I find that this is a great camera for taking pictures outside. However, while inside, the camera is pretty useless unless you're a foot away from your subject. In fact, the camera tends to work better in full darkness rather than in partial light. Often I find myself having to carry a disposable camera with me which I use for inside or nighttime pictures. Also, the flash cannot be turned off...I've tried. If you do manage to turn it off, the camera refuses to focus and your pictures come out blurry. In conclusion, spend the few extra dollars to buy a camera with a better flash...you'll appreciate it in the long run.

I bought this camera, and the batterys included only lasted about 10 minutes (cheap ones; regular ones last about an hour). But the picture queality is very good, and they turn out clear. I find it easy to use, except for the fact that when you turn it on, the flash is set to the on position always.

...at 1.2 megapixels...i first thought the picture image taken would not be so clear...as my previous digital camera was a 2.1 hewlett packard...but to my surprise...this camera actually produced a clearer and more realistic photo than the h.p.....the skin tone came out very natural looking...the built in flash is also surprisingly strong enough to take a picture in pitch black and yet not too bright for normal portrait photos...

...more great features on this very affordable camera are self timer...movie mode...3.2 digital zoom...high resolution 1.5" viewing screen...easy navigation of menus and setups... lightweight...efficient flash...red eye reduction...autofocus... 3 different picture resolution modes...3 different image size modes...and many more

...some downfalls to this camera maybe that it is only a 1.2 megapixel camera and the largest quality photo it can take is a 5"x7"...the batteies drain fairly fast when using the color screen to take photos(only holds 2 AA batteries)

...overall this camera is a great one...for first time digital camera owners to experienced ones as well...for the features in this camera will keep you enjoying the many uses of a digital camera for memories to come!

The good features: The quality of the photos is excellent considering the price of the camera - clear and sharp with good color. Closeups are great. The photos download automatically when the camera is attached to the computer and the program lets you crop and add light and contrast to the photos before you store or send them.

The bad part: The memory card lacks space so one needs to have spares when touring. The instruction manual is terrible and the batteries run out quickly while one is trying to understand the instructions. Scrolling down the menus while hunting for options wears out the batteries. You must have rechargeable batteries on hand and to save the batteries use the view finder and not the screen....if you can figure out how! There is a long wait between pressing the button and taking the photo.

I still believe in the quality of Canon cameras but after using this one for a few months, it's been increasingly difficult to get it to take pictures. When I press the button for it to take, it often does not actually take the picture and must be pressed repeatedly for it to take. I thought perhaps this was just a problem with my camera but my friend has a PowerShot A200 and complains of the same problem. This presents a frustrating problem because I cannot ask other people to take pictures for me as they do not necessarily know how to "coerce" the camera. The other problem I've encountered is that you can't change the manual/automatic settings without turning on the LCD. This causes an enormous drain on the battery. The settings are also difficult to find if you don't have your user's manual at hand.

Other than these problems, this is a great little digital camera at a good price. The pictures I have taken successfully with this camera have all turned out good and clear.