Used Canon PowerShot SX20IS Bridge Camera

I think this is a VERY excellent camera and I highly recommend it to anyone. I will admit though that like with most cameras if you don't know what you're doing you can end up with some crappy shots. It's like how a professional photographer can usually take much better pictures than someone who does it just every once in a blue moon. I will admit when I first got this camera it intimidated me a bit. It's a bit big and then the features it has? Can be very overwhelming. But if you take the time to learn how to use it properly and experiment you can wind up with some really excellent shots. I own three different digital cameras now and out of all of them? This Canon has to be my favorite. This camera has a ton of excellent features. My favorite being the 'Custom' mode because then I can create my own custom settings and take shots using those settings instead of just using the Auto mode. Another nice feature is how it allows you to take a picture while you are shooting a movie/video. The 20x optical zoom also comes in handy for when shooting far away subjects such as animals, people, etc. Man I could go on for days about all the features this camera has. Another good one is articulating LCD screen. I love how you can move it in all sorts of directions. For me personally that is one big feature that absolutely sold me on this camera. It's nice not having the LCD screen just being stuck in the back but instead be movable. This camera takes AA or rechargeable batteries which I think is a HUGE plus too over those proprietary type batteries that a lot of other cameras use. It makes it so much easier to find and get replacements because most places carry at least AA batteries if not rechargeable ones too. Though I will admit since it takes FOUR batteries it does add some weight to the camera (this camera isn't light at all imo). Battery life? Superb. Overall I highly recommend this camera. I think it's an excellent camera for people who are willing to spend a bit more on one and willing to learn the features on it/how to use it or already are pretty good at photography. It's also I think a good replacement over more expensive DSLR cameras with all the features it has and what excellent image quality it has.

I'll emphasize one point first - the same that I did with the SX10 - this is NOT a camera for the rank amateur or for someone who thinks that "point and shoot" applies to this camera. You can point it, and you can shoot, but if all you're ever going to do is use it in the "Auto" setting, you're wasting your money. This is such a versatile camera that using it on "Automatic" will get you average pictures. Of course, for some people, "average" is better than you've done in the past, so... I've had the SX10IS for almost a year, and have shot well over 10,000 photos. The SX20 has some improvements, and I thought it was worth the price to make life a little easier. In the past week, I've shot over 1,000 pictures with the SX20. All of these have been of birds, bugs, butterflies, bunnies, bees, scenery, and a few dogs. It's what I do. People aren't half as interesting. I leave those to my brother who has a Nikon Something-or-other and 30 pounds of lenses and junk that I no longer want to carry around. I will take pictures of my grandkids, but they're just that, snapshots. When I take pictures of wildlife with the SX10 or 20, it's photography, a hobby I've had for 65 years. Comparison with the SX10 and an Evaluation: Some things become apparent immediately on the plus side: (1) the wheel on the back is easier to use, faster, and more precise. So far, it doesn't change settings just by brushing up against clothing. (2) the viewfinder adjustment is more precise and spot on. (3) It is easy to use although the instruction manual has not improved. I urge anyone using the SX10 or 20 to read the manual. (4) The weight is fine and, even though I have a relatively small hand, it is comfortable and not at all bulky. Others must be comparing this to the Elph. That said, after four hours of shooting, even 18 ounces can feel like 8 pounds around your neck. I suggest, while keeping the camera around your neck, you lift it with one hand for a little while before it becomes a literal pain in the neck. (5) Battery life is still great. I do wish that Canon had added an ACCESSIBLE battery meter so that I could tell how much batter life I have left when I leave with a camera. Then I would know before I leave home whether or not to take an extra set with me which I now do as a matter of course since I never know when they'll die. The battery warning indicator leaves you with four or five photos that can be taken if that. Odd though it may seem, I chose the SX20 over the competition because it takes AA rechargeable batteries. While those may add a little weight, it's rare that I can't find regular AAs in a store, and I can always keep an extra set in the car if I happen to be driving to a location. What has not changed: (1) The camera is simply not made for low light situations, no matter what settings you use. "Low light" for me is a bird under the canopy of a tree even on a bright summer day. (2) The ISO has changed so that even at 80, you'll experience noise, This is worse than the SX10. At 800 and above, the noise is simply unacceptable. I keep the ISO at 200 or 100, and shoot almost exclusively at Av, Tv, or M. (3) I NEVER use digital zoom. If a bird is off some 200 feet, using the digital zoom may get you the bird, but it will be blurred no matter what the linear bar says. (4) Canon hasn't attached a cord to the lens cap since the S3 or S5, and I wish they'd bring it back. I USE the lens cap, and would prefer not keeping it in my pocket or even my hand while shooting. (5) I haven't found much use for the lens hood, and often feel that Canon added it to make the camera look "more professional" for those who feel inferior next to those using 1000mm lenses and carry 35 pounds of gear. (6) The SX20 is just as slow as the SX10, and that's fairly slow. "Continuous" is not like having a motor drive, and if you can get three shots off in 5 seconds you'd be doing very well. Birds, however, do not move for your convenience and three shots in a second would satisfy my needs. This does not. Even taking pictures of a kid running the bases is going to be missing something no matter what setting you use. Fortunately, I have the philosophy that what I miss today, I might get tomorrow. That does not apply to children at play although it might at Aunt Martha's 95th birthday party where nothing is going to move that fast. The SX10 has the same buttons on the back, but I always seemed to be pushing them by mistake. That, for some reason, hasn't happened with the thousand photos I've taken with the SX20. And I reiterate, the thumb wheel on the SX20 is much faster and precise. I can set the exposure - speed and aperture and even override the normal settings - in half the time as with the SX10. The macro settings on the SX20 became much easier and faster, though SuperMacro is just a pain to use. Supermacro must in my opinion be used with the LCD. You won't do much with the viewfinder at a distance of 5mm. It works, however. I rarely use it except for very small insects, but I imagine if you have a coin or stamp collection, it could come in handy although lighting will always be a problem at that (lack of) distance. Otherwise, I like the macro because the zoom works well with it. Of all the features that takes practice, it is the macro. This is my fifth digital camera going back to 2000. Four of the five have been Canons and, if I didn't need the focal length for what I do (nature photography of everything from raptors to dragonflies), I would have stopped at the A620, perhaps the finest all-round P&S camera Canon has made. But, if you want to take a photo of a dragonfly or bird and can get within 15 feet of it, this is the camera for you...unless you like changing lenses, calculating for various conditions, and carrying all that stuff around with you. What I fear most is that, having now bought the SX20 is that Canon will come out with another P&S that moves us closer to DSLRs and the need to have at least two lenses. After 50 years of using SLRs, I want easy, not complex. In fact, I might have told Canon to leave off some things from the SX20. I don't need fancy. I need accuracy and clarity. And I don't need automatic features with 30 different scenes. Because there's so many extras, superfluous extras added to the SX10 and 20, I can't say that the controls and menus are easy. Knowledge makes things easier, but the best knowledge is knowing what works and what you can do without. I use perhaps 40% of the functions of the camera. Oh, before I forget, the date stamp would have been very nice if the print was smaller and if it was in the lower right corner at stated in the manual. Instead, it's about a half-inch above and to the left of the lower right hand corner, and can ruin a shot that cannot crop out the date. I would suggest leaving the date for software. Remember, once you use the date stamp on a photo, it can't be undone. I emphasize that you set the Date Stamp to "No." The LCD is still a great plus. There have been many times when I need it to "see" over a wire fence and the only way is with this articulating LCD. Other than those circumstances, I exclusively use the viewfinder, The LCD is primarily to see what I hope will be clear when I download to my computer. I'll repeat something else I said about the SX10: The Viewfinder on this camera is the best I've ever had! It can be set by use of a knurled ring on the left and, if you wear glasses, can make the picture you see through the viewfinder sharper than if you used glasses alone. It's five times better than using the LCD. For the viewfinder alone, I would buy this camera! I know that many people have bought this because you can now shoot HD movies. I used the SX10 for movies twice, and probably won't do much with the SX20 in this regard either. Even with an 8GB card, a movie of a green heron chick catching a dragonfly in midair can take 6-8 minutes, and that's a lot of MBs in the process. However, if it's your son or daughter running the bases, it's great! It is possible to take one frame out for printing, but the resolution and size will be smaller than a "normal" shot. Still, this camera is capable of an awful lot, and you might as well use it. All and all, I almost love this camera. If it were faster and could shoot in low light on a foggy day, I would love it. Overall, 4 to 4½ stars. Considering that I've published as many with the SX10 and 20 as with my 35mm SLR, I'd say that my patience and the digital point-and-shoot have improved mightily. I compared this camera to four others (Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, and Canon), and I still ended up with the Canon SX20. The fact that they went to 12.1 MP means very little. The two extra MP doesn't make much difference, and they kept the 20X focal length of the zoom. However, I used the 24X zoom of a competitor, and there was so much noise at the upper end that I thought it was digital rather than optical. This camera was also more comfortable, albeit a little heavier, and I am really partial to AA batteries. It certainly is something to consider. (See my review of Eneloop batteries.) I rarely recommend anything to anybody. If I recommend something as "sophisticated" as this to someone who points and shoots and still cuts off heads and feet, then I'm to blame. If someone buys the camera because s/he sees what I can do with it, they often forget that I've been a semi-pro for almost 50 years and have had a 35mm since 1953. Would I recommend THIS camera? Yes, but with several caveats which will soon be forgotten. Postscript: For a number of very good reasons, I will not upload photos taken with this camera. All of my photos can be found on my Web site.

With fine art and industrial design as background, needless to say I've taken a picture or two begun decades ago in the analog world in which no small amount of cash went into camera equipment. Having had a decade or more laps before deciding to look through a lens again, it was obvious spending a large amount on equipment would not be a wise choice (digital equipment this time). I'm more than pleased with the Canon PowerShot SX20IS. It's an incredibly capable camera. It replaces an analog professional body Minolta plus two zoom lenses (28mm to 300). Comparatively the SX20IS added 200mm (total 500 optical zoom) with good image quality likely aided by its image stabilization; allowing hand held telephoto shots at photo speeds impossible with analog. That's impressive at less than a quarter the size and weight of the Minolta plus lenses. The result is it travels when the analog gear would have stayed home. After approximately nine months of ownership it has begun to sink in there are enormous advantages to a capable digital camera combined with a change in field approach vs. analog. The impressive analytical software of the SX20IS encourages your photographic eye by automatically replacing the extensive technical analog camera-information needed to attempt to make photographs appear the way you see the scene. The only down side has been learning the new lingo AKA software based controls instead of analog buttons, dials etc; wish it had fine incremental zoom control. It's not a professional camera, but its capability combined with software frees you to just seeing what's begging to be photographed. If it fits your hand grasp reasonably and you're willing to discover its abilities, you should enjoy this camera. (The SX10IS won't discourage you point and shooters either.) Side notes 7/2010: SX20IS (and SX10IS) do not have treaded lens rings to fit lens filters (hard to figure). The unapproved solution can be found from Lensmate (SX10, SX20 & SX1 Filter Adapter 58mm), approx [...] shipped [...] which uses the SX20IS lens shade mechanism to attach 58mm filters. You can then attach a clear filter to protect your lens - Hoya 58mm UV (Ultra Violet) Multi Coated Glass Filter $22.35 - FREE Super Saver Shipping http://www.amazon.com/Hoya-Ultra-Violet-Coated-Filter/dp/B00009R9A1/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277819958&sr=1-3 plus a $4.95 Zeikos ZE-LC58 58mm Plastic Snap On Lens Cap (Black) FREE Super Saver Shipping http://www.amazon.com/Zeikos-ZE-LC58-58mm-Plastic-Black/dp/B001LMXMD8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277820244&sr=1-1. Add a HOYA 58CIR 58mm Circular Polarized Filter for those great outdoor scenes for [...] FREE Super Saver Shipping http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006HOAQ/ref=oss_product and for under [...] have lens protection and enhanced outdoor photo capability. (It is definitely faster to have the Polarizer filter already attached to a second Lensmate adapter.) (There is a blog comment about the weight of a lens filter and the lens zoom drive-mechanism. (Opinion) it wouldn't say much for Canon engineering quality if the miniscule weight of a filter turned out to be too much, long term, for the drive system on this camera. It's more likely normal use would have someone scratch or otherwise degrade the front optics (lens); virtually now replicable for [...].) If you're not spent out yet; two (one) other products: a good monopod can be much more usable than a tripod (unless you're taking pictures of yourself). The Vanguard monopod is solid as a rock, extremely fast to extend and contract and is light weight enough with an added Vanguard ballhead (total combined cost $212.70), it often goes where the camera goes; extending dim light (i.e. under heavy foliage) photography options significantly. The SBH-300 ballhead is serious quality; the SBH-100 is likely the same. (Get Vanguard before the prices go up.) Vanguard ELITE CP-364 Carbon Fiber Digital Camera Monopod [...] ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016HTVL0/ref=oss_product Vanguard SBH-300 Large-Format Magnesium Alloy Ballhead with Two Onboard Bubble Levels [..] ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016D3H1O/ref=oss_product Or the SBH-100 is likely more easily used and lighter vs. SBH-300: Vanguard SBH-100 Small Magnesium Alloy Ballhead with Two Onboard Bubble Levels $69.99 + Free Shipping (not Super Saver) http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-SBH-100-Magnesium-Ballhead-Onboard/dp/B0016D1I0G/ref=pd_cp_p_3 You've just "double" the price of the camera (adding $303.35 7/2010), but have a true go with you much more often piece of work instead of "wish I brought the camera". Thought of another way; it's approximately the same cost as a Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm alone; no zoom from 55mm to 500, filters, optics protection or monopod; and may more pictures taken because the gear goes with you and photographic options have increased.

I received the camera a few days ago. I wanted a good quality camera for all-around, basic shooting. The main features that attracted me were the wide angle/zoom lens and the video option. I am not an expert, or even an experienced amateur. I just want to be able to point, shoot, and take decent pics and some occassional vidoe. In my opinion, the best eye-pleasing pictures are those that show the vibrant colors and color variations - all other things being equal. I've experimented with various settings and taken the same shots with those various settings, and compared shots taken with Auto, Landscape, Portrait, etc. against the Foilage setting [SCN/Foilage], and the Foilage setting is by far the best for bringing out the colors (which it is meant to do anyway). Compared to those pics taken using the Foilage setting, the ones taken in the other settings are dull - not that they aren't decent pictures in the other settings, just compared to the Foilage pictures they are dull(er). So for basic shots, I will probably use the Foilage setting most of the time for all-around shooting - the pictures are beautiful. One problem I expect with this, is to get to the Foilage setting, you must use the top dial set to SCN, then using the free-spinning dial on the back, select foilage. Problem is, after taking shots and letting the camera hang against your body, the free-spinning dial may be prone to be moved to select another setting... One of the issues I do have, is not being able to choose to set the Auto-Focus frame to the center of the screen for many settings - such as Auto... I'm not crazy about the "smart focus" which chooses which subject(s) that it thinks is the main subject(s) - in my case of shooting mostly non-people so far, this "smart-focus" has been wrong. I think most of us non-pro photographers usually center our subject anyway, and even if we don't, we should still have the option of keeping the AF frame in the center... One other thing that hasn't worked for me is connecting it to HDMI on my TV. I'm going to take it to Best Buy and try it there. If it still isn't working, I hate to send it back because it is a good camera, but I would like the HDMI feature to work to see my videos in true HD. In summary, the wide-to-zoom feature is great, takes very good pictures (especially in Foilage), takes excellent video. The video option is excellent - you can take pics while filming, and you can simply press the video button in the back to start taking video even if you're in a picture-taking setting - very nice feature. If you're not a pro photographer and want to have a great all-around camera, this is definitely a good buy. I hope I can get my HDMI/TV feature to work so I can keep my camera...

I think it is a good compromise camera. No point and shoot is at the level of a decent DSLR. They all have limitations. High zoom lenses are more prone to purple/green fringe. I do notice the CA in back lit trees and even on fallen brown leaves when taking photos of the forest floor. So with a zoom lense probably comes a tad more fringe. At least in this price range. The 12.1MP on a small P & S camera does introduce some noise. To minimize noise under low light shooting you will want to use the manual settings. I notice out of Box the SX20 takes washed out photos. It is best to shoot manual and customize your colors. Essentially all cameras have internal software today. So you can also increase sharpness and contrast. Hit Func set button, then scroll down to custom colors. I maxed contrast, left skin tone as is, left blue and green as default, bumped red up 1 notch, maxed saturation, & maxed sharpness. After I did all that, the pictures where sharp and vivid. I do get noise even at 200ISO when taking 10sec or 15 sec exposures. Noise comes into play anytime one increases ISO and/or uses long exposures. Shooting 1/60 shutter speed at 200ISO is fine, but sec exposures and noise creeps in. It can mostly be removed by processing in photo editing software later. Any camera in the SX20 price range has some CA and noise. The SX20 will take sharp photos ones you customize the settings. I use a plugin the mostly eliminates purple fringe. So most of the photos taken at 4000 x 3000 can be poster sized to 13" by 19" after some software editing. As far as the HD video. I didn't buy the camera for that, have not used it much. Indoors with out the best lighting, when I panned around, the camera seemed to go to both sides of focus before it found the sweet spot. So a second here or there was out of focus. The zoom is basically useless during video shoots as the camera will be out of focus thru the zoom and come back in focus after the zoom. I think its a decent camera with a lot of flexibility. My thinking was I wasn't quite ready to go the DSLR route yet. Every year the camera bodies keep improving and you keep getting more for the same money or less. This camera is to tide me over until I get s DSLR. One feature I wish this camera had is a remote shutter jack. I would sometimes like to take exposures longer than 15 secs. The zoom lens does get a lot of flare from lights at night. I tried taking some night scenes of a downtown city from a parking ramp. The more you zoom, the worse the flare gets. For these types of scenes only about 10X of zoom is useable.

I had priced different point and shoot digital camera's for quite some time. I knew that I couldn't afford to go into to the SLR world, the lenses are just too expensive, so I looked and waited for a point and shoot that was within my price range, but also offered the features I needed. The very powerful zoom lens on the optical side was the main focal point for my buying decision, but even when in the digital side (including using the digital teleconverter) you can take some AMAZING pictures. The Macro and Super Macro settings are FANTASTIC for taking very close up shots. The flash is powerful enough on it's own, and you have the option to adding a dedicated speedlite flash to it's hotshoe, which is a nice feature. The fact that it takes regular AA batteries, or even better yet rechargeable Nimh batteries, allows you not to worry about replacing a special brand specific battery, which I really like. The fact that it only takes 4 batteries and it can last so long without having to change them out is amazing. And I have taken loads of pictures since buying this wonderful camera. Just picking it up, gives you the impression that it is built well, because it is relatively heavy. It can focus and take a picture pretty quickly, and you don't have a tremendous amount of lag time by the time you press the shutter button and the camera actually taking the picture. The camera is designed so that it is easy to understand how to change from one function to another. You can have it in the totally idiot proof "program" mode, or you can go ahead and go manual and get creative, trying different settings....i.e. shutter speeds, F stop settings, ISO speeds, ect..ect... The Video camera portion of the camera is pretty neat......I haven't used it much, because I enjoy taking pictures more than taking movie shots, but it does a nice job, and with a 8mb SD card (another thing that is nice.....it takes standard SD cards) you can take a TON of pictures before having to erase them, and it gives you plenty of time to take movies as well. Your creativity with this camera is pretty much endless, which I really like. The only thing I haven't figured out very well yet, is how to create depth of field shots.....that is tricky with this camera, but I'm sure with time I'll get better as I figure how to handle it a little better. This is my first real digital camera (I have always used film camera's, and I had one small little digital camera, that had very basic functions) but I have read a lot of reviews on this camera, and everything that people have said about this camera are correct and to the point. The only one drawback that has nothing to do with the camera is that Canon forces you to download the entire Owner's manual on to your computer instead of putting it into the instruction book. It's not a big deal, but for the money you are paying, you think they could give you a hard copy of the whole instruction manual instead of the basics that the printed one covers. All in all, this is an amazing camera, and it surprises me everyday that I take a shot, because there are sometimes when I take a shot and find out that it made the shot I took look even better than I anticipated. Hook this baby up to a blu ray player or if your Blu ray has an sd slot built in it, you can look at the pictures and video in HD. The pictures just jump out of the screen on my bigscreen!! You just can't go wrong with this camera, I would just make sure to get a warranty from Square Trade, because this is total electronics you are talking about these days, so there are a lot of things that could go wrong with the camera, with time. Canon has a solid reputation, but with today's electronics.....you really need to protect yourself with such a complex and expensive unit. I can't say enough about this camera, and I'm sure I'll enjoy many years and many great pictures from this "SUPER" Camera!

I like it. It's heavy, but managable. I am having trouble understanding the icons so I need that book I ordered to arrive soon. It's on it's way. I've taken about 50 still shots and all were OK. Movies, nope, not so good, but I need to learn to use it properly. They were clear and colorful but I'm shaky. Can't do the tripod thing because I use a walker to get around. I mostly take shots of wild birds in my yard, trees and at my feeders, then post them on message boards. I think someone younger than I, with a quicker mind and steadier hands will love it. The viewfinder was an absolute must for me. The articulating screen was a plus that I didn't expect. I love it!! If I have any major complaints I'll come edit this. Annie Update as of April 5, 2010 I am in love with this camera. Once I learned how to do the settings and changed a few of the factory presets I am taking the best pics of my life. I have 5 birdfeeders surrounding my patio where I sit most of the spring and summer. The pics are coming out beautifully. Very true colors and I have been told my pics are even better than last year. Many of my pics are shared with other wildlife lovers on message boards. I also have 13 nest boxes placed around the perimeter of a very large back yard. I can see the birds little faces peeking out and the shots come out nicely. My Dad was a professional portrait photographer. I have decided this camera is taking better photos than the fancy rig in his studio. Just for fun and as another learning experience I took a photo of a friend from about 250 feet away while he was clearing brush from a neighbor's burn pile. It looks like he only 20 feet away. There's no mistaking who he is whe you see the pic. His face is in perfect focus and his big new orange dirt mover is an absolutely perfect representation of the color. I have become used to the increased weight and am much steadier in handling the added weight. Only took a week to get used to it. Years ago I had a 35 mm SLR plus huge lenses and I ran around under parachute jumpers taking their pics while coming down. This camera could easily do the same job with lots less weight and no long heavy lenses. The low price is a bonus for the quality of this camera. Annie, one happy Canon SX20IS owner

After doing extensive research, including reading the reviews on this site and others, I decided that the Canon SX20is was the Super Zoom camera best suited to our needs. My wife and I enjoy taking pictures using an extended zoom, but didn't want to lug around the kind of lens needed with a DSLR to equal the 20X Zoom of this camera. The video capability with good sound recording was also important to us. The stereo mics on the front, rather than the top of the camera were one deciding factor. Sample pictures posted by reviewers were of amazing quality for the price point. The value of what you get for the purchase price of this camera is amazing. I checked out the Panasonic FZ 35 which has a comparable but smaller zoom, and the Nikon P100 which has a 26X zoom. The thing that most set the Canon SX20 apart from the other two is the quality of the Image Stabilization system. It is far superior, especially when compared to the Nikon. This camera is what the reviews say it is! I couldn't be more pleased with the performance so far. The versatility of the camera is outstanding, and I've already taken some beautiful shots. I love taking scenery shots, and this camera is excellent for that purpose. Two things that affected the timing of our purchase is that we have a daughter that is getting married in July, and we are going to Maui later this summer to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. I look forward to all the photo opportunities in Hawaii. This camera is perfect for travelling and doesn't add alot of weight to your luggage! My wife is thrilled with the video capability of the camera. We love this camera! UPDATE: After owning this camera for several weeks I have a few more comments: The camera is very ergonomic and easy to handle. It feels sturdy, but is not too heavy. Controls are rather intuitive and easy to navigate. The size and portability make this an easy camera to carry around. My son, who is a professional photographer has told me that he is thinking about purchasing a smaller camra like this for some of his shooting needs, when he doesn't want to have to carry alot of equipment/lenses around. He is a Nikon DSLR user, but is very impressed with the Canon SX20. The electronic Viewfinder is very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. However, the LCD brightness is more than sufficient for outdoor shots not in the bright sun. The Auto setting is very effective. I have been able to take some outstanding scenery pictures using Auto. The Foilage setting brings out even more vibrant colors and is particularly useful when shooting pictures with extensive greenery in the background. The quality of pictures with this camera is remarkable. I have used several of the various scene settings, but have yet to experiment with the manual settings, though I am thankful that they are available. Many people have complained that the manual is not printed in booklet form. Personally, I think the electronic version is better. I downloaded a copy to my laptop, and have easy access to the information I need. If Canon had printed the manual to package with the camera, it likely would be much smaller than the current 180 pages, and would contain less information. We are in the technology age after all, and this is now common practice for manufacturers of electronics.

We travel alot, and the Canon PowerShot SX201S 12.1 Digital Camera takes amazing pictures. It is light and very easy to use. I would definitely recommend this camera.

Picture quality is good

Jadoooore! Facile a utiliser pour les debutants!!

For starters no instruction manual and most important no lens cover and I am so far not able to find one. It takes pictures but I cannot get the view to be clear or right color. It seems it is missing a key ingredient in the actual picture taking process. I am not impressed at all but will download a manual and go through it one step at a time. I had met a lady with spectacular photos from this camera and why I purchased it but I cannot come near that quality as I cannot see what I am taking a photo of properly. It is a guessing game if the photo is good or not and good thing I do not have to pay for processing. Most likely it will go in a box never to be looked at and I am out the $200.