Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera (Black)

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HSThis review is 99% about photographs, not video. For this camera’s impressive Full HD (1080p) video capability see many other reviews here. Included with this review are some ELPH 300 pictures I took of flowers in my neighborhood, showing sharp detail and nice blurred backgrounds. (Look for the ants in the two pink camelias.)It’s November of 2019, and I sit here to review a Canon pocket camera that was first listed on Amazon in February 2011, almost 9 years ago. It should be obvious that a digital camera this old can’t be very good compared to those being released now, but that is not the case. This is still a great little camera, and with all the used ones out there, one can be had for less than $100. In fact, I bought mine just a few weeks ago for $75 on Amazon, and what a deal that turned out to be! For image quality this camera is better than a number of newer comparable Canon pocket cameras on the market, e.g. the ELPH 180 (release date 2016) which I also own.Because the PowerShot ELPH 300 HS has been out for so long, there’s no point in me covering all the specs and features; these can be found in the many Amazon reviews and on video reviews on the web. Instead, I’ll mention the few features that I have found to be the most impressive and most important to me. In order of importance the critical “must have” features of any point and shoot are 1) image quality, 2) ease of use, and 3) portability. All other “modern” features such as connectivity, GPS, etc. are nice but pale in comparison.I’m not a professional photographer nor even an accomplished enthusiast. I do shoot with a DSLR when I feel the urge, but more often I use a high-end point and shoot, the Canon G7X. With a fast 1.8 lens, 20.2 Mpixels, and large 1” sensor, the G7X produces outstanding photographs. I love my G7X, but I also like having a smaller and lighter alternative in my pocket for everyday use. Enter the PowerShot ELPH 300 HS.>> First, portability:This is a very small and lightweight camera. It’s very thin and with an area only a little bigger than a credit card. Some users with big hands might find the small size a drawback, but I don’t. Because it’s so light I can carry this camera in my pocket all day long, and I hardly notice that it’s there. I can’t say the same for the larger and heavier G7X. The power button is recessed, so the camera never gets accidentally turned on in my pocket. Note: Because of its very light weight, it is easy to introduce camera shake. A faster shutter speed should alleviate this.>> Second, ease of use:It’s almost axiomatic that the more features a camera offers the more difficult it is to learn to use. But one approach is to offer a carefully selected set of features and no more. This is what Canon has done with the ELPH 300, striking a balance between versatility and simplicity.This camera has two basic modes – AUTO and PROGRAM. Toggling back and forth between these is accomplished with a handy little slide switch on the back of the camera. AUTO is self-explanatory. Put the camera on AUTO, focus, and shoot; the camera does it all for you, and almost every picture will be satisfactory. On the other hand, PROGRAM mode gives the user many options, including white balance and several special scenes such as portrait, low light, kids&pets, high speed burst, etc. These are fun to play with, but for me the two most important features of PROGRAM mode are Exposure Compensation and the ability to set the ISO.Exposure Compensation: Many times the key subject in a picture will be either over exposed or under exposed if the camera is allowed to strike a balanced exposure in the scene. A good example is a person who is back lit by a bright sky. The Exposure Compensation allows the user to temporarily increase or decrease the exposure so as to properly expose the subject. On the ELPH there is a dedicated button on the back of the camera, making it extremely simple to make this adjustment. This button works only if the camera is in PROGRAM mode.ISO: In AUTO mode there is no control over ISO, shutter speed, or aperture. I have found that under ordinary lighting conditions the ELPH 300 will shoot in its “basic ISO” of 100 in AUTO mode. But by raising the ISO in PROGRAM mode, it is possible to “force” the camera to use a faster shutter speed while keeping the larger aperture for nice blurred backgrounds. At some point “noise” or graininess will become apparent at higher ISO settings, but I have found that a setting as high as ISO 400 (two stops above the base ISO) is fully acceptable.>> Third, image quality:The ELPH 300 HS has 12.1 Mpixels on a 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS sensor. There are newer Canon pocket cameras with many more Mpixels on the same small sensor. In my opinion, 12 Mpixels is quite high resolution, high enough for sharp prints 9.3 x 14.3 inches, and if more megapixels are crammed onto the same sized sensor the quality of the image suffers. (See on line reviews about this.) There are 16 Mpixels on the same 1/2.3" sensor in the ELPH 130 & 180 and 20 Mpixels in the ELPH 360, and some reviews have noted the poorer picture quality. So unless the sensor size is increased along with the pixel count, there is likely to be a negative effect on image quality. I think with the ELPH 300 Canon has hit the sweet spot with the number of pixels on this little sensor.Another positive feature is the relatively fast lens on this camera, f/2.7 at its widest aperture. The ELPH 130 & 180, by comparison have only a f/3.2 lens, and the ELPH 360 has a f/3.6 lens. The faster lens (lower number) makes the camera better in low light, and it also makes it easier to blur the background for nice “bokeh” and shoot at higher shutter speeds.Colors are bright and rich, just what you’d expect, considering Canon’s legendary color rendition made possible by the DIGIC processor (version 4 in this case).Although Canon cameras are not famous for their autofocusing capability, I have experienced no more frustration with this camera than on my other Canon cameras. I think the slow autofocusing of Canon cameras is more of an issue with videos than with single shot photography.Bottom line – this is an outstanding little camera for its cost, size, features, and image quality. I give it a strong 5 stars. I have noticed some 1- or 2-star reviews mentioning mechanical glitches such as the lens not extending or retracting, but so far I have had no issues of this type. Because I bought this little gem for my wife, I am considering buying a second one before they’re no longer available. The cell phone camera has virtually killed the pocket camera, and as I lamented in my review of the excellent Canon PowerShot SD 1400 HS, little pocket cameras will one day soon no longer be available. So I recommend getting one now while you still can.

EDIT #2 (December 2011). I become more and more disappointed in this camera as time goes by. Just reviewed loads of photos from this summer/fall and I hate to say it, but -- they suck! My former Canon AS1100 (vintage 2008) took photos soooooo much better than thing. Interior shots are especially bad, whether flash is used or not. I figured to take this camera on a long international journey, but forget it. The photos are that disappointing. I did take the AS1100 on a long international journey (six months in Africa) and its photos were awesome. One even won a photo contest. The AS1100 hd a CCD sensor and the Elph 300 a CMOS -- that's the thing.So, I guess I'll be shopping for a new camera in the next few months. :(EDIT: I originally gave this 5 stars. Well, after shooting many photos under a variety of conditions during a recent vacation, I have to drop it to 4 stars. Using the camera's Auto mode, on many shots, the image quality is poor to mediocre. I assumed Auto mode image quality would be superior to the last two (and less expensive) Nikon and Canon point and shoots I have owned, but that is definitely not the case. Auto mode images tend to be soft and faint and not realistic, e.g., grass is a faint green, not the rich green of healthy grass. Pretty disappointing! To get the most from this camera, you have to use Program mode and set ISO at 100 or 200, and experiment with the manual white balance settings. Then photos come out much better, with improved quality and richness and color accuracy. Unfortunately, the camera doesn't allow you to apply custom ISO and WB settings to various scene modes, like Foliage or Fisheye.ORIGINAL: One of the best things about this camera is its 24 mm wide angle lens. This is wider than the 28mm lens that is standard on most pocket-sized point and shoots (and the Elph 100, a step down from the Elph 300) and it is very cool. If you're not familiar with how 24 mm vs. 28 mm compares, do a little Googling. It's outstanding for landscape shots and group shots and makes photos more engaging and descriptive, with no downside. Great move, Canon!The small size of the camera is fantastic. Pocketability and performance are very nicely balanced in this well built and well designed camera. It was good to see Canon back out of the megapixel war and reduce the megapixels on this model to 12.1, from 14 in its predecessor (the SD 1400). With the 5x optical zoom, CMOS sensor (vs. CCD), HD video and an impressive palette of shooting options, there's a lot to like in this little gem.One peculiarity is that the volume on video playback on the camera is extremely low. It's difficult to hear if you're playing back videos on the camera. It's a lot lower than another Canon point and shoot that I used for a few years. I think I have it adjusted to the max, though I have to take a closer look at the manual. Which leads me to ...Raspberries to Canon for not including a full user manual booklet. Since when has it become acceptable to sell a product without providing the customer with an easy means of learning how to use it? (I know, lots of mfr's do it but still). I travel extensively for months on end with a point and shoot and refer to the manual fairly often. If I want to look up some detail or just browse, I could just grab the manual from my pack over a cup of coffee. Does Canon expect me to lug around a printout of the full PDF manual? It's not always convenient to have a netbook running and use the manual on it. Nor is it as enjoyable or instructive as flipping through a book.Though I can see some logic in not providing a full booklet and am all for not wasting paper, I would be happy if Canon made available for purchase a proper user manual for $10 or $12 or whatever.