HD Video taken in low light with the Canon S95

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canonman

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I am not a videographer and this is not meant to be a professional video. I had my Canon S95 on hand and decided to take a casual HD video of it. I edited it on Windows moviemaker and compiled it using that. I am thinking that Moviemaker probably changed it around a bit. Here is what I came up with. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/MGvpfFCwKG8?hd=1
 
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canonman

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I did put a lot of thought into getting the Canon S95. Honestly, I liked the features of the Panasonic Lumix LX5 better. The Panasonic has twice the battery life and auto-focuses during video. It is more compact then the G12 and has more ability. However, the LX5 is not truely a pocketable camera. I can stuff the LX5 in my jeans pocket but it would not be sitely or comfortable. I once had a G12 which is only a bit larger then the LX5 and my only complaint was that it was truely not pocketable. The LX5 is a fine camera, but its designed to be carried around the neck with a strap and stowed in an external bag. The Canon S95 is truely pocketable and will go into your jeans without trouble and no one will know you have something in your pocket.

There are two big downfalls of the Canon S95 in my opinion. 1) Battery life. I went to the St Patricks Day parade and after an hour or so of shooting with it the battery was nearly empty. 2) You are limited to direct flash since there is no provision for an external flash.

If I could only have one camera then it would be the Panasonic LX5. The LX5 would make the perfect travel camera for say trips to Europe or Asia where you have to walk around a lot. I have been on a lot of trips and carrying a big DSLR is a big downfall when it comes to weight. Airlines are not DSLR friendly. Going through the TSA is always a big hassle for me as they prefer to examine everything in my photography bag seperately for some reason. However, I have more then one camera and the S95 is the perfect compliment to what I have. I also want to have something that can truly go everywhere and no one will ever have a question about it. The LX5 may not be able to be taken everywhere. I can imagine with its size a doorman or bouncer might have a problem with it. It could also get stolen if its truly not a pocketable camera.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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I have an S95 and it's a great little camera. I got it for very similar reasons - something that is truly pocketable yet maintains good IQ and can shoot in RAW.

I used to think there was never a reason not to bring the dSLR and a bag of lenses. But last year, we went on a family trip up to New Hampshire, and I found myself with a 7D and a few lenses in a Lowepro PrimusAW on my back, going through the Polar Caves with passageways like Eye of the Needle and Lemon Squeeze, and nearly getting stuck...I ordered the S95 soon after getting home... ;)

canonman said:
I have been on a lot of trips and carrying a big DSLR is a big downfall when it comes to weight. Airlines are not DSLR friendly. Going through the TSA is always a big hassle for me as they prefer to examine everything in my photography bag seperately for some reason.

Most of the time, I think it's worth bringing the dSLR. Yes, it's a challenge to carry a dSLR and a bag of lenses. I haven't had any problems with TSA or during international travel, though. I've checked the gear for a flight or two (although that entails some risk, it worked out fine - I was prepared in that I used a Lowepro Flipside 400AW for carrying my gear, and the loaded bag fits into a Storm im2500 hard case for travel - plus, the whole kit is insured). But even though I bring the 5DII on trips, the S95 comes too - it's good to have a backup, for one thing, and sometimes you just can't bring the camera backpack on an outing (at least when spelunking!).

canonman said:
There are two big downfalls of the Canon S95 in my opinion. 1) Battery life. I went to the St Patricks Day parade and after an hour or so of shooting with it the battery was nearly empty. 2) You are limited to direct flash since there is no provision for an external flash.

I haven't had an issue with battery life, but then I don't use it for video that often, and I carry a second battery just in case.

No provision for an external flash? It's compatible with the Canon High Power Flash HF-DC1. :p Ok, that's just a small, optically-slaved flash with a mounting bracket, but I mention it for the sake of technical accuracy.

Actually, I've found that between the f/2 lens and ISO 800 with the noise handled by DxO, I can do quite well in pretty low light - I almost never use the flash on the S95.
 
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Not a comment on the camera or the operator, but that looks eerily like the old "Bladerunner" movie to me. I expected to see a young Harrison Ford jump into the middle of a scene!

canonman said:
Here is another impromptu video I did with the Canon S95. Again, this wasnt meant to be a professional video, but a casual one that I did on the fly and edited with Windows moviemaker.

http://youtu.be/yMSNCc_pE-M?hd=1
 
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canonman

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One thing I want to note about the Canon S95 is that its definately more capable then a compact or cell phone camera, but its not a substitute for an APS-C or Full Frame type camera. The Canon S95 is better at handling low-light and "noise", but a big body DSLR is at least twice as capable at handling noise and low-light especially with the right lenses.

If I couldnt bring my 60D into a location or it simply was not fashionable to do so, then I would carry the S95. If you are expecting the same quality photos as the 60D in all situations, then I would say you might be disappointed.
 
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