| Likes |
- Great resolution on nicely sized LCD
- Camera body looks good
- Nicely organized menus
- Optical image stabilization
- Great Movie mode |
| Dislikes |
- Small, inaccurate optical viewfinder
- Horrible handling
- Tiny, crammed controls
- 230-shot battery
- Expensive at $399
- Weak and spotty flash |
Conclusion
The Canon PowerShot SD850 IS upgrades the older SD700 IS with more resolution and a few interesting specs, but it doesn’t blow the competition away like its predecessor did. Many manufacturers now offer similar cameras to the SD850 and sell them for less. The SD850 costs $399 mostly because of its optical image stabilization and face detection system. It doesn’t have a lot of manual control, but is perfect for point-and-shooters who can afford it. Sure, it has a weak battery and handles like a wet bar of soap, but the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS takes excellent pictures. And in the end, that’s what matters.
Sample Photos
Click to view the high-resolution images.
 |

|
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/320 sec.
ISO: 1600 |
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/80 sec.
ISO: 800 |
|

|

|
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/200 sec.
ISO: 400 |
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/160 sec.
ISO: 100 |
|

|

|
|
Focal Length: 10mm
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter: 1/40 sec.
ISO: 200
|
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/200 sec.
ISO: 80 |
|

|

|
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/200 sec.
ISO: 100 |
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/100 sec.
ISO: 400 |
|

|

|
Focal Length: 10mm
Aperture: f/10
Shutter: 1/160 sec.
ISO: 400 |
Focal Length: 10mm
Aperture: f/3.5
Shutter: 1/40 sec.
ISO: 800 |
|

|

|
Focal Length: 6mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/125 sec.
ISO: 1600 |
Focal Length: 7mm
Aperture: f/8
Shutter: 1/100 sec.
ISO: 200 |