I got a Canon Powershot SX220 HS

I just bought the Canon Powershot SX220 HS.  It's a point and shoot camera but it has manual controls ( as in manual settings for Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO, White Balance and even Manual Focus ).  Moreover - it can zoom 14 x.  According to reviews I read, that's equivalent to 28 to 392 mm.

Canon is endorsed by Papa Piolo.

I wasn't planning on getting a new camera.  My original plan was to get myself a 55 to 210 E-mount end for my Sony Nex-5.  I've been in a number of occasions lately where I could not take the pictures that I wanted to take because I was too far away from my subject.  This was when I was at the Sinulog festival - taking pictures from the grand stand and the other one was during the Chinese New Year celebration at Mandarin Oriental.  What worked to my advantage during that time is the fact that I can manually focus the NEX-5 so I was able to crop the pictures at a later stage so I can see the faces of my subjects.   I digress - what I wanted to say was I wanted to get a new tele-zoom lens but they were not available.   The Sony stores could not tell me when it was going to be available.  Please take note that my alternative was to buy the 18 to 200 mm E-mount lens - which was 50,000 pesos.   I am not yet ready to make that hefty investment on a camera lens.  The 55 to 210 lens would just cost me 19,000 pesos. 

Original Photo of SONY NEX 5

Cropped Photo - Uploaded to my Blog Entry

Since I wasn't able to get the lens I want - I started browsing for other camera products.  What caught my attention was the Powershot SX220.  I told the store clerk I was going to come back as I was going to do a quick research on the camera.  From what I read - it got good reviews and the features that I need worked, zoom and manual control.

14 X Zoom 

Full Manual Controls

So I bought the camera and I plan to use it as my secondary camera.  I like it because it's compact.  I also tested the zoom lens - and I was able to get very close-up pictures of the building that is being constructed in front of us.

No Zoom - Pay Attention to the Crane

Full Zoom ( 14x ) - Look at how close that Crane is in this picture

BTW - my brother is getting married this weekend.  I'm planning to take pictures during the wedding and the reception.  This new camera will come in handy.  It's magnification is strong enough for me to take pictures of the couple while I'm seated at the pews and it's small enough to fit my tuxedo's pocket.

Oh before I forget  - the camera came with free sunglasses from Lacoste.   The price of the camera after carh discount is 18,500 pesos.  I think it's the right camera for the right price point.

NOTE: For other picture samples for this camera - please see pictures on this blog post: XO 46.  Note that it's a dimly lit restaurant but photos came out properly exposed even without flash.