Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Pros: Lots of manual controls, RAW, Fantastic Videos

Cons: Should try not to use ISO over 400 if possible, gets a little grainy.

Summary: I bought this camera about one month ago at BUYDIG.com before Costco had it in stock. I extensively researched and checked all other website reviews. This camera was rated at or near the top for superzooms everywhere I looked. I have had a few other digital cameras prior to this one, and by far this camera blows away the others. Outside in daylight the pictures are crisp, sharp, and colorful. Once in a while the focus is off, but you can usually see that before taking the picture, and re-focus. I really put this camera to the test when I took pictures at the Paul McCartney concert at Citi-Field at night. From about two hundred yards away, in the low light, using a combination of manual and pre set settings, I was able to take over a hundred pictures that were nothing short of amazing. The 20X zoom is phenomenal. When I printed some of my pictures and cropped them, I was able to see the bands faces close up as if I were sitting in the first few rows. I tried not to use over ISO 400 as most of the reviews discussed at higher ISO?s the pictures become a little to grainy. I will agree with that review. But if I was able to take the pictures at this concert at ISO 400 and under and get the results I did, I don?t see that being a problem. The amount of manual control you have with this camera is tremendous, and at the same time you can put it in auto and ?point and shoot?. And another thing, last year I spent one thousand dollars on a Sony hard drive HD video Camera with six megapixel photo capability. After seeing the video (HD and regular) this camera can take, I will be putting my video up for sale on Craig?s list in the near future. No more carrying two cameras around anymore. OH and Did I mention that while you are taking a video, if you happen to see a must have picture, you can take a still picture at the SAME time as the video is running?WOW!!
Before this purchase I was thinking of getting a digital SLR, but after reading the reviews and now seeing for myself what this camera is capable of, I cannot see why anyone other than a true professional photographer, would need any other camera but this one.