Canon PowerShot A650IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

PowerShot A650IS has very impressive specs and features. Battery life is amazing - 400+ shots on a set of AA rechargeables, very good optics for a point and shoot camera and extremely useful vari-angle LCD.

Unfortunately Canon's marketing push to squeeze 12 MP into 1/1.7 CCD sensor resulted in extensive digital noise on high ISO settings and slow performance. 1/1.7 CCD sensor is probably the biggest of any point and shoot camera on the market today, but 12 MP is too much even for this relatively large sensor. If Cannon would choose to put 7-8 MP on a sensor of this size, they would probably produce the best P/S digital camera ever made.

The build quality of this camera is also below level that one would expect from Canon. The body plastic looks cheap, there are some gaps between body parts, batteries are easily falling out when you try to access the memory card, zoom lever feels loose and it's hard to avoid accidentally pushing menu button when you try to hold the camera with one hand.

Two A650IS that I received from Amazon had one burned/stuck CCD pixel clearly visible on every picture taken with the cameras when viewed on a computer, so I had to return them. When I asked if it'd make sense to try to get another replacement, I got the following answer from Amazon: "...As it seems that the problem with this item is more widespread than we originally thought, we are not able to send another replacement. We will gladly refund you in full for the return of this item..."
While it could be just a standard customer support answer to a second replacement request, it could also indicate the real widespread problem with burned/stuck pixes on this camera model and poor quality control @ Canon.
I did contact Canon tech support and I was told that burned CCD pixels are not normal (even one of them) and that I should send it to Canon for a warranty repair.

Quality issues aside, this camera takes excellent pictures in the good lighting conditions and most of the times, with its built in flash, just don't count on it to produce anything useful above and sometimes even at ISO400.

I just recieved the Canon A650is. My first impression is CHEAP.it is not well made, the technology is there but the exterior does not inspire. I have not had it long enough to critique its performance.
Returned camera, good pics bad build

I've used this camera for over six months and have found it to be flawless. It gives far more control and options that most cameras in this class, almost equal to a basic DSLR. At max resolution (make sure it's set to that) the images are amazing for this class, given the type and size of the camera.

Why didn't I give it five starts? Because the shutter lag is quite long, much more noticeable that in some other PowerShots. For example, I've compared with the A630 and A720IS, and this camera takes significantly longer to squeeze off the first shot after tripping the shutter. So, this camera really doesn't work as well for action shots or momentary opportunities or "quick draw" shots as some of the other PowerShots.

As long as you keep that limitation in mind, though, it's a superb camera.

I bought this camera to replace my Canon A95. Since the A95 is obsolete, I had to find the next best thing and the A650 proved to be it. It has better zoom and I couldn't do without the flip out LCD viewfinder.

It is a little bulky and heavy like everyone says but I don't mind it so much. The picture quality is awesome and the image stabilization really makes a difference in low light conditions when I don't want to use the flash. There's also a cool feature that auto detects faces and sets the focus appropriately. It can also detect multiple faces. I'm happy with mine.

Very happy with camera so far.Took it on vacation did very good on pictures and video.Still as same set of batteries after about 100 pics and 15 min of video.