Batteries - rechargable or AAs?

Rechargeable lithium-ion. You can buy MaximalPower batteries on Amazon for about $7.00 (a fraction of the cost of Canon batteries) and they actually last longer than the originals.

I can't seem to figure out how to take action shots. I've tried everything and they a always turn out blurry! Any suggestions??

Blurry subjects in action shots (subject motion is recorded) is the result of insufficient shutter speed. Your camera's programming is more concerned with snapshot exposure settings. You will need to override that set of compromises. I know you didn't wanna hear that. But stick with me on this. You CAN do it... Looking down at the selector dial right next to the on/off button, rotate the selector to "Tv". That's gonna give you "Time Value" automation, more correctly named "Shutter Speed Priority". You will select a shutter speed sufficiently short in duration so the kids arms and legs are stopped by the camera. Shutter speeds of about 1/1,000 of a second is sufficiently short to almost completely stop the rotor blades of helicopters. Depending on your subject's relative speed of motion, you may only need speeds like 1/500 or 1/250 of a second (shutter open for twice as long, or four times as long as 1/1,000). Try a few of these settings and check your results, and then decide. Next, point the camera at something lit up as your football game (my guess) will be, but before the action starts. Push the shutter button down HALF WAY. That's the "preview", with exposure info presented. The image on screen will darken somewhat, and the camera's choice of lens opening (aperature) will be displayed along the bottom of the screen. The largest lens opening is "f 3.4" and all the rest of them have larger numbers. With f-stops, bigger opening = smaller numbers, smaller opening = bigger numbers. The actual lens opening used will determine your "depth of field" or the range of distances on either side (closer to and farther away from the camera) of your subject which will be in sharp focus. You will most likely want a little extra range of distances in focus, so you'll need the smaller lens openings (bigger numerical values) available. Or, if you'd like to use "selective focus" you may wish to use a larger opening (smaller numbers). You gotta decide that for yourself, Ma'am. In either case, you control the shutter speed in Tv by rotating the ring around the "Function Set" control the the BACK OF THE CAMERA. And you control the exposure of the shot (and the depth of field) kinda indirectly by choosing different ISO values. That's what used to be called your film speed. Once you get it in Tv, turned on, and have tested the scene's illumination level, and therefore, have seen the camera's choice of aperatures, you respond by selecting your ISO value. Faster film speeds take less light to get a decent exposure, but they also produce "grainy" pictures. Digital cameras can get pretty grainy results, too, I'm afraid. But something's gotta give, here. I mean, if you can't add more light on the scene (like I can in a studio setting) you'll have to make a compromise somewhere in your decision. So... to review. Tv mode, power ON, shutter button down halfway, read the lens opening, make a quick decision about ISO setting based on what you find. Push the ISO (top of the Function Set control) and then rotate the ring around outside of that same control to change the value. The choice at the bottom might be more convenient for you: AUTO. Me? I'd rather have complete control over everything. It just slows me down to first figure out what the computer will likely think of, and then come up with a workable plan to defeat the computer to get the result I want. But you might be more comfy with Tv mode and use the camera's computer to fine-tune the exposure after you've set the ground rules. And, please, write back if I didn't 'splain it right. I'll try to help anyway I can. I LOVE taking good photos..! o(*_*)o

It's selling itself on the zoom -- but how good is the macro function? What is the minimum focal length?

The macro function is nowhere near as good as on my Nikon DSLR but still useable. Focal length at minimum zoom is about two inches.

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Specifications

Metering Methods	Multi, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Control	Aperture priority, Automatic, Creative Filter, Discreet, Manual, Movie, Program, Scene, Shutter priority
White Balance Settings	Auto
Self Timer	10 Seconds
Screen Size	3 Inches
Display Type	LCD
Dots Per Screen	461,000 dots
Display Fixture Type	Fixed
Display Resolution Maximum	461000
Has Color Screen	Yes
Flash Memory Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Write Speed	8 MB/s
Flash Memory Bus Interface Type	SDIO
Auto Focus Technology	Center, Contrast Detection, Face Detection, Live View, Multi-area, Single, Tracking
Focus Features	TTL
Autofocus Points	15
Focus Type	Manual Focus
Focus Mode	Manual Focus (MF)
Autofocus	Yes
Aspect Ratio	4:3
File Format	JPEG
Effective Still Resolution	16
JPEG Quality Level	Normal
Supported Image Format	Still: JPEG (Exif. 2.3); Video: MOV (Image: H.264; Audio: Linear PCM (Stereo))
Maximum Image Size	16 MP
Bit Depth	24 Bit
Total Still Resolution	16 MP
Maximum Focal Length	720 Millimeters
Optical Zoom	30 x
Lens Type	Wide Angle
Zoom	Optical Zoom
Camera Lens	Optical wide-angle lens
Minimum Focal Length	24 Millimeters
Real Angle Of View	84.1 Degrees
Digital Zoom	4
Connectivity Technology	USB
Hardware Interface	HDMI
Wireless Technology	EyeFi
HDMI Type	No
Video Output	HDMI
Total USB 2.0 Ports	1
Total USB Ports	1
Total Video Out Ports	1
Shooting Modes	Sports
Digital Scene Transition	zoom
Digital-Still	Yes
Movie Mode	Yes
Image Capture Type	Stills & Video
Night vision	No
Shooting Modes	Sports
Compatible Mountings	Canon
Exposure Control	Aperture priority, Automatic, Creative Filter, Discreet, Manual, Movie, Program, Scene, Shutter priority
Sensor Type	CCD
Image stabilization	Optical
Maximum Aperture	5.8 f
Supported Media Type	ProductImage, EnhancedContent
Expanded ISO Minimum	100
Photo Sensor Resolution	16 MP
Photo Sensor Size	1/2.3-inch
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/1600 Seconds
File Format	JPEG
Screen Size	3 Inches
Minimum Shutter Speed	15 seconds
Form Factor	Compact
Special Feature	Face Detection
Effective Still Resolution	16
Color	Black
Item Weight	12 ounces
Light Sensitivity	ISO 1600
Video Resolution	HD 720p
Viewfinder	Electronic
ISO Range	Auto, 80 ,100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Flash Modes	Automatic
Camera Flash	Built-In
Has Self-Timer	Yes
Compatible Devices	Canon cameras
Continuous Shooting	0.8
Aspect Ratio	4:3
Self Timer	10 Seconds

PowerShot SX500 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 30x Wide-Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black) (OLD MODEL)

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