Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Update: 04-19-2014 Still going strong. I use it mostly for technical pictures of repairs. I'm working on a series for a carburetor clean and rebuild. I'm starting to use the video feature a lot. Sometimes in scenes with a lot of action there will be a pause in the video like it could keep up. Not sure why this happens. Also, I shoot everything at standard not high definition. I dropped the camera a couple of times on to concrete but it is still working and didn't crack. I updated the review. I have been using this camera for around 6 months. PROS: Great control over the flash. If you don't want it then leave it down. If you do want it then just lift the flash with your finger. Quality is good (but not great). Speed - camera is fast between pictures, fast to start up, etc. I like snappy "real time" menus and zooming etc. Focus - very very clear. I used macro mode to take pictures of business cards and I can zoom in and see the hairs of the paper. Very impressive, very important to me. Took a picture of a letter on the wall 5 feet away with zoom. I could review and zoom in and and read very fine print ~ 5pt type font! Low light - very good even without the flash. Screen: large, good quality - it is NOT a touch screen but I think it is much more durable than a touch and you don't need the touch as the controls are easy to use. Manual options: good manual options. Video: very good quality, you CAN zoom while filming. File size was too big for my taste in HD so I reduced the quality to normal. Sound is so-so / average but perfectly acceptable. CONS: Update: 03-23-2012 By far the lens is bulky even when closed. This is the most serious drawback to this camera IF you intend to carry the camera in the front pocket of your pants or shirt. I find myself using my cell phone camera because of the bulk and discomfort of keeping this point and shoot camera in my pocket. It would be nice if the flash had more power and height when extended. Power button: sometimes the lens has opened in my pocket (or attempted to) because the button was pressed. Th button should have been smaller and / or harder to push to prevent this. Flash - at night when I open the flash I have seen the message flash is charging which takes a few seconds. This delays the picture. Wish it was a bit faster. The overall camera is kind of large to be a "pocket camera". However, the lens is good quality and good in low light and has lots of zoom so this is a trade-off. I would like it if the body was rubberized. The hard plastic is slippery. Complexity of the manual settings. I guess having more features or adjustments brings on this evil. I'm getting better but sometimes I stumble or fumble to set the aperture or white balance etc. I'm not sure how this could be simplified without adding more buttons and cluttering things up. What to buy: buy this camera or the Nikon ??? model that costs about $200. The Nikon is a little smaller and has a rubberized finish but the lens on this camera is probably better due to size. Kill the Paper Monster: I have all sorts of little notes, business cards etc. I use this camera in macro (close up) mode with a table lamp and no flash to take a picture and then throw the paper out to go paperless. Then I transfer these digital records to the computer and label and organize the pictures - Business cards, Letters etc so I can search for it later. Manuals - watch, tool, instructions for a windshield for my scooter - will probably never need them but if I do it is in the computer in the "manuals" folder. Serial numbers - same deal. It is much easier to search for "furnace" or "water pump" "thermostat" (a model of wireless router) and find the instructions then try to figure out where you put the manual when you bought it 6 years ago.