|
List price as of Nov 9, 2009:
S$749
S$749
Product Summary
Very good
The good: Compact and light; useful features such as time-lapse mode; options for choosing AF frame size; quick to focus; fast performance. 7.2
out of 10View score
The bad: Picture quality starts to deterioriate from ISO 400; control ring operation can be cumbersome; no multi-aspect mode.
The bottom line: This advanced compact has a good range of shooting options to keep most shutterbugs occupied, but we think there is still room for improvement in some areas.
Read full review of the Canon PowerShot S90 »
Average User Rating
CNET Asia Review
It's been four years since Canon announced the PowerShot S80 for its range of high-end compacts. Only recently the Japanese firm revived this family lineup with the S90 to compete with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 in the advanced point-and-shoot category. This is hardly surprising as the Lumix has been doing exceptionally well in this market segment and more consumers are starting to look out for better compacts. Hence, it's natural for Canon to want a slice of this lucrative pie. But, is the S90 the LX3-killer it's touted to be? 
The petite size of the S90 makes it really pocketable, but it also raises the issue of usability. Shutterbugs with larger hands may find it difficult to operate the camera with two hands--one holding the snapper and the other turning the control ring. One way to resolve this is to designate a lesser-used option, such as white balance, to the ring and use the command wheel on the back to adjust the settings. That said, use caution when deploying the wheel because it doesn't have any resistance and spins too freely for our liking.
The onboard flash on the S90 is electronically controlled and moves up from the snapper body on the right end. Users will want to take note not to place their finger over the flash when holding the camera as this may obstruct the mechanism. Also, deactivating the flash is done via the shooter, so the flash should not be physically pushed back into the snapper.
Seasoned lensmen should be able to adjust their shooting habits to the S90. We shot mainly in Aperture Priority mode and set the control ring to activate zoom. What really pleased us was that the shooter would return to its last zoom setting (in our case, 35mm) when powered up. We had the PowerShot in our jacket pocket for a day and it didn't feel like it was there. Also, with its smaller chassis and unassuming design, we were able to sneak a couple of candid shots on the streets without our subjects noticing.
We appreciate the F2.0 optics on the S90, but wish it could match the F2.8 on the long end of the lens like the LX3. There were occasions where we zoomed in on our subject in a low-light environment, and we had to bump the ISO sensitivity up to increase the low shutter speed. That said, the longer zoom lens on the Canon did come in useful at times, especially when shooting portraits.
Unlike the LX3, the S90 doesn't have a hotshoe for peripherals such as an external flash or optical viewfinder. This is not a big issue, but we think it's a good-to-have feature, especially for taking indoor pictures. Also, the PowerShot lacks multi-aspect shooting modes, so users are left with the default 4:3 ratio. The Lumix is more flexible in this sense, providing shutterbugs with the option of 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, and recently (with a firmware upgrade), 6:6.
However, there are a few useful features in the S90 which some photographers will like. For example, we can choose between Small and Normal for the autofocus frame sizes. Using Small gives the camera less area to focus on but makes it more precise. However, we weren't able to shift the AF box around the frame like we could on the LX3. To ensure that the focusing is sharp, there is an option for AF-Point Zoom which magnifies the focus box when you half-press the shutter button to activate autofocus. You can also shoot in time-lapse mode for up to 10 shots in duration, varying from 1 second to 30 seconds.
On the mode dial is a dedicated Low Light option which instantly boosts the ISO sensitivity and allows users to shoot handheld with a higher shutter speed, thus preventing blurred shots. However, resolution in this mode is reduced to 2.5 megapixels.
Tags: Lens, PowerShot S90, Lumix, Camera, compensation
Design
The petite size of the S90 makes it really pocketable, but it also raises the issue of usability. Shutterbugs with larger hands may find it difficult to operate the camera with two hands--one holding the snapper and the other turning the control ring. One way to resolve this is to designate a lesser-used option, such as white balance, to the ring and use the command wheel on the back to adjust the settings. That said, use caution when deploying the wheel because it doesn't have any resistance and spins too freely for our liking.
The onboard flash on the S90 is electronically controlled and moves up from the snapper body on the right end. Users will want to take note not to place their finger over the flash when holding the camera as this may obstruct the mechanism. Also, deactivating the flash is done via the shooter, so the flash should not be physically pushed back into the snapper.
)
Seasoned lensmen should be able to adjust their shooting habits to the S90. We shot mainly in Aperture Priority mode and set the control ring to activate zoom. What really pleased us was that the shooter would return to its last zoom setting (in our case, 35mm) when powered up. We had the PowerShot in our jacket pocket for a day and it didn't feel like it was there. Also, with its smaller chassis and unassuming design, we were able to sneak a couple of candid shots on the streets without our subjects noticing.
Features
The S90 comes with a good range of exposure functions and modes that will keep advanced photographers happy. However, when compared with the LX3, there are some areas that the PowerShot can improve on. Here's how the two snappers stack up against each other.| Specifications/model | Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 | Canon PowerShot S90 |
| Sensor resolution | 10 megapixels | 10 megapixels |
| Dimension/weight | 108.7 x 59.5 x 27.1mm/229g | 100 x 58 x 31mm/175g |
| LCD size | 3-inch | 3-inch |
| Lens specifications | 24-60mm F2.0-2.8 | 28-106mm F2.0-4.9 |
| Zoom range | 2.5x | 3.8x |
| Max. video resolution | 1,280 x 720 pixels at 24fps | 640 x 480 pixels at 30fps |
| Image stabilizer | Optical (via lens) | Optical (via lens) |
| Memory media | SD/SDHC | SD/SDHC |
| Hotshoe | Yes | No |
| Related links | Review |
Unlike the LX3, the S90 doesn't have a hotshoe for peripherals such as an external flash or optical viewfinder. This is not a big issue, but we think it's a good-to-have feature, especially for taking indoor pictures. Also, the PowerShot lacks multi-aspect shooting modes, so users are left with the default 4:3 ratio. The Lumix is more flexible in this sense, providing shutterbugs with the option of 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, and recently (with a firmware upgrade), 6:6.
)
However, there are a few useful features in the S90 which some photographers will like. For example, we can choose between Small and Normal for the autofocus frame sizes. Using Small gives the camera less area to focus on but makes it more precise. However, we weren't able to shift the AF box around the frame like we could on the LX3. To ensure that the focusing is sharp, there is an option for AF-Point Zoom which magnifies the focus box when you half-press the shutter button to activate autofocus. You can also shoot in time-lapse mode for up to 10 shots in duration, varying from 1 second to 30 seconds.
)
On the mode dial is a dedicated Low Light option which instantly boosts the ISO sensitivity and allows users to shoot handheld with a higher shutter speed, thus preventing blurred shots. However, resolution in this mode is reduced to 2.5 megapixels.
Tags: Lens, PowerShot S90, Lumix, Camera, compensation
Rate It Now
User Discussion
drone1212:
The in camera JPEG tends to be a little soft above ISO 400 as opposed to LX3 which has ...
