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S90 - It's Alive....

Started Oct 22, 2019 | Discussions
NicholasD
NicholasD Senior Member • Posts: 1,346
S90 - It's Alive....
6

This past weekend, I was cleaning my office and came across my old S90. I bought it in 2010 in advance of a work trip to Brazil and Argentina. I needed something relatively small with half decent IQ. It served me well for years until it got drenched during full flow commissioning of a deluge system (the ziplock bag wasn't perfectly sealed as I walked the system to confirm proper operation). The camera never worked right since - sometimes the lens would extend, sometimes not. I tried drying multiple times and nothing made any difference. So, camera and battery went into the box on the shelf and I found a cheap RX100 as a replacement.

Was planning on trashing the whole lot when I came across it, but what the heck - charged the battery - and turned it on. Started right up. Had to set the date but the camera works perfectly. I guess it needed 7 years of drying.....

Candidly, I tended to use the camera for snapshots. Output was always JPG's, but had a pleasing color palette. It was a huge step forward above cell phone cameras at the time. Perfect size for a take anywhere camera. Have no hard data, but the RX100 always seemed more fragile than the S90, although I wouldn't want to drop either onto concrete....  And the IQ of the RX100 is undoubtedly better. But the Canon was a perfect tool that gave me years of reliable service. Not sure how I'll use it now, but you can never have too many cameras....

Some representative samples

Lake Superior

Argentina

High Line - NYC

the aforementioned deluge test

 NicholasD's gear list:NicholasD's gear list
Sony RX100 Nikon D40 Nikon D7200 Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm F1.8G +7 more
Canon PowerShot S90 Sony RX100
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Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

Lol @ never have too many cameras...!!

So true...!!

Really wonderful to read your S90 came back to life after the soaking; that's a success story for sure..!

After that trial by fire, uh, water, I would have no qualms about stowing the little guy in a pocket, to ride along 24/7 as a companion camera to my shooter of the day....

Really nice to have choices, no?

-- hide signature --

Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.
--------------
In pursuit of photographic excellence.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
marksee Contributing Member • Posts: 969
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

Great story and great camera. I have the S100 and can't find a reason to upgrade even to a current compact 1inch. I use mine for travel  and social events. Better than my phone and a flash for evening shots and I never enlarge anything past a 4x6 if I print at all.

NicholasD
OP NicholasD Senior Member • Posts: 1,346
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

Chaplain Mark wrote:

Lol @ never have too many cameras...!!

So true...!!

Really wonderful to read your S90 came back to life after the soaking; that's a success story for sure..!

After that trial by fire, uh, water, I would have no qualms about stowing the little guy in a pocket, to ride along 24/7 as a companion camera to my shooter of the day....

Really nice to have choices, no?

Too many cameras is one thing. I have a friend who applied the same logic to motorcycles - that became problematic at some point.

If my middle school age son doesn't want it (probably not - no touch screen......), it will probably end up in my daily driver - that way I've got something that can give me RAW captures if I want to go that route or I can use my phone if I want or need to send something to somebody right away.

You're right - interesting choices, whether in things or in people, is what makes the world go round.....

 NicholasD's gear list:NicholasD's gear list
Sony RX100 Nikon D40 Nikon D7200 Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm F1.8G +7 more
Chaplain Mark
Chaplain Mark Veteran Member • Posts: 6,539
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

NicholasD wrote:

Chaplain Mark wrote:

Lol @ never have too many cameras...!!

So true...!!

Really wonderful to read your S90 came back to life after the soaking; that's a success story for sure..!

After that trial by fire, uh, water, I would have no qualms about stowing the little guy in a pocket, to ride along 24/7 as a companion camera to my shooter of the day....

Really nice to have choices, no?

Too many cameras is one thing. I have a friend who applied the same logic to motorcycles - that became problematic at some point.

If my middle school age son doesn't want it (probably not - no touch screen......), it will probably end up in my daily driver - that way I've got something that can give me RAW captures if I want to go that route or I can use my phone if I want or need to send something to somebody right away.

You're right - interesting choices, whether in things or in people, is what makes the world go round.....

Amen...!!!

😊😊

-- hide signature --

Thank You,
Chaplain Mark
-----
'Tis better to have a camera and not need one than to need a camera and not have one.
--------------
In pursuit of photographic excellence.

 Chaplain Mark's gear list:Chaplain Mark's gear list
Canon G3 X Canon PowerShot G5 X Sony a7R III Sony a7C Sony FE 135mm F1.8 GM +3 more
rolandx1 Forum Member • Posts: 51
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

I still use my S90 all the time, at work.

 rolandx1's gear list:rolandx1's gear list
Canon PowerShot A570 IS Canon PowerShot S90 Canon G7 X II Canon PowerShot SX70
YWG Senior Member • Posts: 1,364
Re: S90 - It's Alive....
2

Good awakening for your camera.

Technically I still have my S90. After about 9.5 years of ownership and infrequent use, I lent it to a friend and don't care if it comes back.

Before that, I found it to be superior for making quick classified postings due to the wide DOF. It was also sharper than the cellphones that we have and less noisy while offering manual and automatic modes. I think it is sharper than my g5x and g7x when I had it. Perhaps again to wider DOF.

Today, despite superior photo making qualities, I don't see it going back into the mix. While it is small, it is still something extra to carry. I unfortunately manage to destroy a cell phone every 3 to 4 years (and when batteries are harder to source). Each new phone has been a huge leap in capability and convenience. That has stalled out any curiosity over a s120 to see if that 1/3 stop faster lens and operational speed is worth it. Likewise it has taken the gas out of a g9x purchase.

I used to have 30 plus cameras between film compacts, SLR, medium format, DSLR, mirrorless and compacts. I do think there is such thing as too many cameras and thankfully down to single digits, some of which are just held for nostalgia and not actually used.

 YWG's gear list:YWG's gear list
Olympus Stylus 1s Canon PowerShot G5 X Olympus E-M1 Olympus E-M1 II
rastasean Regular Member • Posts: 139
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

Hi Nicholas,

Have you ever used CHDK on this camera or any other Canon camera you have?

https://chdk.fandom.com/wiki/CHDK

Thanks,

rastasean

NicholasD
OP NicholasD Senior Member • Posts: 1,346
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

rastasean wrote:

Hi Nicholas,

Have you ever used CHDK on this camera or any other Canon camera you have?

https://chdk.fandom.com/wiki/CHDK

Thanks,

rastasean

No, have not. Sorry but I can't give any insight into it...

 NicholasD's gear list:NicholasD's gear list
Sony RX100 Nikon D40 Nikon D7200 Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm F1.8G +7 more
NicholasD
OP NicholasD Senior Member • Posts: 1,346
Re: S90 - It's Alive....

NicholasD wrote:

This past weekend, I was cleaning my office and came across my old S90. I bought it in 2010 in advance of a work trip to Brazil and Argentina. I needed something relatively small with half decent IQ. It served me well for years until it got drenched during full flow commissioning of a deluge system (the ziplock bag wasn't perfectly sealed as I walked the system to confirm proper operation). The camera never worked right since - sometimes the lens would extend, sometimes not. I tried drying multiple times and nothing made any difference. So, camera and battery went into the box on the shelf and I found a cheap RX100 as a replacement.

Was planning on trashing the whole lot when I came across it, but what the heck - charged the battery - and turned it on. Started right up. Had to set the date but the camera works perfectly. I guess it needed 7 years of drying.....

Candidly, I tended to use the camera for snapshots. Output was always JPG's, but had a pleasing color palette. It was a huge step forward above cell phone cameras at the time. Perfect size for a take anywhere camera. Have no hard data, but the RX100 always seemed more fragile than the S90, although I wouldn't want to drop either onto concrete.... And the IQ of the RX100 is undoubtedly better. But the Canon was a perfect tool that gave me years of reliable service. Not sure how I'll use it now, but you can never have too many cameras....

Well, I think I know how I'll use my S90. Looks like the RX100 referenced above has given up the ghost. The Sony is a very nice camera, but hard to justify buying a replacement when a more than adequate alternative is sitting on my desk. Will be fun to play with the Canon RAW files.

(And if anyone has ideas regarding my RX100 problem , that would be great)

 NicholasD's gear list:NicholasD's gear list
Sony RX100 Nikon D40 Nikon D7200 Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G II Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm F1.8G +7 more
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