Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

This is a great camera for someone who loves the convenience of point and shoot cameras, but is interested in taking total control of the camera.

Very flexible camera with lots of features and modes. I haven't used all of them but the manual and macro modes work well. I am no photographer so please refer to dpreviews.com for more technical details. But whatever modes I have tried, seems to work as expected and the results are good.

The flip-out LCD is a blessing. My previous A95 also had one, and I cant be more happy with that. It helps in taking shots over crowds and different angles.

Cons:

* Battery indicator only flashes when you are almost out of battery. I would have expected it to show the battery indicator throughout, so that I can atleast plan carrying another battery. Now I have to always carry another set. This was problem with my older A95 as well, so it seems like a common Canon non-feature.

* Size. Almost as big as an SLR, but with 12x zoom and all the features, I don't expect it to be any smaller.

* Zooming in at full 12x gets you a bit grainy pictures, I think higher ISO issue. And I am not sure if any non-SLR camera can get good zoom photos. And even with a SLR I believe you would need a telephoto lens.

With over 700 reviews on this camera, there is little I can add. I read MANY of these reviews before purchasing, both on amazon and other sites. I also read reviews on other cameras. I finally made my purchase decision for the Cannon S5IS and I have no complaints. I read the chatter about pixel noise and this and that. And I'm sure that at the upper end of photography this is very important. But I'm your basic dad looking for good vacation and family photos. I'm looking for above average performance and flexibility with good value. This camera provides all of that. The price point can't be beat considering all the features. And the photos are great. They look awesome on my 20" monitor and superb in 4x6 prints. Color rendition is excellent. My previous (cheaper) point & shoot cameras required virtually every picture to be color adjusted. This Canon looks great every time. I don't use any in-camera editing features as I find editing software sooo much easier. But even there I haven't needed to do much editing (except maybe to crop out my brother-in-law when he stuck his head into my shot of the Grand Canyon, but I digress).

Features I like are the ease of going from full auto to full manual or anything in between. Manual controls are intuitive. I like the smart-rotation feature and flexible LCD screen. I love the 12x optical zoom, though I will agree that at the "slow" zoom speed it is a bit touchy and hard to get precise.

All the complaints about the lens cap falling off are over-rated. Yes, it is not very secure, but I can't tell you how many times I turned it on with lens cap on. You will too. So I'm glad it pops off easy and doesn't strain the motor. In normal use and carrying around, I did not find a problem the cap spontaneously falling off. A few times. No big.

I was a little concerned about 4AA battery life. I use rechargeables and I can report I got several hundred pictures before batteries died. So two sets, one in camera and one charging, should be all you need. I will say one thing, the camera does not give much warning when batteries are nearly exhausted. The low-bat warning came on and like 2 shots later the camera turned off. So do keep those spares handy.

Overall I am VERY happy with this camera. I tried several models out at a store, Sony, Nikon, etc. This one offered the most, cost the least and had the nicest feel. Overall I am very happy with it and don't hesitate to recommend it for great family photos, vacations, or random shots of the dog playing with your little niece.

I have had my camera for about a month and a half now, and I'm totally pleased with the pictures it takes! The zoom is amazing and doesn't get as grainy as others I have used in the past. The battery life (uses 4 AA batteries) is remarkable and much better than I had expected. Has the ability to take pictures while shooting video (although you end up with a freeze frame in your video). The only thing I would like that I don't believe this camera has (if it does, I haven't found it yet) is the ability to shoot in black and white instead of just converting it afterward. The red eye reduction on the camera works like a charm! After you've taken the picture, go into the settings and watch the red eyes disappear!

The Canon S5IS is a great product and pretty much is the same as its previous version the S3S.
Although it is not a small camera, the camera is easy to hold and shoot.
Great picture clarity except when shooting in low light.
Overall it is a great camera and worth every penny.