Review on Canon PowerShot Digital Image Stabilized Optical by Marklen Baeskens

I think this is a great camera for its size and price. Don't expect it to do the job of a larger, more expensive camera, though. I take photography seriously and have an EOS 20D as my main camera. But I'm not going to take this everywhere, so I need a small snapshot camera. I've been using this approach since the film days when I had a Leica Mini (much larger than this camera) for my "small" camera. I was looking for a new 'small' camera and the main things I wanted were: - besides good shots - a 28mm wide angle equivalent, a viewfinder, a small (but not necessarily tiny) size and an underwater camera housing. Then this camera came along with all that! Another feature I like is that it can mask the LCD screen to display a 3:2 aspect ratio. I usually crop this aspect in Photoshop, and while I usually shoot through the viewfinder, there are the occasional shot where this crop check feature comes in handy. Some reviewers complained about softness at the edges at a very wide angle. I didn't notice it, but I haven't used it on images where it would be critical. (I'd reach for my 20D in situations like this.) If you want wide-angle photos with consistent sharpness across the frame, you probably shouldn't use a pocket camera. Manufacturers can do so much with optics that fit into a camera this size. I like the camera design. There is always a trade-off between weight, strength and price. Canon made a wise choice here. This camera may not be the best choice for every photographer, but it is unreasonable to demand that one camera is the best choice for every situation. Comparing this camera to previous small cameras I've had and my expectations of it, I'm very satisfied. Compared to my 20D, it performs better than I would have expected, but I never intended to judge it that way. It's foolish to expect a camera that costs under $400 and fits in your pocket to be able to do what an expensive DSLR with an expensive lens can do. Comparing it to a camera that costs twice as much and weighs three times as much is silly. But what you get for the size and price is amazing. If you are looking for a small camera that takes great pictures and can shoot wide angles then this is the one for you!