I own the S100 from Canon now since about 4 weeks and use them mainly as "always there" version for Nikon DSR equipment with many lenses, which of course delivers unbeatable quality. Only the DSR has used alone, the following disadvantages: - Far too heavy (I'm much walking and climbing in the mountains, and there is one almost every gram) - In low light conditions ("available light"), the DSR is usually not going there again too cumbersome and too heavy. So far I have tried several alternatives to S100 as a second camera for DSR, but in many ways (color rendering, menu navigation, especially image quality, greater light intensity at WW, compactness, weight, etc), the S100 probably be ahead. The video function I have only briefly tested and here too, the S100 is perhaps a more acceptable, "lightweight, always with" substitute for a video camera. The S100 has naturally no optical viewfinder and no accessories - (! Fits into any trouser pocket) shoe, but it is extremely compact and very easy (in many test reports is a disadvantage the ephemeral nature of the battery (200 shots) This does not concern me. because I always have a charged second - battery case have, as in the DSR. Another argument in favor of the S100 towards a DSR: the S100 you need a tripod, because the image stabilization works tremendously well. For example, I have photos sec in artificial light with f 2.0 and 1/4. Shot "out of hand" and they are sharp !! . If I want to D90 hinbringen eg with Nikon with the same lighting, the same focus, I need a fixed focal length of 1: 1.8 and 1 / 4sec. nothing works without a tripod because the fixed focal length so do not have image stabilization. But the weight - difference of equipment would be here almost 1:10 !!! Conclusion: The S100 is as a second camera for DSR - recommended equipment very well as "always with lightweight"! If you only with a compact - would alone manage camera, the handle optical viewfinder is recommended to a larger, slightly heavier camera to me (Snow and beach !!) and hot shoe. Then, however, have already arrived in the price level of a DSR.
