Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I have the Canon PowerShot A80, A620, and SD800 IS. The photos from the SD800 IS are not as clean as the photos of the older A-model Canons with slightly larger sensors and lower megapixels, but the photos are reasonably sharp and the SD800 IS is more compact than my older A models for everyday carry. However, small cameras with small flashes with limited flash range would benefit from better low-light-higher-ISO capabilities -- my SD800 IS takes photos at ISO 1600 that look quite grainy or noisy. So I decided to check out the Canon HS models for the low-light-high-ISO capabilities. I wanted an HS model that was smaller than my SD800 and I did not want to pay too much for a camera that I was not completely sure about, so I put the cheapest ELPH 100 HS model in my Amazon.com cart. When the price dropped by $20 and Super Saver Shipping was offered, I ordered the 100 HS in April and have been carrying the camera as my everyday camera and using it for nine weeks. The 100 HS is lighter and much thinner than my SD800, although it is actually a little longer. The screen is much bigger and takes up most of the back of the camera -- it is great for reviewing photos. But the control wheel is smaller and is a little trickier to use -- I kept pressing the wrong way and needed additional attempts to get things changed. With fewer external controls on the back than the SD800, the 100 HS required more use of the menus. The smaller size of the 100 HS is an important attraction for me, but it comes with some disadvantages -- there is little to grab onto, so I use the wrist strap to help in avoiding drops. In low light, the higher ISO capabilities of the 100 HS have been impressive. The photos look really less grainy or noisy and the colors have looked pretty good. However, zooming in on the photos reveal soft images and lack of detail, so the noise reduction results in loss of sharpness. Photos taken with the flash within the limited flash range and lower ISO are noticeably sharper than the photos taken without the flash and higher ISO. Although I used to see reviews that said that ELPH cameras produced photos that were very sharp, the reviews on the 100 HS indicate that its resolution is a bit low and is average at best, not sharp, so the high ISO noise reduction appears to be only part of the reason why the photos look so soft. My SD800 IS, which is not the sharpest camera out there, produces sharper looking photos than the 100 HS. When I decided to use the 100 HS's flash more from within the flash's range in order to get sharper photos, I encountered another problem -- the flash photos showed a color cast and were less pleasing than the photos taken without the flash. This was surprising to me, because I have not gotten this result with any of my other Canon cameras -- so I had to do some color correction with Adobe Photoshop Elements. After getting that screwy flash color result, I compared the colors of photos taken under different lighting conditions taken with the 100 HS and the SD800. The SD800 produced photos with more accurate colors than the 100 HS. However, the difference is only noticeable if you compare the photos taken with the 100 HS against photos taken of the same objects with other cameras or if you compare the photos with the original objects photographed, so the 100 HS's colors may be satisfactory to you, especially if you use the "Vivid" or other color setting. Because I usually print photos in the 4X6-inch size, I set the aspect ratio at 3:2 instead of 4:3. When I changed the aspect ratio, I lost the digital zoom. I learned from Canon that the digital zoom works only in the 4:3 aspect ratio. As others have already pointed out, the optical zoom of the 100 HS is not available for video, so any zooming has to be with the digital zoom. If you set the 100 HS for the aspect ratio 3:2 or 16:9 and you plan to zoom during a video with the digital zoom, you should set the aspect ratio to 4:3 before starting the video. After reading more comments and reviews, I concluded that there is a price paid for the compactness and low-light capabilities of this camera. Other cameras that are a bit bigger may be better suited for those who are looking for a primary camera. For family and office events, I have my other Canons and my Nikon D90 SLR to use, so I do not have to rely only on the ELPH 100 HS. If a compact Canon ELPH is nevertheless desired, I would suggest that a 300 HS for about $50 more should be considered.