Canon Powershot A1000IS 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Grey): Customer Reviews & Product Details

I haven't used this camera as much as I expected to yet, but it's easy to use and takes care of all the basics. I need a good outdoor performer, so limited my search to devices with optical viewfinders for shooting in bright light situations. Unfortunately, these are becoming increasingly rare as manufacturers eliminate these to make room for larger LCD displays. Consider this factor if you shoot outside on sunny days a lot.

Purchased the camera, with some trepidation. A lot of good reviews, but noticed the lens error mania. My last camera, a fuji failed with a lens error as well. In view of this, I guess many point and shoot digital cameras can ultimately have lens problems. Rough handling I am sure is a factor in many cases. In any case, the camera has taken fine photos so far. Printing on my Canon photo printer produces great prints. I do find the zoom lens a bit uneven, zooming out or in seems to be not real smoothe. Minor for my uses. Barring a premature lens problem, the camera seems great. The price some of the vendors on Amazon are selling? $249.99. What is with that? I bought mine on Staples on sale ($10 off, not much) for 129.99. I added the usual 4 gig card, since the included 32meg card would only hold about 11 pictures default. Ridiculously small card to include.

It took me a LONG time to research and purchase a digital camera. I have used inexpensive 35mm for my whole life. It was uncomfortable for me to get used to this camera. I didn't like how the viewer went black for a moment every time I took a picture. I admit I wasn't embracing the whole digital thing, but I was willing to learn. I had already purchased a second memory card and was receiving the low battery warning when this camera fell about four feet off of our kitchen counter. The lens broke and now I am in the market for another camera. In this economy, it is tough to shell out a few hundred dollars for broken "toys". I use cameras to document the life and growth of my kids, not to win photo competitions. If I am spending money on batteries, or chargers, memory chips and now a whole new camera, it makes my old inexpensive 35mm seem really attractive again. I can't even comment on how the photos look. I never even got the chance to download them. Don't drop this camera. It won't survive.

OK, this seems to be a terrific little camera for a lot of people, BUT, I am used to being able to download the photographs directly onto my computer desktop, and this cannot be done without the accompanying software, which will NOT install on a Mac, nor can the software be accessed off the web, so it seems my wife's vacation shots are stuck in this thing and I am out $250! I have always owned Olympus, and I have NEVER encountered such a dilemma before. I hope we can get our money back on this goofy thing.

My old camera is a Panasonic FZ7 that I purchased about four years ago for about $500 when they first came out. I was perfectly happy with it until I saw the pictures my girlfriend was getting with a $149 Nikon point and shoot camera that she recently bought. Her average shots outperformed my best with the FZ7. That was the catalyst for buying my Canon A1000.

I did a weekend's worth of research. I checked all of the reviews online. Then, I remembered that Consumer Reports had recently ranked the digital cameras and there was the Canon A1000 second on the list surrounded by $400+ cameras! I researched the A1000 and the vast majority of the reviews are highly favorable. This is the best camera out there in the $100 to $150 price range. And you get a view finder for those bright sunshine days that wash out the digital display. The pictures it takes are simply phenomenal!

The good -

1 Sharp pictures
2 Colors are spot on
3 Special settings for most any conditions
4 The controls are reasonably intuitive
5 Nice size. Feels good and steady in your hand.
6 OPTICAL image stabilization! WOW! (works great)
7 Super-fast start up and next shot capability with an 8GB Class Six SDHC card.
8 Uses AA batteries available everywhere
9 Good users manual
10 Takes better pictures than my girlfriend's Nikon!(This was #1 priority)

The not so good -

1 The memory card it comes with is a joke.
2 The included download software is just mediocre at best.

You are going to love this camera. It is one of those rare products where the stars aligned and they really got it right!