Did a lot of researching prior to buying this camera. There are other makes and models that are better, but this choice was made with a budget in mind. I just used this camera for a trip to Europe and was not disappointed. It is easy enough to use for a beginner but has advanced features that those who use standard 35mm digital cameras will appreciate. It has a lot in a small package with some features that that perform very well and others that don't. I'll start with the negative part; this camera doesn't focus very well in low light situations and I was aware of that before purchasing it. However, if doing night shots you can use a mono or tripod and focus manually and achieve great shots with it. I haven't put my photos on the computer yet, but the ones I had in low light still appear fairly descent. Just need to play with it a bit and know its limits. The other negative is that the flash doesn't illuminate very far. Though I didn't have the flash set on full power, you still don't want to be too far from your subjects. The las negative is the camera strap. I purchased a better strap for this camera that will clip in with a belt style clip and came with a sturdier strap clip for my larger 35mm that plugs into the same wrist band. This was a good purchase as you don't want to drop this camera on the ground or over the side of the boat. I highly recommend tossing the band that comes with the camera and using a better aftermarket one. Now some positives. Speaking of the flash, I can say I was very impressed with the cameras ability to measure inside photos with a window in the background. Usually the scene outside will be underexposed while the subject is lit correctly by the flash. This camera was able to get a balanced shot with the flash. Blew me away the first time I saw that. The other positive is the 40x optical zoom. For such a compact camera, that is a pretty good reach. The camera will accept up to a 64GB memory card. After 2 weeks of photos and some video (not bad on the video either) I've barely put a dent in the memory. You could definitely get by with a 32GB card if you wanted to save a little money. I also recommend spending the extra money for a second battery for the camera and also suggest staying with a genuine Canon battery. Some aftermarket stuff is great, but this is one area I won't budge on. Kind of like your car's transmission fluid: if it's a Honda, put in Honda fluid. This camera performed as expected and does what it's supposed to do. I didn't want to take my good 35mm on this trip with all the lenses for fear of damaging or having it stolen plus....it eats up a carry on option when flying. This camera will fit right in your front pocket between shots and easily goes into a carry on bag. I also purchased an aftermarket padded case for the camera just as na extra level of protection. Was easily able to transfer the photos I wanted to post for the day to my smart phone with the Canon app via the WiFi feature. Could I have bought a better camera? Sure. But I was looking for one under $300 and this met the need. I would recommend this camera based on those parameters. Most important to me was the zoom and it did that very well.

Whether you love or hate this camera all depends on your perspective. If you are looking for a point and shoot camera, this one is good. It even feels solid. It takes nice photos - but not spectacular. The video quality is good enough. One major complaint - whoever designed the buttons should have taken single handed photos first. The natural place for your thumb to go is taken by a wifi button. I don't know how many times I turned the camera off while attempting to take a photo, and thus missed the moment. One can get used to it, though. If you are looking for a camera to replace your SLR or larger point and shoot camera, you will be disappointed. The clarity is really disappointing both at a distance and close up. It's flattering for those who have wrinkles (since they are blurred out) but not too great when trying to get a sharp close up of a child or a flower. The macro feature is not sufficient for the close ups I like to take. My three priorities in getting this camera were that (1) it would be small enough to fit in a pocket yet still feel like a quality camera, (2) it would be able to take close ups, and (3) that the pictures would all come out sharp and clear. Only the first of those goals was realized. For the person who just wants to take photos to post on Facebook, it should be sufficient. For the person who wants to do high quality photography for work or fun, go with an SLR. It's worth it.

I bought this camera for a trip to Alaska and was not disappointed! We were fortunate enough to see Denali four days during the trip, but from a distance. The 40x zoom is absolutely amazing! It captures every detail clearly. Yes, keeping steady is an art, but I find that taking a deep breath before shooting does help. One note, I am glad I bought the camera early enough to practice with all the features before the trip. This camera has also now documented a Caribbean cruise with exceptional shots. People cannot believe the moon shots with this camera, and no need for the full 40x zoom! Two more friends liked it so much they are each buying the same model, and daughter bought the upgraded model with the flip screen. You will not be disappointed with this camera!

I had to purchase this camera a day before traveling to Alaska as my dependable Canon did not work. I decided the smaller camera would fit in my pocket but needed good zoom. The camera was awesome!!! I was able to get shots of sheep at the top of a mountain that looked like white specks from the road. Lots of features recharged the battery each night never an issue. I'm very glad I purchased this camera

I bought this camera when I started my journey across the United States, I’ve owned several before but was never intrigued by them. This marvelous little thing though? It’s been amazing and so fun to use, between the exceptionally perfect zoom quality/clarity and the easy to use media transfer, I hands down could not have asked for a better piece of equipment. The pictures I’ve taken are definitely National Geographic worthy and better yet, my memories(pictures) are so clear I’ll be able to remember them in 20 years like it was moments ago, seriously. If your a beginner, prefer to save space or even just want a new camera BUY THIS ONE!!!