Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS Pro Reviews

I quite enjoyed my time with the Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS. It’s an easy to carry, stylish little point-and-shoot camera that produces pretty nice photos in most conditions. I think it will be best for casual snapshot photographers who want a simple, good quality pocket camera that isn’t too expensive. Photographers who like a lot of control, want a long zoom or who have big hands should probably explore other options. If you like what you read about the Canon 300 HS but you want the latest and greatest, take a look at the newer Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS and the step-up model, the Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS. The new 310 HS has a lot of new features including a 3-inch LCD display and a longer 8x zoom lens (it’s only 28mm on the wide end compared to the 300 HS’ 24mm wide-angle, though.) as well as a bunch of new color options. The new Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS steps the zoom up to 12x and adds a big 3.2-inch touchscreen LCD display. If you’re looking for something less expensive than the ELPH 300 HS, take a look at the ELPH 100 HS – it’s got a shorter zoom but otherwise has most of the same features as the 300 HS and you can get it now for under $150 (with Canon rebate). The 300 HS, 310 HS, 510 HS and 100 HS ELPH cameras all have the same sensor and DIGIC 4 processing so it’s just a matter of deciding what features you want and how much you have to spend.

The Canon ELPH 300 HS / IXUS 220 HS is a gorgeous little camera that seems to strike the perfect balance between size, features and ease of use. It's 2mm thinner than the ELPH 310 HS / IXUS 230 HS and slightly smaller in the other dimensions, and although that doesn't sound a lot, it makes a world of a difference in your hand, where it nestles snugly and feels rather nice too thanks to an all-over texture coating. This is a camera you really have to feel in your hand to appreciate. But what about those features? The 5x optical zoom doesn't break any records, but its 24-120 range is extremely useful and wider than many other compacts this size offer. 1080p24 HD video is great, and the ability to shoot in Miniature and other scene modes plus Super Slow motion video, good quality audio, and iFrame editing options make this a very attractive model for those who value video as much or more than stills. Throw in other ease of use and creative features like scene detect auto exposure, Smart Shutter modes, Movie digest and excellent image stabilisation it's hard to think of a reason not to like this stylish super-slim compact. There are a couple of negatives though. The 2.7 inch screen looks and feels a bit small on a compact that excels in so many other respects. And we've complained before about Canon's extended exposure mode menu that has everything arranged in one long long list, making some scene modes difficult to track down. Despite that, the ELPH 300 HS / IXUS 220 HS remains a beautifully designed and extremely capable compact and we have no hesitation in granting it our Highly Recommended award.

If you're looking for a nice, simple ultracompact for use indoors and out, you'll want to strongly consider the Canon PowerShot Elph 300 HS.

The Canon PowerShot 300 HS is a very capable camera that captures 24mm wide-angle images, yet slips into a pocket with ease. Its 12-megapixel sensor doesn't quite deliver what last year's 12-megapixel CCDs did in terms of print size, but it still produces a big print, and captures Full HD video. You can spend more and get more from cameras like the Canon S95 or G12, but not at so wide an angle; and the image quality pretty well matches what you pay for the $250 Canon ELPH 300 HS. For the targeted consumer of this super-thin camera the Canon 300 HS performs well with its elevated Smart Auto option. Casual shooters will even love the excellent performance at high ISOs, especially if they venture into Handheld NightScene mode. The Canon PowerShot ELPH 300HS is a good quality everywhere camera for not a lot of money, and as such it's a Dave's Pick.

The Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS is a very good camera that is reasonably priced. It has solid build quality except for the occasional problem (poorly attached port cover, flash location). Its ergonomics are excellent and I found it to be a pleasure to use. The camera has many interesting features, some of which I've never seen before in any camera, such as its Movie Digest mode. There is really very little to complain about with the ELPH 300 HS and plenty to like.