Canon PowerShot SD600 6MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (OLD MODEL)

I have to say it is a bit confusing when looking for a digital camera. I found it helpful to go out and see how the cameras work and see how you like the feel. It came down to a few models for me - the sony w50, canon a630 and a540 or a530 and the canon sd630 and Nikon L4. The a530 and a540 I liked but didn't care for the fact they only used 2 AA batteries as they didn't seem they would last too long with the size of the camera and I wanted something that would take better low light shots and maybe something a bit smaller as well. I liked the price on the nikon L4 but everybody told me to avoid it so I did. The one I liked the best was the canon a630 but I came to the conclusion that a small 'carry with you everywhere camera' was more the direction I wanted to go so I hesitantly moved my search to the sony w50 and canon sd600. The sony is a slick camera and pictures were ok but I liked the image quality and feel of the canon better. I didn't like having to buy the sony duo pro type memory over the sd cards, although people do love the sony and it seems to be a dependable camera. The sd630 is a nice camera too but I wanted the viewfinder and have already found it usefull and I liked the larger controls on the sd600. Sooo here I am.I was surprised how fast the camera booted up, almost instantaneous. I bought a 2 gb kingston sd memory card and it performs flawlessly. I have never downloaded pictures to my computer before but this was a snap, didn't load software just plugged it in and easy from there. I have windows xp. Movie mode is amazing and I can zoom in and out which I didn't know I could. Took some pictures of furniture I wanted to sell on craigs list and came out excellent. I didn't use a flash and just have to have some good outside light in the room and good angle. The flash is a bit strong and wish there was a message board for people who own this camera as we could give each other some shooting tips. Anyway am just beginning to discover all the shooting modes and unique features of this camera and so far I am surprised at the quality of the images and the camera itself when I have had a chance to use it. Will update after some more extensive use. If you're looking for a camera you can put in your pocket and take anywhere, then I don't think you can go wrong with this one.

This camera is my holy grail. Everyone loves the pictures it takes. Even for an older camera its competes so well with modern day cameras. The functionality still holds up. It gives a old nostalgia feel with each picture. Almost like a memory you’ve had. The colors are bright. Its so easy to use. Everyone, even strangers I’ve met have been able to take pictures of me easily and well. Its a very small camera so i can always squeeze it in my purse. For the girls, BUY IT.

I've had five Canon digitals: the tough-as-nails S230, the reasonably robust s410 (though the rotary settings dial failed there, happily I had the AMEX extended warranty), the ultra-rugged G2 and the excellent Digital Rebel XT. Oh, and the brand new frail and feeble Canon PowerShot SD600.Oh, it's not a terrible camera. It's inexpensive, the images aren't worse than the s410, the shutter lag is somewhat less ... but I expected more. Yes it's smaller -- but only outside of the case. Put it inside the somewhat bulky case (you wouldn't want to carry this fragile gem any other way) and it's about the same size as the s410 in its case.So the size drop doesn't bring much practical value, but the large display and small size have some unfortunate side-effects. The flash is microscopic and the battery looks too small to power the big display for long. Speaking of the big display, it doesn't leave much room for the almost invisible controls. Yes, the display is nice for doing on camera image review and editing, but we do that on the 20" iMac display. It's made for consumers who don't use a computer.Maybe it was the lack of space that made Canon remove the mechanical switch between 'Auto' and 'Manual' settings. That hurts. My wife uses auto, I use manual. The switch used to be foolproof, now it requires quirky menu navigation.And so we come back to the build quality. On the one hand the camera has a one year warranty. On the other hand it probably doesn't cover the camera door coming off in your hands. This camera is 'Made in Japan', but evidently that doesn't mean what it once did. The first time I inserted the SD card it wouldn't pop out again, though it did on a second try.The Digital Elph's had an enviable reputation for solid construction, Canon has tossed that out the window. If I were Canon's CEO I'd be calling for an internal inquiry.A few positives to end with. It still uses a standard mini-B USB connector and Canon's compact and plugless wall charger is as well designed as ever. For the price it may still be a competitive offering, but in the past I used to tell friends to save their time and buy Canon. Now I have to tell them to look around first.