Product Description

This is the Digital ELPH that's raising the bar. There's everything you'd expect from a camera of this caliber: A 7.1 megapixel CCD to render images in magnificent detail and a DIGIC III Image Processor for stellar quality and fast operation. Yet what sets the SD800 IS Digital ELPH apart is its Wide-angle 3.8x optical zoom with Image Stabilizer technology for rock steady zooms. The Canon SD800 IS Digital ELPH, it's the Digital ELPH that's a step ahead. Wide-angle 28-105mm (35mm equivalent) 3.8x Optical Zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer Technology for steady, long zoom shooting DIGIC III Image Processor with Face Detection Technology for superior image quality, fast operation and low power consumption Large 2.5-inch LCD monitor with wide viewing angle for easier on-camera viewing Up to ISO 1600 to reduce image blur and expand low-light shooting capability Improved Movie Mode with Fast Frame Rate at 60 fps QVGA (320 x 240) or 30 fps VGA (640 x 480) Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading, plus ID Photo Print and Movie Print with Canon CP and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers Capacity per fully charged battery - Still Image - approx. 270 shots (NB-5L/LCD on)* approx. 600 shots (NB-5L/LCD off) Dimensions (W x H x D) - 3.52 x 2.28 x 0.99 in. / 89.5 x 58.0 x 25.1mm; 5.29 ounces

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3747 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 1270B001
• Dimensions: 1.00" h x 2.30" w x 3.50" l, .45 pounds
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 7.1-megapixel CCD give you images of uncompromising texture and detail
• 3.8x image-stabilized wide zoom; 2.5-inch LCD display
• 9-point AiAF, single point AF, Flexizone AF, and Face-priority AF
• Stores images on SD cards; powered by Lithium-ion rechargeable battery NB-5L
• Now supports SDHC cards (Secure Digital cards with over 2 GB capacity)

Customer Reviews

I really like this camera
In my opinion, this camera is worthy of a 5 star rating, one of the few I've ever given.

My experience with cameras in this class started with a Canon S-100, which I upgraded later to a Canon S-400, both of which proved to be excellent for my on-the-go photography needs. My only criticism with this class of cameras was that they lacked two features I really wanted:
1. wide angle lens
2. image stabilization
I guess the Canon folks read my mind with the introduction of the SD-800, and after reading a number of positive technical reviews for the camera on the web, I purchased one as an upgrade for my beloved S-400. I was particularly suspicious regarding image stabilization, since my only prior experience with a camera using this technology had been disappointing (Canon S-1, a larger 10x zoom model).

As might be expected with the advances in memory technology, the SD-800 takes movies at a higher resolutioni (640x480) than the S-400 (320x240) and has a higher maximum pixel count (7.1 vs 4.0). It also uses the smaller SD memory cards as opposed to the bulkier CF cards for the S-400, and the lithium battery pack has a different form factor (which means you can't reuse stuff from an earlier model).

What I consider to be the 2 real upgrade features for this camera, the wide angle lens and the image stabilization, are what truly distinguishes it from its competition. I've had this camera for about a month now and can happily report it is a significant advance over the S-400. The image stabilization is a dream. With the S-400 I had to rely on bracing the camera in many circumstances where with the SD-800 I can count on sharp images just holding it out, composing, and taking the shot. In a recent work session where my group had accumulated a great deal of writing on a wide white board along the side of a narrow conference room, I was able to capture in a single, sharply focused shot the entire board, something the S-400 would have taken 2 shots to achieve followed by a photo stitch. There is some distortion at the outer edges, but I personally don't see this as a drawback given the advantages to getting the whole image (after all you can crop the picture if the rather small amount of distortion truly bothers you).

What else? Well, the camera is lighter and more comfortably contoured than the S-400. It does retain the view finder (thank heavens ... there are simply circumstances where this is the only reasonable way to compose a shot). A single door is used for both memory and battery (vs. 2 doors on the S-400). As others have reported, the door has a flimsy feel, but my first camera in this line (the S-100) had a similar door and I never broke it. Anyway, the USB-2 picture download pretty much eliminates needing to pop out memory cards to get a faster download speed via a card reader. I did invest in a 4Gb high speed SD card since maximum movie length is 4Gb at 640x480, 30 frames per second, or about 25 minutes worth of pretty darn good movie taking. My experience to date is that with this level of capability and convenience I doubt I will every use my cam corder again for family movies.

Out of the box I found the controls and interface to be easier and more intuitive than the S-400. I have all the capabilities I had with the S-400, plus some "gee-whiz" features I've had fun with but I doubt I will use routinely (e.g., color swap). I can also recommend Canon's leather case for this camera. It provides an extremely easy way to carry the camera on your belt (it uses a belt loop, which I think is far superior to a belt clip). I was initially put off by the magnetic flap used with this case, but now agree it's a superior design (their earller cases used Velcro).

Very good value for money
I'm a professional photographer who shoots with two Nikon SLRs and an array of Nikon lenses; some of the lenses alone cost five times the price of the Canon SD800. But I got tired of lugging heavy camera equipment around for family and travel photos and general grab shots. So when I'm not working, the SD800 is what I use.

It's not perfect for sure. To name just a few annoyances: it suffers from red-eye effect when you take flash pictures of people; like all point-and-shoot cameras, it has noticeable shutter lag; it has rather a lot of image noise at ISO settings over 200; and its 'manual' mode doesn't let you set an aperture value or a shutter speed. I also notice quite a bit of lens aberration, which becomes especially evident when pictures include straight lines, such as doorways; the SD800 gives them a slight curve.

But maybe all that is the wrong way to look at it. For a $375 featherweight camera, this thing can't and shouldn't be expected to deliver SLR-like quality or features. And what the SD800 DOES do well is more important: It takes lush, pleasing pictures with very good color fidelity (a Canon trademark) and with minimal thought and fuss required from the photographer.

It's also a very pleasant camera from a usability point of view, and not just because it slips easily into a shirt pocket or into the nicely made but optional Canon belt case ($15). The SD800 has only nine controls (buttons and dials), which is usually a recipe for confusion as functions either tend to get hidden deep inside menus, or require counterintuitive pushes of several buttons to access. But the camera is more logically laid out and designed than any compact I've ever shot with. I only had to crack the manual for a couple of advanced tricks, like photo-stitch and color-swap. The rest of the SD800's operation is pretty much self-evident.

I appreciate that the power button is recessed; whenever I tried to stuff my old Canon Powershot G6 into my pocket, or pry it out, that camera would turn itself on due to the poor placement and design of the power switch. It got annoying enough that I sold it. There are no such design goofs on or in the SD800.

The camera's proprietary battery provides lots of juice, the screen (which is as big as on my $1,600 Nikon D200) is bright and clear, the image stabilization works really well, and the range of the lens is just right (being able to shoot at 28mm -- respectable wide angle -- is a wonderful thing, very uncommon among point-and-shoots, whose lenses typically start at 35mm).

All told, I quite smitten with this nice-looking, well-thought-out little picture-taking machine. Considering that it also takes decent video footage, the combination of quality, features, and value is, in my book, untouched by any other digital compact currently on the market.

SD800 IS - The Definitive Review
So I have been scouring the web looking for opinions about SD800 IS. Since there were no pro-reviews coming out soon and I needed a camera for the weekend trip, I took the plunge and picked up SD800 IS three days ago.


BACKGROUND:

Before I jump into the review, I want to mention that I have been using full-manual film SLRs since I was 18. My current camera collection includes Optio 43WR (to take rafting / skiing / adventure sports pics), Digital Rebel XT, and now SD800 IS. I have also spent some time with T10, SD630 and an assortment of cheaper models.

I have realized over the years that the smaller camera are way more useful for someone with an active lifestyle. I have put my Optio 43WR through some tough times with skydiving, falling down ski slopes, and using it underwater (no, it is not recommended by Pentax) and it came up with amazing pictures. Also imagine a cute girl at a party asking you "Is that a SLR in your pants, or ..." you get the picture (pun intended!).


WHY NEW CAMERA?

I needed to replace my aging primary companion Optio 43wr with a new ultracompact model with underwater housing which allows me to dish out the abuse I need to get great shots. Money was not an object, so I was looking only at top-of-the-line models from ALL brands. The other note-worthy contenders were Sony T-30 Black, Sony DSC N2, Fuji F30.

I was also very unhappy with the pictures in low-light conditions by 43WR. I spend a fair amount of time snapping low-light pictures, so that was a top priority for me as well.


SD 800 IS:

So here is what I have found about SD800 IS...


Gizmo factor:
- This one has to be one of the most tricked out cameras I have ever used. You can edit movies, auto-rotate pictures depending on how you hold the camera, and do many other neat things. However what appeals me most is that these tricks are not flashy or distracting: they are seamlessly integrated in the user experience.
I think this shows the maturity in Canon models, compared to some fresh brands.
- The slide-show is very classy, not cheesy as you see on most other cameras.


Creative Controls:
- No full manual here, but it has Auto-Exposure lock and Auto-Focus lock. These two controls with some creative thinking will allow you to take any shots you may need. I didn't know about these features till I bought the camera, and I am very happy to find them there!
- Color-Accent and Color-Swap are more addictive than a videogame. I have so far seen my car in multiple colors, visualized what my garden will look like in fall, and help people bring out the blue color in their eyes.


Appearance:
- Personally, I am not very impressed by the looks but everyone else seems to love the understated jewelery thing going on with it.


Lens:
- Yes, it is true. Lots of blurry corners at full wide. Lots of distortion too. I think Canon is skimping on the optics here. That's what happens when you try to stuff a 3.8x zoom in a tiny body. They should have stuck to something like 28mm to 60mm zoom, and it would have been fine.

But from a practical point of view, I don't notice the corners in a picture. Naturally I stare at the subject, and move on to the next pic. So the corners bothered me in test-shots, but not in real-life shots.

TIP: Just zoom out to 35mm equivalent and the blurry corners disappear.


Optical Stabilizer:
- Extremely effective. Worth its weight in gold. I am still gloating over the vibration-free pictures I have been taking recently.


CCD:
- Images are softer than my liking. Don't know if it is the low-quality lens, or the CCD.
- Gets very noisy after ISO 400. Fuji F30 will beat the CCD hands down.


RECOMMENDATION:
Depends on what your needs are. Look at the above facts, think about your needs, and make your own decision. I will give you three options based on my reasoning:

It is the only 28mm lens out there, and you will love it despite the lens limitations. I have numerous examples in only THREE days, where I was able to get a shot like never before. So if you feel like fitting more in a frame, get SD800 IS.

If you print all your pictures, and are a family man, DSC N2 is the way to go because of 10 megapixels and touch screen. However the images are overprocessed in camera, a Sony trademark.

If you do lots of low-light photography ala Paris Hilton, wait for Fuji to release optically stabilized camera. I couldn't wait, because I have a trip this weekend!