It is what it is.

I have a ton of professional grade camera equipment. I hardly ever take it along on business trips. This little A1000 is not meant to substitue for that level of hardware. It was purchased as an inexpensive, small, AAA battery powered, easy to use, always ready to go on a business trip camera. It has both optical and LCD view finders and image stabilization and can be used outside in bright sunlight or inside with it's excellent flash (with fresh batteries). It fulfills the roll it was purchased for. I am sick of cameras with proprietary batteries that last an hour on a charge. So far it has not failed to work as long as called upon to produce good to excellent images under almost all lighting conditions. It is always at the ready in my brief case or computer bag adds no weight and takes up almost no room with a few extra flashlight batteries. If you are going on a once in a lifetime Alaska vacation take grown up camera equipment. If you are jumping on the compnay plane for a one day turn-around where you may need a snapshot of entrance to your latest business venture, this little point and shoot works fine. And for under $150 when it quits, throw it away and get another. I am very pleased with it for its price and features.