Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Handling (7.00)

The Canon SD780 IS is absolutely tiny, and is fantastically portable. It’s so small it will fit into even the tightest of pockets, a blessing for those who don’t want bulgy trouser lumps. It also comes in a variety of colors, which Canon have even managed to add to the lens, so it doesn’t clash with the body. It’s available in gold (the unit we reviewed), red, black and silver.

The SD780 is also nicely balanced, though a tad on the heavy side given its small stature. The upside of it being a little heavy is that is has a rather pleasant heft, so that it doesn’t feel insubstantial in your hand.

Buttons & Dials (5.90)

One of our major issues with the SD780 is that its buttons appear to have been designed for people with fingers as wide as toothpicks. They are tiny, and sit flush with its body. This makes them look good, but hard to press accurately. The four-way pad is a particular offender, and it feels like a crapshoot changing settings, because you’re never quite sure which button you’ll end up hitting.

That said, the buttons all feel well made and resilient. If you’re blessed with sylph-like fingers, you might not have any issue with it, but this large-handed reviewer had trouble.

Menus (7.50)

Canon consistently delivers some of the best menu layouts around. Where many manufacturers deliver systems that are poorly labeled and organized, the SD780’s is clear, grouped in a logical manner, and with large icons where appropriate. It’s very easy to get around, assuming you don’t have any issue using the tiny four-way pad.

Manual & Learning (4.00)

The SD780’s manual is well written, with clear explanations and good diagrams. However, it’s not always laid out well, like the fact that DPOF and PictBridge printing choices are at opposite ends of the guide, or that some of the scene modes are tucked away from the others. The table of contents is pretty good, though the index leaves something to be desired. The Canon website doesn’t currently have a digital copy of the manual uploaded. However, when it does go up, we imagine it will be here.