GE Power Pro X-500 Digital Camera Review

I own the GE Power Pro X500 camera and want to present some features and opinions on the camera, which may help others make a decision. When you think of a GE product, most people think of a refrigerator, locomotive, airplane engines, medical equipment or something other than a digital camera. The camera is a product of the General Imaging Company, formed by GE in 2006 and is located in Las Angeles, CA. The GE Power Pro X500 has a 16 megapixel resolution and a 15x optical zoom/6x digital zoom. Keep in mind that digital zoom reduces the image quality when you use it (with all cameras). The 16 megapixels give you more resolution than you will probably ever need and the 15x zoom really brings the subject up close. The Power Pro X500 has 2 colors to choose from - Black and White. The X500 is considered a bridge camera, having size and features between the Point-and-Shoot cameras and the Digital SLR cameras. It's size and features are closer to a Digital SLR camera than a Point-and-Shoot camera, but has a much lower price than a Digital SLR camera. The X500 has a panoramic mode unlike other cameras I have used. You set the mode, point the camera at your starting point and then scan the scene. The camera automatically takes 3 pictures as you scan the scene and stitches them together as one picture. Other cameras I have used require the user to snap the 3 pictures and then the pictures are stitched together. I like this panoramic feature. Another feature of the camera is that it has a motion stabilization function built in, which helps you get better pictures the first time. The camera also has blink detection, smile detection and face detection features. The camera is menu driven for presets for many different types of scenes, from fireworks to snow to fisheye. There are actually 20 presets for different types of scenes. It also has an automatic red-eye control function. The X500 has a 2.7" LED screen, with adjustable brightness , which you can see very well in outdoor light, but in addition, it has an electronic viewfinder which will always give you a bright and sharp view of the subject. The electronic viewfinder displays the same information as the LCD screen. You can switch between the LCD screen and the electronic viewfinder. The X500 has a video feature which produces good quality video, but it does not have HD capability. The camera is much heavier than a point and shoot camera and is closer to the digital SLR camera weight, but it is made with good grip features and the controls are easy to use. The X500 uses 4 AA batteries and you can use rechargeable AA batteries to save money. The manual indicates that 300 pictures can be taken with a set of 4 AA batteries. The X500 has a small internal memory for picture and video storage, but an optional SD/SDHC card (not included) is required for optimal use (I use a 8 GB card). Out of the box, the X500 beeps may be annoying as it beeps for every setup or option button pushed, but there is a menu option to turn off the sound effects. I turned off the sound option on my X500. The most often complaint about the X500 is that the lens cap is only a "press on cap" which frequently pops off. Conclusion - I have had the GE X500 camera for about 18 months and am pleased with the camera. Higher priced cameras may have a somewhat sharper picture, but for most users, the picture & video quality is sufficient. The X500 has a price range of $85.00 - $149.00 and to get comparable quality in other bridge or DSLR cameras would cost $200 - with