Should I buy a Cannon S1 IS?

I am looking to buy a digital camera with adjustable shutter speed under $500 for a Christmas gift. I had planned to buy the Cannon Powershot S1 IS but have seen many reviews suggesting problems with this camera. I then considered the Cannon S60 but saw glitches in that one too. Are these problems prevalent or the exception? Is there a better low priced camera that would do the same job?

What are the problems you read about? The Canon IS system works wonderfully, although the resolution on that camera is a little low by current standards. You're giving up some pixles for the IS feature with that one. The S60 uses the same 5 megapixel sensor as the G5. A lot of people weren't super happy with that sensor. Even though it has more resolution than the old, 4 megapixel sensor, it had noticeable purple-fringing in certain situations, and the overall image quality wasn't as good. But that doesn't mean it's bad. I think most people would be more than happy with that camera. Especially consuidering the type of cameras you're looking at. They're nice point-and-shoot cameras, not pro SLRs. The standards are a bit different.

In the end, it sounds like your choice is between the IS and a camera with more resolution. If there are problems I'm not aware of, let me know about them and I'll see if I can add anything. If you want more resolution and Image Stabilization, take a look at what Konica Minolta and Panasonic have to offer. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20 and it's predecessor, the FZ10, have been regulars on our top ten digital camera list.

Hope that helps-

Thanks for the input. I've read at least three comments about an E18 error message (though I don't think any of them came from this forum.) Some people also mentioned purple fringing on the S1 IS. I wanted to know if these two problems were wide-spread or limited occurances.

Compared to the little Hewlett Packard Photo Smart camera that my husband has now, this should be a great improvement. I'm also considering the Olympus C765. Any advice?

Good Morning,
I have an S1 IS that has developed the E:16 error. Initially, this camera worked very well, and I took about two hundred photos total during the 18 months that it functioned. I treated it as if made of crystal; it was never dropped, bumped, nudged or mishandled in any way, and was kept in a drawer when not in use. After about 18 months of light use, the camera totally failed.
After taking some photos, I plugged in and uploaded them to my PC, then turned the camera back on in the record mode. The lens failed to extend, and the display remained dark except for an error message in the lower left corner of the display: "E:16", and the camera powered off after 3 seconds.
After repeated attempts to restart with no change in symptoms, I searched the Web for any reports of similar problems. I found numerous reports of lens failures, almost all with an associated "E:18" message, but nearly none with the e:16 code.
I e-mailed Canon tech support, and received a suggestion to remove, wait for 20 minutes, then reinstall the batteries. I confirmed that they were fully charged, and restarted the camera. The lens extended, but the LCD display is sometimes shot through with horizontal lines resembling static, which are recorded in photos taken afterwards (example attached.). The camera now starts up randomly, and the lines come and go randomly. The only offer Canon has made after this was to offer an "upgrade" to a refurbished S2 IS for $299. That's about the price of a new one online! I have decided not to buy any Canon digital camera again. I would, however, like to try to get this one running with a degree of reliability.

For a little more than $500 you could get a brand new Canon S3 IS. Right now where I work the S2 is going for $399+tax. I would opt for the S2 and maybe a warranty from wherever you buy, so if something does go wrong you are covered. I get warranties for all my camera gear so I don't have to worry about if I drop it, because I know I'm covered. Generally the warranties aren't that much when you look at the braod scheme of how much you are paying.

Z

i have a s1 is. i bought it last may and have shot over 9000 images with it w/o a problem.... i hadn't heard of these problems until now, and the only problems i have are because i droped it and the flash some times won't pop up w/o help and sometimes doens't fire.

other than the low 3.2 mp its a great little camera. but i'm looking to upgrade to a dslr now. i'd reccomend the powershot s line.



*edit- sorry my next photo will actually be my 9000 in 14 months.*