Astonishing power in a super-compact design, August 28, 2008
By Edward Sawma (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
I previously had a Canon PowerShot S110 digital ELPH from 6 years ago or so, and loved that camera. I didn't realize that there was so much more that a little camera could do! I researched the new Canon's out there (since I loved the ELPH), and decided on the SD770 IS for its compact design and features outlined well by others.
This camera just blows me away. Canon Powershot SD780IS takes amazing pictures in full-auto mode. In situations where full-auto doesn't quite do the job as well as SD770 IS possible, this camera lets you change ISO settings, white balance, focus method, and tons of other factors.
Compared to the S110, I thought the ability to change the ISO setting was a big improvement over previous generations. You're actually changing the sensitivity of the sensor in the camera, allowing you to take pictures with more clarity in conditions that have less light. This, coupled with the image stabilization (which again, blows me away on this camera), allows you to not have to use flash, preserve the real look of the scene, and take a crisply clear picture.
Battery life is amazing. I haven't charged Canon Powershot SD770 IS once yet... I'm going on over 150 pictures taken now. I've taken many pictures in low light with no flash, which drains the battery faster because the sensors have to stay on longer. The battery low warning has now come on... but I've still taken over 10 pictures on low battery, so Canon Powershot SD780IS gives you a good amount of warning time.
I also thought I didn't need more megapixels, because my pictures from my 2MP S110 looked great. True, 10MP looks even better, but a HUGE benefit is that Canon Powershot SD780IS automatically improves your ability to do digital zoom and keep the picture looking crisp. You can take a 10MP full resolution photo of a scene, then crop Canon Powershot SD780IS down later to the zoomed-in part of the scene that you want, and still have a crisp image for a 4x6 print. The camera is also able to do this more automatically... if you choose to take a photo at a lower resolution, like 4MP, and you use digital zoom, the camera will automatically use its sensor to it's full 10MP capability to zoom digitally and SD770 IS retain image quality.
Just a fantastic camera. I'm glad I stuck with Canon, and I'm glad I bought the latest generation.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Canon A590IS - Possibly Good Camera With Some Flaws
Canon A590IS - Possibly Good Camera With Some Flaws, January 31, 2009
By JWCPA - See all my reviews
I would rate this camera only as average at this time because of the battery problems outlined below. Have not used the camera enough to rate the quality of the photos, features, and general operation at this time. Also, the included SD card with the camera was a measly 32 MB, basically nothing in this day and age of large image files and cheap memory. To get decent photos capacity and a spare, I bought two on-sale Kingston 2 GB SD cards, one from Meritline.com for ca. $7 (free shipping) and one locally at Inkspot for ca. $5.
My advice to others is that if you suspect your camera has a problem not due to your use/handling and the camera is still under warranty; return Canon Powershot SD780IS ASAP to Canon for repairs.
I bought camera early last December as a Christmas present, from Amazon since Canon Powershot SD780IS seem to have the best price at the time including free shipping. Selected this camera model based on Consumer Reports' recommendation, mostly favorable user reviews on Amazon and some ther websites, and the camera price and features. I was a bit concerned about some reviewers complaining of low battery life, but thought perhaps they were a small minority, maybe their problems were due to the way some used thier cameras/settings, and there's always a few lemons sold in any product line.
2. The camera out of the box seemed to be functional for all the features I tested, but after playing with the camera to learn how to use it, and a few dozen shots, the low battery inidcation came on. after a few number more shots (est. a few dozen), the battery replace indication came on and the camera shut down. These were the Panasonic alkaline AA batteries that came with the camera. At this time my voltmeter measured the batteries at ca. 1.35v.
3. To reduce power use, changed some settings to turn LCD off after a short time, and the IS (Image Stabilization) from always on to on only during shots. Put in new Berkley & Jensen (BJ's) alkalines, same low battery indication after a few dozen shots. After about a dozen more shots, the replace battery indication came on and the camera shut down. After checking the battery contacts, letting the camera sit for a while, etc., no change in behavior, i.e. camera can be turned on for a few shots with low battery indication on, then change battery indication comes on and camera shut down. The BJ's batteries voltage was 1.45v at this time.
4. A friendly camera repair place person told me about the Canon website online repair setup and gave me an Internet address, but even then Canon Powershot SD780IS was not easy to find page, the website search did not find Canon Powershot SD780IS for me. Go to any consumer camera model support; look at the bottom part of the page for links to "Repair Request" or "Repair & Tracking. Gee, I wonder why Canon doesn't make Canon Powershot SD780IS obvious, could Canon Powershot SD780IS be that they really don't want to hear from us, especially for warranty stuff... ?!?!
https://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=OnlineRepairBookingAct&fcategoryid=221&modelid=15658
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=OnlineTrackSearchAct
So I decided to return camera to Canon for warranty repair (no cost except my shipping camera to them). I mailed the camera (included 2 sets of batteries I used) to Canon's Elk Grove Village, IL facility by US Mail, insured and with post office deliver confirmation. Canon received Canon Powershot SD780IS in a few days, confirmed receipt to me via E-mail, and I received Canon Powershot SD780IS and my batteries back by FedEx ca. 3 days later. Factory documentation returned with the camera noted that:
- Low batteries was cause of problems, said nothing about any adjustments ("Unit has battery shortage. Check all functions, repair to good working order."), but since the camera behaves differently after getting Canon Powershot SD780IS back, I suspect they adjusted both the battery low and the battery replace indicators' voltage threshold settings even though nothing was said about it.
- "...found the optical assembly was inoperative and the focus did not operate properly. Adjustments were carried out on the optical assembly." I did not notice any wildly out of focus photos by the out-of-the-box camera using the Auto focus mode; perhaps they're addressing the manual focus mode that I did not test.
5. After I received the camera back from Canon, I put in the original used Panasonic and BJ's akalines (approx. 1.35v and 1.45v, respectively, similar to as previously measured), and still got the low battery indication with both sets.
6. Decided to put in a new set of BJ's alkalines, measured at ca. 1.59V. Camera set for AUTO mode, IS on only during shots, face detection on. Occasionally used the zoom feature, once or twice for every 25 set of shots.
- After 100 shots in succession, most with flash used, battery voltage checked to be ca. 1.43v.
- After 32 more shots, low battery indication came on, did 12 more shots, turned camera off, batteries checked at ca. 1.35v
- When camera turned back on, low battery indication not on, but came on again after 5 shots. When got up to 191 shots total, camera to off, batteries checked to be ca. 1.38v.
- Turn camera back on, low battery indication on again after 13 shots, camera off, checked batteries at ca. 1.34v.
- At 204 total shots with the set of new BJ's alkalines, the battery replace indication came on, and the camera shut down shortly after. Can turn on camera again of 2-3 shots before the replace indication/shutdown occurs again. The number of shots here appears to match the camera manual specification page that list ca. 200 shots for akaline batteries.
7. For the second set of testing, I used a fully charged set of Ultra Pro NiMH 2500 mAH-rated AA batteries (ca. 1.43v - 1.45v measured). Made all shots indoors, those where flash used were of house interior, those without flash used was through window (daylight).
- Erased all the previous 217 images from the SD card.
- After 150 shots, half with flash, half without, no low battery indication, turned camera off for ca. 45 min. for lunch.
- When camera turned back on, low battery indication showed, camera off, checked batteries at ca. 1.33v.
- When camera turned on, no low battery indication showed, but indication showed again after 23 shots using flash, continued to 25 shots using flash.
- Continued shooting 25 shots at a time alternating between flash and no flash, for 175 more shots. After a total of 350 shots (half with flash) have been taken with the NiMH batteries, batteries measured ca 1.27 - 1.29v.
- Continued shooting 25 shots at a time alternating between flash and no flash, for 150 more shots. After a total of 500 shots (half with flash) have been taken with the NiMH batteries, batteries measured ca 1.26 - 1.27v now. At this point, I gave up test shooting, as I have not seen the battery replacement indication after 500 shots. The number of shots here appears to in line with the camera manual specification page that list "approx. 450 images" for NiMH batteries. Fooled around for few more test photos, and the battery replace indication/camera shutdown occurred after ca. dozen flash shots past 500.
8. Some observations about the camera:
- Canon Powershot SD780IS looks like I'll have to accept the low battery indication on most of the time. My guess is that there some kind of design and/or manufacturing defect where the camera electronics/software does not accurately detect how much of the battery capacity is remaining. Judging from the various user reviews, Canon Powershot SD780IS may not be present in all sold units of this model, as not everyone sees this problem. However, if the camera can perform OK for several hundred shots until the battery replacement indication/shutdown (esp. with NiMH which I want to use), I can live with that.
- The flash can take more than 5 sec. to recover for the next flash shot.
- The camera seems to work differently on alkalines vs. NiMH 2500 mAH-rated rechargables, as Canon Powershot SD780IS continues working at lower voltage for rechargables. I know that the discharge curves, and capacity and voltage ratings for the alkalines and NiMH batteries are different, the alkaline are rated at 1.5v (actual ca. 1.6v new), and rated capacities numbers can be similar to the NiMH (over 2500 mAH). The NiMH batteries are rated at 1.2v (actual ca. 1.4v new), capacities can be vary (typ.1000-2800 mAH). The initial voltage of both battery types drops fairly quickly from their nominal ratings during use but after the initial drop, the NiMH types tend to have a flatter voltage vs. use time curves than the alkalines.
- Since battery monitors typically can only see voltage as an indirect measure of capacity remaining, why should the camera decide that the lower NiMH battery voltage is still OK, while a higher voltage on the alkalines is not? If the alkalines and NiMH rated capacities can be simialr, why don't they perform similarly, or are the alkaline capacity ratings done differently than the NIMH? Canon's camera documentation implies the camera treats the battery types differently as Canon Powershot SD780IS explicitly notes the performance difference in their camera spec. for nominal number of shots for alkalines vs. NiMH batteries. My Internet research also seems to indicate that the battery rating numbers may or may not all be done via a standard method, and different manufacturers' batteries can perform significantly differently under the same conditions, so as to make the capacity ratings less than useful.
By JWCPA - See all my reviews
I would rate this camera only as average at this time because of the battery problems outlined below. Have not used the camera enough to rate the quality of the photos, features, and general operation at this time. Also, the included SD card with the camera was a measly 32 MB, basically nothing in this day and age of large image files and cheap memory. To get decent photos capacity and a spare, I bought two on-sale Kingston 2 GB SD cards, one from Meritline.com for ca. $7 (free shipping) and one locally at Inkspot for ca. $5.
My advice to others is that if you suspect your camera has a problem not due to your use/handling and the camera is still under warranty; return Canon Powershot SD780IS ASAP to Canon for repairs.
I bought camera early last December as a Christmas present, from Amazon since Canon Powershot SD780IS seem to have the best price at the time including free shipping. Selected this camera model based on Consumer Reports' recommendation, mostly favorable user reviews on Amazon and some ther websites, and the camera price and features. I was a bit concerned about some reviewers complaining of low battery life, but thought perhaps they were a small minority, maybe their problems were due to the way some used thier cameras/settings, and there's always a few lemons sold in any product line.
2. The camera out of the box seemed to be functional for all the features I tested, but after playing with the camera to learn how to use it, and a few dozen shots, the low battery inidcation came on. after a few number more shots (est. a few dozen), the battery replace indication came on and the camera shut down. These were the Panasonic alkaline AA batteries that came with the camera. At this time my voltmeter measured the batteries at ca. 1.35v.
3. To reduce power use, changed some settings to turn LCD off after a short time, and the IS (Image Stabilization) from always on to on only during shots. Put in new Berkley & Jensen (BJ's) alkalines, same low battery indication after a few dozen shots. After about a dozen more shots, the replace battery indication came on and the camera shut down. After checking the battery contacts, letting the camera sit for a while, etc., no change in behavior, i.e. camera can be turned on for a few shots with low battery indication on, then change battery indication comes on and camera shut down. The BJ's batteries voltage was 1.45v at this time.
4. A friendly camera repair place person told me about the Canon website online repair setup and gave me an Internet address, but even then Canon Powershot SD780IS was not easy to find page, the website search did not find Canon Powershot SD780IS for me. Go to any consumer camera model support; look at the bottom part of the page for links to "Repair Request" or "Repair & Tracking. Gee, I wonder why Canon doesn't make Canon Powershot SD780IS obvious, could Canon Powershot SD780IS be that they really don't want to hear from us, especially for warranty stuff... ?!?!
https://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=OnlineRepairBookingAct&fcategoryid=221&modelid=15658
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=OnlineTrackSearchAct
So I decided to return camera to Canon for warranty repair (no cost except my shipping camera to them). I mailed the camera (included 2 sets of batteries I used) to Canon's Elk Grove Village, IL facility by US Mail, insured and with post office deliver confirmation. Canon received Canon Powershot SD780IS in a few days, confirmed receipt to me via E-mail, and I received Canon Powershot SD780IS and my batteries back by FedEx ca. 3 days later. Factory documentation returned with the camera noted that:
- Low batteries was cause of problems, said nothing about any adjustments ("Unit has battery shortage. Check all functions, repair to good working order."), but since the camera behaves differently after getting Canon Powershot SD780IS back, I suspect they adjusted both the battery low and the battery replace indicators' voltage threshold settings even though nothing was said about it.
- "...found the optical assembly was inoperative and the focus did not operate properly. Adjustments were carried out on the optical assembly." I did not notice any wildly out of focus photos by the out-of-the-box camera using the Auto focus mode; perhaps they're addressing the manual focus mode that I did not test.
5. After I received the camera back from Canon, I put in the original used Panasonic and BJ's akalines (approx. 1.35v and 1.45v, respectively, similar to as previously measured), and still got the low battery indication with both sets.
6. Decided to put in a new set of BJ's alkalines, measured at ca. 1.59V. Camera set for AUTO mode, IS on only during shots, face detection on. Occasionally used the zoom feature, once or twice for every 25 set of shots.
- After 100 shots in succession, most with flash used, battery voltage checked to be ca. 1.43v.
- After 32 more shots, low battery indication came on, did 12 more shots, turned camera off, batteries checked at ca. 1.35v
- When camera turned back on, low battery indication not on, but came on again after 5 shots. When got up to 191 shots total, camera to off, batteries checked to be ca. 1.38v.
- Turn camera back on, low battery indication on again after 13 shots, camera off, checked batteries at ca. 1.34v.
- At 204 total shots with the set of new BJ's alkalines, the battery replace indication came on, and the camera shut down shortly after. Can turn on camera again of 2-3 shots before the replace indication/shutdown occurs again. The number of shots here appears to match the camera manual specification page that list ca. 200 shots for akaline batteries.
7. For the second set of testing, I used a fully charged set of Ultra Pro NiMH 2500 mAH-rated AA batteries (ca. 1.43v - 1.45v measured). Made all shots indoors, those where flash used were of house interior, those without flash used was through window (daylight).
- Erased all the previous 217 images from the SD card.
- After 150 shots, half with flash, half without, no low battery indication, turned camera off for ca. 45 min. for lunch.
- When camera turned back on, low battery indication showed, camera off, checked batteries at ca. 1.33v.
- When camera turned on, no low battery indication showed, but indication showed again after 23 shots using flash, continued to 25 shots using flash.
- Continued shooting 25 shots at a time alternating between flash and no flash, for 175 more shots. After a total of 350 shots (half with flash) have been taken with the NiMH batteries, batteries measured ca 1.27 - 1.29v.
- Continued shooting 25 shots at a time alternating between flash and no flash, for 150 more shots. After a total of 500 shots (half with flash) have been taken with the NiMH batteries, batteries measured ca 1.26 - 1.27v now. At this point, I gave up test shooting, as I have not seen the battery replacement indication after 500 shots. The number of shots here appears to in line with the camera manual specification page that list "approx. 450 images" for NiMH batteries. Fooled around for few more test photos, and the battery replace indication/camera shutdown occurred after ca. dozen flash shots past 500.
8. Some observations about the camera:
- Canon Powershot SD780IS looks like I'll have to accept the low battery indication on most of the time. My guess is that there some kind of design and/or manufacturing defect where the camera electronics/software does not accurately detect how much of the battery capacity is remaining. Judging from the various user reviews, Canon Powershot SD780IS may not be present in all sold units of this model, as not everyone sees this problem. However, if the camera can perform OK for several hundred shots until the battery replacement indication/shutdown (esp. with NiMH which I want to use), I can live with that.
- The flash can take more than 5 sec. to recover for the next flash shot.
- The camera seems to work differently on alkalines vs. NiMH 2500 mAH-rated rechargables, as Canon Powershot SD780IS continues working at lower voltage for rechargables. I know that the discharge curves, and capacity and voltage ratings for the alkalines and NiMH batteries are different, the alkaline are rated at 1.5v (actual ca. 1.6v new), and rated capacities numbers can be similar to the NiMH (over 2500 mAH). The NiMH batteries are rated at 1.2v (actual ca. 1.4v new), capacities can be vary (typ.1000-2800 mAH). The initial voltage of both battery types drops fairly quickly from their nominal ratings during use but after the initial drop, the NiMH types tend to have a flatter voltage vs. use time curves than the alkalines.
- Since battery monitors typically can only see voltage as an indirect measure of capacity remaining, why should the camera decide that the lower NiMH battery voltage is still OK, while a higher voltage on the alkalines is not? If the alkalines and NiMH rated capacities can be simialr, why don't they perform similarly, or are the alkaline capacity ratings done differently than the NIMH? Canon's camera documentation implies the camera treats the battery types differently as Canon Powershot SD780IS explicitly notes the performance difference in their camera spec. for nominal number of shots for alkalines vs. NiMH batteries. My Internet research also seems to indicate that the battery rating numbers may or may not all be done via a standard method, and different manufacturers' batteries can perform significantly differently under the same conditions, so as to make the capacity ratings less than useful.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Takes a licking
Takes a licking...., March 28, 2008
By Jennifer K. Bretsch - See all my reviews
There are already great reviews out about Canon's A590is. I'd like to add that I bought this camera just before a 2-week trip to China. Well, canon powershot sd780is performed like a charm and I couldn't be more happy with my purchase, especially for such an affordable camera that has so many features. On the second day of my trip I was fumbling with the camera and dropped canon powershot sd780is from a height of 4 feet onto concrete. My heart was in my throat. Everyone stared. For the remainder of the trip the camera was just fine; not even a crack or scratch. I'm amazed. And because I had almost no time to look through the camera manual before I started taking photos, I'll add that this camera is very user-friendly and easy to figure out right out of the box. I especially like the image stabilization and video capture features. I was also pleasantly surprised by the long battery life. I took about 700 pictures on one set of batteries. Overall, a great camera. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this Permalink
Comment
498 of 543 people found the following review helpful:
Nice features but way too much noise, April 4, 2008
By the engineer-historian - See all my reviews
I bought the A590 as a camera to keep with me in the book bag/briefcase that I carry around most every weekday. You may recall the old saying that the camera you have with you (when you see a photo op) is your best camera. The A590 fills that role by virtue of its small size combined with full exposure control. The big problem is that the noise generated by putting 8 mpix on a tiny (1/2.5) sensor chip can overwhelm the image and render detail moot.
I use Imagenomic NoiseWare combined with Photoshop Elements to reduce noise and sharpen the image as best I can. If possible I shoot at the lowest ISO setting, 80, which lowers the noise. I never go over ISO 100 if I can help it, and usually at -2/3 on the exposure control. It's much better to have the photo-editing software brighten up the image than the amplifier boosting the signal (and noise) from the sensor. When you play back the image on the camera's LCD, canon powershot sd780is should look a little dark -- never overly bright (which can also blow out details).
Here are two other items about the Canon A-series cameras. My 15 year old son uses a Canon A720 for what are essentially snapshots and is very happy with it. If you don't crop substantially and aren't too picky about sharpness and noise, the camera is quite capable. From what I can tell, the A720 uses the same electronics (including the sensor and image stabilization) as the A590. The A720 has greater zoom capabilities (and hence a different lens system) and is a little bit larger and heavier. If I were going to get just one of these, I would go for the A720 because of the zoom.
The second point is that the other camera I frequently use is a Canon A650, and canon powershot sd780is is far more capable than either the A590 or A720. The A650 has 12 mpix on a larger sensor (1/1.7). Comparing sensor sizes (available at www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=sensor+sizes) and mpix shows that the A650's sensor has 1.75 times the area as those of the A590 and A720 with only 1.5 times the pix -- hence pix density is lower and the noise generated by the A650 is much better controlled. And because there are more pix, the noise gets smoothed over as a result of more little points covering the same area in the image. (FYI: Greater pix density on a sensor chip creates more noise.)
I did a noise and sharpness test with all three of these cameras plus my Nikon D40 DSLR. I set two shoes, one black and one brown (the latter with lots of texture) on a rug, just beside a sunlit spot inside my house. The shoes were well lit but not in direct sun. I shot all of the cameras at 200 ISO (because that is as low as the Nikon would go) and f/5.6, with the exposure control at -2/3 of an f/stop.
The results surprised me. For whatever reason, and despite several tries, I could not get the Nikon to focus adequately on the shoes -- this from a distance of about four feet. I know from experience that the Nikon D40, with 6 mpix on a 2/3 sensor (2/3 the size of a standard 35mm film frame) has extremely well controlled noise and excellent sharpness, but the inability to focus here took canon powershot sd780is out of the comparison.
The superiority of the A650 to the A590 and A720 was startling. Keep in mind that I "zoomed" in on the images in Photoshop after I had transferred them to my 24" iMac (a great computer for photo editing). This made different sections of the shoes appear much larger (the laces were really telling), and the 12 mpix A650 (vs. 8 mpix of the others) had more pixes to work with for any particular area I looked at. Nonetheless, the other two cameras had so much noise that the details were overwhelmed and no amount of noise reduction and sharpening could change that. The A650's image was far sharper and clearer.
The A650 has one other big advantage so far as I'm concerned and one drawback. The advantage is the articulating LCD, which I find extremely useful for many shots. Yesterday, I had to lay down on the cold, damp ground to get a shot with the A590, but with the A650 I would have put the camera at foot level and looked down into the cocked LCD. That is really nice, almost addicting. However, the A650's drawback is that it's bulky and surprisingly heavy, which is why I don't carry canon powershot sd780is along all the time.
So you pay your money and take your choice -- or, like me, pay your money twice and have canon powershot sd780is both ways. Remember, the camera that you have with you is the best camera you own -- so think about what size and type of camera you want to carry plus when and how you will use it. For some people, that means owning more than one camera.
By Jennifer K. Bretsch - See all my reviews
There are already great reviews out about Canon's A590is. I'd like to add that I bought this camera just before a 2-week trip to China. Well, canon powershot sd780is performed like a charm and I couldn't be more happy with my purchase, especially for such an affordable camera that has so many features. On the second day of my trip I was fumbling with the camera and dropped canon powershot sd780is from a height of 4 feet onto concrete. My heart was in my throat. Everyone stared. For the remainder of the trip the camera was just fine; not even a crack or scratch. I'm amazed. And because I had almost no time to look through the camera manual before I started taking photos, I'll add that this camera is very user-friendly and easy to figure out right out of the box. I especially like the image stabilization and video capture features. I was also pleasantly surprised by the long battery life. I took about 700 pictures on one set of batteries. Overall, a great camera. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Report this Permalink
Comment
498 of 543 people found the following review helpful:
Nice features but way too much noise, April 4, 2008
By the engineer-historian - See all my reviews
I bought the A590 as a camera to keep with me in the book bag/briefcase that I carry around most every weekday. You may recall the old saying that the camera you have with you (when you see a photo op) is your best camera. The A590 fills that role by virtue of its small size combined with full exposure control. The big problem is that the noise generated by putting 8 mpix on a tiny (1/2.5) sensor chip can overwhelm the image and render detail moot.
I use Imagenomic NoiseWare combined with Photoshop Elements to reduce noise and sharpen the image as best I can. If possible I shoot at the lowest ISO setting, 80, which lowers the noise. I never go over ISO 100 if I can help it, and usually at -2/3 on the exposure control. It's much better to have the photo-editing software brighten up the image than the amplifier boosting the signal (and noise) from the sensor. When you play back the image on the camera's LCD, canon powershot sd780is should look a little dark -- never overly bright (which can also blow out details).
Here are two other items about the Canon A-series cameras. My 15 year old son uses a Canon A720 for what are essentially snapshots and is very happy with it. If you don't crop substantially and aren't too picky about sharpness and noise, the camera is quite capable. From what I can tell, the A720 uses the same electronics (including the sensor and image stabilization) as the A590. The A720 has greater zoom capabilities (and hence a different lens system) and is a little bit larger and heavier. If I were going to get just one of these, I would go for the A720 because of the zoom.
The second point is that the other camera I frequently use is a Canon A650, and canon powershot sd780is is far more capable than either the A590 or A720. The A650 has 12 mpix on a larger sensor (1/1.7). Comparing sensor sizes (available at www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=sensor+sizes) and mpix shows that the A650's sensor has 1.75 times the area as those of the A590 and A720 with only 1.5 times the pix -- hence pix density is lower and the noise generated by the A650 is much better controlled. And because there are more pix, the noise gets smoothed over as a result of more little points covering the same area in the image. (FYI: Greater pix density on a sensor chip creates more noise.)
I did a noise and sharpness test with all three of these cameras plus my Nikon D40 DSLR. I set two shoes, one black and one brown (the latter with lots of texture) on a rug, just beside a sunlit spot inside my house. The shoes were well lit but not in direct sun. I shot all of the cameras at 200 ISO (because that is as low as the Nikon would go) and f/5.6, with the exposure control at -2/3 of an f/stop.
The results surprised me. For whatever reason, and despite several tries, I could not get the Nikon to focus adequately on the shoes -- this from a distance of about four feet. I know from experience that the Nikon D40, with 6 mpix on a 2/3 sensor (2/3 the size of a standard 35mm film frame) has extremely well controlled noise and excellent sharpness, but the inability to focus here took canon powershot sd780is out of the comparison.
The superiority of the A650 to the A590 and A720 was startling. Keep in mind that I "zoomed" in on the images in Photoshop after I had transferred them to my 24" iMac (a great computer for photo editing). This made different sections of the shoes appear much larger (the laces were really telling), and the 12 mpix A650 (vs. 8 mpix of the others) had more pixes to work with for any particular area I looked at. Nonetheless, the other two cameras had so much noise that the details were overwhelmed and no amount of noise reduction and sharpening could change that. The A650's image was far sharper and clearer.
The A650 has one other big advantage so far as I'm concerned and one drawback. The advantage is the articulating LCD, which I find extremely useful for many shots. Yesterday, I had to lay down on the cold, damp ground to get a shot with the A590, but with the A650 I would have put the camera at foot level and looked down into the cocked LCD. That is really nice, almost addicting. However, the A650's drawback is that it's bulky and surprisingly heavy, which is why I don't carry canon powershot sd780is along all the time.
So you pay your money and take your choice -- or, like me, pay your money twice and have canon powershot sd780is both ways. Remember, the camera that you have with you is the best camera you own -- so think about what size and type of camera you want to carry plus when and how you will use it. For some people, that means owning more than one camera.
Worth the extra $30 over the A570is with mostly same or better features
Worth the extra $30 over the A570is with mostly same or better features, March 20, 2008
By BoaltGeek (California) - See all my reviews
Pros:
The A590IS is the best point and shoot under $200 today (closer to $155 most places). I own an SD600 and my wife, friend, and father (all different people mind you!) own A570IS's. The A590IS is the new version of the A570IS, 2007's best selling camera. Generally, see the rave reviews of the A570IS if you want to know the major pros and cons (in summary: Image Stabilization is amazing, noise is limited, features of all there including manual controls [though no auto-bracketing which no other cameras at this price point have regardless], final picture quality is superior to all other brands at this price point and type, [i.e., point-and-shoot], good size). Rather, here I'll address the main improvements over the A570IS (which is about $30 cheaper):
(1) The A590IS has 8mp vs. 7mp on the A570IS (negligible difference)
(2) The A590IS is slightly faster between non-flash shots BUT slightly SLOWER before the first shot can be taken and slower between shots where flash is used (less than .5 second difference according to CNet)
(3) It's charcoal/gray - minor change from silver, but I like canon powershot sd780is a lot.
(4) It's "rounder" on the edges but no less stable in your hand, neither camera is too slippery like other overly polished cameras (also, no finger smudges as a result).
(5) There is sometimes increased noise with higher MP cameras, this is NOT the case here - noise levels are similar.
(6) there are some minor additional shooting modes and improvements to other shooting
Cons:
The only change that is not an improvement is the lowering of the frames per second in the video mode.
A570IS: 640x480 = 30fps --- 320x240 = 60fps
A590IS: 640x480 = 20fps --- 320x240 = 30fps
Frankly, this is a bummer and cannon should correct canon powershot sd780is with firmware ASAP; however, the lower FPS is still quiet good, but this was a pointless change that is not appreciated -- the reality is that most people don't use video often and those who do will see a minimal difference ... if you're paying that much attention to the video you may be more interested in a different camera or a video camera.
Conclusion:
This will be the best selling camera of 2008 and it's a VERY safe purchase you won't regret (unless canon powershot sd780is gives you such a new found love for photography that suddenly you wish you had a Canon S5 or G7 ... which are more than twice as expensive!).
By BoaltGeek (California) - See all my reviews
Pros:
The A590IS is the best point and shoot under $200 today (closer to $155 most places). I own an SD600 and my wife, friend, and father (all different people mind you!) own A570IS's. The A590IS is the new version of the A570IS, 2007's best selling camera. Generally, see the rave reviews of the A570IS if you want to know the major pros and cons (in summary: Image Stabilization is amazing, noise is limited, features of all there including manual controls [though no auto-bracketing which no other cameras at this price point have regardless], final picture quality is superior to all other brands at this price point and type, [i.e., point-and-shoot], good size). Rather, here I'll address the main improvements over the A570IS (which is about $30 cheaper):
(1) The A590IS has 8mp vs. 7mp on the A570IS (negligible difference)
(2) The A590IS is slightly faster between non-flash shots BUT slightly SLOWER before the first shot can be taken and slower between shots where flash is used (less than .5 second difference according to CNet)
(3) It's charcoal/gray - minor change from silver, but I like canon powershot sd780is a lot.
(4) It's "rounder" on the edges but no less stable in your hand, neither camera is too slippery like other overly polished cameras (also, no finger smudges as a result).
(5) There is sometimes increased noise with higher MP cameras, this is NOT the case here - noise levels are similar.
(6) there are some minor additional shooting modes and improvements to other shooting
Cons:
The only change that is not an improvement is the lowering of the frames per second in the video mode.
A570IS: 640x480 = 30fps --- 320x240 = 60fps
A590IS: 640x480 = 20fps --- 320x240 = 30fps
Frankly, this is a bummer and cannon should correct canon powershot sd780is with firmware ASAP; however, the lower FPS is still quiet good, but this was a pointless change that is not appreciated -- the reality is that most people don't use video often and those who do will see a minimal difference ... if you're paying that much attention to the video you may be more interested in a different camera or a video camera.
Conclusion:
This will be the best selling camera of 2008 and it's a VERY safe purchase you won't regret (unless canon powershot sd780is gives you such a new found love for photography that suddenly you wish you had a Canon S5 or G7 ... which are more than twice as expensive!).
Hard to beat
Hard to beat, March 10, 2008
By Julie Neal "The Complete Walt Disney World" (Sanibel Island, Fla.) - See all my reviews
These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results are pretty good. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living at Walt Disney World writing a travel guide, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)
Here's my opinion of the top-selling "A" series cameras:
A580. This 2008 model is an A590IS (see below) without image stabilization and with semi-automatic instead of manual controls. I'd spend the extra bucks for the A590IS, because those two features can make quite a difference.
A650 IS. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera, though canon powershot sd780is may be more than you need. canon powershot sd780is has a flip-out LCD camera panel and the option of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.
A720 IS. This fully-loaded 2007 model has all the toys, including a 6x zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), image stabilization, adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last feature means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out.
A470. This 2008 camera is great for kids or anyone just looking for a good basic camera. canon powershot sd780is includes Canon's face detection technology and camera has a zoom lens, 14 shooting modes and the ability to set exposure compensation, ISO and white balance manually. Plus canon powershot sd780is looks great, and is a good bargain.
Finally, the A590IS (the camera on this page) is a 2008 upgrade to an older model, the A570IS. The face detection system works a little better than the one on its predecessor, and the new model is slightly rounder and easier to grip. I personally like that canon powershot sd780is has automatic and manual controls, though I haven't seen anyone using the manual set yet. Overall this camera is a fine performer, a great bargain and camera I think the best buy of the bunch. I bought one for myself.
By Julie Neal "The Complete Walt Disney World" (Sanibel Island, Fla.) - See all my reviews
These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results are pretty good. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living at Walt Disney World writing a travel guide, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)
Here's my opinion of the top-selling "A" series cameras:
A580. This 2008 model is an A590IS (see below) without image stabilization and with semi-automatic instead of manual controls. I'd spend the extra bucks for the A590IS, because those two features can make quite a difference.
A650 IS. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera, though canon powershot sd780is may be more than you need. canon powershot sd780is has a flip-out LCD camera panel and the option of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.
A720 IS. This fully-loaded 2007 model has all the toys, including a 6x zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), image stabilization, adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last feature means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out.
A470. This 2008 camera is great for kids or anyone just looking for a good basic camera. canon powershot sd780is includes Canon's face detection technology and camera has a zoom lens, 14 shooting modes and the ability to set exposure compensation, ISO and white balance manually. Plus canon powershot sd780is looks great, and is a good bargain.
Finally, the A590IS (the camera on this page) is a 2008 upgrade to an older model, the A570IS. The face detection system works a little better than the one on its predecessor, and the new model is slightly rounder and easier to grip. I personally like that canon powershot sd780is has automatic and manual controls, though I haven't seen anyone using the manual set yet. Overall this camera is a fine performer, a great bargain and camera I think the best buy of the bunch. I bought one for myself.
Hard to beat
Hard to beat, March 10, 2008
By Julie Neal "The Complete Walt Disney World" (Sanibel Island, Fla.) - See all my reviews
These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results are pretty good. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living at Walt Disney World writing a travel guide, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)
Here's my opinion of the top-selling "A" series cameras:
A580. This 2008 model is an A590IS (see below) without image stabilization and with semi-automatic instead of manual controls. I'd spend the extra bucks for the A590IS, because those two features can make quite a difference.
A650 IS. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera, though canon powershot sd780is may be more than you need. canon powershot sd780is has a flip-out LCD camera panel and the option of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.
A720 IS. This fully-loaded 2007 model has all the toys, including a 6x zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), image stabilization, adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last feature means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out.
A470. This 2008 camera is great for kids or anyone just looking for a good basic camera. canon powershot sd780is includes Canon's face detection technology and camera has a zoom lens, 14 shooting modes and the ability to set exposure compensation, ISO and white balance manually. Plus canon powershot sd780is looks great, and is a good bargain.
Finally, the A590IS (the camera on this page) is a 2008 upgrade to an older model, the A570IS. The face detection system works a little better than the one on its predecessor, and the new model is slightly rounder and easier to grip. I personally like that canon powershot sd780is has automatic and manual controls, though I haven't seen anyone using the manual set yet. Overall this camera is a fine performer, a great bargain and camera I think the best buy of the bunch. I bought one for myself.
By Julie Neal "The Complete Walt Disney World" (Sanibel Island, Fla.) - See all my reviews
These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results are pretty good. (How do I know? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living at Walt Disney World writing a travel guide, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)
Here's my opinion of the top-selling "A" series cameras:
A580. This 2008 model is an A590IS (see below) without image stabilization and with semi-automatic instead of manual controls. I'd spend the extra bucks for the A590IS, because those two features can make quite a difference.
A650 IS. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera, though canon powershot sd780is may be more than you need. canon powershot sd780is has a flip-out LCD camera panel and the option of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.
A720 IS. This fully-loaded 2007 model has all the toys, including a 6x zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), image stabilization, adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last feature means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out.
A470. This 2008 camera is great for kids or anyone just looking for a good basic camera. canon powershot sd780is includes Canon's face detection technology and camera has a zoom lens, 14 shooting modes and the ability to set exposure compensation, ISO and white balance manually. Plus canon powershot sd780is looks great, and is a good bargain.
Finally, the A590IS (the camera on this page) is a 2008 upgrade to an older model, the A570IS. The face detection system works a little better than the one on its predecessor, and the new model is slightly rounder and easier to grip. I personally like that canon powershot sd780is has automatic and manual controls, though I haven't seen anyone using the manual set yet. Overall this camera is a fine performer, a great bargain and camera I think the best buy of the bunch. I bought one for myself.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
