Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 8x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full 1080p HD Video (Purple)

I had an old canon camera (PowerShot A520 for historians) for 8 years, and it was finally time for a new one. I spent way too long agonizing over which camera to get, but I knew I wanted a Canon without a touchscreen. I hemmed and hawwed over the ELPH 310 vs ELPH 300 and finally choose this one because it can zoom in more, and it was a newer model. Amazon had a great deal on it, so I got quite a chunk of the list price, which was great! I choose purple because it was the most on sale with the pink and yellow color. I wanted the blue, but it was full price. I also bought rooCASE Neoprene Sleeve (Lilac) Carrying Case for Canon ELPH 310 HS Digital Camera which looks very nice with it! Anyway, on to the review! PROS: Takes quality pictures. Really. Some are even comparable to my DSLR camera. I'm not kidding, I was impressed! Color of the camera looks great. It's a matte plastic, that won't show finger marks from holding it. Takes fast pictures You can easily change from auto to manual settings. I love the manual settings, I love to play around with vivid color and toy camera effect and so forth. Super easy, user friendly, everyone can figure out my camera quickly. CONS: The fish eye setting is weak. It doesn't look at all like a real fish eye lens would make an image. However, its not exactly a deal breaker, I don't need Fish Eye anyway. My friends called my camera "heavy" and "bigger than expected." I am used to holding a brick camera that took AA batteries, so this thing is tiny to me. I also don't care if its heavy, because its actually lighter and smaller than my cell phone. It fits easily in my pocket with the sleeve case. I wish it had some grips on it, right where the Canon logo is on the front. It feels like I could easily drop it. Really with these petty excuse for cons, I love my new camera, and I can't believe I waited 8 years to get a new one. If you are on the fence about buying this, wait till it goes on sale (the prices changes daily) to a price you can live with, and get it! It is a great camera.

- Simple to operate, small, excellent results, modest price. The worst part of the ELPH 310HS ( or IXUS 230HS ) is the name. In the USA Canon sells an entirely different camera called the SX 230HS. Ordering the camera or batteries becomes a test of your ability to clarify Canon's terrible nomenclature. There are reviews of this camera that incorrectly refer to it as the ELPH 230HS! Buy a couple of extra batteries from Amazon (NB-4L) for $10 each (get the 1200 mamp type.) Don't get the NB-5L type battery for the 230HS. The $6 Case Logic TBC-302 case nicely holds two extra batteries and the camera. In the "Auto" mode you get good movies and excellent stills. The really nice part is that you get these results without having to bother with camera settings. Switching to the "P" mode gives you more options and settings to play with but, if you just want excellent results leave it in auto. When taking a pic, push the exposure button ½ way down to focus. When the focus area turns green push the button the rest of the way. Focusing generally takes less than ½ a second. If you just push the button all the down you'll often get an out of focus pic. Forgetting to focus may explain why some reviewers are dissatisfied with the cameras output. There are both pro and con arguments for this focusing method. You just need to be aware of how to operate the 310. 11x14 borderless prints exhibit excellent quality when shot in good light. Quality does decrease in darker situations but is still acceptable. All small sensor cameras exhibit that behavior. Facial recognition works most of the time. Pricing is a little strange. At the time of this writing, depending upon color, the price varies from $196 to $230 for the same camera from the same vendor. Why does a blue copy cost 15% more than a purple copy? Probably done by the same genius that named the camera! The ELPH 310HS is an excellent travel camera. I've ordered a second one for my wife.

First, let me say this camera does take some great pictures and it is very easy to use. My complaint comes in by how plastic it feels. It just doesn't feel solid like all the other Canon cameras we have purchased in the past. I love my husband's Canon Powershot 300HS, but I wanted a bit higher zoom. So, I purchased this one. I also purchased the Powershot 510 as well to see which one I would like better. I must say, I am swaying towards returning both of them. This camera feels flimsy compared to the other Canon Powershot cameras. I prefer the non-touch screen of this one vs. the Powershot 510, but overall, the 510 just feels a lot more solid for only around $75 more. The touchscreen on the 510 drains the battery too fast, but this one just doesn't seem to be that durable. As for the zoom comparisons, on the 510 it zooms to 12x, but it is extremely difficult to keep it steady. On this one, the 8x seems about right. So, I am not quite sure which one to keep. I love the new settings for vivid, foliage, miniature, fireworks, fisheye, etc. If it weren't for all these new settings and a higher power zoom, I wouldn't even consider trading up from the 300HS for this one. So, I am torn as to what to do. UPDATE 10/30/2011 - So, I decided to keep this one instead of the 510. It still feels kind of plastic to me compared to older models we have. However, I have been thoroughly impressed with the video, picture and color quality. The battery longevity helped to make this decision as well.

I just ordered mine and I hav enothingbut good thinsg to say about it! The large screen makes reviewing photos a pleasure. Colours are crisp and clear. I went out with a few friends to have dinner the night that I took it out of the box and it was a hit with them as well. They noticed the crisp colours and took note of the model - they were that impressed. It works well in low lighting - the flash is very bright so pictures may look overexposed , but hey - at least you get to see everything and too much light is better than not enough of it. I spent a looooong time checking out reviews and if you are in my old shoes, I suggest that you get the leather case made by Canon sold on Adorama.com for 12$. It fits perfectly and make a stylish addition to any outing. Secondly, get a screen guard - the clear adhesive that you get to protect your phone. I put on mine the day after I used it which meant cleaning it carefully with babywipess, cotton and the cloth that comes with th ephone screen protector.I will also warn you that you will need at least a class 10 16GB SD card to go with this camera since the pixels take up space and the SD card influences shutter speed since it affects processing time internally. The menu is loaded with lots of great features. Make sure that you read the manual that comes with the CD so that you can access those features. Additionally, I have to give Amazon props for super speedy shipping. I ordered it Wednesday night and it was in my hands by Saturday evening. This camera is an excellent investment for anyone who is picky about features and pictures. The extra pixels dont mean much. Camera features matter much more and thsi Canon baby is it! Finally, go to youtube and check out the reviews of the camera. One of the first reviews you will find is by a photography editor who explains the DIFFERENCES between this model and ELPH 300. This will help you to make a decision in the event that you don't know if you want to put out the extra fifty bucks for the ELPH 310. His video review was actually the most helpful review I found - the video means you get to see pictures that he's taken. Having owned a camera I disliked for two years, this camera is a welcome change. I promise you that you will not regret your investment.

I am a camera junkie and this is the 12th digital camera I've owned. I have a DSLR, but like to keep a small camera on me since my phone doesn't take the greatest pictures. I had to replace my PowerShot SD1300 (piece of crap!) because the pictures were so terrible. A friend of mine had the Elph 310 on a recent trip and I was blown away at the quality of pictures & videos, so I bought it also. I've had over a month to test it out so here is what I think: This is the 3rd best camera I've owned (DSLR & G Series are #1 & #2) I love the size of it! I love how many options it has and different modes. My absolute favorite feature is the low light setting! The shutter speed is faster than my DSLR. Granted, the pictures are only 3mp on that setting, but they all come out gorgeous. Really beyond my expectations. I've also had a chance to play around with the different night settings and the quality is amazing. Everything is in focus, crisp & clear. The zoom is great.. alittle grainy, but that is to be expected. Regular auto setting pictures come out beautiful & bright, never blurry. Video quality is the best I have seen so far on any digital camera.. Battery life is not the greatest, especially when you take pictures and videos in one shoot. I've found I can easily drain the battery in a day or 2 which can be frustrating. The high burst setting which allows you to take a ton of pictures with one click of the shutter is not the greatest. I've tried it on different subjects and they all come out alittle blurry.. All in all, I highly recommend this camera! I'm very impressed and would buy it again.

As many other reviews note in great detail, this camera has a fantastic set of features, combined with a good zoom range and compact size, and can take some very nice photos. And, I experienced that on the first 3 days of my vacation. But then after just 5 days of use (2 days of learning the camera, then 3 days on vacation), perhaps 200 photos (max) and 5 minutes of video, the camera completely stopped working. The lens is fully extended and the camera says "Lens Error. Will shut down automatically. Restart camera." That's all it does. It will not take pictures, and it will not review pictures on the card. I've removed the battery & SD card, tried powering it up dozens of times, recharged the battery, etc. It is completely stuck, broken with the lens protruding over 2 inches out front. The camera was kept in a padded case and was not dropped. Physically, it is still in pristine condition. Imagine the fun of your new compact camera purchased specifically for a vacation quadrupling in size with the lens fully extended, and then freezing halfway through your vacation! Not only does that mean no more photos, but then you get to enjoy a carrying around a stupidly-sized piece of electronics in order to return it once you get home. That is disappointing and frustrating, to say the least. At that time I bought the camera, I was not aware of the history of the Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS, the older model of this camera. If you read reviews and forums on the 300HS, you will find many that discuss the difference in quality (and problems) between those made in Japan, and those made in China. I didn't realize that there were different countries of manufacture for the same models. The item I was shipped from Amazon was made in China, though many people report having bought models made in Japan. I am not judging this camera by the simple fact that it was made in China. Rather, my interim conclusion here, which is the result of research I have done after having bought this "made in China" unit, and having the camera promptly break, suggests that that may be a problem. Combing the reviews on this 310 HS and the 300 HS also reveals a complaint from some owners that while zooming the lens while taking a video results in a lot of loud lens noise captured on the video; again, those with units from Canon's China plant complain about very loud noise when operating the zoom during a video. Those with units from Canon's Japan plant do not have such a problem. I didn't learn about this until after my camera broke, so I can't test that on mine. I shot some brief videos, but did not zoom during the video. Sadly, while some people are having this discussion, comparing notes about problems, in an effort to try to find a common denominator, the discussions often devolved into name-calling between brand loyalists and dissatisfied consumers. I wish to ensure Canon enthusiasts out there that this is my 6th Canon digital camera since 2003, not including the 4 that I bought for my parents over the years. Prior to that, I used Canon 35mm SLRs exclusively. I was most definitely loyal to Canons and believed that they made the best digital cameras, from the ELPHs to DSLRs. This is the first one that broke, it broke very quickly (5 days of use), and it is the first of the above-referenced 10 Canons that was made in China. The old Canons I have still work perfectly, they are just outdated in terms of technology. This experience with the 310 HS could simply be bad luck. It could be a coincidence that my first "made in China" camera broke in less than one week. But, after reading the discussions on the 300 HS, I am doubting that it's a coincidence. Further, why risk it? People with both this 310 HS model and the 300 HS model made in Japan unambiguously love their cameras. The problems encountered by people are extremely highly correlated with units made in China. I think that the lesson here, after reading about all the 300 HS problems, other reviews here, and my experience is that the Canon cameras made in China have a higher failure rate than those units made in Japan. Unfortunately, this probably means brick-and-mortar shopping so you can read the box "Made in ___" before checking out. I bought a silver one from Amazon on November 21. It says "Made in China" on the box and on the camera. I specify this because in other reviews people are asking the reviewer those very questions: what color did you buy, where and when did you buy it, and where was it made. Amazon is going to replace my camera, but it will be over a month before it is back in stock. I plan to test it thoroughly and use it daily while I can still send it back.

This is my third Canon Power Shot. My first was the Canon SD450 and in my opinion it was probably the greatest point and shoot on earth. Every picture came out crystal clear and it was relatively fast to auto focus and snap away. It was also built tough as little tank with stronger chrome/metal pieces and buttons. Next I purchased a SD1300 12.1 MP, it was the same model line but more than double the mega-pixels so I thought it would be a winner. Nope, it was the worst camera - took forever to auto-adjust, many pictures came out blurry, and it seems it took longer to get ready for the next shot. Additionally Canon started making the cameras lighter with more plastic pieces and other cheaper materials. It was still useable by far less enjoyable. In less than a year we wanted a better camera so we decided on the ELPH 310 HS because it had good Amazon reviews and also scored very high on the Consumer Reports website - it tied for the highest rated compact point and shoot. It is much better than the previous model but not a massive improvement over the original SD450. In all these years you'd think Canon could crank out a superior product, but I guess they are trying to cut corners to keep the price low. It's still slightly larger than the SD450, but a lot lighter - same cheaper pieces. In fairness I think I paid the same price for the SD450 over 5 years ago, so I guess if you want better quality it goes for a little more these days. I just find it funny how my original 5 mega-pixel camera can still almost hold up to a newer 12.1 mega-pixel model. Overall, I would recommend this product if you are looking for a simple compact camera to take some nice crisp photos. The pictures come out clear, once every so often you get a blurry one for some reason. It's pretty fast to get ready for the next shot. The view screen is huge. A couple of drawbacks is the battery is different than some of the early Powershots so you can't use old chargers and the battery life seems slightly smaller - it should still last you for a jam packed day like Christmas or a vacation, but you'd probably have to charge it at the end of the day. I swear I used to get at least a week out of my older cameras. Also note this comes with no SD card, but you should still be able to use the SD or SDHC type you already have. It's probably not going to give you better shots than the self focusing huge lens monsters, but who has time for that nonsense. If you are trying to be a serious snobby photographer forget it, but if you are just looking to get slightly above average quality in a simple to use camera, go with this guy. The different color options are nice, I went with green for something different. When you're in those group situations where somebody is taking your photo with everyone's camera at least yours won't get mixed up.

Please disregard if this says "cheated" This was an earlier comment that Amazon hasn't removed. this is a real beauty. Solid, but small, colorful, pocketable, great color and resolution, pretty good low light and great auto. This was a gift for my wife who really needed the combination of high end HD, group photo, a little zoom, simple operation and something that wouldn't take up much room. It was hard for me to select because my interests were along the line of the Canon 60d which I looked at for weeks thinking my wife really needed an SLR with a guzzillion features and controls. She loves the 310 for 1/6 th the price. It is clearly a step up from the camera capability of the Droid and Iphone, but feature rich enough not to miss too much the lack of SLR composition, low light and resolution. Just had a lumix FZ28 die, and day to day, this out performs especially in the auto mode. Getting the FZ28 to perform was a daily, or shot by shot, challenge, and that was not that much fun.