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"Amazing ultrazoom digital camera with a few hiccups." on by Aaron3121
Pros: 270 degree tilt LCD
Flash and Outdoor shots
HD Video
"AA" batteries!Cons: Low light non-flash shots
Continuous Shooting mode
Does not include full user guide (cd only)Summary: I picked this camera up at the end of August, shortly after it was released. I have shot lots of photos in many different conditions. My major complaint is that the camera did not include a full manual, only a getting started guide. I am still new to the advanced digital cameras so it would have been nice to have the manual in hand and with the camera when I am out using it. I really don't want to print it out from my computer. Also the low light with out flash is a bit disappointing. Most of the shots turn out blurry for me. I just use flash whenever I can and the photos turn out amazing. The HD video is really amazing though. Since its 720p it is still a manageable size for most SD cards. And it doesn't take too long to transfer the videos over. At 30 fps the video quality is smooth and the sound quality is great! The screen rotation is a great feature when shooting yourself or in sunny conditions when the glare is too hard to deal with. I did alot of research before going with this camera. It seemed most people thought the Canon SX10IS or SX1IS were the best of the big zoom digital cameras. I decided to go with SX20IS because of the 720p video and the lower price compared to the SX1IS. I think the 1080p video would be too much for the average SD card. I was hoping the continuous shooting mode would be a little faster at full 12.1 megapixel but for the price it is hard to beat ($400). I also love the fact that it uses AA batteries instead of some rechargeable batter pack. This way if I want rechargeables I can go pick them up or if I need batteries in a hurry I can just pick them up almost anywhere. Overall I am very satisfied with the camera and would recommend it to anyone who wants a little more camera than your pocket cameras but not quite ready for the big bulky DSLRs.
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"Wonderful manual controls and zoom." on by apw76006
Pros: 20X stabilized zoom
Manual control options
Articulated LCD
720p video recording
Well built
AA batteriesCons: Photo colors sometimes seem a bit washed out
No printed manual. Who wants to print 180 pages at home or pay Kinko's $20 to print the manual?
Lens cap comes off easily, but that could just be my unitSummary: All in all, I am very pleased with the camera. The video recording options combined with the overall feature set make the camera a good and affordable option versus purchasing a new HD camcorder and dedicated camera. The camera is a good choice for people looking to step up from a standard point and shoot, but are not quite ready to make the DSLR commitment.
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"A fantastic camera" on by ra00345
Pros: Picture Quality, The LCD, The lens, Automatic and Program modes
Cons: The built-in flash is ok, I bought a Speedlight 270EX for flash work
NO RAW
Manual in PDF format
Camera automaticly creates new folders to store finished files. Can't shut this feature off! How come I have to deal with a new folder each month?Summary: When it came time for a new digital camera I did my homework and concluded the SX20IS is what I wanted. I love the lens on this camera! I used to spend too much time with SLR cameras trying to figure out which lens to use. The SX20IS boots up quickly and is ready to shoot in just a second. For picky work, program mode allows me to manually adjust the focus and exposure. The LCD is big enough for decent previews. The finished photos don't require much editing and are easily completed in a photo editing program.
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"not much improvement over my old Canon S2IS,new format" on by ez-tags
Pros: you can zoom up to 80x, but photo quality suffers using the digital zoom. On normal shots, you can shake camera while shooting a photo with no effect
Cons: The SX20IS is slightly larger and heavier than my old S2. The format used in the SX20 are not compatable with some printers and my tv viewier.AVI movies taken with other Canon cameras will not play.The wheel to change f stops seems loose. No manual.
Summary: In comparing the PowerShot SX20is to my "OLD" PowerShot S2is there is not that much difference except for the slight upgrade to 20x and 12 meg. Is the difference worth the trade for the heavier camera and format difference? I like all my Canon cameras to be compatible. An AVI movie taken with other Canon Cameras can not be viewed on the SX20is and likewise photos taken with the SX20is can not be viewed on my TV viewer nor printed USB direct with my printer. A format not recognized message appears. The S2is weight is 18oz while the SX20is is 23oz and slightly larger. The photo quality seems to be about the same, but the 12 meg poster size photos take more disk space only to give a slight advantage when cropping.
The SX20is comes with a hotshoe for an external flash, which I rarely use a flash.
I am still deciding if the SX20is will replace my old S2is, but at this time I am leaning towards returning the SX20is camera -
"Mediocre image quality" on by SherAtBeach
Pros: LCD screen
Cons: Mediocre image quality. Photos are not crisp as expected, colors seemed to besomewhat muted.
Summary: Based on my previous experience with other Canon digital cameras, I expected the photos from the new Canon SX20 IS to be very good. Unfortunately, the photos were not crisp as expected. In addition, the photo color also seemed to be somewhat muted. I took the Canon SX20 IS back to the camera store and exchanged it for a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35, which produces superb photos and good video clips.
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