Whew....what a day at the office. I work at a small university and the students are just now returning from holiday and we ARE NOT READY for them to return!!!!! But, we will be....we always are. Gosh....I can't believe its been nearly a year since I posted this message. Anyhoo, the camera is a good friend and pal now and not so new anymore. When I posted this message I had been using regular batteries, not rechargeable...hey, I was a total novice!!!! They lasted for about 50 pix...LOL. Got a charger and some rechargeable Everreadys the day after my post....gotten 5 more since then. Just got a new charger and more new batteries for Christmas, too. So....now I want the 1.5 teleconverter lens and some other goodies. This little point and shoot seems to do a pretty decent job with birds....had my doubts in the beginning. My brother-in-law is into photography big time and said it was a "so-so" camera but probably not really good for wildlife photography. For petes sake; I wasn't trying out for National Geographic.....I just wanted a "good enough" camera so I could take a decent picture of a bird and take it to someone and ask, "Do you know what kind of bird this is?".....And it does that....and more. I've gotten some pretty decent shots with it and am totally satisfied with the camera. I still haven't played with a lot of the settings and haven't really experimented with the video taking part yet. But, I'm happy with the results. My husband also got me (in addition to those much needed new batteries and charger) a Canon Selphy photo printer so now I can print some of my own photos. Its a pretty neat little gadget and really simple to use.....(and it was on sale!!!) I am quite pleased with this little camera. The only drawback for me is the bulk of the camera. Sometimes I wish it was a little more compact and easier to slip in and out of a cargo pocket. Other than that its perfect for what I want it for and takes pretty good pix. Now to see if the old budget will let me get that converter and lens. Gail....thanks so much for the heads up on the eBay items....in fact I'm heading there now to check out some things. Bob....your crow is beautiful....especially navigating to the suet log. I love crows....we have 5 that sorta "hang out" here in the neighborhood, you know, just terrorizing the Coopers and the Red-tails....what a treat when their around. Thanks to you both....... ~Kathy~

Pesky, Unless you know a lot about cameras and how to use them, I would save your money. I have an older SLR with a couple different lenses and have never really used it. Then I got a step down from an SLR for work (needed the zoom) but it's so bulky and not the easiest camera to keep with you for those spur of the moment experiences. The SX260 in my opinion has the best of several worlds. It has the zoom, it takes great videos and has a strong flash for dark rooms. It's loaded with a lot of popular feature but contrary to the SLR's it is more user friendly. The only thing it's missing that I wish it had was a wide angle shot which many cameras come with. The SX260 only offers stitching. I also like that the battery is a rechargeable. Hope this helps.

I have a Canon Powershot S2 IS and there is a problem with the batteries. This camera uses NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) rechargables. This type of cell is notorious about self-discharging. Manufacturer's literature may state that these loose 10% of charge per month and a recharge life of 500 times. My experience has been worse. I find that after the first 2 to 3 charge cycles, the cells have lost capacity and the self discharge rate is more like 10% per week. As a result, I carry several sets of cells and charge these before I go out on a shoot. When on a trip, I carry a small charger in the camera bag and each night, I freshen the charge in at at least 2 set of cells for the next day. I find that regular NiMH cells deterioate too quicky for my use. I found a solution at Batteries Plus. They sell a hybrid NiMH that is superior to holding charge compared to the regular versions. This cell is not perfect, but the improvement is very good. These cells are pricey but I think the improvement is worth it. However, in your case, there may have been a problem with the battery indicator in your camera as well. I mention the NiMH problem because I think that may have been part of the problem as well.

Some important things to consider when buying a point and shoot digital camera: 1) Get one with an IS if possible, 2) With a viewfinder. Many recent models took out the viewfinder to make place for a larger LCD display. The LCD display is not a big help to view when you're outdoor in bright light condition. 3) One that uses AA or AAA batteries. Rechargeable batteries of this type are easier to find but recharging can be a bothersome when you travel outside the US. However, AA and AAA are sold just about anywhere in the world, a great convenience. Which means... any of the Canon Powershot from model A590 IS and up are good buys. I just recommended to my boss the Powershot A590 IS. He wants to spend around $150 and at BuyDig.com, the price is around $145, no shipping, no tax and with US warranty. Watch out for gray market price = import and did not meet US standard; thus, have no US warranty.