Canon PowerShot S230 3.2 MP Digital ELPH Camera with 2x Optical Zoom and Coach Camera Case

by Canon

Product Details

Product Manual [9.51mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 1.1 x 3.4 x 2.2 inches ; 6.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000DGEQQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (140 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,571 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 22, 2003

Product Description

Color: S230 with Coach Case

From the Manufacturer

The new PowerShot S230 Digital ELPH incorporates a newly developed 3.2-megapixel CCD sensor while maintaining the compact size and elegant design of the Digital ELPH series. The S230 includes a new Imaging Processor called "DIGIC" to improve overall image quality, increase processing speed and further enhance other features including the camera's Movie Mode. Moreover, the new camera incorporates Canon's exclusive iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology to enhance the speed and performance of the camera's autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance functions; and a 9-point AiAF autofocus system makes focusing quick and easy, even with off-center subjects. Other camera features incorporated into the new PowerShot S230 include direct print capabilities with Canon's optional Card Photo Printer CP-100 as well as Bubble Jet Direct photo printers for making borderless prints up to 8.5 x 11-inches.

3.2 Megapixel CCD

With its 3.2 megapixel CCD, the PowerShot S230 offers the superior resolution you need to create images of extraordinary depth, detail and brilliance.

6.4x Combined Zoom

Canon's high-quality 2x optical zoom lens allows you to close in on the action, while the 3.2x digital zoom allows for a combined 6.4x zoom letting you capture intimate details that might have been missed with another camera.

DIGIC Imaging Processor and iSAPS Technology

The factors that attribute to the S230's outstanding image quality doesn't end with the high resolution CCD or the superior optical zoom lens. Canon has packed into this camera's compact body the new DIGIC Imaging Processor, for even greater picture quality and faster processing speed. Then, Canon took it a step further by incorporating iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) technology for more accurate autofocus, auto exposure, and auto white balance.

9-point Autofocus

The PowerShot S230 is one of the few digital cameras to feature wide area 9-point autofocus for taking crisp, sharp images no matter where the subject appears in the image frame.

Movies up to 3 minutes

Now take movie clips up to 3 minutes long with the S230! Both picture and sound quality have been improved and an editing feature allows you to delete unwanted scenes during playback.The S230's Photo Effect mode lets you do more with your still images. Choose from Low Sharpening, Vivid color, Sepia, Neutral, and Black & White.

Intelligent Orientation Sensor

The S230's Intelligent Orientation Sensor senses whether your images were shot horizontally or vertically. So, when you play them back on the LCD screen or download them to your computer, your images are always right side up.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

338 of 343 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Quality, Several Small Problems, April 24, 2003

By 

PopArt Joe (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon PowerShot S230 3.2 MP Digital ELPH Camera with 2x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

Wow. I got my s230 about five weeks ago, and have taken over 1500 photos already. I am thrilled with the quality of the camera. It is heavy, built with a very sturdy case, the buttons are quality, the menus (software) are incredibly concise and easy to use/understand. Of course, what most people are concerned with is the picture quality--for this type of camera, it is outstanding. Very few of my photos have turned out "flat" and looking like cheap digital pics. Most of them are vibrant and full of depth and detail.

Here are the only problems I've encountered so far:

1) The worst problem is the delay from the time you push the button to the time the photo takes. It is NEVER immediate, and often takes half a second or more. This is fine for a posed shot, but good luck taking action shots or candid moments. You have to learn the art of predicting where people and objects will be in a half second. Do not buy this camera if you intend to take photos of people in action, i.e. playing sports. You will miss every key photo. I have not found any way around this--playing with the settings does not change the delay.

2) Dust collects in the viewfinder lens (on the outside). Not a major problem, but it's very difficult to clean.

3) The 2x optical zoom is indeed small. You will have moments where it frustrates you.

4) The flash is weak and does create bad red eye.

5) The custom USB connection point seems very delicate. I am concerned that in the future this will wear out (however, that is just a guess--no problems have occurred yet).

6) The tripod mount is in an awkward position (on the left, but the trigger button is on the right, so the camera tends to wiggle while shooting on a tripod).

As for the battery life, I have no problems. I've taken dozens of photos and movies (using the flash and the lcd screen) and it has lasted fine. No complaints there. The memory card is very small for taking hi-res pics, so you will have to get a bigger one.

This thing has changed my life. I slip it in my pocket everywhere I go, and it has not let me down. I would highly recommend getting one. Incredible quality + very few complaints.

139 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Canon PowerShot S230: Pocket Hercules, December 14, 2002

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon PowerShot S230 3.2 MP Digital ELPH Camera with 2x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

WHY I PURCHASED THE POWERSHOT 230:
I was never really a fan of Canon cameras, especially Canon digital cameras. It wasn't until recently that a few of my friends were sending me pictures via email that were taken with a Canon Powershot camera. I was pretty impressed with the results and decided to check out the newest Powershot; the S230. This camera packed a lot of features, but kept the bulk to a minimum. Producing images at 3.2 megapixels, the S230 was definitely appealing.

WHAT IT COMES WITH:
- Canon PowerShot S230 Digital ELPH camera
- NB-1LH Lithium-ion battery
- 16 MB CompactFlash (CF) Card
- USB cable
- A/V cable
- Wrist Strap
- CD with Canon software suite
- Users Manual

POCKETABILITY:
The first thing you notice about this camera is that it's small. Probably the smallest digital camera I've seen in the 3 megapixel category. You can truly put this in your pocket and not have everyone stare at the bulge...

DURABILITY:
I've already dropped this camera once on my hardwood floor. Amazingly, it still works like a charm. The S230 is encased in stainless steel with a few chrome accents and a couple of plastic parts (mainly the switches & dials). I expect this camera to last several years without any problems, if not longer. A buddy of mine has owned his Powershot S100 for over two years and he still loves his to death.

EASE OF USE:
The S230 was as easy to use (if not easier) as my previous Sony digital cameras. Before selling my Sony DSC-S75, I had the chance to compare the two, side-by-side. The size alone, gave the S230 an overwhelming advantage. The picture quality is very impressive with the S230. The indoor photos that I took without the flash turned out great. The auto-exposure, as well as the auto-ISO settings works fine, but if you want to manually set those on your own, it's easy to do. There are other cool features on the S230 such as picture effects (black and white, sepia, soft, sharp, etc.). The 1.5" LCD is very useful and is very clear, even in bright sunlight.

ADVANCED FOCUSING:
AiAF (Artificial Intelligence Auto-Focus) is a new feature found on the S230 that was not present in the earlier models of the Powershots. This function allows the S230 to select from one of the nine focus areas within the frame to capture the sharpest shot. It's pretty amazing how this works. This feature can also easily be turned off in the settings. This feature is found on the new Canon G3, as well, and is the flagship of the point-and-shoot digital camera line for Canon.

PICTURE QUALITY:
As I mentioned, I was quite impressed with the photo quality. I managed to print some of them on photo paper using my HP 960c deskjet printer. Printing them in 5X7 produced brilliant, almost photolab quality pictures. I might add that my Sony DSC-S75 also produces some of the best photos, as well, but I expect that from a camera that boasts a Carl Zeiss Sonar lens, 3.3 megapixel resolution quality.... If you own a Canon printer, you should be able to directly print off of your S230 using the supplied cable. I just ordered the Canon i850 printer, so I'm anxiously waiting to try it out.

VIDEO MODE:
The ability to capture 30 seconds of 640X480 AVI video (20 frames per second) with sound is awesome! My father was surprised at how clearly it captures motion video. Although you're able to capture the video with sound, you won't be able to play it back with sound on the camera itself, as it is not equipped with a speaker. The S230 is capable of capturing more than 30 seconds if you use smaller resolution. After visiting the Canon Powershot website, I learned that if you use a high-speed CompactFlash (CF) card, you should be able to capture more than 30 seconds of 640X480 video. Canon expects to market the high speed CF card soon.

BATTERY STRENGTH:
This is where I'd say that my Sony DSC-S75 shines. All of Sony's digital cameras display the remaining life of the battery in minutes. The S230 goes strong until there's about 5% or less power left. I've read a few articles and reviews stating that the battery life is the weakness of this camera, but it's not all that bad. It all depends on how much you use the LCD display, the flash, and how often you turn on/off the device. I quickly ordered an extra battery from buy.com and I'm perfectly happy now.

The S230 comes with a separate battery charger. This is very convenient, as you don't have to charge the battery using the camera, like most of the Sony cameras do (Sony sells the battery charger as a separate accessory). From a fully discharged battery, the charger is able to completely charge it in about two hours. There is an LED which displays in `red' when it's charging and `green' when it's complete.

OVERALL WEAKNESSES:
Some people will say that the small size can be a weakness, but I'd say that the size is definitely its strength. The optical zoom capability is only 2X, so you won't be able to zoom up very closely from afar. It does offer a digital zoom, but this may result in grainy photos. The macro mode of the S230 isn't as crisp as my Sony DSC-S75, but I can live with it. Also, the flash on the S230 isn't as effective as it should be. The flash tends to white out (too bright) close-range subjects, but is very weak for any subjects more than 6 feet away. I'll have to play around some more with the settings, I guess. Finally, the tripod mount is not positioned in the center of the camera. It's actually placed on the side, causing it to be off-center and hard to balance.

SUMMARY:
I mainly purchased this camera for its size, but it's turned out to be a much better camera than I anticipated. In terms of photo quality, it may not beat the higher-end digital cameras, but it will sure give them a run for the money. We have to hand it Canon for developing a truly pocket-sized 3.2 megapixel digital camera.

116 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb, very portable camera, December 3, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Canon PowerShot S230 3.2 MP Digital ELPH Camera with 2x Optical Zoom (Electronics)

This is my third digital camera; I bought this because I wanted an ultra-portable, 3-megapixel camera. So far it's proving to be what I want -- high quality snapshots in a very small package.

Likes:
- It's truly small; very easy to carry in pocket, coat, briefcase or purse.
- Durable steel case
- Very easy to use
- Very good image quality.
- I am very happy with battery life. I do not agree w/folks challenging battery life on this -- I've used it liberally for a whole day of wandering around on vacation, taking photos, looking at images...more than 60 photos in a day. I have bought extra batteries for my other cameras but really haven't felt the need for this. (For me, having a big memory card and extra batteries makes a digital camera much more convenient for heavy picture taking dealing with a film camera and extra film).

Dislikes:
- Lots of red eye in indoor flash situations
- Some difficulty w/autofocus in low-light situations
- Relatively limited zoom (however, I don't think moving to the 330 with the 3x zoom is worth the tradeoff in size).

Recommendations:
- Buy a case. You'll want to carry this everywhere and a little case protects it from scratches and impacts.
- Buy at least 128MB memory card (256 even better if you don't want to worry about using up memory on a longer trip)
- Having experimented w/lots of digital photo editing software, I like using ofoto.com's software to pull photos off the camera, quickly look at snaps and upload photos online to share. It's very easy for the basics (crop a snapshot, zap out the redeye, upload some photos for sharing or printing 4 * 6's). For more serious editing, I use Adobe Photoshop Elements 2. The Ofoto.com software is free for the downloading off Ofoto's website; the Elements 2 software is reasonable if you take lots of photos and want to learn how to get the most from your photos. I find that Canon's software is too cumbersome for simple tasks and not flexible enough for heavier duty; Ofoto and Elements make a nice combination for me.
- If you're really just using this for casual snapshots, consider the Canon s200 for a significant savings. If you aren't going to blow up your photos the S200 would be fine for most simple shots. The 230 is great but may be overkill if you just want a fun, portable camera.

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