Canon PowerShot A700

Pros: Great value, great pictures, great video, zoom!

Cons: 2 batteries probably wont last for 2GB memory card

Summary: I bought this camera as soon as it came out. We've been using a Canon PowerShot A60 for the past few years and we have REALLY got our moneys worth out of it (nearly 20,000 shots). Its on its last legs though.

I have been agonizing over what camera to buy for months. I borrowed friends nikons, sonys, olympuses, kodaks, casios and fujis.

Strangely, our A60 consistently shot clearer, nicer looking pictures.

I came to a number of conclusions about what I wanted. I debated buying a prosumer SLR or maybe the Canon S2-IS (for the zoom and camcorder quality). I played with the idea of buying a super compact like a casio. My wife was getting annoyed. But there were simply too many choices out there.

When the A700 came out, I just bought it. No reviews. No recommendations. I just trusted the PowerShot legacy.

I AM SO HAPPY WITH THIS CAMERA.

Yes its big. No the LCD does not swivel out. Two batteries dont last as long as four (like in our old A60). That's the end of my gripe list.

I dont shoot sports, or constellations, i dont need it in my pocket for bar and nightclub group pics.

I like taking pictures of friends and family. I like to take pictures of places i've been and people i meet. Things are generally calm, controlled, and deliberate when I take photos.

I bought a 150x 2GB memory card. At max resolution, I can take around 770 snapshots and about 17 minutes of high resolution video. The memory card costs about $50 here in Korea - incredible.

Well, functionality and user friendliness have really improved over the A60. More importantly, the camera takes really nice pictures.

Transfer pics to your computer before you compare shots with your friends digital cameras. Camera LCDs never tell the whole truth.

I have not bought new NiMH rechargables yet. But the camera performance is still very impressive.

To reference the other cameras i borrowed and test drove over the months, I found myself consistently throwing away bad (blurry) shots at a rate of about 20-30% for the Fuji and Sony cameras. That rate drops to about 5-10% with the Canon. Other cameras record the autofocus or zoom mechanisms on the video, the Canon is very smooth and quiet.

I really cannot imagine another camera that is this good at this price.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA!