Canon PowerShot Pro90 2.6 MP IS Camera Kit w/ 10x Optical Zoom
By: Canon Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 18
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 On: 2003-02-21
i am in love with the elegant design of the camera. the technical data is superb.i hope and wish to own this camera for business purpose.
 On: 2002-10-16
The Canon Pro 90IS Digicam has basically been everything I wanted in a "Super Zoom" all-in-one SLR style camera. The Image Stabilized 10X Optical Zoom is great and has given me opportunistic shots that I would have missed either due to the need for a tripod mounted shot with my A40 or acceptance of a blurred image! Focusing problems, slow lag times and short battery life have been a few problems Im learning to overcome. Even though it was discontinued, I still made the purchase for the overall features and have obtained some great pictures. Although most of my picture portfolio (torretab) was taken with the Canon A40, my Pro90 gallery can also be seen at Webshots.I am disappointed that Canon seems to have chosen to not to upgrade this camera. As a new user of the Pro90 and relatively newcomer to digital photography, I need to experiment and find solutions to the quirks of the Pro90. Thanks to all who have posted comments here. Your successes (& failures) help a great many of us!
On: 2001-11-19
I recently recieved this camera and i love it! I prevouisly owned an Olympus D-360L, which was a great first camera. This camera is an amazing upgrade. The only negative, that i have encountered, and it is not a big one, is slow start up time from when you first turn on the camera to when it acutally starts working. The zoom is great, the features are easy to use and the battery is long lasting. The dials that control the camera make it much easier to change between features then on cameras with complicated menus. I purchased a 64 mb. card, which also increases this cameras versitility. I love this camera, and it takes great pictures. I also use it wiht a P-400 printer, and the prints look great.
On: 2001-11-10
This is my first digital camera which I purchased about 6 months ago. I love it. I have ot yet played around too much with the manual modes but I love many things abut this camera: It is aesthetically cool looking. It is very comfortable to grip with one hand. It has aLONG battery life, using a battery used on camcorders; Ive never had a problem with low battery. The pictures are GREAT. Dont let the 2.6 megapixels turn you off; this camera has a great lense; very solid. The 10X zoom is incredible. All in all, a great product.
On: 2001-10-25
ive had the pro90 for about six months. the goods: * battery life: i have 3 bp511s and am not worried about running out of battery power. these last me for more than a FULL day of shooting. (get a battery charger. in camera charging makes it impossible to charge while shooting).
* zoom: 10x - this has been sufficient. id only need more if i were a spy, or stuck in bleachers far away from the action.
* i love the full swivel of the LCD. the digital viewfinder is also very cute (lets you see the picture for a couple seconds) after its taken without having to turn on the LCD. the bads: * autofocus is challenging and manual foc is hardly exact.
* slow fps. slow slow slow. i dont even use the multiple
shot mode, even when im taking action. i just try to
time things.
* higher ISOs are, of course, grainy.
* this is picky, but id like more control when in black and white mode. the best thing about this camera: it makes me want to buy a new, professional grade camera.
On: 2001-10-11
The Pro90 IS is my third digital camera and it is the best of the bunch. It is a great package of quality images and an outstanging lens. While it is a little large to carry with you everywhere you go, it is worth the effort to take it with you nonetheless!!
by: Anonymous On: 2001-10-02
I have been using this camera for the last year or so. I am happy with its performance, based on realistic expectations and knowing the limitations of a digital camera (vs film). The Image stabilizer helps a great deal when taking fast moving images such as sports events. The 10X optical zoom is great in outdoor. The resollution is pretty good for most of the pictures taken so far. The shortcomings are (1) resolution is less than desirable when the lighting is weak, (2) cycling speed is slow when updating to the next frame, (3) shuter speed (1/1000) is not sufficiently fast to accommodate sports.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-09-19
Im a veteran at digicams but not a professional. This is my tenth digicam; the most recent a Canon G1 and briefly a Nikon 995. Ill start with the cons: shutter lag is quite bad, focus lag is quite bad, macro is quite bad, no low-light focusing light is quite bad, size and heft could be better.
However, the pros: image-stabilization means you can take low-light shots without the handshake dilemma as well as good hand-held 10x zoom shots, the 10x zoom is ... well enough said, the SLR form-factor is VERY comfortable on my hands (unlike the G1), the electronic viewfinder (EVF) gives a good perspective of what to expect on the shot, the swivel lcd is one of the stronger points of Canon G1 (and now copied by the Nikon 5000) and finally the excellent pic quality. While a small percentage is not as snazzy as the G1s, for the most part is comparable and produces shots that the G1 cant approach due to the reach of a 10x lens. The Pro90 offers the ONLY combination of bells and whistles I cannot find with the current crop of digicams including a 10x image-stabilized zoom (others goes to 7x but not IS) and remote control (G1 only I think). I only wished it has a shorter focus and shutter lag or that its smaller (minor gripe when I cant stuff it in my jacket like a 99x or a G1).
Bottomline, I dont find other digicams interesting anymore including the new Sony 707, Nikon 5000, Canon G2. This is largely because now I cannot live without the reach of a image-stabilized 10x optical zoom.
...R
On: 2001-07-12
I have used Nikon Cameras for over thirty years (Nikon F, FTN, F2 and F3), I also have used medium format and large format cameras. The Canon is my first digital camera experience. I found it extremely easy to use and with a minimum of reading of manual able to replicate the results from my film based cameras. The camera is well designed and the controls fall where you would expect them. Access to the disk compartnment is the one thing I would change (along with accepting other lenses). This is a serious camera for someone interested in digital photography. The features allow creativity without burdening you with compelxity. The range of optical zoom (10X) is great. Image stabilization is perfect for shooting from moving aircraft (high performance jets). It offers the immediate answer that haunts many photographers, i.e. - did I get the shot. One of the best photographic purchases I have ever made.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-06-24
This is my fifth digital camera in about 3 years. My last digital camera was the Canon S10 which I love for its portablility and macro function. This is a camera that you can carry around in your handbag at all times. It only has a 2X zoom which is frustrating when you want to take photos from a distance. I had invested in a 340MB Microdrive so when I started looking for a new camera, my criteria was a camera that had a great zoom feature and had a compatible Compact II flash slot. The Canon Pro 90 IS fit the bill perfectly. I did a lot of research and based on my criteria and the experience of previously owning a Canon,I chose the Pro 90 and I have not been disappointed. It takes really beautiful pictures and the zoom is terrific. The only drawback is that it does not have a macro feature for close ups. You can buy a macro lens and that will probably be my next expenditure. I print my photos on an HP 990cxi using HP photo glossy paper and I swear they look better than 35mm prints from a print shop. The ability to take 30 sec video is an additional plus. This is a terrific camera!
On: 2001-06-21
This is my first Digital Camera purchase and it took me a lot of time to read enough reviews to make the decision to purchase this Canon Pro 90. I have to say that it is an amazing camera overall. The 10x zoom is so much better than any 3x zoom on other digital cameras. I got back from snowboarding in Whistler (Canada) and looked at some pictures I took of my girlfriend with a conventional camera and you could barely notice that it was her against the white snow covered mountain. That is when I decided that I needed a camera with a decent zoom. And this 10x zoom is perfect for those far away shots. My only complaint about this camera is its size. This camera comes with a neck strap which is nice but for taking with you every where you go, you might want to think about a smaller camera. Other than the size this camera is wonderful for the average person like me who knows nothing about aperature settings etc. although I am learning now since this camera also allows you to take it out of auto mode and manually adjust all the settings you would want to.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-06-13
I bought it 11 june 2001 and by 12 june it was as if I have owned this camera all my life. No regrets!
On: 2001-06-10
I am a great fan of this camera. Ive used point-and-shoot 35mm cameras for years, always being intimidated by the jump in expertise needed for a "real" SLR camera where all the decisions were not automated. After a trip to Alaska, I was intensely disappointed with my pictures from the point-and-shoot. Most wildlife photos were of the "See that brown dot? Its a moose!" variety, and many of my photos on snow or glaciers were overwhelmed by all the brilliant white in the image. Id always told myself Id one day go digital, but always thought the technology wasnt "ready". When I returned from Alaska, and saw this camera, I decided the technology was ready, or at least I was! I was initially attracted by the 10x zoom, and was further impressed by the image stabilization, and the ability to go "full auto" on all the technical settings, yet ease myself into setting such things as f/stop, white balance, and shutter speed myself. The camera has fulfilled all my expectations. It takes fine pictures in most circumstances if you let the camera make all the decisions, but you have the ability to experiment with manual settings yourself, and the quick availability of the digital image means you can learn faster, and without having to wince over paying for film and developing. I bought the camera only a few days before leaving on a trip to Florida, focusing on the Everglades. I got some excellent photos using the telephoto lens, and the image stabilization made using the maximum zoom easy, even with handheld shots. I used automatic settings almost exclusively for the Everglades trip, but now am practicing and experimenting with the manual settings. I have a few minor quibbles, though they do not detract from my positive feelings for the camera: 1) The camera is a bit slow--If you want to spend most of your time taking pics of athletic events or similar places where "split second" photography is needed, it may not be a good choice. It has a maximum frame rate of about 1.5 seconds per shot. 2) The battery life is workable, though I did need to shell out for a second battery (about $75, though they are rechargable). One reason for this is because I chose to use the camera with IBM Microdrives, which have a huge photo capacity, but put more drain on the battery. 3) The camera is certainly less convenient than a point and shoot to carry around, but compared to a 35mm SLR with a 370 mm lens, it is VERY easy. I doubt Id even notice this if I wasnt used to sticking my teeny Olympus point-and-shoot in my front pocket and forgetting about it! If you use any digital camera while travelling, I suggest you consider getting the Iomega Fotoshow to store your pictures and free up your memory cards for more shooting. It also makes a convenient way to review and show off your pictures on a television set. 4) The price is a bit stiff, but if you want a camera of this class, you are going to have to bite your lip and pay up!
On: 2001-05-17
this is a follow up to my pervous review. that review was written a week after I got my camera, now im up to 4000 photos (accourding to the image file naming system) I have to make a few corrections. the overexposing flash problem can be fixed by reducing the flash power, yes you can change it for 10 increments from -2 to 2. althought for macrophotoggraphy the flash is blocked by the cameras own cannon style lens for subjects a close at 10 cm. the min macro focus is 7cm at widest angle, after you zoon in to 10x the min focus becomes 70cm, which is hardly considered macrophotography. I have yet to find the perfect balence between the two. I still cannot stand the 2.8 aperature. its hardly enough to take anything, indoors, the autometering sytem often give 1/15 of a second, compared to my olympus 2020s 1/30 or 35 (at F = 2.0) even with image stablization, 1/13 hardly gets you a sharp image, you are forced to use flash. and yes the ccd has a bit of noise even at iso 100 in low light situations, a lot more compared to my olympus 2020 or figu finepix 401 ccd. it has a nice iso 50 ccd sensitivity level, which yeilds great color saturation at longer exposures, and reduces ccd noise. a great feature for dawn or dusk photography with a tripod. at 10x optical zoom 2x digital zoom, bird photography quality is acceptable for 3x5 prints(equiv to 740mm in 35mm scale). GET AN EXTRA BATTERY, ALWAYS. this camera does not come with a case in Taiwan, but im sure it does in the US, as I saw it on the catalog. I had to buy my own. the 37mm not wide at all angle still bugs me, I would go for a wide angle converter, although I hear that pushes barallel distortion to the limit.this camera is all the professional stuff packed in a small package, the pros are worth its trade offs.
On: 2001-04-29
Good camera, the telephoto at 10x is amazing when the image stablization is on. pretty much all the zoom you could ever need. the image quality is supreme, at medium compression at 1024 the average file size is around 300k, great pictures, although bad for posting online due to the large file size. the flash is ultra strong, resulting in overexposures in any macro zoom or anything less than 70cm. bad. in low light situations, the autofocus is very very slow, sometimes it cant focus at all.it has a cute flashlight feature for focusing, but it doesnt do much good when subjects are far. one other thing, teh aperature is really bad at 2.8 a 1/4 of a second exposure even with image stablization requires a very steady hand and a stationary subject. at ISO 400 there is a lot of CCD noise in low light situations. also, the wide angle at 37mm was a real disappointment, but for what it is, the Canon Pro90Is is just awesome. the LCD looks great, and the Eletronic viewfinder serves all practical purposes. its many auto metering modes are good, in portrait mode, aperature is set to a maximum for background blur with least depth of focus. the night scene mode is good, flash at a 1 second exposure, to collect light from close unlit subjects as well as far dimly lit backgrounds. the battery is great, lasting almost 2 times as long as 4 NiMh 1600mAh batteries on my Olympus C2020. but get an extra battery on field trips. 1 battery will last about a day in electronic viewfinder mode, the LCD just kills. one thing about the huge lens, GET A LENS PORTECTOR. the lens collects ocean wave mist, dirt, dust, ugh. one good thing about it, it is compatible with all standard 58mm add on lenses, as well as any Canon Add-on Flash. it is a bit heave wighting in at 680 grams, but with telephoto is well worth the trade off. all the settings can be accessed through buttons, not in an electronic menu, which saves time, your left hand can control flash modes, auto metering modes while your right hand releases the shutter. there is a bit of lag between pictures, which is kind of disappointing, but I can live with it. the electronic viewfinder has lag, so its hard to take pictures of fast moving subjects such as birds or roller coasters. the power on takes a while, it insists on putting the lens in an "off posititon" so when you power on it takes time to move back, I dont see the point, since its all internal, and wastes 3 seconds of precious time.overall : good camera, exceeds my expectations. the lens is a work of art, the interface is cute, the processing power needs a bit of work, but very good for the price range. I got this camera 3 days ago.
On: 2001-04-03
I couldnt wait for the powershot 90 to arrive, and when it did, I was delighted. This camera has everything: A beaultiful 10X optical lens for wildlife shots, a ELT viewfinder, which is actualy much better than the Pro 90s closest competitor --the Olympus 2100z. The Olympus ELT viewfinder displayed similar information as the Powershot 90, but the actuall display of the 2100 was distored and not very enjoyable to see through. I feared Canons display would be just as distored, but when I first gazed into the comfortable eye slot of the Powershot 90, my fears disappeared...the image that the viewfinder displayed was crystal clear, a thing of beauty. It was a perfect replica of the LCD dispaly with all the settings, like WB, aperture, shutter speed, flash, etc. No longer did I have to use the top camera display to see what settings I have on...this was a delight.What about picture quality? Well, One word-- stunning. I took wildlife shots using the cameras highest resolultion and mediom compression settings, and shot pictures of swans, deer, rabbits. etc., blew them up to 8X10 and the results were amazing. If youre looking for great photo quality, you wont be disappointed with this camera. What about battery life? The lithium-ion batter just last and last. I shot two days worth of pictures before every having to re-charge. This is truly a life savor, when Im out in the park and shooting pictures, and not have to worry about the battery running low. The only negative about this camera is its "burst" mode. It shoots about .7 frames per second, which is a little slow for shooting action shots like sports or birds in flight, but the actuall shutter speed for getting one shot off, more than helps out in these situations. Even though I cant shoot multipile shots quickly, I can shoot 1 shot after another at a reasonable rate, and with each shot, there is no lag time. NO LAG TIME. That is truly the best part about this camera. My old digital camera the Kodak DC265, there was a period of adjustment that the 265 would go through before it actually fired. So I would compose an image and click the shutter, only to find that the shutter wont fire until maybe a half-second latter. But you dont have to worry about that with the Pro 90. There is no "shutter lag". Once you click the shutter release the image is immediatly taken, and that is truly a thing of beauty. Overall: I am more than satisifed. This camera is a marvel. It shoots beautiful pictures at a glorious rate. This is a top-notch, one-of-a kind camera, and if you happen to see one on sale, purchase it right away. I dont know how long Canon will produce these beauties, but pick one up...you wont be disappointed.
On: 2001-03-25
Ive been using my Pro90 IS for a few days now, and it exceded my wildest expectations. The stabilization system allows shots impossible with out a tripod. You have control over all the camera functions, and the flash system is a dream. I double flashes and uses the first to get the correct exposure, similar to TTL in underwater cameras. It has modes like the night mode which allow the subject to be illuminated by the flash and the background to be exposed properly. The controls are functional and logical. The viewfinder is lcd giving a slr type image. There is a diaopter setting for the viewfinder so the icons are crisp and ledgable for everyone. This is a winner.
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