Customer Reviews

Canon PowerShot ELPH 500 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with Full HD Video and Ultra Wide Angle Lens (Silver)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Please note that for a point and shoot, this camera deserves a 5-star review. But in fairness to certain small details, and Amazon's inability to allow users to give partial stars (e.g. 4.75 stars), I will have to settle for 4-stars.

Cosmetic PROS: Unlike some of the SD and Elph cameras in the past, this one feels solid. Canon even improved, to some extent, the flimsy-feeling battery door. It is a HUGE improvement over the previous flimsy plastic doors on earlier models. The large 3"x1" screen is sharp and beautiful and gives an accurate depiction of what your camera will capture. Switching between full program mode and full automatic is a simple slide button on the top of the camera allowing an advanced user and a novice to both have their options easily. This also prevents any accidental mode changes that can happen with setting-wheels or external buttons.

Cosmetic CONS: The lens cover seems a touch too loose, at least on my specific camera. It rattles and moves slightly when handling the camera after the power is off and the cover is closed. Not a deal breaker by any stretch of the imagination, but you might notice this rattle too. The card slot, at least on my specific camera, is strangely snug. When I slide the card into place, there is some friction that made me question whether I was forcing it into the slot in the wrong direction. I pushed the card in until it clicked into place, but then it did not rebound like normal (like when clicking the top of a retracting ball-point pen.) Again, it may just be my specific camera. (Edit: I forgot to mention that while the battery door is now more durable, the A/V door feels very flimsy. It doesn't swing out like a door. Rather, like the cap on a tupperware drinking bottle lid, the door detaches from the camera but remains linked to it via a moderately flexible piece of plastic. And because the door snaps firmly in place when closed, you really need fingernails to get any sort of leverage to open it. For what its worth, if I had to choose only one, I still much prefer the more durable battery door than a durable A/V door.)(Edit: Also, while I love the huge screen, please note that if you wear polarized sunglasses, you may have issues shooting on a sunny day with the screen appearing to disappear. This is more of a problem of the polarized lenses than the camera, but its worth noting.)

Touch screen: Personally, I prefer standard buttons. However, this touch screen is fine. It is big enough that my fingers are able to select menu items easily. For those of you coming from touch screen cell phones, you may find this screen less sensitive than your phone, thus requiring you to apply more finger pressure than you are used to. This isn't a flaw in my mind, but I can see where others may think the screen is being non-responsive. The lanyard comes with a tightening slide. And this slide also has a fine point on it to help you make selections on the touch screen if you are having problems--similar to the stylus of the old palm pilots. Hard to use if your hand is in the lanyard, but hey, its a start!

Features: My main reasons for purchasing this camera was to get aperture priority, shutter priority, and a macro setting as options. Unlike the Canon's S95 with an external ring control, the aperture settings on the 500HS are buried in the touch screen menus. That is fine for my uses and will be fairly intuitive to previous Canon users. The f2.0 aperture setting DELIVERS! For those wanting shallow depth of fields on their point and shoot...wow! I loved this! I haven't had any problems (yet) with the camera focusing on the wrong subject even in macro setting. And because this comes with Focus Lock, you will probably be able to work around that problem if it ever arises. Strangely, but not a deal breaker, the camera doesn't seem to have a BULB setting for shutter speed and maxes out at 15". I don't use that setting and speeds enough to warrant complaint, and maybe there are slower shutter speeds and I just missed them, but I figured I would share that tidbit with others who may be needing those speeds. It is just odd considering my old-old Canon SD630 had bulb setting and I think 2 minutes (but its been so long, I may be mistaken.)(edit: Just realized that this camera doesn't have exposure bracketing (where it takes three automatic shots with different exposures.) It still has exposure adjustment allowing you to +/- exposure stops, but I am a little surprised to not find this previously included feature. There is something called Best Image where the camera takes 5 continuous shots but automatically keeps only the best shot, but this seems to be geared toward facial expressions/blinks/etc. and not exposures. The lack of bracketing is only a minor drawback for me--heck, its taken me a couple of weeks to realize its not present--but its worth mentioning.)

Video: Because I didn't buy this for video, I cannot well judge its abilities. I will only say that the few test videos I took were sharp, with decent sound. However, the volume of the voice of the person holding the camera will be noticeably less. Whether thats a good thing or bad is up to you. Note too that the video is recorded in stereo sound. But I can't gauge its quality. (edit: Having tested the video out more, the sound from the person recording the video (i.e. behind the camera) is actually much better than I originally thought. Apparently, I had the volume turned down too low. But once I adjusted the setting, the sound was rather clear and crisp. I was very impressed.)

Review pics: Everything on this camera is on the touch screen EXCEPT for the review button. The lone, solitary button on the rear of the camera is dedicated to allowing you review your shots in one touch. After hitting the review button, you can either slide your finger across the screen, tap an arrow on the side of the screen, or even BUMP the side of the camera with your finger to see the next shot! There is also a motion detector or internal accelerometer of some sort that allows you to quickly scan through your review pics by tilting the camera slightly on its side. Those last two features are very reminiscent of smartphone technology and makes the camera feel that much more advanced than others. (edit: After more use, I *really* need to emphasize that I like the bump feature! It makes reviewing a bunch of pics really very easy!)

Compared to S95, the 500HS is in the lead in my opinion. The S95 was supposed to be the intermediate step between point and shoot cameras and DSLRs, giving some advanced features without the expense of the DSLRs. The 500 HS is $100-$150 cheaper, more compact, and has a ton of settings and features--yes, it does have miniature model shooting mode and 1080p HD video. I think this camera is the new intermediate step to the DSLR. To give you more perspective, my other option to fit my needs would be either a DSLR Rebel or D50 or D60...$500 at absolute minimum for the body, plus another $299 for a macro lens. In other words, $800 minimum to get me the features I needed. Compare that to the 500 HS at $299! BARGAIN!

Now, I haven't had time, yet, to see if the image stabilization and low light settings are better than in cameras past--especially since I normally have "IS" turned off. So if those features are important to you, maybe visit a camera store and see the camera in person. But since the release of this camera was supposed to be March (if I am not mistaken) and since the earthquake hit Japan in March, you may have a heck of a time finding this camera in stock anywhere. I know there are a few pink colored models for sale. And I completely lucked out with finding this silver model, but keep trying! It seems that a few more stores that I frequented started getting these cameras trickling in over the past 10 days. But they seemed to be getting only 2 or 3 cameras at a time.

Good luck!

I love this camera! I wanted a higher end point and shoot camera that could keep up with my kids and do well in low light. I read a lot of reviews and settled on this one. I thought about the ELPH 300hs but decided I was too used to using the touch screen on my Sony Cybershot to go back to buttons. I love the touch screen! The menus are well laid out and it is easy to find things. I was a little worried it would take me awhile to figure out the Canon menus since I have been a Sony user for so long, but I am not having any trouble at all! I am having fun trying out all of the programs/effects on the camera. The Kids and Pets setting is just what I was looking for. My kids don't sit still for me to take pictures and now I can just snap pictures of them on the go without the picture being too blurry. After reading reviews I was worried about battery life. I decided to buy and extra battery since we had a big wedding we were going to and I didn't want my camera to die before the day was done. Turns out I wouldn't have needed the extra battery. I still have the first battery in after taking 150 pictures and a few short videos. Another thing I love is that there isn't much delay between pressing the button and the actual capturing of the picture (this was a big frustration with my previous camera). The only thing I noticed is that with moving subjects and in low light you really have to make sure to give the camera time to focus by holding the button halfway down for a second or two before snapping the picture. I had great luck with this camera in low light. I snapped some really awesome pictures on the dance floor at the wedding. I was even able to shoot a little video on the dance floor. When I tried that with my old camera it turned out almost black, but with this camera I got a great video of my 3 year old dancing. I have only had this camera for a week, but I haven't found any area where this camera has let me down yet. I am excited to keep experimenting with some of the programs and effects I haven't gotten to use yet. Bottom line....Great camera!

UPDATE: I lost my ELPH 500 HS while we were on vacation (a long sad story). I needed a new camera fast so I went to Best Buy and they only had the ELPH 300 HS and nothing else was really close to the quality I wanted at the price I wanted so I bought it. The 300 has pretty much the same functions as the 500 and still takes great pictures. But I would take my 500 back any day! The touch screen makes it so much simpler to navigate through the menus and change settings quickly. I don't think the microphone is as good on the 300 because a couple of my videos are hard to hear. It seems a little slower to focus and snap a picture, but maybe it is all in my head. One problem I noticed is that my photo editing software (I use Picasa) would automatically pick up the red eye on photos with my 500 but on the 300 I have to manually select the area to change it. The 300 looks cooler than the 500 and is a little smaller, but I loved the large screen on the 500 and you don't get that with the 300 since they had to make room for all the buttons. Bottom line in my opinion: Spend the extra $70 and go for the 500 - it is worth it.

The provided pictures I uploaded to Amazon show you how great this camera is. These shots where within the first 10 minutes of running the camera and shot in full auto mode. Color is great and clarity is super. I felt all Nikons in the price range had color issues and the Sonys looked dark and muddy. It was between this and the SX230 but for me it came down to this:
1: 500HS has a 2.0 f stop which means it will preform better in low light than the SX230 (f/3.1)
2: 500HS has better macro at 3cm vs 5cm for those extreme close ups
3. 500HS shoots 3.4fps vs 0.8 in the SX230
4. SX230 has a GPS which I could careless about. What is the point of this? We have survived for years without it. Why all of a sudden is this important?
5. SX230 has great zoom but clarity and light is lost the farther you zoom so its not really a benefit to me.

The SX230 is a great camera but the above mentioned which directly affects picture quality pushed me to the 500HS. Good luck in your search but I am very pleased with this camera. The touch screen is very nice and I actually had no problem switching over from standard dials. Though it may slow you down in between shots I find the menus well thought out and very easy to navigate.

I haven't gotten into manual controls yet but can only imagine it will get better. This review is meant for the standard point and shoot crowd. The pictures in "auto" speak for themselves.

At last! Canon have finally cracked it...a point-and-shoot that has everything...24mm super-wide angle lens, HD movie, 16:9 format, fabulous large touchscreen, Aperture or Shutter Priority as well as fully automatic, and custom settings, plus a FAST 2.0 lens for great available light shots in dark surroundings. A myriad of features that put my Canon 450D in the shade, quite frankly. I've been waiting for all these features in a pocket camera, and Canon have done it, and managed to organize the display so it is so easy to get to where you want and pick out whatever parameters you are looking for. Do I love this camera? Yes, I love it and cannot find fault with it in any way. A great camera to own that will leave all your other cameras in their cases. You only need this one.

I would only recommend they think about putting a collapsible, removable metal shade (based on 2-1/4 camera viewfinder technology) on the back of the camera, because even with the display at full luminosity, in bright sunlight, it's difficult to compose a shot since it doesn't have viewfinder.

Paul Olsen
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The ELPH 500 HS is easy and fun to use and takes great pictures in automatic and program modes. The special effects are great. The touch screen menus are easy to follow and you can customize them to suit your needs. The large LCD screen is terrific.

I was on the fence about a touch screen camera but I'm glad I bought this one. It's easy to use but not as fast or sensitive as a smart phone. That's bad if you like your smart phone but good because it makes it hard to accidentally change a setting. The screen doesn't seem to pick up finger prints as fast as a smart phone either.

I also wasn't sure about not having a view finder. With the screen on this camera I can't imagine ever using a view finder, even in bright sun. Not an issue for me.

My only caution is to always, always, always use the wrist strap with this camera especially at first. Having the corners knocked off makes it very comfortable to hold but I've also had it slip few times when I wasn't expecting it.

Love this camera so far.

I bought this for my girlfriend. I own the SD4000IS myself and really like the f/2.0 aperture lens that both models share. Unfortunately, the touchscreen was frustrating enough to be a deal breaker and we ended up returning this camera. The touchscreen does not work as well as an iPhone. It can often take several taps to get the exact button correct. We decided to get another SD4000IS instead.

It's too bad, because this is really a great lens and takes great pictures. A compact camera that works well in low-light situations is deal for parties, bars, and restaurants. But for now, stick with something that has physical buttons.

Canon keeps finding ways to cram more and more high end performance into a simple, compact, point and shoot. This camera is amazing at both photographs and video. Low light, high speed, and indoor performance rivals SLR cameras from a few years ago. The compact package, ease of use, low price, and incredible performance in all conditions make this a perfect camera for most amateur photographers.

I've recently jumped into the high-end point-and-shoot market, and have done extensive research on which camera gave the best bang for the buck. A rough criteria of what I was looking for is as follows:

- Sharp and vivid 1080p video quality
- Good stereo recording quality when shooting video
- Great picture quality (including low-light conditions)
- Excellent macro ability
- Touch screen (for more control over auto-focusing)

I'm happy to say that once I received the 500 HS, it met every one of my expectations and exceeded them. The camera is compact and light enough so that carrying it with me everyday is a pleasure.

The picture quality is unmatched in this size and price category. Even though the 500 HS has a small (standard 1/2.3" back-illuminated CMOS) sensor, the picture quality produced approaches that of larger sensor point-and-shoots, like the S95. Artifacts are virtually non-existent, and only appear in very very low-light scenarios or zoomed pictures, as expected. The 500 HS has an auto mode that is very suitable in most situations and produces beautifully composed pictures, but the camera also has available manual settings in "P" mode if you want more control. Also, it takes the 500 HS a mere 2 seconds to start up and be ready for the first shot. The response time between shots is also very quick.

The 1080p video quality is also very nice. There was no visible lag when playing back video that included fast panning and fast moving objects. The sound captures all of the sounds too, without including too much of unwanted ambient noise. The camera also auto-focuses and has the ability to zoom during video capture.

The features included will pretty much overwhelm any user. I will skip out on describing each in detail, as every mode can be found online. But I will point out that the only thing the 500 HS is "lacking" is an automated panorama mode that seems to be so popular recently. Though, panorama mode is something that I wasn't really looking for or needing, as I believe if I were to want to take a panorama picture, I might as well be taking a Full HD video anyway.

The touch screen is phenomenal. It covers the entire backside of the camera, and the only physical button on the backside is the playback button, located on the bottom right. This large 460K-dot 3.2" screen provides you with a sharp and clear view of all of your pictures/videos. At times, when your hands are excessively wet or oily, the touchscreen might not respond as well as you'd like, but the rest of the time, the touchscreen handles perfectly. The best part of a touchscreen camera, as I mentioned earlier, is that it gives you the option to bias focus towards a certain object/area on-screen. You just tap your finger on whatever you want to bias the focus towards, and it will track/auto-focus according to where you've touched on-screen. This is something that most non-touchscreen cameras can't do, unless it has manual focus like the S95, which adds extra bulk. So I find that the touchscreen focus is a good compromise between those 2 extremes. It is lightweight, though can focus accurately when you need it to be.

I also love the wide-angle lens that the 500 HS provides. Macro shots come out stunningly composed, and rival those produced by entry-level DSLR's.

So if you're in the market for a decently priced, high-end, compact point-and-shoot jammed full of features, I would whole-heartedly recommend the 500 HS to you (also known as the IXUS 310 overseas).

I bought this camera as my 5th ever digital camera, and took it to Lima, Peru for a wedding. I took many pictures & videos and when I got home, I loaded them onto my computer.
With my 4 old cameras over the last 9 yrs, perhaps 10% of the pictures would be not worth keeping...out of focus or not pleasing to the eye, etc. I was amazed that there was not one picture I did not want to keep. The camera is a true point & shoot camera, as I am not an expert photographer. I chose wide screen pictures, they are great! Also the screen is so big you can see how well the picture turns out in an instant. No guesswork here.
The videos were excellent. Again, in widescreen & whether 1080p or 720p, the videos capture a clear picture and there is enough zoom to pull in the subject on the go without getting the picture jitters. The videos capture excellent sound. I was in a room with a very loud stereo system. I wondered if the sound would be distorted. Nope, the sound was perfect in stereo as well.
Only advice to give is it's nice to have 2 extra batteries on hand if you are out all day. They don't cost much and charge up in under 2 hrs.
Oh, the touch screen operates very well...I have had no problem with it...love it!
The clincher is this camera cost less than 3 of the 4 old cameras I had, and it blows them away for quality!
Canon, you have won my heart..Thanks! 5 stars isn't enough, you deserve more!

I am casual user and this camera fits the bill. Ease of use was paramount and clarity of pictures. Both were met with this camera.