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
Recomendable Camera
on April 23, 2010
Posted by: Albatros
from Wilmington, NC
The middle balance of features between novice and advance photography let me learn from this camera.
If I want a relax day taking easy pictures auto or easy mode are there.
But, Somedays I want to explore, to play, to have fun and the advance features are there, too.
The best thing it was a great price for all the features.
Thanks Canon. This is my best toy ever!
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, novice and advance features, excelent to learn photography, budget camera
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Where is RAW?
on January 5, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous
from State of Jefferson
I have had my SX20IS for three weeks and have had a chance to try out most of the frequently used features. I general I am pleased with the camera. The images are sharp with well rendered colors. The higher ISO settings produce some noise, but the noise is much less than any other digital camera I have used. The zoom lens is truly awesome. The image stabilization seems to work. The boot up time is pretty fast. The shutter lag isn't to bad when you prefocus.
The only criticism I have is the lack of a RAW option. Canon offers RAW images on some of its cameras that are less sophisticated than this one. I just don't understand why RAW options couldn't have been included with this camera. Certainly JPG images are fine most of the time, but every photographer will occasionally encounter situations where light or color are unpredictable enough that they would like a format that preserves ALL of the data so more latitude is available for later correction. In theory, Canon could fix this with a software update. HINT HINT
The camera could have been designed so it is easier to add filters. I occasionally like to use a polarizing filter.
The built in flash is useless in macro mode because the top of the lens obscures the light for the entire lower half of the image. To use the flash in macro you have to compose the subject in the upper half of the frame and just crop the lower half out.
I really like the AA battery power supply. I sometimes find myself a long way from an outlet, but I always have some AA batteries.
Pros: good battery life, excellent image quality
Cons: no raw image option
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
worthwhile upgrade
on September 15, 2009
Posted by: smiley
from Minnesota
I purchased this camera to upgrade pixels and zoom and hopefully, picture quality as well. So far, I am not disappointed in any of the above objectives. In addition, this camera has easy-to-use features that are quite intuitive and require little study of the included pdf manual.
It is a bit heavier than my previous camera. The rechargeable batteries have lasted long enough. The AA batteries are good because any damage or loss can be less expensively replaced. Although I have only had it a few days, I have already takes several hundred photos and am quite pleased and satified with the quality.
My previous camera did have a backlight feature that I miss on this camera. However, it has so many added features that this is irrelevant. I especially enjoy the super macro as I take photos of flowers.
This is a great camera for those of us unable to pay hundreds more for a DSLR or unable to carry lots of equipment everywhere.
It is a bit heavier than my previous camera. The rechargeable batteries have lasted long enough. The AA batteries are good because any damage or loss can be less expensively replaced. Although I have only had it a few days, I have already takes several hundred photos and am quite pleased and satified with the quality.
My previous camera did have a backlight feature that I miss on this camera. However, it has so many added features that this is irrelevant. I especially enjoy the super macro as I take photos of flowers.
This is a great camera for those of us unable to pay hundreds more for a DSLR or unable to carry lots of equipment everywhere.
Pros: easy to use, Simple controls/menu, Nice features/settings, Bright LCD, good battery life, durable
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
All around great camera
on December 8, 2009
Posted by: Everly
from Uniontown, PA
I would recommend this camera to anyone who is starting out in Photography. It has the potential of a SLR. I love the photo quality and the way my pictures come out. To me, it's not that heavy, I've carried camera's that were a lot heavier. The poor low light performance, well, I'm no professional, so it could be me. The price may be a little costly, but it's well worth the price. As for most people complaining about the lens cap not staying on or no place to put it, there is a latch on the back of the cap that hooks right onto the shoulder strap. For someone like me starting out, this is a great camera and I'm proud to say I own one. My last camera was the Canon Powershot, about 5yrs old. It was time to upgrade to a newer model of the Powershots, something that had what I was looking for and I found it in the SX20 IS. I've only had the camera for a few months and in the short time I've had it, I absolutely love it. So far, I haven't had problems with the battery life. You definately want to get a memory card for it. As with most cameras, it does not come with one! I don't know why people would expect a camera like this one to come with a memory card!! This camera is in the middle of slr and a little fun camera, so naturally it's not going to come with a memory card. Every function on this camera is wonderful. I have fun when I take pictures with my camera. I can see this camera will be lasting me a life time of fun memories!
Pros: good battery life, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Simple controls/menu, easy to use
Cons: Poor Low-Light Performance, Heavy/Bulky
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Best purchase ever
on February 21, 2010
Posted by: Cindy
This is the best camera I have ever used, the zoom is awesome, picture quality is awesome. I love this camera,easy to use and I could not ask for better pictures, I was really amazed at the long battery life, if you are looking fior a great camera this is it. Even pictures taken at night are great.
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
Customer Rating
5
love this camera
on June 14, 2010
Posted by: joker
from Alabama / Louisiana
This is the best camera I have ever owned! Previous cameras were the slim digital type and large 3.5 floppy style. I bought this camera for a vacation/cruise. I was very pleased with it. The zoom is great! I was able to zoom in on subjects from a good distance away and still make an excellent photo. The features on this camera far exceeded my expectations. I could not ask for a better product at the price! It was heavier than I was used to but that was a small price to pay for such excellent quality.
Pros: good battery life, Good Low-Light Performance, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, durable, Bright LCD, Simple controls/menu, easy to use
Cons: Heavy/Bulky
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Great in Manual Mode
on October 15, 2009
Posted by: JG
from Atlanta, GA
This is a really good camera if you take the time to learn how to use it. It works ok as a point and shoot camera set in auto mode but sometimes the automatic ISO is too fast for a good clear picture without noise. Auto usually selects 400 to 800 ISO in moderate light. For still shots, use the lowest ISO possible for best results (80 to 200). I normally use Program mode and manually select my ISO speed. I have been very satisfied with the results doing this. Don’t mistake this for a good fully automatic point and shoot camera because you may not be satisfied with the results. Many of the automatic shots have too much noise and are not satisfactory. I suggest practicing in the manual modes until you get the quality you desire. This camera takes a little work to get use to so be patient. Canon has provided a great value in this camera.
Pros: easy to use, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality
Cons: Complicated controls/menu
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