- 12x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom and 28mm lens with Optical Image Stabilizer
- 14.1 Megapixel Image Sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- 720p HD Video in Stereo Sound
- Large 3.0-Inch Wide LCD Viewing Screen
- Movie Digest Mode Records Video Clps Before Shoting a Photo
- 12x wide-angle optical zoom
- 12x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom and 28mm lens with Optical Image Stabilizer,1-Year Canon U.S.A. Warranty
First, let me say that while I am not a professinal photographer, I do earn some money from photographing weddings and other events for friends and acquaintences, and consider myself to be an advanced user and photography enthusiast. I shoot primarily with Canon DSLRs and was looking for a compact camera to supplement my current photography equipment. The Canon PowerShot XS150 IS is a very nice compliment to my gear and overall, I am pleased with it.
Canon has produced a very good alternative for the compact camera market in its PowerShot XS150 IS platform. The camera boasts a 14MP picture size with 12x optical zoom capability and the camera delivers. The XS150 IS is a little larger and heavier than most compact cameras but is of quality construction and durable. The case is molded plastic and has a very ergonomic design with specific places to rest your fingers and thumb for one-hand operation. All the controls can be operated with the right hand while holding the camera.
The picture quality is very good. Canon's processor provides vivid colors and impressive clarity for a compact design. The large viewing screen is impressive and easy to see, even in bright sunlight. The controls are easy to use and placed such that they won't be accidentally changed. The controls in the on-screen menu are easy to use and, if you're familiar with Canon's menu system, you'll be able to start shooting right away. Those that aren't familiar with Canon should read the manual, but even then, the menu selections and control layout are very intuitive and easy to use.
The camera provides a lot of special shooting features that can be used not only for still photography, but also for the video recording. There's an "easy shooting" mode for those that want to pick up the camera and start shooting right away, allowing the camera to make all the decisions about ISO, white balance, focus, etc. There are scene and filter shooting modes that allow the photographer to select a style for their photos (monochrome, color accent, color replacement, miniature mode, macro, smile and face detection, beach and snow scenes, fireworks, etc.). For those that want more control over their photography, the camera does offer shooting modes in Manual, Program, Aperture and Shutter Priority.
The movie feature works well and provides decent HD video that can be copied directly from the SD card to your computer. The movie feature is a nice function, but keep in mind that this camera is not a movie camera, so don't expect Hollywood quality from it, but it's nice enough to document short events for display on HD TVs and the web. The stereo sound for the movie function is quite good as well, but the microphones will pick up the sound of the zoom lens motor whirring if you use the zoom feature while shooting video. The lens motor sound can probably be minimized or eliminated in some video or sound editing programs such as Adobe Premier, DVD Studio Pro, or Soundbooth, etc.
The flash is a little different for this camera. It's centered over the telescoping lens but is manually activated (you have to lift the flash open with your finger) to turn on the auto-flash feature. While this may seem like an annoyance at first, it's actually not a bad feature, just different; and it prevents that annoying "pop-up" of the flash when you really don't want flash but the camera's sensors require it.
The XS150 IS is a little larger and heavier than most other compact cameras but is still very portable. The weight and size are detemined mostly by the fact that the camera uses two AA batteries, and the size of the lens for this camera. Still it's a small camera for what it can do and will easily fit into a cargo pocket or purse, or in a case that can be worn on a belt or attached to a backpack.
The only real complaint I have about the camera is the battery life with alkaline AA batteries (this is why I rated it 4 stars instead of 5). While it's nice to have a camera that accepts a common battery type (AA) that can be purchased almost anywhere in the world, I would recommend getting the rechargeable NiMH AA batteries because the battery life for alkiline AA batteries seems to be a little short, especially if you're going to shoot video.
Overall, this is a great compact camera and it will meet most user's needs especially if they are looking for a camera that provides a lot of shooting features in a small package with HD video and is easy to learn to use. I highly recommend it.
Buy Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera (Black) Now
I updated the review. I have been using this camera for around 6 months.
PROS: Great control over the flash. If you don't want it then leave it down. If you do want it then just lift the flash with your finger. Quality is good (but not great).
Speed camera is fast between pictures, fast to start up, etc. I like snappy "real time" menus and zooming etc.
Focus very very clear. I used macro mode to take pictures of business cards and I can zoom in and see the hairs of the paper. Very impressive, very important to me. Took a picture of a letter on the wall 5 feet away with zoom. I could review and zoom in and and read very fine print ~ 5pt type font!
Low light very good even without the flash.
Screen: large, good quality it is NOT a touch screen but I think it is much more durable than a touch and you don't need the touch as the controls are easy to use.
Manual options: good manual options.
Video: very good quality, you CAN zoom while filming. File size was too big for my taste in HD so I reduced the quality to normal. Sound is so-so / average but perfectly acceptable.
CONS:
Update: 03-23-2012
By far the lens is bulky even when closed. This is the most serious drawback to this camera IF you intend to carry the camera in the front pocket of your pants or shirt. I find myself using my cell phone camera because of the bulk and discomfort of keeping this point and shoot camera in my pocket. It would be nice if the flash had more power and height when extended.
Power button: sometimes the lens has opened in my pocket (or attempted to) because the button was pressed. Th button should have been smaller and / or harder to push to prevent this.
Flash at night when I open the flash I have seen the message flash is charging which takes a few seconds. This delays the picture. Wish it was a bit faster.
The overall camera is kind of large to be a "pocket camera". However, the lens is good quality and good in low light and has lots of zoom so this is a trade-off. I would like it if the body was rubberized. The hard plastic is slippery.
Complexity of the manual settings. I guess having more features or adjustments brings on this evil. I'm getting better but sometimes I stumble or fumble to set the aperture or white balance etc. I'm not sure how this could be simplified without adding more buttons and cluttering things up.
What to buy: buy this camera or the Nikon ??? model that costs about $200. The nikon is smaller and fits much better in your pocket and the lens is excellent and so is the whit balance inside. Buy the Cannon for the more powerful lens.
Kill the Paper Monster! This camera has sharp focus, and good in low light (and many other camera brands are good too).
I have all sorts of little notes, business cards etc. I use this camera in macro (close up) mode with a table lamp and no flash to take a picture and then throw the paper out get rid of clutter!! Then I transfer to the computer and label and organize the pictures Business cards, Letters etc so I can search for it later. Manuals watch, tool, instructions for a windshield for my scooter will probably never need them but if I do it is in the computer in the "manuals" folder. Serial numbers same deal.
Read Best Reviews of Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera (Black) Here
I bought this camera to replace the Canon Powershot SX130 that my daughter took to school with her. The only thing I was initially disappointed in with the purchase was that a memory card did not come with it (note to self; read the fine print! Other than that, I like that this camera gives you options/settings to use for different types of photo opportunities. I have taken some very nice quality photos of pets (horses, dogs, cats) as well as trip photos and am pleased with the clarity of the photos and the fact that, if the settings are right, the photos can be printed in large sizes. I took a photo up close of a feathered tulip; the photo was even more striking when I had it printed in an 11 x 14 size it won first place in its division at state fair).
I'm not as pleased with the video quality on this camera as I was on a previous Sony point and shoot camera I had. The pro is that you can zoom in and out while videotaping (I couldn't do that on other camera). The con is that the image is not as clear as I would like.
It takes a while to learn all the settings on the camera, especially for a novice like myself; but I like the options and the fact that it is small enough to take anywhere.
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I bought this camera to replace my Canon powershot A710IS. The SX150IS is a nice step up. It does a wonderful job in low light situations. The HD video is superb in low light situations as well. I'm especially happy with the recording mics on this camera. I use the video record option while at very loud karaoke bars. The sound is great, never over modulated.
There are too many features to list here about this camera. Included is the owner's manual on cd. I wish there was a printed copy so that I can read it in a more comfortable position. Don't care to sit at the computer or waste ink printing out the whole thing. For those of you who already own it, I found a neat little extra. while the camera is in picture taking mode, hold the function button in for about a minute. The whole display becomes a digital clock. By rotating the wheel around the func button you can change the colors of the clock. Found that to be pretty neat. Not sure if it's in the owner's manual or not, but thought it was pretty neat to come across.
The battery life is great. Be sure to use high MAH rated batteries. At least 2000 or more. If you want some long lasting superb battery performance, look into getting some eneloop rechargeables. They're put out by Sanyo and they're a very, very good battery. Check the reviews on them.
If I had to choose anything negative about this camera it would probably be the flash operation. Most cameras in this class have a flash that will pop up automatically in the auto mode when required. This one does not do it automatically. It will let you know to pop the flash up manually yourself if needed but it doesn't do it automatically. That can be a good thing though too. This way you can override the flash option. It will still take the picture but just without the flash.
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I purchased this camera in October of 2011 after my old point-and-shoot finally kicked the bucket. I needed something that was a step up from a P&S, but not too big. I chose this, and I'm glad I did. I love this camera. I've taken over 1000 photos and 25 videos so far, and I haven't encountered any serious issues yet.
Overall, the camera body feels nice. It's a little larger than the smaller point-and-shoot cameras, so it wont really fit well in your pocket like other little point-and-shoots (fits in coat pockets though). It's also a little heavy, but I actually like that because it feels like I'm holding a real camera. I'm a 5'11" slim male, and this fits perfectly in my right hand. It's not rubberized at all, but there are grooves on the front and back of the camera that allow for a nice firm grip, and it comes with a little cord to go around your wrist. I'm not worried about dropping this thing at all. The buttons are large and easy to press. Also, Canon seems to be known for user-friendly menus within the camera. It took me 2 seconds to figure out this menu system.
These claims of 20 or 30 photos on a new pair of batteries is ridiculous! Don't bother using the cheapo alkaline batteries that come with it, just save them for your TV remote or something. When I bought this camera, I bought two pairs of rechargeable Energizers to go with it. I don't use those batteries for anything but this camera, and I always stick them in the charger when I get home after using the camera, so I have two fresh pairs when I leave the house the next day. Like I said, I've taken a bunch of photos with this, and I've only had to change out the batteries a few times along the way. I haven't actually kept track to see exactly how many photos I can take on one set of batteries, so don't ask me for a specific number. I just know one day I took 50 photos and 20 minutes of video without killing the batteries. Another day, I took 70 photos where each photo was a 15 second exposure on a 2-second timer, so it probably took a little more juice for each photo than a regular snapshot. The camera was also on for at least two hours straight that day, and the batteries didn't actually die... The days where the batteries do die is when I'm out with my friends taking many photos, lengthy videos, constantly browsing through menus to adjust settings, etc... Really though, I don't have a problem with battery life. Note: Right when I got this camera, I adjusted any power saving options I could find so that I could make my batteries last as long as possible. Turning down the LCD brightness and whatnot is something I do with all of my electronics. I suggest you do the same.
The video mode is nice. It records 1280x720, very nice quality video. The sound is OK. You can zoom in and out while recording, though you can hear the motor moving a little bit. The only time you wont hear it is when taking video where there is loud music or other noise. It also zooms in and out fairly slowly. This may be a problem if you plan on using this mainly for video. If that's your plan, go get yourself an actual camcorder. Your son's baseball game really deserves better than this. I use this video mode for little moments with friends that I want to upload to Facebook/Youtube, and maybe just the grand finale of a fireworks show (but certainly not the whole show).
The colors and sharpness are great. It focuses well and generally chooses the correct settings. It also offers various manual controls, which are pretty easy to use. I'm able to play around with shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance, and several creative filters. Though I shot in auto mode all the time when I first got this camera, I usually find myself flipping it into manual mode quite often these days. Occasionally, the automatic settings actually chose better settings than I do, but there are other times where the camera just isn't seeing exactly what I'm seeing, and these manual controls allow me to fix this and capture exactly what it is that my eyes see. I personally don't let the ISO go past 400 because photos do come out quite grainy in the high ISO settings. I compensate with the widest aperture possible and a longer shutter speed. Because of these manual controls, this camera actually does very well in low-light situations, assuming you have at least somewhat steady hands. Otherwise, there's a nice flash on top of the camera you can just pop up when you feel it's necessary.
Also, I feel as though it is very important to point out that this camera, like many others, does NOT come with a memory card. I don't understand why people are complaining about that. It's NORMAL for cameras to not come with a memory card. I got a SanDisk 16GB SDHC card to go with my camera, which is really more than enough (I could even use this card in an SLR). I also decided to get an SDHC card reader so that I wouldn't have to plug a cord into my camera and turn it on every time I want to pull my photos off it. It's just much quicker and easier that way. Note: The memory card is located in the same compartment as the batteries on the bottom of the camera, so hold it upside down when sliding the cover open so the batteries don't fall out.
I'm really not sure what else to say. This is a great camera that I feel is a bit underrated. 5 Stars all the way from me. This is my first ever review, so I hope I made sense :)
