Pros: Small Size, 3.2 megapixels, Metal body, AiAF focus system, CF memory, user friendly.
Cons: Only a 2X optical zoom.
The Bottom Line: The best choice for people who want good resolution, take a lot of pictures and appreciate the value of a small camera. Has added functionality in manual mode.
aashok's Full Review: Canon PowerShot S230 / IXUS v³ Digital Camera
This camera is perfect for general consumer use with many advanced functions, which most people will never use, but are nice to have. Right out of the box I noticed that it was exactly the same size as the S100. The buttons on the back were rearranged but fairly simple to use. The layout for the on-screen menu was also rearranged to be more intuitive. The camera has 4 modes for taking pictures, a manual mode, auto mode, stitch assist left to right, and stitch assist right to left. The auto mode is great for most situations and will render outstanding images. Once you are comfortable with the camera in auto, you will want to experiment with the various functions in manual mode. When I was taking night time pictures of the NY skyline, I had to increase the time of exposure to fully capture the details. Shooting in the stitch assist mode was a lot easier than I thought. A tripod is a must especially for low light conditions.
The Layout (viewed from behind)
To the top left off center is the optical view finder. To the right is the mode switch. (replay-record video-record still) Below that is Lock for CF card slot cover. To the left center is the 1.5" LCD screen. Below that are 4 buttons (Set)-(Menu)-(Display-Exp/WB/Photo effects/single erase) To their right are four buttons arranged in a circle. Top Button(Light Metering) Left(Macro/Infinity)
Right(Flash Auto/Off/Red eye Reduction) Bottom(Continuous/Self timer)
To the right of the camera is the spring loaded CF card slot cover (plastic), and a wrist strap mount. To the left of the camera is the digital USB-AV out terminal covered with a flexible rubber strip. On the top of the camera right off center is a recessed power button. Next to it is a circular zoom lever with shutter release in it's center. On the bottom of the camera to the far left is the tripod socket and to the right is the battery compartment cover (plastic).
The Layout (viewed from front)
The telescoping lens housing is right off center. The lens retracts fully into camera with auto lens cover, when turned off. Top center are small windows for optical viewfinder and focus assist beam. Top right is the built in flash.
THE GOOD:
Size. The small size really has a significant advantage. Many times, I will choose to take this camera with me as opposed to the big expensive 35mm SLR for which I have every conceivable lens, flash and accessory. I tend to take more photos so I can later choose to keep only my favorites. I can experiment with various settings because mistakes can be easily corrected on the spot.
Compact Flash Memory. This is my chosen medium for my camera, mp3 player and IPAQ pocket pc. The reason for this is availability of larger capacity, higher read and write speeds, cheaper pricing per megabyte and interchangeability. Most other formats like MMC, SD, Smart Media and Memory Stick, max out around 128MB. The largest CF card I've seen is 1GB. I personally use a 512MB CF card and can take well over 300 shots at the highest resolution (2048X1536) and lowest compression (Superfine).
AiAF Artificial Intelligence Auto Focus system.
In the S100, the camera would focus on whatever was in the center of the frame. The S230 identifies 9 different points on the frame to determine accurate focus. This feature can be turned off to only focus on the center of the frame.
Auto Rotate.
The camera senses if you are taking the picture in landscape or portrait mode and automatically rotates the image right side up for playback.
ISO settings.
The camera can be set for various ISO speeds 50-100-200-400 and Auto. This is similar to using 35mm film of various speeds. You would need to use this feature while shooting in a dark area or use a fast shutter speed. Also available are long shutter modes from 1-15 seconds.
Stitch Assist Mode.
When taking pictures in this mode, the camera allows you to take super wide panoramic shots. I have used this feature to take wide shots of the NY skyline from the Bronx to the Battery. The included software identifies these images and with one click, stitches them into a single panorama. You do need to have identifiable overlaps from one picture to the next. The tripod attachment is all the way to the bottom left, but did not seem to be a problem.
Built in Flash.
Many people say that the flash is weak. I found the flash to be sufficient for most of my needs. I've taken pictures in various lighting conditions such as late evenings, indoors and even in pitch darkness at night. The pictures came out better than I expected. The only time you might need a bigger flash is when the subject is over 20' away and needs to be illuminated.
Batteries.
When I take pictures, I tend to use the LCD screen a lot for proper composition and frame layout. Over the last two days, I have taken a total of 25 pictures, 8 with a flash and all with the LCD on. The battery still has juice in it. That's respectable. I did buy 2 after market batteries as back up. By the way cheap batteries are available at www.sabahoceanic.com (2 batteries NB-1LH for $45.72 including shipping)
Durable Metal Body. The camera body has a brushed finish. (very cool)
THE BAD:
Only a 2X optical zoom. This is a handicap when shooting nature and landscapes. I don't know why Canon even bothers to put in additional digital zoom. I will never use it.
Canon should have included a slide on case that protects the LCD screen from bumps and dings. Such a case is supplied with some APS Elphs.
BOTTOM LINE: This camera is suitable and designed for most consumer applications. The layout allows for shooting with one hand. Photography enthusiasts will love the advanced functions in manual mode. For professionals....use your expense accounts and buy the Canon EOS-1Ds. (11 Mega Pixels)
Digital Photo Prints
For the last few months, I have been using a company called EZPrints.com for my digital image printing needs. I have printed images on 20x30, 5x7, 4x6 formats, greeting cards, mugs and t-shirts. The print quality is comparable to 35mm film prints. The quality of products and services is excellent. The savings are substantial if you consider the alternative. (cost of a decent photo quality home printer, photo ink cartridges, photo paper, your time and still get substandard prints.) The other company I have used is Shutterfly, which is also very good but does not offer large format prints. A 20x30" photo print for $19.95 makes a simply great personalized gift.
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Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 329.00 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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