Fantastic!
I have waited a while for a digital camera with the right set of features and size - this is it. It is so compact you can put it in a trouser pocket, takes great photos and is very easy to use.

I added the Canon PSC-50 leather case and 512MB SimpleTech CF card (as sold by Canon).

video resolution reduced compared to S230
This is a very nice camera that is slightly larger than the S230, but includes a higher zoom(3X compared to 2X in the S230) capability and higher still photo resolution(4MP compared to 3 MP in the S230). I was surprised to find that Canon eliminated the hi resolution(640 X 480) video capability in the S400 though. I found the hi-res video mode in the S230 to be very useful. But, the highest resolution(320 X 200) offered by the S400 is too grainy to be very useful.

The ultimate ELPH. Next generation maturity.
I bought the S-400 to upgrade from the S-200 that I have been using since it was made available. I love the S-200, as it is both durable and handy. It has also become a great value with recent price reductions. On the other hand, I wanted to get the most recent tech advances in the smallest package, so the S-400 was the clear choice.

Here are my initial impressions, and some of the improvements / differences between the 200 and the 400. First of all, Canon has paid close attention to the nits and picks of users of the earlier cameras in the ELPH line. Aside from the addition of cutting edge developments, there have been subtle changes that greatly increase it's ease of use. This is an incredible camera built into a compressed case. Except for being ever so slightly thicker than the S-200, it is the same cigarette pack size.

It has a 4 mega pixel sensor, and it is quick and accurate. Color saturation and contrast are outstanding. The lens is very sharp from edge to edge (I tested at various light levels from macro mode (1.5") to infinity focus, and it consistantly produced remarkably fine images). 8x10 prints are outstanding. Period. At long shutter speeds (up to 15 sec), the sensor is remarkably free from "noise". In fact, it does better than many SLR style digicams in all areas of picture quality.

The 3x optical zoom is a welcome addition. Now you can take a proper head an shoulders portrait without invoking the relatively lossy digital zoom, or suffering from the effects of distorted facial features caused by getting too close with a too short lens. When you need it though, the digital zoom offers up to 11x total zoom power, and returns pretty good results as digital zooms go. The 400 retains the special effects lineup of the 200, and they work very well. The tonal range of the black & white option is a real treat. The final result isn't exactly Panatomic X quality, but it is really good, and your darkroom for artistic dodging and burning is contained entirely on your hard drive.

The case is still steel, but has a ceramic coating that is supposed to be even more scratch resistant. It is also much "whiter", and offers MUCH better contrast when you read the various control labels. While the contols are similar, they are also marked with larger and bolder lettering. All in all, a big improvrment. The michrophone was moved from the front to the top of the case. I think the front makes more sense, but it works very well on top. Canon also included a tiny (but effective) speaker in the 400. You can now select or create sounds for all camera functions (even a "real" shutter sound), as well as make voice notes for each photo taken if desired. Most sound functions are individualy adjustable for volume, and several sound "themes" are included. Techno-tinkerers might enjoy customizing the photo displayed upon startup. Movie preview also has sound now.

On the subject of movies, the 400 makes a little tradeoff. The max resolution is no longer 640x480, it is 320x240 (which is fast becoming standard for movies from still cameras). On the other hand, it is not limited to 10 seconds anymore. You can now make clips up to 3 minutes each. Computer playback looks very good. TV playback isn't bad at all. As a pocket sized way to film Junior taking his first bike ride without training wheels, it can't be beat.

The shutter button and zoom ring are a little larger, and now feel just right. The 400 has also incorporated the mode selector wheel used on other high end Canon cameras. This is long overdue, as it makes using all of the many features and modes a real joy.

Red eye appears to be better than before, but I don't expect much from such a close coupled flash / lens combo, and who really cares, as it is corrected with a click of the mouse before you print a photo. A few MAJOR improvements are the 9 zone Ai AF, and new (yellow) focus assist. If you were not careful, the 200 could return slightly out of focus shots, and in low light, the focus assist sometimes didn't. That has been fixed. The 9 zone intelligent AF really does an amazing job, and the new focus assist achieves lock under a much wider range of difficulty than the old system.

The built in flash has a generous range for a tiny camera, and the coverage is very even. Shooting a blank wall within the range of the flash shows no "hot spots". The metering options are still program, center weighted, or spot, but the program mode seems to have been given a big boost. The 200 does very well, but the 400 is on par with the SLR class for getting it right the first time.

Exposure bracketing is +/- 2 EV, slow synchro flash is still there to boost background brightness when needed, the panoramic stitch mode is still a treat, and, in general, this is nothing less than a James Bond version of a full featured, top quality 4+ megapixel digital camera. The only tradeoff is that a full sized camera with similar features might offer a larger lens aperture. That can extend your non flash low light level by an F stop or so, but it does no good if the camera is sitting at home, rather than in your pocket. If it is in your budget, get this camera. Not only will you take more quality pictures over time, but you won't be burdened by feeling like a conspicuous tourist while doing it.

One last note. Buy a high speed (24x) 256 meg memory card. The speed alows for quicker second shots (the 400 can do 2.5 FPS in continuous mode), and the 256 meg size gives you a full 128 shots at the highest resolution, many hundreds of pics at the low res setting.

Canon WOW's again!
Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it does!. I bought the Canon S230 (3.2mp) in January and have already upgraded to the S400. This camera has been in stock for several weeks at online stores I probably can't mention here. I've had mine for a week now. Overall this is a great camera, it's the same size as the S230, very carryable, high quality, improved optics and zoom (3x optical instead of 2x) and the extra megapixels come in handy. There are a few minor points to pick at.

1). Certain parts of the camera are now plastic instead of metal as on the S230 (from what I can tell, the zoom ring around the power button, the chrome ring around the lens, and the edges of the lens). The main body of the camera is still metal, however it's a new finish (Cerabrite) which has an odd plasticky look to it. Overall the construction quality doesn't feel quite as nice as the S230, notably the feel of the buttons when pressed, however it's nothing to be alarmed about.

2). For some reason Canon removed the 640x480 movie mode option. I never used the movie mode extensively, but this might matter to some users.

3). While some people might like it, (I think it's tacky) Canon has added the following useless features: Camera startup sound, shutter sound, camera display theme and startup image. There are cheesy sounds like a bird chirp, or a wolf howl, startup images like a Canon logo, picture of sunset, bird, etc. Due to the addition of these features the camera now has a tiny speaker. One benefit of the speaker/sounds is that Canon has added a self-timer sound which I think is useful.

Some other nice additions/changes include the ability to edit the length of movie clips on the camera, a closer focusing distance in the macro setting, and the ablility to record a sound bye of up to 60 seconds to a picture (also useable as a simple voice recorder for recording memos, thoughts, etc) which will play back via the tiny speaker. The microphone has been moved from the front of the camera to the top, this could be good or bad depending, it may record less wind noise in windy situations (especially if facing into the wind), however it may also no longer pick up quieter sounds due to the repositioning.

At a minimum I would reccommend the use of a 128mb card, preferrably 256mb or larger. At less than $$$ I would suggest an external memory card reader to be used for transfering photos instead of the Canon software which seems buggy at times. As far an extra battery goes, some people won't live without an extra. With the price of the battery, I'd pass. Canon says the camera is good for 190 photos with the LCD on (400+ with LCD off). I've never taken more than 50 pictures in a day and have always had an opportunity to recharge the battery during some down time in the evening.

To sum things up, if you're looking for a high quality high megapixel camera that's easily carryable, and hardly noticed in most pockets, this is it!. The combination of size, quality and features of this camera are unmatched!. If you don't require 4 megapixels or want to save $$$ I'd highly reccommend the S230 which I have also reviewed.

Clicks!
Everything I want it to do without alot of extra gimmicks. All my photos look like prizewinners. Four megapixels seem to do the job just fine and there isn't the usual waiting time between clicks.

A winner right out of the box!
I opened the box, loaded the battery & CF card, and started shooting pictures. The basic controls were easy to figure out in seconds. Some day soon I will read the manual to learn the advanced controls. 3x zoom is very useful. No red-eye. Automatic exposure control works well. A picture of large room was well lit and all parts of the room were easy to see. No dark areas. Like most digital cameras, you have to hold the button down and wait for the shutter and flash to fire. This makes action shots difficult. Cycle time is better than my previous two digital cameras. The only real down side is the proprietary battery. In the past I have purchased and loaded AA or AAA batteries anywhere. Now I have to recharge or carry a spare battery.

The bottom line is: I use a digital camera for convenience. I purchased a Canon Digital Elph because its size makes it easy to carry. Therefore, I am more likely to have it with me when I want to take a picture. I purchased the S400 because I was disapointed in the 2x zoom of the S230 and 4 Mega Pixels gives me more cropping/quality options. I'm very happy with my choice.

The most powerful compact digital camera out there?
Canon's S400 is the second 4 MegaPixel compact digicam from a major manufacturer on the market (I consider Minolta's F100 the first). Overall, the S400 is a winner for anyone looking for a basic point-and-shoot digital camera with a few added picture modes. While the overall build quality of the S400 is slightly inferior to Canon's 3MP S230 camera... the bevy of features compensates for this.

On the plus side is the 4 MegaPixel photo capture, 3x OPTICAL Zoom (which is way more important than what level of digital zoom it has), built-in speaker and microphone, 9 point AutoFocus system, improved user interface with the new FUNC button, DIGIC image processor which speeds up photo capture and improves photo quality, improved battery life over the older Canon digital ELPH even the S230 camera, up to 3 minutes of movie capture in various resolutions, and voice annotations on photos. All of this in a camera that fits into your shirt pocket. You also have a few manual settings if you desire with manual exposure control, white balance (with several preset values), some photo effects (sepia shots, B&W, motion blur), and long shutter settings to name several user adjustable settings.

On the minus side, battery life is somewhat short (150-170 in my use on a full charge), the flash is weak especially for low light and nighttime shots, you often will get red eye in your flash shots even with the red eye reduction (although it is greatly reduced), the off-center tripod hole makes it more difficult to have stitched photos, the limited manual controls versus other cameras in this price range, and the price of the camera.

Overall, this a great compact digital camera best for vacationing and those who need an easy to carry camera with little operating hassle. If you desire more manual features and professional level features, look at Canon's S45 4MP digital camera with is the same price as the S400.

Superb little guy!!
This little Canon is a dream. Enough manual features to allow your creative side to experiement and keep it interesting. Personally though, I mostly plan to use the S400 in auto mode for most pics though, as the shots are unbelievable for such a small camera in all settings. My former camera was a Fujii FinePix 6800 which is also a fine piece of electrical engineering, however, I prefer the 4.0 megapixel CCD as oppose to an interpolated system delivering 6.0 resolution derived from 3.0. The S400 is also much smaller, and feels more solid in the hand. Another plus is the unit is great at battery conservation, unlike some systems that drain the juice forcing you to not use the LCD. A real neat feature worthy of mention is the "Mini Movie" with sound feature which allows for two resolution settings and 3 minutes of capture. The only drawback with this little guy is the rubber cover for the AV and USB ports which in time will probably need to be replaced due to wear. I wish Canon designed a door type device for this purpose, but then again, rough users would probably break the door off. For this enigma, I suggest a CF card reader, especially if you do not use the AV ports like me. I just upload the files, and convert them to whatever format needed to play in whatever device I want, and burn them on optical media of choice, so I can leave the cover in place. None the less this is a camera I highly recommend for all users. The set-up is basically brainless for computer geeks, and simple for newbies. The S400 itself in usage is similar, in that newbies will take great shots in auto mode, and when they progress they will find the manual settings fun to play with. One of the useful manual features is the "Stitch Assist Mode" combined with the easy to use included software, "PhotoStitch" anyone can shoot awesome panoramic shots. Another neat feature, although fairly benign, is the "My Camera" mode which you can alter audio effects to make the camera sound like it has a mechanical shutter. You can even create your own sounds and personal pics to upload with the supplied software to replace factory effects. Lots of stuff in this "Little Guy" to keep you amused. Plus it takes superb pictures!

PS Digital cameras of this size are a real pain to find proper sized camera bags, so here are two that I purchased for different uses. The first is a Tamrac Digital Series model #5690 that has a velcro strip along with a clip fastener in front for secure carrying. It also has a small zippered pouch in front that can hold a spare battery and two CF cards in their case. The second is Lowepro model D-Res 8S with a zippered opening. This is a more fitted case which has an acessory pouch within the bag itself that can hold one spare battery, and one CF card. You could probably squeeze another CF card in, but the fit will be a little tight. Both bags come with shoulder straps, belt straps, and are made of ballistic nylon that is well padded. Your Elf will not roll or shake in these cases. The Canon PSC300 cloth pouch is okay if you like the purple dinosaur color, and don't mind the lint it collects.

The Difference between the S400, S45, and S230!!
Pros:
1) Compact Size
2) 4.0 Megapixel Camera!
3) 3x Optical Zoom, 3.6x Digital Zoom
4) CompactFlash media with High Speed CompactFlash support.
5) Improved Movie Record Mode (up to 3 minutes with High Speed CompactFlash card)
6) 9 point AiAF system (Artificial Intelligence AutoFocus) (S200 has 3 point AiAF system)
7) DIGIC processor (specialized processor made by Canon specifically for digital cameras... supposedly improves camera photo quality)
8) iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) for improved camera focus and white balancing.
9) Direct printing to DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatible printers.
10) Accepts the original Lithium-Ion batteries of the S110 and S300 cameras.
11) Adjustable ISO settings from 50 to 400
12) Self-Timer from 2 or 10 secs
13) Continuous Shooting mode
14) Stainless Steel Casing.
15) Built-in speaker
16) FUNC button like S45/S50 PowerShots for easier navigation through camera options especially in manual mode.
17) More rounded body gives a slightly sleeker look to the S400.

Cons:
1) Short Battery Life but seemed better than S230
2) Flash is weak especially in nighttime settings with no additional lighting and at 3x zoom.
3) Additional Batteries from Canon are Expensive. J&R sells non-Canon brands for as low as $...
4) Tripod mounting now on far left side of camera (you are looking at the back of the camera
5) Minimal Accessories available for the camera

My Opinion:...I brought 3 different camera with me. The S230, S45, and the S400 up to Boston while I do a bit of sightseeing between interviews. The reasons why I brought 3 of my camera was to see which camera will have the higest quality of picture.

I took photos of the Cambridge area, the Northern docks, and of Fenway with all three cameras... and of close up and group photos with my friends in the area. The fastest camera to start up was the S400. In fairly close up photos and group photos in daylight or good lighting situations, there wasn't a discernable amount of difference between the three cameras especially after printing out the photos on a photo-quality inkjet printer. I noted differences in distance shooting (landscaping photos) and low light situations. Landscape shots of the Boston Harbor captured better details especially with objects in the far background with the S400 and S45. Distant shots of Fenway captured sharper details on the S400 and S45 as well. Nighttime shots were best captured on the S45... although not by a great deal over the S230 and S400. The range of manual controls were without a doubt better on the S45 and that allowed me to take better twilight landscape photos than the other two digital cameras. The surprise was that the S400 seemed the fastest to display the picture in the LCD after the shutter button is pressed and the continuous shot modes were also considerable faster to me than the S230 and S45.

Perfect for casual photo enthusiasts (travelers)
I am a casual photo enthusiast who enjoys taking pictures of my friends and family wherever I go. Both photographic quality and portability are of paramount concerns and I think I found my holy grail with Canon S400.

Pros:
- Extremely portable, yet very rugged
- Beautiful design with excellent overall ergonomics
- Typically excellent photo quality in all-auto mode with no redeye
- Very fast -- startup time, image processing and acquisition, menu response
- Long battery life
- Uses widely popular (and inexpensive) CompactFlash Type 1 memory cards
- 4 megapixel resolution (2272x1704)
- 3X optical zoom/11X max with digital
- Useful movie mode with audio (3 minutes at 320x240 or 160x120)

Cons:
- Minimal manual controls (e.g., no manual focus)
- Cheap A/V/digital output cover
- Movie mode limited to 3 minutes (and no 640x480 mode may irk some)
- Proprietary battery
- Some barrel distortion when taking wide angle shots

While S400 has some shortcomings, mainly lack of manual focus, exposure, and shutter speed. And some may be bothered by its use of proprietary lithium ion battery, although given its compact size, I think Canon engineers had to implement proprietary battery. On the plus side, the battery lasts a long time, capable of taking several hundred shots before running out of juice (and takes only a couple of hours to recharge).

I've managed to fill entire 512MB memory card (32MB is included) on a single battery charge.

Did I mention how beautiful this camera is? The photos do not do this camera a justice. At 3.4" by 2.2" by 1.1", the S400 is no larger than most compact cell phones. Inch by inch, it's only a tad larger than my tiny Sony Ericsson T68i cell phone and smaller than (although a bit thicker) my Apple iPod MP3 player.

The ergonomics are consistently excellent. Although there are some learning curves (particularly given rich feature set), once mastered (comprehensive manuals make it easy), most will appreciate elegant menu layout and ideal number of buttons and layout.

But beautiful design means nothing if it does not accomplish its main functions -- taking beautiful pictures. In full auto setting, which is what majority people might use, the pictures were consistently satisfying, although overriding the white balance to match the lighting condition improved the quality significantly in many shots.

This is a great camera.

Great camera
I recently purchased this camera from Amazon.com and I am very impressed. This is my very first camera that I've owned so I'm still reading the manual but so far it has worked very well. The photo quality is amazing. The only thing that I think could be better is the battery life. I charge mine about once a day but it charges completely in only 2 hours. I have been very pleased.

elegance and portability!
After buying this little gem, I've left my Nikon and Rollei at home. Arguably, there are other cameras out there with higher resolutions and extensive manual controls but NONE of them can beat this elegant 4-megapixel little pocket camera in terms of ease of use and picture quality. Especially if you've got kids! You want to catch those "Kodak Moments" but you won't if your fiddling around with a camera that's too big to lug around and too complicated to operate. This Canon S400 is the ultimate family "point and shoot."

Great Camera
This is the perfect camera for what I wanted. It is small enough to fit in my pocket, and it takes excellent pictures. I've had it for a month now, no big complaints. Occasionally i get a few blurry pictures, but that is mostly just user error. You just have to get used to the camera. Buy a large cf card, i got a 512mb which works great. Enjoy!

Do You Need to Go HIgher? No.
I bought this camera and I have not looked back since. I had the Canon PS S330. I enjoyed every moment with it. When I first learned of the new S400, I had to have it. This little powerhouse has really lived up to the reviews that I have read online. One of the best features is the ease to making great pictures. For a beginner like myself, the only real next step is to go Digital SLR - which to be honest would take a lot of saving on my part. They are very pricey. Good luck and enjoy your new purchase. - I do reccommend an extra battery, and at least a 128mb CF card. Preferably a 256mb.

the measuring stick of digital cameras
I travel a ton, and wanted a very portable camera with high resolution. I originally bought the Konica KZ-400 (3.2 megapixels), but found the focusing to be problematic, among other things. Swaped it out for the Canon S230 but then Canon introduced this model, so I swaped again for the S400 (didn't even use the S230).

In short, I couldn't be happier. This thing looks great, is super portable, and takes wonderful pictures, many of which I've printed on 8x10s. I mostly use the automatic setting, which does a great job, but more serious photographers will appreciate the manual controls (white balance, ISO speed, etc.).

With 4 megapixels and the features this camera offers, I doubt this model will be outdated anytime soon. It is priced at the high end among its peer group, but I can't see anyone saving enough money to justify passing this one up. And don't just take my word for it, look at the other reviews.

Outstanding Image Quality
We currently own the S230 and the Olympus 4040.
This morning I did a shoot-off between the Olympus 4040 (4MP w/gorgeous F2.0 lens) and my new S400 (4MP F2.8), using a tripod. Previously I had stopped using the S230 to take my rose garden pictures as the resolution and focus just could not compare to the 4040. But I was surprised to see the S400's pictures were slightly BETTER than the 4040. The Olympus' famous jagged diagonals resulted in a softer image than the Canon's.
Usually I would expect to give up Image Quality to get the small body size of this camera - but this tradeoff does not exist in the S400!

Tiny Enough To Take With You
The Canon Powershot S400 is my second digital camera. The first was a 1.2 MP Olympus that was just way too big to carry around. I chose the Canon based on three factors: Size, Image Quality, and Ease of Use.

Size-- Size was my biggest concern. It's so tiny!! :) The camera is about the same size as a deck of playing cards. Nevertheless, the LCD screen is of a usable size and the buttons aren't so tiny that you need to use a fingernail to depress them. The viewfinder is a bit small, but atypically, shows a fairly true representation of what your shot will look like. I found the LCD screen to be a much better way of taking pictures.

Image Quality-- Wow! I was so pleased! None of my images have needed major color correction. The white balance is right on track. This little camera gets it right even in difficult color situations like bright sunlight. Flesh tones come out nice and natural and whatever Canon has done to eliminate red eye really works. I'd highly recommend this camera to people picky about image quality. The camera allows you to set the resolution of your photo. I've taken most of mine on "fine", but there's also a "superfine" resolution. I find that on the superfine, I get 14 shots. I average about 27 on fine. This brings me to my only issue with this camera-- What's up with the 32 MB card?? If you're spending this amount of money on a camera, it ought to come with a bigger card. I went out and bought a 256 MB one almost instantly.

Ease of Use-- Ease of use is the category that kept me from giving this camera five stars. It's very easy to learn the basic functions. Taking pictures, zooming in, zooming out, etc. The menus for the more complex functions are a bit less intuitive. They present you with useless options like changing the LCD's splash screen first and make you dig for important things like changing the resolution of the images. If you read the book, you'll get everything after a few rounds of shots, but you do need to read the book.

Overall, I am VERY pleased with my camera and I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Terriffic ultra-compact camera
I've been using my Powershot S400 for nearly 6 months now, and have taken well over 1,000 pictures with it. I had previous owned a Minolta S404, and I have been much happier with the Powershot for the following reasons:

1. The autofocus mechanism is much more reliable than the Minolta S404 in my experience. This probably has something to do with the autofocus assist lamp. Even in bright outdoor scenes, the Powershot seems to do a better job.

2. Less noise in low light situation than the Minolta S404. None of the flash photos that I've taken with this camera have shown signficant color noise problems like what I saw in the Minolta.

3. Very short time between frames. When you turn off the LCD preview, you can shoot images back to back in under 2 seconds. The Minolta would pause nearly 4-5 seconds in most cases.

4. It is actually compact enough to be easily portable. Don't fool yourself into thinking that one of the medium sized cameras (Minolta S404, Canon G3/G4/G5) will give you all the control you loved about your old 35mm SLR camera. They don't come close. To make matters worse, they are also no more portable than a full-size SLR. So in one sense, they are the worst of both worlds: too bulky to fit in a pocket, but not geeky enough to make real photo geeks happy. The Powershot is a good compromise in that you give up some manual features and interchangeable lenses, but you have a camera that will literally fit in your pocket.

Great camera! Lots of features.
I have owned this camera for about a month and love it. The con's people talk about don't seem like they are real to me. The flash is more than adequate for a normal use. I had a Nikon 775 and the best thing that ever happened with that camera is I dropped in and it died. It went back to service twice and never got fixed right. The S400 has a great macro mode, focus lock, auto exposure lock, long shutter mode... I really like the auto focus mode telling me where the camera focused. The Nikon chronically focused on the background instead of the subject even in portrait mode. Very frustrating. Also, the plastic case on the Nikon was not rugged enough. The Canon has a very solid case that does not flex. The battery life is great and I did by an extra battery for about $35. The Nikon battery life was much worse. The shutter delay and startup delay on the Canon is very short compared to the Nikon. Canon starts up in about 2 seconds vs. the Nikon which is over 8. The Canon also switches very fast between shoot and review mode. Also, the slide show through the video output is much faster than the Nikon. The 775 would draw the picture painfully slow on the screen.

I highly recommend this camera!

Size, speed, and quality ...
*** UPDATED ON 7/21/03 ***

I have changed my rating of the Canon S400 from 4 to 5 stars. No problems have arisen in over three months of use. I have also experimented with some of the manual controls (macro mode and shutter length), with excellent results.

My original conclusion stands; this camera's combination of size, speed, and quality is unrivaled in the digicam point-and-shoot market.

I have nothing but praise for Canon on producing such a fine product (which is increasingly rare these days).

My original review follows below.

--------------------------------------------------------------

I purchased the s400 less than a week ago and put it through the paces at a wedding last weekend. I did wide shots,telephoto'd shots, indoor/outdoor, and even some videos. It worked flawlessly. Everything behaved as I expected, and the pictures I took came out well.

I recieved a lot of compliments on the camera, with size, startup time, and image quality being the things people commented on the most. Although I considered all of these things when I decided to purhase the s400, hearing this from other digital camera owners really solidified my conclusions and convinced me that I made the right choice.

The bottom line on this camera is that it is very small and takes excellent pictures. From what I have seen so far, I hardly think anyone could go too far wrong with the S400.

The only drawback is the price, hence the four star rating, but IF this camera holds up for the next few months without throwing any kind of a techno-fit, I'll push my rating up to five stars.

A jewel of a camera that takes beautiful pictures
This is my first digital camera and I am very happy with it. It is a very stylish camera on the outside but the image quality is another plus factor. I have seen other big name brands with the same 4 MP but the quality just doesn't equal this little beauty. It is worth every penny in my book. The only thing I can complain about is the red eye reduction. But it can be corrected with the right software. Despite that, I can't help but give it very high marks.

Great camera in a tiny size-even better than higher model
I like this little digital camera. It does everything a point and shoot digital camera should do and more. For me, a point and shoot camera should be small and light so that it can conveniently go with me everywhere. That's the power of any point and shoot camera actually. It goes with you in your daily life and subsequently you get shots that you could not get with other larger cameras either because it would be too conspicous, or too inconvient to carry with you.

The S400 camera is barely larger or heavier than a pak of cigarettes and even fits in a shirt pocket with relative ease.

I originally had an S50 but ended up getting rid of it because it was too big and heavy and the manual controls on it were cumbersome to use. In the end, the manual controls on the S50 were not worth having to carry around such a brick-like camera. The S50 often ended up staying at home or in the car and I missed out on shots because I did not have the camera with me.

The images out of the S400 suprisingly enough, look even better to me than those out of the S50. I can't really explain why this is considering that the S50 is a full 1 megapixel higher than the S400.

I don't miss having the full manual controls that the S50 has at all. When I had the S50, I found that I hardly ever used the manual controls anyway because they are a bit cumbersome. I actually longed for more ease and simpleness, which frees one up to take pictures more spontaneously. So the small size and convenience of the S400 more than outweighs the lack of full manual controls for me. And the S400 does have manual mode where you can dial in some settings manually, just not f-stop and shutter speed. Further, you can often achieve the same effects as if you had full manual controls just by knowing how to set the S400. For example, if I want to shoot an outdoor portrait with a shallow depth of field (so the background will be blurry), I would set the camera's ISO to 50 and then meter off of something fairly dark (like the shade) while holding down the shutter down halfway to lock the exposure and recompose to the subject to take the picture.

To conclude, I am happy with this camera because it does everything a small point and shoot digital camera should do, yet it is quite small, light, feels sturdy (metal case) and has very pleasant ergonomics both with regard to the layout of the controls as well as to the on screen menu functions.

Really Good one
It was a pleasant experience buying this camera (till now). Red-eye reduction really works and the resolution is fantastic, If you are looking for big pictures with better quality this is the one to go, although the movie mode is'nt really interesting, the quality was not upto the mark. after all i did'nt buy this camera to take movies.

Fast 4 megapixel wonder!
After extensive research on the web ...I chose to upgrade my Canon S20 to a Canon S400. In someways, this was a step down. Unfortunately, the S400 does not support verticle alignment of it's panoramic "stitch assist" mode as they do on the S40, S45, S50 and other higher priced models. I found this feature on the S20 to be very useful in capturing more image (greater resolution and consistant panning) when stitching photos together to make a panoramic photo. Also, the S400 does not support the higher resolution movie mode of 640 x 320, as some digital cameras support. Hopefully, Canon will address these feature shortfalls with a firmware upgrade in the near future. As mentioned in a number of reviews, the S400's flash is miniscule and thus is somewhat inadequate to light wide distant shots.

Canon has improved the intelligence of the powershot digital line. Specifically in the S400 the Digic processing makes for fast picture taking and viewing. The size of the S400 is grand. It does fit in a pocket and powers up so quickly, you may never miss another shot with this camera (keeping in mind to charge your battery and have enough flash memory for the moment!!!).

The bottom line... the Canon S400 is compact, sturdy, and fast. If you are looking for a very small 4 megapixel camera with nice even colors, low levels of distortion, a basic movie capture mode, fast memory writing and reading, the S400 is a current top pick. However, if you are looking for lots of manual control, vertical "photo stitching," and more pixels try the S50.

One note if considering the S45 or S50 cameras, play with the navigation buttons before purchasing the unit; I have found the navigation to be somewhat clumsy in-which it is easy to hit "enter" when trying to navigate "up" or "down," or hit "up" when trying to "enter."

Satisfied, great features and easy to use, except...
- No battery indicator until the battery almost run out - missed the pictures of most important moment :(
- Small video screen (max 320x240)
- Easy to get scratched

Near enough perfect
This little Canon is ideal for somebody who likes to let the camera do the work most of the time, but occasionally likes to be a little more creative.
It does a great job left to its own devices, with clever metering and focusing. The manual functions don't stretch to full manual control of aperture and shutter control (aperture priority would've been nice, to avoid - light permitting - the extreme differential focus effect you tend to get on close-ups,), but you do get control over metering modes, focussing modes, ISO, EV and various flash modes, as well as a `long shutter' mode that lets you det up to a 15 second exposure and invokes an excellent noise reduction system.
I very much like the way you can adjust most of these directly from a button. It encourages you to be creative. Even when you do have to delve into a menu, it only takes a second. Canon's control system is one of the simplest I've seen, and I've had and used many digital cameras. This is a delight to use.
It's nice to hold too, and has a big fat shutter button that you can't miss, even with big fingers. It reacts almost instantly if you pre-focus.
The display is not the biggest around, but it's fast and clear, and even fairly usable in sunlight. All the indicators are clear and easy to see. The optical viewfinder is pretty good too, for such a small camera, despite the lack of parallax-correction marks.
The zoom control is a little bit hit-and-miss though, and you find yourself going beyond the point you intended before it reacts properly.
The pictures it takes are the most important thing though, and it's nice to see that the lens is up to the challenge of the 4.0 megapixel CCD. That high resolution is great because you can crop images quite a lot and still print them or view them at a decent size. The images the Canon takes look at the same time crisp and natural, with little of that `processed' look I've seen from other digital cameras. If anything, the images start out a little flat, but a tweak of brightness and contrast brings them up to scratch. I'd rather this than get images that can't be tweaked in a photo editor without making them worse.
Battery life seems quite good. The battery didn't last so long the first charge, but now keeps me going for a few days, even though I use the screen all the time and often review photos. There's no battery-level display until the battery gets low, which is slightly unnerving but doesn't really matter. A spare is a good idea.

You can have fun with this camera too. By taking panoramas and stitching them together with the supplied software (works much better than I expected), or by setting the camera up to make different sounds for different functions. You can even record your own sounds using the camera's microphone. Once you start delving into all the things this camera can do, you wonder how on earth they pack it all inside.
What don't I like? Well, to be honest, there's nothing worth mentioning other than the slightly clumsy zoom action. That's how good it is. I've changed cameras a lot over the last few years; it'll take something truly amazing to get me to swap this though.

A Wonderful Little Camera
This camera is a joy to use. It is small enough to carry everywhere. It's about the size of a pack of playing cards. Image quality is wonderful. The prints that come straight out of the camera on my Epson 960 inkjet printer are stunning. The white balance adjustment works well and the metering is very accurate. It is a good idea to buy an extra battery as there is no battery meter so you really don't know when you will run out of juice. The battery is small and carrying an extra battery is easy. The optional case is very handy. The camera comes with a wrist strap which is a safe and unobtrusive way to carry this little wonder when you are out and about shooting.

I had been looking for a small camera to take with me everywhere with excellent image quality and now I have it. Canon really did a beautiful job. The camera also feels great in the hand.

Wonderful!
We are delighted with the Canon PS S400. It's light, portable, easy-to-use (we're distinctly casual photographers), and produces really excellent results. The video output has proven extremely useful on numerous occasions -- we have a Canon ZR-10 digital video camera but the S400 satisfies our needs most of the time, plus it's light and pocket-sized. The one slight issue we've noticed is that pictures seem to have more red-eye than our prior (non-digital) cameras. Still, the tools Canon provides, as well as those available on Mac and PC platforms, adequately overcome that limitation. For the price, this is an outstanding, feature-packed, and perfectly-sized buy.

Great Camera!
Only one word to describe this camera:

WOW!

small, efficient, good battery life, easy-to-use...great resolution, good quality of photos in low light...

BUY THIS CAMERA!

Good things come in small packages!
I was very pleased with the Canon S400. I was deciding between a Canon A70 and the S400, and though the S400 lacks true manual control, the size and convenience is what pushed me to buy it.

The 4.0 MP resolution delivers very clear pictures, I have been very pleased so far with almost every single picture I've taken. The speed is also commendable, from starting up to time between shots. The auto features are all more than sufficient, with several options (including long shutter) despite the lack of true manual control. I found it always did the job for me.

What really impressed me though, was simply the size and convenience. There is so much power in this camera with 3x optical zoom, and it can still fit into just about any pocket! This made it perfect for those spontaneous shots that you simply can't foresee.

I certainly got more than my money's worth, and I strongly recommend this camera to anyone interested in delving into digital photography or simply upgrading a camera. I have no doubts this will keep me happily going for a while.

Best bang for your buck!
Can't explain how easy the Canon S400 camera is. I didn't care too much for the software it came with but then again, others might see it pretty useful. I've used other cameras such as the S100/S110, S200, S400, Sony dsc-p1, Sony cybershot dsc-f717, olympus c-5050. Of all these, the S400 seems the most versatile with size, quality and capturing shots.

Pros
-Size being compact is a big plus! Who wants to yank out a huge camera for a quick snapshot? If you look at this camera closely, the battery + compact flash memory takes up about 30% of the camera space. You'll be wondering how the heck they fit all that in there?
-Quick shots with quick focus. Of all the cameras I've used, this has got to be the best camera to 'capture' with. The reason I'm saying this is because I've missed so many opportunities of capturing a shot due to a delay. (long focus/range)
-Ease of use. Once you spend a good 30-60 min reviewing the manual and functionalities, you will be zoomin on the interface. For example, changing the type of photo (sephia/b&w) setting took 4-5 presses of a button. The Olympus C-5050 took over 9 presses of a difficult interface just to change the photo settings
-Nice indoor/outdoor shots. I normally do not have trouble taking pictures outdoors. The problem usually relates to indoor shots. The flash on this baby is pretty powerful!
-Price - Like I said, you can spend double the money and you will probably get more manual features to play around with. Aperture, shutter, +/- fine tuning. Why spend the extra money on features you probably won't even use? (...)

Con
-Zoom Every digital camera out there that has zoom capabilities, does not impress me. Of course coming from the s400, you'll be wondering how they fit all that in such a compact size! In any case, the zoom has improved since the s100/s110 days so this should be more of a 'pro' than a con

If you want a digital camera that is still considered to be high rez for most consumers (4 megapixel is more than enough), a camera that is easy to use, affordable, acts quickly (takes quick shots), compact and reliable. If you're looking for a cheaper camera, you can consider the s230 (3mp)

Great Little Camera
I have been using a Olympus C-2020 for about three years now. I do enjoy the manual controls, but I didn't like the large size and protruding lens. I found myself leaving the camera at home when I wanted to take it, it was too big to fit in a jacket or pants pocket. Then came the Canon S400. The size of this camera is great and the build quality is top notch (nice metal casing), it fits in my pants pocket and I can now take it out more often for those events. Picture quality is fantastic and the movie feature is great (has sound and its clear). There are no real manual controls, but I can do with out them. Overall, I am very satisfied with this camera and would recommend it to anyone.

PS400 sets the new standard for compact digital cams
I own and have been happy with a Canon ELPH film camera. What I loved about the ELPH was its compact size. It really is small enough to carry in your pocket. Even better, I got some of the best photos I'd ever taken using the ELPH, mainly because I carried it with me much more often and as a result, ended up taking pictures I would have missed had the camera been sitting at home.

For me, it was out of the question to sacrifice the small size when I made the move to a digital camera. Fortunately, the PS400 is extremely compact and produces photos that are much better than the ELPH was capable of doing.

A major advantage of a digital camera is being able to immediately see the picture that you have just taken. This allows you to re-take the shot if someone closed their eyes, or if it's poorly composed, or the flash needs to be adjusted. The PS400 is set to display the image for a few seconds after you take the picture, but you can also switch the camera into view mode and look at it more carefully if you need to.

Another big advantage of a digital camera is that you can edit the image after you have downloaded it to your PC. This makes it possible for an amateur photographer to do what can only be done in a darkroom when you use film. The download process itself is very fast and easy to do, whether you use the USB cable provided with the camera, or a Compact Flash card reader (which is quicker and will not deplete the camera's battery). Once the image is on your PC, you can make all sorts of adjustments, using the provided software, or image editing software of your own choice.

You may be thinking that you won't want to do much image editing, and it is true that the camera takes pictures that are ready to go without any editing. However, you will probably find that you are taking a lot more pictures than you ever did with a film camera. Unlike a film camera, where you take a full roll of pictures and then wait to see the results, you get immediate feedback with a digital camera. If you like it, it stays on the Compact Flash card until you download it. If you don't like it, you can delete it and take another one. Having the ability to shoot large numbers of pictures at no added cost, and experimenting with lighting and composition allows you to improve as a photographer. I would never have used an entire roll of film trying to get the best possible picture of one subject, but I have found myself re-shooting the same subject from a variety of angles and with different lighting with the PS400. It's fast, it's free, and you can get immediate feedback on what works and what doesn't.

The camera can be connected to a TV monitor to allow showing pictures in a slide show. I haven't used the video mode yet, which to me is a nice extra, but not something I had to have.

I have been pleasantly surprised with the camera's performance in low-light situations, always an issue with point-and-shoot cameras. I have had far fewer pictures with red-eye than I ever had with any other small point-and-shoot cameras. Even shots that were poorly exposed have been quickly fixed using the digital imaging software.

The multi-zone focus system works extremely well and I have not yet had a picture that was out of focus. The viewfinder tends to give a smaller image than you are actually shooting, so I generally use the LCD screen instead. This can be problematic for outdoor shots, because the LCD screen is difficult to view in direct sunlight. However, it has not been troublesome enough to detract from my enjoyment of using this camera.

Despite its tiny size, the camera is easy to use, even for someone with large hands. The buttons are actually more substantial than the controls on my ELPH, and the menu system is reasonably well-organized.

I haven't had a battery run out on me yet, though I did buy an extra as back-up. The battery charges very quickly and the charging device is small and compact, with an AC plug that folds into the charger itself when not in use. You can fit the camera, the charger, the PC cable, and the A/V cables, in a very small camera bag, and still have plenty of room for an extra battery, extra Compact Flash cards, and even the user's manual.

The camera comes with a 32MB Compact Flash card, which is more generous than what Canon provided with previous PowerShot models, but still not large enough (it will give you about 15 or 16 images at the highest resolution and largest size). Since each image is about 2MB, you need a card that is at least 256MB. You will also want a case for the camera, since it is not included. I have found that Canon's PSC-50 case works well with the PS400. It provides protection but does not make the camera too bulky to fit in your pocket.

I know that some users have complained about the ArcSoft software that comes with the camera, but I have found it to be more intuitive to use than comparable editing software I've used in the past (including some of ArcSoft's previous products, which were not very good at all). I feel that it strikes a reasonable balance between ease-of-use and a more robust set of features, and is well-suited to its target audience. The Photo Record software that allows you to create photo albums is excellent.

I love this camera. It is changing the way that I take pictures, and what I do with them after I've taken them. I know that nothing is perfect, but this camera comes close.

Upgrade from Nikon 775
Replaced my Nikon 775 (2.0 megapixel) because I wanted higher megapixels and a microphone. Athough the S400 takes larger pictures than my Nikon, I preper the picture quality of the Nikon on outdoor pictures. The Nikon does a better job on high contrast photos (ie light sky with dark ground). I've only been using the S400 for a month, so maybe I need more experience with the manual settings. I do like the audio and increased video capturing time on the S400 over the Nikon. However, the S400 does no alow for zooming in or out while recording. It also does not change the apature setting while recording, which is a problem when panning scenes with high contrast(ie sunsets).

Overall, it is a very portable camera that is good for general point and shoot pictures, but I will continue to look for a better portable camera for outdoor/lanscape photos.

Canon Powershot s400
I carried this camera in my pocket for a 3 week holday in the UK, and was thrilled with the results when I got home. Pictures are very sharp, and color is excellent (perhaps a little dark on the default setting, but this is adjustable). The camera is principally automatic point-and-shoot, with some manual controls/overrides for more advanced situations. The number of features is amazing for its size. The user interface design is excellent. The silver paint on the case scratched too easily by coins and keys in the same pocket. The macro capability make this a great ideal camera for shooting closeups of small flowers, insects, jewelry. The shooting/display switch feels/looks a little fragile, but I have had no problems so far. Overall, an outstanding little camera.

It has all been said
All the reviews available really say it all. I can only say positive things about this little wonder. I have been using digital cameras only since 1994 and I can say this is the best so far. The size is great even for big hands like mine and it is very easy to use. Low light conditions require extra light, but when the light is sufficient, pictures are far better than I ever got with my Nikon film camera years ago. It is my second camera to exceed film quality. The last one was a Canon also. The investment in digital is well worth it since you have zero expense after camera, extra cards, and card reader are purchased. Bottom line: knockout quality in design, construction quality, and picture quality. This camera is a work of art that could be showcased.

Amazing camera, great for amateurs and experts alike!
Amazing picture graphics, and the zooming is great! But if you are to buy this camera, be sure to get a cover case for it, otherwise, it is easily scratched. The battery life is amazing, and overall, it is worth its money!

EXCELLENT FOR EVERYONE
This little thing beats all the (ultra) compact ones out there.
Don't believe me? Try it yourself!
First I had a Canon A40. My second cam was a Canon S40. The S400 is my third digicam, and I won't sell it for a few years (at least Canon makes a newer and better from this series).
What's the difference comparing to my previous digicams? The main: it's smaller and lighter. The second: it is faster. The third: it takes clearer pics like the other two. Also, it records 3 minute videos at 320x160. The manual settings are too few, but I don't miss them. I rarely used 'em on my S40 before. Not a big thing. I have ISO and white balance manual settings on my S400.
Belive it or not, the battery of the S400 lasts longer than the one in my S40, though it's smaller and lighter.
Reviewing pictures is a pleasure. VERY FAST! Compare it to Sony-P9 and you never buy a Sony after that. Compare low-light shots to any high-end ultra compact cam (eg. Minolta F100). You will choose Canon for that purpose also.
What's wrong with it then? There is no battery indicator. Not a big thing, you can live without it.
Once you tried this smart beauty, you'll never let it go!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Good features, camera gets warm
Has good features, but it gets warm/hot if it is operated for more than 5 minutes. I exchanged it for another piece but that also had the same problem. I returned it.

It's wonderful, but...... You may need to wait a while
I own many Canon cameras because I play 35mm camera since I was very young with Canon. In fact, I would like to say that it's a perfect camera, which I got in past three years. I want to give it 5 stars, but I gave it 4 stars based on following reason.

Wonderful small size, but battery needs to imporve more. It's same with S110, S230 and S330. You need a extra Battery, and it's better to turn off the LCD. It will make you to take more pictures.

Flash is still weak, but enough for outdoor with sunshine. Please turn on lights if you want to take indoor pictures.

3X room = Good, but not necessary. In fact, for small lens, you can not make good picture when you take long range shoot to compare with SLR cameras. I would like to say. 2X room is enough for such style camera.

Based on the price, I suggest that you can wait for some months after the price goes down... Otherwise, I suggest to buy S230 during period. Even it isn't so good like this one, but for the small camera. It is perfect with the good price and all functions!!!

chic, sophisticated point and shoot with 4MP resolution
if you're looking for a higher resolution point and shoot camera that will give you fantastic pictures shot after shot, consider the s400!

pros:
- excellent resolution - best of the ultra-compact four megapixel class i've looked at
- 3x optical zoom lens
- good metering and good tonal balance - maintains shadow detail
- good natural light white balance, strong and balanced colours
- features "cerabrite," a metal/ceramic mix that is more smudge proof than other materials
- allows control over cameras internal processing algorithms - saturation, tone, sharpness
- low noise at ISO 50 (keep in mind that ISO 50 for this camera is actually ISO 100 for everyone else; likewise, ISO 100 is in reality closer to ISO 200, etc)
- the LCD monitor (1.5") is bright and has an anti-reflective coating - gives good live preview and review even in well lit situations
- shooting priority play mode (a half-press of the shutter release always returns to shooting)
- fast shot-to-shot times
- fairly good startup time, especially for an extending lens camera
- voice annotation feature
- invervalometer (time lapse capability)
- AF assist lamp works well
- USB connectivity
- good battery life, although i would recommend carrying a spare since canon's batteries are proprietary
- ultracompact: 3.4 x 2.2 x 1.1 in, weighing only 7.8oz

cons:
- average macro performance
- nine-point AiAF not available in non-auto exposure modes
- average flash performance
- you'll need to remove from tripod to open the battery compartment
- AF Assist lamp doesn't have enough power at telephoto zoom
- very small mode dial
- moderately underexposed flash shots
- very few manual controls - this is okay if all you want is a point and shoot
- RAW format not supported
- the supplied 32MB CF card is inadequate - be prepared to shell out a few more bucks for at least a 256MB card
- proprietary battery - again, a few more bucks for a spare

hope this helps you in your purchase. enjoy!

Pricey but worth it....
I purchased this camera after reading a number of positive reviews. I was not dissappointed. This camera takes an excellent photo and is very easy to use. The battery life is very good and it comes with a little outlet mounted charger.

The video features are very good for a camera this small. This is one of the first digital cameras where I have seen the video features worth using. You can capture short motion clips and they are usually reasonable small enough the email to people. They also don't require a special codec to be viewed.

So small, with such big features
This camera recieved great reviews from PC magazine as well recenlty while they compared it to a bunch of other ditigal cameras. This happens to be the worlds smallest 4Megapixel camera. Its heavier than it looks, but its hardly noticeable in your pocket. I purchased a little camera pouch with a shoulder strap that makes the camera vanish behind your arm. The camera seems very delicate, so I get worried when others handle it. The LCD screen doesnt come with any protection so you have to be carefull not to scratch it. The s400 has plenty of features like movie mode up to 3 minutes. It also takes great panoramic shots. As a matter of fact, it is possible (and easy) to take 360 degrees of pictures and stitch them together with the bundled software. There are many features for advanced users, but it is easitly figured out by the thickest consumers. The buttons, however, are small so they may pose a difficulty for folk with large hands or clumsy fingers. the 3x optical zoom is great. The 11x digital zoom is harldy used but handy. The various flash options, focusing options, and ISO speeds can confuse people. Im still learning how to take the best pictures depending on the light source. Of course, there is always the Automatic option if you want the camera to decide for you. Overall, it may be a bit pricey after you purchase a decent CF card. The 32 MB card that comes with it is harldy enough room for the size of the pictures the 2400 can take when the resolution and quality are maxed out. Go buy a 256MB card. The cards can be developed at a walgreens or the data can be moved to the computer and then to a CD. The CDs can be taken to be developed as well. Lastly, the software included is pretty good if you like to edit, print, or arrange your pics. Always, nomatter how great the camera, it still takes a good photographer to capture a good photo.

Best compact camera under 500 dollars
The image quality is mostly good. The battery is proprietary and wimpy and can be a dog to autofocus in difficult lighting. I sell digital cameras and we do lots of prints in store. Prints tend to look much better than similiar cameras like the sony p10, but the Sony is a lot faster on its feet. Personally, however, I wouldn't buy it. Too boring. Too small, which guarantees less zoom, but 3x is pretty standard. Canon's menue operation is annoying compared to say a kodak, which all seem to be quite decent now, especially the four megapixel model that is priced a hundred dollars less than the elf and should produce similiar image quality with more zoon flexibility.

A great little camera
I bought this because my wife wanted a small camera. I wanted one with more features but went with this one anyway. The small size is makes this camera so handy to take any where. You really can keep it in your pocket.

It takes great pictures and is easy to use. We have been very happy with it. The only two quibbles are the lack of a battery level indicator and the limited accuracy of the viewfinder. Neither are a great problem.

I've taken some nice sunset pictures using the manual mode but for most situations the auto mode does a great job. I'd recommend this to anyone.

a mighty mite!
an excellent point and shoot camera which produces superb images with minimal effort. the DIGIC processor or ISAPS does seem to make a difference compared with powershot s40. do not purchase if you are expecting a lot of manual functions. read the manual to get the most out of this camera.

Excellent camera
I tend to shop around before I buy anything. After much research, I bought the S45. It was a great camera. No real complaints. But, a week or two later, the S400 was released. The combination of features...including the improved optical and digital zoom made it a no-brainer. I sold my S45 and bought the S400. I LOVE the small size. And, while the S45 was great, it was too much camera for me at this point. The S400 is all I need. My only complaint is that when the battery does run down, everything slows down a bit. But, that's true of many digital cameras. (Battery life has been phenomenal thus far.) In regard to ease of use and quality of pictures---EXCELLENT. I took my S400 on African Safari...and the pictures are awesome. Other folks on the tour had larger cameras and more powerful lenses...but, in the end, it didn't make that much of a difference. I have tons of pics that are high enough quality to make 8x10 enlargements. The camera did well mid-day with the sun overhead, at dusk and sunrise (GREAT silhouette photos!!). At night, there were a couple of indoor pics that were too bright...but I typically only used the auto mode. I imagine that once I become more familiar with the manual mode, that won't be much of a problem. The camera also went with me on a trip to Mexico...where it easily fit into my pocket as I walked on the beach or went out to dinner with my friends. I highly recommend this one. It's a great little camera. I've been very happy with it.

The Canon line gets better
I have owned the last two generations of the Powershot family. Not only does this one have more pixels, but it is even more precisely engineered, more compact and with a better user interface. No complaints and with 1 GB flashcard, can take 800+ shots at full resolution.

love this thing! but beware - you'll need to spend extra $$
definitely one of my best birthday gifts ever...

i love my elph aps camera but wanted to upgrade to a compact digital... the s400 was a no-brainer, canon makes great cameras.

this is a great camera for everyday use, especially for traveling. all the controls are teeny tiny, but once you get the hang of them taking pictures/movies becomes a piece of cake,

picture quality is great, however i wish there was a higher resolution for shooting movie clips.

the only downer is that i had to spend approx. an extra $200 to maintain the camera! the battery life is somewhat short - downloading to the computer pretty much drains the entire battery, the camera doesn't come with a case (since when did canon get so cheap? my elph came with a case, which now sells separately for about $15), and the lcd screen is on the outside so a case is a must to protect this.

i definitely recommend getting the adapter kit (about $60), this saves battery life and is a must when downloading to your hard drive. the only weird thing is the cable connects to the camera bottom, so the camera is at an awkward angle when the side is connected to the usb port and the bottom is connected to the adapter... you sort of have to lean it on its side or risk having it fall on the lcd screen or lens.

also recommend getting the accessory pack (about $80). this comes with a nice carrying bag, a camera case and an extra battery.

lastly, i recommend getting a larger memory card (got the 256 mb flash card for about $60). the 32 mb that comes with the camera is nothing.

i probably spent big $$$ overall on the camera, but the quality & ease of use make up for this.

Best Canon Powershot yet!
I used to have a Powershot S110, but recently upgraded to the S400. They have really worked out a lot of the irritating little quirks that I had on the S110. It's easy to get to movie mode, and the scrolling buttons when viewing photos are now 4-way instead of 2-way. Menu navigation is easier, and even deleting photos takes less steps. I was concerned about the casing not being as durable as the ones on the S110, and wasn't sure why they went differently with the S400, but the brushed finish just makes it look that way. The rounded corners actually make it nicer to sit in your pocket. The flash is more powerful, just everything. Obviously you pay more for all the upgrades....so if you don't really need 4.0 megapixels, then maybe consider the new SD100. But, the images and their new DIGIC chip are top notch. I just ordered the underwater housing for the S400, so I can't wait to try it out!

Excellent small size and light weight camera
The metal body is really v good - feels durable and strong but light weight and no fignerprints ever! Pictures come out v clear (as expected from a Canon) and the battery is light weight too. Not too many manual controls though, and if you compare the manuals of S400 vs S45, you will see what I mean. (man many more pages in S45). But for point and click types, this is the best. (and now at a v great price too! @ amazon/other websites).

My first digital camera and is working out GREAT!
This is my first digital camera and I love everything what this little Elph has to offer. It takes superb pictures and easy to operate. It's small enough to fix in my shirt pocket so I can carry it around with me when I'm on the road. I don't want to carry a brick! Did I mention it can record good quality movie clips too? Don't let the small size fools you. The S400 is packed with features and does a great job! The S400 won't disappoint you! Canon makes great cameras!!!

This camera is excellent for the price.
I bought two S400 cameras last week, and they are absolutely superb. Image quality is wonderful, it processes shots very quickly, controls are well laid out and easy to use, form factor is brilliant (small, compact, yet full-featured), battery lasts a long time, and the exterior is very robust. Maybe the only thing I'd want is a bit more zoom, and perhaps it could have come with a slightly larger CF card (32MB is a bit small for 4MP); I ended up buying a 128MB card to use with it, and will probably splurge for a 512MB if I take it on vacation.

nice disposable camera
I got this camera because of the many positive reviews, the small size and the high resolution. I was more or less happy with it at first. It took good pictures in many situations and I'm not sure how many other point and shoot cameras would have done better in the places where it performed poorly.

In particular, I was dissapointed by the autofocus in certain situations. I tried the various focus options to try to work around this, but with little success.

Other minor irritations: the camera frequently got quite warm, though not so hot as to constitute a burn hazard; the exterior finish scratches/wears off rapidly; it always starts up with the flash enabled (flash mode is not saved when camera is turned off).

But after less than three months, it failed completely. It would not even turn on. So I sent it to Canon for repair. They kept it for quite a while, before sending out a letter saying it would be repaired under warranty. But then a short time later, they changed their mind, and declared that the camera had suffered extensive water damage and they would not repair it under warranty. Naturally, since I had not exposed the camera to water, this was a surprise to me. I also found it suspect that it took so long for them to discover that 'extensive water damage' was the problem and that about the only part of the camera that was still usable was the scratched up case.

Bottom line: Canon wants $305 to repair a three month old camera that is supposedly under warranty.

Fantastic!
I will purposefuly keep this review nice and short. I own this camera, and after 1000's of shots I can only say this - it is simpy FANTASTIC! Yes, FANTASTIC! I have NEVER had a problem with this camera! The pictures I take are amazing (not due to my own merits), and when I went to print them (at a local store), I was BLOWN away! I have NEVER seen such good quality photos from ANY 35mm camera before. The menus are easy to use and understand, and even the movie feature is neat (which I so didn't care about, I didn't know it had it when I bought it). This camera has been perfectly compatible with BOTH my Mac OS X (direct plug into iPhoto) and my PC. Also, the battery life is SUPER. I was in Europe for several weeks, and never got the low battery light. I got nervous towards the end, and bought a converter, so I could charge, but may have made it without it. Of course, the charger is European current (220v) compatible, so all you need is a converter for the plug. PLUS, I have dropped the camera several times, once in a Russian sub in Seattle, and it went far ... and it seemed to have taken it like a man. So, it's pretty durable to boot!
The only complain, is that it doesn't zoom enough. But, I have learned to work around it.
Be sure to buy an extra storage card (256 MEG +), because you will want to take the highest quality photos you can. If you need smaller ones, doctor them up later, but take at highest quality and size first. Don't worry the camera is just as fast to take large photos, as it is small ones. The small photos look great, but the highest quality ones are AMAZING!
I can't think of a camera being any better, other than one that is smaller ... but I am being too ungrateful now, so I will stop. I stick this camera in my pants pocket, and it never bothers me (much). =)

Great LITTLE camera
I purchased this camera a few days ago and have been very pleased thus far. The print image quality is outstanding. The camera, even though it is tiny, has a very "sturdy" feel. After weeks of research, the decision was between this camera and the Canon S45. (I had included the Canon S50, but had read reviews by many professionals stating that the 5 megapixel cameras are just not necessary. Except for those who intend to print large.) The S400 does not have the manual features of the S45. If you intend to do more fine arts work, then you should take that into consideration. But if you want a great (so far), small point and shoot then this may be the camera for you.

I am giving 4 stars because of the high price and the lack of manual features, other than those points, it is a 5 star camera.

Update: January 26, 2004...LOVE the camera. Have had no problems. Very happy with my purchase.

Not for the pro, but great for everybody else.....
After owning countless "regular" cameras, including a 10 lb. 35 mm Nikon that gave me neck pain just carrying it (and 2 lenses) around, 2 or 3 Olympus "point and shoots" and various other mediocre small handbag-size cameras, I finally was "born again" and discovered the world of digital (about the same time I realized AOL was yesterday's news when it took half my life to download photos). So, I did some research, thought about what was realistic for my life style, and decided to go with this baby.

What a delight! Very, very small and perfect for stashing in your pocket, briefcase, or handbag. It takes good (not breathtaking) pictures that I suspect could be improved if I spent more time reading the manual. If you've never owned a digital before, this is an ideal model for a first time user. First thing, get a memory card with a minimum of 128 mb so you can play around without having to worry about downloading or erasing constantly. Also, you will need to recharge the battery a lot if you are using the camera regularly.

EXCELLENT CAMERA
I love this little camera. I also have the elph APS camera. Easy to use on Auto Mode and good Macro settings. Even has a 3 minute movie option. Easy to load photos to PC and share. Good battery life. Light and easy to carry! CANNOT SAY ENOUGH about this great little camera!!

Wonderful little camera
This is my 3rd digital camera, having owned two bulkier Olympus models previously. I was looking for a smaller camera that would be easier to carry. After much research I chose this Canon S400, and it's just about perfect. The display is clear and easy to use. The included rechargeable battery and charger are easy to use, very small, and the battery charges fairly quickly after the initial charge. I took it with on a trip to DisneyWorld, where I took about 50 pictures daily. It fit nicely into a small pocket of my waistbag. I purchased with it two 256MB Sandisk CF cards, they have worked flawlessly thus far. Hooking the camera up to my iMac was no problem, I hooked up the included USB cable and iPhoto instantly recognized the camera; the pictures were uploaded in no time. The only thing I'd really like is a decent case to protect it in my bag. The Canon case that can be purchased separately is rather chintzy. I currently keep it in a neoprene eyeglass zip case that I picked up at a sporting goods store.

Tons of features in a small package
I've had my S400 for a few weeks now and love it. I've used it in all sorts of different situations (outside with glare from water, inside with low light, flash, no flash, etc.). The only pics that have turned out were user error. I've used both Fuji and Kodak digi cameras and the Canon is in a different league than the others. I was a little concerned that the camera would be too small, but after using it, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a camera they can take anywhere. Which is exactly what I do. Buy this camera!

Canon Elph...Canon Elated
I love my camera, didn't buy it at Amazon however, I suggest you do this is a great price. The size is great I carry it around just because it is so small. It slips right into a nifty little pouch in my favorite purse. For close up photos the clarity is great. Equally great is the zoom lens. I can't say enough words for this little powerhouse of a camera. If point and shoot is what you are looking for get this camera. Good Video with sound too!

Truly Awesome
This is a wonderful camera. I am disabled and have trouble lifting anything heavy, but this camera is so light I have no trouble at all. The picture quality is amazing and it has a nice appearance too. The only thing I don't like about it is the case that Canon provides as an option to go with it. It doesn't give you a place to store additional batteries, and since it doesn't allow for regular batteries, this is important. Overall, it's the best I've ever personally used.

Great camera for the money
I recently travelled to China with a small group, each of whom had a digital camera. My Canon was by far the most compact and easiest to use, and had the most useful features. The only drawback was the relatively short battery life--it's usually only good for about 75 images or less, if you use the LCD screen most of the time. The metal case makes it relatively rugged [good enough to carry in your pocket]. My wife has a Nikon Coolpix 4000 and this camera is very comparable. I would readily recommend it for amateur travel photography.

Marked Improvement
I've tested every version of the compact Canon Elph over the years and was alway a bit disappointed compared to the competition. This version, with a 4 MB CCD, closes the gap. Not only is the CCD larger than on past models, but the optical design is a step up. The main benefactor is wide angle performance. Test images show marked improvement at the widest angle setting compared to the older 3.2 MB Elph. If you need the convenience of a tiny digital camera but require excellent image quality, give the S400 a look.

Four and Half Stars really (A pretty good camera)
I did quite a bit of research before purchasing. I wanted a camera that produces high quality images, is very compact and easy to use.

I have a Sony digital camcorder. Naturally, I was initially inclined to buy a Sony. Besides, Sony cameras (of the same price range) seem to have more features and more pixels than Canon cameras. But when I went to a store to check the cameras out, the Sony cameras reminded me of the (fairly new) Sony digital camcorder I have: the menu is so clumsy and illogical that sometimes it drives me nuts!

In contrast, the Canon cameras struck me as extremely user friendly. Aside from the S400's size, metal body and its pleasing exterior, I couldn't believe how easy it was to navigate the controls. Everything is logically and intuitively laid out. For every menu choice one makes, the LCD screen displays the name of that function in addition to the icon. (One does not need to memorize what icon means what--one can read it on the LCD screen.)

I chose the S400 above the other Canons, because I decided that the S400 offers just enough manual controls as a point-n-shoot camera. I figured that if I wanted full control, I'd buy a Sony DSC717; if I needed a camera for extreme high image quality, I'd use my Nikon SLR's. For most everyday use, including printing up to 8x11, 4mega pixels is more than sufficient.

There are several things that I am disappointed with (aside from the 32mb memory and lack of a pouch):

1. Flash pictures tend to be over exposed. Or else the picture is very dark. One can use the manual control to adjust the exposure compensation, but for spontaneous shots, that seems rather cumbersome.

2. The red-eye reduction function doesn't seem to work very well on my set.

3. When I installed the software on my computer (Windows Me), the computer freezes at the end of the installation process. The software seems to work fine, but the freeze bugs me. I tried re-install a couple of times but the same thing happened.

I believe that if you have Windows XP, you can simply plug the camera in and the computer will just recognize it as a removable harddisk. I have NOT tried this out yet though.

An alternative to installing software is the USB cf card reader (I bought one made by SimpleTech for $16) which plugs in to my Windows Me computer and is immediately recognized as an additional device. The downside to that is that one has to remove the cf card from the camera and insert it into the reader. I am always afraid I'd bend one of those little pins through which the cf card connects to the various devices.

Overall, I highly recommend this camera.

small camera that takes great outdoor pictures
This Canon is very easy to use like all the canons out there. I love the menu system, how quickly the camera starts up, its size, how it feels in my hands, even the little sound effects it makes. Browsing the images is also easy to do, fast, and gives useful information.

All the professional reviews say the camera takes fantastic pictures. My own personal opinion is that it takes fantastic pictures some times, and other times not so great. Often the colors are too saturated in my opinion. Many indoor pictures and flash pictures just look wrong, the wrong colors usually.

The camera has just a few manual options. One that's missing is one that allows me to specify spot focusing. Instead, it figures out how to focus itself (and displays one or more green boxes in the LDC where it actually focused) and if it picks the wrong place(s), you have to release the button and try again. Sometimes you just can't convince it to focus on what you want. And ... of course, you need to realize all this is going on and pay attention or else you might end up with a bunch of duds.

I still think this camera is probably one of the best quality small cameras you can buy. We needed something to offset the bulk of the EOS 10D that we bought. Once we tried that camera there was no looking back: you press the button, it takes the picture, no delay. You HOLD the button and it takes 9 shots without stopping, 3.3 fps, 6 megapixels each. But it is too big to carry everywhere...

Amazing(ly) little devise
Dear Amazon,

I never thought I'd be writing something like this, but here I am; I'm in love with a digital camera.

After the 24 hours to read the instruction book, master the features, and install the software, I was finally ready to take this bad-boy out and take some real shots.

Flash: Indoor pictures with the main flash are a little overexposed and leave someone looking like they need to hit a tanning booth, stat (or just leave North Dakota...whichever). For outside shots, however, you can get some absolutely great shots in the light or dark. The flash is a little blinding, which should be mentioned to the people you are filming.

Red eye: I've messed around a little bit with this and haven't had too much success. Even with the digital zoom and the red-eye eliminator, eyes still look a little iffy. This is one of my 2 complaints about this camera.

Digital Zoom: It can go up to 11X (3X on video record), but if you move at all, the picture will be absolutely horrible. Something I discovered with the 'no-flash' feature that can be mentioned here as well is if the person you are taking a picture of moves suddenly, you have a 50-50 chance of good picture/bad picture.

Mosaic: Awesome feature, although for the life of me I can't figure out why I like the picture of my living room so much.

Video: My favorite feature BY FAR! Great quality, only goes up to 3X zoom, but you can re-enact your favorite moments of 'The Blair Witch Project' rather seamlessly (you may wish to keep a hanky around for the snot-bubble scene).

I am constantly amazed at this camera and how easy it was to hook up to my XP machine (just throw the USB cable in to the machine and the camera). Definitely worth the money I paid and more so!

Good things do come in small packages.
First I want to say the camera is made very well, the metal finish does not show smudges or finger prints. The size is great, very compact and light. The battery charges fairly quickly and seems to last. The camera is very simple to use.

As with most digital cameras you will need to upgrade the 32 Meg. CF card that is included if you want to hold more than 20-40 images before up-loading.

As for image quality in the auto mode, the red eye reduction does not work most of the time. The flash although very bright in the foreground does not seem to illuminate the background and leaves it pixilated (a common problem with small flashes in digital cameras when photographing indoors). The contrast, brightness, and colors seem to be true.

I purchased this camera as a quick point and shoot compact and an alternative to dragging around my 8 pound Nikon D1.

If you are looking for a small compact and you do not need National Geographic quality images, this camera would be a good choice.

Buy it ~you'll like it!
I spent 2 weeks searching the internet for reviews on digital cameras and came to the conclusion of spending more than I wanted but to get the best I could with the qualities I wanted - The things I like best are the picture quality that are much sharper than my 35mm, the size and construction- feels very solid, lots of manual features - if I needed any more I would not have gotten a point and shoot. Video mode is just amazing- that such a small thing can make a video- although when trying to e-mail it- it took a long time and I have not tried to tweek that at all yet - one thing I noted today was that dates dont stamp out on pics but if you buy a certain Canon printer the manual notes the date of photo creation will print out - overall I love this little camera and it about as exciting as your first computer ~ i did learn in my reading reviews of the ofoto.com website for downloading, editing, and getting your photos printed by them and receive thru the mail - that works great -

I have a Nikon 35mm which has always taken beautiful photos but now ~ I must say - this Canon really beats it for sharpness and colors. If you are in a Christmas rush wondering which digital to get- just pick this up and save yourself the time of reading the reviews - this gets great ratings everywhere.

I LOVE THIS CAMERA
This is actually my second digital camera. My first was an Olympus C-3020 zoom. I was very excited when i recieved that camera as a gift but as i began to use it i became very unhappy with it. It is very bulky and doenst have audio capabilities like the S400. It also used 4 AA batteries which didnt last very long and added alot of weight to the already heavy camera. Needless to say i was very happy when it was stolen because i got the money from my insurance company which allowed me to purchase the Canon PowerShot S400.

I was immediatley satisfied with the PowerShot S400. I love the audio & video capabilities and the camera is very easy to use. Also, there is no comparison in the size of the S400 to that of the Olympus. I am able to take this camera everywhere because it is so small. Also the Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery is great and lasts very long, even when you use the LCD screen for playback very often. I did a lot of research before i purchased a new digital camera after my first one was stolen, and i couldnt find a smaller camera with all the options that were included in the S400.

I guarantee you will not be disappointed with this camera.

Wonderful Camera
This is a wonderful little camera that takes great pictures! I have taken 200 pictures so far and all of them have come out great! The only problems I have found with it is that it does get a little warm as you use it and also when using flash indoors the contrast is not as good as I would like it to be. Other than that I would highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a small easy to use digital camera.

If you liked the A70 you will love the A80
I went to Italy for the first time in October. I took my new Sony trv39 digital camcorder and realy liked the movies I took. I found I really used the swivel lcd monitor that came on the Sony movie camera that allowed me to shoot pictures above the crowds at the various places I visited in Italy.
Just before I left on the trip, my sister talked me into taking her Canon A70 and am I ever glad I took her up on her offer. The camera is light weight, easy to carry anywhere and with 3.2 megapixels took some great photo's I couldn't get with the Sony that can take photo's but at only 1 megapixel. I was wishing the A70 had the same type of swivel LCD monitor feature and now the A80 comes with it.
I ordered the A80 that has 4 megapixels and like the A70 is light and compact. I took the A80 to my nieces birthday party at a restaurant and it took great pictures. I found I wanted to crop and enlarge some of the pictures and with the 4 megapixels there was no loss of clarity when I enlarged any of the pictures. I also like the stich assist mode and all the other camera select functions. The camera uses ordinary, easy to find anywhere, AAA batteries which is a plus. I've taken about 100 pictures and I am so glad I bought this camera. The pictures are clear, the colors are true and the camera is simple to use. I think this is a camera that I can grow into as I become more experienced with it.
The one thing I noticed as a drawback is that it is a little delay in the pressing of the picture button before the shutter functions. After the first 10 shots I found I wasn't concerned with that delay.

great things come in small packages
This is an almost perfect little piece of equipment. It is easy to carry with you anywhere in a pocket or a small case and that's important because a camera only counts if its with you. The outer casing is very sturdy (and attractive) and will protect your camera from bumps and falls.

The biggest improvements over my previous canon S230 are the additional megapixels- 4.0 and the 3x optical zoom. Both these improvements are important to the quality of prints- especially to enlargements. An optical zoom takes much crisper shots than a digital one and 3x enlargement is superior to the 2x in the S230 and other small digital cameras. The 4.0 megapixels also provides a sharper picture again especially for enlargements. I do reccommend purchasing at least a 256 Megabyte card to accommodate the extra data you'll be storing. And buy an extra battery so you don't run out of power unexpectedly.

This is a great camera and so easy to use that anyone can take great photos in no time. Once you buy this camera you'll use no other one.

Great photos anywhere!
Great have it with you always camera. Terrific for all types of shots by a novice, such as myself. Comes with easy to use software and accessories. Would get larger flash card (at least 128MB) and spare battery, and soft case.

Takes great photos. Distant zoomed shots beyond the range of the to optical zoom are the only weakness, as they are with all non-telephoto lens cameras.

Lot's of Features in Small Package
Hope to help Xmas shoppers with this review. We just got our S400. We've had a Fujifilm Finepix 1400 for about the last 3 yrs, but it is only 1.2 mp and larger in size than the S400. The Fujifilm camera was a good one to learn on though and has helped us to understand a number of features on the S400. If you are techno-savvy, go with the S400. If not get a more simple camera to learn on. The quick start guide is easy to get you going. We also bought a case, 256mb simpletech card, simpletech card reader, and extra battery pack. Don't buy a charger like we did as one comes with the camera. I followed all the instructions and have had no problems taking pics and downloading. To use the card reader you have to download the software for it from simpletech's website if you have win98. The manual is sort of hard to follow for me (a non-techno), but the illustrations are helpful. Haven't used the movie feature yet. I would highly recommend a 256mb + card as only a 32mb card comes with the camera. We use the card reader to save the camera battery. The reader is only $11.

rocking little pursecam!
I bought this so that I could leave my G3 at home and still carry a little camera in my purse. I recently took it to a concert and was pleasantly surprised at how decent photos looked with the digital zoom on...I probably won't be printing many of the close-ups, but they are pretty darned good for sharing with friends over the Web. The ability to take little Quicktime movies is a plus.

Its super-portability makes this the perfect camera for taking EVERYWHERE with you. I mainly bought it in anticipation of an upcoming snowboarding trip...I knew I didn't want to take my larger digital camera on the mountain with me, but I can wrap this teeny thing in some fleece, stick it in my pocket, and be ready to capture images and movies from the first run to the last. The metal casing feels very solid and I have no worries about damaging it. I also bought it with the plan to stash it in my small "going out" purse to capture fun moments at dinners, nightclubs, and other fun social situations.

The only con I've found so far is that it's very difficult to avoid red-eye, but with most ultracompacts you'll find a similar issue because the flash is so close to the lens.

This is my third Canon digital camera, and I also own a Canon miniDV camera...I've never been disappointed in their products and am happy to say that the S400 meets and even exceeds my expectations!

Excellent compact camera
There are plenty of reviews written on the qualities of this camera in and of itself, so I will not go on about its small size, well designed interface, excellent optics, and so forth.

I will, however, compare it to the S330, which is the older, 2MP/3X optical model that was the previous top of the line Canon elph. Versus the S330, the S400:

- Has a stepping zoom (7 steps) instead of a continual zoom

- Is much more sensitive to camera jitter (shake) in no-flash low-light photography. If you plan to do that sort of photography, you WILL need a tripod. This is the most sensitive (to shake in no-flash low-light photography) digital I've used yet. Conversely, if you do use a tripod, those no-flash pictures come out REALLY well for the same reasons of sensitivity.

- Has a less-easily scratched exterior material

- Has different (better) laid out controls.

- Has greatly extended battery life (improved battery and lower power consumption both).

- Has a more intuitive menu for controlling features in manual mode such as ISO, whitebalance, etc -- and the menu can be manipulated on the LCD while shooting (without having to switch to the menu and then back to shooting).

- And of course, the S400 is 4MP vs 2MP for the S330.

What I'd love to see in a future ELPH:

- Support for higher-speed flash memory, such as CF2. Some elphs now support SD memory, but it's easy to design a camera to use both CF1 (what the S400 uses) and CF2 both.

- Manual aperture control.

- Better compensation for jitter during no-flash photography.

Otherwise, this camera is wonderful and hard to beat without spending a lot more money for a bulkier camera. In its size class, the S400 can't be beat.

Nice portable camera
This is a nice well built and well designed compact camera. The review screen is very clear and sharp. This camera has many features in the manual mode. My only complaint so far is battery life, and no display of battery life until about 2 minutes before camera shuts off. Having said that though it is a lithium battery which means you don't have to totally discharge it before recharging (no memory build up). Good idea to take an extra charged battery for convenience. You probably won't be disappointed.

Great Camera, Lackluster Product
As a camera, my Canon S400 delivered on everything it promised: wonderful photo quality, great ease of use, and extreme portability -- the size is just right.

However, as a product, the Canon S400 suffers from lackluster reliability and product integrity. After 6 months of use, my S400 gave up the ghost in the middle of a family holiday, leaving me with the dreaded Canon "E18" failure warning. So, no more picture taking, no way to get my photos out. I've had to send my camera back to Canon for repair. All of this for a camera that I babied, packed carefully, and always carried in a case.

Now, I don't know if the S400 is any less reliable than any other brand of digital camera, but I do know that it let me down in a big way that is going to cost me big $$$. A simple web search on the phrase "Canon E18" will show you that many other individuals have experienced similar problems.

Excellent camera, highly recommended over the Sony DSC-P10
I just bought the S400 from Dell for $xxx a little while back and was considering the Sony DSC-P10 at the time as well. I figured I'd write up a review on amazon to help other people out that are in the decision making process.

Price:
-----
The Sony DSC-P10 is 5 MP vs. 4 MP for the S400. The difference in resolution may immediately sway your decision to teh DSC-P10, but I would think very carefully. While the extra 1 MP sounds like a lot, my old 2.0 MP Canon S00 was fine for priting pictures all the way up to 8x10 (w/o any cropping). 4 MP resolution should allow you to price 11x14 with no cropping, and 8x10 with a lot of cropping. 5 MP is just excessive IMO. These days, it's just a race among manufacturers to see who can advertise the highest MP number.

Shooting modes and menus
---------------------------------
P10 also has some convenient shooting modes which make it more user friendly. It also has great features like cropping, resizing and rotating right on the camera which helps when you are not by a computer and want to free up room on your media storage.

The Canon S400 has a far superior menu system and is much easier to use.

Size:
-----
Canon S400 is smaller, making it a more pocketable camera IMO. Trust me on this one. The specs shown them being only very slightly different in dimensions, but the total volume of the cameras makes the S400 ideal. Those with bigger hands may prefer the layout and slightly larger size of the P10 though.

Memory storage:
---------------
The P10 uses Memory cards, which are limited to 128 MB, unless you use the double sided ones (Sony Memory Duo), where you can flip them over to get another 128 MB. Far too much hassle for me.. sounds easy in theory, but in real life, you will hate it. My friend who bought the P10 surely does. You can get larger memory sticks, which comes in the form of the "Sony Memory Pro", which are 256 MB and 512 MB. Keep in mind though, that these cards have problems acting as regular storage for files, and things like Mp3s for sony mp3 players. They have some type of digital rights management (DRM) on them that have causes lots of problems for people (so i've read on many reviews). Also, these PRO cards only work in 2003 (or newer) sony devices. Lastly, the memory pro cards have some type of management files on the cards themselves, taking up about 20MB of space. So a 256 MB card, really only has about 230 MB. Maybe not a big deal, but com'on, at advertise the size correctly!

Battery Life:
-------------
Battery life on P10 is better than the S400. It will last about 20% longer. However, the batteries are cheaper for the S400 AFAIK and they also charge in about 1/2 the time vs. the sony batteries.

Conclusion:
-----------
All in all, i think the S400 is a better choice. Sure, CF maybe outdated in a few years in favor of smaller, superior storage media like SD, MMC or xD cards (which are going up to 1 GB btw), but until then you can get a great digicam with dirt cheap media. I picked up a 512 MB Kingston card for very cheap from eBay.

Tips for those buying the S400:
-------------------------------
1. Ensure you buy good quality CF cards for the S400. CF cards have on-board processor on the cards themselves which actually regulate how fast the read+write is, unlike smartmedia which reliees on the camera. This means that CF cards will differ greatly in speed for read+write performance. Recommendations are Viking, RiData and Kingston. I have used about 7 or 8 different types of cards, and these are definitely the best in speed and reliability. Viking can be found cheap on Amazon deals quite often (with rebates), and kingston and ridata can be found on eBay for cheap.

2. Buy the legitimate Canon branded NB-1LH batteries. They can be had for about $30-$40 if you look hard enough. Stay away from NB-1L (notice the H is suffix is missing). The NB-1L is the lower capacity battery for these cameras. Stay away from aftermarket batteries. Sure they sell for MUCH cheaper (often 1/3 the price), but reliability and longevity of these are just brutal. There are always exceptions to the rules -- some ppl have have great experiences, which others have dead batteries almost right away. Why risk having a dead battery while you are on vacation and miss those Crucial shots of your wife/gf? Spend the extra $15 and get the real-deal batteries.

Recommended purchase:
---------------------
-Canon S400
-256 or 512 MB Viking, RiData or Kingston CF card
-1 extra battery NB-1LH
-Camera Case PSC-100 -- padded case with front storage for extra battery and storage. Very compact and nice looking.

The best point and shoot out there
After extensive research my wife and I chose the canon s400 for our digital camera investment. We could not be happier. Don't waste you time researching, if you want a point and shoot model get this camera!!!

Poor focusing indoors - otherwise OK
It's a nice looking little camera. I was looking for a portable one to replace my aging Fujifilm digital, so I tried this one. I ended up sending it back, since it performs worse than my old one in low light (i.e. indoors).

The problem is the focus. By default (and always, it seems, when in full auto mode), the camera uses a special "AI" autofocus. This puts up a series of green rectangles (when the shutter is half-pressed) on the LCD indicating focus zones. For one thing, it sometimes picks rectangles that represent differing distances, which doesn't make sense to me, but... Anyway, some of the shots I took indoors, especially candids, did not come out as focused as I am used to from my old camera. Note that I did not notice where the green rectangles were, since a couple of these shots were taken quickly by pressing the shutter all the way and not carefully analyzing the pre-focus.

I did not try center focus mode (similar to the focusing method in many other cameras) too much, since I did not really give the camera much of a chance after getting some blurry pics. But unless I misunderstood the interface, it seems that it is impossible to make center focus the default for full auto mode. Take these comments with a grain of salt, since I did not perform any really scientific tests, and I did not have the camera long.

One other thing I didn't like was the shutter button - if pressed off-center (tilted), it seemed to catch a little, giving it a slightly cheap feel.

Otherwise, the quality of the images is pretty good for such a small camera (beats my old Fujifilm in image quality for sure - of course that was a circa 1999 1.3 megapixel model!). Bottom line is it's not a bad camera, but it seems to have some issues that bothered me.

Very cool camera!
This has been a fabulous camera -- really easy to learn to use, great pictures, and easy transfer to the computer. I'd previously had a an SR35, and this is just as comfortable and easy to use in my hands. Two of my relatives have them, too, and we all love'em. Only drawback has been accidentally leaving it on while connected to the computer and running the battery out. However, the recharger is fabulous and efficient.

Cigarette Box Camera
The size of a pack of smokes, and not much heavier, this amazing bit of technology has found a new home in my hands--and within the next few days, in the hands of my brother and a best friend as a gift.

I've left behind my old SLR and decided this camera has the quality and usability to do anything anywhere, with little hassle, speed issues, or clunkyness.

Although its slightly pricey, a premium is rightfully worthy. Just like the iPod, it pays to get the BEST.

This is THE digital camera!
As the title says, the Canon S400 is THE digital camera. I've used another type of camera, the Sony Mavica, and while it takes 3.5 floppies or CD-RW discs that make it easy to transfer the pictures, what could be easier than simply plugging in a cable into your camera? Windows XP can be set to automatically transfer the pictures you took to a folder, so it's totally automated once you plug the cable into the camera and turn it on! Wow, what a feature.
This camera takes such beautiful pictures, I find myself carrying it with me all the time. It's perfect if you're a guy or a girl. It fits very easily into your purse ladies, or into your pocket men. The height and width are the size of a CREDIT CARD! It's only a little thicker than your big thumb.
Some features I LOVE about this camera that you won't find on other cameras include:
**Zooming in on pictures you've taken [this allows you to zoom in to see the smallest details of a picture you took without loading it on a computer at all! good for seeing