S400/S50 - Do they have limitations?

[rhibbert]

Come on folks! There has to be somebody out there mildly upset with some feature of their S400/S50.

I know that these two cameras are in different categories and that is why no web site seems to compare them, but I'd love some feedback from people as to what the weaknesses are of either camera. Is everybody really that pleased with the performance of both models that there is nothing other than praise?

I await with baited breath...

Richard

[mike j]

Richard,
Here's a limitation of the IXUS400 that I've come across :

You can't manually set the shutter speed, other than from 1 - 15 seconds for night shots.

I would imagine (but don't know for a fact) that you probably can on the S50.

Mike (an otherwise happy IXUS400 (S400) user !)

[lcfred]

The features that I miss in my S50 is a better performance in macro shots (since I had a Nikon 4300 and It was amazing on that...)

Hmm.. the manual focus could be more precise (you just have imprecise scale, and the fact of magnify the center 2 times don't help you that lot... Nikon uses a sharpening mask to show what's in focus that is interesting... Canon could improve it.)

About the movie mode I simply don't understand why the camera don't adjust the exposure during the rec. mode - It would be useful (as were in my Nikon).

I guess that some of functions I listed above could be implemented in a future models (or in a firmware release ;-)


But it's still being the camera that has more control over the image than any other pocket digital of course

[rhibbert]

Thanks for the feedback. One problem I have experienced in the past with Autofocus is that the camera just won't focus on your subject. Have either of you experienced this, and if so, what sort of subjects confuse the camera? Why do you have to resort to manual focus (S50)? Please let me know if you never had problems.

Also, on the S400 can you bias the camera's selction of speed & aperture. For example if I want greater depth of field, do I choose Landscape mode? I realise that the S400 doesn't have full AP/TP control.

Thanks

Richard

[Guillermo Freige]

Yes, one of the worst things of the S50 is its low light AF performance, mostly at the less luminous tele end. The assist light is inadecuate to solve the situation. Thanksfully you can always switch to manual focus. Really this is my only complaint. Probably a little noisy at ISO 200 and up, and some purple fringing, but nothing unexpected in a 5MP digicam of its size. An excellent camera and a very flexible one too.

[lcfred]

About low light performance/manual focus I'm working on it by just locking the focus at a distance and trying to take the pictures at that distance...

I'm using a prog called DOF master (for my Palm) that calculates the depth of field so you simply have to input the lens you're using (7.1mm at most of times - wide in the S50) the F. stop and the focus distance (which is a problem since we don't have any precision using that scale...)

There are a lot of information at the site of the prog, (including other OSs versions...) they talk about the Hyperfocal distance.. it's a very interesting thing and it helps you a lot when you're in trouble finding a exactly DOF. for landscape photography. With the program you can, ie. made a combination of AE setting that you can use for night shots setting up you DOF between 1 and 3 meters since i'ts enough for portrait night shots.

www.dofmaster.com

I'm still doing my tests...


I'll try to match the scale on S50 with the real values in meters... did you ever try to do that??

[pblevitt]

My only complaint is the high street price has dropped from £500+ to £330ish. Making my web purchase seem a little overpriced (at the time)

[sstinman]

The S400 is for truely for point and shot types. The range of function is minimal. Great size but mid-level performance in most situations (when comapare to an S45). I have not owned/used any other small camera so I can't tell if its as good for its peer group. DP Review wrote it performed well. I didn't like the photos I was getting from it. Too much editing work was needed to get the picture to look as good as it could.

The S45 is just about right for me. I wish it was a little smaller. The level of control is OK with me. Things I think a firmware change could make better.

1) Universal flash level. I wish I could improve the flash level across all settings. Mainly so that my wife can take better pictures. She's not intrested in learning how to manually adjust flash.

2) Picture brightness & saturation. Again I can do this in editing but would prefer to tweak the camera across all shooting modes. But this maybe the fault of my color management system (i.e. I haven't done a good job).

3) For me focus performance is OK. No issue.

4) Noise levels are OK for me. No issue.

5) Movie mode could have larger capture (640x480) and zoom capabilties. I know if you zoom with the sound on you'll hear the gear noises. But that is OK with me. Where I needed it was trying to record a stage performance and I couldn't get close enough to the stage to frame the shot. If I could have zoomed to the level I needed and then recorded the movie at that set zoom it would have helped. Also, a momentary noise is not a big deal on that low end of a movie.