I got this camera a few months after it first came out and it is still my primary digital camera after 2 years. However, it's no longer a very good camera by today's standards and I'm considering getting a new one (Canon, Nikon, or Panasonic) for an upcoming trip.
THE GOOD:
- Great battery life. It easily survived three days of HEAVY usage (I consistently used the LCD screen, but was good about keeping it off when not in use). After two years, I can still fill my biggest memory card (~400 pictures) on a single charge, though mileage varies because I sometimes only take a few pictures a week.
- Very sturdy. I've dropped it a lot, usually indoors, but I think I dropped it on concrete once or twice. You can barely see the scuff marks (there are none entirely if dropped on one of the rubberized surfaces).
- Lots of picture modes. Great if you don't want to mess with shutter, aperture, etc. (of course, you can also customize those if you want)
THE BAD:
- 6.1 megapixels is a joke... there's noticeable grain under ANY condition with ANY settings at 6.1 megapixels. Might as well just stick with 4 megapixels and take a few more pictures.
- Noticeable "dark corners." The corners of pictures taken under bright light appear noticeably darker.
- Low-light pictures are INCREDIBLY grainy.
- Heavy and bulky compared to newer cameras with similar features. While it's not huge, it's a camera you'd want to carry in a bag instead of just in your hand or in a pocket (because it won't fit in most pockets). I'll sometimes take my older, lower-resolution Nikon Coolpix 3500 instead of this just because that's lighter and a more manageable shape.
Problems:
The control dial on the camera came loose and the camera would sporadically turn on when it was moved for a month or two. Then it magically and inexplicably fixed itself and has been working fine since.
Still would prefer a completely new camera, though.
THE GOOD:
- Great battery life. It easily survived three days of HEAVY usage (I consistently used the LCD screen, but was good about keeping it off when not in use). After two years, I can still fill my biggest memory card (~400 pictures) on a single charge, though mileage varies because I sometimes only take a few pictures a week.
- Very sturdy. I've dropped it a lot, usually indoors, but I think I dropped it on concrete once or twice. You can barely see the scuff marks (there are none entirely if dropped on one of the rubberized surfaces).
- Lots of picture modes. Great if you don't want to mess with shutter, aperture, etc. (of course, you can also customize those if you want)
THE BAD:
- 6.1 megapixels is a joke... there's noticeable grain under ANY condition with ANY settings at 6.1 megapixels. Might as well just stick with 4 megapixels and take a few more pictures.
- Noticeable "dark corners." The corners of pictures taken under bright light appear noticeably darker.
- Low-light pictures are INCREDIBLY grainy.
- Heavy and bulky compared to newer cameras with similar features. While it's not huge, it's a camera you'd want to carry in a bag instead of just in your hand or in a pocket (because it won't fit in most pockets). I'll sometimes take my older, lower-resolution Nikon Coolpix 3500 instead of this just because that's lighter and a more manageable shape.
Problems:
The control dial on the camera came loose and the camera would sporadically turn on when it was moved for a month or two. Then it magically and inexplicably fixed itself and has been working fine since.
Still would prefer a completely new camera, though.