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

for average to low usage: don't buy. i like to take pictures on my trips (national and state parks), family, in and out... sorry, i do not understand the extremely good ratings on canon cameras (i own also a little compact SD1200IS) particularly this model..
cons:
-low light pictures are grainy, very grainy.
-the colors are a bit saturated for my taste.
-the auto-focus is slow and kind of unreliable. it grabs what you do not want to focus on ...
-you can not put a filter to the lens (mainly to protect the lens from scratches ... basics)
-it drains batteries faster than expected, much faster. it even drains the batteries when it is off for a week or so: unbelievable.
-there is no monitor of battery charge on the screen ... when the batteries die, the camera shuts down with no warning! even the small cheap compact cameras have that feature!
-4 AA batteries make the camera heavy.
-many 'push buttons' placed almost randomly all over the right side of the body that make little sense unless you master the manual perfectly.
-no on-screen display of the beginning of a self-timed shot makes it awkward to use (many, if not all, small cameras have front and back warnings that the timer started).
-the x20 zoom is useless if you do not have a tripod.
-zooming in and out is too sensitive. it is difficult to set.
-the software menus are cumbersome to my taste (i've used kodak, panasonic, samsung, nikon so it is fair to make the statement).
-esthetically, and that's my personal taste, the body looks big and unrefined. we passed the 2,000s 10 years ago ... some re-design would not hurt (ie look at panasonic, nikon).
pros:
there are many 'pros' already described by other reviewers.

in summary, what's the hype with canon? digital cameras perform in general good nowadays so i think we need to think more about ergonomics, user friendly software, battery life and forget about 'the brand hype' that obviously canon benefits from. i understand that a low review will not do 'anything' on the average star of the product ... it is the review that counts: i hope it is of any help.

I bought this camera from Amazon in August of 2009. A few weeks later, Canon released the newer version (SX20), so I still had the option of keeping the SX10 or returning it to Amazon for the SX20. After researching the SX20, I decided to keep the SX10, and I'm glad I did. The main reason is that most of the "experts" out there who tested both cameras claim that the SX10 has slightly better image quality, and that was important to me. I know that the SX10 has a "Super Fine" image quality setting, while the newer SX20 can only go as high as a "Fine" setting. The SX10 comes with a full printed manual, while the SX20 does not, and the SX10 has a voice recording option, something they left off the new SX20.

Before I purchased the SX10, I was searching for a digital camera that had a lot of zoom, took decent photos, and shot good quality video with excellent sound. Well, this camera has lots of zoom (20X), good for taking shots of wildlife. The video is very good, and the stereo sound is far, far better than my older point and shoot camera. No need for me to buy a separate camcorder. The photo image quality is OK, but not spectacular. Some photos have "noise", but I keep reminding myself that this is NOT a thousand dollar SLR camera, so I don't expect perfection.

For those people who are not camera geeks, this camera will serve you well in Auto setting, but I advise everyone to read the instruction manual and play around with the many manual settings, as there are lots of fun things you will discover, and you will be able to take better photos as well.

I really enjoy this camera. I still have a lot to learn on it. I wasn't ready to get a SLR camera yet so that will be my next purchase after I decide to take my photography to another level. It is a little on the bulkier side, but it doesn't bother me. I would recommend this camera if someone is just looking for a really nice point and shoot camera that is a step before the SLR.

I purchased this camera because I had a Canon with a flip out LCD screen previously and loved it. This camera at the time, was the only one I could find with this similar feature. I love being able to fold out the LCD and hold the camera over my head or down by my knees and see what I am photographing. The zoom is awesome! However the video although pretty good in quality (as good or better than my camcorder) has focusing glitches. It goes in and out of focus while recording (annoying!). I suppose it could be the operator and not the camera as I am not a professional photographer nor videographer, but since it appears to be a camera for the novice it should not be this complicated to shoot 'in-focus' video in auto mode. The pics are great and the other features work fine enough for me. The video issue is the only disappointing part as I am tired of hauling along two cameras on trips and special occasions.

This is my first digital camera (besides borrowing my mom's compact point-and-shoot) and so far I love it. I wanted a camera that would be able to take decent macro shots but could not afford a DSLR with macro lens. The SuperMacro setting on the Canon PowerShot SX10 works nicely for what I need (after I figured out that you need to set the camera into manual mode to use it). I'm impressed with the zoom as well. I've taken pictures of the moon that people won't believe I've taken without a telescope just using the zoom on the camera. I've read a few complaints about grainy pictures, but I find with using sufficient light, low ISO setting and manual mode this isn't really an issue. I take most of my pictures in manual mode and love fiddling around with the settings. I've been able to get a few surprisingly good bokeh shots as well using the zoom and/or macro settings.

The only complaints I would have might be that it's too easy to accidentally press a button on the back of the camera when holding it, thus changing your settings in the middle of trying to take a picture. I've annoyed myself doing that on multiple occasions. I wished the manual focus would work a little better - it's sometimes challenging to get it right and it's a bit hit and miss. Most of the time, the auto focus and focus lock work fine for what I want to do though. And on the SuperMacro setting, it can be tricky to get the lighting right without casting a lens shadow on your subject, but I suspect that's probably an issue with all macro photography and I wouldn't hold that against the camera. If I could add something to the camera to make it better, I would suggest a thread to add filters etc and put the lens cap on a strap so it can't get lost. I know there are adapters and alternate lens caps available, but it would be nice not to have to purchase those extra.

I have owned manual slrs, digital point and shoots and auto slrs. I take pictures everywhere I go, for pleasure and work. I previously owned the powershot elph cameras which I liked and found functional. I wanted to upgrade to a digital slr, but the price was too high for me at this time.
This camera does everything a digital single lens reflex does, but without the ability to change out lens. But who needs to with wide angle, macro, supermacro and 560mm zoom capability? For a slr equivalent the weight is actually lighter because the lens is more compact. It handles well. I really like the flexible view finder and how it pivots, but most of all I like the versatility of the picture taking experience. The macro is perfect for close ups. I recently zoomed in on the statute on top of the US Capitol and could clearly see the details. The video is easy to use too.

This camera does everything and at an affordable price. I enjoy taking pitures with this camera and take it with me all the time.

The Cannin Oiwershot SX10IS can do everything a high end professional camera can do with the ease of aim and shoot. How easy can it get?

Great little camera.... already have 3900 shots on first one.... bought a 2nd camera as back-up.

I am hand-holding 1/8 second at 560mm, 800 ISO & getting over 50% good photos....amazing I.S. system. I frequently get good results on ISO 80 at 1/15, 560mm.

I shoot everything at minus 2/3's stop under exposure with great results....with bracketing by locking exposure in different areas of frame.

Digital noise at ISO 800 is terrible though.

Plan on adding rubber grips in (3) different places for right hand .... camera surface is real slick. Use 3M safety tread with PSA adhesive similar to material used in bath tub strips.

Also, plan on buying the filter adapter from Lens Mate which allows full use of 58mm filters......use a 58mm aluminum screw lens cap after installing the filter adapter & filter. (available from B&H.)

Don't believe the 1 star dummies on the review list.... I bought two of the things !!!

Sample photos can be viewed on [...]

Rich Barger

I got this camera for Christmas last year, so I have a year of experiences and thoughts to share... nonetheless, I'll try to make it worth your time!

First off, I recently read another post that said "All choices of cameras and lenses are compromises, involving size, ease of use, cost, weight, lens quality, and more," and I need to say I couldn't agree more. If you're looking for DSLR quality images (due to the larger sensor size) or super-fast burst rate for shooting sports, or even great low-light performance, this camera will provide you with basic functionality but leave you always looking up-market (and wishing you had the cash to satisfy your desire!). Alternatively, if you're looking for a great little camera that takes terrific shots and which you will always have with you because it's easy to carry around and fits in your back pocket, this camera will have you gazing admiringly at the never-ending onslaught of point-and-shoot ads coming your way. So, you need to recognize that whichever camera you buy, you're making a compromise, because camera manufacturers have not yet figured out how to make a DSLR-quality camera that slips easily into your pocket or purse.

Why choose the SX10IS then? I'd say start with this premise: great photos are more a function of the photographer (and his/her use of composition, use of light, and editing software!) than the technology at his disposal. I've taken some great - really interesting - shots with my iPhone because the opportunities presented themselves and that was the only camera I had available. But having taken those shots and been encouraged by them, I wanted to explore what I might be able to do with a more powerful camera at my disposal. The SX10IS has been that camera.

As a novice, the most amazing features of the camera will be the 20X zoom and the image stabilization. I've taken photos of my wife and son at least 100 yards away at the top of a sled run, on full zoom, where their faces came out clear as a bell. I'm told this used to be absolutely unheard of without a tripod. Similarly, I've taken some beautiful panoramic pacific ocean sunsets and then zoomed in from a mile away on a fishing boat where I can see the fisherman working on pulling up his net in profile - all while sitting in the exact same spot! Absolutley amazing stuff... never discount the power of image stabilization for improving your pictures, especially if you've suffered from blurred photos in the past, as I have.

Some other thoughts: this camera has just about all of the manual settings you'll get on a DSLR, so if you want the opportunity to grow and learn, this will allow you to do so, at a fraction of the cost. Also, the pre-set "scene" modes should not be overlooked. I was trying to take pictures of my son's soccer games on Auto mode and not real happy with them, when I remembered the "Sports" mode on the dial. I switched the dial, and suddently I was able to catch the action with the players in mid-stride and the ball frozen mid-air, just like the pros (well, not "just like" but pretty good, given I didn't have the super-fast burst mode they do).

I will say that the user manual is a pain to follow, which has slowed my progress in learning the manual features.

All in all, I have to give this camera two thumbs up: it met my needs for cost (got it for only $325, with free shipping and no sales tax!), while feeding my desire to learn more and improve my photographic skills. Do I still wish I could get Canon 40D-type quality and specs in the body of a Canon S90? The answer is a definitive Yes (the Canon G11 might be the another great compromise, like the SX10), but short of carrying around multiple cameras, the SX10 is definitely a camera that can be recommended.

Happy shopping and happy shooting!

I was fed up with pocket cameras. After reading many reviews about many cameras I chose the CANON SX10 IS. Right out of the box just point and shoot. I have found this camera amateur friendly. My dogs tend to be black or white... Westies and Labradors. No longer do I get just a profile outline of my Lab, or a white blob of my Westie. Gone are the green ghoul eyes. The video is as crisp as the photos. The sound recording on video is clear, too. Important if you want the sound of your little puppies at play. Most important is how silent the camera is to operate. My dogs no longer hear the camera come out of the bag, power up, focus, and shoot. Even the flash doesn't disturb them. Portrait photos of family are priceless. I can't wait to start photographing wildlife.I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains where "teaming with wildlife"is an understatement. Turkeys, deer, birds, geese, ducks, wolves, cyotes, mountain lions, lynx, bobcats,etc. have appeared in my side, front,and backyard. A positive for a budding wildlife photographer... a nightmare when walking the dogs. "GET OUT OF HERE!" doesn't exactly intimidate timber wolves that appear on the edge of your yard while walking a six month old Labrador. Having lived here all of my life, however, I do know how to stay safe, the agricultural biology degree doesn't hurt, either.
The LCD screen is big enough for me, especially with its flexibility. A rubber eye piece (eyepieces@cheltenhamas.com) makes the view finder VERY efficient... highly recommended. The ease of use of the automatic controls to the ability of full manual control, with the ability to add attachments using a converter ring (52mm-58mm)and the hot shoe for an additional flash makes this camera limitless. I don't mind the lack of HD recording. Honestly, if you're that into video recording, shouldn't you be looking at camcorders? The CANON SX 10 IS is the best of three worlds for me: automatic, manual, and video in one.

I bought this camera to upgrade from a basic point and shoot without going to an SLR. It fulfilled my requirements and I have been quite pleased with it. The features are easy to use and the pictures are clear and bright. I can change all of the settings to my specifications, yet the auto feature works great and I can pass the camera off to someone with little experience and still get a good picture. I do wish that the lense cap was attached. I have almost lost it a couple of times! I use the camera mainly to take macro shots of jewelry (the supermacro setting on this camera is great!). [...]

I purchased this one soo that I cant buy an DSLR. Its very nice choice I made and I really like it.. I live 35 blocks south of sears tower,from my home i can get a very good pic of the top of sears with very good quality with the zoom and the quality of image I got was great whn i used in morning and night. If u take fireworks u can expect much frm it..

If u take landscape and wildlife pics also..its good for the moeny u pay.. u will not regret.. DSLR is great but u can use this if u dont have money to buy DSLR. I use this during my graduation and I liked all the pics I take. its great. I even took pics during Chicago air show and it came perfect... The video is also great and I took some great pics when I shot video using this...

I will recommend this to any 1 who want to buy this... very nice 1 to start b4 u move to DSLR.

This is a temporary review. It will be deleted after the 2009 holidays. The camera is currently (12/7/09) over $400. I bought mine February 28, 2009 for $339. Wait till after the holiday season to buy it if you can.

My son and i went on a 12 day hike in the northern New Mexico mountains and i wanted a good camera to take pictures. This model performed flawlessly. It's a bit more in weight than an avid ultralight backpacker may want but the features you get make up for the additional weight. Also, if paired up with Eneloop rechargeable batteries, you can leave the extra batteries behind. I took >650 pics and some video and still had plenty of battery life. The zoom on the camera is exceptional and very easy to operate. This is basically a digital SLR without the detachable lens. All the features of an SLR (assuming you know how to use them) and the ease of use make this one great camera. Highly recommended.

This is a good camera. I am a forensic scientist and have to take photos for a lot of my work. Overall I am pleased. It has a little trouble capturing the focus under lower light conditions. The software is not great, but if you learn its quirks, it get the job done (some menus are "concealed"- only accessible by pressing an obscure series of buttons- it you do not have the secret sequence you won't find the menus). The manual is really really bad- Example: Hmmm, how do I operate the self timer? OK, thats in the index- go to the page- it tells you it can be operated in several fashions -BUT DOES NOT TELL YOU HOW TO ACTUALLY DO IT! Frustrating on an otherwise good camera

I purchased a SX10IS through Amazon - process and delivery was perfect. Wanting an advanced Point-and-Shoot for wildlife and wanting to avoid interchangeable lenses, I researched this camera thoroughly. It looks as though Canon has tried to overcome the shortcomings of the SX10 with changes in the SX20 and SX1 but went backwards in image quality and viewfinder definition. I needed wins in both these areas so I went with the older SX10. There must be a reason that they keep it in the lineup even after its replacements have been brought to market. Being my first serious digital camera, and coming from a film SLR background, I find I use the viewfinder as much as the LCD. I will grow into the LCD use I am sure. I was concerned by the reports that this camera does not take good pictures. I find it is very sharp right out of the box. It can not stretch the envelope with low light, way out zoom, ultra slow shutter speeds, but within these limitations I have been producing some very credible pictures after only a few days. They will only get better as I learn about this tool and get a tripod. I have not tried the video feature yet. Rigth out of the box, I set this SX10 up with a Lensmate filter converter, a 58mm protective filter, Eneloop recharge AA batts, 8 gig SD card and a LCD screen protective sheet. All set for a walk in the woods or shots into my backyard. I am very satisfied with my decision.

This is a great camera for taking high quality, better than your pocket digital camera pictures. Good value. My only complaint is that the frames per second feature is slow. I have kids in sports and would like to be able to shoot images more quickly.

This camera has so many cool features! I really love it. The only issue I have is that since it has so many features, if I don't use the features often, I forget how to access them. But once I read the instructions again, it is easy to figure out. Takes great photos! I would recommend this camera!

I tried out way too many cameras before I finally found this one, and it is definitely The One. The picture quality is amazing, and crisp, the colors are very vivid. I love the display screen that I can turn around to keep closed when my camera is in my bag to avoid getting scratches on it, and the way the screen flips over has been really useful in taking pictures of yourself grouped up with friends when no one else is there to do so, instead of just guessing if your all in the frame you can actually see it.

The self timer and face self timer function lets you take up to 10 pictures and instantly recognizes your face and has let me take incredible pictures on top of mountains and in remote areas on my travels in Turkey and Europe. You can just set up the camera and when you get into range look straight at it and it begins taking pictures clicking away 10 times,or less depending on your setting. You can keep the volume up so you can hear when its taking a picture or keep it low if you are indoors and don't want the sound to be heard. This is an incredibly useful function.

The panoramic assist function and the zoom browser stitch software have let me put together incredibly stunning views of entire cities on my journey that I have been able to take from high locations by hand without they use of a tripod.

The zoom on this thing is incredible. If you are thinking, do I really need 20x zoom? I was thinking the same thing, but traveling around when I am inside a building with huge domes and high ceilings the zoom lets me stand in one place and get close up to all the incredible details and capture them perfectly, the zoom is incredible, and allows you to shoot wide shots or get very close up to the tiny details you wouldn't even be able to see otherwise. I was able to take pictures of the moon with the super zoom and without a tripod, and of sunrises and scenes as well as indoor shots of details inside of high domes and all have come out stunning with little effort from me.


The video function on this camera is also very good and has allowed me to get some great videos of interiors of buildings and outdoors too. The wide angle lens is incredible for capturing ALOT of detail a big scene or the large facade of a building. This camera has great features and great picture quality and is incredibly easy to use, even for the beginner and has enough flexibility that you can work with the manual controls if you want to be more creative.

criticisms:

The lowlight pictures could be better, they do tend to get grainy in extreme lowlight so you have to watch the iso, I guess this is what the manual settings are for so if you are good with that sort of thing you can probably change it around to get much better results. I haven't been able to master the settings yet but I havent had to I have been getting great pics on the go throughout.

My other criticism would be that sometimes you have to watch what batteries you buy because even if your batteries are fully charged they wont be recognized by the camera. I had some trouble because the camera would not recognize my rechargeable energizer batteries which I bought with a charger for my travels so the whole thing went to waste and I had to keep buying duracell batteries wherever I went. It does recognize duracell and a few other types though, you can google it to see the best type. As long as you have the right kind of battery on had it lasts for awhile without giving you trouble but just beware of investing too much in a battery and charger that wont work for this camera.

neither of these are fatal flaws though. This camera fits great in my hands and the pictures are pure magic. Take a look at the ones I uploaded and judge for yourself. I would highly recommend this camera and completely love it, I've finally found what I've been looking for.

If your pictures aren't turning out, you're probably doing something wrong. Small changes make a huge difference. Especially simple things like the White Balance/changing the light source. Take a picture of a cut open watermelon and watch the red heart go from auto bland to a bright juicy red. You can even set the Red in the Colors menu. But just changing the light source makes all the diffence in the world! The most amazing thing with this camera is the Stabilization!!! You can free hand all the way into the digital zoom and have your pictures come out clearer and better than they even look through the lcd. I'm constantly amazed at how stable it is. That's what made me choose this over the Nikon with 20x optical zoom and the rest of the competition. Just zoom out in the store and watch it find and track Faces from 10' to 100'. It even seperates the Facial Recognition pic.s when you download into it's own file, just faces.

Just for the hell-of-it, when I registered this camera, I let CANON know that my 4 year old A75 PowerShot stopped working. It blurred out with purple vertical lines. They said to send it in and they'd fix it for free if it was one of those that got a bad CCD. Ten minutes ago the Fed Ex guy brought it back and it's fixed!!! FREE, new CCD and adjusted and cleaned! Amazing. Just that alone makes me glad that I picked the Canon. What other company would pay shipping and fix a 4 year old camera for FREE?! NONE!!! Very Impressed with Canon. They've made me a loyal customer for life. They probably fixed it because I just bought this SX10IS. But, they didn't have to. I never expected them to do this. I was just curious to why my A75 went bad and if it was worth fixing to use as my work camera. Anyway, I never write reviews, but no one's ever fixed a camera that's years past warranty for free and had it back in under 2 weeks!!! My next camera will be a Canon, and the one after that, and after that... When I was researching for the SX10IS, the main complaint was that the lens cap gets lost. Mine hasn't and they make caps with a lanyard for like [...] bucks! What it comes down to is, shake all you want, your pictures will still come out butter smooth, even a mile away!!!

You get what you pay for, and I evidently down-sized in some unanticipated ways from a Panasonic FZ-50 to this Canon, hoping for the added benefit of the extra zoom. Just beware of this camera's limited capabilities in low light - and without bright light - the problem of uncertainty of focus at maximum zoom. When you change the ISO to 200, you pick up discernible noise, inapparent when you check you pictures on the LCD. I should add that the "wheel" which manages ISO and other changes is cheaply made and awkward to use and that both the view finder and the LCD are - frankly - not quality. By the way, the video button, which is easy to get to, is in fact awkward to use and I find I have to push down. I will say I have no problem with the rechargeable battery solution - though its a nuisance - and an obvious way of Canon controlling costs. Do know I spent much less for this camera than for the Panasonic when it first came out, so I understand I got what I paid for. There are some interesting bells and whistles, but these compensate for the shortcomings in the basics. My hunch is that this is the case with the SI 20 as well. But with any luck Canon won't have me as a consumer again.

I'm an experienced photographer who grew up with SLR, medium format, and view cameras while working as a pro in the military and commercially afterward. Today, I shoot only for some business and recreational needs. This is a really good compromise camera for someone wishing to avoid the bottomless cost of and SLR, along with the additional weight. My one beef is the electrically powered zoom, which reacts way too quickly. My last camera was a Minolta Dimage, which is no longer made. It, too, was a super zoom, but the lens barrel had to be manually twisted to zoom in/out. This allowed much, much finer adjustment of the zoom at a speed of the users choosing. As an all around compromise camera, this is a good value. There is always some degradation of image quality that's a given with a superzoom camera, and that is evident in this product.

You should read the more in-depth reviews first, but I just wanted to add my voice and say that this is a really nice camera.
If you are on the cusp of getting an SLR but not quite sure you want to delve into it (as I was), this is a good choice.

I really like most aspects of it and don't have any major complaints. Getting it to focus properly in the environments I used it in (I was photographing performers at music events) was pretty frustrating at times, but once I got to know it well enough it was better. The built-in flash is fairly useless for low light settings where the subject is more than a few feet away.
I also got this for the video capability but was very annoyed by the sound recording. In loud environments, even on the lowest input-volume setting, it will record with lots of distortion. I didn't understand this because friends of mine have older and lower-model PowerShots and in the same environments they could record without distortion. You'd think this would be possible on the better model, but apparently not.

Other than that, a very solid product all around.

This is my 6th digital camera and 3rd from Canon.
This camera is not for everyday using (size and weight).
This is "weekend-camera". :)
General characteristic is in the title.

I got this camera after returning a less than stellar Nikon L100 and it has not disappointed me yet. Working right out of the box with very minimal reading of the manual, great pictures of my pets and kids in action, lots of scene modes to chose from. My only complaint, as mentioned in other reviews is the scroll wheel is VERY sensitive and often bypasses the mode I am trying to get into. I can forgive that with the overall quality of the camera.

If you are on the fence about this camera, it is great. A little large, but I do not mind that.

awesome camera...love taking video and pictures with ease. uploading to my mac's iphoto is so easy. i made the best choice EVER with this camera... but then, it is a CANON and they're the best!!

Flexibility is this cameras strong point. I bought this camera as my first foray beyond point-and-shoot, and have been using it to learn more serious photographic techniques. I am mainly interested in landscapes, but also do macros, wildlife, product photos, family and pets. You can do almost any type of photography with it with as much or as little automation as you need, and get very good results. It is hard to beat that zoom lens short of a DSLR, but there are limitations. If these issues are important to you, there are cameras by Cannon and others that may be a better match for your needs, but without the very handy zoom.

Camera Modes
I tried fully automatic, and though it was far and away the best full automatic I have ever tried, I never use it. I use manual mode almost exclusively because the results are far-far better still. I especially like the C mode, where it remembers the settings I like best.

Depth of Field
Shallow depth of field is not possible. As with all cameras in this class, the sensor is very small. If you check a hyperfocal chart, you will see that the range of focus is always very broad regardless of aperture. While you can focus on a flower within millimeters of the lens, you won't get that nice out of focus background even at f2.8. Comparing test photos of landscapes with objects from 12" to infinity, at every aperture between f2.8 and f8 (the full available range), everything was in focus almost equally. P&S people probably would consider this an advantage, but the aspiring photographer would not.

Speed vs. Resolution
If you want to photograph birds, animals and action, you need strong light. While the speed of this camera is excellent, short of a DSLR, balancing between low ISO for sharpness and fast shutter speed for eliminating blur can keep you turning dials instead of watching for that special moment. I haven't gotten a good bird shot yet.

Light
Using a tripod I have gotten many beautiful shots between 80-400 ISO. Hand held shots up to 1/32 second are not a problem with the stabilizer. Indoor shots with ambient light are good as long as the subject is still and there is contrast to focus on. The live histogram can be way off under low light conditions, but the playback histogram is a good guide for proper exposure. The spot meter and +/-2 stop indicator works great for the Zone system. Detail falls off quickly at about +1-1/3 stops but holds down to about -3 stops, so erring on the under-exposure side works best. The aperture does not go down very small, so long exposures for blurring waves and waterfalls requires very low light or ND filters.

Other
This camera has no RAW format. You have to buy its stable mate at +$100 to get that. 52mm filters can be screwed in, though the lens isn't actually threaded for them and it is fussy. A third party adaptor for 58mm filters is available, which makes filter changes much easier. Vignetting is the same either filter size and starts when 2 filters are stacked at full wide angle. Lens flare shows up in my photos frequently, so I bought an oversized aftermarket lens hood and screwed it to the 58mm filter adaptor.

Overall I would say the SX10is was a good choice, given that as a beginning photographer I had little real basis to make a decision. I needed a safe, jack-of-all-trades to gain some experience and learn with. Though I have found some limitations to the camera, I will be the greater limitation to its potential for quite some time. In 2-3 years, digital cameras will be even better, and the potential of a more expensive model will not have been wasted on my meager skills.

I purchased this camera in Jan., 2009. Takes great outdoor photos (haven't used very much indoors).
Upgraded from the Canon S3. I think the S3 takes better photos and is more user friendly for the every day, non-professional photographer.
I've had problems with blurry and grainy pics, especially if anything slightly moves. I feel as though this may be from a wrong setting.
I still love this camera! Have had for 8 months and still trying to learn the features.
I purchased the step-ring and UV filter to protect the lens, 2 sets of (4) AA rechargeable batteries. One set of batteries takes about 400-600 photos (without flash). I also purchased Bert's photo cheat sheet and the Short Course in Canon Powershot SX10 IS Photography book.
I take a lot of cemetery headstone photos and it works great!

Still learning!

I can't evaluate the product. I would expect that a memory card would be included in the pkg. The main reason for buying on line is not to have to hunt from store to store. However, the camera came without a memory card which means I still have to either wait for another order specific for memory card or go to a store. Since I am unable to drive, this is a difficult situation for me. Once I am able to get the memory card and can begin to use the camera, I would be happy to do a new evaluation.

I've had this camera a few months now and have been able to run it thru it's paces. This camera has performed quite well in a variety of situations. Landscapes are probably it's strongest suite with vibrant colors and sharp images. Even when zooming in at 20x the images still look respectable. It's only weakness would be the builtin flash It's somewhat weak past a few feet and harsh up close. I reccomend an external flash. The camera is full of features that I've yet to master, in fact it can be too complicated at times to use. Also, the viewfinder is digital, which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. An optical viewfinder would of made this camera perfect. If you want the versatility and quality of a DSLR and don't have the need for multiple lenses, save yourself alot of money and get this camera. So far, I love it.

Very good camera, nice pictures even in dark. The LCD tilt feature is really cool..

After owning an old Sony Cybershot for over 6 years, I thought it was time to upgrade to something with a few more bells & whistles. A high zoom camera seemed to fit the bill - I didn't have the time, nor inclination, to learn all the ins & outs of a true DSLR, but I wanted to have a few more options in a basic point & shoot with a good zoom for taking close up shots of my little guy. I did considerable research, and was impressed with all 300+ reviews for the Canon Powershot SX10IS on Amazon. I also read (& re-read) reviews from some well-respected digital photography websites, many of which gave this camera their highest ratings. After hemming & hawing for some time, I bit the bullet & eagerly awaited the fabulous pictures that this Canon would produce. I knew it was possible; I'd seen the examples on Amazon - all 500+.

The evening that my purchase arrived, I took my time, reviewing the manual (rare for me as I tend to do first, then read) & learning about my new camera. Then a test drive. Disappointment followed. Almost nothing I did - not putting the IS on continuous, not raising the ISO, not tweaking the aperture or the shutter speed, nothing short of using the flash - seemed to fully eliminate camera shake. But, I thought, it's nighttime & I'm indoors. Tomorrow I'll try again.

I awoke to a beautiful sun-washed morning, grabbed the camera, & started shooting pics of my 18 month old son playing in natural light. Same problems. I get it, taking indoor pictures means making some compromises. Either a little on the dark side or maybe a little more noise; things which can mostly be cleaned up by editing. But the quality of these pictures was horrible. The camera was constantly registering camera shake unless the flash was up - even in clear, beautiful, morning sun. Crushed.

I had some reasonable good luck when taking shots outside, but nothing that seemed to warrant the high praise written of this camera. My 6 year old Sony Cybershot, with only 4mp & 6x zoom, has given me reliably excellent photos even in the dimmest of light, something I would think this newer technology could easily provide. Not so. Color me disappointed.

I think overall I would recommend this camera to people.

My review is based on comparison to the CANON S2 IS;

Pros:
Good night images.
Image stabilization is good.
Flash is very good.
Zoom amazing.
Moving object photography is good.
Overall image quality is good.

Cons.
Bulky.
The camera lens cap is not attached...very bad. Therefore can get lost easily.

After a year of researching/foot dragging on making a commitment on a replacement for a busted Kodak, I finally took over from my wife & purchased this camera. I ordered it on the sly hoping to receive it before July 4th and a big 50th anniversary event for her best friend's parents. I was shocked when the camera arrived 2 weeks earlier than promised and I was able to surprise her with the Powershot SX10IS as an early anniversary present (in front of her visiting sister). The camera has been easy to understand and use from that point on. The girls were very happy with the action shots at Dollywood's water rides, the great color renditions and overall crispness. I used it extensively at the 50th anniv. party. I particularly like the swing away view screen which allowed me to take more unstaged /unaware photos of people at the party. This camera fills many of the possible needs we were thinking we needed a DSLR for, at a much better price. The only downsides so far are trying to keep up with the lens cap, and inability to place a protective lens on the front of the lens. The 20X zoom is awesome!

I am very happy with this purchase. I am entering into a new field, having no photography experience, and needing to take good pictures for my website, [...]. I needed "easy," and that's what I got. I spent an hour or so familiarizing myself with the manual. Then, I started taking pictures. It took about an hour's worth of pictures to begin to understand the simplicity of the functions. Using the auto function created good pictures. Since then, I purchased a "gray card" so that I could properly set the shutter speed for hopefully even better indoor pictures using a couple of light stands. We'll see how that works out. All in all, the pictures in general, really good. I just had to learn to press the button down half way and allow the picture to autofocus, which takes a second, then 99% of the pictures come out perfect. The only issue, shooting black objects or white objects. I still have a lot to learn about how to take those pictures. But, I'm very happy with this camera.

I am an amateur at best & was wanting great pictures of my infant. My canon powershot A75 was great for my now 4 yr old but it took 3 or so seconds to take the picture & I was missing that 1 second smile my infant would give before she looked away. I read reviews on this camera plus many other cameras & decided to go with this one, instead of the Nikon. The single most important thing to me was getting the best quality picture! I'm not concerned with how it works with the computer or the video aspect of it, so if you are buying it for that, my review won't be that helpful.

Pros: This camera definitely has crisper pictures with a softer look & snaps photos quickly, one right after another which is great. I haven't had to change the batteries yet & have used the camera a lot. The lighting is spectacular, even indoors & it wasn't even on the indoor setting. The manual was easy to read & provides much information on how to get the best shot in all situations. (Personally, I can't remember it all & only focus on how to get the best still shot, action shot & indoor shot).

Cons: The on/off button. I keep hitting that instead on taking the picture. Canon should have put it in a different place. The flash; it isn't automatic but it tells you to put it up when necessary (by then your one & only shot may be gone). When using the zoom at its max, the pictures are blurry unless your hand is perfectly steady (not mine! & I try really hard). I would suggest a tripod. It is a little bulky & bigger than my previous one.

I give 4 stars because even if I have to snap 6 pictures in 5 seconds, one at least turns out & I just delete the others whereas I missed the shot entirely with my other camera! My pictures are great. I need to work on action pictures so they are not blurry but I just read up on it last night & haven't had the chance to experiment yet. So, if you are a mom like me & want great pictures of your little ones, I suggest this camera! (Nikon may be nice too but if you already own a Canon, the features are very similiar & you'll adjust in no time).

This camera is easy to use, easy to download to my computer and overall a great buy.

This camera is providing terrific pictures. It's easy and intuitive. The automatic setting is very smart. The camera is light. The zoom does amazing closeups and distance without the greater weight and lens-swapping of the big boys. I've been told it's in demand by pros as an alternate camera because the price-to-feature ratio is so good.

Cons: 1) After 5 months, a tiny plastic piece broke off inside the battery door and it won't stay closed (must send camera to Canon), 2) No lens cap tether, 3) Can't seem to find a polarizing filter for it, possibly because this is not an SLR camera with live viewfinder?, and 5) Does not shoot in RAW format.

I would still rate this camera best in its class, absolutely. The next step would be a much more expensive DSLR.

I upgraded to this from a simpler Powershot A70 (if I recall the model correctly) that "fried" after 2500 photos on a study tour at desert archeological sites last year. I wasn't ready for carrying and swapping multiple lenses and larger bags whether climbing through tight quarters in ancient temples or over slippery rocks and trails in rain forests. So the SX10IS was a logical move with the easy for a non-power-user interface, what was the most powerful zoom at the time for the price range, and 10MP. So far the photos have been pretty good, with only a few blurred. Colors appear clear and bright. Battery life appears to be pretty good. And I like the movie mode that runs as long as I have power or memory left. However, it has two flaws a new buyer should consider. The lesser is the very blurry optical viewer. It is only good for aiming the camera at an object and trusting the auto-focus to get the shot. It usually does a good job of focusing if given enough time for the autofocus to engage. The digital viewer works great though. The bigger issue is with the time it takes to refresh in between shots. If you need to take a series of shots within 3 seconds, forget it. Refresh rate is very slow. Use the movie mode instead. I am adjusting my tactics to get the images I want around these two flaws and overall I still like the camera. The pluses outweigh the minuses for my use. But be informed before making your decision.

I purchased this camera after a great deal of research. The camera (if you take the time to read the manual) is user friendly, and takes great pictures. I especially like the image stabilization, and the viewfinder outlining the faces for proper alignment. Though a bit heavier than some of the competition, the body is solid and I believe it will last.

You will not go wrong with this camera. It is the most versitile camera on the planet earth. You will not believe the zoom on this camera and how well it works with the image stabilization. You will not need to carry a set of binoculars on your hike. This camera is simply amazing. Very high quality pictures at the maximum zoom even without a tripod.

I got this camera from Amazon about a week ago. Aside from using a simple cheap point and shoot camera, I'm new to photography. I bought this camera because I wants something that took video and pictures. This camera takes very good pictures and very good video (NOT HD). I'm new and I am amazed at some of the shots I can get with this camera. I now look for shot as I drive and go out to take nature photos. I will say that you need to read the manual. Which I did right after getting the camera. There is a lot to learn with this camera. It can be as point and shoot or as manual as you want it. My dad liked my camera so much that he bought a camera based solely on messing around with mine. This is a very good camera. Check out some of the photos I uploaded for this camera. There are some aspects of the camera though that I can see that aren't the best. The higher ISOs gets grainy, I wish it was a little faster, like to have a better flash, and I wish there was a better way to manually focus. The dial wheel that some people complain about isn't that bad as far as I can say. I haven't had that much of a problem using it. All in all this is a veery good camera.

I wanted a camera that would be convenient to carry and would take great quality photos and video. This camera has met every one of my expectations. I think it's absolutely fantastic. It's easy to use, takes regular "AA" batteries, and is easy to carry. It's perfect for my uses.

I have a simple Cannon point and shoot which I love but I was searching for something beyond that. I found this Digital SLR and once I received it, I knew I made the right choice. It has all the niceties of point and shoot with the added bonus of facial recognition, image stabilization, serious zoom in capabilities and a rotating review screen. Basically, it's perfect for the weekend photographer or someone who's just getting into photography. The picture quality is crisp and sharp with easy to use features. I didn't even read the owners manual and I had no problems getting everything set up.

I purchased the Canon PowerShot SX10IS shortly before our vacation last month and I had a lot of fun learning its features during our trip and took many, many pictures and lots of video. I am not a camera expert nor a big photo person but I found the camera easy to use (reading the manual from time to time was important). I especially liked the ability to zoom in and out while taking video. I would recommend the camera, great value for the price, but it does have a couple deficiencies and an ease-of-use problem that need correction. I hope you are listening, Canon.

First, the lens cap will not stay on. We finally gave up and did without it, which probably limits the camera's life.

Second, the battery life is limited. During those days when I used the camera alot, I ran through a set of four alkaline AA batteries in one day. Be sure to have lots of extra batteries on hand! (Especially of you review your pictures at the end of the day, this seems to eat up lots of energy, so we stopped doing that.)

Third, as other reviewers have noted, the control knob is difficult to learn how to use. Thankfully one of the other reviewers here on Amazon gave me some insight. I am now able to adjust shutter speed, aperture, etc. See the comment from Robert Hughes below.

Overall I love using the camera.

I purchased this camera to upgrade from my Cannon A560 because I needed more zoom and battery capacity.

The camera features are very good BUT the SX10 is DOES NOT have the capability to put a DATE/TIME STAMP on the pictures.

I just got off the phone with Cannon Tech Support at 1-800-385-2155 and the Tech Support person assured me there is NO WAY to make this camera mark a date/time stamp on the pictures. Not only this but the Cannon SX1 is does not have date/time stamp capability either! I hope the tech support person was wrong but it appears not.

I cannot believe cannon would produce a camera in this class without date/time stamp capability! The Date/Time stamp is a very common if not universal and standard feature on nearly ALL digital cameras.

This is tantamount to manufacturing automobiles with no seatbelts or windshield wipers!!!!!

I was better off with my Cannon A560. Cannon used to make the best line of camera's on the market in my opinion........ apparently Cannon is taking notes from American manufacturers and throwing quality and common sense out the window.

A camera with NO DATE/TIME stamp feature that is selectible is of NO USE to me. I am EXTREMELY disappointed in this camera.

Have not had this camera very long put I am very pleased with it so far. The zoom is great and pictures are good. A little heavier that I am use too but not a problem. I had a Sony cyber shot before and have always had a Sony camera but decided to try a Canon and I like this Canon better. I am not a photo expert so for my needs this camera is good.

This is the best camera on earth. I bought this camera to create beautiful memories of my daughter growing up. I'm mainly leaving this review for people with kids who are wondering if this camera can keep up with taking quick fast shots, without missing out on precious moments.

Fast Camera!!!
This camera has NEVER missed a shot and she's a very quick and fast little two year old. I've captured every single quick smile, precious pose, and all of her active moments. I do this using the sports mode. In this mode, the camera actually takes the picture the very same instant you press down on the button (no delay whatsoever). In this mode, when she's running, there is no blurryness.

Great Indoor Camera!!!
This camera also takes GREAT indoor pics as well. It is a bit heavier than the little camera's out there....but if you want to sacrifice qaulity and performance...go for a little one.

Outstanding Detail and Zoom qaulity
I wanted something that was powerful, and something that my husband can take to football games, basketball and other sporting events. That's actually how I sold him on the idea of purchasing this camera. The zoom capability is out of this world. For example, we went to the park the other day and I was able to get pictures of the ducks from the OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE....and in very clear detail. Now that's powerful.

Easy to use!!!
The minute this camera arrived, I took it out of the box and started using it. I didn't even read the instructions...that's how easy it is to use. I'm more of a beginner type when it comes to camera's. I popped the batteries in, and went crazy taking pics. The video mode has a dedicated button so you can video events very quickly without fussing with dials.

No Regrets!!!
I hope I've helped someone out on making their purchase decision. I get compliments all of the time on how fast the camera is and how wonderful the pics look. I love this CAMERA!!! I can tell you that you won't regret this purchase.

I was able to run this camera through it's paces at my son's lacrosse tournament this weekend. I mostly used the sports mode to capture action shots of the games, and what shots they were. At the full 20X optical zoom the photos were clear with no motion blurr, many photos with the ball or player in mid air. The focus tracking mode is an excellent feature as it allowed me to select a player, follow them and automatically keep the frame in focus until I got the shot I was waiting for. I took 235 action photos and not one was out of focus.

I used a Fujica AX-3 35mm outfit for years but did not want the hastle of carrying around numerous lenses etc... This camera allows me to play in manual mode, and my wife to snap away in auto and both receive great results. My sunpack flash even works on the hot shoe if I need some extra umph in low light.

Pretty awesome camera for the price. Its really hard to find a good automatic camera with this many features. Definitely not the point and shoot regular camera. This is for people who want awesome quality.