Canon PowerShot S40 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

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Product Details

Product Manual [7.00mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 1.7 x 2.3 x 4.4 inches ; 11.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B00005QFZG
• Item model number: S40
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,929 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 25, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Canon's S30 and S40 cameras fill a gap in the company's digital lineup. Nestled between the ultra-tiny Elph models and the feature-packed PowerShot G and Pro models, the S30 and S40 combine most of the portability of the former with nearly every advanced feature of the latter.

With the exception of their CCD sensors (the S30 is a 3-megapixel model, while the S40 is 4-megapixel), the cameras are essentially identical. Each features a brushed aluminum body with a sliding clamshell lens cover, a 3x optical zoom Canon lens, and a 1.8-inch LCD on the back of the camera for previewing and reviewing shots.

For beginners, the cameras are point-and-shoot simple. Just twist the dial to Auto and start snapping pictures. For more experienced photographers, both models include aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual modes, plus manual focus, exposure compensation, slow-sync flash, spot metering, and adjustable ISO (from 50 to 400 on the S40, and 50 to 800 on the S30).

Movie mode lets you capture video clips with sound. At 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels, the movies aren't camcorder quality, but they're fun and convenient, and they're perfect as e-mail attachments. The cameras also include an unusual voice-memo feature, which lets you record up to 60 seconds of audio with each image.

To provide maximum battery life in the smallest possible space, the cameras use a proprietary lithium-ion battery (both the battery and a charger are included). The battery charges quickly and holds a reasonably long charge, but if you're planning to use the camera for extended outings, a spare battery is a good idea. A larger-capacity memory card is also advisable if you want to shoot more than a dozen photos at a time or really take advantage of the movie mode. The cameras use Type I or Type II CompactFlash cards, including the Microdrive. To print your photos at home, the S30 and S40 connect directly to Canon's CP-10 and S820D printers for easy printing--you don't even need a computer.

If you're looking for a camera with the sleek, compact style of a point-and-shoot with the extensive manual controls of an advanced amateur camera, the S30 and S40 are both great choices.

Product Description

A whole host of impressive technical features opens up a sea of creative possibilities. And all wrapped up in an extraordinarily beautiful and robust metal case. Advancements include a new RGB color filter and digital signal processor, giving you richer more lifelike color, even when shooting under adverse conditions. Cut out the middleman with the Direct Print mode. Connect your PowerShot S40 directly to the Canon CP-10 card photo printer or the Bubble Jet S820D and enjoy brilliant, long-lasting color prints without the need for a PC. And when one image isn't enough to tell the whole story, switch to movie mode to record short video clips - even with sound! With the PowerShot S40, you're not just up-to-date, you're a step ahead.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

593 of 598 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compact, Sturdy, and Takes Beautiful Pictures, March 1, 2002

By	TOL (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

(...) After looking at the Digital Elphs and the A-series cameras, I stumbled upon the S40. This camera has it all. Four mega-pixels, a sturdy metal body, complete control over almost every aspect of your shot, and all in a compact size to boot. The feature-set is based on the popular Canon G2, which is a professional grade digital camera, so you know it uses a fully field-tested, high-quality internal design.

I mostly use this camera in auto mode, in which it takes absolutely beautiful pictures. They are clear, beautifully saturated, and capture motion extremely well. Indoor and outdoor pictures are equally impressive, and I found the metering to be very intelligent. That is, highlights, shadows, and exposure levels are all handled very well.

The camera offers an amazing amount of control with 12 user-selectable modes in addition to the auto mode. (...) But, suffice it to say that anyone seeking a high-level of control over their settings will not be dissapointed by the S40.

A Little Advice:

1. If you are looking to spend a little less money and do not need a 4 mega-pixel camera, a 3 mega-pixel version is available in the S30.

2. If you are looking for a point-and-shoot camera only, you do not need to spend this kind of money. Look toward the Canon A-Series cameras instead. These are plastic and lack the high-level of user control, but they are also much easier on the wallet.

3. Although this is a very compact camera, it is not the smallest that Canon makes. If you want the ultimate in portability, look at their Digital Elph line.

4. The proprietary battery that comes with the S40 is extremely powerful and has an impressive life. The charger is also very compact and very fast. However, I highly recommend buying a spare battery from Canon's website (for about $70).

5. Do not waste your money on the leather case for the S40 that Canon sells on their website. It is far too small for the camera and the lens cover slides open whenever you try to put the camera in it. I am not a big fan of sliding lens covers in the first place, and the leather case does nothing to win me over. Go buy yourself a generic camera case that fits the camera properly.

6. The included 16 MB CompactFlash card is embarrassing. Go buy a 128 MB card (at minimum). And while you're at it, pick up a USB card reader. They are under $(...) and are far more convenient than using the direct camera hook-up (although the S40 software and connection is quite convenient compared to many other digital cameras).

7. Be careful when removing the label from the lens cover. You can actually pull the cover right off if you're not careful. PEEL SLOWLY!

Conclusion:
Overall, this is a beautifully designed, well-built camera from an excellent company. As you can see by my review, Canon has won me over. In summary, the S40 matches the excellent picture quality of the finest Nikon and Kodak cameras available. The difference is, Canon does not skimp on the build of the camera by using cheap plastic parts. This, in my opinion, puts the S40 above the rest in this category.

Well Done Canon!

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick test - nearly flawless, November 9, 2001

By	Heike Bruegmann (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I have had the camera for only a week now, but already taken it on a trip to California's lost coast. Not only did the battery pack last over the whole 4 days and 70 pictures, but its features will be very intuitive to any SLR user such as me. I found especially helpful the zoom feature in replay mode that lets you pinpoint just how sharp the picture really is. The only things I will be missing is a shoe for external flash and the possibility to use regular batteries. Although the pack charges very quickly.

88 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice camera from Canon., November 26, 2001

By	Matt "mattfl1" (Naples, FL United States) - See all my reviews

I'm a Canon guy and like most of what they put out, and this is no exception. It's a very sleek little package. Four megapixels, 3x zoom, auto and manual modes, a fairly long lasting rechargable battery, all in a tiny metal body. I prefer this over the newer Nikon consumer digicams (the 775 and the 885) because the body is built better, the resolution is higher, and the Canon has manual modes. I only gave this camera four stars because of a couple reasons:

a. It's visibly less sharp than other cameras in this resolution range. Not a lot less, but enough to notice. The color is great, but the pictures aren't quite as sharp as the ones the S40's big brother (the G2) produces.

b. The macro mode (or should I say lack thereof) isn't very good. I find it odd that Canon hasn't worked on improving this in their newer model cameras; pretty much all of the Nikons have *excellent* macro modes.

Other than that, it's a sweet little package. I like the fact that the play-mode button is no longer part of the control dial. You no longer have to move the camera out of whatever record mode you're currently in to get into the play mode. The play-mode is controlled by a little standalone switch on the back of the camera. Slide it across once, you go into play mode, slide it across again, you go into record mode. Another positive is the long lasting lithium-ion battery (which has a quick charge time and does not require draining before recharging).

Highly recommended for most users. If you think you'll be making a lot of large sized prints with the camera (i.e. bigger than 8x10), you might check out the G2 instead.