Canon S40, small in size, big in quality !
Written: Feb 23 '02 (Updated Feb 23 '02)
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Pros: Battery life, excellent metering system, compact size
Cons: Autofocus tends to hunt a lot, slow startup time
The Bottom Line: Simply the best quality for the price.
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| Cfu's Full Review: Canon PowerShot S40 Digital Camera |
The Canon S40 made its debut at the end of last year shortly after the G2 was introduced. How does it compare to other similarly priced 4.0 megapixel cameras? Read on and find out =)
What's included
The S40 comes with the usual assortment of software that one has come to expect with any digital camera purchased nowadays.
- Canon NB-2L lithium-ion battery and charger
- 32 MB compact flash card
- Adobe Photodeluxe, Canon Zoombrowser
- USB and A/V cables
- A Wriststrap
and of course the S40 itself
The Camera (general comments)
When I first got to try out the S40, I was pleasantly suprised with how simple and easy to use the camera was. Like the other Canon digitals, the main functions are easily accessible by turning a dial on the top right of the camera. Features that are listed, include settings such as sport photography, vivid mode, aperture priority, shutter priority, etc.... The design of the camera allows for easy access to all of the controls while maintaining a good grip on the camera.
To access all of the cameras functions, one simply has to hit the menu button while using the left and right directions on the thumbpad to expand and close particular menus. Because of this the S40 is an extremely easy camera to use, and anybody who is somewhat technologically adept should be able to figure out how to use the camera relatively quickly. As usual, the camera automatically records all of the necessary technical information with every shot which makes for easier analysis of ones work when later reviewing it.
Like the G2, the autofocus does tend to hunt a bit, but once you are accustomed to it, it is not a big deal. Again, just don't plan on doing any action photography with this camera. Depending on what your shooting style is like, there are three autofocus zones to choose from as well as the ability to go fully manual.
One thing that I did notice about the LCD display on the back is that it is very sharp. Other cameras in the same class and group are the Olympus D40, and the Pentax Optio 430 and when the three are put side by side, the Canon definitely has the best screen. Unlike the G2, it does not have an anti-reflective coating which helps for easier viewing in bright environments.
All in all, a very nice little package.
Image Qualiy
Canon consistently produces very high quality lenses and the lens on the S40 delivers excellent results. Although not quite as sharp as the lens on the G2, there is very little horizontal distortion unless shooting at wide angles, and when zooming in all the way, images are quite sharp corner to corner.
Color reproduction is superb, as the lens coatings on the S40 allow for excellent light transmission to the CCD. Combined with the excellent metering system, you will consistently get clear, well-saturated shots. The picture quality is what one should expect of a high end point and shoot camera, if not a little sharper.
Battery Life
With the included battery one can reasonably expect to get from 150-180 shots with the LCD display on. This is more then adequate for most people, combined with the minute memory effect of the lithium ion battery, you shouldn't need to get another battery unless you plan on going on a trip or are going to fill a 192 megabyte card full of pictures and also review them. Charging time for the battery is approximately 2 hours to achieve a 90% charge with another 2 hours for a complete charge.
There is also an auto shutdown feature, so for those who have a tendency to leave the camera on, the camera will shut down after a set amount of time (you have a few different set times to choose from in the menu).
G2 or S40?
Which of the two is better for you ? There are a few features that I really do like about the G2. One is the swivel LCD, and the other is the ability to expand your system. If you are extremely picky about image quality, the G2 does have a better lens, although you would have to do some serious comparing to note the differences. The S40 seems to have a more solid feel to it as well, but there have been some concerns about the sliding cover being an issue in the future.
Both cameras have the same autofocus and metering systems so really all it boils down too is; do you really require the flexibility that the G2 is going to give you? If not, go with the S40. The money that you save could get you another 192 megabytes of memory, as well as a good case for the camera. Although not as small as the D40 or the Optio 430, it is still a nice compact camera, and is definitely a lot sturdier then the other two.
Conclusion
Other digital cameras in the same class (as mentioned earlier) are the Olympus D-40 and the Optio 430. Each camera has its advantages but for the overall package the S40 is the best out of the three. If size is really an issue, then I would give the other two cameras a look, but if you are looking for a quality 4.0 megapixel camera, the S40 deserves some serious consideration.
Please rate my review and let me know if I have missed anything (2 a.m., I am about to fall out of my chair). If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail me and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. I have also written a review on the Canon G2 so if you are interested, the link to that review is:
http://www.epinions.com/content_42008743556
Other digital cameras I have written reviews on include the Coolpix 5000:
http://www.epinions.com/content_52639534724
The Sony DSC-F707
http://www.epinions.com/content_44300340868
and the Finepix 2600
http://www.epinions.com/content_50429988484
Thanks again for taking the time to read and rate my review !
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 600
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Epinions.com ID:
Cfu
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Location: Edm, Alberta
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 66 members
About Me:
I like anything that has to do with electronics and photography =)
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