CapKeeper2 is an elastic loop, which wraps around lens barrel of your camera, with lens cap leash. It prevents lens cap loss with adhesive-backed disc attached to the cap. CapKeeper2 is designed for SLR cameras with interchangeable lenses and video cameras.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Perfect Fit
I recently purchased a Canon Powershot SX20IS through Amazon. The lens cap fits securely on the lens barrel but there is no tether, only a clip inside to attach the cap onto the neck strap, which I don’t use. When I saw this item and the reviews were very positive, I decided to buy it. This is THE tether that all super zoom and DSLR cameras should include. The elastic band fits snugly around the lens barrel and the sticky button fits onto the lens cap securely. The tether may be one to two inches on the long side, but better long than too short.

4 Stars Good value for money
The capkeeper does what is supposed to do. I would have give it fivestars if it were customizable for both SLR lenses and ZDSLRs bodies.

4 Stars Great , hard to find item
Hunted all over for these after losing my lens cover. These are perfect, inexpensive and simple to use.

4 Stars So far so good…
I just purchased the Sima Capkeeper 2 and put it on my canon kit lens 28-135. Works great and seems to be sticking pretty securely and although the string is a bit short, it’s doable for this particular lens. I’m not so sure it would be long enough for a larger zoom without interfering.

5 Stars Works excellent with Nikon D40
This product works great with my stock nikon d40 kit lens. The sticky bits stick well, and althought the chord looks a bit short, it fits the 18-55 lens really well. I used a small c clamp to apply pressure to the sticky bit on the lens cap. So far so good! Two thumbs up!

Buy/More Info

This specially designed grey leather case stylishly protects your Canon PowerShot SD1000 digital camera while on the go, letting you take it pretty much everywhere. The case is perfect for traveling, or for everyday use of your camera, protecting it from dings and dust when you carry your camera in a pocket or purse. The grey case measures 2.5 by 4 by 1 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 0.5 pounds.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Perfect fit for the SD1200IS
The Powershot SD1200 fits very snuggly (I wouldn’t then recommend this case for the SD1100, which is slightly bigger). The hard sides and interior lining seem perfect for protecting the camera and the magnetic closure works just fine. The cord passes easily in and out of the hole in the upper part of the case. My only complaint is that it really adds a lot of bulk to the otherwise inconspicuous camera, but I guess the protection is worth it. Also, keep in mind that it is not real leather, although the synthetic material does not look bad.

4 Stars Good fit for CanonSD1200 IS
Other reviewers have commented that the PSC-1000 case is a bit bulky, but I believe the padding is needed to protect the camera. The case easily slides into a tee shirt or pants pocket. The magnetic clasp holds securely and the camera does not rattle around in the case. Rather than using the slit for the wrist strap, I simplify coil the strap on top and the case closes completely around the camera. I prefer this method to having the case dangle from the strap of an ultra-compact camera. The case does not provide space to carry an extra battery or SD card but with a 2G plus SD card and a fully charged NB6L battery I find I can take hundreds of pictures (300) so that is not a problem for me.

5 Stars Great for SD1200IS
I just received this case and it fits the SD1200IS perfectly, and doesn’t look too bad either.

5 Stars perfect case
I like this camera case. It protects well and my camera fits easily. The strap hole is a little difficult to fit, but is easy to keep the camera safely in the case without threaded through.

2 Stars Worthless; I threw it away
When I bought my new camera I bought this case with it, thinking I might find nothing better. When I received it I saw that it does not fully enclose the camera, allowing rain and snow in. Furthermore, the magnetic closure is not realiable. This case is worthless. I felt it was too inexpensive to return so I threw it away. I found a much better case at Wal-Mart.

Buy/More Info

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Good for outdoors… I’ts an OK camera not an amazing one
I bought the New A 1100 IS because for being stupid I just gave away my A740 which I loved… I needed to have something portable and easy to carry around. So I decided I wanted to try this little one and take it with me to Italy because I didn’t want to walk around with the big SLR.

So I have to say is not bad if the weather conditions help with ntural light. On cloudy days the image quality is not the best, but in sunny days the pictures come out beautifully. The camera can be really slow in low light conditions and even that it has an image stabilization if you move a bit the image comes out blurry. It has no super macro setting like the A 470, but the macro setting is not bad. This camera eats the batteries really fast, it works better with rechargeable batteries, Other wise be ready to change batteries every 30 minutes. The indoors setting works ok. The view finder is good to have but if you use lots of zoom the picture comes out diferently than what you see through the view finder, so be careful with that.. I would say this is an OK camera, not an amazing camera.

In general I was more happy with my A 470 I shoulded not give it away!!!

5 Stars What a great camera!
Gave this to my wife earlier this year. She is using it constantly and it takes great pictures.

Pro’s: Takes great pictures, even in low light. Super detail.

Con’s: It takes about a second for the focus to settle, If you just mash the button, you get and out of focus picture.

I’d still rate it as an excellent camera since most of the competition also has this usability flaw.

4 Stars Canon PowerShot A1100IS
Good Camera for the money. Pictures OK, a little on the flat side, could be a little more vivid, more contrast. Dose pretty good with kids (fewer blurred shots). Battery life seems a little short (Uses cheap AA Rechargeable though). Fits in your pocket!

5 Stars Excellent buy – You cannot go wrong with it.
I recently got this camera to gift it to my sister. While I got a chance to play with it I could not stop short of exclaiming Wow’s.

I regularly use my DSLR, but the ease-of-use provided by this camera has got me into thinking of buying one for myself.

Though Canon stopped providing Manual exposure controls Av, Tv, M, … on their lower-end point-and-shoots the pictures still come out pretty good.

There is a Program Exposure feature which can be played with to your liking.

The optical IS is a boon and I have come to appreciate its value since I have wasted quite a lot of photos on my DSLR as I cannot hold the camera still enough while the shutter has been opened.

Hopefully Canon starts making the A590IS series which now sell for more than $200. In the meantime Canon A1100IS is your answer to better photos.

4 Stars Canon camera
Great price. It did not arrive in time for the birthday but I should have changed the shipping rate!

Buy/More Info

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Camera….Great Price
I’ve just had this camera for about 1 month and so far, so good. No problems, easy to use & excellent picture quality !!!!!

3 Stars Worked great till it died.
I looked all over for a good camera I could take paddleboarding and not worry about it getting wet if I fell in. Got some great pics the first two trips, but it died on the 3rd. Must be something with the seals on the camera. I was extra careful when opening and closing the hatches but it looks like water got in there. The door seals didn’t ever quite feel 100% closed to me, so I’m guessing that’s where the water got in.

Canon has always had great customer service, so other than the pain of returning it, it’s no biggie.

I think I’d go with one of those hard plastic housings for my older point n shoot instead. Those things never leak, but are a bit bulkier and UGLY.

5 Stars Very pleased with my purchase
Initially I was hesitant to purchase this camera because of the bad reviews on the shape and size of the camera. I have to say I’m glad I went ahead and purchased it. By far, it has the best features compared to all other waterproof cameras. I’m not in love with the shape of the camera (it’s submarine looking)however, I can’t commplain when it comes to the functionalities and features. Overall, I am happy with this product. I bought it specifically for my trip to Jamaica and I was quite pleased with its performance. I would however recommend that you buy one of those plastic covers to protect the screen. I already scratched mine =(.

5 Stars easy to use
have had several other canons so I felt quite comfortable picking up this camera and starting to use it. A little bulky for my pocket but really not bad as the last camera I had was just as big (had bigger camera to get larger zoom). I love not having to feel like I have to keep this camera wrapped in foam in my purse- I am rough on things and that is why I got this camera, and so far I love it though really haven’t had it that long.

1 Star fisherprice enters the waterproof camera scene
Felt like a beer can in my pocket and looked like fisher price designed this camera for a 3yr old.Sorry folks, this is not ergonomically designed is any way shape or form. Images were mediocre at best. Actual use was very simple because… IT HAS NO FEATURES! Point and hope at its best. Like a relic from a time capsule when compared to most other cameras on the market. But in all fairness, sometimes simple people need simple cameras. And rather than cursing the darkness, I’ll light a flame, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 is amazing.

Buy/More Info

The PowerShot G11 is a compact camera that will find favor with professionals and advanced amateur photographers due to its superb image quality, full manual control of settings, and RAW shooting capability. If it’s not practical or safe to carry a large DSLR a high-specification compact such as the PowerShot G11 is a fantastic choice. It’s great for photographers looking to capture high resolution, high quality, and low light images without having to carry a large SLR system in their kit bags.The G11 features face detection technology that can detect and track numerous faces within the frame to ensure the correct exposure and focus for them. An enhanced i-Contrast system optimizes the dynamic range of subjects to deliver shadow details whilst avoiding highlight blow outs.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars I like it a lot
I’d wanted a Canon G series since the G9, and my wife finally let me buy one. I’m still learning how to use it, but all and all I am happy with this camera. I was expecting a metal body since the G9 and 10 both had it. I was initially dissapointed with this point, but the lighter weight of the G11 makes it easier for my wife to use.

I have worked as a newspaper photographer and currently work in the photo industry managing fan photographers at sporting events… I see a lot of cameras.

The interface is great, easy to use. I really like the size and the LCD. I am wary of the picture quality. The images look great on the back of the camera, but in the computer they have a “processed” look to them. I am still learning how this camera works though. I’ve read that the best quality is is had at ISO 200 or less.

Manual control is great, but what I love is that the camera is smart enough that all I have to do is use Program mode and adjust the exposure compensation depending on the conditions. It’s really that easy.

5 Stars Excellent, but not for auto only users.
This camera can provide excellent results but you have to be willing to go beyond the “auto” only mode. This is not your typical point and shoot camera; it’s a serious camera with awesome potential. What I love about it are the old school dials and manual controls, rugged, solid build and articulating screen which makes it so much easier to frame low shots.

I’m using a Lensmate lens adaptor which allows the use of add-on lenses and 72mm filters. With this adaptor the filter can be left on all the time with no vignetting or lens interference. This is important to know for those thinking of buying this camera for those reasons. The downside to adding this adaptor is flash interference at wide angle shots, partially blocks the focus assist beam and it renders the viewfinder completely useless.

5 Stars Canon PowerShot G11
Our previous camera was a Canon G2, with use of a PowerShot A570IS this past summer for underwater photography. Our experience with the G11 has been limited so far, but from what we have seen up until now, this camera is a real top of the line piece of equipment. It offers everything from fully automatic to fully manual, a wide range of pre-programmed profiles, and the ability to create and save your own profiles.

I have only one minor comment. While the instruction manual covers the function of each of the buttons, a manual (in the form of a PDF-document on the cd) going into more detail about the various profiles and what you might expect to encounter under the different circumstances would be a big help.

4 Stars Not as good of build quality as G7, but great images quality.
I moved from a G7 to G11, mainly because of RAW format, wider angle and better low light performance. It does deliver on all those items plus a much better AWB and lots of new features. The overall image quality is excellent.

But the construction is flimsy. I loved the solid feel of G7 and this one feels a bit more plastic. The turn wheel in the back feels specially weak.

Another short coming of this camera is lack of HD video.

5 Stars Canon G11 vs. Canon S90: A Matter of Personal Preference
Canon G11 vs. Canon S90: A Matter of Personal Preference (I’m posting a very similar review under both the S90 and the G11.)

I’ve been trying to find a ‘carry everywhere’ camera to always keep on my person so that I don’t miss the amazing things that make up the events of everyday life (like tomorrow when I actually get to get off the R train at Cortland Street in Manhattan, something I haven’t been able to do for years due to construction). I wanted something that was (1) Small and (2) Had the ability for full manual controls for shutter speed and aperture. The two cameras that fit this bill very well were Canon’s S90 and G11 – Canon’s top of the line point and shoots in their respective series (S and G). But which one?

The two major things that the cameras have in common (in addition to the above mentioned manual controls) are:

1. The same image sensor (same size, etc)

2. The same image processor

Anyone who’s written a comparison of the cameras will point this out quickly – because normally ‘which camera’ would come down to these one of these two issues. In addition to these things, there are dozens of other features that both cameras share: this makes it very difficult to decide “which camera?” Having owned both of them (but ultimately deciding to go with the G11 and returning the S90) I would like to make a short list of positive/negatives which I think could be deciding factors when trying to choose between these two excellent cameras. Instead of listing both positive and negative points by each camera, I’ll simply point out the positives of each that the other model does not share – I hope that this is helpful in your decision!

G11: Advantages

- Hot shoe: but on a compact? Some people will say “it’s pointless to use an external flash on a compact camera – the whole point is to be compact!” That’s a valid critique, but at the same time there are times when it’s nice to be able to throw a flash on a compact if you really need one. I own the 430EX and the 580EX II (both compatible) but I picked up the newish 270EX with the G11 and it works fantastically with the camera without adding a lot of weight. Both the camera and the flash fit perfectly into the Pelican 1060 case side by side but with enough room to stay padded with the foam insert. And hey – if I want to throw the nearly-twice-as-big-as-the-camera-itself 580EX II on the G11 I can do it! Yet I can also do without it – the camera is versatile this way in a way that the S90 is not.

- Vari-Angle LCD: which at first I found annoying. The screen adds just enough bulk to the camera that it does not fit in smaller cases which it otherwise would. When I first got the camera I was really rather annoyed by it in fact – not only because of the bulk but because it is actually smaller than the LCD on the S90. I had to read another review to realize that it was a much better thing than I realized – because it allows you to hold the camera at all sorts of different levels and angles while still allowing you to see what you’re shooting. I really enjoy doing photography with the camera low to the ground (I have an angled viewfinder for my DSLR) and so this works perfectly for what I need. As others have pointed out, the Vari-Angledness of the LCD allows you to flip it while in storage so that it’s even more protected.

- Remote Shutter Release: you can use one! I love doing night photography and that the G11 allows me to use a cable release really seals the deal on the S90 vs. G11 for me personally (granted on the S90 you can always use the 2 second self-timer). Good news too if you use a Canon Rebel DSLR – it’s the same cable release.

S90: Advantages

- Very compact: quite a bit smaller than the G11, it would easily fit in pockets and cases that the G11 never could. If you’re into Pelican cases like I am, you can fit the S90 in the Pelican Micro Case 1010 with room to spare.

- More efficient controls: the ring around the lens is amazing and an excellent idea. Especially when in manual mode, this makes setting aperture and shutter speed a snap (it’s more awkward on the G11 – you have to use the small back dial and then toggle between aperture and shutter speed with a separate button which can get to be messy when you’re trying to shoot quickly).

- The f2.0 lens: a full stop faster than the G11′s 2.8 lens. This is a LOT of light, and especially important when you want to take photos in low-light situations (note though that the lens on the S90 doesn’t zoom in far as the G11 if that’s important to you – both lenses are the same focal length when zoomed out).

Both the G11 and the S90 are beautiful, well made cameras that will serve any photographer well when you’re looking for something that’s not DSLR sized.

Buy/More Info

The pocketable PowerShot S90 gives powerful everyday shooting. Shoot quickly with a lens control ring and get superior low-light performance with a high-sensitivity 10.0 MP CCD and f/2.0 lens.A high-sensitivity CCD sensor gives outstanding image quality in a wide variety of lighting conditions. Even images taken at high ISOs show exceptionally low noise levels and a wide dynamic range.A bright f/2.0 aperture allows exceptional versatility, capturing low-light images and fast-moving subjects at higher shutter speeds. A wide angle of 28mm lets you put more in the frame, while Canon’s optical IS reduces blur caused by camera shake.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars love it so far
i just got this as a present. been using for a few weeks and absolutely love it so far. i’ve done a lot of photography with SLR’s over the years, and wanted a tiny, inconspicuous point and shoot, that i can have around at all times. this seems to be it. shooting at F2.0 on manual, with IS, means you almost never need flash. incredible!

5 Stars My “Derringer”
I’m not one to belabor camera specs that already appear in a manufacturer’s description, so this will be short and sweet. I have 33 years of professional photography experience, and am floored by the image quality (IQ) of this little camera! I immediately captured over 300 photos with it after I unpacked it, all indoor without flash, and was amazed at the little-to-no noise appearance in my images, many of them taken at a music concert. The build of the camera is not flimsy or plasticky, as aluded to in another review. I find it to be solidly built, and now call it “my little derringer”, that will go with me anywhere more easily than my Canon 40D.

If you want to ascend above the ordinary in a P&S camera, and can afford to do so, then go for it. It’s well worth it!

5 Stars The perfect camera?!
Of course, there is no such thing as the perfect camera. But man, does this come close! I have never been so happy with a camera — and I’ve owned quite a few.

Right off the bat, the sensor size is larger than on your average P&S (point and shoot) camera, but the resolution isn’t any higher. This allows the camera to take MUCH better pictures in low light. And you will be amazed at how good this camera is in low light! Short of a DSLR camera, it has no equal.

In addition, this camera is built for the serious enthusiast. Full manual controls make it almost like having a DSLR in your pocket! And there is a control dial plus a control ring — making it much easier to control your settings. Plus, a fast lens and the ability to shoot in RAW … no wonder so many photographers consider this the best pocket camera available. And yet, you can keep it in Auto mode and treat it like any other point & shoot.

Oh, and the LCD is truly beautiful!

The main thing that keeps it from being “perfect” in my estimation is the limited zoom: less than 4X. I need much more zoom. But I’d give it all up for this camera! And, if you want to use the camera as a camcorder, the standard definition video mode is a bit disappointing. Why not high-def, Canon?

The main problems with the camera are pretty minor. The control dial on the back is very loose and you have to be careful not to accidentally change your settings. It’s also a shame that you can’t independently set the control dial and control ring for whatever you want: instead, you have to choose among a number of pre-sets. It’s a little disappointing. And, if you are very serious, it’s worth noting the serious barrel distortion in RAW; but the camera takes care of that in processing JPEGs, so most will never know.

Some people complain about the build quality. Trust me, it’s perfectly fine. It’s light, which can be misleading. But there’s nothing wrong with the build quality. Perhaps they expect more for $400. I guess I can understand that. But I’m perfectly comfortable with the build quality.

The competition for this camera are the Panasonic LX3, the Fujifilm F200EXR, and maybe the Sony WX1 or TX1. The Sonys are good low-light cameras, but have no manual controls. The LX3 and the F200EXR are more serious cameras, but they are no better than the S90 and much more difficult to use. The S90 seems to get things right right out of the box more often than these others … from all that I have heard, anyway. I don’t have any of these cameras. But don’t discount ease of use when you consider the competition.

I give this camera the highest recommendation possible, even if it’s not quite perfect!

5 Stars After extensive researching …
I searched online for almost 30 hours, looking for a camera with a small form factor, that has excellent image quality & low light capability for my wife to take family & friend pictures, so it also needed to be simple to use. I have owned many cameras. The S90 has exceeded my perfectionist expectations. Fantastic photos. Low light abilities are incredible and the flash was terrific. Even with the red-eye correction off, no red-eye. Very surprised to have no red-eye with pictures of her cats. Amazing. Can take decent shots with 1 candle burning. The auto setting has been excellent. While not SLR fast, it was extremely quick for a P&S shoot camera. The RAW capability along with the manual controls are total overkill for her, but the camera is excellent for what I was looking for.

4 Stars Fantastic camera!
My very old Canon SD600 recently began to show its age (a terrific little camera during its prime, however), so I decided to gift it to my younger brother and get myself a new toy. After a few weeks of shopping, I finally bought a Canon S90. This little gem is amazing! It takes great pictures in low light, I enjoy the large LCD screen on the back, and the picture quality is stunning for a point and shoot. I have a few jealous friends who were surprised by the quality of pictures I was able to take, especially compared to their cameras. Having photographic bragging rights is nice. The creative abilities you have with the manual controls of this camera were a deal-maker for me. I work with DSLRs a lot, and having a large amount of those manual controls on a DSLR in a small, take-everywhere package was the most important reason I bought this camera. While one obviously cannot expect this to take pictures on quite the same level as a DSLR, the pictures are certainly superior to any camera I’ve seen of this size and price range on the market. The weight is nice, it feels really sturdy. The control ring on the front is a nice feature. I was worried it was going to be gimmicky, but it’s actually well designed. The other ring on the back doesn’t get in my way and I don’t have problems taking pictures with one hand. Just be careful to keep the wrist strap on, it can get a bit slippery. The customizable button the back is really nice. I set it to turn off the screen so I could save battery life between shots. The flash itself is great, it lights up a dark room nicely. Color swap/accent are nifty little features to have, also.

Some things I don’t like about this camera (unfortunately, it could not be perfect…) are the shutter release and main zoom control because it feels too plasticy for the $400 price tag. Everything else is fairly solid. Also the battery life leaves something to be desired. I did get about 450 shots on one charge, but the actual time spent shooting was short. I am buying a second battery to carry around with me. The camera is slightly larger than most point and shoots and it took me a while to find a case that properly fit without paying a fortune. I don’t think it’s as sleek looking as other Canons, but I understand that’s entirely subjective. The flash can be intrusive. It’s right where I put my finger. Thankfully, it comes up really forcefully, much stronger than I’m holding the camera so I’m not afraid of breaking it. It’s similar to someone rolling a car window up when your arm is still sticking out. You’re not going to break the window, but it is a little startling.

Overall, if you’re shopping for a pocketable camera with superior image quality and more manual control, there is not a better camera out there. You won’t be sorry for the money you spent.

Buy/More Info

An impressive 10x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer keeps you sharp and steady. Everything about the Canon Powershot SX120 IS Digital Camera is easy. The Smart AUTO feature makes every shot picture-perfect. There’s even an Easy Mode that makes shooting super simple. So be sure to pick up the Canon Powershot SX120 IS Digital Camera today!

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Bought For My Nine Year Old Son
The Camera is not flashy but takes some good photos. Some that are actually really good. We haven’t played with it enough to know the depths of the menus, but it’s easy to navigate-especially because we were used to Canon cameras. I have noticed that when I put the pictures as a desktop, they seemed noisy. It may be something I’m not doing right. All in all we like this camera and my son is thrilled.

4 Stars A very good general use camera
The Canon SX-120 is a good camera. It gives the user the option of

“point and shoot” operation, specific environment setting or selected

aperture and shutter control.

I was using the A75 model when I switched to the SX-120 so I can only

compare those two.

The 120 takes great pictures. I’ve only displayed the pictures on PC and

hand held screens so I can’t comment on the print quality. At 10 megapixels,

prints should be pretty good. (The jpeg files are more than three times the

size of those from the 3.5 megapix A75)

I like the expanded scene setting options, the super zoom capability,

the large display screen and the high quality pictures.

I also like that it only needs 2 AA batteries rather than 4. (The shooting

batteries last longer since there is a separate button battery for keeping date/time).

I appreciate the manual flip flash which means you’re unlikely to have

the flash go off when you didn’t intend it to. (happened a lot with the A75)

I don’t like the lack of a printed user manual. Even the user guide on pdf

file is not thorough enough to cover the capabilities of the SX-120.

I don’t like the controls. They feel flimsy and are bunched together. The camera lacks the solid feel of the A75 which has a firm grip and solid controls. I also think the SX120 battery cover feels dangerously close to snapping off against the spring loaded batteries when I open it up.

In spite of those foibles, I am satisfied with the SX-120

4 Stars So far so good
I am still learning how to operate my camera. I would have preferred a written manual to the CD simply because with my lifestyle I am not always near a computer to access the manual. I like to read at night and I can study the written manual and re-read functions that I intend to use. I almost returned the camera because I could not find any written reference to delayed shots. This feature is very important to my lifestyle and after several days of frustration I popped in the CD and there it was. The CD may work for some lifestyle but is a huge hassel for me. I want a written manual with all the details. V.Thomas KC,MO

4 Stars Great Point and Shoot with a few caveats
I’ve done a fair amount of researching to buy a point and shoot to complement my DSLR that I already use.

Keep in mind a few things with point and shoots… they are NOT DSLR’s and will not have the same quality of picture, regardless of megapixels. Good pics are lens and lighting moreso than megapixel count.

I’ve seen a lot of negatives with “low light” and it’s fair to complain, but a good picture requires the right lighting. I’ve found that the SX120 takes good low-light pictures where there is enough light for part of your subject. I took a picture of several people doing Rock Band in a room with lots of track lighting and a mirrored ceiling. The focal point looks great but the lesser lit guitarist was a bit blurred. I took a second shot with flash and it’s much sharper, but the flash changes the look with background glare from the mirrored ceiling. Lighting matters!

I had originally bought a Samsung TL220, falling for the glam of touchscreen, dual screens (front and back) and all that stuff. I took it back because the picture quality (low light or not) simply was substandard for a $280 camera. I found the SX120 by chance at Target on sale for $199.

The SX120 takes great pictures for a point and shoot (keep that in mind!). It also has all the important features of the more expensive point and shoots (I like that it has 16:9 wide angle). But for the shutterbug that wants more, you can control shutter and aperture like a DSLR. You also control the flash, since you have to manually flip it up. Believe it or not, that’s a great feature because I don’t always remember to menu around to turn off the flash.

It is not as slim as the newest models but it is small enough for a shirt/coat pocket (albeit bulky looking in the pocket).

Keeping this from 5 stars is battery life and flash recycle. The two AA batteries that came with the camera lasted long enough for test shots and one Christmas party with sparse use. You will always need batteries on hand for this camera. The flash also takes a painful 4 to 5 seconds to regenerate… that is unacceptably slow when you need it under most circumstances.

4 Stars A very impressive camera for the price with some really stupid software…
I was looking for the best zoom with image-stabilization in the under-$200 category and I’m pretty sure I’ve found it. In addition, I got what seems to be the smartest camera in its class. Unfortunately, the people who designed it were thinking more about getting the images onto the camera than getting the images off. It doesn’t mount as a USB mass-storage device and the bundled software is total “poo.” It’s a good camera, but save yourself a headache and get a card reader if you don’t have one already.

I paid about $20 less than Amazon’s price for this camera, which put it in the same price range as a typical 3x-zoom pocket Panasonic, Pentax or Kodak camera, but IMHO it’s better than any of those and way better than the Olympus cameras I’ve tried that cost more. Some of those other cameras will be 12-megapixels while this one’s a “mere” 10MP, but don’t buy into the megapixel myth.

*_Pros:

10x optical zoom for the price of a 3x zoom camera. The image-stabilization makes it a snap to get great pics while zoomed to the max.

Picture quality is very nice. With decent lighting there’s little noise, banding or color-shifting, even at the edges of the images where other cameras tend to sneak it in. Indoors, in Auto mode there’s some fine noise in the red and green channels that’s easily detectable, but about on-par with cameras in this price-range.

The Auto setting gets you shooting high quality pictures in a hurry. About 2 seconds from power-on to the first shot.

If, like me, you love to fiddle, this thing offers lots of manual settings. ISO, WB, manual focus, aperture control, custom exposure time up to 15 seconds… The Manual settings are especially useful for indoor and macro shots.

People complain about the camera eating batteries. The cheap batteries that it came with were depleted before I’d finished reviewing the controls, but with Energizer Titaniums I easily got at least 250 shots — some with flash — before the batteries ran down. I haven’t tried Lithium yet.

The little battery used just for keeping time. Sometimes I leave my camera shelved for a month or two and with previous cameras I’d have to set the time and date and other presets all over again. This camera: No pain.

Duplicating images and some tweaking including red-eye correction can done be while browsing images in Playback mode instead of at the time of the shot.

The camera can be set to display detailed image data including a histogram when a picture is displayed at the time that it’s shot and also later in the Preview mode.

Pop-up flash with fine flash controls.

Uses standard AA batteries. No proprietary charger to deal with.

I honestly don’t know that the auto face recognition does anything to improve my picture-taking, but it’s fun to play with when you’ve got lots of people in a shot and the time to fuss around.

…

*_Cons:

While the manual says that the camera’s memory card will mount on a Mac or PC using the supplied USB cable, I’ve found that it simply doesn’t work and a little Googling confirmed that this is an epic fail for almost all Canon cameras. The camera is detected on the USB bus, but it’s never mounted as a mass-storage device. I’ve got a card reader so it isn’t a big deal, but it’s annoying. Notably, if you lack a card-reader and if you’ve got a Mac, Apple’s Image Capture software — bundled with the OS — detects the camera and lets you copy the images anywhere on your drive quite efficiently. This is in contrast to…

The “Camera Window” software that Canon wants you to use to get images and movies off of the memory card is one of the most stupid inefficient pieces of crud ever to pollute my computer. It has almost no configurable options, shows thumbnails but doesn’t allow a user to simply drag and drop images to the Desktop or to a convenient folder and forces the user to import the images into an awful awful awful proprietary image-catalog application. Whoever decided to push this lousy software on us deserves to be tarred and feathered and publicly flogged. I just want the memory card on my camera to mount on my computer so that I can copy my pictures to wherever the heck I want and decide for myself how I want my images cataloged. Almost every digital camera did that 10 years ago. Why is it so hard for modern camera-makers to do this?!!

WB suffers a lot indoors when using the Auto mode without the flash.

The camera’s display tends to make images look brighter and more saturated than they actually are. Plan accordingly.

Continuous shooting has a delay of about a second between shots. It should be faster.

When shooting video, the WB and ISO seem to be stuck at whatever setting they are at when the camera starts recording so moving from a bright room to a darker room makes for color-shifts and noise.

Also when shooting video, the optical zoom is stuck at whatever setting you had when you started recording. You can’t zoom out from there and zooming in from that point is digital-only and adds noise.

…

*_Nit-Picking:

The plastic case makes it seem like this camera is low-end when it just ain’t.

The battery compartment can be hard to open. There should be some grooves in the battery-door to help you get the traction to slide the door out to the position where it swings open. I’ve found a trick to doing it with minimal effort: Move the little button with your fingernail, then keep your fingernail in the slot and push with the edge of your nail towards the side of the camera to slide the battery-door out to the point where it can swing open.

Movies are shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio (640×480, AVI, MJPEG compression with raw 8-bit/11KHz mono audio). They are generally of excellent quality — good enough to stand in for a camcorder in a pinch — but modern devices should shoot in 16:9 instead of 4:3. Oddly, VLC reports encoding errors in the movie files, but QuickTime 7 has no problem with them.

It’s not really big or heavy, but this is not a camera that can easily fit in a pants-pocket. It does fit in the inside pocket on some of my coats. I actually went out and got a little camera case with a belt-loop and shoulder-strap for mine so I don’t have to worry about it dangling from my wrist when I’m not using it.

The big white wrist strap that mine came with is ugly. I replaced it with a svelte gray strap from another camera.

The PhotoStitch software that it comes with crashes instantly under Mac OS 10.5 and 10.6. I didn’t buy it for the cheezy software, but if you want to make panaramas be warned.

The images are saved at 180dpi. I’ve noticed this with other Canon cameras. I can see a rationale for 72 dpi. I can see 96 or 244 or 300dpi. Why 180dpi? I know that it’s arbitrary and largely meaningless, but that number is just weird.

I wish this camera would save pictures in LZW TIFF or RAW format. I hate JPEG.

…

Okay, so you’ve read this far and you see lots of criticisms. I still recommend this camera. It takes good pictures, it’s got a great zoom with some of the best image-stabilization I’ve seen and the interface is suitable for both the neophyte and the advanced amateur user. It’s a sweet camera and the price is fantastic for what you get. If you want better, you’re going to end up paying a lot more.

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User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Not easy for mom to use, buttons terrible.
I expected the latest Canon powershot for around $200 to OFCOURSE AUTOmatically be awesome. I will not give a long review. About functionality and ease of use- if you enjoy pressing buttons only to have another function take over instead, buy this camera. If you enjoy only being able to use your fingernails to select, a battery door that will surely snap off sooner than later, and pictures that are not as sharp as the previous models, then go ahead. Ofcourse I have been able to take some good shots with the legendary Canon name, but I am very upset that someone bought this for my Mom. She refuses to use it based on hours of frustration with buttons that were cheaply designed for profit, not the true enjoyment of the user. The next powershot will probably be great, you just never know.

4 Stars Love my little green camera!!!
This is the second Canon camera I’ve owned. I just gave my Canon SD750 to my son so he can take pictures of his carpentry work. I needed a camera with more MPG’s to photograph my Jewelry for my new website. I just love the ease of getting good quality pictures that show the beauty of the Swarovski crystals I make my jewelry with. Great sparkle quality!!!!!

My camera is always close at hand, you never know when something beautiful will catch your eye, out comes my Canon. Point and voila!! a great picture.

4 Stars Great Camera at Great Price
Pros

1. very light weight, small but easy to handle, menu easy to manage/navigate

2. improved quality pic taking. auto adjust to different environment/lighting, auto adjust to shaky hand. wide screen option is provided.

3. good looking design, multicolor, i got a green color cam to join Obama’s “Green xyz” rah rah.

4. good pricing. $149. cheaper than my AS Powershot

Cons

1. battery. need to walk around with a battery charger. inconvenient. nice if rechargeable from PC’s USB port.

2. memory. camera comes without memory card, fortunately, i can swap the card from my other PowerShot cam.

3. cam pouch. nice if a small cloth pouch is provided.

overall, great price for a great camera.

5 Stars Great little camera
This is our second (or third?) small digital camera. The first couple were first generation models with minimum features and resolution. Then we started using big DSLRs. I expected this ‘little camera’ to have minimal quality, but I was wrong. This camera approaches the DSLRs in both features and image quality. I was especially impressed with the video it took. The only negative I’ve seen is that when you zoom in at some point it switches over to ‘digital zoom’ and the quality drops dramatically. This can be turned off, so it’s really not a problem, just something to be aware of. My wife was looking for a small camera she could have with us when the DSLR was too big and this little guy more than fills the bill.

5 Stars For most people
This camera is not your average camera. I must confess I had Canon cameras ever since I started purchasing digital cameras. Therefore I might be bias by giving an opinion without testing the others out there. Although, I did at one point own a Casio Slim camera and was satisfied. However, the picture quality and the features that a Canon offers I must say beats the rest by far.

Good luck and happy snapping.

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It may be the slimmest Digital ELPH Canon has ever created, but the impact couldn’t be bigger. The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH captivates the senses with bold saturated colors and a daringly original design that matches the intensity of Canon’s most innovative camera technology. Even when picture-taking conditions seem pretty unforgiving, you’ve got Canon on your side. So the shots you used to miss are the images you’ll now be sharing, and the movies you never took before will be HD unforgettable.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great camera, flimsy battery/sd card cover
I bought the camera for its portability (and it was on sale too at $169). I also own a DSLR but for everyday photos I’d rather carry one that fits in my pocket. Excellent picture quality. I set mine to Program mode, My Colors to Vivid, and Auto-ISO (default). Crappy shots at high ISOs but you don’t expect much from a compact. That’s what DSLRs are for. Fast focusing and accurate most of the time. I will give this camera 5 stars if not for a flimsy battery cover. It will break easily if you’re not extra careful.

5 Stars Everything and more
I had researched several cameras before making this purchase. I typically take pictures with a Nikon D50, but I wanted a point-and-shoot that I could carry around more easily but still take decent pictures. This camera has not disappointed me. It’s tiny but incredibly sturdy, and takes excellent quality pictures. In addition, I had video recorded a Christmas concert, and when I played it on my computer I expanded the video to “full-screen” and the image did not become grainy at all. I love this camera. It’s an absolute steal for this price.

4 Stars wow camera
I love that it is portable. I am kinda bummed there is not an action setting. The zoom capability is awesome. I am still experimenting with setting my own settings. Because it is small it is hard to keep it steady but with practice it has worked out. All around a great camera.

5 Stars Great Camera – Cute, functional, easy to use
This is the dream camera – easy to use, so small/tiny to carry around, and great quality. Price is reasonable!

2 Stars Disappointed
Records decent HD in Quicktime .MOV format – not easy for Windows PC users. Cannot stream to PS3 or XBox360. Picture quality on Auto is terrible for a 12MP camera – probably cause the lens is small. My 8yr old 4MP canon has much better quality pics.

p.s Amazon doesn’t mention the format HD movies are taken in – this is not good. Cannot buy cameras from Amazon.

Buy/More Info

With a 20x wide-angle zoom, the 12.1-megapixel PowerShot SX20 IS offers intelligent, versatile shooting power. Switch to Smart Auto mode for effortlessly great results, or shoot stunning HD movies.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars An excellent camera
This is an excellent all-around camera that will not break the bank. I considered the EOS, D models, etc., but in the past I tired of lugging and changing all the extra lenses. Canon has fixed the main complaints that I had with the 5IS (which stopped working after about 5 years and probably 7-10,000 pictures): the cap now stays on and the megapixils have increased enough to allow photo shopping the pictures taken in low light conditions without excessive graininess.

4 Stars Canon Powershot camera
I have only had this camera for a month, so I am not totally use to using it yet. I like the camera and with basic pictures I am doing OK. The book that comes with the camera gives only basics and when I try to view the “book on CD” on my computer I have difficulty because you cannot just turn pages. You have to know what you are looking for and type in specifics in order to get an answer. You do not always know what to type in. The camera really needs a book WITH the product or the option to get one from Canon at no additional cost.

The camera has a video button that allows you to video no matter what mode you have the camera set at. You can also zoom while in video mode, which I was not able to do with my previous camera. Nice feature.

1 Star new cannon
Great camera once you learn and remember all of the features. Good zoom, quality pics. My lens cap falls off all the time, even after it is secured. Seems like a small matter, but its a real distraction at sporting events or other crowds.

5 Stars A wonderful buy
So far so good and I’ve had it for a month. I am very pleased with this camera. Great zoom and sharp-crisp pictures. To think of the 20x zoom but still so compact is amazing- it is much larger than my old camera- a cybershot I replaced, but it’s still easy to transport and lightweight. Only things I would change: the door that closes the compartment that holds the memory stick I can tell could easily break off. This is something you want to take care in. Also I didn’t know it until after I had shot the video of my son’s elementary play, but while using the video, if you take a picture- the video shows this; ie: the video will pause and it shows a shutter capturing the image prior to going back to video- also on the video it picked up now sound at all- so FYI- don’t plan to use this as a video camera- which I didn’t I just was wanting to see the quality- which is good though.

Big positives- battery life. I was very leary about buying a camera that uses regular batteries. In the past cameras, especially digital ones, would eat those things up. I’ve always had to use lithiums with my sony cameras. But this camera has great battery life. I have yet to see the battery status even go down at all yet- a month later, using the lcd screen the entire time, and using it a lot. Oh and this is with generic batteries that came with the camera, I imagine a good Energizer or Duracell will be even better. I do have rechargable Ni type batteries that will work with the camera too, but not sure I’ll even need them! And the features- there are so many and so many settings, that for right now I just use the auto-setting. I have been playing around trying to master the rest.

A few quick points of interest: the flash is only auto if you have it flipped up. It does not flip up itself, but the screen will show “flip up flash” if needed. I like this though as you can choose to have artificial lighting or not- I prefer pictures without a flash if it can be done. I’ve seen where people said you had to use the Canon software to download pictures correctly and it does say that in the manual- untrue for me so far. It downloads the pictures even vertical ones correctly but simply downloading via usb, or card reader and just using the general built in picture finder software we all have on our microsoft formatted computers. I find this to be easier anyway so they save directly to the folder I want and I don’t have to toy with their software (I’m sure it’s a ploy to buy services and merchandise through them.

Overall very good camera and very happy!!!!

5 Stars Good features. Great camera.
This camera has all the features an amatuer could need or want. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the right setting or effect because of all the different options. It takes great photos when I take pictures. My wife has difficulties sometimes; I can’t figure out why. It’s not huge, but is obviously more cumbersome than pocket cameras. I have not had to replace the batteries yet (8 weeks).

In summary: Great pictures, Good value.

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