Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

Oct 13, 2006 - By Richard Baguley
The Canon PowerShot SD40, also called the IXUS i7 Zoom in Europe, is in a batch of fresh Digital Elph cameras that include the new and improved Digic III image processor. The new ultra-compact camera has 7-megapixel resolution and now includes trendy face recognition technology, courtesy of that Digic III processor. The small size of this $350 camera means some compromises have been made: The zoom is a 2.4x model, and the screen is only 1.8 inches. So do these compromises make the SD40 a party animal or a gatecrasher? Read on to find out.
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Value
At $349, the SD40 is a mid-range point-and-shoot. There are much cheaper models (Panasonic has several at around $200), but the SD40 is good value for a camera this small and with a full range of manual and automatic controls.
 
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – Party people will love the size of the SD40 - it’s small enough to fit into a handbag and still leave enough space for a cool pair of shades.
 
Budget Consumers - At $349, the SD40 is not the cheapest camera out there. But it’s not a bad value for the value-conscious consumer.   
 
Gadget Freaks - Gadgeteers who like the smallest of everything will like the SD40: it will go with their near-invisible cell phone and nano laptop.
 
Manual Control Freaks - Manual control freaks should avoid the SD40. It can be manually controlled, but it’s not easy.
 
Pros/Serious Hobbyists - It’s as thin as a supermodel, but it’s difficult to get full control of. It might make a nice candid backup cam for between shoots, but it’s not going to cut it as a pro cam.
 
Connectivity / Extras Page 9 of 10 Conclusion
Canon PowerShot SD40 First Impressions Review Navigation
  
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