UKH

I've had my S110 for three years - bought mainly on the recommendation of people here! When I first got it, I was really chuffed with it and thought it took photos comparable to my Nikon DSLR but for a fraction of the size and weight, but over all I've been a bit disappointed with it. Perhaps it is my own lack of skill more than anything else, but I almost solely use it for taking photos when I'm climbing or doing other outdoor sports so I really want for the majority of the time a point and shoot camera, and the pictures I've taken with haven't been much different from those I have taken with the considerably cheaper and lighter little Lumix that I had before. I was happy to pay extra for the Canon because I understood that it had a better lens and bigger sensor, so should take better pics than the Lumix.

I also have found that battery life on the S110 is appalling and also affected hugely by the cold in a way that neither the Nikon or the Lumix ever was (interestingly Finnish winter weather didn't seem to impact on those batteries - i.e. temps in the minus mid teens or colder) while a walk in the Peak district in winter will bring the Canon battery down to red.

Anyway, as a climbing camera, the Canon has taken some knocks, but I've been no less kind to it than to other cameras, and now the connection (which was dodgy previously over the last few months) to the LCD screen has completely packed in. It still takes photos but having no viewfinder, you can't see what you take until you take the memory card out and download the photos.

I'm wondering how much it might cost to have it fixed - any one had the screen on Canon compact fail? And if it is a case of paying 100 quid or more for fixing it, might it be better just to write it off and buy something a bit cheaper than whatever the equivalent is to the S110 now? Does anyone have recommendations for a compact perhaps in the 100 to 200 quid sort of range? Small and good battery life would be the prime requirements after 'taking nice photos'.

Edit: forgot to add the flash has failed on it too - won't pop up. I can live with that as its not great so rarely used it, but annoying.

In reply to TobyA:

I own exactly the same camera and share your views. Despite trying very hard to like it I never have. I have taken some of my better photos with it but more often than not they are poorly exposed and the camera loves to shoot at too low shutter speed, leaving lots of blur. Obviously some user error, but I cannot believe how often I have missed a great shot because of it. The battery is rubbish, the battery indicator completely inaccurate, and the lens no longer opens properly. Recommendations for a good Panasonic gladly accepted!

In reply to TobyA:

I broke the screen on my S100 a few years back. Found a replacement on Ebay for about £20 and YouTube video for how to fit it. Works fine again now.

But yes - the battery life is hopeless in the cold.

In reply to TobyA:

I've had a couple of small Canons and they eventually gave up the ghost. At the local Canon repair centre, I was quoted £70 each time just to look at it. I'd just take the opportunity to upgrade or replace, if I were you.

In reply to TobyA:

I've got an S100, so maybe it was one of my posts recommending them. I think it's been a good camera, IQ-wise, and I have compared it shot-for-shot side by side with my Canon 350D SLR (w/Tamron 18-200) and it's clearly better.

But yes, the battery life is crap, and always was. Cheap generic batteries don't last as long - I have about four of them.

Meanwhile, as ever, all other cameras are improving. So replace, don't bother repairing.

In reply to TobyA:
Bump, as similar situation with s100, and interested in alternatives.
Had a look at Sony RX (put off by small controls + vulnerable looking pop up
flash) , LUMIX TZ100 (bit less pocketable than canon s series), any others worth a look?

In reply to TobyA:

Get onto DPreview, they test the full range of cameras from cheap to top-end.


Chris