A tiny digital camera with a lot of flash and flashy features, the Canon PowerShot S100 Digital Camera is also built to last, thanks to its high-quality manufacturing. It has an outstanding 12.1 MP CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 5 Image Processor, resulting in excellent image quality.
Combining an f/2.0-5.9 24-120mm (equivalent) zoom lens with an easy manual-control ring and the wonderfully developed Intelligent IS image stabilization technology with six distinct settings, you have a formula for stunning still photographs and video capture.
There are several shooting settings to select from and the option to shoot in both RAW and JPEG formats. Regarding tiny digital cameras, the S100 offers almost everything you could want — and a whole lot more.
Along with the ability to shoot photographs with a sensitivity of up to ISO 6400, the camera has a comprehensive menu that allows you to choose the level of control you desire over exposure, white balance, focus, and other settings.
With the built-in programs, you may create High Dynamic Range, panoramic, fisheye, low-light, and other specialty photographs on the go.
And you don’t have to limit yourself to still images: you can shoot stunning 1080p HD video with stereo sound at up to 24 frames per second or 720p video at up to 30 frames per second—even there’s the Effect of a miniature that blurs the top and bottom of the video frame, giving your subject the appearance of being miniatures.
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Image Quality of the Canon PowerShot S100 Camera
The PowerShot S100 generated decent saturation in color, with some modest to moderate oversaturation in reds, greens, browns, blues, and purples, respectively. However, it turned out that several hues, such as brilliant yellow, aqua, and cyan, were undersaturated by a very slight amount.
A few color shifts may be seen, such as cyan moving toward blue (presumably to make the skies seem more likable), red moving toward orange, and yellow moving toward Green. While lighter skin tones look more realistic, darker skin tones have an extra warmth to them. Lighter skin tones can also appear pinkish at times. Overall, there were positive results.
Incandescent: Manual white balance did the most excellent job of handling our incandescent illumination, although it had a slight trace of a green cast. Incandescent generated readings with a solid pink form, whereas Auto produced results that were more accurate than average and had a faint green tinge.
Resolution The resolution chart that we had available in our lab showed clear, distinct line patterns down to around 1,700 lines per image height in both directions. After that, the design completely disappeared at a line density between 2,400 and 2,600 lines per image height.
Flash: Our manufacturer-specified testing (shown at right) does not always work well at a wide angle when the reported distance exceeds 16 feet. This is because doing so takes the camera out of the leading lab.
Nevertheless, the target at wide-angle was bright at 23 feet, even though the S100 had to boost its ISO to 640. At a distance of 7.5 feet and with the ISO increased to 640, the results of the telephoto test came out quite bright.
Noise and Information, The PowerShot S100 generated low to moderate noise at lower sensitivity levels. However, looking closely, you can see some smearing and loss of fine detail even at the lowest ISO. This is because the camera uses a larger sensor even at the lowest ISO.
However, even up to ISO 200, the fine detail is not much affected. Smudging and chroma noise in the shadows is more noticeable when the ISO is increased to 400. At an ISO setting of 800, there is a significant loss of satisfactory resolution, and chroma noise is particularly noticeable in the shadows and mid-tones.
Because of more severe noise reduction, ISO 1,600 produced a softer image. The luminance noise is significantly more noticeable at ISO 3,200 and above, while the chroma noise is most noticeable at ISO 6,400. Both types of noise get greater as ISO increases.
Image Quality
The PowerShot S100 generated decent saturation in color, with some modest to moderate oversaturation in reds, greens, browns, blues, and purples, respectively. However, it turned out that several hues, such as brilliant yellow, aqua, and cyan, were undersaturated by a very slight amount.
A few color shifts may be seen, such as cyan moving toward blue (presumably to make the skies seem more likable), red moving toward orange, and yellow moving toward Green. While lighter skin tones look more realistic, darker skin tones have an extra warmth to them. Lighter skin tones can also appear pinkish at times. Overall, there were positive results.
Incandescent: Manual white balance did the most excellent job of handling our incandescent illumination, although it had a slight trace of a green cast. Incandescent generated readings with a solid pink form, whereas Auto produced results that were more accurate than average and had a faint green tinge.
Resolution The resolution chart that we had available in our lab showed clear, distinct line patterns down to around 1,700 lines per image height in both directions. After that, the design completely disappeared at a line density between 2,400 and 2,600 lines per image height.
Flash: Our manufacturer-specified testing (shown at right) does not always work well at a wide angle when the reported distance exceeds 16 feet. This is because doing so takes the camera out of the leading lab.
Nevertheless, the target at wide-angle was bright at 23 feet, even though the S100 had to boost its ISO to 640. At a distance of 7.5 feet and with the ISO increased to 640, the results of the telephoto test came out quite bright.
Noise and Information, The PowerShot S100 generated low to moderate noise at lower sensitivity levels. However, looking closely, you can see some smearing and loss of fine detail even at the lowest ISO. This is because the camera uses a larger sensor even at the lowest ISO.
However, even up to ISO 200, the fine detail is not much affected. Smudging and chroma noise in the shadows is more noticeable when the ISO is increased to 400. At an ISO setting of 800, there is a significant loss of satisfactory resolution, and chroma noise is particularly noticeable in the shadows and mid-tones.
Because of more severe noise reduction, ISO 1,600 produced a softer image. The luminance noise is significantly more noticeable at ISO 3,200 and above, while the chroma noise is most noticeable at ISO 6,400. Both types of noise get greater as ISO increases.
Canon PowerShot S100 specifications
| Sensor | • 1/1.7″ Type Canon high-sensitivity CMOS • 12.1 million effective pixels • Primary Color Filter |
|---|---|
| Image processor | • DIGIC 5 with iSAPS technology * |
| Image sizes | 4:3 • 4000 x 3000 (L, 12M) * • 2816 x 2112 (M1) • 1600 x 1200 (M2) • 620 x 480 (S) 16:9 • 4000 x 2448 (L, 9.8M) • 2816 x 1584 (M1) • 1920 x 1080 (M2) • 640 x 360 (S) 3:2 • 4000 x 2664 (L) • 2816 x 1880 (M1) • 1600 x 1064 (M2) • 640 x 424 (S) 1:1 • 2992 x 2992 (L) • 2112 x 2112 (M1) • 1200 x 1200 (M2) • 480 x 480 (S) 4:5 • 2400 x 3000 (L) • 1696 x 2112 (M1) • 960 x 1200 (M2) • 384 x 480 (S) |
| Movie clips | • 1920 x 1080 @ 24 fps (Full HD) * • 1280 x 720 @ 30fps • 640 x 480 @ 30fps • iFrame Movie (HD) Super Slow Motion Movie: • 640 x 480, 120fps (L) • 320 x 240, 240fps (M) Miniature Effect: • 6fps, 3fps, 1.5 fps (HD, L) |
| Movie Length | • Full HD & HD: Up to 4 GB or 29 min. 59 sec. • L and M: Up to 4 GB or 1 hour • Super Slow Motion Movie: 30 sec. |
| File formats | Still: • RAW • JPEG (Exif v2.3) Movie: • MOV [H.264 + Linear PCM (Stereo)] • iFrame GPS log: • LOG [NMEA 0183 message format compliant] |
| Lens | • 5x optical zoom * • 5.2-26.0 mm • 24-120mm (35mm Equiv) • F2.0-5.9 • seven elements in 6 groups • one double-sided aspherical lens, one double-sided aspherical UA lens, One single-sided aspherical lens |
| Image stabilization | • Lens-shift type • four stops • Intelligent IS |
| Digital zoom | up to 4x |
| Focus | • Autofocus (Single, Continuous, Servo AF/AE, Tracking AF) • Macro focus • Manual focus • Focus Bracketing |
| AF system/points | • AiAF (Face Detection / 9-point) • 1-point AF (Any position is available, fixed center or Face Select and Track) |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Minimum Focus | • Macro mode: 3cm from the front of the lens @ 5.2mm (W) |
| Metering | • Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame) • Centre-weighted average • Spot (center or linked to Face Detection AF or FlexiZone AF frame) |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto • ISO 80 • ISO 100 • ISO 125 • ISO 160 • ISO 200 • ISO 250 • ISO 320 • ISO 400 • ISO 500 • ISO 640 • ISO 800 • ISO 1000 • ISO 1250 • ISO 1600 • ISO 2000 • ISO 2500 • ISO 3200 • ISO 4000 * • ISO 5000 * • ISO 6400 * * Standard Output Sensitivity / Recommended Exposure Index (ISO 12232:2006) |
| Exposure compensation | • +/- 3 EV, 1/3 stop increments • Enhanced i-Contrast for automatic dynamic range correction |
| Exposure bracketing | 1/3 – 2 EV, 1/3 stop increments |
| Shutter speed | • 15-1/2000 sec (varies by shooting mode) |
| Modes | • Smart Auto (32 scenes detected) • Program AE • Shutter priority AE • Aperture-priority AE • Manual • Custom • Scene • Photo Effects • Movie |
| Scene modes | • Movie Digest • Portrait • Landscape • Kids & Pets • Smart Shutter (Smile, Wink Self-Timer, Face Self-Timer) • High-speed Burst HQ • Handheld Night Scene • Beach • Underwater • Foliage • Snow • Fireworks • Stitch Assist • High Dynamic Range • Nostalgic • Fisheye Effect • Miniature Effect • Toy Camera Effect • Monochrome • Super Vivid • Poster Effect • Color Accent • Color Swap |
| Modes in Movie | • Smart Auto (21 scenes detected) • Standard • Program AE • Portrait • Landscape • Miniature Effect • Monochrome • Super Vivid • Poster Effect • Color Accent • Color Swap • Beach • Underwater • Foliage • Snow • Fireworks • iFrame Movie • Super Slow Motion Movie |
| Photo Effects | • My Colors Off • Vivid • Neutral • Sepia • Black & White • Positive Film • Lighter Skin Tone • Darker Skin Tone • Vivid Blue • Vivid Green • Vivid Red • Custom Color |
| White balance | • Auto (including Face Detection WB) • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Fluorescent H • Flash • Underwater • Custom • Multi-area WB correction available in Smart Auto |
| Drive Modes | • Single • Continuous • Continuous with AF • Self-Timer (Approx. 2 or 10 sec., Custom) |
| Continuous shooting | • Approx. 2.3 fps * • Approx. 0.8 fps with Autofocus • Approx. 0.8 fps with Live View • High-speed Burst HQ: Approx. 9.6 fps up to 8 frames * |
| Flash | • Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro • Fastest sync speed 1/2000 sec. • Red-eye Reduction • Flash Exposure Compensation +/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments • Face Detection FE, Safety FE • Flash Exposure Lock • Manual power adjustment in 3 levels (internal flash) • 2nd curtain sync • Range 50 cm – 7.0 m (W) / 2.3 m (T) |
| External Flash | Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2 (optional) |
| Viewfinder | No |
| LCD monitor | • 3.0″ Pure Color II G TFT • 461,000 dots • 100% coverage • Brightness adjustable to one of five levels. Quick-bright LCD |
| GPS | • GPS tagging * • GPS logger * |
| Menu Languages | • English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Finnish • Italian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Chinese (simplified) • Chinese (Traditional) • Japanese • Russian • Portuguese • Korean • Greek • Polish • Czech • Hungarian • Turkish • Thai • Arabic • Ukrainian • Romanian • Farsi • Hindi |
| Connectivity | • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed (MTP, PTP), Mini-B connector • HDMI mini connector (HDMI-CEC compatible) • AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable) |
| Storage | SD, SDHC, SDXC |
| Power | • Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NB-5L • CB-2L Charger included • Approx 200 shots • Approx 240 min playback |
| Weight (inc batt/card) | Approx 198 g (7.0 oz) |
| Dimensions | 98.9 x 59.9 x 26.7 mm (3.9 x 2.4 x 1.1 in) |
| Optional Accessories | • Soft Case DCC-1450 • Waterproof Case (40m) WP-DC43, Waterproof Case Weight WW-DC1 • Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2 • AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC30 • Battery Charger CB-2LXE |
Conclusion
At first glance, the Canon S100 appears comparable to its forerunners. Even though I find a few decorative details unappealing, it seems to have a very similar appearance.
Its odd color and strange grip initially put me off. Still, as I continued to use it and flesh out this review, it became clear that the Canon S100 is a step above its predecessor while maintaining most of the best parts about Canon’s premium pocket camera. Its odd color and strange grip initially put me off, but as I continued to use it and flesh out this review, it became clear that the Canon S100 is a step above its predecessor.
Even though I will restate the fact that the 24mm lens may be harmful in the hands of a novice photographer, more experienced photographers will discover that having it is a pleasure to have for landscapes and small places.
The lens’s wide and telephoto settings provide exceptionally high-quality results for a pocket camera. This is partly due to the optics of the camera but also to the image processing capabilities of the device. When we analyze RAW images, we concisely see we show how many barrels distortions the lens has at wide angles, whetherticeable.
However, the DIGIC 5 processor in Canon’s cameras is up to the challenge. The same can be said about chromatic aberration, which may be seen to a noticeable degree in the RAW files but is hardly noticeable at all in the JPEGs.
Canon improved the S95 by adding new functions without altering the aspects of the camera that we found most appealing. For example, the company made the camera somewhat more compact while simultaneously expanding the focal length of its lens.
Another significant improvement made by the S100 was the enhancement of its resolution by 2 megapixels, the improvement of its video quality, and the addition of autofocus and zoom functionality.
To make the change in the video resolution, it was necessary to convert from CCD to CMOS, which is a step that has resulted in a reduction in picture quality in rival cameras. However, Canon increased performance, an outstanding accomplishment, even while boosting the resolution.
The speed autofocus has seen a minor improvement, which is pleasant but disappointing. However, the Canon S100 is designed more for the conscientious photographer, so I have seldom been bothered by its sluggish autofocus.
Most of the time, everything works well, and the photographs I take turn out beautifully. The Canon S100 has various features that may be customized, and I particularly like the control knobs on the front and back of the camera. I’d be happier to make the back dial do a few more things, but I’m generally delighted that they made EV adjustment optional rather than always on. Likewise, I’d be happier if I could make the rear dial do a few more things.
The Canon PowerShot S100 is a fantastic choice for photographers looking for a pocket camera. Although it didn’t excite me as much as the series’ first and second incarnations, I gradually relied on it whenever I wanted to take professional images or videos while traveling with as little equipment as possible.
Canon PowerShot S100 Price
Canon PowerShot S100 FAQs
When did the Canon PowerShot S100 come out?
The Canon PowerShot S100 was made available to consumers in November 2011.
Is a Canon PowerShot S100 a professional camera?
The Canon PowerShot S100 is not a professional camera but a consumer-grade model.
It is a high-end point-and-shoot compact camera for experienced hobbyists or professional photographers who require a backup or second camera.
What is the picture quality of Canon PowerShot S100?
The Canon PowerShot S100 has a CMOS image sensor with 12.1 megapixels and a lens with very high quality, so the picture quality it produces is typically very excellent.
Is Canon PowerShot S100 suitable for wildlife photography?
Because of its compact picture sensor and restricted zoom range, the Canon PowerShot S100 is not an ideal camera for photographing wildlife.
It is more suitable for informal photography, such as taking pictures at family events or traveling. However, iten photographing wildlife, it is recommended that you use a camera with a bigger picture sensor and a lengthier zoom lens.
How do I take good pictures with my Canon PowerShot S100?
You need to pay attention to the lighting, composition, and settings on your Canon PowerShot S100 camera to capture excellent photographs with it. Try to locate an area with sufficient natural light and place your subject within an arrangement that appeals to the eye.
To accomplish the impact you want, you must play around with the various settings on your camera, such as the exposure compensation, the white balance, and the aperture.