Canon S2 viewfinder in bright light

I am thinking about buying this camera, but a couple of reviews have
stated that both the viewfinder and lcd screen are difficult to see in
bright light. I would use it frequently in bright settings, such as
the beach, soccer games, etc. Is it really difficult to use in bright
light, or just not as good as others? Also, does the viewfinder have a
diopter focus? Thanks for any help.

Edward

I've had the S2 for some months now, and would agree that the LCD
screen is difficult to use in bright light. But I would suggest this is
so with most digicams, and there are several options for adding an
after market hood to the back, though this makes the camera harder to
pack.

So I leave the LCD screen almost permanently switched off and use the
EVF exclusively. This saves battery, and has the advantage of diopter
adjustment, so I can leave my reading glasses packed away. There are
two brightness settings for the EVF/LCD, and on the higher setting I've
never had a problem seeing the screen. Note that you can use the EVF
(diopter adjusted!) for shooting, playback, and changing settings via
the menus.

With several thousand shots on the clock, I must say I've been entirely
satisfied with the camera. You need to be more "focus aware" than with
the smaller point-and-shoots, because the long lens can deliver a very
narrow depth-of-field at large apertures, but this is a feature rather
than a limitation, especially for people shots, and is easily
overridden via the Av setting. The IS is also fantastic!

HTH.

/M