Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14 1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2 7 Inch LCD Black

Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14 1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2 7 Inch LCD Black

Shy and modest is so yesterday. Get ready for brilliance that’s the center of attention once the PowerShot SD1400 IS Digital ELPH camera is in your hands. First glance says it all: nothing moves you like the impact of sleek sculpture, especially when it’s drenched in the purest, ripest colors. Inside, Canon engineers defy micro-space with big, brilliant innovation. How do they do it? Who cares!

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Canon
I read about this camera and ended up purchasing it. It takes great pictures! Have been using it for a month now and no problems. Really easy to use too. I have had numerous cameras but always go back to Canon… It is GREAT! I love this camera!

5 Stars Awesome!
This camera is everything it says and it’s smaller then I expected, which is even better. Canon has outdone themselves with this one.

5 Stars The Canon SD1400IS is Capable & Compact
In short, this is a great camera in a very small package that produces good results! I wanted a small portable camera with HD video capabilities that I could take with me when I did not want to lug around my DSLR (Canon 40D + lenses) and this little gem fits the bill perfectly.

This camera replaced a Canon PowerShot SD780IS (Black) that I returned due to constant audio noise (hum) while recording video. Rather than risk getting another defective SD780IS with the same issue (many seem to report hearing the noise/hum), I decided to upgrade to the latest Canon PowerShot SD1400IS (Black). I am happy to report that this camera has no such issue with audio when video is being recorded.

The picture quality of the SD780IS and SD1400IS is roughly the same and on par with what one should expect from such a small ultra-portable camera. Going from 12MP to 14MP is a wash as the sensor is the same size and results are very similar. I have posted several shots of flowers under the “customer images” section of the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP (Black) and also uploaded several 100% crops of each image so pixel peepers can see the detail that this camera produces.

Let me be clear, anyone that thinks this camera is going to produce anything close to the quality of a DSLR is fooling himself or herself. There is no way that this small of a package (3.6 x 0.7 x 2.2 inches ; 4.6 ounces) can produce the same image quality as a DSLR. If image quality if paramount, one would be better off considering the Canon PowerShot S90 10MP Digital Camera, but you will lose the HD video capability, some portability and spend roughly another $125. When I want extreme quality, I simply take my Canon 40D + lenses with me and shoot in RAW.

The Auto mode is smart and I think there is more happening behind the scenes than one would expect. If one takes the same image (same ISO settings, lighting, shutter etc.) in Auto and then in Program mode, the results are similar, but I think the Auto mode wins nearly every time. I have no way to confirm this, but the Auto mode seems to have different compression algorithms depending on the subject and can produce a less noisy image at higher ISO than Program mode can. Inside shots are good but I wish I could set an ISO range to force the Auto mode not to exceed 400 ISO.

Tip: If you are getting blurry images, remember that the minimum focal length is much less 5cm when at 28mm and significantly more 50cm when zoomed in to 112mm. So, if you are trying to get the camera close to your subject, be sure to gauge your zoom/subject distances properly other wise your subject will be out of focus. Perhaps this would have helped the 1 star reviewer.

Final items of note:

1. There is no viewfinder and quite honestly, the small viewfinder on the SD780IS was useless so I do not miss having one. The LCD is bright and works great even on bright days.

2. There is no optical zoom while recording video, only digital zoom, so one has to decide on a zoom length before starting to record. This is a non-issue for me as many people overuse zoom and usually would have been better off just recording a static shot rather than making me dizzy with shaky-cam + zooming at the same time.

Bottom line: This is a fantastic pocket camera capable of decent images with HD video recording as a bonus. It is small enough that it will get taken everywhere enabling capturing of all those special moments. I would highly recommend it to anyone, so long as they realize the limitations inherent to ultra compact cameras. I hope this is review is helpful.

Update: I forgot to mention that one should be sure to get no less than a “Class 4″ SD card (Class 6 would be even better) to prevent any video recording issues (missed frames etc.)

4 Stars Made in China….?!!
I wonder anyone got this camera is made in china?

Its serial# 0420600XXXX

Btw, I felt it got cheap material with battery cover.

4 Stars Sleek and powerful, nice HD
For $250, I’m satisfied with the SD1400. It’s small and simple enough not to intimidate my wife which now means that Daddy can actually appear in a couple of family photos. The picture and video quality are excellent too. The only criticism that I have is that zoom is unavailable when shooting video and that the shutter is a bit slow to respond (as is the case with most of the cameras in this class irrespective of manufacturer).

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It’s all about the power of contrast. Sleek, gentle curves that merge art and technology into a camera designed to inspire. The PowerShot SD1300 IS Digital ELPH camera captures your world as much as it expresses your originality, with bold innovations that include remarkable low light performance. Everything looks right. Hold it… and everything feels right, too.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Good Compact Size / Great Picture Quality
I am very pleased with the Cannon Powershot camera. I got it just a few days before my trip and was very pleased with the pictures I was able to take.

Its compact design made it easy to carry it all times. I used exclusively the ‘Auto’ mode as I had not had time to look into the more advanced features.

I do not think the use of these options is that intuitive. Still, the quality of the pictures was very good.

This camera does not have a printed manual; instead it comes with a DVD that contains the user guide. I wish at least a basic guide of the different programs/features were included to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the different camera functions.

5 Stars A Great Camera
I have been taking pictures with this camera ever since I got it to get a “feel” for it. I really can’t come up with something negative to say about it! I took motion pictures at a baseball game; shots inside and outside, and all came out very well. I love the size as it is easy to carry in my purse. The instructions that came with it were very clear. I have had several Canon cameras and they do not disappoint me.

5 Stars Best camera i’ve owned so far
I was just looking for a basic digital camera to take pictures with and am by no means a photo or camera buff. But for me using the Canon is fairly straightforward and I just leave it on the auto setting and am very pleased with the quality of the pictures. They are the best pictures i’ve seen with an entry level digital camera and I particularly enjoy the vivid details of the fairly large LCD screen that makes reviewing pictures much easier and pleasurable than i’m accustomed to. I was amazed at how small and thin it was; i mean length and height it is only a little bigger than a credit card (much wider, of course) but it also has a solid build to it. I could fit this easily into any pocket, even in my jeans. I’m glad i got this in time for my trip. Highly recommend this camera.

5 Stars Conventient and smart little camera!
My Dad bought me this camera recently. I am a fifth grade teacher and the size is perfect to have for class trip and activites. I’m not a professional photographer, so the fact that it is so user-friendly is wonderful. The quality of the pictures is better than any point and shoot camera I’ve ever had. I bought a 4G card, and I have never come close to filling it up with pictures and video. My ideal camera is one that is easy to use, doesn’t take up much space, and takes great photos quickly. This is the perfect camera for me!

1 Star 1 Star is for the 1 hundred plus dollars you will lose on this item
I recently purchased this item and now it is so messed up that I have to sell it to a recycling site for a fraction of the price I paid

The reason for this is because the thing is cheaply painted. I took this camera to Prom and had it in a padded pouch in my tux pocket when I wasn’t using it except for once when I dropped it, but it was still in the padded pouch. When I got home I discovered that it had at least four places where the paint had been chipped off the camera. Why? I had no idea until I held it in my hand and realized that even touching it some paint was coming off! This would not have been so bad if it was the only problem with the camera, but it isn’t.

Other things wrong with this camera:

The Iso: As one reviewer pointed out, the Iso on the default setting of this thing is very high. That is an understatement. the Iso is through the roof! the only way to take decent photos with this thing inside and out, is to go to programming mode and set the Iso differently for every different situation you are in. Not very convenient.

The shooting speed: When taking a picture, it takes almost two seconds to process and display the picture you are taking. that is very slow compared to some cameras half the price of this one. it also becomes a huge problem when you are taking pictures of a fast moving object, like an animal or car.

Blur: Any time you take a picture of someone with this camera, you have to have your subject completely still! any sudden movements will cause a blur that will ruin the whole shot. For instance, when I took a picture of one of my friends dancing, the image was completely blurred!

Rotating a picture: Canon is well known for allowing the user to rotate a picture by rotating the camera. On this model, when you rotate the camera, the picture either doesn’t rotate or it rotates very late.

Menus: The menus are very confusing. For instance, when I was looking for the Iso setting in the programing mode, I actually had to do alot of guess work before I found it. Even then the function was not named “Iso Setting” but something different. I can understand needing to read most of the instructions for a more advanced camera. but this is supposed to be a simple Point and Shoot. you should be able figure out at least the basic functions without them.

Zoom: When you zoom in on your subject you are very limited on the distance you can zoom in. You either have very wide view, midrange view, or very close view. there is almost no in between. the same goes for when you are browsing pictures in playback mode.

I hate to be so negative, but these are my true experiences with camera and I want to warn other buyers before they throw away almost $200 on this product. I have heard many good things about Canon’s quality, but bottom line is this camera does not contain any of it. hope you find this review helpful. As for me, I am about to go buy a Nikon Coolpix S3000. hopefully will have better luck with it.

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Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2 7 Inch LCD Blue

Canon PowerShot SD1300IS 12 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2 7 Inch LCD Blue

It’s all about the power of contrast. Sleek, gentle curves that merge art and technology into a camera designed to inspire. The PowerShot SD1300 IS Digital ELPH camera captures your world as much as it expresses your originality, with bold innovations that include remarkable low light performance. Everything looks right. Hold it… and everything feels right, too.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Super little camera
I love this camera! I’m a REALTOR and use the wide angle to capture views of properties and yards. Wonderful and compact.

I would recommend to anyone looking for a point and shoot camera with no fussing.

4 Stars It’s Canon…it’s good!
Bought this Canon because…well, because I like Canon products. My other Canon Digial Elph was taken on my last trip to the UK. This one will be used for the same purpose this summer. The photos are exceptional….and it is very easy to use.

5 Stars The best camera to have…
…is one you’ll have with you. The nice thing about the Canon ELPH series is they easily fit into your pocket, are well built/designed, don’t cost a lot, come with a boatload of features, and take great pictures. The SD1300, the latest in the ELPH line continues in that tradition, adding considerable additional sophistication and sacrificing some useful functionality in the interest of cutting cost.

It is a small camera and carries with it the baggage that comes with the convenience of having to carry so little baggage. (sorry, couldn’t resist) None of the issues raised, given that they comes as part of the convenience trade-off made me consider anything other than the 5-star rating this camera deserves.

- Many of the functions are only accessible through menus, sometimes several levels deep. The good new is the Automatic and scene modes are pretty good (as long as you spend a few minutes reviewing what they really do). This camera is not intended to be used in aperture or shutter priority, let alone full manual.

- The battery life might be shorter than you expect. That’s a trade-off for having a camera that’s small and light; you get a battery that is small and light. One thing you can do is get a spare battery. That is good advice for any camera. Another thing that will help is to keep the display off as much as possible. That means using the monitor as little as possible. The “sad” part is that Canon chose to drop the optical viewfinder in this model. That means a camera that is simpler and less expensive to make but will go through batteries quicker because you must use the display when taking picture.

- The camera response is a bit slow for effectively capturing children and pets. The trick for doing that is to either have a great sense of timing and a shutter that reacts instantly or a reasonably fast ( > 4x / sec ) burst mode. This camera has neither.

Some other suggestions that apply:

- Use the lowest ISO available given your requirement for either aperture or shutter speed. To avoid getting technical, higher ISO always introduces higher noise. At issue is when it becomes noticeable. In newer dSLR cameras you can get over 1000, maybe well over depending on the camera, before the noise becomes noticeable. For this camera keeping it at or below 200 is a good idea.

- Don’t use in-camera sharpening. Digital pictures will almost always benefit from sharpening but you are better off doing it with a photo editing program. Compuer-based algorithms tend to be more sophisticated and you can better judge the results on your monitor as opposed to the camera LCD.

- If you want more vivid colors and have the choice use sRGB instead of Adobe RGB. While you get fewer colors they are distributed over a wider range. They are also render better on computer monitors, many commercial labs, and any other place your pictures are likely to show up.

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