Editorial Review:Product Description:Canon PowerShot S200 DIGITAL ELPH camera combines high performance with style and convenience. The model, designed as a 'next generation' DIGITAL ELPH camera, retains and improves upon the stylish and elegant design that made the PowerShot S110 and S300 two of the most popular digital cameras in history. It offers consumers one of the widest selections of features, functions, and price-points of any digital camera line available today, making the enjoyment of digital photography more accessible than ever.The S200 includes an Intelligent Orientation sensor, which detects whether an image has been recorded horizontally or vertically. During image playback, the sensor detects the proper orientation of each image, and previews them accordingly without the need to rotate the camera for image viewing. It is also adjusts AF, AE and white balance accordingly. The PowerShot S200 can record movies with sound in VGA, QVGA and Q2VGA at 20 frames per second. The camera features a 1/2.7-inch, 2.0-megapixel CCD sensor that creates full color or black-and-white images up to 1600x1200 pixels when set to the camera's Large resolution mode. The camera also offers additional resolution settings of 1024x768 and 640x480 when set in the Medium or Small modes, which are ideal for on-screen applications, such as Web sites and CD-ROMs and allow more images to be recorded on a single CompactFlash memory card.
Amazon.com Product Description:Inch for inch and ounce for ounce, Canon's PowerShot S200 Digital Elph packs more power into less space than virtually any other digital camera, stuffing a feature-packed, 2-megapixel camera with 2x optical zoom into a diminutive brushed-metal case that slips easily into a purse or pocket.
Resolution Like last year's S110, the S200 features a 2-megapixel sensor for sharp prints at sizes up to 8 by 10 inches. With cameras of up to 5 megapixels now on the market, some enthusiasts were hoping the Elph would make the jump to 3 megapixels, but it appears that Canon still believes 2 megapixels remains the best balance between performance and price for most consumers. We tend to agree. If you regularly print your photos at sizes larger than 8 by 10 inches, you'll probably want a camera with higher resolution and more manual controls than the Elph offers--we recommend Canon's 3-megapixel S30 or 4-megapixel S40.
Optics A 2x optical zoom lens (35-70mm equivalent) aids in photo composition, and an additional 2.5x digital zoom (5x total) further magnifies your image. Remember, however, that digital zoom reduces the sharpness and detail of your image, so it's best used sparingly. Two systems help ensure your pictures will be perfectly focused, even in challenging conditions: a multizone autofocus works even when the subject of your photo isn't in the center of the scene, and in low-light situations (a particular weakness of many digital cameras), a focus-assist lamp sends out a small patterned beam to help the camera accurately determine distance. If you're hoping for a more powerful zoom, the S330 Elph has a 3x zoom and slightly larger dimensions but is otherwise nearly identical.
More Features Though it's primarily designed as a point-and-shoot, the S200 includes several advanced features for photographers who want more creative control, including exposure compensation, low-light manual shutter speeds, manual ISO and white balance, and stitch assist, plus black-and-white, sepia, vivid, and neutral modes.
A movie mode captures video clips with sound. Depending upon resolution, these clips can last from 2 to 60 seconds. The limited length and resolution of these clips guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative. In addition, you can add up to 60 seconds of audio to each still picture you take.
Power The S200 uses a proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery, and both the battery and the charger are included. Though the new NB-1LH looks identical to (and is interchangeable with) the NB-1L batteries shipped with previous Elph models, the new battery holds 840 mAh of energy, a 23 percent increase. Because the battery is unique to the Elph cameras and can be nearly impossible to find when on the road, we strongly recommend getting a spare if you're planning to take the camera on extended outings.
Storage and Transfer Images are stored on standard Type I CompactFlash cards. Consider the included 8 MB card a starter capacity, since its 12-picture limit means you'll need to return to your computer often to transfer images and free up the card for more pictures. A 128 MB card is a great size for this camera, storing around 200 images. To transfer images to your computer, simply attach the included USB cable between your PC and your camera. Your computer should automatically recognize your camera and let you move the pictures to your hard drive.
Printing Canon has introduced a series of printers designed to work directly with the S200. Using these printers, no computer is required--simply connect the camera to the printer and start printing. The CP-10 produces credit-card-sized prints, and the CP-100 makes 4-by-6-inch prints. Both use continuous-tone technology for results that are indistinguishable from traditional photos. Of course, photos from your Elph can also be printed on any home computer system with an inkjet printer, sent off for online processing, or simply enjoyed on your computer screen.
Size At just 3.4 by 2.2 by 1.1 inches and 6.3 ounces, the S200 is even smaller than its predecessor, making it one of the smallest zoom digital cameras on the market.
Contents and Recommended Accessories The package includes the S200 camera, NB-1LH battery with CB-2LS charger, AV and USB cables, wrist strap, software suite, and 8 MB memory card.
Everything you need to get started is included in the box, but we strongly recommend the addition of a larger memory card (a 128 MB card holds around 200 images), a spare NB-1L battery, and a compact carrying case (to protect the brushed-metal finish and keep pocket lint out of the viewfinder).
--Shane Burnett Pros: - Ultraportable size makes it easy to bring along
- Picture quality is excellent, even in low-light situations
- New features, a better battery, and slightly smaller size are improvements over last year's S110
Cons: - 2-megapixel sensor is adequate for most users but starting to look low by today's standards
- 8 MB card is too small for more than occasional use
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
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Terrible in Low Light
I purchased this camera about 5 years ago and due to its inability to take a picture in low light I only used it outdoors, and it did a great job. I recently bought a new computer and guess what? Canon has not come up with any software to download any of my pictures on the new VISTA operating system. I hope they are taking care of this with their new camera models. Looks like I'll be buying a new camera but it won't be a Canon. Color me unhappy.
Rating: 
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LOVE my little Elph!!!!!!!!
Well, it's been over 3 years since I had it and I love it!!! It's just awesome! It's tiny, the battery life is great, the pictures are wonderful, LOTS of features. The ONLY thing is when you're using flash, it's a little slow. I was impressed with Canon and purchased a bigger SLR Digital Rebel for my "big projects" :) But the little Elph is still my #1 point and shoot!
Rating: -
Point and shoot that fits in your pocket
A really great camera that just slips into your pocket. Great to carry around all the time so you can take shots of whatever takes your fancy. Easy to recharge too with its handy battery recharger.
Rating: -
Wonderful little camera!
I've had this camera for a little over a year and a half now and I just love it. It's really small, which is a huge plus. Because of the small size, it's very convenient to take with you and that means you end up taking more pictures than you normally would. I've chronicled most of the little and big events I have gone to with it. Even though it's just 2 megapixels, that is more than adequate for me--I don't rely on it for professional shots, just mostly snapshots. I have printed some photos through shutterfly, and they came out looking great. You could tell that they weren't quite as sharp as those from a regular camera, but I had taken them at the medium compression setting. They were definitely framable though and you probably couldn't tell that they were digicam pics unless you inspected them close up. I suspect pics taken at superfine would be even better. Rendition of colors is truly remarkable, and I have received many compliments from friends on this. Canon sure does seems to know what they're doing when it comes to optics. Any photos I've taken with bright colors (landscapes, flowers, etc.) came out breathtaking. The camera is made of metal, so it has a nice, high quality "heft" to it. The photo management software that it comes with is awesome--intuitive and easy to use. It may run slow on old computers though, if you have a lot of photos in your albums.
One complaint I have about the camera is that it's just okay in dark settings, even with the flash on. Also, when taking pictures of people, I seem to get red-eye a lot, even with the red-eye reduction setting on. It takes small video clips, but the resolution is very grainy and with the 64 MB card that I have in it, the maximum length of the clips is really short.
Other than that, this is a terrific, dependable camera that's perfect for the beginning digicam user or for someone who wants the convenience of a small, easily transportable camera. It comes with a far too small 8MB card, so I highly recommend getting a larger one. Also, it doesn't come with a case, so I recommend buying one because this is a beautiful camera and you wouldn't want to damage it. Canon makes one specifically for the PowerShot series that is leather and compact. You can find it at Apple stores.
Rating: -
Small, lightweight, and full of features
Excellent for traveling. Good features, not just the typical point and click type of camera. For example, you can take great pictures at night leaving the shutter open for a few seconds, some cameras don't allow more than 3 seconds. My only wish is that the battery would last longer. I had to buy a second battery.
