Canon PowerShot S100 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Below is an email that I have just received from Canon weeks after registering my camera on their website.******************************************************Dear Michael,This service notification e-mail contains important information about your Canon PowerShot S100. Please note that product service announcement e-mails contain advisory or informational content that may be critical to the proper operation of your product, including safety, update, and instructional messages. Please carefully review the information in this e-mail as it relates to your Canon product.Thank you for using Canon products.It has been confirmed that some PowerShot S100 digital cameras encounter a lens error caused by a disconnected part inside the camera. This announcement conveys the details of the issue and Canon's service policy for affected cameras.Canon continuously strives to provide our customers with high quality, reliable products that can be used with confidence. We offer our sincerest apologies to any customers who have been inconvenienced.PhenomenonSome PowerShot S100 units (with the serial numbers listed below) may encounter a lens error due to a part becoming disconnected inside the lens. In particular, this lens error may occur when the camera is used in certain environmental conditions such as high temperature and/or humidity.Affected Product:Some PowerShot S100 Digital Cameras within the following serial number range:The first and second digits of the camera's serial number are any number from "29" through "41". For example: "29xxxxxxxxxx", "30xxxxxxxxxx"........."41xxxxxxxxxx"(The [x] characters shown above represent the remaining characters of the product's serial number.)Market SupportAffected products that exhibit this phenomenon will be repaired free of charge, regardless of the warranty status, if it is confirmed that the lens error has been caused by disconnection of the part inside the lens. However, please note that affected products which are received by Canon after their service period ends (the period during which such products are expected to be serviceable), will no longer be eligible for free repair service and will be handled in accordance with Canon's then general repair standards and regulationsSupportThis information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.Thank you,Customer Support OperationsCanon U.S.A., Inc.Contact Information for Inquiries:Canon Customer Support CenterPhone: 1-800-OK-CANON (toll free)1-800-652-2666TTD: 1-866-251-3752 (toll free)E-mail: [email protected] additional support options:[...]******************************************************************I luckily received a camera with a serial number that should be unaffected by the lens errors some others are having. I am really liking my camera so far so I have no reason to give it anything other than 5 stars. I know my way around the manual settings of this camera, but I am far from a professional so I will hold off on a lengthy review. The programmable control ring really makes the manual settings easily changeable. Between the control ring and the sleek black color, its obvious you've got yourself something a little more substantial than a digital Elph. This camera just does everything it is supposed to do very well. The 5x zoom is inadequate for long distance shots, but that is not what this camera is for. If you are interested in carrying a compact digital camera with all the major settings of your DSLR, this is a great option. I think this camera makes a great compact alternative and companion to a DSLR because it is easily pocketable and has great manual settings. I recommend that you register your camera on Canon's website immediately because it guarantees you support and has provided me with this useful information that I would not have known otherwise. I plan on updating this review.UPDATE #1In every way, I have found this camera to be a vast improvement over my previous compact digital camera, a 10.1MP Powershot ELPH SD88IS, however; it is not without issues. Notably, the battery life is very poor when the default GPS mode is active. I could not tell you exactly how many shots I have been able to get per charge, but it has been noticeably less than I would expect. I already ordered a backup battery and am considering toggling the GPS as I need it. This battery is the same basic battery that was in my 4-5 year old Elph. I think it is time Canon looks at updating these NB5L batteries. In addition, while the image quality for day shots is tremendous, I was not overly impressed shooting with a tripod at night. I could not get more than a few half decent shots of a full moon for the life of me. Despite my best efforts, I was having issues with exposure and focus. I found underexposing and bracketing the focus to make for the best shots. Reviewer Sheraz A. Choudhary states "NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHERS: a major con for me is that the s100 is locked to ISO80 for shutter speeds over 1sec. May not matter to most people but I loved shooting 15sec ISO400 shots with my s90." This certainly did not help me either. It was a real pain to see ISO80 keep flashing up as I slowed my shutter speed. If you are mainly concerned with shooting close range shots at night, you wont have a problem, but shooting stunning nighttime nature shots seems to be an issue. Neither one of these issues is a real deal-breaker for me, but I have mentally subtracted a half star off this camera and well, I'd kind of like to get my hands on the Sony DSC-RX100. Because it is almost $300 more expensive, I still feel good about my purchase of this camera.

I am am an amatuer, but I love to take photos.My photography usage is Travel pics and everyday shots.I almost never take video.I used to always use a "fixed lens" 1/2" sensor camera (like the cameras you see in the Walmart displays...they look like small DSLR cameras) until I bought a Canon ELPH SD1200 a few years back for it's portability. It's imagery was AWESOME when I 1st bought it, but I think too much time in powdery desert and maybe time in general degraded the sensor. It was never the same after BurningMan. I looked for a quality replacement after the lens recently got scratched from Kuwait sand.If you are looking for a TRUE pocket camera to take normal everyday pics, then buy one of those. They run significantly less than these and they are decent cameras with EXCELLENT portability (smaller than a pack of cigarettes).I bought this Powershot S100 at the same time as a Sony NEX 5N.I did a TON of research and if you want a DSLR quality camera that is "compact", look into the Sony NEX. There are cons to it (like expensive lenses and add-ons), but it is a GREAT camera for the price. I bought mine on sale for 425.00. They usually come with a standard 18-55mm lens which is great for my uses (see above).I also got this Canon S100 to have as an ELPH replacement.I haven't taken many pics with it yet and I haven't travelled with it, but it's a decent camera so far. I like the focus ring, menus, quality of AUTO mode, SCENES, movie mode quality and RAW image support. I bought mine on sale for 220.00It's a good everyday carry camera for that price. Had you paid over 300.00 I think you paid too much.Now if you dont understand Camera sensors etc. Keep this in mind. You will NEVER match a DSLR with a regular compact camera. The closest you will get to a DSLR in a "compact" is with a "mirrorless" 4/3 model. That's a WHOLE subject in and of itself.In that regard...until recently the way to go was with a 4/3 interchangeble lens camera. The Sony NEX has completely changed the rules providing a APS-C sized lens in a 4/3 body.(Think of APS-C cameras as those "cheaper" DSLR cameras like the Canon Rebel i3.)If you are looking for a fairly inexpensive camera to take GREAT pics but dont want to spend 800.00 - 1000 or more, look into a APS-C, or 4/3 interchangable lens camera. Period.You can find really good cameras in this range usually for 500-700If you want a "pocket" camera that takes "GOOD" pics, look into anything between 150.00 - 250.00. (Elphs are under 200.00)If you are looking into something inbetween "good" and "great" @ 200 - 400 and dont mind size too much, look into something like a Panasonic with a Leica lens (2/3" or 1/2" sensor). (still will NEVER match a APS-C sensor DSLR)If you are looking for a "professional" "pocket" camera to take GREAT pics...again, you're going to have to up your price to 400 and up.That all being said, this is a really GOOD pocket camera. The only thing I dont like about it is the lens shutter (part that closes over the lens when not in use) The Elph is like that as well and that's how the lens got scratched. That shutter is FLIMSY. Everything else on the camera feels like it's very well made.Matching up pics in the same environments between the Sony NEX 5N and this camera has provided me with a DEFINATIVE answer that in NO way can the two compete. They are on two COMPLETELY different levels of quality.I gave it 4 stars because for the price it's a really good pocket camera, but it does not "WOW" me. The Sony NEX 5N does.For 250 and under, The Canon Powershot S100 REALLY good. If you want something almost as good and even MORE pocketable, I suggest the ELPH. Keep in mind though that if you want decent video included, the ELPH is not going to cut it.I hope this helps. Finding the "right" camera for the price is REALLY tough. I sympathize with you. ;)