Great Camera in a Small Package

( - 2/14/05) I have used the Canon PowerShot S50 since June, 2004 and have found it overall better than many cameras in its price range. The Canon S50 is a great little camera that is well designed and very well built. It was made to use and to bring both satisfaction and pride to the photographer. At 5MP, it takes photos that can be favorably compared to film cameras by the ordinary photographer who is interested in "capturing the moment" for family and friends. There are two drawbacks: the dedicated battery has an inherently short life (additional batteries are expensive, around $70.00) and no filters are available. This makes the camera most unsatisfactory when a polarizing filter is needed for a shot. Apart from these two drawbacks, I am pleased with the camera and its performance.