Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've never had a Canon compact zoom camera. I had before compact point and shoots with 5x zoom max, which satisfied me, but at some point you start missing a good zoom at nature shots. So I decided to give it a try. Its 18x zoom with 4.5 to 81mm lens is great, which is said to be 25-450mm according to 35mm film specs - just amazing, not many DSLR camera lens have these specs - eventually you will end up with those huge lens hangin all around your neck costin you 2K or even more and feeling like a weightlifter. BTW this model is similar to cheaper model 280sx with a bit deeper zoom. After a short play I was pleasantly surprised with zoom lens - I shot everything and at any distance. The camera also has Canon's Hybrid Auto mode, which captures a few seconds of video before each picture you take. At the end of a day, the camera automatically gathers up all clips and photos and puts them into a movie, which is really funny. Still the only one con (-1 star) which matters to me is the matrix size. The resulting picture in really low light conditions is a bit more noisy (IMHO this is actually the difference between small and large matrices, not all though) than with larger matrix that needs a larger budget. After all, every budget camera today is supplied with small 1/2.3 CCD. Pros: 1. 16.0 Megapixels, with loads of resolution pictures are still clear at big zooms. High resolution is also good for producing bigger printouts. 2. 18x Optical Zoom is cool. 3. DIGIC 4+ Image Processor. Mighty enough to give you advanced system options, provide quick-shoot with low battery consumption. Must be quicker than DIGIC 4, which is currently Canon's efficient processor for budget cameras. 4. Very lightweight, just put it into your pocket, and take it everywhere. 5. Full HD video with video snapshots called Hybrid Auto is a new feature that I like. Cons: 1. Still 1/2.3" sensor - entry level CCD providing standard pictures, not of a DSLR quality though. 2. No Aperture priority or shutter priority mode, which might be a good feature while shooting nature. Summary: I definitely love the camera. Current price $249 - about right taking into account its competitors. If you're looking for a "medium budget" compact zoom camera taking family photos and events, and especially nature requiring zoom, this is a good choice and you won't regret it.