Powershot S230 or S45?

[Picaddict]

Hi Everyone! :)

I'm new here and would appreciate some advice from canon powershot users.

I have an old canon powershot that I've used for the past 3 years and loved, but its time to upgrade. I have done tons of research and have boiled down to 2 choices - the S230 and the S45. Yes, I know that the new S400 and S50 are about to be here, but I'd rather buy the older versions for a better price.

So my question is really, which should I choose in your opinion?
I'll explain what I need in a camera. I am a semi-professional - I like to take good shots, but most of the photos I take are "capture the moment" shots and I don't like to spend tons of time on manual settings - therefor a good point and shoot camera that takes excellent quality shots is my dream. I like the s45 because I assume it has better quality and also because of the preset modes of portrait, landspace, night scene, action etc. But what I don't like is that I've read in many places that it's not a good point and shoot camera, which really gives me a dilemma.

If I do buy the S45, I will not be messing with the settings too much - most of the photos I take are of people/animals in action and you just have to literally point and shoot or you miss the moment. But the capability to control everything is nice to have. On the other hand I hear the S230 is unbeatable as a point and shoot camera.

Any advice/tips from S230 and S45 owners? Or even better - those who own both? :D

Looking forward to replies :)

[Tom W]

I think it really depends on what you want. I have the S230 and am quite happy with it. Yes, its just a little less capable than the S45 when it comes to controllability. Likewise, the 2X (35-70) zoom isn't as useful as a 3X would be. But it does take very nice pictures and it offers enough features to give you as much control as older point and shoot 35's did.

I'll tell you why I bought my S230 - its size. It is small enough that I can carry it around (and often do) without it seeming like its in the way. I do intend to buy a full-sized (35 mm size) body in a year or so, when the prices come down to a reasonable level. But until that time, I'm having plenty of fun playing and learning how to really take pictures with the S230.

[sanket]

I have bought S45 and i must say it is just brilliant. It get very good pic most of the time. S45 has couple of new concepts added to it to make a unique camera.
ISAPS is great!. I have compared S45 pic with Olumpus and Sony camera... and i am really please with S45. It is just great smart small camera!. The Auto focus is really wonderful.

[skys]

At first, please excuse any mispells from a non US/UK citizen...

The S230 is my first digital camera and I am very pleased with it as it meets all the expectations I had :
- a point-and-shoot camera that my wife can also use so that, at last, *I* am on the pictures as well :)
- a very small camera that I can take with me while skiing, treking, "you-name-it" very easily,
- a camera that makes wonders to cope with most of the exposure tricks you can face, and provides enough manual control to correct any misbehaviour of the auto-mode.

Now, there is unfortunately some limitations, two of them being very painful if you need it :
- no manual control of the aperture or the shutter speed. For action photos, this a real drawback. The S45 does not have this limitation.
- no hotshoe or flash sync. From what I've seen, flash photography is definitively the weakest point of all compact cameras with built-in flash (digital or not). The S45 still have this limitation, but in a lesser extent (you have separate flash exposure control for instance).

So what is the best solution :
1) people that can afford it will have 2 digital cameras : a tiny-one like the S230 and say (because this is a Canon forum...) a G3 . This is a really expensive solution though.

2) If you go for only one camera and are a "semi-professional", go for the S45. Really, the S230 is great, and I mean it. But I think you will sooner or later bump in its limitations. 3 or 4 MPix, 2x or 3x zoom : that won't really make the difference. Quality wise, both have the latest Canon technology. But lack of manual control will bother you in action photo (and it seems that it is what you do the most). And the S45 is still easy to carry.

Of course, this is my personal opinion. My choice ? I keep my SLR for the moment and wait for a Gxx with 5 MPix at least.....

[Picaddict]

Thank you for all the advice so far. All the posts were very helpful and thoughtful. And I did not see any spelling mistakes either, skys :)

I definitely want a versetile camera for a lot of different types of photographs. I know there is no perfect camera out there for everything, but I'm willing to work with the best thing for my situation. A G3 is sweet, but I'll be honest and admit that I don't know that I'll carry it around with me - shots I take are mostly when I want to carry minimal equipment - at the beach, vacations, etc.

The reason why I like the S45 is of course the shutter speed control and also the fact that you can buffer shots and take many in a short time frame - this is important to me.

I've been very concerned however with the auto-focus problems that I have read about. When you need to take a shot real quick you will not have time to mess around with settings. I have read several posts here and in other places that there are problems when the auto-focusing is left to the camera and that this is not a point and shoot camera, but for the best shot you do have to "set it up" and this is definitely causing a dilemma for me. While I might mess with different settings while "practicing", the shots in practice will not leave time for that - I will just have to keep taking pictures as fast as I can and hope for clear in-focus shots each time.

[hkboy313]

hello, im new at all this...i did get a olympus 510z...not happy with it...it was reconditioned, i will never believe them when they say "it is as if it was brand new" ...ya..right.

i have been searching many cameras now...and its very interesting. i think the s230 is more of a point and shoot camera...and the s45 is more of a manual one. so which ever you prefer is up to you...to me, as a beginner but love sophistocated stuff and willing to read lots to make picture better with manual settings...i would go with s45, however, s30 is cost less...i have been looking lots on s30 and thinking about getting that ...have not decided yet though :P

[Niru]

Just remember one thing !!
no matter how the 2 cameras look more or less the sdame size and weight(by its specs), if u would put both in your pocket, coat etc. it won't take u more than 1-2 mnts to feel the BIG difference, when the S45 will feel too big, heavy and will make u think twice(sometimes even more) if to take it with u today or not ??? will I take a picture today or maybe I won't have the chance so I'll leave it at home.. etc etc.
so if that is not your trouble so the s45 is a sure thing.
another thing is the VGA in the s230 and the QVGA in the s45, so if u r into motion films... the s230 is much better(probably ).
but now, u have the s400 which will solve most of your confusion...
hope u r not even more confused now

[skys]

Well, the S400 won't really "solve" the confusion. Yes, you now have 4MP and 3x zoom, which is a definite plus.
But still, you have no more manual control than on the S230 (except separate flash exposure). And now the video is 320x200 on the S400 while it was 640x480 on the S230. You may think that a new model = the old one + improvements and a better price... Beats me.... ;)