Canon SX40 HS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 35x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch Vari-Angle Wide LCD

Bought this camera for use in wildlife photography. Using my Canon SLR was being more of a chore due to the excess weight I'd have to carry around for hours.Also the 35X zoom was a major point for my buying this camera. I'd be in preserves with my SLR and long zooms and after a few hours would be exhausted. When you're tired you become careless about your shots, and I'd sometimes be unhappy with my images. Being a Canon user for years piqued my interest. Well I couldn't be more satisfied. Its light in weight, easy to carry around and with the new processor takes pictures comparable to my SLR's.You can take superb pictures, handheld, with the 35X zoom. Still having the SX30 and comparing them, the SX40 appears to be faster, better in low light, and has clearer images. Moon shots come out clear with craters sharply shown. Videos are very clear. This is not a technical review. Its a review for the semi-professional telling about the simplicity of use. It doesn't come with a printed manual, however a local print shop can run that off for you with the disk supplied. The manual is very complete and large, and a user should thoroughly learn all aspects of this camera to adequately be able to take good pictures. Yes its easier to use the auto features, however using the special features makes the great shots. I've taken quite a few thousand pics since my purchase, and really found 10% that should be discarded, usually through a failing on my part. Its a great camera for amateur or professional alike. Just be ready to learn how to use it to its full capabilities. All in all, I'm very satisfied with my purchase, and it seems I take out my SLR, less.After using the camera for another month or two, the review still stands. I've finally started using the high speed action scene mode and it functions as indicated. Have taken up to 10 pics a sec. and almost all are fine. At long zoom you have to be careful to be steady for a sec. even with the IS on. The camera focuses with the 1st pic.and then holds that focus. Most of my high speed shots have been panning shots. Have not tried objects coming to or going away from the photographer.Will do that soon. Its very easy to go through your SD card quickly, so if you'll be out in the field for a while make sure you have extra SD cards or take a large one. 10 shots a second fills up a card fast, especially at fine setting with a 12 MP camera.

I decided to upgrade finally from my Sony H2. I looked around to see what was out there available. I knew what I wanted on the next camara. High zoom, at least double more pixels, viewfinder, great macro, HD video, better than a point and shoot but not quite a DSLR. I don't want to mess with a bunch of to expensive to afford lenses.Started doing some research. Got very overwhelmed at first. It had been awhile since I really took a look at camaras. I wanted to make the right choice in one because this is a purchase that had to last for a time. I read alot of reviews and then got more overwhelmed because once I made a decision I would read a contradictory review on it. So then I became frustrated and wondered if there was a camara made that professionals could agree on and that consumers loved.After a couple of weeks I narrowed down to three. And after reading the feedbacks here and researching the web for those "professional" reviews I decided on the SX40 HS. So off to Sears to handle the item. Came home and ordered. Had it in a week.I have not been let down or dissapointed in this thing. It does as everyone says. One thing that I did have to let go in my "wants in a camara" was the AA's. I just ordered a two battery, charger kit here. It can charge them in the car so I can always have batteries ready. If it used the AA's the camara would be to heavy. As it is now it is about the same weight as my sisters DSLR was. Feels like it when handling it too.Zoom is awesome. Digital zoom is a bit grainy/fuzzy at times. But that's digital for you. When taking picture of the moon it doesn't do it. Why? Don't know. But I zoom in and the full moon can't all fit in the photo and I expect someone to wave back at me. Macro hasn't let me down. I do need to add here though that focus is a bit to get use to. But be patient and let it do it's thing. Hold shutter half down to focus. Let it focus then snap and you'll get a great photo everytime.The special effects are cool to have. The fisheye was a surprise to see. I love the black and white with your chosen color. And the toy camara I use often. This is loaded with a ton of features that you can't get bored with. Also this can splice photos together! Many people I see are looking for that feature. Along with bridging. Way to many things to get into here. But alot of camara for your money.The flip LCD was another surprise and I had only seen it come out on the higher end camaras. I usually use my viewfinder so it's turned in to protect the screen (I am getting screen protectors). But I find myself taking advantage of it's capability to turn out and twist up or down. I have been using that feature to get our baby robins pictures. There is a nest over our porch light. I simply open it, turn it down towards me as I am holding camara up. Zoom a little hold shutter to focus and snap away.You get a CD for you computer. Load it on it as you can't views photos without it. There is a small starter manual to get you going. But hey Canon, get real. It would be nice to get a whole book featuring all the functions of the camara. It least make one available to buy! Even though I found this SX easy to use right out of the box (easier than my Sony but still think it's an awesome camara). But to get to know all the functions it would be nice. Who wants to carry their computer around to look something up?All in all. You can't go wrong. You are getting a heck of a camara! BUT, learn to use it. Once you do that you'll not want anything but this fella. And for those that have DSLR's this would make a great back up to carry around. It doesn't dissapoint.

I'll start off by saying that I am no camera techie, I am just someone who was looking for a step up from the point and shoot category, and this camera got good reviews from almost everyone. And I can't disagree, this is a fun camera that takes very nice pictures. If you are looking for a bridge camera, or if you're looking for a slight steup up this camera might be for you. If you are looking to use photography as a hobby, then maybe a low end DSLR camera might be a better option.The pros: the ease of use, for someone unfamiliar with DSLR this camera is great and affordable. The zoom is awesome and fun. There will be some pros out there that will tell you that the zoom is good but that it does not compare with zoom lenses from DSLR's. This is comparing apples to oranges, a DSLR camera is superior in every way, but the price is waaaayyyy superios as well.The cons: doesn't do great in low lighting, and the shutter speed is dissapointing. I read the Panasonic lumix has better shutter speed, so, if you're primary use for the camera is action or sports, than another camera might be better suited for you.Overall, I am very happy with the camera, outdoor pictures and pictures taken in good lighting look great. Again, the zoom in the camera is very fun to play with, and the stablization technology they have in the camera works very well. I recommend this camera for anyone who wants a step up from the point and shoot cameras while still maintaining the simplicity of use from that category.