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Canon PowerShot A1100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver) by Canon
Digital Photo Product DetailsManufacturer: Canon Model: A1100IS Silver Color: Silver Product features: - 12.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
- 4x optical zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer; 2.5-inch LCD screen
- DIGIC 4 Image Processor with evolved Face Detection Technology; Face Detection Self-timer
- Uses 2 AA-size batteries
- Compatible with SD/SDHC, MMC/MMC Plus/HC MMC Plus (not included)
Accessories:
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon PowerShot A1100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver)Customer Review: Great camera for the price with lots of features Summary: 4 Stars
Before getting into details, I am very pleased with this camera for many reasons and have recommended it to other people. In general, it is a good, inexpensive small camera that one can carry in a pocket or purse and takes good pictures for a camera of this price range. It has many options and seems to work well in low-light situations if you have a steady hand.
My wife and I have dSLRs, but I organize a motorcycle group and you just can't use a full sized camera while riding a bike. I have used other small POS (point and shoot) cameras in the past, and this is the best of the lot so far.
The camera takes good pictures. Nothing spectacular, but better than my older POS cameras and not as good as my dSLRs. I wouldn't use it to shoot a wedding, but I might keep it in my pocket at one so I can catch something that can't be missed while fumbling with lenses or something else on my 'real' camera.
I can also use the camera with gloves on, except for the display button. It's easy to find in my pocket, turn on, hold, and shoot all with gloves. No .. I don't adjust the camera while riding, but I can switch it from picture to movie mode by touch (there is a 'gap' in the clicks between the two modes). The field of view is wide enough that I can 'shoot blind', that is point the camera behind me and take a picture without looking at the display. Yes .. I delete lots of pictures.
Some of the reviews talk about not being able to set ISO. This is incorrect, if you put the camera in program mode and press the function key, you can set the ISO. For most of these types cameras, anything above 200 ISO starts to get very grainy, so I resist the temptation to set the ISO way up in low light situations. I have gotten very good quality pictures at 1/40th of a second exposures, although I had to use the same technique target shooters use .. squeeze the trigger and hold. If you do a quick 'click and release' of the shutter, there will be a lot of motion blur. Better to gently press the shutter and hold until the camera takes the picture.
It is also very easy to turn off the display ... simply keep pressing the display button until it turns off. I leave the display on as the camera has the ability to draw guide lines at 1/3 intervals on the camera. Where these lines intersect are places to put areas of interest in your photo. Look at many great photos and you will notice that the person or object isn't in the center, it's off to one side and maybe high or low.
Anyone who wants to take great pictures will find themselves using software, even the great film artists used the darkroom to achieve the 'vision' they wanted. Cropping, dodging, burning, altering the contrast and brightness, are all tools that any photographer should learn when and when not to use. The program that comes with the camera is adequate, but I would recommend anyone that fancies themselves as a photographer to spend another $100 and purchase 'real' editing software, such as Adobe's Photoshop Elements or Corel's Paint Shop product. These tools allow for more control over the final picture, but don't cost hundreds of dollars like the Photoshop CS line and do not have a steep learning curve.
The camera is a bit bulky, but I choose it over slimmer models because it uses AA batteries. There is nothing more frustrating than to get somewhere and have your sleek battery pack run out of juice. At least with AA, you can buy more at just about any store or gas station. I would recommend purchasing lithium batteries, regular batteries will get used up quickly. As one reviewer noted, rechargeable batteries are also a great option, although I would make sure I always had a spare, fully charged set with me.
Two negative comments. First, the flash is useless. If you are close enough, things get all blown out. Too far back and things are not bright enough. The 'acceptable' distance is very narrow, and the edges get too dark. About the only acceptable way I have gotten pictures with the flash is to use the old 'Kleenex' trick -- drape one or two layers of tissue paper over the flash to dull the light a little bit and then crop out the dark edges. Secondly, it is very easy to accidentally change the camera settings. I find myself constantly checking to make sure it is still in 'program' or 'movie' mode. (I tend not to use the scene modes, but adjust the exposure and white balance myself.)
Description of Canon PowerShot A1100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver)Splash Out with Dazzling Color. Brighten your world with the intensely colorful Canon PowerShot A1100 IS. Fashionably slender, this sleek camera body has been specially shaped to make it easy to hold and easy to shoot. There's a metal-plated front grip that contributes a striking note of elegance and adds to your comfort. Loaded with Features, Packed with Value. 12.1-megapixel digital camera with 4x Optical Zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer. With the PowerShot A1100 IS, dramatic, personal pictures have never been easier to shoot and share. This 12.1-megapixel digital camera lets you create impressive, large photos of family and friends you'll be proud to display. The high-resolution images taken by the PowerShot A1100 IS can be enlarged up to 13" x 19". The PowerShot A1100 IS has a 4x optical zoom lens that makes it easy to get the inspiring, emotive close-ups that will make your images lasting keepsakes. This magnificent lens gives you the power to shoot distant subjects with razor-sharp precision and stunning lifelike color. So you can brilliantly capture a closer shot of a landscape, or a child's big smile. The PowerShot A1100 IS is equipped with Canon's acclaimed Optical Image Stabilizer Technology that automatically detects and corrects camera shake - one of the leading causes of fuzzy or blurred shots. Even when zoomed in, you can get the steady, crisp, brilliant images you'll be proud to shoot and share. And Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer Technology is so convenient to use. It functions perfectly with or without a flash. A World of Advantages with Canon's Technology. DIGIC 4 Image Processor has evolved Face Detection Technology that tracks the faces of moving subjects and lets the shooter enter the frame seamlessly with the Face Detection Self-timer. DIGIC 4 Image Processor - Canon's most advanced image processor, DIGIC 4, delivers evolved Face Detection Technology
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