Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review

Feb 21, 2005 - By Emily Raymond
The compact Canon Digital ELPH series is bulking up; perhaps not as apparent in size, but definitely in megapixels. The Canon PowerShot SD500 has 7.4 total and 7.1 effective megapixels on its large 1/1.8-inch CCD. Besides upgrading the amount of megapixels in this series, Canon redesigns the SD500’s compact outer shell. Retaining a slight 3.37 x 2.24 x 1.04-inch form, the SD500 adds a comfortable rounded edge to its right side. This “Perpetual Curve Design” departs from the sharp 90-degree angles distinguishing earlier Digital ELPHs. For $499.99, the SD500 offers automatic and manual options in an easy-to-use interface. The Canon PowerShot SD500 will be available beginning in March.
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Viewfinder
An included circular optical viewfinder sits just above the LCD screen.

LCD Screen
A 2-inch low-temperature polycrystalline silicon LCD screen graces the left side of the back. There is a Hold button that extends the length of time that images pop up on the screen after it is taken. With 118,000 pixels, there is adequate resolution for the size of screen.

Flash
The SD500 includes a new and more powerful built-in flash with six modes: Auto, Auto with Red-Eye Reduction, Flash On with Red-Eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash Off, and Slow Sync. The flash will effectively light subjects from 1.6-15.8 feet away, which extends a bit further then many compact digital cameras.

Zoom Lens
The Canon SD500 has a glass 7.7-23.1mm optical zoom lens, which is equivalent to a 37-111mm lens in 35mm format. This 3x optical zoom also comes with a 4x digital zoom. In the normal shooting mode, the lens can focus from 1.6 feet to infinity. In the macro mode, the lens can focus as close as 2 inches.

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