Customer Reviews

Canon PowerShot SX200IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD (Red)

5 star:		(126)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

***Updated 10-7-11****
After 3 years of use, this camera is still awesome and I'm literally gonna wait till it breaks or there is a an iphone with a high megapixel to match before I get rid of this. I've taken it to the sandy beaches of California, farms of Ohio and Water parks of Wisconsin. This camera still works great. I've had to have it cleaned (due to my rough use on it). I've dropped it, left it in a the sand during a windy time of day, and let my 3 year old take pics with hit. Nothing has ever broke and I'm very happy with the battery life. Some superficial/light scratches on the screen but none I"m worried about. I am not sure how long it lasts but I charge it maybe every couple of months - and I have now taken nearly 8000 pictures (that I have kept on iphoto) and perhaps more that I deleted. So happy! :
Now the original review-

This review is based off of several days of use and a THOROUGH review of the manual. If you are interested in seeing specifications and actual pictures of this camera (which I suggest you do) I recommend visiting websites that offer extensive these types of reviews [...]First, lets review what seems to be common CONS to the camera.

POP UP FLASH. Contrary to some reviews, this camera is not hard to handle/hold nor does the pop up flash get in the way or feel flimsy. Notice Canon has made three designs to combat this problem (e.g. indented thumbprint above controls on back of camera, curved body on right side of camera, and about 3/4 inch space to place finger behind the flash. As I right this review, I am playing around with the flash and notice it feels sturdy; not flimsy. Also, the further the distance between the flash and the lens allows for a better red-eye reduction.

NO VIDEO (optical) Zoom. This camera offers excellent video quality for a "point and shoot camera". It is 720 so expect that quality - no more no less. As for the zoom, it only has a digital zoom (i.e. less quality than optical). Nonetheless, it should not be a deal breaker - unless you are in the market for a digital videorecorder. I recommend a stand alone video recorder at this point. Would it be nice to have a zoom, sure, but honestly, this is not a big deal.

NOISE - Indoor use. PLEASE believe me when I say I find very little if any noise on indoor shots (when using the camera correctly (e.g reading the manual!!!). There are many ways to adjust this camera - MANY ways! Again, I am reviewing pictures I just shot today inside my local library and find them very pleasing and no noise!

FIT/FEEL of Camera. This camera does not feel flimsy. This I think I can promise you. Actually, when I got the camera in my hands, I was suprised to feel and see it was thicker than I thought - but not too thick. Still able to put in pocket (although not if you are wearing tight jeans). If you are looking at this camera, chances are you doing so because of the aesthetic body - and you are right. When/if you put it in your hands, you'll understand that it is, well, sexy and fashionable.

I have put forth what I saw as potentially "deal breakers" to some people and find all of these supposedly negative points not so negative. After thorough research and an extensive review of the manual, I find this camera to be excellent.

Finally, let me try to state what I believe to be the absolute best features of this camera.
1. Quality. The only way to defend this point is to recommend doing research. Many websites have posted pictures this camera has taken - many of them stunning. I even saw a side by side comparison with the SX200IS rival - the TZ7. It was a picture of a night time view of a major city. This camera won hands down. And as for video quality, I was happy with the quality - if you expect 720 and not blu-ray quality. It honestly is great- oh yea, and I notice that when shooting with video, the image seemed to have little or no shake I was suprised about this).
2. Function. You can immediately use this even if you never used a camera before. Thank canon for the "easy" function which lets you only hit the shutter button: it does ALL the work for you, and has hints/tips on the screen as you shoot. Or if you are not so novice, you can turn this camera into a complete manual function and create your own aperture, shutter, and ISO values. This is the reason I bought this camera; so I could go more manual while my wife could just point and click).
3. After having this camera, I have noticed that CANON has not marketed this camera well enough. It has LCD image brightness control that changes on screen depending on how bright it is where you are shooting. Very nice to view the lcd. Also, the LCD has been layered with a scratch resistant coating!
Finally, in my opinion, this camera's best feature is its versatility. What I mean by this is that it takes excellent pictures and allows you to grow with the camera - this point needs to be emphasized.
I suggest that you truly do your research (as you are doing!!:) and you may see as I did that no matter how many cameras I reviewed, I kept coming back to the SX200IS. I am glad I have it.
One final point. If you do get this, please review the manual. It is your bible and will really help you understand the camera if you want to turn it into more than a point and shoot. I wrote this review because I was SHOCKED at the criticisms this camera received. I agree that this camera can be fine tuned (longer battery life.....etc...) but these are by no means deal breakers. Don't worry, whatever camera you get, it will be soon outdated - all cameras get their annual tweaking. Having said that about camera's getting outdated, note that I chose this camera for the features it has for the price it is. Having taken it home, I realize that I am more than getting my money's worth. I am honestly concerned about answering any questions you may have. I wish I could ask people questions before I buy things, so please feel free to comment and/or ask. Best wishes.

***Updated 4-6-08****
For those interested in comparisons, I have recently compared the SX200IS vs the Panasonic TZ5 [...]. Unbelievable, I was able to find same scene shots taken by these two different cameras. This is hard to find. Plus, being that the TZ5 is really the main competitor to the SX200IS, it makes for an interesting comparison. If you do review this website, particularly notice the "city night shot" and ISO 400 setting. In my opinion, the SX200IS is much clearer and offers a more accurate picture. Again, the SX200IS is a winner to me!

***Updated 7-26-09***
After 4 months of extensive use, this camera is now having power issues. When the camera is turned on, and then turned off, it automatically turns on when I do not want it too! : It will go back to be fixed. So in terms of reliability, I am a little disappointed. Nonetheless, given the quality and features of this camera, I will GLADLY keep the camera and GLADLY have it fixed. Even with this electronic issue, it is still the best camera out there.

Canon SX200

Well - I read in another post that someone likes to try the latest camera - me too! Check out my other reviews as I'm always in the market for a P&S that take at least 720HD Video. I've been using the Sony T500 and Canon G7 for most of my pic/vids until now! Since my last review, I've tried at least 6 other cameras and camcorders - all where returned for one reason or another; let's see - there's the: Samsung HZ10, Panasonic TZ5, Sanyo 1010, Leica D-Lux4, Leica Clux3, Sony CX12, various other cameras at the local store. I have great news! This new Canon SX200 will be my "go to" camera - at least until something better comes along (my trusted T500/G7 will be laid to rest). I'm giving it a 5 Star rating - is it perfect however! No, but for MY needs, it great.

Pro's:
1) Great picture quality - generally speaking indoor pictures are pretty good, noise low on anything below 400ISO, comparable to my Canon G7, much better than my Sony T500, as good - if not better than my old Panasonic TZ5. Outdoor - outstanding - what you would expect from a Canon, sharp, clear, good color, nicely exposed. Have not fooled around with manual settings, but nice to have.
2) I like the design and find it easy to hold (no slippage in my big fat fingers!). Other cameras make it easy for you to hold your finger over the mic or flash, but not here.
3) Flash - I do not mind the pop-up. No big deal for me! Works good too!
4) Menu's are pretty easy to navigate - no problem here.
1) HD Video - I really like the quality of the video, nice wide screen playback on my 40" Samsung HDTV and looks great on the desktop. Playback is easy and smooth, no problem. (not diggin' the digital zoom - see my cons). Codec actually works with my Windows Media Player without any hick-ups or wiggles. It's not perfect (like "Sunrise Earth" HD quality), but pretty nice for taking shots of the kids and grandkid, etc. Again, plays nice on the HDTV. Sound quality is only mono, but SOOOO much better than the Panasonic TZ5 (my deal breaker for the TZ5) it's no comparison. The Sony T500 beats them both for sound quality - it's stereo! Remember, during video you can NOT optically zoom this camera, but you can digitally zoom - it's not great, but will get you a little closer if you need.
6) IS - works great
7) Zoom nice and smooth - focus is fast and accurate.
8) Battery - pretty good - seems to last me the day - I bought an extra just in case.
9) Auto Focus works like a charm, even in low light - no problem here.
10) Macro looks great - took some beautiful shots of flowers and roses in my backyard.
11) Easy to carry around - not to big, not to small either - just right!
12) Overall quality and "feel" is nice! Seems well built and should hold up to many outings with the kids and hiking around.

Cons:
1) No optical zoom with the Video. If this camera was able to optically zoom, it would be as good as it gets for a point and shoot with HD Video! Come on Canon - what's up with that!!!! Panasonic can do it -why can't you! Do you want your customers to jump ship when the new Panasonic TZ7 comes out??????? If SOMEONE could.......please, please, please, hack this and help me. Maybe Canon will do some kind of firmware update and allow optical zoom. I can put up with the motor noise of the zoom for this ability!!!!!!!! While you're at the firmware hack - if you could disable the flash pop-up that would be nice too!
2) Indoor shots a bit soft, but just about all P&S's are, the SX200 is pretty darn good though.
3) In the Auto mode, the camera automatically (hence "auto" mode) picks the setting it thinks it needs for the best shot. For example, if you real close to an object, it will automatically switch to Macro, then turn back to other modes if you take another shot - this process takes a little time (maybe a second or two) to switch. I do not mind because that is what is supposed to do, it just takes a "learning curve" understand what is happening.

Anyway, these are just the things that really stand out. Of course there are other functions that I really like and others that I will rarely use.

Just one camera geeks opinion, I've read the above folks comments and agree with some, disagree with others. Each piece of tech has it's quirks (like the flash popping up when the camera is on; or it feels slippery; or whatever). It's hard to try something new, but with all of the cameras I've tried, I can tell within a few shots (I have my test shots all picked out for comparisons) if I'm going to like it or not. The SX200 was the first in long time that kept me inetested, testing, and ultimately claim this one as a keeper! Interested in your opinion - just me nice!!!! Oh, and one more thing - PLEASE don't tell me to go and get a DSLR and a dedicated HD Camcorder - been there, done that!

I received this before a weekend trip and it turned out to be a very well rounded camera. It's not as small as an Elph but it's still just small and light enough to carry around in your pocket or purse for easy access. The 12x zoom lens is terrific and in well lighted situations even the digital zoom creates clear, sharp pictures. The offset is that you lose the f2.8 aperture of other 3x camera's.

I tried most of the scene settings and they all produce slightly different results. The AUTO setting uses a higher shutter speed and ISO setting than Portrait. In Program mode you can set the ISO setting to 80 or 100 and have the camera adjust the shutter speed. The foliage setting does enhance the greens. If you have enough light the indoor setting works better and uses a faster shutter speed while Night snapshot uses a slower shutter speed and produces a better overall shot in lower light. In all but the low light scenes the camera does tend to over expose the shot slightly so I ended up using the exposure adjustment at - 1/3 or -2/3's to compensate.

I really liked the ability to adjust the settings to get a well exposed picture out of a range of situations that you can't always get with an Elph and the zoom lens allows you to frame a shot from just about any distance. The pictures are clear, bright and on par with other Canon camera's in it's class. There's plenty of features to play with like face detect and blink detect and the Image Stabilization works very well.

If you are ready to step up from a point and shoot camera to one that provides more control, has a better zoom but is still pocketable the SX200 IS is well worth putting on your list to check out.

I have been a Canon shooter for many years, both DSLRs and point and shoots. I own a Canon G7 for personal use and have been extremely happy with it, but I am tired of having to add attachments for wide angle and telephoto photography. I also wanted a camera that is small enough to put in a jacket or shirt pocket easily. I decided that of the cameras currently on the market, either the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 or Canon SX200 seemed to be what I was looking for. I researched the product thoroughly and chose the Lumix ZS3 based on multiple reviews that gave that camera the nod over the SX200. (Specifications-wise, these cameras are near twins.)

After several days of testing the ZS3 I was unhappy with it. The camera had poor low-light performance, a weak flash, and bad color balance and contrast. (See my review of that camera on its Amazon product page.) I returned it and bought an SX200. This camera is a gem. The quality of the photos are what I was expecting from a camera in this price range (better given how much cheaper it is than a ZS3). The zoom is very fast which allows you to focus on the action quickly and get the shot you are looking for. (The zoom on the ZS3 is slow in comparison.)

The camera performs well in low light--much better than the ZS3. There is very little noise and Canon's optical stabilization allows for lower ISO and shutter speeds. The SX200 has a powerful flash that illuminates the subject very well and at a good distance. I am sure part of the reason for this is the much maligned pop-flash, as this helps the flash clear the large lens barrel. Also, the fact the flash pops up when not in use is something that I barely notice. (Sure, it would be nice if it didn't.) The overall quality in low light will not compare to a DSLR, but that is to be expected.

I will say that, like my G7, this camera seems to struggle a little in very bright outdoor conditions. Specifically, highlights have a tendency to get blown out if you are not careful. Even when using the exposure compensation this can still be problematic. However, the day has to be VERY bright for this to be a problem. Also, this is where Canon's variety of shooting modes helps, as using the Shutter Priority mode has helped me in this situation to get good results.

The build quality of this camera is excellent. The physical controls are very well-done, and the on-camera software is first rate and much better than the ZS3. The Canon software is not only easier to use and has more controls, but it just looks better with excellent fonts and translucent menus.

The color saturation and white balance are excellent, and the different shooting modes (program mode, aperture mode, manual, etc.) give the photographer a wide range of options that are not available on the ZS3. I use these modes probably more than half the time.

I almost gave the camera four stars on the account of it not having optical zoom in video, but at this price point and given all the other excellent features of the camera (wide angle, 12x zoom, excellent software, etc.) I don't think that would be fair. The HD video is of excellent quality, though I have to give the nod to the ZS3 on the video overall.

The only other negatives are the door to access the data ports, which has a flimsy plastic hinge, and the lack of a "super fine" quality mode for the jpegs like they had on my G7. (I really wish they would include RAW, but I know they reserve that for their high-end cameras.)

Summary:

Pros:
Excellent physical quality
Excellent on-camera software
Good low light performance
Powerful flash
Good HD video
Excellent color balance and contrast
Variety of shooting modes and manual controls

Cons:
No optical zoom in video
Flimsy hinge on the data ports door
Lack of super fine quality mode
Tendency for overexposure in highlights on very bright days

Overall, an excellent buy especially for the price.

I almost sent this camera back. The shots were SO "noisy." I was shocked that a Canon camera at this price point could produce such lousy photos, when the Canon point and shoot camera I bought for $199 about a year ago takes great shots.

Then I read the manual (go ye, therefore, and do likewise!) and the reviews, and started taking the breath-taking shots I expected from a Canon 12 MP camera with 12 x OIS. The secret: DO NOT SHOOT IN AUTO OR "EASY" MODE! The ISO setting is too high, resulting in "noisy" photos. I am an experienced digital photographer, but when I'm taking snapshots of my daughter running and playing, I like to shoot in AUTO. I now shoot in PROGRAM mode much of the time, specifying the ISO setting I wanted, and let the camera do the rest. The scene, kids & pets, indoor, and portrait settings work well, as with other Canon models.

The only complaint I have about the camera, other than the useless AUTO and "EASY" modes, is that the access door for the HDMI and USB ports is flimsily constructed and attached.

Many reviewers dislike the pop-up flash, but I prefer it. It cannot break, even if you have your finger on the panel when you turn on the camera. It was designed for the user to be able to hold/push it down when flash is not desired. Having a pop-up flash, rather than one in the body of the camera, reduces red-eye, to some degree. The lens barrel extends 1.875" at 12x optical zoom, so the flash probably had to be moved up to avoid a shadow when zooming.

The movie mode is the best I've seen in a still camera, but the footage does not look like HD to me. The footage looks pretty good on my computer display in a large QuickTime window, but is not good enough for a larger screen (TV). It would be perfect for shooting YouTube footage, or anything you intend to share on the web. For everything else, I'll continue to use my Canon HD video camera that shoots in 1080i. I didn't buy this camera for the video shooting capability, so that it shoots decent (though not HD) video is a bonus for me.

This is a well-rounded point-and-shoot camera with a BIG, HONKIN' LENS, fantastic zoom and resolution, well organized menus, and lots of useful features. The MACRO (which works well in AUTO, oddly enough) is DREAMY. Shooting in full MANUAL, or shutter and aperture priority, yields predictably wonderful results. I recommend the SX200IS to anyone who is looking for a full-featured point-and-shoot camera, and is comfortable shooting in any mode but AUTO.

UPDATE
A lot of people are comparing this to the Panasonic DMC-ZS3; I just bought one so I have both. After spending some time with each I've come to the conclusion that, despite the similarities, they are different camera for different audiences. Here's where each excels:

PANASONIC

* For a very powerful point-and-click / don't think about it camera, it can't be beat. The Intelligent Auto almost always takes great pictures under almost all conditions. The Canon Auto doesn't even come close and esp for indoor pictures you have to select specific scenes - or use manual controls - to get a good picture.

* Video: True optical zoom + AVCHD video format support. IMHO the Canon's video really is toy-like without optical zoom.

* Features: Here again the Panasonic runs circles around the Canon:
- Much faster burst mode
- Takes 3 aspect ratios at once (e.g Normal + Wide Angle)
- Twice as many scene modes
- Focus locking (e.g. a moving animal)


CANON

* Manual Camera Controls: (e.g. ISO settings) I honestly have never used these before, but I'm disappointed the Panasonic doesn't include any, as I'd like to start to learn more about them. I can see how this is a big omission if you're a semi-professional photographer.


PICTURE QUALITY

* Auto Point-and-Shoot: Panasonic. I've taken pictures with high motion, low-light conditions, etc. I never thought possible (for me). If you know very little about ISO, etc. This is the camera for you.

* Manual and Best Possible Pictures: Looking at a LOT of samples, it's clear the Canon has a slight edge over the Panasonic here. I'm sure this is because Auto still can't quite take a picture the way a professional photographer would. I've always always been very partial to Canon cameras (until now) because they do seem to have the best picture quality, and the samples I've seen seem to show this is still true.

Realistically though, most of use won't take the time to adjust manual controls for every picture - in which case I'm confident the Panasonic will often take better pictures than the Canon (esp indoors or low-light conditions).

So overall, even after owning maybe 5 canons over the years, I'd recommend the Panasonc hands-down, with one exception:

If you're looking to learn more about professional photography and manual camera setting - but not ready for a real professional camera yet, the Canon might be a really good place to start, as the Panasonic doesn't have these.

I'm keeping both - but thee Panasonic will be the one I use 95% of the time.

*** INITIAL REVIEW ***
I've owned a half-dozen Cannon digital cameras over the years, this is the first one I'm not entirely impressed with.

PROS
* The 12x optical zoom
* Wide angle pictures
* HD video recording (digital zoom only)
* New features: Blink detection, etc.

CONS
* Auto Mode: Maybe I have a faulty camera; if not Auto mode is useless for indoor photos. Auto mode seems VERY aggressive with setting the shutter speed, etc. The problem with this is its settings usually mean you have to hold the camera rock-steady or you'll get very blurry pictures.

Also (with Auto Mode) indoor pictures are soft, include lots of noise, and the colors are off.

Doing some experimenting, you can get around these problems by switching to another picture mode, like Indoor. But, IMHO that defeats the entire purpose of Auto Mode. Yes, it's a simple turn of a dial to get the right mode - but I think even that disqualifies this as a true "point and shoot" camera.

I think this would be a good camera for people who want more control over their photos - without having to be a professional photographer. But I can't recommend it for someone who just wants to push a button to take a picture.

HI All,

First off, let me start by saying that I am a Canon fan-boy. I love their product lines in the point and shoot category. I have owned several Canon Powershots and this is my newest acquisition.

Basics:
Whats in the Box:
Camera
Hand Strap
Battery
Charger
USB Cable
Analog Video Cable
Documentation
Canon Software version 46

Whats NOT in the Box and Should be:
Mini-HDMI to HDMI Cable
Sample Memory Card

ONLY GRIPE:
The NOT portion above automatically pulls this review down to a 4 star. Why? Because if you are going to put a mini-hdmi port on your camera...you should include the cable. Even CREATIVE includes a mini-hdmi to hdmi cable with their Vado Video Cam. Come on CANON! And no memory card to start playing out of the box..whats up with that? $349 for this camera would surely be able to give Canon enough to throw in a memory card..and cable. Enough Gripes...now on to the good stuff.

PROS:
I love the look of this camera. Take a look at the images I have attached and ascertain for yourself. Canon has refined the lines on their power-shots so much so that they look like professional cameras.

From the time you press the power button to the time you take your first shot is about 1 second...which to me is pretty fast. Turning the camera off takes an extra second or so because it has to put the flash back down and bring the lens in.

The zoom (12x optical zoom) is amazingly fast when compared to other cameras (Lumix TZ5) that have a lens that is about this size. When the optical zoom runs out, it does get a bit slow on the digital zoom...but that is to be expected on all cameras. I timed about 1.6 seconds from wide-angle to telephoto at full speed. It moves faster as you put more pressure on the switch. The range is 28-336mm. NOTE: One of the cons here is that this amazing zoom can not be used for Video shooting.

A fully charged battery should give you about 280-300 shots depending on conditions, flash usage, light compensation, etc.

The face self-timer option lets you be in a photo, without having to sprint across the room while the self-timer counts down. The camera will simply wait until any other face is detected, and it will take 3 shots in 2 seconds.

The custom self-timer option lets you select both the time you need and how many pictures you want to take. Awesome feature.

The Optical Image Stabilization is awesome and works really well.

The LCD (which is an issue on most cameras for bright outdoors) is amazingly bright and high quality. It is easy to see what you are shooting indoors under heavy lighting and outdoors.

One of the few cameras in its class that allows you to use it in FULL Manual mode...although it does not save files in RAW format.

HD video at 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 frames/second, with mono sound in h.264 format...which means more video due to higher compression.

Amazing automatic red-eye removal....tested on my daughter with eyes that will put any cameras red-eye feature to shame. We finally dont have to do any post editing on her eyes. YEAH!!!

I will be getting in to photo related details once I have had more time to experiment with the different shooting environments. So far I can see that this camera shines in bright light but seems to have some noise that causes detail loss over iso 200 in low light. Keep checking on this review for updates.

Cons:
Again, no included memory.
No HDMI cable.
Battery Life could be better (not a deal breaker).
Flash takes a bit of time to charge after firing.
Optical zoom not usable in video mode (my lumix tz5 allows it)
Low light performance is lack luster..there is some detail loss.

As I mentioned above..this review is a work in progress and I will be updating it regularly as my experiences with this camera increase. Please ask any and all questions via the commenting system here and I will answer them to the best of my abilities.. Thanks and I hope this review is informative.

I read all the reviews of this camera here on Amazon, as well as seeking out photography websites looking for recommendations for the best small point and shoot camera. Despite a few bad reviews here, everything else I saw was pretty positive, so I decided to go for it. I am SOOOOO glad I did.

From the moment it came out of the box, it was love at first site.

The display is large and clear and crisp.

The photos is takes are wonderful. I have seen low reviews talking about "noise" and "blurriness" and the only thing I can guess is that these people never took 5 minutes to figure out how to USE the camera. Set to the indoor setting, pictures taken inside are clear, crisp and brilliant. No noise. If you use the Kids&Pets mode, motion shots are almost always perfect and without blurriness. If you try and take every picture on "Auto" you are going to get a mixed bag of shots on ANY camera, that is why the camera comes with different settings.

I've also seen complaints about where the flash is and how hard the camera is to hold. It is true that when turning the camera on, the flash has bumped my finger a few times. But this is hardly a deal breaker. So it bumps you - it isn't as though it is causing injury to the camera or to you, for goodness sake!!!! So it bumps you and you move your finger - big deal! I cannot fathom why anyone would care about this. As far as being hard to hold, maybe if you had the hands of a 7 ft NBA player or a 350lb lineman, it might be a bit small in your hands and hard to handle - but so would ANY small camera. But both my husband and myself have had no issues holding on to it. If you are worried for some reason, that is what the camera strap is there for. Personally, I love the fact that it EASILY slips into a pocket so I don't walk around looking like a tourist, or have my hands full of camera while I want to be site-seeing.

The function section of this camera (SCN) is SUPER fun. You can take pictures where you turn everything in the photo black & white except selected color(s). This yields some AWESOME artsy shots with no effort (seriously, take pictures in candlight, where the color of the candle light is the only color - AMAZING!!!!). You can also swap colors to take wacky, fun photos. People will think you are a photography genius, and all you did was point and click. There is also a straight B&W mode, and sepia mode, like most cameras.

All in all, I CANNOT imagine having chosen any other camera.

The Short Version: I love this camera. While it has a few clear weaknesses, it more than makes up for them in quality, ability, and manual controls.

Background: I am a photography enthusiast. Not the kind who stalks around taking random pictures of strangers, or who wanders the forest looking for interesting plants. The kind who enjoys taking pictures at events: quiz meets, softball games, weddings, etc. to share with friends. I own a Canon EOS 50D (digital SLR) but also like to have a smaller point-and-shoot for travel or situations where the "snap-click" noise of an SLR is unacceptable. My last point-and-shoot had proved bad for the lower-light situations where I tend to shoot, and a wedding was coming up that I wanted to cover. In the past, I had always gone for ultra-compacts but this time around I wanted something that could handle both low-light and long zooms while still being pocketable. I tried an Olympus Stylus 9000 (returned due to impossibility of focusing reliably and blur indoors) and researched the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. But in the end, I chose the Canon Powershot SX200 IS and purchased it from Amazon.Com.

The Good: This camera is a joy to use. It has an automatic mode, a "super-easy" mode, 5 scene modes, a dedicated "special scenes" mode with less-used options, video, full manual, aperture priority, shutter priority, and Program mode, like an SLR. Unlike the competition, the camera has nearly as much customizability as an SLR and the controls are fairly easy to use due to a new menu structure for Canon camera. The pictures are clear, crisp, and has relatively low noise even down to 1600 and 3200, when compared to other point-and-shoot models. The SDHC card slot will accommodate even the largest 32 GB models of memory card (yes, I tested with one those those) and saving to card is quick. The 3.0" LCD on the back is also clear and crisp. And I love the "selective desaturization" mode in the camera. And how do you beat 12x zoom (28 to 300mm equivalent lens) in this size package?!

The Bad: The camera is not perfect. First, while very pocketable, it is not an ultra-compact - it is about as long as an iPhone but 4 to 5 times as thick and it is has definite heft in your hand and pocket. Second, time from shot to shot is not quick, even in "burst" mode, sometimes taking a full second or 2 to recycle between shots. Third, battery is life is only moderate - over the course of a wedding and reception (about 8 hours) I went through 3 fully-charged batteries, and the batteries themselves take over 2 hours to recharge. Finally, when zoomed to the extreme, the camera often finds it hard to find a focal point and may vacillate between two of them, forcing you to let go of the shutter and recompose the shot. This lead me to lose a few really critical photographs.

The Bottom Line: This camera is a keeper, but you'll want to keep your SLR for the most important or challenging occasions. The 12x zoom is great for getting in close or finding a good wide-angle option. It is pocketable, has a plethora of manual options to allow you to get the best shot, has several really fun auto options, and comes in at under $400 even at the expensive shops. How much did I like this camera? Let's just say that I am now one of 3 friends who all own the Canon PowerShot SX200 IS.

I purchased the Canon Powershot SX200IS after much research on the web. I have been looking for a small camera that I can carry with me everyday: I'm doing the Project 365. I would still like my shots to be better than ones I take with my smaller point and shoot or my cell phone. I discovered these wide angle/ultra zoom small cameras and have been debating back and forth about a few of them. My choices boiled down to this one and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5. While the Panisonic has some great features, like the optical zoom in video mode with stereo sound, I decided that I was mainly buying the camera to take still shots and the Canon seems like a camera I can grow with as my photographic abilities increase. The Panisonic has no Manual settings, but the Canon has everything from Easy mode that just lets you take shots and chose whether you want the flash or not, to full manual. I first ordered the Canon from the lowest price website online and they gave me a run around including trying to sell me more stuff that I didn't need and extended warranty. As long as I was willing to buy one of their package deals, they had one in stock, but when I declined all the extra stuff they put me on backorder. I finally canceled the order and went to another discount site that looked like it had it in stock. After I ordered it my order showed up as backorder and that went on for a month. I called twice and was told two different dates, both not acceptable to me so I canceled that order too. I ordered it from Amazon yesterday and had it in my hot little hands today, less than 24 hrs later. Great service! It all boils down to you get what you pay for.

As far as the quality of the camera is concerned, it is a little larger than my old iPod, but I like the heft of it; It feels substantial. It's going to take a little getting used to the power on button being on the left side of the camera; it feels better to me to turn it on with my left hand. I'm used to a camera with a grip area on the right side so I am going to make sure I use the strap as I am afraid I will drop it. The door for the battery and media card feels substantial as does the flash. The door where you hook up the cables feels a little flimsy though.

I started playing with it the moment it arrived and, I have to admit that I had to check manual to get the hang of some of the features, like turning on the IS feature. (My husband was shocked! lol) It's not visible in all modes. I am pretty savvy when it comes to figuring out techy stuff, but this has allot of different features to delve into. I will read the manual all the way through though so I don't miss any of the cool features like doing some actual editing (cropping, red eye removal (not on pets!) and rotation). It even rotates the photos in playback mode when you turn the camera from horizontal to vertical.

Overall I am very satisfied with the camera and look forward to many years of learning how to take better and better shots with this baby. I'm very impressed with the results I've gotten and, in the automatic mode, the camera senses what your subject is and chooses the appropriate mode to shoot in and it is very good at that. (See a shot of some glasses I have in a garden window. The room was pretty dark, but the camera compensated for all the light coming from the window. I was very impressed.) It's small enough to carry with me in my purse so I don't miss those important shots and it will be a great little camera to take on vacation with me. I love the 28-336mm lens and the fact that there's no lens cap to fiddle with or lose. I have taken some super macro shots (0-.79in) and they are amazing. I will post some soon.

The camera fires up very fast so you won't miss your shots; seemed like less than a second from pushing the power button to ready to shoot.

I thought I might be bothered by only having the display screen but it is very easy to see in bright light. It automatically adjusts for night viewing. I also understand that the screen is scratch-protected.

One fun little thing I discovered is that you can display the time alone on the screen by holding down the FuncSet button and pressing the power button. This might be good if I need to check out what time it is; us retired folk don't have to wear watches anymore! =)

One other thing I did was to get the 1300mAh battery and a 16 gig SDHD card which gives me about 5000 shots. It does not come with any media card.

All in all, this is a great camera to learn on. It even has a hints and tips mode that you can turn on and off and, if your shot is overexposed, the whiter areas of your photo "flash" during playback so you could retake the shot if you want. I plan to update this review as I learn more and add more photos. I think this camera is a great value for the money. Good hunting and best wishes.

7-4-09 - after having this camera for awhile, I tried to upgrade my star rating to 5 stars but the Amazon edit mode won't let me do this. I love this camera. And it's small enough to have with me all the time so I don't miss photo opportunities. The more I use it the more impressed I am. You can't go wrong!