Review: Canon PowerShot S95
Earlier this year, Canon released the PowerShot S90, a classy, compact camera that is especially good under low-light conditions. The camera quickly earned widespread popularity, thanks to the nice balance between style, portability, and picture quality. PowerShot S90 had everything a photographer could ever wanted, except one: adequate movie-recording capability. In a time when HD-video recording comes as a standard feature on most other cameras, the S90 is limited to VGA resolution only.
That’s why Canon followed immediately with the release of S90’s successor, the PowerShot S95. Some new features are included to further increase the quality, including HD-video recording capability. We fell in love with the S95 the moment we started using it. This is the way S90 was supposed to be.
Canon PowerShot S95: Features
- HS (High Sensitivity) System & f/2.0 lens aperture
A 10-megapixel, high-sensitivity CCD sensor lies at the heart of the PowerShot S95. Image processing is entrusted to the Digic 4 processor. Both the sensor and the processor are also used by the S90. PowerShot S95’s large lens aperture further enhances its ability to produce good pictures and videos under low-light conditions. - 3,8x, 28mm wide zoom lens with Hybrid IS (the S90 is only equipped with regular IS)
Both the PowerShot S95 and S90 use basically the same lens, with one exception: S95’s lens is outfitted with the Hybrid IS, Canon’s latest shake-reduction system that is supposedly more effective at closer focus range. - Smart Auto (first implemented on the S95)
The S95 is easier to use, thanks to the Smart Auto feature that automatically adjusts 28 different variables to suit the conditions of the surrounding environment. - Lens Control Ring, Full Manual & RAW format support
If you’re still not satisfied with the “Auto” mode, the S95 provides two customizable control rings that can be used to adjust various parameters. One ring is located at the front and the other is placed on the back. There is also the Manual exposure mode and RAW format support that offer more flexibility before and after the photos are taken. - PureColor II G, 3” LCD
PowerShot S95 and S90 share the same 3” LCD for image viewing purposes. With 461.000 pixels, pictures on the screen look crisp and vibrant. - HD-video recording capability with special effects (first implemented on the S95)
The PowerShot S95 records 1280×720 pixel HD video at 24 FPS. Pretty good for today’s standards, though we were actually hoping for higher resolutions and frame rates. - High Dynamic Range mode (first implemented on the S95)
S95’s HDR mode snaps three consequent frames under different exposure settings and combines them in one frame to form the end result. It works well, but you’ll have to put the camera on a tripod to ensure consistent framing between the captured images.Build Quality
The front section of the camera looks plain and simple, with the lens being the only element that can be noticed immediately in a glimpse. The flash is hidden on the top side, while the AF-assist lamp located right next to the lens is barely visible. Also hard to spot is the control ring around the lens, which can be used to change various settings. Surface finish is a bit rougher compared to the S90, giving the S95 some rugged looks and firmer handling.
On the back side, we can see the control buttons. Thanks to the operator-friendly layout, S95’s primary functions are relatively easy to access, while the buttons themselves still blend nicely to the overall design. An HDMI port can be found behind a small, latched cover on the right side of the camera. You can output the display to a high-res HD television/ monitor with this.
The PowerShot S95 is small enough to fit comfortably in our grasp. When the camera is held in normal fashion, no button can be pressed unintentionally.
Its body is also relatively thin. For this photo, we extended the lens to reach maximum zooming range, yet the overall dimension of the camera remained compact.
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