Features

• World’s smallest and lightest 2 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens (June 2003)
• 2.1-megapixel sensor captures 1,600 x 1,200 images for prints at sizes up to 8 x 10 inches
• Uses Minolta's unobtrusive non-extending zoom lens; 3x optical and 4x digital zoom for 12x total
• Included 8 MB Secure Digital memory card can store 12 standard images
• Powered by 2 AA batteries; connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (19)

A nice first-time digicam
I bought and then lost this little camera on a trip to Tokyo, Japan. It is quite a lovely little digicam that looks cool and works well. The positives are that it is lightweight, easy to use, easy to transfer photos, simple to handle and the quality of the photos is great for a 2 MP camera. If you are looking for a camera that will take large-print pictures, this is not your camera because come on! don't spend money on a 2 MP camera if you want 5 MP quality. The options for taking the pictures are very fun to play with. With a large memory card, you can store a large amount of snapshots.

The drawbacks include short battery life. The camera just drains the two AA batteries too quickly. The setting have to be reset everytime the camera is turned off. The shutter release time is bit slow.

Buy this camera if you only wish to spend under $200 on a digicam that takes nice, but not exceptional, quality pictures. Definitely shop around and if you can afford the extra hundred, look into getting a higher MP camera. This probably would make a nice gift for a teenager or child. Minolta has the sleekest designs around.

AA++
I bought:the camera ,a 128mb card and the $9 travel case and i couldnt be happier ! I love my new camera .Literally ,after just opening it and turning it on i was taking pictures .And the same for saving them on my computer.
This camera has everything: A zoom that doesnt show, lens cover, size: Super SMALL even with the carry case, fast start up, Video w Audio,webcam,etc. You can read all the great features above but overall its the best buy i have done in a long time because it is very well built ,SMALL!, and also very stylist so everyone will notice this great gadget.
That little mirror on the front is excellent for pics w friends.
The shutter lag is the only thing i have against it(about a sec tops).But not in a bad way because i still LOVE my new mini cam.And Minolta is a very good company.
The delivery was EXC and the camera 10x more !!
Great Buy !
I researched for about 6 days for the best ,Cheapest and smallest cameras with lens cover and video and etc ...And i really think i found it !
Must have:Rechargable batteries and charger .(also 128mb card and a case!)

Features

• 5 megapixel sensor (2592 x 1944 pixels) for enlargements up to 20 x 30 inches
• 4.1x optical plus 3.6x digital (15x) zoom lens with autofocus
• Rotating/flip 1.8-inch LCD; up to 3-minute video capture with audio; large maximum aperture of f/2.0 – 3.0
• Includes 32 MB CompactFlash card; compatible with MicroDrives
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery(BP-511, included); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (53)

nice camera but various compromises
I bought this camera knowing its drawbacks, and would still buy it again, but just so you know, here are the issues: (1) the wonderful lens is completely exposed w/o the lens cap and the lens cap falls off very easily--it has to, because if you press "on" without removing the lens cap, if the lens cap didn't fall off as the lens extended, the gears would strip. (2) to fix the first issue, you can buy the lens adapter and screw on a 58mm filter but this adapter is so large that it interferes with internal flash coverage, creating a black cast in the bottom right of pictures and also, it makes the optical viewfinder unusable. (3) even w/o the adapter, when using the optical viewfinder, the lens blocks a small corner of the view on widest angle. Why use the viewfinder? If you're following action, LCD displays may not have quick enough response from picture to picture. You might want to wait until the replacement for this camera comes along, sometime in the Spring I hear. (Addendum Feb-04. Check out the new Canon Pro-1!

A couple things you don't hear about
There's plenty of repetition in the reviews you'll read about the G5. Here are a couple thoughts I haven't seen expressed yet.

First, this is a compact camera, and that means the lens is made to tuck well into the body. The protective shell only extends part way out to keep the profile slim, so the fragile lens is somewhat vulnerable when extended. This is also the case with other maker's compact cameras. One solution is to add the lens/filter adapter, but if you've got any sense of style you'll be put off by its contrasting gray color. This, by the way, is the only way to add a protective UV or other filters - the lens barrel itself is not threaded. For a camera at this price and with these capabilities, the user should have a threaded barrel and sturdier lens construction.

Second gripe is the placement of the controls on the back of the camera. I have average sized hands, but my thumb constantly bumps either the white balance or set buttons. It's more of an annoyance than a problem though, because they keys rarely engage from the contact.

Canon clearly recognized both these issues, because they've fixed both in the new Pro 1.

But don't let these turn you off. It's a fine, full featured compact camera.

After a year, no regrets.
The lens seen through the view finder I knew about before purchase so I cant complain about that.

The Selector icons (auto, portrait etc.,)wore off after only a couple of months!! Cannon did replace the selector gratis, and I have now protected the icons on the top of the selector with a two part slow setting resin (72 hrs), this looks good and works perfectly.

Apart from the above this is a great Camera and I have been very happy with it and have taken thousands of great pictures in the year I have had it.

Features

• 5 megapixel sensor (2592 x 1944 pixels) for enlargements up to 20 x 30 inches
• 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom (12x total)
• Nine point AiAF, flexizone focus selection, three-minute movie clips, and automatic image rotation
• Compatible with CompactFlash Type I and II cards; 32 MB card included
• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery (NB-2L); connects to PCs and Macs via USB 1.1

Reviews (93)

A Winner in Image Quality Versus Size
Pros: Compact size, 5 megapixel resolution, ease of use, lots of creative photography options, Solid all metal compact body, Quality Canon lens, quality, enlargeable images, sturdy, macro capability.

Cons: No provision for add-on lenses or filters, Expensive, 5MP is probably overkill for most users, Underwater housing does not allow full control, not as sharp as most 4 MP cameras, 4-way Navigation Button & Proprietary Battery, Some photos had red eye, doesn't come with carrying case.

Summary: This compact Canon digital camera really impressed me in the week I've had mine so far. I've been looking and playing with the Sony DSC-P9 for some time but took a chance with the S50 sight unseen, with a few recommendations, and my expectations have been well exceded. Excellent image quality and easy to learn interface with ample effect, memory, and capture options are not compromised by the camera's size (slightly chunkier than the Sony, but still slips into a pocket easily). Crisp and bright image replay on the rear color LCD monitor. Easy downloads to PC with USB and unimposing Canon software, and fairly quick battery recharge too. This is a really great compact digital camera for those looking for great images in different conditions without a bulky, intrusive large body reflex. The movie capture is better than on previous Canon models, though still slightly choppy at 12 frames per second (not that making movies is your first choice in features for selecting pocket cameras). Nonetheless, after looking around I believe this is the best deal for quality/function/money versus size in the compact digital camera market.A+

Great pictures from a tiny camera!
As an avid amateur photographer, I love my Canon EOS SLR, but wanted to buy a digital camera for traveling and family snapshots.

Since a digital SLR body was out of my price range, i researched maybe 15 compact digitals before settling on the S50. I'm thrilled with my purchase and would recommend this camera even to folks who, like me, are used to higher-end SLRs.

The S50 offers an incredible array of features and options in an improbably small package. I've had it for about six weeks and have yet to take advantage of all the bells and whistles. Although the camera offers options galore, its controls are pretty intuitive. And despite its myriad features, you can use it right out of the box in its "Auto" mode.

Its color fidelity is stunning -- even with magentas, which some digital cameras don't capture well. Its automatic white balance is also superb; it produces none of those ugly casts you get with cheaper digital cameras. If you prefer to set the white balance yourself, though, this camera gives you plenty of flexibility.

I've had very good results with the focus. The couple of blurry pics I've gotten were probably my fault because I didn't give the camera enough time to focus. The focus lock seems pretty quick - comparable to that on my SLR.

There are a couple of areas in which this camera doesn't perform as well as my SLR (an unfair comparison, but worth mentioning). One is the slight, occasional shutter delay. This can be annoying but it's not the end of the world for travel and family shots. If you're big into anything that involves split-second action, though, I'd recommend you stick to an SLR.

I must also echo other reviewers' comments on the flimsiness of the lens cover. I contemplated returning the camera because of this but was so impressed with the quality of the pictures that I instead resolved to handle the cover with kid gloves. It's helpful to note that you don't have to use the lens cover at all, if you're worried about it... the camera powers down automatically after a while, and you can wake it up again by depressing the shutter. (Of course, this option leaves the lens exposed to dust and scratches...)

That said, the S50 offers a couple of huge advantages over film cameras. One is its performance in low-light settings. I've been amazed at the S50's ability to capture pictures indoors, without a flash. No funky purple ghosting, either!

And I love the LED screen that's built into the back of the camera. It has pretty good resolution so you can tell what's in focus, and you can adjust its brightness depending on whether you're shooting indoors or out. It's great to be able to compose your shot without having to mush your glasses against a tiny viewfinder, and it's even better to be able to review your photos at the end of the day.

The software that comes with the camera is easy to install and intuitive to use (on a Mac, anyway - can't vouch for the PC version!). The 32mb memory card that comes with the camera, on the other hand, is inadequate... I'd recommend buying a card with at least 128mb of storage. An extra battery couldn't hurt, either!

On the whole, I think this is one of the best compact digital cameras on the market today, and certainly in its price range. I'd expected to compromise some image quality in moving from film to digital, but am surprised and delighted to find that's not the case. If I had my choice to make over, I'd buy this camera again.

Great product, fine pics, very durable
I have a lot of experience with a wide range of fully manual SLRs and digital SLRs, and this camera stacks up nicely. As an architecture student, I bought the S50 to have a quick alternative for shooting models, sites and other miscellaneous scenography to use in large scale presentation format. After 7 months, I have been very pleased.
A few things:

The good:
-RAW format (nice to have that versatility)
-color balance is nice
-easy acces to menus
-loads of manual functions
-light adjustments are right on
-nice lcd, crisp and bright
-overall great consistent pictures, and it's easy to be really creative (making you feel like a better photographer than you actually are)

The not so good (but no so bad either):
-there is too much discrepancy between the area that is seen in the viewfinder and what the sensors see. (You always get more than what you see)
-the 5-way toggle selector button has got to go!
-a little bit too brick-like
-noisy zoom