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Canon PowerShot A650IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

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Product Description Canon's extremely popular A Series reaches a milestone with the PowerShot A650 IS, its new top-of-the-line camera. 12.1 megapixels offers unparalleled resolution for a compact camera, while the powerful 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer Technology delivers clear, blur-free images in low light and all through the zoom range. Hallmark A Series value includes Canon's latest generation DIGIC III Image Processor with enhanced Face Detection Technology, ISO 1600 and Red-eye Correction for sharp, superior quality images. Reviews In my opinion the Canon A650 was the pinnacle of Canon's A series. While later models have larger LCDs they are not articulated. Now, you have to buy the new G11 to get an articulating LCD. The A650 doesn't offer DSLR versatility, it's as close as you will get on a P&S camera. With an extended 6X lens and a remarkably steady IS this camera is about fun as it gets. Compared with my old A620, the A650 is a little larger and heavier -- for the jacket pocket only. While the image quality is very good it didn't deliver the high contrast images of the A620 -- but this seems true of most cameras of increased resolution. It's all plastic, but it's really hard to find anything very bad about it. If you find the A620 used (since they are discontinued) at a decent price, buy it. The vendor (dennissg) I got mine from was excellent, with quick shipping, including fresh high quality batteries, and all the books and cords. The camera was like new, for only $325. If you can find one of these exceptional cameras at a good price I highly recommend it. This camera, though now discontinued, sat upon the top of the A-series line when it was released. Many great features set this camera apart from the pack, though the camera itself isn't without a few downsides as well. Several of the good things about this camera include (1) Image quality, (2) Ease of use, (3) Good zoom length with IS. (1) Image quality The image quality of this camera is, in my opinion, its best characteristic. Although at high ISO, noise gets to be a problem, for the most part the image quality of the A650 is impeccable. Few point and shoots, if any, can match the level of clarity that this camera offers. Low light performance isn't too shabby either, though with a zoom in low light, the aperture won't go low enough to get any respectable results without using the built-in flash, which I would advise against. If you are looking for the one thing that makes this camera great, image quality is it. (2) Ease of use The controls on this camera are fairly simple. Some nice features include a dedicated ISO shortcut button, exposure compensation, and of course, the tilt-and-swivel screen. The screen allows photos from above ones head, down low, sides, self-portraits, or virtually any other position a photographer can thing of. The trade off is a smaller screen than you might normally find on a point-and-shoot, and this isn't helped by a crappy optical viewfinder. But on the whole, the tilt-and-swivel more than makes up for the reduced dimensions of the 2.5" screen. (3) Good zoom length with IS For a point and shoot, it's nice to see some useful zoom length, optically speaking. A lot of point and shoots like to inflate their zoom range with digital zoom, but the A650 legitimately has a 6x optical zoom. This means all 12.1 megapixels can be utilized at 6x zoom and that is certainly a nice feature. Coupled with this is the image stabilization. For lower shutter speeds, the IS can compensate for up to three stops of camera shake. This is an incredibly useful feature especially at longer zooms, where the image is more prone to blur. However, the A650 is not without downsides either. The (1) Bulk of the camera, (2) Less than great battery life, and (3) Poor high-ISO performance are all potential drawbacks of this camera. (1) Bulk of the camera Plainly put, for a point and shoot, this camera is big. Weighing in at almost a half-pound without batteries, this camera, while no dSLR, is not the sprightliest chicken on the farm. It won't do well in a small pocket, though it may fit into jacket pockets and the like. This is a trade-off for the good lens quality and faster recycle times. (2) Less than great battery life The battery life on this camera is another of my complaints. To begin with, it takes 4 AA batteries to get this thing running (however, they are AA, which is nice because you don't have to deal with some proprietary battery and charger), which doesn't help with weight at all. Then, the batteries will drain fairly quickly over the course of a day if you are doing a decent amount of shooting. If you don't use the LCD, there is great potential for battery conservation, but you will then have to compose with the optical viewfinder, which is honestly a joke. (3) Poor high-ISO performance While one might expect poor high ISO performance in terms of much increased noise in most cameras, this camera, while hitting 1600 ISO, gets into very noticeable noise levels anywhere past 400 ISO. This is all right if you intend to do mostly daytime or tripod shooting, but if you are interested in low-light, handheld, and zoomed shots, even the built-in IS probably won't save your photograph. This is almost to be expected in a point and shoot, but nonetheless disappointing. In conclusion, the Canon A650 is a worthy camera to be used as a primary camera. Great image quality and nice controls place it a step ahead of the competition. However, as a compact supplement for a dSLR or for someone desiring a light, portable camera, one might want to want to look elsewhere as its bulk disqualifies the A650 from the compact range. One of the best Canon camera's in its versatility, yet having a reasonable price. Too bad Canon took it off the shelves during its infancy - still wondering 'why'! To have a 12.1MP resolution, with Digic-III processing, fantastic Canon optics and a swivel screen - at a very reasonable price tag is like a dream come true. It offers capabilities to adjust shutter speed, aperture and focus in the manual mode. Surprisingly can zoom in the video mode (though captures some step-like sound noise from the mechanism, probably due to the sensitive microphone included). RAW is not supported, but apart from that no reason to complain. Image quality & versatility is, in one word - stunning! Gives some so called non-Canon SLR's a run for their price tag. 4-AA batteries looks a bit power hungry, but I do not complain when I look at the picture quality. I would rather take good pictures in less quantities, rather than lots of pictures of obscure quality! Wonder why Canon stopped this model? Is it because it was perceived as a threat - that may cannibalize their low end SLR & movie-cameras? Anybody who knows about that - please let me know too :) I came to know Canon had some issues about a particular batch of A650's in the US market and had to do a partial product recall, but the ones elsewhere had no such problems. So why was it stopped?