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Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Dark Gray)
	Manufacturer: Canon Customer Rating:   List Price: $179.00 Sale Price: $149.00 Availibility: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Now

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When a camera puts a smile on your face the moment you hold it, imagine how great you'll feel when you see your first pictures! The PowerShot SD1200 IS Digital ELPH has everything going for it - exuberant color, the sculptured style of Canon's famed ELPH series - and the innovative know - how that takes you to a whole new level of picture-taking accomplishment. Fun, smart and a style follow you everywhere.

• 10.0-megapixel resolution captures enough detail for prints up to 13 x 19 inches
• 3x optical zoom; 2.5-inch PureColor LCD II screen
• DIGIC 4 Image Processor with evolved Face Detection Technology; Face Detection Self-timer
• Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper settings
• Compatible with SD/SDHC, MMC/MMC Plus/HC MMC Plus (not included)

Canon Powershot S2IS.

Review Date: March 17, 2010

Reviewer: L. Laviana, NM

I have a Canon Powershot S2IS. the camera is less than 2 yrs old. While taking a picture it shut itself down and the lens stayed open and an E18 error came on the screen. After some reseach and googled 40,000 complaints for this design flaw. I now have a $500 paperweight. Canon will fix it for $150 plus parts or offer to let you purchase a refurbished camera starting at $199. A class action suit was filed against Canon. I will never buy another Canon product. Im very unhappy.

Nice little camera

Review Date: March 17, 2010

Reviewer: s2mybabies, Michigan, USA

This is a nice camera. We are still testing it and so far, it has presented very good quality. It's a bit heavy for a small camera, but I guess that means that it is built well. The screen is pretty fast when turned on/off. The devices are very easy to understand, however,it is always important to read the manual to better use the camera's settings. A lot of times the reason why we don't get the results we expect is because we don't know how to use the camera properly.

Good for use with Canon WP-DC29 underwater housing

Review Date: March 15, 2010

Reviewer: James Case,

We purchased the Canon SD1200 IS camera and Canon WP-DC20 underwater housing for it to use for a dive vacation in Bonaire. The housing was very easy to use, and very light and easy to carry (there is no need for any weight system). We did not have a strobe, and had no problems with light issues. Very sharp photos and realistic colors. Both seahorses 1 foot away, and squidd 10 feet away, came out sharp. Just put it in Manual "Underwater" mode (select DISP to find this hidden selection) and drop it in the housing. I gave the SD1200 camera a 4 star as the size is almost too small and hard to handle outside of the underwater housing, and annoying whirring noise whenever in Auto Mode used on land. Will use my older Canon SD800IS for non-underwater use (I love that camera). I would consider purchasing a different camera/housing combination with a larger display if I did it again, but definitely happy with Canon and the WP-DC20 underwater housing.

Blurry and overexposed

Review Date: March 14, 2010

Reviewer: IzzyChelle, Colorado Springs, CO USA

We got this camera for my daughter for Christmas after my fater-in-law raveda about his SD1000. I cannot figure out how this camera has so many great reviews?! Are their expectations THIS low? We have a 9 year old inexpensive point and shoot that takes better photos! If everything is perfectly still and there is excellent lighting, this camera will take a decent photo. But I'd guess 90% (or more.. it's rare for us to get one that's not) of our photos of people are blurry. And the flash is worthless. It WAY overexposes pale skin tones. I'll upload some of our average photos with this camera later. I expected much better picutre qualit for one hundred seventy dollars. Our camera phones take better pictures. For what it's worth, we don't use auto mode as per other reviews, but that doesn't seem to make a difference. We did go to the store to look at this camera before we purchased and it handles well and pictures seem good looking at the lcd. But when you get them off the camera, they suck. I really enjoy photography and thought maybe my daughter could join me, but it's fairly pointless with this camera. :( I won't ever buy another canon camera and will encourage anyone thinking about it to borrow this one before they decide if canon is the brand for them.

BLURRRRRRRRRRY PICTURES.......

Review Date: March 14, 2010

Reviewer: samoya, Danville, PA USA

I HAD a Nikon Coolpix before this, and was pretty happy with it (has a much easier rocker-panel type zoom, rather than the ring around the shutter button that this one has!), but the lens, after a very minor trauma, broke (wouldn't retract). So, after hearing that this had happened fairly frequently with other Coolpix cameras, I decided to try a Canon. WHAT A MISTAKE!!!!!!! I take A LOT of pictures of my very active 19-month-old daughter, and a good MAJORITY of these pictures are BLURRY, even when taken in good lighting and using the autofocus feature!! SUUUUUUUUUUUCKS!!!!! I took about 20 pictures this morning, and I would say that about 12-14 (I didn't count) will have to be deleted due to blurriness! SO FRUSTRATING!!!!!!! I mean, she doesn't move at lightning speed, and in some of them was BARELY moving!! I looked for ways to change the settings (shutter speed), but found NOTHING!! SO, I am VERY disappointed with this stupid camera, and am looking FORWARD to breaking it so I can go and buy another NIKON COOLPIX, which, except for the lens issue (breaking with minor trauma), took great pictures, MOST of which WEREN'T blurry!!!!!!!!!!

Great Camera

Review Date: March 11, 2010

Reviewer: Chester J., Rea Jr.,

I purchased this Cannon SD1200IS for my daughter to give to her friend and he loves it. Everything is great, even the size, which I was worried about because his hands are large.

fits in the pocket and shoots great photos and video

Review Date: March 11, 2010

Reviewer: Marcus Jose,

Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD fits in the pocket and shoots great photos and video.

Great camera!

Review Date: March 11, 2010

Reviewer: Colleen Rowland,

This camera takes great pictures and is very easy to use. Battery life is great...just went to Egypt and was able to take 3 days worth of pictures before having to charge the battery...and the battery wasn't even dead at that point. One thing I wish this camera had that other Cannon's have is the Vivid Color feature. I love the effect of making the whole picture black and white and just having one color stand out. Otherwise, I have no complaints and I LOVE the green color!

Very nice!

Review Date: March 11, 2010

Reviewer: D. Glynn, Nashville TN USA

This is our fourth Canon purchase. Like the rest, we have become very pleased with the product. There is some tendency to cheapen the housing etc from one to the next. I think the USB access cover is going to break any day now. Quality is good. I really do not need the increased megapixels but this is the trend for the industry. The screen size is great. I like the new button to move from picture to picture. I am happy with the purchase. Wish they had not changed battery size as we lose the flexibity to share batteries and chargers.

camera

Review Date: March 11, 2010

Reviewer: Emily L. Cubitt, NC USA

Had last year's model of same camera but was unfortunately lost. Chose to get same camera since the previous one was such a good product.

Solid with Great Feature Choices

Review Date: March 10, 2010

Reviewer: JonShops, Oklahoma

PROS: This camera has a great look and feel. More compact than pictures of it may seem, but not wafer thin like some. Doesn't have lush interface, just a practical and elegant one. For example, only about 5 different auto modes ('Portrait', 'Kids', etc.) that don't have example pictures; instead, you see the current shot as altered for that mode. When you press OK button options appear down right and across bottom of view screen; you select by navigating with ring button around OK. You have direct EV+/- control via ring button and can easily set white balance via interface. Also has 'My Color' feature that lets you set color saturation, etc. via interface in Program mode: this feature is very detailed. Program mode is not complete...cannot select shutter or f-stop priority, but does include ISO setting, so you basically can trade off noise for blur (low ISO reduces noise but slows the shutter). You just can't add depth-of-field to the mix of trade-offs without 'tricking' the settings via EV and ISO. Low ISO shooting makes a huge difference in picture quality to the point that shooting 10MP instead of 5MP at over ISO 300 is of dubious benefit. 'Indoors' auto mode lowers ISO for you, but using Program mode and lowering it more is better if the subject is stationary. With lots of light or a tripod photos are lavish even when zoomed when shooting ISO 80. So at low ISO low-light shooting is great, but not for moving subjects or unsteady hands. The cammera has optical stabilization, and I've shot reasonable photos at a 1 second shutter free hand, but it takes some breathing control. Playback has the standard zoom feature and can zoom out to either a panel of thumbnails or else a faux-3D picture cycle. Will also show all settings for the shot, even settings the camera set automatically like shutter speed. Also shows true file size along with the resolution and assumed file size for that setting (the assumed size is a worst-case assumption). The camera always shows this assumed size with resolution, which is handy, but it names the resolutions with single letters, a la VHS SP,SLP, etc., so that's what the funny L means in the corner: L=highest resolution. In spite of some spec sheets saying it's 700mAh, this camera comes with a 1000mAh battery that is said to be capable of 700 shots when using the optical viewfinder, 220 shots using the LCD viewscreen--I assume without flash. Camera offers three metering selections: full average, center-weighted, and spot. The face detection is nearly perfect...it can even follow faces through cross cuts while 'watching' TV, and it can recognize 3/4 views of faces--oblique views. Power-on time is remarkably fast. No problems with shooting speed. Flash might slow things down, but unbounced flash shots are usually so icky I hardly use flash...it is said to be good from 1 foot (1 meter if shooting into eyes!) to 14 feet. Camera has a magic red ray that it says helps with autofocus. You can turn it off, and I haven't really noticed much of a difference with it off. CONS: In auto modes the camera picks higher ISO than I would like because I'm not shooting sports shots, etc., but I think the choices are good ones in general, and they can be overridden easily. The icons are not exactly self-evident. Camera does not come with a manual worth mentioning (but PDF is available). I can't speak to the software as I have no intention of using it. The macro settings produce otherwise nice results but they are a little more fish-eye than would be ideal. In full auto mode (separate even from the individual automatic modes) the camera is constantly focusing, etc., which must use up battery pretty fast. Just lightly pressing the shutter release will force settings in other modes, so unless you are shooting rapidly changing subjects the full auto mode is probably overkill. Misses some of the more advance features even of my 5-year-old digital. You cannot set up your own preset settings and pick them like they were built-in modes. There is no internal memory at all. There is no self-portrait modes where you can set up a photo and then have yourself placed in the picture by getting someone to line up a translucent version of your setup with the scene with you in it. Etc. Still all these feature sound more useful than they really ever were since in the moment we usually do the quick thing and shoot the shot, anyway.

Not a friendly camera, I miss my Kodak easy share

Review Date: March 9, 2010

Reviewer: sammy,

I got this camera because it had such amazing reviews and because my mom had the 1100 model and I loved the pictures. I HATE THIS CAMERA!!! I had a Kodak Easy Share and I loved how the pictures turned out and how easy it was to use, but it was too bulky for a diaper bag. I got the Canon 1200 for its portability and the "amazing" pictures it claims to take. Boy am I disappointed. The auto feature is all but useless. 9 out of 10 photos taken with the auto feature turn out blurry. Even when it looks good on the screen I download them and see they are in fact blurry. (if you read a lot of reviews you will see the problems with the auto feature and blurry photos) I have missed so many cute photos of my baby due to this stupid camera. The 1100 was far superior and much more user friendly. I am not a camera person so maybe if you know the ends and outs of cameras it will work for you, but if you are just a normal person looking for a point and shoot camera THIS IS NOT FOR YOU!!

Unworkable as sold

Review Date: March 9, 2010

Reviewer: Robert Schuerger, LA, CA

I find it very unacceptable to pay $150 for a camera and find out that it cannot be used as sold. It does not come with a memory card and nothing in the sales information provided prior to the purchase calls this out. Therefore I will not buy another product from either the supplier or Canon.

camera

Review Date: March 9, 2010

Reviewer: Alycia Donovan, Brooklyn, NY

This is the best camera for an amateur. Cannon PowerShot takes clear, perfect pictures. The PowerShot also is small enought to fit conveniently in a shirt pocket or small purse.

Great Camera

Review Date: March 9, 2010

Reviewer: S. Ivery, Garland, TX

This is a great camera. I've only owned two digital cameras and this one is the best so far. The picture quality and features are great. It's fits easily in my purse, with a case. I was looking for a pink camera only, and this one is not only cute, it gets the job done. I would definitely recommend this camera.

Beautiful, detailed pictures for EBay selling

Review Date: March 7, 2010

Reviewer: Rowena, Wellsville, NY, US

This camera is great for taking pictures of items to sell on EBay. I've never had such clear detailed pictures before. I love it.

Super, Sleek, Simple

Review Date: March 7, 2010

Reviewer: Andrew Raymond,

Got this before a family trip to Disney World and loved it. A great bargain for the money. Pros: Superb picture quality, great price, great battery life, simple to use. Cons: Not for the established photographer, there is some lag time if you need quick shots or focus.

Great Purse Cam

Review Date: March 5, 2010

Reviewer: L. Kenner, Middle Tennessee

Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Blue) I bought this camera last November as an early X-mas gift to myself to replace my 4-year old Sony Cybershot. Normally, I would have gone for the Cybershot, but this Canon got rave reviews online and in the store. I bought it at Best Buy. I decided to purchase the Canon for several reasons: Canon reputation for digital cameras SD memory card compatible- Sony's need the memory stick pro cards that are a little pricey Ease of use with my Macs- Although more manufacturers are showing Macs some love, there are still man incompatibilities with included software Color selection-I love a camera with a little personality, but many cameras that have different colors take awful pictures. I get a great little camera, in my favorite color I've used the camera in bright and dim areas and I've gotten great pictures in both. I think it's great camera for family outings and general purpose photos.

A smaller replacement with bigger results

Review Date: March 5, 2010

Reviewer: T. Jones, WEATHERFORD, TEXAS, US

I recently purchased this camera to replace a larger Fuji. I wanted more portability, but worried that I would miss the more powerful zoom of my older camera (6 yrs old). We took this on a trip to the zoo and could not be happier. It will definately satisfy those who are back in the market for a good, easy to use camera. I'm a point-and-shoot, "leave it on automatic" sort of girl. I left a photo that we took with this camera in the customer images section (it's a bird being fed birdseed in the zoo)...check it out, this camera is awesome!

don't waste your money on the SD1200 is

Review Date: March 5, 2010

Reviewer: CBlasi, Colorado

I have owned many of the power shot cameras and this one has been by far the worst I have owned. (SD890 was the best). The camera is less than 6 months old and photo clarity has gotten so poor that I finally sent it to the canon repair center. The camera has always been inconsistent with clear pics. Every now and then a very blurry pic would show up. Hand shake was not the problem. I finally got tired of deleting pictures that were to blurry to fix and sent it to the company for warranty. What was their answer? I must have dropped it therefore, sorry, no warranty. Keep this review in mind when you are thinking about canon. I know I will begin to lean towards the nikon for all of my photo equipment needs.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009 at 5:12 pm and is filed under Canon digital cameras. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.