For this price - its Great!
Wonderful Camera! This is my first digital camera, but I've used them and work and my wife has one also. This Canon A100 is easy to use, Takes clear pictures, and does not drain the batteries. It has been a real joy to own.

The only drawback was no optical zoom, but that I still think for the price it is a great camera to own, I take my everywhere.

VERY GOOD
After having a terrible experience with a 2.0 MP machine I strongly recommend this machine if you want an easy to use digital camera which can take very good pictures especially in darker environments. :)

Canon A100- Battery Eater
I ordered this because I wanted a simple camera. BOY - IS THE INSTRUCTION BOOKLET COMPLICATED. Explanations are very poor. Installation is tricky. Have to read VERY carefully because nothing is explained well. There is also no telephone support from Canon. Strictly, do it yourself.

The camera eats up batteries. The instructions say when you download pictures to your computer you should have the camera connected to the electric supply. However, the AC adaptor is an extra cost item that doesn't come with the camera. Also, the camera cannot draw power from the USB plug in. Why not?? A wonderful feature of USB is that it can power accessories. Lastly, the USB connection is via a propritary cord, not a standard USB connector. I was very disappointed to find such inconvenience and lack of thinking from Canon. Yes, the pictures are fine.

Just Got It
...

It's a decent little camera, but at 1.2 megapixels, it's not worth more than [price]. Like all digital cameras, it drains the batteries....but if u switch off the LCD display, u save significantly on battery life. Just one more thing, if u buy any digital camera, buy some extra memory. The 8 meg module that came with it is pretty much useless. But not having film to develop is great.

All in all, a neat addition to my backpack...there's always times u wish u had a camera, but couldn't justify carrying around a pricey piece of hardware in your backpack.

Very pleased
Expecting a new baby, my wife and I decided to buy a digital camera. After a lot of research we settled on the Canon A100. We had very little digital camera experience so we made our pick of the A100 mostly on price.

To our suprise, the camera performs very well in all lighting conditions. We have taken several shots indoors without the flash (to protect the baby's eyes) and they generally turn out great.

This camera also has a video mode the performs quite well. It takes 20 second clips (without sound) and performs better than other cameras I've tried that cost twice as much.

For a good, all purpose, all around camera that you aren't afraid to use (drop, have stolen, misplace) I believe you cannot do any better.

You must purchase rechargable batteries, so keep that in mind when comparing to other cameras.

difficult to use but good quality pictures
I still believe in the quality of Canon cameras but after using this one for a few months, it's been increasingly difficult to get it to take pictures. When I press the button for it to take, it often does not actually take the picture and must be pressed repeatedly for it to take. I thought perhaps this was just a problem with my camera but my friend has a PowerShot A200 and complains of the same problem. This presents a frustrating problem because I cannot ask other people to take pictures for me as they do not necessarily know how to "coerce" the camera. The other problem I've encountered is that you can't change the manual/automatic settings without turning on the LCD. This causes an enormous drain on the battery. The settings are also difficult to find if you don't have your user's manual at hand.

Other than these problems, this is a great little digital camera at a good price. The pictures I have taken successfully with this camera have all turned out good and clear.

good quality photos and features for the price!
...at 1.2 megapixels...i first thought the picture image taken would not be so clear...as my previous digital camera was a 2.1 hewlett packard...but to my surprise...this camera actually produced a clearer and more realistic photo than the h.p.....the skin tone came out very natural looking...the built in flash is also surprisingly strong enough to take a picture in pitch black and yet not too bright for normal portrait photos...

...more great features on this very affordable camera are self timer...movie mode...3.2 digital zoom...high resolution 1.5" viewing screen...easy navigation of menus and setups... lightweight...efficient flash...red eye reduction...autofocus... 3 different picture resolution modes...3 different image size modes...and many more

...some downfalls to this camera maybe that it is only a 1.2 megapixel camera and the largest quality photo it can take is a 5"x7"...the batteies drain fairly fast when using the color screen to take photos(only holds 2 AA batteries)

...overall this camera is a great one...for first time digital camera owners to experienced ones as well...for the features in this camera will keep you enjoying the many uses of a digital camera for memories to come!

Excellent picture quality, but drains batterys.
I bought this camera, and the batterys included only lasted about 10 minutes (cheap ones; regular ones last about an hour). But the picture queality is very good, and they turn out clear. I find it easy to use, except for the fact that when you turn it on, the flash is set to the on position always.

Beware of the flash
I find that this is a great camera for taking pictures outside. However, while inside, the camera is pretty useless unless you're a foot away from your subject. In fact, the camera tends to work better in full darkness rather than in partial light. Often I find myself having to carry a disposable camera with me which I use for inside or nighttime pictures. Also, the flash cannot be turned off...I've tried. If you do manage to turn it off, the camera refuses to focus and your pictures come out blurry. In conclusion, spend the few extra dollars to buy a camera with a better flash...you'll appreciate it in the long run.