Review posted 12/7/2011

Quick Take

Pros

Solid metal Build Awesome f/2.0 - f/5.9, 5x zoom lens New 12-Megapixel sensor creates larger and still very impressive images A slew of easy-to-use custom shooting settings Full manual control with Neutral Density filter for unmatched control from a compact camera Capable Smart Auto mode Top-notch 3.0-inch LCD screen Cool and handy control ring mounted around lens bezel Outstanding high ISO performance for a camera of this size Upgraded to full 1080p HD video capture Cool in-camera HDR mode Increased burst mode speeds over past 2 models Added GPS capabilities

Cons

Noticeable aberrations in some sample images Weaker flash (falls off very fast when using the zoom) New features consume a lot of power and can be tough on the camera's battery $430 price tag is not for everyone

Bottom Line

Once again Canon has improved on an already powerful and easy to use digicam. With a full set of upgraded hardware and outstanding quality, this is a wonderfully powerful camera with amazing quality. Read more in our Full Conclusion.

Replacing last year's PowerShot S95, we have the Canon PowerShot S100. While many of the features remain the same, the biggest changes here are the upgrade from a 10-megapixel CCD to a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and the all new DIGIC 5 image processor. CMOS allows for full HD 1080p video recording and the DIGIC 5 is all about speed and quality imagery. The S100 is capable of high speed bursts of up to 8 frames. Also, Canon's built in HS SYSTEM works with the DIGIC 5 and the CMOS sensor to allow for cleaner and more accurate photographs, reportedly all the way up to ISO 6400.