USVI-On-Line

Anyone have experience with this model?

Looking for a decent P&S for times when I don't feel like lugging the DSLR. This seems to have good features.

A friend is selling a hardly used one.

I had the older version of this camera and I was very pleased with it. After it died on me (it was 5+ years old and used HARD) I upgrade to a DSLR and I still miss that camera.

I am also looking for a smaller camera, one I can put in my pocket. I bought a low end Canon and was not at all happy with the picture quality. My son dropped it on the tile floor and that put an end to it and I wasn't all that upset.

I've had the Canon Powershot S5 IS for about 2-3 years now. It takes good photos but being that all my other cameras have lithium batteries I would say that is one of the greatest downfalls of the Canon: takes 4 dbl-A batteries.

I bought it as my "concert camera" being that the DLSR is not allowed in most venues. So, being that is what I bought it for, it works perfectly.

The lens cap it notorious for falling off. I had read the reviews on that before purcahsing and it's definitely a problem. It falls off 100% of the time. You have to remember to manually put up the flash too. However, being I am planning a 2-week PA & NYC trip at the end of this month there was no way I wanted to pack around the Canon. I find it heavy.

I just purchased a Lumix 12X AVCHD Lite. It has all the features I want in a little camera: small enough to put into my pants pocket; light weight; lithium battery. I researched many cameras of this size and time and time again the sales clerks recommended the lumix for it's leica lens and the fact that the photos come out so clear. Time will tell, I've yet to take any photos with it.

I have the earlier S3 version from 2006. It is an excellent camera with a powerful zoom that in the right hands can give you outstanding results.

Almost all of the photos I have posted here since that time were taken with that camera. I can link you to a gallery if you want. I have had large canvas prints made with great results.

The S5 was introduced in 2007 (there was no S4), so is even a little better than the S3. Starting in 2008, the new and improved version of this line of cameras became the SX1, followed by the SX10, SX20, and SX30.

They are all similar in design and typically cost $300 - $400 new, each year adding a few more wrinkles, longer lens, etc.

They are P&S cameras that will appeal to an SLR user in that they have an optical viewfinder, and yes, are bulkier and can't fit in your pocket, but in my view that yields way better ergonomics and handheld shooting stability.

Also much fun is the “vari-angle” LCD screen that enables shots from all sorts of angles. And, very unusual for a point n shoot, it can accept lens filters (with an adapter). Slapping a polarizer on there for the islands makes a HUGE difference when taking photos of the water (think sunglasses for your camera). Note that the filter adapter may block some of the view of the optical eyepiece, a workaround some complain about.

Re Brenda’s comments, indeed, you have to remember to put the flash up when it tells you. But the upside is that its easy to use fill flash when you need to (subjects in shade) without going thru many menu buttons. And, I also have seen other complaints about it using AA batteries instead of a proprietary lithium. I came to view that as an advantage – you can always buy AA batteries in a pinch, or easily carry spares with you, whereas if your proprietary battery dies and you don’t have a charged backup, you are done. AA NI-MH rechargables last a LONG time in these cameras.

I assume if a friend is selling it to you, you will get it for pretty cheap, and if indeed it is “lightly used”, it would be a no brainer to take it off their hands.

PS make sure they give you the Canon software that came with it. Not great for editing, but enables you to "photostitch" the panoramic images together you take using that mode.

An example:
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Y ... site"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qGxX ... yPana2.jpg" height="202" width="640"></a>

Thanks for the input. I played with it some this weekend and was pleased with the results.

I didn't realize I could use filters, so that's a plus.

I have 2 other Canons, so I think I'm all set with the software. I had both pro's and con's regarding the batteries, but after forgetting chargers in the past, the AAs will be great.

For the price, it will work great.

Oh yeah forgetting the charger would be a huge problem with a proprietary battery. By the way, always using/always having the LCD screen on is a huge battery drain.

As a Canon user, there will be almost no learning curve as controls/functions are similar across all Canon lines.

Re filter use, look for a button on front of the camera near the lens barrel that allows you to remove the ring around the lens, exposing the adapter mounting brackets.

Re lens cap falling off, on my model, there is a piece of felt inside the rim of the cap that was supposed to yield a little bit of friction to help the cap stay on - it didnt work too well. One day a piece of it came loose, so I peeled it most of the way off and glued it back on/into the rim. Lo and behold, the cap now stays on really well due to the additional mm or so of thickness added by the extra glue.