Elph S-100 vs high end digital. Used both? Questions for you

[Frank2001]

Like many, since starting in digital, I have accumulated auxillery lenses,
flash, flash bracket etc, etc and now, like with my 35mm equipment I don't have
room to take it all with me.
I started in digital to have a camera that was allways with me for those snaps
you often miss when you don't bother to take your gear and found to get the
picture quality I wanted I had to get more bells and whistles and accessories
and for long shots and fast action I still need my SLR as well.
Now I see ads for this tiny little camera that suposedly makes great pictures
and I'm thinking maybe I need one? or just gotta have one?
Have any of you gone from a semi-pro camera like the Nikon 9XX series or
Olympus 2XXX/3XXX to this camera or used/own both?
What do you miss most?
What do you like?
How is the picture quality?
How long does it take to charge the battery and how long does it really last?
TIA
Frank in Atlanta

[Michael Geier]

Frank,

Go to your local camera store and play with a Canon S100. Then take it with you for
a few days and you'll see what "I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT" really means...

Mike

[Real Ouellet]

Hello Frank,

I am an amateur photographer who already owns a Hasselblad. Over the years i have
taken, developped and printed many many B&W pictures and i love the outstanding
crispyness of hassy pictures. I produced, with this camera, some fine prints
which are now on my walls, and a lot of other nice pictures safely tucked away in
folders, well protected, and nobody sees them. Pity. I think a picture's destiny
in life should be to be seen.

SO

I wanted a small camera that i could take anywhere during vacations, etc... An
"ordinary" camera. Not to make fine prints, but to take pictures that would be
easily seen by all my friends, on my web site, instead of being hidden away in
folders.

I bought an S100 and i would never give it back. I just love it. Of course, the
pictures i take with it are way inferior to the hassy pics, but i get the
opportunity to bring the S100 to places i would never have taken the trouble of
bringing the 'blad to. I take way (way) more pictures, and, necessarily, i get
many "good shots".

The S100 makes very decent pictures, for web publishing, and its size really does
matter. Try one, you'll love it.

P.S.: here is a sample shot taken with the S100. It is a raw file (1.6 MB),
highest quality. Taken without a tripod, "snapshot" style. Make your own
judgment.

http://pcreal.dyndns.org/Quebec2000/Pictures/img_0517.jpg

The following info is available from JPEG file produced by the S100:

Date/Time : 2000:08:10 10:39:40
Resolution : 1600 x 1200
Flash used : Yes
Focal length : 5.4mm (35mm equivalent: 36mm)
Exposure time: 0.011 s (1/90)
Aperture : f/ 7.1
Focus Dist. : 0.13m

Real

[Mark Morgan]

A nice picture. :-)

"Real Ouellet" <realo_at_sym...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:399C6185...@nowhere.com...

[JAMES AKIYAMA]

I have a Canon S100 along with a Nikon CP990 and 35mm stuff. For casual,
point-and-shoot (what I got the S100 for), the biggest issues I have are:

1. ISO 100 only effective speed. This isn't fast enough for indoor or
evening shots.
2. Limited zoom range (35-70mm, equivalent). Would prefer more
telephoto range.

Other things (but not really objectionable for its purpose) are:

a. No manual control (outside of +/-2 EV exposure compensation).
b. More CCD noise than other 2.1 MP cameras
c. Pixelization artifacts on some finely textured surfaces (probably
due to their luma/chroma filtering)
d. No filter threads (e.g. can't use a polarizer).

Overall, I find the camera good for P&S conditions, but still take my Nikon
CP990 and/or 35mm with me for more serious pictures.

Thanks

James

"Frank2001" <fran...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000817154026...@ng-md1.aol.com...

[Michael Geier]

Why is it so difficult for everyone to understand? The S100 is 110% prefect for
the purpose it was designed for, a pocketable, perfect, point and shoot digital
marvel. It has NO shortcommings for this purpose and absolutely No peers.
Mike

[Mark Morgan]

I think you misunderstand his zeal...
He is quite aware of it's limitations--Rather, he is saying that for it's
limited role as a tiny, convenient, snap-shooter, it serves that SIMPLE role
extremely well. He never made any claims that it was an all-around
"photographer's" camera.

Within in it's realm...it sounds pretty good indeed. It's not what I am
looking for in a digital, but that's me...and probably you too.

"Todd Walker" <fastf...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:399ca686...@news-server.jam.rr.com...
> Michael, your zeal for the abilities of your particular choice of
> digital camera is admirable, but surely you don't think that your
> camera is perfect and has NO shortcomings. No camera is perfect and
> the S100 is no exception. Have you never wanted a longer zoom? How
> about the lack of threads for add on lenses and filters? How about the
> proprietary battery? The inability to use CF type 2 cards? It's great
> that you are very happy with your choice but let's be realistic....
>
> TW

>
>
>
> On Thu, 17 Aug 2000 19:07:16 -0500, Michael Geier
> <mge...@postoffice.swbell.net> wrote:
>
> >Why is it so difficult for everyone to understand? The S100 is 110%
prefect for
> >the purpose it was designed for, a pocketable, perfect, point and shoot
digital
> >marvel. It has NO shortcommings for this purpose and absolutely No peers.
> >Mike
>

> -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-
> Todd Walker
> twalker at jam dot rr dot com
> Nikon Coolpix 950
> Photo album (mostly Olympus D-400Z pictures) at:
> http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=184230&Auth=false
>
> Nikon Coolpix 950 pictures at:
> http://www.fototime.com/inv/E9CA4095DE70B1C
> -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

[Michael Geier]

A longer zoom would be nice, but would make the camera larger (not in keeping with the basic design of the camera) which would not be acceptable. If i wanted a larger cam I would have bot a S20 or 990. The basic design also eliminates add on lenses etc for the same reason and as to the battery, it  has given me absolutely no problems at all. It is good for up to 80 exposures over 3 days without a recharge (my real life experience), and still only takes about an hour to recharge. I guess thats a no-problem problem also. If it could use  type 2 cards (why do we need that anyway when type 1 sizes are so big now) it would make the cam bigger (buy an s10 or s20).
Have I put to rest all the "problems" illogically percieved on this news group? In a word, after owning 5 different digicams, I have finally found the BEST.
Mike

[Frank2001]

Wow, Mike, that's some in a word testimonial.
Thanks, and thanks to all the others who answered.
I am convinced to go play with one in the store. It sounds like a great little
camera.
As much as I have tried, I can't replace my SLR system with digital yet so
after seeing an ad for this little jewell, I thought why keep trying. Don't get
me wrong, my 990 system is probably one of the best digital systems available,
but it can not replace my Canon A2e SLR system.
But the Canon digital elph can replace the Contax T-2 which used to be my take
anywhere camera before I replaced it with a Nikon 900.
Then I could sell the 990 system
Or maybe? I just add an Elph to my growing camera bag?
Can anyone help me justify that?
Thanks again,
Frank in Atlanta