Canon PowerShot S120 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 1080p Full-HD Video Wi-Fi Enabled

I just bought it used and only had the camera for a few days, but I bought its grandfather, the S100 in 2011. And absolutely loved it. Ive taken more pictures with it than my other cameras combined. It failed last weekend. This model is much like it with new features, many of which Ill never use, e.g., touch screen, colors, face recognition, and most of the special scene modes (who wants a picture like taken with a toy camera?). Maybe I havent figured how to do it correctly, but I tried the HDR (High Dynamic Range) and it didnt seem to do much if anything. This model does substantially better in low light than its grandfather. Id say, this camera is for a person experienced in photography. It has a fully automatic mode, but if you are going to use that you might as well buy a cheaper camera. The beauty of this camera is you can set the shutter speed, aperture or use it manually. If you intend to use it as a simple point & shoot camera dont buy this one.

Show more

I chose the Canon S120 because I wanted a true pocket camera that takes great pictures and videos. The review sites cover the S120 pretty well, so Ill focus more on why I chose it, how I use it, and how I like it. And since a memory card isnt included, I also ordered a 32 GB (80 MB/s) SanDisk Extreme SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 memory card for storage. This card easily handles continuous shooting and the supported HD video modes. My previous digital cameras have also been Canon point and shoots (mostly ELPHs). Ive gotten used to putting them in my pocket to take with me on trips and to special events. However, smartphone cameras have improved to the point where I started leaving my aging ELPH at home. But even the best phones have notable limitations, and there are times when I want much better pictures than what my smartphone is capable of taking. I still wanted the convenience of carrying a pocket camera, so I wasnt interested in a bulky camera body and kit lens, or even a compact that doesnt fit in my pocket. So I narrowed it down to the Canon S120 and the Sony RX100 . The Sonys 1" sensor was intriguing; however, this Canons 1/1.7" sensor is still substantially larger than anything that Ive used before. Plus, the S120s image quality typically gets pretty good reviews. I decided that either the Sony or Canon would give me acceptable pictures, and it wasnt necessarily about which one takes the "best" photos. The price was important, but the size was the deciding factor. I looked at a Sony at our local Best Buy; and the (arguably minor) additional thickness made it too big to carry in my front pocket. Sure I could put it in a case; but if wanted to do that, Id add the Fujifilm X20 , Canon G16 , Panasonic LX7 , and Olympus XZ-2 to my list. I also take pictures of marine reef aquariums, so I appreciate the S120s manual controls which allow me to adjust the white balance, aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Plus, the option to shoot in RAW format is real bonus for this type of photography. Reef tank lighting and moving fish can be a challenge for typical point and shoot cameras; however, Im impressed with how well this camera handles these shooting conditions. Its 922,000 pixel, 3" touchscreen is sharp, allowing for accurate manual focus adjustments. In addition, the S120 supports either manual focus magnification or peaking (which highlights the edges of objects that are in focus). This is helpful for extreme close ups. However, the autofocus is quick and you can use the touchscreen to select your subject. The camera will even continue to focus on that subject as it moves, or while you frame the shot. Previously, I had been using a Canon ELPH for travel, a Canon A-series (w/ some manual controls) for taking pictures of marine reef tanks, and a Cisco Flip for occasional videos. The Canon S120 replaces and improves on all three of these cameras. I sure wont miss juggling both the Flip and the ELPH around on vacations. Plus, the S120 is small enough to comfortably carry in the front pocket of a pair of loose fitting jeans. The pictures that Ive taken have been good, even in lower light without a flash. Im glad the flash doesnt pop up whenever the camera detects low light. I typically just zoom out to 24mm (f/1.8) to get the shot; however, you can easily activate the flash when needed. It has 3 different intensity settings, and does a good job preventing red eye (without using those annoying strobe flashes). Now I can finally take decent indoor and evening pictures. Even so, I wish the sensor was a little larger and/or the lens was a little brighter (especially at telephoto). Understandably, when shooting in low light without a flash, the photos can be slightly grainy or blurry. However, the processor handles high ISO well, and holding the camera against a solid surface can help reduce blur from camera shake during longer exposures. For me, this is an acceptable trade off for having such a pocketable camera. Some people use the Canon S120 when they dont want to carry a DSLR; but I use it when I want to take much better pictures and videos than what my phone can take. Now, instead of leaving my camera at home, I bring it along with me (in my pocket). Its a much better camera than my older ELPHs, but I basically use it the same way. Previous Canon point and shoot users (of any series) should be comfortable shooting quality pictures and videos with this camera. Im pleased with this purchase, and consider it to be a good overall value. While not perfect, the S120 is the best camera that Ive owned. Its not quite as small as an ELPH, but its still small enough to carry in a pocket. And while I frequently use the Auto mode, its manual controls are invaluable whenever I need them (or if I just want to get more artistic). Finally, the ability to take quality 1080p/60p movies (in MP4 format) is the icing on the cake.

Show more

I purchased this point and shoot camera to replace an older Canon PAS I have used for many years. It is rugged and fits nicely into my back pocket without a case, although I dont recommend this. Instead, I use a soft Lowepro case for protection between uses. The response time of the camera is great with little time between clicking the shutter button from one photo to the next. The lag from capture to record the photo to the disk is minimal which was a major problem with my old camera. This one is really fast. The only thing I would improve on this new model is to move the mechanical flash release switch from the side of the camera to the top. There is a nice leather case made to protect this camera which I considered purchasing, but the screw on the case which fits into the base of the camera has to be unfastened to release the camera to access the flash switch. My concern about this is not enough to lower the rating. This is a five-star camera and gets more use than my big, bulky DSLR when I am traveling. I purchased a SanDisk Ultra 32GB Class 10 SDHC memory card and spare Lithium battery with the camera. The fully charged Lithium battery will support about 40 minutes of continuous video recording.

Show more

I highly recommend this camera! For being just a point and shoot, this camera truly provides the ease of use for everyone while affording high-end features found in DSLR cameras; having the option to manually control shutter speed and aperture, as well as the ability the shoot in RAW is awesome. Please note, RAW images require post-processing to add sharpness, saturation, and so on (Adobe Lightroom is highly recommended for this). The image quality of this camera is quite impressive. I have not yet printed any of the images to a size larger than 8x10, but I truly anticipate that I will not be disappointed in the color and quality of the image. In regards to the settings for this camera, the menus are easy to access and intuitive compared to cameras from other manufacturers. If you are looking to invest in more than just a point and shoot that will capture memories of life both at home and on the road, this is your camera. Having gone through several different models of Canon point and shoot cameras, I have found a winner with this one. And, it complements my DSLRs perfectly!

Show more

I am strictly a point and shoot camera type of person. Ive owned Kodak, Sony Cybershot, Canon S95 and this is the best ever and I highly recommend it. My boyfriend owns a DLSR camera, and even he is impressed with the quality of this little camera. I am absolutely blown away with the Stars feature. I had it in my backyard, set it to the Stars function, click, waited 20 minutes and I captured a beautiful star trail right in my own backyard. I have friends asking me about this camera and they are sold when I tell them how good it is. My most favorite feature is the wifi. It is so easy to connect and you can upload & share pictures instantly. I travel alot, and I can easily take this with me anywhere. If you are debating between the S95 or S120? The S95 had a few minor flaws in my opinion. The S120 got it right. I need to warn everyone though that I had a little mishap before I got this camera. Amazon sent me the right box, but WRONG camera!! As soon as I emailed Amazon about it, they shipped me the correct camera.

Show more

I messed around with my dads hand-me-down Canon 10D for a couple years, but decided that the bulky/heavy aspect of the camera combined with my lack of expertise using manual settings would lead me to look for a more compact/amateur model. I picked the Powershot S120 and it has performed PHENOMENALLY. I took this camera with me to Puerto Rico for a family vacation and the picture and video quality has been outstanding. The flash performs about as well as you can expect from a point-and-shoot. Battery life has been solid, but I recommend picking up a couple extra batteries if you plan to shoot ANY video (I purchased these: http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-Capacity-1700mAH-Batteries-Cameras/dp/B00DWIAWQE?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&ref_=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_54). I cannot comment on the Wifi capabilities, as I havent found a need for them. So far, my only complaint is that the "Menu" button text has worn off due to extreme heat and hand sweat. But overall, this is the best point-and-shoot Ive ever used.

Show more