Digital Cameras Reviews

Posts Tagged ‘Shutter Speed’

Canon PowerShot S90IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3 8x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD

Canon’s storied S Series gets a revitalized new leader in the slimmer, lighter, new PowerShot S90, the perfect everyday camera for people who are serious about great photography. Image quality is superb thanks to the new High Sensitivity System and higher ISO speeds, plus an exceptionally bright f/2.0 lens that makes portraits and low-light shots come to life. Photography enthusiasts will love the new control ring at the base of the lens barrel, designed for intuitive, pro-style manual control. A Wide-angle 3.8x Optical Zoom (equivalent to 28 – 105mm) with Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer Full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW + JPEG for the ultimate creative control Large 3.0-inch PureColor System LCD for even greater true-to-life color reproduction Effective Pixels – Approx. 10.0 Megapixels Type – 1/1.7-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Lens – Canon 3.8x optical zoom Lens Focal Length – 6.0 (W)-22.5mm (T) f/2.0-4.9 (35mm equivalent – 28-105mm) LCD Monitor – 3.0-inch TFT color with wide viewing angle Shutter Speed – 15-1/1600 sec. ISO Sensitivity – Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600/3200 Exposure Control Method – Program AE, i-Contrast, Manual; AE Lock, Program Shift, Safety Shift, Auto ISO Shift White Balance Control – Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater), Custom Built-in Flash – Auto, Auto w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash Off; FE lock, Safety FE, Slow Synchro Shooting Modes – Auto, P, Av, Tv, M, C, Portrait, Landscape, Special Scene, Night Snapshot, Stitch Assist, Low Light, Movie Storage Media – SD/SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, MMCplus Card, HC MMCplus Card File Format – Still Image – Exif 2.2 (JPEG); Movie – MOV (Image – H.264; Audio – Linear PCM (Stereo)) Still Image – Up to 3,648 x 2,736 (Large); Movie – VGA 640 x 480 Dimensions (WxH

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars New King of Compacts
I bought this camera on 10/9, which is the first day it was available here in Kansas City. I have already taken a couple hundred shots with it comparing images side by side with my G10 at various settings. This review is of my initial impression based on the short time that I have had it. I was anxiously awaiting the release of this camera. I own a Nikon D90 DSLR, but there are many times when I prefer to just take a compact. In the past the Canon G10 has served that purpose, but the S90 boasts improved low-light performance and smaller size.

The first thing I wanted to test was image quality and noise at high ISO settings. Most photography hobbyists and pros know that low light performance is the number one factor influencing camera and lens prices. This is the main reason an f/2.8 zoom lens costs 3-5 times as much as an f/3.5-5.6 zoom. The S90 performs superbly in this regard. RAW images from the S90 set at ISO 800 were equal to or better than RAW images from the G10 set at ISO400. Both luminance and chrominance noise were lower in the S90 images. This represents a 1 stop improvement, which is what I was hoping for. These comparisons were made with all noise reduction disabled in camera and in the DPP software. I tested all other ISOs and found the S90 to be better at all ISO settings above 100 and the 2 cameras demonstrated equal IQ at the base ISOs of 80 and 100.

Canon also boasts about the S90 having a faster f/2.0 lens compared to the f/2.8 on the G10, but this part of the camera did not impress me. The lens only has the 1 stop advantage at the absolute widest setting and the max aperture closes down fast from there. The G10/G11 lens is faster at the telephoto end and the difference is negligible at all zoom settings in between. Both lenses are equally sharp throughout their zoom ranges.

The ergonomics of the camera will take me a while to get used to. I was looking for a smaller camera and the S90 definitely fits the bill. But now that I am using it, I wonder if it might be too small. I hope that it will become more comfortable in my hands as I get used to it. On the G10, I could operate all of the controls on the right-rear of the camera with the thumb of the hand holding the camera. With the S90 there are fewer controls that I can operate one-handed and at times I feel like I might drop this camera, because I just can’t get a good grip on it. Other ergonomic concerns are that the rear control ring turns too easily and I have found myself unintentionally adjusting settings because of this, which was never a problem on the G10. I think I might miss the external ISO and Exposure Compensation dials on the G10, but I have set the front control ring to adjust the ISO setting and I would honestly need to use it more before I say the controls are not easy to access; again this should improve with more use. None of the concerns I have about the size and controls on the camera would dissuade me from the purchase; the trade-off is worth it for the smaller carrying size and improved performance.

The camera ships with a newer version (3.7) of Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software. There is not much difference compared to older versions, but there is one nice improvement: the lens aberration section is enabled for images taken with the S90. This allows for correction of vignetting, CA and distortion. I do not understand why the same controls are not available for RAW files taken with the G10. There is still no straighten function in the software, which is a disappointment. Another disappointing factor about the software is that Canon has not yet released a new RAW Codec; the current version (1.5) does not support the S90 or G11. This allows raw files to be viewed in Windows and for thumbnail images to be created in Windows explorer. I am sure they are working on an update, but I wish they had this ready by the time the camera was released.

I went step-by-step through the menus and features of both cameras during my comparison and most functions are very similar. The S90 has fewer AF options and no remote control, but I do not think I will miss either of these.

I considered giving this camera only 4 stars because of the couple of hits I mentioned above, but then decided that would not be fair. The title of “Best Compact” has been debated feverishly on the web, with most votes going to the G10 and LX3. But now, I think Canon’s new release of both the S90 and G11 will put a quick end to these debates. There is no question in my mind that this pair sits above all competitors. Therefore a five star rating is the only logical choice. I highly recommend this camera.

5 Stars A Compact Camera Suited for Serious Photographers
My first impressions of the Canon S90 Compact Camera are quite good although I do have some nits:

Some functions should be easier to set. For example, Canon requires you to go into the menus to format the SD card. I would prefer to do that with buttons like I can on a DSLR. I also was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t set more functions in my custom menu (only five custom items can be set at one time.) It’s really easy to smudge the LCD because it takes up almost the entire camera back. And the manual setting of aperture is backwards. Canon set it to turn like you are looking at the camera, but it needs to be reversed because you are setting it from the back of the camera. It’s counter intuitive–and there’s no way to change the dial rotation to match what comes intuitively.

Post processing tests show that the S90 shots easy to manipulate photos. The biggest drawback are with marginal photos (extremely under exposed, for example.) I can bring back mistakes like that in poorly executed shots taken with my DSLR. With the S90, however, the photos blow out and become surrealistic looking when I try to recover them. But in fairness, we are talking about shots that should be greeted by the delete key anyway.

I shot some low light photos at ISO 2000 and 3200. Ridiculously high settings for a digital camera. And I must say that this camera handles noise extremely well. Sure, noise is there at high ISO settings. If you look closely enough you will see it, but it’s not objectionable. The image quality and detail is quite good. Focusing, even in low light, is fast and spot on the mark. There is almost no delay from the time I press the shutter button to the time the camera takes the photo. The camera does well in write speed to the SD card as well. Plus, I love being able to manually set aperture and shutter speed without using menus. That’s a terrific feature! And I haven’t yet missed having an optical viewfinder.

The S90 is a well designed, solid camera. The build quality is excellent. It’s small, but easy to handle. It has features that aren’t even on my DSLR and is quite capable. All-in-all, a very good camera and well worth the money.

5 Stars Keeper
Yes. Its a keeper. Easy to use, portable, some nice features, low light performance is amazing (tested ISO 400 and 800 mostly). Zoom is abit on a short side, but thats understandable. Love the front and rear rings and custom button. Waited a few years for this to come out. LX3 is also a great camera but zoom range and size killed it for me.

5 Stars Keeper
Yes. Its a keeper. Easy to use, portable, some nice features, low light performance is amazing (tested ISO 400 and 800 mostly). Zoom is abit on a short side, but thats understandable. Love the front and rear rings and custom button. Waited a few years for this to come out. LX3 is also a great camera but zoom range and size killed it for me.

5 Stars walk around photography
Took this out with my girls for an afternoon at the park yesterday. The ability to carry this in your pocket so easily is soooooo awesome. The quality I’m seeing so far has been great. Haven’t read the manual yet, and haven’t come close to denting what this camera seems able to do. It won’t replace my DSLR, nor did I intend for it to, but having caught the photo bug, this is an awesome tool to be able to carry with you wherever you are so you won’t be caught saying, “man I wish I had my camera with me”.

This camera is not for those who want an all in one. It takes video, but not HD. There are cheaper cameras that can take nice shots. If you want the ability to shoot RAW though, and really enjoy still photography, and never want to be caught without your camera….buy this. By the time I’ve actually played with this enough to know what all it can do, my 5 stars will be 5 stars with emphasis.

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Canon EF S 55 250mm f 4 0 5 6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Bring your photographic subjects closer with this Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Image Stabilizer Telephoto Zoom Lens. It is designed with Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer technology and is compact and light. This high zoom ratio lens is equivalent to a focal length of 88-400mm in the 35mm format (when used on Canon EOS cameras compatible with EF-S lenses). The image stabilizer effect is equivalent to a shutter speed about 4 stops faster than the same size lens without Image Stabilizer. In other words, if the slowest shutter speed you could formerly hold a 250mm lens steadily was 1/250th of a second, with Canon’s 4-stop stabilization correction, you could hand-hold at shutter speeds as slow as 1/15th of a second. It also uses a UD-glass lens element to correct chromatic aberration for excellent image quality throughout the zoom range. Filter Size – 58mm Max. Diameter – x Length 2.8 in. x 4.3 in./70 x 108mm (maximum lens length) Weight – 13.8 oz./390g Canon 1 year limited warranty

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars It works!!!!
I’ve had this lens for more than a year. With it’s price, I didn’t expect much from it. Decent lens, light, well enough build. It doesn’t produce the sharpest images. But I got a lot of good pictures from it. One thing that bother me the most is the color is off even on a nice sunny day.

Overall, it’s a good lens to start. But I’m ready to get a better one.

4 Stars New Owner
I purchased my first Canon digital camera and was surprised to learn how easy it was to use the camera.Then someone mention a telephoto lens for some closer and better shots and I purchased a Canon EF-S 55-250mm and they where right.I am happy about my purchase and more than pleased with my purchased.

5 Stars Canon Telephoto lense
The Canon lenses are great quality. I purchased this as a refurbished item through Amazon and have not been disappointed.

Highly recommend – b

4 Stars Good enough for me!
As a recreational photographer. Mostly youth sports. This lens gave me everything I needed.

I can shoot a soccer game from just about anywhere on the sidelines. And the shots that don’t quite fill the frame, I crop and everything looks good on the computer screen and after printing.

Only complaint (or better yet, aggrevation) is the zoom mechanics as far as motion goes. You really need to “twist it”. This isn’t as smooth as the kit lens. It reacts like it needs some lubrication so the zoom extends more easily. Not a big deal, but that’s the only thing I noticed as far as the lens goes.

For the money and the zoom range you can’t do any better.

5 Stars OMG!
Maybe I just got lucky, but I LOVE this lens! Yes, it is plastic (which can be a good thing, since it’s lighter and smaller than comparable zooms). And come on, I only paid $250!

The images from this lens are tack sharp with bokeh that is pleasing to the eye, though not as smooth and buttery as some would like. For me, this is fine, as a bit of post-processing can help if needed.

In most lighting (even in the dark!) this lens focuses relatively quickly compared to the Canon 18-200mm lens I’m replacing. The only time I found it slow to focus is in very low light, low contrast scenes, with the lens zoomed past 200mm. However, that is an issue with many zoom lenses in this price range (and higher). IS works well and is pretty quiet. Zooming/focusing is smooth with no lens creep whatsoever. Oh, and it doesn’t drain my battery too quickly, like some competitors’ zoom lenses.

Also, I see NO evidence of fringing in 99% of the high-contrast photos taken with this lens on my 50D. In the small number of pictures that display fringing, it is minimal and of a neutral color, NOT purple. Overall, I’m very impressed with the functionality, ease of use and picture quality for the price paid. This lens is a big winner for me and will find a happy home alongside the Canon 50mm f/1.4 and Canon 10-22mm wide angle.

After trying some very positively reviewed lenses from Tamron and Sigma, I’ve decided no one knows Canon cameras like Canon. I doubt I’ll buy another lens from any other company in the future. Go Canon!!!

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Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD

Everything about the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS is easy. The Smart AUTO feature makes every shot picture-perfect. An impressive 10x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer keeps you sharp and steady. There’s even an Easy Mode that makes shooting super simple. This AA battery powered camera enables you to easily power up Effective Pixels – Approx. 10.0 Megapixels Type – 1/2.5-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Lens – Canon 10x Optical Zoom Lens Focal Length – 6.0 (W) – 60.0mm (T) f/2.8 (W) – f/4.3 (T) (35mm equivalent – 36 (W) – 360 (T) mm) LCD Monitor – 3.0-inch low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD with wide viewing angle Shutter Speed – 15-1/2500 sec. ISO Sensitivity – Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 equivalent Exposure Control Method – Program AE, Manual; AE Lock, Program Shift, Safety Shift, Auto ISO Shift White Balance Control – Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom Built-in Flash – Auto, Auto w/Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/Red-eye Reduction, Flash Off; FE lock, Safety FE, Slow Synchro Shooting Modes – Auto, P, Av, Tv, M, Easy, Portrait, Landscape, Special Scene, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, Movie, Night Scene Storage Media – SD/SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, MMCplus card, HC MMCplus card File Format – Still Image – Exif 2.2 (JPEG); Movie – AVI (Image data – Motion JPEG; Audio data – WAVE (Monaural)) Still Image – Up to 3,648 x 2,736 (Large), 3,648 x 2,048 (Widescreen); Movie – 640 x 480 (30 fps/30 fps LP), 320 x 240 (30 fps) available up to 4GB or 60 minutes per clip Power Source – Alkaline Battery AA x 2 Dimensions (WxHxD) – 4.35 x 2.77 x 1.76 in. Weight – Approx. 8.64 oz

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A Great Camera for somone wanting a bit more than what the smaller point and shoots have to offer
I would like to start off by saying that I am not a very advanced photographer but I wanted to get a camera that offered more than what the compact point and shoots have to offer. The main feature about this camera (aside from the Canon name which I prefer) is the great optical zoom. I go to alot of sporting events and this camera is great for zooming in and getting clear shots of the action. I am usually sitting relatively far away in the stands but the zoom makes me feel right there. It also has alot of features that you can select from for a particular setting (ie sunset) or you can manually adjust the setting and focus to your liking. I think this is a good feature because right now I am not advanced and generally use the preset selections but if I learn more about photography I can still use this camera to make my own modifications. I like the fact that it takes AA batteries because if you run out of battery life, its easy to replace them on the go. One thing I want to point out, although not a major problem, is that the battery compartment is a bit hard to open. The picture quality is great and what I have come to expect from Canon. Overall, if you are looking for a moderatley small camera that offers the casual photographer great photo quality and gives you a great zoom with some extra features, this is the camera for you. Some people on here that rate cameras expect too much out of their point and shoot….its not an SLR so the photos in all situations are not perfect, but for its class it does a fine job. If you need every little detail to be perfect in any lighting condition, then go for the SLR.

3 Stars Good camera, but it lacks features
It is a good camera, as a powershot S1, S2, and S5 ex-user, I bought it because of its portability. I love the powershot S series ultra-zoom cameras, but now I want a smaller camera. But keep in mind, in this case, smaller the size, fewer the features. So this review is directed to S-series users that look for ultra-zoom portability.

First the good:

- Good image quality, IMHO. As I am not a professional, just an enthusiast, my amateur eyes tell me that the quality is almost the same of my previous S5, maybe a little more noisy.

- AA batteries: For me it is a must!

- Good battery life: Not as good as S series, as it uses only 2 AA, but It lasts two days of heavy using. in my last vacation, I took more than 1000 pictures, lots with flash, and changed the batteries maybe 4 times at most – Sony Cycle Energy 2000 mAh.

- Good optical image stabilization: same performance as S-series

- Manual control over shutter/apperture/ISO. A must!

- I-contrast: I realy think it works! The dark areas with bright background photos are better than the ones with S5.

- Automatic lens cover: No more manually covering the lens like on S-series.

Now the bad:

- No color accent!!!! Why Canon? As it is a software feature, why strip this useful feature (I think) from this camera? I loved it on my S5 and now it is gone. (Ok, I could do it with photoshop…)

- No color swap too – I did not use this one very much, so no big deal for me.

- No stich assist!!!!! Why again, Canon? No space left on the function dial? No space for more Digic4 code?

- No optical zoom with video… I am not a camera engineer, but it looks like a very difficult feature to fit on smaller cameras. As a user, I think: move the zoom lens, keep focusing and evaluating exposure – No big deal. It does not seem to be difficult, but, it may be, as a lot of pocket cameras lacks this feature. Sx120 has only digital zoom while recording videos (I hate the output quality of digital zoom), so I do not use it. For the record, you can use the optical zoom before starting the video recording, but it gets locked on this position until the video recording stops.

- No HD video: For me, it is no big deal, I like the 640×480 quality.

Bottom line: S-series users, it is a good camera, but I do not know why some good software features were stripped. I have accepted that it is the price for portability (it can fit on a large pocket), but as soon as a new AA-battery, compact, ultra zoom model with the SX120 lacking features comes around, I will sell this camera.

5 Stars Good for Amatuer and Advavced users. EZ Controls.
As a Good Amatuer who carried Japanese Analog Camera’s for 40 years,and now have tried 6 Digital camera’s,including Panasonic’s DMC-TZ5,I must say: “Wow!” Very simple to understand instructions , plus straight forward controls, and even the in “Auto” mode it produces XLNT results( very good brain input integration). But in the Creative modes of “Apeture and “Shutter Priority” you can do Professional work. The Nickel Hydride “AA” batteries and their large capacity, work very well in this Camera. All Camera’s I have seen/tried in this price range have some noise over 400 ISO. Sometimes I read reviews of those who have bought High Res. Camera’s, but have no way to view the better resolution result, because their Monitor is limited. Thus their disappointment in better and higher resolution camera purchases is a result of their reviewing source. This Camera will not disapppoint those “who know their stuff.” Amatuers will apprecate it’s “Brain.” Buy this Camera! A wonderful bargain in my opinion.

5 Stars Well worth the money!
This camera fit the bill perfectly for me. Fair price, ease of use and good picture and video quality. Image stabilization is awesome and the zoom is fantastic. Large LCD screen is also a plus.

5 Stars Great camera for the money
A super point and shoot camera. On a recent tour of RI Lighthouses I took many photos and I was completely satisfied with the results. Battery life is good if you get the latest in rechargeable batteries. To get the most out of this camera you need to read the instruction booklet that unfortunately did not come with the camera. You have to get it on line and if you want a copy you have to print it. All 141 pages. It took forever to print. This is the only negative I have about my purchase. Aside from Canon trying to save printing costs, I am quite happy with the camera.I do miss the viewfinder though.

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Nikon Coolpix L20 10MP Digital Camera with 3 6 Optical Zoom and 3 inch LCD Navy Blue

The COOLPIX L20 is a great camera for beginners just getting started in digital photography. Easy to use and fully featured the COOLPIX L20 will delight its users with great pictures, fun features and a huge 3.0-inch display at a surprisingly affordable price.

Nikons smarter approach to digital imaging technology. From image capture to processing, Nikons comprehensive EXPEED digital imaging concept encompasses the entire picture-taking operation. EXPEED is much more than a processing engine; it is a revolution in digital photography.

Three functions designed to minimize image blur for better results

Motion Detection automatically detects a moving subject and adjusts shutter speed and the ISO setting to compensate for camera shake and subject movement.

High ISO 1600 capability helps give you sharper results when shooting in low light or capturing fast-moving subjects.

Nikons original Best Shot Selector automatically takes up to 10 shots while the shutter is pressed and saves the sharpest image.

High-resolution LCD monitor
A huge, bright 3.0-inch LCD monitor makes it easy to compose shots and play them back anywhere, ensuring clear viewing even in direct sunlight.

Easy Auto Mode
Easy auto mode simplifies photography by taking control of settings, so you can just turn on the camera and shoot freely.

Nikons Scene Auto Selector
Automatically recognizes the scene and selects from one of six scene modes for best results. The COOLPIX L20 will choose, Portrait, Night Portrait, Close-up (macro), Landscape, Night Landscape or Backlight mode.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A Great Little Camera
I bought this camera based on past experiences with Coolpix cameras, and the L20 carries most of what I’ve liked into the 10-megapixel line. Some pros and cons:

* The use of normal AA batteries is probably the best feature of this camera. It keeps the L20 from being a super-slim, sexy piece of jewelry, but the importance of being able to keep inexpensive spare batteries around, or of being able to just run into a drugstore and buy more batteries in a pinch, is not to be underestimated. I usually use NiMH rechargeables (Kodak brand at the moment, but I have also used Energizer) and have had no problems with the camera.

* The easy-auto mode of the camera pretty much does all the thinking for you. Occasionally, I will switch to macro mode or the scene used for backlit objects, but other than that, it’s strictly point-and-shoot.

* Low-light pictures come out grainier than I would like, but that is to be expected with this level of product.

* My biggest gripe is that Nikon decided to put the SD card slot behind the battery door. I believe they did this to cut down the number of breakable doors on the camera, but I much preferred being able to easily get to the SD card, since I have readers in my PC and laptop. I have almost never used the supplied USB cables for image transfer. Since the battery door is a bit balky, I am afraid that since I’m going to be going in there a lot for the SD card, it is prone to break even more than a standalone door would be. This is not a deal-breaker, but I think Nikon took a step backward.

All in all, I am pleased with Amazon’s pricing and service, as usual. The Nikon L20 is a great little camera.

4 Stars Very HAppy
Panoramic feature does not work for me. May be I am not using the proper steps.

5 Stars Easy to use, Excellent quality
It was Murphy’s Law — our digital camera died two days before our big vacation. I didn’t have time to do a lot of research, I just needed another camera. The local camera stores were too pricey, and the staff at the big box stores were useless when it came to helping me select a camera.

These are the times when I love Amazon. I was able to sort by price, read comments, and order with 1-day delivery. Our camera arrived less than 12 hours before our flight departed and I’m thrilled to say that the camera performed beautifully, right out of the box.

Loved the “easy auto” settings, as well as the ability to switch to more manual-style controls to account for sunsets, water glare, overcast skies, etc. The only bad photos out of the batch were the ones when someone stepped into the frame!

We’re pretty camera-savvy, so I didn’t install the software. Instead, we simply pop out the memory card and use the slot on our laptop to download photos.

One note: I probably missed this in my haste, but since this camera comes with internal memory, the package does not include an SD card. Luckily for us, we had a 2 GB card from our deceased camera and were able to reformat it for the Nikon.

Bottom line: a great value, excellent photos, easy to carry in a jeans pocket, and lightening-fast delivery thanks to Amazon! I’d definitely recommend this camera for a no-hassle vacation memory-maker.

5 Stars Very Cool Coolpix
This little camera is amazing! It is very easy to use and very user-friendly. I haven’t read the entire manual yet and each time I use it I find another valuable function. I just found out that you can zoom in on an existing picture and save it as another photo – truly amazing! The video portion is handy although I have not had the opportunity to use it just yet. The software is extremely user-friendly as well. It only uses 2 AA batteries and they last for quite a while. A very good buy and a great little camera.

5 Stars My father loved it.
I gave this camera to my father as a birthday gift. He loved it.

He has been using it underground (he is an avid spelunker / cave radio enthusiast) and overground (he loves railways). He lives in France with my mother; thanks to this camera, I can now see how lovely their garden is.

This camera made my father happy. Therefore, I give it five stars.

Buy/More Info

Canon PowerShot SX20IS 12 1MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2 5 inch Articulating LCD

Canon PowerShot SX20 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera is an automatic point-&-shoot for those aiming for the best shots possible. With the classically stylish Canon PowerShot SX20 IS, you can produce magnificent HD movies and dazzling photos. Loaded with features, it’s got a high-powered 20x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer, 12.1 Megapixels, a big 2.5-inch Vari-Angle LCD, Blink Detection and more. With a (35mm equivalent) focal length the 20x zoom lens spans from a 28mm wide-angle to 560mm telephoto. That just about covers any visual perspective you might need. This camera takes great stills and HD quality movies. Large 2.5-inch Vari-angle LCD enables easy viewing This AA battery powered camera enables you to easily power up Effective Pixels – Approx. 12.1 Megapixels Type – 1/2.3-inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD) Lens – Canon 20x optical zoom with Focal Length – 5.0 (W) – 100 (T) mm f/2.8-5.7 (35mm equivalent – 28-560mm) LCD Monitor – 2.5-inch TFT color Vari-Angle LCD with wide viewing angle Shutter Speed – 15-1/3,200 sec. ISO Sensitivity – Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 equivalent Exposure Control Method – Program AE, i-Contrast, Manual; AE Lock, Program Shift, Safety Shift, Auto ISO Shift White Balance Control – Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash), Custom Built-in Flash – Auto, Auto w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash Off; FE lock, Safety FE, Slow Synchro Shooting Modes – Auto, P, Av, Tv, M, C, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Special Scene, Super Macro, Night Snapshot, Stitch Assist, Movie Storage Media – SD/SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, MMCplus Card, HC MMCplus Card File Format – Still Image – Exif 2.2 (JPEG); Movie – MOV (Image – H.264; Audio – Linear PCM (Monaural)) Still Image – Up to 4,000 x 3,000 (Large); Movi

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Annoying Lens Cap~ Great Camera
I am using this camera for college football. That means afternoon outside sport shooting. I have gotten great action shots. The video is easy enough.

I really like the adjustable viewfinder so I can shoot and watch the game. I have handed the camera off to 13 year olds and they are taking good pic’s.

I just changed batteries today,I have a couple hundred photo’s a handful of video. Changing out the batteries was awkward the fitting seemed off. The batteries lasted longer then I expected. I plan on doing the rechargeable route with 2 sets so I always have charged ones on hand. The lens cap is a huge hassle!! I would pay for a better lens cap. This one is cheap and doesnt fit well. It leaves the lens unprotected because it will pop off. I also would like a old fashioned type of camera bag that fits the camera. Other then the lame lens cap and bulky camera bag options this is a great camera for my use.

3 Stars Questions/Help!! This thing shakes and ticks.
Just bought this 3 weeks ago and on numerous occasions it makes ticking noises, shakes, vibrates, and other strange internal noises. Is anyone else having similar experiences with this camera?

4 Stars SX20IS Delivers – Almost
This is my first Canon product. Overall I am very pleased. I purchased early September 2009 just before a trip to the northwest including Victoria British Columbia. Comments from friends and family after seeing the pictures of whales, harbors, city lights, volcanic mountain peaks, and sunsets on the Oregon coast support the quality of the camera and the ability of an average photographer when coupled with a good camera. I do wish Canon would provide accessories to include U/V Clear Filter to offer basic lens protection, polarized filters to remove the sun reflection from my whale pictures (this would have doubled the quality of the pictures), and lens cap lanyard. Oh, a printed Users Guide sure would be nice. I ended up printing a dozen key pages from the installation disk to carry in the camera bag, a bulky alternative. I would buy the camera again.

5 Stars I love this camera~
I just received this camera a few days ago and I love it. It takes a while to figure out all the features, but once you get the hang of the settings you end up with some fantastic looking pictures. I mainly bought this for photographing my jewelry that I sell online, and it does an amazing job. I also enjoy taking nature photographs and so far this camera has delivered some terrific outdoor shots. I love the macro and super macro settings, they’re perfect for getting super-tight shots of my products. Everyone who has given this camera a bad review obviously didn’t take the time to tweak any of the settings. It takes a bit of patience to get the settings just right for your shot, and I am still learning all there is to know about this camera, but overall I am very happy with it. My only complaint is that the lens cap isn’t attached to the body of the camera and I have to put it in my pocket when I’m taking photos. I highly recommend this camera to anyone considering purchasing it.

4 Stars Camera Fun
I have a trip planned to the Holy Land and wanted a camera with good zoom. I believe this will handle my needs but can report more after this trip.

As of now, the only change I could suggest is some way to make a more sturdy lens cover or one that could be attached to some type cord. This may be the first thing I loose.

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