Looove this Camera!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Easy enough for beginners AND the features for the more advanced photographers.

Cons: Low quality in the digital zoom, low capacity memory card, purple fringing.

The Bottom Line: 
For the price and the features it has, you will have this camera for a long time. When beginners advance, it will still meet their needs.

Author's Review
This is a neat little camera! As soon as I got this camera in the mail, I started shooting right away. It is easy to use and if you are more advanced in the photography field, this camera can meet your needs. I just came back from the museum and shot about 350 pics and they all came out great! I've been experimenting on flowers, people, buildings, ect and it doesn't fail me. There are 14 shooting modes plus 5 more in the camera menu, try them all because you can expand your creativity through them.
The body fits fine in your hand and the weight (from the 4 AA batteries) makes it feel more secure there. Make sure you get 8 rechargable batteries so that while you are shooting with one set, the other is charging. Also, you will definately need several memory cards or one large one so that you can use your camera's full resolution and shoot lots of pictures. (The supplied CF card will only hold about 11 shots!)
If you want to maximize when you shoot in low light (like museums without flash) you might want to consult the manual to learn more about how to do so. (Learning a bit more about photography will help a whole lot too.) I say this because I had no problems shooting in the museum where there was minimal amounts of light and I had no choice but to shoot without the flash....or a tripod. (It destroys the paintings!) On the other end of the spectrum, if you shoot where the conditions are too bright, you may sometimes see the "purple" fringing or highlights.
The swivel screen is great for shooting at weird angles or if you want to take a pic of yourself. Its nice to also swivel it "in" so that you can protect the LCD screen from getting damaged. You can use the regular zoom for good quality shots but the digital zoom extremely degrades the quality of your pics. Use the regular zoom or try to move in closer...it will look much nicer. (Or invest in a telephoto lens, you will need an adapter for that though)
I've been researching this camera for a long time. I wanted to make sure I was getting what I needed. After reading reviews and researching the camera specs, I always came back to this camera. I trust the Canon name and even though I've had experience with the controls, it was easy enough for my husband to start taking pictures. (I have one Canon film point and shoot & a film Rebel G)
One expert review on one site says that he'd buy this camera because for the features and reputation for the money, it is worth it. And I agree. :)

(P.S. For the price I payed, it came with 8 rechargable batteries + charger, 2 CF cards + cases, one telephoto lens + adapter...through ebay!)