Canon PowerShot S400 / IXUS 400 Digital Camera

Pros: Good while it worked
Cons: Failed after 18 months. Terrible Warranty.

I'm so disappointed with this camera. I've done some internet research and apparently Canon has this problem with other digital camera models as well. Some people think that if you switch the brand of memory card that this will work but in fact it does not. I've been through 3 brands and the only one that works is the Canon 16MB card that came with the camera!!!! Useless. Canon will not help you unless you want to pay about $150 to send them your camera. DO NOT BUY!!!!!

Pros: Feels great in your hand, easy to use, great pics.
Cons: Shutter delay, small view screen.

I wanted a reliable point-and-shoot that would take good pictures, and be easy to carry. Didn't see a need for the printing capabilities of the S410. I'm happy with almost everything about this camera, and assuming it's as reliable as other Canon products expect to get quite a lot of use. Very easy to learn controls, icons, transfer to computer (Macintosh). My only real complaints are that the view screen is small (1.5") and the shutter delay is (on occasion) slow enough to miss a shot. I had a few questions about operation, and Canon on-line service was immediate and helpful.

Pros: Like auto focus with the green squares, lets you know where your focus is concentrated.
Cons: The flash is weaker than last Camera, but for a compact, does just fine.

This is a replacement camera for my broken Olympus. Compact,light and super Maco. Easy to change the Flash mode.

Pros: None
Cons: Biggest waste of hard earned money.

Mine has the infamous "Memory Card Error". Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Why would you want to take the gamble? Even worse than a non-function camera......is non-functional Canon Customer Service. They basically accused me of damaging the camera, and offered to "fix" it for about half of what I paid for it. This camera model has flaws that are inherent to the design. Please read for yourself and spend your money elsewhere: http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=38477&forum_id=15&page=1

There are SEVERAL attorneys working on organizing class actions lawsuits against Canon due to their infamous "errors" that they won't admit exist. I encourage you to join the class actions if you currently own this camera, and not to bother with Canon if you don't.

If your Canon works great, congratulations...if a problem does pop up, they will leave you out in the cold.

Pros: 4 megapixels/3x zoom, great image quality & control, macro modes, small size, compact flash (cheap)
Cons: cons? the lack of battery level info and no power adapter (comes with separate charger)

I've always been one to get the best possible product at the cheapest possible price. The Canon PowerShot S400 was by far the best product in it's category. It's small, takes great pictures, and the price is right (I recommend BeachCamera.com) at under $400.

After using it for a month or so, I've only been more impressed by it's control over every aspect of a photo. The processor is quite fast (for a non-professional camera) so taking multiple pictures in a row is actually possible. It also starts up quicker than all the other cameras I looked at which is nice (catch those action shots).

Some people have complained about the battery. I've never actually run out, and replacement batteries are cheap (Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.), so even if you need an extra, it's not going to break the bank.

I highly recommend the Canon S400.

Pros: The lightweight,compact,and versatile design of this camera makes this camera an excellent choice.
Cons: Price is a little too high and its memory card is a little big.

This digital camera is one of the lightest and most versatile cameras on the market today. It features a 3x Optical Zoom, stainless steel body, 1.5 inch LCD screen and a 4.1 megapixel resolution.

I bought this product because of its lightweight, compact design, and its versatility. This camera helped me to capture crisp and clear photos at night. It also has a strong 3X zoom that helped me to capture far things up close. My overall opinion about this camera is that it is one of the best cameras that I bought.

Pros: small
Cons: unreliable, memory card error, many lost images.

Please, for your own good, do a search on 'memory card error' before buying this camera. This has nothing to do with the memory card being re-formated or being replaced. This is a problem with the camera and a problem that Canon will not fix for under $300. With this error also comes the E50 error and the camera then just shuts down. Do not buy this camera. We are very disappointed with it. We loved it until this happened then did a search on the internet and found out it's a very common problem that Canon will not take responsibility for. There is even a possible class action suit against Canon regarding this problem. Phone Jim Smith (at no cost to you, regarding this error) at 1-877-677-9489. It works off and on now if I use an external card reader to read the images onto my computer and constantly reformat the card when it is in the camera. I lose a lot of photo's though and constantly download and never know when the error will start back up. Very unreliable and frustrating as we have an infant and lose many photos.

Pros: Pictures, Size, Features, ease of use
Cons: None

This is my first digital camera and I'm blown away at the ease of use and features packed into the slim body.

Pros: It's a portable, reliable, durable camera with good photo quality.
Cons: It doesn't have enough zoom and Canon added useless buttons for printing.

I have used the Powershot series for some time starting with the S100. I think the S400 is a good product with some strong features worth using. The best factor for me is that it has a lot of power but still can be carried all of the time in my pocket. The battery life seemed to be a big problem in earlier models of the Powershot but it is much better in the S400. Increased zoom over the S100 makes a big difference but it still doesn't have enough zoom to get close to many key shots.

The new print functions/button that they added doesn't appear to be very useful and cater to specialty users and seem added more to sell digital photo printers than to make the camera better. They don't get in the way but I don't think most people who use the camera will ever use them.

Pros: Takes clear crisp photos. Compact and light. Handy.
Cons: Shutter speed lag. Packed up after just over two and a half years.

This is a great little digital camera. I took it to Africa on a Walking Safari. It was convenient strapped to my belt and I managed to get great pictures using it. I also had a Nikon D100 which I used for wildlife photography. I find the quality of both camera photos equal for 7X5" photos.

I have been very happy with this camera. It feels good in my hands and I find the functions work well.

It has been very handy to be able to take a small camera with me just about anywhere I go.

Sadly, this camera is no longer functional. After two and a bit years it suddenly ceased to work. I would have thought that Canon could have made something which would have lasted longer. Update: I have just read several other reviews on this camera which weren't there when I purchased the camera. They all have the same "memory card error" problem which stopped my camera functioning.

Pros: Durable body, incredible photo quality, size and weight.
Cons: Battery life and flash still needs improvement.

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.

Pros: Small, lightweight, excellent photos, inexpensive underwater housing available, great features
Cons: marginal battery life, occasional red-eye problems, no camera case

We bought our S400 in October 2003, and we absolutely love it. It's very small and convenient to carry around, which is the primary reason that we bought it. For a camera of its size, it's packed with features and it takes phenomenal photographs.

Also, we bought the underwater housing, and we just used the camera underwater during several scuba dives in Hawaii. Although I have very limited experience with underwater photography, for a point-and-shoot camera, we were very happy with the photos. Also, it's great and convenient to be able to see the photos while you're still underwater (i.e., so that you know whether your photo was decent, or whether you'll need to snap another shot). The underwater housing was well worth the money.

I do agree with those who have observed that (1) the battery doesn't have a very long life, and (2) the "anti-red-eye" lamp doesn't always work very well. Also, as were some other people, I was disappointed that Canon didn't throw in a camera case. But overall, we are very, very happy with this camera.

Pros: Ultra-small, truly excellent UI, great pictures
Cons: Exposure compensation (i.e. backlight control) poor. Can't correctly control flash output.

I used this camera for a year, following a year+ with it's excellent predecessor the s200. It's a great camera and so compact that you really -can- COMFORTABLY carry it with you in your shirt pocket. This is the key to actually having the camera when you want to use it. I'm sure the S500 is just as nice, with higher resolution.
Never-the-less, when my s400 got stolen two months ago, I bought a Canon A80 instead; it's a bit larger but offers true manual controls (aperture + shutter speed independently adjustable) and flash output control so you can take a portrait of someone with a sunset (say) behind them and expose both the sunset and the face correctly).
Summary - if you don't mind or don't understand the CONs listed below, you'll love this camera; it's perfect except for those small details.

Pros: Quality & Software
Cons: Haven't found any yet

For the non-professional, this is the perfect digital camera. I have used it at home and hiking in rugged terrain, it performs its job, and does it well.

Canon produces two 4.0 megapixel cameras. This is the smaller of the two. It fits nicely into an aftermarket case and is unobtrusive.

The menu system is easy to use and the LCD screen is clear and sharp. The Canon supplied software is a very decent product for downloading and rough editing (crop, red-eye, brightness and sharpness).

Pros: Small compact size. high resolution good to 16x20 prints. video with sound
Cons: only med/low quality video, weak flash. no flash settings. long waits between shots with flash

I worked at circuit city and am very knowledgeable of electronics. I've tested many cameras at the store in side by side comparisons and the canon's were always a tad sharper and a tad better color.