Canon PowerShot S40 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $799.99
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Editorial Review

Canon's S30 and S40 cameras fill a gap in the company's digital lineup. Nestled between the ultra-tiny Elph models and the feature-packed PowerShot G and Pro models, the S30 and S40 combine most of the portability of the former with nearly every advanced feature of the latter.

With the exception of their CCD sensors (the S30 is a 3-megapixel model, while the S40 is 4-megapixel), the cameras are essentially identical. Each features a brushed aluminum body with a sliding clamshell lens cover, a 3x optical zoom Canon lens, and a 1.8-inch LCD on the back of the camera for previewing and reviewing shots.

For beginners, the cameras are point-and-shoot simple. Just twist the dial to Auto and start snapping pictures. For more experienced photographers, both models include aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual modes, plus manual focus, exposure compensation, slow-sync flash, spot metering, and adjustable ISO (from 50 to 400 on the S40, and 50 to 800 on the S30).

Movie mode lets you capture video clips with sound. At 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels, the movies aren't camcorder quality, but they're fun and convenient, and they're perfect as e-mail attachments. The cameras also include an unusual voice-memo feature, which lets you record up to 60 seconds of audio with each image.

To provide maximum battery life in the smallest possible space, the cameras use a proprietary lithium-ion battery (both the battery and a charger are included). The battery charges quickly and holds a reasonably long charge, but if you're planning to use the camera for extended outings, a spare battery is a good idea. A larger-capacity memory card is also advisable if you want to shoot more than a dozen photos at a time or really take advantage of the movie mode. The cameras use Type I or Type II CompactFlash cards, including the Microdrive. To print your photos at home, the S30 and S40 connect directly to Canon's CP-10 and S820D printers for easy printing--you don't even need a computer.

If you're looking for a camera with the sleek, compact style of a point-and-shoot with the extensive manual controls of an advanced amateur camera, the S30 and S40 are both great choices. ... Read more

Features

• 4.1 megapixel sensor creates 2,272 x 1,704 images for prints at 8 x 10 and beyond
• 3x optical (plus 3.6x digital) zoom lens with autofocus
• Included 16 MB CompactFlash card holds 13 images at default resolution; camera is Microdrive compatible
• Uses proprietary NB-2L lithium-ion rechargeable battery (included)
• Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port

Reviews (75)

Beautiful pictures and few drawbacks
I've had the camera for a few months now and it's my first.I knew almost nothing about how to use a camera like this, and it does have A LOT of customization options.I did use the manual for the first day or so, but playing with it gave me the most knowledge.

Anyway, on to my review.

Pros:
-Beautiful picture quality.Compression isn't spectacular at the highest resolution, but much detail is still represented in the photos.
-Solid, sturdy design that is very pleasing to the eye.
-More options than you'd ever think you'd use, but they are all fantastic.The numerous ways of manually adjusting the picture are probably my favorite thing about the camera.
-Fast battery charging.
-Easy access to memory card and battery.
-Fast LCD response.

Cons (if you notice):
-Sliding lens cover hasn't broken, but it seems delicate.
-Mushy "Set" button mainly used to delete photos (in my experience).You'll get used to it.
-A little heavy.
-Shutter response isn't fast.
-Flash is a little too bright at standard settings, but is a cinch to adjust in most shooting modes.
-Movie mode could be better, but that's not what you're buying this for.

Recommendations:
-Extra memory, of course.The provided 16 MB card will only hold about 10 pictures in fullsize at full compression.
-An extra battery (or two, why not?).Go on eBay and find a knockoff battery.Search "NB-2L"
-A case.Buy one that's protective, and not too tight, because putting the camera in the case could inadvertently open the lens cover.

Overall:I highly recommend this camera, even if you don't know much about photography.If you care about how your pictures turn out, you will enjoy using this camera.

Perfect handheld for the amatuer photographer!
This is a great camera for anyone looking for advanced features at a compact size.Unlike Canon's "lower-end" models, the S40/45/50 series pack in all the adjustable/tweakable features seen in most "SLR" cameras at a lower cost.This camera is not as compact as some of Canon's and some of the other manufacturer's units.But the additional features offered by these cameras outweight the size/weight penalty.

My only complaint with these cameras are their less than desirable lenses.The S40 has a 3x optical zoom (11x digital) and doesn't have the lens power of some of the other Olympus cameras.Then again, if you're looking for that type of lens capability, you're not looking at these cameras and are more apt to looking at the higher-end SLR versions.

Overall, these cameras have the Canon photo quality and the construction quality.A great buy!

If you want to get into digital photography
...this is a good camera to start with.Especially if you use a Mac because it works great with iPhoto.If youre a beginner like me, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of features the S40 offers, but dont worry.Just put it on automatic and you will be able to take great pictures.It just takes a little practice to get used to the delayed response shutter button.

Some of the things I like about it:
1.It takes very nice pictures.Your pictures will look as good as anyones.
2.It has a movie mode that I didnt know existed until recently.Saves the movie (with sound) in AVI format (QuickTime player will play it)
3.Attractive small body (and who doesnt like attractive small bodies?)
4.The LCD display is great for reviewing your pictures
5.It takes gigantic pictures.At 100% they are about 20" tall by 30" wide.You probably wont ever print out anything this large, but this just means you have a lot of detail and resolution wont be a problem.

What I dont like as much:
1.Too many manual settings keeps me from experimenting too much.You would have to read the manual if you want to do any shooting besides automatic.And who wants to read a manual?
2.You have to get pretty close to your subject.Taking group pictures from much further than 10'-15' will not turn out very good.If you can get up close you will have great pictures.Dont try to use this camera at a football game from the stands.I just dont think it has enough zoom power.

Ive enjoyed using mine for the last year and a half.Like the reviewers before me, I recommend doing the following:
1.Get an extra battery cause you never know when the battery will run out of juice.It will cost $25-$50 depending on what brand you get.
2.Im not sure what size compact flash card comes with the camera, but its probably in the 16MB range which is pretty much useless.Being a 4.0 Megapixel camera, and shooting such a large picture, it eats up memory.Get a couple of 128MB's or even larger if you can and you will have room to take 100 or so pictures.
3.I dont think it comes with Photoshop Elements, but if you can afford it, get it.If you do cropping and getting photos web-ready you will want to have this or the full Photoshop package (you better be very good if you want Santa to bring this)

You will like this camera and all your friends will tellyou that you take great pictures. ... Read more

Asin: B00005QFZG
Subjects:  1. S 10    2. Digital Camera (Cameras)    3. Photograph (Photography)   

Canon NB2L Battery Pack for Elura 40MC/50, Optura 400/500 Camcorders & S30/S40/S50/S60/S70/Rebel XT Digital Cameras
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $69.99 -- our price: $46.49
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Lithium-ion battery
• For use with the Canon Powershot S30 and S40 models and Elura 40mc camcorder

Reviews (27)

Buy an aftermarket battery
The Canon NB-2L is an OK battery, however, you can do much better by purchasing an aftermarket product.Specifically, Sterlingtek makes a replacement with a rating of 1100mah which is almost double that of the Canon's.The price on the Sterlingtek is only $19.99 (shipping is $6.99 but is free for orders over $60). The price difference is more than just a "few bucks" as another review claimed.Their web site is www.sterlingtek.com

Surprised at long life!
I'm knocking it down 1 star for costing as much as it does... In regard to the performance of the battery... it performed much better than expected on my recent trip to Japan. After all the negative reviews saying the charge does not last a long time, I was expecting to have to use my second battery everyday. The battery didn't die on me once, and I used it on average for 2 days at a time before recharging... never even got the low battery indication.Though, I did have the lcd off unless I was taking a picture. Worked great for me!

You can definitely spend less for quality batteries.
I've bought Energizer replacement rechargeable batteries for both my S30 and my digital video camera and have found them to actually hold a longer charge and a longer battery life than the originals that came with the cameras.The going rate for the Canon NB-2L seems to be from $50 - $70.You can get the Energizer equivalent for $27 at one of my favorite sites.It's definitely not a generic and considering what Canon is charging for theirs, I consider it a no-brainer.I've never had any problems with the non-OEM batteries I've used, but I've never used generic batteries either.

By the way, I love my S30 and consider it one of the best buys I've ever made in my life.I've had it over 2 years now and the picture quality it produces still amazes me. ... Read more

Asin: B00005UKXL
Sales Rank: 172
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)   

Viking CF256M 256 MB CompactFlash Card
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $74.99 -- our price: $25.17
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Five year replacement warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee
• Optimized for use in PDAs, MP3 players, or digital cameras
• Write speed guaranteed to exceed 1.2 MB per second (8X) with independent test results exceeding 2.25 MB per second (15X)
• High quality components guarantee steady performance, the utmost durability, and breadth of compatibility
• Individually tested to ensure each product works the first time, everytime

Reviews (204)

Never had any problems
I have several of these, and I've never had any problems with any of them.I've used them in my Canon camera and my Nex1a MP3 player; both work fine, and are interchangeable.

FOR NOW BETTER THAN OTHERS FOR COOLPIX 3100
I HAVE A NIKON COOLPIX 3100 WHICH IS QUITE SLOWWRITING PICTURES TO THE COMPACT FLASH (CF) CARD, LEADING TOA CONSIDERABLE DELAY FOR THE NEXT SHOT.
BEFORE THIS VIKING I OFTEN USED OTHER BRANDS OF 256 MBCF CARDS : LEXAR 12X ANDSIMPLE TECH AND SOMETIMES 64MB SAN DISK CF CARD .
A RELATIVE MADE ME A GIFT AND IN FACT I WAS ONLY THINKING TO USE IT AS A STEP CARD FOR BACK UPS,
IREALLY BECAMESURPRISED.
I HAD ITONLY FOR A SHORT TIME, BUTTIME ENOUGH TO BE CONVINCED THAT FORMY NIKON COOLPIX 3100 SEENS TO BE PRETTY FASTER THAN OTHERS IN WRITING IMAGES.
PRICE SEENS TO BE VERY GOOD.
DONT KNOW ABOUTPERFORMANCE IN OTHER BRANDS AND MODELS.

Awsome
This card is really good, and because i have a slow camera, this card is still super fast. definately recomnended. and not a bad deal either! ... Read more

Asin: B00005AC8J
Sales Rank: 82
Subjects:  1. Flash Memory (Flashcard, Flashcards)    2. Compactflash (Compact Flash)   

Canon WP-DC300 Waterproof Case for S30, S40, S45 and S50 Digital Cameras
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $239.99
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Features

• Take great underwater shots or protect your camera from the elements
• Waterproof to 100 feet
• Neck strap and silicone grease included
• Models: S30, S40, S45

Reviews (19)

super working
you can check the photos that i took with canon s45 and this housing. It works brilliant. I just tested in 10meters. also there are supported extra lenses for this housing (macro,wide)..

I like it. My students liked it.
I am a Scuba instructor and I own a Nikonos V, a Sea&Sea MX-10 and an Ikelite housing for my Pentax PZ-1 SLR. I wanted to move to digital photography for my Underwater Photography classes. (I am NOT an expert. I am NOT a professional photographer. I teach the intro course.) I also needed to reduce the weight of the gear I was hauling to the Caribbean. The Canon S30 with the DC300 housing lets me do just that. I added an Ikelite Substrobe DS50. (If you want to use an external strobe, you REALLY need to get one that is specially made for digital. Normal strobes don't work!)

I taught a class of high school students to do Underwater Photography last spring with this rig. I used it myself last summer on my own vacation trip. I'm using it again this summer in preference to my other rigs. We were all able to take remarkably good pictures and see the results using my laptop during lunch. I really liked being able to give feedback on the student's technique while s/he still remembered taking the picture. No waiting for developing.

(We also were able to take remarkably bad pictures as well. The delay between pushing the shutter release and actual snappage of the picture is Especially Annoying!)

As with any underwater photography gear, meticulous care and cleaning is necessary. That said, I found this particular rig very easy to maintain and very easy for my students to learn how to maintain and use.

Leak-prone and no warranty
I took this unit diving.After 5 dives, at 60' in dead calm conditions and with careful maintenance, it leaked badly enough to destroy my camera.I cleaned everything and tried it again with the destroyed camera on a later dive.Same results.

Canon refused to cover ANYTHING.

Do NOT buy this as a diving housing.It will cost you your camera fairly quickly, with no possibility of compensation. ... Read more

Asin: B000067DKN
Sales Rank: 1201
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)   

Canon ACK-700 AC Adapter for S1 IS, S30, S40, S45, S50, S60, S70 & Rebel XT Digital Cameras
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $52.99 -- our price: $47.49
(price subject to change: see help)
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Features

• Lets you power digital camera from any standard household power source
• Compatibility: PowerShot S30, S40 and S45

Reviews (2)

Necessary if you connect to a computer via USB
If you plan on connecting the camera to a computer via a USB connection, then this product is probably a must buy, else you'll drain the batteries a lot.However, if you have some type of Compactflash peripheral (I have one on my HP 1315 printer), then you can copy directly from the card to your PC.Hence, no need to power the camera.If this is your situation, I'd just buy an extra battery, and possible the 12v adapter so you can charge the battery in the car.Unfortunately, the latter is not sold at amazon.com, at least not at the time of this writing...

junk. it does nothing for you
looking at canon's website and seeing this charger available on the accessories matrix, one would assume that it would power the camera. it does, kinda, thepower goes into the battery compartment. so you can not chage a battery with this device. it only powers the camera if you are using the usb connector. it is practically useless. ... Read more

Asin: B00005UKXN
Sales Rank: 290
Subjects:  1. Digital Camera (Cameras)   

The ultracompact D-Res 20 AW holds a digital still camera and four AA batteries, with special pockets for extra memory. ... Read more

Features

• Internal Dimensions: 3.5 by 1.5 by 6 inches
• Gentle to LCD screens
• Holds compact digital cameras
• All-weather cover
• Brushed-tricot lining

Asin: B00004TX7H
Subjects:  1. Photograph Photography   

Dazzle 6-in-1 MultiMedia Reader (DM-8400)
Average Customer Review:
Electronics

US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

The Dazzle Multimedia DM-8400 is a universal digital media reader compatible with nearly all memory formats. As digital technology continues to expand, more and more devices utilize digital media. Digital cameras, MP3 players, mobile phones, and PDAs all use CompactFlash, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, or Memory Stick memory media. With the Dazzle six-in-one reader, you can read them all.

The compact, dual-slot design allows CompactFlash cards or IBM Microdrives to work concurrently with SmartMedia, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital, or Memory Stick media. As a standalone reader, the DM-8400 offers an alternative to the cumbersome process of connecting digital devices directly to a PC or Mac, which uses up precious battery life.

Included Dazzle OnDVD software lets you organize your digital pictures into a slide show, burn them to a CD, and view them on a PC DVD player. The reader makes it easy to transfer data between your PC and your digital camera, MP3 player, PDA, or other portable device. Data collected on digital media cards can be instantly transferred to a computer without even having the device present. ... Read more

Features

• No additional power supply needed
• One reader works with multiple media--CompactFlash, IBM Microdrive, SmartMedia, MultiMediaCards, SD Cards, and Memory Stick
• Looks like removable disk drive--drag and drop files between the digital media cards and the computer
• Dazzle OnDVD software lets you make a photo slideshow and burn a CD for playback on your DVD player
• Use CompactFlash or IBM MicroDrive concurrently with SmartMedia, MultiMedia cards, Secire Digital Cards, or Memory Sticks

Reviews (18)

Great For MOST Media Types
This card reader is really good for the Sandisk Flash cards (which i primarily use), however, I found that I also encountered the problem of reading Lexar brand memory chips. The Zio / Dazzle website does NOT offer the necessary firmware update on their website, but they do offer to have you send in the reader to be updated by them. I recently wrote to the Zio Technical Support and got this in reply:

"We do no release firmware updates to the public, if you run a firmware update on this reader you risk the chance of damaging the reader and voiding the warranty. If you would like us to run the firmware update for you we can have you send in the reader to us and we will update it. Please first just reply back with your full name, address and phone number. Thank you."

Good with updrade
This unit set up easily in WindowsXP and in Windows 2000 for me. I mostly use Compact Flash cards and have had no problem with that media. No issues with the one time I used it with MMC media either. Using Lexar Memory Sticks, however, was problematic at first - but installing the firmware upgrade from the Dazzle site did the trick.

There are no guides on the device (or much of an manual either) to tell you how to slide in the card so if you don't get a read from the drive at first, try inserting the card another way. Also, by default, the 2 drive letters assigned are not descriptive - i.e., you can't tell which one is for which card type. But after you figure it out, you can change the drive name in Windows.

Quirks aside, this device does the job.

works flawlessly
i haven't had a problem with this on ME or XP, performs flawlessly.Better than hooking your camera up to your computer using USB - whatever you insert becomes just another device.

it's *cheap* in my opinion, worth every penny.i'm about to buy a new digital camera, and i know this thing will be able to read the cards. ... Read more

Asin: B000063WPP
Subjects:  1. Memory Card Reader (Readers)