Customer Reviews

Canon Elph 2 APS Camera Kit

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This puppy is a piece of art + machine all in one. The miniature size and high quality production materials make this product a thing to put on a pedestal. But what do you care if it doesn't perform? Well it does just great in all sorts of light conditions. I've taken it to Washington State where the sun don't shine too brightly with Fuji 200ASA - great panoramic shots with good color. After 6 months with this camera - I haven't used my 35mm Olympus. However, those of you who are really into detail will find the Advanced film quality slightly unacceptable.

The controls are just fabulous - the best is the zoom lever - immediate zoom speed without a lot of time lapse. The actual zoom ratio isn't that great but you have to give up something for its size. It's got all the standard red-eye, fill-in, timer functions, plus a bunch of nifty time-date-stamp buttons. The back display gives you all the info in logical layout.

The only thing you need to watch out for is the standard 2-step focus and shoot process. Because this gem is so small, it's easy to move the camera while trying to get a good shot. And if you're thinking about the Elph 1 versus Elph 2 - I've seen 2 of the Elph 1's in the camera shop with its flash stuck in the up mode.

I bought this camera in July of 2000 to replace my 35mm point-and-shoot that had died (after only 14 years! <G>). A week after I got it, I left on a trip to Colorado - not normally a great idea, to take a brand new camera that you haven't had a chance to get used to on a trip. I got amazingly good pictures back, however - better crispness using 200 speed film than 400 speed - and the panoramic feature for mountain/valley type shots was fantastic. Since then, I've taken it on three more trips and shot about 8 rolls of film. I haven't had any trouble at all with the camera and the pictures are consistently excellent (except when I do stuff like cover the lens with my fingers . . . hardly the camera's fault!). The small size is very helpful too - I feel pretty dumb walking around with the little carrying case on my belt, but that way I DO have the camera every time I need it, and it's not quite as dopey as having it slung around my neck. I don't remember when I ever got this excited about an electronic product - there isn't anything I'd change about it.

I'm consistantly amazed at what Canon can pack into such a small package. I took a Canon Elph Jr. with me to Rome in the fall of 1999, and the pictures came out beautifully. The Elph 2 has the 2x zoom feature, but otherwise it's very similar. The APS photosystem is easy to use, and the index prints and negatives that stay in the canister are great for those of us who aren't terribly organized. All the canisters stay in a book-sized holder with the index prints. As a result, I give far more photo gifts than I used to, because I always know where the negatives are when I need to order reprints. I was particularly struck by the clarity of the photos, the richness of the colours, and the ease of use of the camera. While the 24mm APS format is smaller than the 35mm standard film, the resolution is still excellent. Far better than any digital camera under $1000. One of the most useful characteristics is the tiny size. Because it fits anywhere, I take it with me in my napsack and shoot photos of anything I find interesting. If you purchase a $100 flatbed scanner to scan photos for your web page, or to send via email, these Elphs offer a far better bargain than any digital camera or film camera available today.

GREAT CAMERA!

I purchased this camera based totally on its size and "pocketability". After playing with it for a few weeks I've learned that it's quality is superb (all metal case), the controls are intuitive (the shutter is surrounded by the zoom lens and the rear of the camera contains a panel that monitors all vital functions of this great little camera). The photos are surprisingly clear for an APS camera, with three versatile formats controlled by a toggle switch adjacent to the eye piece.

My only dislike about this camera is that the red-eye function is not as effective as it could be. Most indoor photos still have this problem when developed. Another small glitch not with the camera but with the photo processors is the IX date function does not always appear on the film when developed. I was told that not all processors use equipment that is compatible with the IX date function.

Panoramic shots using 200 speed film (I personally prefer Fuji Nexia)are very clear with very little grain.

Overall I'm very satisfied with this purchase. As a matter of fact, based upon my satisfaction with the APS ELPH2 I purchased a Digital Elph three weeks after this camera.

The ELPH2 is a must have if you're looking for a moderately priced, quality point and shoot APS camera.

I spent considerable time researching small cameras and I came to many of the same conclusions as other reviewers:

The size of the Elph 2 is ideal. I take the camera fishing, skiing, and on all other trips. If fits on one's belt like a pocketknife, ready for action. With a camera this convenient and unobtrusive, I find myself taking more pictures and therefore having a much better record of my trips.

Functionality - very good. This is certainly the best camera in the Canon APS line - a great impovement over previous models. It is important to pay attention to the automatic features of the camera; turn off the flash if your subject is far away and use the focus hold feature to be sure the right object is in focus. Be careful with action shots as the shutter can take its sweet time on occasion.

Photo quality - this seems to be the most sensitive issue amongst reviewers. I agree with one other reviewer here in saying that the key is the processing location - it is important to find a place that processes APS film well. I spent some time in the desert with friends, we all had cameras - SLR, 35mm P/S, and my Canon APS. Having developed my pictures at a good local place, my pictures turned out the BEST compared to my friends. In fact, I have taken some pictures with this camera that look professional in quality. However, I have gotten rolls developed at other places and the pictures were completely uninspiring. The difference is remarkable.

I would dock this camera 1/2 a star for aesthetics. The original elph was quite unique visually. This camera, though perfectly nice, is not very intersting. The face is a bit crowded and it looks like all the other silver cameras out there.

I would certainly recommend this camera to those of you looking for a travel camera with few compromises and a price that doesn't make you nervous about using it.

I have shopped for a camera for a year after trying many other. I have purchased 5 cameras in the last 6 years from a Richo 35mm point and shoot to a Nikon APS in which all I have had to through away. I highly recommend The Canon Elph 2. It is a very easy camera to operate with alot of bells and whistles. Colors are so bright and accurate and the clarity so crisp. I have had no problems and it is so handy, fits right in my pocket or on my belt and Kodak now makes Black and White film for it. I also recommend 400 speed film.

I've loved my Elf 1 for about 3 years now and just bought the Elf 2 for my parents (although they may get my old one -- they don't know that yet!). After having spent some time with it, I like the new one a bit better because of the neat new features: 1 -- you can change film midroll which is neat if you want to shoot different film for different conditions 2 -- If you know you just took a great shot, you can specify how many prints you want made up to 9! I wish mine had that feature. You can also use it for the following shot, but that's it. 3 -- the flash doesn't stick up any more so it can't get stuck 4 -- it has a new zoom device which works better and is more convenient. Plus, it takes the same great pictures in 3 modes that the old Elf did. I agree that Panormanic shoots of far off mountains are better with an SLR, but almost every other kind of shot looks just fine with the Elf. It's amazing how camera quality this good can be had for such a price. For proud parents -- the best part of the Elf is that it's TINY and you can keep it in your purse. I've taken zillions of rolls whereas with my older bigger camera, I never took it with me. You don't have to give up much to get this great quality. Wait no more!

We're in the process of returning our little elph friend. It was really cool at first and everyone loved the compact size. (We kind of showed it off a little at a couple of parties.) But after a recent trip to Disneyworld, we were comparing our photos to ones we took a couple of years ago with a 35mm camera and the quality of the elph is pretty bad. (I even met someone at Disneyworld who also had an elph. When I asked her how she liked it she said the quality isn't all that great but it's small.) I think if you're deciding between having nothing and a small APS, then at least you got the shot, otherwise, why sacrifice the quality of an important picture?

I have an Elph 2, its really a little gem, when I get some good photos back, I scan them in to my computer at 1200 dpi. Works great, I then make gorgeous 5 x 7 prints on my HP printer, the results are very pleasing. I did have an Elph 1 for about a week some time ago, the flash stuck, the viewfinder and the lens were not so great, the close up was a really insane procedure, Canon did listen to people, because the Elph 2 is a winner. APS in my opinion has some real problems, its not the cameras, its not the film, its the processing or even possibly the Picture Improvement business, the idea of APS and its features got to me from the beginning, I had a Kodak 3400 or 3700, dont remember, it turned out great photos, very consistently, and then it died. I then tried several very unsophisticated APS throwaways from Fuji, brought the exposed film to a 1 hour place in Manhattan and they sent it out, the results were amazing, razor sharp, great color and a consistent, kept this going untill I could not find Fuji APS throwaways anymore, then went back to normal aps cameras, same nonsense, some rolls great and some terrible, with the Elph 2 the results are excellent, but, there are times that I do get film back that is not so great, the problem with APS, is the processing, its horrible generally and the Picture Improvement does not help if the processor does not know what he is doing, my fuji throwaways had not PICT IMP, and results were superb, I still love my new Elph 2, wish I could I could get great developing, even Kodak is not consisten.

So, with a 2 1/2 year old and a 1 month old child in the house and a dog, it was time for a new camera. I have a 7 year old Ricoh 80 zoom 35mm camera, which works great but since it's bulky, any time we go outside, no one wants to bring and carry the 35mm camera.

I've been looking for a small, light weight camera which takes good quality pics under $250 for the passed 6 months, I even bought another 35mm, tried it and returned it back. APS is a new ball game to me, so I did alot of research. Elph 2 "IS" the smallest and the lightest camera I found, I kept looking around and saw it anywhere from ... to ... online and in stores. Finally I bought it in a store for ..., on sale. I figured if I don't like it, I can always return it back for a refund.

After the first 15 pics delevoped by a local CVS store, here is what I concluded.

All close, indoor shots, using red eye reduction, all ...! Every picture came out with bright red eyes, scarry! Indoor shots, further out came out good, not great. All outdoor shots, on a sunny day, some bright, some shady areas, all came out perfect, all crisp, nice bright colors, nice facial features, excellent background focus with good curve lines.

The zoom is fast, all the camera features are easy to use, the size and weight of the camera is great, fits into my shorts pocket, now I end up taking in everywhere! I only had it for 1 week so far.

Overall, outdoors are the best, which is the main reason I got this camera, for indoor, I'll keep using my older 35mm. So it's a keeper!