Canon PowerShot SD40 Digital Camera Review

Value (5.5)
Canon placed a $349 retail price on the PowerShot SD40. That seems to be the going price for 7-megapixel thin and trendy digital cameras these days. In that respect, it is competitively priced because it has a speedy and effective auto focus system, face detection, custom white balance, and a wide ISO range – things that not all cameras in this price range possess. If consumers are looking to save a few dollars, they can forego the trendy slim housings and go for the more functional Canon A-series, for instance. Those usually cost less and come with more manual controls but can’t fit in a pocket quite as easily.

Comparisons 
Canon PowerShot SD30 – This Digital Elph has 5 megapixels and comes with an older image processor. The Digic II is still fairly speedy (although this model does have a slower 1.3 fps burst mode), but the SD40’s Digic III makes some improvements mainly in its auto focus system. The Canon PowerShot SD30 has many of the same features and components: 2.4x optical zoom lens, aperture and shutter speeds, 1.8-inch LCD screen with 118,000 pixels, metering settings, white balance options, and scene mode selection. The cameras share the same measurements and even weigh the exact same 3.7 oz. Besides the resolution and image processor differences, the Canon SD30 has a shorter ISO range that only reaches 400. It cannot accept the newer SDHC memory cards but still takes the standard SD and MMC cards. The battery gets less mileage with only 160 shots per charge, but it comes with the same camera station and wireless control. The Canon PowerShot SD30 comes in purple, gold, black, and red, and can be found online for around $250.

Casio Exilim EX-Z700 – This 7.2-megapixel digital camera is Casio’s version of the super-slim and super-trendy. Announced about a month before the Canon SD40, the Casio Z700 has a much larger 2.7-inch LCD screen, a 3x optical zoom lens, a digital image stabilization mode, and a list of scene modes that could go to the moon and back. The Casio doesn’t have face detection, but it has a tracking auto focus system that follows moving subjects. This camera weighs in a bit more, but it measures smaller in its 3.48-inch width and 0.81-inch depth. The battery in the Z700 lasts 460 shots per charge, but it charges in an included camera cradle. The Casio Exilim EX-Z700 retails for $299 and comes in silver, gray, and blue colors.


Kodak EasyShare V705 – Coming in at the same retail price of $349 is the V705, one of Kodak’s dual lens digital cameras. This model claims to be the world’s smallest ultra-wide-angle digital camera with its 23mm focal length and purported 5x optical zoom. With 7.1 megapixels, this EasyShare can shoot with its 22 scene modes, VGA movie mode, and limited manual controls. The V705 is very easy to use and allows users to organize pictures into albums and favorites on the camera. It has 32 MB of internal memory and a slot for SD cards. The Kodak EasyShare V705 has a similar rectangular shape as the Canon SD40 but has a much larger 2.5-inch LCD screen with great resolution. Kodak throws in perks like digital image stabilization, a true in-camera panorama stitching function, and Perfect Touch technology in the playback mode to automatically fix lighting and colors in images. The V705 is trendy and easily fits in pockets with its 0.8-inch profile. It comes in black, silver, and pink.

Nikon Coolpix S7c – This digital camera has many similar specs such as its 7.1 megapixels, ISO options up to 1600, and predominantly automatic features. The S7c has an internal lens that gets more zoom at 3x, and it operates with a digital vibration reduction system. Nikon was the first major manufacturer to come out with any sort of face detection technology. Indeed, the S7c has face-priority auto focus like the Nikons introduced two years ago. The technology was all the rage back then, but other manufacturers quickly offered better versions and Nikon hasn’t updated theirs. The biggest different in the Canon’s and Nikon’s face detection technology is speed. Nikon’s is much slower and doesn’t track as well. The Nikon Coolpix S7c has a one-touch portrait button on the back that pairs the face-priority AF with a digital red-eye fix algorithm. Also on the back of the camera is an enormous 3-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels. The all-metal body is thin but has a wavy design that makes it a little easier to hold. The S7c has 15 scene modes, 4 with helpful framing assists, and a Pictmotion mode that merges slide shows with music within the camera. Perhaps its most unique feature is the wireless Coolpix Connect function. This emails pictures directly from the camera; the camera comes with one year of service to T-Mobile’s Hot Spot service to support this. The wireless Nikon Coolpix S7c retails for $349.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – These consumers will appreciate the convenience of a small camera and the automatic features the SD40 is endowed with. A palette of My Colors modes and the face detection technology make this Digital Elph even trendier with the point-and-shoot crowd.

Budget Consumers – If these consumers want effective face detection on the cheap, then this is a good option. But if budget-seekers simply want a compact camera with automatic features and ease of use, there are plenty of other digital cameras that fit that description and are much cheaper.

Gadget Freaks – The Digic III image processor is enough to make gadget freaks drool with its ability to recognize and track up to nine faces in a frame. The Canon PowerShot SD40 doesn’t wear its gadgety nature on its sleeve thoug. Users have to enter a menu to access the face detection.

Manual Control Freaks – There is manual white balance and ISO selection, but the choices are otherwise scant on the PowerShot SD40.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – This group of consumers have no need to look at the PowerShot SD-series.