I bought the SX100 as an everyday camera so I wouldn't have to lug around my Canon 30D DSLR. I've had it for a week now and it takes very decent pictures for a P&S. I haven't used a P&S in a couple of years since buying my my DSLR so it took some getting used to.
I took a couple of shots yesterday of my daughter and while it doesn't have the clarity of a DSLR (obviously) I got some very nice shots with really nice, sharp eyes.

My only gripe so far is that I wish it had a viewfinder. That may not be an issue if you're used to P&S cameras without one but I find myself putting the camera up to my face like I do my 30D.

I bought this camera last week and I've take over 200 photos and a couple of movies. This camera is great for some one like me who wants the point and shoot options and settings but still likes to dabble in the manual world and play with doing it myself. I've used this camera to shoot pictures of my niece at the park, at the aquarium and on a carousal. The face recognition/ picture centering feature and the image stablization is great and allows you to capture images with out blurring. The aquarium pictures were amazing, with very clear detail and perfect lighting. The movies were clear with out shaking and the sound was pretty good. I also like that this camera allows me to use 2 AA batteries of any brand in case I get stuck somewhere with out any power.

I love this camera. My fiancé and I bought this as a great camera to have around since my old camera took really blurry pictures. It was a great investment. It takes great pictures and has an excellent shutter speed for a digital camera. It's really nice because we have a young kitten who runs around a lot. I would definitely suggest this camera to anyone I knew was buying a camera.

A 300 dollars camera without a view finder is a rip off.

End of story

I bought this to replace an old Canon Powershot. So far I like what I see. The pictures are very clear and the settings are easy to use. I love the zoom capability.

You can ignore any review of a point and shoot camera based entirely on the presence or lack of a viewfinder. There are plenty of cameras with viewfinders and plenty of them without. If you really want a high end Canon with a viewfinder, stop reading and go look at the G9, the S5IS, or the A650. Most people who shoot with this type of camera don't even use them, and for people with strong glasses prescription, like myself, they are so small they are absolutely useless. With a P&S viewfinder, you don't even get the true picture. What's actually going on the sensor is what's on the LCD. The new models are so bright you can see them in almost any light. Most even have way to boost the display if needed. Viewfinders are a nice feature but only one of many.

I have tried out this camera in stores and plan to buy one. The scroll wheel makes it very easy to adjust settings, like to change ISO for example. Ergonomically, it's large and curvy, like a mango, very comfortable to hold, even if you have big hands. The buttons are big and in the right places. It isn't small enough for a shirt pocket, but it is still quite portable. It has a large sensor, which means those pixels are bigger and hold more color information, giving you better pictures. My only gripe is that it doesn't start at 28mm (wide angle); that's not a deal killer, but for indoor, family shooting, I'd prefer Wide to 8x over Normal to 10x. Most people would take 10x over Wide. Teens and Twens looking something sleek & sexy to take clubbing, this isn't it; the SX100 is sensible shoes in a stylish world.

I highly recommend this camera to anyone who wants a easy to use point & shoot that takes great pictures; to anyone who wants a P&S than can do manual/aperture/shutter priority but can live without RAW; to anyone with a touch of arthritis/carpal tunnel or anything else than makes gripping and manual dexterity a challenge; and to those who really want a G9 but can't justify the extra $200.

This is a great camera for the pro/am shooter that wants a little, but sturdy camera around. I normally shoot with a Canon Mark II, so I'm sometimes reluctant to shoot with smaller cameras, but this is a great deal for the price and features.

First off, understand that no point-and-shoot will ever match the quality of an SLR... but as far as point-and-shoots go this is one of the better ones.

The top feature so far to me is the image stabilization. Absolutely amazing. With decent support I can take shots at 1/8 shutter speed and still come out with a clear shot. It's so much better than sacrificing picture quality with a higher ISO.

Second plus is the price. At around $250 the SX100IS is as good as the Canon A640 and about $100 less. The A640 is 10mp, 4x zoom and has a flip screen, but the SX100IS has 10x zoom to trump it. 8mp is all you need in a camera like this. Don't get me wrong, the A640 is a great camera, but the SX100IS is the better deal.

Everything else is what I've come to expect from Canon and more. Much better manual controls -- the scroll wheel makes it simpler to change settings. A wide variety of ISOs from 80 to 1600. Good face recognition technology.

The SX100IS falls short in only one area... the flash.

Before I get to the negatives, the great thing about the flash is that it doesn't pop up automatically, and yes that's a good thing. I like this because it's simple -- flash down, it will not fire. Flash up, it will fire. No fumbling around for the flash button, no unexpected flash in the museum, etc. It's a very common-sense approach. Kudos to Canon for believing that their customers aren't complete idiots and that they don't need an automatic flash.

Where the flash disappoints is in performance. First, as usual, it over powers on most close up people shots, whiting out faces. This is at least correctable by dialing down the flash power in the function options.

Red-eye is another problem I always seem to have with Canon point-and-shoot flashes. I don't think the red-eye reduction feature works at all.

There also seems to be a little delay when using the flash. Not that this isn't the case with other point-and-shoots, but this one seems a little longer than normal.

Finally, the automatic color processing with the flash doesn't compensate enough for the flash. Pics look a little blueish. It's not too bad, but again I've seen better.

So this camera gets a 4 out of 5 because of the flash issues, but if you're mostly shooting without flash (and with that great image stabilization, you can shoot a lot more no-flash) then it'd be 5 out of 5.

I pre-ordered this camera and paid full price because I couldn't find another camera with a similar features list at this price point. I haven't been disappointed. I've taken it on trips to San Francisco and China and it performed flawlessly. I took about 75 pictures before I had to swap the rechargable batteries I'm using (Energizer sells a nice 120/240V collapsible charger with 4 2300 mAh rechargable AAs for about $15). I haven't used all the features but made good use of the manual mode settings for night photos of the Golden Gate. I had to deal with camera shake at high zoom levels but that is a problem with any lens above 200mm.
As expected, digital noise begins to show up at ISO settings above 400. If the lighting is good the processing time is short. However, processing is a bit longer in low light conditions.
In general the controls are logically placed, the buttons are not too small, and the menus are easy to follow. I find the scroll dial on the rear a bit clumsy. Occasionally, I push too hard and make a selection by rocking the dial rather than scrolling.
I added a SanDisk 2Gig Ultra II memory card with the USB feature and highly recommend it.
I was looking for a camera that I could use in Auto when I don't have the time or desire to compose a shot but offered the option of manual controls. I found it. With the features, 8 meg resolution, and 10x optical zoom (36-360mm equivalent) this camera is only one step shy of a DSLR without the bulk.

I have used this camera for one month and will comment on my observations. First the zoom lens is superb. It works smoothly and is easy to operate. I use it all the time. The pictures at full optical zoom (10X) were crisp, detailed and clear. The color was bright, warm and true to life. I found myself saying, "Wow, wow, wow. I can't believe how great these pictures look ". They are superior to the ones I take with my Canon S2 1S. One brght and sunny day, I took some pictures of a near by river and pedestrians who were at least 100 yards away. I used the digital zoom to enlarge the pictures 40X. They were surprisingly good..again couldn't believe it. However, on a gray day this was not the case. The pictures were pixilated and of poor quality. However, the 10X optical zoom pictures were always excellent. The superb image stabilization system contributed greatly to the quality of the zoomed pictures. My Canon Powershot SD 1000 is a wonderful pocket sized camera but at times frustrated me because it only has 3X optical zoom without image stabilization.

The macro setting of the SX100 IS is superb and easy to use. The picture quality caused more "Wow, I can't believe how good they are." Some of my most exciting pictures have been in the macro setting.

The camera is small enough to fit in my pants pocket albeit with a noticable bulge. I have been carrying it this way for the past month even though I have a carrying case for it. I wanted a camera with a decent zoom lens to carry with me on most days. It works but it is definitely not as portable as the Canon Powershsot SD 1000. I don't mind the increased size because I love the zoom. Thus far the unprotected LCD screen has not been damaged in my pocket. The screen itself is good size, easily cleaned and scratch resistant. The screen in no way reproduces the fine quality of the pictures as seen on a computer or when printed out. The screen has fewer pixels than the SD 1000 screen. This is not a problem for me. There is no viewfinder but the screen works reasonably well for me in bright sunlight.

The camera has a solid feel which I like and is relatively easy to hold steady for zoom shots. The battery and SD card cover at first felt a bit fragile but on repeated use it seems to work just fine.

The movie function is average at best. The low resolution movie setting takes poor quality movie that are unacceptable to me. At the high resolution setting the movies are o.k. You can zoom during a movie but it goes out of focus. If I want a close up movie shot, I zoom first in the camera mode and then switch to the movie mode and shot the movie. The results are o.k. My Canon S2 1S zooms while shooting a movie which
I like.

I have not used the manual controls so I can't comment on them. I have use the programed shooting modes for evening and inside shooting etc and they work just fine.

This is a great camera albeit not perfect. For me, the picture quality is it's greatest asset. It is a pleasure to give it a 5 star rating.

My wife just purchased this camera after quite a bit of shopping around. I use a Nikon D70, which she also uses on occassion, and she had previously picked up a Fuji F20 to play with when I was doing the "serious" photography. After months with the F20, she wanted something more, but didn't want the size and weight of another DSLR.

This camera is perfect for her needs. It offers great manual controls that are easier to use than any other camera below the DSLR level. Shutter speed and aperture are limited, of course, but you get enough freedom to control depth of field, and that's what really matters. (with a sensor this small, you don't need anything beyond F8.0 because everything is in focus already, and F2.8 is wide enough to produce a decent amount of bokeh.) ISO range is great and easy to adjust as needed.

Manual focus is great. I was surprised to find this included, but boy can it make a difference. On one of my test shots, the camera could not focus on the object I had placed close to the lens (for testing depth of field), but with manual focus I got it right where I wanted it. Auto-focus works fine in bright light, of course, but manual focus is handy if you're shooting in low light.

The only downside to this camera, compared to the others we looked at, is the use of AA batteries. We have rechargeables, of course, but I would much rather take a small charger along on trips than a set of AAs and a big AA charger.

I will post some photos after our trip this week so people can see what this camera is capable of. I would recommend it to anyone looking for more control over their photos, without the expense and hassle of transporting a DSLR.

PROS: Great controls that are easy to use, lightweight, simple to operate and not at all intimidating like many more expensive "advanced point-and-shoot" cameras.

CONS: Despite quality, there is some appreciable picture "noise" at the highest resolutions. This is a minor issue as it is to be expected in a camera this inexpensive.

I purchased this camera yesterday based on reviews of this camera and similar cameras I found here on Amazon, but I felt that this model didn't have enough reviews going for it.

First of all, the SX100 is a good size and the controls are easy to use, especially when compared to similar cameras in the "advanced point and shoot" category.

While the camera is fairly large when compared to newer "sleek" cameras that are so popular right now, when I compare this camera to the Canon Powershot A40 that I'm replacing, it's a little bit smaller and MUCH lighter. Furthermore, when you compare the size of this camera to Canon's upper-end models and competitor's cameras in the same segment, the SX100 is quite a bit smaller.

The controls are excellent - firm, crisp, and very logical. I doubt anyone will have difficulty figuring out all of the camera's basic functions. The controls are one of the best aspects of this camera. The competing cameras I tried had a lot of buttons and they were intimidating. I'm sure that I'd figure those out too, but I like the idea of knowing how to use a camera in 30 seconds (easier to explain to people taking pics for me, my girlfriend, etc.).

The movie feature works quite well, but like all camcorders an external mic is required to get halfway decent sound. Still, for the money, it's a great added feature.

As far as the zoom feature goes, it's solid. 10x isn't enough for me (I don't know what would be), but it's quite a bit better than most digital cameras on the market. It was enough to get a decent picture of a person standing over 60 feet away. It should work well for my purpose of taking decent photos at sporting events.

If I had to make one complaint, it would be that there is some "noise" present at the highest resolutions. It's quite a bit better than a cheaper 5MP camera I've used in the past, but it doesn't compare to the image quality from an SLR. This is a minor complaint, simply because most cameras in this segment (and for this price) have some picture noise.

To sum it up, I'd recommend this camera to anyone looking for a quality point and shoot who doesn't need or want the features of an SLR. If you're really interested in total control, lots of buttons, a "shoe" for mounting external flash, mic, etc., this isn't your camera. For everyone else who just wants to take pictures, go for it. It's a great deal

This camera is a canon, so the picture quality is high as expected....Even auto mode produces photos of very high quality.
I haven't actually figured out the face detection yet, maybe i'm a little slow........but hopefully that works well......

The controls are easy to use and all functions are easy to find...

Only thing I don't like, is there is no histogram on the display screen while taking a picture.....it only shows up when you review a photo

I like the idea of the flip up flash....its good to not have to worry about the flash firing when not wanted......

I got the camera for $235.00.....it was definitely worth it....ordered if from amazon for $259, plus i had a $25 reward certificate from amazon, so put that towards the camera to......

you will need to buy a memory card and batteries, and i also suggest lcd proctors to put on the lcd screen....

I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for a quality digital camera with lots of manual controls....

It is a large camera compared to a lot of other digital cameras, so if small size is important..this camera isn't for you........

pros
its a comparatively small camera with the features of larger camera. i like taking panoramic pictures but use it mainly on social events. the face recognition feature also lets you know that the camera is focus on what's important to you. the night feature is great too.
cons
a little (just a little) too bulky to fit in your pocket. otherwise, the features more than make up for the bulkiness. after taking a picture, it may take just a little for it to come back to be ready for the next picture. again the feature more than make up for the slight delay.

consider carrying a little camera pouch. get yourself a couple of 2G SDs and 2 extra AA rechargeable batteries and your set for a day of videos and stills.

i also recommend the silver. most carry only the black one. you may pay a little extra for the silver one but its worth it. it looks better. you can see the camera better specially in darker scenarios including the little labels on the camera. this may not seem important until you're there and have to hand off the camera to someone whose not so familiar with the camera.

This is my first digital camera and I am finding it easier to use than I thought I would. I love the pictures and the quality of them. I don't have a lot of camera expertise and know all the right things to say, but I do know that I am very happy with this purchase and would recommend it to somebody looking to get into the world of digital. It's not the most expensive and fancy camera out there, but it's better than many and a good place to start!

I've had other powershot cameras in the past so I knew I wanted to stick with Canon. I ordered this camera a few weeks ago because zoom and MP were better than my last powershot. I'm very happy with the quality of photos from this camera and the ability to change settings to take black and white and such is fun to play with. The lack of a viewfinder doesn't matter if you're used to looking through the screen as I am. Tho I tend to forget to raise the flash, but a reminder is displayed. :) This camera is definitely worth the money and the price is a good deal through Amazon.

A worth pay camera...excellent pictures and features..no malfunction...not at all difficult to use...Guide provided is excellent...

Liked pics and movies taken in my florida trip.

Only thing I am UNHAPPY IS THIS CAMERA WAS SOLD AT 256 $ and now it's COST is 239$ on amazon...:( within 15 days...

Nice camera for family trips, fmily occasions..., in home and office. and good for starters too...especially the 10X optical is a bonus...

16MB SD card is a joke I used my 1 GB SD I had ...It stored 350 pics with default setting in auto...I had to replace batteries 2/3 times....if you take videos more , you will need bigger 4 GB SD card..good thing SDHC also works with camera...EXCELLENT HAPPY

I love this camera!!! Whether the subject near or far this camera captures it all. It is fun and easy to use. The pictures are sharp and the colors are perfect. Canon has a real winner.

This is my fourth digital camera. I get get bored with things and have to have another one thats better, but I think this camera will be around for some time. It makes taking a great photo easy. I was driving and a car was passing me, so I pulled out my camera. I did not even look at the screen and took a picture. The car was at least 50 feet away going over 70mph. The photo came out great and I could even zoom in to see the license plate. The image stabilizer was great. I will be buying another one of these cameras as a gift for my family.

I just bought this camera to replace an older Sony camera (which I could never get to take good pics without editing them). Well with the Canon, no editing necessary.. Pics come out perfect every time! Nice true color (unlike Sonys), not too dark, and very sharp, crisp images. I was totally amazed that I could even see the bright LCD screen outside in the sun!! We have had many digital cameras, and this is by far the BEST we've ever owned! It is the most feature-packed camera I've ever seen. There are so many pre-defined modes I can't remember them all, but some good ones were Portrait, Kids & Pets, Nighttime, Landscape, Indoors, Snow, and even Fireworks! The face detection feature is amazing, and I also like that it shoots 16:9 widescreen pics. The menus are easy to use.. I started using this right out of the box, without even having read the manual. The 10x optical zoom is fantastic, and I just discovered the digital zoom goes all the way out to 40x! The zoom is AMAZING for such a small camera! This is not as small as other pocket-size cams, but it still fits nicely in my purse, which is important. Dimensions are about 5x3x3, making it pretty hard to find a nice case for it right now, since most other cameras these days are only about 3 in. wide and an inch thick (and I am not fond of the style of case Canon makes for this). But hopefully third parties will starting making cases for this camera. The only other thing I could wish for this camera is a lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack, so we don't have to buy AA's or use the short-lived Nickel Metal-Hydride (NiMh) batteries that end up developing the memory effect. Other than that, I can't say enough about this wonderful camera. You name it, the Canon PowerShot SX100IS does it!!!

The camera gives me what I want. Good zooming function, large LCD,
quick shot, moderate weight and volume, and cool appearance.
However, the noise on the LCD is more obvious than another camera of mine in dark place.But it works pretty good when outdoor. Anyway, it is a good camera for the price and I like it very much.

I went for this camara for the zoom and the price and so far I have been very happy with both. The zoom allows me to get pictures that I couldn't get with my old digital with 3x. The picture quality looks great and even amazes me on the LCD. I was already familuar with the other features because a friend of mine already owns a Canon. Being able to play with his camara and see the stitch mode and the video mode made me jump on the sx100. I knew that my friend's Canon would not allow you to zoom out during movie mode so I was very impressed when I was able to both zoom in and out when taking video on the sx100. This camara will serve me well with a new child on the way.

although I am a newcomer to this whole digital picture age, I find this camera to take exceptional pictures in any lighting. I've only had it for a short period of time but I have taken night shots, portrait shots with the timer, and candid shots and found it to have excellent quality. In the past I have only been a point and shoot kind of person but intend to find out more about picture taking now that I've gone digital. I love the size. I find the smaller cameras hard to hold on to and would be afraid to drop them. This one fits my grip just perfect. I would definitely recommend this camera to the expert picture taker as well as the beginner.

The service was good the camera came in good condition actually sealed in the box.

Whether you are an experienced DSLR owner (as I am) looking for a compact second camera or you are someone looking to upgrade from your old point-and-shoot digital camera, the Canon PowerShot SX100IS is a well designed compact camera that has a lot of rich features at a very reasonable price.

I've been using my Canon Digital Rebel (DSLR) for several years and am very pleased with it. However, I have become increasingly aware of how bulky it is, particularly when I want to go places where it's inconvenient to lug around - like going hiking. So I set out looking for a smaller pocket-sized camera that had as many features as I could find comparable to my DSLR.

Being a fan of Canon cameras I limited the field to the PowerShot G9, the PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS, and the PowerShot SX100IS, all Canon products. The G9 is promoted and priced as the best of Canon's non-DSLR cameras, although from the reviews I've read it is more appreciated for its look and feel than for its performance. It is an 12.1MP 6x optical image stabilized zoom camera that can shoot RAW images. In comparison, the SX100IS is an 8MP 10x image stabilized zoom camera that doesn't shoot RAW. (I've shot RAW using my DSLR and don't find it necessary to get great photos.) The SX100IS has almost all of the other features of the G9, is about the same size, but weighs a lot less.

The S5 IS is an 8.0MP 12x optical image stabilized zoom camera. It looks a lot like a DSLR but doesn't allow for swapping lenses, and it can't shoot in RAW. It has very similar features to the SX100IS but is considerably bulkier and weighs more.

Even though all 3 cameras live up to Canon's reputation for taking great shots, I chose the SX100IS over the G9 because it had a higher optical zoom capability, weighed a lot less and was about $200 cheaper. I chose SX100IS over the S5 IS because it is more compact and lighter, and is about $80 cheaper. (Also, the SX100IS' 10x optical zoom is pretty amazing in its own right.)

The SX100IS has almost as many features as the other 2 cameras at a considerably lower price. I particularly like the Macro setting (which allows me to take really close-ups shots of ferns and the like on my hikes), and I like the manual focus capability for when the situation is such that the auto focus won't work properly. Also, I find that the lack of a viewfinder isn't bothersome. In fact, in some instances like when I'm playing around with white balance, I can get a preview of how the exposure changes on the 2.5" LCD screen, which isn't available on my DSLR.

Since purchasing the SX100IS about a month ago, I find myself reaching for it more often than I do my DSLR. For my money and for most of my needs, this camera is superb.

This is yet another one of the compact ultra zoom IS cameras. Canon seems to have played a delicate balancing game with this one -and hit upon a winning strategy. The camera's big points are great image quality at ISO 200 or less, IS for steady images all the way extended, a usable high ISO (not great, but usable - especially if you have something like noise ninja), light weight, AA batteries, and a video mode. Another bonus is a general Canon bonus, they do very little in the way of image processing in camera so the higher iso photos, while not as good as the lower, respond better to post processing than cameras that do a large amount of in camera noise reduction. The facial focusing is really a nice feature and the auto focus is lightening fast - I was quite impressed.

If you know the Canon UI, the SX100 is simply a wonderful refinement of it. Setting anything is almost completely intuitive. now if you do have big hands, the scroll wheel may be a problem, but that's about the only flaw that I could see - and for me, that wasn't even an issue

The downsides would be that there isn't RAW processing - but for a cheap camera, this isn't unexpected. The video doesn't let you zoom as its shooting - for that you'd need the S5, the wide end isn't all that wide, and higher iso isn't all that great (but better than other point and shoots (if you want quality here, you are looking at dSLRs) - and really those are the main downsides - all trade-offs I was willing to make.

At the end of the day, if the iso is less than 200, you'll get great photos. IS makes it easier to take tele photo images that aren't blurred due to camera shake - and it works well. If you are looking for a cheap, good, light point and shoot this may be the one.

I was hoping for a complete package of a camera when I ordered the Canon SX100IS. The good points are that it has maintained much of the same features and menu options as the Canon Powershot cameras. The 10x zoom is absolutely fantastic. It is a significant improvement from my other point and shoot cameras (Canon A95 and Canon SD600). The picture quality is also very good - excellent color and very crisp.

Unfortunately, the camera has a very slow flash cycle time (upwards of 10 seconds). This is so annoying that I find myself pulling out my old A95 and SD600 for indoor photos. What a shame as this camera takes such great photos!

I love the features and picture quality of this camera but I happened to get a bad one. Even with new batteries, any brand, it would only take 20-30 pictures and sometimes I hadn't even taken any pictures and it would tell me to replace them. Exchanging for another one because I don't want to give up on this model due to it's size and features. Easy to use and versatile with plenty of manual settings. Flash recycle time is slow but a minor inconvenience. Beware the possible battery problem but don't hesitate to pick this one up.

This is an excellent camera for the money. We were previously using a Canon PowerShot S30 (3.2 MP) for many years, and it was time for a new one. Of course, considering our old camera, any modern camera would be an improvement, but this one in particular is fantastic for many reasons. I have large hands, and hate the puny "cigarette pack" cameras with the tiny buttons. This one is large and the side grip (on the right side of the camera while holding it) is very comfortable and secure - even though it has a wrist strap I know I'll never drop it. Add to that that I've taken several photos and movies with it without even opening the instruction manual, I'm very happy with it. I believe after reading the manual I'll be able to do almost anything with it. Perfect camera for the casual, "point and click" user.

More pluses: Uses AA batteries (I use rechargeables but you could use ordinary batteries if you get stuck on a trip for example), takes SD memory cards (very common, all modern PCs, printers, and even some TVs use them), takes great digital mini-movies (about 100meg per minute, with a large SD card you can take respectable home movies)

On the minus side, obviously this is intended for the casual/novice user, makes a great family camera, but of course if you're a pro you'll want something more (and probably wouldn't be reading this anyway). It doesn't have a viewfinder, but I certainly don't miss it, the screen is large and bright. Also, if you're looking to put this into your pocket, it won't fit, so you'll need a small camera bag.

The only real problem I had with this was when I made a movie of my son's ninth birthday party, the candles caused an odd reflection in the movie - probably something to do with the lens. He ended up with 9 little dots around his face, even though the cake was in front of him. Not a real big deal, it came out kind of cool.

Bottom line: Strongly recommended for family use or if you're looking for a great value for the money. Having owned a Canon before this new one is great and I know I'll buy Canon again when it's time to replace this camera. Recommend going to a "brick and mortar" store and trying it out, then come back and buy it on Amazon - their price cannot be beat! And with super-saver shipping, it got here in 3 days!

I bought this camera a month back and I am totally impressed with it. Photo quality is great, IS works really nice and video mode also works brilliantly.
Its handly pocket camera and looks really nice.

It has only one drawback and that is flash recycle time. Its bit high, but can be still not a bad deal.

In low light it works really good and night mode photos are really clear.

About Battery, purchase pair of rechangable batteries and it would work nice. It always better to keep backup batteries.

Overall really nice camera and overall a good deal!!

The camera takes exceptionally good and clear pictures. The 10X zoom comes in very handy. The camera feels sturdy and I havent had any problems with the scroll wheel, which i have read about in some other reviews of the product. But night time photography reduces the shot-to-shot time horrendously. Its highly frustrating when u want to take a few quick shots and you end up waiting for ages. I found the flash range to be a bit less. I havent used any other megazoom, so I cannot compare. If a high optical zoom isnt your top priority, you might wanna consider other models, otherwise, its a good camera overall.

This little gem has more features and performs better than much more expensive and larger cameras. You can't go wrong with this camera!

I was using Canon A610 before buying this camera and was extremely satisfied. I thought of upgrading to some advanced camera and bought SX100 IS but am not impressed at all. It has a very slow response time between shots. Picture quality is also not very impressive. Another problem is its flash. It has a pop-up flash which needs to be poped out manually. There are great chaces that you will foret to pop it out and would loose precious shots..huh!
I'm returning this camera.

I am a dedicated Flickr member and family photographer. I have a bulky Canon DSLR that's getting old. I bought this camera to complement my DSLR because it has features that my old camera does not have, like video, face detect autofocus, and compactness. I love the video because often all I want is a short clip.

I am impressed with the camera. It is packed with features. On the upside, it can manual focus (I was surprised) and do many other things that my DSLR can do. While most features are easy to use, on the downside, I spent some hours reading the thick manual to determine how to do uncommon things like lock the autofocus and exposure. The manual is quite excellent, so I found out what I needed to know. It just took some time.

As compared to an old Canon DSLR, I found the following pros and cons.

PROS:
FULL-FEATURED for a power user
Latest DIGIC III processor
Compact
Video
Price (especially on Amazon)

CONS:
1-2 second lagtimes
Sensor noise is noticeable for ISO 400 and above
Plastic body

The Canon SX 100 will be my everyday camera to photography family and take in the car whereever I go.

If you are interested, I posted a few shots on this Amazon website. I hope they show up.

Canon PowerShot SX100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)

I purchased this Camera by looking into the positive reviews that every other site had. Here are the problems
- This has just a reasonable picture quality. But this severely fails in dim light. Beleive me, My Nikon coolpix 3200 is far more better in Dim light. I also Compared the shots with Kodak ZD 710 and Kodak is miles better than SX 100.
- The color distinction is very poor. A blue object in low light looks like a black object. I tried with all possible night settings. But unfortunately nothing worked.
- The camera performs superior than others in terms of focusing while zoomed and clarity of zoomed photos are better
- The flash recharge time of 4-5 secs is unacceptable
- The only advantages I see are battery life looks to be decent, ant this camera does not need a lens cover and 'relatively' compact

I loose 10% restocking fee on return, still I would prefer to return this.

This camera is awesome. This is a great camera for someone who wants to start out just amimming and shooting but also wants features of a 35 mmSLR in the future. It can take the novice photographer to higher creative levels when they are ready to move on to bigger and better things. It is very user friendly, has great features to play with or just aim and shoot in auto mode. Either way you will get great pictures.

I was needing a camera with good zoom and very easy to use. I had the Kodak Z740, but images came back blurry, especially in low light situations. I would try the different settings and even obtained help from their tech line. I could not count on good pictures

After shopping around and looking at different camera reviews, I selected the SX100IS. First thing I did was try taking shots inside, outside, bright light, low light, during a snowstorm - both at regular and full zoom...wow, the pictures came back great. I picked up a card reader so I could just download the pictures quickly and not need to load up my computer with all sorts of software.

I just want to take good pictures without the technical effort, this camera has enabled me to do so. The only drawback is the usage of regular batteries, but you could probably get your own rechargable. As you can tell, I am not a camera whiz, I just wanted something that is easy to use and delivers great pictures. This camera is it.

I bought a Powershot A570 to replace an old A510 and had to send it back. It had full manual controls, which I liked, and it took pretty good pictures, but the the build quality was horrible. The zoom was jerky and it just didn't feel or sound like a very healthy camera.

This SX100, however, is another story. It is solid, the zoom is smooth as can be and the LCD is a lot crisper than the A570. Plus the picture quality even seems a little better.

My only complaint is when you screw a tripod mount to the camera it covers the battery cover. I nearly always use a tripod and I don't store my camera with the batteries in it so when I want to take them out I have to take the tripod mount off too. But this is relatively minor and I'm sure I can get used to it. While it certainly has enough manual controls to be used by the professional, most people will probably just use it as a point and shoot anyway so this wouldn't be much of an issue.

If you are thinking of going with the A570, and you can possibly swing it, I would recommend spending the extra money for the SX100. The trade-off you get in quality is worth it. Most retailers are getting $300 for it, but I bought mine from Adorama for $235 plus shipping. Amazon doesn't seem to have it in stock right now.

Well, I got this camera as a gift in early December, and I must say I am very pleased with its performance. It is one heck of a camera. Its a great medium range camera because a beginner in photography can use it, and it was great manual control for more advanced photographers. It takes very good pictures and is a lot of fun to use. Also, its 10X zoom is marvelous and allows you to get close and personal from far away, making it useful for concerts or other such performances.

Pros:
-Good shutter lag(when first auto focusing, then taking the photo)
-Good, bright flash
-Large, visible LCD screen.
-Excellent zoom
-Aperture, shutter speed and manual focus controls allow for excellent control over the camera for more serious photographers
-has excellent batter life and is nice and easy to hold

Cons:
-Slow flash recycle
-Only comes with a 16MB sD card.

Overall, this is an excellent camera, but buy a good set of rechargeable AA batteries, and a bigger sD card to go along with it. It is a great buy for the money and is made by a reputable and high quality company

After using an older model digital for three or four years, I finally decided to move up a notch. I did a lot of research online and settled on this Canon. It is wonderful! There are so many things it can do that I will never be able to remember them all, but for what I want -- a camera that will take good, sharp photos -- it is perfect. Price was good, delivery prompt, a good deal!

I got this camera for Xmas 2007. I love the simplicity of it. I am a point and shoot kind of picture taker. But it has a huge menu for those who want to have more control. I particularly like the 30X optical zoom. I take a lot of photos of grandchildren and am able to be out of the way but still get a great close-up.
My only "con" is the fact that it does not have a view finder. I like the stability of resting the camera against my cheek. All pics are composed using the digital window, though I must say this is a good size and with the face recognition feature is easy to use.

Excellent camera. Very good picture quality. Optical zoom very effective with outdoor shots. Suggest you strongly consider this camera.

I bought this camera for my wife at christmas, because she wanted the Image stabilization feature on the new digital cameras. We have been overjoyed with the quality of the pictures, and all of the really neat features(if we took the time to learn how to use them all!). The only downfall to this camera is the battery life. YOU ABSOLUTELY CANNOT use regular AA batteries, otherwise you will spend enough money on one family event to buy 2 of these cameras! If you are thinking about purchasing this camera it is absolutely the best deal, unless you want to change the lens. However, be sure to invest in rechargable batteries!

I love the powershots ( I have an older version as do all my kids)and this camera did not disappoint. Although I did not get to use it as it was a Christmas gift, my son has told me that it takes outstanding pictures! He loves the 10X stabalized zoom feature. The 8MP doesn't hurt either ;) Highly recommend

I just bought this camera and brought it on a ski trip to Big Sky MT. It takes very little time to learn the different settings on this camera. The Zoom on this camera is great. I was able to get sharp pictures on the slopes from very far away. When in continues mode you can blast away pictures during the action. I love this camera and would recomend it to anyone.

Good Digital Camera with 8MP and 10x Optical Zoom. These are the main reasons for me to choose this product. And secondly, I like it which use AA batteries, that will allow me to take the camera outside for a short trip, and don't need to take battery charge, and I don't need to consider to buy a new battery for swithover. But this picture when I export from this camera to my computer, I found the color is a little light, not brilliant and not richly colored enough. The quality(definition) is clear enough, but when u get the picture on night, u will found the noise on the picture. That's all of what I found when I use it, but I should say at last, it a good choice for a beginer, whom want the camera can cover more functions.

I just got this camera for Christmas. It takes wonderful outdoor picture with vivid colors. Indoor pictures are good, but just don't expect to get your grandchildren to sit still long enough for it to warm up to take a second picture.

It takes way too long warming up before you can get another shot. Mine cost $299 four weeks ago, but I noticed in today's ads that here this camera is selling for under $200 now.

If you don't need to take fast pictures then this is great camera!

this camera does a great job- the 10x zoom makes taking outdoor photo's easy. the camera lacks a peep hole but this does not bother me at all. the flash is manual,if down it does not operate, when up it functions as set or as needed. the camera is fast and easy. the multiple face recognition aspect is neat, never an out of focus face. the anti shake feature is real great when the zoom is used and especially if you add the digital zoom to the 10x(4x=40x). excellent camera and great product as always from cannon.

We got this camera because we're about to have a baby and wanted a great camera that's almost like SLR camera but easy enough that strangers can take pictures for us. This camera satisfies that! It allows me to control the aperature so I can have a blurred background and create professional pictures.

I really love my new Canon Power Shot XS100IS. It takes wonderful pictures. It is easy to operate but some of the written instructions are hard to follow. I love the way you can take pictures without using the flash. It is very easy to handle while taking pictures. I have arthritis in my thumbs and this camera's shape is a blessing. I was sure I ordered it in silver but received it in black...oh well, I don't want to pay more shipping. I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for a high quality camera for a good price.

This is my 3rd and best "Point & Shoot" so far. Last one was a Cannon A560. Like most, it was fine outdoors, but gave poor results indoors or under artificial lighting. I am not a "Camera Geek" so just have to go by quality and this model produces awesome pix without tweaking. I am just now studying the manual and learning all sorts of things to play around with. Did a short video of the cat & dog and it came out great. Very easy camera to use. My first point & shoot was an Olympus Camedia which was only a 3 Meg. & 3 optical. Awesome camera but wanted something smaller. I was disappointed in the smaller Cannon A560. The Olympus took sharper pictures. I download into the CP and usually print my own. I seem to get better pix out of the larger cameras.....especially since we travel a lot and need the zoom. I will leave the pocket size cameras to the kids that don't seem to care about the optical. I am taking this one to Tahiti. Oh, battery life is good, but if you want to take movies need a lot more media card space. Think you get about 1 hr. on a 2GB card. I have also always used rechargeable batteries in all of my cameras so no problem there. Anyway, I would recommend this camera based on the price & performance combination in this category of cameras.

I really enjoy this camera! To be honest, I am a novice at digital cameras' but this camera takes great shots and is easy to use. My previous camera was a Canon A-1, and this one has similar shooting modes. It does seem to go through batteries but I consider this to be a minor issue.

The SX100IS is an excellent camera. My fiancé was interested in buying a Canon Digital Rebel but since we have been without a camera for quite some time, we decided to start with something simpler before getting up to speed with a more professional model.
The performance of the SX100IS has been outstanding, excellent image stabilization, even in low light conditions and indoors, the pictures will not be blurry (they may be somewhat dark but not blurry). The fact that the flash will only work when manually lifted up is one of the best assets of the camera! No more need to fight against the annoying pop out flash!
I also need to mention that the camera took a bad fall; it was unintentionally dropped by a close relative. Since I had previously owned a camera that suffered a similar fate and stopped working afterwards, I feared that this camera would suffer the same consequences after the fall. However, to my surprise, the camera kept working with no flaws!
The video quality is very good, with sound, and you can zoom in and zoom out during the recording. The macro works great as well as the manual controls. The camera is flexible enough to use it as a point-and-shoot as well as a professional camera. The zoom is flawless and even at the maximum zoom levels the pictures turn out without blurs! The digital zoom can be turned off therefore minimizing the chances of getting grainy pictures.
I could keep going with a list of good stuff! If there is anything I could criticize is the fact that when you turn the camera on and off the lens makes a slight noise when coming in or out. There is also a slight noise when zooming in or out and I was concerned that would show in the videos, but no, the zoom noise is not apparent.
In summary if you want good optics, great zoom capabilities, flexibility between point-and-shoot and manual features, and an affordable price the SX100IS is for you.

I am the envy of my digital camera buddies. Screen size is incredible. Features exciting and easy to use.

Bought it as a present, recipient loves it. Easy to use, lots of features, takes great pictures.

Excellent camera and excellent price. I have taken beautiful pictures of the grand canyon and New Orleans. Everyone on the trip wants my pictures!

I'm not a professional photographer by any means, but when looking for a camera with a high ISO to take pictures of constantly moving children, I found this little number. It was cheaper on Amazon than in any of the big box electronic stores, and I couldn't be happier with my purchase!

Spent LOADS of time researching the newest digital cameras. Settled on this one due to the balance offering of 10x zoom (who's image stabilizers REALLY do work!), 8mp, video capabilities, ample shooting programs (kids and pets, snow, night snapshot, and stitch assist), all at a reasonable price. I have a Sony handycam that gives me much grief (has 20x zoom and an image stabilizer that deteriorates significantly at it's maximum usage).

Image clarity is amazing at 8mp. My only "gripe" is the memory, which is really two fold (1)that Canon doesn't offer internal backup memory...all images are stored on the meager 16mb memory card (included in the purchase) and (2)that Canon couldn't afford to offer at least a 1GB memory card included with purchase. The 16mb only holds 3-4 images (depending on your subject complexity). I plan to maximize this little camera's capabilities, not just for still images but for video as well, so I've opted for the maximum available memory of the new 16GB SDHC Class 6 memory card. At the very least, one will need to purchase at least a 1GB, otherwise you will need to stay close to your computer to clean your card after every 4 shots.

Overall, the camera is super easy to use and when one wants to take spur-of-the-moment shots, this camera is johnny-on-the-spot. Would recommend this camera with the caveat that the purchaser will absolutely need to know the total cost includes the additional purchase of a more substantial memory card.

I ended up buying this for myself for Christmas and am very happy with it. I wanted something with a good optical zoom. I hated how most cameras couldn't get a close up. This camera, first of all looks good, but second of all works well. The reaction time is quick from when you press the button and when it actually takes the picture. The batteries last pretty long too. The last camera I had the batteries were dead after 5 minutes. The batteries that came with the camera lasted through the Christmas time, with everyone playing with it. Matter of fact, the camera is so good, my sister and her husband are going to go buy one too!

I used to dabble in amature photography. Mostly trees. I like trees, and they basically stand still.
But once I had my kids, and the digital age set in, I had to pack up my old SLR and get with something that could keep up with them.
I first owned a polaroid of some sort that took a hundred years to download, and had no room for memory expansion... Held about twelve pictures, and also, stank. So I bought a nice Pentax Point and shoot and kept dragging rolls of film in for awhile.
I finally took the plunge when the 5mp cameras came out and bought a samsung digimax. Hm... It served a purpose and took good outdoor shots. Lots of red-eye and taking any photos in flourescent light was forbidden.
I had a few other play cameras, like an oregon scientific, and some other pocket pix ones and decided to look around this year.

After lots of shopping, I settled on the Canon that you are now looking at.
What a camera.

Here are the features I was looking for.
1. Picture clarity. You can have all the megapixels you want but that does not make for a clear picture... there are a lot of other factors involved.
2. Versatility, (as in I can take pictures inside and outside, of moving objects and such without blurring, light problems, etc...)
3. Small- I dont want to drag around a giant camera. I take my SLR with me with all the lenses if I wanted to do that.
4. The zoom has to actually work. I mean-- a lot of zoom is great, but not if the picture always looks like a colorful cloud-- This camera has image stabilizing, and it WORKS
5. I wanted the camera to take a picture RIGHT when I clicked... My samsung had the nasty habit of waiting around seven years of me holding the button down until the red eye and many other factors were done "warming up" before actually taking a picture. Needless to say, there was never an option for a candid shot.... Lots of photos of the back sides of people though, and peoples faces right after something happened...

So, The Canon has it all. For years, Canon has been working to make photography easy for dorks like me
THe image stabilizer works amazingly.
The images are sharp.
The camera is small and light weight.
The red eye reduction works all the time.
The face finder rocks
The Zoom comes out with clear pictures-within reason anyway-
shots with and without a flash come out wonderfully and well lit whether or not I use the flash!
The camera can take picture after picture with virtually no rest period, and no warm up time.

Here is what I found out and was surprised by, and LOVE!
Switching to different modes is easy, totally self explanatory.
This beautiful little camera uses batteries VERY conservatively.
My old camera took maybe.... 60 shots before I had to replace the batteries, and I should, God forbid, take a film with this camera, I dont have to stop and replace the batteries after three minutes of filming.
On the two energizer lithiums, (batteries I used in my last camera too) I have taken two hours worth of film shorts, about three hundred and fifty photos and I have turned it on at least 20 times to go through the photos and used it like a brag book. Now, the battery says empty, but it is still going strong. So, when you get this, dont change the batteries the second you lose all your bars.... You have a good few hundred pictures left on it.

I am SO happy with this camera. The price is just icing on the cake.

I only got it a month ago, for the holidays, and I have just been trialing it.... I have not even delved into the world of features it offers.
I cant wait.

The camera is good, but when you use it in a frozon weather, the batteries (AA) are dead, much less performance compare to lithium battery design.
Also, it is too big for entertainment using.

I was looking for a new camera that was smaller, had at least 10x zoom and used AA batteries. This camera finally met those conditions. I was not disappointed with this purchase. I was familiar with the way Canon cameras worked and this one was just as easy to operate as the ones I had purchased for friends as gifts before.

I like the manual flash engage feature (flip up flash yourself when it asks) as the last camera I had made you change a lot of settings to get the shot without it. Takes the shots correctly (as best it can) if you choose not to use it.

I've had the image stabilization (IS) on video cameras before so this was new on a still for me. It works great as I used it to photograph a Rough-leg hawk hovering over prey and the shots came out better then I had hoped. The IS really helped on these pictures.

You will not be disappointed in this camera.

I returned the camera and here's why:
1) the battery power is AWFUL. It takes 2AA and I had to change the batteries 5 times during the course of a few days and all I was really doing was testing the camera out. I imagine that if I were to take the camera with me somewhere were I wanted to actually use it I would need at least 2 or 3 sets of extra batteries. It was quite surprising actually.
2) The time between shots is way too long. Depending on the battery life which was usually low, it took over 4-6 seconds between shots when the flash was enabled.
3) The AF-assist/red-eye reduction light was blinding (when flash is enabled). I took pictures of my family members and they said the light was way too bright and that maybe something is wrong with the camera.

So for those reasons I returned the SX100 IS and bought a G9 which I am very happy with.

I have owned a series of cameras over the last 40 years. In my earlier years, I was a professional photographer. Now I just want to take record shots of my grandchildren and my travels. The Canon SX 100 is an easy camera to operate (without even looking at the manual) and the picture quality is outstanding. With the 4 GB memory card in place, I can shoot hundreds of pictures without transfering them to my computer.
I love this camera

This camera is perfect for our needs.

We normally don't do that much shopping on-line; this transaction went very well.

Satisfaction score = 10. Complaint score = 0.

Thanks.

Richard D. Shaw

Very covenient Camera, just using 2 AA batteries for power. Easy and fast to operate. Pictures clear and and beautiful with colors. I'am very satisfied with this camera.

I wanted a camera that had a 10x zoom built into it. I wanted to replace my Canon PowerShot A70 that had a small LCD display and external lense for zoom. It seemed that when I needed a zoom, I did not have the lense with me. I researched the various Canon PowerShot cameras and went to a camera store to see them in person and the salesman recommended the SX100IS camera. It is the same size as my old Canon camera but lighter due to only needing 2 batteries to operate it. I can still use my charger and have two extra batteries if I need them. I love the 2.5 inch LCD screen and do not miss the viewfinder. It fits into a smaller case so I can travel easier with it. It is easy to operate and I like the feature of the pop-up flash and the Image Stabilizer. An excellent choice for me and I saved money by purchasing it from Amazon!

After doing a lot of research, purchasing here definitely gave me the best value. Delivery was prompt and my camera was in perfect shape.

This has been an excellent camera thus far. Used it at a college backetball and from the last row in the arena I was able to get close ups of the floor. Would recommend it.

la compré para cubrir un ciclo de conciertos y conferencias. estuve parado al lado de fotógrafos con equipos reflex profesionales, y mis fotografías de 8 MP estuvieron a la altura...! por supuesto hay que dominar el modo MANUAL especialmente en lo relativo a velocidad de obturación y apertura de diafragma, combinando estos aspectos con el ASA o ISO como se denomina aquí. Realmente estoy satisfecho con esta compra, y aunque tienen razón las revisiones que dicen que a ISO 1600 las fotos se ven muy granuladas, esto es algo común en la mayorái de los equipos. Para una cámara que no llega a 300 dólares, no se le puede exigir más... el ZOOM es el atractivo principal.. y los videos a 640-480 a 30 FPS quedan geniales.. 100% recomendada!!!

I love my camera, and after my other canon was stolen from my suitcase, I was glad to purchase another. I just miss the swivel function prior to this one, but the zoom is out of sight! The picture quality is outstanding. The only problem is that some pictures taken at night in low light do not always come out so great, but others are quite nice. It just depends. Overall great camera- not super slim, but for those who love to take pics- the size is very doable. It's no wonder consumer reports ranked it #1.

I wasn't sure I could get used to a camera without a viewfinder. But I am, and I love this little Canon. The 10x zoom is great for the small-ish size of the camera.
I've been using a bigger size digital with a zoom lens attached, and I wanted a small camera that I could just throw in my purse. I didn't expect the quality of the photos to be as good as they are. I never thought I would use the video feature, but the other day when we had a little snow flurry (it never snows here), I turned on the video feature when driving down the road (my husband was doing the driving, I was using the camera) and caught a great video of the biggest snowflakes I have ever seen and it was beautiful! This Canon is so much fun!!

I'm loyal to Canon digital cameras, because of past experience with the lovely vivid colors they produce. When I saw this model, I knew right away it was perfect for my needs -- since it has advanced features but also the elements of a Point & Shoot. Plus it's just the right size; lightweight, but well sized and shaped so that you can get a good grip on it (unlike the Elphs).

In testing it out I've found that the camera's normal color saturation setting is a little lower than I like it to be, but you're able to adjust the color saturation to your own preference, so with Vivid, I'm producing lovely photos.

I'm also so impressed with the number and power of features. The camera can sense its orientation and adjusts the display when you turn it sideways. It also uses this orientation sensor to record which side of an image is the real top... with this camera, it's virtually impossible to take a picture that needs to be manually rotated after shooting.

Similarly, I wanted to test the in-camera red eye reduction feature, but found that the anti-red-eye feature is so good I couldn't intentionally take a photo with red eyes... believe me I tried.

The image stabilization feature works incredibly well. I shook the camera intentionally to test it, and it still took a photo that was sharp and unblurred. This feature would be very useful in dark settings or for people whose hands shake.

The level of detail on the photos is stunning. And all the pre-set shooting settings are fun to test: Kids & Pets, Beach, Indoor, Snow, Fireworks, etc. The movies are also really sharp and detailed, and the sound excellent -- who needs a stand-alone video camera?

Excellent camera. Have owned 5 powershots. Love that they take regular AA batteries. Got this one for the extra zoom capability. Small yet not so compact it is hard to handle. Just right!

Great camera. Low light photos are not as bad as specs and prof. reviews have made it out to be; they are actually pretty good, considering the price range and portability of this camera. Love the battery option, since i plan on taking this hiking and on camping trips, where i wont be close to a power outlet or adapter. Every time i take some shots I remember how much I paid with a smile, feeling i got every pennies worth out of this thing.

If you are not concerned with buying a tiny, pocket sized camera the Canon SX100IS is great. I carry it on my belt and it is a bit cumbersome compared to the credit card sized models, however, you get a few more features. Mainly the 10X zoom which makes a big difference during events such as kids sports games and graduations, plays, etc. The larger lens gives you a wider range of options for shooting modes. The larger size makes it easier to keep the camera stable while shooting. The size also allows for a more powerful flash which brightens up the indoor flash pictures...an area where I feel most pocket size digitals fail miserably. There is no viewfinder and this takes some getting used to, but many of the cameras are going this direction anyway. I wasn't impressed with the digital viewfinders found in other models so I chose this one. The pictures are great, clear, sharp and bright. If this style fits what you are looking for, buy it.

I couldn't decide between the canon powershot sx100 or the fuji finepix s700.
The last couple of cameras we had were just basic point and shoot,and I wanted a camera that had more features and optical zoom.
Ended up going with the canon, I've had it for about a month now, and haven't had any problems with it so far.
The batteries that came with it were regular alkaline and didn't last long at all. Rechargeable batteries last longer,and you can use them over and over. I found it's best to take an extra set along if you plan to go anywhere.
The Memory card that comes with it holds anywhere from 3 to 52 pictures depending on the number of recording pixels. Taking video seems to use a lot of space up. So it could use a bigger memory card than the one that it comes with, but I haven't found it necessary.
The zoom seems to be good, but this is my first camera with this much zoom and settings. It does get more grainy/blurry once you get into the digital zoom (past 10x optical.)
Occasionally it hasn't done the best in low light, but is usually fixed by raising the flash or changing the settings. Some of the best photos I've taken are in the manual setting.
I've also used it to get photos of backyard birds and it sure beats the point and shooters I've used even with binoculars hooked to them.
Overall its a great camera.

You will not be able to put this camera in your shirt pocket. It does not come with the tastefully designed case you get with the Digital Elph - actually, it comes with no case at all - but, unlike digital SRLs, it will not cause a permanent spine damage, while still providing a pletora of manual options. The sharpness and color rendition are fine for my unprofessional eye, and among its features I really like the ability to "downgrade" an already taken shot to a lower resolution; saves space while giving you an option of still keeping this "not so great, but..." picture.
My major concern was the batteries: how many should I carry? I started with two Energizer Li batteries, which I get cheaply in bulk at the Sam's Club. After a week of vacation and more than 300 shots on highest resolution/largest size, many taken with flash, I still didn't need to change batteries! This leaves my Canon rechargable battery pack unused and unopened.
"Facial recognition" works great if faces are big enough and subjects are directly facing camera. I use it to see whether anyone's eyes are closed on the picture - it's much faster than usual scrolling and zooming.
Macro mode works great - so much better than in smaller Cannon cameras!
Image stabilization: I did not notice much effect of it, especially with higher zoom, but I didn't test it specifically.
To me, this camera is a great transition from the credit card-sized point-and-shoot-and-email-it cameras to something different, which might eventually help me to make prints worth hanging on the wall.

Can't really say enough about this little gizmo. All we wanted was a relatively nice point and shoot, but ended up with so much more! I upgraded to the Canon SX100IS from an old Olympus. I liked the Olympus, but love the Canon. I looked at the ELPH series for their compact size, but was disappointed with their meager zoom. I decided to forego the slim design for a better lens and have been impressed every step of the way!! I've mostly taken photos on the auto setting, but also messed with the speciality settings, i.e., night shot, beach, snow, etc. Taken numerous movies, inside and out. Everything has turned out way better than expected. Clear as a bell. I caught a photo of a coyote on the north coast bluffs of Santa Cruz at an estimated 50 yards with the 40X digital zoom and could not believe my eyes at the image quality. Definitely like the manual flash - wasn't sure if I would, but realized just how often I had to turn the flash on our old camera OFF to get a decent shot. The Image Stabilization system seems to work very well. The face recognition system is great too...easy to turn off if you don't want it. All settings and menus easy and user friendly even for a novice like myself. I really like the software that came along with it too - way better than iphoto. I have tried using some of the camera's SLR characteristics like manual focus and shutter speed and that's pretty easy too, though I'm sure someone with more experience could make better use of those features. Pretty durable...I dropped it and freaked out that it was ruined, but it didn't even get a scratch and works perfectly. Really like that it takes regular AA's - in a pinch, you can find batteries anywhere.

OK, so it can't be ALL positive, right? Well, if I must pick a few things I don't like, one would be the function selector wheel - it's sometimes hard to turn it without pushing it's buttons too, if that makes any sense. I've resolved that issue by just not using the wheel, but just using it as a button. The fact that it only has 2 AA batts is nice for weight, but not so nice for longevity. I did experience a couple of blurry action shots of people sledding down a hill, but most were fine...I think it was just user error. That's about it for negatives.

Overall, my experience with this camera has been beyond expectation. For portability, ease of use, number of features, quality of lens and images, it is just what I wanted. Happy birthday to me.

Nice camera - I wish the flash cam up automatically. Other than that it is a very nice camera.

Great deal on a great camera! Easy to use. The only thing that is a little bit of inconvenience is that the memory card is located with the batteries. I have to be careful of the angle that I'm holding the camera when I remove the card so the batteries don't slide out.

Bought this because all of the rave reviews I read here about the Canon SX100IS!

First the good things:
The few pictures that I took looked great and the zoom was wonderful. IS worked like a charm even after I shook the camera on purpose to TRY and create a blurry picture, but couldn't!

Now the reasons I returned it:
I hated the "wheel" on the back of the camera. While trying to spin it I would always end up clicking it and end-up somewhere else, total design flaw!

I hated the feel of it. It felt like cheap plastic and did not feel sturdy in my hands. Always felt like it was slipping out!

But the reason I returned it was because of the battery life, or lack there of. I used the batteries that came with it all of about 45 minutes. I then replaced them with re-chargable ones that came with the "accessory pack" ,that I bought from Amazon, and got about 5-6 minutes with those. Put the other set in and only got 2-3 minutes with those! Went and bought a brand new pair of lithium AA's and only got 20-25 minutes with those.
WHAT GOOD IS A CAMERA IF YOU CAN'T TAKE PICTURES!!!
Unacceptable. I returned to Amazon awaiting my refund!

Bottom Line: This camera felt cheap and not sturdy in my hands. Battery life was a joke and not acceptable.

I upgraded from the Canon Powershot S3 looking to benefit from the slimmer form factor so I can put it in my pocket for hiking, backpacking, and stadium events. For general photography, I would rely on my Nikon D80. Under low light condition, indoor and especially in stadium shows, I was really impressed with the camera's performance and stunning image quality even at the maximum 10x optical zoom. I was able to capture moving subjects in Auto mode in low light condition a good 90 percent of the time. This is impressive for a point-and-shoot camera and I would be even more impress if the flash recharge time can be reduce from the 7 to 8 seconds delay. I've tested the macro feature as well and find it very impressive.

I like the large 2.5 LCD display which makes composing and viewing results so much more enjoyable. The video quality is amazing, yes even for indoor shows. I also like the zoom control position conveniently right next to the shutter