Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Dark Gray)

This is our fourth Canon purchase. Like the rest, we have become very pleased with the product. There is some tendency to cheapen the housing etc from one to the next. I think the USB access cover is going to break any day now.
Quality is good. I really do not need the increased megapixels but this is the trend for the industry. The screen size is great. I like the new button to move from picture to picture.
I am happy with the purchase. Wish they had not changed battery size as we lose the flexibity to share batteries and chargers.

Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD fits in the pocket and shoots great photos and video.

I purchased this Cannon SD1200IS for my daughter to give to her friend and he loves it. Everything is great, even the size, which I was worried about because his hands are large.

Had last year's model of same camera but was unfortunately lost. Chose to get same camera since the previous one was such a good product.

This camera takes great pictures and is very easy to use. Battery life is great...just went to Egypt and was able to take 3 days worth of pictures before having to charge the battery...and the battery wasn't even dead at that point.

One thing I wish this camera had that other Cannon's have is the Vivid Color feature. I love the effect of making the whole picture black and white and just having one color stand out.

Otherwise, I have no complaints and I LOVE the green color!

I got this camera because it had such amazing reviews and because my mom had the 1100 model and I loved the pictures. I HATE THIS CAMERA!!! I had a Kodak Easy Share and I loved how the pictures turned out and how easy it was to use, but it was too bulky for a diaper bag. I got the Canon 1200 for its portability and the "amazing" pictures it claims to take. Boy am I disappointed. The auto feature is all but useless. 9 out of 10 photos taken with the auto feature turn out blurry. Even when it looks good on the screen I download them and see they are in fact blurry. (if you read a lot of reviews you will see the problems with the auto feature and blurry photos)
I have missed so many cute photos of my baby due to this stupid camera. The 1100 was far superior and much more user friendly. I am not a camera person so maybe if you know the ends and outs of cameras it will work for you, but if you are just a normal person looking for a point and shoot camera THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!!

I find it very unacceptable to pay $150 for a camera and find out that it cannot be used as sold. It does not come with a memory card and nothing in the sales information provided prior to the purchase calls this out. Therefore I will not buy another product from either the supplier or Canon.

This is the best camera for an amateur. Cannon PowerShot takes clear, perfect pictures. The PowerShot also is small enought to fit conveniently in a shirt pocket or small purse.

This is a great camera. I've only owned two digital cameras and this one is the best so far. The picture quality and features are great. It's fits easily in my purse, with a case. I was looking for a pink camera only, and this one is not only cute, it gets the job done. I would definitely recommend this camera.

This camera is great for taking pictures of items to sell on EBay. I've never had such clear detailed pictures before. I love it.

bought this camera for our africa trip. Within days it started to have lens errors and took blurry pictures. Canon warranty claims it has been water damaged. I have always taken care of my camera and know it was not dropped or near water or had any water related accident. Truth is, Canon's warranty is non existent and this product is not worth your money. I will never buy a canon product again

Just received the Canon Power Shot SD1200 last night from Amazon. Opened camera to get battery to charge and noticed no memory card. Called Canon Customer Service to tell them card was missing and was told camera does not come with a card. "Can I use it without a card." Answer: "No". Don't see anything in Amazon listing that suggests purchasing a memory card was mandatory for camera to function. At time of purchase there was an offer to purchase what, I thought, was an additional card for an additional price. Don't see that posting today (3/02/2010.

Nothing bad to say about this camera. It takes great pictures and my wife couldn't be happier.

Great camera for the $$. I bought it to replace my Kodak Easy Share, which decided to break the week after my son was born. My only complaint is the battery life, however, it lasts as long as was indicated in the product description.

I don't often write reviews on many purchases but this camera deserves the praise! I bought one for my son when we were looking for a small, easy to carry, inexpensive camera for him to take on his college study abroad in Tunisia. When he came home and showed us his over 500 photos I was blown away by the quality of the pictures. For this reason, when my wife and I were going on a Caribbean cruise, instead of schleping my Canon XSi or her S2IS both of which are much larger and clumsier to carry, we decided to order an SD1200IS along with a 4G card, accidental damage warranty and carrying case from Amazon, all for just over $200. Well, we are back from our trip, attached the camera to directly to our TV to look at the pics and the SD1200, once again, did not disappoint. Although I know my way around a digital camera I am far from an experienced or professional photographer. I can not give a detailed, technical review as many other have posted here. Let me just say what I liked:

1. As I stated, the picture quality is wonderful and consistent given the price of this camera.

2. The image stabilization works well and even pictures taken out the window of a moving vehicle are clear and crisp.

3. Having an optical viewfinder is a plus, especially when taking pictures in the bright Caribbean sunlight.

4. The size and weight make it comfortable to stick in a shirt or pant pocket while still being easy for someone with large hands to operate.

5. I was concerned about the modest 3x zoom but found that the pictures are good enough that zooming into a particular area of the picture while in your photo software (or even while viewing on your TV) allows you to see close up clearly.

6. I did not find the need to bother with any special settings, other than the occasional use of fill flash in the program mode. Otherwise I just left it on full auto and let it do its thing.

7. Although the movie mode is not "HD" and I did not use it extensively, it is certainly good enough for the occasional recording of a video.

The bottom line is that, for the price, size and ease of use of this camera I don't think it can be beaten. You will not be disappointed!

I like all the Canon products I have owned, including this one. Good brand!

The problem most people are having with this camera is they are trying to use it in Full Auto mode (Smart Auto enabled). Unfortunately Canon's Smart Auto mode is HORRIBLE. It constantly looks for the "proper" scene mode and it usually chooses the wrong mode. I'll never understand the logic they used for this mode, it is completely wrong.

The SD1200 is not the only Canon compact that suffers from this problem, just about every new Canon has the same problem. The Smart Auto mode is absurd! For example, when shooting indoors in average lighting Smart Auto will frequently pick a very high ISO value, a low shutter, and it will sometimes even turn the flash off! The low shutter will result in blurry pics because of camera shake, the high ISO value will result in grainy/noisy pics. A Full Auto Mode (a mode designed for beginners) should NEVER allow the shutter speed to drop below 1/60 of a second.

Fortunately there is an easy solution. Take the camera out of Full Auto (Smart Auto) mode and put it in Programmed Auto Exposure Mode (Page 62 of the manual). This mode is set by sliding the mode switch on the back to the middle position, and then make sure the exposure mode is set to "P" (Program mode on, scene modes off). Set the camera as follows:

* Exposure Mode "P" (Page 62)
* Make sure the Auto flash feature is on (Page 62, A-Lightning Bolt).
* Make sure the Auto ISO feature is on (Page 68).
* Focus mode should be the normal setting (not macro, not landscape, Page 63)
* Exposure Compensation should be 0 (Page 67)
* Image Quality should be set to Large, Compression set to Fine (both on Page 65).
* White balance should be Auto (Page 69).
* Set the IS mode to Continuous (Page 113).
* Metering Mode should be Evaluative (Page 79)

These base settings will result in great point and shoot pictures. The shutter will never drop below 1/60, the flash will turn on when the light level drops, and your pictures will be sharp and well exposed. When you become more familiar with the camera you can turn off some of the auto settings and try to be more creative.

The bottom line is the camera is terrible in Fully Auto (Smart Auto) mode, and it is excellent in Programmed Auto Exposure mode. This is probably not the camera for someone who needs something that works great in a Fully Auto "Dummy" mode. I don't think any of the recent Canon compacts fit that bill, they all have the terrible Smart Auto Mode.

I purchased this camera for my daughter. I have 2 Canon digital cameras of my own so I know they are great products. It is so easy to use and has lots of features although not so many that you can't figure out what to do. It feels sturdy when you are holding it and it's small enough to fit into a pocket. The picture quality is amazing and it has really good battery life. It comes in fun colors too. I think you can't go wrong if you are looking for a simple to use, everyday camera.

I bought this camera for my wife and she loves it! I've been buying Canon products for years and always find them to be well designed and easy to use, with very good picture quality. Like most other Powershot cameras, this model works well in automatic mode but also has enough controls to get good shots in tricky situations. Many other cameras won't even allow you to shut off the flash.

Just got it about 10 days ago and so far it is really nice. I wanted something small to use for cycling. I'm still getting used to it, but I'm getting some very nice photos for a camera this tiny. I dhot pix of some items I'm selling on EBAY and they are super sharp.

The camera is easy-to-use. LCD display is good enough for most purposes. The included software package is excellent eliminating the need to buy a 3rd party photo editing application. The major issue to be aware of is that the camera is only useful for still objects. Photographing subjects in motion (kids, pets, sports) is not realistic with this camera. The time between pressing the shutter button and the actual photo being captured is 3-5 seconds, which is more than enough time for the subject to move. This is a common problem in digital point and shoot cameras. It is not unique to this Canon model. If you are photographing fast-moving subjects I recommend upgrading to a digital SLR.

I bought this camera as a Christmas present for my wife. She was looking for something small and portable that she could fit into her purse and keep with her at all times. This fits the bill perfectly. It's easy to use, takes good pictures (for what it is), and the battery has great life. Best of all - since she got it in pink, it stands out from everyone else's when in a crowd.

I purchased this camera as a xmas gift for my wife.
After researching several cameras, this was the one that I purchased.
Size was a factor. Her previous cameras were to bulky to fit in her purse, which made here not carry a camera. Now she takes the her camera with all the time. Plus, she is taking more pictures than before.
The stablization has made her pitcures great.
I am pleased with her progress with the different settings and the quality of her photos.
For a compact point and shoot, this is the one.

DHCanon PowerShot SD1200 IS Digital ELPH Camera (Light Gray) + 4GB SD Card + Case + NB-6L + Accessory Kit

This is a terrific camera--got one for my daughter also. Compact, easy to use, great pictures.

It's a great camera that I've had no problems with so far. Love the battery charger and not having to use double A batteries. Thus not throwing away batteries away anymore. Also really like the 3x optical zoom in addition to the 10x digital zoom. Anyway, a good camera for the average person. Enjoy it, I am.

There is something wrong with these cameras. Reading all the great reviews makes me think something changed during manufacturing. I've gone through two of these cameras now because with the slightest impact the sensor goes out. It will turn on after that but there's just a blank screen. The second one I had for all of two days and had taken one picture before the sensor went out. The last Canon Powershot I had lasted five years and still going without a single problem! Hopefully I can find one that doesn't have this issue.

This camera has a great bang for the buck. It takes great pictures, and the automatic stabilization is a lifesaver. It also takes some decent quality video, too.

We've owned several digital cameras over the years (Fujifilm, Cybershot) but I can say with confidence that this is the best camera we have EVER owned. The photos look GREAT, and the HD videos are good too.

Two cool features when previewing pics on the camera:
* you can tilt the camera sideways and pictures in portrait will rotate and fill the screen... just like an iphone!
* when you switch pics it adds a nice slideshow effect.

Use this with Windows Live Gallery which automatically downloads and sorts everything by date and you are done! BTW, I bought a 4GB SD memory card right here from amazon and I think we will never fill it up. 1000+ 10MP pictures.

-RV

I recently bought the Powershot SD1200 after I lost my SD1100 which I loved. I also own a Canon Rebel SLR, so I've always been very happy with my Canons. I am unhappy with the quality of the pictures even when they do come out clear...I've never had a camera that took such blurry pictures! I'm not sure if it's my individual camera that has an issue, or if anyone else has experienced similar problems. I'm thinking of giving this away and buying the SD780 IS- which I've heard good things about.

My daughter who is seventeen, loves this camera. It seems to take good pictures and it is fairly sturdy.

Camera ordered as gift. Service and delivery were excellent. Returned as receipient decided they would rather have a Sony Cybershot.

I've always used Canon product. Although this specific camera does not have some of the functions compared with the previous camera I purchased, it's still decent. I LOVE the COLOR. I just wish they had encorporated the feature from previous model into this new model and enhance it.

This is a really great camera that is simple and easy to use. Menus are logical, LCD is clear and vivid. Best thing: Facial recognition and focusing - This camera knows when you are trying to take photos of people, and adjusts the focus automatically to ensure that the people in the photo are in focus. This makes it perfect for the novice operator to take great shots without those mistake shots where the people in the shot are blurry and the camera accidentally focuses on a tree or car in the background. This camera is super intuitive. Worst Thing: Bummer of a lag time in composing shots. If you're thinking about using this to take shots of moving objects you should definitely chose a different camera. Still a 4 star camera because of excellent photos and ease of use.

I'm strictly a point & click person with a tendency to get blurry pictures because I don't hold the camera as steady as I should. I bought this camera just before a big trip to China. I'm not sure what other types of cameras that people in our tour group had however when we came back and exchanged photos, I have to say that mine were the clearest and sharpest. This was especially noticeable in the pictures that I took in dim light.

This camera has a manual mode with all sorts of features but I can't review that because I'd use them.

I WAUB DIS CAMERA (= DUDE! I BOUGHT A CAMERA FOR A CAMPING TRIP AND I BOUGHT THIS CAMERA FOR IT! ITT'S AWSOME! I DOWNLOADED THE PICTURES SO EASILY AND THEY CAME OUT PERFECTLY! AND I TOOK A BUNCH OF PICS (64)! I DEEPLY RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA BESAUSE ITT'S A FORDABLE (KINDA ) AND IS AWSOME !THE ONLY THING THAT IS NOT GOOD ABOUT THIS CAMERA IS THAT ITT'S NOT BETTER THAN MEE! THAT'S IT!


-I LIKKE BAMBI (=
P.S. THE TRIP WAS GOOD TOO (= TEHEE (=

The camera does everything I need it to do. The picture quality is excellent, camera is easy to use. The only thing that annoyed me was that is didn't come with the memory card. It's only an extra $11.00 at the local electronics store but still..
Otherwise, I'm enjoying it.

It is a good camera but not a great one. Mainly it is very convenient to carry and use. It also shares many of the conttrol features of my SX10IS, so did not need to learn a lot of new tricks to make it work. Image quality is fine for 4 by 6 prints but not nearly up to the quality of the pictures from my SX10. Did not expect that, so am quite happy with this very small and convenient camera.

This camera was for my wife and she wanted something small and easy to use. she loves it!!!! and the quality of the product is great! would recommend to anyone

Great camera!! I am a novice user and didn't want to invest in the $800 options out there. I was looking for a relatively inexpensive camera to stick in my bag that took good pictures - I found what I was looking for! It is fairly fast in good lighting; the flash slows it down for only a millisecond. I have no regrets about purchasing this camera and have not had any issues with picture quality, video quality or the battery. It is lightweight and versatile. You can't go wrong if you are looking for a good camera under $150.

I had purchased this camera as a gift to myself to replace a Canon Powershot S2iS. Not that it wasnt a great camera, but it was just too big for me to be able to conveniently take it with me, so I missed alot of photo ops.
The SD1200is the perfect size to stick in your pocket or in your purse, and I just tend to leave it in my purse so I'll always have it in case the need arises. Much better photos than those from my camera phone!
The main thing about this camera though..at least for me...is the fantastic pictures that it takes in very low light. It was put to the test recently when we were at the hospital for the birth of a grandchild. The only light that was on was some ambient lighting around the ceiling and my pictures were as clear and perfect as they would have been taken outside on a sunny day. AND...it wasnt even using the flash! I would take one and someone would say " It didnt flash" thinking no doubt they were catching a "user error" LOL! But the picture was perfect, which I made sure to show them! Im sure I converted several people that day and they will be getting one of these cameras too.
Another low light situation is when I take photos for online selling. Before the SD1200is, I would be going all over the house trying to find just the right light that wouldnt cast shadows, that would show the true colors, etc etc. Now it doesnt matter where I take the shot...the picture is great...even on the macro setting!

The battery life is decent...I charged it the first time the early part of December and the low battery signal didnt appear until the middle of January. That's after probably over 100 photos were taken.

I highly recommend this camera to everyone!

I have been happy with Canon Powershot digital cameras ever since I got my first one years ago. I take lots and lots of pictures and only upgrade when I wear the camera out! I love this new one - the picture quality is great - my favorite thing about them is the size - I can tuck it in my purse, pocket - anywhere. Love the big viewing screen and I love that they come in colors now!

The Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS replaced our last camera, the Nikon CoolPix 4600, which was possibly the worst camera I ever purchased. I researched the Canon PowerShot SD1200 extensively, and was able to find a couple of friends who already had it to confirm that it was as good as the ads said, and it was.

Ese of use, fast first picture taking, and fast repeat picture taking as well.

The biggest problem we had with the Nikon was that it eat baterries in as little as 50 pictures, and we tried buying expensive batteries specifically made for digital camera, including the newest lithium batteries, but it still keep asking for new batteries.

I recommend the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS to anybody looking for a great camera.

Good job Canon.

Bought as Christmas present for my wife. She loves it. Takes great photos and is fairly easy to learn to use. The HOT PINK color is wild. Only suggested improvements: (1) include paper user manual with camera(Internet download version is too lengthy to print); (2)include an SD card with the camera so it can be used out of the box. This would be worth a few dollars more on the price if necessary.

I recently purchased this as a very small portable camera to have available easily and to serve as a backup camera. I can compare it directly to the SD 550 and SD 750 Canons which I also own (though the 550 now has been handed down to my 7 year old daughter), as well as the Rebel XSI. The SD 750 is an excellent camera which has served our family well, so why you ask did I buy the 1200? I purchased this primarily for two reasons which may also apply to you. Firstly, the IS feature allows much-more-watchable video and secondly, the battery is the same type that is used by my Canon D10 (waterproof camera) - this is very helpful in terms of carrying around fewer bulky chargers. The relatively-low price for a camera of this quality was also a factor.

I was concerned a bit about buying this camera as some reviews here noted blurry shots, with some later reviews noting that camera came set to low resolution. As for my unit, it came set to highest resolution (as did the SD 550 and SD 750 to my recollection). I wonder if some of the reviewers somehow got a refurbished model since as far as I can tell the camera firmware comes automatically set to highest resolution for Canon cameras in general.

To check photo quality, I have made a direct comparison between the SD 750 and SD 1200 by taking identical shots of what passes for me as a 'still life' - some toys on a couch with detailed pattern in semi-dark conditions requiring flash. Zooming in closely on those shots, it appears that the flash is a little brighter on the 1200 but otherwise detail is identical. As the SD 750 is a 7.1 MP camera and this one is 10 MP, one might expect (understandably) higher resolution from this camera but this ends up being an excellent illustration of the "megapixel myth." Though companies have latched onto increasing megapixels as a marketing thing there is really diminishing returns as one goes up due to other limitations, notably sensor noise and especially limits imposed by the optics. You can't get blood from a stone and you also can't get increasingly higher-resolution images from the small lenses on cameras like this one. That is not to say the images are bad, just that they don't compare to DSLR images from say a Canon Rebel XSI or a Nikon D300 - but this is certainly not a criticism as this camera is not intended as a substitute for a DSLR.

Video quality is similar to that on my SD 750 though the IS does definitely improve the stability of the shots and should allow them to be better mixed into footage from a dedicated video camera. It is interesting that though one may never intend to use this type of camera for video inevitably the time will come when this is all that is available, and in fact with kids that happens pretty frequently! The best camera for the shot or video is, of course, the one you actually have with you at the time!

The camera controls will seem second-nature if you have used Canons in the past. The door to the battery/SD compartment does seem a bit more flimsy than my prior models but is working well so far.

In summary, this is a very portable compact camera that does the job of serving as an always-available camera and also can serve as backup to a DLSR or other higher-quality camera. I am very pleased with the purchase and would highly recommend this camera. (Please be aware that in late February 2010 it is very likely that new models will be announced at a large trade show)

I've owned Canons since the 70's. I started out with an AE-1 and now have an XSi. I'm very partial to Canon cameras and thought this one would be a good one to carry around in my pocket so I ordered one from Amazon. I was really surprised when I received the camera and opened the battery compartment. The battery compartment door and latch is plastic and very flimsy, didn't close with a tight "snap", and didn't seem strong enough. I could just visualize the door breaking as I am constantly inserting and removing SD cards in my cameras. I returned it without even snapping any photos so I really can't comment on photo quality. Knowing Canon, the quality is probably great but my concern over the latch was a major issue with me.

I've owned a Canon PowerShot S110 since 2001 and have loved it the entire time I've owned it, despite it only being a 2.1 mega pixel camera. As long as you weren't going to print 8"x10" prints, it is a great snapshot camera. However, I decided that it was about time to upgrade to a 10 or more mega pixel camera. I've always owned Canon's (even in the old 35mm film days) and would never think of owning anything but a Canon...they are simply the best cameras out there. This SD1200IS is no exception. My old SD110 was built like a tank and has withstood a ton of use. The SD1200IS is about half the thickness of the SD110 but still has that solid, well built feel. The 2 1/2" LCD screen is such a vast improvement over the old 1 1/2" screen. I agree with some reviewers that the viewfinder is pretty much worthless....no one is going to look through the viewfinder...why even bother. The controls are fairly intuitive although I miss having a printed manual to have as quick reference for the many options offered...it's certainly not convenient to have to refer to the manual on your computer. The number of manual functions is extremely impressive and I have yet to experiment the all of them. The results in Auto mode are excellent for casual use but the manual settings do give you a tremendous amount of control over your final results. I have yet to print any 8"x10" or bigger prints but can see that the amount of detail in the photos will certainly hold up to enlargements. Canon's photo software is garbage....just download Picasa..you can't beat it for free!!! I've shot some videos with the SD1200IS and they aren't too bad...not HD but quite passable with decent sound. To think I paid $400 for my S110 8 1/2 years ago and only $149 for the SD1200IS. Wow!!!!

or with kids. The camera has a really bad flash and often cuts off one person. It is so shallow. That is inexcusable. The auto mode is really weak and the ISO is way too high for the situation. The amount of blurry pictures was way too high for the money. I used someones GE 1250 with (ES) and it was way better than this camera and the ISO was lower...yikes. This gives Canon a bad name. They are the next Kodak. I am trying to figure out why I'm in the minority...weird.

I used 2 of them...and I know it wasn't user error.

Good luck with yours.

This is an upgrade camera from a canon 400 series. Controls are easy to operate, and generally understandable. Still unable to figure out how to change the picture resolution, but have not played with it that long. Picture-taking is fast - primarily operated by an 8 year old, and the pictures come out clear under normal light conditions.
I would purchase this again - I have had very good luck with canon products

I've gone through a lot of cameras over the past few years, then my sister suggest I get this one. It's the best camera I've ever owned! My favorite part is that the battery lasts FOREVER. I take a lot of pictures, and the battery lasts 3-4 months! With my last camera, the battery would only last a week. It's also small and easy to carry around. It takes AMAZING pictures and has a lot of settings to play with. I love this camera and if I ever need a new one, I'm definitely buying another canon powershot!

I LOVE this camera! So far there isn't one thing I dislike about it! Great picture quality and is a 'smart' camera! Recommend highly!