Value
The Canon PowerShot SD700 IS is the first Digital ELPH with optical image stabilization, so perhaps that is why the price is a somewhat steep $499. This price may have been fine last year, but the price of digital cameras has gone down considerably in the past year. Many 6 megapixel digital cameras are selling for a hundred bucks less and still have good feature sets. So while the SD700 IS is a cool camera, it’s not a cool deal.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – The SD700 IS was built for these consumers with its many scene modes and ease of use. As part of the Digital ELPH series, the SD700 IS is a portable point-and-shoot model that is incredibly stylish at the same time. This PowerShot is also equipped with image stabilization so that even point-and-shooters can get blur-free shots easily.
Budget Consumers – The Canon SD700 IS does have 6 megapixels, a 4x zoom lens, and an image stabilization system, but its $499 price tag may still be a bit too much. Some of the older Digital ELPHs may be put on sale because of the new releases; this could be an option for the penny pinchers. The SD700 itself is not a big bargain though.
Gadget Freaks – While these sorts of folks will have fun shooting video with and without the image stabilization system, there really aren’t too many other gadgets to keep them busy.
Manual Control Freaks – This Canon has a camera icon on the mode dial with ‘M’ next to it, but it’s not a manual mode. Not fully manual anyway. Shutter speeds and apertures cannot be manually adjusted, but ISO, white balance and exposure compensation can. Manual control freaks will still be a little disappointed.
Pros / Serious Hobbyists – This digital camera is not geared toward the professional audience. It doesn’t have manual control to satisfy their appetites. Still, it’s not a bad camera so perhaps these people would use the SD700 for a trip to the beach or a backpacking trip where space is limited.
