Отзывы о Цифровой Фотоаппарат Canon PowerShot SX160 IS

Just before "taking a big chance" with this purchase, I was *LITERALLY* less than 30 seconds away from clicking the "Place Your Order" button for the Fujifilm "FinePix S6800."The reason why? Because even though I'd always avoided "Canon" products in the past, I'd wanted something more versitile than the Nikon "Coolpix L18" (which I'll never recommend due to several common and legitimate complaints about both the company and their products) which I was replacing, but I was also hoping to find something that fell somewhat close within a similar price range... and the Canon "PowerShot SX160IS" seemed to offer something fairly close enough within those parameters to at least pique my interest.So old prejudices aside, I'd decided to look very closely at the SX160 -- design, features, legacy, etc., and everything seemed more or less appealing on the surface.So why was I being so apprehensive? Because everywhere I looked to get more information about the camera and how it performs, there were always a significant number of people who would either "downplay" it and its abilities or outright trash-talk it. And since "positive ratings" in the form of "owner feedback" and "reviews" are extremely important to me, especially where it concerns items of interest where I've little or no foreknowledge, I took these less-than-stellar opinions as my cue to look elsewhere, and this search led me to the Fujifilm "FinePix S6800," which had OVERWHELMING positive feedback and reviews with almost nothing that was anything less than glowing praisebeing expressed about the unit. So despite the fact that I thought the camera was uglier than a meth addicts teeth and that it would cost me an additional $50 more than the Canon, I took that new knowledge and had just positioned my cursor over the order confirmation button... then I hesitated.Why? Because I had not really put examining the Fujifilm S6800 through quite the same rigid scrutiny as I'd done with the SX160, because all of the praises that were being heaped upon the Fuji were enough for me to lower my guard and momentarily disrupt my objectivity. So I had to go back and look closer at the S6800 the same way as I had with the SX160 -- by looking at examples of what it actually does!So I returned to the video hosting sites where ordinary people had posted examples of things they'd done with their respective cameras, and as for photo quality there was little if any discernable difference between the SX160 and the S6800; where "video" had been shot however, examples of the Fuji did occasionally appear "unstable," although that could've just as well been due to hardware/software compatibility issues with the camera and/or the computer. But there was *ONE* thing in particular that I'd overlooked which I definitely felt needed to be assessed, and that was that I had never replayed an uploaded video where a test of the "telephoto lens" on the S6800 was being showcased! The "quiet" motor (though not entirely of course) of the SX160 was impressive enough for me to sit up and take real notice... but as soon as I played back uploaded media of users engaging the zoom lens feature on the Fuji and heard that horribly loud & nerve-grating grinding engine noise, and in other instances the camera microphone's pee-poor ability to even remotely buffer the sound of the wind blowing into it, *THAT* was the game-changer for me!Since I've had the SX160 (which I chose over the SX170 because I want the flexibility of "AA batteries" rather than some "proprietary" leg trap), I have nothing but wonderful things to say about it. No, it doesn't take the absolute crispest photographs in the world (can't reasonably expect "$500+ results" at "$200- prices"), but it perfoms lightyears beyond what I could get from my Nikon Coolpix! Videos shot are sharp and smooth (though as of yet I've not tested this in a "speed tracking" setting), and the telephoto is awesome for taking photographs (I've recently taken some amazing shots of the moon both in daylight and nighttime sessions) and is again reasonably quiet for video shoots!As for the most common complaints I keep coming across... yes, it does a sucky job at shooting "snow scenery" -- the first time I'd tried it, all I got was nothing but a blank white canvas -- but there's a very simple solution to this problem: Take the setting off of "AUTO" and switch it over to "MANUAL" and adjust your appertures and ISO speeds! If this sounds like a foreign language, READ THE MANUAL and/or get together with someone who can instruct you in at least the main "basics" of DIY photography.But therein lies a couple of real and legitimate problems: one of the main ones being that the "instruction" booklet is only available as a PDF file, so you need a computer to access it, as they've offered no "physical" paper-&-Ink booklet which would've been so much more convenient; and as far as the "manual" adjusting goes, the setting wheel is so close to the other buttons on the back which are

UPDATE after five months of use:Would I buy this camera again? If nothing to sway me has come out since, probably I would. And I would still have the same regrets. Mostly my review discusses the absurd documentation format; there are other extensive reviews of the camera itself. If you use the camera intensively, on an ongoing basis (as a professional would), you'll learn it well enough and soon enough. If you use it for only one type of photography, you'll probably find it capable and won't need to learn all the other features (although in that case, this may be more camera than you need, or a specialized model might serve you even better). But if you use it now and then, in a wide variety of situations, it will be frustrating at many times.Canon seems oddly insensitive to this user need. A new example: I figured, hey, load the manual (or key pages) into the camera, so it's always there and I can read it right on its screen! But printing the manual and shooting each page is not the best way to do that (a waste of color ink, loss of sharpness, etc.). Shooting the PDF pages off the computer screen, even a very high res one, is possible, but awkward and results in moire. So, I figured, import it into a PDF converter, or a PDF reader that can save pages as JPEGs, or make JPEGS by importing into Photoshop. Rant over, right? NO -- CANON HAS PASSWORD-PROTECTED ITS MANUAL! You can do nothing with the PDF except read it in a PDF reader in Canon's format, and print it, in Canon's format. I've worked with countless PDF manuals for consumer and professional products, and have NEVER encountered a "secured" PDF manual from any other manufacturer. Canon Support says they do this with all their manuals, because they're copyrighted. Does anyone get the point in that? They're protecting against who doing what?A couple other recent observations:* I use Canon's software to download my photos. Contrary to claims, the vertical shots come out horizontal, requiring me to have Windows rotate them. I will check further into this.* When the camera is connected to your computer, disconnect it as soon as you are finished with your task. Apparently the camera will not go into sleep mode, and you'll deplete the battery rather quickly. Canon's AC adapter is too awkward a rube goldberg contraption to bother with for this. (Remove battery, insert dummy battery (provided), into which you plug the cord. The cord, protruding out the bottom as it does, interferes with resting the camera on its base and might interfere with your tripod head. When done, replace the real battery.)* Apparently it would be possible for Canon to enable the current S120 to be operated remotely by a smartphone, by updating software or firmware. There is, I think, already an unauthorized aftermarket hack for this (which I haven't researched in detail). I hear they have recently enhanced some other existing products via software. If you would like Canon to enable remote operation in your S120, maybe it would help to let Canon know. My guess is they don't want to cannibalize sales of the G16, which already has this capability, but it would be a nice goodwill move.It seems Canon has great camera engineers, too many lawyers, sufficient pleasant US-based tech support people, probably a lot of professional-relations experts, and one overworked soul in a hidden-away Consumer Satisfaction office that nobody hears.=========================================================INITIAL REVIEW:Let me start by noting that I've only had this camera for a few weeks of occasional use. So I'll let other reviewers discuss the actual camera. This is mainly about its documentation, which falls far shorter of excellence than the camera does. I'm not new to photography, and maybe with this camera that's a handicap. I used Canon SLRs for decades and many other film cameras, but my digital camera experience is limited to a couple of relatively early models, both by other makers. I also have experience at writing spec sheets, instructions and product descriptions, so I know what's possible. Canon is surely up to the task of producing documentation that is more usable than this. Also, please note that although it may seem I'm coming down too hard on them, to Canon's credit they have already approved and posted a version of this review on their own site, and I would not be surprised if many of my complaints and suggestions could be directed as well at other manufacturers. While shopping, I was told that electronic-only documentation is the way things are headed.----------------------------------------I also want to make another thing clear: After hours and hours of research, and talking and trying out half a dozen very close contenders in this and nearby categories (including the Canon G16, G15, SX280 and cameras by other manufacturers), I remain confident I chose the camera I want. One of the key items on my wishlist was manual operations -- for versatility and in hopes of reducing the

Ok, here's my take on the wonderful Canon S120. If that opening seems a bit balanced in favor of the S120, it is meant to be. This is the camera I have been waiting for. In fact, I pre-ordered my S120 on September 8th, thirty days before it was forecast to be available on Amazon. I got two notices before the order became final. I received a shipping notice and the camera subsequently arrived via Lasership in perfect order and one day earlier, October 7th, than estimated. Through tracking I found I might not be home when the camera arrived and called Lasership to ask the driver to leave it on my doorstep. Lasership contacted the driver directly at that minute and made it so, a great shipping company.Now for the S120, I am an amateur wanting RAW format and HD, high quality, video in a pocket camera with above average low light capabilities. I also wanted Wi-Fi. I had looked at the Sony DSC-RX100M II but was scared away by the very high price point. Just as I was about to settle for less, Canon announced the S120 which met all of my criteria and then some. I already have a Canon SD 500 and a SD 990, both top of the line pocket cameras but each lacking in HD video and RAW format capabilities. The Digic6 processor put it all over the top for the S120. My expectations have so far been met.For anyone wanting fantastic, very professional results, the S120's built-in special effects, modes and scenes will deliver surprisingly pleasing results with little effort. The High Dynamic Range setting almost eliminates any need for adjustment of brightness, contrast and saturation, effortlessly delivering print-ready photos right out of the camera. The front-located Control Ring around the lens can be set to control several different functions and is knurled, sized and located to make it very easy to control while shooting. I like to use it for step zooming.The videos and photos can now be set to the same, matching aspect ratio (16x9 or 4x3), making videos using photos and video clips very easy to assemble. Speaking of video clips, the very handy Hybrid Auto Mode simultaneously records both a still shot and a short 2 to 4 sec video clip for each shot taken. I am currently exploring this interesting feature which I believe will greatly enhance the videos I assemble.Some downsides I feel are worth mentioning. First there is the lack of a remote audio socket. The auto wind noise reduction feature of the built-in stereo microphone works only marginally well. Users of the S120 that want high quality sound to match the very high quality (HD and 60 fps) video may want to invest in a stand-alone recorder such as the Zoom HN4. I don't yet have one of these and am using the quality cassette recorder from my old stereo set for indoor sound recording.I got the Wi-Fi setup to work but still have plenty of questions on using the system. The Canon instruction booklet (comes with the camera) and Canon User Manual (available only as a *.pdf file) provide enough instruction to make the system work. However to ensure the system is working securely I feel one should be familiar with the meaning of the terms like SSID, WEP, WPA, MAC (Media Access Control, not the Apple Mac), IP, DHCP, etc. I have made the system transfer photos and videos to my PC but still harbor concerns about the possibilities for security leaks. Perhaps someone could address this specifically in another review.As for accessories, I recommend a remote power supply, ACK-DC40 or equivalent. It fits easily to replace the battery. In my opinion there is ample room for most tripod bases to hold the camera and connect the power supply. Others have said this is a problem, I think not. The distance from the mount screw center-line to the outside of the connector on the bottom of the camera is 1 1/2 inches, allowing a tripod base of at least 2 3/4 inches square to be used.I purchased a Sandisk Extreme 32 GB 80MB/s Class 10 UHS-1 memory card which, based on present experience, will be very adequate for any full day of shooting. I plan on getting two more equivalent cards but at 16 GB each. Extra batteries are a must. Based on the large number of positive reviews I bought a Wasabi charger and two spare NB-6LH batteries on Amazon. I will report if any problems in a followup. In any case, at minimum, I will carry one spare battery at all times.The OEM PSC-900 case is a perfect fit, looks great, and is handy to use. The case loops onto my belt and in locations where I worry about having someone rip off the S120 I first run the hand strap under my belt, the camera through the hand strap loop, then place the camera in the case. I can still fairly quickly pull the camera from the case and un-loop it to shoot. The little inconvenience is worth the extra security. There is little protection from rain or dust with this case and in wet or damp situations I place the camera and case in a zip lock bag and into my pocket.Bottom line, this is a great camera and worth the upgrade if you want a true po

Just got this camera and have less than 100 pictures through it and although every year I buy one of these and end up returning it, it looks like this "S" might be a keeper finally.Like most of its predecessors it's built very well, feels good in the hand, and most of the buttons have good feedback. It has gotten a little more rounded over the years but I like it, square camera with smooth edges that don't annoy me in the pocket.Out of the pocket this camera is probably adjustability-overkill for most people that haven't dared of taking their camera out of AUTO mode. Whether you like shooting in AUTO or you do choose to leave AUTO behind, the S120 rewards you with a very fast interface, fast response (focus/shutter), and the ability to view and share your images across other devices quickly.I am a Canon guy. That should not be missed here because I am a little biased, but I have an iphone(5) for my day to day camera. My weekend camera is a Canon 6D and a bag of L lenses. I bought the S120 to bridge the gap between the two. I am not a professional, but sometimes I want professional pics without using my phone or lugging a big DSLR kit around with me - enter the S120.With the S120 Canon FINALLY offers a simple camera that seems to do everything I want well. What do I want?- Ability to capture amazing pictures without carrying 20# of lenses with me.- Ability to hand my wife/kids a camera that they can use too.- Fast power up, fast focus, fast capture.- Great video if the situation calls for it, on the fly, no delay.- EASY way to transfer pictures to my phone (for when I do want to send them elsewhere).- Canon menus, because they make sense to me.It does all of these in my opinion, quite well.If you are looking for a camera that outshines just about anything else on the shelf under 700$ and can avoid bulking your pants pocket - this is the one.Whats in the box:- Canon S120 camera.- Canon (NB6-LH) battery.- Canon wall charger (CB-2LY).- Canon wrist cord.- Registration documents.- Warranty info.A couple other things I wanted to mention...WiFi -- It's actually useful now! This model features a new wifi setup for transferring pictures to your smartphone. I have had this on (2) other units (S110 and EOS 6D) and never use it because it's a pain. With this model I just go into "play" mode on the camera, press the wifi button (up on the D pad) , it immediately asks what I want to connect to, I select "smartphone" and it says start the phone application and point it to this hotspot. Once I do that, I am on the phone browsing pictures. Scrolling through images (large JPEG) on the camera is pretty quick, downloading is pretty quick, disconnecting and getting back to shooting is just as quick. Now you can literally turn wifi on, send a specific image over to your phone, turn wifi off, in the matter of a couple seconds and a few button clicks.I won't go into what the old way was, because if I could remember it I would actually use it!RX100 vs S120 -- Just before the S120 was announced I finally broke down and bought an RX100 (new). Not the M2 model but the original, for 600$. I loved the pictures it took, they were amazing amazing images.Compared to the S120 (in circumstances so far) they are possibly a little better comparing auto mode to auto mode. What I like about the Canon vs the Sony is the Canon seems to capture more how I see things as opposed to the Sony which wanted to make everything look like a carnival if left untouched (it liked to make all the colors exotically vibrant from my perspective). If this were just about images there would have been some tough decisions to make and hairs to split over this.The size and weight of RX100 to S120 it's no contest:S120. I can put the S120 in a pair of khaki's and go sit in meetings or walk around all day with no worries. The RX100 just felt too darn heavy, and it's larger lens tube sticking out from the front was annoying getting in and out of pockets. The S120 is still a true pocket-friendly camera is what I am getting at.Build quality-wise both feel like finely crafted machines. The S120 will remind you of other point and shoot cameras and its finish is something I would feel ok with putting in a bag with no case. The RX100 felt like some sort of surgical tool, I mean in a good way - but I felt like putting down on a desk would damage the desk or possibly the finish on the camera. Another strange thing is the S120 feels good in the hand and has some heft but nothing bad. The RX100 felt a little heftier but in a way that I felt if I dropped it, it's life was over - it was just waiting for an opportunity to spill its guts. I would expect the S120 to take a small hit or some tumbling without ending it.Cost - Although money can be irrelevant to most photographic geeks when it comes to "getting the shot" , I didn't understand why the Sony was hundreds more. The "why" of this is in other parts of the review here so I won't get into it more. I will just say I

I chose the Canon S120 because I wanted a true pocket camera that takes great pictures and videos. The review sites cover the S120 pretty well, so I'll focus more on why I chose it, how I use it, and how I like it. And since a memory card isn't included, I also ordered a 32 GB (80 MB/s) SanDisk Extreme SDHC Class 10 UHS-1 memory card for storage. This card easily handles continuous shooting and the supported HD video modes.My previous digital cameras have also been Canon point and shoots (mostly ELPHs). I've gotten used to putting them in my pocket to take with me on trips and to special events. However, smartphone cameras have improved to the point where I started leaving my aging ELPH at home. But even the best phones have notable limitations, and there are times when I want much better pictures than what my smartphone is capable of taking.I still wanted the convenience of carrying a pocket camera, so I wasn't interested in a bulky camera body and kit lens, or even a compact that doesn't fit in my pocket. So I narrowed it down to the Canon S120 and the Sony RX100. The Sony's 1" sensor was intriguing; however, this Canon's 1/1.7" sensor is still substantially larger than anything that I've used before. Plus, the S120's image quality typically gets pretty good reviews.I decided that either the Sony or Canon would give me acceptable pictures, and it wasn't necessarily about which one takes the "best" photos. The price was important, but the size was the deciding factor. I looked at a Sony at our local Best Buy; and the (arguably minor) additional thickness made it too big to carry in my front pocket. Sure I could put it in a case; but if wanted to do that, I'd add the Fujifilm X20, Canon G16, Panasonic LX7, and Olympus XZ-2 to my list.I also take pictures of marine reef aquariums, so I appreciate the S120's manual controls which allow me to adjust the white balance, aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Plus, the option to shoot in RAW format is real bonus for this type of photography. Reef tank lighting and moving fish can be a challenge for typical point and shoot cameras; however, I'm impressed with how well this camera handles these shooting conditions.Its 922,000 pixel, 3" touchscreen is sharp, allowing for accurate manual focus adjustments. In addition, the S120 supports either manual focus magnification or peaking (which highlights the edges of objects that are in focus). This is helpful for extreme close ups. However, the autofocus is quick and you can use the touchscreen to select your subject. The camera will even continue to focus on that subject as it moves, or while you frame the shot.Previously, I had been using a Canon ELPH for travel, a Canon A-series (w/ some manual controls) for taking pictures of marine reef tanks, and a Cisco Flip for occasional videos. The Canon S120 replaces and improves on all three of these cameras. I sure won't miss juggling both the Flip and the ELPH around on vacations. Plus, the S120 is small enough to comfortably carry in the front pocket of a pair of loose fitting jeans.The pictures that I've taken have been good, even in lower light without a flash. I'm glad the flash doesn't pop up whenever the camera detects low light. I typically just zoom out to 24mm (f/1.8) to get the shot; however, you can easily activate the flash when needed. It has 3 different intensity settings, and does a good job preventing red eye (without using those annoying strobe flashes). Now I can finally take decent indoor and evening pictures.Even so, I wish the sensor was a little larger and/or the lens was a little brighter (especially at telephoto). Understandably, when shooting in low light without a flash, the photos can be slightly grainy or blurry. However, the processor handles high ISO well, and holding the camera against a solid surface can help reduce blur from camera shake during longer exposures. For me, this is an acceptable trade off for having such a pocketable camera.Some people use the Canon S120 when they don't want to carry a DSLR; but I use it when I want to take much better pictures and videos than what my phone can take. Now, instead of leaving my camera at home, I bring it along with me (in my pocket). It's a much better camera than my older ELPHs, but I basically use it the same way. Previous Canon point and shoot users (of any series) should be comfortable shooting quality pictures and videos with this camera.I'm pleased with this purchase, and consider it to be a good overall value. While not perfect, the S120 is the best camera that I've owned. It's not quite as small as an ELPH, but it's still small enough to carry in a pocket. And while I frequently use the Auto mode, its manual controls are invaluable whenever I need them (or if I just want to get more artistic). Finally, the ability to take quality 1080p/60p movies (in MP4 format) is the icing on the cake.

I recently purchased a point a shoot to bring with me ona trip to Maine. I knew it would outdoors and scenic and great weather in the summer. Lots of contrast. I did bring along my trusty Rebel XSI with Tamron 17-50 and 70-300 lens. But with so much on the go my rebel has been used less and less and only for specific events where I knew I was coming and going to and from home. Like kids events, photo shoot outing, sports, wedding. For the 90% of tother times I have been using my iphone 4s for most jobs. Recently on previous trip I lost many good shots with the iphone because the night photos were horrible. My friends had P&S and all took great shots, low light, and in auto mode.My Rebel is great but other then daytime/dusk photos the lens ranges (for what I can afford) and the iso 1600 are limited for me. Many indoor shots are dark and I hate using a flash for point and shoot stuff or in sports where you can or too far. I wanted portable all day camera I can carry (little weight was ok just something I can pocket or small bag it over the SLR with no fear of breakage or getting stolen. And with little compromise to image quality. Plus I wanted video and some Bokeh.I bought a SX280 at first. But immediately returned it even after a firmware update the battery bug wouldn't go away. I was not going to risk having a faulty camera ruin my shots. After using the SX280 the zoom was great but like my other super zoom p&s you loose speed and quality. It did take great pics for a P&S and easy to carry and zoom and video were incredible. Photos clear. But zoom for bokeh, portraits and auto focus were little lacking. For most p&s it was way better then anything I had seen. With the battery bug I returned and thought well what is next step up.After much research I loved the specs of the g15. I was concerned that the it was only a digic 5 not 6 over the sx280 and I would lose the speed and extra 720p slow mode modes and that the loss of zoom I would miss.After trying it out in best buy I could tell that the zoom even with digital was pretty capable and the 1-5x zoom seemed clear and sharper then the sx280 and looked like SLR on the screen.I traded it in and took hundred of photos in Maine and even did some compares with side by side of my SLR. I was impressed. All my fears were put aside. this is a great camera that has no flaws or irks during use. Sure there is some things i wish it would do a little better to make it an SLR but it isn't an SLR. Needless to say the pictures are SLR quality in some cases and in all cases being a p&s it was more flexible then changing lenses without much loss or sacrifice for quality especially when you are going where you do not know what to expect (bring zoom, portrait,wide?)Pros:Body shape and feel is great grippy and solid rugged and looks goodButtons are easy to learn and great access to ISO,Aperture,F, in manual mode just like my slr (unlike the sx280 mind you) it was easy one hand thumb and taking pics easyScreen is awesome, I do not miss or need a touch screen. the navigation was similar to any canon and no issues. I prefer buttons up top anyway faster then looking at screen then refocus.Faster lens really helped. I traded the speed to keep the iso down and typically I could shoot under 80-160-320 iso all day and into dusk no problem and super clear low noise photos.In my compare the SLR stands out here and sharper images but this is only if you did side by side. the G15 photos are super crisp and vibrant and only in zoomed up details can you see softer edges compared to SLR.Zoom 5x was good for most shots and had great Bokeh for portraits at 1.8-2.2 range. Digital zoom worked better then I thought. You can shoot digital zoom and get nice uncropped photos for sure.Autofocus was fast, Much faster and accurate then my old rebelAWB: was accurate and better then my Rebel. I played a little with AWB but I found AWB worked in all my photos and was perfect night or day.Filters/Scenes. I rarely use the scenes but I found that since they are easily accessible from the knob they worked very well. the filters were very fun and did a great job and made some great images. the toy,hdr,color swap were great.Colors: The Jpeg processor is spot on. Compared to edited raw photos the jpegs can be untouched IMHO. The RAW look real but flat at times (accurate) but for a P&S the G5 had great color and pop. And the Color modes were great too. the Nostalgia and Super Vivid produced nice photos. Hybrid mode was pretty neat.Movies: WOW This thing takes great photos and zoomed in all the way to 20x with auto focus and allows use to set the color mode (super vivid for example) For videos alone this is a great HD camera. I had no problem recording 1-10min clips all day long and with no major battery drain. The sound was good too. There was some wind noise if windy but compared to the sx280 there is little lens auto focus noise. Only thing I could hear was me clicking the zoom back and fourth.Battery Life: No i

I shoot all the time with Canon DSLR and I am usually lugging above 20lbs of equipment in a Pelican case. This becomes a little too much, especially when I also have to carry a backup body, lighting equipment etc.I bought this one after reading lots of reviews and my expectations were pretty high. Many people commented already so I will overview the great and the not so great briefly before getting to what I think I can add to the conversation.The camera is built like a tank - this is obvious the minute you take it in hand.It is smaller than those I am used to so it did take me some time to get used to its form factor.The controls are great and I was able to find my way around them almost immediately (coming from Canon DSLR) except for the zoom button, which will give you an idea of how long since I last manipulated a compact. Just to be clear it is where you would expect it, it just took ME some adjustment.The menus are obvious.The LCD is gorgeous and the same as the 7D I use most of the time.The display modes when shooting live view are very informative.I wish the manual came in dead tree form, not circular shiny plastic.The so-so: the flash management menu entry is only available when you are using the pop-up flash; not even when you attach a flash in the hot shoe.The popup flash tends to open when you carry the camera in a simple trousers pocket - I even had the camera power up and extend its lens once or twice. No damage, no biggie.No remote flash control through the pop up flash - now, THAT would have blown me away, so I won't count it as a minus.What I was mostly wondering about before receiving it were the following aspects. I give my rating in stars, max is five.- Ease of use: so close to ***** that I posted above a picture I shot with it in a total of 10 seconds from the pocket to the pocket, including color temperature selection and exposition -1 1/3eV. This was one of the first few tens of pictures I shot with it.- Color rendition - ***** - I did several tests and comparisons with a color checker and a 7D and it works very well. They end-up a little more saturated than with the 7D in my experiment, but this would be expected considering the apertures and the lenses used.- Exposure metering - ***** - In the collection of tests I did last night in my hotel room, I used a Sekonic L-308s and the 7D as reference and the results are very good. Shot two remote external flash (580ExII and YN560) and measure the aperture, set both the 7D and the G15 to that aperture and ISO and shoot the colorchecker grey card. They both come out the same and ok (proper value, no cast).- Flash control - **** There I tried with the one I had: an old 580ExII. Now let's be clear, the 580ExII on the G15 looks silly: it is three times the size of the camera - you would be excused for thinking that the thingy attached under the flash is a pocket wizard of sorts! However the results are just what you would expect: the ETTL works just fine and the resulting exposures are excellent.I only put four stars because of the SNAFU I mentioned about the menu not being accessible unless the Jimmini Cricket of a popup flash is out of its box.- Shooting in low light, others have mentioned it already, works fine. ***** See the picture I posted of the office building, the one I shot in 10 seconds.- Shooting with the flash - **** - This silly little flash is actually pretty powerful. This is not a 580ExII by any means, but at close range it can be enough. If the 580ExII were a Colt Pacificator, this would be a Derringer: cute but not harmless.- Shooting with remote controlled flash. *****"What?!?" can I hear you say, "I thought there was no such capability". Well, not natively indeed, but I had a cheap remote control solution with me so I just tried: the Yongnuo RF-603 C1 works just fine with the G15, if you accept that the remote control wire plugs in on the right side of the camera body, i.e. where you would put your hand to hold it, and of course this only works with the flash in manual. It is also controlled remotely by the same YN603.You will need a cable to plug between the G15 and the YN603; as it turns out it is the one that comes with the C1 kit as mentioned above.Nonetheless, it works.I will post a picture or two of the geared up G15.- The great and unexpected: the C1 and C2 positions on the main mode dial, that you can use for your predefined setups - just like on a pro DSLR. This is just great.- Another great feature I was not expecting: focus bracketing. I don't use it that much but I can see how it could save the day.I cannot comment on what I have not tried seriously yet: Video and HDR.So.All in all I bought this camera to ensure I will always take a backup with me, and as a walk around camera for when I don't want to lug my bigger bodies.It does that, way better than I dared hope for.A solid five stars.If you have questions, feel free to post them in comments below - I make a point of answering them.____________________________

Everyone has their own needs with regards to cameras, but many amateur photographers are encouraged to upgrade to expensive DSLR's in order to grow their skills and produce great shots. DSLR's have their place, but the G15 - I think - provides all the features needed in a durable form so that, unless you absolutely are certain you need a particular feature specific to a DSLR, there is no need to upgrade. The G15 on its own is wonderful: It shoots fast, has a great lens, and produces stunning jpegs. There are hundreds of ways to customize and extend it. And, it just makes taking pictures fun and a seamless experience. The live view on the G15 is also super responsive. You will find most of the features and issues specific to a DSLR are also applicable to the G15, although the lens on the g15 is not upgradeable like a DSLR would be.Also, if you give the camera to a novice family member to take shots, the auto mode is the most intelligent I've ever seen.....odds are they will still be able to produce great shots w/o knowing what they are doing.Caveats:- Zoom range is OK but not super, if you're doing a lot of outdoor landscape photography or shooting birds/etc....well, there are better cameras built specifically for that niche, like the canon SX50.- It will produce raw format files for those wanting to do extensive post production work, but when raw mode is enabled - there is a substantial slowdown. I'm more of an action photographer, and the G15 can give me close to a sustained 2 shots/second for up to 45 minutes when in jpeg only mode. After a certain point, the camera might start to overheat...and thats my clue to slow down. DSLR's may have faster processors for shooting images in raw format....the G15 is optimized for jpeg all the way through. RAW is just a slow add on for it.- The default aspect ratio on the G15 is 4/3 which is the standard for point and shoots. However, 3/2 is a much better general use ratio that makes it easy to introduce still photos into HD video. DSLR's make this easy. For the G15, you have to switch to the 3/2 aspect ratio which immediately results in a reduction in about 1 Megapixel of image quality.- The camera is small which makes it absurdly easy to carry everywhere and to hold while capturing stills and video, but that size comes at the cost of both the articulating display in prior G series cameras and practical limitations on what size equipment you'll mount to it when doing professional work. I can mount a speed 320ex speedlite flash to the G15 and it remains barely usable...I wouldn't mount a 430EXII. A wireless transmitter would be fine though if you can mount flash's off camera.- You will get lots of anxiety from other photographers for using a camera with such a small sensor...however the sensor and image processor on the G15 is great quality and allows taking shots with lower than normal iso which is a big win.- You will see extensive image noise if you use ISO >= 1600, the G15 is extremely sensitive to ISO levels. 90% of your shots you will be able to take at ISO400 or below though, and you can minimize the need to increase ISO either by using flash or modifying shutter/aperture. You can also enable special modes that will significantly optimize the quality of highlights and shadows in your images at the expense of a slightly higher ISO.- If you are buying the G15 because it has an optical viewfinder, I'm not sure of the quality of it...I never use it, nor do I really miss the lack of the articulating electronic viewfinder.Just as update, the following are the accessories I recommend as the minimum to get the most out of a G15:- At least 1 additional Canon NB-10L battery. I have three batteries total which is enough to get me through the most intense of shooting days. The built in flash can deplete a battery in under an hour. If you are not using flash, you can probably get 4000 or so still images or a few hours of video on a single charge. However, the batteries take awhile to recharge...and I like to have at least 1 active and 1 spare whenever I leave the house...and all three batteries when on travel.- As mentioned above, the 320EX makes the perfect complement flash for the G15. Even if you are happy with the built in flash quality of the G15, and the built in flash is more than OK, the 320EX provides the benefit of a much faster recharge interval which is most noticeable when taking night shots. Taking sustained shots with the internal flash at night is an aggravating experience with a 5-6 second delay between photos, essentially removing it from being able to cover action events. The 320EX minimizes camera slow down with a high burst capability and a fast ~2 second recharge when provided with nimh rechargeable AA's.- SLIK PRO 700DX Professional Tripod with Panhead (615-315), you will need a tripod to make the best use of the video, timelapse, macro, night, and built in HDR modes of the camera. HDR especially is sensitive to any camera movem

This is a great camera. The video quality is amazing and the pictures look professional. It's great for zooming in on birds outside my window. I was really happy when I realized there is a macro lens feature, meaning you can take close up pictures of things and get them really detailed (example: pollen on a flower).Yes, this camera takes two AA batteries. That can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what kind of pictures you want.Cameras that use batteries are good because:1. You can use rechargeable batteries so you don't have to keep buying new batteries. You just buy some rechargeable batteries and put them into the charger when you're done using the camera at night (on whenever).2. If you're going on a hike or birding or anything like that that's outside for a long time, you can just bring a few re-chargeable batteries in your pocket and change the batteries once or twice so you can use the camera all day. This is much better than cameras that have to be charged because with a rechargeable camera, it wouldn't last you the whole day and you wouldn't have an outlet nearby to charge it with.So this camera is great with the whole rechargeable batteries thing.However, if you really don't want to deal with batteries, you can go for the Canon SX170. It's the exact same features, but instead of taking batteries, you plug it into the wall to charge it. Again, though, I recommend this camera a lot more.The only thing that made me give it four stars was that the focus is sometimes a little messed up. It won't focus on the object right sometimes so it will either come out blurry or the focus will be on something else in the picture rather than the target. However, this only happens sometimes, usually when I'm zooming in on really far away things, so the camera will focus on bushes or trees around the subject instead or the constant movement of the camera will make it blurry.To fix this, you can usually depress the "shoot" button halfway and the camera will focus on the subject. This works beautifully 95% of the time.The last complaint I have is that it doesn't capture moving objects well. They'll always come out a little blurry. However, for a camera of this price, it has amazing quality. It's a point and shoot camera, after all; if you want to take perfectly clear pictures of moving objects, invest in a $300 camera or more.The blurriness of quickly moving objects never bothered me because I don't take many pictures like that, but if you want to capture running children or cars or hyperactive pets, you may want to invest in a better camera. However, be warned that it would be much more expensive.The video records beautifully in 720pHD and the sound is clear.The camera comes with the camera itself, two AA batteries so you can use it right away, a data chord (NOT TO RECORD; it's to plug it into a computer to upload pictures), a wrist strap (I recommend you buy a neck strap separately; I'll attach a link below), a solution disk (whatever that is), a one-year warranty, and an instruction manual.Overall, it is an excellent camera for the price. I'm very happy with it.For a good neck strap: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MR5HK/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_1If you want the same camera but rechargeable rather than taking batteries: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX170-Digital-Black/dp/B00EFILR6E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399745357&sr=8-1&keywords=canon+170sx(Same features, just different power supply.)For rechargeable batteries with a charger: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DNPT1CM/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1(Click the product box titled "4 Pack AA with Charger".

I've had the Canon S90 for the last five years and it truly served me well. I was in the market for a new portable camera with RAW and after comparing the Sony RX100 to the Canon S120, I decided to go with the S120. I was hesitant to go with the S120 because it looked exactly like the S90 and I wanted something different but I've discovered that the S120 is a completely different beast!Here are the things that have made this upgrade a worthy investment:1. High Resolution screen: The S120 has a 922,000 dot 3 inch LCD screen, almost double the S90's. Colors are richer and details are sharper!2. Built-In Wifi: I like to share lots of photos and photo collages on facebook and instagram. The S120 allows me to import high-resolution photos into my iPhone with ease. My instagram uploads never looked better (no more grainy iPhone selfies)! I had to snoop around to figure things out as the instruction manual and online blogs offered nothing. If you want simple instructions, I've provided them below.3. Faster overall usage: The shutter speed is fast and the camera's burst feature is awesome (9.4 fps).4. HDR mode: The HDR mode is very useful for scenic, high contrast scenes when you want all the details and shadow areas to come forth!5. Wide Angle: The focal length is 5.2–26.0mm (or 35mm film equivalent: 24–120mm). This is slightly wider than the S90 and the Sony RX100. It may not seem like much but it makes a big difference when shooting various scenes.6. Versatile: I've clumsily dropped the camera twice already (once on asphalt and once in a restaurant) and despite some cosmetic scruffs, the camera works great.Downsides: The battery life on the S120 is definitely shorter than the S90. Be sure to buy a couple of generic batteries for the S90/S120 and carry them with you.How to Import Photos into Your SmartphoneDo not use Canon ImageGateway, you will waste your time with a registration system that doesn't even work (as of April 2014).1. To start importing photos into your smartphone, you've first got to set it up. Do this at home on your wireless network. Connect your smartphone to your wireless network. Connect your camera to your wireless network. Take a few photos, go into playback mode on your S120, press up on the spin dial, select "Add a Device," and then follow the prompts to add your smartphone onto your S120.2. Go to the Apple AppStore and download an app called "Canon CW."3. Once your smartphone is setup and recognized by your S120 camera, you have two options to import photos. The first option (at home on your wireless network): Go to playback mode on your S120, press up on the spin dial, select the smartphone icon, and the camera will begin searching for the smartphone on your wireless network. Turn your smartphone on (make sure it's connected to your wireless network) and open the "Canon CW" app (your camera will say "Start dedicated app on target device"). The app should recognize your camera and allow you to preview the photos. Select only the photos you want to import. If the app doesn't recognize the camera, try quitting the app and open it up again.The second option (on the road with no wireless network): Go to playback mode on your S120, press up on the spin dial, select the smartphone icon, and the camera will create a wireless access point. Turn your smartphone on, go to your network settings, and then select the access point that your camera has created. Then open up the "Canon CW" app and it's the same as above.I hope this helps someone. I spent hours before I figured this out on my own.

I love this little camera. My previous camera was a Canon S100, and I loved it, too. But I really wanted the wi-fi functionality so that I could share pictures with friends and family at moment's notice and not have to wait until I got home (which, half the time I would forget to do anyway). The wi-fi feature works very well. You can upload photos directly to your phone or tablet by connecting to the camera's built-in wi-fi hotspot. Or you can upload pictures directly to the web by connecting the camera to a wi-fi hotspot with internet connectivity. Both ways work great.Before this one I bought a Sony RX100M II. Great little camera, but it wasn't really pocketable (yes, you could fit it into a jeans pocket, but you would probably hurt yourself if you tried walking with it). Also, the menu wasn't as intuitive or smooth. Plus, it was rather slow to navigate between images in playback mode, not something I was used to since owning the S100, which was very quick.You can't go wrong with either camera, and it really depends on what you value more. For me, the size and weight of the camera was more important than slightly better image quality of the Sony. I wanted a camera that I could bring with me anywhere and not worry about it, and this one is perfect for that.I had both cameras to compare side by side. In terms of portability, even though the size & weight look pretty similar on paper, it's no contest when it actually comes down to carrying the camera - Canon S120 wins. If I was going to carry the Sony, it would always be in hand or in a case. That defeats the whole point of having a pocketable camera. I might as well carry a larger & better camera if I'm going to carry it in a case.While the image quality was slightly better in the RX100M II (especially in low light), it wasn't *that* much better. After carrying around both cameras for a week, I definitely prefer the Canon in terms of portability. I could slip it into my jeans or jacket pocket and forget about it - not something I could say about the Sony.Both cameras are built like a tank - fantastic build quality. However, I think that the Canon would probably survive a fall onto concrete/marble floor better than the Sony, which has an articulating screen & huge lens.Pros of the Canon S120:- Small, lightweight, & most importantly pocketable!!!- Quite a bit cheaper than the Sony RX100M II ($450 vs $750)- Wider angle (24mm vs 28mm)- Longer optical zoom (5x vs 3.6x)- Touch screen is very nice - useful for manual focusing, menu navigating, picture browsing, etc- Faster, smoother, and more intuitive user interface - the Sony user interface felt much slower- Better optical stabilization - I noticed that I got more sharp pictures hand-held at night than with the Sony (on auto mode)- Built-in neutral density filter - can do really cool motion blur effects during daytime- Better automatic mode - closer to the way I want the pictures exposed - skin tones in particular are more natural looking- Very cool built-in HDR mode- Continuous 9.8fps burst mode until the card fills up - that's awesome! (very few cameras have this)- Clicky selector ring around the lens - the Sony also has one, but it's smooth (no click feedback), and therefore harder to select settings accurately. I found myself under-rotating or over-rotating the ring when trying to select settings on the Sony.Pros of the Sony RX100M II that I will miss:- Sweep panorama - great feature - I don't get why Canon still didn't get this one- 20MP - awesome detail - you can really use digital zoom with so many pixels- Huge 1" sensor - better quality pics in the dark, but not *that* much better- Longer battery life - no big deal as extra batteries are small enough to carry- Extremely fast focus & shutter - a little faster than the Canon- Long flash range - you can also manually tilt the flash to bounce off of the ceiling- Articulating screen - can tilt the screen in different directions- NFC quick connect feature - very quick tap & connect on some NFC enabled phones

EDIT: I originally gave a 5 star rating, and demoted to 4 stars after field testing because of its lack of panorama feature. However, I have discovered that there is a panorama function in the included software disc so you can stitch on your computer later. That's better than nothing, but my previous comparable cameras had internal panorama stitching with a guide so you line up the images yourself in the process of taking them or even sweep the camera for auto stitch. I have installed the software for this camera but not used it yet. But how can you be sure you have the proper overlap matching when taking the photos separately? What about when you get back home & realize they don't match up well? You'd be able to retake the shot with an internal stitching camera but with this one, you're just out of luck with a bad photo. The fact that it is not very obvious that the panorama stitching capability even exists and that it is not in a user friendly format keeps the rating at 4 stars instead of 5, although I'm hopeful that I'll gain a knack for it over time. Overall I am still quite pleased with this cameras features for my backpacking, camping, & hiking purposes.My previous review:Certainly not the most amazing camera available, but here is what I like about it. It is the best compromise I could find on the many features that are important to me as a backpacker, and I did a lot of looking to find it. There are not many cameras made with this combination anymore so this one gets 4 stars from me (would get 5 if it could do panorama like most of its competitors).1) I do extended wilderness backcountry camping and I like to take many photos meaning batteries run out. Without electricity outlets in the wilderness, those rechargeable battery packs that most cameras are powered by nowadays are useless once it dies so I must have a camera powered by easily replaceable AA batteries I can carry spares of. A bunch of rechargeable AA sets is best so I can recharge them for my next adventure after I get home and save money on replacements, but I still carry some regular AAs along with them as a backup. There are many small cameras powered by rechargeable battery packs that will do what I want, but long-term backpacking photography makes AA power a deal breaker for me.2) Many times I want a good zoom shot. Most AA cameras nowadays that have a decent zoom require 4 AAs! I tried this out with the Kodak Z990 which has 30X optical zoom. The photos were good (in fact, my last 2 cameras were Kodak Easy Shares requiring 2 AAs and I was happy with them), but a camera that takes 4 AAs is just to bulky to practically pack around so I gave that away as a nice gift. A 2 AA camera like this is designed with a much slimmer profile. This is compact enough that I can keep it in a small camera bag and still fit that bag in my large pocket for extra protection from getting knocked around or to keep it warmer in freezing temperatures or extra safe from rain. Not to mention that the weight of spare batteries you need to carry for a 4 AA camera is twice as much as a 2 AA camera like this which still has a great 16X optical zoom (much more than most 2 AA cameras you'll see today), and a further digital zoom if desired.3) Sometimes you happen upon wildlife action and/or a scenic area where a short video is nice to get and this is capable of video with audio.I can't comment on long term durability yet. I'm taking it out on a trip in a few weeks & will update on how it holds up in the field. Seems solid enough if treated with reasonable care. It has a lot of extra features that an amateur like me probably doesn't know how to use or really need, but that's nice for people who would use them. I use the automatic setting and my test photos seem to turn out nice. I can't wait to take it out in the backcountry & see what it does out there. Obviously I would have liked to pay even less (who isn't cheap at heart?) but at $150 on sale this will be a good investment as long as it lasts a long time.As a con, I've noticed it doesn't seem to save pictures without a memory card. I do bring ample memory card storage with, but it seems like every other camera I've had did have at least a little internal memory aside from the insertable card memory. Not a big deal because I use the cards anyway, but be aware you'll need to get one if you don't already have it. And as others have noted, the right hand grip is a little tricky until you get used to it because you don't get the large gripping bump like more bulky models have. Again, not a big deal to me personally and I got used to 1 handed operation after a little practice but maybe if you have arthritis or something it could be difficult to manage single handed. But no problem with both hands.All in all I was happy to find the combination of features this camera offers. Seems like no other cameras are made this way anymore which sucks for backpackers. One thing is I wish it were waterproof/submersible to a shallow d

Of course this isn't a high end camera in the hundreds of dollars rangee, but how well it does what it does for the price definitely warrants 5 stars. I really don't understand the 1-star reviews that say their pictures weren't clear. (It is possible that they got a lemon), as I've only taken a few blurry photos, and those were all operator error. In fact, I've gotten clear photos when testing out the shutter speed and trying to see if I could make it blurry. (more on that later)You can just set the camera to 'Auto', point and shoot,and get great pictures. However, if you want to get even more out of it, there is a bit of a learning curve, but I've learned quickly. (There's still more to learn).There are more presets on this than the average point and shoot. I've particularly had fun with the 'Miniature Effect' preset. The 'Super Vivid' preset make the colors...well...super vivid! Pictures taken in the dull of winter look rather vibrant with this setting. I kind of wish I had gotten it in the fall so I could have taken picture of the foliage with this setting (however, this was a Christmas gift).The zoom and focus on this is amazing, especially by point and shoot standards. Even though it's only 16X optical zoom, I was able to get a clear shot of a commercial jet flying overhead. While I don't think it was at full cruising altitude, it was definitely up there. Adjusting the shutter speed also helped what would have otherwise been a blurry picture. (Trying to track something that's moving about 400 mph while you're zoomed in on it isn't the easiest of task) The auto focus while in macro mode is also one of the best I've used, though sometimes it can be overaggressive or not bring your intended subject into focus. But patience and working with it can yield some terrific results.That's right, this is a point and shoot, but you can adjust the shutter speed and aperture! One setting gives priority to shutter speed (camera auto-selects aperture), another to aperture (camera auto selects shutter speed), and another setting let's you adjust both manually. The shutter can be left open for a full 15 seconds, or snap as quickly as 1/2000 (it will let you adjust up to 1/3200, but according to the manual, it just reverts to 1/2000 anyway). You can also adjust the focus manually if you wish.I got some great night shots leaving the shutter open (with only the glow of a city in the distance as the only light source). As for the faster shutter speeds, I snapped a pic of the blades of my remote control helicopter spinning at full speed, and you can read the lettering on the blades. Getting that shot took some trial and error. I only have two minor complaints. One is the HD video, while clear isn't as good as a standalone camcorder. Even in a quiet room with no background noise, the resulting video sounds like it was shot in the wind. That may be enough for some people to knock off a star, but I wanted a camera primarily to take still photos with. The 720p video is just a bonus to me. (Though I could see using it for video work where I don't need the original audio.Complaint number two is, this thing DEVOURS batteries (which I realize isn't uncommon for electronic devices). It will eat up a pair of Duracells in a day. I can't comment on how long lithium batteries will last, but in the last camera that I had, they lasted about 7 months, so time will tell if I stick with lithium batteries or go with rechargeables.All in all, I can't imagine a better, more versatile point-and-shoot for the price. I, for one, am ecstatic with it.

After several years with a low-quality, consumer-grade pinprick sized CCD point-and-shoot, I purchased the Canon G15 for use during a vacation to San Francisco in February. Though I may not be a professional photographer, I know the basic rules of the game, and can generally do a better job composing a picture using manual settings than any digital camera that I've previously encountered can by itself. Let me say that, against all expectations, I now shoot pictures mostly in Priority mode, as even full auto on this baby impresses. I'm not saying that the camera is perfect, but it's a sure sight closer than any other compact camera I've ever handled.First, the good. Actually, most of this is great. The G15 has a very "bright" lens (f 1.8 at widest angle), making it excellent for low-light photography despite its' relatively small 1-1.7" sensor. Further, the camera's anti-shake compensation is excellent, making a low-light superstar acutally usable in-hand, even in darkened museum galleries. Last on this point, the macro is awesome, due to the physics of the small sensor/short barrel length relationship. Clear pictures can be had all-around, especially if braced against the ground or some sort of support while shooting, even without flash or AF assist beam. Colors are bright and punchy, and image noise in .jpg format at low ISO is extremely low. Format-wise, even though it's something I'm not really advanced enough to tackle on my own, one can obtain Canon RAW format images from this camera, even when shooting to produce .jpg's. This, actually, is one of the reasons I shoot in priority mode, as one has the option to select an especially high-quality .jpg compression not available in auto, while keeping copies of the RAW images saved to the memory card all at once.Next, the not-so-good. And, really, at the price-point, there isn't much to go over. This camera, as many other reviewers have related, blows out exposure pretty easily. It's best to use the manual exposure compensation control to step back at least 1/3 stop at ALL times, even shooting flashless in low light when your subject has 'high albedo.' When outdoors in full sunlight? Shoot at ISO 80, back off exposure at least a full stop, and think about engaging the built-in neutral density filter if you're anywhere near water and/or open sky. And with flash, turn down intensity and step back from your subject more than you think is wise. Second, though performance is good at ISO 400, I wouldn't ever use pics shot at over ISO 800 if I were being paid to, unless it's fireworks on the 4th of July. The image noise is inexcusable. Maybe if I had a tripod, it would be different, but most images I've shot like this look terrible. And, performance is heads and tails BETTER than competition in this category of camera, generally speaking.Last, let's go for the neutral. I am not the world's best photographer... I don't need a fiddly, fancy DSLR like Japanese tourists or San Francisco's average hipster. What I wanted, and what I got with this camera, was a reasonably sized tool with modest manual configuration options that is good at shooting sans-flash. Along with that filthy word 'manual', however, goes a lot of baggage for people who like bells and whistles. If you want GPS, automatic panorama stitch on-camera rather than just a composition assist, compact ultra-zoom, ultra-wide-angle shooting, etc., look elsewhere. Fortunately for me, I just wanted a camera that would do what I told it once in awhile, rather than making every picture look like a staticky tinker-toy image. And, really, this thing still does more than I need it to. It shoots RAW, which I am not yet educated enough to edit. It has a hot-shoe flash, which will likely take me a while to learn to use properly so as not to blow out images in an even more spectacular fashion than with just the built-in, pop-up flash. The menus, while well-laid-out, are deep, and take a little time to fully understand... But this is still the nicest piece of magnesium alloy casing full of electronics and lenses I've ever had the privelege of owning.

m3LVSSQQR5CZGP / mo11IT9MXRZ5W35 Length:: 1:33 MinsBottom line: The Canon SX160 is a good buy for the price point. It is not a Canon PowerShot SX260 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 20x Image Stabilized Zoom 25mm Wide-Angle Lens and 1080p Full-HD Video (Black), which I suppose is what most of us really want in the end. (Better CMOS sensor, better 20x zoom, better 30fps HD video, better hi-res LCD. (Don't need no steekin' GPS. But the 240SX isn't sold in the USA.)) But the SX260 cost almost $100 more than what I paid for the SX160 and the SX260 doesn't run on AA batteries, which is of prime importance to me. If Canon made an AA version of the SX260, stuffing the better guts of the 260 into the body of the 160, I'd jump. But since Canon doesn't, the SX160 will suffice.Long review to follow. Pick and choose what you want to read.For comparison purposes, my previous camera, still working well, is a Canon PowerShot A540. A 6MP, 4x optical, AA powered, full featured camera. (Has Manual mode, for example.) I was looking to upgrade to a similar AA battery powered camera with Image Stabilization (IS) and more zoom. (Those expensive, proprietary Li-ions are always dying on you in the middle of nowhere. If you don't carry a spare, you need to carry a charger and find 120v AC. Whereas carrying or finding extra AA's with you on a trip is cheap backup.) The pickin's for AA powered cameras are slim.Pickin's are even slimmer if you're looking for a two-cell camera. (Four AA batteries, unless Lithium AA, make a camera too heavy for my taste.) At the time I bought the SX160, I could only find two candidates: One, the low end Canon's, like the Canon PowerShot A1300 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 5x Digital Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens with 720p HD Video Recording (Silver) for $100. And the SX160 for a little more.---------UPDATE - Check out the Sony DSC-H200 Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Black). Costs about the same as the SX260. Not pocketable, and 4 cell. But might be a better camera. Optical zoom while recording video.UPDATE - I just learned about the Pentax X-5 Digital Camera with 26x Optical Zoom and 3" LCD (Black), a four cell AA camera. Fry's Electronics is selling it for $200 this week. CMOS sensor, 26x zoom, high display LCD, Electronic viewfinder, etc. It won't fit in your pocket, but some say the SX160 won't either and needs a case. See the customer image of the moon there and compare to mine here.UPDATE - There is now also the new Nikon COOLPIX L610 16 MP Digital Camera with 14x Zoom NIKKOR Glass Lens and 3-inch LCD (Black) two AA camera with arguably better specs: CMOS sensor, higher res LCD; 30fps HD video (plus slo-mo 60fps), glass lens, better ergonomic body design. All for the same price as the SX160. (But no optical zoom when recording movies.) The L610 is narrowly focused on the "point and shoot" consumer market only. It doesn't have PASM which would be a deal breaker for many.----------The A1300 would have met my requirements, albeit a 5x zoom isn't much of an increase from my ol' 4x. But you get a lot more bang for the buck with the SX160.So when the price of the SX160 dropped to $150, I jumped. I bought it with a Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E card that Amazon impulse-marketed me when I ordered the camera, which is more than enough capacity. (Update: And which CrystalDiskMark's above 10MB/sec write.)Since everyone else here is focusing on the positives, I'll primarily focus on the negatives to round out the reviews. (camera. focus. negatives. get it?) UPDATE: For example, as others are saying here, it is a tad slow with respect to shutter lag. Been taking pictures of a very energetic spaniel. Seems to be about a 1/4 second delay in what the camera captures after I press the shutter - even with the focus and exposure set to manual (so that there's nothing for the camera to think about).And so that you know as you read this review, I never used the automatic features in my A540, like the AUTO mode or AiAF. I don't expect to be using these or all the new "tracking, face finding, anti-blink" stuff they've put in the SX160 now. (Although they are fascinating to watch in action.) I know how to focus, and I primarily use the Program mode for 99% of my photos.Ergonomics: My previous camera, the Canon Powershot A540, had a protrusion on the right front of the body, near where the batteries go, which made a fantastic hand hold. (A so-called "Grip.") Exactly like what Canon still does on the A3100. (And A810.) Such a grip places your finger more naturally on the shutter button and zoom control too. (See my customer images.)Unfortunately, even though Canon knew how to do it with the A540 and knows how do it in the A3100, the SX160IS does not have this important ergonomic feature. (Sometime shortly after the A540, the body design on the PowerShots changed to resemble the ELPH's. Now they've brought back the old A540 style in the A3100. It's what customers want.) In fa

m3HFHJZNILDSWP / moOBZBBAOUPUL3 Length:: 1:07 Mins&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&URGENT UPDATE, September, 2013:If you prefer using 2-AA batteries in a digital camera - as I do very much - then you seriously need to consider buying a Canon SX160, now, while the supplies still last. The new model SX170 runs on a Canon NB-6LH proprietary battery which costs $38 on Amazon for each spare battery, and it will only take about half as many shots per charge. The Canon SX160 is now the last remaining 2-AA battery, full-featured, full-function, compact, travel & field camera left on the entire worldwide market. When the remaining ones are gone, they are gone forever.I have owned and used all of them from the SX100 to the SX160. I have long-considered the Canon SX100 line of cameras to be "The Best 2-AA-Battery All-Purpose Travel and Field Cameras Ever Made." I have posted 5-star reviews of both the SX150 and SX160 here on Amazon during the last two years, and I have made it abundantly clear why I feel so strongly favorable of them.Both cameras - the SX160 and SX170 - have exactly the same features, the same functions, and the same specs - except for the batteries. Functionally they both work exactly the same, and they both produce identical quality pictures. No changes were made to either the sensor or to the DIGIC 4 image processor to bring any improvement to the final images produced by the SX170.But it's your call.If you like using 2-AA batteries in a full-featured, compact, travel & field digital camera, then you need to act now. As for myself, I just bought two of them. The Canon SX160 is still my number one favorite camera I have ever owned in my life, and I still plan to keep right on using it for many pleasant years yet to come.Sincerely, and with best wishes to everyone, John AKA SLOphoto1&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10 AM -- I bought the Canon SX160 IS today. (Early-Sale Source.) I've tested it out at home, and everything works great! Here are some observations and results.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Video Added, Friday, September 21, 2012 at 11 AM. Flyover of the Space Shuttle, almost over my house in Monterey, CA, shot with the Canon SX160 at 16X zoom using a tripod mount.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Oct. 17, 2012 Finally got my Red Canon SX160 locally from Green's Camera World here in the Del Monte Shopping Center in Monterey. Beautiful right out of the pristine box. I love it!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Oct. 25, 2012 Posted three images I recently took to the users' image gallery here with this camera. They show what this camera can do with the right adjustments in Manual Mode. (I give the exact adjustments for each one.) A Monterey Sunrise, A Blue Jay on a Wire at 16X zoom, and a Balcony View of Monterey Bay. Enjoy!&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&The Canon SX160IS is - in my personal opinion - the best 2-AA battery, all-purpose travel and field camera ever made. It is the latest and the best of a long line of highly dependable point-and-shoot megazoom cameras - the Canon SX100 series - which began five years ago in September 2007. With its combined features, its reliability, its versatility, and it's very economical price there is absolutely nothing else like it available today.It is the only quality digital camera of its type left in the world that still runs on 2-AA batteries. In the world of digital cameras, it stands alone as completely unique. It is the last one its kind, and the very best one manufactured to date. And it's a Canon.A WORD OF CAUTION: This camera is not ideal for everyone. There is no point buying something that you are not going to like. If you don't like AA batteries, then you won't like this camera. Its features probably don't outweigh its faults unless you really want to use AA batteries. It does not have a viewfinder, none of this line of cameras ever has, so if you want a viewfinder then this camera simply will not work for you. Also, for the record, this camera is not a fast-action camera. It is not the best camera for taking pictures of fast-moving children or sports action shots. Photos taken with it at higher ISOs (film speed) are pretty grainy even in good light. And the flash-recovery time is notoriously - there is no other word for it - slow! If any of this won't work for you in your own individual situation, then you really need to look elsewhere, seriously, because this camera simply will not meet your needs and will only frustrate you when you try to use it.The SX160 has its own charm, but it's rather old-fashioned in style and a bit slow in operation. It's kind of like owning the latest version of a classic car. It feels like a classic, and after five years and six very successful models it is actually becoming a classic in its own right.

The S120 is a fantastic pocket camera to use when you don't want to carry around your DSLR. For the last couple years the camera I use is a Canon DSLR. Even though I have 2 older ELPH's, I always have used my DSLR until now. The Canon S120 is pretty amazing for a pocket sized camera and works perfect as the camera to grab when you don't want to carry the big DSLR. There are definitely some advantages and disadvantages worth pointing out.I've been using the S120 for 1 week now. From power up to 1st shot takes barely 1 second. Shutter lag is slightly longer than my DSLR (T3i), but hardly noticeable and completely acceptable. I really like the amazing resolution on the LCD. It almost makes up for not having a viewfinder since I can really see the focus on my shots, but the downside of course is that framing is so much harder without a viewfinder, but that's the tradeoff of a point and shoot. The pictures look fantastic to me. Low light shooting is pretty good with the lens at its shortest focal length and f1.8. Zoomed shots in low light are pretty dark even with high ISO and should be steadied with a tripod or support. Shots in good light are quick to focus and sharp when hand-held. The built in flash absolutely stinks compared to speedlites, but such is the way with tiny built-in's. I wish Canon would give you off-camera wireless like they do on their new DSLR's.I don't have the STM lens capability, so this not may be true to everyone, but I enjoy using the S120's video shooting much more than my DSLR despite the sensor size advantage due to contrast detection's focus advantage while shooting. The focus and optical zoom is sharp and silent while shooting. The 60p frame rate makes shots look a little artificially smooth, but things look very realistic too.The menu system is good and familiar to me as a Canon user. I've tried out some of the filters and effects, and they work pretty well and are neat to use. Bracketing and HDR options are great and very quick, as is the background blur mode thanks to the very fast shooting speeds. Speaking of which, if you set a continuous shooting shutter, the speeds are as fast as advertised. I'm using an older Class 10 SD card, made by Lexar, that isn't fast enough for my DSLR's video capture, but works great for all shooting modes on the S120. So I'll say you definitely don't need as fast of a card in this camera as you do in your DSLR.Wi-Fi setup allows access to Canon's Image Gateway, the smart phone app (Canon Camera Window), and ability to transfer files directly through a Wi-Fi access point. Initial setup take a little time, but once set, it's easy to use the Wi-Fi modes. Battery life is a little short. Granted I spent a lot of time playing around with settings and not shooting, but I could easily burn through a battery in an afternoon. I'd rather have a compact camera with a small battery though, so it's a fair tradeoff. The size of the camera can't be beat for this level of camera. There's quite a bit of mass to the solid construction, but it could stay in my pocket all day.I'm very impressed with the S120. The initial price is pretty high and I debated just getting the S110 and saving $100, but in the end I decided that this was going to replace the use of my DSLR in a lot of circumstances, so worth paying a little extra. The S120's compact size, 1/1.7" sensor, f1.8 lens, fast shooting speeds, and features focused on DSLR users (like RAW and the selector ring) really won me over.

Won't rehash most reviews, but I bought this for its video capabilities and to complement my RX100 Mk II. Like a reviewer said before, the video image stabilization is amazing. Videos when walking are fairly stable and are watchable compared to the RX100 when walking around.I also had the S110 and original RX100. I bought this for the upgrade in video to 1080p 60fps and 30fps. The S110 maxed out at 1080p 24 fps. The RXs can shoot 1080 60p video in AVCHD, which plays choppy on older laptops - (mid spec'd laptops 4-5 years old). But the RXs video quality is better in lowlight, evening situations than the S120. Much less noise, very clean picture whereas the S120 gets very noisy in lowlight. In daylight, the S120 is clean and sharp. So, the RX100 wins in video quality in lowlight and the Canon is just as good in daylight and but better in stabilization.For photos, most review sites can give detailed image comparisons. Imaging resource, cameralabs, or dpreview etc.. In daylight the S120 shoots nice pictures with good detail. It's not as sharp as the RXs, but that's only seen when pixel peeping. In lowlight the RXs resolve more detail and are less noisy. I would say I didn't like the lowlight high ISO pics from the S120. They were noisy and "mushy".If you're a S110 owner and want 60 fps for video, I'd say go for it. That's the reason I upgraded. Overall, the S120 looks and performs like a better camera. The body finish is smoother, the control ring turns easier, and its buttons are bigger and rounder, which makes it good for underwater shooting. I put the S120 into a Dicapac underwater bag and accessing the buttons and pressing the shutter was easy. Burst mode in this camera is extremely fast, much faster than the S110. The speed of operation seems zippier over the S110. Battery life is about the same which isn't really good, couldn't get through a day of shooting without it running out. The S120 uses NB-6L, a change from the S110. Spare batteries for the S120 are definitely recommended.Uploading video clips to a smartphone or tablet via WiFi and then to Facebook or Instagram works really well too. The video quality and stabilization beat that of a smartphone or tablet. The video gets compressed when transferring via WiFi to a smart device so file size isn't an issue. Miniature mode video and certain filters are pretty fun too. Using this underwater or on a mountain bike trip is definitely possible. Makes this a nice multipurpose camera.If you're not into video but want a good pocket cam, Fujifilm XQ1 just came out as an S120 competitor. It has a bigger sensor and Fuji is gaining popularity with their new sensor design. Might be worth a look. The video I believe is just average, but it's being praised for its picture quality and color.Overall, I like this camera, I'm happy with it, I'm glad I upgraded from the S110 because it has 1080 60fps and 30fps video. Also it's a nicer camera to handle and the burst mode and operation speed is faster. So it feels like it's an overall upgrade rather than an refresh of the older model. And if this had come out before the Sony RX boom, I probably would have just stuck to this camera for my pocket camera. If I could, I'd give this camera 4.5 stars.

i purchased the canon G15 in february 2013 and had to send it in for repairs twice within the first 10 months of having it.images in the viewfinder prior to taking photographs looked clear, crisp and sharp, but often looked unfocused after the picture was taken. canon had me send it in for repairs after i let them know that i tested the camera in the following ways:1. cleaned the lens2. put the camera on a tripod to prevent the camera from shaking3. set the self timer to prevent the camera from shaking4. shot photos with all 3 focusing options ('evaluative', 'center weighted AVG' and 'spot') to ensure that the setting wasn't responsible for the unfocused shot5. tried shooting using the manual settingsa few months later there were other problems. the camera was locking up. at first the zoom, the function and the menu buttons were locking up. it happened 3 times within 10 days. i followed canon's recommendations to 1) remove the battery and the memory card, 2) clean the battery contacts with a lint-free cloth, 3) wait 20 minutes before inserting a fresh fully charged battery and 4) turn the camera on and put it in picture taking mode, but it did not help. ultimately, the shutter locked up too, making the camera completely inoperable. since the camera still didn't focus properly i asked canon if i could trade it in to purchase a higher quality camera. they never responded.my canon G10 had problems too. problems began with the zoom not functioning properly. the camera also allowed dust particles to enter its supposed airtight body. the dust appeared like dark blotches on the photographs. ultimately, trying to use the camera with all of its shortcomings was too much of a hassle. so i bought the G15...not the wisest choice.canon's customer service can also use help. it'd be nice if they were more customer-centric - more sensitive and responsive to customer's needs and requests. when i sent my camera in for repairs on december 10th i asked that it be returned to me as soon as possible...because i wanted to use it during the holidays. i was not happy when i received it back on december 26th. this and the fact that they never responded to whether i could trade the camera in towards the purchase of a higher quality camera irked me.additional issues:* i was unable to download movies from the G15 to my computer. i had to purchase a separate memory card reader to do so.* the G15 user manual is digital, which is a hassle to use when there's a need to go back and forth through its 300 pages for information. i ended up having to order a hardcopy of the manual separately.

Was looking for a small portable camera when not convenient to carry the Nikon FX with large lenses. I'm a dad who sometimes just wants to capture family activities but not pleased with the phone camera either. I have heard good things about the Canon G-series with its built-in fast lens, build quality, vivid image colors, and friendly customer support. Oh yea, it should be priced relatively close to the competitors, definitely under $700 and it would be nice to have a viewfinder.I chose the G15 because it meets my criteria above, but the additional attributes really sealed the deal. They are:1. Great IS. I no longer worry about minor hand shakes.2. Good low light performance. Better than I expected from a smallish 1/1.7 inch sensor. The amazing new sensor, fast 1.8-2.8 aperture, and legendary Canon image processing engine combine to do a fabulous job in all kinds of lighting but particularly dim light conditions. The error free white balance and quick auto focus all perform well in varied situations.3. The video. Well exposed indoors and out. Videos are focused, lots of depth of field, no shakes or wunky motions, and just generally forgiving when viewed on my 25 inch computer monitor. Camera is so light that I don't get tired holding it for extended periods. Maximum recording time is a generous 29 minutes per clip. I also use video for kids sports, a great complement to the DSLR.4. Great lens. 28-140mm at f1.8-2.8 is just phenominal in such packaging. The fact that we can get 50-140mm at f2.8, that's unheard of in the past from a P&S. Macro is darn good too. I often take pictures at close-ups (sorry, this includes food at restaurants!). Lens is where in comparison, the G1x simply became non-competitive for me, despite the larger sensor which is highly attractive otherwise. It is also an essential feature at weddings and on hikes when I run into exotic plants, flowers, and bugs. A bonus: the bokeh is way better than any compacts have any right to obtain. When the subject is close, the background is thrown off...smoothly. Not at the levels of dedicated DSLR macro lenses, but surprisingly good.5. Ability to attach external flash. Having an external flash for me really distinguishes a fine compact to an extraordinary one. I use the Canon Speedlite 320EX which can bounce the flash up in 90 degrees in both landscape and portrait orientation, as well as having the video light.6. Finally, the handling. All the buttons and external dials are nice and quick in use. The build quality using magnesium alloy is as awesome as all the reviewers say it is. The feel spoils me.The features I'd love to see in the future G series are:1. Timelapse (already implemented in G16)2. Wide angle lens and Panorama mode3. Larger sensor while keeping the rest of the camera size at bayI find the G15 to be a trustworthy small camera to bring everywhere. Highly recommend.

I preordered this camera when it was first announced. I was a little disappointed when Amazon dropped the price before it even reached my house. I anticipated this camera not only for the waterproof capabilities, but also because it is shock proof...and probably because it was a Canon. I live in Hawaii and intend to take this to the beach to take photos and videos in and out of the water. I'm a special education teacher and wanted to have my students to create their own learning stories with photos that they took themselves. I am very reluctant to have them use a DSLR or even a regular point & shoot camera with the fear of them dropping $1000+ worth of equipment.When I got the camera, I quickly looked over the manual for any waterproof information that I might need to know. Everything was straight-forward with no hard-to-find switches to lock any waterproof seals. In other words, feel free to take this out of the box, put in the card and battery, and take underwater photos. I didn't even charge the battery and was able to take about 100 photos and 15 minutes of video right out of the box. I used this opportunity and the next 2 days to extensively test my camera in order to create this review.DESIGN: 6/10It's feels very sturdy like it should. The blue metal panel on the front is very nice to look at. Unfortunately, I think the shape is a little too "showy". If you want to show off the fact that you have a waterproof camera then this is the one for you. (I sort of liken it to a Prius, which everyone knows is a hybrid. At first glance, many people will know there is something special about this camera.) I'm a little confused about the left-hand side of the camera which is a little curved. You can put a strap there, but I don't really see the functionality of it being that shape.My biggest gripe is that the included handstrap can be "twisted" on and clicks into a metal plug. It can be EASILY removed with a very light press on the button and twisting it off. It gives me the fear that it could be accidentally bumped and twisted and the camera will detach from your wrist (though you'd probably have to be mighty clumsy to do so). I would have wished that the strap attached directly to the camera instead of this metal knob. The strap clip also protrudes diagonally out of the bottom corner and you need to remove this if you want to lay in on a flat surface to take photos or video.IMAGE QUALITY: 9/10I am a camera enthusiast and mainly use Canon DSLRs (5D, 7D, 1D series, etc...) with L lenses. I also have an Olympus micro 4/3s camera and even have a Nikon D2x, so I'd like to think I know my stuff. Prior to this point & shoot, I used a Canon SD1100 before it got stolen. With this SD1100, I took over 10,000 photos and took hundreds of hours of video (which I made into DVDs to view on TV, or straight from iTunes to a TV...it's only 480p) edited with iMovie. I've always gotten compliments on the video quality of this older model P&S, and was quite impressed with it myself.As far as photo quality of this camera, I've got to say that it's good, but nothing more than what you'd expect from a P&S camera from 2012. Color is nice and even zoomed in at 100%, the image quality is as great as one might expect. As with any camera, keeping the ISO as low as possible will keep any noise or grain to a minimum. Remember, you're paying a premium because this camera can go underwater or in the snow. It would be unfair to expect DSLR quality from this camera because that's not what it's meant for.The same goes for video quality: the reason you bought this camera and paid more for it than another P&S is because it is waterproof. If you want that IMAX look, you've got to spend thousands of dollars. If you can't afford that, this is the next best thing. The quality of the out-of-water and underwater videos was superb. I took it to our pool and took videos of various colorful toys underwater. It was a sunny day and the quality was great, vibrant, and clear. I wasn't able to test it in low light situations. I also have a Panasonic TS-10 (underwater camera from 2010) and the Canon D20's video and image quality is surprisingly better.For on-land videos, the microphone is not as good as normal P&Ss. I'm assuming that it has another waterproof protective layer over it. I don't think this should be surprising to anyone.One last note on video. This camera has a 5x zoom. When shooting video, it can optically zoom in and out. It will also focus all the way from macro to infinity while still recording, which is different from other cameras that I used in the past, where if you started your video, it couldn't refocus or optically zoom. It even adjusts exposure, meaning that if you're recording in a bright area and come into a dim area, it will adjust automatically while still recording video. Thank you Canon!ERGONOMICS: 8/10Buttons are nicely spaced. There is a large thumb rest button that I just can't figure out why it's there except for cosmetic purpos

I preordered this camera when it was first announced. I was a little disappointed when Amazon dropped the price before it even reached my house. I anticipated this camera not only for the waterproof capabilities, but also because it is shock proof...and probably because it was a Canon. I live in Hawaii and intend to take this to the beach to take photos and videos in and out of the water. I'm a special education teacher and wanted to have my students to create their own learning stories with photos that they took themselves. I am very reluctant to have them use a DSLR or even a regular point & shoot camera with the fear of them dropping $1000+ worth of equipment.When I got the camera, I quickly looked over the manual for any waterproof information that I might need to know. Everything was straight-forward with no hard-to-find switches to lock any waterproof seals. In other words, feel free to take this out of the box, put in the card and battery, and take underwater photos. I didn't even charge the battery and was able to take about 100 photos and 15 minutes of video right out of the box. I used this opportunity and the next 2 days to extensively test my camera in order to create this review.DESIGN: 6/10It's feels very sturdy like it should. The blue metal panel on the front is very nice to look at. Unfortunately, I think the shape is a little too "showy". If you want to show off the fact that you have a waterproof camera then this is the one for you. (I sort of liken it to a Prius, which everyone knows is a hybrid. At first glance, many people will know there is something special about this camera.) I'm a little confused about the left-hand side of the camera which is a little curved. You can put a strap there, but I don't really see the functionality of it being that shape.My biggest gripe is that the included handstrap can be "twisted" on and clicks into a metal plug. It can be EASILY removed with a very light press on the button and twisting it off. It gives me the fear that it could be accidentally bumped and twisted and the camera will detach from your wrist (though you'd probably have to be mighty clumsy to do so). I would have wished that the strap attached directly to the camera instead of this metal knob. The strap clip also protrudes diagonally out of the bottom corner and you need to remove this if you want to lay in on a flat surface to take photos or video.IMAGE QUALITY: 9/10I am a camera enthusiast and mainly use Canon DSLRs (5D, 7D, 1D series, etc...) with L lenses. I also have an Olympus micro 4/3s camera and even have a Nikon D2x, so I'd like to think I know my stuff. Prior to this point & shoot, I used a Canon SD1100 before it got stolen. With this SD1100, I took over 10,000 photos and took hundreds of hours of video (which I made into DVDs to view on TV, or straight from iTunes to a TV...it's only 480p) edited with iMovie. I've always gotten compliments on the video quality of this older model P&S, and was quite impressed with it myself.As far as photo quality of this camera, I've got to say that it's good, but nothing more than what you'd expect from a P&S camera from 2012. Color is nice and even zoomed in at 100%, the image quality is as great as one might expect. As with any camera, keeping the ISO as low as possible will keep any noise or grain to a minimum. Remember, you're paying a premium because this camera can go underwater or in the snow. It would be unfair to expect DSLR quality from this camera because that's not what it's meant for.The same goes for video quality: the reason you bought this camera and paid more for it than another P&S is because it is waterproof. If you want that IMAX look, you've got to spend thousands of dollars. If you can't afford that, this is the next best thing. The quality of the out-of-water and underwater videos was superb. I took it to our pool and took videos of various colorful toys underwater. It was a sunny day and the quality was great, vibrant, and clear. I wasn't able to test it in low light situations. I also have a Panasonic TS-10 (underwater camera from 2010) and the Canon D20's video and image quality is surprisingly better.For on-land videos, the microphone is not as good as normal P&Ss. I'm assuming that it has another waterproof protective layer over it. I don't think this should be surprising to anyone.One last note on video. This camera has a 5x zoom. When shooting video, it can optically zoom in and out. It will also focus all the way from macro to infinity while still recording, which is different from other cameras that I used in the past, where if you started your video, it couldn't refocus or optically zoom. It even adjusts exposure, meaning that if you're recording in a bright area and come into a dim area, it will adjust automatically while still recording video. Thank you Canon!ERGONOMICS: 8/10Buttons are nicely spaced. There is a large thumb rest button that I just can't figure out why it's there except for cosmetic purpos

I preordered this camera when it was first announced. I was a little disappointed when Amazon dropped the price before it even reached my house. I anticipated this camera not only for the waterproof capabilities, but also because it is shock proof...and probably because it was a Canon. I live in Hawaii and intend to take this to the beach to take photos and videos in and out of the water. I'm a special education teacher and wanted to have my students to create their own learning stories with photos that they took themselves. I am very reluctant to have them use a DSLR or even a regular point & shoot camera with the fear of them dropping $1000+ worth of equipment.When I got the camera, I quickly looked over the manual for any waterproof information that I might need to know. Everything was straight-forward with no hard-to-find switches to lock any waterproof seals. In other words, feel free to take this out of the box, put in the card and battery, and take underwater photos. I didn't even charge the battery and was able to take about 100 photos and 15 minutes of video right out of the box. I used this opportunity and the next 2 days to extensively test my camera in order to create this review.DESIGN: 6/10It's feels very sturdy like it should. The blue metal panel on the front is very nice to look at. Unfortunately, I think the shape is a little too "showy". If you want to show off the fact that you have a waterproof camera then this is the one for you. (I sort of liken it to a Prius, which everyone knows is a hybrid. At first glance, many people will know there is something special about this camera.) I'm a little confused about the left-hand side of the camera which is a little curved. You can put a strap there, but I don't really see the functionality of it being that shape.My biggest gripe is that the included handstrap can be "twisted" on and clicks into a metal plug. It can be EASILY removed with a very light press on the button and twisting it off. It gives me the fear that it could be accidentally bumped and twisted and the camera will detach from your wrist (though you'd probably have to be mighty clumsy to do so). I would have wished that the strap attached directly to the camera instead of this metal knob. The strap clip also protrudes diagonally out of the bottom corner and you need to remove this if you want to lay in on a flat surface to take photos or video.IMAGE QUALITY: 9/10I am a camera enthusiast and mainly use Canon DSLRs (5D, 7D, 1D series, etc...) with L lenses. I also have an Olympus micro 4/3s camera and even have a Nikon D2x, so I'd like to think I know my stuff. Prior to this point & shoot, I used a Canon SD1100 before it got stolen. With this SD1100, I took over 10,000 photos and took hundreds of hours of video (which I made into DVDs to view on TV, or straight from iTunes to a TV...it's only 480p) edited with iMovie. I've always gotten compliments on the video quality of this older model P&S, and was quite impressed with it myself.As far as photo quality of this camera, I've got to say that it's good, but nothing more than what you'd expect from a P&S camera from 2012. Color is nice and even zoomed in at 100%, the image quality is as great as one might expect. As with any camera, keeping the ISO as low as possible will keep any noise or grain to a minimum. Remember, you're paying a premium because this camera can go underwater or in the snow. It would be unfair to expect DSLR quality from this camera because that's not what it's meant for.The same goes for video quality: the reason you bought this camera and paid more for it than another P&S is because it is waterproof. If you want that IMAX look, you've got to spend thousands of dollars. If you can't afford that, this is the next best thing. The quality of the out-of-water and underwater videos was superb. I took it to our pool and took videos of various colorful toys underwater. It was a sunny day and the quality was great, vibrant, and clear. I wasn't able to test it in low light situations. I also have a Panasonic TS-10 (underwater camera from 2010) and the Canon D20's video and image quality is surprisingly better.For on-land videos, the microphone is not as good as normal P&Ss. I'm assuming that it has another waterproof protective layer over it. I don't think this should be surprising to anyone.One last note on video. This camera has a 5x zoom. When shooting video, it can optically zoom in and out. It will also focus all the way from macro to infinity while still recording, which is different from other cameras that I used in the past, where if you started your video, it couldn't refocus or optically zoom. It even adjusts exposure, meaning that if you're recording in a bright area and come into a dim area, it will adjust automatically while still recording video. Thank you Canon!ERGONOMICS: 8/10Buttons are nicely spaced. There is a large thumb rest button that I just can't figure out why it's there except for cosmetic purpos

I preordered this camera when it was first announced. I was a little disappointed when Amazon dropped the price before it even reached my house. I anticipated this camera not only for the waterproof capabilities, but also because it is shock proof...and probably because it was a Canon. I live in Hawaii and intend to take this to the beach to take photos and videos in and out of the water. I'm a special education teacher and wanted to have my students to create their own learning stories with photos that they took themselves. I am very reluctant to have them use a DSLR or even a regular point & shoot camera with the fear of them dropping $1000+ worth of equipment.When I got the camera, I quickly looked over the manual for any waterproof information that I might need to know. Everything was straight-forward with no hard-to-find switches to lock any waterproof seals. In other words, feel free to take this out of the box, put in the card and battery, and take underwater photos. I didn't even charge the battery and was able to take about 100 photos and 15 minutes of video right out of the box. I used this opportunity and the next 2 days to extensively test my camera in order to create this review.DESIGN: 6/10It's feels very sturdy like it should. The blue metal panel on the front is very nice to look at. Unfortunately, I think the shape is a little too "showy". If you want to show off the fact that you have a waterproof camera then this is the one for you. (I sort of liken it to a Prius, which everyone knows is a hybrid. At first glance, many people will know there is something special about this camera.) I'm a little confused about the left-hand side of the camera which is a little curved. You can put a strap there, but I don't really see the functionality of it being that shape.My biggest gripe is that the included handstrap can be "twisted" on and clicks into a metal plug. It can be EASILY removed with a very light press on the button and twisting it off. It gives me the fear that it could be accidentally bumped and twisted and the camera will detach from your wrist (though you'd probably have to be mighty clumsy to do so). I would have wished that the strap attached directly to the camera instead of this metal knob. The strap clip also protrudes diagonally out of the bottom corner and you need to remove this if you want to lay in on a flat surface to take photos or video.IMAGE QUALITY: 9/10I am a camera enthusiast and mainly use Canon DSLRs (5D, 7D, 1D series, etc...) with L lenses. I also have an Olympus micro 4/3s camera and even have a Nikon D2x, so I'd like to think I know my stuff. Prior to this point & shoot, I used a Canon SD1100 before it got stolen. With this SD1100, I took over 10,000 photos and took hundreds of hours of video (which I made into DVDs to view on TV, or straight from iTunes to a TV...it's only 480p) edited with iMovie. I've always gotten compliments on the video quality of this older model P&S, and was quite impressed with it myself.As far as photo quality of this camera, I've got to say that it's good, but nothing more than what you'd expect from a P&S camera from 2012. Color is nice and even zoomed in at 100%, the image quality is as great as one might expect. As with any camera, keeping the ISO as low as possible will keep any noise or grain to a minimum. Remember, you're paying a premium because this camera can go underwater or in the snow. It would be unfair to expect DSLR quality from this camera because that's not what it's meant for.The same goes for video quality: the reason you bought this camera and paid more for it than another P&S is because it is waterproof. If you want that IMAX look, you've got to spend thousands of dollars. If you can't afford that, this is the next best thing. The quality of the out-of-water and underwater videos was superb. I took it to our pool and took videos of various colorful toys underwater. It was a sunny day and the quality was great, vibrant, and clear. I wasn't able to test it in low light situations. I also have a Panasonic TS-10 (underwater camera from 2010) and the Canon D20's video and image quality is surprisingly better.For on-land videos, the microphone is not as good as normal P&Ss. I'm assuming that it has another waterproof protective layer over it. I don't think this should be surprising to anyone.One last note on video. This camera has a 5x zoom. When shooting video, it can optically zoom in and out. It will also focus all the way from macro to infinity while still recording, which is different from other cameras that I used in the past, where if you started your video, it couldn't refocus or optically zoom. It even adjusts exposure, meaning that if you're recording in a bright area and come into a dim area, it will adjust automatically while still recording video. Thank you Canon!ERGONOMICS: 8/10Buttons are nicely spaced. There is a large thumb rest button that I just can't figure out why it's there except for cosmetic purpos