Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - PowerShot 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
Average customer rating
4.5
(219 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 219 reviews
5 Stars
145
4 Stars
46
3 Stars
16
2 Stars
9
1 Star
3
87%of customers recommend this product.
(
191 out of
219)
Customer Reviews for Canon - PowerShot 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black
Customer Rating
5
Don't be scared.
on April 14, 2010
Posted by: tojo1117
from Boca Raton, Florida
This is my third Powershot IS, 3,5 and now the 20. Not that there was anything wrong with the others, I just wanted to upgrade. The only bad reviews seem to be from those who didn't really need or want all of the great features of the camera. It can be a bit much if all that you wanted was a simple point and shoot, but if you just give it time and play around with it you'll find that for the money this is an amazing camera. I've taken thousands of photos with the other two and have no reason to believe that this won't perform as well as the others. The only thing that I've found to be troublesome thus far is the lens cap. But with a little creativity, a mini drill bit and some super glue my lens cap stays with me. I'm hoping that Canon works on some sort of retrofit lens cap for this thing.
Pros: good battery life, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, easy to use
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Fine camera, no manual
on April 11, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous
from Arizona
We are very happy with the performance of the Canon SX20 IS. We wanted a relatively compact camera with a powerful zoom lens for taking photos of birds and sailboats, but without the cost or bulk of an SLR. The camera is well-suited to our purposes.
Our only disappointment was the (lack of) a comprehensive manual, indispensable for a complicated instrument. If you want the full manual you have to download and print it from the CD, and even then you don't get something that is easy to carry.
Pros: Nice features/settings, Lightweight/Portable, easy to use, excellent zoom
Cons: Complicated controls/menu, no manual
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
best I tried
on April 3, 2010
Posted by: automech
from kingsland tx
bouhgt the canonsx20 and glad of it .compared it to all the other superzooms.better feel,better looks..I have large hands and it fit way better than all the others,with finger resting on shutter button naturally.plus doesnt have that look of cheap plastic like the others.has been easy to use ,with really good pic.quality.oh when I say tried them all I MEAN ALL,EXCEPT THE SX1. The store didn't have one to compare.surely the same as the sx20 in feel
Pros: Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, easy to use
Cons: Poor Low-Light Performance
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
3
A Step Down
on April 3, 2010
Posted by: rushed
from Midland MI
I had a S5 and was exceptionally pleased with it. I gave it gave it to my sister for her wedding as we wanted to get her the same one before my son was born but they were discontinued. I skipped the purchace of the S10 as it had only been a year and they had already some out with the SX20 figuring that 2 generations later would bee great with the added features of HD video, longer flash distance and faster flash recovery along with more photos/ second and the 20X optical zoom.
the auto assist in the auto focus caused more trouble and blurry photos than ever before. the macro and super macro are hit and mis on clarity where the S5 was dead on nearly every time. Even when the SX20 signifys that it is in focus, most of the time it is not a piicture that could be blown up more than 4x6 and that is with auto, portrate or macro. You must take video from momre than 3 ft away or it continually goes in and out of focus. I was VERY ready to like this one but am dissapointed with the photo quality most of the time. On occasion, when everything works together the results are beattiful.
the auto assist in the auto focus caused more trouble and blurry photos than ever before. the macro and super macro are hit and mis on clarity where the S5 was dead on nearly every time. Even when the SX20 signifys that it is in focus, most of the time it is not a piicture that could be blown up more than 4x6 and that is with auto, portrate or macro. You must take video from momre than 3 ft away or it continually goes in and out of focus. I was VERY ready to like this one but am dissapointed with the photo quality most of the time. On occasion, when everything works together the results are beattiful.
other points:
Yes, the lense cover pops off easily which is nice when you want to take a photo, though I miss the auto off lens cap. No this one did not come with a tether but that is solved with a couple dollar purchace and if you have the money to buy this camera, spend the extra couple of bucks for a teather too. While you are at it get a camera bag to keep it safe too.
I also miss the Auto off when finish uploading. This is how I kill most batteries.
I like the ease of AAs and overall the battery life is good. An upgrade from the S5 is how when the battery is dying and you take a photo it is there, unlike the S5 where the screan will be blank even when it looked like you had captured an image. The SX20 will capture the image until it shuts itself off.
I love the veri-angle lcd which was one of the main selling points of this and the S5.
The HD really is nice when you get far enough away to use it which vcan be difficult with young children.
It would have been nice to have hard copies of the manuals to keep with the camera, even if just the troubleshooting one. we want to beable to learn the camera in action not while sitting infront of the computer while axcesing CD-ROMs.
The flash select and macro placemnts on this are in a better spot for me.
After using this one for 7+ months i am ready to admit that i just expected better and miss my old one, which was only a year and 2 months old when we passed it on.
PerhapsI i had a Gem of an S5 and a lemon of the SX20. but disapointment sums up my gneral feeling toward this camera. I have come to expect more from Canon and wish that we had been able to get a new S5 for the newlyweds and been able to keep our old one. I should have known how good the S5 was when re-ferb ones were selling for the same as the brand one ones had been.
The SX 20 is a good camera but plan on getting to know your settings and taking multiple photos before you get one that has the excelent clarity that this camera is capable of.
Pros: good battery life, Nice features/settings
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
XLT Product
on March 31, 2010
Posted by: RS
from NY
As a 25 years photography hobbyist, take it from me as a price /value/ quality ratio ,the SX20 camera is a steal.
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, intuitive
Cons: none
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Love it, but a lot to learn about it.
on March 26, 2010
Posted by: Rosiegirl
from Alabama
Have had camara a couple of weeks and have enjoyed taking pictures and still have a lot to learn about it. I took some pics of hubby trying to catch a swarm of bees using the auto and zooming in and you can see the bees. I still have a lot to learn about it and hope to take some great pics in the future.
Pros: good battery life, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD
Cons: Heavy/Bulky, Complicated controls/menu
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
surpass expectation
on March 26, 2010
Posted by: Shunsy
In short.... this is a great camera. You can not go wrong with it. if you take pictures for hobby or want professional photos, this camera is for you.
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, nice comfortable grip, compact and attractive
Cons: Heavy/Bulky
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
great camera
on March 23, 2010
Posted by: cindy
from Houston TX
just got back from vacation and camera got a full workout! Easy to use and carry with using the auto function tooks pictures that are so amazing that I was able to blow up and print to use as wall art. The zoom was great. able to take clear pics of top of Myan pyramids without having to climb pyramid!. was able to pick up the fine details of stone carvings that hundreds of years have worn down. Great beach shots as well as nite activites. Even strangers who took shots for me were impressed with the features. and batteries lasted the entire trip
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com