Canon PowerShot S100 performance

Pros: Sharp, fast lens. Very good low-light performance. Fast recycle time. Raw shooting support. Cons: Pricey. LCD is not best in class. No hot shoe. The Canon PowerShot S100 ($429.99 direct) is the follow-up to the popular S95 ($399.99, 4 stars), a camera that we liked enough to award our Editors\' Choice. Although it\'s priced slightly higher, the 12-megapixel S100 (Best Deal: $365.00 at DAXmart.com) improves on the S95 (Best Deal: $409.00 at Buydig.com) in many ways. Its zoom lens starts at a wider focal length and delivers a longer zoom range, recycle time has been cut drastically, and a GPS has been added. That\'s enough for it to replace the S95 as our  favorite high-end pocket camera. Design and Features The S100 is almost identical in size and design to its predecessor. At 2.3 by 3.9 by 1.1 inches (HWD) and 7 ounces, it is a bit larger and heavier than competing compact cameras, such as Canon\'s own 2.2-by-3.8-by-0.9-inch, 4.9-ounce PowerShot Elph 310 HS ($259.99, 4 stars). Available in black and matte silver, the S100 feels a bit heavy for its size, thanks to its sturdy metal construction. The extra weight should actually help you to keep the camera steady when taking photos, but will be noticed if you are used to carrying a plastic camera. It\'s not out of line when compared with other compacts with fast lenses. Panasonic\'s top-end point-and-shoot, the Lumix DMC-LX5 ($499.99, 3.5 stars), weighs 9.3 ounces and measures 2.6 by 4.3 by 1.7 inches. The lens covers a 24-105mm (35mm equivalent) field of view, which is a 5x zoom range. At the wide end it opens up to f/2, which lets quite a bit of light in, but the aperture narrows to f/5.9 at the telephoto end of its zoom. The Olympus XZ-1 ($499.99, 3.5 stars) features a slightly faster f/1.8 lens, but it only covers a 28-112mm field of view. Because of the S100\'s fast lens, long exposures in bright conditions can be troublesome, but a neutral density filter—which can be activated via the menu system—is built into to reduce the amount of light coming in to the lens, making it possible to use longer exposures when photographing waterfalls, rivers, and other scenes where a long exposure is desirable. The 3-inch LCD is packed with 460k dots, and even though it is as crisp and bright as the screen found on the S95, it is no longer the best you\'ll find on a point-and-shoot camera. Other pocket models, including the Samsung TL500 ($449.99, 3 stars) now employ twice-as-sharp 920k-dot screens. With a camera like this, the LCD is the only way you can frame and review images in the field, and the extra resolution makes it easier to determine if you\'ve nailed a shot. One thing missing from the S100 is a hot shoe. Other cameras in this class, including the Olympus XZ-1 (Best Deal: $329.00 at Unique Photo), Panasonic LX5 (Best Deal: $369.00 at DAXmart.com), and Samsung TL500 (Best Deal: $319.99 at DAXmart.com), all have one—but Canon requires you to move up to the considerably larger PowerShot G12 ($499.99, 2.5 stars) to get one. The main advantage of a hot shoe is the ability to use an external flash or wireless flash controller with the camera. Physical controls are the same as you\'ll find on other point-and-shoots, with one exception. In addition to a mode dial, 4-way scrolling command dial, and a dedicated Movie Record button, the S100 has a front control ring surrounding its lens. This ring can be configured to control a number of camera functions, including EV compensation, ISO, zoom, and focus.  The software menu system is well executed, and will be familiar to anyone who has picked up a Canon camera before. Options are presented as clear, crisp text with an explanation of the function displayed across the bottom of the LCD. The S100 also supports Raw shooting, which records all of the information that is gathered by the lens and sensor. Enthusiasts love to shoot Raw since it provides extra control, but you lose the convenience factor of simply being able to download photos to your computer and immediately share them with friends. Raw files must be developed using specific software in order to convert them into files that can be printed or shared online. From/pcmag