Dudley Hanks wrote:

Also, with the SX 1 / 10 cameras, you can start building up some flash
accessories which will work with EOS DSLRs, should your interest in
photography develop as your skills increase...

Yes, it's true that at least the SX1 and SX10 obviate the need for those
horrid tele-converter and wide-angle adapters.

But the SX1, with the CMOS sensor, will be about $650 (and it's not
being released in the U.S. for now). How big is the market for a large,
$650, point and shoot camera, when D-SLR bodies are available for under
$400? Apparently Canon doesn't think it's too big since they aren't
marketing it in the U.S..

Love that 28mm-560mm lens, at least on paper, but those types of zooms
invariable have quality issues at each end, while doing okay in the
middle. Plus you're still putting up with all the other drawabacks of a
P&S, such as the poor dynamic range and the slow AF.

When D-SLRs were over $1000, there was a big market for those super-zoom
P&S models. Now they don't sell well because they were selling them
mainly to enthusiasts that have upgraded to SLRs. Selling expensive P&S
super-zooms to people that don't understand anything about photographic
equipment may not be the best marketing plan.