Cheap Canon Powershot SX10IS 10MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

This purchase was an impulse buy. I saw 20X zoom and decided I wanted it. I think I made a great choice.

I've had this camera for about 5-6 months now. I think I've learned a lot from this camera, and about photography in general.

The picture quality is great in good light, and having 20x zoom is very useful. I noticed noise at ISO 200 in decent light, although that was viewing at 100%

There are a lot of settings in the menus, but the nice thing is that you can make your own menu. I have only the functions that I use often, which is a great time saver.

The swivel LCD is awesome. I can take low and high shots w/out having to be at eye level w/ the camera.

I noticed that the lens cap tends to get "stuck." This causes the cap to fall off easy. All you need to fiddle w/ the ring on the inside of the cap to make it circular (when it's stuck, it would be oval).

I don't like the wheel in the back that much. There's no tactile feedback, and moving it too slowly sometimes doesn't seem to register when using it in manual focus.

Also, be careful if you have the lens hood on backwards before turning off the camera. If you're holding the camera like you would a DSLR, you may pinch your fingers, or prevent the lens from withdrawing all the way (which may ruin the lens motor).

Although this is a great camera, I'm considering getting a DSLR for a few reasons:

1) Low light performance is a lot better
2) Changing the aperture changes depth of field...doesn't really work in this camera
3) Faster continuous burst (didn't think it was important at first)
4) Faster more reliable autofocus
5) Better manual focus (100% zoom in live view and focus ring on lens is probably (hopefully) better than the wheel on the SX10 IS.
6) More durable build

I'm still planning on keeping this camera though, as it is a small, lightweight camera that I can carry around w/ me at all times that also has a great range lens.

The reviews say that this camera is one of the best super zooms out there, and although I don't have any other camera to compare it to, I still have to agree.

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