Canon PowerShot A2100 IS photos and review

The good: Excellent photo quality for the money; 6x zoom; simple operation, good feature set.

The bad: Mixed performance.

The bottom line: The Canon PowerShot A2100 IS offers good photo quality, some extra zoom range, and the convenience of AA batteries in an affordable, pocketable package.

Let's be honest: a 3x or 4x optical zoom is not much help. Yes, it gets you a little closer if there's a fence or restraining order in the way, but you'll always want more. That's why stepping up to a 5x or 6x zoom such as the one in the Canon PowerShot A2100 IS is a noticeable difference. Add in the camera's very good photo quality, its 12 megapixel resolution, and Canon's Digic 4 image processor and you're in a much better position to get the shot you really want. At least as long as your target isn't moving too fast.