Canon Powershot A1200 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Black)

Like it's Powershot siblings, the Canon A1200 is a heck of a nice piece of equipment for shooting nature close-ups. I've taken this camera out twice now, and so far it has taken wonderful photos. I've posted some samples from a single hike. Although the A1200 can't squeeze in on a subject as closely as the A480 (one of my all-time favorite cameras), this new Canon camera is capable of focusing just an inch and a half away from the subject in "Macro" mode. I usually carry one or two Pentax DLSR cameras as I hike through miles of woodland trails every weekend, and although they're great cameras, they simply can't beat Canon Powershots for capturing the tiniest nature subjects, in my opinion. If a subject is smaller than a quarter, out come the Powershots. This camera takes photos that easily match or beat the quality of images you'll find in typical nature guides by Peterson or Simon & Schuster. Spend a year on the trail with it, and you could easily have a full set of quality publishable photos. Unlike more expensive point-and-shoots or DSLRs, this Powershot doesn't have camera raw or enough pixels to fill a wall, but the image quality and output is suitable for small posters, so who cares? Frankly, counting pixels and foaming over camera raw are not admirable traits, and neither of those things produces good pictures. Image noise seems to be a bit improved since the A480s and A490s came out, especially when shooting in lower light. This camera has 12 versus 10 megapixels of its predecessors, so in theory you can get a larger photo now and still retain sharpness and detail. The controls will be familiar to anyone who has used a Canon point-and-shoot. I like the general layout of buttons compared to other brands, but that may be just because I'm more familiar with Canon. The A1200 has a viewfinder, which I'll never use because the thing is usually shooting photos right on the ground, and although I like the outdoors, I'm not sticking my face in the dirt and squinting through a viewfinder when I don't have to. The LCD screen is good enough. I've banged and tortured the daylights out of one A480 and killed another one after multiple assaults due to clumsiness. So far, this camera has taken a little knocking around without a complaint. The A1200 shoots HD video, which isn't nearly as good as even an inexpensive video camera, but nonetheless I was surprised that the movies looked as good as they did. When shooting video, you'll get the best results if you stabilize the camera on a tripod, the back of a chair, a railing, or tree branch, depending on where you are. Video compression is a little cleaner that way, and you can avoid making people sick from zinging the camera around like a roller coaster. Here are some tips for taking good close-up nature photos with this camera. I usually shoot with the dial in "P" mode. Most importantly, always remember to set the camera on "Macro" (the flower icon button). That allows it to focus as close as 1.5 inches away. Since the camera resets when you turn it off, Arggh!, you have to turn "Macro" on each time you restart it. On this camera, macro focus becomes dysfunctional if you zoom in, so keep it zoomed all the way out. Next, go into the menu and change the general settings. AF Frame should be "Center" so you can pick the point to focus on, AF Frame Size should be "Small" so it doesn't get confused as to where it should focus, and the Digital Zoom is garbage and should be banished forever. Unlike the "Macro" setting, these settings will NOT go away when you turn the camera off, fortunately. Since this is not an image-stabilized camera model, find some way to keep it still when shooting. When you're focused on a close-up subject, even a tiny movement is enough to blur your photo. To keep my camera still, I swear by a monopod with an adjustable pivoting head. Basically it's a one-legged tripod. A monopod can remove the worst of your hand jitters, and it doesn't even need to be extended to the ground -- just having your camera mounted to a stick helps stabilize your shot. Practice photographing coins or small subjects in your yard to get a feeling for macro photography. You'll notice that the area of sharpest focus is not as deep as it is when subjects are father away. You have to make deliberate choices on the point of sharpest focus. Check the photos on a computer if possible, so you can really see how well you're doing. And finally, shoot a million pictures. This is the digital age. You don't have to pay for dud prints any more. Be vicious when culling out the duds, because believe me, nobody wants to see 75 views of the same buttercup flower.

I received this camera and it had the Canon CCD disease. Nice cheap camera, but would have been nice if it had worked. Unfortunately I purchased my camera from newegg.com and it appears I will have to pay to ship it back to them! This will be my last purchase from newegg.com. If you're smart you won't shop at newegg...order from Amazon and sleep well. EDIT: 06/05/12 Ok, I've upped my review from 1-star to 4-star. Newegg came through and handled the situation nicely. Credited me back, picked up the tab for shipping back, apologized, etc.,. I did have to purchase the camera elsewhere as they were out of stock on the silver camera. I got the camera to primarily take pictures of honey bees. I didn't want an expensive camera as I new it would be in some sticky situations. :) The camera has done great and I'm still learning it. It has some features that are good for close-ups. Close-ups are very good, regular shots are good, and HD video is good. With a 12mp resolution you can crop heavily. I can't say it's excellent but it's doggone good for an $80 camera! I'm pleased with it. Two features that are very nice and that most other cameras in this price range don't have is that it actually has an optical viewfinder and that it uses two AA batteries. The viewfinder is *very* helpful in bright situations when the lcd screen washed out. If your batteries go out while on the road you can stop and pick up some regular batteries and keep going. I use four Eneloop rechargeable batteries and they work great and maintain a charge for a long time...actually better than Duracell alkalines! In a pinch, though, I'll stick some alkalines in. ;) Anyhow, it's a good camera at a good price.

This is my second Canon camera and my third point and shoot. What caught my eye with this camera was the price and the megapixels. We took it skiing this past month to Copper Mountain and took bunches of pictures and several movies. Let me digress. My first camera was a Canon S100, a 3 megapixel that took great pictures and I still have it since is it smaller and lighter. The only problem is that the early cameras used NiCad batteries that often lost its charge when you needed it the worse. My second camera was a Nikon. It uses AA batteries. My only issue with the Nikon is that the camera was difficult to use and the picture quality was not good. The Canon A1200, while a little thicker than the Nikon, is by far the better camera in both quality of the picture and the ease of use. Megapixels are not the only selling point for a camera. The quality of the camera is a combination of lens quality, megapixels, the quality of the megapixels and the speed of the lens itself, meaning how well it functions at low light and how well and fast it focuses when your shooting a moving object. The movie capabilities were exceptional. I used it several times taking pictures of my wife skiing down the hill. The camera didn't shake and the colors and pictures were excellent even when I was using it with my gloves on. It is almost HD quality. With the enclosed software or iMovie on your Apple, you can cut, transfer and mail your movies quickly. You download your movie with the enclosed mini-USB to your computer or by using your SD card. You will need to purchase a SD card when you purchase your camera. It also takes AA batteries and they seem to last longer than did the Nikon AA's. Using AA batteries in a point and shoot will make your camera larger but the A1200 will still fit in your pocket. It used to be that Nikon was king of the hill when the world revolved around SLR camera's. Now that point and shoot camera's are the norm, next to cell phone camera's, Canon is by and far the better point and shoot camera out there. As battery technology gets better, the point and shoot will become smaller and better.

This camera has been terrific! I use this camera in my work as a real estate appraiser. Several of the features that make it particularly good for me are the fact that it will acquire it's point of focus quickly. Whether I am taking interior pictures walking from room to room on the inside of a house or driving down the street trying to quickly stick the camera out the window for a quick shot as I am aiming it very quickly focuses, frames the picture and lets me know it is ready. So much faster than the other brands I have used over the years (several brands - I take thousands of pictures each year). Also, auto flash feature works well. As I go through a house the rooms vary from very bright to completely dark. The camera determines the correct setting and uses the flash as needed. I don't even bother to turn on the lights in the rooms, the pics will be fine. The steady shot works well also. I normally am shooting with one hand - and hurrying - and the pics are almost never blurry, even when I don't quite get stopped when taking shots from my vehicle. Probably the best feature, from my point of view, is the wide angle ability. I have to take pictures of the front and back of the houses and often either the front or back yard is small. With this camera, I can easily get the entire house in the frame. I can get very close to the house, which makes my clients very happy, and still get the shot. I swear, I can almost stand on the front porch and get the shot. I have used the video a few times and was amazed at the good quality and sound, but haven't used it enough to be an expert. There are many of the features that I haven't used or barely used but for what I use the camera for, I COULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA MORE HIGHLY! I am seriously considering buying another one just to have a back-up, I would not want to be without it. Here's a wonderful bonus: The battery life has been absolutely terrific! I replace batteries about 1/4th as often as I did with my previous Kodak and Vivitar (never buy a Vivitar).

OK, here are the facts: my other (similar) camera developed a glitch -- it will not allow me to delete photos without loooooong delays. So I went in search of an inexpensive replacement camera. I settled on this Canon. I did so with trepidation because some of the reviews were lukewarm at best. Yet other reviewers loved it. (This, by the way, is what makes horse races!) So I thought I would take a chance. Here is why I am happy with my choice: (1) the viewer seems larger than its dimensions suggest; (2) the camera fits in my shirt pocket; (3) the pics are crisp indoors and out; (4) the on-off button is clearly marked and the shot button is nice and robust. For me, these features are all I need. To be sure, the camera has a few video bells and whistles -- I'll try those one of these days. No rush. A Con: the shot button takes a little getting used to, since it appears to have two stages to it. If you just press and disengage, nothing will happen. It requires a little patience and then it will take the picture. I can live with that idiosyncrasy. Another Con: no internal memory. You must purchase an SD card before you can use the camera. This too I have accepted, because having pics on cards does make it easy to load them into PCs and laptops. If you are looking for a simple "point-and-shoot" camera that will also perform other tricks if you are of a mind, go for it!

OK, so I bought this camera for my teenager son after reading rave reviews and doing some research. It took ok pictures the first month Then 3 months later, I notice that the pictures get slightly blurry, like a handshake. At first I thought my son wasn't holding it steady when shooting.Then 6 months since we bought it, the images not only blur out, they bleed -- like they were sprayed with water and the images ran down like watercolor. The camera was never dropped, never mistreated. My family owns a Fuji, a Kodak and a Nikon. Never had any issues with them. And now Cannon -- this one totally sucks. Thankfully it was still under warranty and it is now shipped out to the workshop. Am still waiting for my replacement. I am very disappointed with Cannon. You are supposed to rank top, but now you are even below that of Kodak. Their customer service is wonderful...but I would rather have a reliable camera that does its job when it is supposed to. Needless to say, my son lost many memorable moments at camp because his camera failed to do its job!!!

I already have a Canon A590IS pocket camera, as well as a Nikon D5000 SLR. I wanted something in-between, with more megapixels for better image quality than the A590IS, but still a compact camera, since the Nikon SLR can sometimes be obtrusive. I also wanted something that used AA batteries, which are both inexpensive and readily available practically everywhere. Recharging expensive batteries that eventually have to be replaced anyway is both time-consuming and inconvenient, and when recharging no longer works, a new battery for a specific camera is rarely available right away. Finally, I wanted a compact camera with an old-fashioned optical viewfinder for framing the shot. I use the LCD screen too, but in bright daylight, the optical viewfinder is simply easier and faster than trying to shade the LCD so I can see it. In terms of size, the A1200 is quite good. It easily fits into a shirt or pants pocket, and it's not heavy. Image quality is just what I was hoping for - significantly better than my A590IS. It's not a match for the Nikon digital SLR, but I wasn't expecting it to be, and the difference won't show up in the usual 4 x 6 print. Only with sizable enlargements (i.e., 8 x 10 and up) will the size of the 12.1 MP sensor have an effect on image clarity and resolution. Operation is straightforward. Buttons and controls are easy to use. The printed "Getting Started" guide will tell most users all they need to know to start taking photos. The optical viewfinder works as I wanted it to, though I'd like it to be just a bit larger. I'm a big guy with large hands, and sometimes the camera feels "too small" and/or "too smooth," and I'm afraid it will slip out of my hand and fall to the ground, but I'm careful to use the wrist strap. That strap, by the way, is not at all convenient to attach - Canon ought to rethink the attachment setup. My only real complaint, and for me it's a significant one, is that the camera is too automatic. There are lots of shooting options in "Scene" mode, but unless you've memorized them from the manual (only readable from the CD unless you print your own copy), you won't be able to remember which "scene" gives you the best shutter speed, or f-stop, or combination of the two. I end up using "scenes" that don't fit Canon's idea of what I should be shooting because I'm trying to get to particular combinations of shutter speed and f-stop. Obviously, what I really want is essentially the same camera, but with a manual mode, and I simply couldn't find one with manual settings and the A1200's other features without spending 2 or 3 times the money. While some automation is helpful, there are plenty of photo opportunities where I want to be the one making the choices, not the camera, so I've often found the A1200 frustrating to use in those circumstances. "Easy to use," which is an accurate characterization, doesn't always translate to the kind of image I'm trying to achieve. Bottom line: for people who don't want to think about technical stuff, and just want to take snapshots, this is a great camera, and the image quality is good enough that they can get good-quality enlargements from the images it takes. If you're more technically inclined, I think you'll find the "everything automatic" qualities of the camera frustrating. Thus, I only give it 3 stars overall.

After having a Kodak for the last 9 years it was time to upgrade. The Kodak was top of the line 9 years ago, but looking at current pictures compared to other cameras it was time to move on. I looked at more Kodak cameras since the last one held up so well, but after reading many reviews the Powershot seemed to be the way to go. I'm not at all disappointed in this camera. It's very compact, and easy to work. The menus are very easy to navigate, and taking pictures is essentially dummy proof. This camera truly is a point and shoot. No need to try to figure out what setting is best, the camera does it for you. Just set to auto, and push the shutter button. The pictures are clear and crisp. Transferring the pictures to my computer is a breeze. One feature I specifically picked this camera for is the view finder. Yes most people take pictures now by looking at the screen, but I still like to look through the camera (hey it's the resistant old man in me). It's one of the few digital cameras on the market that still has a view finder. Although I noticed my resistant ways are wearing down, as I've found myself using the screen to take pictures several times now. Either way, taking pictures is as easy as it can get, and the photos are great quality. It's a great camera at a price that can't be beat.

The camera is just as described, it is even better than i thought. i went to a trip with it and took picture during the bus ride yet it came out amazing. even my family think this camera is amazing consider how much this camera cost. i'm soo glade i got this camera instead of the other gimmicky camera. This camera worth every buck!

ちょっとした旅行で使いたいと思い購入。 専用バッテリーではなく単三が使えるので非常に便利。 一つ気になるのは電池の蓋のロックが弱そうなのが少し心配。

Ideal little point and shoot camera! Has different settings so that a toddler can use it, or someone who knows camera options to your own personal settings. Haven't used all the functions yet. I love the big screen and also having a viewfinder. Pictures so far are very clear. Great price for great snaps!

コンパクトカメラでファインダーが付いた最後の商品かもしれません。山などの炎天下の屋外で使うので、液晶パネルが見えないことが多いのでファインダー付きを探して購入しました。昔から故障の少ないキャノンさんに期待して購入しました。並行逆輸入品なので修理も出来内容ですが、壊れないことに期待して使っています。

He loves it, especially the video option. Took it on his first trip to Europe He was very pleased with it.