megapixels

Canon has always been the leader in digicam technology
and they have simply blown away the competition with their
latest model - the PowerShot S1 IS, this is a truly awesome
camera for the features that it offers at such a reasonable
price, here are the pros:

10x optical zoom with image stabilizer:
- the single most compelling feature this cam offers, dont underestimate the power of 10x zoom with image stabilization,
it can convert you from an average shutterbug to a real pro,
Canon had a previous model with IS (now discontinued) costing
around 1000$ and its great to see them come out with the same technology at a much lower price, IS is important not just
while using 8x or 10x zoom, it is also a critically important
feature while taking snaps in low-light conditions since it
virtually eliminates camera-shake at low shutter speeds,
I have taken really sharp pictures in several low-light
conditions (like in the subway, or Times Square at night!)
which was very difficult to do with my prev camera (Canon A60
- also a very fine camera but does not have IS).

60 mins DV-quality VGA video:
- probably the best video-mode camera out there, pretty much doubles up as a camcorder with upto 60 mins of good quality
video recording (depending on your card size).

phenomenal picture quality:
- true Canon picture quality, i was very happy with the
picture quality on my A60 and this model continues the
fine tradition !

3.2 megapixel CCD:
most people dont realise that MP has nothing to do with the
actual picture quality, its just a measure of the dimensional
size of the picture - 2mp is 1600x1200 & 3mp is 2048x1536,
this makes a difference only if you plan to crop and enlarge
sections of ur photo OR if you plan to print out really huge
copies of the snap, i think 3mp is more than enough for most
consumers/semi-pros unless you want to print gigantic copies
of every single snap (which may end up costing you more than
the camera itself).

Cons: none so far ! I have been very pleased with this camera
so far, both its picture quality and the 10x IS zoom, this is
probably the finest model in the Canon lineup in my opinion,
and I am sure that anyone buying this camera would be very
happy with its performance.

After researching other cameras in its class including the Panasonic DMC-FZ10 and Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z2, I finally decided on the Canon S1 IS. Having taken a few hundred pictures with it, I am completely satisfied with my purchase.

With this camera I have the flexibility to take pictures with point-and-shoot ease while also having plenty of manual capabilities available to take more artistic pictures. Although the camera has "only" 3.2 megapixels this is more than compensated for by the 10x optical zoom. With this zoom you simply don't need as many megapixels (although it would be nice) because you won't be cropping out as much of the picture. Instead of cropping out excess, you just zoom in while you are there and have a nice original to begin with. Furthemore, more megapixels don't necessarily mean a "better" picture. There are other factors like the lens, cmos, and other processing that will affect the image quality just as much as the megapixels if not more.

Image stabilization is an awesome feature and until now has been reserved for the more expensive cameras. This feature definitely helps with the long zooms and low-light conditions. With the long zoom you can do shots where the primary object is very clear while the background is all blurry. This isn't as easy to do on cameras with less zoom.

The physical layout and the menu interface are excellent. The placement of the buttons are very intuitive and the menu setup is among the best I've ever used on any electronic device. It allows me to use all the manual settings with ease and speed. I can't really think of any better way to set it up.

Although the viewfinders tend to make images look like they are overexposed I think that as the viewfinder ages and dims (as any LCD will do over time) the picture will improve and not look as overexposed. So, I think it is excellent foresight on Canon's part to make the pictures seem overexposed. Personally, I don't find it to be a major issue because I view all the pics on my computer before deleting them anyway. The swiveling LCD is a feature that is indispensible. Not only does it protect the LCD if you flip it around, but you can take pictures of yourself (or others next to you) or and you take pictures at weird angles (such as close to the ground or high above a crowd) without contorting yourself.

I don't find battery power to be an issue. Just get 2 or 3 sets of NiMH batteries and you should be fine for a long day of heavy shooting. Plus the fact that you can use AA instead of a proprietary module means you can use regular AA alkaline batteries in a pinch.

The movie mode is great not only because of the high quality movies, but also because you can zoom while taking the movie. Most cameras will not let you zoom and you have to leave it where it is. The only downside is that you will need a high-speed compact flash card (like the Sandisk Ultra II) to take the highest quality movies. Slower cards can't keep up with the high amout of data being written.

The focusing system is also great and not usually found on cameras at this level. You can move the autofocus box to any postion you want and set an autofocus lock so it doesn't change once you've set it. You can also use the manual focus if you can't get a good focus in low-light situations. There is a meter that pops up showing the approximate distance to the object that you want to focus to which is quite helpful. With the manual focus, I've been able to focus on any object without too much trouble.

There are only 2 things I would like to see improved. One would be some sort of battery meter but it would be wildly inaccurate without some sort of proprietary battery (which they don't make you use) so I'm ok with them leaving that out. I would also like the lens cap to 'click' on instead of just sliding on. I understand why they made that decision though: they want the cap to slide off automatically when you turn it on which is a convenience so I don't have to take it off every time I turn it on. These are just minor suggestions and really just personal preference things. Otherwise, this camera is perfect for the price and what you get.

I highly recommend this camera to anyone to both point-and-shoot people and people who want that along with some artistic flexibility. The feature set is unbeatable and the picture quality is amazing.

I have done quite a bit of research on digital cameras, and have read many reviews. The fact is, that there is no perfect digital camera, and people are going to find little things they don't like about all of them. I purchased the S1 IS about a week or so ago, and this is one great camera. Some people say the lense cap falls off... well... it's suppose to... keep it attached to the camera so it don't get lost and put it back on when you put it in the case. Some people say the battery life is bad... well... get some rechargable 2300 ma batteries and a charger... and keep a couple sets charged... one set will last for hours... and... if you are in a jam you can get AA batteries anywhere. Some people say the display is hard to see in bright sunlight or in low light... well... I have not seen one that is not. Some people say that the pictures are not sharp... well... try setting it in auto until you learn how to use the many great settings... I printed 8 1/2 x 11's that where as sharp as a tack. There was a problem with memory erros, but if you download the firmware update, and follow the instructions, it will resolve the problem. I personally did not have that problem, but I updated my firmware anyway. The fact is... This is one heck of a great camera. The zoom is outstanding, you can print up to 8 1/2 x 11's with good quality, the stabelization is great, and if you want to learn the manual settings, they are great too. I would still reccomend a tripod for shots with shutter speeds greater than 1 second. The software is everything you need to organize, enhance, and print your pics. If you are looking for the perfect digital camera... you will never find it. If you are looking for the best digital camera in the $400 to $500 dollar price range, I would recommend the S1 IS above all others in the same price range.