Canon PowerShot SX230 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 14x Image Stabilized Zoom 28mm Wide-Angle Lens and 1080p Full-HD Video (Black) (OLD MODEL)

Decided to purchase one of these used to upgrade from two cameras, a Canon PowerShot A2300 and a Canon PowerShot A3000IS. Had a very limited budget and that didn't deter me. Did quite a few test shots and some test videos, tweaking the settings to my liking as I went along, and I'm very satisfied with the photo quality.The BSI-CMOS sensor this camera has definitely works wonders in low light situations producing about half the noise at the same ISO setting as the A3000IS, which uses a CCD sensor. The A2300 wouldn't have been able to do those low-light shots handheld due to the lack of image stabilization, and would have been the worst performer in low-light situations even if it did have it. Like the two A-series models, the white balance had to be set to the Tungsten preset when shooting indoors under incandescent or compact fluorescent lighting. All of them produced results a bit too yellowish with the auto white balance.Outdoors in daylight or even in cloudy conditions, this camera proves to very capable, especially after tweaking the picture settings to my liking. In cloudy conditions, I found the auto white balance makes things look a bit too cool just like the other two cameras, but changing to the Cloudy preset fixed that.I have tested the aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual modes and found them very easy to use and I could quickly find the right setting to match the shooting scenario without any hassle. This is a plus for those who want to learn more about photography, and there's always the Program and Auto modes to fall back on. Both of those modes are also very easy to use. This camera is as much at home in Auto mode as it is in the PASM modes.Results from the video mode so far proves to be promising. Compared to the A2300, which I was previously using to record videos, it records sound in stereo instead of mono. The A2300 could only do 720p video while this camera can do 1080p. This camera is capable of continuous autofocus and the full extent of the 14x optical zoom is also available while shooting video. Exposure seems to adapt to varying lighting scenarios very well. There is a bit of noise in video shot in lower-light situations, but it's less than either A-series camera I own. The same auto-white balance issues I discussed earlier are present while recording video. Both video and audio quality are very good, but won't match the quality that models from other manufacturers have that shoot AVCHD video.Haven't used it enough at this point to determine how good the battery life is. I know it is rated at about 210 photos per charge, or about an hour of video. I'll find out soon enough if those ratings prove to be true.Compared to test videos and images I've seen from the SX 600 and 700 lineup over the past few years, I'd say this one performs better at higher ISO's and videos produce much less noise in lower light situations. The SX 600 series cameras can be picked up for $200-300 new, with the SX 700 series retailing for over $300. The SX 230 HS can be found for under $200 used in 2017, and is an awesome deal for the money when compared to stuff you can find brand-new. Overall, I'm very happy with this camera.UPDATE October 30, 2017: Still going strong after a month's worth of usage. I have had a chance to test out the battery life, and it seems to be pretty good for still images provided you stay away from GPS. Battery life while shooting video is a little less than I would have liked, but still, 45 minutes is a bit better compared to some brand-new models from the likes of Nikon and Sony. Most of the photos I have taken over the last month have come out sharp, with only a small handful of photos coming out blurry due to the autofocus missing or camera shake. This is hands down the best camera I've ever owned.

I like this camera.Several years ago, I dragged my digital SLR on a trip to Scotland along with the lenses. Made a lot of excellent shots. Now, we're going to Germany, and I'll be damned if I'm going to haul all that equipment around.Purchased this camera after a lot of research. Wanted the best camera I could get in a small form factor. Higher-end cameras are out there, but they're larger in size than what I wanted: slim, light, small. The SX230 fits the bill.Shot quality is good - better than I expected; not quite as good as my DSLR setup with a lens that by itself costs twice what this camera costs, but still very good. Very little distortion even at the extreme ends. No chromo weirdness. No purple fringes at telephoto on fine details.Wide array of capabilities - beginners can shoot good pix, more learned users can make choices, advanced shooters can access lots of control. The SX230 is a descendant of the good old Canon Powershot 95 by way of the SX 210, which is a pretty good lineage - the 95 was and is a workhorse backup to many a DSLR. For that matter, the 95 is still an excellent choice and well worth looking into.PROS: Small, lightweight, excellent shot quality, HD movies, easy to access menus. You don't need to study the camera to use it. (I ruled out my second choice partially because it had a 'cheat-sheet' offered.) Auto, Program, and Manual modes are very good. It slips easily into a class 30 Lowepro case that fits on a belt. (Somebody out there recommended a class 10; don't believe it.)CONS: Some reviews out there complain about battery life. So what. If you're a casual shooter, one battery is fine. If you want to do more, get a spare. If you want to shoot all day and do movies, get two spares. End of story.No RAW mode. This camera is just below the price point that gets gets you RAW/TIFF format, but if that's a problem then you need to be looking further up the food chain anyway.The flash pops up automatically when the camera is turned on, which seems to really bother some people. The flash is weak. As stated, it pops up no matter what. What's with this, Canon? The camera does everything else well on its' own, but it just has to pop up the flash no matter what. Maybe it matters. Who knows?Allegedly, the back-lit CMOS sensor and firmware allow low-light shooting w/o flash in many cases. I don't often do those shots so I wouldn't know. The few shots I've done in low light were nothing to brag about. Get a monopod or maybe a tripod if you want to shoot at the long end, either pix or moviesBOTTOM LINE: I'm happy with it, more than I expected to be - the build quality is good but not heavy and the camera does what its' designed to do very well. A larger grip on the right side would be welcome. If you want more, pay more. If you want less, then pay less.FEU