I adore this camera for the following reasons:
1. It has a DURABLE metal casing. I have dropped this camera numerous times on the concrete (including the first time I took it out of the package) and usually carry it jammed in my purse with my keys, mechanical pencils, you name it. I've also taken pictures in the rain, which I don't recommend, but it's held up so far! Mine is horribly scratched and dinged but absolutely no problems yet. I do recommend an LCD protector.
2. Sharp, clear pictures. I've submitted pictures to galleries and miscellaneous publications; they've never had problems with resolution as long as it hasn't been much over 8x10 (but it's advertised to be ok up to 10x11).
3. Intuitive controls. Lots of buttons & dials, but you'll pick it up quick or you can just ignore them all, and point & shoot on "auto". You'll still get great pictures.
3. Value. At this point in time, this almost-professional quality MSRP $500 camera can be found online (NEW) at around $220. If you're looking for a Point & shoot that has some extended capabilities and isn't a clunky EOS SLR, this is pretty portable.

A few cons:
1. Weight. It is relatively heavy compared to other point-and-shoots. I always use the strap to keep from dropping it, which I've done more than a few times. It's not as small as the S500s which is a bummer.
2. Manual capabilities occasionally tough to find. As an amateur photographer, I like to use "auto" a lot but when I do use the manual focus/etc. it's not always easy to figure out where the appropriate menus are.
3. Tiny viewscreen. Nothing like getting home and realizing that the pictures that initially seemed so sharp and clear on the screen are blurred and out of focus in real size. But this happens with most (if not all) little digital cameras.
4. Night resolution. Blah. Has a "night" mode which is servicable but not that great.

I love this camera and will definitely buy another Canon after all is said and done. In 1 1/2 years, my camera has been around the US/international scene and has taken 5400+ pictures. It has held up like a champ! I totally recommend the S50, even for photography amateurs. My s50 pictures are all posted on the web.

This is the best camera I have ever seen. It takes amazing photos and you can also take video clips. I highly recommend this camera. I love it!

I have now had my Canon S50 for over a year, and taken hundreds of photos. I am a serious amateur photographer, and I got it because it was the _only_ all-manual (somewhat) pocketable digital camera when I got it. The flexibility of this camera is crucial! And I love the 'intervalometer' which allows me to make time-lapse movies of things such as beautiful sunsets.

The bads:
The markings on the selector wheel have completely rubbed off. I have to look on-screen to guess what mode I am in.
To push the selector SET button in without pushing left or right requires just the right touch. I much prefer separate select button as on some other models.
The lens cover also requires a certain touch to close it properly, since it doesn't stay in its track perfectly. This is easily learned, unlike the selector button.
Special-purpose battery is expensive! Why not use AAs?
Only focuses up to 10cm. Macros are not that macro.
Focusing close in low light is virtually impossible, even with manual focus.
To have a shutter sound a second after releasing the shutter button is worthless. It makes taking pictures from a moving vehicle very hard to time.

Some more GOODS: It is surprisingly sensitive, and takes excellent night shots of things like christmas lights, or shots from indoor lighting even without a tripod.
Sound annotation and movies are very handy!
The flash is very flexible, with 1st or 2nd curtain, variable brightness.
The digital zoom (from 3x to 12x) is quite good.
It is pretty solid. Dropped it onto bricks from 4 feet and just a dent.
Not much distortion or chromatic aberation in the lens. Photos look great at poster size.

Excellent all around. Who needs more than 5MP anyway? Great manual control of shutter speed and apeture (spelling?).

If you want a replacement battery at %50 off of list price, you can buy it from BatterySavings.com.

The only drawback to this camera is that within one month of purchase all of the symbols on the jog dial (feature selector) rubbed off and I was left with a black dial with no indicator of which shooting mode was selected. Fortunately, Canon shows the shooting mode on the LCD screen, so you will be OK.

I have been carrying around dearest Canon Powershot S50 since September of 2003, after tearing myself from an elderly Minolta camera my Father owned about thirty years ago. Prior to purchasing the digital camera, I did a hefty amount of research to ensure myself that I was indeed purchasing a product that would last. After comparing countless cameras to one another through the Internet and shopping centers, I settled on the Powershot S50.

The camera (overall) is incredibly easy to operate, and provides the user with an immense amount of features to explore and expand upon. I quickly learned how to decide on a specific shooting mode for each shot, without much fuss. I also found it very simple to become comfortable and confident while shooting manually with the S50.
This digital camera produces vibrant colors and crisp images with almost every photograph or snapshot taken. The automatic white balance (with or without setting it yourself) compliments each shot, and allows for flexibility. There is rarely a need to adjust anything more than the brightness and contrast of a photograph in Photoshop, which is not the case for many other digital cameras. S50 is also capable of functioning well without a flash in a low-lit environment!

The body of the S50 is a perfect size, sturdy, and survived (with only one small scratch) a dreadful fall on the kitchen ceramic tile. Also, the LED screen placed on the backside of the camera allows the user to see what exactly they are photographing.

There is no need to worry in regards to loading S50s software on a Mac, or PC. Both are "user-friendly" and will not be found troublesome!

Aside from all of the upsides to purchasing the camera, there are, of course, minor (but worth mentioning) issues I was and am not satisfied with. I have not experienced anything negative with the sliding lens cover as other reviewers have, but can agree with its (occasionally) slow reaction time. I have missed a shot I desired to capture on more than one occasion because S50 did not react quickly enough.

Along with this, I have and continue to struggle with the usage of the flash. Photographs either appear too bright or not bright enough. I have yet to settle upon middle ground with S50. However, Photoshop and other photography programs can easily adjust this issue if needed (along with the commonly complained about red eye). The battery life is also an issue to struggle with. It is best to carry another with you, as the camera will not specifically indicate when it will be out of battery power.

I would recommend this camera to anyone in need of a reliable buy, as well as a larger memory card (mine being 256MB). You will have a point-and-shoot camera as well as a semi-pro manual camera combined into one, with a terribly affordable price for all of its functions.

I've been using this camera for the past 2 years..no compliants at all..glad that I bought this.
clarity is good and print are good. I recommend this to all.

I've been using this camera for about a year and half and it works great. Picture quality is excellent. My only complaint is the size and weight. The screen could also be a little larger.

This is a very good "compact" digital camera. It has a lot of function setting that let the user adjust for different environment and style. The price should be very reasonable

Canon PowerShot S50 is a nice little digital camera with 5 megapixel and 3X optical zoom. It has a load of exposure features from fully automatic to fully manual. It takes high quality pictures in JPG or RAW format with normal, fine or superfine resolutions. The only drawback is the focusing being a little slow. It is also sluggish under low light conditions. The rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery doesn't last long (never got it to go longer than 100 shots under normal shooting conditions with the LCD screen on) but can be recharged within an hour. Overall, a nice little camera to have around.

This was my second Canon Camera. I bought this one through Canon after my S45 died one month after warranty. They had me pay an additional $250 dollars after spending about $500 on the first one. Only three months after the warranty this camera too broke. I learned my lesson the first time and have switched to a SONY. Don't waste your money unless you want an unreliable camera. The pictures and features are nice, but not worth the pain, hassel and waste of money.

I have not one complaint about this camera. This was my first digital camera. I have had it for 3 years now. It still works like brand new. I can take excellent quality pictures, quick download and even take great video that I have made all sorts of home videos using. I have never once had a problem with it and I use it almost 3-4 times a week taking several pictures or video at a time.

I use a Canon film SLR but bought this digital camera for everyday use. The camera in itself is great, in both quality and flexibility. However, the battery never lasts for more than about 30 shots, it does not matter whether the display is on or off. True, it recharges relatively fast but my regular camara has batteries that last forever. I am thinking seriously of selling this one just because I am tired of seeing the dreadful red symbol.

My experience with this camera has been pleaserable for the most part. However, the lens cover is another story. The lens cover openning and shutting is the key to get the camera operating. After seveal years of use, something happened where the lens cover would no longer shut, making the camera in-operable. I sent it to Cannon for ~$150 service. After getting it back, it worked properly for a few months and then the same thing happened! I'm now in the market for a new camera (I can't keep pouring $$ into this one!).

i have taken this camera to czech republic, china, costa rica (humidity!) and many other places. i have screwed up and dropped it twice on concrete surfaces. it still works!! the picture quality is great for what i use it for and can make high resolution photos to be blown up to 8 by 11 prints (depending on where you get it done will determine final quality). the camera is a bit on the heavy side but it has so many options that you can control, it feels like its as close as you can get to a dslr without spending a ridiculous amount of money. i transition between this and my canon eos rebel slr when traveling and have no complaints with either one.

The S50 was my first foray into digital photography, and after reading reviews online, I bought one 2.5 years ago.

What I liked:
1.) Nonproprietary memory (uses CF cards). Newer Canons use SD cards mostly (I believe).
2.) Flexibility: sized slightly larger than a compact (and quite a bit heaver), but full functioned. I was coming from a 35mm SLR and wanted to have some control over my shots without shelling out a few thousand for a digital SLR (at that time).
3.) Good optics. Don't remember which review I read that tested the optical characteristics of the camera[...] but it was among the best of the time.

What I didn't like:
1.) Bulk: It's a bit heavy and too bulky for a pocket.
2.) Proprietary battery. Life is decent, however. I can usually get a full day's shooting on one battery. I have a backup "just in case" that I have only had to use on really heavy shooting days (over 150 shots or so).

It's survived a number of trips with me around the world and I love the thing. It got me into digital photography and I'm back in the market for another (probably) Canon compact for my wife. Eventually, I'll dive into a digital SLR....

5/5 to Canon!

the powershot s50 will not turn on anymore sinse the siding lens cover wonnt work right and canon wants 139.00 to fix !!! Im never buying a canon camera agine!!!

I see I am not the only one who had a problem with the lens cover. When you slide it one way, it turns the camera on and then you slide it back to turn it off. I bought this camera about 3 years ago and several months ago, when I closed the lens cover after snapping some pictures, I felt it go past the stop point it usually did. Then I noticed the lens cover had become loose. It is even looser now and the camera is still working but I have to be very careful with it. I am afraid it is only a matter of time before it stops working thanks to the loose lens cover. Local camera shops send out digital cameras to be repaired and Canon will not even look at it for less than $150 since it is out of warranty. I will eventually buy a new digital camera and then maybe I will take the chance of looking at this thing myself by taking it apart. It could be just some little thing that could be tightened up, but taking it apart could also ruin the camera for all I know.

I love this camera. I've had it for 8 years and it takes the best shots. I get compliments all the time on my shots and I know nothing about photography, just that I like great shots of faces. I've gotten better shots of ym family with this camera then I get at professional photography places.

The camera does it all. We have tons of videos of our daughters first moments from this camera even though we have a camcorder because it's easier to snap quick pictures and movies with. And we post them on the internet really fast where our camcorder takes much more effort. I've dropped this thing a million times and it sat in water once or twice. The frame is scarred and wounded from my gross mistreatment yet the thing still takes the best pictures ever. The quality of my pictures has never gone down. This was by far the best investment I've ever made. I've never been disappointed by this camera. I love it! The only thing I did was get a huge memory card so I could take more shots while on vacation.

Is this the best camera that Canon can give for more than $400? Like other Canon Powershot S50, mine broke after 3 years. It seems to be innevitible for this model. If you want something last longer than 3 years, go for other brands. No Canon anymore.