These days I often go for months without ever even thinking about my Canon Powershot, let alone pulling it out and using it. It has no viewfinder, only an LCD screen on the back (non-articulating), and for a long time after I began using this camera, I was convinced that for me, viewfinders were absolutely useless. So much so that when I began shopping for a Canon Rebel, I insisted that it had an articulating screen. I just didn’t see myself using the viewfinder at all. Now, I look back and laugh about that; in fact, the absence of a viewfinder is why I now rarely use the Powershot.

But now I have a new reason for loving this camera: a couple of years ago I took the Powershot out to Rattlesnake Bar on a bright, sunny day and discovered  that I can use it to get pretty decent shots of flowers even in direct sunlight. That day I managed to stumble upon the perfect combination of settings and filters with this camera that gives me true and vivid colors in such conditions where my results with my other cameras would result in sad, washed-out images.

I’ll admit that I still tend to leave the Powershot at home a lot of times, but today — a sunny, windy day — I pulled it out and spent a few minutes admiring my neighbors rose garden, bursting with brilliant blooms swaying and bobbing in the gusty winds. I’ve done very little post-processing, and the colors are amazing. That’s why I still love this camera.