Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT FOR EVERYONE
Review: This little thing beats all the (ultra) compact ones out there.
Don't believe me? Try it yourself!
First I had a Canon A40. My second cam was a Canon S40. The S400 is my third digicam, and I won't sell it for a few years (at least Canon makes a newer and better from this series).
What's the difference comparing to my previous digicams? The main: it's smaller and lighter. The second: it is faster. The third: it takes clearer pics like the other two. Also, it records 3 minute videos at 320x160. The manual settings are too few, but I don't miss them. I rarely used 'em on my S40 before. Not a big thing. I have ISO and white balance manual settings on my S400.
Belive it or not, the battery of the S400 lasts longer than the one in my S40, though it's smaller and lighter.
Reviewing pictures is a pleasure. VERY FAST! Compare it to Sony-P9 and you never buy a Sony after that. Compare low-light shots to any high-end ultra compact cam (eg. Minolta F100). You will choose Canon for that purpose also.
What's wrong with it then? There is no battery indicator. Not a big thing, you can live without it.
Once you tried this smart beauty, you'll never let it go!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Camera
Review: This camera is easy to use, is tiny, and takes great pictures. I recommend this camera for anyone who has an older 35mm camera to replace. I also recommend this camera if this is your first time buying a digital camera.
Rating:
Summary: It has all been said
Review: All the reviews available really say it all. I can only say positive things about this little wonder. I have been using digital cameras only since 1994 and I can say this is the best so far. The size is great even for big hands like mine and it is very easy to use. Low light conditions require extra light, but when the light is sufficient, pictures are far better than I ever got with my Nikon film camera years ago. It is my second camera to exceed film quality. The last one was a Canon also. The investment in digital is well worth it since you have zero expense after camera, extra cards, and card reader are purchased. Bottom line: knockout quality in design, construction quality, and picture quality. This camera is a work of art that could be showcased.
Rating: 
Summary: Upgrade from Nikon 775
Review: Replaced my Nikon 775 (2.0 megapixel) because I wanted higher megapixels and a microphone. Athough the S400 takes larger pictures than my Nikon, I preper the picture quality of the Nikon on outdoor pictures. The Nikon does a better job on high contrast photos (ie light sky with dark ground). I've only been using the S400 for a month, so maybe I need more experience with the manual settings. I do like the audio and increased video capturing time on the S400 over the Nikon. However, the S400 does no alow for zooming in or out while recording. It also does not change the apature setting while recording, which is a problem when panning scenes with high contrast(ie sunsets).Overall, it is a very portable camera that is good for general point and shoot pictures, but I will continue to look for a better portable camera for outdoor/lanscape photos.
Rating:
Summary: Canon Powershot s400
Review: I carried this camera in my pocket for a 3 week holday in the UK, and was thrilled with the results when I got home. Pictures are very sharp, and color is excellent (perhaps a little dark on the default setting, but this is adjustable). The camera is principally automatic point-and-shoot, with some manual controls/overrides for more advanced situations. The number of features is amazing for its size. The user interface design is excellent. The silver paint on the case scratched too easily by coins and keys in the same pocket. The macro capability make this a great ideal camera for shooting closeups of small flowers, insects, jewelry. The shooting/display switch feels/looks a little fragile, but I have had no problems so far. Overall, an outstanding little camera.
Rating:
Summary: PS400 sets the new standard for compact digital cams
Review: I own and have been happy with a Canon ELPH film camera. What I loved about the ELPH was its compact size. It really is small enough to carry in your pocket. Even better, I got some of the best photos I'd ever taken using the ELPH, mainly because I carried it with me much more often and as a result, ended up taking pictures I would have missed had the camera been sitting at home. For me, it was out of the question to sacrifice the small size when I made the move to a digital camera. Fortunately, the PS400 is extremely compact and produces photos that are much better than the ELPH was capable of doing. A major advantage of a digital camera is being able to immediately see the picture that you have just taken. This allows you to re-take the shot if someone closed their eyes, or if it's poorly composed, or the flash needs to be adjusted. The PS400 is set to display the image for a few seconds after you take the picture, but you can also switch the camera into view mode and look at it more carefully if you need to. Another big advantage of a digital camera is that you can edit the image after you have downloaded it to your PC. This makes it possible for an amateur photographer to do what can only be done in a darkroom when you use film. The download process itself is very fast and easy to do, whether you use the USB cable provided with the camera, or a Compact Flash card reader (which is quicker and will not deplete the camera's battery). Once the image is on your PC, you can make all sorts of adjustments, using the provided software, or image editing software of your own choice. You may be thinking that you won't want to do much image editing, and it is true that the camera takes pictures that are ready to go without any editing. However, you will probably find that you are taking a lot more pictures than you ever did with a film camera. Unlike a film camera, where you take a full roll of pictures and then wait to see the results, you get immediate feedback with a digital camera. If you like it, it stays on the Compact Flash card until you download it. If you don't like it, you can delete it and take another one. Having the ability to shoot large numbers of pictures at no added cost, and experimenting with lighting and composition allows you to improve as a photographer. I would never have used an entire roll of film trying to get the best possible picture of one subject, but I have found myself re-shooting the same subject from a variety of angles and with different lighting with the PS400. It's fast, it's free, and you can get immediate feedback on what works and what doesn't. The camera can be connected to a TV monitor to allow showing pictures in a slide show. I haven't used the video mode yet, which to me is a nice extra, but not something I had to have. I have been pleasantly surprised with the camera's performance in low-light situations, always an issue with point-and-shoot cameras. I have had far fewer pictures with red-eye than I ever had with any other small point-and-shoot cameras. Even shots that were poorly exposed have been quickly fixed using the digital imaging software. The multi-zone focus system works extremely well and I have not yet had a picture that was out of focus. The viewfinder tends to give a smaller image than you are actually shooting, so I generally use the LCD screen instead. This can be problematic for outdoor shots, because the LCD screen is difficult to view in direct sunlight. However, it has not been troublesome enough to detract from my enjoyment of using this camera. Despite its tiny size, the camera is easy to use, even for someone with large hands. The buttons are actually more substantial than the controls on my ELPH, and the menu system is reasonably well-organized. I haven't had a battery run out on me yet, though I did buy an extra as back-up. The battery charges very quickly and the charging device is small and compact, with an AC plug that folds into the charger itself when not in use. You can fit the camera, the charger, the PC cable, and the A/V cables, in a very small camera bag, and still have plenty of room for an extra battery, extra Compact Flash cards, and even the user's manual. The camera comes with a 32MB Compact Flash card, which is more generous than what Canon provided with previous PowerShot models, but still not large enough (it will give you about 15 or 16 images at the highest resolution and largest size). Since each image is about 2MB, you need a card that is at least 256MB. You will also want a case for the camera, since it is not included. I have found that Canon's PSC-50 case works well with the PS400. It provides protection but does not make the camera too bulky to fit in your pocket. I know that some users have complained about the ArcSoft software that comes with the camera, but I have found it to be more intuitive to use than comparable editing software I've used in the past (including some of ArcSoft's previous products, which were not very good at all). I feel that it strikes a reasonable balance between ease-of-use and a more robust set of features, and is well-suited to its target audience. The Photo Record software that allows you to create photo albums is excellent. I love this camera. It is changing the way that I take pictures, and what I do with them after I've taken them. I know that nothing is perfect, but this camera comes close.
Rating:
Summary: Great Little Camera
Review: I have been using a Olympus C-2020 for about three years now. I do enjoy the manual controls, but I didn't like the large size and protruding lens. I found myself leaving the camera at home when I wanted to take it, it was too big to fit in a jacket or pants pocket. Then came the Canon S400. The size of this camera is great and the build quality is top notch (nice metal casing), it fits in my pants pocket and I can now take it out more often for those events. Picture quality is fantastic and the movie feature is great (has sound and its clear). There are no real manual controls, but I can do with out them. Overall, I am very satisfied with this camera and would recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Best bang for your buck!
Review: Can't explain how easy the Canon S400 camera is. I didn't care too much for the software it came with but then again, others might see it pretty useful. I've used other cameras such as the S100/S110, S200, S400, Sony dsc-p1, Sony cybershot dsc-f717, olympus c-5050. Of all these, the S400 seems the most versatile with size, quality and capturing shots. Pros
-Size being compact is a big plus! Who wants to yank out a huge camera for a quick snapshot? If you look at this camera closely, the battery + compact flash memory takes up about 30% of the camera space. You'll be wondering how the heck they fit all that in there?
-Quick shots with quick focus. Of all the cameras I've used, this has got to be the best camera to 'capture' with. The reason I'm saying this is because I've missed so many opportunities of capturing a shot due to a delay. (long focus/range)
-Ease of use. Once you spend a good 30-60 min reviewing the manual and functionalities, you will be zoomin on the interface. For example, changing the type of photo (sephia/b&w) setting took 4-5 presses of a button. The Olympus C-5050 took over 9 presses of a difficult interface just to change the photo settings
-Nice indoor/outdoor shots. I normally do not have trouble taking pictures outdoors. The problem usually relates to indoor shots. The flash on this baby is pretty powerful!
-Price - Like I said, you can spend double the money and you will probably get more manual features to play around with. Aperture, shutter, +/- fine tuning. Why spend the extra money on features you probably won't even use? (...) Con
-Zoom Every digital camera out there that has zoom capabilities, does not impress me. Of course coming from the s400, you'll be wondering how they fit all that in such a compact size! In any case, the zoom has improved since the s100/s110 days so this should be more of a 'pro' than a con If you want a digital camera that is still considered to be high rez for most consumers (4 megapixel is more than enough), a camera that is easy to use, affordable, acts quickly (takes quick shots), compact and reliable. If you're looking for a cheaper camera, you can consider the s230 (3mp)
Rating:
Summary: Good things come in small packages!
Review: I was very pleased with the Canon S400. I was deciding between a Canon A70 and the S400, and though the S400 lacks true manual control, the size and convenience is what pushed me to buy it. The 4.0 MP resolution delivers very clear pictures, I have been very pleased so far with almost every single picture I've taken. The speed is also commendable, from starting up to time between shots. The auto features are all more than sufficient, with several options (including long shutter) despite the lack of true manual control. I found it always did the job for me. What really impressed me though, was simply the size and convenience. There is so much power in this camera with 3x optical zoom, and it can still fit into just about any pocket! This made it perfect for those spontaneous shots that you simply can't foresee. I certainly got more than my money's worth, and I strongly recommend this camera to anyone interested in delving into digital photography or simply upgrading a camera. I have no doubts this will keep me happily going for a while.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: We are delighted with the Canon PS S400. It's light, portable, easy-to-use (we're distinctly casual photographers), and produces really excellent results. The video output has proven extremely useful on numerous occasions -- we have a Canon ZR-10 digital video camera but the S400 satisfies our needs most of the time, plus it's light and pocket-sized. The one slight issue we've noticed is that pictures seem to have more red-eye than our prior (non-digital) cameras. Still, the tools Canon provides, as well as those available on Mac and PC platforms, adequately overcome that limitation. For the price, this is an outstanding, feature-packed, and perfectly-sized buy.
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