Canon PowerShot A3100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Red)

I've taken pictures before, but usually on other people's cameras when they wanted someone else to take a picture of them. I'm not a photographer at all. I do love post-processing, though, and so I decided that I should probably learn how to shoot pictures. After a lot of research into point-and-shoot models under $300, I decided on this one, and I'm not sorry. The pictures are crisp with good colors. The auto setting works well, and there are manual settings for ISO and white balance. The macro setting works beautifully. Turning the knob activates settings like kids/pets (fast shutter speed) and portrait (shorter depth of field? I'm not sure). I haven't tried to shoot video, but that's the last mode on the knob. There is also a setting on the knob for ultra-beginners or for children that "locks out" most buttons and shoots on full auto. The flash isn't very strong, but that's what I'd expect from a little camera like this. Obviously no viewfinder, which is not a problem for me. The LCD screen has adjustable brightness settings and seems durable enough. Transfer of photos is via USB, and the camera acts like a drive. No problems on my older Vista machine. I didn't install any software for the camera except maybe a driver that installed automatically. My 8 y/o dropped the camera from about two feet and it didn't seem to take any damage. I doubt it is super durable but normal use with kids doesn't seem to hurt it. Overall, I strongly recommend this camera. No problems so far.

I haven't owned a Canon before. I have had a Sony for years and loved it, but wanted a new digital with usb port for easier downloading. At first this camera felt rather tinny and cheap compared to my older heavier camera, but the pictures are far clearer, crisper then from my Sony. I have only had it a month, but I think I am going to just love this camera. Very easy to use.

This camera takes great pictures with great color to them. Very easy to use and even takes good pictures in the dark. So far there isn't anything I don't like about this camera, after all it is a Cannon and they are known for their cameras. Pros: Takes great pictures. Small enough to put in pocket or purse. Has enough options to take all kinds of pictures. Good battery life. Large viewing screen. Very attractive (I have the red) Cons: I can't think of any yet. I would recommend this camera to ant one that wants a small point-&-shoot camera.

I am a mom and bought this camera to take quick quality EASY pictures of my toddlers. It worked well for a month (super-clear pictures), but now the settings are all funky (the kids pressed some buttons???) and I am left needing to read the owner's manual to figure out how to change all the settings and fix it back. I just want to be able to switch it to the "kids and pets" setting on the dial and have it automatically correct to where the shutter speed is fast, IS is on and red eye fixes automatically. I'm sure I could figure out how to do this from the manual, but right now it's on my to do list and I am DREADING this task!! UPDATE: I read the manual...there's not a lot to it. Switching the setting to AUTO and taking a picture then flipping it back to "kids and pets" seemed to reset everything...however I realized that the blurry/fuzzy pictures are due to a low battery. I love the way this camera looks, but I just can't say I'm in love with the camera b/c I can't seem to get "professional" looking pictures of faces with it, but that probably has more to do with me than the camera as I am not a professional...who knows.

Bought as a replacement for an older version that had some issues. The fact that it runs on Li-Ion batteries is great...better than carrying XX number of rechargeable AA batteries with you everywhere you go. The quality of the pictures is sufficient, but sometimes if the camera's not steady, it could produce a rather blurry picture. However, the majority of my pictures have been clear. I have not sufficiently tested the video feature, but the videos that I did capture were of good quality. A very good choice of camera if you are a fan of Canon cameras. Enjoy!!!

I bought this camera as a Christmas gift for my eight-year-old daughter to replace a low-res, boring, plastic "Barbie" toy camera that produced color smears instead of actual pictures. She is absolutely thrilled with her new "real" camera. The modest additional cost to upgrade from a "toy" to the real thing was definitely worth it. She's learning how to explore all of the functions, and it also has an "Easy" setting for her first attempts. The picture quality is amazing considering the cost of the camera. We are totally, totally satisfied with this purchase. Thank you, Canon!

This is the third Canon "A" series that I have purchased. For those of you unfamiliar with the Canon line, they are targeted at users who value simplicity and ease of use. Clearly, they are also focused on a price point that is quite low. If you are looking for greater sophistication and higher quality (both photographic and build), there are many other choices. However, given its mission, the A3100 succeeds. First, ease of use is well thought out. The user is presented with icons intended to be intuitive. However, there is a safety net for those perplexed by that approach: the software provides a running, written commentary on the purpose of the available options. The designers have attempted to make this device as palatable and non threatening as possible. Second, even for users accustomed to more sophisticated cameras, the image quality is more than satisfactory. When purchasing a digital camera, one should not concentrate on "pixels". Digital imaging is dependent upon lens quality and the processor, in this case Canon's Digic III. I have felt that Canon's processors were among the best, for years. However, it is fair to say that the technology has improved to such an extent that many of the major brands are competitive with one another. My primary concern and criticism is build quality; the battery and memory card door is flimsy (another review mentioned this), as is the USB port cover. Only time will tell if this is a problem. Another review has mentioned dark images and less than satisfactory results with the zoom. While I have not utilized the digital zoom, yet, I find the optical zoom and image stabilization to operate quite well. This is not an advanced SLR or a Leica; nor is it intended to be. However, within the scope of its designers' intent, it performs admirably, rewarding the user with photos above "snapshot" quality. For approximately $150.00, it is difficult to imagine a better performer.

Our other canon quite working, so we looked at newer cameras, but our children really like the pictures we could take before our other camera broke, and I liked being able to toss it in my purse or coat pocket, so we just bought the same camera again. We've had it for four months now, and it is a great camera! Easy to use and it takes clear, crisp pictures!