Last year, I bought the Canon SD550 digital camera, to replace my ancient Canon S200 Digital Elph (2.1 megapixels!). It was quite different from my S200 -- smaller and lighter, with a large screen. While the S200 was a chunky block of stainless steel, the SD550 by contrast was a slim and svelte form of chrome and plastic. The S200 looks like a digital camera built in the cold-war era, strong enough to withstand drops on the pavement, while the SD550 looks much more modern, and also much more frail. At 7.1 megapixels of resolution, the SD550 churned out pictures that on the whole, I wasn't very impressed with. My Maker Faire photoset on Flickr from last year shows the results of my testing with the SD550. Unhappy with the capabilities of the camera, I returned it, and waited for the Image Stabilized successor, the SD700 IS.
How quickly time passes -- when the SD700 IS was released in late May last year, I told myself I'd pick one up after I got back from Japan, but I never quite got around to it, and before I knew it, there was a successor to the SD700 IS -- the SD800 IS.
The SD800 IS is a mildly improved version of the SD700 IS -- 7.1 megapixels, ISO 1600 and DIGIC III vs. 6.0 megapixels, ISO 800 and DIGIC II, but where the SD800 gains in ISO and megapixels, it loses in lens range. Whereas the the SD700 IS has a lens range of 35-140 with 4x optical zoom, the SD800 IS has a lens range of 28-105 with 3.8x zoom, meaning that you do get a marginally wider angle lens with the SD800, but your range is bit shorter. It was a hard decision choosing between the two, as the price difference between the two cameras is now only about $50 -- but ultimately I opted for paying a bit more for having the wider lens on the SD800 IS than the longer range. (I figure if I'm taking long-range shots, I'm going to be on the DSLRs)
My main problem with tiny cameras like these has always been an inability to hold the camera steady while taking the picture -- but serving as an effective remedy to my unsteady hands are an Image Stabilizer and a large LCD viewfinder . The digital viewfinder is viewable in direct sunlight, making those outdoor tourist photos a breeze. There's also a standard viewfinder you can use if you don't mind smudging the screen.
The SD800 IS also includes 16 MB SD card, which is far too small for a 7.1 megapixel camera. Get a bigger memory card when you purchase this, and you'll be golden.
This is your basic point-and-shoot compact consumer camera with Image Stabilization -- want RAW, aperture priority or shutter-priority? This camera isn't for you -- a PowerShot G7 or A640 would probably serve you better. But if you just want something you can tuck into your jacket pocket for a quick snapshot, you can't go wrong with the SD800 IS.
Leave a comment