Canon ELPH
300 HS
 vs
Canon PowerShot
S95

Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS vs Canon Powershot S100

Canon PowerShot S95

77
"Image quality is still excellent, with a usable ISO range of 80-800 and fast f/2.0 maximum aperture, albeit only at the wide-angle lens setting, making the S95 very well-suited to low-light, hand-held photography."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's iso-noise
"The Canon PowerShot S95 is an easy pick for our Highly Recommended award."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S95

Aperture
 Wide aperture
f/2.0
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
Sensor size
 Large sensor
1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Light sensitivity (boost)
 High ISO (boost)
12,800 ISO
Supports RAW
 Shoots RAW
Better editing
Canon ELPH 300 HS

76
"The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 performed above average in terms of image quality for its class."
digitalreview.ca | talking about the 300 HS's image-quality
"The new HS System offers the ability to capture images with up to 60% less noise at all ISO speeds compared to standard non-HS System compact cameras."
digitalreview.ca | talking about the 300 HS's iso-noise

Reasons to buy the Canon ELPH 300 HS

Wide angle
 Wide angle lens
24 mm
Size
 Really small
Super compact 92x55x19 mm
High-speed framerate
 High speed movies
240 fps
Supports 24p
 24p movies
For that film look
Sensor type
 CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Thickness
 Thin
0.8"

differences

Advantages of the Canon 300 HS
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 24fps vs 720p @ 24fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle 24 mm vs 28 mm
Help
 More than 10% better wide angle
Size Significantly smaller 92x55x19 mm vs 99x58x29 mm
Help
 More than 40% smaller
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies 240 fps vs None
Help
 Capture events too fast for the naked eye and play them back in super-slow motion
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
 CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Thickness Significantly thinner 0.8" vs 1.2"
Help
 More than 30% thinner
Weight Significantly lighter 141 g vs 193 g
Help
 Around 30% lighter
Macro focus Better macro capability 3 cm vs 5 cm
Help
 Focus on subjects 40% closer to the lens
Lowest price Much cheaper $148.00 vs $364.10
Help
 The best price we've seen is $216 cheaper (2.5x less)
Zoom Slightly more zoom 5x vs 3.8x
Help
 Around 80% more zoom
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 3.4 fps vs 1.9 fps
Help
 Around 80% faster continuous shooting
Shutter lag Slightly less shutter lag 360 ms vs 610 ms
Help
 More than 40% less delay when taking photos
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/2000s vs 1/1600s
Help
 20% faster max shutter speed
Canon ELPH 300 HS Learn more about
the Canon 300 HS

Advantages of the Canon S95
Sensor size Much larger sensor 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm vs 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm
Help
 More than 50% larger sensor
Aperture Significantly wider aperture f/2.0 vs f/2.7
Help
 At its widest zoom, the S95's lens captures slightly more light (0.9 f-stops)
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
 More than 10% larger screen
Supports RAW Shoots RAW Yes vs No
Help
 Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
 Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 More than 2x higher resolution screen
True resolution Higher true resolution 10 MP vs 9.7 MP
Help
 Almost the same
Canon PowerShot S95 Learn more about
the Canon S95
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent compacts, and ignoring price

Canon ELPH 300 HS Canon ELPH 300 HS
76 vs 77
Explain scores
Canon PowerShot S95 Canon PowerShot S95
Green arrow Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a compact with a pro digicam.

advice

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!
I am considering either the 300 HS or the S95,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

Select aspects that are most important to you: (max 3)

Popular tags:

Are you a camera expert? Share your knowledge!
1
votes
by Randy-Roussel last month
Canon 300 HS vs Canon S95

Not a beginner but no where near an expert. I enjoy taking pictures and making movies for the litt...

2 people recommend the Canon S95:

" I also agree with Alex.  The faster glass and larger sensor in the S95 will allow for faster shu..."

"Hi Randy, I'm recommending the S95, but you should consider its successor the S100. The S100 (and ..."
1
votes
by Alex-Ayala last month
Canon S95 vs Nikon P310

I am an architect and I need a canara for outdoor shooting, I use the images as a suport for my...
0
votes
by Peter-Fitzgerald last month
Canon 300 HS vs Sony WX9

I am not an expert but I like tinkering with settings to get the best photo. Also I would like a c...
0
votes
by Maria-Mangiore-Kohrs this month
Canon 310 HS vs Canon S95

Somewhere in the middle.... not an expert at all but not really a beginner either... posed dance...

One person recommends the Canon 310 HS:

" Maria, I recommend the Elph 310 HS is your best selection for your criteria.  primarily because ..."
0
votes
by sankalpz last month
Canon 310 HS vs Canon 300 HS

I am not professional photographer, neither want to be. I am looking for a camera, which is easy...

similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
300 HS:f/2.7
S95:f/2.0
Supports 24p Both support 24p, which is uncommon in cameras similar to these Help
For that film look
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Zoom Poor zoom Help
300 HS:5x
S95:3.8x

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$370 - $430
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Light sensitivity Significantly higher maximum light sensitivity
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the Powershot S100 vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the Powershot S100 vs the PowerShot S95
Canon ELPH 310 HS

Canon ELPH 310 HS

Travel zoom

$195 - $196
Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Macro focus Slightly closer macro focusing
Wide angle Has a significantly narrower wide angle lens
Aperture Has a much narrower aperture
Compare the ELPH 310 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the ELPH 310 HS vs the PowerShot S95
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

Travel zoom

$239 - $307
Zoom Has much more zoom
Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Light sensitivity (boost) Lacks boost light sensitivity
Compare the PowerShot SX230 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the PowerShot SX230 HS vs the PowerShot S95
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$319 - $330
Zoom Has way more more zoom
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the Cybershot DSC-HX9v vs the PowerShot S95
Canon ELPH 500 HS

Canon ELPH 500 HS

Pro digicam

$188 - $293
Screen size Has a slightly larger screen
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the ELPH 500 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the ELPH 500 HS vs the PowerShot S95
Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Canon PowerShot SX220 HS

Travel zoom

$281 - $366
Zoom Has much more zoom
Fastest shutter speed Has a faster max shutter speed
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Light sensitivity (boost) Lacks boost light sensitivity
Compare the PowerShot SX220 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the PowerShot SX220 HS vs the PowerShot S95
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

Travel zoom

$299
Zoom Has way more more zoom
Panorama Creates panoramas in-camera
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the PowerShot SX260 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Compare the PowerShot SX260 HS vs the PowerShot S95

Canon ELPH 300 HS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$105 - $189
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Lowest price Cheaper
Wide angle Significantly worse wide angle
Aperture Slightly narrower aperture
Compare the ELPH 100 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Canon PowerShot ELPH 320 HS

Canon ELPH 320 HS

Compact

$249
Screen size Much larger screen
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Size Slightly larger
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly slower
Compare the ELPH 320 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS
Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH 110 HS

Compact

$229
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly slower
Size Slightly larger
Compare the PowerShot ELPH 110 HS vs the ELPH 300 HS

Canon PowerShot S95 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$359
Sensor size Much larger sensor
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Size Much larger
Supports 24p No 24p support
Compare the Lumix DMC-LX5 vs the PowerShot S95
Olympus XZ-1

Olympus XZ-1

Pro digicam

$499 - $500
Screen type Has an OLED screen
Sensor size Much larger sensor
Size Much larger
Supports 24p No 24p support
Compare the XZ-1 vs the PowerShot S95
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$370 - $496
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Battery life Much longer battery life
Size Much larger
Aperture Significantly narrower aperture
Compare the PowerShot G12 vs the PowerShot S95
Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon Coolpix P300

Pro digicam

$299
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Sensor size Much smaller sensor
Supports 24p No 24p support
Compare the Coolpix P300 vs the PowerShot S95

appearance

Canon ELPH 300 HS Canon PowerShot S95
Canon ELPH 300 HS Canon PowerShot S95
Canon ELPH 300 HS Canon PowerShot S95

discussion

Showing 5 comments

Avatar for Denis Kartashevskiy Denis Kartashevskiy (11:43 PM, April 04, 2012)
as much as i love this site, i dont think in this casee the points do make that much sense. one camera shoots raw and has a larger sensor than the other - that automatically puts it into a different category. really hard to compare apples to oranges
 
DJ (8:46 AM, November 26, 2011)
Hey Snapsort,

I've been comparing point-shoot cameras intensely for the past 2 weeks, my gf really likes the S95 but I've been wondering if there's anything comparable to it.  I went to a couple Black Friday events and wasn't sold on their deals...anyways thanks so much for helping me sort through all the differences, I think I know what I'm getting the best possible deal now...goin with the 300hs.  You guys rock.

DJ
 
bc (0:30 AM, July 20, 2011)
Wide apature is not related to a wider angle/zoom. A higher perfomance lens has lower apature - i.e. it use a faster shutter speed in lower light. Wide angle (for ex. 24 mm) means you get more in the frame. A 24mm lens with an apature of 2.7 will get more content in but requires a higher ISO or slower shutter speed to get enough light in the picture. An F2.0 (apature) camera is 'quicker' - it can take the same picture with lower ISO or quicker shutter speed - an advantage in low-light situations. 
Check any proper camera site: lens prices go way up for faster, higher quality lenses, regardless of angle of field. Consider them as separate features. If you don't know the difference between F2.0 and F2.7, likely your camera work is not sophisticated enough for it to be a determining factor. 
 
Avatar for Snapsort Snapsort (3:03 PM, June 27, 2011)
Hi Colin, thanks for checking out Snapsort and taking the time to send us some feedback.  Good call, that is rather inconsistent on our part.  We'll work on improving that!
 
Avatar for Colin Dullaghan Colin Dullaghan (0:59 PM, June 22, 2011)
I love these comparisons and would be pretty lost (or at least much shorter of time) without them. The feature-by-feature breakdown lets me jump to what's most important to me (in this case, size and aperture) and disregard what isn't (# of megapixels, zoom range). My only complaint about the site is about what seems to be a glitch in the software, or something: The comparisons frequently seem to conflict in their summaries of individual features. For example, on the left, one of the reasons to consider the S95 here is its "Significantly wider aperture" than the 300 HS. But on the right, I see that "At its widest zoom, the S95's lens captures slightly more light (0.9 f-stops)" 

So it's a little tricky for the ignorant observer (me) to know if f/2.0 is *way* more desirable than f/2.7, or just *kind of.* That's about it for issues, though, as far as I can tell. Keep up the great work!

Colin