Overview
Compare
Accessories
Specs
Protection
Q&A

Questions & Answers

DENNIS T : Will this camera software work with my Mac Book Pro?JOSEPH G : One quick google query got me the answer on the canon website, which I attempted to link here. Adorama, in order to assure no information is conveyed, blocks such links. The answer appears to be yes, but you didn't mention what OS version or other software is involved.JOHN D : Dennis: the included software does work with Mac and you and download any latest versions at the Canon website. The drivers, however, are OS friendly, but not work yet with OS 10.8 yet. I suspect they will have updates very soon as Canon is usually on top of it.ANDREW R : The manufacturer does not indicate that any OS specific software is included with this camera.

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2017-12-31T19:00:00

Rated 2 out of 5

Quality suffers

Monitor glass scratches; surface texture is flaking off making camera look bad identical to a previously replaced s120 for same reason

Hollie

2016-04-02T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Excellent all around camera

I love this camera. It has a great list of features and I've used almost every one of them for some specific shots. My ONLY wish was for a longer zoom 12-20x would be ideal. I actually prefer the S120 over my tecently purchased SX720HS. The S120 has so MANY more features (programmable ring/button, touch screen, touch focus, more creative effects etc, just lacks the zoom. I sincerely hope Canon produces a worthy successor to the S120.

Walter

2015-12-27T19:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Great camera,picture,video,a few downers

I had S90 and got S120 for all it's new and better features. There are a few painful things, but I still use it, and suck it up, awaiting a better model in this price range. Pretty amazing photos and videos. And a few things for Canon to fix: - It stops video recording when file reaches 4GB. Doesn't start a new file (learned the hard way) to continue recording. No obvious notification. - Often, during HD recording it drains the battery quickly. Covering center contact with tape, after charging, solves the problem. - During cold weathers (40F-50F) it shows empty battery after a few minutes of video recording. Once warmed up, it works fine. Wiping of the contacts seems to help, too. - Often to achieve certain functions it gets confusing which menu you need, where do you click and what do you switch. It helps to have a paper with a quick summary for options you often use. In my opinion another dial or ring would help, for example in manual mode to have immediate and full control if f-stop, shutter speed and focus. - With Win xp it is a pain to download pictures. Camera doesn't get recognized properly. better get the mem card out into a reader. Needs better WiFi, with ability to do remote camera control. GPS would be nice. Maybe I am not aware of any camera software/firmware update ability, it would be nice to have that option, as it seems that some of the problems are software/firmware related. If not on the user side, then at camera store-if special connector needed or camera needs to be opened.

Imaric

2015-11-07T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

A such quality in a so compact camera

I've bought it for my trip to the states. The image quality is really excellent. I was glad to use the differents modes and to use the lens ring. I do recommand it. Battery life is so-so when filming, that's why I 've bought several batteries.

bleu73

2015-09-11T20:00:00

Rated 2 out of 5

point-and-shoot ? ?

I bought this camera because of its excellent lens and compact size. What I didn't realize was its incredible complexity. To use the dozen features I'm interested in, I have to choose between controls with labels like "ring func", "func set" and "menu" and the unlabeled control ring, mode dial and control dial. Could anyone have come up with a more complicated array? I've made my own "cheat sheet" that I carry in the camera case. I would call this a "ponder-and-shoot camera."

Pete

2015-08-11T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Camera is good.

Camera is good. The end.

Frank T.

2015-06-21T20:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

No GPS - otherwise good camera

I used a S100 for several years and in several foreign countries. The new S120 had many improvements and seemed to be same great little camera. Unfortunately, after purchasing the S120 I discovered it did not have the GPS feature like the S100 did. Rather disappointing for an otherwise good little camera.

Wayne

2015-06-12T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Video Battery Issue Solved! Great Camera Now

Lots have experienced the battery drain issue, the battery will drain completely after just a few minutes of HD video recording. Use a thin strip of tape to cover the middle battery contact before inserting into the camera. Charge without the strip. This will not drain the battery and you can record videos as expected. This camera takes amazing photos, I replaced an S100 that also took great photos, the S120 just is a lot quicker. The features, speed, size, and construction are all fantastic. Although an annoying fix, now with the battery/video issue solved, very happy. The video image stabilization is also amazing. It's not my primary video camera, but nice to have the option now. I used a tape strip that is about 1" long so it overlaps each side of the battery to not fall off in the battery compartment. I keep spare strips taped to the charger on trips.

H C.

2015-04-16T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Incredible Camera!

I love this camera! i bought it specifically for the WIFI feature so I can transfer pics directly to my Ipad Air and it worked flawlessly. I had been using a card reader and it was very unreliable...sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. With this camera and the WIFI function my pictures load every time with no issues. The optics are great and my pictures look fantastic.

RD

2015-02-05T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Bang for the Buck!

I own a PowerShot S120 because it is small, lightweight, simple to operate, and delivers great quality photos! Whether I am carrying a DSLR or not, I always have my S120 within arm's reach (actually, shirt pocket. Sometimes you just don't want to lug around a DSLR. The S120 is perrrrfect for those times! The S120 has enough features and adjustability that it allows me to get the shot I want at a moment's notice. (this is NOT just a stupid simple point & shoot) Yet, I can set it to P or Auto and my wife and daughter can get spectacular results as well, without having to be camera experts. The image stabilization works very well. The autofocus is pretty hard to trip up. The light meter does an awesome job, and color saturation is spectacular. I use the macro frequently, and get good results with it. Battery life is surprisingly great. At f/1.8 its lens is fast for a compact camera, which opens up more photo opportunities, being able to shoot in low light, or use the shallow depth of field to my advantage. On my wish list (Canon, are you listening?) would be a little higher zoom ratio WITHOUT sacrificing lens speed, and sealed controls to make it water resistant. I don't need waterproof (Canon makes an underwater housing for that), but it would be nice to not have to worry about getting caught in the rain... I have owned several different PowerShot cameras for a little over 10 years now. As long as Canon keeps pouring the quality into them, I will always own a PowerShot. All in all, at 12 Megapixels, this S120 really delivers! Highly recommended!

Photo P.

2014-11-02T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Fine Camera, Transferring Photos is IMPOSSIBLE

This camera works just fine. I don't have a real issue with the battery life as others mention. But I have a MAJOR problem transferring photos. I am a tech savvy 24 year old and find it nearly impossible to transfer photos from my camera to either my cellphone or my computer. I have successfully transferred photos once or twice, but ever since, it continues to NOT function. It is pretty frustrating. This is an expensive camera. To not include access to a properly functioning app or a USB cord to ACTUALLY transfer photos is a serious screw up.

bmf920

2014-10-09T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Love this camera!

We purchased the Powershot S120 to take on our trip to France, because I did not want to carry my Canon 60D due to its size. The S120 is so easy to use and took spectacular photos - even better than some that I had taken on a previous trip to Europe with the 60D. The photos taken at night were amazingly clear and bright. This was, undoubtedly, the best camera purchase I have made.

AnnieM

2014-08-08T20:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Horrible Battery Life

I liked this camera alot. However the battery life when shooting Full HD video is horrible. If you search on the internet you will see loads of complaints regarding battery life issues, yet Canon fails to recognize this problem. Images and effects are great. I purchased this camera for business travel so I didn't have to drag the 5D around. I keep 3 batteries with me because batteries are dead within 10 minutes in Full HD. If you plan on using this camera for video, forget it. I get longer Full HD video battery life with my phone! The microphone position is bad for audio as well. Wifi should have the ability to shut off to save battery life.

Blaccard

2014-04-20T20:00:00

Rated 2 out of 5

Don't bother with this camera

I took delivery of this camera last week and used it extensively over the weekend. All I can say is I am not impressed. The manual is useless, there are features missing that I was planning to use and my IPhone takes as good of pictures as this very expensive camera takes. The wifi is more difficult to use than it needs to be and the ap for smart phone use is a joke. One would think Canon could afford to make a useful ap and come up with a camera that has functional features that work when advertised. For the proce on this thing I would like functional features.

JIm357

2014-01-13T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great pocket camera but suffers short battery life

A great camera with a solid build but with one significant caveat. A significant improvement over the S110 both ergonomically and in captured image quality. However the battery life is very short and erratic, especially in video capture mode. Until that failing is resolved I'm hesitant to recommend this camera.

Seabrook

2013-12-14T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

No User's Manual Included, and you really need it

I wanted a very small, compact camera to carry in my purse when I don't want to lug my DSLR with the big, heavy 18-200mm lens. I wanted a camera that takes GREAT snapshots in low light situations. I wanted video capability with auto-focusing. This camera delivers. I am incredibly impressed with the quality of the photos. I had an old PowerShot that really can't even compare. However—there is a manual for Wifi included (totally irrelevant to me), but NO USER'S MANUAL for learning the features of the camera. That is such a stupid move on Canon's part, IMHO. At the very least, Canon should offer the option of PURCHASING a little book/manual. I downloaded all 215 pages of it from their website and printed out the 180 or so most relevant pages, but it's like carrying around a half a ream of paper. C'mon, Canon. A camera needs a User's Manual, even for very experienced photographers.

NNYer

2013-12-07T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

EXCELLENT point and shoot!

We were headed on a trip when it wasn't convenient to take our large Canon Rebel T3i and lenses, so my husband decided to give me my Christmas gift a little early. Can I just say I LOVE THIS CAMERA!!!!! Not only all of the other features mentioned everywhere - my VERY favorite is that in the typical auto mode, at the end of a day, or series of shots, one button merges them into a movie. Not just a slideshow, but there is VIDEO and AUDIO for a couple of seconds BEFORE the photo was snapped!!! I'm making these into QR codes to put on my album pages with the photos - how TOTALLY cool is that? I LOVE this, and have recommended it, already, to all of my photo crazy friends!

LBscraps

2013-11-30T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

$$$$ - BUT NO MANUAL & PAYING FOR USELESS FEATURES

This is my third S90+ series. Incredible pocket travel camera. My travel BW blowups are mind boggling. But I really didn't like paying for silly WiFi on a serious photo instrument ... would have much rather have a real manual. With all the capabilities of this camera, having a reference manual that you can tab and yellow marker is almost a must, And if you think you can just print out the .pdf manual, think again -- it's 215 pages! and the .pdf on-screen file does not even allow underlining, yellow marker or cutting and pasting to a Word file. Pretty darn useless and not very thoughtful. What in the world were you thinking? WiFi? Restricted .pdf manual? No manual?

Hstan

2013-11-18T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Misleading

I am disappointed with my new Canon S120 because the advertisements stated WiFi, but after purchasing, the documentation says that you must have Windows 7 or 8.. If you don't have Windows 7, how do you get the images into a computer? Logically, it would be using a USB cable, but none came in the package. Then too, one might expect a manual, but you have to download one from the web (Windows XP works for this.)

Robo

2013-11-17T19:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Its so so, expected better

This camera takes killer Videos. Anti-shake device works as if you had this camera on Glide-Cam mount. Awesome. But photos Im not really impressed with. For outside it maybe ok. But indoors its not so good. But old S80 took better pictures. It takes very good pics in dark places where you dont need flash BUT when you put the flash on it takes too long to for the flash to load power to the lamp. You also have to pop the flash up manually everytime (my wife hated that) and when you take pictures in wide angle (24mm focus) edges of pictures long elongated (if you have a face on the edge of your photo - it looks stretched out - I really didnt like that). I took pictures with at wide angle with different cameras and I have never seen this happening on any photos. Battery life is not so great. It is really weird. Battery didnt last me too long on a full charge.

Mark

2013-10-21T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Best Camera!

This camera is great for someone who wants a little bit of freedom that a more advanced camera allows, but that doesn't garner the attraction that it brings. This camera fits great in my pocket and is very sleek and lightweight. It's not very easy to navigate in the programs, but with enough playing around, you figure it out. Well worth the cost and would buy again!

motherrunner4

Select a plan in the Add Protection section above and purchase with this product by clicking “Add to Cart”.

image-protection

TRUSTED PROTECTION PLANS, EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE.

Invest In Your Gear and Peace Of Mind!

Accidents happen. Protect your favorite Adorama products and purchase a protection plan to stay covered from accidental damage, mechanical or electrical failures, and more.

Repair or Replacement

Repair or Replacement

If we can’t fix it, we’ll replace it at no additional cost.

Accidental Damage

Accidental Damage

Protect your product from drops, spills, and more.

Peace of Mind

Peace of Mind

Enjoy your gear without fear. We have you covered!

Failure Protection

Failure Protection

When regular use of your product over time results in mechanical or electrical failure.

Zero Deductible

Zero Deductible

We will never charge you a deductible after the purchase of a plan.

Customer-Focused Support

Customer-Focused Support

Our claims process is simple & easy and our customer service team is happy to help.

Adorama Protect powered by Extend is available for purchase to customers in the United States. Not available for international or U.S. territories purchases. Plans on open box items do not cover pre-existing damage.
Adorama Protect plans are available for ABS clients. If you have any questions or require assistanse, please call 800-223-2500

Canon PowerShot S120 Specifications

  • Type

    Compact digital still camera

  • Sensor

    Type: 12.1 Megapixel, 1/1.7-inch CMOS
    Total: Approx. 12.8 Megapixels
    Effective: Approx. 12.1 Megapixels

  • Lens Focal Length

    5.2 (W) - 26.0 (T) mm (35mm film equivalent: 24-120mm)

  • Digital Zoom

    4.0x

  • Focusing Range

    Normal: 2.0 in. (5cm) - infinity (W), 12 in. (30cm) - infinity (T)
    Auto/Manual: 1.2 in. (3cm) - infinity (W), 12 in. (30cm) - infinity (T)
    Macro AF: 1.2 in. - 1.6 ft. (3-50cm) (W), 12 in. - 1.6 ft. (30-50cm) (T)
    Quick: 4.9 -66 ft. (1.5 - 20m) (W, T)

  • Autofocus System

    TTL Autofocus, Manual Focus

  • Viewfinder

    Not available

  • LCD Monitor

    3.0" TFT Color LCD with wide viewing angle capacitive touch-screen panel

  • LCD Pixels

    Approx. 922,000 dots

  • LCD Coverage

    Approx. 100%

  • Maximum Aperture

    f/1.8 (W), f/5.7 (T)

  • Shutter Speed

    1-1/2500 sec.
    15-1/2500 sec. (in Tv mode)
    250-1/2500 sec. (in M mode)

  • ISO Sensitivity

    Auto, ISO 80-12800 (in P mode)

  • Light Metering Method

    Evaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot

  • Exposure Control Method

    Manual Exposure, Program Shift, Safety Shift, AE Lock

  • Exposure Compensation

    Still Images: +/-3 stops in 1/3-stop increments
    Videos: +/-3 stops in 1/3-stop increments (not available during shooting)

  • White Balance Control

    Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom 1, Custom 2

  • Built-in Flash

    Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro, Flash Off

  • Flash Range

    1.6 ft. - 23 ft. (W), 1.6 - 7.5 ft. (T) (50cm - 7m (W), (50cm - 2.3m (T))

  • Recycling Time

    10 sec. or less (battery voltage: 3.7 V)

  • Flash Exposure Compensation

    +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments

  • Hot Shoe Availability

    Not available

  • Shooting Modes

    Portrait, Smart Shutter, Star, Handheld NightScene, Underwater, Snow, Fireworks

    High Dynamic Range, Nostalgic, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Background Defocus, Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect

    Standard, Super Slow Motion Movie

    Smile, Wink Self-timer, Face Self-timer

    Star Nightscape, Star Trails, Star Time-Lapse Movie

  • Photo Effects

    My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color

  • Self-Timer

    Approx. 10-sec. delay/approx. 2-sec. delay/custom

  • Wireless Control

    Not Available

  • Electronic Level

    Single axis

  • Continuous Shooting

    1) Normal: Approx. 12.1 shots/sec.; 9.4 shots/sec (in P mode)
    2) AF: Approx. 5.5 shots/sec. (in P mode)
    3) LV: Approx. 5.6 shots/sec. (in P mode)

  • Storage Media

    SD/SDHC/SDXC and UHS-I Memory Cards

  • File Format

    Design rule for Camera File system, DPOF (Version 1.1) compliant

  • Image Compression

    Superfine / Fine

  • JPEG Compression Mode

    Still Image: Exif. 2.3 (JPEG) Video: MOV (Image: H.264; Audio: Linear PCM (Stereo))

  • Recording Pixels (Stills Large)

    16:9 4000x2248
    3:2 4000x2664
    4:3 4000x3000
    1:1 2992x2992
    4:5 2400x3000

  • Recording Pixels (Videos)

    Full HD 1920 x 1080: 60 fps (59.94), 30 fps
    Full HD Star Time-Lapse Movie: 15 fps
    HD 1280 x 720: 30 fps (29.97)
    Miniature Effect HD 1280 x 720: 6 fps / 3 fps / 1.5 fps
    Miniature Effect 640 x 480: 6 fps / 3 fps / 1.5 fps
    Super Slow Motion Movie 640 x 480: 120 fps
    Super Slow Motion Movie 320 x 240: 240 fps
    640 x 480: 30 fps (29.97)

  • Playback Modes File (Still & Videos)

    Auto Rotate, Index Continuous Display, Image Advance (Transition Effects, Scroll Display), Rotate, Favorites, My Category, Smart Shuffle, Group Playback, Slideshow, Erase, Resume, Protect

  • Playback Modes File (Still)

    Single, Index, Magnification (2-10x), Switch to other images while zoomed, Information Display, Red-eye Correction, i-Contrast, Photobook Setup, Cropping, Resize, My Colors, Face ID Info, Histogram, RGB Histogram, Focus Checker, Location Information, Overexposure Warning

  • Playback Modes File (Video)

    Normal Playback, Pause, Slow Motion, Skip Backward, Previous Frame, Next Frame, Skip Forward, Erase Clip, Editing, Movie Transcoding

  • Erase Mode

    Select Image, Select Range, Select All Images

  • Video Out

    NTSC/PAL (dedicated connector (female) with unified type of digital, audio and video)
    Mini-HDMI connector

  • Audio Out

    Stereo (dedicated connector (female) with unified type of digital, audio and video)

  • Other

    SD memory card slot; direct connection to Canon SELPHY, PIXMA Photo Printers & PictBridge compatible printers

  • Power Source

    Battery Pack NB-6LH, Compact Power Adapter CA-DC10 (included with AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC40)

  • Shooting Capacity

    Approx. 230 shots
    Approx. 300 shots with ECO Mode

  • Playback Time

    Approx. 4 hours

  • Operating Temperature

    32-104°F (0-40°C)

  • Dimensions (WxHxD)

    3.94 x 2.32 x 1.14" (100.2 x 59.0 x 29.0mm)

  • Weight

    7.65 oz. (217g)

  • UPC Code

    013803228991

7 Accessories for Canon PowerShot S120 Digital Camera, 12.1MP, 5x Optical Zoom, 1080p HD Video, WiFi Connect

  • All Accessories (7)
  • Batteries & Power Supply (4)
  • Cables & Adapters (1)
  • Bags & Cases (1)
  • Cleaning Accessories (1)

About Canon PowerShot S120

FEATURED REVIEWS

Excellent all around camera

By Walter

I love this camera. It has a great list of features and I've used almost every one of them for some specific shots. My ONLY wish was for a longer zoom 12-20x would be ideal. I actually prefer the S120 over my tecently purchased SX720HS. The S120 has so MANY more features (programmable ring/button, touch screen, touch focus, more creative effects etc, just lacks the zoom. I sincerely hope Canon produces a worthy successor to the S120.

Great Bang for the Buck!

By Photo P.

I own a PowerShot S120 because it is small, lightweight, simple to operate, and delivers great quality photos! Whether I am carrying a DSLR or not, I always have my S120 within arm's reach (actually, shirt pocket. Sometimes you just don't want to lug around a DSLR. The S120 is perrrrfect for those times! The S120 has enough features and adjustability that it allows me to get the shot I want at a moment's notice. (this is NOT just a stupid simple point & shoot) Yet, I can set it to P or Auto ...

View full Review

Canon PowerShot S120

The predecessors of the Canon PowerShot S120 have gained a reputation as the pocket camera of choice for many professional photographers thanks to their high image quality and shirt pocketability. The S120 succeeds last year's S110 with the same 12.1MP, 1/1.7-inch sensor. New is a re-tooled and slightly faster 24-120mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.8-2.8 lens, a revamped DIGIC 6 processor, and virtually no shutter lag. The camera boasts a new Star Shooting mode and a Background Defocus mode, which adds blur to the background while keeping the subject in focus.

Popular features carried over from the S120 include a touch screen high-resolution LCD monitor, 6-way intelligent image stabilization, HDR scene mode, high-speed autofocus, 1080p HD video capture, and up to 9.4 fps burst rate.

Canon PowerShot S120 Features

  • Built-in Wi-Fi allows you to wirelessly transfer your images with ease to social networking sites through CANON iMAGE GATEWAY#, to a PC, or upload virtually anywhere on your iOS or Android device with the free download of the Canon CameraWindow app.
  • 12.1 Megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor combined with a DIGIC 6 Image Processor creates the Canon HS SYSTEM for exceptional low-light performance with an ISO range of ISO 80-12800 for enhanced image quality in extreme lighting conditions.
  • Capture stunning 1080p/60p Full HD video in stereo sound with a dedicated movie button; video functions include Touch AF while recording, zoom while shooting, and convenient playback on an HDTV via the HDMI output.
  • A bright f/1.8 lens allows for capturing low-light conditions or using shallow depth-of-field for dramatic, soft backgrounds, along with 5x Optical Zoom and a 24mm Wide-Angle lens that helps ensure you capture everything in your frame.
  • High Speed AF greatly improves focus speed. Paired with continuous shooting speeds of up to 9.4 fps and the removal of buffer time, you can get your best shot in full resolution.
  • Capacitive 3.0" touch panel LCD with a screen resolution of 922,000 dots for a sharp, clear display and easy operation helps make shooting and sharing easy and intuitive.
  • Shoot breathtaking images and video of the stars with new star shooting modes designed to better capture the brilliance and wonder of the night sky.
  • New Background Defocus mode adds a blurred background while keeping the subject in focus.
  • Intelligent IS automatically chooses from six different modes to optimize image stabilization for shake-free images in a wide variety of conditions.
  • HDR scene mode combines multiple shots into one picture, capturing a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image to provide greater detail. New artistic sub-modes such as Art Bold and Art Vivid unlock new opportunities for creativity.

Key Features

  • S120 Digital Point & Shoot Camera
  • 16GB Memory Card
  • SDSDU-016G-A11 Memory Card
  • Dublin 20 Camera Pouch
  • Two Section Table Top Tripod
  • Cleaning Kit

What's in the box:

  • Canon PowerShot S120 Digital Camera
  • Wrist Strap WS-DC11
  • Battery Pack NB-6LH(E)
  • Battery Charger CB-2LY
  • (USB Cable Not Included)
  • Canon 1 Year Warranty