Canon PowerShot S95

Canon PowerShot S95 camera review

Canon PowerShot S95 review

This is one of the best point and shoot digital cameras we've tested so far.

Canon introduces the top-of-the-line digital camera PowerShot S95 as an upgrade to the S90. The ultra-slim, ultra-intelligent S95 is loaded with all a serious photographer's must-haves, including a bright f/2.0 Wide-Angle Lens, RAW shooting, a number of shooting modes and effects for ultimate creativity, and professional-style control ring for intuitive manual control. On-board Canon’s HS System, a combination of a high-sensitivity 10.0 Megapixel CCD sensor and powerful DIGIC 4 processor, provides exceptional low light performance. The new S95 is also upgraded with Canon's Hybrid IS for blur-free shooting even close-up, and capability of 720p HD video recording with stereo sound. Performance, flexibility and portability merged, now it’s time to step up to PowerShot S95.

Canon PowerShot S95 features

CANON HS SYSTEM - The Canon PowerShot S95 employs the Canon HS SYSTEM by combining a high-sensitivity 10.0 Megapixel CCD sensor and Canon's DIGIC 4 Image Processor to deliver spectacular images with minimal noise. With a new maximum setting of ISO 12,800, the S95 notably reduces blur and camera shake for the ultimate in sharpness and clarity.

720P HD SHOOTING AND PLAYBACK VIA HDMI - The Canon PowerShot S95 is capable of recording video in stunning high definition (1280 x 720 pixels) with stereo sound. The camera also makes it easy to enjoy HD videos (and still photos) on your HDTV with a mini-HDMI connector for direct connection to a high-definition TV monitor.

LARGE, BRIGHT F/2.0 APERTURE - The Canon PowerShot S95 sports an f/2.0 aperture, perfect for creating enticing portraits, by drawing attention to the face and blurring the background with its impressively shallow depth-of-field. The Macro setting lets you get even closer. Additionally, the large aperture lets you capture more nuances in low light shooting by using more of the available light. You'll be ready for anything with a lens aperture larger than even many professional sizes.

CONTROL RING FOR INTUITIVE OPERATION - More intuitive and quicker than the usual 2-button control, the Canon PowerShot S95's control ring lets you adjust Focus, Exposure, ISO, Step Zoom, or White Balance more precisely than ever.

3.8X OPTICAL ZOOM WITH OPTICAL IS & 28MM WIDE-ANGLE LENS - he Canon PowerShot S95 features Canon's precision 28mm Wide-Angle 3.8x Optical Zoom Lens that allows you to shoot most scenes from wide-angle to telephoto. When it's time to take a closer look, the Canon Optical Image Stabilizer helps minimize camera shake and reveal almost every detail.

CANON HYBRID IS - By employing both an angular sensor and an accelerometer, Canon's highly advanced Hybrid IS corrects camera shake from two sources (the blur caused by the angle of the camera and the "shift blur" that happens when your subject moves parallel to the camera), delivering sharp, blur-free images even when you zoom in close to your subject.

All features: 10.0 Megapixel sensor combined with the DIGIC 4 Image Processor create Canon's HS SYSTEM for improved low light performance and better image quality.
Shoot beautiful 720p HD video in stereo sound and play back on an HDTV via the HDMI output.
A bright f/2.0 lens, great for shooting portrait photography in low light conditions or using a shallow depth-of-field for great images with beautiful soft backgrounds.
A control ring for intuitive manual control, built for the way the serious photographer has always accessed exposure control.

Full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW + JPEG for the ultimate creative control.
A 3.8x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, plus a 28mm Wide-Angle Lens gets you close to your subjects as well as capture more in your frame.
Utilizes Canon's Hybrid IS to compensate for angular and shift camera shake during close-up shooting.

Canon PowerShot S95

Canon PowerShot S95 specs

Type
Compact digital still camera with built-in flash, 3.8x Optical/4x Digital (not w/ RAW)/15x Combined Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer System

Image Capture Device
Type
10.0 Megapixel, 1/1.7-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD)
Total Pixels
Approx. 10.4 Megapixels
Effective Pixels
Approx. 10.0 Megapixels

Lens
Focal Length
6.0 (W)-22.5mm (T) f/2.0-4.9 (35mm equivalent: 28-105mm)
Digital Zoom
4x

Focusing Range
Auto: 2.0 in./5cm - infinity (W), 12 in./30cm-infinity (T);
Normal: 2.0 in./5cm - infinity, 12 in /30cm. - infinity (T);
Macro: 2.0 in. - 1.6 ft./5 - 50cm (W) 12 in. - 1.6 ft./ 30 - 50cm (T) ;
Manual Focus: 2.0 in. - infinity/5cm - infinity (W), 1.6 ft. - infinity/50cm - infinity (T)

Autofocus System- TTL Autofocus

Viewfinders
Optical Viewfinder N/A
LCD Monitor
3.0-inch TFT color with wide viewing angle
LCD Pixels
Approx. 461,000 pixels
LCD Coverage
100%

PowerShot S95 specs

What's in the box
PowerShot S95
Lithium-ion Battery Pack NB-6L
CB-2LY Charger
Wrist Strap WS-DC9
AV Cable AVC-DC400ST
USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU
Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM

Canon PowerShot S95 video review


Verdict
Canon PowerShot S95 is an amazing pocket camera but the price is still too high. It also lacks some of the features of our favorite Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX9V, which we still think is the best at this price range (300-400$)