I am new to digital photography and this is the first digital camera I have ever had. I bought my S400 approximately two years ago and I have never had any problem with it. The controls are easy to operate and I have taken many great pictures with it. I would recommend this camera to anyone, based on my experience.

This is my 3rd digital camera, and by far the best. It is small enough to take anywhere, and powerful enough to print beautiful large 8x10 photos.

Pros:
Small Size
Quick and easy operation
beautiful prints/photos
stitch mode
manual options
cheap memory cards

Cons:
blurry pix on some shots (mainly my fault)
cheap memory card door - feels like it would break off easily.

All in all an awesome camera.

This camera was my favorite, but now dead and useless due to E18 error (the zoom lense does not retract) after 15 month of use.

Camera itself has good performance, but the product quality is very poor.
After less than 12 months of fairly low use, the camera developed "memory card errors" rendering it unusable.
Canon service was near zero, refused warranty coverage and charged $150 for repair.
They changed a "defective" CF unit to fix the problem.
Without telling me they also upgraded the firmware. This "upgrade" makes the CF cards unreadable from a regular card reader connected to a computer.

In short: lousy product quality, dishonest communication and appalling support.

I too loved this camera until I got the dreaded "memory card error" after I had had the camera 16 months. Fortunately the credit card I bought it with doubles manufacturers' warranties so I am submitting a claim to them for the repair/replacement. You might want to check the benefits that come with your credit card before you send any money to Canon for repair.

Avoid this camera at all costs. Mine failed only shortly out of warranty with an E18 error. Search the net for "canon e18 error" and you will see hundreds of similar problems. A little research seems to indicate that the MTBF (mean time between failures) is about 16-18 months on this and several other Canon models. A high percentage of cameras are failing. I see no signs that Canon has any intention of doing the right thing, all they will do is try to charge you more to repair it than the camera is worth.

While it works it's a good camera and takes decent pics, but this price for a camera that becomes a useless hunk of metal at 18 months is truly unacceptable.

Do a little research on this and its successor, the S410 before you buy. My first year with my S400 was great. A little after that, I started to get Memory Card Error problems. At first, I tried reformatting the CF card using the camera, which sometimes worked. I then replaced the CF card, and that worked for about 2 weeks. I Googled Canon S400 memory card error and found lots of other S400 owners with the same problem. The fix I hear about most is using a USB card reader to reformat the card in FAT format. I've tried that, but the CF card still needs reformatting every now and then. So as it stands now, I can get the camera to work if I reformat the CF card, but I just can't tell when it's going do deal me another Memory Card Error. Totally unreliable.

After owning this camera for 1 1/2 years, it started to intermitantly complain about "Memory Card Error". I tried reformatting the card and also tried a different memory card. Neither of these fixed the problem.

I had it repaired by Canon for $150 and it works fine now. The warrantee of course is only 1 year. But, the good news is that VISA doubles the warrantee period, since I bought the item on VISA! So, I got it fixed for the cost of shipping.

The camera takes great pictures. IMHO: the user-interface for anything other than point and shoot sucks. But, that seems to be true for most digital cameras.

I have had this camera for about a year and a half. The first problem occurred about 6 months after purchase. The connection on the camera was no longer in good shape. The only way that I could download was to use a card reader. Next, after another couple of months, a screw on the tele-photo switch broke causing difficulty in using the tele-phone switch at all. I had to hold down the switch every time I used it. Then, it started burning out batteries. I ended up having to buy three additional batteries. One burnt out the second time charging it. Next, after about a year and a half from the time of purchase, the card error problem occurred. It destroyed several 256 cards and it was no longer working as a camera at all. For $500 plus another $300 in extra cards and batteries, the camera is completely dead. Canon has not been responsive. It is obviously a "dog" as so many customers have complained about the same problems, especially the problem with fouling the memory cards. This is a complete failure in quality control on the part of the manufacturer (Canon)and a complete failure on Canon's part to back it up. For as reputable a company as Canon, it is a complete breakdown of confidence. They should be ashame of themselves for making this, for selling this and for not backing it up. So many have lost millions of pictures.

My camera has died because of the memory card error too! I read back through the reviews and most were positive until Summer of 2004 when the memory card issues started popping up. It seems a bit suspicious when everybodies camera works so well at first and then dies immediately without warning??? Seems like a Canon problem to me too. Programmed to stop functioning at 18 months after first use?

This camera was so great when I bought it that I got 3 of them as gifts for family and friends. Now (18 months later) mine is unusable with Memory Card Errors, and my brother's is now unusable too (after 16 months)...just waiting for the other two gifts to go to crap.

Canon's response? Pay $150 and we'll fix it!!!! THEIR OWN DEFECT!!!

Do a Google search online for Canon and "Memory Card Errors" or Canon and E18 (another common problem)...see how awful this company is.

Inexcusable. If they have a class action lawsuit against Canon, I'm in. I'll never buy a Canon again. It's too bad because when it worked, it was great.

But it doesn't, so it's garbage.

I am suffering from the same memory card error mentioned dozens of times among these reviews. We were quite happy with the S400 for the first eighteen months or so, and then started getting this persistent error that now has rendered the camera useless.

The reason I am adding my two bits is to help bring down the average rating for this camera (which was still four stars as of this writing) so that the casual buyer won't just glance at the four star rating and think everyone is happy. We're not.

Canon should be ashamed.

I thought I was crazy at first, but I am having the same memory card problems as all the other reviewers. I think the problem is with the camera but not with the memory card. I took the memory card from my s400 powershot and placed it in my canon G6 powershot and was able to download all the pictures and movies using the G6.

I bought this camera 10/2003. a couple of months after that i received my first "memory card error." since the problem went away after a power reset, i thought nothing of it. it happened intermittently after that and now during the 7/4/2005 weekend the error won't go away! seems after a google search it's quite a bigger problem. the only recourse is to file a complaint with the better business bureau now and if enough of you file a complaint canon might be forced to do something. don't just complain about it...do something about it!

As everyone seems to be, I also have experienced the famed "Memory Card Error." The camera worked really quite well (other than one early E18 error covered by warranty) for about 26 months...but now is practically unusable due to memory card errors. At first, they would just be intermittent...and a format or simply turning the camera off and back on would fix them. Now, however, "memory card error" is essentially permanantly on my screen.

I've tried multiple batteries, fully charged, air-dusting the CF compartment, multiple CF cards, re-formatting the card, and nothing seems to get rid of the problem.

Other than the memory card error, it was a quality camera though. When it first came out I was that guy with the really cool new camera, and I still appreciate Canon's attempt to put out a cutting-edge model with good quality in a small size.

Now, however, I think that Canon needs to recognize the prevalence of the problem and propose some sort of a solution for camera owners. Many owners of this camera would certainly have upgraded to a new Canon elph if they had not experienced the untimely death of their camera. Canon should issue a recall, or at least provide service past the date of warranty. If not, Canon is really risking the future of their camera sales by alienating their customer base.

I've already ordered a new SD500...I'm sure I'll love it as I did the S400, but I only hope I can love it a little longer this time.

Same problem as everyone else here...MEMORY CARD ERROR? To make things worse, CANON won't do anything about it. I bought the camera about 18 months ago, and it worked great, and now I am plagued with memory card errors, but I know that it is not the memory card, because I can use it in any other camera. I can't believe the rating here on amazon is still 4 stars with so many dissatisfied customers.

This is a great camera from Canon. I've always been a fan of the Digital Elphs and I've had this one for about 2 years now. Canon has since come out with smaller versions with more capabilities. So if you're considering this camera, I would suggest looking at the SD300, SD400, and even SD500 before making your decision.

Just received the response shown below after me second email to Canon. It seems familiar - exact wording that I saw on another website claiming ignorance about a problem. I have now filed a complaint with the California and New York Attorney General's Office and the New York BBB. I strongly suggest all of you with this problem to do likewise so we can build a fire under Canon. If your camera has this problem and you haven't yet posted to this site let us hear from you. We should also start posting to other shopping websites (dealcatcher, epinions, etc) as well as the photography sites, including their Letters to the Editor. We need to make others aware of the way Canon has turned this problem into a profit center.

------------
Thank you for contacting Canon product support. We value you as a Canon customer and appreciate the opportunity to assist you.
Please note, Canon USA does not monitor, confirm, endorse, or attest to the accuracy of any information posted on third party websites. It seems many customers are overwhelmed by the barrage of information (or misinformation) being posted on unregulated, non-Canon websites. Unfortunately, this is not something over which Canon has any control. We are able only to confirm the performance of the camera based on our
own testing.

No service notifications have been released for the PowerShot S400.

Unfortunately, we here at the Care Center do not have the opportunity or authority to extend the terms of your warranty or to offer you free repair service outside of the 1-year warranty period. I understand your disappointment in encountering this issue with your camera, but you will need to address your concerns with the Factory Service Center. They are
the only entity within Canon USA authorized to make warranty decisions.

I suggest mailing your camera to them, along with a detailed letter explaining your situation, just as you have done in your correspondence with us here at the Care Center.

The Factory Service Center personnel will assess your camera and read your letter. If they decide to complete your repairs free of charge, the camera will be repaired and returned to you at Canon's expense. If they determine that the repairs will not be covered, you will receive an estimate for the costs to repair your camera. At that point, you can determine if the cost of repairing the camera is of value to you. If
not, it will be returned at no cost to you.

I apologize for any inconvenience this causes you.

Thank you for choosing Canon.

Sincerely,

Chris
Technical Support Representative

Wondeful camera but very short life span. Mine is 24months old and can now only be used as a door-stopper since it has the Memory Card Error. I tried all the tricks I have seen in Usergroups but none work. Today the camera can not take a picture anymore. The local Canon service here can fix it for €200, but will it cure the problem or just produce a band aid? A new Fuji 5.0mpix starts at €250 so think go that route instead.

Dan in Germany

Total waste of money. I've called Canon and they won't do anything about it other than ask me to pay $150+ (can't remember exactly how much) or trade it in for an SD500 for $200. DO NOT BUY!!!!! I didn't even really use it that much!!!

The camera is loaded with neat features, but the software is so slow, you can never get a good shot unless your able to have your subjects hold a smile for up to 7 seconds at times. Also, the camera started giving "memory card errors" after about 20 months. Replacing the expensive, 256 meg high speed memory card does not help. Canon has a defectivly designed camera model and refuses to stand behind their products. I now find that there are hundreds of people with the same problem and canon will not help them. I think its time for a class action.

I too have just fallen victim to the infamous "memory card error" plaguing the S400 model produced by Canon. The camera is a bit shy of 21 months old and suddenly started spouting "memory card errors" left and right. Initially I thought the Simpletech memory card was to blame, but after seeing all these negative reviews on Amazon, now I know better. Canon should pull their act together and compensate their customers. Class action anyone?

I've loved this camera like no other gadget I've ever owned.
So much that at least 4 friends bought one on my recommendation.
But at 20 months the memory card errors started.

A few days ago when I called Canon, the rep said he'd never heard of this behavior before.
So tonight I did a web search and... WOW! I am clearly not alone.

The biggest disappointment is not that the camera is failing,
it is that Canon's management is failing its customers.

Hi,

I am a reasonable consumer. So when I paid $400-500 for a product, plus the $50/per memory card, I expected to have something that will at least work for 3 years. Sure it might be slower than newer cameras, but it should still function.

I've been getting the memory card error for the past 3 months, and I used to be able to just re-start the camera, or re-format the memory cards. Now, the camera will not work at all anymore.

This is very disappointing, as there are many other brands out there with digital cameras, and I chose to buy the Canon based on the feedback from my friends and review web sites...but now I recently found out that they have pretty much written off this camera as well.

It's a shame b/c it was a great product when it worked, but now I will probably never buy another Canon product for the rest of my life...what's the point in buying a brand name if it is just as cheap as the no-name stuff?

i got this camera in june 2003, and began experiencing the "memory card error" problem intermittently from the very beginning. since powering off/on usually cleared up the problem, i didn't pay it much attention.

in february 2005, the camera pretty much stopped working altogether, and i haven't used it since. i didn't realize the problem was widespread, and now i am angry that canon is so unresponsive and won't stand behind their product.

i really loved the camera while it worked; very easy to use, and it took good pictures. too bad it is useless now. i highly recommend that everyone call canon support to register this problem: 1-800-828-4040. make sure they take your name and information to be able to track these complaints!

I've had this camera since October 2003, and I haven't had any significant problems with it. I have experienced the memory card errors as previously described, but only twice, and the errors were not fatal. As soon as I went on my computer and deleted the faulty photo, I could resume my photo-taking. I use my camera on a fairly regular basis - perhaps twice or three times a week. I haven't had any problems connecting it to the computer via USB cable. I chose Canon because their colors are more vibrant than those of other camera manufacturers. I would definitely recommend this camera for casual use.

I bought my S400 in August 2003 and it was truly a wonderful camera until July 2005, when I started getting memory card errors. The error occurred no matter which of my 3 compact flash cards I used. Then the camera refused to work at all. Canon is willing to repair it for $150 plus shipping and tax, and I'm not certain that it's worthwhile to do this.

Please think twice before purchasing this camera. The current 4 star rating does not accurately reflect the camera's performance after 18 months or so.

I am another disgruntled customer with an S400 experiencing memory card errors. I have purchased 4 other elphs for family members and swear by the camera with friends, but this is discouraging enough to change my mind about the camera line and the company. How sad.

My S400 was purchased from Amazon back in May 2003, and last year I began to get occasional "Memory card error" which would go away after a few reboots, but a few days ago it became totally stuck in that mode. I've tried rebooting countless times, switched 3 different CF cards including the 32MB that came with it, and still got the same error. To be fair I've shot thousands of pictures (great quality) and hundreds of clips (mediocre) with it, and have dropped it from waist-high at least a few times. But it's still very disappointing to have a $400 piece of electronics lasted only a little more than two years.

Like all of the posts, this camera worked great at first and then one day it just started malfunctioning with "Memory Card Errors" This was aproximately 18 or so months after purchase At first I didn't think much of it and the camera seemed to fix itself by simply shutting the camera off and then turning it back on. Eventually the camera would not even work. I even stupidily (is that a word) bought a new $75 flash card hoping that it was the card...NOPE, in seconds I found out it was indeed the camera. I too, tried to have this repaired and Canaon wanted to charge iver $150 to get this problem fixed. I would strongly suggest not buying this camera and taking the risk as one day you'll find yourself highly disapointed when your camera suddenly has a memory card error and you lose all of your pictures.....

I really like this camera, small, solidly built, takes great pictures. However, 2 years with this camera, and it appears to be toast. I'm getting the "memory card error" message that apparently many people are having problems with...not good.

Within 18 months of purchase I too was plagued with the memory card error messages. Now it only displays the E18 message and does not work at all. I expected this camera to last a lot longer for the $400 I paid. Canon should be ashamed. Needless to say, I will avoid Canon products in the future.

I too was left with an unusable S400 for several months with the "memory card error". I solved the problem by formatting my compact flash cards by connecting them to my PC through a CF reader. I also reset the settings on the camera to the default by removing the card, turning it on and pressing and holding down menu for 10 seconds. Worked like a charm, and I can now resume taking shots with my S400 again.

I was able to put up with the redeye and slow speed of this camera because it was pretty small. That all changed when the warranty ran out and the camera started giving the dreaded "memory card error" and wouldn't take pictures or let me look at existing pictures. I tried reformatting the card using a PC but that didn't help, so I finally sent the camera back to Canon, thinking surely they would fix it for little or no charge. Much to my dismay, I got an estimate for $155, which is Canon's fixed price repair charge. They said I could buy a refurbished S410 for $195, which was just as outrageous, since I knew those cameras have the same problems as the S400. I refused to give Canon any more of my money and they sent the camera back. I am going to try one more thing to fix the problem, new batteries. If that doesn't work, I'm going to join a class action lawsuit against Canon. I found the following information on another website:

"If you would like to join the Lawsuit against Canon for "Memory card error" OR "E18" error CALL ATTORNEY JIM SMITH AT NO COST TO YOU REGARDING THE E18 ERROR. THERE IS A POSSIBLE CLASS ACTION SUIT.HIS NUMBER IS 1-877-667-9489."

Beware the E18 message! It happened after 2 years of use. Don't kid yourself into thinking it won't happen. If you don't care, then think of it as a disposable camera. No more Cannon for me which is unfortunate, because the size of the camera is great. IT WILL HAPPEN. It's just a matter of time.

I received this camera for Christmas back in 2003, shortly after it came out. I loved it, great size, great pictures, overall good camera......UNTIL a week ago. I to received the dreaded "memory card error" message that many, many other Canon Camera owners have received.

And alas, there is nothing I can do but sit my newly broken camera on the shelf and cry away the $300.00 dollars I wasted on this 'so called' high end camera.

I would wish to see it fixed but Canon does not seem to care, nor believe, that this is a serious problem and will not cover fixing it unless I fork over $150.00....that money I do believe I will be saving towards a new NON-Canon camera.

I was a Canon fan tried and true, and swore by no other until this mishap occured. Their poor, poor customer service (they said the camera stopped working because of a user error....I seriously beg to differ!) has descreased Canon to the new scum of the camera industry in my eyes. I do not see how a camera, who user after user has claimed to break after exactly 18 to 20 months of use, can be a good buy.


If you are considering this camera, or any other camera by Canon, PLEASE do some more looking, read more reviews, ask professionals their opions and seriously consider a different camera!!!!!!

We loved the picture quality of the Canon Powershot S400, until we got an E18 error message after only 5 months of use. Canon repaired the camera, but the error message is back a year later. The lens won't retract and the camera is useless now. The warranty has conveniently expired. We did not dish out $460 to buy a camera that barely lasts 1.5 years! Try doing a Google search for "Canon E18" or "Canon memory card problem" to see how widespread the problem is. I was a big fan, but will never buy a Canon again.

I bought this piece of sh** thinking it was a great buy...even found it on sale on amazon.com. Hhahaha..yea right. Canon is laughin all the way to the bank on this camera, because everyone who has purchased it, has gotten the good ol' Memory Card Error. My camera is USELESS. I havent even had it for 4 months, and this piece of sh** already is worthless and broken. Fu** Canon for making this Powershot S400.

I bought a Canon S400 digital camera on 03/12/04. The last time I was able to take pictures with it was 09/29/05. The LCD indicates the camera has a "Memory Card Error." I tried 6 different compactflash cards. Same error. I enjoyed this camera while I had use of it but now it is completely useless. I called Canon customer service earlier tonight but they offered no remedies other than to pay more money to fix the defective product or to buy another refurbished camera at more than half of the cost of the original camera (and with an abbreviated warranty of only 6 months). A web search is quite revealing - I am astonished at the number of people who have experienced the same problem and heard the same response. And I am amazed that Canon has not taken responsibility for what is obviously some design defect. From a business standpoint, they are taking a great risk ... they are losing customers, me included.

After 18 months, memory card error. I tried various remedies: new battery, different cards, reformatting via card reader to FAT, resetting camera defaults. Reformatting worked a few times the past 6 months. Now, it's been a full two years and it's a svelt silver brick. Please fix it Canon!

Just wanted to add my voice to the litany of memory card errors. The tru measure of a good company and a good product is how the manufacturer responds to problems. Given I have been unable to see any response from the company on this issue all I can say is stay away from all canon products!

I bought my DigitalELPH S400 in late 2003 and now in late 2005 it has started giving E50 "memory card error" like everyone elses. Hundreds of people can't be wrong! DON'T BUY THIS CAMERA! Clearly this is a situation where Canon has a poorly engineered product and should be doing some PR damage control, but I get the feeling from other's testimonials that Canon doesn't care. Too bad. I won't be recommending any more Canon products and will be looking elsewhere when it comes time to replace my Rebel and ZR85. A class action lawsuit may be the only way to make Canon take responsibility for their product.

Just to add to everyone else's tales of woe, I too have the "Memory card error" readout on my Ixus 400. It started off intermittently but is now permanent on my 2 year old camera which I bought in the UK. Canon should be ashamed of themselves!!

Same problem! It seems that it happens to almost everyone who bought the camera at the same time! And I paid 350 euros to change the lense!

Well... It is getting boring, but we too are the victim of the Memory Card error. After barely 1.5 years of use! I am really disappointed in Canon. So unless you want to buy a new camera within 2 years time, don't buy this one. Just see the number of people who had this problem and be amazed...

Like everyone else i seem to have developed the same problem with my canon ixus 400. It is just about a 18 months old and started giving intermittent memory card error, about 1 month after warranty expired, now it is permanent. I will try the canon approach but i guess it will be useless.

I liked this camera pretty well when it worked. The user interface wasn't as easy to use as my old Sony, but it was a nice camera.

Until I got the dreaded memory card error and now it's a door stop, out of warranty. It still works, but who wants a camera that only works 95% of the time, and then 5% of the time dies with a memory card error until you can go home and clear out the memory card? Makes it basically useless.

I purchased my S400 about 18 months ago. Memory Card Error started showing up a month ago....lost a handful of pictures due to the error.

Called Canon - they told me that it was likely that one of the pins was loose. Not that I can tell. When I told them that I had researched this issue on line they said that all cameras have issues with these pins. I tried to find other complaints on other cameras - nadda.

Also was told that if Canon knew something was wrong they would address it. Sounds like they're turning a blind eye here.

Nice $400 paper weight. Not going to buy Canon again - I would if they would address the issue (camera was great before this enduring error), but to ignore it? sorry, moving on....

After two years of better than satisfactory experience (image quality, ease of use), the memory error problem surfaced. The error can be cleared by reformatting at the expense of saved files. Canon offers no help or even acknowledgement of this "adolescent mortality".The S400 is the second Canon I purchased and I'm in the market for a 7MP camera -- unless they address the memory error problem, I won't be buying a third Canon.

I purchased the Canon Powershot s400 on Amazon in April of 2004. This is our third digital camera- one other Canon and one Nikon- and this was the best of the three. For the most part, I was satisfied with the images, but many required red-eye fixing or tweaking of the levels. Bright light pictures were usually very washed out. Shot-to-shot and powering up times were good. I would give the camera a rating of 3.5 or maybe even 4 stars if it still actually worked.

I started getting a message that said "Memory Card Error" after about 14 months. The message only happened on occasion, and I could power it off and on a few times and eventually the camera would work. It was annoying- for sure- but at least still (sort of) functional. Two months later, there was nothing I could do to get rid of the error message and the camera became completely useless. It made it to the ripe old age of 16 months! I called Canon, and they said I could send the camera in to their repair shop, and they would mail me an estimate. When I explained the problem, they said that it would most likely cost on the high end of $150 - $300. Even the service rep. said that it would not be worth repairing.

If your heart is set on buying this camera, please don't do so without buying an extended warranty. You will most likely be VERY happy you did. I had to use my warranty (purchased at Best Buy) on my previous Canon, and the customer service was outstanding. There was no out-of-pocket charge for completely repairing my broken camera. They even took the liberty of replacing the outer pieces so it looked like a new camera. My only (minor) gripe was that I was without a camera for almost two weeks. Because Amazon was offering the S400 at $100 below Best Buy, I decided to take a chance this time and forgo the extended warranty. BIG MISTAKE!!

To those of you who have just purchased this camera, consider selling it before this defect sets in for you and the camera is worthless!

Canon- I am SO disappointed in you! This defect happens more often than not, and you won't recall the camera or do anything to help those of us who made a substantial investment little over a year ago. I guess you knew what you were thinking when you gave the camera a one-year warranty.

If I sound bitter, it is probably because I am...I can't afford to buy a new camera every year. The sad thing is, my next camera will probably be the Canon S2 IS because it is such a fantastic camera and I would like to have the 12x zoom capabilities. But you can bet that I won't buy it without an extended warranty!

DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA for your own peace of mind. It's a great camera when it works, but Canon has no respect for it's consumers. They ignore any problems, and furthermore, they want you to pay for their design errors.

I have an S400 which was a gift from my sister back in late '03. On my suggestion, after reading rave reviews on the S400, she bought one for herself too ($400 x 2).

Since Jul/Aug '05, I am getting the E50 error message and the "memory card error" which means I can't take pics. I can't reformat the card with the camera, as the reformat function withint the S400 itself doesn't work, so I bought a multimedia card reader to format the CF card, and that worked for a while, but now the camera is at best unreliable for taking pictures.

I Haven't gotten the E18 (zoom lens retraction) on my S400, which is another problem plaguing this and many other Canon cameras, but after doing some research, I wouldn't be surpised if that starts to show up too.

I can't believe that after all the problems people are having with Canon cameras, all what seem to be common problems, (E18, E50, E51, "memory card error", etc.),that Canon takes such a position to charge for their lack of quality control.

For all of the many Amazon users who have bought this camera and/or other Canon cameras with similar problems, there is law firm out of San Francisco, Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo, that is investigating consumer complaints regarding Canon PowerShot digital cameras. Sorry, can't give you phone number, mail addresses or URLs by Amazon review writing guideliens, so just do a search on any search engine and you will find the info.

I think we should all sue Canon for knowingly selling products that are faulty. We should also report Canon to the BBB. Sue, sue, sue!!!! They only seem to listen when you hit them in the pockets, don't ya think?

Put a faulty product out there, and charge for the repair? Now that's a profitable business it seems to me, even if it's not morally correct. Imagine if auto makers did that? Canon knows their cameras have problems and they choose to ignore the consumers complaints.

Do not buy this Camera - you will get the MEMORY CARD ERROR eventually and Canon won't help you fix it, but they will gladly charge you for fixing it. I won't buy Canon again because of their total lack of support for their failed products.

I purchased my Canon Powershot S400 digital camera about 2 years ago - absolutely loved. It traveled well and was always reliable. Until recently. The memory card error appeared. I tried several memory cards and received the same message on the back of the now non-functioning camera "memory card error". I researched the problem extensively and found that Canon is aware of the problem but does not care. You can fix the problem for $300, but for that price I would just buy another camera - not a Canon. But those of you experiencing the same memory card error I have found a very simple way to fix the problem, which I will share with you at no cost. I discovered this cure when I figured I had nothing to lose because I was going to throw the camera in the garbage. With the camera off, holding it vertically (like you would taking a picture), slam it down on a book or note pad that is on a very solid surface. Slam it hard, you have nothing to lose, the camera is worthless, but don't break your hand or wrist. Once should do should do it. Turn the camera on, you should be back in business. Good luck!

I was finally able to fix the memory card error I was getting on my Canon S400. After almost throwing the camera away, I did a last search online and found a way to fix it that worked for a lot of people. What you need to do is open the camera and remove the camera's internal battery and insert it again. This might seem like a major task, but it's actually not all that complicated (although if you are not comfortable with opening electronic devices and handling tiny screws, you might want to stay away). Here's a diagram to help you out: http://www.huroncamera.com/diagrams/Canon_Digital/POWERSHOT_S400_IXUS_400.pdf (the battery is part #3 on page 4). Don't be scared with the diagram, as you won't have to take the entire camera apart. You will only need to open up the camera. Good luck!

Was great until it I started getting intermittent memory card error messages after about two years. I would power on and off a bit and then it would eventually return to normal. Sometimes I had to delete the last picture because it wouldn't take pictures beyond that picture. Now however, the message is permanent. I tried a new memory card since it says "memory card error" - apparently that's not the problem. Go figure. With all the complaints on this camera to the point where there's a memory card error "club", don't even bother with this one. The other problem I had with this camera is the autofocus lag in taking pictures which is key when you need to get priceless moments. I've lost many because of the lag of this camera.

It seems that my experience with the S400 is very similar to everyone else's. I've had it for 18 months, and suddenly...Memory Card Error. I tried several different suggestions to fix the Memory Card Error, but to no avail. Finally, I tried the one below from C. Gallo of taking the internal battery out, and reinserting it. That did the trick! I didn't know which screws I had to remove to get to the battery, so I ended up taking all of them out. However, all that was required was to remove the front panel, which is held by 5 screws (1 on the bottom, by the tripod screw hole, and 4 on side by the loop).

Just like C Gallo says - take it apart, remove battery (I left it out for a minute or so), put it back together. Not hard. Just keep track of where the screws go. :)

The first couple of years were great. But then I had the MEMORY CARD ERROR of death and was shocked to find out that it's the norm for it to disfunction after 18 months. I paid $500 for this camera so it was an expensive mistake. You can do MUCH better.

The camera does well on all measures, when it came out it was a highly rated camera in all corners. Of course like all electronic gadgets, things change over time with use. I have had to problems with mine, both fixed by me:

1. Memory card error: I was able to follow the instructions provided here by other reviewers and fix the problem. Make sure you a) have the right tiny screwdriver, b) keep track where the screws came from -- there are three different sizes and c) more than the afformentioned 4 and 1 screws must be removed. This is an easy task, saves buying a new camera and/or paying to fix it more than it's worth

2. Memory card door plastic "tang" breaks. When this happens, the door will not stay closed. You have to buy the part from Canon...call them, the repair number is on their site. The door comes out with 2 screws and you replace it. The part with shipping was about $10.00

All digital cameras break in time, and eventually need to be replaced...this one is not ready for the boneyard yet -- I hope.

I want to thank the poster who did the research to take out the internal battery. I think it's working, but I really can't tell. I would think that we need to replace the internal battery no? If you're going to take the camera apart, make sure you go to Radio Shack and get their precision screwdriver kit. The screws are size 0.0 not 0. As another poster mentioned, make sure you track which screws come out of where. There are three different sizes and it gets tricky putting it back.

Oh and I just want to say that Canon really sucks. I can't believe that they didn't address this issue. My next camera will be a Nikon. I see that some SD400 customers are also complaining about a similar issue.

I am so disappointed with this camera. We purchased it 2 years ago for $500 and it started acting up with this memory card error message about 6 months ago. But, it would always work to turn it off and then turn it back on again and it would be fine however a couple weeks ago it just wouldn't "come back to life". It just said no image and had erased all my pictures. I went and purchased a new memory card thinking that was the problem but the new one did the same thing. I then emailed Canon customer service and they responded quickly however they told me it would cost $119 to send the camera in to be fixed or I could do the PowerShot upgrade program and get a Canon PowerShot S500 for $199 + shipping. I am so ready to purchase a new camera but after reading these reviews I am going to try the internal battery trick first. I agree - you could do better!

Same problem here folks, memory card error frustration. I will be attempting the battery removal technique. For those interested, there is also a potential class action suit that may someday happen with their camcorders, see http://mysite.verizon.net/resohb20/ for more info. I had the cassette removal problem with my Z40 camcorder and destroyed many of my good miniDV tapes (and the valuable material on them).

Same as everyone else has reported... after a little over two years of owning the camera I started getting "Memory card error"(s). Bought a new CF card, but the errors kept coming back. I could no longer see the pictures on the card, either!

I followed C. Gallo's advice, took apart the camera and replaced the small internal battery (it's on the front of the camera, to the bottom-right of the lens... so try just taking off enough to get to that area).

Others have reported that just buying a new rechargable battery (the kind you can easily take out of the side) will do you good for about a year. I'll try that next if the error crops up again.

Thanks, C. Gallo!

Gallo you are awsome. We tried everything with this camera, even calling the manufacturer. Extremely unhelpful - same garbage - send it in and pay them money for something they broke when building it. And when just a little fix will do. I was amazed that taking out the battery was so easy. I took all the screws out just to be safe but laid them to the side in order. Took no time to put them back.

I would say that otherwise, the camera is durable and easy to use, especially for a young person. And the quality of the pictures is good for the time it was made. My daughter was 14 at the time and had no trouble using it. The only drawback is that you have to use their battery, unlike my Olympus which uses AA and when you're out in the woods camping, it's not likely you'll find electricity. So ease of use is good if you're always near an electrical source.

I've owned this camera for almost two years with no problems, and just like all the other reviewers, I got the 'memory card error' and my camera stopped working. Thank you all for posting the your comments on how to fix the memory card error. It worked for me too! (my tip: I stuck all the little screws on sticky shipping tape to prevent them from rolling around) You all save me from buying a new camera...I was actually on Amazon looking for a new camera before I decided to check out the comments on the Canon PowerShot S400.

I've enjoyed this camera because it's small and easy to carry around, but one of the downsides of the camera is that you have to press hard on the button to take the picture. It's not a big deal for me, but when you ask others to take the picture for you, you have to explain to them to hold the button longer.

With all the new digital cameras out there, there are certainly better cameras out there. But since this camera is working again, I'll keep it around for awhile. Thanks again for all the comments on how to fix the memory card error!

The camera worked fine with minor complaints for about 2 years. The zoom is not that great, up close automatic photos are ALWAYS out of focus, and the red eye feature doesn't work that well. I lived with the shortcomings, because it was a nice, small, convenient camera, but now it doesn't work at all. Like everyone else, I got the "Memory Card Error" problem. I lost some great pictures of my 3 month old baby, and now it looks like I need to start shopping for a new camera. I'm going to try the battery fix, but even if that works, I don't trust that it will keep working, and I don't want to lose any more photos. I'll never buy another Canon.

I bought this camera mainly as a snapshot camera. I especially liked the size of the camera. Eventually I started using some of the more advanced features and found it to be fairly easy to use. Unfortunately I never really found the pictures to be all that great. Coming from a Kodak I was surprised at how the Canon failed to deliver better pics than it did. Nonetheless it was a good camera for what I needed.
Then, like it seems everyone else has, I encountered the E50 memory card error. After looking online at potential fixes and seeing what Canon suggested and their cost, I found myself looking at new camera's last weekend. Something I really wasn't planning on being in the market for just now.
Fortunately I happened across a solution yesterday that did eliminate the memory card error, at least for now. Last night I took 300 pictures and downloaded them onto my PC and no problems.
The fix: I turned the camera on and put it in playback/review mode. I held the menu button down until I got a screen that asked if I wanted to restore the camera to factory settings and said Yes. I tried it in picture taking mode instead of review mode and it did not work, but when I did it in review it changed the settings back to factory and like I said, worked like a champ last night. I'll keep pushing it for a while and see if my error returns and report back.

I've had the same memory card error problem with my Ixus, which I've had for two years. I just got back from Turin & the Olympics very annoyed that I couldn;t take pictures at the Opening Ceremony! Anyway, I unscrewed the front plate, lifted the plastic covered copper shielding & removed the small battery in the bottom right hand corner. A 2-minute wait, and then I replaced it. I had to re-format the memory card, but now it's working OK!

If you want your digital camera to last you for more than 18 months, then don't buy this one! It erased all of my valuable pictures too!

Thank you so much C. Gallo for telling us about the "memory card error" fix. It worked like a charm! I had to take out all ten screws though to get it to come apart, but I was careful to mark which screw came from which place and I got it back together with only one scratch (I stupidly tried to use a knife to jar it open after I removed the first 5 screws).

Good news: I am so grateful that I dont have to rush out and buy a new camera just yet.
Bad news: I lost all of my vacation pictures when this first happened. How long can I expect my camera to go before this happens again?

Thank you!
Cindy

I'd love to give this camera the 4 stars it deserves, but this morning I finally got the persistant "Memory Card Error" or "E50" error message. I've had this in the past an was able to reformat the otherwise seemingly perfect memory card and get past it, but this time it wouldn't go away. I read all about this error online and tried a freshly charged battery and reformatting the card in a PC, but nothing made it go away.

I finally cleared it up in time for today's birthday party by inserting and removing the card 20 times in a row, so possibly it is a dirty contact problem, but I've used Compact Flash cards (and PC cards) for almost 10 years without having a problem that I'd blame on dirty contacts.

The next time it happens I'll try the factory reset or disassembling the camera, but this is unacceptable in a $400+ camera that has less than 6,000 pictures taken on it.

Otherwise, the camera has performed well. The macro focus is amazing and it's almost nearly like having a microscope in your pocket. The high speed continuous shooting feature works well, at least with the flash off at not at the highest resolution.

The indoor lower-light performance is pretty pathetic compared to my in-law's higher-end Canon. I absolutely need the flash to take any indoor pictures except still lifes. The flash is pretty harsh and I often soften it with a tissue over the flash lens.

The autofocus is a pain and I often have to refocus a shot several times to get it right. At least you can lock the focus once you get it where you want it, but a manual focus would have been a great additional feature. Much more useful than all the customizable sounds and graphics on the display.

I'm playing the same broken record here. I bought this camera 2 years ago. Never had a problem with it and was very satisfied. It was recommended by 2 friends who own it as well. 2 months ago...BINGO.. "MEMORY CARD ERROR". My 2 friends..same thing. Based on all the research that I have done, this camera has a life of 1.5 to 2 years. This is completely unacceptable for a product that costs over [...] I haven't tried the "opening" the camera solution (by C.Gallo), but might be forced to soon. One ray of hope, is that it looks like Canon might finally be owning up to their mistake. Here is a link to their website stating that they recognize a "problem has occurred" and that they will fix the camera for free:

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=223&modelid=8777

Don't know if its true...? Based on the amount of people having this issue, I would assume you would get your camera back in about 2 years. Until then, SONY is a great option.

Like so many others, I experienced the memory card error. It renders the camera unuseable. I have contacted Canon and, thus far, they are not willing to do anything about it. I would strongly advise AGAINST buying this camera, because it seems likely (if not a sure thing) that your camera will stop working after only a short while -- for me, it was about 16 months.

It could be that resetting the camera to its default state (by holding down the "menu" button for an few seconds) initiates a soft reboot of the camera that is as effective as the hard reboot resulting from removal of the internal battery (and it's a lot easier). Any failures with either method?

We tried every trick on the web to fix our memory card error. It just cannot be permanently fixed. We will never buy another Canon camera.

Besides the new "Canon" recall that offers a repair for all Canon Elph S400, I did a lot of research after my camera did this (mind you my Memory Card Error came after 3.5 years of use of my camera), and the trick is...... drumroll.. charge the battery to its full capacity.

For some reason this trick ALWAYS works.

Hope this helps for y'all...

I tried Ronald Jones' suggestion for fixing the memory card error problem got immediate results. So, for now, my camera is back in business. Many thanks, Ronald!

This is an amazing little camera that takes beautiful vibrant pictures and I was relieved to find out that Canon is offering to inspect it and fix it for FREE even if your warranty has expired. This was taken from their website. Pass the news along!

If it is determined by Canon USA that your PowerShot S400 camera is exhibiting the CF Card communication problem that has been identified, the camera will be repaired free of charge, regardless of whether the camera is still under warranty. In addition, a refund of a previously paid repair will be made if it is determined by Canon USA that the repair of your PowerShot S400 was prompted by the CF Card communication problem that has been identified.

We have implemented a plan to assist those of our customers whose S400 cameras have exhibited the CF Card communication problem that has been identified. Repair service will be performed free of charge. U.S. residents are asked to contact the Canon Customer Support Center for assistance at 1-800-828-4040.

I used this camera happily for 2 years before getting the memory card error. Here are some more details about how to remove the internal battery: You must remove NINE screws in order to get to it. Four screws by the loop (then the plate comes off, remember which side is up); One screw by the front of the tripod hole, plus the Two screws next to it along the front of the camera; and the Two screws on the side by the A/V Out rubber cover. GENTLY pry the front of the camera off (I used a tiny flathead screwdriver, inserting it into the crack and gently turning it), and then lift the lower right corner of the copper flap (it might be held down by a touch of adhesive). Gently pop out the little battery. Reverse to assemble. I haven't seen whether it works as a fix yet, but I know I wanted more instructions while I was doing it, so I thought I'd provide them for the next person.:)

I have had this camera for about 3 years now, and I find it to be an amazing camera for the average person. I am not a professional photographer, yet I can capture some great shots with this little guy.

Recently, I got the "memory card error" that has been mentioned in a few of the reviews. I also read the trick (taking the face off and popping out the internal battery and putting it back in) and gave it a try. This worked wonderfully, and I am so happy that I don't have to get a new camera!

I can't say that I have ever had any problems other than the memory card issue. The S400 has been very pleasing.

Canon is great!

My wife and I bought this camera as a wedding present for each other for use at the Guest Book signing table at our wedding, and we took it on our honeymoon.

The battery lasts a very long time. The optical quality is outstanding. We bought a 1GB CompactFlash card, so we shot our entire 2-week honeymoon without having to download, and we were not being stingy on the number of shots. We even used it to shoot some video.

One downside is the amount of time to shoot one photo after one was just taken, however that could be because the memory card we got was not a high-speed card, just the regular speed. Hardly the fault of the camera.

We did not experience the memory card problem we've heard some reviewers have had.

After 3 years of use, our camera finally succumbed to our rough-and-tumble lifestyle when we accidently smashed the screen while on vacation. The camera still works, though, but we're going to replace it. We're definitely going to get another Canon PowerShot series camera as our replacement, probably the SD400 or better... Happy hunting!

I loved this camera for almost three years, until the famous "memory card error" struck. After taking the camera apart and removing/reinserting the battery, AND after holding down the Menu button to restore default settings, the "memory card error" message is still there.
Grrrr.

I've had the Elph S400 for 3 years. It took excellent photos though its movies were pretty grainy. I also experienced the "memory card error" problem which caused it to cease functioning. But Canon has a recall program for this camera and will send you a mailer to return it to them for repair if you call. No mechanical product is perfect and all you can ask for is good service if it fails. I got it.

I love this camera - I bought it after a trip to Europe where I shot 32 rolls of film and came back to the expense of developing them all only to find that half were garbage.

Ever since I bought this camera I have been taking pictures like crazy and the ones that are not garbage come out beautifully! I have played with all the color and quality settings and they really do provide fantastic results.

The video is the most recent thing I have been playing with and with my 7 month old baby reaching all sorts of milestones I am happy not to have to drag my camcorder everywhere!

I'm due for an upgrade but only cecause I am a new technology junkie and I am craving something new and exciting!

I bought my S400 in May 2003 and fit it with a 1GB Lexar CF card. This camera has been with me across 3 continents -- from -10C up to 40C climates -- and easily 17,000 photos in these 3.5 years.

The camera is very solidly built, and has a reassuring heft to it. The Celabrite finish on the front resists fingerprints and is pretty durable (except in the corners where some of it has rubbed off from roughing it in pockets/purses). The S400 has a 1/1.8" CCD sensor, which is larger than most of the subcompact cameras out there -- they have 1/2.5" sensors -- and translates directly into better low-light performance before noise-reduction and processing can even start to help out. Because of this, my next camera will definitely have 1/1.8", regardless of its noise-reduction capabilities.

This was also one of the first cameras to sport an "orientation" sensor, meaning it "knows" which way you're holding the camera when you're taking the shot, and inserts this into the JPG's EXIF metadata. But while normal images are named IMG_xxxx.JPG, the movie files are named MOV_xxxx.AVI, meaning in a normal listing view, they don't show up in chronological order interspliced with the images. And I don't believe the movies have datestamps on them besides the file timestamp. Anyway, for today's standards, the movie quality (resolution and frame rates) leaves something to be desired.

The custom white balance on the S400 is quite good, and saved me from having to do a lot of postprocessing to "un-yellow" some photos.

Focusing on this camera is a little slow, and is definitely audible. But if you plan to take a lot of photos of the same subject (or at the same distance), you can lock the focus once you have it, and keep shooting without re-focusing. This also shortens the shutter lag! Ditto with exposure lock, which is useful if your picture has a wide range of lighting conditions and the best exposure isn't necessarily in the middle or detected by the camera.

A second (and third, maybe) battery is a definite requirement if you go for day trips, because like all Canons, the S400 doesn't show how much battery power is left! You get a flashing red battery sign, meaning you probably have 5-10 shots left; twice that if you turn off the LCD and flash. I found that on vacation, I would go through two full batteries per day. Sidenote: my second battery was an aftermarket with slightly higher capacity (900mAh over 840mAh), and it was 1/4 the price and lasted great until recently, when it stopped holding much of a charge.

There have been, of course, many complaints about a famous "memory card error", but I haven't had it happen to me. [...].

Sadly, some 5 hours before New Year's Eve 2007, my camera refused to power up. It didn't make it into 2007, but it gave me a great run for the money!

This is just a great camera but now outdated at 4mp. but if you don't need the resolution, grab this. it's unbreakable. mine's been on every motorb