Canon Powershot S95

These days more progressive photo hounds are less likely to approve of auto-exposure-only compact point-and-shoots. Photo buffs adopt digicams with manual exposure options; cameras that are able to capture extremely detailed images with very vivid color. A year ago Canon brought back the well respected "S" series (gone in 2005) with the intro of the Powershot S90 . Canon's fan friendly "S" series digicams were very well received at the time, because they were conceived with serious photographers in mind. They shared many of the advanced features of the "G" series. Now they have released the Powershot S95.

Like its ancestor, the thin and well built S95 (3.93x2.30x1.16-inches) is constructed around a rather quick f/2.0-4.9, 6.0-22.5mm (28-105mm equivalent) super-stabilized 3.8x real wide-angle to short telephoto zoom lens. The S95 also has 10 megapixel resolution, a 3.0-inch PureColor II LCD (with 461k-dot resolution), ISO 80 to ISO 3200 sensitivity, 720p high-definition video with stereo audio, a RAW mode, additional smarts in its Smart AUTO mode, and Canon's Dual Anti-Noise System which was also in the G11. Another inspiring feature only found in the S95 is Canon's High Dynamic Range function. Turn on HDR and the S95 takes 3 images (at different EV) with one click of the shutter button and then assimilates those three different photos into one embellished image. The S95 also is the numero uno Canon digicam to posess Hybrid Image Stabilization which accounts for both shift and angle movements for more crisp images at slow shutter speeds and in dim light.

Only have had my hands on it it for a couple of days, but this camera was definitely created by people serious about their photography. For example, The S95's compass switch (4-way controller) contains Canon's "func" button for uninterrupted availibility to ISO and White Balance and other commonly switched around settings it also includes a rotary jog dial. Push down the review button and manipulate your right thumb on the rotary jog dial to rapidly and effortlessly scroll back and forth through your saved images. It is simple to look at and decide on a group of similar images and narrow them down to just the ones or one that you like out of that series.

The S95 also contains a cool control ring just like the S90. The control ring wraps around the the base of the zoom lens and allows users to manipulate settings for a multitude of functions by turning the click-stopped ring either right or left. The control ring may also be utilized as a manual zoom ring with 28, 35, 50, 85 and 105mm increments. It may also be allowed to change ISO settings (in 1/3 stop increments), WB, shutter and aperture, or exposure compensation. So far, I've used it to give direct access to the exposure compensation function to easily (and incrementally) lighten or darken images.

Canon has said that the S95 is a revision and upgrade of the S90, not a substitute. Apparently this means that the S90 isn't going anywhere for the time being.