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 if someone didn't smile well]
**Ability to up to 6 of the pictures at once [makes finding a picture you took easy, no need to go through 18 pictures to find the one you want, instead see 3 screens of 6 pictures!]
**Panaronamic mode [take a series of pictures then "stitch" them together using the software they provide. this allows you to take a 360% picture if you wanted to!]
**Manual mode is loaded with options [adjust just about ANYTHING you can think of to make your pictures come out perfect. take pictures at night by adjusting the shutter speed]
**Macro mode [allows you to take CYRSTAL CLEAR pictures of things as little as 2 inches away! you can see details invisible to the naked eye in this mode]
**Auto-focus [this enables you to focus specifically on 1 aspect of the picture, someone's face for example. this ENSURES the selected area is perfectly crisp!].
You can take this camera's memory card to any photo developer (Wal-Mart is cheapest) and get amazing prints with NO editing at all. The 4x6 prints are of FINER quality than film! I could see individual whisker's on pictures of my cat!
Portability, though, remains my favorite feature of this camera. I can take it with me ALL THE TIME for those unexpected moments when having a camera is such a joy. You'll never miss the chance to capture anything!
A definite awesome buy and very worth the money!

Great camera!
I recently got one of these cameras and I think it's wonderful! It's incredibly tiny and easy to carry around all the time - it's about the size of a credit card (but thicker, about 1/2" give or take). It's so easy to fit it in my back pocket or a small purse. I bring it almost everywhere!

Some great features on the S400:

-Powers on extremely fast! I know with some of my other digital cameras, you have to wait awhile for it to power up.. this one does it in a matter of a few seconds!

-Takes pictures equally fast!

-Panoramic capability (and you can stitch together your pictures once they are on your computer)

-Macro mode (take pictures of extremely small things, this feature has been incredibly useful to me as I often photograph miniature figurines for ebay!)

-Easy to use menu, very user friendly! Even a digital camera novice can operate this camera without having to read a hundred pages in a manual!

-Fast battery charge and it lasts a long time! I barely ever have to worry about the batteries on my S400.. I can use it for several hours and not even come close to running down the battery.

Overall, its a fantastic camera! I can hardly think of anything I DON'T like about it. One thing to be concerned about is that it only comes with a 32MB card, which you will want to upgrade. I immediately bought a 256MB card, which holds hundreds of pictures. I highly recommend this camera - It's extremely small, sturdy, takes great pictures and is easy to use!

This Camera is great!
I recently purchased this camera and it is fabulous. It takes great pictures and the flash is excellent. The only complaint that I have about this camera is the red eye problem, but besides that everything else is excellent.

This camera is great for everything, from taking pictures for your photo album to downloading pictures for your website.

You'll Love It
I purchased this camera for my daughter for XMAS. Looking forward to getting tons of photos, videos of our new granddaughter. I've been using the PowerShot S300 that I purchased from Amazon a couple of years ago and I love it.
One great feature is the power pak. You do not have to mess with rechargable "AA" batteries. Just place the battery in the charge plug it in a receptable and you are back in business in a couple of hours...Not to mention you can take about 256 pictures without charging again.

Love this camera!!!
This camera has been amazing. I bought it right before Christmas to replace the Powershot S200 that I had purchased last year. The Powershot S200 was a great camera but wasn't able to get the close-ups of my baby that I really wanted. This camera has made up for it ten times over. The pictures that have resulted from this camera have been awesome. The camera has a great zoom for long distance pics and yet still takes great close-ups as well. The size of the camera is what drew me in to begin with which is the reason I previously purchased the S200. I take this camera just about everywhere because of its size. You wouldn't be able to do this with many other cameras on the market. The cost of the camera was a little high but I think its comparable to other cameras that are 4 megapixel. Overall, this camera was definitely money well spent. It will get lots of use for many years to come. If you are considering purchasing this camera then take the plunge. I love this camera!!!

The right choice (but consider these extras)
After much research, I got my girlfriend this camera for Christmas, and I can now report that I made exactly the right choice. She was one of those "I like film" girls...two weeks later it's like, "What's film?" She's loves it. I love it. In fact, I love it so much I'm thinking about buying a second one for myself. So obviously I'm recommending this camera. But I have a few suggestions for you folks who are about to hit that Buy Now button. First, this $400 to $500 camera doesn't come with a carrying case of any kind. You can get a great one right here on Amazon for $12 -- the Canon PSC-50 Soft Leather Case for Digital Cameras. Add to Cart. Second, this camera comes with a 32MB CF memory card. We've discovered this is fine for pics, but when you start taking movies (and you will, this is a great feature!) this size memory card fills up in a flash. If I was buying this camera today, I would also buy an extra CF card with at least 256MB of memory. This great camera is limited without it. Finally, while this camera takes amazing pics, it also produces amazing red-eye. Make sure your photo program has a red-eye reduction feature (and most do). Or load on the software that comes with the camera because you're gonna need to do some red-eye zapping.

So take into account these few learned nuggets of wisdom and take the leap into the digital age with a Canon S400! Trust me, you'll never look back.

get this camera, and you will love it
I am using this camera for 2 months now, and I love it for the small size, nice picture quality, easy-to-use navigation. However, it require a lot of lighting when shoting outdoors. Manual mode is very helpfull, but camera needs a "stand" to shot at night time. This is still however, can not garantee good quality pictures at night time. I wish, this camera would have more manual options as some advanced Canon cameras.

If you are planning to use this camera as a point-and-shot one in an automatic mode, I believe, nothing better you will find on the market. If you are planning to shot at night or with extremely low lighting, go for something better. And, of course, buy a "stand" and get yourself at least 256MB CompactFlash Card.

You can't go wrong with this Canon camera
A 4 megapixel digital camera with 3 times optical zoom that is no larger than a pack of cigarettes.

Be sure to buy a Tamrac camera case (on amazon.com, of course), to protect your camera because like all small electronic devices, this one is a bit fragile and easy to drop.

Best Value Period - Ultra compact digital camera
... this camera is the best compact digital on the market.

Sure, there are 5 megapixel compact cameras out now, but the cost is still too high. 4mp resolution makes great 8x10 prints, and lab-quality at 4x6 and 5x7.

The combination if its tiny size, beautiful results, and stylish design is unbeatable at the current prices. I take it everywhere and hardly notice it. It's like carrying a deck of cards in my pocket. Most good hi-res digital cameras are much bulkier.

Compact Flash memory is really, really cheap now. Buy a 512mb card and never worry about storage.

3X optical zoom is wonderful.

If you don't have a digital camera, or want a top-quality unit, you really owe it to yourself to check out the S400.

Auto white balance, auto exposure, and auto focus help the least savvy technophobes take outstanding photos.

Flash is surprisingly effective in dark rooms.

Lithium-ion battery lasts a long time and charges quickly. Who needs rechargable AA batteries when this battery is so good? Prices on Canon batteries are also down, so buy a spare.

The video out cable is nice for previewing pictures on a TV, but I usually use the computer for viewing photos.

Bundled software does the basic image editing. You'll want to go with Photoshop Elements 2 or Paint Shop Pro ... for serious editing and enhanced capabilities.

Quality Point 'n Shoot digital Camera
It's probably still too early to write an adequate and informative review for this camera that I've had for about 3 weeks now, but there were some glaring items that I felt needed discussion.
I've been on the prowl for a digital camera for over a year now. I decided to wait a while because I figured prices would come down and quality would go up. That seems to be the trend. I had thought for a while that I was going to end up with either the Canon A70 or the new A80, but at the last minute, I ended up with this nice little point and shoot camera, because that's exactly what I was looking for. I was trying to convince myself that I needed all the manual features that the A-series offers, with their ability to use different lenses, etc. But when it came down to it, I didn't really need all of that, simply because I have an SLR camera as well. The main reason to get the digital camera was plain and simple: convienence. The amount of features this camera has is outstanding, and you can play around with it for hours. Even though the movie mode produces pretty fuzzy video, it's probably a feature I will use A LOT!
Three critisisms I need to mention though. I was surprised with how blurry some of the normal pictures can be, especially when the flash comes on. It seems that when you have the camera in auto mode, and it detects low light, the flash will automatically come one (unless you have turned it off). When this happens, it takes a little longer to take the picture and any movement of the camera produces a not-so-great pic. I'm sure I just need to get used to the camera and how it works in each lighting situation, but for a point and shoot camera, I was expecting a little better.
Also, accessing how much memory your card has left is a little tricky. I just came back from a 2 week trip to Sydney, Australia to visit my mom. I was very excited to use my new toy down there. The first 3 days down there we spent on the sailboat and watched the fireworks in the harbour for New Years. It was quite the experience and needless to say, there were some amazing shots. By the third day I had taken over 100 pics and some video and wanted to know how much memory I had used. In order to do that, you need to access a screen that asks you if you want to format your disk. It also shows you how much memory there is. I hadn't fully read the manual yet, and didn't know what that meant, so I ended up hitting "ok." Well, this erases everything on your disk, even protected images. So all of my pictures I had taken were gone!!!! Seems like a very stupid place to access your memory information.
One other trait that I've noticed too: There seems to be somewhat of a fish-eye effect on some pictures. Especially more up close pics of people. But I've heard this is a common problem in little cameras, esp. digital camers.
Overall though, I've been very impressed and happy with my purchase. I've gotten a lot of complements on it, especially when you can zoom into pics you've taken. Some flower pics look really amazing with how much you can zoom and crop.
I got a 256MB card, and an extra battery. Typically I went through a battery a day on my trip. The 256MB card is more than I need, though I went through almost two of them on the trip (a friend lent me his 256 card as well). The camera was set on the highest quality settings though, so that ate up a lot of space. All in all I had about 250 pics and about 2 minutes of video.

I haven't dealt with the software yet, but I've read it's pretty good.

Other than some of the bad luck I had with it so far, this is a great little camera. You can't go wrong with it. I recommend it.

Great camera, but concerned about quality
I love the size, the pictures and the features. I got it around Thanksgiving and by Christmas (in the middle of Christmas!) after 100 pictures and only 1 month of use it died -- with flash enabled (red-eye or automatic) it would not take any pictures. Left me without digital pictures for the first year since my daughter was born. My prior camera (a Kodak DC800) took 8000+ pictures over 5 years with no problems. I got the Cannon for size, speed and quality (4MP vs 2MP). I didnt expect reliability issues.

Cannon was fairly quick with a turn around fix (although whats the deal with no RMA #s?) and they replaced the flash unit and sent my same camera back. Its working again, but I wonder for how long.... And while Christmas will come again, my Daughter's 5th one wont.

Canon Powershot S400
Great camera. There are many different options to shoot and review photos/movies. It is a nice looking, excellent functioning product. I love it.

Best Digital Camera I've Had
This is digital camera #3 for me. The first two were Epson's and ok (the first one wasn't even 1mp). The second one was 3.2 mp - nice and lots of features - but somewhat bulky for travel and lots of delay not only between pressing and actual taking of picture - but between shots too.

This camera is great. Compact and solid. Portability is great when toting it around on trips, etc. Though small, it is still extremely easy to operate. The time between pics is fast. The pictures themselves are very good. The display is crisp.

The best feature: photo-stitch. The ability to take panoramic pics w/this camera is great. Take a pic, see where it ends, line up the next one and patch together. The video features seem nice, but I've rarely used them on any other camera and not sure I will here either.

I probably could do w/a 3mp camera - but the price for the 4mp wasn't much more. The price was decent for what I needed.

Good purchase.

price went down??? OMG
OMG! i just got this cam a week ago...less than a week ago and the price is lower now????? That is soo jacked up! I like the cam and all but I shoulda waited...The price went down 1 day after i ordered this cam! So NOT Fair..For those who wanna get this cam just wait a while til the price goes down. Ur gunna regret it like I did! I paid 399.99 just a week ago!! =/ Disappointed at that..that is why I gave only 4 stars instead of 5. Its a great little cam. Pictures come out greater than I thought. This is my first digital cam but when I compare to my friends digi cams its soo much clearer. dunno how the battery lasts. That is one bad thing! It doesn't tell you how much battery power is left!

Excellent digital camera....
Amazing resolution, incredible easy to use but at the same time it offers some advanced features.... this camera is very good option for those like me starting in Digital Photography.... Just add more memory (128 at least...) and a extra battery (you will need it!!) and is the perfect companion for your trips...

great but not the flash
I have been using the camera for 6 months and its the ultimate camera for quality and compactness. Only weak thing is the flash, especially red eye function, it just does not work...
I am very happy with it and reccomend it.

Best bang for your buck, bar none!
I am a US Army soldier deployed in Iraq. I bought this camera just one day before I left the states so that I may preserve my experience for my familly. I've gotta tell ya, of all the things I got in preparation for my year long tour this takes the cake! The 4.0 megapixel pictures are CRYSTAL clear, and the interface is wonderfull. I am a Mac user myself and downloading my pictures is a snap. When I'm not around my computer, but one of my buddies is on his PC - zip, bam, boom, he's got pics just as easy. The video isn't super 8, but it IS a whole lot better than I expected from a digital camera not much bigger than a deck of cards, and three minutes (with audio) goes a really long way!

The extras are nice. All the sounds the camera makes are changeable, and you can even record your own right there without hooking up to a computer! It's rugged as hell too. I spend a lot of time in the dirt out here and the camera has yet to fail me, nor has it taken any damage from all the bumping around that happens in my daily desert exsistance.

The software included with the camera might be one of my favorite features. There is a photo editor, a video editor, and a zoom browser. I have iPhoto for the mac, but I find myself using the cannon software more often! The video editor is great. My wife sent me a little model tank. When I got it together I had an idea....so I took about 100 pictures and made my own little stop motion animation film, with a soundtrack and everything! The zoom browser is nothing short of awesome. It helps you D/L your pictures fast and easily and will also erase your camera's flash card for you so you can start fresh (out here it's hard to find new ones). It also contains a program called "photo stitch" that pieces pictures together for you to create a panoramic picture.

All in all I've got to say this camera is incredible. Whether experienced with digital cameras, or if this is your first, you'll have nothing but fun with it. Spare yourself frustration...BUY THIS CAMERA!

MAN, I LOVE THIS CAMERA
There is absolute no way anyone can find any real fault with this gem. I can not recommend it enough to anyone looking to up grade or to purchase their first digital camera. I have only one complaint and that is that the red-eye reduction is kind of weak. However, that is my only complaint - and it's a small one considering all the features and the ease of use the S400 offers.
Along with instant gratification, the S400 gives you the ability to choose the quality of picture you wish to take; L M1 M2, & Small, as well as Superfine, Fine, and Normal. Setting Small/Normal (good only for emailing, etc) will net you well over 100 shots on the battery - M1 & Fine (very good for printing, framing, etc) gives you over 30 on the battery...not too bad. The quality of the pictures is fantastic and the software pack is really good too - much more than I expected.
This baby goes with us everywhere! Final note: beware of your rowdy friends grabbing it from you to see the pics you have recently taken - despite how great the camera is I'm almost certain that dropping it isn't good.
Enjoy!

Excellent Snapshot Camera & Then Some
I graduated from a PowerShot S100 to the S400.

Between the two cameras I've shot approximately 5,000 images.

That's the point.

You will carry the S400 with you because it's small, and you'll shoot a lot of images because it's easy to use. Over time you will find the major contributing factor to good images is sheer volume. Simply put, the more shots you take the more likely you'll capture a good image.

Sure, you can buy cameras that have more megapixels and more features. Unfortunately they come with more heft. Once you've shoved a camera in your pocket, you'll no longer want one hanging from your neck. You can buy smaller cameras. But for me, this one feels just right. It slips into a pocket with ease. It's easy to hold and shoot. And it's not so small it feels fussy and insubstantial when you're taking pictures; it's just big enough that it won't disappear. Judging by my first camera, which has been dropped and repeatedly sat upon (I'm telling you, it's small) and used so much the buttons are almost worn out, build quality is excellent.

The quality of your exposures on full auto will amaze you. White balance has been significantly improved since my S100, and whether shooting indoors or out the camera reproduces skin tones very well. (90 percent of everything you're likely to shoot will have a person in it, and if they look funny, the image looks funny. Skin tone matters.) If you're careful (good light, tripod) you can print enlargements to 8x10. Whether you print your own on today's better printers (use photo paper) or send them off to Shutterfly or the equivalent, in most cases they'll pass for film, rivaling even your best point-and-shoot cameras.

Don't forget that unlike film, when it comes to digital photos you get a second chance because you can retouch your digital photos on your computer. You can use the supplied software or whatever came with your computer or pop for Adobe Photoshop Elements and "fix" many common mistakes, like red-eye. You may also find that you'll like shooting high resolution images to make prints from, then use your photo editing software to reduce the image quality, and hence size, for easy emailing. Despite my best intentions, most of my images live on the computer and not in printed photo albums. At 72 dots per inch (computer screen resolution) they look fabulous. By contrast, paper prints are 300 dots per inch, and far less forgiving. It's also cheaper to email an image--no paper cost, no ink cost, no postage.

Film is still better than digital for a lot of technical reasons. The non-technical reason is the pictures look better. Especially if you're making big 8x10, 11 1/2 x 14 prints. But if what you're really going to be doing is point and shoot, do yourself a favor. Hang a full gallon of milk around the back of your neck and just reread this. That pain and the image library I've amassed explain why my very nice, very expensive Nikon film SLR, with its very nice lenses and very spiffy flash have been sitting in a closet for the last two years. And why I wouldn't consider carrying a camera much larger than an tin of Altoids.

Two final comments. One, after being inundated with my digital photos and then getting their hands on camera, my wife, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law all own digital Elfs. Two, with the three minute movie mode this little camera will likely replace your video camera as well.

Really good digicam.
This latest PowerShot is really a well balanced effort. Amazingly, even as the features list has grown, the cameras themselves have gotten smaller. As always, the body is a sturdy steel structure that is durable but not too heavy.
The 4 megapixel resolution is more than adequate for anything you can imagine, including shooting images for poster-sized enlargement. In fact, for anything routine, including keeping your options open for 8" x 10" enlargements, you'll probably want to dial the resolution down to 2 megapixels (this will make your digital files smaller and easier to transfer and will take up less space on the camera's memory card and will ultimately use less of the camera's battery capacity). There is a nice 3X optical zoom, as well as a less useful digital zoom. The movie feature has been enhanced, with 3 minutes of good quality video *with* sound now available.
Of drawbacks there are a few. As with all of these digicams, the included memory card is too small to be of much use, so you are forced into an extra purchase right off the bat. The Canon battery, while offering pretty good staying power, is nonetheless a proprietary one, meaning you won't be able to get a back up from anyone but Canon. Lastly, it is a bit late in the game to still be using a USB 1.1 transfer protocol. Were the camera USB 2.0 ready, images could be transferred from the camera directly to your computer 40 times faster. As it stands, you'll want to purchase a separate card reader to handle this task.
All of the above notwithstanding, this is a marvellous camera that anyone would be happy to have.

Good, but not great
I've had this camera for about 9 months and have taken about 1000 pictures. It is my second digital camera (my previous being a Nikon Coolpix 950, which I used for about 3 years).

Strengths: Size (obviously), battery life (I've never run out of juice in a single day), speed to turn on (about 3 seconds), ease of reviewing pics, minimovies (more fun than I'd anticipated), image quality (if lighting is adequate).

Disappointments: More shutter lag than I'd hoped for, lack of manual controls (I knew that going in, but I do miss the flexibility I had with my Nikon), blurry pics in even moderate light without a flash (don't know if the shape makes it difficult to hold steady or if it's just a slower lens), more image noise than I'd like in ISO selections beyond 100.

I did have to send the camera back to Canon once -- I turned on the camera while there was light pressure on the lens and the whole thing became inoperable. They returned the camera in less than 2 weeks, which I thought was reasonable.

In summary, this has been a nice little camera. You're definitely trading off some flexibility for the size (Canon's G-4 isn't much more money and their A-80 is priced comparably.) I find the images to be quite good. The flash renders accurate flesh tones, unlike my old Nikon. The biggest single negative for me is the shutter lag. To capture moments well, you really need to be prepared, with the shutter halfway depressed (to lock in the focus).

For a very detailed review, check out dpreview. They're pretty evenhanded.

Best camera I have ever owned
I bought this camera about 2 months ago to take to Afghanistan on my year long deployment. It fit all my requirements; small, 4 MP, and video. Perfect! It out shines my other camera, a 4.1 MP Sony. Recommend it to any soldier!

Excellent Camera
I use it almost every day and I have absolutely no regrets about buying this camera, the battery life is good, the memory card holds enough pictures I need for the day, the resolution is great, I can upload my pictures to the web or even print them and they look excellent either way. I would recommend this product to any person who wants an excellent camera for a great price.

Best compact camera
This is the best compact camera I can find. Picture quality is excellent, plenty of manual adjustments for the casual user, build quality is superb. This camera is worth the money if you really want good prints. Much better than the Casio and Pentax compacts.

BEST digital camera!
This camera is the best thing I have come upon. I LOVE IT! I use it all the time and the picture quality are great. You won't regret buying this camera. There are so many neat features with it and endless opportunities. Worth every dollar. So go buy yours now! =)

CS 112
This is one of the best cameras out there. The Canon PowerShot S400 4MP Digital Camera has many options and works great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

High quality and packed with features
The only reason I gave this four stars is that, even though this camera is amazing (read the other reviews) it does not have the ability to put a date stamp on the images it produces. Therefore, when you download the images to your computer, you have to devise some clever way to do it yourself. Other than that, this camera is miles ahead of any other camera I've seen.

This camera is simply exquisite!
I own a 10D which I absolutely love and was getting tired of using my old Olympus Epic (a GREAT film camera) and was looking for a good digital point and shoot. My two major candidates were the S400 and the S50.

If you follow the photography boards at all you realize that this is a fairly common dilemma - the S400 vs the S50. The S50 offers excellent manual controls while the S400 is significantly smaller without any manual control whatsoever other than exposure compensation. I just LOVE the look and feel of the S400 though if anything it could be argued that it is TOO small. If you feel it is and you are looking for a carry everywhere camera it is well worth the effort to get used to the small size because the camera takes beautiful pictures.

The S400 is simply beautiful. I can live without all the manual controls since I own the 10D and since this camera is primarily for my wife and for me when I don't want to lug the 10D around.

Several have pointed out that since this camera is so small it will always be with you whereas the S50 would be less likely to be carried along because of its increased size. This is a very good argument! The camera is SUBSTANTIALLY smaller than its bigger brother the S50. The form and size factors are what finally won me over.

One criticism of the camera. Low light focusing is less than ideal. You need to work with the camera to understand its limitations indoors.

I am a huge fan of the Canon cameras and I would advise anyone looking for a camera, whether a point and shoot or a DSLR to carefully consider the Canon line since, in my opinion, Canon currently represents the state of the art.

Fantastic - not much else to add to what's already been said
I'm very happy with this camera. It works just as the specifications provided says it should, and the quality of my pictures is outstanding. The unit is compact and solid in my hand, and all functions are easy to use and adjust quickly after only a small amount of practice. There are many different shooting options and you can manually adjust many exposure settings.

Most of the photos I've taken so far have a very "snapshot"-ish quality to them--nothing very impressive, artistically speaking. The flash washes out colors up close (like flashes do) and shooting in low light is difficult if you don't have a steady surface to rest the camera; however, when the settings are properly adjusted to the environment, you can get some amazing pictures. Sometimes I'll come across a shot and say, "Holy cow! Did *I* take this? It's beautiful!"

My only real gripe with this camera is that it didn't come with any helpful extras. One battery, charger and 32MB memory card--that's it. It would have been nice if they at least included a little cloth bag to keep it in until you purchase a case for it--and yes, you WILL want a case for this camera. The 32MB compactflash card is good for starters, but it will fill up very quickly, and unless you're not going to use the video capture and you're willing to constantly do on-the-fly image selection--i.e. deleting pictures directly from the camera before you download them to your computer in order to make room for more (this is not difficult, but a nusiance when you would rather take pictures)--you will definitely want an upgrade. Not much can be said for the proprietary battery except that it lasts about as long as you would expect it to. A second battery is a must if you're out taking pictures all day long. The charger is conveniently cord-free and plugs directly into the wall. You can easily grab the whole unit and stuff it in a small bag with your camera for travelling.

And to the reviewer who complained that the flash mode isn't saved when you power-down: True, if you leave your camera in the normal, automatic mode, the flash will default to "on" every time you power-up your camera--but if you use the "manual" mode, it will remember the flash setting, even when you take out the battery. I usually shoot in the manual mode, then when I need to take a really quick picture and I'm just not sure about the settings, I flip over to automatic and point and shoot.

I recommend this camera, but be aware that you'll probably want to spend at least another $50 - $100 on the following accessories right away:

Small case - I found one locally that fit the whole kit perfectly for less than $10

Spare battery - Use the genuine Canon part--people have reported problems with 3rd party batteries

Large CF memory card - 256MB seems to be the gold standard, but don't forget that write/access speed is almost as important as size

Best Canon So Far
After having gone through countless Kodak brank cameras (each one broke) I deceded to go for the ultra sleek Canon Elf series. While this advantax film camera served me well for many years (and is stil in great condition) I got tired of developing my film only to find that that my favorite picture wasn't quite right. So I decided to step out into the 21st century and go digital... AND I AM NEVER GOING BACK AGAIN!! This little camera easily fits in my purse or pocket, has a great zoom and lots of extra fun features to play around with. I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone who wants a small, sleek, great performing, easy to use, brand name digital camera. NOTE: before checking out buy a larger memory card and the PSC-50 soft leather case since it comes with no case and only a 32MB card.

Looking for an easy to use compact digicam?
Then look no further. The S400 is so small you can practically take it anywhere. It will easily fit in a jacket pocket. You'll barely notice the weight in your backpack or purse. A friend of mine wears it on a lanyard around his neck. I've even carried mine in the front pocket of my jeans!

Yes, the S400 is a small digicam. As a result, it leaves out many features that might be desired by more advanced photographers (manual focus, aperture/shutter priority, flash exposure compensation,...). But for the majority of people, the S400 is an excellent point-and-shoot digicam. If you don't need 4MP, then consider the 3MP Canon S300.

Sure, there are smaller digicams out there, made by various manufacturers, but most of the smaller digicams lack an optical zoom. If you can live without the optical zoom and you want something smaller, consider the 5MP Canon SD10 or a camera from the credit card-sized Casio Elixim series.

If you do not need a small digicam, you may want to save some money and go with a Canon A70 or A80. These cameras, which have larger grips, are especially a good choice for people with larger hands. Where the S400 feels like it might slip out of the hands, the A70/A80 provide an excellent grip.

One final note: if you like water activities, Canon makes a waterproof housing for many of their cameras (S400, A70/A80, etc.). I don't currently own a waterproof housing, but I am considering one to use when I go fishing. These housings are also excellent for snorkeling.

This is "the" camera
I have bough this camera after extensive research. A very good review site is at http://www.dpreview.com/.

I got this camera because it the perfect balance of quality, reliability,compactness and simplicity. These are enough to make it a "winner" traveller's camera. It is the perfect design. I carry it in my front pocket, not bothersome at all.

If you are looking for more controls, go for bigger models like A80 in the same price range.

This camera still has many essential controls you would need. One thing I wish it had is fast shutter. This can only be achieved in continous mode. It can picture a 40 mph moving car as it was still.

Extremely user friendly, very good material. Not perfect battery life. May need extra battery for trips.

I would strongly recommend it to every traveller who wants to take good pictures with minimum hassle %90 of the time.

The conclusion is, Canon rules the digital camera world. This camera rules the ultra compact world.

This camera is AMAZING!
You would not believe everything this camera does, and yet in such a small package! I bought it to take snap-shots and to play around with the video feature - but there is so much more! There is a manual setting which lets you control just about every aspect of the shot - whether you want a flash or no flash, if the conditions are cloudy, sunlight, or even fluorescent light! You can even chose between various "special effects" like "amber", "vivid" and "black and white" to add to the photo. The zoom feature is amazing - with the combined optical and digital, you can zoom up to 11x - and the photo did not seem "grainy" to me at all! Plus there are automatic controls which help you take a better picture - with the auto-focus, auto-flash, and low-light(camera shake) warning - you can be sure that every picutre you take will come out great. All the photographs I've taken have come out sharp, in focus, and true to color. There is also a slide-show in playback mode, and this neat feature which lets you take a panoramic series of shots. And I'm not even half-way through the owner's manual! This is the best money I have ever spent on a camera. EXCELLENT BUY!!!

Old model, but still excellent
Before you buy the S400, you should know it's already over one and a half years old, so it's in the process of being discontinued -- hence the low price on Amazon and elsewhere, even though this list price is still high. That said, this is still probably the best consumer-grade digital camera on the market today. Let me expound.

First, 4-MP is the perfect resolution for day-to-day photography. That is, if you are a pro photographer and need the best resolution, you probably want 5+ megapixels. But for us normal mortals, 4MP is already more than enough. You can crop your pictures and still make great 8"x10" blow-up prints. A year ago I would have recommended a 3-MP camera, but right now you can get this 4-MP camera for cheaper than a 3-MP a year ago, so go for this one.

Is more pixels always better? Not necessarily. More pixels mean bigger files as well as slower save speed, so it's best to strike a balance between resolution and speed, and 4 MP should be good enough.

Second, the picture quality on this Canon is just excellent. Earlier models of Canon (esp. the Digital Elph line) tended to underexpose and yield cold color tones, but the S400 does a very good job of keeping a natural, slightly warmer color range. The pictures are still a little bit softer than sharp images captured by Nikon SLR's, but overall you'll be pleased by the picture quality, both indoors and outdoors. The flash range could be longer, but the same can be said of all built-in flash units.

The camera is easy to set up and use, and transfering pictures to Windows XP is a piece of cake. The build quality is top-notch. I highly recommend this camera.

MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH SKIN TONES AND FLASH
Look, a great number of people I know exclaim about how great Canon's are in general, especially the S400. I am going to talk about why the Sony DSC P10 destroys the Canon S400 and to address the gripes of other reviewers.

The only advantages the Canon S400 has over the Sony P10 are as follows:
1. Flash is more centered over lens of camera to avoid "shadow" effect
2. Compactflash memory is cheaper
3. Double sided memory sticks are "bad"
4. The S400 has 9 points of autofocus, compared to the P10's 3

Yes, I know the flash on the Sony is not centered over the lens, thus in theory it would cast shadows over the subject, BUT in practice, THIS HARDLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. For the most part, I have not even noticed that this was possible, but in those small instances if I payed extremely close attention, I could notice that something small and insignificant placed in a very specific way in front of the subject was casting a slight shadow on the subject in like 1 in 100 of the night pictures I take.

This is FAR outweighed by the fact that Canon's in general, and this PARTICULAR Canon, has THE WORST lighting problems I have ever seen. SKIN TONES, COMPLETELY wrong. Canon has a history of problems with underexposing color tones and this camera is no different. Using TWO different A400's, the skin tones of people in the pictures often comes out terrible. People's skin often comes out EXTRAORDINARILY yellow and fuzzy. I am not sure what causes this problem, but this ALONE renders the camera completely useless in mild light conditions. Go develop some night pictures off the A400 before you buy it and you'll see what I'm talking about. The skin tones come out all wrong and it is obvious to almost everybody. Especially if you are Asian! They're not THAT yellow! Compare the pictures side by side to the Sony P10 and I guarantee you can tell.

First of all, compactflash memory is only cheaper than memory sticks if you don't know how to shop. Sure, if you buy a Viking Compactflash card then it'll be cheaper, but then again you shouldn't be doing that anyways since Viking makes dangerously terrible cards. Furthermore, if you shop on amazon.com, you can buy a 256MB SONY brand memory stick for practically the same price as a reputable maker of a CF card!

I agree, that memory stick pros are not that great since they have that really odd copyright protection, but if you plan to only put pictures on this card, then that should not even be an issue. Also, people have complained about the "double-sided" memory sticks and how inconvenient they are. Both me and my dad have one and we actually think it's better than a conventional 256MB stick. First of all, if you have an MP3 player then it would be nice to keep MP3's on one side of the card and pictures on the other. You don't want to mix the two, and it's a great way of dividing it. Why would you not want to mix the two? Say you wanted to format the card to delete all your pictures so that you can take a whole new round of pictures. If you had a 256MB compactflash, you would delete all your MP3's as well, or you would have to delete each of your 100 pictures one by one.
With the double sided stick, you can just delete one side at a time, leaving all your MP3's. The same holds true if you are just taking only pictures as well. If you want to keep some pictures or movies on your card for a presentation or demonstration on a TV, then you can keep those pictures on one side of the card, and then continue formatting and taking pictures on the other side freely. And when you do have to switch the sides, it really isn't annoying at all. You just take out the card and move one button. This is far easier than tying your shoes. So one reviewer named tmchow complained on switching sides to the memory stick that it was "Far too much hassle for me.. sounds easy in theory, but in real life, you will hate it"
He must wear velcro shoes or something, because if you can do simple things like tie your shoes, SURELY you can press one button, really it's not hard at all.

And WHY on EARTH would a non-professional photographer need NINE points of autofocus?!? That would mean you would like to focus on an object NOT in the center of the picture and leave everything else blurry. So this spectacular feature would come in handy in the following situation, you are taking a picture of two people at a restaurant but you would like to focus on the salt shaker, but leave the two people fuzzy. USELESS. So basically if you would ever like to focus on something completely outside the center of the picture but leave the remaining 90% of the picture fuzzy, buy this Canon for the wonderful autofocus flexibility.

So let's look at why the Sony P10 is clearly better:
1. I like people's skin to look like how it does in real life.
that ALONE should be enough, but let's carry on
2. Sony P10 is 5 megapixel
3. 20% longer battery life, VERY important in digital photography
4. Takes great pictures in the dark, and even has a solid night mode

Some people get completely lost in megapixels and think that more megapixels is better and forget the rest of the camera. Not true, megapixels only matter if you are blowing up your pictures to uncommon and extravagant sizes like 20 X 30. In this case, the Sony P10 takes far better night pictures as well as having more megapixels. But if you really insist on messing up everyone's skin tones, go right ahead and buy this camera.

People keep talking about how compact the A400 is. Well, in my experience, pants pockets generally are rectangular, not square. Making the Sony P10 a far better fit when it comes to a conventional pocket.

Overall, Canon cameras are completely overrated by all those blind Canon lovers. Don't be biased!

IT'S AMAZON.COM
I'm gonna make this very short. Order surely received in 7 (seven) days by UPS ground as it claimed. This is the second time I shop at Amazon.com and so far the service is 5-stars, and moreover the price+S/H are just right compared to others such as pricegrabber.com or mysimon.com. Keep the good service, Amazon!

Awesome product - Canon S400
I purchased 2x of the S200s. My first died in a rafting trip trying to escape the undertow of Idaho's Selway River "
The Ladle", a Class IV rapid. Never again. Needless to say, water and electronics don't mix. Immediately after returning, I purchased another S200.

Now I own an S400 and what a great camera. Big tip. Get the Mizar Gallery scope. It fits over the S400 lens and takes 10x zoom photos....and 30x microscope photos. Wow!

Compact, light, great battery life and great pictures!
I got it for Valentine's day and so far I am very happy with it. The software is also great and easy to use (I used to have a Kodak camera and believe me, this is much better). Also, battery life is excellent.

Manual controls and difficult to use, but after a while you learn the basic logic of the menus.

Wonderful gadget at a really good price!
The first time I played with this great camera I was concerned about its tiny size... But once I played with it... I was so happy I decided to bought it!

PROS:

1. SIZE: the smallest 4mp camera you can find.
2. SPEED: unbeatable start-up velocity!
3. MENUS: they are really easy to navigate.
4. BATTERY: last longer than AA's.
5. PORTABLE: (pocketable!) you can take it anywhere!
6. PRICE: going down!
7. CHARGER: no cables at all!
8. DESIGN: its clean. only the buttons you really need.
9. LENS: retractable, well protected.
10. PICTURE Q: the quality of its pictures is superb... I had a canon G2 and they are not to far from each other... I miss the tilt screen but now I can put it on my pocket.

CONS:

1. LCD: small, unprotected. U have to be carefull with it.
2. BATTERY: can't recharge it inside of the camera.
3. NOTHING ELSE!

You'll take it with you everywhere!
First things first. I LOVE this camera! This is my third digital camera and the first one that didn't have me thinking about what I would want in my next one. I had been researching a number of cameras including the Canon G3 and subsequently the G4 - both excellent as well. And then a friend and an avid digital photographer (anyone who will spend entire weekends adjusting, tweaking etc their photos in Photoshop is pretty avid to me) suggested I take a good look at his S400 and read some of the reviews. And then he said something to me that, once I thought about it, really hit home. He said ... "because this camera is so small (about the size of a deck of cards) you will take it with you everywhere. You'll leave the house with it in situations where you would not "pack up" another larger camera. It's like taking your wallet." The more I thought about this the more I remembered myself having to "decide" if I was going to bring my current and prior cameras with me and liking the idea of not having to "decide".
Well ... I've had it for more than a year and my friend was absolutely correct. I bring it with me everywhere without a thought. There is no "packing up" the camera and it is not an inconvenience to have it in my pocket. The Canon leather case actually has a belt loop so you can carry it that way as well. Over the past year or so I've taken great pix that I never would have taken otherwise because my camera would not have been with me otherwise. The quality is outstanding and there are more than enough manual adjustments to suit most. Even though I have an excellent Canon Camcorder I find myself using the S400 for short 10-15 second clips of my daughter, my pets, co-workers behaving foolishly etc. I even like the software that came with the package - something very rare for me.
Bravo Canon!

Great value, especially outdoors
I bought this camera last year after my beloved S100 died after two years of faithful service. The S100 was a prime example of how more megapixels does not equal better quality photos. I took some panoramas while skiing in Banff. One I blew up to 11x14 and it's simply breathtaking, always commented on by people who see it in my apartment. And that was with a 2MP camera. The S400 is similar to its predecessors, except for the higher resolution and 9 point autofocus & DIGIC processor.

For well-lit situations, this camera simply can't be beat. You can also use the photo-stitch feature to take huge panoramas. Enough can't be said about the fact that this camera is truly portable. It's only a little more obtrusive than a cell phone sitting in your pocket, and it's right there for you if you ever need to capture a moment, either with a still shot or video (which is surprisingly high quality). The battery is great - easily lasts a day of shooting photos - just recharge overnight and you're good to go. It uses CF cards, which can be had dirt cheap these days, and work with almost any adaptor. (This comes in handy if, say, you run out of room while on vacation and need to download to a CD - most internet cafe's will have a CF-cardreader, while the same cannot be said of, say, a memory stick.)

Drawbacks of this model are:
(1) Slow response time between pressing the shutter button and taking the picture. It's hard to capture those moments that require split-second response (baby smiling, etc.) unless you use continuous shooting. To be fair, this is a drawback of nearly any consumer-level digital cam.
(2) Poor performance in low light. For some reason, pictures tend to get grainy when taken in low light. This can often be made up for using photo editing software, and I've gotten big compliments on wedding photos I've taken in very dark settings. However, the graininess comes out even in outdoor/cloudy situations. A drawback.

Some things I've figured out after using this camera for awhile:
(1) You don't have to use the (included) TV adaptor to watch your photos on TV. All you need is a stereo headphone jack to RCA cable adaptor, available at any Radio Shack. Using this solution allows you to show/browse your photos on TV while sitting farther away. Video goes to the red/right channel, audio goes to the white/left channel.
(2) Battery charges very quickly.
(3) Included photo software is the best of any I've seen yet at getting out red-eye. On Macs, is OSX-native. Pics are easily imported into iPhoto. Use GraphicConverter for manipulating contrast/brightness/quality/etc.

All in all, this is a great camera. You won't be disappointed.

Camera Good- Repair Service Bad
I purchased this camera in January of 2004 and by Easter 2004 it had been sent back in three times for repair. Canon's Factory Service Center in Elk Grove Village, IL is very poor. There is no toll free number to call and you're often left to wait on hold (long distance). The camera had a problem with the pins in the CF memory slot which subsequently ruined three CF memory cards. The manager at the Factory Service Center told me you should only use Canon compact flash cards or you could invalidate the warranty. However, when the camera worked I liked it's features and size.

The Image Quality Knocked Me Out!!!
After doing my homework at CNET product reviews I decided that ELPH S 400 was a perfect fit for me. The color and detail in my opinion is just about perfect. I upload my pictures to ofoto.com (my pick for on line photo development by the way) completely unedited and they the come back true to the moment in tone and detail. Another plus is that the camera is idiot proof (I should know). There are advanced features but I find that I really just use a few of them like white balance settings and the macro and infinity modes close/distance shots. Unless you are a very serious photo hobbyist, this camera is perfect in my opinion.

Very happy with this product, though it's not quite perfect.
This is a great camera, I love it and even though when I bought it a year ago it cost quite a bit, I have never regretted it.

I have two batteries for it, one battery was just not enough for heavy usage of it. I can get about a full day of heavy picture taking with one battery. Ive gotten over 500 pictures taken with it on one battery, though sometimes i get much less. My premium memory card i bought ive noticed has greatly increased the battery length. Since there is no power-remaining display, it is hard to judge how much power you have left until it's too late. Two batteries I find works great. They charge rather quick.

The 32MB card that comes with the camera is fine if you dont mind taking lower resoultion pictures with it, but I liked taking pictures at the max settings; I filled up that 32mb card in a few minutes you might guess. So, I went out and bought a premium 1GB flash card. I can usually fill it up with about 400 pictures just before the battery dies.

The picture quality is great. In light the automatic settings are fine. In the dark though, unless you use the flash, you will need to learn how to set the manual ISO and exposure settings because the automatic settings (flashless) arent so great in the dark as motions get really blurred. A long exposure set in the dark also makes things become rather 'grainy', it still takes a rather nice picture.

The camera it self is rather heavy for its size i find, but it is a really sturdy design. Ive dropped it on concrete many of times with only a slight scratch. AS you can tell i abuse this camera pretty heavily, but it still keeps on working. The trigger button recently has started to get stuck a bit sometimes when pushed, but i think that is due to my abuse of it.

the movie clip mode is pretty simple. It only can take 3min clips with sound, 3 mins is okay though i wish it was unlimited. The video quality is ok, but you cant zoom or get it to auto-adjust the exposure while recording. THe sound recording quality could be improved, especially with being able to pick up heavy bass. Heavy bass just seems to saturate the sound recording with a loud rumbling garble. What im trying to say is that you cant use this to record sounds when you're at the movies or at a concert.

This camera has a lot more to it then that, but everything else about this camera just seems to be just the way i want it. It really is a great camera that will do a great job for taking pictures for a long long time to come.

Buyer Beware! Temperature Changes May Kill This Camera!
I bought an S400 seven months ago and was very happy with it. Recently, however, it stopped working without warning. When I sent it in to the factory service center, I discovered something very troubling about the camera that had I known earlier would have caused me to not purchase it.

It turns out that this model--as well as many other Canon digital cameras, the tech told me--has an aluminum body. If you subject the camera to temperature changes (and it only takes a change of 10-15 degrees, I was told) condensation will form inside the camera, and the camera will start to corrode, eventually rendering it unusable.

This is what had happened to me. What misuse had I subjected my camera to that caused this to happen? I took it on vacation to the beach with me. Carrying it from the hot and humid beach into an air conditioned car was enough to destroy the camera!

The tech told me that he sees this all the time. He didn't know the percent of all Canon cameras that suffer this fate, but he said a lot of them do. He told me he gets lots of cameras back from people who have taken them on vacation to Arizona, Mexico, and Hawaii. He even saw one that had stopped working because the owner kept it stored in a stuffy closet. When the owner eventually took it out to use it, the temperature change back to normal room temperature was enough to fry the camera.

I was told that this damage is not covered under warranty and that the manual cautions users not to subject their cameras to this sort of treatment. Canon will not provide service on cameras that suffer this fate.

I hope anyone interested in purchasing a Canon digital camera will learn from my very expensive mistake in purchasing this model.

The camera is very nicely designed, but it's poorly engineered. If you plan to use the camera indoors only this is a great model. But if you plan to use the camera both outdoors and indoors, if there is a difference in humidity and temperature between the two where you live, and if you don't want to run the risk of totally losing your investment in the camera, this isn't the model or brand for you.

Wonderful
I think this is a great camera. I purchased a 256MB Flash Card, and w/ it set on the highest resolution & quality it will fit 250 pictures! That's enough for me. The image is beautiful - bright, crisp, clear. The colors are excellent! I have the flash set to auto, and I haven't had any problems. The camera has been perfect so far. It's small, and excellent quality for this price.

Amazing. Better than I thought
This camera is simply the best in its class. If you want a camera that has incredible photo quality, small so you can take anywhere this is the one. I previously had a Sony (DSCP-92 in which I unfortunately lost, 4.0 MP as well) and it doesn't even compare to this Canon S400, the pictures come out a lot clearer and way, way less blurry pictures, as my Sony took many, many blurry pictures. Canon's battery also lasts a little longer but still should be improved. The flash is also not its best, but it does well for its size. I definitely recommend this camera if you would like to have a camera to take anywhere, and just take pictures randomly and get amazing photo quality.

not for outside use
I owned this camera for 4 months and my only complaint was that there is a slight delay between pushing the button and the camera taking the picture, this makes it difficult to catch kids in action. However, my opinion changed drastically when it stopped working completely. We took it camping and left it in a car overnight to protect it from the elements, it was very cool, but in the morning it wouldn't power on. We sent it in for repairs under warranty and it was deemed 'beyond economic repair', meaning the cost of repairs were more than the cost of the camera. I thought this would result in a new camera, but no, it meant you're screwed! I talked to repair department supervisors, bumping it up until I was talking to the repair service head honcho who simply said "sorry". Apparently the manual warns you of this and tells you to put it in a plastic bag, yada yada yada. This was our first digital camera and we justified the cost because we would save so much on film development. Well if you have to pay $400 for a camera that only works for 4 months before you have to buy another one, I don't think it works out. By the way, I have a Canon EOS Elan SLR film camera that I've had for 8 years. I've taken it backpacking and have literally had it in waterfalls taking nature pictures, it's blown over on a tripod onto rock, it's bombproof, I swore by Canon, until now. Maybe this is a film vs. digital thing that is the same with all digital cameras, I don't know. Anyway, hope you benefit from this review.

Excellent!
I bought this camera at a retail outlet in Malaysia. It came with an extra 128 MB CF Card, Bag and Tripod.

The most important thing for me in buying a camera is convenience. First of all, size is important. Spending this kind of money, I want to make sure that the camera is with me as often as possible. With the size of this camera, taking it with me is never a hassle. Although the Casio Exilim is thinner, I was not entirely happy with the quality of the pictures taken with it. I guess it's because Casio is a relatively newer entrant into this market.

The ability to just Point and Shoot is a must for me. Despite shooting a lot of photographs (I have small kids), I have no pretensions about being a master photographer. For me, this camera more than does the job. On full auto mode, I know that almost all the shots I take will turn out okay. As with most Digital cameras, the LCD enables you to see what your printed photo will look like.

I have used cheaper digital cameras before (a 3MP MDC3000) and did not get the quality of photos I get now with the Canon. For one thing, the flash intensity seems to be controlled somehow so I rarely get overexposed shots. Its also rare that I have problems with red-eye.

The navigation of features and menus is also a breeze compared to the cheaper cameras. I think Canon has done quite a good job in making sure their product is user friendly. Even the physical interface is clutter free. You can see they have put a lot of thought into optimising the space around the camera. Holding the camera for shooting and navigating menus seems very natural.

There is a slight lag time with the shutter. This is a small problem, especially with kids as the subject.

You can choose the resolution of the photos very easily. I use Superfine when I know I want to blow up the picture to 8R and 10R. The camera came with a 32 MB CF Card as well as an extra 128 MB Card. I can store 96 pictures at Fine resolution on the 128MB CF Card. I have enlarged photos taken with this camera to 10R photos. No problems.

Manual mode allows you to choose things like shutter speed and exposure as well as a few nifty things like Black and White, Sepia etc. Rarely used but nifty nonetheless. I have used the long exposure for some nightshots, using a tripod. I've never succesfully done that with a compact camera before this.

The ability for me to go through my photographs, to pick and choose as well as edit a few details before I send them to the developers is INCREDIBLE. Well worth the price of shelling out the cash for a good camera.

Connecting to my Win XP laptop with the USB cable(included) was a breeze. The installed software(s) is very good for managing the pictures but does take up a sizable chink of the hard drive.

Extras:

1) Camera Orientation. The camera knows if the picture taken was vertical or horizontal.

2) Photostitch - A feature that makes it A LOT easier to create those long panorama-like pictures by joing seperate photos. Comes with the software for this. Almost but still not quite seamless.

Could improve:

1) No Battery meter. You are only informed when the battery has like 5-10 minutes of power left. Guess I might need to invest in an extra battery.

2) Slight Shutter lag.

3) Photo size. I notice that when I send the photos for developing, the picture width is slightly cropped. I don't know if this is because the print paper here is not international standard? But it's slightly irritating that I have to be aware of this fact before i shoot.

This camera is for temperature-controlled environs only.
This is a terrific little camera, and it takes great photos. The flash has a pretty bad redeye problem, but that's nothing compared with the real problem:

DON'T TAKE THIS CAMERA OUTSIDE! Even slight (10-15 degree) temperature changes will corrode the inside of the camera, leaving it useless. And even if the camera is under warranty, Canon doesn't cover this problem. Yup. The camera is virtually destroyed because it was exposed to...humidity outside! This camera wasn't dropped in a puddle, left in the rain, or anything dramatic like that. I took it outside on warm humid days, and according to Canon's service department, that was enough to render it utterly useless!

I see from other reviews that I'm not the only customer who has experienced this problem. My advice? Spend your $350 (plus the cost of an extra memory card, extra battery - altogether $600 for me) on something that will last longer than 6 months. What a total waste!

Great camera
This is a beautiful small camera that takes great pictures and has all the feautures most of us photo snappers need. The dials are fairly intuitive to use and the 3X zoom comes in handy. The negative is that battery life is relatively short. I would recommend a spare battery to be able to keep shooting if the battery runs out. Also, now that the price of the CF memory chip has decreased a great deal, I would recommend at least a 256 mB memory card.

Problem in 4/5 months
I am surprised to have a problem with the Canon Powershot S400 purchase made at Amazon.com. The shutter and lens would not open all of a sudden, when power ON is switched on. I get the error code E18.

I hope this is not a widespread problem.

GREAT Camera!!!
This camera is light, compact, has extensive features for manual shots and zooms in on pictures right on the view screen. It takes even high quality photos fast. In my opinion, it's definitely the best bang for the buck!

Can't get more humid than Puerto Rico and it worked fine!
I don't understand the people that say that humidity has damage the inside of their camera. I was in Puerto Rico for 3 weeks and took it everywhere, even to the beach, sat it in the sand, dropped it a couple of times and it is still works great 5 months after. I also purchased one for my sister who lives there and after 7 months still works great. Maybe they got lemons or purchased their at one of those downtown/tourist areas, which are not the real thing. I also purchase a couple of batteries at e-bay for about $6 ea. and memory cards are so cheap now a days, I have a couple extras. The batteries need to be fully charged to get the best out of them. Mine last very long, about a week when on vacation and using it often. Overall this is an excellent, compact and user friendly camera. I love it.

Canon does not honor warranty; E18 flaw
Many people have a great experience with this camera, and I'm glad for them. But I feel I should add my voice to the chorus of those who feel they've been cheated by Canon. There is a flaw in this camera, and Canon won't own up to it.

I got about one week's worth of vacation pictures from my new S400 before getting the infamous E18 error message (lens won't extend). Google E18 before buying! There are whole websites devoted to it. I sent the camera in for repair (as a result, I don't have any pictures of the second week of my vacation). Then on my very next trip, after about 50 pictures I once again got the E18 error message; again, almost no photos to take home with me. When I sent it back for repairs this time, I got a note from Canon saying the lens had been damaged by my dropping it. Simply untrue! But Canon used this as an excuse not to repair it a second time under warranty--they wanted $170!

You can call Canon's repair factory to complain. The poor people staffing the phones, helpful though they try to be, can't really do anything for you in a situation like this, so you ask to speak to a manager. They'll connect you, but no real live person will ever pick up, no matter how many times you try. On the voice mail, you can leave a series of polite messages. Then you can leave a series of angry messages. You can write a letter of complaint. It doesn't matter, nobody at Canon will ever respond to you.

By the way, I bought the camera from a reputable dealer, B&H Photo in Manhattan. When I called them to see if they could help, it was clear from the weary tone of the guy helping me that he'd heard about both the E18 error and Canon's lack of response to it only too often. He said, "Under their one-year warranty, for the 500 bucks you paid they're supposed to give you a usable product."

So I guess the S400 is a gamble. In my case, for $500 I got fewer than 500 pictures and had two trips spoiled. Caveat emptor.

What ever happened to the companies that took pride in their products, and offered good customer service to support them? Do they exist anymore?

Trick to Improve Shutter Response
There are enough superlatives for this item in the reviews. It suits my needs of quick informal photos. I would like to comment and perhaps help those who report slow shutter response -- the time between pressing down and when the image is captured.

I will agree with folks who state there is a noticable delay if you start from "hands off" to "full down" on the shutter. I missed several shots the first several attempts. (My kids are young and are constantly in motion!) There is a trick which I'm not sure is covered in the manual.

By pressing down HALF WAY, the camera will adjust focus and balance settings without taking the picture. Then, from the HALF-WAY down position, when you press down FULLY, the camera will take the photo IMMEDIATELY.

Wait, there's more! If you release the shutter only to the HALF-WAY point (some practice required) then press down FULLY again, the camera will take another picture at the same focus/lighting settings IMMEDIATELY. If you keep releasing to the HALF-WAY point, you can take pictures in rapid succession. If you completely release the shutter then the camera will go through the process of focus and lighting settings again.

So now, when I want to take a picture, before the subject is ready, I press down HALF-WAY and wait for the moment, then CLICK -- Gotcha! Release half-way, wait -- CLICK -- Gotcha again! For the most rapid successions make sure you set the LCD display "after shot display" to OFF.

My wife was disappointed/frustrated with this camera until I showed her this trick -- now she LOVES it!

Watch out for warranty expiration! Will die right after!!
This is the second cannon digital camera I have purchased and twice, immediately after the one year warranty expired, the camera failed.

Canon has a policy that, after warranty, the camera will be repaired at a flat cost of either $150 for a minor repair or $300 for a 'more extensive' repair.

I find it outrageous that, after spending $900 with Canon in the last 3 years, their products 'die' with 'memory card errors' immediately after warrantly expires (at 14 months!)

Canon was totally unhelpful and unreasonable about performing the repair free of cost despite the fact (from other web reviews) this seems to be a common issue immediately after warranty expires.

A Canon employee actually told me that she "usually expects a product to fail after the warranty expires and would just throw it out". I think that is a pretty high cost of $450 for one year use of a camera.
Beware!

Memory Card Error
I have had my S400 camera for 17 months and have used it A LOT. Lately have had a lot of "Memory Card Error" mesages. I have bought new Memory Cards, but that isn't the problem. The problem is in the camera. It is very disappointing to not trust the camera to take a photo when you want it too. Very frustrating. Buyer Beware.

Wonderful Little Camera!
Like nearly everyone else here I love this camera! I have had mine for about a year. Quite simply, it is capable of taking "wonderful" pictures. Also, I like the look of it: compact, sleek and elegant. Limited in manual features as compared to other cameras and I wish it used non-proprietary baterries, but IT TAKES GREAT PICTURES! Buy one - new or used - if you can.

A throw-away after the warranty expires
I spent dozens of hours researching before buying the S400. I wanted something small and reasonably priced, 4 megapixels, and with excellent image quality. I got those in my S400 -- for 14 months.

The warranty expires after one year, but at the 14 month mark my camera began showing the message "Memory Card Error," no matter what card I put in it. I couldn't take pictures, nor could I use the camera to upload the pics already on the card onto my computer. Luckily I had another card reading device and was able to transfer the pictures I had taken before my "Memory Card Error" woes began.

I contacted Canon, and they said I can either pay $150 to $300 to repair it, or upgrade to a S410 for $260. I might consider that, but guess what? I already got screwed on my digital videocam that way. My Canon video camera worked for two years then started eating tapes. There were dozens of online histories about the problem and the fact that Canon wouldn't do anything about it, and my case was no different. Seeing as I'd paid $1200 for the camera, I decided to have it fixed. $250 later, the videocamera is back but it's already having more techincal problems. Thus, my lesson is learned -- don't go the repair route. Not only that, but we have a Canon printer, which actually works, but they stopped producing drivers about 2 years after we bought it. The only way to print was to run Win95 on our computer. So I guess Canon may make the best products on the market -- and they consistently get top reviews -- but their products aren't meant to last any longer than the warranty period.

One thing I would also like to add: if you decide to risk it and buy the S400, be aware that indoor pictures usually end up with a strong color cast. This is fixable with Photoshop, but not very easy to compensate for with cheaper photo manipulation programs. And of course there is lots of red eye (I suggest a free program called Shutterfly Express that does an excellent job removing red eye), but you're going to get that with any ultra compact camera.

When all is said and done, I used to be a satisfied customer, but now I'm done with Canon. Caveat emptor!

Handy
This beauty is a legend. It is small, light, and good looking. Like somebody else here, I've had great success with the battery; it lasts way longer than the batteries in my old digital cameras. Also the video shooting is a neat feature. Highly recommended!

i love this camera
this camera is great. it's small enough to carry w/ me everywhere and it has the features i need. the pictures are amazing and the colors are great. it's easy to compare the quality against other cameras when me and my friends post our pictures on ofoto. i also love the zoom and the ability to take mini-movies.

Great camera
Excellent camera, highly recommended. Only 4 chilis because it would be nice if they made the same with a larger display. I'm saying the same, not one with lesser optics like the SD200/SD300. I've taken almost 8000 pictures with it, very good.

memory card error prevents you from using camera
I am also getting the memory card error and have replaced my CF card twice thinking that was the problem. I also thought it had something to do with the battery draining because a few times I would replace with a fully charged battery and the issue would go away. Now again today, I experienced the same issue but charging the battery or replacing with another fully charged battery did not change anything. Done w/Canon! Camera is just over 1 year old...

Memory Card Error
I thought this was a great camera, I bought 3 on the same day for myself and friends. 2 of these have now suffered the infamous Memory Card error. Luckily it was under warranty and Cannon fixed the camera. While I was collecting my camera from the shop after having it fixed another customer was in there, returning his for the 3rd time with the same problem! My 2 flash cards are unuseable, Canon refused to replace their Canon 32 card and I had a fight for the shop to repace the 256 card. I dont expect it will be too long before my camera suffers the same problem again. My brother bought this camera just after me and I now feel guilty for recommending it to him. Beware!

Great pics until it dies
My wife and I received this camera as a Christmas Gift last year. It took great pictures until we got the memory card error WHILE ON OUR HONEYMOON. That's right, we now have no pictures of our honeymoon. Thanks a lot Canon. This memory card error isn't a secret. Please try to put out a product that works for more than 10 months next time. I will never ever never ever never buy a Canon product again. I would urge others to do the same.

I am so sad....
I bought this camera about 15 months ago. It was amazing and I was very very happy with it. But today all of a sudden I saw a memory card error. I am so upset. I am a student and I saved and bought this camera and now it died on me as soon as the warranty expired. Looking at the reviews people have written I found out that it was not just me, a bunch of other people have also faced the same problem. I almost cried when I saw my camera had stopped working. I also see from others that Canon has a sucky customer service. The memory card error seems to be a inherent problem with the camera and its not the consumer's mistake. Canon should repair it free of cost. Its a big company but looks like they dont know how to stay in business. I am never going to recommend any canon products to anyone from now on.

There ought to be a class action LAWSUIT
I loved this camera...until the memory card error!!!!!!! I thought it was just me, then several people I know had the SAME PROBLEM. Then I saw all of the complaints online. This is awful, they need to be sued! They should not get away with not fixing this problem

Memory card error - Card locked
I just got my SD200 camera 2 days ago. Took pictures, viewed them, and then the battery died. When the battery recharged and I tried to view the pictures again the next day, when I turned the camera on, it said "Memory card error" and it occassionally said "Memory card error Card locked". I first thought there was something wrong with my memory card, but then I looked it up online and all these Amazon reviews came up that it's their Canon, not the memory card. Fortunately, the pictures I took were still on the memory card when I brought them to a photo store and they were able to burn them onto a cd for me. I'm really not sure what to do now...

memory card error!
Well it looks like I am joining the queue to report a memory card error with the camera. When it works, it is a great little camera, my only (other) complaint would that there is almost no warning when the battery runs out, it starts to flash and then shuts down.

However that was until the dreaded memory card error. I got this error with the 256M card that i bought at the same time from amazon. This card started getting memory card errors, which i could cure after reformatting - a problem if you have photos on the card.

Thinking it might be a card problem, i switched to the original card that came with the camera, and lo and behold i turned that on after a week, and i get the memory card error, but this time, the camera completely freezes to the extent that I can only turn it off by removing the battery.

I'll be contacting canon to see what they suggest.

Regards
Dave

Memory Card Error!
It looks like we're all in the same boat. I've had this camera for a year and a half and would have recommended it to anybody. Then the memory card error. It happened to me twice, both times just after I inserted a freshly charged battery. I let it sit overnight, and it worked just fine the next day. And the pictures that were on the card before the error were still there afterwards.

Dreaded Memory Card Error
Gosh.. Why this has to happen to me also. I bought it in US and now i am back in India and i am stuck with a frwakinnn Memory Card Error. Canon.. are u listening??

ajay

Yep, Memory Card Error
This is my first Amazon review, but I felt adding my voice to other consumers that have had Memory Card Errors was important. I agree with those who say this is a great camera...until it breaks, and then it's a terrible, untrustworthy device. Beware and keep your receipt and warranty information. Canon, please address this problem.

Stay Away from the Canon S400
The S400 worked great for the first year. Then it started having memory card errors and erasing my pictures. I bought new memory cards hoping that was the problem, but it continued to happen. From reading the reviews this is a common problem. Unfortunately it happened after my 1 yr warranty expired. All canon would offer is a $200 camera upgrade to a refurbished S410 or you can send it in and pay for it to be fixed.. which would cost at least $150. I hope the upgrade lasts longer for all the money I have spent over the last 15 months, $400 for the original camera and now $200 for an upgrade!

Nice camera, until the "memory card error"
My S400 has died after 18 months, thanks to the "memory card error" so frequently mentioned in this forum.

It was nice (except for the underpowered flash) while it was alive.

Memory card error
I love this camera but thank goodness that my memory card error occured nine months after I bought it and not after a year. I sent it in to have it fixed free of charge and it was shipped back to me within the week.

Small & Easy
This camera takes great pictures for the point & shoot crowd. Easy to use and easy to carry anywhere.

memory card error--Canon correspondence
Guys, same story here: "Memory Card Error" after about 14 months of ownership. I've been in contact with Canon about this and they are turning a blind eye, basically. Here's their email (in response to mine which pointed them to this Amazon page to show them the extent of the problem):

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

Dear Mr. C,

Thank you for your inquiry. We are sorry to hear of any issues with the PowerShot S400 detecting a CF card.

I do apologize, but Canon USA does not monitor, confirm, endorse, or attest to the accuracy of any information posted on third party websites. It seems many customers are overwhelmed by the barrage of information (or misinformation) being posted on unregulated, non-Canon websites. Unfortunately, this is not something which Canon has any control over. We are able only to confirm the performance of the camera based on our own testing.

----------

I responded, and their next email then went on to tell me my servicing options because the product "will need factory service for correction". So basically they refuse to admit that it is a widespread issue and are certainly not releasing a firmware upgrade or anything to fix it.

Does this sound like planned obsolescence to anyone else?

It's too bad that I have to give this camera a 2-star review; until the error it would have been 5.

Tom

DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA
I thought my camera was the only one that broke down with a "memory card error" message after 14-16 months (after the warranty period). After visiting this site, I now know why. The s400 had been out for quite awhile (over a year i believe) when i initially purchased it, so i thought i was making a safe buy..... WRONG. For the first year and several months all was well, and then it came..MEMORY CARD ERROR.... sometimes the message would go away, and i'd think the problem was temporary and over. So i'd take many many pictures, and then the very next day, the message came back, and ALL OF MY PICTURES WERE GONE. It erased all of my pictures from my family trip to Florida....even with new memory cards it didn't work...so obviously it's the camera that's the problem. buyers beware!

My problem is the same...
I live in Hungary, and I also have this type of camera, only the name is different (Canon IXUS 400 - but it's the same).
I bought it last november, and now (after warranty of curse) I also have the "Memory card error" problem. There is only one Canon service in Hungary, and it haven't heard about this problem yet. First, when I got this error message, I put out the battery, the CF card, put it back, turned the camera off, than on and the error was gone. But it came back again and again. When I last time got the error message, I couldn't turn off the camera, when the CF card was inserted. (This card worked in my father's Canon camera - so it's not a memory card problem)The service wanted a lot of money of curse, that's why a tried to fix it at home.
I formatted the cards (I have two) in the computer in FAT. Then I refreshed the frimeware in the camera (it wasn't an easy thing, but my friend is a programmer, and he helped me).
One of my cards had an interesting problem. It was a 256 MB card, but when I wanted to format it - the computer show only 117 MB. Then I put the card into the camera, pushed the power and the set button together for 5 minutes, and put the card back to the card reader, and now the computer show 256 MB.

And now, my camera works! I don't now how long, but it's working now.

And a tipp:
You don't have to forget your pictures, which your camera erased during the memory card error problem, there are several softwares, which can recover the photos, until you make your card full with pictures again. (Search after "digital image recovery" on the web)

Questions about Memory Card Error to L. Torres "titililly"
I just this last week got the memory card error as so many other people have described. And it seems clear that the problem is with the camera and not with the memory cards themselves. Yet your solution (of formatting the memory cards) does not really do anything to the camera itself. Are you sure this method works and that it's not only temporarily cooperating before it starts giving you the same error again? Also, is there anything us consumers can do to get Canon to create some sort of fix to this problem w/o paying $150?

Delightful camera after 1.5 years of ownership
I've been using this camera for quite a while now and I've been very happy with it overall.

Pros:
This thing that most attracted me to this camera was it's size. Yes, there are smaller cameras on the market but almost all of the smaller cameras lack an Optical zoom lens. I wouldn't purchase a digital camera with out an optical zoom lens as I use it quite frequently. Me, being a guy, and therefore not carrying a purse, I found it really easy to carry this camera around in my pocket when traveling. I have felt so free on vacation now not being burdened with holding a camera or asking my wife to hand my the camera from her purse whenver I want to take a picture. It makes vacations that much more enjoyable.

Ease of use:
I find the auto mode useful frequently. My wife is not a technophobe and enjoys the easy point-and-click ability of this camera and most of the time it works quite well. I do use the manual mode quite often to optimize for lighting conditions. I also appreciate the easy ability to disable the flash with a separate button on the back as I frquenty turn off the flash for indoor pictures when there is plenty of light. I do find the flash to be a little harsh for indoor pictures when there isn't a lot of light.

Cons:
As several people have pointed out, upgrade the memory card size immediately to at least 512MB so you don't ever end up filling up the camera. I recommend learning to download pictures on to a computer straight away and burn them on CD for long-term storage.

Buy an extra battery. There really is no warning when the battery is dying. Once the warning hits, you will be lucky to get one more shot off. I got burned on my one (and probably only) trip to Mt. Fuji in Japan and ran out of juice half way through the trip. I do like the small size of the battery charger and it works quite well (no chords!).

Memory Card Error
Same problems as everybody else. 14 months after purchase it ate the card. Tried 2 different cards, no dice for either. From love to hate. Dang. Also Canon's support website/acknowledgement of this problem is non-existent. It was hard enough to navigate their site, but it's impossible to find anything relevant.

Similar problem.
Ok, I'm not really under 13, if the review mentions it. I'm just not going to post under my real name. That'd be dumb.

anyway, I'm having the same problem with my S400. Big surprise. New cards, no difference.

Just great. Anyone know if this is a problem in the S410 as well? Or did they fix it there...

Great camera, wished it was more reliable though
For what it's worth, the camera is really fantastic. It works great when it does work, and it is light-weight plus compact. I've gotten lots of great use out of it. However, shortly after a year of buying it, I've gotten a memory card error as others have mentioned. I reformatted the card, lost some important images, and it worked fine for a while.

Suddenly connecting it to the computer wouldn't recognize the camera. I thought it was the cord, or my computer, but it wouldn't work on 3 other computers, and getting a new cord didn't help. A call to Canon's support told me that I had to send it in for repairs and pay $150, or $185 to trade in for the S410 model. That's $100 less than getting a new S400.

Needless to say, I'm very disappointed because if this camera had worked reliably and didn't have these problems, it'd be a perfect 5 stars from me. Sadly, this isn't the case, and I'm now considering getting a new camera that isn't Canon.

Very mixed feelings.
I purchased this camera about a year ago and have liked it for the most part. I'd have given it a three star rating if I weren't so frustrated at the moment. Recently, I've started to get a "No Images. Memory Card Error" message when I turn it on. I've replaced the memory card and am still having the problem. Sometimes turning the camera off and on again seems to fix the problem. Also, the shutter speed is incredibly slow. I've read the manual and called Cannon to try and turn off the red-eye feature and there doesn't seem to be a way to accomplish that to improve the speed. I've heard similar complaints from other PowerShot S400 owners.

Great until error messages...
I literally got sick when I found this out.

I love photography and this digital camera was my first foray into digital. For the 1st 13 months of owning this camera, I loved the camera; it performed wonderfully and I recommended it to friends who, unfortunately, valued my advice.

And then, at 13 months -1 month after the warrantee ran out- I started getting intermittent error messages on all of my CF cards (regardless of brand). Now (15 months) it is all but useless. I have read the wealth of web info on this and will try two things:
1)buy a CF card reader and reformat my cards (as recommended on some websites - however I am skeptical)
2)contact Cannon and see if they are still playing dumb

I feel ill that friends trusted me and bought this camera after I recommended it.

Hopefully a fix for S400 CompactFlash problems
As for the camera, I love it when it works...
From my point of view:
CONS: The video capture could be a higher resolution and the response time between shutter press and picture could be better.
PROS: Nice, small formfactor, excellent construction materials, fit and finish. Easy to use and intuative user interface. Optical zoom.

I too have had the same problems and symptoms with my S400 and CompactFlash errors. I updated the camera's firmware and it *seems* to have fixed the problem. Only time will tell, but the two cards I have that were not working for me are now working (or should I say working for now). I'm using a Mac and OSX, and it took me all of 10 minutes to read the instructions, download the firmware update (3.5 MB with a cable modem), and install it. It took me longer to write this review, than it did to update the firmware. Here is what I did:
1) went to: web -dot- canon -dot- jp -slash- Imaging -slash- PSS400 -slash- pss400_firmware-e -dot- html (sorry for the weird format, but the posting engine kept stripping out the link).
2) After reading the page, I went to the link at the bottom of the page, the "Download Page" link.
3) I entered my camera's serial number and clicked the "Agree" link.
4) Downloaded both the "Firmware Update Instructions" and the OSX version of "PowerShotS400_f.sit" (and unarchived the .sit file).
5) Connected the camera.
6) Double clicked the "UploadFirmware" application and followed the instructions.
7) Followed the instructions of the readme file included with "PowerShotS400_f.sit".

After the firmware update, I had to start over with the cards... the images on them were not accesible via the camera. I probably could have retreived them with a card reader, but I do not have one, and I could take the pictures again (just some stills of a construction project). Anyway, both of the cards that were not working before the firmware update, now work. Hope this helps.

Memory error
I am having the same memory issues as have been posted. I am pursuing a class action suit against Canon and will post information as I get it.

bang for the buck!!!!
I know there are lot of reviews out there for this camera. I just want to keep it concise and stick to the points that a lot of others haven't mentioned.
Pros:
Amazing processing and writing speed.
Good evaluation of white balance.
Excellent compression of video. On a 256MB card I can record 15 minutes of video. Using Windows movie maker, I can create pretty OK quality video memories using this camera. You wouldn't get this kind of compression (they call it MJPEG)with SONY or other leading brands. If you want a good digital camera which also does the job of taking videos..this is the choice.
Battery life is extremely good and it recharges pretty fast with the provided battery.

Cons:

There is no night shot mode, like the one provided by SONY. This is very useful at times.
Camera should have been provided with a compact and convenient storage and travel case.

If you get the memory card error -after waranty has expired
I too loved this camera until I got the dreaded "memory card error" after I had had the camera 16 months. Fortunately the credit card I bought it with doubles manufacturers' warranties so I am submitting a claim to them for the repair/replacement. You might want to check the benefits that come with your credit card before you send any money to Canon for repair.

Defective product with zero support
Camera itself has good performance, but the product quality is very poor.
After less than 12 months of fairly low use, the camera developed "memory card errors" rendering it unusable.
Canon service was near zero, refused warranty coverage and charged $150 for repair.
They changed a "defective" CF unit to fix the problem.
Without telling me they also upgraded the firmware. This "upgrade" makes the CF cards unreadable from a regular card reader connected to a computer.

In short: lousy product quality, dishonest communication and appalling support.

My favorite camera which got dead due to E18 error
This camera was my favorite, but now dead and useless due to E18 error (the zoom lense does not retract) after 15 month of use.

Great little camera!
This is my 3rd digital camera, and by far the best. It is small enough to take anywhere, and powerful enough to print beautiful large 8x10 photos.

Pros:
Small Size
Quick and easy operation
beautiful prints/photos
stitch mode
manual options
cheap memory cards

Cons:
blurry pix on some shots (mainly my fault)
cheap memory card door - feels like it would break off easily.

All in all an awesome camera.

Nice little camera....
I am new to digital photography and this is the first digital camera I have ever had. I bought my S400 approximately two years ago and I have never had any problem with it. The controls are easy to operate and I have taken many great pictures with it. I would recommend this camera to anyone, based on my experience.

Epidemic of E18 errors shortly after warranty
Avoid this camera at all costs. Mine failed only shortly out of warranty with an E18 error. Search the net for "canon e18 error" and you will see hundreds of similar problems. A little research seems to indicate that the MTBF (mean time between failures) is about 16-18 months on this and several other Canon models. A high percentage of cameras are failing. I see no signs that Canon has any intention of doing the right thing, all they will do is try to charge you more to repair it than the camera is worth.

While it works it's a good camera and takes decent pics, but this price for a camera that becomes a useless hunk of metal at 18 months is truly unacceptable.

Stay Away from Canon PowerShot S400
I have had this camera for about a year and a half. The first problem occurred about 6 months after purchase. The connection on the camera was no longer in good shape. The only way that I could download was to use a card reader. Next, after another couple of months, a screw on the tele-photo switch broke causing difficulty in using the tele-phone switch at all. I had to hold down the switch every time I used it. Then, it started burning out batteries. I ended up having to buy three additional batteries. One burnt out the second time charging it. Next, after about a year and a half from the time of purchase, the card error problem occurred. It destroyed several 256 cards and it was no longer working as a camera at all. For $500 plus another $300 in extra cards and batteries, the camera is completely dead. Canon has not been responsive. It is obviously a "dog" as so many customers have complained about the same problems, especially the problem with fouling the memory cards. This is a complete failure in quality control on the part of the manufacturer (Canon)and a complete failure on Canon's part to back it up. For as reputable a company as Canon, it is a complete breakdown of confidence. They should be ashame of themselves for making this, for selling this and for not backing it up. So many have lost millions of pictures.

Memory Card Error
My camera has died because of the memory card error too! I read back through the reviews and most were positive until Summer of 2004 when the memory card issues started popping up. It seems a bit suspicious when everybodies camera works so well at first and then dies immediately without warning??? Seems like a Canon problem to me too. Programmed to stop functioning at 18 months after first use?

Memory Card Errors
Do a little research on this and its successor, the S410 before you buy. My first year with my S400 was great. A little after that, I started to get Memory Card Error problems. At first, I tried reformatting the CF card using the camera, which sometimes worked. I then replaced the CF card, and that worked for about 2 weeks. I Googled Canon S400 memory card error and found lots of other S400 owners with the same problem. The fix I hear about most is using a USB card reader to reformat the card in FAT format. I've tried that, but the CF card still needs reformatting every now and then. So as it stands now, I can get the camera to work if I reformat the CF card, but I just can't tell when it's going do deal me another Memory Card Error. Totally unreliable.

"Memory Card Error" after 1 1/2 years
After owning this camera for 1 1/2 years, it started to intermitantly complain about "Memory Card Error". I tried reformatting the card and also tried a different memory card. Neither of these fixed the problem.

I had it repaired by Canon for $150 and it works fine now. The warrantee of course is only 1 year. But, the good news is that VISA doubles the warrantee period, since I bought the item on VISA! So, I got it fixed for the cost of shipping.

The camera takes great pictures. IMHO: the user-interface for anything other than point and shoot sucks. But, that seems to be true for most digital cameras.

Memory Card Error
I am getting the same memory card error as the other reviews. I have had the camera for about 1.5 years. I reformatted the card and the error went away, but now I am worried whenever I take pictures that the card will stop working.

Memory Card Error
I loved this camera until I started randomly getting memory card errors. Now I can't rely on it at all. As soon as it starts working again I will take some pictures and by the time I want to put them on my computer it will start having a memory card error again. I can't get my pictures off of it. I tried three different memory cards and they all have the same problem. Mine worked for about 18 months before it started having these problems.

Memory Card Error
I now know I'm not crazy! I too experienced the memory card error. At first it was random and now the camera is completly dead. Looks like Canon has an issue with this camera. I purchased mine in August 03 and it just died this month.

As I read the reviews, I'm now regreating purchasing the S300 3 days ago!

Ticking Time Bomb - don't buy!!!!!!!
This camera was so great when I bought it that I got 3 of them as gifts for family and friends. Now (18 months later) mine is unusable with Memory Card Errors, and my brother's is now unusable too (after 16 months)...just waiting for the other two gifts to go to crap.

Canon's response? Pay $150 and we'll fix it!!!! THEIR OWN DEFECT!!!

Do a Google search online for Canon and "Memory Card Errors" or Canon and E18 (another common problem)...see how awful this company is.

Inexcusable. If they have a class action lawsuit against Canon, I'm in. I'll never buy a Canon again. It's too bad because when it worked, it was great.

But it doesn't, so it's garbage.

Memory Card Error
Like clockwork, I experienced the dreaded memory card error after 18 mo (just out of warranty). I recently bought a new battery because the generics had such short lives and were a source of frustration for me. However, even with 2 canon batteries I only seem to avoid the memory card error temporarily. I'm hesitant to buy another Canon camera based on the reports about the 1) Memory Card Error, 2) E18 Lens error, and 3) fragile LCDs on the new SDxxx series that I hear about. Here are some tips for those of you dealing with the experience:

1) I used photorescue to recover some of my pictures from my CF ( http://www.photorescue.net/download.htm ).

2) At some point you may find it necessary to truly WIPEOUT your card if you are not able to reformat it properly ( http://www.photorescue.net/downloadcardwiper.htm )

3) Always keep your batteries fully charged, a low battery will increase the chances of the dreaded memory card error and render it useless until you remedy the memory card error (see Tips #1 & #2).

I really loved everything about this camera, the 3min movie clips, crystal clear LCD, good quality photos (although I gave to edit the images to remove the extreme red hue in some of my indoor images), and compact size/weight. However, the rampant memory card error is inexcusable, warranting only a 1 or 2 stars. If you haven't or don't experience these problems, consider yourself lucky. ;)

Note: I never experienced any of these problems with the s330 model. I had the s330 previously, which I gave to my sister. I'm sad to see that the new Canon models are having a lot of problems.

DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA!!!!!!
I thought I was crazy at first, but I am having the same memory card problems as all the other reviewers. I think the problem is with the camera but not with the memory card. I took the memory card from my s400 powershot and placed it in my canon G6 powershot and was able to download all the pictures and movies using the G6.

AVOID! Memory Card error!
I am suffering from the same memory card error mentioned dozens of times among these reviews. We were quite happy with the S400 for the first eighteen months or so, and then started getting this persistent error that now has rendered the camera useless.

The reason I am adding my two bits is to help bring down the average rating for this camera (which was still four stars as of this writing) so that the casual buyer won't just glance at the four star rating and think everyone is happy. We're not.

Canon should be ashamed.

Memory card errors after 18 months
I bought this camera 10/2003. a couple of months after that i received my first "memory card error." since the problem went away after a power reset, i thought nothing of it. it happened intermittently after that and now during the 7/4/2005 weekend the error won't go away! seems after a google search it's quite a bigger problem. the only recourse is to file a complaint with the better business bureau now and if enough of you file a complaint canon might be forced to do something. don't just complain about it...do something about it!

Great camera for a while, then memory card errors everywhere
As everyone seems to be, I also have experienced the famed "Memory Card Error." The camera worked really quite well (other than one early E18 error covered by warranty) for about 26 months...but now is practically unusable due to memory card errors. At first, they would just be intermittent...and a format or simply turning the camera off and back on would fix them. Now, however, "memory card error" is essentially permanantly on my screen.

I've tried multiple batteries, fully charged, air-dusting the CF compartment, multiple CF cards, re-formatting the card, and nothing seems to get rid of the problem.

Other than the memory card error, it was a quality camera though. When it first came out I was that guy with the really cool new camera, and I still appreciate Canon's attempt to put out a cutting-edge model with good quality in a small size.

Now, however, I think that Canon needs to recognize the prevalence of the problem and propose some sort of a solution for camera owners. Many owners of this camera would certainly have upgraded to a new Canon elph if they had not experienced the untimely death of their camera. Canon should issue a recall, or at least provide service past the date of warranty. If not, Canon is really risking the future of their camera sales by alienating their customer base.

I've already ordered a new SD500...I'm sure I'll love it as I did the S400, but I only hope I can love it a little longer this time.

Memory Card Errors!!!
Same problem as everyone else here...MEMORY CARD ERROR? To make things worse, CANON won't do anything about it. I bought the camera about 18 months ago, and it worked great, and now I am plagued with memory card errors, but I know that it is not the memory card, because I can use it in any other camera. I can't believe the rating here on amazon is still 4 stars with so many dissatisfied customers.

Newer models available
This is a great camera from Canon. I've always been a fan of the Digital Elphs and I've had this one for about 2 years now. Canon has since come out with smaller versions with more capabilities. So if you're considering this camera, I would suggest looking at the SD300, SD400, and even SD500 before making your decision.

Memory error - time to take action
Just received the response shown below after me second email to Canon. It seems familiar - exact wording that I saw on another website claiming ignorance about a problem. I have now filed a complaint with the California and New York Attorney General's Office and the New York BBB. I strongly suggest all of you with this problem to do likewise so we can build a fire under Canon. If your camera has this problem and you haven't yet posted to this site let us hear from you. We should also start posting to other shopping websites (dealcatcher, epinions, etc) as well as the photography sites, including their Letters to the Editor. We need to make others aware of the way Canon has turned this problem into a profit center.

------------
Thank you for contacting Canon product support. We value you as a Canon customer and appreciate the opportunity to assist you.
Please note, Canon USA does not monitor, confirm, endorse, or attest to the accuracy of any information posted on third party websites. It seems many customers are overwhelmed by the barrage of information (or misinformation) being posted on unregulated, non-Canon websites. Unfortunately, this is not something over which Canon has any control. We are able only to confirm the performance of the camera based on our
own testing.

No service notifications have been released for the PowerShot S400.

Unfortunately, we here at the Care Center do not have the opportunity or authority to extend the terms of your warranty or to offer you free repair service outside of the 1-year warranty period. I understand your disappointment in encountering this issue with your camera, but you will need to address your concerns with the Factory Service Center. They are
the only entity within Canon USA authorized to make warranty decisions.

I suggest mailing your camera to them, along with a detailed letter explaining your situation, just as you have done in your correspondence with us here at the Care Center.

The Factory Service Center personnel will assess your camera and read your letter. If they decide to complete your repairs free of charge, the camera will be repaired and returned to you at Canon's expense. If they determine that the repairs will not be covered, you will receive an estimate for the costs to repair your camera. At that point, you can determine if the cost of repairing the camera is of value to you. If
not, it will be returned at no cost to you.

I apologize for any inconvenience this causes you.

Thank you for choosing Canon.

Sincerely,

Chris
Technical Support Representative

Memory Card Error - camera is now useless
Wondeful camera but very short life span. Mine is 24months old and can now only be used as a door-stopper since it has the Memory Card Error. I tried all the tricks I have seen in Usergroups but none work. Today the camera can not take a picture anymore. The local Canon service here can fix it for ý200, but will it cure the problem or just produce a band aid? A new Fuji 5.0mpix starts at ý250 so think go that route instead.

Dan in Germany

MEMORY CARD ERROR AFTER 16 MONTHS!!!!
Total waste of money. I've called Canon and they won't do anything about it other than ask me to pay $150+ (can't remember exactly how much) or trade it in for an SD500 for $200. DO NOT BUY!!!!! I didn't even really use it that much!!!

Canon S400 is a poor choice - slow action - memory errors
The camera is loaded with neat features, but the software is so slow, you can never get a good shot unless your able to have your subjects hold a smile for up to 7 seconds at times. Also, the camera started giving "memory card errors" after about 20 months. Replacing the expensive, 256 meg high speed memory card does not help. Canon has a defectivly designed camera model and refuses to stand behind their products. I now find that there are hundreds of people with the same problem and canon will not help them. I think its time for a class action.

Important: Camera worked great for 1.5 years, now is useless!
Hi,

I am a reasonable consumer. So when I paid $400-500 for a product, plus the $50/per memory card, I expected to have something that will at least work for 3 years. Sure it might be slower than newer cameras, but it should still function.

I've been getting the memory card error for the past 3 months, and I used to be able to just re-start the camera, or re-format the memory cards. Now, the camera will not work at all anymore.

This is very disappointing, as there are many other brands out there with digital cameras, and I chose to buy the Canon based on the feedback from my friends and review web sites...but now I recently found out that they have pretty much written off this camera as well.

It's a shame b/c it was a great product when it worked, but now I will probably never buy another Canon product for the rest of my life...what's the point in buying a brand name if it is just as cheap as the no-name stuff?

Canon Sux0rs!!!
I too have just fallen victim to the infamous "memory card error" plaguing the S400 model produced by Canon. The camera is a bit shy of 21 months old and suddenly started spouting "memory card errors" left and right. Initially I thought the Simpletech memory card was to blame, but after seeing all these negative reviews on Amazon, now I know better. Canon should pull their act together and compensate their customers. Class action anyone?

Yet another memory card error case
I've loved this camera like no other gadget I've ever owned.
So much that at least 4 friends bought one on my recommendation.
But at 20 months the memory card errors started.

A few days ago when I called Canon, the rep said he'd never heard of this behavior before.
So tonight I did a web search and... WOW! I am clearly not alone.

The biggest disappointment is not that the camera is failing,
it is that Canon's management is failing its customers.

great camera until memory card error appears
i got this camera in june 2003, and began experiencing the "memory card error" problem intermittently from the very beginning. since powering off/on usually cleared up the problem, i didn't pay it much attention.

in february 2005, the camera pretty much stopped working altogether, and i haven't used it since. i didn't realize the problem was widespread, and now i am angry that canon is so unresponsive and won't stand behind their product.

i really loved the camera while it worked; very easy to use, and it took good pictures. too bad it is useless now. i highly recommend that everyone call canon support to register this problem: 1-800-828-4040. make sure they take your name and information to be able to track these complaints!

Decent camera
I've had this camera since October 2003, and I haven't had any significant problems with it. I have experienced the memory card errors as previously described, but only twice, and the errors were not fatal. As soon as I went on my computer and deleted the faulty photo, I could resume my photo-taking. I use my camera on a fairly regular basis - perhaps twice or three times a week. I haven't had any problems connecting it to the computer via USB cable. I chose Canon because their colors are more vibrant than those of other camera manufacturers. I would definitely recommend this camera for casual use.

It WAS a great camera...for a while
I bought my S400 in August 2003 and it was truly a wonderful camera until July 2005, when I started getting memory card errors. The error occurred no matter which of my 3 compact flash cards I used. Then the camera refused to work at all. Canon is willing to repair it for $150 plus shipping and tax, and I'm not certain that it's worthwhile to do this.

Please think twice before purchasing this camera. The current 4 star rating does not accurately reflect the camera's performance after 18 months or so.

Another camera with memory card errors
I am another disgruntled customer with an S400 experiencing memory card errors. I have purchased 4 other elphs for family members and swear by the camera with friends, but this is discouraging enough to change my mind about the camera line and the company. How sad.

Another Memory Card Error
Like all of the posts, this camera worked great at first and then one day it just started malfunctioning with "Memory Card Errors" This was aproximately 18 or so months after purchase At first I didn't think much of it and the camera seemed to fix itself by simply shutting the camera off and then turning it back on. Eventually the camera would not even work. I even stupidily (is that a word) bought a new $75 flash card hoping that it was the card...NOPE, in seconds I found out it was indeed the camera. I too, tried to have this repaired and Canaon wanted to charge iver $150 to get this problem fixed. I would strongly suggest not buying this camera and taking the risk as one day you'll find yourself highly disapointed when your camera suddenly has a memory card error and you lose all of your pictures.....

Enjoyed it for 2 years, then - memory card error
My S400 was purchased from Amazon back in May 2003, and last year I began to get occasional "Memory card error" which would go away after a few reboots, but a few days ago it became totally stuck in that mode. I've tried rebooting countless times, switched 3 different CF cards including the 32MB that came with it, and still got the same error. To be fair I've shot thousands of pictures (great quality) and hundreds of clips (mediocre) with it, and have dropped it from waist-high at least a few times. But it's still very disappointing to have a $400 piece of electronics lasted only a little more than two years.

Memory Card Error
I have had the same issue that everyone here seems to have. Has anyone figured out a remedy for this?

Canon is no help at all. They tell you that you can either: a) buy a used, refurbished camera for $199 or b) send it in to be repaired, which would cost AT LEAST $150.

lousy camera
Within 18 months of purchase I too was plagued with the memory card error messages. Now it only displays the E18 message and does not work at all. I expected this camera to last a lot longer for the $400 I paid. Canon should be ashamed. Needless to say, I will avoid Canon products in the future.

Great Camera - Less Memory Card Error
I really like this camera, small, solidly built, takes great pictures. However, 2 years with this camera, and it appears to be toast. I'm getting the "memory card error" message that apparently many people are having problems with...not good.

memory card error SOLVED
I too was left with an unusable S400 for several months with the "memory card error". I solved the problem by formatting my compact flash cards by connecting them to my PC through a CF reader. I also reset the settings on the camera to the default by removing the card, turning it on and pressing and holding down menu for 10 seconds. Worked like a charm, and I can now resume taking shots with my S400 again.

S400 - memory card error
I was able to put up with the redeye and slow speed of this camera because it was pretty small. That all changed when the warranty ran out and the camera started giving the dreaded "memory card error" and wouldn't take pictures or let me look at existing pictures. I tried reformatting the card using a PC but that didn't help, so I finally sent the camera back to Canon, thinking surely they would fix it for little or no charge. Much to my dismay, I got an estimate for $155, which is Canon's fixed price repair charge. They said I could buy a refurbished S410 for $195, which was just as outrageous, since I knew those cameras have the same problems as the S400. I refused to give Canon any more of my money and they sent the camera back. I am going to try one more thing to fix the problem, new batteries. If that doesn't work, I'm going to join a class action lawsuit against Canon. I found the following information on another website:

"If you would like to join the Lawsuit against Canon for "Memory card error" OR "E18" error CALL ATTORNEY JIM SMITH AT NO COST TO YOU REGARDING THE E18 ERROR. THERE IS A POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION SUIT.HIS NUMBER IS 1-877-667-9489."

Nice Camera -- while it lasts.
Beware the E18 message! It happened after 2 years of use. Don't kid yourself into thinking it won't happen. If you don't care, then think of it as a disposable camera. No more Cannon for me which is unfortunate, because the size of the camera is great. IT WILL HAPPEN. It's just a matter of time.

Memory Card Error...PLEASE look for a different camera!!!! This is NOT worth your money!!!
I received this camera for Christmas back in 2003, shortly after it came out. I loved it, great size, great pictures, overall good camera......UNTIL a week ago. I to received the dreaded "memory card error" message that many, many other Canon Camera owners have received.

And alas, there is nothing I can do but sit my newly broken camera on the shelf and cry away the $300.00 dollars I wasted on this 'so called' high end camera.

I would wish to see it fixed but Canon does not seem to care, nor believe, that this is a serious problem and will not cover fixing it unless I fork over $150.00....that money I do believe I will be saving towards a new NON-Canon camera.

I was a Canon fan tried and true, and swore by no other until this mishap occured. Their poor, poor customer service (they said the camera stopped working because of a user error....I seriously beg to differ!) has descreased Canon to the new scum of the camera industry in my eyes. I do not see how a camera, who user after user has claimed to break after exactly 18 to 20 months of use, can be a good buy.


If you are considering this camera, or any other camera by Canon, PLEASE do some more looking, read more reviews, ask professionals their opions and seriously consider a different camera!!!!!!

Another Memory Card Error
After 22 months, I'm also receiving the memory card error message, rendering the camera useless. Fortunately, the camera is most likely covered by AmEx's Buyer Assurance program but it is very disappointing that a $400 camera would fail after such a short time. Took very good outdoor pictures before failure and mediocre indoor pictures (generally have red-eye problems). I've recently purchased the Nikon D50 SLR camera - beautiful pics and worth the extra money.

E18 problem
We loved the picture quality of the Canon Powershot S400, until we got an E18 error message after only 5 months of use. Canon repaired the camera, but the error message is back a year later. The lens won't retract and the camera is useless now. The warranty has conveniently expired. We did not dish out $460 to buy a camera that barely lasts 1.5 years! Try doing a Google search for "Canon E18" or "Canon memory card problem" to see how widespread the problem is. I was a big fan, but will never buy a Canon again.

MEMORY CARD ERROR!!!
I bought this piece of sh** thinking it was a great buy...even found it on sale on amazon.com. Hhahaha..yea right. Canon is laughin all the way to the bank on this camera, because everyone who has purchased it, has gotten the good ol' Memory Card Error. My camera is USELESS. I havent even had it for 4 months, and this piece of sh** already is worthless and broken. Fu** Canon for making this Powershot S400.

another one bites the dust ... "memory card error"
I bought a Canon S400 digital camera on 03/12/04. The last time I was able to take pictures with it was 09/29/05. The LCD indicates the camera has a "Memory Card Error." I tried 6 different compactflash cards. Same error. I enjoyed this camera while I had use of it but now it is completely useless. I called Canon customer service earlier tonight but they offered no remedies other than to pay more money to fix the defective product or to buy another refurbished camera at more than half of the cost of the original camera (and with an abbreviated warranty of only 6 months). A web search is quite revealing - I am astonished at the number of people who have experienced the same problem and heard the same response. And I am amazed that Canon has not taken responsibility for what is obviously some design defect. From a business standpoint, they are taking a great risk ... they are losing customers, me included.

Great while it lasted
After 18 months, memory card error. I tried various remedies: new battery, different cards, reformatting via card reader to FAT, resetting camera defaults. Reformatting worked a few times the past 6 months. Now, it's been a full two years and it's a svelt silver brick. Please fix it Canon!

Memory Card Error Too
Just wanted to add my voice to the litany of memory card errors. The tru measure of a good company and a good product is how the manufacturer responds to problems. Given I have been unable to see any response from the company on this issue all I can say is stay away from all canon products!

Count Me In
I bought my DigitalELPH S400 in late 2003 and now in late 2005 it has started giving E50 "memory card error" like everyone elses. Hundreds of people can't be wrong! DON'T BUY THIS CAMERA! Clearly this is a situation where Canon has a poorly engineered product and should be doing some PR damage control, but I get the feeling from other's testimonials that Canon doesn't care. Too bad. I won't be recommending any more Canon products and will be looking elsewhere when it comes time to replace my Rebel and ZR85. A class action lawsuit may be the only way to make Canon take responsibility for their product.

Memory Card Error
I've owned this camera for 2 years now, back then it was $370. After about 1 1/2yrs it started giving me a memory card error on the screen. I thought it was my CF card and luckily I work for a computer parts manufacturer, took it into work and had tech support look at it. They RMA'd the CF card and gave me a new one but found nothing wrong with it. After googling the error I found many sites of many users' complaints of the same issue.

I tried to make it work, found a trick where if I took out the CF card and battery and put back in it would solve the problem sometimes. But the error got more and more frequent and now it's just sitting collecting dust. $370 down the drain! I throught it would take me further than 2 years. Tried to contact Canon about the issue, they don't do anything for you.

Now that the prices of digcams have dropped so much I'm looking into buyin another one since I have a lemon on my hands, but I'm staying away from CANAON!

Me too
Just to add to everyone else's tales of woe, I too have the "Memory card error" readout on my Ixus 400. It started off intermittently but is now permanent on my 2 year old camera which I bought in the UK. Canon should be ashamed of themselves!!

Memory Card Error
The "Memory card error" has started on our S400 - I have sent an email to Canon Customer service but based on the responses I have seen here I don't have high hopes for a fix. The camera still works intermittently, but it is getting worse.

Memory card error
Like everyone else i seem to have developed the same problem with my canon ixus 400. It is just about a 18 months old and started giving intermittent memory card error, about 1 month after warranty expired, now it is permanent. I will try the canon approach but i guess it will be useless.

Memory Card error
Well... It is getting boring, but we too are the victim of the Memory Card error. After barely 1.5 years of use! I am really disappointed in Canon. So unless you want to buy a new camera within 2 years time, don't buy this one. Just see the number of people who had this problem and be amazed...

shame on canon!
Same problem! It seems that it happens to almost everyone who bought the camera at the same time! And I paid 350 euros to change the lense!

Me too on the memory card error
I liked this camera pretty well when it worked. The user interface wasn't as easy to use as my old Sony, but it was a nice camera.

Until I got the dreaded memory card error and now it's a door stop, out of warranty. It still works, but who wants a camera that only works 95% of the time, and then 5% of the time dies with a memory card error until you can go home and clear out the memory card? Makes it basically useless.

Great Until Memory Goes
After two years of better than satisfactory experience (image quality, ease of use), the memory error problem surfaced. The error can be cleared by reformatting at the expense of saved files. Canon offers no help or even acknowledgement of this "adolescent mortality".The S400 is the second Canon I purchased and I'm in the market for a 7MP camera -- unless they address the memory error problem, I won't be buying a third Canon.

Memory Card Error Club
I purchased my S400 about 18 months ago. Memory Card Error started showing up a month ago....lost a handful of pictures due to the error.

Called Canon - they told me that it was likely that one of the pins was loose. Not that I can tell. When I told them that I had researched this issue on line they said that all cameras have issues with these pins. I tried to find other complaints on other cameras - nadda.

Also was told that if Canon knew something was wrong they would address it. Sounds like they're turning a blind eye here.

Nice $400 paper weight. Not going to buy Canon again - I would if they would address the issue (camera was great before this enduring error), but to ignore it? sorry, moving on....

Memory Card Error
Once again, "Memory Card Error" After 18 months. Who wants a camera they can't trust? No More Canons for me!

BUYER BEWARE of the Memory Card Error DEFECT!!
I purchased the Canon Powershot s400 on Amazon in April of 2004. This is our third digital camera- one other Canon and one Nikon- and this was the best of the three. For the most part, I was satisfied with the images, but many required red-eye fixing or tweaking of the levels. Bright light pictures were usually very washed out. Shot-to-shot and powering up times were good. I would give the camera a rating of 3.5 or maybe even 4 stars if it still actually worked.

I started getting a message that said "Memory Card Error" after about 14 months. The message only happened on occasion, and I could power it off and on a few times and eventually the camera would work. It was annoying- for sure- but at least still (sort of) functional. Two months later, there was nothing I could do to get rid of the error message and the camera became completely useless. It made it to the ripe old age of 16 months! I called Canon, and they said I could send the camera in to their repair shop, and they would mail me an estimate. When I explained the problem, they said that it would most likely cost on the high end of $150 - $300. Even the service rep. said that it would not be worth repairing.

If your heart is set on buying this camera, please don't do so without buying an extended warranty. You will most likely be VERY happy you did. I had to use my warranty (purchased at Best Buy) on my previous Canon, and the customer service was outstanding. There was no out-of-pocket charge for completely repairing my broken camera. They even took the liberty of replacing the outer pieces so it looked like a new camera. My only (minor) gripe was that I was without a camera for almost two weeks. Because Amazon was offering the S400 at $100 below Best Buy, I decided to take a chance this time and forgo the extended warranty. BIG MISTAKE!!

To those of you who have just purchased this camera, consider selling it before this defect sets in for you and the camera is worthless!

Canon- I am SO disappointed in you! This defect happens more often than not, and you won't recall the camera or do anything to help those of us who made a substantial investment little over a year ago. I guess you knew what you were thinking when you gave the camera a one-year warranty.

If I sound bitter, it is probably because I am...I can't afford to buy a new camera every year. The sad thing is, my next camera will probably be the Canon S2 IS because it is such a fantastic camera and I would like to have the 12x zoom capabilities. But you can bet that I won't buy it without an extended warranty!

Canon's Problems = No Action = Class Action !!!!
DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA for your own peace of mind. It's a great camera when it works, but Canon has no respect for it's consumers. They ignore any problems, and furthermore, they want you to pay for their design errors.

I have an S400 which was a gift from my sister back in late '03. On my suggestion, after reading rave reviews on the S400, she bought one for herself too ($400 x 2).

Since Jul/Aug '05, I am getting the E50 error message and the "memory card error" which means I can't take pics. I can't reformat the card with the camera, as the reformat function withint the S400 itself doesn't work, so I bought a multimedia card reader to format the CF card, and that worked for a while, but now the camera is at best unreliable for taking pictures.

I Haven't gotten the E18 (zoom lens retraction) on my S400, which is another problem plaguing this and many other Canon cameras, but after doing some research, I wouldn't be surpised if that starts to show up too.

I can't believe that after all the problems people are having with Canon cameras, all what seem to be common problems, (E18, E50, E51, "memory card error", etc.),that Canon takes such a position to charge for their lack of quality control.

For all of the many Amazon users who have bought this camera and/or other Canon cameras with similar problems, there is law firm out of San Francisco, Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo, that is investigating consumer complaints regarding Canon PowerShot digital cameras. Sorry, can't give you phone number, mail addresses or URLs by Amazon review writing guideliens, so just do a search on any search engine and you will find the info.

I think we should all sue Canon for knowingly selling products that are faulty. We should also report Canon to the BBB. Sue, sue, sue!!!! They only seem to listen when you hit them in the pockets, don't ya think?

Put a faulty product out there, and charge for the repair? Now that's a profitable business it seems to me, even if it's not morally correct. Imagine if auto makers did that? Canon knows their cameras have problems and they choose to ignore the consumers complaints.

Do not buy this Camera - you will get the MEMORY CARD ERROR eventually and Canon won't help you fix it, but they will gladly charge you for fixing it. I won't buy Canon again because of their total lack of support for their failed products.

Memory Card Error - Club
I purchased my Canon Powershot S400 digital camera about 2 years ago - absolutely loved. It traveled well and was always reliable. Until recently. The memory card error appeared. I tried several memory cards and received the same message on the back of the now non-functioning camera "memory card error". I researched the problem extensively and found that Canon is aware of the problem but does not care. You can fix the problem for $300, but for that price I would just buy another camera - not a Canon. But those of you experiencing the same memory card error I have found a very simple way to fix the problem, which I will share with you at no cost. I discovered this cure when I figured I had nothing to lose because I was going to throw the camera in the garbage. With the camera off, holding it vertically (like you would taking a picture), slam it down on a book or note pad that is on a very solid surface. Slam it hard, you have nothing to lose, the camera is worthless, but don't break your hand or wrist. Once should do should do it. Turn the camera on, you should be back in business. Good luck!

Fix the memory card error
I was finally able to fix the memory card error I was getting on my Canon S400. After almost throwing the camera away, I did a last search online and found a way to fix it that worked for a lot of people. What you need to do is open the camera and remove the camera's internal battery and insert it again. This might seem like a major task, but it's actually not all that complicated (although if you are not comfortable with opening electronic devices and handling tiny screws, you might want to stay away). Here's a diagram to help you out: http://www.huroncamera.com/diagrams/Canon_Digital/POWERSHOT_S400_IXUS_400.pdf (the battery is part #3 on page 4). Don't be scared with the diagram, as you won't have to take the entire camera apart. You will only need to open up the camera. Good luck!

What a disappointment!
The first couple of years were great. But then I had the MEMORY CARD ERROR of death and was shocked to find out that it's the norm for it to disfunction after 18 months. I paid $500 for this camera so it was an expensive mistake. You can do MUCH better.

Joined the memory card error club...
Was great until it I started getting intermittent memory card error messages after about two years. I would power on and off a bit and then it would eventually return to normal. Sometimes I had to delete the last picture because it wouldn't take pictures beyond that picture. Now however, the message is permanent. I tried a new memory card since it says "memory card error" - apparently that's not the problem. Go figure. With all the complaints on this camera to the point where there's a memory card error "club", don't even bother with this one. The other problem I had with this camera is the autofocus lag in taking pictures which is key when you need to get priceless moments. I've lost many because of the lag of this camera.

Fixed my SD400 memory card error
Just like C Gallo says - take it apart, remove battery (I left it out for a minute or so), put it back together. Not hard. Just keep track of where the screws go. :)

Memory card error...fixed (for now)
It seems that my experience with the S400 is very similar to everyone else's. I've had it for 18 months, and suddenly...Memory Card Error. I tried several different suggestions to fix the Memory Card Error, but to no avail. Finally, I tried the one below from C. Gallo of taking the internal battery out, and reinserting it. That did the trick! I didn't know which screws I had to remove to get to the battery, so I ended up taking all of them out. However, all that was required was to remove the front panel, which is held by 5 screws (1 on the bottom, by the tripod screw hole, and 4 on side by the loop).

Taking out the internal battery worked
I want to thank the poster who did the research to take out the internal battery. I think it's working, but I really can't tell. I would think that we need to replace the internal battery no? If you're going to take the camera apart, make sure you go to Radio Shack and get their precision screwdriver kit. The screws are size 0.0 not 0. As another poster mentioned, make sure you track which screws come out of where. There are three different sizes and it gets tricky putting it back.

Oh and I just want to say that Canon really sucks. I can't believe that they didn't address this issue. My next camera will be a Nikon. I see that some SD400 customers are also complaining about a similar issue.

Memory Card Error Nightmare
I am so disappointed with this camera. We purchased it 2 years ago for $500 and it started acting up with this memory card error message about 6 months ago. But, it would always work to turn it off and then turn it back on again and it would be fine however a couple weeks ago it just wouldn't "come back to life". It just said no image and had erased all my pictures. I went and purchased a new memory card thinking that was the problem but the new one did the same thing. I then emailed Canon customer service and they responded quickly however they told me it would cost $119 to send the camera in to be fixed or I could do the PowerShot upgrade program and get a Canon PowerShot S500 for $199 + shipping. I am so ready to purchase a new camera but after reading these reviews I am going to try the internal battery trick first. I agree - you could do better!

Just trying to bring the stars down....
Same problem here folks, memory card error frustration. I will be attempting the battery removal technique. For those interested, there is also a potential class action suit that may someday happen with their camcorders, see http://mysite.verizon.net/resohb20/ for more info. I had the cassette removal problem with my Z40 camcorder and destroyed many of my good miniDV tapes (and the valuable material on them).

Gallo is awsome, camera less so
Gallo you are awsome. We tried everything with this camera, even calling the manufacturer. Extremely unhelpful - same garbage - send it in and pay them money for something they broke when building it. And when just a little fix will do. I was amazed that taking out the battery was so easy. I took all the screws out just to be safe but laid them to the side in order. Took no time to put them back.

I would say that otherwise, the camera is durable and easy to use, especially for a young person. And the quality of the pictures is good for the time it was made. My daughter was 14 at the time and had no trouble using it. The only drawback is that you have to use their battery, unlike my Olympus which uses AA and when you're out in the woods camping, it's not likely you'll find electricity. So ease of use is good if you're always near an electrical source.

Battery change did the trick!
Same as everyone else has reported... after a little over two years of owning the camera I started getting "Memory card error"(s). Bought a new CF card, but the errors kept coming back. I could no longer see the pictures on the card, either!

I followed C. Gallo's advice, took apart the camera and replaced the small internal battery (it's on the front of the camera, to the bottom-right of the lens... so try just taking off enough to get to that area).

Others have reported that just buying a new rechargable battery (the kind you can easily take out of the side) will do you good for about a year. I'll try that next if the error crops up again.

Thanks, C. Gallo!

Good camera until the Memory Card Error....
I've owned this camera for almost two years with no problems, and just like all the other reviewers, I got the 'memory card error' and my camera stopped working. Thank you all for posting the your comments on how to fix the memory card error. It worked for me too! (my tip: I stuck all the little screws on sticky shipping tape to prevent them from rolling around) You all save me from buying a new camera...I was actually on Amazon looking for a new camera before I decided to check out the comments on the Canon PowerShot S400.

I've enjoyed this camera because it's small and easy to carry around, but one of the downsides of the camera is that you have to press hard on the button to take the picture. It's not a big deal for me, but when you ask others to take the picture for you, you have to explain to them to hold the button longer.

With all the new digital cameras out there, there are certainly better cameras out there. But since this camera is working again, I'll keep it around for awhile. Thanks again for all the comments on how to fix the memory card error!

Huge disappointment and waste of money
The camera worked fine with minor complaints for about 2 years. The zoom is not that great, up close automatic photos are ALWAYS out of focus, and the red eye feature doesn't work that well. I lived with the shortcomings, because it was a nice, small, convenient camera, but now it doesn't work at all. Like everyone else, I got the "Memory Card Error" problem. I lost some great pictures of my 3 month old baby, and now it looks like I need to start shopping for a new camera. I'm going to try the battery fix, but even if that works, I don't trust that it will keep working, and I don't want to lose any more photos. I'll never buy another Canon.

Middle of the road and repair advice
I bought this camera mainly as a snapshot camera. I especially liked the size of the camera. Eventually I started using some of the more advanced features and found it to be fairly easy to use. Unfortunately I never really found the pictures to be all that great. Coming from a Kodak I was surprised at how the Canon failed to deliver better pics than it did. Nonetheless it was a good camera for what I needed.
Then, like it seems everyone else has, I encountered the E50 memory card error. After looking online at potential fixes and seeing what Canon suggested and their cost, I found myself looking at new camera's last weekend. Something I really wasn't planning on being in the market for just now.
Fortunately I happened across a solution yesterday that did eliminate the memory card error, at least for now. Last night I took 300 pictures and downloaded them onto my PC and no problems.
The fix: I turned the camera on and put it in playback/review mode. I held the menu button down until I got a screen that asked if I wanted to restore the camera to factory settings and said Yes. I tried it in picture taking mode instead of review mode and it did not work, but when I did it in review it changed the settings back to factory and like I said, worked like a champ last night. I'll keep pushing it for a while and see if my error returns and report back.

UPDATE:Two weeks and at least 1000 pictures later the camera is still working fine. I have four CF cards and after the fix all but one worked. The other I just did the same fix as before and it works as well. .

Same "Memory Card Error" problem with Digital Ixus
I've had the same memory card error problem with my Ixus, which I've had for two years. I just got back from Turin & the Olympics very annoyed that I couldn;t take pictures at the Opening Ceremony! Anyway, I unscrewed the front plate, lifted the plastic covered copper shielding & removed the small battery in the bottom right hand corner. A 2-minute wait, and then I replaced it. I had to re-format the memory card, but now it's working OK!

It was great for 2 years, but then... MEMORY CARD ERROR!!
If you want your digital camera to last you for more than 18 months, then don't buy this one! It erased all of my valuable pictures too!

Thank you so much C. Gallo for telling us about the "memory card error" fix. It worked like a charm! I had to take out all ten screws though to get it to come apart, but I was careful to mark which screw came from which place and I got it back together with only one scratch (I stupidly tried to use a knife to jar it open after I removed the first 5 screws).

Good news: I am so grateful that I dont have to rush out and buy a new camera just yet.
Bad news: I lost all of my vacation pictures when this first happened. How long can I expect my camera to go before this happens again?

Thank you!
Cindy

S400 ** MEMORY CARD DEATH **
I'm playing the same broken record here. I bought this camera 2 years ago. Never had a problem with it and was very satisfied. It was recommended by 2 friends who own it as well. 2 months ago...BINGO.. "MEMORY CARD ERROR". My 2 friends..same thing. Based on all the research that I have done, this camera has a life of 1.5 to 2 years. This is completely unacceptable for a product that costs over [...] I haven't tried the "opening" the camera solution (by C.Gallo), but might be forced to soon. One ray of hope, is that it looks like Canon might finally be owning up to their mistake. Here is a link to their website stating that they recognize a "problem has occurred" and that they will fix the camera for free:

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=223&modelid=8777

Don't know if its true...? Based on the amount of people having this issue, I would assume you would get your camera back in about 2 years. Until then, SONY is a great option.

MEMORY CARD ERROR TOO
Like so many others, I experienced the memory card error. It renders the camera unuseable. I have contacted Canon and, thus far, they are not willing to do anything about it. I would strongly advise AGAINST buying this camera, because it seems likely (if not a sure thing) that your camera will stop working after only a short while -- for me, it was about 16 months.

Solution to the CF memory corruption problem
It could be that resetting the camera to its default state (by holding down the "menu" button for an few seconds) initiates a soft reboot of the camera that is as effective as the hard reboot resulting from removal of the internal battery (and it's a lot easier). Any failures with either method?

Memory Card Error easily fixable
Besides the new "Canon" recall that offers a repair for all Canon Elph S400, I did a lot of research after my camera did this (mind you my Memory Card Error came after 3.5 years of use of my camera), and the trick is...... drumroll.. charge the battery to its full capacity.

For some reason this trick ALWAYS works.

Hope this helps for y'all...

Do not buy
We tried every trick on the web to fix our memory card error. It just cannot be permanently fixed. We will never buy another Canon camera.

Solution to the CF memory corruption problem - it works - for now
I tried Ronald Jones' suggestion for fixing the memory card error problem got immediate results. So, for now, my camera is back in business. Many thanks, Ronald!

Canon will fix the memory card error for FREE!
This is an amazing little camera that takes beautiful vibrant pictures and I was relieved to find out that Canon is offering to inspect it and fix it for FREE even if your warranty has expired. This was taken from their website. Pass the news along!

If it is determined by Canon USA that your PowerShot S400 camera is exhibiting the CF Card communication problem that has been identified, the camera will be repaired free of charge, regardless of whether the camera is still under warranty. In addition, a refund of a previously paid repair will be made if it is determined by Canon USA that the repair of your PowerShot S400 was prompted by the CF Card communication problem that has been identified.

We have implemented a plan to assist those of our customers whose S400 cameras have exhibited the CF Card communication problem that has been identified. Repair service will be performed free of charge. U.S. residents are asked to contact the Canon Customer Support Center for assistance at 1-800-828-4040.

Memory Card Fix instructions - Love this camera
July 13, 2006: I used this camera happily for 2 years before getting the memory card error. Here are some more details about how to remove the internal battery: You must remove NINE screws in order to get to it. Four screws by the loop (then the plate comes off, remember which side is up); One screw by the front of the tripod hole, plus the Two screws next to it along the front of the camera; and the Two screws on the side by the A/V Out rubber cover. GENTLY pry the front of the camera off (I used a tiny flathead screwdriver, inserting it into the crack and gently turning it), and then lift the lower right corner of the copper flap (it might be held down by a touch of adhesive). Gently pop out the little battery. Reverse to assemble. I haven't seen whether it works as a fix yet, but I know I wanted more instructions while I was doing it, so I thought I'd provide them for the next person.:)
August 2, 2006: After performing the fix, I took the camera on a 2-week vacation, took tons of pics and videos, and had absolutely no trouble. The memory card error would definitely have shown itself at least once during that time if it had not been fixed. Hooray!!

Great camera!
I have had this camera for about 3 years now, and I find it to be an amazing camera for the average person. I am not a professional photographer, yet I can capture some great shots with this little guy.

Recently, I got the "memory card error" that has been mentioned in a few of the reviews. I also read the trick (taking the face off and popping out the internal battery and putting it back in) and gave it a try. This worked wonderfully, and I am so happy that I don't have to get a new camera!

I can't say that I have ever had any problems other than the memory card issue. The S400 has been very pleasing.

Canon is great!

A Great, Convenient Little Camera
My wife and I bought this camera as a wedding present for each other for use at the Guest Book signing table at our wedding, and we took it on our honeymoon.

The battery lasts a very long time. The optical quality is outstanding. We bought a 1GB CompactFlash card, so we shot our entire 2-week honeymoon without having to download, and we were not being stingy on the number of shots. We even used it to shoot some video.

One downside is the amount of time to shoot one photo after one was just taken, however that could be because the memory card we got was not a high-speed card, just the regular speed. Hardly the fault of the camera.

We did not experience the memory card problem we've heard some reviewers have had.

After 3 years of use, our camera finally succumbed to our rough-and-tumble lifestyle when we accidently smashed the screen while on vacation. The camera still works, though, but we're going to replace it. We're definitely going to get another Canon PowerShot series camera as our replacement, probably the SD400 or better... Happy hunting!

Neither fix works on my "memory card error"
I loved this camera for almost three years, until the famous "memory card error" struck. After taking the camera apart and removing/reinserting the battery, AND after holding down the Menu button to restore default settings, the "memory card error" message is still there.
Grrrr.

Canon makes good on problems
I've had the Elph S400 for 3 years. It took excellent photos though its movies were pretty grainy. I also experienced the "memory card error" problem which caused it to cease functioning. But Canon has a recall program for this camera and will send you a mailer to return it to them for repair if you call. No mechanical product is perfect and all you can ask for is good service if it fails. I got it.

Lasted me 3 years and still snapping away
I love this camera - I bought it after a trip to Europe where I shot 32 rolls of film and came back to the expense of developing them all only to find that half were garbage.

Ever since I bought this camera I have been taking pictures like crazy and the ones that are not garbage come out beautifully! I have played with all the color and quality settings and they really do provide fantastic results.

The video is the most recent thing I have been playing with and with my 7 month old baby reaching all sorts of milestones I am happy not to have to drag my camcorder everywhere!

I'm due for an upgrade but only cecause I am a new technology junkie and I am craving something new and exciting!

Solid, Trusty Travelmate
I bought my S400 in May 2003 and fit it with a 1GB Lexar CF card. This camera has been with me across 3 continents -- from -10C up to 40C climates -- and easily 17,000 photos in these 3.5 years.

The camera is very solidly built, and has a reassuring heft to it. The Celabrite finish on the front resists fingerprints and is pretty durable (except in the corners where some of it has rubbed off from roughing it in pockets/purses). The S400 has a 1/1.8" CCD sensor, which is larger than most of the subcompact cameras out there -- they have 1/2.5" sensors -- and translates directly into better low-light performance before noise-reduction and processing can even start to help out. Because of this, my next camera will definitely have 1/1.8", regardless of its noise-reduction capabilities.

This was also one of the first cameras to sport an "orientation" sensor, meaning it "knows" which way you're holding the camera when you're taking the shot, and inserts this into the JPG's EXIF metadata. But while normal images are named IMG_xxxx.JPG, the movie files are named MOV_xxxx.AVI, meaning in a normal listing view, they don't show up in chronological order interspliced with the images. And I don't believe the movies have datestamps on them besides the file timestamp. Anyway, for today's standards, the movie quality (resolution and frame rates) leaves something to be desired.

The custom white balance on the S400 is quite good, and saved me from having to do a lot of postprocessing to "un-yellow" some photos.

Focusing on this camera is a little slow, and is definitely audible. But if you plan to take a lot of photos of the same subject (or at the same distance), you can lock the focus once you have it, and keep shooting without re-focusing. This also shortens the shutter lag! Ditto with exposure lock, which is useful if your picture has a wide range of lighting conditions and the best exposure isn't necessarily in the middle or detected by the camera.

A second (and third, maybe) battery is a definite requirement if you go for day trips, because like all Canons, the S400 doesn't show how much battery power is left! You get a flashing red battery sign, meaning you probably have 5-10 shots left; twice that if you turn off the LCD and flash. I found that on vacation, I would go through two full batteries per day. Sidenote: my second battery was an aftermarket with slightly higher capacity (900mAh over 840mAh), and it was 1/4 the price and lasted great until recently, when it stopped holding much of a charge.

There have been, of course, many complaints about a famous "memory card error", but I haven't had it happen to me. [...].

Sadly, some 5 hours before New Year's Eve 2007, my camera refused to power up. It didn't make it into 2007, but it gave me a great run for the money!

I have had this product for over 2 years now!
This is just a great camera but now outdated at 4mp. but if you don't need the resolution, grab this. it's unbreakable. mine's been on every motorbike ride from lhasa to calcutta and most of the time i don't even have it in the case. its scratched, dented, and the paint is worn off, but it still performs flawlessly. canon, the only way to go.

great camera
Great camera that has traveled with me all over thge world. Easy to use and quality of the pictures are excellent.