I'm on the waiting list for a new SD500 as soon as they are available. I currently have an S330 thanks to the recommendations I have gotten here. I was in the market for a bigger camera such as the Digital Rebel or the PowerShot Pro1 but the form factor is what got me sold on the smaller camera.

I had 10,000 pictures/videos taken with my S330 in the first year of ownership because it was always in my pocket. It's been dropped on rocks, cement, and asphalt. Landed in the mud. Lost in the snow during a snowmobile ride (a kind soul found it, turned it on and saw a picture of my CR-V and returned it to me (small town bonus!)) I had it in my pocket during another snowmobile ride that had a snow fall that turned into a rainstorm and the camera would only work in one mode until I took her apart and let her dry out for a couple days by the oil stove. I even have the waterproof case and I have taken it out on my WaveRunner and with me being towed on a tube behind the WaveRunner and behind a friends boat. I have also taken it with me during the birthday parties of my nephews and neices when they are at the pool. Nobody else has a camera so it really lights up the kids eyes to see the pictures and videos of them diving for the first time or finally swimming without anyone holding onto them.

My S330 has really proven to me the sturdiness of the Canon cameras. I only hope I have the same joy with the SD500. 7 megapixels, zoom in video mode, unlimited length (up to 1 gigabyte) of video clips. It was pretty much a nobrainer once I started reading about this camera. The price I have been given on it as of now is $629 Canadian. I hope to do a little better then that once it is released but I know the accessories are gonna bring my cost up a bit.

Rene