It may be Canon's slimmest Digital ELPH, but it's selection of photo-friendly options is undeniably wide. From full HD movie capture to peak performance in even the most unforgiving shooting conditions, this digital camera is on the cutting edge of point-and-shoot picture taking. One-year warranty. Model SD780IS.
12.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality poster-size prints
3x optical zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer
HD movie shooting capability plus HDMI output
2.5-inch widescreen PureColor LCD II screen; Face Detection
Compatible with SD/SDHC, MMC/MMC Plus/HC MMC Plus (not included)
Reviewed by: U. Wilkins, San Jose, CA USA Review Date: 2009-03-16
I just purchased this Canon on a whim, earlier today at Best Buy. I have been tinkering with it for the majority of the evening. My previous SD300 is still working like a champ, however I have been considering a video camera for some time...after some peering at the video camera counter I wandered over to the point and shoot table... what initially drew me in to the SD780IS was its appearance on the display stand. The sleek matte-black body is very eye-pleasing...then I looked at the specs. and realized that it shoots video in HD! (1280x720) Then all the other attributes made me realize that it was time to update my "everywhere, anytime" camera.
I proceeded to check out some of the other Canon SD cameras. The SD960 became the other candidate...it has a little more glass(4x)zoom, over the SD780's (3x)zoom. The SD960 has an appealing f2.8 apeture over the SD780's f3.2. The SD960's screen is more tailored for the HD video capture as it has a 16:9 ratio LCD panel. (Kinda nice for instant viewing ON THE CAMERA)
After some thought I went with the SD780 for these reasons:
1. The HD video capability is awesome and comparible with the SD960. It has a HDMI jack. The traditional 4:3 screen does not bother me, because the video is ultimately going to be viewed on a HD TV.(There will be an upper and lower bar on 16:9 playback through the SD780's LCD).
2.The weaker 3x zoom is not a big deal as this camera is for general shooting(out w/ freinds, bars, random afternoon at the beach, mountain biking, etc.)and with this camera EASLIY fitting in my jeans pocket or camelbak, the portability is what gives me the opportunity to document those moments, that would otherwise be missed. The SD960 is a little bulkier(but still small). I do also shoot with a Canon 40D, accompanied with L optics, but the weight and bulkiness do not lend to certain shooting circumstances. (as mentined above)
3. The user interface on the SD780IS is like most (if not all?) preceeding SD cameras. While there is not much control in the way of shooting settings, feature buttons like flash override, AE lock, AF lock, and exposure compensation are present on the camera body. The SD960IS has two buttons and a jog wheel, which lend to swims in the menu. I'm sure the new interface on the 960 is intuitive, but I liked the 780 due to its similarity to my old SD300.
I am very happy with the results produced thus far with the SD780IS. The HD video is excellant, however it should be known that once recording you can only zoom digitally. Low light cabilities and sound in video mode are excellent. The stills I have taken look great. Also, to the budget-minded who are upgrading from older digital point-and-shoots, a class 4 minimum 4GB or 8GB SDHC card would be well suited due to the demanding memory of the 12.1 million pixels, and HD video. Also, most old card readers will not process the the SDHC cards so you may have to purchase a new card reader as well.
I have to mention it again...the small size of the Canon SD780IS is mind-blowing...and the functionality actually mirrors its beauty.
Revolutionary! Beautiful and Powerful
Reviewed by: W. Chan, New York City Review Date: 2009-03-24
OVERVIEW
Canon SD780IS is the perfect travel/everyday camera. It weighs a little over 4 ounces. The size of the camera is astonishing. It is smaller than my iPhone 3G and my wallet. I love the new 720p video recording HD feature on the 2009 Canon P+S line. The image stabilization for video/image stills is a winner. The clips are sharper and clearer than the clips from the Creative Vado HD and the Flip Video MinoHD.
PLAYBACK ON COMPUTERS
For video playback without choppiness on the computer, you need to have at least a Core 2 Duo 1.66 GHz or higher processor on Windows (Vista/XP SP2/XP SP 3) or Core Duo 1.66 GHz or higher processor on Mac OS X (v10.4-v10.5)
MEMORY CARD
You should get at least 8GB Sandisk Extreme III SDHC (Class 6 or higher) memory card for the camera. 4000x3000 resolution images can quickly fill up your 2/4GB SD memory card.
CONCLUSION
+ Quick Continuous Snapshots
+ 720p HD Video Recording with Image Stabilization
+ Lightning Quick Startup
+ Ultra-Compact Point & Shoot Camera (Thin + Light Combo)
+ Beautiful Design
+ Great for Beginners (Very Easy To Use)
+ Bright LCD Screen
+ DIGIC IV Technology
+ Blink Detection
+ Can Edit Video Clips on the go
+ Scene Detection Mode works Flawlessly
- No Optical Zoom in Video Mode while Recording (You can Digitally Zoom)
- Monotone Sound in Video Mode
- Only 3x Optical Zoom for image stills
- View Finder is Useless
- Little Noisy/Grainy when Using Higher Than ISO400 but Acceptable
SCORE/VERDICT
09/10: Recommended
Amazing Things Sometimes Come In Tiny Packages
Reviewed by: George D. Gates, Dallas, TX USA Review Date: 2009-05-02
After researching ultra-compact cameras for 2 weeks, I had narrowed down my choices to this camera, the Canon SD880 IS and a couple of models from other manufacturers (though I knew in the end I'd choose a Canon). As with most electronic purchases I make, it was an agonizing process. Every camera had a feature that I wanted, yet none of them had everything that I wanted. I would have liked a bit more zoom, and other cameras have wider lenses. In the end, the three features that won me over were the amazingly small size, the ability to capture HD video at a resolution of 720p, and the HDMI out.
As for the performance, I couldn't be happier. Many of the reviews I read before purchasing mentioned a high amount of noise, but in my experience it only occurs at higher ISO's, is not very noticeable, and seems to be in line with other compact cameras that I've used, no more, no less. I would NOT let this be a determining factor if I were considering this camera.
This is my first camera with image stabilization and it's works very well. On a recent trip I took over 500 pictures (and filled up less than 1/4th of my 8-gig card at the highest resolution), and not one of them ended up blurry. The AUTO feature has also proven to be much better than I had anticipated: it changes between 18 settings automatically, such as macro, bright sunshine, etc., and so far, it's been right on the money. Another complaint that I've read is that viewfinder is useless. While it is quite tiny, I have actually used it, and I find it to be quite serviceable. At some point, a camera gets so small that it's difficult to squeeze everything onto its surface area. Kudos to Canon for even including the optical viewfinder at all.
My complaints are few, and none would be a dealbreaker for me. The small size and smooth, symmetrical shape sometimes make it hard to tell which side I am holding onto when I take it out of my pocket. When attempting to push the power button, I will often realize I am pushing on the bottom of the camera. I have to actually look at it to tell what I am doing. Also, as stated previously, the HD video takes a pretty beefy CPU to play back smoothly. My PC is 4 years old and has a hard time keeping up. The easy solution to this is to play back directly to the monitor/TV with an HDMI cable. It seemed improbable to me that a video made with a camera this small would look good on a 55" HD television. I was stunned at how sharp it looked.
The bottom line is that anybody looking for an ultra-compact camera is going to be extremely satisfied with this one. It doesn't take the pictures that a digital SLR is going to, nor does it have the same features. But anybody looking at this camera realizes that already. I went to an arts festival last weekend and was AMAZED at how many people are lugging around DSLR's these days. It seemed like every other person had one. When looking at performance vs. convenience and portability, I'll take the SD780 any day.
With such great power comes great resp- ..video?
Reviewed by: Kent T. Hambrock, Reston, VA USA Review Date: 2009-04-12
As many have already left HUGE reviews on this camera I will try to be quick about it, but I did have to review this camera. This camera is great. When I say that I mean it. I work for a camera store and everyday I'm reviewing cameras to people's faces and when this one came out I took one look at it and the features and told my boss "Oh yeah, we'll be out by tomorrow" and we were. It sells FAST. Why? Because it's a GREAT camera.
The form factor can't truly be captured in a picture, you have to feel this thing in your hand to know what everyone's talking about. 9 out of 10 people I show the camera to decide to buy once they've held it. It's small, it's REALLY small. It's just a sexy form. The 2.5 isn't screen isn't because they wanted to be cheap, it's because they couldn't put a bigger screen on there without making the camera a good deal bigger. Same for the 3x zoom.
The Digic IV processor and iSAPS technology means this camera is fast and accurate. It's constantly focusing and letting you know what it thinks you want to take a picture of. It's facial recognition is so fast and accurate, it can track someone running quickly across the screen with a box around their face the whole time. And it picks up faces on magazines, ads, anything that has a human face on it. The iSAPS is constantly changing the mode to better suit what you're shooting and it'll show you the mode you're in while it's doing it(upper left hand corner of the screen).
The 720p high-def video is the one that seals the deal. You know it's fast. You know it's accurate. You know it's easy. But the video, always catches you of guard. "Wait you mean to tell me this camera smaller then my blackberry curve can take high-def video as well as pictures??" Oh it can do more then that. Canon always has a few things thrown into video mode for the fun of it, like color Accent, as in taking away all but one color. Allowing your friend in the red shirt to be the REAL center of attention. And seeing that on the big screen only makes the camera more interesting.
And I even sold myself on buying the camera, with it's sleekness, speed, accuracy, and high-def I just couldn't resist. I'm not telling you to get the camera, but if you do, you won't be disappointed.
More Than Expected!! Superb Photos!
Reviewed by: H. Mera, Houston, Texas Review Date: 2009-05-05
CONS: Poor Low-Light Performance, some noise in low light, tiny viewfinder, mini-HDMI to HDMI cable not included, SD/SDHC storage card not included
Amazon has the best price at under 250 bucks. Most sites are charging full retail since this camera is so popular.
High Definition video is very good at 720p. This will not replace a full size camera or the 5D Mark II for video quality. But, it is a lot better than most including the original Flip video camera.
An HDMI cable IS NOT INCLUDED with the camera. You will need it to watch HD video directly from the camera on an HDTV. I bought a 3 ft miniHDMI-to-HDMI cable online from Monoprice for 8 bucks including USPS first class shipping. They have quality cables for the lowest price on the Monoprice site.
UPDATE: I am very happy with the mini-HDMI to HDMI cables. They were so inexpensive that I bought 2 of these at 3ft long: one for the iMac, the other is for my travel bag. I bought a 6ft mini-HDMI to HDMI cable for the HDTV in the first floor family room. I should have gotten a longer cable since you have to control the video start/stop/next buttons on the camera. You have to get up often to start the next movie clip. I also bought a small 1x3/4inch miniHDMI to HDMI adapter to carry everywhere I take the camera which is everywhere!
UPDATE: The small cover that protects the miniHDMI and USB ports feels a little flimsy. The hinge stretches. I have to force it slightly beyond my comfort to insert cables. I can see this covering breaking off with a lot of use.
An SD storage card IS NOT INCLUDED. They are available at low cost, under 15 bucks, on the net. Check the Dealnews site for the latest sales. I used a 4GB SD high capacity (SDHC) card which will hold about 30mins of video.
Some complain 2.5inch is too small for the LCD. There is no place to put a larger 3inch LCD on this camera without making it a touch screen like the iPhone or increasing the camera size. Plus, 2.5 inch is common on a lot of cameras. I have no problems with it.
TINY VIEW FINDER: It was hard peering through the small hole. I mainly use the LCD screen about 95% of the time. So, NOT A PROBLEM.
Got this camera to try out the 720p HD, face/blink detection and other features. They all worked great.
I was surprised by the small size since I only saw this camera online and never tried it out at a store. It is slightly smaller than my average size business card and about as thin as a new deck of playing cards. I'm female, but, I never bought an ELPH-size Canon camera because they seemed too small. I was concerned I would not be able to comfortably operate the buttons or it would slip out of my hands. I don't have that fear with the SD780. The brushed metal finish provides some friction. The buttons are placed well. Also, the wrist strap is always available as protection against dropping the camera.
SMART AUTO feature is great! I use it often to take closeup (macro) shots or when I don't have time to adjust the settings. I hold the camera about 4 inches from an object and the camera self adjusts the settings. It amazing to watch it work. I partially press the shutter button to see where the camera is focused and move it to focus on my area of interest. The camera selects of the pre-programmed 18 modes to find the one that creates the best image.
As many stated, the images are superb thanks to the 12.1 mega pixel resolution, Digic 4, and the image stabilizer (IS) function. You should not live without IS unless you are into the artsy blurry pictures. It takes great pictures of kids who don't sit still. Great if you don't have steady hands. Images are crisp, clear and can be easily seen in the beautiful 2.5inch LCD.
I noticed the noise in some of the photos. Did not have too much problems with it.
The 3X optical is fine. Best for the photographer to move in or out to zoom/out on the subject matter and not worry about the camera lens zoom when just taking photos. Zooming during filming would be better. Hopefully, Canon adds this feature to future powershot ELPH models.
Overall, a great camera that is thin enough to hide in a small purse or pocket yet still deliver superb photos for it's size!
(I have owned 7 Canon cameras including 5 digital cameras. I have used this camera for about 1 week.)
One look at Canon's new PowerShot S95 will have you moving "upgrade my digital camera" to the top of your to-do list. The ultra-slim, ultra-intelligent S95 is loaded with all a serious photographer's must-haves, including a bright f/2.0 wide-angle lens and professional-style control ring for intuitive manual control. Canon's HS System is on board for spectacular performance and image quality in low light.
And, new for a compact, the S95 incorporates Canon's Hybrid IS for blur-free shooting even close-up. You'll shoot stunning 720p HD video with stereo sound, then watch it immediately on your HDTV with the simple HDMI connection. If photography's your passion, now is the perfect time to step up to PowerShot S95.
10.0-megapixel sensor combined with the DIGIC 4 Image Processor creates Canon's HS System
Capture 720p HD video in stereo sound; play back on an HDTV via the HDMI output
f/2.0 lens for low light conditions or shallow depth-of-field; control ring for intuitive manual control
3.8x optical zoom; 28mm wide-angle lens; Canon's Hybrid IS to compensate for angular and shift camera shake
Capture images to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards (not included)
Reviewed by: Amazon Fan for Many Years, Alexandria, Virginia Review Date: 2010-08-31
I spent two or three months doing tons of research to replace my old Canon SD870. Finally a month ago I decided to buy the S90 despite the fact that it didn't have 720 HD video, it was a one-year old model, and many reviewers disliked the looseness of the control dial. My S90 arrived in the middle of August and over the course of many days I learned how to use all the functions and was very pleased with the results.
And then on August 19 Canon announced the upcoming release of the Canon S95. I immediately returned my S90 and anxiously awaited the arrival of its successor. Earlier today it was delivered and I've been using it all day.
I must say that I wanted to love the S90, but the smoothness of the body annoyed me. I figured I'd just have to get used to the slipperiness. But now that I have the S95 in my hands, I can't believe what a difference the matte finish makes regarding secure handling. There's no way you can appreciate the difference if you haven't handled both models yourself. Honestly, that feature alone is worth the slightly higher price.
Control dial issues? No longer! Subtle click-stops have solved that problem.
Finger missing the shutter button on the S90? Well, the geniuses at Canon took care of that, also. You won't mistake the shutter button on the S95 for any other button due to the distinct and secure feel.
I'm in love with this camera. I won't go into details about picture quality because it's as good as its predecessor; there are examples all over the Internet. And of course the S95's 720 HD video is a big improvement over the standard video of the S90.
Only one "con" I can think of: The new, smooth, elegant display on the back is no longer recessed therefore you'll have to be careful if you place the camera face up on a flat surface. In that position it appears the screen will come in direct contact with the table's surface.
S95 is simply perfect
Reviewed by: Jonathan Beling, Review Date: 2010-09-02
The Canon S95 is my 5th Canon compact camera over 7 or 8 years. When I was looking for a new camera a few weeks ago I wanted one that offered more than just the standard point and shoot features but also one that I could easily carry in my pocket. I was torn between the S95 and the LX5 (Panasonic). The S95 won me over and here is why. First, the LX5 is not exactly "compact" but the S95 is the perfect size. It fits nicely in my front pants pocket, not to mention the finish on the camera is not slick so you can easily grip it without worrying about dropping it. The second thing I wanted was to be able to take good depth of field shots. I'm not a camera guru, but I know a little and the basic point and shoot just does not offer this and if it does I promise it's not as easy to use nor as good of quality as the S95. Next is the HD video. I took about 5 video's at a karaoke bar last night and they are awesome. I have an 8GB SD card which according to the camera can record over 50 minutes of HD (720) video. Also, when taking action shots just using the AUTO setting on the camera, the pictures turn out amazing. The ring function is probably another major reason I chose the S95. You can use it to zoom or change any of the settings (e.g., aperture) just by turning it. No need to go through the menu settings etc. The S95 is also a solid camera. You can tell this by just looking at the parts used and feeling the camera itself. I don't feel like I'm going to break it if that makes any sense. For the money you get a lot with this camera. The HD video is by itself worth it.
A great successor to the S90
Reviewed by: Jason Phillips, Greensboro, NC USA Review Date: 2010-08-31
What a great camera and a great experience from the first photo you snap. I fell in love with the S90 a few months back, practically ditching my Canon 5D Mk II whenever I needed a quick shot. I started opting to travel light with only my S90 instead of lugging around the SLR and think I'm almost getting better shots.
I've had the S95 for only a day now (I doubt anyone has had it any longer!), but improvements to the placement and function of the buttons, as well as access to the cable ports, is all considered and beautifully executed.
The model designation is also more matte and subtle which seems like a new trend for Canon.
Great little camera
Reviewed by: bmf_tway, Review Date: 2010-08-30
This is a great little camera I can take anywhere. Just got it today and haven't really put it through all the test but so far I am loving the picture quality. I think it's better than my G11 that I sold recently. It was just too big to carry around and I much rather carry my SLR if it's the case. This thing is so small I can put it in my pant pockets unlike the G11. I now have a camera I can take anywhere and have good quality shots. High iso is great especially with the hybrid IS. Low light shots are sharp with the new IS. With the G11 I would have not gotten the shots. It would have been pretty blurry. Love the matte finish as it keeps it from slipping from my hands. I will update more once I get some more time with it but loving it so far.
I feel like I'm cheating on my S90
Reviewed by: Steven J. Micallef, Rochester Hills, MI Review Date: 2010-08-31
Two weeks ago I was using my Canon S90 which I ordered before it came out. I did not expect to be holding that camera's replacement 14 days later. In fact, the previous weekend I was at dinner with a friend who has a Lumix LX-3 and I mentioned that that camera's successor was recently released. Who knew the S95 would beat the LX-5 to owner's hands?
After seeing the release on DPReview on the 19th, I investigated the camera further. I though, wow it looks very similar to my S90. I compared stats and saw that it was fractionally slimmer and the power and ring function buttons had swapped placement. The most exciting thing I found on the S95... I could actually use a neck strap with it! I found holes on both sides, now I just have to find one that'll fit (Come on Canon, you couldn't put one in the box!).
Well, my S95 arrived today and I was excited because I still had my S90 before I dropped it off at the post office to meet it's new owner. I was happy to compare them side-by-side in person.
In person, you'll notice the finish compared to the S90. That camera feels like a bar of soap in the shower now compared to the S95. The new finish feels much better. It reminds me of the Magnesium alloy they use on Valentine One radar detectors. I don't know what they're using, but, good job Canon. No more thumb rest, I was a little sad to see that go. The control wheel has a much more damped movement now and not so free-spinning.
The shutter button and zoom dial are redesigned, along with the mode dial getting a different texture.
Also noticed that the screen doesn't have that purple anti-reflective coating look (when it's off) to it anymore. It just looks nice and black. Lastly, the color they used to paint on 'S95' on the front is a darker shade of grey than used before to paint 'S90.' Same for the words around the lens.
Canon's storied S Series gets a revitalized new leader in the slimmer, lighter, PowerShot S90, the perfect everyday camera for people who are serious about great photography. Image quality is superb thanks to the new High Sensitivity System and higher ISO speeds, plus an exceptionally bright f/2.0 lens that makes portraits and low-light shots come to life. Photography enthusiasts will love the new control ring at the base of the lens barrel, designed for intuitive, pro-style manual control.
FEATURES:
10-megapixel sensor coupled with Canon's DIGIC 4 Image Processor - The PowerShot S90 employs a 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System by combining a powerful CCD sensor and Canon's DIGIC 4 Image Processor. Thanks to this technological advancement, the S90 is dramatically more sensitive than cameras with identical megapixel counts, and delivers spectacular images with minimal noise. Increased sensitivity demands a higher ISO speed, and the PowerShot S90 delivers with a new maximum setting of ISO 3,200. Blur and camera shake are notably reduced for the ultimate in sharpness and clarity.
Compact and pocket-sized camera for everyday use for the advanced amateur - Serious photography buffs never want to miss a shooting opportunity, and that means keeping a high-quality camera on hand at all times. With a robust feature set that meets an advanced amateur's exacting standards, the compact PowerShot S90 fits the bill. The S90 boasts an incredibly slim profile and lightweight body for pocket-sized convenience, yet packs in advanced capabilities that make every image memorable. It's the perfect take-along complement to your camera collection.
Bright f/2.0 lens, great for shooting in low light conditions or using a shallow depth-of-field - The S90 sports an f/2.0 aperture, perfect for creating enticing portraits, by drawing attention to t
New 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System; DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Improved low-light image performance, plus a Low Light scene mode for ISO settings up to 12,800
Customizable control ring for easy access and operation of manual or other creative shooting settings
Reviewed by: Randy Benter, Kansas City Review Date: 2009-10-11
I bought this camera on 10/9, which is the first day it was available here in Kansas City. I have already taken a couple hundred shots with it comparing images side by side with my G10 at various settings. This review is of my initial impression based on the short time that I have had it. I was anxiously awaiting the release of this camera. I own a Nikon D90 DSLR, but there are many times when I prefer to just take a compact. In the past the Canon G10 has served that purpose, but the S90 boasts improved low-light performance and smaller size.
The first thing I wanted to test was image quality and noise at high ISO settings. Most photography hobbyists and pros know that low light performance is the number one factor influencing camera and lens prices. This is the main reason an f/2.8 zoom lens costs 3-5 times as much as an f/3.5-5.6 zoom. The S90 performs superbly in this regard. RAW images from the S90 set at ISO 800 were equal to or better than RAW images from the G10 set at ISO400. Both luminance and chrominance noise were lower in the S90 images. This represents a 1 stop improvement, which is what I was hoping for. These comparisons were made with all noise reduction disabled in camera and in the DPP software. I tested all other ISOs and found the S90 to be better at all ISO settings above 100 and the 2 cameras demonstrated equal IQ at the base ISOs of 80 and 100.
Canon also boasts about the S90 having a faster f/2.0 lens compared to the f/2.8 on the G10, but this part of the camera did not impress me. The lens only has the 1 stop advantage at the absolute widest setting and the max aperture closes down fast from there. The G10/G11 lens is faster at the telephoto end and the difference is negligible at all zoom settings in between. Both lenses are equally sharp throughout their zoom ranges.
The ergonomics of the camera will take me a while to get used to. I was looking for a smaller camera and the S90 definitely fits the bill. But now that I am using it, I wonder if it might be too small. I hope that it will become more comfortable in my hands as I get used to it. On the G10, I could operate all of the controls on the right-rear of the camera with the thumb of the hand holding the camera. With the S90 there are fewer controls that I can operate one-handed and at times I feel like I might drop this camera, because I just can't get a good grip on it. Other ergonomic concerns are that the rear control ring turns too easily and I have found myself unintentionally adjusting settings because of this, which was never a problem on the G10. I think I might miss the external ISO and Exposure Compensation dials on the G10, but I have set the front control ring to adjust the ISO setting and I would honestly need to use it more before I say the controls are not easy to access; again this should improve with more use. None of the concerns I have about the size and controls on the camera would dissuade me from the purchase; the trade-off is worth it for the smaller carrying size and improved performance.
The camera ships with a newer version (3.7) of Canon's Digital Photo Professional software. There is not much difference compared to older versions, but there is one nice improvement: the lens aberration section is enabled for images taken with the S90. This allows for correction of vignetting, CA and distortion. I do not understand why the same controls are not available for RAW files taken with the G10. There is still no straighten function in the software, which is a disappointment. Another disappointing factor about the software is that Canon has not yet released a new RAW Codec; the current version (1.5) does not support the S90 or G11. This allows raw files to be viewed in Windows and for thumbnail images to be created in Windows explorer. I am sure they are working on an update, but I wish they had this ready by the time the camera was released.
I went step-by-step through the menus and features of both cameras during my comparison and most functions are very similar. The S90 has fewer AF options and no remote control, but I do not think I will miss either of these.
I considered giving this camera only 4 stars because of the couple of hits I mentioned above, but then decided that would not be fair. The title of "Best Compact" has been debated feverishly on the web, with most votes going to the G10 and LX3. But now, I think Canon's new release of both the S90 and G11 will put a quick end to these debates. There is no question in my mind that this pair sits above all competitors. Therefore a five star rating is the only logical choice. I highly recommend this camera.
My Powershot S90 Has Arrived, and It's Fantastic!
Reviewed by: Ray, Review Date: 2009-08-29
Early Impressions
I was delighted to have finally received my Powershot S90, and without further adieu, let me say that this is one heck of a camera. It's not perfect -- you can take truly terrible pictures with it just like you can take terrible pictures with a D700 -- but when used properly, the camera turns out remarkable shots that make us find it hard to accept the images are coming from a camera that fits in your pants pocket.
What struck me first upon using it? First, it's size. This thing is small, and it's light, too. It's a bit smaller than my Panasonic TZ3 and TZ5, and it's lighter, too. (The camera uses a front and back metal construction with plastic on the top and bottom, but the Panasonic's, while also using metal, use a thicker gauge steel which adds a feel of sturdiness but also adds some weight, as well). The camera also has a high-quality feel to it. The buttons click and depress well (although the rear wheel is a bit too easy to turn, in my opinion). It has a rounded shape, so it feels comfortable in the hands, and when you stick it in your pocket, it will slide right in and out without snagging. The screen on this thing is simply gorgeous: why can't every camera have a screen like this? It's large, bright, and pretty high in resolution (461,000 pixels). You can't help but admire the camera's design once you get looking at it and using it.
Next, the camera seems to perform well in terms of speed and overall operational use. The screen has the typical lag when taking shots, but you can adjust this somewhat in the menu system to speed things up, and quite frankly, every small camera I've ever owned exhibits this behavior. It is easy to use most of the camera's functions, and you may have heard about the programmable control ring around the lens on the front of the camera. It's operation is easy, solid (the ring "clicks" with detents at different positions), and, to boot, there is the standard programmable "S" button that the Powershots "S" cameras have typically had.
But of course, I'm interested in high ISO operation, and so I immediately took it into the livingroom where it was quite dark, and just started shooting. I was quite surprised at the results. You are not going to necessarily submit these to win any contests, but for the most part, the camera took nice shots even in that bad shooting environment, and the vast majority of the photos came out quite well (I will post a few with this review). The camera is the first (along with the Powershot G11) to deploy Sony's new ICX685CQZ sensor, a 9.31mm diagonal sensor with high performance specifications. With a little post processing, many of them look quite good. As the ISO crept into the very high ranges (800 and above) some sensor noise became apparent, but this is certainly the best low-light performance I've seen in a non-DSLR so far. (See my explanations, below, to see why this is possible). Surprisingly, some shots as high as 1600 ISO seemed to be acceptable as long as you are not a "pixel peeper." I was quite surprised when I discovered that a few of the shots had been taken at this high ISO 1600 level -- I've never had this experience before with a point and shoot camera.
Outdoor operation is fantastic. My outdoor shots for the most part have come out very well, with rich color, great detail, and little sensor noise. Like most Canon portables, these images seem to respond well to post-processing (you can sharpen them quite easily, and Canon now uses a standard meta-data tagging format that is readable by virtually all photo editor programs.) I even turned the EV down -2/3 while outside, and the sensitivity of the camera is so good that, even with this reduction in EV, my shots came out sharp and clear. Again, I will post a few shots with this review.
The camera TRULY excels at macro photography. The macro shots I've taken thus far are clear, sharp, and have great depth of field. In a word, they are superb: this camera is a macro shooter's delight. (A nice touch, too, is that in AUTO mode the camera automatically shifts into macro mode, without having to press any buttons!) The functionality just begs us to keep shooting macros over and over again. I've been able to take macro shots that I only dreamed of before, and the camera makes it easy to do so.
And although this is not an objective measure, the camera is just plain fun to use. It works smoothly, is light, has a beautiful screen, and seems to keep cranking out one nice shot after another. Wow.
Early Pro's and Cons
-- PROS --
1. Exceptionally small and lightweight (100 x 58 x 31 mm and 175 g)
2. Increased sensor size for a portable with a lower megapixel count (Sony's new ICX685CQZ sensor, 9.31mm diagonal)
3. Reasonably large zoom factor (28-105mm, approximately 3.8X zoom)
4. Wide end is very wide for landscape shots, vistas, group photos (28mm)
5. Fast f/2 lens permits high levels of light passage in low light situations
6. f/2 lens makes shallow depth of field shots incredibly effective - this camera is a macro shooter's delight
7. Two types of highly effective shake reduction technologies
8. Design makes lens cap unnecessary
9. Extremely high image quality for a pocket sized camera
10. HUGE 3 inch LCD screen with 461,000 pixel resolution and 100% coverage of the shot you wish to take
11. RAW mode allows for highest image quality and post processing
12. Virtually every camera setting is user adjustable (ISO, shutter speed, aperture, EV, white balance, etc.)
13. Ring-based control implementation one of the best on ANY current camera
14. Reasonable cost for a camera of this ability (but watch the prices climb as the camera stays in and out of stock)
16. Metadata being properly written to the file so they can be read by photo editing software (a problem with earlier Canons and some other brands)
17. SDHC flash card is highly standardized, and is coming in larger and faster formats (necessary if you are taking many RAW shots)
18. Extremely attractive physical design
19. High quality construction apparent on first use
20. Reasonably good battery life - most people are reporting about 300 shots (without flash) between charges
-- CONS --
1. Zoom ends at 108mm (3.8X zoom), which may be a deal breaker for some
2. Does not take HD videos (but does shoot 640 x 480 at full 30fps)
3. LCD screen not at the highest current resolution as seen in some DSLR's (but is great, anyway)
4. Proprietary battery is an expensive proposition, as two or three are needed for daylong trips
5. Camera case not included, and is expensive to purchase afterword
6. No prices below retail due to the high demand of the device
7. May be difficult to initially acquire due to high demand
8. Still no "universal standard" RAW mode file format - the camera manufacturers need to address this soon!
9. Mechanical noise when setting focus and moving between bright and dimply lit areas - this is the aperture being adjusted, but it can be annoying
Some Other Things I Can Tell You about this Camera (and the Powershot Line in general)
Canon's reinstatement of the venerable "S" series within the Powershot line is a welcome move to thousands of photographic enthusiasts. Although the S90 announcement a few months ago caught the photographic community by surprise, the announcement was greeted with overwhelmingly positive reactions. As a person who had been greatly impressed by my older Powershot S80, a phenomenal camera for its time and a pleasure to use, I was one of them.
Read the online posts of virtually any photography forum, and you'll quickly see there is no shortage of individuals, many of them longtime professional photographers, who have tired of carrying around anywhere from four to ten pounds of photographic equipment simply to get a few shots while out on a trip. (I think it may have been Scott Kelby who said, and I paraphrase, "The best shot is the one you take," and if the weight and size of your equipment makes it so that you end up not bringing your camera with you, you won't take any photos at all! This is a corollary to one famous photographer`s statement that there is an inverse relationship between the amount of photos you take and the amount of equipment you bring.) The problem has generally been, however, that the smaller you make the camera, the worse the image quality of the photos the device can produce. This has set up a tradeoff between image quality and camera size, and, more specially, image quality and sensor size, which for years has forced photographers to take a stand with one side of the equation or the other, and then defend to the community why they made such a choice.
Without going into too much detail here, the problem in manufacturing a compact camera that takes excellent images under a wide range of environments essentially boils down to the sensor, the electronic device that takes the place of film in older cameras. The larger the sensor, the more surface area for light to fall, and the higher the density of the sensor (in megapixels) the higher the sensor's resolution. Camera manufacturers have excelled at developing ever higher densities in sensors of the same physical dimensions -- many 12 and 14 mexapixel cameras are using sensors sized no larger than those on previous cameras possessing only 3 or 4 mexapixels -- but where they have fallen flat on their faces is in the development of sensors that have good resolution AND low noise. And the most direct impact of increasing mexapixel count on a sensor that remains static in size is the increase of electronic "noise" (also known as the "signal to noise ratio," a term used for describing all electrical circuits, whether photographic in nature, or not), resulting in photos that have a grain like appearance with miniscule spots of white and color spread throughout the entire image, spoiling the photo's clarity and diminishing its overall appearance.
The problem is that when more reactive pixels are crammed into a sensor of a fixed size, the size of the pixels themselves must be decreased to accommodate more of them within the same sensor size. But as pixels are made smaller, they also tend to emit more unwanted electrical emissions (called "noise") along with the desired output (called "signal"). As consumers have somehow mistakenly equated megapixels with quality (and the camera manufacturers have done little, if anything, to dispel this misunderstanding), camera manufacturers have released successive waves of new cameras with higher and higher resolution, but with essentially the same sized sensors. These "upgrades" have driven noise levels higher, and have resulted in more cameras capable to taking "good" photos only in full sunlight where the signal from the sensor easily overpowers its noise. (This phenomenon is best seen when taking a picture in a low light setting, say inside a building, and the photo, if it comes out blur free at all, is laden with noise spots, making the photo generally unappealing in appearance and lacking in detail and clarity.)
The approach to this problem has typically been to apply "noise reduction" processing algorithms to the image before it is written to the flash card, similar to techniques used by computer software image editing programs. And although this "after the fact" noise reduction approach can help, the truth is that, for most situations, there simply is no way to repair a photo so laden with noise: you can remove the noise, but the cost is a loss of detail, making such photos appear slightly soft and blurry, with little detail. Some cameras produce so much noise that noise reduction algorithms appear in all photos, not just low light shots, where even full sunlight shots present noise reduction artifacts in the resulting picture.
That preamble may have been a bit longer than was expected, but it is an important background to the Powershot S90, a camera that attempts to tackle the problem of low light image quality in a manner few manufacturers have generally attempted:
1. increasing the physical size of the sensor to a size larger than most point and shoot cameras
2. reducing the noise generation inherent in the hardware sensor pixels
3. increasing pixel size by reducing the number of pixels on the sensor
4. using a "fast, bright" lens with a very wide aperture (f/2 at its widest zoom level) that allows a great deal of light to pass through to the sensor
When these four approaches are employed, the result can be a portable camera that, under some conditions, can rival the performance of most entry level DSLRS, and do so in format that fits in your shirt pocket.
The Powershot S90 has just now been released, and most all initial reviews seem to be extremely positive, including my own here. Functionality on the camera is praised, particularly with Canon's implementation of a very old, but generally discarded control mechanism: a ring around the diameter of the lens element serves as a selector for variety of user-defined functions in conjunction with a small function button on the top of the camera. The unit itself is diminutive in size and weight (100 x 58 x 31 mm and 175 g , respectively) and makes use of a matte black finish with smooth curved edges that maintains the generally rectangular shape.
What is the price we pay for such performance? The primary one (and this may be a deal breaker for many) is that the camera zooms only from 28 105mm, making it effectively a 3.8x zoom, too little to be able to compare with compacts such as Panasonic's DMC-TZ5, which starts at this same wide end but (incredibly) zooms to 10x. But if we understand what the S90 is designed to do, which is to take high quality images even in less than desirable lighting conditions (at dusk, inside a cathedral, in museums, etc.), we can see Canon's strategy: don't worry about a lens that zooms across the football field and concentrate on developing a fast lens that transmits lots of light and excels at the wide end. In fact, the S90 is marketed as a camera that is particularly well suited to depth of field shots, where only one item in the frame is in focus, and the rest blurred, and in macro shots where the subject is less than 2 inches away. In this sense, we can say the camera's zoom is not a deficit in the design, but a strategy that helps the camera achieve its goals.
My Canon Powershot S80, a camera I purchased many years ago, took pictures of startling clarity and quality. While possessing similar lens characteristics to the new S90, the S80 had no anti-shake technology, could hold only up to a 2Gb SD card, and had an optical viewfinder that wasn't too accurate. But none of that mattered: the photos that came out of the camera were some of the best I took in those years, and, to boot, the camera was constructed in a quality manner that distinguished itself from all other portables at the time, and was simply a pleasure to use. Early reviewers of the S90 are reporting these very same qualities, but now with a camera that is designed to push the boundaries of portable cameras into a new standard.
COMPARE
Canon Powershot S80 8MP Digital Camera with 3.6x Wide Angle Optical Zoom
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K 9MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)
a non-photographer's opinion
Reviewed by: Jeffrey Stanley, Wichita, KS United States Review Date: 2009-12-05
I'm a very amateur camera user. I understand the basic terms and settings (ISO, aperture, shutter speed, image stabilization, exposure) but I am impatient and like to get things set and just use the camera.
I bought this camera because I wanted the ability to use the camera indoors in low light without a flash. Due to the relatively high price, my expectations were high.
My cam was delivered just last week, and having used it at an event in a local bar the best word I can use to describe this camera is "magic". This camera takes in so much light it really seems like magic.
The event I was documenting was in a very dimly lit room. The only lighting sources in the room were incandescent chandeliers dimmed as low as they would go.
I set my iso to 1000 in aperture priority mode, f2.0 (this level is only available in the widest zoom), adjusted white balance for incandescent, and took some shots. Most of the shots used 1/6-second shutter speed, which was just fine due to the image stabilized lens. The IS performance is improved over my last Canon compact. I don't have steady hands, and I like to take quick sloppy shots. If the IS in this cam can handle my hands, a very-careful steady shooter could probably get away with 1/4 second. The resulting images were so bright and had such great color everyone that saw them was in awe. The resulting images appeared more bright and colorful than with a naked eye. Shooting with such high ISOs is like having night vision built into the camera. Noise levels were low enough and color was so good that I can easily print very nice 5x7s from this night.
I took a few candid shots of people in motion at the bar, so I had to bump the ISO to 1600 to get a faster shutter speed (at ISO 1600 I got about 1/30sec in the dimly lit bar). At ISO 1600, color is still acceptable and very nice 4x6 prints, web postings, and email will be no problem. ISO 1600 on this cam is comparable to what most compact cams produce at ISO 400. I've never seen a compact cam take such great shots using high-ish ISO settings.
I am just as happy with the results as when using my EOS 20D digital SLR. A critical professional may argue that this cam isn't as great as an SLR, but for normal-sized prints and digital sharing, this camera makes images that are as good as a consumer SLR.
My last compact was a Canon SD800is. I love that camera, but images are mostly unusable above ISO400, due to muted color, and grain. The S90 goes two full ISO stops beyond what can be done with a typical $300 compact camera. Combine high-ISO performance with the f2.0 option and you can take great shots in 1/3 of the light required for most $300 compact cams.
Adjusting camera settings is a dream. I am just as in control as I am with my EOS 20D SLR. I've used friends' canon rebel SLRs, and the controls on this compact are even better than them. Between the front ring, rear dial, and shortcut button, you have instant control of three camera functions without even really looking. All of the controls are customizable. If you've ever used other canon cameras in the past, you won't really even need to use the excellent printed manual (yes! a printed manual!).
I've not taken enough shots with it to test whether the battery can actually deliver 200 from a charge, but 200 isn't really great battery performance and I bought a backup battery from an Amazon marketplace seller for longer outings (under $30 shipped).
I also highly recommend the Canon compact leather case. This camera easily fits in any pocket, but I'm pretty sure that pocket lint and dust is what did in my last compact camera. The Canon compact leather case for the S90 mounts on your belt and offers light protection away from keys and pocket lint.
The body is comparable in size to Canon elphs. My SD800 elph is 1/2in shorter, but the height and thickness is identical (not counting the lens ring, which makes the overall thickness of the S90 slightly thicker). I posted comparison pics between the SD800 and the S90 in the gallery.
The rear display is really sharp and is viewable outdoors. I haven't bought a new camera in over three years and the display blew me away compared to my other cameras. I really can't compare the display to newer cams.
Simply judging by the way it feels in the hand, the build quality is just average.
The only real performance weakness is continuous shooting. Continuous shooting is really really slow.
If you want a compact and think you'll ever want to photograph dimly lit subjects without a flash, this is THE camera to own. The price is 40% higher, but it takes in 300% more light. Unless you're shooting a lot of action, this cam is probably a better choice for people considering consumer-level SLRs like the Canon rebel line.
I can't imagine anyone regretting buying this camera. It beats other compact pocket sized cameras by a wide margin.
Canon S90 vs. Canon G11: A Matter of Personal Preference
Reviewed by: G. Gilbert, Review Date: 2009-11-30
Canon S90 vs. Canon G11: A Matter of Personal Preference (I'm posting a very similar review under both the S90 and the G11.)
I've been trying to find a 'carry everywhere' camera to always keep on my person so that I don't miss the amazing things that make up the events of everyday life (like tomorrow when I actually get to get off the R train at Cortland Street in Manhattan, something I haven't been able to do for years due to construction). I wanted something that was (1) Small and (2) Had the ability for full manual controls for shutter speed and aperture. The two cameras that fit this bill very well were Canon's S90 and G11 - Canon's top of the line point and shoots in their respective series (S and G). But which one?
The two major things that the cameras have in common (in addition to the above mentioned manual controls) are:
1. The same image sensor (same size, etc)
2. The same image processor
Anyone who's written a comparison of the cameras will point this out quickly - because normally 'which camera' would come down to these one of these two issues. In addition to these things, there are dozens of other features that both cameras share: this makes it very difficult to decide "which camera?" Having owned both of them (but ultimately deciding to go with the G11 and returning the S90) I would like to make a short list of positive/negatives which I think could be deciding factors when trying to choose between these two excellent cameras. Instead of listing both positive and negative points by each camera, I'll simply point out the positives of each that the other model does not share - I hope that this is helpful in your decision!
S90: Advantages
- Very compact: quite a bit smaller than the G11, it would easily fit in pockets and cases that the G11 never could. If you're into Pelican cases like I am, you can fit the S90 in the Pelican Micro Case 1010 with room to spare.
- More efficient controls: the ring around the lens is amazing and an excellent idea. Especially when in manual mode, this makes setting aperture and shutter speed a snap (it's more awkward on the G11 - you have to use the small back dial and then toggle between aperture and shutter speed with a separate button which can get to be messy when you're trying to shoot quickly).
- The f2.0 lens: a full stop faster than the G11's 2.8 lens. This is a LOT of light, and especially important when you want to take photos in low-light situations (note though that the lens on the S90 doesn't zoom in far as the G11 if that's important to you - both lenses are the same focal length when zoomed out).
G11: Advantages
- Hot shoe: but on a compact? Some people will say "it's pointless to use an external flash on a compact camera - the whole point is to be compact!" That's a valid critique, but at the same time there are times when it's nice to be able to throw a flash on a compact if you really need one. I own the 430EX and the 580EX II (both compatible) but I picked up the newish 270EX with the G11 and it works fantastically with the camera without adding a lot of weight. Both the camera and the flash fit perfectly into the Pelican 1060 case side by side but with enough room to stay padded with the foam insert. And hey - if I want to throw the nearly-twice-as-big-as-the-camera-itself 580EX II on the G11 I can do it! Yet I can also do without it - the camera is versatile this way in a way that the S90 is not.
- Vari-Angle LCD: which at first I found annoying. The screen adds just enough bulk to the camera that it does not fit in smaller cases which it otherwise would. When I first got the camera I was really rather annoyed by it in fact - not only because of the bulk but because it is actually smaller than the LCD on the S90. I had to read another review to realize that it was a much better thing than I realized - because it allows you to hold the camera at all sorts of different levels and angles while still allowing you to see what you're shooting. I really enjoy doing photography with the camera low to the ground (I have an angled viewfinder for my DSLR) and so this works perfectly for what I need. As others have pointed out, the Vari-Angledness of the LCD allows you to flip it while in storage so that it's even more protected.
- Remote Shutter Release: you can use one! I love doing night photography and that the G11 allows me to use a cable release really seals the deal on the S90 vs. G11 for me personally (granted on the S90 you can always use the 2 second self-timer). Good news too if you use a Canon Rebel DSLR - it's the same cable release.
Both the S90 and the G11 are beautiful, well made cameras that will serve any photographer well when you're looking for something that's not DSLR sized.
S90 x G11 - Making the right choice
Reviewed by: Frederico Junqueira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Review Date: 2010-02-17
I've agonized about which compact camera to buy, the G11 or the S90 for a couple of weeks. In the end I bought the S90 and some of the reviews really helped me, so here's my contribution to the people making that decision today:
Do you own a DSLR? Definitely go with the S90.
Are you looking for a camera to take in your pocket? No doubt about it, go with the S90. I've used the G10 and G11 and, believe me, there's NO WAY you are taking them in your pocket!
The big differences between the two, which I'm fairly sure you all know by now are:
- The focal length (105mm for the S90 and 140mm for the G11)
- The manual controls
- The size
- The hot-shoe (only the G's have them)
- The flash
Well, let me start by addressing one of the main complaints I've been reading about, the fact that the rear wheel is "loose"and that you can change your definitions without noticing it. It was a concern when I bought the camera and, to my surprise, it has NEVER been an issue while shooting. I don't have small hands and I don't know how other people hold a compact camera, but for it works like clockwork, no problem whatsoever. I even dare to say that if it was a bit harder to move it, it might take from the easiness of changing your controls before shooting the picture.
The difference in focal length doesn't bother me. Would it be nice to have more on the S90? Yeah, sure. But is it a concern? No, not for me. I'm strictly against using the digital zoom, but on the few times I tried just to see the result, I confess I was a bit surprised (on the good side) by it.
The manual controls are exceptional, the combination of frontal ring, back ring and shortcut button make it easy to change configurations and control the camera. And for those of you wondering about the speed in doing it, I can say that I've been taking pictures to make a book about the life guard service here and it's all about speed. Sometimes I take the S90 to the beach instead of the big DSLR's because people won't even notice me taking pictures with it, and the DSLR's always cause a fuss, specially when people are being rescued and are ashamed to be seen in that light...
As for the size, I bought it to have a everyday camera always with me and this is the perfect one for this. A couple of friends decided to buy one after seeing mine (one of them is abandoning his G10 for it). And I was very, very pleasantly surprised by the image quality and camera quality I got with the S90, I never regretted choosing it and now, after having handled a G10 and a G11, I think I would be mad with me if I had chosen the G11 instead of the S90.
Some reviewers have questioned the built quality of the S90, but I don't have any complaints about it, and it has been living in my pocket for over a month now, receiving some fairly rough treatment sometimes. As for the shutter release on the S90, yes, it is in a bit awkward position to be sure, but after one or two days with the camera you'll adjust to it. Is it a serious problem? Not even close!
Regarding the hot-shoe and flash: well, I own two DSLR's, so if I want to put a big flash on top of the camera, I'll take the big one. It might be different for people who are buying this as their only camera. I hate flash and avoid using it always, even bumping the ISO to the moon, but, on the occasion I used the in-camera flash I was amazed by it's power.
When I'm shooting "professionally" I tend to go with the RAW + JPEG mode, but sometimes I prefer to use the strict JPEG mode and it has a very interesting color control that helps eliminate the need for working the files later on. Anyway, you can change that configuration in about 2 to 3 seconds if you need to (the RAW/JPEG, because the colors are even faster).
A lot of reviewers and photographers talk about the S90 exceptional AutoWhite Balance, but I don't really like it, I tend to prefer choosing presets all the time (I don't like the auto WB in my NIkon's DSLR's either), but that is also very easy and fast to do in this camera.
Well, that's about it. I'm sure there are other reviews discussing the technical details more deeply, but I've been a VERY HAPPY S90 owner for the past month or so and I'm sure glad that I chose the S90 instead of the G11. To tell you the truth, I don't see much reason in buying the G11, as it is not a compact camera, it is not a DSLR, it is not lightweight, so it's a middle everything. But the S90, and I've been hearing the same opinion from others for the past weeks, seems like the queen of compacts for now (I hope the manufacturers start a "fully manual compact" cameras war now).
I believe that, for most buyers, the S90 will always be the smart choice!
Decidedly slim and sleekly refined, the PowerShot SX210 IS packs a feature set that reads like a wish list. The 14.1 Megapixel CCD joins a 14x 28mm Wide-Angle Zoom for imaging power to spare. Frame your shots in the bright 3.0-inch widescreen PureColor System LCD, with the Low Light mode for sharp images in dimly-lit situations. It also captures stunning HD movies with Dynamic mode for enhanced image stabilization when shooting movies using wide-angle settings. Capture smooth HD video (720p) with stereo sound for a truly natural, high-quality HD experience. The PowerShot SX210 IS not only goes wherever you do, but takes your photography and video to a whole new place, too.
Powerful 14x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer; improved Dynamic mode for enhanced image stabilization
14.1-megapixel resolution for high-quality prints up to 16.5 x 23.4 inches
28mm wide-angle lens; 3.0-inch wide PureColor System LCD
HD shooting capability at 720p with stereo sound plus HDMI output
DIGIC 4 Image Processor with evolved Face Detection Technology; new scene modes
Reviewed by: Stephen, Southern CA Review Date: 2010-04-06
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RBW5FATHST40A Update: 7-19-2010 The video that I posted today is to answer questions about the camera's cycle rate. It is not an overall camera review but a demonstration of how long it takes the shutter to fire and a demonstration of the "wicked fast" continuous mode. I posted the continuous mode photos on my Google Picasa account which can be viewed by going to my Amazon profile page.
I am a professional motion picture camera assistant and an advanced hobby photographer. I own a Nikon D90 and several other compact cameras. There are times that I wanted to bring a decent camera but didn't want to haul my SLR kit around with me. I have always felt like I had to make a big compromise until now. This camera captures amazing images for such a compact device. If wanted it also allows for full control of all aspects of your shots including ASA, shutter time and aperture. The HD video it captures is fantastic and it does this without the need to hand focus like my D90.
The first thing that you will notice when you get the camera is that it is very small. It is the size camera you can put in a belt case and forget you have it with you.
Controls - I am use to more direct access to the controls but anyone who is familiar with SLR photography can easily navigate the controls without a manual. Amateurs or those unfamiliar with SLR controls have two great options, Auto or EZ mode. You can put this camera into the hands of an inexperienced photographer and if they can compose a shot, and have fundamental consideration of lighting, they can get technically great pictures.
Colors are accurate with excellent black detail for this price range camera. This camera achieves a level of image quality that was available only from professional SLR cameras a few years ago.
Once you turn on the camera, you are going to be impressed with the wide end of this cameras lens. For vista shots, it does not show wide lens distortion. For close wide shots, it does show an acceptable amount distortion that is fun to shoot with. When I took this camera on a family trip, I was easily able to hold the camera myself and get all 4 of us in the shot. The only issue that I have with this wide mode is that it will not fully translate in a standard 4X6 print. You will loose the sides of the pictures when you print. I hope that the 16X9 HD ratio will become a standard for future photo prints. Of course you can set the camera to shoot a standard 4X6 print
The long end of the zoom is equally amazing. The image stabilization seems as good as Nikon's VR system.
The SX210is focuses almost as quickly as my SLR Nikon D90 in still mode.
Contunuous Mode- The camera can record 2 FPS in continuous mode. It is a lot of fun to record action sequences or take a series of photos if you have the need to grab a lot of shots in a short time. I posted a few series of shots on my Google Picasa site that can be viewed through my profile page, or paste:
[...]
Movie Mode - The camera really shines in video mode, it focuses quickly and tracks action well. This Canon camera can continuously focus the image rather than having to press the button halfway to activate focus.
In video mode, the exposure shifts in steps rather than gradual transitions. In other words, the exposure could be good for a particular scene and as it transitions to a different lighting scenario the exposure clicks to the proper exposure. Dedicated video cameras transition more smoothly between different lighting conditions than still camera shooting in video mode.
It shoots 720p movies that rival a dedicated video camera. The optical 14X zoom is amazing. This camera could take the place of a stand-alone video camera for many people. The audio quality is good but not fantastic. You can notice the steady shot while shooting videos. It works well until you get to long end of the lens where you will notice that the image jumps around when you try to hold a steady frame. In reality, you would never want to shoot zoomed in all the way.
Con's- I'm getting picky here but you should know...
I would have liked a viewfinder. Shooting in bright sunlight can be difficult with the LCD screen. I also find that resting the camera against your head helps steady shots.
I wasn't really crazy about the exposed LCD screen. The screen is made of glass rather than plastic, which is nice. If placed LCD side down it does not rest flat on the screen. It instead rests on the mode rotary dial and the opposite corner of the camera. I wish manufactures would engineer a slightly raised screen bezel to prevent scratches to the screen.
I think it could have been better if the microphones were in front of, rather than on top of the camera. There isn't enough separation between microphones to realize stereo sound capabilities. The microphone is very susceptible to wind noise.
Low light mode is still slightly noisy compared to the D90. Don't expect a miracle low light camera and you won't be disappointed. Still it is a lot better than other compact cameras. Please see the low light photo I posted.
The pop-up flash for the camera is positioned where your left index finger would typically grip the camera. I keep forgetting to relocate my fingers when I turn on the camera. It works well for illuminating snapshots. I have found that it is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes it gracefully lights shots and other times it performs as a typical compact camera flash.
Conclusion:
I really love the camera and would purchase it again if I manage to destroy it or loose it. The zoom range is amazing and very useful. The color this camera captures is realistic and detailed. It is compact, easy to use and fun to shoot. It is not equal to a quality SLR camera but is clearly better than all of the compact camera's I have used. My impression is it's in-between quality in a compact body. It definitely sets a new standard.
If you have any questions or want other information that will help improve this review, please leave a comment. I'd be happy to repost any improvements.
My review is intended to give a overall consumer impression of this amazing little camera. I could have gone on for pages and there are plenty of professional reviews on the internet if you want to find out very specific information.
Don't forget to order a case or SD card when you order this camera as it comes with neither.
SD CARDS
I tried SD cards that ranged from a class 2 Panasonic to a class 10 SanDisk 30MB/s. It didn't make a lot of difference in the cycle rate the camera was able to shoot at.
BATTERIES
If you get a spare battery get the OEM Canon Battery. I was tempted to save and bought the Lenmar replacement battery. I would suggest you save your money. After the first few cycles it would read full on the camera's battery indicator but not be able to power the camera.
CASES
The Canon PSC-3100 PowerShot Case for Canon SX200IS Digital Cameras is really too large for this camera. See the posted pictures on Amazon's consumer photos. I went to an electronics store and tried all of the cases. I liked the Lowepro D-Pods 20 best. Amazon sells it for $9.23 and it's Amazon Prime too. This case is snug fitting and offers spare battery and card storage. I posted some snapshots and a video.
Avoid the temptation to put a compact camera unprotected in a jacket pocket. The dust and dirt contained within can work itself into the camera and optics. There is no easy way to address this.
I posted a video review there also.
Lowepro D-Pods 20 Camera Case (Black)
Lowepro D-Pods 20 Camera Case (Black)
Some sample photos are at my Picasa account that can be found in my profile page.
Had to give it five stars
Reviewed by: Iowadad, Iowa City Review Date: 2010-04-10
I put a lot of thought and research into picking out a camera this time. I was looking for an all-around family camera for someone who really likes photography and shares a lot of photos. Ultimately, I want a DSLR to get those perfect, professional quality archive photos to blow up and hang on the wall. I knew that the SX210 wouldn't achieve that but, only being able to buy one camera this year, it still seemed the best all around choice. It does what it does well enough that I'm just excited to have it.
A lot of reviews of this camera will just say that the image quality is Fantastic and Perfect and such. My review is based on knowing that there are other cameras that could ultimately produce better pictures but that this one is worth getting anyway.
First off, the image quality is quite nice. Right out of the box, using the auto setting, I've been impressed. I have taken some difficult backlit pictures of my kids that were surprisingly beautiful. My old Elf would have been baffled by the light. I shot some flash pictures in near darkness while zoomed across the room and the amount of detail is impressive. I did this in Low Light setting, letting the camera focus with the little red light and hitting the shutter at the right moment. You could actually get usable shots that way. Daylight photos, as expected, are rich and vividly colorful. I've posted a backlit photo taken on auto setting, zoomed across the room. I also included a 'tilt zoom' photo. That seems like it could be a fun effect from time to time.
And then there are all of the manual controls. I can tell that one could put the effort in with this camera and become skilled at producing better and better shots. I haven't had access to manual focus, aperture and shutter speed since my old 35mm days. It's not quite the same to handle as that but the same principles apply. A real photographer could stay busy with this.
Once I saw that the image quality is acceptable for an expensive point and shoot, the rest of it is a no-brainer. Having all that room to zoom really changes your perspective on the shots you can get. I prefer candid shots of people rather than posing and telling them to smile. This is the perfect stealth camera for that. My youngest daughter got into the habit of posing all the time. You pull out the camera because she's doing something priceless but as soon as you're pointing it at her she stops to ham it up. Now I'm taking natural, candid shots of my kids playing in the yard from all the way across the yard. It's awesome. The only way to do it with my old Elf would have been digital zoom which produces terrible pictures.
And then there is the video. This thing may cost a lot for a point and shoot but it's not so much considering that I really don't need to buy a video camera now. At a recent school event with my daughter on stage I was in envy of the parents with video cameras. But, of course, if they wanted to shoot pictures, they were carrying two cameras. With the SX210, I could zoom in for a perfectly framed, HD shot from the back row. And you don't even need to switch to video mode. Just hit the red button. Very cool. I was so glad to see that they updated the video function from the SX200. (I owned one of those for a couple of days before returning it.) 14x optical zoom while shooting video is unbelievable. You can track moving objects all over the place. It's really fun.
Yesterday was my first full day of shooting with this. I took my daughter to the museum and the park and the SX210 fit pretty comfortably into my front pocket. I recommend using the strap all the time to avoid drops. To me, it's not ideal in terms of handling. I liked the feel of the SX200 better, for example. But it's a good tradeoff when you consider the functions and how much camera you're able to put in your pocket.
Changing the annoying pop-up flash so you can snap it shut was a big improvement from the SX200. It gets it out of the way, for good, when you're shooting in daylight and I like being able to shut it off without going into the functions. There are some situations where you're not allowed to use flash and it's nice to know for sure that it's not going to fire. With it snapped shut, you know for sure.
I imagine the Panasonic and Sony superzooms that compete with the SX210 have their charms as well. But I don't care about having GPS and I trust the Canon not to be beat in its class in terms of color and overall image quality.
When I saw that Canon had raised the megapixels, probably, too high for the size of the sensor in this camera, I was prepared to be annoyed. It seems gimicky. 10x zoom and 10 MP wouldn't have been enough? But, the image quality is still decent and I find myself using all of the zoom. It's definitely a gimicky camera but they're fun gimicks. The pictures aren't DSLR quality but even entry level DSLRs still cost more than this and you can't stick them in your pocket for a day of touring around. For the price, I'm happy with it and I don't see anything out there that would have been better for me.
Best Canon PowerShot I Have Ever Owned!
Reviewed by: sevenzeroseven, new york Review Date: 2010-04-13
I waited for a while to see what was up with Amazon's release date. I have a huge European vacation coming up in a couple weeks, so I couldn't wait much longer to get used to a new camera. I surfed on over to Best Buy and there it was...with Free Shipping and I am loving this camera! Best point-and-shoot I have ever owned.
This is now my third Canon PowerShot. I am by no means getting rid of my SD750 though - great camera, but there is 2x's the pixel and zoom in the SX210IS. I never thought that I was going to have a point-and-shoot with image stabilization like my Nikon D90 has. The red-eye correction works best if the setting is to reduce DURING the photo taking.
The 3" LCD is so clear and so the colors are bright. The video capability is just uhm... WOW! I thought the SD750 took amazing video, but the video this camera takes is mind-blowing. I filmed some of us at our softball training tonight and if I could - I would show you how amazing the videos came out. I am using a 16GB Transcend Class 6 card and the download time was pretty fast. I had about 17 minutes total.
Zoom zoom zoommm (did that sound like a Mazda commercial?) The zoom was also tested at my softball game. I zoomed in on my friend out in left field and the Red Sox logo was CLEAR! There was a bit of grain, but when I say 'bit' - it was so minimal.
Day photos - vivid, clear, and overall superb quality. Low-light - great quality and the best that I have seen in any point-and-shoot - just let it do the right focusing and you have some decent photos. Night - it was pretty dark before softball was over tonight. I walked over to the dugout and just started randomly taking shots at some objects where it was pitch dark - they came out like it was DAY! I the arranged a softball, bat bag, and glove about 60 feet away from me and zoomed, well - the photo came out clear, bright (but not overdone) and way better than I ever expected.
I now joke that this camera has higher MP than my DSLR. My Nikon D90 is a 12.1 and this is 14.1 - I honestly never thought that I would have a non-DSLR that had these options, but Canon surely has made a great choice in this area!
Overall, I am extremely happy with this camera. It was well worth $350 for a compact point-and-shoot. I will be looking forward to seeing more reviews since there are only six (including mine) as of now.
Hope you enjoyed my review & hope you choose this camera!
Very Impressed with this Camera!
Reviewed by: K. Lowe, Memphis, Indiana United States Review Date: 2010-04-25
I purchased this camera on April 17th and have taken 200 photos in the last week. My battery indicator still has a full charge. The low light and natural light photos are great and I am very happy with my purchase. I was concerned that you only get a basic printed manual and the rest is on a CD. However, after reviewing the manual on my computer, there weren't any sections that I felt I needed to print out. The on screen menus are easy to follow and the pop-up flash, while somewhat annoying, hasn't been a problem for me. I do what another reviewer suggested and hold my finger over it when I turn on the camera. It appears to be more fragile than my Fuji Finepix J10 and I find myself being extra careful and gentle with it. But it may just seem so since it cost so much more. I find myself wanting to go on vacation or to the zoo so I can take some really cool photos to compare with my other two cameras (the Fuji and a Panasonic DMC-FZ30). All in all, I am very pleased.
For those of you wanting a hard shell case to protect this camera, I finally found the right fit in the Case Logic SLDC-202 Compact Camera Case. It will fit your camera perfectly with a hard shell on both front and back, and there is a front pocket for a spare battery and memory card.
Overall good.
Reviewed by: Journeyman Dan, Review Date: 2010-06-14
I'm quite pleased with this purchase. The SX 210is is worth the pennies you put into it. Has pretty good AI for a point and shoot, fair low light pictures and amazing HD movies. I rarely use the flash since it degrades the true-to-life perception in photos, and it performs like a champ. In bright daylight the pictures are extremely crisp and full of color. In low lighting you do notice some noise since the ISO is ramped up to compensate. Using manual settings you can get crisp non-action shots even in low light. Rarely get blur when using the flash even with fast action shots.
This camera takes amazing video. I've used it in the home, and out and about. The focus is a little slow if your moving from close to far objects but the detail is really worthy of being called 720p. It has tons of options for effects and manual control. Quite impressed with the technical abilities of the camera. Definitely has captured memories in detail that I haven't had with previous cameras.
I have a Canon fs11 camcorder and the SX 210is takes better quality video in my opinion (fs11 is much faster from turn on to a record though).
A few cons:
Low light can produce noise and blur when taking pics. Videos are slightly grainy/noisy but nothing game breaking. Still great detail, its 14mp for crying out loud.
The focus during videos is a little slow. The manual focus option can actually work faster if you know what you're doing.
The Mic doesn't function well in a windy environment, but works great otherwise. Stereo sound isn't awesome unless things are to the far right or far left and then you can really hear it.
The guy that posted about the dark shadow in the lower right is truth. But I've only personally found it when taking a macro picture with the flash. Taking a macro you're better off using natural light or background light anyway.
For entry level or just needed a good P&S this is a great camera. And for those comparing this to entry level DLSR's, there's no comparison. Apples and oranges. Just depends on your take of photography. The SX210is is VERY portable (carry it in my pocket most of the time) and has highly detailed pics and vids every time.
Reviewed by: B. Massey, TX United States Review Date: 2009-09-06
Let me start off by saying that I'm not a professional photographer. My decision to purchase the SX20 IS was based on a desire to get an excellent still shot camera, with high capacity zoom, that also had HD Video (720p) capabilities. So, I began my research and spent many hours scouring the web to make an informed decision. I had narrowed my choice to the Canon SX20 IS and the Panasonic DMC-FZ35.
Here are some of the key specs of each camera:
Optical Zoom (Canon: 20, Pana: 18)
Still image files (Canon: Not Raw, Pana: Raw)
Articulating LCD (Canon: Yes, Pana: No)
720p HD video per 2 GB (Canon: 10 min 33 sec, Pana: 15 min)
Video file format (Canon: .mov, Pana: AVCHD Lite)
Battery Type: (Canon: 4 AA, Pana: Li-ion rechargeable)
Stereo Audio (Both)
SD Card Storage (Both)
[...].
In the end I decided to go with Canon for a few key reasons:
#1. The articulating LCD (pull out, tilt/move) was a key factor, as I wanted to be able to shoot from many different angles. It came in handy very soon--the second time I used the camera--I was able to whip out the LCD and get some decent shots at a football game when I had to raise the camera high over my head to shoot over the folks standing in front of me.
#2. The ability to easily share video files. The .mov file format is a more widely accepted format, which can easily be shared (without processing/conversion). The files are accepted on sites such as You Tube. The files can be played with Quicktime and other media players (e.g. VLC). Although the Panasonic camera uses a format which is more compressed and allows more data to be stored on an SD card, the file format is not as wide spread and not as easy to share with others, without converting the file.
#3. Consumer Reports rankings for last year's model: Canon #1, Pana #5 (SX10 IS & Pana DMC-FZ28). I suspect the SX20 IS will follow the same trend this year when Consumer Reports releases their test results for 2009.
#4. Canon takes AA batteries. This makes the camera slightly heavier, but you'll always be able to get economical batteries in a pinch, without the need for buying a proprietary lithium ion battery. May I recommend Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries. I bought some new on Amazon. They are excellent. I haven't charged them yet and I've taken 120 pictures and 40 minutes plus of 720p video. I've also played back the pictures and movies on my TV/Projector and transferred all files to my computer, using the same batteries, without charging them. And they are "..still going..."
Here are some sample pictures taken with the SX20 IS. Keep in mind that Flickr doesn't display the full, original picture which was taken in maximum resolution (in auto mode). [...].
I've taken some great up-close family shots and macro shots. They look great and are very detailed. I took some night/action pics (with the flash) and adjusted the shutter speed and ISO settings and the pictures looked great, given the conditions.
[...].
I apologize for the camera jitter in advance as I didn't have a tri-pod and I was in a tight area in the Stadium when I took the shots.
I must admit that I am thoroughly impressed with the video quality/resolution. I shot sample video from my 1 year old camcorder (Panasonic SDR-H40, a standard definition hard drive camcorder) and shot the same footage with the SX20 IS. The difference in quality was amazing. Not only was the Canon much sharper, but the richness and vibrance of the colors was so much better. I sold my SDR-H40 on Ebay within two days. I now will have only one camera to shoot stills and 720p HD video--the Canon SX20 IS. The videos from the SX20 IS looked awesome--on both my 32 inch 720p LCD and my 100+ inch screen via a 720p DLP projector. I connected the camera with an HDMI cable and bam, I was ready to watch great video and view still shots "on the big screen." See the above referenced links for video footage yourself. If I were given the opportunity to watch a football game shot in standard definition by ESPN or an HD version of the same game, shot with the SX20 IS (on a tripod, without my hand jitter), I'd pick the latter in a heart beat.
No buyer's remorse here! If you are looking for an SLR type camera, that does awesome stills and great 720p HD video (both zoomable at 20x optical), you'd be hard pressed to get more bang for your buck then the SX20 IS on Amazon.
One minor issue I've noticed is that when zooming in/out while shooting video, you can here a slight "click" when you initiate the zoom and when you stop the zoom. There is NO noise heard while the lens is zooming/telescoping in/out; the "click" is only heard when the zoom is initiated and when the zoom is stopped. The "click" is not that noticeable. I had to shoot footage in silence, after the kids had gone to bed, in order to distinguish the "click." In most shooting environments I don't expect it to be much of an issue.
Best of luck with your purchase decision.
P.S. By the way, the owner manual states that you must use the Canon software to transfer images/movies from the camera to a PC, else movies will not transfer (frames will be dropped) correctly and images shot vertically may be transferred in the horizontal orientation. So, don't just do a copy/paste of the files them self from the SD card. Keep this in mind as you view sample video on the web.
I bought the SX20 because I had good luck with the SX10
I shoot all kinds of stuff with all kinds of cameras. I am a working photographer who shoots for advertising and corporate client as well as to make images for my own books about photography. Over the last two years I've been using small cameras like the Canon G10 and the SX10 for more and more of my work. In the studio, shooting set up shots or small products these cameras shine by dint of their easy to use Live View and increased depth of field. When I bought the SX 10 it was for the long range of the zoom lens which meant I could shoot anything from a construction site to tight shots of the cabins at the top of the construction cranes. I've done some portraits with studio lights and an SX10 and they were also very usable. I wish the SX 10 and SX 20 had raw file capability but they don't. That just means I have to be a bit more careful about WB and exposure. I've used the SX10 at outdoor swim meets and found that the lens performs better than expected right out to the end.
So, why the SX 20? Recently I've been asked to do more and more little video snippets for clients and for my publisher and while I like the results from the SX10 I wanted real HD video for the times that a medical practice has asked for video clips for both their website AND for power point and other uses. I wanted the extra detail for the times that they use the clips in projected presentations. The price point works.
I've spent a couple days testing the SX 10 and the results are very, very good. The front mounted microphones are of very high quality and the sound for most applications is very acceptable. Would I like a mike input? You bet! Does that sour the deal? Not in the least.
The image quality of the stills is just as good as the SX 10 at low ISO's and about 1/2 a stop better at 200 and 400. I'll chalk that up to the new digic processor.
All in all the build quality and the easy operation make the camera a winner for me. These days clients are more interested in using images and video in a wide range of multimedia and the SX 20 is a great tool for anything that's headed to the web. I still own traditional DLSR cameras and use them but left to my own devices I find the smaller sensor cameras to be highly competent and very usable.
With an SX20 and a G10 I feel like I can handle just about anything except shots that call for narrow depth of field. Traditional photographers may not want to hear that video is becoming a required skill but that won't make it go away. This camera is a cost effective way to get your feet wet, find your way around and get your feet wet. I like it.
Use The Foilage Setting For Best Color Pics
Reviewed by: S. Barcomb, New York Review Date: 2009-09-12
I received the camera a few days ago. I wanted a good quality camera for all-around, basic shooting. The main features that attracted me were the wide angle/zoom lens and the video option.
I am not an expert, or even an experienced amateur. I just want to be able to point, shoot, and take decent pics and some occassional vidoe.
In my opinion, the best eye-pleasing pictures are those that show the vibrant colors and color variations - all other things being equal. I've experimented with various settings and taken the same shots with those various settings, and compared shots taken with Auto, Landscape, Portrait, etc. against the Foilage setting [SCN/Foilage], and the Foilage setting is by far the best for bringing out the colors (which it is meant to do anyway). Compared to those pics taken using the Foilage setting, the ones taken in the other settings are dull - not that they aren't decent pictures in the other settings, just compared to the Foilage pictures they are dull(er). So for basic shots, I will probably use the Foilage setting most of the time for all-around shooting - the pictures are beautiful. One problem I expect with this, is to get to the Foilage setting, you must use the top dial set to SCN, then using the free-spinning dial on the back, select foilage. Problem is, after taking shots and letting the camera hang against your body, the free-spinning dial may be prone to be moved to select another setting...
One of the issues I do have, is not being able to choose to set the Auto-Focus frame to the center of the screen for many settings - such as Auto... I'm not crazy about the "smart focus" which chooses which subject(s) that it thinks is the main subject(s) - in my case of shooting mostly non-people so far, this "smart-focus" has been wrong. I think most of us non-pro photographers usually center our subject anyway, and even if we don't, we should still have the option of keeping the AF frame in the center... One other thing that hasn't worked for me is connecting it to HDMI on my TV. I'm going to take it to Best Buy and try it there. If it still isn't working, I hate to send it back because it is a good camera, but I would like the HDMI feature to work to see my videos in true HD.
In summary, the wide-to-zoom feature is great, takes very good pictures (especially in Foilage), takes excellent video. The video option is excellent - you can take pics while filming, and you can simply press the video button in the back to start taking video even if you're in a picture-taking setting - very nice feature.
If you're not a pro photographer and want to have a great all-around camera, this is definitely a good buy. I hope I can get my HDMI/TV feature to work so I can keep my camera...
Best out there shy of an SLR
Reviewed by: pax lingua, Kihei, HI Review Date: 2009-09-19
I reviewed the PowerShot SX200 IS a short while ago on Canon's and Amazon's website and rated it very highly. Nonetheless, I decided to return it in exchange for the PowerShot SX20 IS.
This camera offers the following additional advantages: a viewfinder; HD video recording with optical zoom throughout the zoom range plus stereo sound; a form factor much more like that of an SLR: it is on the heavy side, but easy to hold and the viewfinder allows you to hold the camera against your body which adds extra stability, and thus better focus, especially when zooming in; diapter adjustability means I don't have to wear glasses when using the EVF; the LCD display can be closed so it faces the camera - no need to worry about smudging or scratching it.
Those who are considering the purchase of an SLR need to keep in mind that you'll need at least three different lenses to get a comparable zoom range. You'd be lugging around quite a bit of weight, and faced with the delay in changing lenses depending upon what you want to take a picture of.
Some question the quality of the pictures it takes. Keep in mind that this is not a camera designed for amateurs who insist on fully automatic features. In other words, the best possible pictures may only be obtained when you make needed adjustments ranging from setting the scene yourself to fully manual ones, or else by using a photo editor.
So far, I have taken perhaps one hundred test pictures and ten minutes of video. Unless you intend to print or view the pictures beyond 11" x 14", I doubt that you will notice any difference between the results this camera produces and an SLR. I've owned the Olympus e-510, and can say that you'd have to magnify or crop to a degree that most users simply don't in order to notice a difference. The quality of the videos is much better than that of my standard definition Canon DC230 mini-DVD camera. The downside is the weight of this camera, which makes extended filming somewhat difficult (for me, at least).
I highly recommend the camera for those who are looking for the characteristics I have highlighted. It is probably one of the best, if not the best, super-zooms on the market today.
Best superzoom camera yet
Reviewed by: mba2007, Review Date: 2009-09-16
Having tried over a dozen digital cameras I've found the features and picture quality of the SX20 IS to be the best yet in this size and weight. Naturally everyone wants better low light performance and while this could still be better, its the best I've seen in cameras other than digital SLRs. Feature set is unmatched by Olympus or Nikon as neither have video or picture quality as good. Stereo audio quality really does sound like the CD sound Canon advertises. I was amazed as usually those small microphones overemphasize the high frequencies. People's voices, birds and even the background rumbling noise that is typical of a large city were very accurately reproduced. This camera takes good photos with its default settings, but by learning a little about it's features most people will quickly be taking professional quality photos.
18 New — prices too low to display (click "More Info" or "Add to Cart" button to see prices)
14 Used from $369.00
-10.0 megapixels-High-powered, wide-angle 5x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm140mm)- 2.8 vari-angle LCD with 461,000 dots for shooting at a variety of angles plus an optical viewfinder-DIGIC(R) 4 Image Processor-Full range of shooting & recording modes including RAW + JPEG for the ultimate creative control-Optical image stabilization-HDMI(TM) output-Smart auto intelligently selects the proper setting for the camera based on 22 predefined shooting situations
New 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System; DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Bright 2.8-inch Vari-Angle PureColor System LCD plus optical viewfinder
Reviewed by: OrangeCrush, Farmington Hills, MI USA Review Date: 2009-10-12
I actually still shoot film the vast majority of the time however I purchased my mother a G-10 for her birthday last year and spent a couple weeks using the camera so I could adequately teach her how to use it. I have since borrowed it on numerous occasions and was actually about to buy my own G-10 but then I heard about the G-11 so I figured I would wait and buy the new upgraded version. I am glad I did just that. For me this camera is worth upgrading to just for the swivel LCD view screen on the back. I cant tell you how many times I have shot outdoors and was completely unable to see the LCD screen even when you shaded it with one of your hands. Adding the swivel option basically eliminates this problem. This option is so nice when shooting outdoors that I am honestly thinking about upgrading my mothers camera for this one reason alone as she doesn't have the best eyesight which means if I am having problems seeing the viewfinder, I can only imagine how hard it is for her to see it.
The next best thing I have noticed about this camera is its improved film speed ratings. I have already done a lot of testing with the G-11 and to say that they have improved the speed ratings is a huge understatement especially in the higher film speed settings. I was extremely hesitant to use a film speed over 400 with the G-10 yet I am using speeds above 800 with the G-11. Depending on the conditions your shooting in you should see anywhere from a 1.0 to 2.0 stop difference. I did some tests where the G-11 shot pictures at 800 that were basically equivalent to a 200 on the G-10. I was hoping for an improvement in this area but wasn't expecting this big of an improvement.
The next biggest improvement has to be with the auto mode. I tested the auto mode extensively with the G-10 as that was going to be the mode my mother used the most, at least out of the gate, and I was unimpressed. There were too many shooting situations to count that easily fooled the camera into shooting with settings that were less than optimal. You would still get decent results but it definitely needed improvement and they have done just that. Running the identical tests I did with the G-10 clearly showed that this camera is much better at selecting the appropriate shooting mode. Some conditions were drastic improvements. This is probably the 2nd biggest reason why I am most likely going to be upgrading my mothers camera to a G-11.
A lot of people were concerned with the G-11 as it actually has a smaller picture size than the G-10. The G-10 has a 14.7 MP size and the G-11 only has a 10 MP size. Overall that's a 32% decrease in maximum size. People who have a high understanding of digital imaging sensors knew not to worry as the MP size is not the most important aspect to an imaging chip. Details such as dynamic range, image noise and low-light performance are just as important, if not more important, when discussing overall image quality. I for one have always hated the MP war as we passed the quality that the vast majority of the population would be content with a long time ago. It has basically become a numbers game where people think that bigger is better and they just don't seem to grasp that they will never have any use for such high MP images. So I tip my hat to Canon for taking this extremely bold step as this is the FIRST time that we have seen resolution reduced in a line of cameras that is still progressing forward. IMO this is the white flag that signifies the war of the MP is finally coming to an end and we will finally see companies focused on these other, equally important, image qualities as much as they have been with the MP size. As for the image quality of the new sensor, its outstanding! I immediately noticed a difference in the overall quality of the images. They seem richer with much less compression on the higher and lower ends. If I had the choice of choosing between the G-10 sensor and the G-11 sensor I would take the G-11 sensor every single time. Again a big tip of the hat to Canon for boldly choosing to go this route with the G-11 sensor.
The G-11 retains the same 5x optical zoom lens from the G-10 which in case your unaware is equivalent to a 28mm to 140mm lens. Also the same is the aperture settings which go from f/2.8 to f/4.5 depending on the zoom setting. Shutter speeds range from 1/4,000 to 15 seconds and it has the same metering modes as the G-10 (evaluative, center-weighted and spot). Thankfully they didn't make any changes to the manual dials at the top of the camera as that is easily one of my favorite aspects to these cameras. ISO speed and the camera mode dials let you quickly and easily switch the most important settings. I an an old school photographer so I still prefer dials to buttons. IMO its the best set up out of all the point and shoots on the market.
2 other noticeable improvements include an increased flash sync speed of 1/2000 and a high-definition HDMI connector (Dont worry it still has the USB 2.0 connection).
The bottom line is that Canon has taken the G-10, which was easily one of the best point and shoots on the market, and made some outstanding improvements that have taken this camera line to a whole new level. If your one of those people who care more about how many MPs your camera has than the actual image quality of the camera then you should stick with the G-10. If however you are more concerned with image quality than MP's then drop what your doing, list your G-10 on eBay and run out and buy the G-11. The image quality, improved noise performance, and swivel back LCD screen make this camera absolutely worth every penny.
The only negative thing I can say about this camera is in regards to Canon's sheer ignorance when it comes to the lack of standard size filter threads. How hard would it be to design this camera so it had a 52 or 58mm threaded lens opening? Trust me when I tell you it would be extremely easy. At the very least they could design it so all you needed was a simple step up ring to 52mm or 58mm. Instead they leave out threads altogether and make you go out and spend around a hundred bucks on a 3rd party aluminum lens tube that then allows you to use 58mm and 72mm filters. The "Plastic" Canon Lens tube isn't even an option as its so poorly designed. It just really annoys me that canon totally ignores this aspect of this camera. In all honesty threaded lens openings should be mandatory for all cameras, even point and shoots. Again it would be EXTREMELY Easy to change.
Overall the G-11 is simply an amazing, must buy, camera.
5 Stars!!
Edit......
The more I thought about it the more I thought I should come on here and be more specific in regards to the lens tube issue. While Amazon will not allow me to write the name of the company that makes the aluminum lens tube that people should buy if they want to use filters with the G-10 or G-11, I can however be specific in regards to which one you absolutely should not buy which ironically is the one made by Canon. The lens tube that you should stay away from is the LA-DC58K Lens Adapter and here is a link to that item.
Canon LA-DC58K Conversion Lens Adapter for Canon G10 Digital Cameras
There are multiple problems with the LA-DC58K. First its plastic which means the overall quality is much lower than the other options on the market, besides plastic threads are never a good idea as they wear down with time making it harder and harder to properly screw things in as it ages. This simply doesn't happen with brass or aluminum threads. The biggest problem with the LA-DC58K is that it doesn't fit soundly on the camera. Once installed it should be 100 movement free, in other words it should have a nice sound fit and that just isn't what you get with the LA-DC58K. It rattles around and is completely unstable once fitted in the camera and this is simply inexcusable. As if this wasn't enough you also get severe vignetting at wide angles and the tube isn't long enough thus it restricts full zoom ability. I honestly have absolutely no clue how this accessory was allowed to go to market in its current condition.
I know it may seem unbelievable that Canon could design an accessory for one of its flagship models that has this many problems but believe it as everything I wrote is 100% accurate. I am one of the unfortunate people that ordered the LA-DC58K. It was absolutely horrid and was boxed up and returned after less than an hour of use. Its a shame that I cant give the name of the company that makes the aluminum version but since its not sold on Amazon its against their policy to list it. Just Google "Aluminum lens tube canon G10" and you should easily find the company that produces it.
I hope this helps!
The Pro's Compact
Reviewed by: Randy Benter, Kansas City Review Date: 2009-10-21
Before Canon's latest release, I used a G10 as my compact camera. I bought both the S90 and G11 the first weekend they were available and have been comparing both of them to the G10 for the past couple weeks. I have taken hundreds of images using all 3 cameras side by side with the same settings. The title of "Best Compact" has been debated feverishly on the web, with most votes going to the G10 and LX3. But now, I think Canon's new release of both the S90 and G11 will put a quick end to these debates. There is no question in my mind that this pair sits above all competitors. All three of these Canon cameras benefit from the ability to shoot raw format and the 1/1.7" sensor, which is larger than the 1/2.3" sensor found in most other compact cameras.
G11 vs. G10
The first thing I wanted to test was image quality and noise at high ISO settings. Most photography hobbyists and pros know that low light performance is the number one factor influencing camera and lens prices. This is the main reason an f/2.8 zoom lens costs 3-5 times as much as an f/3.5-5.6 zoom. The G11 performs superbly in this regard. RAW images from the G11 set at ISO 800 were equal to or better than RAW images from the G10 set at ISO400. Both luminance and chrominance noise were lower in the G11 images. This represents a 1 stop improvement, which is what I was hoping for. These comparisons were made with all noise reduction disabled in camera and in the DPP software. I tested all other ISOs and found the G11 to be better at all ISO settings above 100 and the 2 cameras demonstrated equal IQ at the base ISOs of 80 and 100.
The feel of the G11 is almost identical to the G10. The biggest difference is that the G11 now has an articulating LCD compared to the fixed LCD on the G10. To accommodate the new LCD mount, the back of the camera was slightly redesigned. The back is now plastic instead of metal, the shortcut and play buttons are now slightly harder to reach, and the rear control dial is both smaller and has a cheaper feel. These differences are immediately apparent to someone who has used the G10 extensively, but I expect the camera will feel just fine to everyone else. I think most people would agree that the articulating LCD is worth giving up a little bit of the solid feel.
I went step-by-step through the menus and features of both cameras during my comparison and most functions are very similar. One of the new features I really like is the ability to fine tune the WB. So if you find the auto white balance tends to run too warm for your tastes, just dial it cooler and it will adjust each WB calculation by the amount you specify.
G11 vs. S90
Both these cameras have the same new sensor, so low light performance is identical. Canon also boasts about the S90 having a faster f/2.0 lens compared to the f/2.8 on the G10, but this part of the camera did not impress me. The lens only has the 1-stop advantage at the absolute widest setting and the max aperture closes down fast from there. The G11 lens is faster at the telephoto end and the difference is negligible at all zoom settings in between. Both lenses are equally sharp throughout their zoom ranges. The G11 has a hot shoe, but when I want to use external flashes, I dial-down the on-board flash and use it to trigger remotes.
The ergonomics of the G11 and S90 are the biggest difference. I wanted to try the S90 because it boasts of equal image quality to the G11 in a smaller, lighter package. After using the S90, I think it might just be too small for my hands. On the G11, I can operate all of the controls on the right-rear of the camera with the thumb of the hand holding the camera. With the S90 there are fewer controls that I can operate one-handed and at times I feel like I might drop it, because I just can't get a good grip on it. The rear control ring on the S90 turns too easily and I have found myself unintentionally adjusting settings because of this, which was never a problem on the G10.
Bundled Software
The camera ships with a newer version (3.7) of Canon's Digital Photo Professional software. There is not much difference compared to older versions, but there is one nice improvement: the lens aberration section is enabled for images taken with the G11. This allows for correction of vignetting, CA and distortion. I do not understand why the same controls are not available for RAW files taken with the G10. There is still no straighten function in the software, which is a disappointment. Another disappointing factor about the software is that Canon has not yet released a new RAW Codec; the current version (1.5) does not support the S90 or G11. This allows raw files to be viewed in Windows and for thumbnail images to be created in Windows explorer. I am sure they are working on an update, but I wish they had this ready by the time the camera was released.
Summary
If you are considering upgrading from a G10 to a G11, I say "Go for it". With the exception of the cheaper feel on the back of the camera, there is nothing I can think of that is not equal or better on the G11. Most importantly the image quality is better.
If you are trying to decide between a G11 and S90, I recommend you try them out in the store and see which one feels better to you. I still have them both and do not yet know which I will be keeping.
The G11 is an excellent camera and I highly recommend it.
Very pleased with the Canon G11!
Reviewed by: C. J. Boyle, Boston, MA Review Date: 2009-10-21
I recently purchased this camera and wanted to post my impressions of the camera from the perspective of an average camera user. I bought the G11 for my husband, who wanted an easy-to-use camera with an optical viewfinder and a swing-out LCD that was viewable in bright light. He is an avid hiker, cross-country skier, & mountain-biker who just wants to get a good shot when he pulls out his camera. On the other hand, I'm a more advanced (not pro) camera user with an SLR setup and I'm comfortable with manual controls. Both of us take photos for our own enjoyment and to share with friends and family.
We both love this camera! The wide angle is wide enough for vacation and scenery shots. It takes very good people pictures and we like the face-detection feature, but turned off the anti-blink mode (maybe I DO want a picture of my granddaughter with her eyes closed!). The close-up/macro photos are incredibly sharp and have impressive depth-of field. My husband likes the brief on-screen tips when he changes settings (and will likely turn them off once he's more familiar with them). When I use the camera, I find it very easy to change settings, although I sometimes find I've inadvertently pressed the metering mode button when I pick up the camera.
Power-on is very fast and shutter action is quick as well. The colors are very good - I have no complaints at all in that regard. I've taken both jpeg and RAW photos; the jpeg's look really fine to me, and I think I'd use RAW only when taking pictures I'd want to play with, such as landscapes, sunsets, close-up portraits, things like that.
We found that in auto mode, the camera takes slightly over-exposed outdoor pictures in bright light. That is easy to adjust using the exposure compensation button in one of the non-auto modes. Or by just turning a few more degrees away from the sun - that works well, too! I like that there's some resistance in the adjustment buttons on the top of the camera, making it hard to change something by accident - a common problem I've encountered with other P&S cameras. I also like the adjustment wheel in the back; I find it easy to use and like that I can use it to move quickly thru the various options.
Both of us are comfortable with the handling/heft of the camera. It feels solid and well-built. Neither of us likes the neck strap so we bought the a wrist strap to use instead. It would have been a nice "option" for Canon to design and include a wrist strap with the camera - it seems counter-intuitive IMO to have a smallish camera need a neck strap!
I hope this brief review helps some people who are looking for another perspective on the G11. It's not meant to be a comprehensive review - just the personal impressions of two "average" camera users with a couple of different expectations.
I've only owned a G11 since this morning but was compelled to write this review for two reasons. First, I am amazed at how well Canon listened to their customer base. People loved the G10 ( and I plan on keeping the one I've been shooting for the last year....) But the two biggest complaints/suggestions I've routinely heard are: 1. The high ISO noise is too obvious and noise filters blur the image. 2. I wish it had a flexible screen on the back. To those two complaints I would have added: It would be nice to have a better optical view finder with more accurate framing.
We all hoped that they wouldn't change the things that everyone liked such as the wonderful analog controls on the top of the G10.
So, I now have camera that IS really about a stop and a half or two stops more sensitive. 400 on the G11 looks better than 200 on the G10. I'd buy the camera just for that. Secondly, the screen on the back now swivels. Nope, the viewfinder didn't get improved.
What you are getting is a really nicely made camera that is convenient to carry around (but not really pocketable) that works quickly and well and is getting into the quality space that used to be the sole provence of DSLR cameras. You also get a nice movie mode (640, not HD) which works well for web projects as well as a camera with smaller file sizes than it's predecessor. It is 10 megs versus 15. Another reviewer griped that the G11 should have had a longer zoom and 24 megapixels. I don't want either of those things because I understand the greater the range of the zoom lens the less well it can be corrected for optical faults. I don't want more megapixels because 99% of what I print is 12 by 18 inches or smaller and both cameras will already do that very well if you practice good technique. There are plenty of long zoom range cameras that work well for snapping your kids playing soccer. I have a Canon SX20 that does a good job with that. But there are few small cameras that are both fun to shoot quickly, on the street and it available light situations that also yield really nice files. This camera is one of them. We should give a few kudos to Canon for getting rev2 (actually rev 8) right for what we really like to do as photographic artists.
I hope someone writes a really good book about using cameras in this class.
Also thrilled that Canon uses the same battery between the G10 and the G11.
Added last night: I went out shooting in the soft rain and gloomy half light yesterday afternoon/evening. I used the camera at ISO 400 and 800 and shot as low as 1/25th of a second. The images did not have a lot of noise and the IS worked very well. If you've shot with Canon's previous powershot cameras you will get used to the controls and menus very quickly.
Canon G11 vs. Canon S90: A Matter of Personal Preference
Reviewed by: G. Gilbert, Review Date: 2009-11-30
Canon G11 vs. Canon S90: A Matter of Personal Preference (I'm posting a very similar review under both the S90 and the G11.)
I've been trying to find a 'carry everywhere' camera to always keep on my person so that I don't miss the amazing things that make up the events of everyday life (like tomorrow when I actually get to get off the R train at Cortland Street in Manhattan, something I haven't been able to do for years due to construction). I wanted something that was (1) Small and (2) Had the ability for full manual controls for shutter speed and aperture. The two cameras that fit this bill very well were Canon's S90 and G11 - Canon's top of the line point and shoots in their respective series (S and G). But which one?
The two major things that the cameras have in common (in addition to the above mentioned manual controls) are:
1. The same image sensor (same size, etc)
2. The same image processor
Anyone who's written a comparison of the cameras will point this out quickly - because normally 'which camera' would come down to these one of these two issues. In addition to these things, there are dozens of other features that both cameras share: this makes it very difficult to decide "which camera?" Having owned both of them (but ultimately deciding to go with the G11 and returning the S90) I would like to make a short list of positive/negatives which I think could be deciding factors when trying to choose between these two excellent cameras. Instead of listing both positive and negative points by each camera, I'll simply point out the positives of each that the other model does not share - I hope that this is helpful in your decision!
G11: Advantages
- Hot shoe: but on a compact? Some people will say "it's pointless to use an external flash on a compact camera - the whole point is to be compact!" That's a valid critique, but at the same time there are times when it's nice to be able to throw a flash on a compact if you really need one. I own the 430EX and the 580EX II (both compatible) but I picked up the newish 270EX with the G11 and it works fantastically with the camera without adding a lot of weight. Both the camera and the flash fit perfectly into the Pelican 1060 case side by side but with enough room to stay padded with the foam insert. And hey - if I want to throw the nearly-twice-as-big-as-the-camera-itself 580EX II on the G11 I can do it! Yet I can also do without it - the camera is versatile this way in a way that the S90 is not.
- Vari-Angle LCD: which at first I found annoying. The screen adds just enough bulk to the camera that it does not fit in smaller cases which it otherwise would. When I first got the camera I was really rather annoyed by it in fact - not only because of the bulk but because it is actually smaller than the LCD on the S90. I had to read another review to realize that it was a much better thing than I realized - because it allows you to hold the camera at all sorts of different levels and angles while still allowing you to see what you're shooting. I really enjoy doing photography with the camera low to the ground (I have an angled viewfinder for my DSLR) and so this works perfectly for what I need. As others have pointed out, the Vari-Angledness of the LCD allows you to flip it while in storage so that it's even more protected.
- Remote Shutter Release: you can use one! I love doing night photography and that the G11 allows me to use a cable release really seals the deal on the S90 vs. G11 for me personally (granted on the S90 you can always use the 2 second self-timer). Good news too if you use a Canon Rebel DSLR - it's the same cable release.
S90: Advantages
- Very compact: quite a bit smaller than the G11, it would easily fit in pockets and cases that the G11 never could. If you're into Pelican cases like I am, you can fit the S90 in the Pelican Micro Case 1010 with room to spare.
- More efficient controls: the ring around the lens is amazing and an excellent idea. Especially when in manual mode, this makes setting aperture and shutter speed a snap (it's more awkward on the G11 - you have to use the small back dial and then toggle between aperture and shutter speed with a separate button which can get to be messy when you're trying to shoot quickly).
- The f2.0 lens: a full stop faster than the G11's 2.8 lens. This is a LOT of light, and especially important when you want to take photos in low-light situations (note though that the lens on the S90 doesn't zoom in far as the G11 if that's important to you - both lenses are the same focal length when zoomed out).
Both the G11 and the S90 are beautiful, well made cameras that will serve any photographer well when you're looking for something that's not DSLR sized.
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It's all about the power of contrast. Color that defies convention. Sleek, gentle curves that merge art and technology into a camera designed to inspire. The PowerShot SD1300 IS Digital ELPH camera captures your world as much as it expresses your originality, with bold innovations that include remarkable Low Light performance. Everything looks right. Hold it...and everything feels right, too.
28mm wide-angle lens; 4x optical zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer
Smart AUTO mode intelligently selects from 18 predefined settings
12.1-megapixel resolution allows you to print large size images with clarity and detail
I will try to share some things I have discovered about this camera. These are just (my thoughts), I hope they might help a little. (Some things) I am compairing to a canon SD1200 and the SD940. I do not use the viedo anough to judge that part of the cameras.
The flat button arangement is the same as the SD1200 all but the power button on top is larger and easier to turn on and off, I like that but be careful it does not come on in your pocket. You get a 2.7inch very clear LCD screen and a 28mm x 112mm lens a little better (than the 35 x 105 on the SD1200 (but no viewfinder on the SD1300).
I have not had any trouble using any of the buttons even with my big old hands. The SD1300 is very easy to use and small enough to carry every place you go for those spontaneous grand kid pictures like the SD 1200 was .
Some will miss the viewfinder that the SD1200 had and some will miss the HD 720p in the movie mode that the SD940 has, The SD1300 has 640x480 at 30fps like the canon SD1200 G11 and S90.
I like that the mic for the video is in the front of the camera instead of being on the top (where I put my finger) like the canon SD940 SD970 and others, it picks up less finger movement noise being in the front.
Very fast start up time of just over 1 sec.
I can not tell any difference in shot to shot or flash shot to shot times between the SD1300 and the SD1200 which is 2secs with out the flash, and 3 to 4secs with the flash on, (( up to 6secs for full flash recharge )).
(Update > A lot of review sites(C-NET) are getting around 2.7 to 3 seconds for the SD1300 between shots with out the flash so I grabed the two cameras and tryed the two again(SD1300 SD1200) with and with out the flash on and I had the same results both ways, I used program mode both times and they would focus and recharge the flash evenly also...)
Shutter lag is good for a canon point and shoot but if you pre focus that will help even more. I never tested the continuous shooting( but see my battery test) but canon says it is 0.9 per sec where the sd 1200 is 1.4 shots per sec, if that is important to you.
I did test the battery (NB-6L same battery as SD1200) by using continuous shooting mode with the flash on and got well over 400 pictures and it was taking ( 1 picture every 2 seconds or less in the continuous mode if that helps you out on the continuous shooting part) and when I turned the flash off it seemed to be very fast coming from a point and shoot world.
In real life I get around 300 pictures with some of them using the flash, your still need a second battery for a backup.
Very good image quality. I am getting about the same image quality as the SD 1200 which is very good for this size point and shoot camera. As point and shoots get better we often try and compare them to digital SLRs (speed, ISOs, picture quality) but because of the point and shoots very small sensors it is just asking to much of the little cameras....
This is just me, I am no expert but I like using the program mode best and I try not to use the auto mode indoors ((auto works good outdoors in good light though) Indoors alot of times auto seems to want to use a very high iso which makes your pictures look grainy or snowy looking on larger prints, it would be ok for a 4x6 or 5x7 print?. I use program mode and set the iso to (100) or 200 iso (if possable indoors if there is anough good light ), for the best image quality.
For some reason canon has done this with all there newer point and shoot cameras the last year or two, (I know it is a bummer) and again this is just me), You might be happy with the pictures you take in auto mode and people have posted alot of very good pictures on this site using auto mode check them out, I am just saying if you have a problem try this and see if it helps.
With the SD1200 and SD940 I would use program mode and auto iso but when trying to do that with the SD1300 it wants to go to 500iso some times where the 1200 and 940 would go to 250iso ,go figure?
UPDATE >> The more I use this camera the more I find myself useing 100iso in program mode if you have anough good light indoors and outdoors).
A lot of the review sites blow there pictures way up and look for defects, your likely to only make 5x7 or 8x10s and not see (what they see). If you are going to make larger prints or need a better low light camera and still stay in a point and shoot you could go with a canon S90 or the bigger G11, but (much more money I know)! Just keep the iso down and you will do good...) Just a thought I wish they would of stayed at 10 mega pixles because of the small sensor although it does allow you to be able to crop your pictures one or two times .
Just about all the pictures that I have posted on this site for this camera have been cropped at least one time or more.
The SD1300 seems to have a nice sharp lens. Highlights sometimes tend to blow out in very bright sun as with all small cameras this size, you can see this in some of the pictures I posted on this sight for the 1300. But to be fair my G11 does this also.
I just realy like the colors in the pictures that the canon cameras produce, again thats just me thinking out loud.
No problem with red eye in pictures useing the SD1300. The menu screens are easy to read... The SD1300 has a touch more style, larger LCD and a little more virsatle lens than the SD1200, but the 1200 is also a very good camera. The SD1300 does have a weak battery door cover like the SD1200.
( You do not get a SD card with the camera ), a 4gb card class 4 or class 6 would be a good place to start if your going to use the movie mode any at all ), you could get by with a 2gb if not using the video mode.
If your new to this digital camera stuff remember to low level format the SD card ((save your pictures first, doing this will also erase the pictures)).
I carry my camera in a little phone case that has a belt clip not a loop for fast & easy on and off the belt.. I definitely recommend picking up a small camera case for protection.
In the menu mode I set the I S mode to continous and the display overlay to grid lines(the grid lines help me take straighter pictures,you may use it for the 1/3 rule also). I have been trying the cloudy setting in the white ballance and it does seem to warm things up a bit (better color) in the shade or on a rainy day, check it out and see what you think.
* I posted some pictures on this site for the SD1300, to give you some idea about how your pictures would look (color - sharpnes - moving shots - noise in pictures - zooms - modes - cropped pictures), if that would help. (( Please if they are not helpful vote them down and I will delete those, I need to delete a lot of them, please help me out here, Thanks...) Or if you have any questions I will try to answer them the best I can, no camera is perfect...well not many.
*(( See comment #10> in comments )).
I mostly take pictures of bear in the Smokey Mountians (CADES COVE) and love chaseing the grand kids around taking their pictures. ( And this year the Outter Banks NC ).
You can never go wrong with a Canon
Reviewed by: C. Calvano, San Diego, CA Review Date: 2010-03-15
I purchased this camera after my Canon A540 Powershot lost its shutter button because I dropped it on a marble floor. I wanted a Canon because I've always been happy with them. Got the SD1300 SI and have to say, I love it! I took pictures of my dog running through wildflowers in the wooded area near my home. They look awesome! The pictures were clear, crisp and vivid. What I like about the Canon is that it is versatile to the owner. It's easy to use when you want it to be, but it has all the settings available if you want to be "artsy." I mostly use the Program setting because it allows me to set the ISO and flash balances, but I sometimes use the auto options provided. I tried them all on the SD1300 and it was good, even better than my A540 (which I still love and plan on repairing).
I recommend this camera if you want something compact with plenty of options.
It's a Point n Shoot, Not Meant to be the Hubble Telescope!
Reviewed by: craig of course, Review Date: 2010-06-21
C'mon, guys! It's a point and shoot micro camera, not the Hubble Telescope so don't expect D-SLR build and features from this little cool baby. The lens is good, the handling is good, on/off is good, it fits in my back pants pocket. I keep the strap on it so I can pull it out quickly. I also put a screen protector on the LCD to protect it from scratches. Due to all the scrathces on the plastic sheet, I change the protector every few months. I replaced my older canon SD700IS with the new SD1300 since I wanted a new pocket camera. I use my Nikon D-SLR for all my heavier shoots but always keep my mini Canon in my pocket just in case. You can't go wrong for $179. This is first camera I've had without a view finder but I'm told that change is good and I shouldn't drug myself to overcome the lack of the peephole. Yes, I used to be a pro. And remember the adage, "It's the photographer, stupid, not just the camera." Oh yeah, the reason I didn't get the SD1400 is that I'm an old timer and need buttons to push rather than a touch screen.
Best camera i've owned so far
Reviewed by: Mark C, Review Date: 2010-05-14
I was just looking for a basic digital camera to take pictures with and am by no means a photo or camera buff. But for me using the Canon is fairly straightforward and I just leave it on the auto setting and am very pleased with the quality of the pictures. They are the best pictures i've seen with an entry level digital camera and I particularly enjoy the vivid details of the fairly large LCD screen that makes reviewing pictures much easier and pleasurable than i'm accustomed to. I was amazed at how small and thin it was; i mean length and height it is only a little bigger than a credit card (much wider, of course) but it also has a solid build to it. I could fit this easily into any pocket, even in my jeans. I'm glad i got this in time for my trip. Highly recommend this camera.
great quality of pictures, easy to use
Reviewed by: J's mom, CA, USA Review Date: 2010-07-07
Pros: picture quality is good; macro is very nice for a compact camera; Auto mode is good enough is most case; compact size
Cons: when change mode, need to hit display key to find more mode options. However, I found it ok as I don't use the other modes that often.
I've taken about 500 pictures and need to change the battery twice. Not sure how's the battery life in about a year.
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Shy and modest is so yesterday. Get ready for brilliance that's the center of attention once the PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital ELPH camera is in your hands. First glance says it all: nothing moves you like the impact of sleek sculpture, especially when it's drenched in the purest, ripest colors. Inside, Canon engineers defy micro-space with big, brilliant innovation. How do they do it? Who cares!
14.1-megapixel resolution; 2.7-inch PureColor System LCD
28mm wide-angle lens; 4x optical zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer
720p HD movie shooting capability plus HDMI output
Smart AUTO intelligently selects from 22 predefined settings
New scene modes such as Miniature Effect and Fisheye Effect; Low Light mode for dimly-lit situations.
In short, this is a great camera in a very small package that produces good results! I wanted a small portable camera with HD video capabilities that I could take with me when I did not want to lug around my DSLR (Canon 40D + lenses) and this little gem fits the bill perfectly.
This camera replaced a Canon PowerShot SD780IS (Black) that I returned due to constant audio noise (hum) while recording video. Rather than risk getting another defective SD780IS with the same issue (many seem to report hearing the noise/hum), I decided to upgrade to the latest Canon PowerShot SD1400IS (Black). I am happy to report that this camera has no such issue with audio when video is being recorded.
The picture quality of the SD780IS and SD1400IS is roughly the same and on par with what one should expect from such a small ultra-portable camera. Going from 12MP to 14MP is a wash as the sensor is the same size and results are very similar. I have posted several shots of flowers under the "customer images" section of the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP (Black) and also uploaded several 100% crops of each image so pixel peepers can see the detail that this camera produces.
Let me be clear, anyone that thinks this camera is going to produce anything close to the quality of a DSLR is fooling himself or herself. There is no way that this small of a package (3.6 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches ; 4.6 ounces) can produce the same image quality as a DSLR. If image quality if paramount, one would be better off considering the Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera, but you will lose the HD video capability, some portability and spend more money. When I want extreme quality, I simply take my Canon 40D + lenses with me and shoot in RAW.
The Auto mode is smart and I think there is more happening behind the scenes than one would expect. If one takes the same image (same ISO settings, lighting, shutter etc.) in Auto and then in Program mode, the results are similar, but I think the Auto mode wins nearly every time. I have no way to confirm this, but the Auto mode seems to have different compression algorithms depending on the subject and can produce a less noisy image at higher ISO than Program mode can. Inside shots are good but I wish I could set an ISO range to force the Auto mode not to exceed 400 ISO.
Tip: If you are getting blurry images, remember that the minimum focal length is much less 5cm when at 28mm and significantly more 50cm when zoomed in to 112mm. So, if you are trying to get the camera close to your subject, be sure to gauge your zoom/subject distances properly otherwise your subject will be out of focus. Perhaps this would have helped the 1 star reviewer.
Final items of note:
1. There is no viewfinder and quite honestly, the small viewfinder on the SD780IS was useless so I do not miss having one. The LCD is bright and works great even on bright days.
2. There is no optical zoom while recording video, only digital zoom, so one has to decide on a zoom length before starting to record. This is a non-issue for me as many people overuse zoom and usually would have been better off just recording a static shot rather than making me dizzy with shaky-cam + zooming at the same time.
Bottom line: This is a fantastic pocket camera capable of decent images with HD video recording as a bonus. It is small enough that it will get taken everywhere enabling capturing of all those special moments. I would highly recommend it to anyone, so long as they realize the limitations inherent to ultra compact cameras. I hope this is review is helpful.
Update: I forgot to mention that one should be sure to get no less than a "Class 4" SD card (Class 6 would be even better) to prevent any video recording issues (missed frames etc.)
Update 2: Still loving this camera after six weeks of use, I particularly like HD video capabilities and use it all the time. The .mov video files make for easy import into Apple iMovie for editing and produces great results. At a recent event, I was able to get some very nice pictures in low light without using a flash in AUTO mode. I was really surprised at the quality achieved in such hard shooting conditions. Best results are had by not zooming too much as there is less light available (f-stop changes when zoomed). If you are noticing blurry shots, try to zoom less and get closer to your subject.
Update 3: I just ran across the recent announcement of the Canon PowerShot SD4000IS (Black) 10MP, it was just released and the list price is currently more than the SD1400IS but the new 10MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor looks very promising for decreasing the noise that is common in sub-compact cameras. The SD4000IS also has HD video capabilities with the addition of stereo sound and can be zoomed while recording video along with a new "Super Slow Motion" video function and a faster f/2.0 lens. It will be interesting to see what users think of this new camera in the coming months. I hope this update is helpful.
Best camera for the money!! Get the waterproof case!!
Reviewed by: RunKidsx3, Indianapolis Review Date: 2010-04-06
I bought this camera for a scuba diving trip in the Caribbean. This is my first product review, but I was so impressed with this camera, I have to do one!! We bought the underwater case to go with it so we could take it diving with us. The camera was amazing. I am just a recreational photographer (taking pictures of kids, sports and hobbies. The 1400 took amazing photos of fish, eels, and other creatures between the depths of 1 ft- 100ft. Some pics still turned out a little blue, while others turned out so well I think they could be published. Underwater photography is very hard, I have heard because of so many variables. I rarely get blurry pictures on land or underwater. Sometimes if the first is blurry I quickly change setting and the 2nd is not. I took several pictures while chasing fish or stingrays and 99.9% were not blurry. I don't think you can ask more than that out of a point and shoot!
Indoors the colors are very real. I do not find yellow tints to pictures. I was taking pictures of the kids around the dinner table, (which has a big window next too it) and the kids looked great. Usually with past cameras they turned out dark because of the light coming in through the window. Outdoors the pictures are beautiful. Again you may have to change the setting, but it is easy. If the water was not turquoise enough, I changed it to beach setting and the pictures showed every detail. I cannot say enough about this camera, but I think every night on our vacation we just talked about how amazed we were with it. I studied hard before buying this camera. I spent many hours looking between the 780, 940, 1300 and 1400. For a few dollars more you get a lot more cameras.
This camera is very small. It can fit into your front pocket very easy. Love it!!
Amazing device!
Reviewed by: U. Diril, Review Date: 2010-05-26
I have a month long trip overseas coming up and wanted to be able to shoot things right away as photo opportunities presented themselves and not haul around a huge SLR which I use regularly for business. Since I wasn't very familiar with "Point and Shoots" because I always believed they were just for exactly that, I never showed much interest in them after getting to know professional level SLRs, I just came to Amazon and pretty much based my opinion on the best rated "point and shoot" cam which at first was the SD780is, but I knew that if I got that one, Id always wonder what this one would be able to do better than that one and eventually would end up with the newer one anyway. This SD1400 didn't have as many reviews but I went with it and it blew me away! I had no idea that such a tiny little device smaller than my Blackberry could produce such wonderful images! I am very pleased with the smart auto, and even the other little features it has that I originally thought I'd never use, but actually are very fun and produce very nice results! It is very easy to use, and all the features and settings are very self explanatory. The only thing is that because its so small and smooth, you have to be very careful not to drop it or let it slip out of your hands. I'd recommend putting the strap on it immediately.
A wonderful little camera for any occasion
Reviewed by: E. Bowdish, Washington Review Date: 2010-07-04
Living in a household with a several of these Canon point-and-shoot cameras (among them the SD1100IS, SD1200IS, and the SD780IS), I purchased this camera as a convenient upgrade to a 3.2 megapixel behemoth I owned from earlier in the decade. So far, I am incredibly impressed at the feature set this camera has to offer.
In lieu of verbosity, I tend to like outlining the high and low points in a list:
PROS:
+Ultra-sleek and lightweight (this camera is so handy to slip into a pocket, you'll find yourself taking more photos straight away).
+Large, crisp LCD screen (of all the cameras I tried, this one seemed to have one of the better displays, and they finally removed the cheesy little viewfinder in place of the larger screen).
+Good photo quality (about on par with other digital cameras of this class)
+Very easy to use (in addition to the many shooting modes for every occasion [fireworks, kids & pets, portrait etc...], this camera provides little on-screen hints and helpful descriptions of all the features as you go through them)
CONS:
-A bit slow (the lag between shots and during focusing is sometimes a bit long)
-Tiny buttons (people like me who don't have such nimble fingers will quite likely hit multiple buttons at a time)
-A bit unstable (this camera, being so thin, does not stand on a table very well; it'll fall right over)
Now just in general about a couple of the characteristics people would like to know about:
BATTERY LIFE: I always recommend carrying a spare battery along with you for long trips and such, but the included 760 mAh Li-Ion battery is pretty decent. For most casual shooting, expect the battery to last comfortably for a day trip or to a few family gatherings before needing a recharge. Charging the battery is really snappy with the included wall charger (I would guess about an hour).
IMAGE QUALITY: For the kind of camera this is (ultracompact point and shoot), I found the image quality to be very good, pretty much on par with most of these kinds of cameras. As always, with a tiny camera like this, you'll see a bit of distortion with the wide-angle lens, and color fringing can be noticed in some cases. Nonetheless, for printing, e-mailing, and general sharing, this camera more than meets the grade with sharp, saturated images.
No camera is perfect (and so if I could, I'd probably give this one 4.5 stars), but this one is sure to not disappoint with its wealth of easy-to-use features, and clean, vibrant imagery. If there is anything to consider before purchasing this camera, it is whether or not its small form factor would be more burdening than helpful. Otherwise, I make no reservations when I say that this digital camera deserves your consideration.
Good for the money, lacking in what I was hoping for....
Reviewed by: D. Stephens, Review Date: 2010-03-26
I had to rewrite this review. This is a really darn nice camera for the money. I had at first thought the pictures weren't very sharp, but doing outdoor shooting on an overcast day I probably should have set the ISO speed higher for faster shutter speeds and maybe not rely on the auto setting. The one drawback is you have no control over F-stops. I do small product photography and and seemingly stuck with very wide open F-stops usually at 2.8 which blurs everything out except exactly the flat plane you're focused on, not too great for objects with some depth to them. Maybe someone can tell me how to trick the camera into using a smaller aperture, but so far haven't figured out how and I am using a tripod and the selftimer for best sharpness. I really wish it had aperture priority shooting for my product shots. I compared shots from this camera to my girlfriend's old Powershot G6 at7.1 pixels and the 1400's images are much more detailed and sharper. I shot two movies of our dogs in somewhat low indoor light and there was some ragged looking pixelation in darker image areas I didn't like but I didn't buy this thing to shoot movies either. I have an old Nikon Coolpix 3.3 megapixel camera that isn't very wide angle that will beat this thing for sharp product photos using aperture priority set at F11 or so, so am spoiled by that. I do have some background in photography so I have gone through almost every feature in this little jewel and have changed my mind about returning it. It does take some figuring out though. If you forget to turn off the red eye feature it will shine a red light at everything you photograph and even put the red beam in the photo if you have the flash turned off, took awhile to figure that out. It also uses the red beam briefly to help auto focus so was confused by what was happening, the red eye beam is in the flash settings and the auto focus assist which uses the same red beam is in the auto focus settings. Fortunately the settings and menus have text explanations that show what each feature is for. There are an awful lot of great features to use in the program mode if you have the patience to go through them and play around with each one. Anyway, I highly recommend this camera, its not perfect and its not a pro camera but is a good buy for the price and I'm keeping mine!
Reviewed by: D. Bell, Phoenix, AZ USA Review Date: 2009-05-27
I've been playing with my new Powershot D10 for about a week and really like it. I have been using Canon SLRs for 25+ years, AE1 Program, A1, Elan 7e, and Digital Rebel. When I started looking for a waterproof camera to take snorkeling, my first choice was Canon, based on my many years of satisfaction with their products, and I was very lucky that this camera was released two weeks before leaving for vacation. (Amazon had been showing the camera as available for pre-order until earlier today. I purchased mine from a local camera store.)
I'm very impressed with the picture quality on this camera. The 12 megapixel sensor, coupled with a dozen shooting modes, produce an excellent image. I'm used to controlling aperture and shutter speed on the SLR, so simply selecting "portrait" or "night exposure" mode and letting the camera do all the work just seems too easy. Or, if selecting "portrait" is too difficult, you can select "auto" and just let the camera do it all. Movie quality is also quite good. The LCD screen on the back of the camera seems huge compared to the 1" screen on my old Digital Rebel. It's a great display.
The controls are conveniently arranged, and easy to use, and the associated icons displayed are both informative and intuitive. You can choose to display all the settings or turn them off and just see the image. One of the useful display options is a grid overlay on the screen to assist with shot composition and the "Rule of Thirds." The optical zoom works great. By the time you get to 12x with the digital zoom, the image is kind of grainy, but that's to be expected.
You can take macro photographs an inch or two from your subject. I've had trouble focusing my Digital Rebel in the dark, but Canon seems to have improved low-light focusing quite a bit. It has a manual focus feature that indicates the distance to the subject as you adjust the focus, just in case it can't get the focus right.
I like the Panorama feature, which displays the previous shot on the viewfinder while you're composing the next shot, allowing the photographer to closely match subsequent shots, resulting in panoramic photos with less distortion when they're stitched together. Panorama mode also locks in the exposure value of the first shot so that the exposure in subsequent shots all match the first shot.
The face recognition and blink detection both seem to work well. As the camera focuses, it will zoom in on one of the faces so the photographer can verify correct focus. After the shot is taken, if someone blinked it will identify the face of the person blinking so you can take another shot. These can be turned on or off according to user preference. Images seem very crisp, which I attribute to the image stabilization features, which can also be turned on or off.
I've had the camera in the sink, and it handles six inches of water with no problems. I'll see how it does with thirty two and a half more feet of water when it meets the Atlantic Ocean in a few weeks! The wrist strap attaches to any one of the four corners of the camera (convenient for carrying in either left or right hand) and seems to be pretty secure, so no worries about losing it if you get knocked over by a wave.
I use Photoshop Elements, so I haven't loaded the Canon software and can't comment on that. And since I edit photos on the computer, I doubt that I'll use some of the in-camera editing features, such as black and white, sepia, color swap, and the various color enhancements. I could see that would be useful to those who print directly from the camera, without editing on a computer.
The camera doesn't allow you to shoot in RAW. I generally don't shoot in RAW with my SLR, so that doesn't worry me. It has a number of white balance modes, custom white balance, and auto white balance. It seems to do a good job selecting the correct shooting conditions in auto mode. Colors appear correct.
A couple of drawbacks: The camera isn't threaded so you're not able to attach filters. There's also no lens cap, and I worry about the lens surface getting damaged. For a rugged "adventure" camera, I'm also surprised that there's no GPS chip so that photos can be tagged with the exact location. I look at old slides taken while I was hiking and think "that's neat, why can't I remember where I took that." It would be nice if the EXIF data included lattitude and longitude. (Watch Canon come out with the Powershot D10 "Gold" six months from now that incorporates these features. The curse of being an early adopter.)
The microphone picks up every movement your fingers make as you hold the camera, so it's difficult to capture movies without some camera noise. The speaker on the bottom of the camera is also difficult to hear when playing movies back on the camera, but movies sounds fine when I pop the memory chip into the computer and watch in Quicktime. Movies are produced in the .mov format, so you'll have to do some conversion if you want to do anything with it in Windows Movie Maker. You can also choose between higher quality 640 x 480, or lower quality 320 x 240. (I should post a video review, but look like a dork in movies, so I'll spare everybody that.)
Tried to take a few infrared photos, but the image has the Hot Spot typical of many Canon cameras and lenses. I held a Hoya R72 filter over the lens and took several shots. Bright sunlight is about a 4" exposure, and all shots have a bluish circle in the center.
The drawbacks are very minor compared to the great images this camera produces.
I'm very impressed with this camera. It feels very sturdy, takes great photos, and seems very easy to use. Although I'll probably continue to use my Digital Rebel as my primary camera, I certainly look forward to many years of fun with this camera.
Great underwater AND general purpose camera
Reviewed by: Rodrigo Diaz Espinoza, TX, USA Review Date: 2009-06-16
I bought this camera for a trip to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. I originally acquired it to take underwater pictures, since I own a nikon D40 with a 18-200 mm lens for "landscape" type of pictures, but I got very surprised with its quality as a "general purpose" camera. It takes very balanced pictures and the settings are very flexible. Whenever I went to the beach, I preferred to take the D10 instead of the bulky SLR, and it worked flawless.
But it is underwater where the camera shined. I took hundreds of pictures of corals and fishes, and the quality of most of them was excellent (considering this is camera fits in your hand and it is very lightweight). I also recorded many underwater videos, which is done very nicely by the camera as well. The incorporated microphone is rather low quality, but it kind of make sense to me to avoid water intrusion I guess. I used the camera for at least 8 hours total under seawater during my 4-day trip and I did not have problems at all. I soaked it in tap water everytime I used it in the sea as stated in the manual. This camera really changed my trip. My girlfriend is actually thinking about getting another for herself since we had to share it when snorkeling.
The camera is fast. Whenever I saw a nice fish around me, I turned it on and took a picture in a matter of 2-3 seconds. Most images were not blurry, which kind of surprised me. With the appropiate light (as it happens with every kind of camera), underwater pictuers can get very very nice. The LCD is very clear underwater, and it gives you a fair idea about the picturejust taken. Flash did not work well underwater since there was a lot of reflection, so it is better to disable it and use it with proper light. I'll be uploading pictures soon.
I'd recommend this camera to anyone needing an all-weather camera for amateur purposes. Although i've had it for three weeks, it seems very reliable. It is made in Japan, which i guess gives it an extra bonus IMO.
Best All Around Camera
Reviewed by: Stephanie Chow, California Review Date: 2009-06-17
I bought this camera for my trip to Maui, which I just came back from. This camera took great land and water photos. I used a lot of the different scenery settings, which was great. The foliage pictures turned out great. The only disappointment I had was when I found a green gecko on a red plant (how awesome of a contrast is that), the details were great, but the plant looked more orange than red in my photo. Landscape mode was good for Iao Needle and Hana.
Underwater pictures were great and the water wasn't too choppy on the surface. We went to Honolua Bay and the colors of the fish and coral were vibrant underwater. It was amazing, some pictures you could not even tell you were underwater. You have to get under the water and face the camera up to get nicer pictures and even though the fish were swimming, you can still capture the clear picture. The battery life for the camera is awesome! My friend had another Canon camera with the underwater case, his battery died after a few hours. My battery was still strong and I had the camera on the whole time as you never know when that cool fish will swim by.
We next went to the Ka'anapali Beach outside of the hotel and unfortunately the surf was a bit rougher. However, there were turtles near the beach near Black Rock and I had the underwater setting so I took both pictures outside the water and in the water. The surf was kicking up a lot of sand, so it was hard to get a clear picture of the turtle under the water. I was getting knocked over by the waves and I'm sure my camera was hitting the sand a bit as was I, but it had no problems at all.
One of my favorite pictures was using the Sunset scenery setting. The sunset was bright orange and the details of the pictures turned out great. When you look on the LCD screen, it looked a bit off, but after you took the picture, it was just magnificent. The color quality was a vibrant orange and you can see the reflection on the water and detail was just great.
This is a great all around camera for land or water. It's easy to use once you read the manual and it's a Canon (need I say more). It's a recognized camera as it's bright blue and I love the large LCD screen. It really helps when your underwater taking pictures.
Underwater Pictures
Reviewed by: Ken Wong, Brooklyn, NY Review Date: 2009-06-03
I bought this for my wife for her Birthday and because we were going diving in Bermuda! I have a Canon SD800 and a diving case for it! While my case fogged up for some apparent reason. My wife took pictures from the top to 30 feet below of me trying to de-fog my camera somehow and the pictures came out crisp! Very impressed at 5ft and 30ft.
Works as advertised
Reviewed by: Karyn, The Woodlands, TX USA Review Date: 2009-08-12
Just returned from Hawaii and the Canon D10 withstood two weeks of underwater (ocean and fresh water) and outdoor (rain and waterfall) excursions. I had my doubts but the camera worked like a champ. On the last day (after loading all of the photos onto my computer) I decided to tempt fate and took the camera down to around 25-30ft deep and tried a couple of shots just to see how it held-up at close to the advertised depth. To further tempt fate, I tried to make a point of manipulating all of the controls while I was down there. The shots came out great and the camera survived unscathed. I do have two suggestions though. Periodically wipe-off the protective lens cover because the camera can have a tendancy to autofocus on the tiny particles of ocean detritus that stick to the lens cover (and take multiple shots because you often can't tell that a shot is out of focus by quickly glancing at the view screen while you're under water). My other suggestion is to buy a high-vis floating strap (like the Olympus). While the camera floats by itself, if you decide to stuff it into your pocket while you're swimming around it can slip-out. While doing my family head-count out past the reef, I noticed an orange object floating in the water about 80ft away. Without the high vis strap, I would have almost certainly lost the camera. All-in-all, I was pleased with the D10's underwater performance and durability, and it also takes excellent scenery shots (I've posted a couple of examples). In all other ways, it's basically a standard Canon compact camera (but with better than average low-light performance).
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Canon's colorful array of compact cameras makes history. With 12-megapixel resolution, 4x optical zoom, and the Optical Image Stabilization System, the SD1300 takes memory making to a whole new level. Spectacular images come out of this spectacularly easy-to-use camera. Don't let the technology intimidate you. The SD1300's automatic features take all the guess work out of photography, and that's a beautiful thing.
28mm wide-angle lens; 4x optical zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer
Smart AUTO mode intelligently selects from 18 predefined settings
12.1-megapixel resolution allows you to print large size images with clarity and detail
Reviewed by: Robert S. Tobias, Arlington, VA USA Review Date: 2010-05-21
...is one you'll have with you. The nice thing about the Canon ELPH series is they easily fit into your pocket, are well built/designed, don't cost a lot, come with a boatload of features, and take great pictures. The SD1300, the latest in the ELPH line continues in that tradition, adding considerable additional sophistication and sacrificing some useful functionality in the interest of cutting cost.
It is a small camera and carries with it the baggage that comes with the convenience of having to carry so little baggage. (sorry, couldn't resist) None of the issues raised, given that they comes as part of the convenience trade-off made me consider anything other than the 5-star rating this camera deserves.
- Many of the functions are only accessible through menus, sometimes several levels deep. The good new is the Automatic and scene modes are pretty good (as long as you spend a few minutes reviewing what they really do). This camera is not intended to be used in aperture or shutter priority, let alone full manual.
- The battery life might be shorter than you expect. That's a trade-off for having a camera that's small and light; you get a battery that is small and light. One thing you can do is get a spare battery. That is good advice for any camera. Another thing that will help is to keep the display off as much as possible. That means using the monitor as little as possible. The "sad" part is that Canon chose to drop the optical viewfinder in this model. That means a camera that is simpler and less expensive to make but will go through batteries quicker because you must use the display when taking picture.
- The camera response is a bit slow for effectively capturing children and pets. The trick for doing that is to either have a great sense of timing and a shutter that reacts instantly or a reasonably fast ( > 4x / sec ) burst mode. This camera has neither.
Some other suggestions that apply:
- Use the lowest ISO available given your requirement for either aperture or shutter speed. To avoid getting technical, higher ISO always introduces higher noise. At issue is when it becomes noticeable. In newer dSLR cameras you can get over 1000, maybe well over depending on the camera, before the noise becomes noticeable. For this camera keeping it at or below 200 is a good idea.
- Don't use in-camera sharpening. Digital pictures will almost always benefit from sharpening but you are better off doing it with a photo editing program. Compuer-based algorithms tend to be more sophisticated and you can better judge the results on your monitor as opposed to the camera LCD.
- If you want more vivid colors and have the choice use sRGB instead of Adobe RGB. While you get fewer colors they are distributed over a wider range. They are also render better on computer monitors, many commercial labs, and any other place your pictures are likely to show up.
Finally, I've found the Caselogic QPB-1 Compact Digital Camera Case (Black/Gray) is just the right size for this camera. It's semi-rigid so you get a fair amount of protection but doesn't add a lot of bulk. It's made even better by using one of these, Nite Ize SB1-2PK-01 Size-1 S-Biner, Black, 2-Pack, to secure it to a belt loop.
Super little camera
Reviewed by: Kathlyn G. Gates, Florida Review Date: 2010-03-25
I love this camera! I'm a REALTOR and use the wide angle to capture views of properties and yards. Wonderful and compact.
I would recommend to anyone looking for a point and shoot camera with no fussing.
Great little camera
Reviewed by: ANSSO, Seabrook, TX USA Review Date: 2010-06-20
I like this camera because it is small and it is a Canon. Since I have had it for only four days I will only say it takes great pictures on the Auto mode with and without the zoom. I took a few pictures in the dark and they came amazingly clear for this size camera.
So far I am a very satisfied customer.
PROS: Quality of pictures, size, flash, comes with a battery charger and Amazon gave me a free 4GB card.
CONS: No viewfinder but if you want one, you get a camera with it. Battery life is kind of short so I got an extra battery.
Will come back later to add to this review.
Great little digital camera
Reviewed by: snoshow, usa Review Date: 2010-06-08
This camera is extremely easy to use and produces great pictures under all conditions. Excellent choice for those who don't wish to invest a lot of time in learning intricacies of digital cameras. We use it for routine picture taking indoors and outdoors. Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue)
I did a little research online hoping to find a point and shoot camera that truly is "point n shoot". This is it. I recently took it on vacation and got beautiful pictures without having to fiddle around with the options. There is a mode that allows you to customize a shot but the Auto function has worked just fine.. I recommend this camera to anyone who is not a camera "pro" but just wants to be able to take great pictures without effort.
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