Canon PowerShot SD850 IS

Value (6.75)
Great pictures are hard to put a price tag on, but Canon stuck a $399 tag on this digital camera. This is high in the price range, especially when compared with other digital cameras that have similar features. The optical image stabilization does vault the SD850 into the upper echelon in terms of its pricing; the step-down model, the SD750, has most of the same Exposure modes and components, but without the optical image stabilization and a slightly smaller lens. The SD750 costs $50 less at $349. But while the Canon SD850 IS is expensive, it does take great pictures – and those can be priceless.

Comparisons

Canon PowerShot SD700 IS – The Canon SD700 IS was the first Digital Elph to include optical image stabilization. It had 6 megapixels and the same 4x optical zoom lens and flash unit. The SD700 was a groundbreaking camera for its time. It was one of the first to expand its ISO range beyond 400 with an ISO 800 setting. It was also one of the first PowerShots to feature the full range of My Colors modes in the Recording and Playback menus. Its newness and technology was reflected in its original retail price of $499. These days the SD700 is easily outdone. The SD850’s ISO extends to 1600, allowing better pictures in low light. The old camera’s 2.5-inch LCD had only 173,000 pixels, while the newer one has 230,000 pixels. The Burst mode on the SD700 was better at 2.1 fps, and both cameras run off the same weak battery. Without face detection and newer technology to keep pictures looking cleaner, the SD700 is outdone by the SD850.

Kodak EasyShare M883 – For a less expensive $229 price, consumers can still get 8 megapixels on a slim digital camera. The price does come with some sacrifices, the main one being optical image stabilization. The M883 has a digital image stabilization system that doesn’t work nearly as well. Its shutter speed range is truncated to 8-1/1000 second. It only has a 3x optical zoom lens, and its Burst mode chugs along at 1.1 fps. But it has some really nice features, too. The M883 has a 3-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels on a slim metal body. It has a face detection auto focus system that can recognize up to 10 faces at a time. It has a whopping 64 MB of internal memory. Perfect Touch technology automatically fixes images in the Playback mode, too. While the Kodak EasyShare M883 misses out on the optical image stabilization, it has a lot of other cool features at a much more affordable price.

Nikon Coolpix S500 – This digital camera has a classic look with sharper edges and crisper lines throughout its design. The S500 has 7.1 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization. It has a 2.5-inch LCD screen on the back with 230,000 pixels. The stainless steel digital camera handles about as well with its 3.5 x 2 x 0.9-inch measurements. It has mostly Automatic and Scene modes, along with a Movie mode that tops out at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps. The Nikon Coolpix S500 has a face priority auto focus mode, but it doesn’t work nearly as well as the one on the Canon SD850. The S500 has a wide 50-2000 ISO range and 26 MB of internal memory, along with a more powerful flash unit and overall lighter 4.4-ounce housing. The Nikon has an equally effective in-camera red-eye fix. The battery only gets 180 shots per charge, but this might be a sacrifice consumers are willing to make for the less expensive $299 price tag.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55 – This digital camera has a simpler body design and comes in several trendy colors. It also has 8.1 megapixels and optical image stabilization, although on a slightly shorter 3.6x optical zoom lens. This lens is wider at 28-100mm. The ISO ranges from 100-1600, and there is an automatic ISO range that goes up to 6400. There are 20 Scene modes on this mainly automatic digital camera. There are a few basic Color modes, like Black & White and Sepia, but nothing like what the Canon SD850 has. The Panasonic FX55 can record standard 640 x 480-pixel video or widescreen 848 x 480-pixel video – both at 30 fps. The FX55 has a 3-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels that manages to run the battery down every 280 shots. The Panasonic FX55 comes with a face detection system that is reported to detect 15 faces in a single frame, more than Canon’s nine-face limit. The FX55, with its many enticing features, retails for $349.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100 – Sony answers the PowerShot with a model offered at the same $399 retail price. It’s the 8.1-megapixel T100 with its optically stabilized 5x optical zoom lens. The T100 has nine Scene modes and a few other mainly automatic modes, leaving hardly any manual controls on this camera. Sony skimps by leaving out a Manual White Balance mode, but it does have a flash preset, which the Canon SD850 lacks. The Sony Cyber-shot T100 has 31 MB of internal memory and a Memory Stick slot, as well as a 3-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels. In the Playback mode, the camera has an editing feature that can add crosses on highlights, much like the Canon’s Creative Light Effect mode; Sony’s works better though and saves the file separately.



Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – These consumers will love the compact body and the Automatic and Scene modes that take great pictures with only the press of the shutter button.

Budget Consumers – At $399, this isn’t considered a budget camera. Consumers who are pinching pennies may have to forego the image stabilization for a cheaper camera.

Gadget Freaks – The optical image stabilization and face detection modes are attractive to this crowd, along with time lapse videos and creative light effects.

Manual Control Freaks – These consumers will pass up the SD850 for something with more manual control.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists – This slippery digital camera won’t make the cut for these folks, either.