Canon PowerShot S80 - UK Digital Camera Review

Canon PowerShot S80 Review

The Canon PowerShot S80 is well built, tidy and together with its attractive two-tone finish, is an excellent compact camera to own.

A focal length of 35mm (equivalent 28mm - 100mm) allows you to take wide angle or telephoto shots, depending upon your location, whilst the utilisation of Canon's UA lens knowledge gives high precision results.

Canon PowerShot S80 Front
Canon PowerShot S80 Back

There are many advanced features on the Canon PowerShot S80 and the fact that there is an 8.0 megapixel CCD sensor results in the ability to produce photo prints of up to A2 in size without any lessening of the normal high quality finish.

The PowerShot S80 has 12 Special Scene modes on its menu and the full range of 21 shooting modes allows you to have control over which setting you may wish to have for your particular situation. Canon's iSAPS technology optimises camera settings by using information from the shooting scene even before a shot is taken. It is also possible to produce high resolution (1024 x 768 XGA movies with sound).

Superior image quality is standard due to the DIGIC II image processor because this feature creates quick and responsive camera performance. An added enhancement is that the My Colors option allows the application of colour in real time.

When the subject is off-centre the 9-point AiAF incorporated within the Canon PowerShot S80 guarantees sharp results and, in addition, you could manually select a focus area using the FlexiZone AF/AE as this makes an automatic adjustment.

To enable others to view shots at the same time as you, the 2.5" LCD has a wide viewing angle and to enable you to judge exposure setting accurately, prior to taking a shot, the SLR-style Multi Control Dial gives manoeuvrability within the menus and images.

To encourage you to be more adventurous there are a range of optional extras which include wide angle and telephoto conversion lenses, a waterproof case and High Power Flash.

The PowerShot S80 can be connected to any PictBridge compatible printer for full colour prints or to a Canon SELPHY CP Series printer for ID photos. The Canon ZoomBrowser EX (Windows) and ImageBrowser (Macintosh) are there to assist with editing and the organisation of photos. If the CANON iMAGE GATEWAY is available in your area then your photos can be shared on line.

Canon PowerShot S80 Specifications & Features

  • 8 Megapixels
  • 3.6 x Optical Zoom
  • 4 x Digital Zoom
  • 14 x Combined Zoom
  • 4cm Focusing Distance
  • Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater and Custom White Balance Settings
  • 2.5" P-Si TFT, approx. 115,000 pixels
  • Auto, Manual, On and Off Flash Modes
  • Red Eye Reduction
  • Maximum Image Size 3264 x 2448 Pixels
  • 1024 x 768 15fps Movies up to 1GB
  • PictBridge Compatible
  • Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMedia (MMC) Card - 32MB SD Card supplied
  • Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
  • Approximate Weight 225g

Canon PowerShot S80 User Reviews

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Reviewer: Darren - UK
I currently own a PowerShot S50 and have been playing with the idea of upgrading to the S80, I use PhotoShop a lot to adjust my photos and would like to have the higher quality images to begin with. I have managed to borrow an S80 to play with for a few days so I can compare the two, The S50 is easier to navigate around the menus but then the S80 has a lot more features. The image quality is superb on the S80 but I dont think this makes up for the ease of use of my old camera.

Features
Rating 8/10
Image Quality
Rating 9/10
Usability
Rating 5/10
Reviewer: Rick Burgess - UK
I wanted a camera that could take SLR quality shots without the weight and size penalty, so I opted for the S80. The 8.3 megapixels combined with a quality Canon lens produce outstanding results, the 28 to 100mm lens covers most of the photographic situations that you are likely to come across and the large LCD screen allows you to compose your shot with ease (no more squinting). I bought a 1GB memory card when I got the camera and this will hold about 290 shots at the highest quality. The battery also has a good life taking up to 290 shots before it needs charging, although not the cheapest compact camera, you cannot go wrong.

Features
Rating 10/10
Image Quality
Rating 9/10
Usability
Rating 8/10
Reviewer: Flash Gordon - UK
I wanted a small, powerful and good looking camera, and that's exactly what I got, perfect!

Features
Rating 10/10
Image Quality
Rating 10/10
Usability
Rating 10/10
Reviewer: Dave P - UK
I recently purchased the PowerShot S80 and could not be happier, It's one of the best cameras I have ever owned. The image quality is amazing with vibrant colours and crystal clear detail which is also shown in the large bright LCD. The build quality is solid and robust the only gripe is the battery cover which could be a little sturdier. In the hand it feels nice and compact but not so small that your hands cant hold it properly. A great camera.

Features
Rating 9/10
Image Quality
Rating 10/10
Usability
Rating 7/10
Reviewer: Sheila - UK
I cannot express how good the pictures are from this camera, I upgraded from my old digital camera and was amazed at the clarity and brightness, it's also very easy to use as a point and shoot camera even though I have not worked out all the features yet.

Features
Rating 8/10
Image Quality
Rating 9/10
Usability
Rating 8/10
Add a ReviewAdd a review for the Canon PowerShot S80
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Canon PowerShot S80 Review & Features - © UK Digital Camera Reviews 2008
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