Unlike Canon's S100 Digital Elph, the new S300 can capture full motion video clips with audio at 20 fps. Video clips are recorded as QuickTime AVI files, and can be viewed on the camera's LCD monitor. You can also view your video clips (and your still images) on a television monitor. Stills, video and audio can be downloaded to your computer via the supplied USB cable. The camera comes with a variety of Mac- and PC-compatible software for editing, organizing, e-mailing and printing your images. The S300 Digital Elph is powered by a small proprietary lithium battery. The camera's power-management is commendable, but you can extend battery life by turning off the color LCD monitor and using the optical viewfinder to compose your shots. The LCD does, however, provide more precise results for critical framing. The camera comes with one battery and a mini-charger We recommend purchasing a couple extra batteries and keeping them charged and ready to go. That way you won't run out of power while shooting. The S300 has an optical viewfinder, as well as a 1.5-inch color LCD monitor on the back of the body. The viewfinder is coupled to the zoom lens setting so, theoretically, it should display the same view as the image that's displayed on the LCD. That's not always the case, though. When lining up a shot, the framing and magnification look somewhat different through the viewfinder than they do on the LCD. For critical framing, use the LCD on the back for precise composition. While 2.1-megapixel resolution is no longer considered "high" (now that 5-megapixel consumer cameras are reaching the market), it's more than adequate for most consumer photographic needs, including many serious applications. With dimensions of 3.7x2.5x1.2 inches and a weight of 8.5 ounces, the S300 is only slightly larger than the S100. The S300 stores images on Type I CompactFlash cards, and is compatibler with the new, high-capacity, Type I CF cards. The camera, does not, however, support Type II CompactFlash cards and Microdrives. It ships with an 8MB card. This new camera is compatible with both Windows and Mac-based systems, and comes bundled with a comprehensive selection of graphic file management, editing and compositing programs, including ArcSoft's PhotoImpression and VideoImpression software. Also bundled are Apple QuickTime 4.1, Canon RemoteCapture 1.3, and PhotoStitch 3.1 for both Macintosh and Windows. Additional software includes ZoomBrowser EX 2.6, PhotoRecord 1.2 and WIA and TWAIN for Windows, plus ImageBrowser 1.6 and a Photoshop-compatible plug-in for the Mac. Features integrated in both ZoomBrowser EX 2.6 and ImageBrowser 1.6 include TimeTunnel and SlideShowMaker. When using ZoomBrowser EX 2.6 or ImageBrowser 1.6, users can take advantage of new and improved features for auto layout printing, self-running full-screen slide shows, and automated preparation of images for use as e-mail attachments. ZoomBrowser EX and Image Browser simplify the process of e-mailing photos by automatically compressing the image and launching the e-mail program. The camera draws power from a small proprietary lithium battery. Power management is very good. A mini-charger and battery are included with the camera. As is our suggestion for all digital cameras that utilize proprietary batteries, it's always a good idea to carry extra charged batteries so you don't run out of power while shooting. The suggested retail price of the S300 is $699. For more information, contact Canon U.S.A., Inc., One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042; 800/OK-CANON; www.usa.canon.com.