I used to think that owning one of something would be enough, but that's just not true for me. Canon came out with a 4 megapixel version of the Digital Elph last year, which it is the camera I really wanted when I started this digital journey. I rejected it back in 2002 because the highest resolution at the time was 2 megapixels. But I was still lusting over a smaller camera...
I gave in last month (yes, in 2004!), and bought my second digital camera, the Canon S400. I'm still very happy with my S40, but the smaller size of the S400 (and the corresponding drop in weight) was what drove me to the second camera. This camera also takes Compact Flash cards, so I can continue to use the same media. The S40 weighs 11.4 ounces, and the S400 weighs 7.9 ounces. The weight for both includes the battery and media, an apples to apples comparison. The size? The dimensions of the S40 are 4.4 x 2.3 x 1.7 inches, and of the S400 are 3.4 x 2.2 x 1.1 inches. I know that the size and weight differences don't sound like much but it actually feels like a big difference.
As far as the camera features go, the S40 and S400 are not an exact match, but almost all of the features on the S40 are also available on the S400.
The pictures - the S400 also makes beautiful pictures. You can see some examples in my Sedona picture gallery. The pictures there were taken in somewhat poor weather conditions - I had a day of sun, a day of rain, and a day of snow on my quick escape hiking trip there. But no regrets on the unexpected weather conditions - bad light conditions make for good camera testing conditions!
The one big plus with the new camera is that the LCD technology has improved. One of my biggest complaints with my S40 - was that I couldn't see the LCD in bright sunlight. I could use the viewfinder for focusing purposes, but I still needed to use the LCD for the camera settings. The improved LCD on my new camera allows me to adjust the brightness and is also much more visible in bright daylight.
My other complaint with the S40 was that I couldn't focus close enough to get the detailed wildflower pictures that I like. The macro focus on the S400 is 5cm, while the macro focus on the S40 is 10cm. That's not a huge amount, but it makes a big difference.
The only negative I've found so far is with the photographer. The camera is so small and light it makes me think that I can hold it out at arm's length with one hand and take good pictures. That's really not a good idea - I need to remind myself that two hands are better than one when I want good focused pictures!
Of course, as soon as you purchase any digital technology, it's immediately obsolete. Soon after I purchased the S400 Canon announced the S410 (which appears to be an update to my camera, but who knows what was changed!) and the S500, a 5 megapixel version of the same camera. But - I'm still happy with my new "baby" camera.
Update on July 4, 2008:
The camera number has changed, but this camera lives on in Canon's Digital Elph line, bearing the designation SDxxx, or SDxxx IS. IS is an indication that the camera has image stabilization.
I purchased one of these cameras for my sister back in 2007, and this is still a sweet camera. The current inception of this camera is a tiny bit smaller than the camera I bought back in 2004. And it still takes beautiful photos.
