Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Great buy
I just received my Canon S200 and have done some test shooting. The bottom line is that this camera will take great pictures in the auto mode if you want a point-and-click camera, and it has plenty of advanced features if you're a more experienced user. Like any camera, however, you can't rely on the auto settings to get it right every time, so a little photography 101 homework is necessary.... The few negative comments (in my humble opinion) were mostly not THAT negative, or they were buyers who hadn't figured out the basics of digital photography. ... Asides from the excellent picture quality, you'll be pleased with the quality construction of the camera - all stainless steel except for the memory card and battery doors - not big deal, although it would of been nice to see it all stainless on the outside. But rest assured, you won't find a camera built much better than this. The feel/operation of the control buttons are that of precision manufacturing. The LCD display is excellent, as is the menu set up. Some reviewers mentioned the need for a larger memory card than the suplied 8MB. The 8MB card will hold only 7 shots on the highest quality / picture size setting, but I would only use that setting for printing or photo development. The camera takes very nice shots on the lowest quality/picture size setting, which makes a approx. 79kb file - great for emailing...and you'll get 87 shots on the 8MB card! You might find somewhere in between is best for you - you can always buy a larger card later. Battery life isn't bad for moderate use - about an hour or so...it works for me, but a second battery for travel might be an idea (make sure you get the newer NB-1LH (840 mAh) battery that comes with the camera if you can). The supplied documentation is very good. The movie setting, like most still cameras, is nothing to write home about. It's good for a short "merry Christmas" to e-mail out. The microphone works very well. Buy a proper movie camera if you want to do serious movies. I was ready to buy a low-end [camera], but for a bit more got the S200 from Amazon that is MUCH more feature-packed, more compact, a much better performer, and of higher quality construction by far. Five stars!
Rating: - Some Extra Remarks...
Okay, so I am buying this camera for a second time (as a X-mas gift) because it is simply a wonderful camera.One person mentioned a vaild problem; The issue is about snowflakes appearing in some dark shots. I *think* this is actually due to the compression algorithm, rather than a physical flaw. I always keep my compression at "superfine" and I have not had that problem. One can still easily control the size of their image by setting the number of pixels. I briefly looked at the S230 but quickly came back to the S200. I really believe that for the vast majority of people, this camera has more than enough resolution. Save your money! Driver Info: For Windows XP; installing the driver is very simple For Windows 98; I wasn't as fortunate, but I *eventually* got it to work (however, this is a minor thing, a one time thing, so I wouldn't use it as a basis for a decision) For RedHat 8.0; It is as simple as it gets, (the driver is already included in the "Digital Camera Tool", all you gotta do is pick the camera name.
Rating: - Very Satisfied
In short - it lives up to it's hype. I've handled many digital cameras and most feel lik echeap plastic. This is metal, feels solid, not junk. And yes, small. Still learning to do new things with is, seems pretty well designed. Even the manual is written well. It comes with an 8MB flashcard - pretty small, I got a 256 MB flashcard for it cheap on ebay. I also purchased a tailor-made carrying case for it from Canon for [X]. (Better than scratching the LCD and should I ever drop it, might be very good protection.) Next, I will purchase an underwater enclosure and take it into the ocean. (I live in Hawaii.) I've used it a lot and found no shortcomings. Pretty safe purchase, especially if you can get it at a good price.
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