Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Pros: Great Photo Quality, Image Stabilizer is amazing, Super fast Shooting

Cons: False View Finder

Summary: I bought this right before a trip to Eastern Europe because I had been eyeing the S2 for over a year. When the S3 came out (at an incredibly decent price), I bought it same day. I think I hesitated to buy the S2 becuase I was unsure whether I should upgrade to a SLR or stay in the Powershot series, but I am a lot more satisfied with myself that I got the S3. It still has all the manual functions for more creative shots, 12x zoom (no additional lenses required...means not missing any good shots when on the go), super macro (once again, no need for additional lens with you can focus at 0 centimeters). I just got back from a month-long trip and had no major issues with the camera. Printed out about 100 pictures the other day at a lab, and had phenomenal image quality.

The only downside of this camera is the viewfinder. I don't know if the other S-models had this, but the viewfinder is just a smaller LCD screen displaying a digital image (you can also review your other photos in the viewfinder). Meaning, when taking a picture and the sun is too bright, you cannot see anything through the LCD becuase it is equivalent to using the larger LCD on the back; everything looks white. The data displays on the "mini LCD" are great, as found in SLRs, but the image itself is also digital as opposed to real. The photo-quality result is the same, of course, but it makes it rather difficult to know if the composure of your shot is good or not becuase of the lighting conditions.

However, the majority of the time, the digital viewfinder is amazing becuase it is exactly 100% to size of what the real photo will be like (as opposed to some real viewfinders that show less area). But for those sunny days, youll wish there was a way to switch it off.