Reviews > Cameras > Film > Canon Elph LT APS Camera > Owner Review by Thomas Vickers

Owner Review: Canon Elph LT Camera

October 9, 2004

Thomas Vickers
36 years old
Male
5 feet 11 in tall (1.8 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
redroach@pobox.com
Southeast Texas, Houston Area

Background: 
I grew up in the piney woods of Southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house.  I started hiking in my college years and my style has evolved over the past 17 years - from my discovery, heavy gear period (internal frame packs, sleeping bags and tents) to - believe it or not - heavier, more expensive gear.  Over the last 3 or 4 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions) and I have rediscovered the pleasure that can be involved in being outdoors with your gear.  While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible

Manufacturer Specifications

 Owner Specifications (As measured by owner)

According to Canon’s website, “the Canon Elph LT is the lightest APS camera in Canon’s line”.   I bought one in 1999, after I grew tired of disposable cameras and trying to keep up with negatives.  The APS cameras were new and the Elph LT was the cheapest of the Canon line. I figured that its small size and lightweight would be a great boon to me as a hiker.   

Three years later I realized that I had found a great piece of equipment. This camera takes three different sizes of pictures all on one roll of film.  I used be able to find 40 exposure film rolls so that I didn't have to change film that often on the trail. I don't think I have seen one of these large film rolls in over a year, but even with 25 exposure cartridges it is easy to carry two rolls without worrying about the weight. The film cartridges are small and self-contained. No film to mess with at all. Simply pull the old cartridge out and drop a new one in place. The camera handles the rewind automatically at the end of the roll or I can hit the rewind button to rewind a roll of film at any point. 

From my experiences I have purchased or seen 200 ISO, 400 ISO, 800 ISO, and 400 ISO black and white film for the Elph LT.  Canon claims that the camera is capable of using "ISO 25 -10,000 which is set automatically by the camera."  Most often I purchase multi-packs of film, usually 3 cartridges of ISO 200 or ISO 400 film, for about ten dollars American.  Purchasing individual film cartridges tends to be a bit pricier for this camera, especially if it is black and white film.  

The Canon Elph LT has been carried from the Sierras of California to the Gulf coast of Texas. It has been wet, cold, dirty and even urinated on by one of my dogs, but it kept working. The Canon Elph LT can take the worst abuse a I can offer, and keep working. Heat and cold seem to have no effect on this camera.  I have taken pictures in all kinds of conditions and never been disappointed with the outcome.

My initial fears were that the electronics of the camera would give out due to the extreme conditions that I subjected it to. This camera lived most of its life in the pocket of my hiking shorts, but also spent a lot of time on the floor of my car and apartment.  Three years and a lot of miles later, the camera did fail, but not the electronics.  The shutter spring gave out and when I was unable to open the shutter, the camera could not be used anymore. Luckily for me, I had purchased an extended warranty, so I am now the proud owner of a brand new Elph LT.    

There is a lot to like about this camera. The film is easy to load. The camera is easy to operate and has a lot of great features. There is a timer (so I can be in my own pictures), date and time imprint on the pictures (I can choose the front of the picture or back of the picture for this information), built in flash, a red-eye reduction setting and a clock on this camera.  The timer works on a ten second delay which gives me plenty of time to get prettied up. There is also a small, threaded hole in the bottom of the camera that allows me to attach it to tripods.  It also comes with an optional wrist strap that can be attached to the camera, but I found that it snagged too easily when I tried to pull it out of the wet rib (mainly on my titanium spoon, but both have to be in the same compartment and both be ready for quick use).  I have also discovered lately that Canon sells a metal neck strap for the Elph Lt. I haven't tried it yet, but it is on my list to get. For some strange reason it never struck me to make my own neck strap after I grew to dislike the wrist strap.

One feature that makes taking pictures even easier is the fact that the viewfinder adjusts after I choose a new picture size.  It has a frame that expands or contracts based on the selected photo size and this allows me to see exactly what is going to be in the final picture.  It is very much a case of what I see is what I get.   

I did not take special care of the Canon Elph LT and it took three years of constant abuse to break it.  I do draw a line between breaking and failing.  Not one of the electronic features failed, just my ability to access them.  It takes great pictures and is easy to tuck into a pocket.   The Canon Elph LT is a great camera that bridges the gap between disposable and digital cameras.  I also enjoy the fact that I can take 3 different sizes of pictures with the same film.  When those great panoramas pop up, I can easily (with the flip of a switch and the use of only one hand) take a panoramic picture.

To make things even better for me, there are no special requirements for getting these different types of pictures developed. I simply drop them in the envelope at the film developing station and when I pick them up all three sizes are ready to go. A really no hassle situation for me which makes me very happy. 

The Canon Elph LT can be used one handed, which is how I do most of my photography on the trail.  I now keep it in the water bottle holder on my wet rib, where it is fairly exposed. I can easily grab the camera, flip the shutter cover open, point and shoot without breaking stride for more than a couple of seconds.  All of this (grabbing, opening shutter, taking the picture) is done with one hand or just the fingers on one hand. It is fast and extremely easy.  The fact that the Elph LT is automatically focused makes this process just one step easier. This camera brings new meaning to point and click for me. 

As with most cameras, the Canon Elph LT uses a rather strange sized camera battery. While I have never been a fan of over-priced batteries for electronics, I feel that the Canon Elph LT is not a battery abuser. Two cameras later, I am still on my second camera battery (I made them take it out of the first camera when I returned it).  Admittedly, using the flash (which I rarely do) will reduce battery life, as will accidentally opening the shutter on the trail (one of my bad habits which I lost with practice). 

The shutter is controlled by manually flipping a spring loaded shutter cover located on the front of the camera.  I push the cover down and then it flips up and exposes the lens.  The same movement closes the shutter cover as well. It is only one of two real   'moving' parts on the camera. 

Despite my overall infatuation with this camera, there are some drawbacks to using it. One of the most obvious is that there is no zoom on the lens. This means that what I see is what I get as far as pictures are concerned.  Many times on the trail I wished for a zoom, but it is one of the trade offs that I have to accept with this camera.   The color and clarity of the prints from this camera are also very good by my standards.  I have never had any complaints about the outcome of my pictures from a color perspective and many times I am very impressed by the variations that come through in the panoramic shots.  Most importantly for me, the red eye removal feature seems to do its job most of the time.  People in my pictures do not seem to suffer from the evil devil eyes that plagued me before I bought this camera.   Canon claims that the Elph LT "records 9 types of magnetic IX data for Print Quality Improvement" which may be why I am so impressed by the quality of my photos.  Of course, I also tend to be just plain easy to please.

I have also used many rolls of black and white film with the Canon Elph LT.  Once again, I have been happy and at times impressed with the print quality.  Taking into account the limitations of this camera, it produces pictures of exceptional quality.  

Another issue that I have had to deal with is the fact that it is easy to accidentally move the print size selection switch while the camera is in a pocket. I have to be very careful before I shoot or I will wind up with the wrong size print.  This problem plagued me quite often when I was rushed to get a shot on the trail, but continued use of the Canon Elph LT trained me to check first, shoot the picture second.   

Despite its drawbacks, the Canon Elph LT is a camera that I can recommend for anyone wanting a lightweight camera to take hiking. It can stand a lot of abuse and takes great pictures.  Its cost coupled with its durability makes it a nice piece of gear to use, especially when I don’t want to risk a more expensive camera. 

Reviews > Cameras > Film > Canon Elph LT APS Camera > Owner Review by Thomas Vickers