meet somebody with the Canon S30, they will only have good things to say about this camera and.....Remember to say "CHEESE!"

great point and shoot camera. And its TINY!
I used to own a fairly bulky epson photoPC 750z and I wanted a camera that could more easily fit in a pocket (what good is a camera that you never want to carry around with you?). To be honest, the color on the 750z (which is only a 2MP camera vs. 3 for the s230) was better than on this camera, but I'm willing to sacrifice some quality for the seriously tiny form factor of this camera. I was also pleasantly surprised at the ability to be able to shoot video with this camera. I was in NY for new years and took some video at the stroke of midnight.
...

This is the last word in Cool Digital Cameras
I have been looking for 2 months for a good digicam, checked out every site, every review, every everything. I bought the s30 camera and all I have to say is, WHAT A CAMERA!...Whether you are a novice like me who wants to just shoot great pics, or a more advanced person who wants to mess around with all the manual settings, you wont be dissappointed!...

Do yourself a favor, stop worrying about whether the camera youre going to buy will be good......dump it and get the Canon s30!

Wonderful Product
I just returned home from a week long trip having just purchased my s30 and like several others on here I debated the s230 and the s30. Wow...what a great camera the s30 is..I really don't have a bad word to say about it except maybe the rocker button on it is a little hard to work. This is my third digital camera and I purchased this one based on its size, my other two were too big to be any use although they took fine pictures they were nothing compared to this beauty.
I've printed several 8x10's that I shot in medium 2 resolution that are flawless and this using an older Epson 880 printer, I can only imagine what high resolution must look like. Anyway you will not be disappointed with this camera...trust me I take a lot of pictures and the s30 just makes it that much more fun. This is one device that delivers as advertised.

Canon S30 is most bang for buck and it fits in your pocket !
I used an olympus c3040 prior to buying this camera and have thi camera for 4 months now. I like this camera's small size for the same MP/zoom range as the c3040. The small size makes it a little shakier, but you will get used to it.

It takes very good quality pictures in daylight and fluoroscent lighting and has multiple white balance modes. You can also set your own white balance, which some people may find useful. I find the color and hue saturation with the factory set white balance great and much better than my previous 3MP camera.

Night/Low light pics are not as good if you use the auto mode. Remember to set the setting to P (program) mode for night shots. Manual modes are great for low light situations and this camera works like any other non-digital (SLR-35 mm Film) camera.

The RAW format images are useful to make even larger sized prints using appropriate software.

I think the software bundled with the camera ... when used on windows 98. All they needed to do was to have windows 98 recognize it as another drive, but they made it twain based instead and boy that really ... for me. I have to go thru hoops to download pics to my windows 98 machine. However if you have XP, it is a breeze to use the camera and once you install the drivers it works like any other camera.

I recommend reading the manual at least 3 times before using the advanced functions. The manual is somewhat technical but you need to read it!

There is an available attachment for underwater pics, which is also great if you just want to use it in the summer on a beach or to take underwater pictures. As far as I know no other digital camera offers this yet.

I also like the Photostitch option that allows you to take multiple pictures and then weave them together to get a large sized (panoramic) picture. You can combine multiple pictures to get a huge poster (even 40x40 inches) for example by using this function.

It comes with a 16MB CF card which is rather small (holds 16-24 pics in high resolution and only 6-8 pics in RAW format). Now that 128/256/512 MB CF cards are available you may want to pick one up. However then you will also need an extended battery or an AC power pack as you will run out of power before you use the entire CF card.

If you have no computer, this blighter can even print directly to a compatible printer, which is cool if you are travelling.

I also would have really liked canon to include a small leather case with this, but then one can't ask for all!

I still feel I have not found out all this camera can do even at 4 months and there are many features that I have not tried yet.

The multipurpose button is sturdy, but some what difficult to use. Also they could have combined to zoom function to the same button (like in many videocams) for better funtionality while shooting. However I got used to the small buttons now and am really not finding it that much of a problem.

A Canon is still A Canon !
You know the performance.
You know the features.
You know the product.
And You know the name.
It's a Canon Powershot.
Absolutely still the best camera.

Love it!!!
This is a pretty snazzy one and has lots of things I never use. I mostly keep it set on auto. It takes excellent pictures though. I always take them on the highest quality setting - they are bigger than my screen. But then if I get them printed on one of those Picture Maker Machines - they look perfect. You would never know they were from a digital camera. (This is a 3.2 MegaPixel camera - the only reason I see to go bigger would be = the bigger the picture, the more you can crop it and still have a high quality picture). One of the best things about the camera is that it has a rechargeable battery - so I never have to buy batteries or film. I rarely use my regular camera anymore. Also.. It takes great little 30 second movies, and I love to hook it to a tv at parties and show off all the photos I just took. What fun.

just what I was looking for
I had been looking for a digital camera for personal and family use for a couple of months. Having used the Canon G2 at the art gallery where I work, I was familiar with how a high quality digtial camera works. So I used the G2's features as quidelines for choosing a digital camera for myself. I wanted something smaller than the G2 to make it more portable for travel, etc. less expensive, and yet with similar features. I found just what I was looking for in the Canon Powershot S30. I love it and the images it takes. Image and color capture is great. I still haven't learned or tried all its features, but so far am more than satisfied with my choice and would recommend it highly.

Simple to use...high quality pictures
Searched and searched for a relatively inexpensive high quality digital camera. This one definitely fits the bill. Quick setup, easy to use software, and great quality make this a fantastic buy. Make sure you buy a smart card reader though to help save battery life when downloading pictures.

Why did it take me so long?!
I love photography and I'm a computer geek! Why did it take me so long to get a digital camera? I've had this model for 4 days and love it! I got an extra battery and a 256 MB memory card at the same time. It only comes with a 16 MB card which I got 18 shots on, one of which was a 10sec video. Not bad but the battery lasted about 10 shots longer. The battery charges really fast, 20 min or so. So with two batteries this is a good camera for day trips. My next major purchase will be a car charger.

I also like that you can hook it up to the video in jack on your tv and view you pictures and videos there. You can also set up shots on the tv.

I highly recommend this camera to anybody with a resonable amount of geekyness. :o)

Not quite what I expected
... I'll summarize a few points:

1) I saw a couple other "cracked LCD screen" comments. This is NOT BS, people. Ours cracked after just a month or so of use, and under very questionable circumstances. It may have been the sun. It may have been a bump. We don't know. But it did cost $150 to get it repaired by Canon. Not cool!

2) Shutter speed: out of the box, you WILL be disappointed with the slow shutter speed (blurry pictures). The default equivalent film sensitivity is "in the range of ISO 50 to ISO 100". Very slow film for most apps.

3) Movies: Don't pay $100 extra for the movie capability. The movies are disappointing in quality (~200x300 pixels) and length (max 30 seconds)

These cons aside, the camera often does perform swimmingly.

Lens attracts dust INSIDE.
I am very happy with the picture quality, but am sad because it is not as portable as I had hoped. Actually, it flunked this area. I was keeping the camera in my coat pocket, and within a few weeks, after taking some night pictures near a fire, I noticed all kinds of dust inside the lens was putting little white blurry dots all over my photos. They don't show up on the day photos, but they are almost like a cloud on the night pictures. It's really awful, and I'm really disappointed in this. Upon further inspection of the lense, it is obvious that the sliding door does not fully cover the lens in an air-tight way. And the door is sort of flimsy. Stuff can get inside the edges quite easily. Also, the lens itself is not a sealed thing. If you look closely at it, you can see that the lens glass in the front has a very small gap all the way around it. The lens must now be cleaned professionally. This camera is great, but you must keep it in a case, and I'd also advise you keep it in the "bubble wrap" within that case. So much for "portability".

Compact camera that takes great pictures
Canon's S30 fills a nice niche between expensive, feature-laden cameras and point-and-shoots. Its compact size, snug enough to fit in the palm of your hand and perfect for slipping into a pocket, makes it an ideal companion for those excursions when a larger camera would be too bulky or conspicuous. The silver all-metal body is sleek and stylish, so much that it's almost a fashion accessory. It's loaded with features, an amazing feat for such a small package, while at the same time offers unparalleled ease of use. Lastly, it's a great deal considering its price-feature ratio.

The S30 includes the usual automatic presets such as landscape and portrait, but also offers the semi-automatic and fully manual modes that a serious photographer would want. The following adjustments may come in handy: 1) film speed from ASA-equivalent 50 to 800, 2) spot, center-weighted and evaluative metering modes, 3) three selectable autofocus areas, 4) exposure compensation between -2 and 2 EV in steps of 1/3 EV, 5) continuous drive mode (though maxing out at a modest 2.5fps), 6) macro mode. While I still prefer an SLR in most situations, the S30 fills many of my needs very nicely. I use the it to take preview or experimental shots or to take shots that I would hesitate to blow film on. Morever, the S30 makes your job a cinch when it comes to panoramas. The panoramic mode shows you a third of the previous frame, either vertical or horizontal, which is an invaluable guide to help you line up the current frame. I used to have to spend a lot of time in Photoshop to line up adjacent frames and erase the seams between frames. Canon's Photostitch software does all of that and more, at the click of a button!

Picture quality is very good, with excellent sharpness throughout the image and no noticeable softness in the corners at wide-angle. Macro shots are very sharp, to the point that I decided to do close-ups primarily with the S30. Colors can be a little flat, but this can be easily fixed in Photoshop. There is a special "Vivid" or saturated mode, but this comes at the expense of losing other controls over the shot. I've noticed that the dynamic range for the CCD sensor is quite low, much worse than for color negatives or slides. This is most apparent if you've got a mixed light and dark scene; either the sky would be washed out or the foreground would be underexposed. This could be a shortcoming of CCDs in general and not one particular to the S30.

The S30's 3-megapixels resolution is good enough for a 2048x1536 image, which in turn is sufficient for 8x10 enlargements. If this is not large enough for your needs, the S40 ups the ante to 4 megapixels. There is a USB jack for downloading images and an A/V jack for previewing images on TV. You will want to invest in a CF card-reader however, for convenience's sake. The storage slot takes Type I or II CF cards, and also accommodates a Microdrive.

The S30's compact size is its greatest asset, but is also responsible for a few shortcomings. The 1.8" LCD screen is bright and contrasty, but only indoors. Lacking a swivel and anti-glare coating, it's virtually useless outdoors. You may have to resort to the optical viewfinder, which does not cover 100 percent of the image. The LCD displays most useful information, but inexplicably lacks a battery life indicator. You'd have no idea how much power is left until the low-battery indicator flashes. To make matters worse, the rechargeable Li-Ion battery has rather short lifespan, between 30-50 shots. I have to carry 2 spare batteries in order to shoot for a whole day. The thumb-operated directional controller is rather awkward to use. You scroll to move up/down and press to move left/right. To select, you have to press down on the middle. In my case, to hit select, I had to learn a way to press it just right, otherwise the controller would move left or right instead. Lastly, while this may not matter much to most people, I frequently use a tripod, which blocks the battery cover and makes changing battery quite a hassle.

Despite its shortcomings, I've found the S30 to be an indispensable companion. I've had it for almost a year and taken it with me on trips to Asia and throughout western North America. At times I yearned for a more advanced camera like the Canon G2 or even a digital SLR, but more often than not I found myself thankful that I was able to take pictures I wouldn't have taken otherwise with a larger camera. The S30 has more than paid for itself.

Excellent snaps and breath taking clarity --
Ooooooh Boy What a camera, for guys like who don't want more proffesional photography point of view this is an excellent choice. I developed my photos in Costco which is just 2.00 for an 8/12 SIZE photo, its clarity and pixels are breath taking man. Actually I got this camera in a gold box price at 340/- but that is an ultimate deal. If you get it for 350/- also its good. Any how I am enjoying with this camera which has all options except external built in flash light mode which is not a big thing but for night shots its a must for long view shots.

Record your life with this machine.
It's been nearly four months since I purchased Canon S30, and I must say that my contentment with it is increasing every day!

The image quality is excellent. In the automatic mode, all you have to do is simply pressing the big button. Even if you're a professional, this becomes handy when you need quick and good pics. Otherwise, the manual option is excellent too. If you do not wish to use the flash, then you have to be very careful in holding the machine still; because a slight tremble can create a blur in the whole image. But these are, usage issues, that can be solved very quickly.

The size of the pictures varies from your computer's screen to a 8-11 page. It's good that you get big pictures, because you can resize them to any dimension you want afterwards.

There's a movie feature, which runs from 30s to 2 min, according to the size of it. I did not know this when I was buying it; but I must say that for the most of the time, I'm shooting movies instead. The reason is that you can record sound perfectly as well and I do mean it! It's in .mov format which can be easily played by any player. Furthermore, I've actually put together an amateur short film, by combining and editing the movies in Windows Movie Maker. It's just wonderful to have this machine.

The softwares included with the machine are good, but they have some flaws unfortunately. The picture organizer, called ImageReady, hassles sorting all the images when you add or remove an image, which takes a lot of time when you have hundred images.

It's really necessary that you purchase another battery. Having two keeps you safe in long journeys. I also recommend you to buy another memory card. The one that comes with the machine is 16 megs, which is not bad actually, but you might want to get a 256 meg one, and do not bother with loading off your images frequently. This is totally extra, but I also have a memory reader, Intelliflash, which is about 6 times faster than the computer in transfering the images. If you're dealing with many pictures or movies at a time, this might be your solution.

If you really want to make a combo with S30 by buying a photo printer, then I would go for Canon i850, for which I have a special review on the product's page in amazon. With the two, you will be able to shoot pictures, transfer them to computer and print them in minutes.

What sets a digital camera apart from a nondigital camera is that you can modify your images on computer. If you want to leave things to chance, and wait for results, nondigital is loveable. However, if you want to edit your images, crop some people out or make yourself more beautiful or handsome, digital camera is just for you! I have both of them. I carry them side by side inside my canon bag. (Yes, I'm obsessed with Canon!) According to how I feel about the atmosphere, I use them interchangeably.

Also, another thing about Canon S30: I was also once trying to figure out which camera to buy, looking at all zooms and digital zooms of every machine... But, you know what, it just never ends! The next day we will have 20x zooms. So, I grant you, that this machine will not disappoint you by any means. Do what your mind tells you...

Well Beyond Just a Point and Shoot Camera
Fully automatic point and shoot for the novice in the family but with fully programmable features to satisfy even the most experienced amateur. I'll let sites like Imaging Resource (.com) and others like it comment on image quality and other technicals, which are fantastic, and I encourage you to check these out for the meat of your investigation. For this review, I've chosen to focus mostly on ergonomics, feature set and usability.

Pros:
- Small sturdy form factor: in the 3 MP category, not as small as the DimageX, but doesn't sacrifice quality so you can hang it around your neck - not that kind of camera
- Advanced feature set to satisfy the experienced amateur
- Movie mode: capture 30 seconds at a time w/ sound - not a good substitute for a camcorder, but more handy than you would think (e.g. I capture 4-5 golf swings in 30 seconds, download it to my computer and analyze in slow motion/frame advance in Win Media Player 9)
- Absolutely fantastic image quality (my layman's opinion)

Cons:
- On camera flash a bad light source: all 35mm/digital cameras have this problem, but what makes this a con for this camera, especially if you are an experienced photographer, is the S30 can not power an off-camera flash (through a hot sync).
- "Enter/OK" softkey switch that controls a number of menu functions is a little difficult to master.
- No diopter: this means that why you see through the viewfinder is not quite what you get. You must use the LCD to see exactly how it will be framed, but of course this uses battery power.

Other Issues:
- Proprietary battery: I wouldn't worry about this - the batteries charge quickly (1 hour), are getting cheaper (see this site for the NB-2L) and are Lithium Ion which should last a good while.
- Somewhat fragile sliding lens cover - don't handle it roughly and it will function fine

Also, reading the manual is a must - take the 60 minutes and just do it. A word on the other Powershot cameras - the S40, with 4 MP, and the S50 with 5 MP. The S30 is more than adequate to get a 35mm quality 8x10 print - why an amateur would want 5 MP I'm not sure, but if you are a professional, I doubt you're looking at the Powershot series so stick with the S30.

If You Buy It: get (1) a bigger CF card (at least 128 MB - see my Viking review), (2) an extra battery (see my Canon NB-2L review) and (3) a CF card reader to save on battery power.

Bottom Line: Not quite a home run, but great mid to high end consumer 3MP - you will not be disappointed.

A durable, easy-to-use camera that takes great photos
A friend of mine, who diligently researched the digital camera market for months before making a buying decision, eventually chose to purchase the Powershot S40 -- the top-of-the-line Powershot at the time he made his choice -- because it was clearly the best combination of power, ease of use, and price. Months later, based on his legwork, I went with the S30, because it was considerably less expensive, and I knew that 3MP and 3x optical zoom were fine for my purposes.

As I expected, my friend's research paid off. The S30 is a comfortable camera to use. It is a nice size and feels solid and durable. It is easy to use in automatic mode (open, point and shoot) and offers the usual options in manual mode for power users. With the factory memory, you can shoot up to 37 shots in highest quality, and you can add memory chips up to some ludicrous amount if you just can't bear to download and delete your photos every now and then.

Even though it offers "only" 3MP, it takes beautiful photos in a variety of lighting conditions. Downloading to a computer is simple using a USB interface (it comes with a special USB cable as the camera connection is an odd size) and included Canon software. The software package itself has some nice features for photo editing as well, including email and internet "wizards" for compressing your photos. They are no substitute for a professional photo editing program like Adobe Photoshop, but they are nice as a package deal and will be sufficient for most "holiday snapshot" users.

I have, in fact, nothing negative to say about the S30; and I'm sure the S40 and the latest releases in the Powershot line are even better, if you have the money to spend. I have found mine to have been a very good investment. I wasn't taking many pictures with my 35mm or my clumsy, old, cheap digital camera, so at first I didn't think I would get my money's worth from the S30, but in fact I have found that I shoot tons more pictures now just because the S30 is so easy to use and takes such good pictures -- and that's a great thing since I have a young son and am living overseas for a few years.

Great quality
I've been using my S30 for over 9 months and am extremely happy with it.

The one imperative accessory is a big memory card (I opted for a 256Mb card for about 80$). I have always taken pictures at the maximum resolution to give me flexibility in the future. At that res, the files come out between 700kb to 1.1Mb each. Using the standard memory card, that's about 15-20 picures. Using the larger card, I'm good for 200-300 pictures, which is more than enough for the longest vacation...

Regarding the camera itself, it's very easy to use. Just point and click. There are a few tricks to learn like which mode to use to get good pictures every time, but the big break is that you can (almost) always take another if it doesn't work (I'll never go back to film).

Battery life is pertty good. I haven't needed a 2nd battery yet as it's good for approx. 100 pictures at a time. The battery recharges in about 1 hour, so that's worked fine for me.

The bundled software is fine. Zoombrowser is the key to accessing and downloading. The included version was a little limited, but Canon sent a link to download a new and improved, which is far better. Picture downloads are super fast through USB (1 second per highest res picture), but you PC needs to be pretty beefy. I've tinkered with the 30 second movie thing, but that is purely for fun (picture quality and sound are pretty awful).

Overall - very pleased! P.S. Make sure you get a case, if you want to avoid the inevitable dings and scratches.

the love of my life!
I ABSOLUTELY love love love love love my camera I used to own the Nikon swivel cool pix and I have to say that although the s30 is a little bit heavier and larger its way better!

My first digital camera
This was my first digital camera and I haven't stopped taking pictures and printing them on my canon printer. I cannot say enough about this camera. It's easy to use and lightweight so I can take it with me wherever I go.

Super Camera with Super Options
I just bought this camera used from another Amazon member and all I can say is Wow! I need it to take pictures for web and print (as a professional photographer and designer), and this camera is packed with all the features I could imagine I need, at a great price.

First off, the camera is a good size--small and light and streamlined. Easy to find controls and great display screen. It's easy to use -- I just charged the batteries, popped them in, and started shooting for a client. The user manual is a bit redundant, but with an image of every step of the process, is is handy. I referenced it immediately to be sure I was setting the time/date and image sizes properly.

Far away shots of a dim restaurant are crystal clear. Macro shots of product labels are crisp and perfectly lit. No one has red eyes (auto flash setting). Edges are crisp and colors really pop--no washing out or muddy-ing with this.

The only problem I've found is that the zoom/focus button is a bit hard to maneuver (right in front of shutter button), but I figure I will get used to it.

I bought a 256MB flash card and took large images by the hundreds--I took so many I used the battery pretty quickly (2+ hours), so I would recommend a second battery and a good-sized compact flash card to go with your purchase. I plugged the battery and charger into an outlet, ate a sandwich, and the camera was ready to go again in about 20 minutes.

I can't wait to try s