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S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

Started 8 months ago | User reviews
3Percent
3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
10

If you get the chance to find a good condition S120, grab it. This camera punches way above its specifications and still feels like a modern offering amongst the mirrorless and 1" sensor compact craze.

Lately I've had a blast combing through and optimizing my camera gear, keeping only the very best camera's and lenses from my massive kit. One of those survivors is the Canon Powershot S120, which I chose over several compacts to keep.

Literally this is a compact camera- it's tiny and yet powerful. Easily stick it in your pants or shirt pocket without hesitation. You won't experience the discomfort of carrying it this way for long periods of time either, as it is about half the size and weight of the average smart phone. It's so small, that it's less intimidating or noticeable than even a smart phone- so it makes for a great street camera.

Build quality is definitely above average, the entire camera less the card/battery compartment door is metal, and the rear lcd screen is touch screen glass. The buttons and dials and other controls definitely feel premium as well. The popup flash is activated by a switch on the side and snaps quickly up into action.

The face of the camera is a bit slippery, so an aftermarket micro grip or grip tape/tabs are recommended for more secure holding if this is a nuisance to you. The rear has a very nice and secure rubber rest for the thumb that helps tremendously with one handed shooting.

It's got wifi, time lapse movies in camera, touch screen, built in flash, customizable controls, and... it makes much higher quality images than most smart phones. There's enough customization options and controls to please the professional as well, so long as practical expectations are managed.

It's files are useable all the way up to 2,500 ISO without falling apart to the point of color bleeding or too much loss of dynamic range. Base ISO looks better than many m4/3 sensor cameras I've had in the past (and even some older APS-C!), and you can make a sharp 20x30" print with it. The total ISO range is 80-12,800, but I would stay away from the max ISO setting (6,400

Talk about a great lens too, a 24-120mm equivalent unit that shoots f/1.8 on the wide end, changing to f/5.7 on the long end. At 35mm the max aperture is still f/2.8, and it doesn't hit f/4 until about 65mm, and stills gives you an f/4.5 max aperture at 85mm equivalent- with awesome lens based image stabilization to boot. Macro performance is impressive, and at 85mm equivalent the min distance to subject is about 7", which gives you great close up performance and subject distance. That is my favorite setting for closeups.

Practically this means you won't have to boost your ISO often at all. The lens sweet spot is about f/2.8 to f/4, the latter of which I use to shoot landscapes to get the most detail and performance out of the lens and sensor combination. Wide open you'll see some softening in the corners and a touch of CA in the raw files, but the Jpegs seem well corrected and look very decent out of camera if you tweak the standard settings.

If you want the ultimate light traveler camera, this is one on a very short list I'd recommend. No it doesn't have a viewfinder but if you can live without that, its the smallest, lightest, full featured camera I'd recommend above and beyond anything else for a pocketable photo making solution.

 3Percent's gear list:3Percent's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X-S1 Canon PowerShot S120 Panasonic FZ1000 Ricoh GR II +39 more
Canon PowerShot S120
12 megapixels • 3 screen • 24 – 120 mm (5×)
Announced: Aug 22, 2013
3Percent's score
5.0
Average community score
3.8
bad for good for
Kids / pets
good
Action / sports
mediocre
Landscapes / scenery
good
Portraits
okay
Low light (without flash)
okay
Flash photography (social)
acceptable
Studio / still life
good
= community average
Canon PowerShot S120
If you believe there are incorrect tags, please send us this post using our feedback form.
lynnG Regular Member • Posts: 393
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
4

Great review. It is pity that they are no longer making those 1/8'' cameras. Another great compact camera is Panasonic LF1 with long focal length up to 200mm and a small EVF. They are in similar size and sensor.

Dunlin Senior Member • Posts: 2,594
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

If only I could've read this review several years ago before I bought my IXUS 185....

If ever I'm in need/want of a compact, I'll be sure to keep a look out for the S180.

Does the S120 have PASM modes?

-- hide signature --
 Dunlin's gear list:Dunlin's gear list
Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Olympus OM-D E-M10 II Canon EF 35-80mm f/4.0-5.6 III Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4-5.6 R Gimp +6 more
Dunlin Senior Member • Posts: 2,594
Compared to my 7D
1

3Percent wrote:

Literally this is a compact camera- it's tiny and yet powerful.

I thought I'd have a bit of fun and compare the S120 to my 7D DSLR.

...And the winner of the compactness award goes to....

The S120!

What a surprise!   (LOL)

-- hide signature --
 Dunlin's gear list:Dunlin's gear list
Canon PowerShot SX410 IS Olympus OM-D E-M10 II Canon EF 35-80mm f/4.0-5.6 III Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4-5.6 R Gimp +6 more
3Percent
OP 3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

Jethro B-UK wrote:

If only I could've read this review several years ago before I bought my IXUS 185....

If ever I'm in need/want of a compact, I'll be sure to keep a look out for the S180.

Does the S120 have PASM modes?

Yes its a full featured compact for pro's and pro/am's ;).

 3Percent's gear list:3Percent's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X-S1 Canon PowerShot S120 Panasonic FZ1000 Ricoh GR II +39 more
3Percent
OP 3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
Yep it's tiny

Jethro B-UK wrote:

3Percent wrote:

Literally this is a compact camera- it's tiny and yet powerful.

I thought I'd have a bit of fun and compare the S120 to my 7D DSLR.

...And the winner of the compactness award goes to....

The S120!

What a surprise! (LOL)

Tiny but still gives you enough control points to engage a photographer and let them be in charge of the way the camera behaves.

 3Percent's gear list:3Percent's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X-S1 Canon PowerShot S120 Panasonic FZ1000 Ricoh GR II +39 more
3Percent
OP 3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
1

lynnG wrote:

Great review. It is pity that they are no longer making those 1/8'' cameras. Another great compact camera is Panasonic LF1 with long focal length up to 200mm and a small EVF. They are in similar size and sensor.

Agreed. And this one has a slightly larger sensor than that too.  1 1/7" plus it's BSI, which really helped it to be the highest rated sensor of this class of all time.

The LF1 is another, agreed.

 3Percent's gear list:3Percent's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X-S1 Canon PowerShot S120 Panasonic FZ1000 Ricoh GR II +39 more
JohnSmith888888
JohnSmith888888 New Member • Posts: 2
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

Nice review. It's immediate predecessor, the S110, is also a very nice camera but can often be found at a much lower price point.

3Percent
OP 3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
3

JohnSmith888888 wrote:

Nice review. It's immediate predecessor, the S110, is also a very nice camera but can often be found at a much lower price point.

Agreed. And I really like the minimalist grip on the S100, not sure why they dropped that, it was near perfection.

 3Percent's gear list:3Percent's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X-S1 Canon PowerShot S120 Panasonic FZ1000 Ricoh GR II +39 more
NG Resonance Forum Member • Posts: 55
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
3

I agree wholeheartedly. There hasn't been anything to equal it since, and my S120 is still going strong. It's still my main hiking and travel camera.

 NG Resonance's gear list:NG Resonance's gear list
Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Canon PowerShot S120 PowerShot SX700 Canon PowerShot SX710 Sony RX100 VII
FerruginousHawk Contributing Member • Posts: 524
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
3

Never updated to the S120 but still have my S95 and S100. Great little cameras. Nice review.

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redtailboas Regular Member • Posts: 420
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
2

NG Resonance wrote:

I agree wholeheartedly. There hasn't been anything to equal it since, and my S120 is still going strong. It's still my main hiking and travel camera.

Amazing little camera. Too good to be true. I had one laying around with broken dpad, broken zoom, broken LCD but still took pictures lol. I think I eventually trashed it during a move. I guess the G7X G5X G9X were spiritual successors but all limited in some way compared to S120, though admittedly the smaller sensor size also a limitation on the S120 in comparison.

Peter in Canberra Senior Member • Posts: 1,346
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
2

redtailboas wrote:

NG Resonance wrote:

I agree wholeheartedly. There hasn't been anything to equal it since, and my S120 is still going strong. It's still my main hiking and travel camera.

Amazing little camera. Too good to be true. I had one laying around with broken dpad, broken zoom, broken LCD but still took pictures lol. I think I eventually trashed it during a move. I guess the G7X G5X G9X were spiritual successors but all limited in some way compared to S120, though admittedly the smaller sensor size also a limitation on the S120 in comparison.

I got one used and I also think it is a great little camera. Everything just seems to work nicely. 
Small sensor makes for infinite depth of field

XauMasala New Member • Posts: 1
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

My wife has an s120 that works perfectly. It is a great camera and very robust. It has received many drops and bumps and still works.
But she believes that the current cameras should improve a lot compared to one of so many years.
I've been looking at the current G9x, G7x and G5x and the specs aren't much better except for the 1-inch sensor and DIGIC processor. I don't know if she will notice a significant improvement with a G9x, G7x or G5x. The question is, is it worth spending the money for a new camera of these having an excellent s120?

3Percent
OP 3Percent Senior Member • Posts: 1,035
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
1

XauMasala wrote:

My wife has an s120 that works perfectly. It is a great camera and very robust. It has received many drops and bumps and still works.
But she believes that the current cameras should improve a lot compared to one of so many years.
I've been looking at the current G9x, G7x and G5x and the specs aren't much better except for the 1-inch sensor and DIGIC processor. I don't know if she will notice a significant improvement with a G9x, G7x or G5x. The question is, is it worth spending the money for a new camera of these having an excellent s120?

Value is in the eye of the beholder. If shes doing large prints, yes, if not, no.

 3Percent's gear list:3Percent's gear list
Ricoh GR Digital IV Fujifilm X-S1 Canon PowerShot S120 Panasonic FZ1000 Ricoh GR II +39 more
redtailboas Regular Member • Posts: 420
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem
1

XauMasala wrote:

My wife has an s120 that works perfectly. It is a great camera and very robust. It has received many drops and bumps and still works.
But she believes that the current cameras should improve a lot compared to one of so many years.
I've been looking at the current G9x, G7x and G5x and the specs aren't much better except for the 1-inch sensor and DIGIC processor. I don't know if she will notice a significant improvement with a G9x, G7x or G5x. The question is, is it worth spending the money for a new camera of these having an excellent s120?

Probably not. Honestly except for the optical zoom a modern phone camera will do a similar or better SOOC job in most situations.

If shooting a lot of low light then the 1" can help in comparison to the S120. Even then, the night modes on Pixel cameras are very impressive and if get something like Pixel 6 Pro have a 4x optical.

Of course a phone can't replace that feel of holding a real camera. Not sure how much she values that. I keep my G7X mark 1 just for that even though I use my Pixel 6a for all shooting, I can't seem to let go of my G7X.

alowprofile New Member • Posts: 8
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

Great review. I remember having this camera years ago and I just picked one up relatively cheap on eBay because I missed the portability. It seems like it’s in great shape but I am getting some center softness as if there is no actual focal point (nothing is completely sharp). It’s happening with slightly longer shutter speeds like 1/15 and 1/4… but I’m using a flash so, IS or not, it shouldn’t be an issue, right? I’m gonna try more tests at smaller apertures- but just wondering if anyone else has noticed soft focus across the frame. I’m not expecting the sharpness of an A7m4…. but it still feels soft for a 10 year old P&S.

PS Adding a photo I just took as an example. Settings were JPEG / 1/250 F4.5 ISO 80. Let me know if I’m being a diva - I focused on that Jeep’s car door handle with auto focus and the photo looks fine but not usably sharp anywhere. Thoughts? (Here’s a link to the photo as well): https://share.icloud.com/photos/082xI7UMSCo2HJRvYRdQQQR2A

eilivk Senior Member • Posts: 2,580
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

lynnG wrote:

Great review. It is pity that they are no longer making those 1/8'' cameras. Another great compact camera is Panasonic LF1 with long focal length up to 200mm and a small EVF. They are in similar size and sensor.

Got L-F1, my main belt camera, small but useful EVF, and sometimes S100 or S95, how are they compared to S120?

 eilivk's gear list:eilivk's gear list
Canon PowerShot G10 Ricoh GR Digital Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR Ricoh CX4 Sony RX1 +10 more
eilivk Senior Member • Posts: 2,580
Re: S120- An Almost Forgotten Gem

FerruginousHawk wrote:

Never updated to the S120 but still have my S95 and S100. Great little cameras. Nice review.

Same here, have not tested them aginst each other, good enough when it's not too dark.

 eilivk's gear list:eilivk's gear list
Canon PowerShot G10 Ricoh GR Digital Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR Ricoh CX4 Sony RX1 +10 more
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