Canon PowerShot SD950IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 3.7x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Titanium) by Canon
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Digital camera reviews of Canon PowerShot SD950IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 3.7x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Titanium)
Digital camera Review: 12.1 MP is not great
Summary: 3 Stars
I have a Camera with 7.2 MP, and I bought this Cannon camera thinking I could have a better camera with more MP. I'm dissapointed for this Cannon camera, the pictures are not great how I expected. The worst thing is that pictures with my Camera with 7.2 MP are better than pictures with 12.1 MP. I don't know if is the Brand, if is my camera, or my bad luck, but I don't feel happy with this cannon camera. If I could have the chance to compare pictures before buy it, I would not buy it.Digital camera Review: 12.1 MP on small sensor still gives excellent results
Summary: 5 Stars
I waited until I got two vacations under my belt before reviewing this camera. I was very concerned that cramming 12.1 MP on such a tiny sensor would dramatically up the noise and create poor image quality (IQ).
My concerns have been alliviated! The IQ is excellent. However, bear in mind that this is not a DSLR with a 35MM size sensor. This is a tiny camera. The ISO 800 and above performance will readily distinguish this camera from a DSLR. However, can you put your DSLR in your pants pocket?
I have found that, at least for vacations, portability is paramount. I want to have a camera with me at all times, whether I'm eating in a restaurant or riding on an ATV. The smaller the camera, the more pictures I took. And, my philosophy is to take lots of pictures to get some keepers, versus, carefully setting up a single picture and missing other opportunities.
With that as background, I love the SD950IS.
What I liked most:
- Excellent IQ, even at high ISOs.
- Superfast start up, under 1/2 sec. The lens literally jumps out!
- Viewfinder for bright outdoors (but only shows 80% of picture).
What I was disappointed with:
- The IS only marginally helped me.
- Pics needed Photoshop work but I always PS all pics anyway - I'm a bit of a perfectionist.
- The SDHC format cards can't be read without an adaptor.
Digital camera Review: 950 lost some of the features of the 750
Summary: 2 Stars
The Canon SD 950IS takes good pictures, but the change from a relatively cubicle shape to a 'jelly-bean' shape makes it hard to hold, and difficult to place on a flat surface. Also, it is much thicker than our SD750, and the bulk makes itself felt when trying to hold the camera for multiple pictures. It simply does not fall into the hand the way the SD750 does. This appears to be change for the sake of change, rather than a real improvement. We find that we continue to use the SD750 more than the recently purchased SD950IS.Digital camera Review: A Tale of Three Treasures!
Summary: 5 Stars
This review is a combination of three:
Canon PowerShot SD950IS 12.1MP (Titanium)
Canon PowerShot SD770IS 10MP (Silver)
Canon PowerShot SD790IS 10MP
I first purchased the Canon SD950, and after loonnnggg shipping from Jr.com, I received it and tried it out. The camera is much bigger than the SD500 that I upgraded from--even though it's got so many bells and whistles. One thing about Canon that's got my eyebrow raised: Why the big font as if we can't read?
The Image Stabilization is a wonderful thing, right along with the face detection. It even focused on an enlarged print of a little girl! The 3.7 zoom is nothing to frown at either. ISO is easier to set now so one can play around with the settings...
The camera is made for "big hands" and it took me about two weeks of off and on shooting to get used to it. The 12MP quality is okay, and I didn't have to get used to too much new button placement. One thing I didn't like is the play button. I felt I had to really push my finger on the play button in order to view my photos. It annoyed me enough to see what else was out there.
The Canons SD770 and SD790 were next on my list. Even though they were "only" 10MP, they had newer technology from Canon: Motion Detection and Infinity and cute buttons in all new small packages.
SD770IS(Silver)
First the SD770. This was a nice small camera! Not cheap feeling at all, Canon packed everything but the kitchen sink in there. I like the "Infinity" setting that the SD950 didn't have. Also, I have the silver version and it's nice, small, sleek, and takes great pictures. I didn't like the way the battery cover was not spring loaded. Also, either it was this particular camera or the 770 in general, but it seemed like I had to "dig" for the battery and SDHC card once put in. Yes, it's compact, hefty, and full of bells and whistles, but it was...kinda boring. Maybe because the silver color didn't have the pizazz of the black version that I'd read reviews on. Moving on to the SD790...
SD790IS
Bigger camera! Compared to the 770, it's a giant! The same size as the 950 except in a square/cube like form. The 950 is curvy, while the 790 is sleek and boxy (not sure if that's an oxymoron or not!). The 790 also has a new button format that I'm not sure if I like or not. I really enjoyed the SD500's button placement and while I can appreciate a "play" button...why not make it easy access instead of having to constantly press the button down? I'm thinking that the play buttons will eventually wear out. The big screen is nice, and even though I haven't used a viewfinder since...ever, it would be nice to "just have". So the lack of a viewfinder is a potential bummer. You never know when you gotta smear your nose on the photo screen to take pic! lol Also, the 790 is a fingerprint magnet.
I tried to take the same pictures with all the cameras, but couldn't always (morning/evening, different zoom, etc.). Both the 770 and 790 have high ISO settings (as did the 950), but I didn't even use anything that high previously! All the pictures came out great. Even my crappy pictures of my messy coffee table were clear and colorful! One issue I had with all three cameras was the color accent setting. It seemed as if I got better black and white/one color photos from my SD500 than either of these cameras. I have to do a lot more tweaking. However, it could be just because of the balances of the colors and the lighting effects in my environment.
If I just had to choose based on portability, photos, looks, bells/whistles, ease of use, I would go crazy trying to decide. Both cameras are amazingly small! The thing that keeps me wondering about the 770 is, "how can they fit all these specs in this TINY camera!?? But, I'm a sucker for good looks, so the scale points back to the SD790! True it's bigger than the 770, but it's still small considering the screen. I always take great care of my electronics, so I'm not so worried about fingerprints. If the button issue upsets me extremely, then I'll just upgrade to Canon's latest and greatest in 6-8 months.
One more thing: I purchased the SanDisk 4 GB Extreme III SDHC Card w/ MicroMate USB Reader
and it gets 900ish pictures on the 10MP versions at the highest settings.
Either way, can't wait to take pics on the new SD790. I feel that although all three are great, the 790 has that sleekness with Canon's new technology all in one package.
Get out, purchase any of these cams and you'd be satisfied.
Digital camera Review: A WINNER
Summary: 5 Stars
I just received my Canon PowerShot SD950IS and am thrilled. Having started with a 2.1mp and then going on to a 5mp camera, I was anxious to graduate to a 10+ mp camera so that I could capture more detailed photos and experiment with light, color, etc. I have had several digital cameras.......Fugi, Olympus, 5mp Canon Elph, and now my SD950IS. Back when 35 mm cameras were the thing to use, it was always Canon........and I will remain a faithful customer. Because I travel frequently, a great camera is a must and I cannot wait to test this out on a sunny island. I have taken several practice shots around home and am so impressed with results. The camera has mega features that not only add to its appeal, but will also allow the owner to experiment in order to capture the perfect photo. I also own a Canon Elura 100 which fits perfectly into a small camera case, alongside my new SD950IS. I have passed my 5mp Canon on to my 14 year old grandson and he is thrilled and already taking some wonderful photos....like his grandmother, he too, is hooked on Canon .