S90 for the amateur

Hope to get the S90, but is it more for advanced photographers?
I am an amateur here. But love taking pictures. I like it's size as well as other features.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Its a great point and shoot for anyone if it is full auto (green) mode...excellent quality, fast focus, excellent build, and the image quality is great...top notch.

It is in fact a great camera to learn on as it does give you a ton of options and the ability to do more advance things if need be...but you'll be happy just clicking away.

If you don't want the manual mode, you may be able to save some money and go with a higher-class SDxxx. This isn't to say the S90 isn't for amateurs, and offering a manual mode is certainly great for learning, but there may be cheaper alternatives that do the majority of what you're looking for.

^ agreed. Basically if you don't want to learn, you might be getting more than you'll use with the s90. But it's a very capable program and it's sensor and lens and noise reduction will help you in low light better than any other P&S out there right now. I'm trying to get one for my MIL for Xmas (it'd be a group gift, organizing the troops is tricky) and she's a full auto type of shooter. Basically it's got great auto modes now, and full manual controls when you feel like learning.

What you want is the Panasonic Lumix ZS3. It has virtually no manual controls, and does a superb job in iA mode. It's zoom range is 25-300mm, and it shoots high-definition video with focus-while-zooming. It costs a lot less than the S90.

I had one, but dropped it in its padded carrying case as I entered my car. Unknowingly, I ran over the camera! I've replaced it with the S90, but it was a close call.

Everyone thanks for replies.

Just wanted to add that IME the TZ7 (ZS3) is much better in full auto mode than the S90, especially for flash shots.
Saying that i sold my TZ7 as soon as i got my S90 as the S90 is a lot closer to my 40D and so i feel more at home with it.
Both produce very good images if all you want is to point and shoot, but the S90 gives you more control if you feel like advancing.
As already mentioned, its a good camera to learn with.

aostling wrote in post #8874631
What you want is the Panasonic Lumix ZS3.

Bingo.

aostling wrote in post #8874631
I've replaced it with the S90...

How are you liking the S90 compared to the ZS3?

SoundsGood wrote in post #8882216
How are you liking the S90 compared to the ZS3?

The S90 and the ZS3 are equally pocketable. I took the ZS3 to my high school 50th reunion in Seattle in July, and it served wonderfully, for both photos and at least one memorable video clip. But I could have done all that with the S90 too (if it had been available then), since I don't shoot high-definition video.

The ZS3 has a distinct advantage in having 25mm at the wide end, compared to the 28mm of the S90. But the S90 has a larger sensor, and the edge in IQ which this provides. As a "pixel peeper" that probably means more to me than it should. A self-described amateur like the OP would not be able to discern much difference.

Gave the camera to my college age daughter so she can slowly ease into advanced photography. Her first reports from concert pictures are amazing compared to the 2 year old canon.

I use the 20D but wanted something to carry when traveling that was less baggage
and had used the G7, G9, G10 and looked at the G11 but didn't like it's feel compared
to the G10, BUT I did want to get the IQ that the G11 offered which was available
in the S90 so I sold off the G10 to fund the purchase and haven't regretted it yet
What is so nice is the portability of the S90 compared to the G10, here's a shot that
was impromptu while at my inlaw's house for dinner today, my wife's dad was giving my
daughter a guitar lesson and I just pulled the camera from my shirt pocket and captured
this moment without them knowing I even took the shot;

Nice picture. Thanks for sharing.

You're welcome, forgot to mention, I switched on the face recognition
so it picked up on the faces and focused pretty quickly, I was pleasantly
surprise at how well that did
G2

Yeah, lovely pic Gary.
Thanks for posting it.