Review : Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Is anyone else as flummoxed by the negative consumer and expert reviews of this camera as I am? If I were paranoid, I'd think a conspiracy existed to drive down the cost of this remarkable camera. The range of controls is very broad, their setup is intuitive, and the camera's performance is exemplary. Not only am I pleased with how the camera handles and what it will do, but I'm WAY pleased with the images it produces. I've had my camera for a week now; I've played with all the shooting modes and have taken pictures in all sorts of lighting. As long as the camera is set correctly for the shot, images are consistently superb. The ones that have been anything less than stellar were caused by my own hastiness or error. Movies also are awesome, and stereo sound is a huge plus. Maybe I just lucked out and got a good copy. Maybe it isn't really the fantastic piece of photographic wizardry I believe it is. But I am a long-in-the-tooth advanced amateur with perfectionistic tendencies. And in my estimation the S5 IS is an amazing tool. Minor issues inherent in a camera of this sensor size and lens zoom range do exist. According to the many expert camera reviews, there presently is not a mega-zoom on the market that is completely free of chromatic aberration and some noise at higher ISOs. If you're planning to print poster-sized images, get a 35mm digital SLR and some very expensive lenses--you'll be pleased with nothing less. But if you're looking for a go-anywhere camera that bridges the gap between that big D-SLR and the teensy little super-compact in your photo bag, if most of your prints are average size, and you do the majority of your viewing on a computer, look no further. You can't go wrong with the S5 IS.

View This Item On Amazon