Rating

I have had Kodak digital cameras the last few I have had, but after the last one got damp in a bag of at the beach, I needed a new one. I wanted the same kind of memory as I had in the Kodaks and a low price. I also wanted a camera that took regular or rechargeable batteries. Some of the other batteries are just too expensive. I also really wanted an optical view finder in addition to the show screen. Not many cameras provide this any more unless you go high end. I would have gone with Kodak again if they had one with an optical view finder, then I wouldn’t have had to learn new upload software. The main selling point for me was that the Canon had an optical view finder. I have been pleased with this camera, it only cost $130 on amazon.com. It is not that different than the kodaks I have had and simple to use. It has alot of features I probably won’t use, I am basically a point and shoot photographer. But, I do find myself using the video which I rarely did with my ancient camera.

Rating

the Canon A1100IS is one of those cameras that invite one of those philosophical, paradigm-shift discussions about the changing nature of photography. but that seems a distraction and for the sake of a review we should talk about the camera itself. just to tell you where i come from – i compare the results i obtain with the A1100 with the 2 other cameras i have come to use the most: a Canon G9 i know isnide out, and a canon s90.

i wanted a very capable, cheap and reasonably compact point and shoot. i have enough cameras that are large, and far more complicated, and cater to my needs as a more ambitioned creative leisure activity photographer (which means i mainly screw around with aperture settings, demand quick optics and electronics, and use something like Photoshop Elements 8.0 -adjust version a month from now - for occcasional post-processing, really, if we are honest). nevertheless, let’s get to the point, and make the review stand out a tad by being somewhat controversial with a guess-timate: i would venture that 90% of people buy far more camera capabilities than they’ll ever need or train themselves to exploit; and as far as camera enthusiasts go, they’ll just need the ambitious setting capabilities for 10% of the pictures they take. the digital revolution makes us appreciate convenience, and makes us take *most* pictures either in full or semi-auto mode. really, there is nothing to be ashamed about, we all do it. but enough about philosophy and paradigm shifts, and on to the A1100.

what i have to say is, wow, this camera takes awesome panoramic or group/people/porttrait pictures in full auto mode outside or excellent indoors lighting, which means traditionally low ISO settings and a distance ~8ft or so. i mean, amazingly sharp. i’ll go further – go challenge your friend with an EOS 5D in such “unchallenging”, excellent-lighting and typical subect settings. the A1100 produces fantastic pictures by *any* price standard in very standard environments. which is what the vast majority of people will need. and, honestly – if you don’t somewhat thoroughly experiment with your camera regularly, and if you haven’t ready the manual cover to cover at least twice, the fact is you do fall into this category of users.

then there are the more challening environments: typically indoors, and the amount of objects, less light and artificial lighting sources and intensity and wavelengths thereof that challenge cameras. sure, like every other full auto, the Canon A1100 applies the considerable and able capabilities of the high end, latest gen Digic chip to get the job done. and it performs admirably, albeit with the typical temperamental and inconsistent nature of smart digital cameras (but it takes more excellent pictures in the process than anything i have experienced before, mind you). the thing is, in such settings, do yourself a favor and go for “semi auto mode”. by that i mean the “P” setting along with what the A1100 calls “center based AF frame”, which gives you quick control: a half-click gets the camera to evaluate your main subject in the middle, and then you can go compose and eventually go through with the shot. focus lock is your friend, and make sure to tell the camera to keep the ISO as low as you can (i limit it to 200). do that, and then… darn, does the A1100 take fantastic shots inside too or what? pretty awesome. do *not* challenge your friend with the EOS in more contrast rich, low lighting settings, though. don’t get me incorrect, the full auto mode seems to work pretty well inside too: this is the perfect camera to turn into full auto, hand over to someone else, and tell them to just click away. it will be hard for them to really screw up pictures, no matter how hard they try (incredible how many people still simply pull all the way through, which may clarify some of the picture quality complaints in here). i’ve had a 90 year ancient take a picture of me with this camera, and it made her day to feel like a pro photographer after she saw the results. but if you own the camera, you owe it to yourself to experiment with the semi and creative modes. and then you will really need a compelling reason to buy more camera. incredible.

the summary is: the A1100 is a very capable camera by any price standard, and a *superb* and *stellar* camera considering its value. i mean, i can take incredible pictures i can blow up to poster size, and yet given its price tag i don’t have to be overly worried to lose or subject it to some hardship given it’s not asking me to burn a lot of $ to buy it! the optics are quick enough, the electronics seem extremely capable, the camera is a perfect auto point and shooter and yet allows ambitioned users to beat those results by using semi auto modes smartly (if they bother to learn).

so, as so often, you have to know what and why you are buying it. and be honest with what you really and truly need. there is no way those who really use it well will have complaints about picture quality – it is incredible considering what you pay. if i am to mention complaints, i’d say battery life. in indoor use you’ll be lucky to get ~100 shots with NiMH rechargables, but i have gone an dbought the SONY batteries recommended elsewhere. the battery door takes getting used to. other than that – very nice, simple, and reasonably compact camera considering you can just pop in AAs.

cameras like the A1100 convince me that, a few years from now, photography will not necessarily be about knowing technicalities like apertures or f-stops or the like – it will be about creativity and an eye for the right scene. despise it or like it, the digital revolution will make and egalitarian creative environment and eliminate technicalities.

and we are more than halfway there with a camera like the a1100.

i follow a dual camera strategy these days, and the A1100 is the perfect companion to anything else i own for more ambitioned stuff.

Rating

Bought one of these about a month ago and have taken it on two trips and shot maybe 350 pictures with it so far. I’m quite pleased, the pictures are fantastic. The ASA 1600 setting in Program mode allows quite decent shots indoors with no flash, which in museums and many other locations is essential. I bought it mainly because of excellent experiences with older Powershot models, and because I insist on being able to get batteries anywhere although I use rechargeable NIMH AAs normally. The NIMHs last a really long time. The image stabilization really helped with shots of static subjects with the camera zoomed way in. The viewfinder is extremely helpful outdoors in the sun. Finally, the camera is small enough to easily fit into a pocket.

Rating

I like the picture quality, which is brilliant for this point and shoot class camera. The first test of this camera was taking pictures of flowers (delia) at the Golden Gate Park in San Fancisco, including a sunny day and a cloudy day. For both days, nearly all pictures are in focus. Flowers, leaves, and, yes, even honey bees all look so lively, sharp, and brilliant color reproduction. I would highly recomment this camera to anyone who is looking for one in the point and shoot class.