However, this camera takes lousy indoor pictures, with or without the flash, even with 400 speed film. If the camera or the subject has even the slightest movement, the subject comes out extremely blurry. When the shots are clear, the flash brings out the worst in people's skin- everyone, no matter how oil-free their skin, looks like a blotchy greaseball. The flashes in those cheap disposable cameras are more flattering than this one.

Recently, the camera has been eating through batteries as well, even though I barely use it and never leave it on.

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!

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.

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.

Let me update. Canon stood by their warranty. I sent in the camera as instructed and in about two weeks I received the camera fixed and ready to use. I was impressed with the overall ease and quickness of the warranty repair.

This camera has nice features but most I truely don't use. Film that is more costly to purchase and to process. For that reason I would expect better quality pictures but I don't always feel they are much better than standard 35mm. It is nice being able to put this camera into a small pocket and being able to change film mid-roll. We'll see...a few more months of using it and maybe I'll update again and give it a higher score.

Overall, we really like this camera. We're probably going to try the Z3, however, for our next camera. ...

After a bit of research, I choose the Canon Elph 370Z. After 6+ months of ownership, I am reporting back here as a very satisfied customer. The 370Z has met or exceeded both of my goals. It is extremely portable, allowing me to take my camera everywhere with a neglible weight penalty. And, I'm taking better photos, and it's still the same ol' me that used the old camera. My 'focus problems' have disappeared. Furthermore, I've blown a couple of the photos up to an 8"x12" scale and they retain an amazing level of crispness for such a small camera.

The only drawback (noted in other reviews here) is that the unit is so compact that the flash is still too close to the lens. So remember, 'red-eye reduction' is just that: reduction, not elimination.

Still, all in all, a highly recommended purchase.

Make no mistake, you do not get the flexibility (shutter speed, apeture, optional lenses, external flashes, white balance) that SLRs and more expensive camera can offer, but what you do get is not much bigger than a pack of cigarettes (that's not politically correct, is it?).

I looked at a pretty broad set of cameras, including the other ELPH cameras, before selecting this one because I liked the zoon range and the size of the camera. I was pleasantly impressed by surprisingly good picture quality, and my wife can testify to its extreme ease of use. This ELPH is all about size, convenience, and simplicity. If that's what you want then buy it.