Isabel Cutler
Forum Pro
The S400 is the seventh digital camera I've owned, preceded by a Kodak DC120, Coolpix 900, Coolpix 990, Canon S10, Olympus 2100uz and Sony DSC F717. Among all, the S400 has the most dead-on metering accuracy in Auto mode. I'm astounded by its wonderful performance. The color accuracy and dynamic range are wonderful as are the auto white balance and custom white balance. The camera was bought for my husband to take hiking. He wanted something that wouldn't hold him up fiddling with settings as he hikes with a group. I tested it at a street fair yesterday, totally in auto mode and its metering accuracy amazed me. Shots taken in dappled sunlight showed great balance without burnt out areas. The flash doesn't have a huge range but its great strength is in the macro range where it beautifully squelches itself and doesn't burn out details when really close up...check out the dog head photo in my S400 gallery, url below People have complained about the cost...but the quality of the pictures merits it! (Of course it would be nice if it were cheaper, but I feel it's worth the price for the enjoyment I'm getting!) Here are some of my first pictures: http://www.pbase.com/isabel95/canons400
Problems:
Only problem so far is inaccurate EXIF readings when images are saved in Elements and Photoshop. ISO ratings don't show. pBase shows weird things like exposure compensation settings that weren't used and "shutter priority" mode, which doesn't exist with this camera. I wish the zoom wasn't so fast...hard to stop it where you want to.
Problems:
Only problem so far is inaccurate EXIF readings when images are saved in Elements and Photoshop. ISO ratings don't show. pBase shows weird things like exposure compensation settings that weren't used and "shutter priority" mode, which doesn't exist with this camera. I wish the zoom wasn't so fast...hard to stop it where you want to.