Canon Powershot SD500

Front
The Canon PowerShot SD500 has a flat front face with rounded edges; an alteration in design from previous sharp-edged Digital ELPHs. When viewed from the front, the SD500 has a rounded left edge, which serves as the right-hand grip. There is a polished silver oval on the front that extends into a loop on the side. To the right of the oval is some branding text, sideways aligned, reading: "Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital ELPH." The lens is placed slightly off-center to the right side. The 3x optical zoom lens is surrounded by a silver finish. Around the outer rim of the lens, the camera boasts "7.1 Megapixels" in gray letters. The lens extends out from the camera body. On the inner rim are the words, "Canon Zoom Lens 3x, 7.7-23.1mm 1:2.8-4.9." Interrupting the top rim of the lens is the optical viewfinder, which looks like another small circle. To its left is an LED light, used for indicating the flash and self-timer. Also on the left of the lens is a small dot that serves as the built-in microphone. Overall, the silver finish of the front and the minimal protrusions make the SD500 look sleek and stylish.

Back
The back of this Canon PowerShot has a slightly raised LCD screen on the left with the "Canon" logo below it and the circular optical viewfinder above it. To the left of the viewfinder are two LED lights. Along the right of the screen is where all of the camera’s controls are located. In the top right corner is a circular mode dial with a divot for the thumb and a small raised bar for turning ease. On the dial, the following shooting modes are available: Playback, Auto, Manual, Scene, and Movie. A small mark next to the dial lets the user know which function is activated. Below this dial and directly beside the LCD screen is the Print button. This circular button lights up in the middle to indicate when the SD500 is communicating with a printer or computer. Below this button and slightly to its right is the four-way navigational dial with a "Func. Set" button in the center. Each direction on the dial not only scrolls through menu options, but doubles as another feature when pressed outside of the menus. Each direction is clearly labeled. The top portion of the dial chooses the area of focus. The right side dictates flash settings; the bottom activates the self-timer or burst mode. The left side determines the focus mode. The outer circle of the dial is constructed of a single plastic piece, but the raised bars at each side of the compass help users press the correct areas. The two buttons on the bottom are on opposite sides of the navigational dial. The button on the left is the Display control and determines when the LCD screen is used. The button on the right activates the Menu.

Left Side
The left side of the Canon SD500 is left blank.

Right Side
The right side of this digital camera has a very small loop located in the center to attach a wrist strap. Stringing the wrist strap through the loop can be tedious; a needle may be required. Above the loop is a rubber port door accessing the USB and AV-out jacks. The port cover is colored gray and blends in well with the plastic body, however, it doesn’t fasten into the housing securely. Although it is connected, the door seems a little loose.

Top
The top of the camera has only two features: the power button and the zoom toggle/shutter release button combo. The shutter release button is located on the right side, where the index finger would naturally rest. Around the polished button is the zoom toggle, which slides to the right and left to zoom in and out. The power button is to the left of this feature, and is distinctive with its green LED that lights up when powered on.