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Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS review: Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

Headshot of Joshua Goldman
Headshot of Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Joshua Goldman
7 min read

Canon was falling a bit behind with its PowerShot Elph series of ultracompact cameras. Not in photo quality, but with features, shooting performance, and overall value. For 2011, though, Canon snapped back thanks to the addition of backside-illuminated CMOS sensors in all of the new Elph models. It even changed the naming system, dropping SD and IS from the products and adding HS. They all take SD cards and have image stabilization so those were no longer necessary, and they now feature Canon's HS System that combines the aforementioned sensor with the Digic 4 image processor to product better low-light photos and faster shooting performance.

8.2

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

The Good

The <b>Canon PowerShot Elph 300 HS</b> is a fun-to-use ultracompact with excellent photo quality even if just left in auto.

The Bad

The 300 HS might be too small for some, and accessing its shooting modes other than auto is laborious.

The Bottom Line

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 PowerShot Elph 300 HS is the smallest in the current lineup, and overall it's just a really fun pocket camera. Partly because it is so small, but it's also easy to use and works well. It may not have as many features or be as fast as some competing models, but it has plenty to offer and should be fast enough for most users. And if you just want very good photos straight from the camera without leaving Auto, this is probably the ultracompact you want.

8.2

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

Score Breakdown

Design 9Features 7Performance 8Image quality 8