S2

[ElectroMach]

Having tried the S2 at two different Best Buy's, the Sony H-1 and Panasonic F-5 and F20. It seemed like to me the Sony and Panosonic was dead on when it came to zoom focusing, the Canon seemed to wander and never realy get there. Both the H-1 and F-5 would lock in and even when I tried the digital zoom. Any one else tried the S2 zoom?

[Anex]

I've noticed the focus on the s2 isn't as fast as my FZ20; in some situations worse then others, but not terribly slower by any means, nothing that would deter me anyways.

[JTL]

Having tried the S2 at two different Best Buy's, the Sony H-1 and Panasonic F-5 and F20. It seemed like to me the Sony and Panosonic was dead on when it came to zoom focusing, the Canon seemed to wander and never realy get there. Both the H-1 and F-5 would lock in and even when I tried the digital zoom. Any one else tried the S2 zoom?Canon's AiAF (multi-point auto-focus system) in a word "sucks". Next time set it to "single"...you will notice the improvement immediately...

[ElectroMach]

And the multi point.

[mike62]

Those are the final cut cameras I have chosen and maybe the Minolta's 12X possibly and I have played with them all as you have in various stores. I did notice something of the sort you mentioned regarding the Canon but wrote it off to user error. They are all great cameras but for my personal taste I let the red eye factor be the deciding vote and that apparently goes to the H1 as the best in that category. All the other features on each seem pretty similar other than movie quality some people talk about but it does not matter to me.

[JTL]

Mike maybe you are right, it must be user error since no other S2 owner is having any other problem, unless they are upset because this new Canon can not focus at high zoom and that is the reason any one would buy it.What? :confused: . I'm having trouble making sense of that. Oh well...

I have no problem focusing at 648mm (about the highest zoom you'll ever see on a P&S camera) with the tele-extender. None.

[slitman]

If you are looking for an advanced camera, you cannot go wrong with the FZ20. The lens is amazing and while I noticed you are also looking at the S2, both of these camera really have two different purposes. The FZ20 is really a step up from the S2.

Having tried the S2 at two different Best Buy's, the Sony H-1 and Panasonic F-5 and F20. It seemed like to me the Sony and Panosonic was dead on when it came to zoom focusing, the Canon seemed to wander and never realy get there. Both the H-1 and F-5 would lock in and even when I tried the digital zoom. Any one else tried the S2 zoom?

[St. Chris]

I've had my S2 for a few days and have had no problem with zoom focusing. The camera doesn't like very low light, but the zoom's just fine. (The AF illuminator is surprisingly bright; I switched it off to photograph a couple of pets in low light and got fuzzy pictures. Didn't crank up the ISO, though -- still experimenting -- so YMMV.)

If you're still deciding which camera to get, I'll note a couple of my observations so far:


The S2's articulated LCD is a big creative asset. If it occurs to me that a subject would look great from above, I can just flip out the LCD, hold the camera directly overhead, and get a perfectly-framed shot.
The S2's ultrasonic zoom motor is really quiet. My old S30 whirs distractingly when I turn it on or change the zoom; the S2 starts up (fast!) adn zooms, and nobody notices. Fantastic for candids in close quarters.

As for red-eye: I correct it on the computer. Easy enough.

The DMC-FZ20 may have the best lens out there, but the S2 is pretty darn good. For pure photographic quality, I'd have gotten the FZ20, but for everything else that matters to me (flip-out LCD, quiet operation, AA batteries, great control layout), the S2 won me over. No regrets.

[samrh]

Ok, so I understood that FZ20 is better than the S2 in photographic quality?
How does the S2 compares with the FZ5 in this area?

[slitman]

Can you elaborate on what you mean by the Canon IS S2 not liking very low light? I thought Canon had solved this problem with the addition of the AF illuminator (still cannot believe they left that off the S1 :rolleyes: )

Your observation seems to be consist with what I have been hearing though in terms of "The DMC-FZ20 may have the best lens out there, but the S2 is pretty darn good. For pure photographic quality, I'd have gotten the FZ20, but for everything else that matters to me (flip-out LCD, quiet operation, AA batteries, great control layout), the S2 won me over."

All the extras are great, but what good are they at the expense of the quality of the pictures. This was exactly the same problem I had with the S1 that I owned. Hands down, the S1 had great features which is typical on most Canons (flip-out LCS, control layout, etc.), but what good are all of those if the pictures are just average if that?

Are the pictures that is takes then not sharp, lack color, or what exactly?



I've had my S2 for a few days and have had no problem with zoom focusing. The camera doesn't like very low light, but the zoom's just fine. (The AF illuminator is surprisingly bright; I switched it off to photograph a couple of pets in low light and got fuzzy pictures. Didn't crank up the ISO, though -- still experimenting -- so YMMV.)

If you're still deciding which camera to get, I'll note a couple of my observations so far:


The S2's articulated LCD is a big creative asset. If it occurs to me that a subject would look great from above, I can just flip out the LCD, hold the camera directly overhead, and get a perfectly-framed shot.
The S2's ultrasonic zoom motor is really quiet. My old S30 whirs distractingly when I turn it on or change the zoom; the S2 starts up (fast!) adn zooms, and nobody notices. Fantastic for candids in close quarters.

As for red-eye: I correct it on the computer. Easy enough.

The DMC-FZ20 may have the best lens out there, but the S2 is pretty darn good. For pure photographic quality, I'd have gotten the FZ20, but for everything else that matters to me (flip-out LCD, quiet operation, AA batteries, great control layout), the S2 won me over. No regrets.

[z3bug]

.............. They are all great cameras but for my personal taste I let the red eye factor be the deciding vote and that apparently goes to the H1 as the best in that category. All the other features on each seem pretty similar other than movie quality some people talk about but it does not matter to me.



well,,,,pic quality matters a lot to me. the red eye factor however (like yourself ) is definitely the final deciding factor for me as well when i choose a cam. i havent bought the s2 as yet but would like to know if someone has experienced the red eye problem, if so how bad is it ?

[ElectroMach]

Bought the S2 on the advice from several of these threads. The camera did great out side but when I brought it inside the focusing problem started. When I took a few pics of my wife with normal lighting pics were blurry and man what red eye from 12 feet a way. Wish I could send the picture in but I deleted before taking the camera back. With all of the ouside side shots I had no poblem with focus and loved the video, wish I could have tried it out longer but with Best Buy I had to get it back before the restock fee. The indoor focusing could have been me and I was using the auto setting but the red eye was enough for me to give up.

[slitman]

Luckily you were able to return it in time...funny thing is I was at Best Buy this evening and experienced the same problem. I was taking pictures inside the store with the S2 and if I had not known it was the S2, I would had thought for sure it was back to the days of the S1 with all of the disappointing pictures all over again; very disappointed and had high hopes for this camera.

Bought the S2 on the advice from several of these threads. The camera did great out side but when I brought it inside the focusing problem started. When I took a few pics of my wife with normal lighting pics were blurry and man what red eye from 12 feet a way. Wish I could send the picture in but I deleted before taking the camera back. With all of the ouside side shots I had no poblem with focus and loved the video, wish I could have tried it out longer but with Best Buy I had to get it back before the restock fee. The indoor focusing could have been me and I was using the auto setting but the red eye was enough for me to give up.

[WiseJoeyD]

Any particular type of batteries people are using in theirs? [apologies for rnadom change in thread direction!]

And what's the usual amount of time a charged group of batteries last in the camera for yous?

I'm interested in getting one (though I've still to properly look at the other zoom cameras others have mentioned) and my only slight grievance is being plunged back to the mid 80's with recharagble batteries!

Thankfully though, having swotted up a bit, I see things have moved on (still have emmotional scars from all those toys running flat after 10 hours charging and 3 minutes play! And there wasn't much on TV in the 80s for kids!) but still am plunged into trying to find the best possible battery/charger combination (already get sick of Li-ion batteries running flat JUST as you start getting into a 'flow' on my Mum's old S50!).

PS I'm in good ol' UK and god it's impossible to get anything like those fnacy sounding Maha charger(s) and batteries (even Energizer; big name) of 2300mAh.
There are loads of little sites tho there's loads of random no-name batteries being sold....are they just as good?

[JTL]

Any particular type of batteries people are using in theirs? [apologies for rnadom change in thread direction!]

And what's the usual amount of time a charged group of batteries last in the camera for yous?

I'm interested in getting one (though I've still to properly look at the other zoom cameras others have mentioned) and my only slight grievance is being plunged back to the mid 80's with recharagble batteries!

Thankfully though, having swotted up a bit, I see things have moved on (still have emmotional scars from all those toys running flat after 10 hours charging and 3 minutes play! And there wasn't much on TV in the 80s for kids!) but still am plunged into trying to find the best possible battery/charger combination (already get sick of Li-ion batteries running flat JUST as you start getting into a 'flow' on my Mum's old S50!).

PS I'm in good ol' UK and god it's impossible to get anything like those fnacy sounding Maha charger(s) and batteries (even Energizer; big name) of 2300mAh.
There are loads of little sites tho there's loads of random no-name batteries being sold....are they just as good?Maha Powerex 2500's are the ticket...the longest lasting batteries I have ever used...ever...

[WiseJoeyD]

Thanks (and may I commend your ability to sound like an ad!)

Any place in the UK that does them (and would you also advocate getting one of their hyper-intellgient chargers?)?

PS Do you have 2 sets of 4,....and if, like me, you do sometimes go for a while between intensive picture sessions, it's best to just leave them off trickle charge rather than leaving it on for days and days?!

[Montana]

In using the S2 , I have found for some reason the shot mode setting for image stabilisation gives better focused pictures. Give it a try.

[JTL]

Thanks (and may I commend your ability to sound like an ad!)

Any place in the UK that does them (and would you also advocate getting one of their hyper-intellgient chargers?)?

PS Do you have 2 sets of 4,....and if, like me, you do sometimes go for a while between intensive picture sessions, it's best to just leave them off trickle charge rather than leaving it on for days and days?!I have the Maha MH-C204 "conditoning" charger. I have no clue as to whether it's better than any other charger. But it does take care of the trickle vs. leaving the batteries around issue. Just recondition as necessary. I have two sets of four batteries...and am getting a third...one in the camera...one in the bag....one in the charger. But, I'm shooting a lot and never want to be caught short. There's always alkalines in a pinch, but they're hard to find on a trail or mountain top...so my theory is keep enough rechageables at the ready all of the time...

[St. Chris]

Maha Powerex 2500's are the ticket...the longest lasting batteries I have ever used...ever...I'll second that. Monster performance.

[WiseJoeyD]

There is one that charges, conditions, massages, pampers and plucks any battery lucky enough to be inserted into it!

I was thinking, though am not entirely tempted, to get it from the US site (UK one down). Though it ends up £40 overall, with £15 of P&P!!! I wouldn't mind but the vast majority of other chargers battiers are unproven quantities

Indeed they look like the usual "QUICK! Charge her up and slap her into service quick as" chargers which don't actually fully chagre the battery (but we're talking 85% I think so..).

Ah well, suppose I'll get "the good shit" and stop obsessing and actually GET THE CAMERA ITSELF!

I've read up about it; all the "lines", overburn issues and distortion to space-time and now want to get it. Aside from rekitting the Pc to handle SD cards (and get them!) and fretting over damn batteries(!) I'm eager to get it finally!

[JTL]

I've read up about it; all the "lines", overburn issues and distortion to space-time and now want to get it. Aside from rekitting the Pc to handle SD cards (and get them!) and fretting over damn batteries(!) I'm eager to get it finally!LOL! This place can use a little levity...Thanks for making me laugh! :D