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
Good Camera
on March 18, 2010
Posted by: Bronco46
from Marquette, MI
I'm enjoying this camera a great deal. It's not a point and shoot camera, so if you want a camera that you can carry in your pocket and grab for a quick picture this one is not for you. If on the other hand your like me a fairly capable amateur who wants to be able to play around with settings and do some macro photo's this may be the camera your looking for. I'm using mine with a mac and iPhoto is doing a good job but I'm considering getting Aperture 3 for some extra capabilities. I've had good low light performance, I'm not sure why some are having problems with that. I use the automatic setting a lot but am having a lot of fun playing around with ISO and f stop settings. I really like the 2.5" articulated viewer on the back. It really help you get a shot without having to contort yourself to be able to see what the camera sees. The only criticism I have is for the for the flash; it's under powered.
SO, for the most part I'm very satisfied with this camera
SO, for the most part I'm very satisfied with this camera
Pros: good battery life, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, Bright LCD, Simple controls/menu
Cons: under powered flash
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
A Fantastic Value
on May 26, 2010
Posted by: PowerShotUser
from Worcester, MA
When it came time to purchase a new digital camera, I researched many different cameras and concluded the Canon SX20IS was the one. It has everything I am looking for in a digital camera. I LOVE THE LENS! Being able to zoom from 28mm-560mm(35mm eq) is a BIG plus. I don't have to lug around a bag full of lenses! The batteries last a long time - it even takes standard AA! I don't have to buy exotic or expensive batteries. Press the "ON" button and the camera is ready to shoot in less than 2 seconds. It can go full automatic or I can set exposure, flash, and focus manually. With the Speedlite 270EX flash I'm ready to go.
I was somewhat disapointed in the first test shots made with this camera. Then I stuck the pictures into my photo editing software, tweeked them and they came out perfect. I also use a competitors camera and the images don't require so much tweeking, BUT the images from the SX20IS are much more professional looking. My experience is the image requires a little more work in the lab. This camera does not like low-light conditions. It likes plenty of light.
On the down side: This camera is missing a RAW setting and there is no remote shutter release mechanism. These 2 features should be included. It has one really anoying feature. The images are stored in a folder on the SD card. Every day or every month (user selectable) the camera automaticly creates a new folder. I use a batch file to move the images onto my computer for processing. This feature has made it EXTREMELY difficult to program the batch file. I wish this feature could be turned OFF.
I have not tried the movie feature of this camera yet.
The Canon SX20IS was the right choice for me. I have rediscovered the fun of taking pictures with a decent camera.
Pros: good battery life, Nice features/settings, excellent image quality, Bright LCD, Lightweight/Portable, Simple controls/menu, easy to use, well made
Cons: Missing features/settings
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
So Far Soooo Good
on September 4, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous
I just recently bought this camera. I absolutely love everything about it, except I wish the lens cover was automatic and not something I have to take off and put on. I mainly take photos of sunsets/rises and flower extreme close-ups. The SUPER macro is awesome!! I can shoot a flower smaller than these letters, enlarge the photo and still have a clean photograph. Photography is a hobby to me, this camera... makes me look like a pro.
Pros: super macro, 24 shooting modes, still photos while shooting video, hd tv
Cons: no automatic lens cover
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Camera
on October 5, 2010
Posted by: Hawaiian Ian
from Washington State
Amazing features, the camera's screen rotates out and angles for viewing high overhead or taking pictures or videos of yourself. It also snaps into place at the back of the camera for viewing.
The zoom is amazing. The first test of it was a landscape shot. I took a picture of our valley and then zoomed in on a house across the way. It wasn't until I loaded the pictures onto my computer for viewing that I realized how great the zoom really is. The detail of the house was surprising and very clear.
The lens cover conveniently pops off and a built-in hook on the back of it keeps it on the camera strap for storage. This is nice because it is not swinging around on a string.
The camera's ability to capture detail and color is beautiful.
Really enjoying this camera and highly recommend it. Pictures are crisp and clear and the video function is unreal.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
So glad I bought it!
on November 5, 2009
Posted by: GoJints
from Connecticut
I was going to buy a smaller bodied camera, but once I held this in my hands, I knew it was the right one to get. It takes BEAUTIFUL pictures and is relatively easy to use. My only complaint is the book - it's so confusing that it takes a while to find what I need and figure out how to use the feature. I've always had Canon cameras - bought my first manual SLR in 1973, and I still have it. Wouldn't use anything else
Pros: easy to use, Simple controls/menu, Nice features/settings, Bright LCD, excellent image quality, Good Low-Light Performance, good battery life, durable
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
One Great Camera
on May 7, 2010
Posted by: Aunt T
from Bakersfield, CA
I've been using this camera now for two months and I love it. I wonder now why I waited so long to buy it. The picture quality is great, as well as the color. I love the zoom. The pop-up flash works real well in illuminating the subjects without causing them to be to ghostly white. It is a little bit heavy, but well worth the extra weight, the neck strap helps. I use enelope rechargeable batteries and they last a really long time, plus you can re-use them so that will save money. It uses AA batteries so if you need to they can be purchased anywhere. I love that it looks like a SRL camera, but has the ease of a point and shot plus. I'm still in the learning stages, but definitely worth the buy.
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 little camera
on June 12, 2010
Posted by: Anonymous
from Colorado
My father bought this camera for me the night before we went on a two week safari in Africa. The pictures I came back with were phenomenal! I like to print out my photos for albums-even the digital zoom prints are clear-not as crisp as the wide angle but much better than I was expecting. My only two complaints are that there was not a satisfactory instruction manual and it really eats up batteries. I had no idea I had all those "scene" options until I looked them up on the website, and then I had to figure out how to access them all on my own (which wasn't that difficult, but I'd rather not have to experiment with such an expensive camera-relatively speaking) Other than my disappointment at not having a decent manual and having to replace the batteries every other day, I am thoroughly satisfied with this gift.
Pros: excellent image quality, Bright LCD
Cons: Short battery life, hard to find scene settings
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Great but small things to annoy
on October 11, 2009
Posted by: kc1974
from Tampa, FL
This camera is great. Full of features - good optical zoom that can be used with HD video, manual settings, good auto setting, good picture quality and build quality. However, this is spoiled by Canon not including a printed manual. The pdf can only be viewed on my computer unless I print all 180 pages myself, so unless I have my laptop with me everywhere I go, I have no manual. Also, where's the lens cover strap?
Pros: easy to use, Simple controls/menu, Nice features/settings, Bright LCD, excellent image quality, Lightweight/Portable, good battery life, durable
Cons: Poor Low-Light Performance, no printed manual, no lens cover strap
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com