A700 - the goods and the bads

Got the A700 before it was available in the stores - just 4 days before my China trip. But it was easy to use - especially for a first time digital camera user. The 6X was a real boon in such a light weight, pocketable camera. Instant focusing, no noticeable shutter lag - except on flash - and a slow flash recovery, it seemed. Great to edit on the 2.5 LCD but IMPOSSIBLE to see in day light - absolutely needed that little optical viewfinder - even tho it showed only a fraction of the hoped-for shot. It's packed with "extras" which I've yet to learn but the basics were very easy to master. POINT AND SHOOT on "auto". Zip Zap! I learned the hard way what "format" means: 2 GBs of China pics:
GONE! Wish Canon would put warning signs up all over the place - including in the "basics" directions in addition to the "advanced" booklet.
So far, only weakness may be the over exposure in bright areas on "auto". Will take some practice to balance out the light and shadows. Also, I soon learned the advantages of the swivel LCD. I took a lot of "blind shots" around corners, over crowds - a swivel would have been great - the A700's LCD is large but stationary. I soon got in the habit of taking MANY shots and "blipping" them as I went along - learning more in the process. I based my choice on the reviews of the A610 and A620 and figured the added 6X would just improve on those previous models. Having had no other digitalis I can only guess this camera is a sweetheart. I do love it. I like the larger size, the weight - not too light or too heavy, I like the "feel", a nicely fitting "grip" around the battery compartment, and I LOVE it's quickness - a high priority for me. I took many pictures through the window of a bouncing bus. It's amazing what the A700 captured under challenging conditions. REALLY fast action! If I had more experience with digitals I may have given it 5 stars but the overly bright areas, the slow flash recovery and, especially, the un-viewable LCD were minor drawbacks for me.