Last Updated on 01/09/2025 by Chris Gampat
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I remember when I got to play with the brand new Canon S90 and how much of a joy it was covering an event like that right out of college. Then, Canon brought out its successor: the S95. The Phoblographer is fortunate enough to have had wonderful reviewers come in and out of our stables, and we originally reviewed the S95 back in 2010. And with vintage digicams being the big trend, I decided to finally purchase the one I wanted. Trust me, the Canon S95 is positively incredible in so many ways.
I’m going to be very frank with you all: the vast majority of modern cameras are painfully boring. Oftentimes, powering them on is synonymous with the same excitement that you get when you tap your punch card in at work. We, like many of you, have been sick of it. And I’ll say with confidence that we’ve been far more vocal about it than other outlets. There’s validity in what we say too! If all modern cameras are nearly the same, what are they doing to stand out? And the answer is, sadly, not a lot.
It’s one of the reasons why the Phoblographer stopped reviewing anything smaller than full-frame unless it really stood out. The big part here is that with the more entry-level models, you’re going to get a whole lot of monotony. And with the second-hand market where it is right now, you’re much better off spending a bit more money sometimes and getting a much better second-hand camera. In my 20 years in tech, I’ve nearly never brought brand-new products.
In the case of the Canon S95, Amazon has several options that aren’t that pricey. You can buy it here on Amazon.
This is part of the reason why the Canon S95 brings me so much joy. In 2024, we’re giving the Canon S95 5/5 stars; and in many ways, it’s probably the best vintage digicam from Canon.
Table of Contents
The Joy of the Feeling
When I bought the Canon S95, I was very excited for it to actually arrive at my home. After unboxing it, I had such a smile on my face. And thankfully, it wasn’t just mine. I put this camera in the hands of friends both younger and older than me — and they all had the same reactions. To them, it felt like an old luxury that’s, somehow or another, still working just fine. In my hands, the Canon s95 reminds me of a time when I stepped into adulthood with joy. When you’re still in your 20s, you don’t have much money and so you usually work really hard to save up the cash to buy something you aspire to. The S95 would’ve been that for me in a previous life.
The Canon S95 speaks to me like a 90s R&B song speaks to generations of men who went out into the rain and weren’t afraid to tell women that they loved them — and to give them one more chance. As I walked around my home in NYC, it gave me a tactile experience that I’ve long missed. This little camera would be in my jacket pocket, and I’d often use my fingers to fiddle around with the ring around the lens. This ring gives you a little click at certain points — and it’s a big reason why someone would buy the camera. In fact, the Canon S95 was designed to be a tactile wonder. It’s thin, compact, has a huge screen, few buttons, and all the controls you realistically need, and can expect from a camera like this.
In 2010, the reviewer of this camera was a man in his 40s, and I finished the final analysis. What I wrote back then was, “The lens ring should become a standard design component for high-end, feature-rich compacts.” Fast-forward to 2024, and the manufacturers have forgotten who they are in the way that a fundamentalist doubles down on a cause while forgetting why they were fighting in the first place.
The Canon S95 speaks to me like a 90s R&B song speaks to generations of men who went out into the rain and weren’t afraid to tell women that they loved them — and to give them one more chance.
With the Canon S95 in my hands, being with it became a meditative process involving soul searching. The camera world has tried to lump photographers and videographers together with YouTubers to call us all content creators. This is a derogatory term similar to lumping all Europeans together and saying that something has a “European aesthetic.” The truth, though, is that London feels much different from Berlin, and Barcelona’s streets have a design that is significantly different from Rome.
I’ve never called myself a photographer until parts of my circles called me that instead of recognizing me as a journalist. This has been part of my soul searching.
And yes, a 37-year-old man is getting all of this from a vintage digicam. It not only comes from the ring around the lens but also from the texture of the camera body, which feels like leatherette. Somehow or another, Canon created a luxurious experience that’s much different from what Leica does. At the same time, they’ve also thrown away a big part of their own identity.
Before you go on, here are a bunch of beautiful photos I shot of the Canon S95.
In 2010, the reviewer of this camera was a man in his 40s, and I finished the final analysis. What I wrote back then was, “The lens ring should become a standard design component for high-end, feature-rich compacts.” Fast-forward to 2024, and the manufacturers have forgotten who they are in the way that a fundamentalist doubles down on a cause while forgetting why they were fighting in the first place.
It’s Not My Phone
One of the big reasons why the compact camera died is because of the smartphone. But the truth about cameras is still the same. No one needs a camera for anything — you can shoot very good photos with your phone and don’t need to bring a camera with you at all. At the higher end, you get specialized ergonomics, a bigger sensor, interchangeable lenses, and better image quality. But with compacts, you get better image quality, specialized ergonomics, and a tactile feeling unlike anything else.
And the big problem is that manufacturers have forgotten about the sensory, tactile experience.
Most of the history of photography was a sensory experience. We could touch, smell, see, and hear aspects of the entire process. But digital photography has desensitized the whole process and left us only with the visuals. The Canon S95 gently takes my hand and beckons me to a time when we’d have raves with strangers dancing together at Cut Copy shows. This camera has that whole sensory experience — except for the smells. If I haven’t said it enough, it starts with the lens ring and the beautiful tactile clicks — along with the zoom rocker. All of this is wrapped up by a texture that almost feels like a leatherette. Then there’s the beautiful aesthetic it embodies, along with the way the screen renders images. And for the sound, I’ve left certain things on.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the manufacturers have forgotten who they are in the way that a fundamentalist doubles down on a cause while forgetting why they were fighting in the first place.
The Canon S95 has a start-up sound, a shutter sound, and an autofocus confirmation beep. I’m not using this camera to capture candid images without someone’s consent or without being in a comfortable place, so honestly, that beep is just fine for me to keep handy.
To Be Sharp? Or Not to Be Sharp?
The Canon S95 comes from a time before face detection was really as powerful as it is today. However, the camera has blink detection. Instead, you’ll probably just use the center focus point, get focus confirmation and continue on with what you were doing. And who cares if the images are a bit out of focus — this is all just for the enhancement of the moment.
Will It Last?
Believe it or not, the Canon S95 has exceptional battery life. After a week of shooting with it every day, I’ve only charged it once. And beyond that, this camera is already 14 years old. Most mirrorless cameras I’m not sure would last that long.
Image Samples
The photos from this camera are more than good enough to post online. If someone is trying to pixel-peep those photos, they’re not doing themselves any justice.
The Phoblographer has been huge on transparency with our audience since day one. Nothing from this review is sponsored. Further, many folks will post reviews and show lots of editing in the photos. The problem then becomes that anyone and everyone can do the same thing. They’re not showing what the lens can do. So, we have a section in our Extra Image Samples area to show edited and unedited photos. From this, you can decide for yourself.
Edited
These photos were shot in RAW and edited in Capture One. Phoblographer members get a discount. Join today!
Unedited
