Canon PowerShot SD750 and SD1000 First Impressions Review

by Emily Raymond
Published on March 20, 2007

Navigation
Intro	Physical Tour
Components	Design / Layout
Modes	Control Options
Image Parameters	Connectivity / Extras
Overall Impressions	Conclusion
Photo Gallery

Model Design / Appearance

The designs of the two digital cameras are completely different. The Canon PowerShot SD750 has a similar look to the Canon SD700 and many others in the Digital Elph line with the “perpetual curve” design, although the curve is toned down a little on this model. The SD750 has soft edges and goes for a flashier design. The Canon PowerShot SD1000 has sharper edges and is very boxy; it goes for a minimalist look. Both models are constructed from stainless steel and come in silver or black and silver colors. Both cameras had a few scratches in the finish. This is a trade show where lots of people handle the cameras though, so floor models get a year’s worth of use in about 3 days.

Size / Portability

The cameras differ in their measurements, but only slightly. The Canon PowerShot SD750 measures 3.61 x 2.24 x 0.77 inches and weighs 4.59 oz (body only). The SD1000 has smaller 3.38 x 2.11 x 0.76-inch dimensions and a weight of 4.41 oz. Both digital cameras have wrist strap eyelets on the right side for better portability, and the weight won’t break wrists either. The weight feels just as it should with those dimensions: the cameras aren’t heavy, nor are they light.

 

Handling Ability

The cameras handle a little differently with the SD750 being the more comfortable of the two. Neither model is truly a joy to handle though. The SD750 has a bent right side that feels better on the hand than the SD1000’s straight edge. The SD750 makes an attempt at decent handling by including some bumps in the upper right corner of the back. These really don’t help much though unless shooting with both hands. The size of this camera makes it a candidate for one-handed shooting though, where the thumb is better employed supporting the bottom of the camera. There aren’t many handling features on the SD750, but there are even less on the boxy Canon SD1000. Its edges are sharp and boxy.

 

The controls vary on the two cameras, so I’ll start with the SD750. It has a mode switch atop the camera that moves between movie, scene, and still image shooting modes. The power button is up here too; it has an interesting trapezoid shape that is flashy looking. There is also a zoom ring surrounding the shutter release button on the right side of the SD750’s top. The tiny nub on the zoom ring isn’t very comfortable to move.

 

On the back of the PowerShot SD750, the screen takes up most of the available real estate. Thus, the buttons are undersized and crammed together. The multi-selector is centered on the right side and covered in icons signifying the many functions. The center of the control is a Func./Set button that accesses a menu and makes selections. A ring surrounds the dial with loads of icons. From the top and moving clockwise, they are 1) jump and ISO, 2) flash, 3) burst, self-timer, and delete, and 4) macro and landscape. The multi-selector is comfortable and works very well. It has a bowl-shape that cradles the thumb. When it is touched lightly, “touch icons” appear on the LCD screen so users can see what they’re pushing when their thumbs are covering the control. If users rub the multi-selector the right way, they can scroll through shooting modes. This isn’t as seamless as a rotary wheel, but is interesting nonetheless. The other buttons on the back of the SD750 are too tiny.

 

The Canon PowerShot SD1000’s mode switch is located on the back instead of the top and moves between movies, stills, and playback. This setup isn’t as nice because it takes more time to go from the playback mode to a shooting mode when compared to the SD750’s setup. The SD1000 has larger buttons on the back that are properly spaced too. The multi-selector doesn’t have the touch function or the bowl shape, but has all the same icons and functionality. The most important button on the camera, the shutter release, is the same as the one on the SD750. Both travel smoothly and have a distinct stop at the exposure lock before being pushed to capture.

The menus are just about the same, but the ones on the SD1000 are displayed on a smaller screen. They both have the same setup that lists frequently accessed settings in a short menu that can be found by pushing the Func./Set button.

 

Shooting Mode	Auto, Manual, Digital Macro, Color Accent, Color Swap, Stitch Assist (L to R), Stitch Assist (R to L)
Exposure Compensation	+/- 2 in 1/3 increments
White Balance	Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom
My Colors	Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom (Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation, Red, Green, Blue, Skin Tone all with +/- 2 adjustment in full steps)
Metering	Evaluative, Center-weighted Average, Spot
Image Size	L (3072 x 2304), W (3072 x 1728), M1 (2592 x 1944), M2 (2048 x 1536), M3 (1600 x 1200), Postcard (1600 x 1200), VGA (640 x 480)
Compression	SuperFine, Fine, Normal