I bought this camera before a trip to Hawaii. When I got there, as soon as I went to take my first picture I got the dreaded "E18" error. If you don't know what this is, just Google "Canon E18" and see all the thousands of hits. Basically the camera lens stops communicating with the body, which makes the camera a paperweight. Luckily I was able to return it and get a replacement while I was out there. Fast forward two months, I turn the camera on one day and the LCD is white with a black blob in the corner, with what look like cracks going across the LCD. The plastic isn't cracked or scratched, this is a problem with the how the LCD was manufactured. Now I am screwed. I have a wedding to go to this weekend with no camera.

If there is any kind of a class action lawsuit, count me in.

I've had my SD200 for about three months. Yesterday during a site-seeing trip the LCD cracked leaving a white screen with a purple blob. Horrified, I looked online to see if this was a common problem and found HUNDREDS of reports of broken LCDs. I can't believe Canon is not taking responsibility for their poorly constructed product and doesn't order a recall or at least cover the LCD under warranty. The camera works fine otherwise, but is essentially useless without the menu.

Think twice before buying the Canon SD 200, SD 300 or any SD series camera. The LCD displays are large but extremely fragile. Mine was cracked on the second day. It was NOT dropped or abused.

I also have a Canon S110 and have taken just over 5,000 photos with it since Christmas 2001 without any problems. Apparently, in an attempt to make the new models light and the displays large, Canon sacrificed durability.

In some cases Canon will "waive" the LCD repair cost. In others they demand $165 for the repair.

I bought this camera for my twenty year old son for Christmas. The LCD screen broke within two weeks. He sent it to Canon and they said it was caused by impact/pressure, and he would have to pay $150 to have it repaired. When I bought the camera there were no negative reviews on this site; now there are at least seven regarding cracked LCD's. I think this is a defect that Canon should make right. Until then, I would not recommend this camera or any of the same line.

Let me begin by saying that Canon makes exceptional digital cameras; the best in the market right now. This is because they have always used high quality components since they began manufacturing digital cameras. This one is no exception.

Now that I've sold you on a Canon, which one should you choose?

First off, let's see if you really need an SDxxx camera, or would be better suited with a cheaper non ultraportable camera.

The SDxxx Series offers several key advantages over less portable models:
-Beautiful, sleek design and metallic body will wow anyone who sees it.
-Gorgeous 2 inch LCD screens
-The excellent Dig!c 2 processor (other Canons only have dig!c 1)
-Much better movie mode than previous Canons
-Small light, easy pocketability

On the other hand, there are some significant drawbacks due to the components Canon had to use to get the camera so small:
-Few manual controls.
-Pictures are not as sharp as those of similar non ultraportable cameras.
-The flash is very close to the lens (lots of redeye problems)
-More purple fringing issues than other Canons
-Proprietary batteries that are expensive to replace
-The LCD is very fragile. Read the SD200 and SD300 reviews to see lots of unhappy people whose LCDs broke. Canon's warranty does NOT cover this either. My suggestion? Buy using a credit card that offers a warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. If your lcd breaks, many CC companies will replace the camera no questions asked!

If you don't need the ultra portability and flashy looks of the SD cameras, a slightly larger camera with more features might be right for you. I would highly suggest Canon's A510 or A520 if you don't need an SD model.

If you still want an SD model, which one should you choose? The SD200 with 3.2mp, the SD300 with 4mp, the SD400 with 5mp, or the SD500 at a whopping 7.1mp?

Your first instinct may be that more megapixels is better. Today, however megapixel ratings are similar to Ghz ratings in the computer world: They used to mean a lot, but they don't mean as much anymore. More megapixels do NOT mean a better image. They mean a larger printable image. Unless you have to have huge prints, you simply do not more megapixels. In fact, the 3.2mp of the SD200 is enough for anyone who doesn't plan on printing pictures larger than a standard 8.5x11 sheet of paper.

That having been said, there are some differences between each SDxxx model. In order to get the larger 7.1mp sensor in the SD500, Canon had to make the camera larger. Thus, it is around a quarter inch thicker and 30% heavier than the other 3 models. The larger size did enable Canon to pack more features into it, however:

Features unique to the SD500:
-1/4 inch thicker
-30% heavier
-50% longer flash range
-14% more battery life

The SD400 and SD500 also share these benefits over the SD200/SD300:
-New "Night Display" feature which brightens the LCD in low light
-My Colors feature lets you highlight or swap colors right on the camera
-USB 2.0 High Speed support

The following are shared by all the SDxxx Cameras:

Pros:
-Beautiful, eye catching design
-Great image quality, though not as good as non ultraportable models
-New Dig!c 2 image processor
-Excellent Movie Mode
-3x optical zoom is adequate for most people
-Excellent, intuitive manual controls
-Huge 2.0 inch lcd that looks great under various lighting conditions
-Uses widely available and cheap SD cards

Cons (most of these are minor quirks):
-Some purple fringing problems
-Proprietary batteries are expensive to replace and inconvenient at times
-Lots of issues with fragile LCDs
-No RAW support
-Few manual controls

If you do choose this product, the first thing you should buy is a larger SD memory card. The camera comes with a 16mb card (32 in the SD500), which is pretty much useless.

You should also immediately purchase a case and some screen protectors to protect the LCD.

I bought this camera when the SD300 4.0 MP came out. I was debating between the two and found more reasons to buy this one over the other.

1.)Larger LCD screen (trust me, it's MUCH better to be able to see your pictures more clearly without squinting)
2.)It was much slimmer and lighter
3.)It costed $100 less

So why settle for something more when all you want is to take nice, decent pictures? If you're going professional you should look at the S series. But if you want a camera you could carry around (in your shirt pocket!)just to hang out with friends or go on a vacation without having to lugg all this equipment with you, this is the perfect camera. I've had it for about 6 months now (I even dropped it once =I) and it's working perfectly.

The only drawback is the little flash circles it makes whenever I take a picture while others are flashing. I don't know if that should be a problem.

Otherwise, it's the darnest thing!

I have 2 kids and wanted a camera that I could carry with me that wouldn't be bulky, eat up batteries and had a fast shutter speed. I have had mine a week and have been playing around with it and am so far pleased with my purchase. The camera is small, easy to use, and the larger LCD screen is really nice. I want to mention that I did not purchase this camera with the intent to print my own pictures, I just upload them to my computer and make CD albums and/or sometimes I e-mail them to friends. I did notice one thing that I am not thrilled about - unless there is a lot of lighting the pics are sometimes blurry. For example: OUTDOOR pics when the sun is out turn out GREAT, no blurs or anything and that is with my kids running, but if it's not really sunny you might need to use the flash. INDOOR pics turn out good if there is a LOT of light otherwise you have to use the flash, I took a piture of my ceiling fan on high and w/out the flash it was a tan blur, with the flash on there was absolutely no blur at all - you could see each individual fan blade prefectly. So the flash makes a big difference! I have been leaving it on auto so the camera will use it when it feels it needs to and that seems to be working. Overall it is a good camera for the average user, and for the money its a good deal!!

I like this camera so much I bought a second one after my first one got stolen. I have other SLR/pro cameras, but take the most shots on this as it's TINY and with me always. It takes great macro shots and has terrific color. The 'night' setting has been fun too. Am surprised to read about others' problems with the LCD -- my cam is always getting thrown around in bags and pockets and never gets a scratch. The only con would be this camera has a few more red-eye issues than others around this size.

Loved the camera for about 5 months. Great pictures, wonderful size, would have rated it a 5 star until the flash quit working. Canon is charging $100 for repairs because there was a tiny dent in the flimsy housing so that voids the warranty. I won't buy another Canon but I can understand why those who don't have problems with it would love this camera.

Got the kingston 512 sd card to go with it. Takes great pictures everytime with the flash off, even at night. Sometimes, using the flash seems to whitewash the pictures.

Favorite feature has to be the green rectangles that tell you where the multi-zone autofocus is aiming and the ability to zoom in on a photo you have taken in the cameras lcd. Get a good case, and the LCD should be fine. I take it everywhere.

Hint: Wear cargo pants. Then carrying around a phone, mp3 player, and a camera will be effortless and convenient.

I have watched many people such as friends, family, and others purchase and use different digital cameras. One day I was at my best friends house in Tacoma, WA, and her daughter stopped by. She wanted everyone to see her digital camera pictures she had taken while fighting fires in Idaho. It just so happened that she had a Canon Powershot SD200 Elph. She seemed to know her way around the camera quite well and she began to show us all the pictures and video clips that she was so proud of. I have to say that I was absolutly amazed with the steller quality of the pictures and videos taken with the Canon Powershot SD200 Elph. The colors were perfect as well as the overall picture quality. However, what really captured my attention was the quality of the videos/movies the camera had taken. She plugged the camera into a 27 inch television and the quality was close to that of a DVD. Heck, I was sold already. Coupled with the excellent sound quality I said to myself that I was going to get that exact camera some day. Well, I just purchased the camera and it is everything I expected and more. I am having a blast taking pictures for once in my life. I am absolutely certain that the Canon Elph Powershot Digital Camera is the finest on the market today. I say this because I have seen many other digital cameras perform, and none that I have seen come close to the performance, qaulity, workmanship, and dependability of the Canon SD Elph series. One other remark if you don't mind. I have an older Canon AE1 35mm camera. I thought that it provided me with extreamly good pictures and dependability over the years always using the automatic setting, but the Canon Elph SD200 actually takes better quality pictures than the Canon AE1. Now that is saying something. If I was you, I would not hesitate to purchase a digital camera because they are so easy to use in our computer driven society. Get a Canon Powershot SD Elph and you won't be sorry in any way, shape, or form. I can say with 99% certainty that the purchase will be one of the best investments you will ever make. Hey, it's a very cool camera!

-M.Kane

For a ultra-compact camera the SD200 takes very clear pictures, and is targeted for low end users who take mostly point-and-shoot images to be printed in 4x6 or 5x7.

While in Auto-mode, the camera will take care of everything, evaluating light, contrast and focus in 9 zones. It will decide the best possible settings and take the picture.

It is a fast camera. It turns on and is ready to take pictures in only 1.4 seconds and takes about 0.5 seconds to focus and shoot. It can also take 2.8 pictures per second if you use the correct SD memory (Sandisk Ultra II will do).

Talking about speed, this little camera can shoot 60fps video. So, when you reproduce it at 30fps you can see a smooth low-motion video (limited to 1 minute). If you shoot video at 30 fps (normal rate) the camera will record until the memory is full, which is about 10 minutes of video with a 1GB memory in 640x480 and 20 minutes in 320x200. Not many cameras can do any of that.

Even when the flash is powerful for a ultra-compact camera, it will generate dark corners for shoots at 2 or 3 meters.

Due to its high density lenses the camera will generate little blur in the corners as well, but you can hardly see that at first view. You need to zoom in the image with the computer to see the effect, so it's not big deal.

The camera also has a manual mode, that allows you to change several settings, like ISO speed, white balance, exposure and a few picture effects. It allows you to change the shooter speed to large values (from 1 second up to 15 seconds) great for night shots with tripod; however, it will not allow you to change the shooter for high speed values (too bad). Most you can do is to use the "pets and kids" mode to go up to 1/1500 for fast action shoots, but you cannot adjust it in other modes.

Tha camera also has a "digital macro" mode. Which is basically the "macro focus" that you could use in Auto-mode but it turns on the digital zoom as well (even if it is disabled). I don't think I'll ever use this mode since I hate digital zooms, they just make the pictures look bad.

The low-battery indicator only appears when you are really out of battery. Perhaps 10 shoots before it dies. There is no way to know if you have, let's say, 50% of battery power.

It has some hard to reach features like Focus-Lock, Exposure-Lock and Flash-Lock that need two button combination to enable them, but I guess not that many people uses them anyway.

The stitch-assist mode will help you to take panoramic views. It will set a reference with the end of the previous picture so you can know where was your last shot. Once you download the pictures to the computer, the camera's software will take care of the combination.

And finally, the battery and memory cover is made of plastic. It looks cheap to me and seems that you need to be careful with it, otherwise you'll break it.

So, as I said at the beginning, this is a camera for the casual point-and-shoot user who does not need (or want) manual settings. Pictures are clear and sharp. It weights little and it very easy to carry on, specially if you buy it with the PSC-90 leather case that fits like a glove.

I have bought this camera for my girlfriend. I am very satisfied with its function and slick design, the picture quality is good, the menu are also easy to operate........There is only one problem: it BREAKS EASILY. I fell it on the ground carelessly (only from 1 foot high) and I got a dent near the arrow button area. All arrow buttons screwed up after that: RIGHT key lost its fuction sometimes, DOWN becomes LEFT, while LEFT becomes DOWN sometimes (totally unpredictable), DELETE key also become irresponsive, although it's far from the dent. I admit I am a dropper, but I have never seen an electronic device screwed up so easily....Now I can only use it in a weird way, no picture review, no deletion, other functions related to LEFT, DOWN, RIGHT are also hard to use or totally lost....

We had our SD200 for about 6 months and kept it in a small camera case. Had lots of fun with it. Somehow the LCD screen (see other reports) broke with just minimal pressure to the camera. When turned on the LCD screen is grey with a purple splotch down the middle. It still takes stills and the movie mode works but you can't adjust the settings without the screen. Frustrated, we just sent it in to Canon. If they charge us to fix it will not pay it, just get another camera that won't break like this.

I have this camera for 6 month now. It has been working great. I now leave my Olympus "almost full size" 4 MP Digital camera (forgot the model name) at home and use this little one. The Olympus does have better picture quality (my opinion), but the SD200 is not too far from that. The reason I bought the SD200 is the size and acceptable picture quality. You can find a few detail reviews on the Internet.
The movie capture function is great. If you are going to use this feature a lot, I suggest using a 1GB memory card.
I did find that I was not able to put date/time stamp on the picture, but realized that this feature is only available when the resolution is set to "postcard" (1600x1200). Another inconvenient thing is that I was not able to force the "flash" in auto-mode, but switching between auto and manual mode is easy, so I will live with that.

I just needed a camera that was small, easy to use, and took good pictures. This camera fit the bill perfectly. I have had my camera now for 8 months and cannot find anything that I don't like about it.

I would recommend this camera to anyone!!

LCD screen cracked. I would steer clear of this camera but if you do buy one, make sure you get a really good case. The problem is that having a decent case makes the camera too big for your pocket.

Bought this from another retailer in another color. It's biggest obvious drawback is the lack of digital zoom. Other than that, for an amateur, the pictures can be taken at very high quality. I replaced the 32 mb SD card with a 256 mb card and have an amazing amount of picture storage inherent in the camera. The battery charger is also nearly as compact as the camera itself. The cameria comes with a neat carrying case that can protect it as it jostles about in your purse.

It's features are very easy to use, and it is quick to turn on and off. It's size makes it a little difficult for those of us with shakey hands, so you need to pay attention to how you are holding it in order to keep your pictures from being blurred. However, the size can be advantage as pulling it out, turning the flash off, and taking a few quick pictures without being noticed. Had a few problems with others unfamiliar with it trying to quickly push the picture button rather than press and hold it and therefore some pictures did not got taken, but it is very nice as a small, compact, and fairly high quality camera even for those amateurs exploring the world of more serious photography.

This little camera has every thing you need, from the high quality pictures to great video ability.

Same story as many other people here, I love the camera but the screen cracked. I've owned several other cameras that I've treated the same way and never had this problem. This is clearly an issue that Canon must address.

I purchased the Canon SD200 back in June and have taken hundreds of photos with it. With a 1GB memory card, the camera will hold over 600 shots taken in the highest resolution! Images are generally good to outstanding! And the movie mode is a great feature... you'll never miss that special moment with this little camera because you'll probably have it with you all the time (my wife keeps it in her purse!)

If you want excellent quality digital snapshots, then this camera is for you. Don't waste your money on higher pixel models since 3.2 megapixels is more than enough for printing 4 x 6 snaphots (and more than adequate for web sharing.) You'll only need higher resolution if you're planning to crop/enlarge the photos or make big prints.

I read lots of reports here on Amazon about cracked LCD screens. I'm not sure what's up with that, but my camera has gone from a cold (airconditioned) house to a hot beach many times, has been in my wife's purse (in the optional leather carrying case), and in my pocket many times. I've cleaned the LCD numerous times (gently, of course), and have had no problems. Go figure!

I give this camera a big "thumbs up" for quality and workmanship... and for size! My only word of caution is this: Make SURE that you use the wrist strap!! This camera is so small that it's easy to drop! And, I highly recommend the optional leather carrying case with magnetic clasp available from Canon.

I had the cam for 4 months.

Here's the bad news: the LCD screen is EXTREMELY fragile. I dropped mine from 2 feet high and the camera (not the screen) hit the leg of my chair. Now all I see is a white screen with a dark 'crack' on it. The glass plate itself is not cracked so I guess the liquid crystal system behind it 'cracked'. The camera still takes pics fine only I don't see anything on LCD. That is NOT covered by the warranty and Canon will want you to pay between $170 and $300 for repair. That is equivalent to buying a new camera! Canon should either stop making such fragile screens or should stop charging so much for such a simple repair - I bought my cam for $230 including taxes and shipping so don't tell me I have to pay 75% of that price to have the LCD replaced.

CanonUSA will sell you the LCD part for about $70 including shipping and you can repair it yourself saving $100. Here is a guide how to do it:

www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/jo262/broken_lcd_cracked_screen_ca
on_sd-300_sd-200_ixus-40_ixus-30.html

Now the good features:
The pics at normal light conditions or with flash are focused, well exposed with nice colors. If you shoot a tree branch and the sky at the background, the branch looks purple at the edge - that's called purple fringing and for most consumers doesn't matter since they won't notice it if somebody doesn't tell them. If you shoot text pages you will notice a slight fuzziness in the pic corners but the text is still quite readable. For most consumers that doesn't matter either since it is not noticeable in the usual pics where the main object is in the center of the frame.

The camera outperforms other cheap cams at low light conditions like indoors without flash or at night without flash - less blur and less noise. Make sure you use the 2 sec timer in low light without flash - that reduces the camera shake when the pic is taken and leads to less blur in the pic. The camera is mainly a point and shoot type yet it lets you control some features in the 'manual' mode like exposure compensation, ISO, white balance (including custom white balance with a white or gray object), autofocusing method (to focus on the center or on the closest object in frame), light metering method (to measure the light only at the center or to take into account the whole frame). I found these settings completely adequate for tweaking in the rare event when the auto mode doesn't produce the desired result. For hard to focus objects or problems with the exposure, the cam lets you do focus locking (focusing on another object at the same distance and then taking the pic of the first object) and exposure locking.

The cam records movies with acceptable mono sound till the memory card is full. There are 3 resolutions 640x480, 320x240, 160x120 and 3 frame rates 60fr/sec, 30fr/sec, 15fr/sec. The cam continuously monitors the exposure and ADJUSTS it automatically during the movie, this way the movie never gets unacceptably too dark or too bright. The focus is fixed at the first movie frame and can't be changed during movie recording (no continuous focus). The files produced are usually big: at 320x240 and 15 frames/sec, the file size is about 230 KB/sec.

According to Canon the battery NB-4L dies after:
......140 shots(LCD on, CIPA test standard),
......400 shots (LCD off),
......180 minutes playback time.
I was able to take about 240 shots with LCD on, but I take them very fast, about 2 sec in between and the settings of the camera didn't change much. There is a cute little charger that is included in the package. It is very compact and doesn't have a messy cord - you simply plug it in the wall.

The disappointing thing about the software that came with the cam is that you can't control the shutter from the computer nor you can preview the shot on the computer (it's easier to check for proper focus or details on a big computer screen than on the small 2" camera screen). Some of the cheaper Canons could do it.

The camera has a fast response due to the newer and faster processor DIGIC II. It supports USB 2.0 for pic/movie download to computer (900KB/sec on my computer).

I have been reviewing and comparing all the ultra-compacts and "finally" decided on the Canon SD series.....(it had the best reviews in the video mode as well as continous shooting, great macro and 1-15 slow shutter speed.) I was then torn between getting the older SD200 or going for the SD 400 with 5MP of resolution. Well, I called Canon to ask multiple specific questions and found that the SD200 and the SD400 have the very same features and technology in almost everything...including the same video exactly. I found the 3.2 resolution produced terrific shots and were better than I had expected. The digital macro zoom was amazing. And don't miss the continuous shooting mode....it's impressive. If you don't need the "color swap" mode, the increased resolution or USB 2 upload....then save alot of money and get the same little camera for a LOT LESS MONEY! Do buy a 1GB memory card and a sturdy case. I occasionally had some red eye...but not too much. Photos taken in low lighting conditions w/o a flash turned out great. The SD200 comes with Arcsoft software that (most reviewers) feel is better than the software coming with the newer SD models.

Negative...might be the flimsy plastic door hinges.
Positives....the metal tripod attachment on base..NO silly docking stations. A "real" viewfinder .... easy & small battery charger that plugs right to your wall outlet...continuous shooting...great video clips....easy to navigate interfacing.

After lot of searching for tiny cases.....I was VERY happy with a hard case I found at Ritz Camera...the Quantaray - Mini Digital Hard Case HS5, Catalog # 441662970 in Navy or blk @ $14.95 ...it is an ultra compact case that has NO BULK, and great protection (if you're like me and bought a small camera & want to keep things small..this is wonderful)....it opens along the top and sides by zipper it then folds open accordion style (I'll upload a photo)..so it is so easy to take your camera in and out. It also has a detatchable neck strap and an internal webbed pocket that fits my extra battery comfortably.

I had the cam for 4 months.

Here's the bad news: the LCD screen is EXTREMELY fragile. I dropped mine from 2 feet high and the camera (not the screen) hit the leg of my chair. Now all I see is a white screen with a dark crack on it. One of the inner LCD plates cracked, not the outside glass plate. The camera still takes pics fine only I don't see anything on LCD. That is NOT covered by the warranty and Canon will want you to pay between $170 and $300 for repair. That is equivalent to buying a new camera! Canon should either stop making such fragile screens or should stop charging so much for such a simple repair - I bought my cam for $230 including taxes and shipping so don't tell me I have to pay 75% of that price to have the LCD replaced.

CanonUSA will sell you the LCD part for about $70 including shipping and I replaced the LCD myself saving $100. Here is a guide how to do it:

www.cl.cam.ac.uk/users/jo262/broken_lcd_cracked_screen_canon_sd-300_sd-200_ixus-40_ixus-30.html

Now the good features:
The pics at normal light conditions or with flash are focused, well exposed with nice colors. If you shoot a tree branch and the sky at the background, the branch looks purple at the edge - that's called purple fringing and for most consumers doesn't matter since they won't notice it if somebody doesn't tell them. If you shoot text pages you will notice a slight fuzziness in the pic corners but the text is still quite readable. For most consumers that doesn't matter either since it is not noticeable in the usual pics where the main object is in the center of the frame.

The camera outperforms other cheap cams at low light conditions like indoors without flash or at night without flash - less blur and less noise. Make sure you use the 2 sec timer in low light without flash - that reduces the camera shake when the pic is taken and leads to less blur in the pic. The camera is mainly a point and shoot type yet it lets you control some features in the 'manual' mode like exposure compensation, ISO, white balance (including custom white balance with a white or gray object), autofocusing method (to focus on the center or on the closest object in frame), light metering method (to measure the light only at the center or to take into account the whole frame). I found these settings completely adequate for tweaking in the rare event when the auto mode doesn't produce the desired result. For hard to focus objects or problems with the exposure, the cam lets you do focus locking (focusing on another object at the same distance and then taking the pic of the first object) and exposure locking.

The cam records movies with acceptable mono sound till the memory card is full. There are 3 resolutions 640x480, 320x240, 160x120 and 3 frame rates 60fr/sec, 30fr/sec, 15fr/sec. The cam continuously monitors the exposure and ADJUSTS it automatically during the movie, this way the movie never gets unacceptably too dark or too bright. The focus is fixed at the first movie frame and can't be changed during movie recording (no continuous focus). The files produced are usually big: at 320x240 and 15 frames/sec, the file size is about 230 KB/sec.

According to Canon the battery NB-4L dies after:
......140 shots(LCD on, CIPA test standard),
......400 shots (LCD off),
......180 minutes playback time.
I was able to take about 240 shots with LCD on, but I take them very fast, about 2 sec in between and the settings of the camera didn't change much. There is a cute little charger that is included in the package. It is very compact and doesn't have a messy cord - you simply plug it in the wall.

The disappointing thing about the software that came with the cam is that you can't control the shutter from the computer nor you can preview the shot on the computer (it's easier to check for proper focus or details on a big computer screen than on the small 2" camera screen). Some of the cheaper Canons could do it.

The camera has a fast response due to the newer and faster processor DIGIC II. It uses SD memory cards and USB 2.0 for pic/movie download to computer (900KB/sec on my computer).

Totally impressed with this camera! As a "starter" for me, I couldn't have asked for more: print quality and ease of operation. Big criteria for me was that my "non-techie" wife be able to operate it successfully most of the time...She did!!! Great value for the money. Only thing that would've made it better (but probably more expensive) would've been to be able to rotate the viewer when aiming at something, while holding the camera in an awkward position. If you're new to digital cameras this is a good one to start with!

I purchased this Camera for work. I use it to document damage or lack of damage to rental equipment. For my application this unit performs great. I have several people that use this camera and have not had any of them asking how to use it.

I consider myself somewhat of a semi-professional photographer. I used to work for Kodak in Professional Digital Photography department for a couple of years, so I do know a bit about photography in general, and digital photography in particular. I do think, however, that my review will not only be useful to those who already know what digital photography is, and just looking for a new camera to replace/upgrade the old one, but also those who are completely new to the world of digital photography as well. I'll go straight to pros and cons, since I think that's what most of people want to see in reviews, especially electronics' reviews. So, here it goes...

PROS:
Compact - this is probably my favorite feature, if you can really call it a feature. It's small. It's very small, and thus portable. You can put it in the pocket of your pants and/or shirt, although I wouldn't recommend doing it as it still has some weight to it.

Aluminum case - another nice feature. Most of the cameras on the market are made of plastic. What happens to cameras when they get dropped on the floor? They brake. They brake easily. Aluminum case on this camera does not, of course, make it indestructible, but it does add that extra layer of protection that most of us need.

Decent picture quality - for a small camera, with only 3.2 MP, the picture quality is quite good. I suggest you look for a different camera though if you are too "picky", because it's not perfect.

Movie mode - I've been quite happy with it. Shoots nice little video clips, which you can watch right away on your TV, by hooking the camera up using provided cables.

Overall Ease of Use - another thing I like about this camera is that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how to use it. Yes, it comes with a nice little manual, but you can start using it right from the box.

CONS:
Price - for this range of cameras it's quite expensive comparing to other brands. You might want to consider a Nikon, Olympus, or maybe even a Kodak if you want to save yourself a "few" bucks.

Battery life - in one word - horrible! The battery lasts maybe an hour. I strongly recommend you have a backup. A couple of tips also: LCD takes up a lot of battery life, so minimize the use of it to a minimum. Movies also tend to take more "juice" out of a battery.

Virtually non-existent red-eye reduction - why do they have a red-eye reduction mode on this camera is beyond me. The pictures of people and animals come out having red-eyes no matter which mode you are shooting in. I use digital editing software to fix it.

Flash - the flash is not very "powerful", if you know what I mean. I guess, for this particular camera, since it's so compact, it's not bad, but for someone who's shooting a lot in the night mode, this could be a problem.

Digital zoom is practically useless - just what it says - if you use it, you "loose" it. If you use a digital zoom while making a picture, it will come out blurry.

Shooting of moving/night objects - if you shoot a lot of moving objects and/or night objects, I suggest you look some place else. This camera doesn't do a good job in either case. It takes a lot of time tweaking between different modes/parameters for a picture of a moving car for example to come out right when using this camera.

Not good enough of picture quality for Canon - I know I said that the picture quality of this camera is not bad, but... Canon is the world's leading manufacturer of digital photography equipment. I think they can do better, especially considering the price.

Summary: This is not a bad camera by all means. It's a good "starting" camera. It's a Canon. That means reliability. If that's what you're looking for, go for it. But if you don't care which brand it is, want to save yourself some money and still have a decent picture quality after all, I suggest you look some place else and read some more reviews on Amazon.

I own a Digital Rebel and absolutely adore the photos I get from it. I've invested in a range of lenses, a decent external flash, remote control, etc. but the camera is so damn bulky I will only take it on my "photo excursions" into the real world.

I've found I increasingly miss great shots and parties where carting a huge Digital SLR just isn't practical. To this end, I purchased an SD 200 prior to going down to Disneyland with my family. I didn't want to go on all the rides worrying about my camera and accompanying backpack.

Pros: The SD200 is a tiny, tiny camera. It has the feel of a "spy" camera, the one I dreamed about when I was 10 years old. The shots in regular daylight are pretty accurate in color, sharp in detail and generally up to par with what you'd expect from a film point-and-shoot camera. In other words, I got exactly what I expected from the camera in its shots. On top of that, there is a fairly decent camcorder function. I'll be getting a larger 1 Gig SD card to take advantage of it, but the feature is so flexible and the video so good, it's worth leaving my Canon Elura at home (hardly a giant camcorder, but not pocket-sized either). The video is rendered as large as 30 fps and 640x480. I wish it was 720x480 but oh well.

Cons: Almost a pro, this camera makes me appreciate just how gorgeous the Digital Rebel's photos are. There's no comparison in color, saturation, sharpness and above all, depth. The SD200 feels and shoots like a toy compared to the Rebel. But for my purposes, that's just what it is. I'll be carrying it with me everywhere now and getting all those shots I'd otherwise miss.

Final con and this one is the largest - the flash on the SD200 is way too powerful. It literally blinds people and generates red eye EVERY time, even with red eye reduction deployed. The ironic thing is, when I take off the flash, the low-light pictures often come out well. My only real complaint is that I wish Canon allowed you to control the amount of flash generated. Maybe there's a firmware update. I'm looking now.

Great camera for a 3 pixel and the price. Very easy to those not tech friendly.

My daughter absolutely loves this camera. It is much smaller than my wifes canon we bought a few years ago. (She likes the new one better). It is intuitive and takes great pics!

i like this camera really much. it is so tiny and light. but the pictures are really good. i take it always with me.

the could be more options. but the things it has are awesome.

i woluld buy it again.

After having this camera for only 5 months, the infamous E18 message showed up on my camera (something having to do with the lens) and the manufacturer refused to fix this problem without me first paying a $108 fee when the camera itself cost me just under $200. That's like paying for half the camera again. I definitely do not recommend buying ANY canon powershot products.

I love this camera. It's my first digital camera and it's great. The monitor is clear and it's relatively easy to use. It's lightweight and captures great pictures.

I've had this camera for four months, have used it daily and have taken excellent care of it. I was using it today, turned it off after awhile and when I turned it back on a few minutes later (with nothing happening to it in the meantime) the LCD was badly cracked leaving the camera unusable. Not being able to view the images is the least of my problems, the camera is worthless without access to the menu.

I took it to Best Buy, where I have it insured, and they refuse to fix it because they insist I dropped it, pointing out one of the cracks as a "point of fracture". They don't believe me (except I think they actually do) even though there is ample proof that the LCDs on these cameras are faulty.

Do not buy this camera. I could give several reasons why it is a terrible camera otherwise (flash too bright, turn the flash off and the picture is too blurry, zoom makes images too pixelated, autofocus is terribly stupid, etc.), but it is the LCD problem that should convince any potential buyer to stay away.

I would highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants a point and shoot type camera. Very easy to use and adjust settings. This camera takes outstanding photos! I am highly impressed very satisfied with the overall quality of this camera!

Zero complaints about this camera for what I paid. Yes, you can get a better camera in terms of resolution or functions, but you probably won't need more than you get with the SD200. I've had mine for just over a year now. It consistantly takes sharp, well balanced photos, the shutter lag is negligible, the battery life is reasonable and the included charger is slim and charges the battery quickly.

I bought this camera after extensively researching the options in this price range. You will not be disappointed for the price.

This camera is perfect for anyone who is looking for a user-friendly device. It gives enough options (speed adjustment, light adjustment, video) for everyday use. The rechargable battery alone makes it a great buy. You save tons of money on batteries and the charger is easy to use and quick.

I've had this camera for over a year now and couldn't be happier with it. Obviously it's very small, which works out great for those that travel a lot or generally like taking a camera wherever they go.

Picture quality isn't amazing, but very good. And at 3.2MP, there's enough resolution to print out an 8x10 photo...why would you need anything bigger?

I purchased the underwater camera case accesory. It's a bit pricey (around $100), but well worth it for the money if you know you're going to use it a lot. I took it to Florida during vacation and took hundreds of photos that turned out brilliant. I HIGHLY recommend using the "underwater" setting available. I took a few without it just to see the difference. They were very blue-saturated. The "underwater" setting eliminated all of that, leaving a clear image. With the attached strap, it wasn't a hassle to carry around either, even underwater. We did lots of snorkling (sp?) and diving with no problems.

On the con side:
- There's no battery life indicator! The only time you know the state of the battery is when it's very low.
- The lcd scratches easily, but that's to be expected. I haven't had any problems with the case itself scratching.
- The included SD card won't hold that many photos. Just spend the extra money and get more memory. They're fairly cheap these days. I bought the 256mb, and it holds plenty (hundreds).

Overall, great camera for the price, size, and ease of use. I did a lot of research on compact cameras before I bought, and this one has met all my expectations.

This camera is great and really easy to use and understand. The amount of pictures you can take is awesome and the quality is excellent. And its great because you can snap an image as much as you want and then erase what doesn't work to find that special picture. All my friends have the elf as well.

These Powershot cameras make it easy to take great pics,
and this one is a real bargain for what they're asking.

When this camera first came and I opened the box it was smaller than I expected it to be.
The basic reason I wanted a camera was to click prictures when I am out partying which means that the camera is not handled with care. But this camera was so strudy that during Halloween the button to click the pictures fell off but it was easily reattached.
Another reason I had heard was that higher mega pixel cameras require a lot of stabilty in your hands which is not usually the case during partying or just chilling when you actually need the pictures to be clicked to preserve the moment. This camera clicks pictures which are very good. I mean you dont need detailed functions which take time to understand and use as special moments do not last for ever.
This fits in easily anywhere and the battery lasts for ever. Its definitely worth the price you pay for it.

You really can't go wrong if you're thinking about buying this great camera-the Canon Powershot SD200 3.2MP Digital Elph Camera with 3v Optical Zoom. With so many brands on the market and so many choices, where does one begin to find the right camera for their personal needs? Where does one begin to isolate the camera that they want to buy for themselves or as a gift?

I hope that this personal and honest review will help you to narrow your search and help you develop more faith in what you're buying. So if you're looking for an outstanding digital camera, you've found it with this great one from Canon. This is a VERY dependable camera, probably in the top of the review listings and don't let its smaller size fool you at all! It's a camera that will always take color-rich and great photos for you-even if you make a slight mistake or move your hands just a tiny bit when photographing. It actually has a great deal of technology that is built-in and designed to compensate for anyone who might be in a poor lighting situation or someone who forgets to focus well before shooting the picture.

Canon Powershot Digital Cameras are hard to compare with others in the this arena. I've had a Powershot for a long time and I've taken over five thousand photos with it-it stands up against me dropping it or taking photographs in the rain. Aside for requiring powerful alkaline batteries that use a good amount of power, there is no downside to this incredible digital camera from a great digital camera maker. Canon was in the camera business decades before digital cameras were even on the market.

If you're looking for a gift for someone, you've found it in the Powershot SD200. If you are an avid photographer, like myself, and wish to have a camera for digital shots-this is the baby you'll want to buy or one you'll want as backup.

There is a great deal of information that you can read about this camera on the Canon website and other review sites online. You can compare the camera with others in the same category. You might find some slightly better deals with other brands that might offer increased amounts of Megapixels. That is NOT what you should be looking for. You will never need a 7 Megapixel camera unless you plan on blowing up your photos into poster-sized photos, so don't think that your Canon is less-than or not up to the standards of cameras with much higher Megapixels. Often the number of Megapixels is only possible with the use of special software to inerpolate the photographs. You don't want to have to worry about all of that. You are set with the Canon!

Canon puts together an entire Kit or Package when you buy the Digital Elph. I wanted to also let you know that the software that's included with the camera package is fantastic and is literally worth the price of the camera in itself. However, you're getting a super package with this deal and a camera that can depend on for as long as you want to own the camera. I've exposed it mine to rain about 10 different times, and I've not EVER had any even a small incidental problem. It's like the Energizer Bunny of Digital Cameras-It just keeps on Going and Going and Going and never stops!

I hope that this honest review was of some help to you as it was a pleasure to write it for you.

Pete Cannice
Scottsdale, Arizona

I have to be honest the Camera is the perfect size, takes OK pictures, but not great, would be great for casual pictures, and home shot. The main drawback is that the LCD screen is WAY too fragile. It literally takes nothing to crack it, and Canon will not cover it under warranty. My LCD broke in a case with a plastic lcd screen protector on it, I have been very careful because I was aware of this problem. Canon built a pocket camera that is too fragile to carry in a pocket. I highly suggest you find and buy something else.

For me, this is almost the perfect camera. It takes great pictures, and has a pretty good optical zoom. Any better than 3x might be unusable for such a small camera, because the lens would shake too much without a tripod. I think the small size and light weight makes it more vulnerable to camera shake. But that's OK, because I love the small size; it makes it possible/practical to take the camera wherever I go.

This camera has a great continuous shooting mode, which I almost always use to take pictures of my daughter (who's 3 and always moving, so it takes a lot of tries to get a perfect shot). The continous mode is fast enough, although not as fast as some more expensive (and larger) cameras I've tried. I wish the continuous mode would stay on my default, so I don't have to turn it on manually every time I turn on the camera. I bought the SD200 instead of the 300 because the I don't need the 300's extra pixels, and the 200 has a faster continuous mode.

It also has video mode which has made my video camera nearly obsolete. It takes DV-quality movies of unlimited length (until your SD card is full). I wish it had stereo sound though. And, you can't zoom or change focus while taking a movie. Once in a while I get a video that is out of focus. But this is still not a good enough reason to lug my video camera around. There are some great videos of my daughter which I only got because the camera happened to be in my pocket.

I do have problems with redeye when using the flash, but I rarely use the flash.

Great camera, takes great pics, for the great price.

Super small and fits in most any purse or pocket.

This is a great little camera. I've carried it for the last 6 months in my sleeve cargo pocket while in Iraq--without a case, and haven't had any problems w/ the screen. It's handy, lightening fast, and takes crystal clear photos. Everyone who's seen it or taken pictures with it wants one. And the ability to recharge on 110/220 V is great for traveling. The battery will usually last at least a week or more while taking a few snap shots a day. I highly recommend it as an alternative to a big--slow--expensive camera. Get a 512 SD card and you'll be set for anything. 3.2 mega does the trick for most users. For under $200 nothing else compares, buy it! Or if you insist on spending more, buy the newer SD400.

I just got this camera today and it's great! I needed a smaller one just to take around college. My other camera was too big to just slip in my pocket and I found myself just never taking pictures. But now I can just take the sd200 anywhere. The camera is also loaded with options and takes awesome pictures.

So you know how big it is, the camera is about the size of an altoids box. It also is very, very light.

All around great camera!

After reading several reviews of different digital cameras on the Web, I chose the SD200 for its price/value point, and I am not disappointed.

This camera is definitely worth it.

After reading many complaints about the "fragile" LCD screen and worrying (needlessly) about purchasing this camera, I went ahead and bought it. This camera is a bargain! Lots of great features! Long lasting battery, perfect crisp macro pictures, continuous shooting mode, b&w or sepia pictures or movies.
As for the LCD screen, if you read the instruction manual, it does say to prevent damage to the screen from condensation, to keep the camera in a resealable plastic bag when going from hot to cold or cold to hot temps and letting it come to room temperature before using!
The movies from this camera are the BOMB! No need for a camcorder if you have a 1G SD card!
I also love the girly features such as colors for the clock screen, wallpaper, sounds (dog barking, wolf howling, bird chirping), etc.
Anyone interested in the Canon hard case for this should go to Best Buy-they have a similar generic, genuine leather, hard case for only $7 and carry it in black, brown, red, or croc embossed!
I'm having a blast with this camera and find it well worth the price!

my mom has a s400 elph. she convinced me to get this at about 200 with a memory card. i jus got it today. i have been playing with da features like slo motion video. its quite fun to take pics. there are alot of options to use. its also so light compared to a s400, it is also very small with a nice bright screen for viewing crisp pics. a must have if u want something cheap. i reccomend a lexar memory card.

I think that this is currently the best digital point-and-shoot camera for its price range. And the best of all is that I received the higher-end Canon Powershot SD400 5-megapixel model for Free from this web site: camera.top-deal.biz

I got this camera (SD200) some two month ago. It is my first digital camera so I cannot compare it with others (thus 4 stars), but all in all, I have been satisfied with it. Some of you may be concerned about the "fragile" LCD screen (reported below by some other reviewers). I was concerned too, but as far as mine is concerned, it's been okay so far.

Couldn't resist the free Coach bag promotion and got this for my daughter. Took 3 pictures on Christmas and two yesterday as it was carefully carried in its Coach bag.
Upon next turning on, the LCD is locked with a frozen batwing that is also visible when it is turned off.
First Canon CSR gave instructions on sending it back without mentioning the possibility that LCD is not warranteed. Second CSR said it's a judgement call by the tech as to possible camera abuse and to send a clear note about camera history.
It's on its way to repair depot. I saw previous 1-star LCD comments and hoped to be lucky. Sigh.

From its sleek look to its durability, the Canon ELPH SD100 Powershot is the best camera in its megapixel class. The relatively small screen is clear and scratch-resistant and has lasted some wear and the camera itself is brilliant. I've used many different settings and love the end results. Standard automatic shots are great too- the depth and fullness of color is great. I need more megapixels, but if you're not a professional photographer, this is the perfect camera for you!

I have a Rebel XT but have always been in the need of a decent small camera to carry around because of the ease of doing it. I bought this for my wife and it was the best purchase of Christmas.

It is rugged, the pics are high quality, and perfect, especially for a woman's small hands. The card it comes with is small so buy at last a 256mb card and you can take about 200 High qual pics or 1000 standard. The flash is also much brighter than I thought and the quality of the built in video is great as well.

I wanted a small digital camera to take travel pictures. This is a great small camera - the automatic settings are easy to use. I especially like the one-touch download feature and the automatic settings for night pictures. A friend liked the pictures from my camera so much he bought one on vacation.

I was at first hesitant to buy the canon sd200 because of apparent problems with the lcd screen. Then i heard about the da oly protector from daproducts.com. It fit perfectly on the camera and keeps the lcd free from scratches or cracks. If you buy this camera you should definitely consider purchasing the protector. Without it I wouldn't have peace of mind about putting the slim camera in my pocket for easy storage. Overall Great Picture quality and extremely long battery life.

this is the best value out there. the canon sd200 takes great pictures, and for 169 dollars it was the best snapshot camera ive purchased yet! lightweight, compact, and rechargeable (very important).

I brought this camera for my presonal use and now after using it for a month now I think its worth investment I have made. The photos come out really very good, even when the light is low (ofcourse i had enabled auto flash). Outdoor snaps turned out to be excelllent.
The best part is its so handy that it can be carried anywhere anytime.

If you are looking for your first digital camera, the SD 200 is the one to go for.
I got mine for $175 in November 2005. At that price its a steal.
The main advantage is the small form factor, which means you can carry the camera easily in your jeans or shirt pocket rather than buy a special camera pouch or bag.

Takes clear photos even in low light situations. I like the compact size. Works great for my use.

I bought this compact guy about 3 months back. the photo is sharp and the resolution ability is powerful. the only con is that this is not so cool as the sample picture.

Very small and easy to use snapshot camera.
I like the LCD screen and lots of manual functions, too.
The automatic controls are a bit off when taking pictures in the dark and also in moving vehicles, but once you switch it to manual, then you can take nice pictures in all conditions.

For some reason, it does eat up battery. I find myself using up a battery with one days picture taking. Maybe turning it on and off drains power because I didn't even come close to the number of pictures taken for a full battery. More like half.

I brought it on my Peru trip and went backpacking with it. It was awesome!

Excellent camera from the price. Highly recommended for a bargain priced camera, but it has all the features of its more expensive brethen.

Had the camera for 2 weeks and the LCD is already broken....
Great job Canon!

I love this camera. I've owned several point and shoot digital cameras, and this is the best of the bunch. Everything about it is top notch except for it's red eye reduction. Red eye is almost always present. It's not that big of a deal for me as I can remove that with software fairly easily, but it's worth mentioning because it is a major problem. Other than that, this camera out performs every other mini digital camera I've owned.

I've had the camera for 11 months taken hundreds of wonderful pictures. Then one day the camera was in my daughters purse and the LCD suddently appeard broken (no physical sign of abuse) but it had turned white with purple feathering on the screen (internal damage of some sort). I read about others having difficulties with service of LCD's from Canon so I thought I share mine recent experience.

First I want to say that Canon was EXCELLENT about handling the return/repair. I called their service center and they told me where to send it, never was a cost mentioned. Sent camera w/store receipt and warranty card; 7 days later had letter from Canon stating camera had been received and their diagnosis was a cracked LCD (caused by pressure). The very next day I had camera delivered at my door by Fed-Ex, only 8 days after I'd sent it to them. I could not be happier with their service. Maybe they've heard and recognize a screen problem and that are now dealing with it in the professional manner the should have originally.

In any case, have my wonderful little camera back, good as new. Happy with Canon and their service/support. Now wanting the sweet SD550.

I have been using this camera for over a year now and have taken it with me on many travels to other countries. I have been very happy with the picture quality and really like this camera. The battery life is excellent and this is an easy camera to travel with (I had no problems with international adaptors, etc). There is some difficulty shooting in bright light settings and the red eye function doesn't work well (although easily correctable with the software). I would definitely recommend this as I great point and shoot camera.

Wow. Where do I start?
Well first off, I got this as a X mas present. I popped in the included 16 mb card to start shooting. That small of a card goes into the "why even bother" department. It holds about eight high resolution jpeg images.
I got a kingston 512mb card as another present.
Have no doubts about buying this camera. Dont let the small megapixel count fool you into thinking its low grade.

Tips:
1. Unless you are totally new to cameras, shoot in manual mode. It gives you a lot more options.
2. Use a custom white balance. The auto white balance is okay, but not always correct.
3. Press the shutter halfway. The focusing will be done. Then push the button the rest of the way, and it will be faster. Better pictures!
4. DONT USE DIGITAL ZOOM! It may sound good, but it makes your pictures extremely fuzzy and awful.
5.For movies, shoot in Fast Frame Rate. 60 frames per second! The quality is unbelievable.
6. If you turn off the flash you may find that your pictures get fuzzy. Try turning up the ISO. If its still fuzzy get a tripod.

All in all this is the best compact digital I've used.

Bought two of these for my daughters. Pros: Takes excellent pictures; convenient size; easy to use; many feautures for the money; excellent value.

Cons: LCD cracked, not from dropping or abuse. A little research shows this is not uncommon for the SD200 or SD300. Sounds like defect to me. Will try to get it repaired because we like the camera, but I'm a bit wary now.

The LCD display failed after only 6 months. Up until then it was a great camera, but I am really disgusted with the poor quality that it would fail so soon.

This camera was purchased as a gift for my son last November. He had an error message that displayed when the camera lens would not close. I provided him with the purchase information and warranty card (which he left at home when he headed back to college)and he contacted Canon for service. By the time I spoke to him again, he had already shipped off the camera for service and received it back in 'good as new' condition. Total cost to him was less than $7 shipping.
I'm thinking that I might need to purchase the 2 year service plan Amazon offers with these. :-)

Love this little camera but the LCD cracked after less then 6 months of use as well. I thought one of my friends dropped it but it looks like a pretty common occurence. Maybe I'll get it serviced.

Either way, the quality of the pics is excellent and honestly, who needs 8 Megapixels anyway.

I hate to sound glowing and non-objective in a review, but I absolutely love this camera. I was hesitant to buy a Canon after my last Elph showed poor battery life and mediocre picture quality. Nonetheless, it was good ENOUGH to keep me in the family. This camera, however, is everything I could ever want in a camera. It is gorgeous, tiny, tough (I've dropped it a couple times accidentally), was easy to set up, and has all the features I could imagine wanting. I am a student, and I take pictures of charts and graphs in text books that look amazingly sharp (make sure to push the "close-up" button, it makes all the difference). The manual features are great for getting just the right look anywhere (another tip: I highly suggest taking many photos with the ISO set to 400 without a flash). The Photostitch software is really fun to play with if you enjoy photography at all (lets you piece pictures together to make a panarama). I can't comment on the main software program, because I plug my memory card straight into my computer without the camera, and I use Picassa software from Google (free, good program).

This camera is one of the best purchases I've ever made. I can't imagine needing another camera for a long, long time.

This was the first digital camera I ever owned- my dad bought it for my 21st birthday last year.

This camera was perfect for me, someone who just wanted a camera to take pictures of my friends and events in college. Unfortunately, the camera was dropped and the screen was cracked. The camera, however, continued to operate although I couldn't change any features. I used it right up until it got stolen recently.

Nevertheless, I love this camera and I am definitely planning on buying another one as soon as funds provide. But for those who just want a camera to take decent pictures and who want features that are easy to use and understand, this is the one to get!

One of my best gifts for myself last Christmas!

A perfectly sized camera that goes everywhere, captures great images, and is priced well enough that you will take into all situations.

Only downside is the tradeoff of size versus handling. The smaller camera does require more dexterity to hold...a small price to pay to take anywhere.

View screen has not been a issue, as others have noted. I have dropped once while in Canon case. No adverse impact.

The Canon SD200 goes everywhere in my wife's purse.

It takes great pictures, indoors and out. The only setting my wife messes with is flash. This camera is perfect for her.

The viewfinder is a plus as it enables her to steady the camera by holder her camera hand against her face. Using the viewfinder, rather than the LCD, extends battery life.

This camera is great for short videos of our granddaughter. With a little care, it is suitable for natural-light photos. It focuses in low light. Shutter response is good. Digital "Noise" is a bit better than what one should expect.

This is our 4th digital camera, and our favorite for casual use. It just works.

I bought this camera for my girlfriend, and she's had it for about 4 months now. We had an issue with the actual button you press to take a picture falling off. We sent it back to Cannon and they repaired it for free under warantee. Since then the camera has been fine, until....a couple of days ago. Now the lens will not extend and makes a grinding sound when turned on. Needless to say the camera will be going back and hopefully repaired under warantee but this is just plain getting annoying. When the camera works its PERFECT - but all these little issues are really starting to make me wish I bought one of the higher end SD's like the 450.

I have owned SD200 for six months now and I am very happy with it. It is great value for money. It has all the features I wanted - small size, cheap, low pixelage (yes low pixelage!). The camera is very sleek and fits into any pocket (even a tight jeans pocket). That's a major plus point about it. It is 3.2 MP which is all I needed as I never take prints larger than postcard size. High MP cameras are recommended only if you plan to print large posters, if you are not going to do that, don't waste your money on 6+ MP cameras. It's photo quality is excellent for its price. Soon I am going to buy a digital SLR but that's not because I am not happy with this one. I am 100% satisfied with this camera. Small point and shoot cameras and bulky DSLRs have their own utilities and one can't be subsituted for the other.

One thing I like is that I can switch of the LCD screen and take photos using viewfinder, that saves a lot of battery! You can take a lot more photos with LCD switched off. Don't go for a camera that doesn't have a viewfinder or doesn't allow you to switch off LCD. Battery life is average, but when on trips I generally switch off LCD while taking dayshots. Then battery can last for the whole 3-4 day trip with 400+ photos without recharging the battery.

Pros -
-Very sleek
-Excellent picture quality for it's price
-Very low flash charging time
-Unlimited video shooting at decent resolution
-Cheap

Cons-
-Does not have bulb setting so you can't keep the shutter open for unlimited time for night shots.
-Doesn't use AA or AAA batteries (but that's not a biggie as long as you remember to charge it before heading on to your trip and take the charger with you).

it is a great camera for
1. it's size
2. performace
3. price

It takes crisp pictures. I took lots of shots so far both in out door as well as indoor, it never disappointed me. Camera size never compromised with quality of pictures. Pictures always turned great. Thanks to canon Digic processor. This camera is very compact, in fact all this series of cameras, you can carry anywhere just like a cell phone. It fits in your shirt pocket as well. It comes with rechargeble battery, so saved little money for batteries. If one does not want long zooms, this would be the best buy.

I had previous experience with canon digital cameras and after my old powershot S50's screen cracked, I thought, no big deal just buy another canon. Anyway, bought this camera (actually bought 2 - the other one I gave as a gift to my sister)and over past 6 months use here are my impressions:

Pros:
>great portable shooter for first timers
>intuitive controls, including easy video function
>great basic camera for getting 4x6 pics

Cons:
>LCD screen again cracked without explanation

The screen cracking again on this camera together with what happened to my SD50 leads me to believe that the LCD's on Canons are very fragile and you probably have to buy a hard case to enclose this camera to protect from possible damage. Given that cracked lcd's on digitals render them almost useless, a future improvement from Canon should include reinforcement of these screens or possibly use a sliding cover to protect them when not in use.

The camera itself works very well, and I would recommend if it weren't for the notorious E18 error (search Google for it) - which occurred at a particularly unfortunate time for me. Canon charges $250 to fix the problem if it's out of warranty, and denies that there is a design flaw in the camera (which there is - thousands of people are experiencing it).

I've had several small digital cameras in the past, but none compare to the Canon Powershot series in picture quality. This camera is perfect to carry in your pocket all the time.

This review was written only to tell everyone that the screen is very fragile.

I am an extremely careful person and have gone to great lengths to protect the camera. Unfortunately just last week,