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Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)

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MikeK
11/02/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
So, can it zoom while shooting video? All the other little Canons refuse to do this, and it really is a frustrating limitation. #canons90
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matt buchanan
11/03/09

@MikeK: no #canons90
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MikeK
11/04/09

@matt buchanan: Thanks. Weak. I also read on another site that it doesn't focus while shooting video, either. Such a shame.
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Edited by MikeK at 11/04/09 1:33 PM MikeK was starred MikeK was unstarred

BazookaJoe
10/31/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
Sample videos & pictures are TOTALLY USELESS if you don't link the actual files. These samples have all been re compressed & rescaled & tell us NOTHING. #canons90
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thetickler
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
to make things easy, the LX3, GH-1, G11 Hasselblad and Hubble are all amazing cameras, but only the S90 takes fantastic photos and fits in the pocket of your skinny jeans. Unless you're MC Hammer, you can carry all these cameras...at once. #canons90
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DPYu
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
You forgot one negative... the only autofocus options are center focus and face detect. This means any sort of macro shots where the focus is off-center will be impossible to do, and manual focus doesn't help much without a true optical viewfinder.
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Don Nguyen
12/01/09

@DPYu: You can always set exposure and focus by using the center box with a half shutter button depression, then you're free to compose your picture however you see fit.
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IronicSans
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
Another thing worth mentioning: the s90 has severe barrel distortion. It's automatically corrected by software either in-camera (if you're shooting jpegs) or by the Canon raw processing software (if you're shooting Raw). 3rd-party raw processors will have to compensate for it, as well, or you'll end up getting very distorted results. You can see what a Raw file actually looks like straight from the s90 and processed in a 3rd-party program compared to processed with Canon's software at [bit.ly] Since your pixels have been manipulated, this may contribute to the photos being "a touch less sharp." #canons90
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Sticks Calhoun
10/30/09

@IronicSans: Yowza! I thought "How bad could that possibly be?" And then I clicked on the link.

I guess the good news is you get a fisheye lens if you want one! You can probably do some pretty fun things with that much distortion. #canons90
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kaplanfx
10/30/09

@IronicSans: This is the future. I have a Panasonic GH1, which also does this, although the RAW images are not nearly as distorted. The fact of the matter is we are asking for small, fast, light, lenses with good zoom, and it takes engineering both on the hardware and software sides to accomplish this. #canons90
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thechansen
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
I want this camera, like, yesterday. But my ol' trusty SD750 will have to tide me over until the price cuts. Usually it takes about 6-10 months with Canon P&S. #canons90
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diesel828
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
I think you gave us a first glimpse of this in August, Matt, and I was wondering when we'd get a full review. Funny thing is I was about to buy one of these this weekend because I was tired of waiting. Thanks for coming through! #canons90
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Noobs-R-Us
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
I'll stick to my Panasonic GF-1 thank you. No amount of fiddling with the camera can overcome the deficiencies of a small sensor. For example, it’s next to impossible to get bokeh on this thing.
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Edited by Noobs-R-Us at 10/30/09 12:23 PM Noobs-R-Us was starred Noobs-R-Us was unstarred

LittleJon
10/30/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Of course! But equally I could say that I'll stick to the full frame sensor in my 5D MkII over the GF-1, thank you!

The S90 is a lot more pocketable than a GF-1 and lens (even with the 20mm pancake), so it's arguable if it's the same class of camera. It's also a lot less expensive than a GF-1 with lenses to cover the same range.

Personally, I'm probably going to get a GF-1 as a smallish alternative to my 5D MkII, because I do want good bokeh and depth of field control, and even better low light than the S90 offers, so in a way I agree with you. But I can also see the S90 as being a good choice for many people. Hey, if money were no object I'd get one too! #canons90
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thetickler
10/30/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Silly, rabbit, you're in the wrong thread. There was a G11 thread a few days ago. Not the same category, as the GF-1 is a tank and has lens adapters. It's like putting a sink in your pocket, like the G11. #canons90
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Noobs-R-Us
10/30/09

@LittleJon: I know what you’re saying but the GF-1 is in the sweet spot between size and performance. Compared to a P&S, the GF-1 is a tool and a P&S is a toy. The reason the GF-1 is so expensive is because it’s built like a tank. It also has close to the performance of a DSLR. It has two processors so it’s super fast at everything. To me it feel like I’m using a consumer DSLR (not a Pro DSLR) in terms of the performance. So yea, you have to pay for that.

I think the micro4/3 will eat into the low end DSLR sales and high end P&S sales. It will gain a very nice addressable market share. #canons90
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iomatic, hey, I'm an idiot, but I'll comment anyway
10/30/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Sounds like you're justifying the GF-1; it's not the same category as the S-90— the G11 is, perhaps even the other 4/3rd cameras like Oly, but most definitely not a compact P-and-S.

GF-1 a tool compared to a point-and-shoot? Ha! They're all toys, my friend, compared to my Hassy's fuck-you-I'm-HUGE 6cm x 6cm motherfuckin' film, bitch. I laugh at your small sensor! Muhahaha! #canons90
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Noobs-R-Us
10/30/09

@iomatic (I know I'm an idiot, but I'll comment anyway): You do know that there are medium sized sensor cameras now right? Film is so last century.

Who's the bitch now? #canons90
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iomatic, hey, I'm an idiot, but I'll comment anyway
10/30/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Yes, I know (and shoot digital medium format H3D for studio (i.e., paid work)).

Do you?

*tumbleweeds*

Thought not. :)

"Film is so last century" is often parroted when one is at a loss of experience.

Ha, now yer mah bitch! #canons90
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Noobs-R-Us
10/30/09

@iomatic (I know I'm an idiot, but I'll comment anyway):
Sure, I’ll play.

First of all, you’re the one who brought up medium format film. Secondly, if you like film so much why do you bother with digital? I find your convoluted rationale confusing. Too much chemical sniffing in your darkroom?

-bam!- bitch slapped!
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Edited by Noobs-R-Us at 10/30/09 3:40 PM Noobs-R-Us was starred Noobs-R-Us was unstarred

iomatic, hey, I'm an idiot, but I'll comment anyway
11/02/09

@Noobs-R-Us: Film and digital are not either/or absolutes.

Darkroom. Are you fucking kidding me? It's called chrome. Glorious, 6cm x 6cm (sold my view camera awhile back when I foresaw the spiraling fall of Polaroid) muther-fucking 3D chromes. Take it to a lab. Then, it's 48-bit (yeah, your measly 12-bit camera can suck it) scanning. Printing.

I happen to like digital, but I love film more, because I have mad skills in both.

Have you ever shot film, or are you another Plato-cave-dwelling PC user ("Macs suck. No, I've never used one, but I know they suck!!!") ?

Eat your own bitch-slapping.

And get off my lawn. #canons90
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Kaiser-Machead
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
Matt, you sold me on this thing. While I was swooning over the G11, the fact that this crams the same picture power for so much less bulk and about $70 off the pricetag (MSRP anyway), I'll just have to dump my SD1200 IS Digital Elph on ebay and get this in its place. I'm a fan of viewfinders, but apparently, I'm not missing out on much in that aspect. #canons90
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weatherman
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
It seems to have pretty bad lens flare at night..

Seems like a fine camera, but I think when it gets in to that price range I'd rather wait for a few more less expensive m4/3 options to come out to be able to use different lenses. #canons90
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SigmundTheSeaMonster
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
Nice! However, I am getting the G11 to replace my G9. I need the 28mm... #canons90
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Sticks Calhoun
10/30/09

@SigmundTheSeaMonster: From the front of the camera it looks like it gets down to 22.5mm, making it wider than the G11. Correct me if I'm wrong, though, P&S camera labeling has always confused me.

Edit: Canon says the S90 is 28mm wide.

[www.usa.canon.com]
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Edited by Sticks Calhoun at 10/30/09 11:52 AM Sticks Calhoun was starred Sticks Calhoun was unstarred

LesPaulLvr5
10/30/09

@Sticks Calhoun: in reality it is 6mm-22.5 mm, but since the image sensor is not a full 35 mm you must convert these numbers to accurately represent the focal length. so, the 28mm-105mm is what the lens is equivalent to in terms of a 35mm sensor #canons90
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Sticks Calhoun
10/30/09

Ah! Thank you. I figured crop worked in there somewhere, but to be honest I didn't even consider that the crop factor is so high that the 6 meant 6mm, the starting point of the lens. Makes sense though. #canons90
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SenorElChimpo
10/30/09

In reply to Canon S90 Review: It'll Never Leave My Pocket (Except When I'm Taking Pictures)
so the ring will let you do every function except manual focus? That's the one thing that would make this camera stand out. The f2 lens is nice but its still a 28mm - not wide enough. if it was 24mm f2 and the ring on the lens could be used for manual focus, I would get rid of my lx3 and get this. #canons90
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Sticks Calhoun
10/30/09

@SenorElChimpo: You can indeed focus with the ring. [www.dpreview.com] #canons90
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bubba451
10/30/09

@Sticks Calhoun: You can, but you wouldn't want to. Unlike a focus ring on an SLR lens, the S90's ring has discrete stops that click. Totally useful for discrete things like aperture. Useless for continuous things like focus. #canons90
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