Canon PowerShot SD800 IS First Impressions Review

by Emily Raymond
Published on October 11, 2006

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

 

Likes

- Steady image stabilization - Effective, quick face recognition - Great movie mode - Interesting My Colors modes - Extensive ISO 80-1600 options - Lengthy burst mode

Dislikes

- Awkward handling - Relatively slow 1.7 fps burst mode - Limited max f/5.8 aperture in telephoto - Below average 270-shot battery - Off-center placement of flash

The 7.1-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD800 IS has a solid set of components overshadowed by its newer and trendier technology. Its better features include an improved 2.5-inch LCD screen, a wide 3.8x optical zoom lens, and a built-in flash that does not create terribly unnatural lighting. Coming out ten years after the first Digital ELPH and one year after the first to include optical image stabilization, the SD800 is only the second model in the Canon lineup to provide the IS feature (the first model was the 6.2-megapixel SD700 IS). The stabilizing feature is most evident in the movie mode, where hand shake is virtually eliminated. While other manufacturers such as Sony and Casio include image stabilization on their ultra-compact cameras, the Canon PowerShot SD800 IS goes above and beyond by offering other trendy technologies.

Equipped a new Canon Digic III image processor, the Canon SD800 can reportedly reduce noise in exposures using higher ISO sensitivities (although this has yet to be proven; check back for a full review soon). This digital camera can detect, track, and focus on human faces. Canon is not the first to offer face detection technology since Nikon debuted the face detection system on last year’s Coolpix cameras and Fujifilm released a camera this year. While other manufacturers offer a similarity here or there, none match the Canon PowerShot SD800 IS’s full range of function, components, and technology. This camera combines it all into a package that takes great pictures and costs $399.