Used Canon PowerShot S95 10 Megapixel Digital Camera with 3.8x Optical Zoom, 4x Digital Zoom, 3in TFT Color Display

2012-11-27T19:00:00

I bought this camera for a trip to Spain and France. I specifically didn't want to lug my DSLR all around Barcelona. It was perfect. Compact and handy either in a pocket or case on my belt. It's low light performance was outstanding. The pictures I took inside Sagrada Familia are wonderful. It's feature set is terrific. I only shoot RAW in shutter priority, but you can do almost anything with this camera. When I'm out I always have my s95 with me.

KGBHowdy

Originally posted at

2012-07-12T20:00:00

I got this camera refurb around 18 mo ago. Works great. Simply the best low light camera around. I have been able to take great pics indoors and outdoors. Even portraits and other interesting pics like fish eye pics, minature effects, single color pics...etc...The range of features controls are also great.The manual controls are terrific like control flash exposure, ambient exposure, face focus etc... Comparable to a DSLR hence a great companion. IT WONT replace a DSLR though since it has a smaller sensor. Battery life is BAD. Wide angle lens is terrific and can shoot as close as 5 cms. Make sure you purchase and read the 'Photographers guide to the Canon s95' book available on kindle or print. It will show you all interesting ways to use the camera plus the camera wiki hacks(very useful. Compact camera. Get a gorilla pod too.

andromeda3

Originally posted at

2012-07-08T21:00:00

Great camera! There are a lot of neat features on this camera, like the smile recognition and the wink recognition. Allows for manual operation too! I just wish the hand cord had a fastener on it so it could stay snug on my wrist. My other point and shoot Canon had that and it kept the camera secure when I was walking around with it ready to shoot. This wriste cord is just a big loop so I still have to hold the actual camera firm when walking around.

saycheese

2012-06-24T21:00:00

great product, bought as a gift for my gf and she loves it and she don't know how to use electronics too well but camera was easy to use for the most part.

BRIAN L.

2012-06-24T21:00:00

I have had a Canon S90 for several years and love it. It's compact, easy to use, very flexible given the manual controls in addition to full auto, great low light capabilities, and takes very good pictures -- especially close-ups. So when my wife's point & shoot was getting tired and she loved my S90 as well, I decided (after reading various reviews) to get the updated S95. She "inherited" the S90. I've found that all the great features and capabilities of the S90 apply to the S95. I recommend it highly.

Doug

2012-06-17T21:00:00

Just used this camera for vacation to Mexico. Very happy with picture quailty.

Vacation e.

2012-03-04T19:00:00

Great camera when you want high quality photos without lugging an SLR. I thought about getting the S100, but when I read that the S95 had sharper photos, that's what convinced me. This is the third S95 in my family now. Good news travels fast.

Michael S.

2012-02-26T19:00:00

Takes quality pictures. Always ready. Can take anywhere. I take this in lieu of a wide angle lens on my SLR. I leave a long lens on the SLR. Not quite as wide as I would like, but I didn't like the corner softness on the S100.

Randy

2012-01-29T19:00:00

We travel a lot and many museums and points of interest do not alow the use of a flash. The 2.0 lens gives great results in low light. Don't just buy for low light use, this little beauty works great outdoors on sunny days and everything in between. The only minus I had was the strap - it would get caught in the camera case velcroe and looked terrible after the first week. It still holds the camera but looks ugly when you are holding the camera. This is not a camera fault but a suggestion to pick the best carry case available w/out velcroe fasteners.

casey

2012-01-15T19:00:00

Best pocket camera around execpt for the S100

John G.

2012-01-10T19:00:00

This is a great camera to carry with you all/most of the time. It's about the size of an iPhone but is much more flexible as a photographic tool.

Plannerben

2011-12-18T19:00:00

i read about it in Ken Rockwell's site, and do found it perfect for just an all-around traveling camera.

TROY N.

2011-12-11T19:00:00

I always have it with me. Having moved toward dslr's over the years I wasn't carrying a camera with me as much. The S95 is compact and provides excellent image quality. I have carried other compact cameras but I was always dissappointed with image quality.

4Pnuts

2011-11-13T19:00:00

Easy to have with you at all times. Manual settings a plus.

KEVIN S.

2011-10-17T21:00:00

I have had other Canon and Sony point and shoots in the past but was always disappointed with shots in low light conditions, especially with the Sony. I wanted to get a micro four thirds but I am waiting for the right one as they seem to get better with a new model every half year or so. I looked into the Canon S95 b/c of the reported low light capabilities. It is much better than the other point and shoots I have had in the past and has a lot more customizations, such as taking more than one shot with the auto timer. I am sure it is not as good as the micro four thirds or Sony NEX cameras but this will hold me off until the right one of these comes along.

SAMUEL T.

2011-10-16T21:00:00

The only bad thing is the location of the flash. The camera is very compact so it is difficult to hold and focus without my finger on the top left. I read about this in other reviews but didn't think it would be a big deal. For me, it was. I spent a bit more money for the G12, but I like it much more.

happy c.

2011-10-09T21:00:00

A fantastic small camera for every use. The controls/settings take a use or two to get used to, but after that, you are capturing memories with fantastic clarity.

Mother g.

2011-10-02T21:00:00

I carry this camera with my all the time, fits in my back pack, pockets, everywhere! It's very easy and fast to use. Love the 2.0 lens, great for low light conditions. I have shot video with it in a couple of concerts and the quality was way better than what I expected.

Leeooh

2011-09-10T21:00:00

I normally use a Nikon D7000 with Nikkor "pro" lenses. But since I bought the Canon S95...I find I'm using the Nikon less and less. The little camera produces absolutely phenomenal quality once you get the hang of it. Resolution is super excellent and color contrast and faithfulness are nothing short of pro quality. Except for sports, obviously, this camera is all around magnificent. I give it the highest marks and recommend it to everyone from tyro to pro.

EDWIN H.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I shoot with Nikon D7000s and Nikon pro lenses so I'm used to accurate and dramatic results. What I'm not used to is a camera as small as the S95 which consistently yields images that rival (if not equal) the ones I get with my SLR gear...at a fraction of the price and a fraction of the size and weight! Now I never leave the house without the fabulous little S95 in my shirt pocket. Thank you Canon! Ed Holzer

EDWIN H.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Great little carry-around camera. Fits in purse or larger pocket. Lightweigt so you can hold it at arms length with one hand and get a great shot. It's the camera I carry when I don't use the DSLR.

PATRICIA B.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I find myself using the S95 more often than my Nikon D7000. The sleeper bonus on the camera is the fast F2 lens. I get a bit confused sometimes with the functions. My Daughter has now taken it to Italy for one year leaving me with the lesser Canon G12. I had a warranty issue with the S95 that was easily resolved with Canon.

Obob

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Small and takes great pictures with easy access to f-stop, white balance, iso and others. Have recommended to friends.

Elias

2011-09-03T21:00:00

Canon seems to have problems with the so called "lens opening error". Many of their models suffer from this according to the internet. Mine died within only a few short weeks. Canon will repair, but I feel Canon's quality is leaving something to be desired, especially since this is a known problem. I can not find any information as to what causes this failure, but did find one lead which stated this error takes place when the camera is turned on while still in a carry pouch and the lens is restricted from extending. Not sure I believe that as mine is carred in a stiff leather Canon belt holder which makes it nearly impossible for the camera to turn on while in the holder. No matter what the cause, Canon should be a better product than this.

L S.

2011-09-03T21:00:00

I'm still not comfortable with this camera after a few months of casual use. Granted I haven't taken as many pictures lately as I normally do. There just are some design/ergonomic issues that I haven't gotten used to. Depending on the situation I normally use a DSLR, or in the past an older Canon Digital Elph. I bought this camera as a higher quality replacement for that pocket camera. A huge drawback for me is the flash. It pops up on the left top of the camera, exactly where I would normally put my left index finger. It sounds like a small issue, but I've always held a pocket camera that way, and it doesn't feel natural to hold it differently. I'm not sure why they needed a retractable flash in the first place. What would be actually useful, is if they had a flash that could pivot vertically to bounce off of the ceiling. That would be worth the money. Another design aspect I don't like is the body finish. Its sort of a matte or finely textured finish that is more grippy or friction inducing than other pocket digitals. With pocket cameras, you want to be able to quickly pull them out of your pocket & slide them back in with ease. This particular camera doesn't do that for me. It takes more effort, which lessens the overall enjoyment for me. Maybe I'm just spoiled. Maybe I need to stop wearing skinny pants. It does have great image quality & a fantastic LCD. I wouldn't recommend this camera though. The great lens & image quality don't make up for the ease of use issue. To me it's not worth the extra $200+ for the quality.

Seth S.

2011-07-08T21:00:00

I like everything except: 1) No noise reduction adjustment. 2) Extremely short battery life. Battery runs out after 60 pictures. I even turn off the sound and turn down the LCD elumination (from 5 to 3). 3) JPEG pcitures were saved at high compression. 4) Sharp but a bit inferior to Lx5 The short battery life means the user needs to prepare additional one or two batteries. Not like other Canon camera gears.

Chang-Jen L.

2011-02-21T19:00:00

Appearance/Size/Form FactorCompared to other cameras in the "advanced compact" category, the S95 is tiny. The S95 can easily slip into your pants pocket without anyone asking you "is that a camera in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?". If a compact camera body is one of your major requirements, the S95 should be at the top of your list.One plus the S95 has over its predecessor (the S90) is its textureized body. The S90 felt like a wet bar of soap which is not a characteristic I look for in a camera. This rubbery/grippy texture allows the user to gain a sold grip on the camera which is important when dealing with a camera this small. The S95 feels good in your hand although I do wish it had more of a physical grip similar to the Panasonic LX-5; I assume Canon decided against a grip to keep the body as slim and sleek as possible. I'm not too worried about the lack of grip as there are a few third party options to remedy this complaint e.g. Richard Franiec's custom grip.I'm not sure what people consider a good looking camera, but the S95 looks good to me. The all black body with silver lettering is a color scheme that should be familiar to most. The display takes up the majority of the real-estate on the back of the camera which is a good thing because it is a pleasure to use. Colors are bright and blacks look decent as well. My only complaint with the display, which is common among most point and shoot cameras, is it easily becomes washed out in bright sunlight. This is when I really wish Canon had offered an optional EVF for the S95.ControlsEasy access to controls is where the S95 really jumps ahead of the competition. I hate digging through levels of menus or having to cycle down a list of features just to change the ISO. Give me physical buttons! Luckily there are two dials on the S95, one in the front and one in the back of the camera. These dials allow the user to easily change the most frequently needed settings.Like it's older sibling, the S95 has a control ring around the lens which gives you quick access to settings like aperture, shutter speed, focal length, etc. The control ring has default settings based on which mode you are in but the control ring's function can easily be changed by a physical button on the top of the camera.On the back of the back of the camera is another function ring. By default, this ring is setup to manage the functions which are available by pushing on the top, bottom, left and right or the ring. I would say 99% of the time I use this ring to manage exposure compensation. The other 1% of the time it is used to manage shutter speed while I'm in Manual mode…I prefer to shoot in Aperture Priority when using the S95.Along with the dials is a programmable button on the back of the camera which can be assigned by the user; I have mine set to pull up the ISO. This can be set to a myriad of different functions like white balance or file type, but I find that setting this to ISO really gives me quick access to the essentials for getting a solid exposure.FeaturesLike any new camera, there are a million features that the S95 brings to the game. I could list them all here, but you would probably have better luck looking at a product page. To keep it short, I'll list a few of my favorite features of this camera:ISO max for auto ISO: Most new advanced point and shoot cameras have an auto ISO setting. The problem with this is not all of them give you a limit as to how high the camera will go when choosing an ISO setting. Thankfully, the S95 does. I personally like to set my ISO manually, but this is a nice feature if you are a beginner or if you just want to shoot and not worry about settings.Interval timer with shot # selection: This is something I wish my old 5D had. Not only can you select the shutter timer duration, you can also select how many shots in succession the S95 will take after the timer goes off. I could see this feature being helpful for family portraits or landscapes.Bright Lens: With a bright f/2.0 lens and IS, the S95 works surprisingly well in low-light conditions. I would like to see the aperture values stay on the brighter end as you move through the zoom range, sadly…this is not the case. I'm drooling over the newly announced Olympus XZ-1?s lens.In camera HDR: HDR seems to be all the rage right now and most manufactures are adding some sort of "built in" solution. Well, Canon has jumped on the bandwagon by adding in-camera HDR. Results are pretty good, nothing you would get by using a program like Photomatrix, but there are limitations. The biggest got'cha is you have to use a tripod to get best results. I don't know about you, but I do not carry around a tripod when using a P&S. Sony has figured out how to do this without a tripod (NEX series) so I'd like to see Canon work this out for their next model.Picture QualityI've had quite the time trying to determine how good the IQ is of the S95. Without fancy tests that I do not have access to, I can really only rely on my eye when it comes to IQ. You can't compare it to a M4/3rd system because they have a much larger sensor so it wouldn't be fair. But you also can't compare the S95 to a basic point and shoot camera because it has a much larger sensor and the S95 costs about double what you would pay for a mid-range P&S. Honestly, I would say the IQ falls right where it should, in between a basic P&S and M4/3rd setup. Head to [@] if you want a true breakdown of image quality. I can't say that I'm a "pixel peeper", I just go off of what looks good to me. If you love to zoom into 100% and check the middle and edges of your photos, then [@] should be able to help you.For me, the S95 produces perfectly good images. I usually shoot RAW but the JPEG images are so good from the S95 that I find myself shooting more and more in JPEG. Distortion is present at both ends of the zoom range but it's nothing that can't be cleaned up with a little post processing if needed.Likes * Small, easily pocketable size * Physical buttons and dials for controling basic camera functions * Menus are intuitive and well thought out * RAW capability – not all compacts can match this…that was for you Nikon and your P300. What were you thinking!?! * Good picture quality * Focus speed. I'm actually pretty impressed with this little camera's ability to focus. This quickly goes down hill as light becomes less available but this is the case with most cameras.Dislikes * While IQ is good, I personally think it can't quite match it's Micro 4/3rd competitors. I really miss my GF-1 when it comes to overall IQ. M4/3rds has the S95 beat on all fronts (image noise, dynamic range, image detail, etc.) * Price. I understand this is an advanced point and shoot but dropping [$] on a P&S is tough. * The Lens. Don't get me wrong, f/2.0 is great but it would be nice if the aperture values didn't start to skyrocket as you zoomed to longer focal lengths. The LX-5 and the newly announced XZ-1 prove it is doable…get on it Canon.ConclusionAnyone looking for a truly pocketable camera with full manual controls and decent IQ need look no further…this is the camera for you. It's direct competitors are not truly pocketable…unless you have abnormally large pockets. I tried the LX-5…no dice on getting that into my jeans. And you can forget about fitting a M4/3rd system into your pocket. Yes, you will have to sacrifice on a few things but no camera is perfect. If camera size is paramount on your list of requirements, then the S95 is your camera. If other requirements top your list like a large constant aperture, then something else like the LX-5 or XZ-1 may be a better choice for you.

MICHAEL P.

2011-01-11T19:00:00

I got this as a gift for my mother, who just wanted a good, easy-to-use camera, but now I want one for myself. The picture quality is excellent, even in very low light, and it has tons of great manual features if you want them, but it also works great as a completely automatic point-and-shoot. I found it to be very snappy, and it's also remarkably small and feels very well built. Just don't use it with any case with a velcro closure, like the one included in some of the package deals here. The velcro catches on the beautiful strap that comes with the camera and tears it apart. It looks like the leather case that Canon makes for it uses a snap closure that should be fine.

BRENDEN H.

2010-11-25T19:00:00

This camera is the best pocketable camera around. It allows for significant manual control when you want it and works well fully automated when you prefer. Most important is that this camera shares the same sensor as the G12 without the bulk. Giving you near dslr quality captures without the size and weight. The G12 is too big for convenience, go for a dslr instead. This S95 satisfies your need for quality captures when convenience is paramount. LOVE the two selection rings which make manual adjustments MUCH faster and easier than a menu driven system. That was the clincher for me.

KEVIN B.

2010-10-30T21:00:00

Great camera, fast lens, good feel, compact, superb image quality. Of greatest importance: the camera you carry is the best camera. This is the camera I carry.

Jeremiah R.