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I still gave this camera 3 stars because it
does take great, crisp outdoor shots, but if you're looking for a more
versitile camera, this is not it. If you're looking for something small
and cheap to take snapshots of your family and friends, keep looking!________________________________________________________________
Buyer beware of this camera!, November 25, 2003
Reviewer: Stephen Dooda
I received this camera as a gift 2 and a half years ago and loved it
during most of that time. The problem with this camera is that once the
warranty expires, the camera will soon follow! It started flashing 'H'
(meaning the camera no longer works) shortly after the warranty expired.
Good luck getting any help from Canon, after months of trying, they
wouldn't help out at all. They won't even tell you what is wrong with it
unless you agree to pay them for repairs! Search the web and you'll find
this happens to everyone. This camera is junk and you should avoid it like
the plague...
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Great Camera, but expensive to repair, January 16, 2003
Reviewer: A customer
I bought this camera approximately one week after it was released. My wife
and I have taken over 2500 pictures with it and it has performed very well
and produced great pictures. Recently however, an H appeared on the
display and when we took it to a dealer we had to have the entire lens
drive and logic unit replaced. The cost was nearly 75% of the original
cost of the camera. Since the repair we have shot approximately 200
pictures, but the quality does not seem to be as good as it was before the
repair. Before the repair it was a great camera.
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Nearly perfect . . ., December 31, 2002
Reviewer: "rdc120"
I just wanted to add to the comments from the customer in Athens, Greece.
He (she?) made good points and I wanted to address 2 of the 'weak spots'
mentioned:
1- the on/off slider: don't use it. I had completely forgotten that it was
there until I read this review. It's much easier to just pull out the
flash to turn the camera on; this is also probably much easier on the
mechanism (there is a transmission ratio between the slider and the flash,
the flash moves about twice as far as the slider--the result is that when
using the slider, the flash slams in and out very hard).
2- shutter release delay. The camera can be set to allow instant response
to pressing the shutter release: press the self-timer and flash-mode
buttons simultaneously (the camera will respond by blinking the green LED
4 times). With this set, the camera will go through all preparations to
take the picture when the shutter release is pressed half-way in (focus,
focal length, exposure, making sure the flash is ready if needed). Then
when the camera indicates that everything is ready, pressing the shutter
release fully will result in instant response.
The issues I have with the camera are minor, but are the reason I did not
give 5 stars:
- the instant shutter release mode described above is not persistent (must
be done every time the camera is turned on if you want this mode--which
you will)
- there is no way to check the speed or number of exposures of the loaded
film (correct me if I'm wrong). This info is displayed briefly after first
loading the film, but I generally forget what's in there by the time I get
to exposure #24.
- no provision for exposure compensation. Fill-flash is fine for backlit
subjects within range of the flash, but snowy landscapes will be
underexposed.
All in all, a very good p&s camera; works as advertised--in fact, much
better than I was expecting.
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A solid, compact, APS camera, November 29, 2002
Reviewer: A customer
I've been using the Canon Elph 370z for almost 2 years, having taken and
exposed around 300 pictures. Here are the strengths of this camera:
1. You no more yell out "I AM A TOURIST" by having your camera hanging
from your neck or arm; keep it in your pocket.
2. Group pictures come out GREAT with the panoramic feature.
3. The picture quality is also great for a point-and-shoot camera,
especially when a 400 film is used.
4. The battery will let you down only after you take at least 200
pictures.
5. The 3x zoom function is MORE than enough for the average amature
photographer.
6. The digital display shows only what you really need to know.
7. The flash is not the strongest you'll ever see in a compact camera, but
it does its job.
8. The "red-eye-reduction" function will substantially reduce the red eye
phenomenonon, and may even elliminate it. If you keep the button
half-pressed for a couple of seconds, you should have no red eyes in any
of your pictures.
The camera DOES have some weak spots, too.
1. The "slider", which turns the camera on and off, also retracts the
flash light. When you first attempt to turn this camera on, it comes
natural that you try to move the slider with your thumb. By doing so, you
place your index finger on the flash, thus preventing it from coming out.
With one finger you try to open the camera, with the other you make sure
you keep it shut! I could not turn on the camera the first time, I thought
it was broken. Other people who used my camera also did the exact same
thing. I just have to open the camera myself before giving it to somebody
else.
2. The shutter actually operates quite some time after the button is
pressed. I quickly became aware of this, so I just keep a steady hand
until I hear the shutter closing. But some people think that the picture
is taken at the moment the button is pressed. The relatively long time
between the button "click" and the shutter "click" resulted in some blurry
pictures.
3. The camera is really small, and the fingers of the operator can get in
front any of the sensors or the flash, resulting in dark or unfocused
pictures.
All of the above conditions happened only a couple of times and only when
the camera was used by somebody other than me.
I suggest that you buy this camera if it will be mostly YOU that will
operate it. You will soon learn how to by-pass these minor problems and
make the best out of the camera. Once you learn how to avoid the little
traps, you can take very good pictures. However, if you know that random
people may operate this camera (say... in a party), be prepared for just a
few "not-so-good" exposures.
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