LCD and Viewfinder
Canon S120 has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 922k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.
LCD is
Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.
S120 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare) or Fujifilm X30 (Compare). If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.
Max Shutter speed
Canon S120 can shoot continuously at max speed of
12 fps and has max shutter speed of
1/2000 sec.
Flash
Unfortunately S120 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.
Focusing
Canon S120 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 9 points to choose from. Canon S120 also features
Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.
Video Features
With Canon S120, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60,30 fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Canon S120 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of
Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.
S120 also a high speed mode where it captures videos at 240 fps for ultra slow motion videos. S120 has a built-in Stereo microphone and a Mono speaker.
Canon S120 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7800 or Fujifilm X30 in a similar price range.
Connectivity and Storage
Canon S120 features
built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( Wireless LAN (IEEE802.11 b/g/n)) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection.
You can connect S120 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.
Battery
Canon S120 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 230 according to CIPA standards.
Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.
Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Compact Cameras
Fujifilm X30 with its 470shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Canon S120 vs Fujifilm X30 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.
Canon S120 Features Compared to Main Competitors