Pros:
- Solid metal body.
I dropped it on concrete floor (unintentionally),and I really thought the camera is not going to work any more. I was wrong. Except for the dent at the corner, the LCD just came back up and I continued to take pictures.

- Good Camera Lens quality.
Maybe this is not a Carl Zeiss Lens but its a decent glass multi element lense from Canon. Fairly decent picture quality for a 2.1 megapixel machine.

- retractable lens.
This keep the form factor compact.

- Fast usb transfer of images.
I used the serial connection for images transfer from camera to pc for over a year until I purchase a computer with USB connection (yes I had an old old machine). The performance difference was dramatic when I moved to USB.

- Slide show, video out to TV
The basic on function is pretty intuitive. Video out is convenient cause I can show others the picture on TV right after I took the picture. (not everyone have a computer)

Cons
- The software that comes with Cannon, although it works, its not the best.

- Short battery life.
I have to turn off the LCD most of the time to conserve electricity.

the overall experience with this Canon product is good. Thats why I bought a Canon ZR25MC for video and may replace my S10 with S110.

BOTTOM LINE, ::: NOT RECOMMENDED :::

Pictures were OK using the 8 MB and 32 MB CompactFlash cards that were included in the kit, but when I used a 64 MB card, the pictures were corrupted causing a devastating loss of nearly all of the pictures on that cartridge. In other words, a digital camera owners nightmare. I have literally trashed the camera because of this since I cannot rely on this camera.

The camera has several very annoying features:

1) battery life is very short even when minimizing the use of the LCD display and the 2CR5 lithium batteries cost about $12 each. You can get perhaps 50 to 60 pictures, which translates to about $0.24 per picture just for battery usage. This is too high a price to pay. When traveling, one certainly does not want to take along the somewhat bulky charger needed for the re-chargable battery pack.

2) When one is using the digital zoom it is mandatory to activate the LCD, and when the LCD is running the camera gets very warm, even hot.

3) When one shuts off the LCD in between shots to preserve battery power, the settings for the digital zoom disappear, requiring you to re-activate the digital zoom when you re-activate the LCD display. This is time-consuming since the digital zoom does not activate quickly.

Summary: Nice size, nice shape factor. Picture quality OK. Software OK. (The PhotoStitch software that lets you merge photos is very nice.)

However: Battery life is very, very poor. Camera is unreliable and may produce corrupted images on large-size CompactFlash cards.

NOT RECOMMENDED!!

I am loving it!

This camera has alot of bang for the buck

First off, Ill get the only bad thing about this camera out of the way. You MUST buy the optional power supply kit, otherwise you will be spending an extra 20 bucks for a Lithium CR5 battery every couple of weeks. The power supply kit, from what I have seen, goes for about 60-80 bucks, and includes the rechargable battery, charger, and A/C adapter (for operating without a battery when plugged into the wall, which comes in very handy).

Without buying this kit, the camera does come with the required lithium battery, serial cable for PC, serial cable for Mac, USB for PC/Mac, video cable, and an 8MB compact flash memory card. (Wrist strap, CD-rom, manuals and camera also included, obviously) First of all, the 8MB memory card can hold a lot more than 12 pictures, as quoted by one of the reviewers. If you read the manual, youll find that the S10 can take pictures in 3 different resolutions, as well as 3 different compression ratios. In other words, 1600x1200 is a huge picture, and most normal people find 800x600 (the smallest setting) to be plenty sufficient for taking everyday pictures. Most peoples computer resolutions are set to 800x600, and a picture that size would fill up the whole screen, if that gives you any idea. If you set the camera to 800x600 and high compression, you can put 61 pictures on the 8MB card. These are only a couple of the good customization options I found by reading the manual. This camera also 4x digital zoom and 2x regular zoom, which was not clarified by another reviewer. This feature can be enabled if you turn it on in the camera settings. Its not enabled by default.

Besides the zoom and large amount of picture storage, this camera can do a ton of stuff that I couldnt do on my old Fujifilm camera. Aside from the resolution and compression options, and the 4x digital zoom, the S10 can be set to manual mode and adjusted for specific situations. You can adjust the white balance, exposure level, object focus, and lighting condition options. If you dont feel like fooling with all these individually, theres an "Image" mode which allows you to set the camera for specific conditions, like Landscape, Fast shutter, Slow shutter, Night scene, and Black and white. And even further than this, theres a regular picture-taking mode for amateurs that allows you to just point and click while the camera automatically adjusts to the best settings. To top it all off, theres an included slide show option that cycles through all the pictures or a specific line-up that you make, which when hooked up to the TV (via the video cable) can make for great, quick entertainment, without having to download all the pictures and show them to someone on a computer. And for the outdoor photographer, theres an included photo-stitching mode that allows you to take several pictures, vertically or horizontally, and stitch them together seamlessly with the included software. (I.e. taking 3 pictures of a long beach and pasting them together)

In summary, after reading the manual included with the S10, I found that nearly everything is included into this durable, pocket-size camera. Im extremely glad that I bought it, and it far outperforms my Fujifilm camera in picture quality, useablity, and transfer speeds. (with the USB cable). Even the LCD display is much brighter and clearer! Plus it looks cool! Its hard to go wrong if buying this camera. You wont be let down.

Id give it 5 stars, but the glitch I had with the firmware upgrade irked me. Canon did fix it promptly and the camera works like a charm.

The reason I chose the Canon S10 over other similar digital cameras was mainly the size of the camera. I can easily fit this camera in my pocket on my way to the great outdoors.

While I am outdoors this camera is very sturdy. When powered down the lens retracts and is enclosed away from any harm.

Now this is how I use my camera, usually I take my pictures at the highest quality and when my 48mb cf card fills up I go through my pictures on the viewfinder and delete the ones that I dont like so much, and I fire away with my memory freed up.

Back at my computer I upload with the USB connection (must have, anything else is WAY to slow). The photo company I print with is ofoto.com, they are great! They have software where you can crop your photos for the desired size, this is great when you take a picture with something that you didnt originally want in the photo. Then I upload the photos and have them printed out and sent to me, what a great service, I can also send out email with links to the photos albums I wish to share.

On the downside, the S10 consumes battery power at a higher rate than other digital cameras Ive used, and the specialized batteries are expensive. The rechargeable battery pack from Canon is helpful, but its not included with the camera, upping the cost of a useable configuration.

The 2x optical zoom is a bit short, given that many of the competitors products give you 3x. I often find that missing magnification requires me to shoot at a higher resultion and crop the result.

Most disappointing is the S10s inabilities to accurately capture colors in the red-orange range. Flesh tones are often rendered incorrectly, and flash pictures often end up leaving skin looking pasty. No amount of adjusting the cameras controls seems to solve the problem. Ive read reports by others whove suffer the same results, so Im inclined to think its a software problem, rather than an issue with my individual unit.

In addition to the rechargeable battery pack, Id recommend using this with a computer that has a USB port (and getting a USB card if your machine doesnt have one!), as downloading pix, expecially high-resolution shots, through the serial port is painfully slow.

For not much more, you can get the even smaller S100 Digital Elph - check it out: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004TS16/ref=/qid=962088005/sr=1-4/102-0974387-3584949

Other than that, I think the S10s a great, fun camera.

Some good aspects:

1. The image quality is excellent. See ... a review which rates this as equal to or better than Nikon digital cameras (even the more expensive ones). Also, see the image quality for yourself at the online gallery.

2. The camera is very compact and the lens automatically retracts and covers itself (!) when not in use.

3. Autofocus is very good and the camera has a red light which allows it to focus in the dark. Trying to focus with digital cameras using a range finder or LCD is difficult if you havent tried it, so this is important. I didnt realize this as I am used to 35mm SLR cameras. There is also a focus lock which allows some override.

4. Red eye reduction feature, a macro mode and rapid shooting feature.

5. Camera case is metal! Doesnt seem to scratch easily as metal has a mat finish with some kind of kryptonite coating. This kind of attention to quality is something that supposedly isnt around any more in consumer products. Congratulations Canon on refusing to compromise on this (Im not a things aint what they used to be person).

Not so good:

1. Canon rechargable kit neccesary - a must buy so figure into the total cost. This kit apparently comes with the camera outside the U.S.

2. Connector for downloading to the computer has a release button to remove the connector which hurts my thumb/is difficult to remove. This is not an issue if you take the CompactFlash memory out and use a cardreader to download your photos (My particular connector may just be defective).

Overall, very happy with this purchase. Realize that the total price for your setup with the power kit and extra rechargable battery can be additional ~$... (That is not to mention the additional cost for all these cameras: more/greater memory cards)

Some good aspects:

1. The image quality is excellent. See ... a review which rates this as equal to or better than Nikon digital cameras (even the more expensive ones). Also, see the image quality for yourself at the online gallery.

2. The camera is very compact and the lens automatically retracts and covers itself (!) when not in use.

3. Autofocus is very good and the camera has a red light which allows it to focus in the dark. Trying to focus with digital cameras using a range finder or LCD is difficult if you havent tried it, so this is important. I didnt realize this as I am used to 35mm SLR cameras. There is also a focus lock which allows some override.

4. Red eye reduction feature, a macro mode and rapid shooting feature.

5. Camera case is metal! Doesnt seem to scratch easily as metal has a mat finish with some kind of kryptonite coating. This kind of attention to quality is something that supposedly isnt around any more in consumer products. Congratulations Canon on refusing to compromise on this (Im not a things aint what they used to be person).

Not so good:

1. Canon rechargable kit neccesary - a must buy so figure into the total cost. This kit apparently comes with the camera outside the U.S.

2. Connector for downloading to the computer has a release button to remove the connector which hurts my thumb/is difficult to remove. This is not an issue if you take the CompactFlash memory out and use a cardreader to download your photos (My particular connector may just be defective).

Overall, very happy with this purchase. Realize that the total price for your setup with the power kit and extra rechargable battery can be additional ~$... (That is not to mention the additional cost for all these cameras: more/greater memory cards)

Es altamente recomedable que se compre el kit con la bateria recargable, pues en Mexico las baterias C2R5 son extramadamente caras. Sin embargo, un punto muy agradable de esta camara, aparte de su magnifica resolucion, es el hecho de que los lentes Canon en esta camara son asfericos, lo cual elimina la distorsion que existe en lentes comunes en los extremos de una fotografia.

Con esta camara se pueden tomar 2 o 3 fotos y juntarlas en una foto panoramica con el software que trae (Adobe PhotoDeluxe 3.5)

Si amas la fotografia esta camara es la indicada, ma sno olvides comprar la pila recargable.

S10 comes in a 8MB CompactFlash card which can hold up to 12 large pictures (1600 x 1200) and it is compatible with the 340MB card and connects to your computer using a USB port; if you have a Window95 or Windows NT system, dont worry, it also comes with a serial cable though using it would really slow down the actual download speed. S10 is also very compact compared with many other digital cameras, which is an excent choice if you have limited space on vacations. The feature I like most about this digi cam is that it has its own slide show built-in which you can hook up to your television with another cable that is provided in the package. Plus some other feature including Black and White photographs, slow motion, red eye reduction, etc.

Here are some of my regrets: 1. The software that is provided with the digi cam is very poorly put together and crashes alot on my Toshiba notebook.

2. The CompactFlash that is provided is TOO limited I would buy the 340MB card or buy a couple more of those 8MB cards.

3. S10 uses to much power, you will need to buy the recharger for around $100 because the Canon is so desperite to get more money, or you need to buy a dozen of those batteries at $12 each

3. 2x zoom is just not enough, you need at least 5x or greater...

1. It has a USB connection. Very important for speedy downloads. Do NOT get a 2mp or greater camera without one. Warning: Win98/Win2000 are your best bets - NT doesnt support USB and neither does win95.

2. It supports CompactFlash Type II. I like CF better than SmartMedia. Its cheaper, supports higher capacity cards, and is more durable.

3. It supports the IBM MicroDrive 340 CF type II card (which would be a reason to buy this camera over the new digital ELPH S100, which is too small for that drive). 340MB = about 500 pictures for about $300. How huge is that!

4. My lower bound was 2 megapixels. The 3 Meg cameras JUST came out, so the prices on these two megapixel cameras all dropped by about 50% a few months ago. 3 megapixel cameras are still pretty pricey...

5. The review on dpreview was very good. Phil Askey explains in great depth the pluses and minuses of these cameras. I value his opinion a lot and he highly recommended this camera.

6. Battery life is reputed to be about 50 shots with regular use of the LCD preview and scanning shots. That seems about right in my usage so far.

7. Extremely compact and rugged, fits in your pants pocket. Has a sturdy non-plastic tripod mount.

Biggest surprises after buying the camera:

1. The software that came with the camera is surprisingly good. Thumbs up.

2. The batteries that you use are about $12 a pop, unless you get the rechargeables. The recharging device is a little under $100 and comes with one battery. Everyone recommends this as the first accessory followed by purchase of two more rechargeables (for a total of three) at about $35/ea. With this setup, you can take about 150 pictures - teamed with a 340Mb MicroDrive you can fit the entire vacation on the camera with room to spare!

3. Id like to find a nice protective case for it, but they dont seem to be available :(.

4. You cant do the flash upgrade of the cameras firmware without the recharger kit. Fair warning!

5. The 340MB drive had some minor incompatibilities with the camera until the software patch released the first week of May 2000.

6. The LCD panel has the best anti-glare of any digital camera Ive ever used. Big FAT SORT.

Hope this helps!

You can put the camera in manual mode for greater control over compression, image size, gain, digital zoom, etc. This can be useful, but this camera is not targeted towards the person who wants elaborate details control. It does contain some easy-to-use sophisticated features: the panorama stitch mode is extremely easy, and the black-and-white and other "special effects" shot types are also just a twist of the dial away.

What are the weak points? Well, for one, its pretty appalling that the camera doesnt ship with the Canon rechargable battery. You will need to purchase that and a recharger right away (at an additional cost of around $100). Also, although it isnt horrible, I would prefer a 3x optical zoom. 2x just doesnt do that much. Number three, the optical viewfinder doesnt align very tightly with the actual shot -- you can use the LCD display, but that drains the batteries. Finally, I was disappointed that there is so little tactile feedback when you snap a picture. Im wary about having a stranger take my photo with this camera because I fear they wont realize when theyve taken the shot!

Ive found that having a digital camera fundamentally changes they way I take photographs. Im much more likely to snap 3 or 4 shots of a particular view and then immediately scan over them and pick the best 1 (or 2) and discard the others. This was a lot of fun and I think it improved the overall quality of photos that I take. (Of course, I could just try to become a better photographer...) The Canon S10 is easy to use and carry around, and Im happy that I purchased it.

You can put the camera in manual mode for greater control over compression, image size, gain, digital zoom, etc. This can be useful, but this camera is not targeted towards the person who wants elaborate details control. It does contain some easy-to-use sophisticated features: the panorama stitch mode is extremely easy, and the black-and-white and other "special effects" shot types are also just a twist of the dial away.

What are the weak points? Well, for one, its pretty appalling that the camera doesnt ship with the Canon rechargable battery. You will need to purchase that and a recharger right away (at an additional cost of around $100). Also, although it isnt horrible, I would prefer a 3x optical zoom. 2x just doesnt do that much. Number three, the optical viewfinder doesnt align very tightly with the actual shot -- you can use the LCD display, but that drains the batteries. Finally, I was disappointed that there is so little tactile feedback when you snap a picture. Im wary about having a stranger take my photo with this camera because I fear they wont realize when theyve taken the shot!

Ive found that having a digital camera fundamentally changes they way I take photographs. Im much more likely to snap 3 or 4 shots of a particular view and then immediately scan over them and pick the best 1 (or 2) and discard the others. This was a lot of fun and I think it improved the overall quality of photos that I take. (Of course, I could just try to become a better photographer...) The Canon S10 is easy to use and carry around, and Im happy that I purchased it.