If you're not at least somewhat familiar with Canon's rather confusing line of cameras (or familiar with cameras in general) then this thread isn't going to make much sense to you. I'm not claiming any sort of expert opinion. Quite the opposite, actually, which is the reason for me coming to you people for some sort of assistance. But seriously, brace for a lot of model numbers and technical terminology.
Anyways. In, oh, 2007 I purchased a Canon PowerShot SD790 IS Digital ELPH. PowerShot is Canon's line of consumer and prosumer cameras meant to range from just below the coveted DSLR benchmark, to simple point-and-shoots for the family. They have different lines of cameras; some advertised as "ultra-compact", some advertised as "zoom cameras" and basically it's just a really confusing clusterfuck.
What's relevant here is that five years ago, I bought a camera from the SD lineup, which combines "performance and style" (their words, not mine) in a really small camera with some really, really high specs. The camera listed for $250, and I managed to get it for $150 thanks to some gift cards.
The camera was a 10.0 MP camera with 3x optical zoom. It served me well for five years, helping me produce a number of skits in high school, along with some fantastic photos.
I have dropped it many times, the screws have started to fall apart and expose the inside, but it always kept working and seeing me through even through college, where it helped me shoot yet another number of videos. But on my way to the set of Green: The Movie, the lens froze and wouldn't return inside the camera. I fiddled with it for ages, but all it would do is seize up, click feebly, and beep at me. I stupidly began to take apart the lens.
I was left with this:
Needless to say, I was in trouble - partially of my own folly, but still. So I started looking up new cameras. I was told that my old camera, the SD790 was discontinued. Sadface. So I started looking elsewhere.
The one I bought is the Canon Powershot sx130. The SX line is, apparently, focused solely on having a ridiculous high zoom. Which is awesome. But it's bulky. It's also made of plastic. It doesn't fit very comfortable in my hand. Also, it uses double-A batteries instead of the lithium ones that I have from my old camera.
My conundrum comes from the fact that just last night I've been looking up PowerShot's ELPH line, which is basically the same line that my SD790 came from, just with the ante bumped up a bit higher. I loved my old camera. Like, a lot. We had a weird sort of creative bond, and I learned every in and out on the camera's settings. With this new one, it feels simplified and a bit odd. Cheap, almost. That might just be the plastic.
The things I'm looking for in a camera is that it's portable and durable enough to be in my pocket, like, a lot, and it can take some hits. I'm also looking for great photo quality, and great video. Specifically - great audio on video. There are a lot of manual aperture, focus, and shutter speeds on the sx130, but I'm worried about how large it is comparatively. I'm also worried about if I drop it. The plastic finish doesn't feel as battle hardened as the aluminum/metal on the SD790.
I don't know which would be the better camera for me. I paid $100 (list price: $230) for the SX130. I'm looking at the pricing of the higher-end ELPHs and they get pretty pricey. It might just come down to cost-effectiveness.
Do any of you guys have experience with either the SD (now ELPH) and SX lines of Canon cameras? I'd like to open a dialogue with someone about this.
Thanks!
-VV
