| Canon Powershot SD400 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom | ||
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by Canon  Powered by rechargeable Lithium-ion battery; stores images on SD memory card DIGIC II Image Processor provides fast, accurate image processing Enhanced movie mode with fast 60-frame-per-second capture rate 3x optical zoom; 2.0-inch LCD display; ultra-compact design (.8 inches thick) 5-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 13 x 17-inch prints |
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| From the Manufacturer Canon's 5.0-megapixel PowerShot SD400 features a 3.0x optical zoom, a large 2.0-inch LCD, high quality VGA video clips at 30fps limited in length only by the capacity of the memory card , high speed USB 2.0, 'My Color' in-camera color editing and a Print/Share button for easy PictBridge direct printing and fast file uploads. Its 5.0-megapixel sensor allows detailed enlargements up to 13 x 17 inches. For fast start-up times, responsive performance and superb, accurate colors and image rendering, the camera features the same high speed DIGIC II processor found in Canon's latest professional series digital SLR cameras. Superb Quality, Great Performance DIGIC II also helps achieve a fast start up time of just over a second and uninterrupted 2.1 frame per second shooting until the memory card fills. A new USB 2.0 high-speed interface provides one of the fastest upload speeds in this category. An abundance of processing capacity also supports a new high-speed image playback function, image jump function (jump 10 or 100 images at a time or jump to previous shooting date), fast image rotation, and an increased card writing speed. Bigger, Brighter Screen New Stills Features Shooting Modes Self-timer functionality improves with the facility to select from range of delays (1 second to 10, 15, 20, or 30 seconds) and the number of shots taken at the end of the delay (from one to ten shots). Improved Movie Features Built-in Assistant Advanced Accessories Easy Printing, Easy Sharing Software and Access to Canon iMAGE Gateway Camera ownership entitles the purchaser to register for 100MB storage space on the Canon iMAGE Gateway, an online gallery where images and movies can be stored in albums and shared to selected friends and family. New My Camera functions (such as shutter sounds and start up images) can also be downloaded to the camera from Canon iMAGE Gateway. What's in the box Which of the SDxxx Series is right for you?
Let me begin by saying that Canon makes exceptional digital cameras; the best in the market right now. This is because they have always used high quality components since they began manufacturing digital cameras. This one is no exception. Now that I've sold you on a Canon, which one should you choose? First off, let's see if you really need an SDxxx camera, or would be better suited with a cheaper non ultraportable camera. The SDxxx Series offers several key advantages over less portable models: -Beautiful, sleek design and metallic body will wow anyone who sees it. -Gorgeous 2 inch LCD screens -The excellent Dig!c 2 processor (other Canons only have dig!c 1) -Much better movie mode than previous Canons -Small light, easy pocketability On the other hand, there are some significant drawbacks due to the components Canon had to use to get the camera so small: -Few manual controls. -Pictures are not as sharp as those of similar non ultraportable cameras. -The flash is very close to the lens (lots of redeye problems) -More purple fringing issues than other Canons -Proprietary batteries that are expensive to replace -The LCD is very fragile. Read the SD200 and SD300 reviews to see lots of unhappy people whose LCDs broke. Canon's warranty does NOT cover this either. My suggestion? Buy using a credit card that offers a warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. If your lcd breaks, many CC companies will replace the camera no questions asked! If you don't need the ultra portability and flashy looks of the SD cameras, a slightly larger camera with more features might be right for you. I would highly suggest Canon's A510 or A520 if you don't need an SD model. If you still want an SD model, which one should you choose? The SD200 with 3.2mp, the SD300 with 4mp, the SD400 with 5mp, or the SD500 at a whopping 7.1mp? Your first instinct may be that more megapixels is better. Today, however megapixel ratings are similar to Ghz ratings in the computer world: They used to mean a lot, but they don't mean as much anymore. More megapixels do NOT mean a better image. They mean a larger printable image. Unless you have to have huge prints, you simply do not more megapixels. In fact, the 3.2mp of the SD200 is enough for anyone who doesn't plan on printing pictures larger than a standard 8.5x11 sheet of paper. That having been said, there are some differences between each SDxxx model. In order to get the larger 7.1mp sensor in the SD500, Canon had to make the camera larger. Thus, it is around a quarter inch thicker and 30% heavier than the other 3 models. The larger size did enable Canon to pack more features into it, however: Features unique to the SD500: -1/4 inch thicker -30% heavier -50% longer flash range -14% more battery life The SD400 and SD500 also share these benefits over the SD200/SD300: -New "Night Display" feature which brightens the LCD in low light -My Colors feature lets you highlight or swap colors right on the camera -USB 2.0 High Speed support The following are shared by all the SDxxx Cameras: Pros: -Beautiful, eye catching design -Great image quality, though not as good as non ultraportable models -New Dig!c 2 image processor -Excellent Movie Mode -3x optical zoom is adequate for most people -Excellent, intuitive manual controls -Huge 2.0 inch lcd that looks great under various lighting conditions -Uses widely available and cheap SD cards Cons (most of these are minor quirks): -Some purple fringing problems -Proprietary batteries are expensive to replace and inconvenient at times -Lots of issues with fragile LCDs -No RAW support -Few manual controls If you do choose this product, the first thing you should buy is a larger SD memory card. The camera comes with a 16mb card (32 in the SD500), which is pretty much useless. You should also immediately purchase a case and some screen protectors to protect the LCD. Fantastic Stuff
First off, why I didn't give it a 5: There is no mode for raw pictures, and the settings for manual doesn't allow actual dialing in of iso's under 50. That said, this is a terrific camera. Terrifically portable, really nicely made. Great ui/speed of use. I can hit the power button andshoot in what seems like a second. The pictures are pretty terrific. See here: on my weblog for a sample image and some other impressions. You won't be wasting your money. I did purchase a second battery, but I only started to need it after 100 or more pictures at a run, with a healthy use of flash. I haven't used it till death. Also, it being usb 2.0 is a very nice feature. Pictures d/l in no time. ive been holding out... and finally what i wanted is here!
first! :) anyways, this is a great camera. ive had an olympus c-3040 zoom for a long time, and while it takes great (outdoor) pics, ive been waiting for a good small camera to carry around all the time. what i wanted was: 3x optical zoom +, 5MP +, CCD, something tiny, a decent LCD screen, something by canon/olympus/nikon, something not too outrageously priced, AF and MF, decent video, etc. the sd400 has it all! very easy to use - i try and not use the user manual until i have to. i did have to use it to find out how to switch the resolution of the pics im taking though. other than that its really intuitive. i also didnt install the software that came with it, and was still able to get the pics onto my desktop (running win xp pro) easily. indoor pic quality is so-so, outdoors is very nice. lots of cool options. the autofocus area indicator is sweet. very small and compact. like i said, everything i wanted and at a good price. bought a 512MB card and im waiting for my leather case to be shipped and im golden. cons - the 3 things i dont like about it. 1) you have to press pretty firmly on the button to take a picture. too much so. 2) the cover to access the USB port is connected using a plastic/rubber thing instead of a hinge. i never trust those things to last. 3) the LCD screen rendering is a bit laggy, if you swivel around quickly its somewhat blurry. the best case i have found for the sd400 is the IXY Digital 40/50 Custom Leather Case from Japan. thats it, good buy and a good deal. Small camera, great pictures and Canon quality
The SD400 is an outstanding point and shoot digital camera for the average to slightly tech-inclined photographer. I previously had an S500 which was a great camera. So far, the SD400 seems to improve on the S500 in every way. It has nice and large LCD screen. Unlike some of the other smaller cameras, it also has a traditional viewfinder. The most striking feature of the camera is its small size. It fits in a pocket perfectly and is smaller than my flip phone. The time from powering up to taking pictures is ridiculously fast. The pictures are great and the camera is easy to use. Some may complain that this camera lacks features. However, for the average person who just wants to take everyday pictures, it's great. So far, no complaints about this one. The flash lights up a completely dark room w/ no problem. I have no qualms about recommending this camera to anyone looking to pick up a quality digital point and shoot camera. Great Little Camera
It's easy to use, easy to upload, easy to carry around. I've had my camera for about two weeks. Took tons of pictures and mini-movies of my 2 year old son and our dog - all came out great. Of course, I had to buy a larger memory card - but it was all worth it. Highly recomended for non-technically inclined users who love taking pictures. Wonderful, recommend to everyone
No other camera can come close on the color accuracy and quality in this price range. This just has to be the best pocket-sized camera on the market. I tested Everything, and the only other camera that caught my eye was a larger Kodak (Z/DX)7590, but that one is much larger. Armed with a large SD card (gotta love those things better than CF) and a LI battery (too bad they make you buy them extra), this just has to be an unbeatable camera in it's class. Love this camera!!!
I have always had Canon's for my digital cameras, and recently received the Sd400 as a gift to replace my digital elph. I have nothing but good things to say about this camera. The size is amazing. The shutter speed is fantastic and I love the new version of the ZoonBrowser. The movie feature works fabulously. I can't wait to get a bigger SD card to start taking more pictures. The 16 MB one that comes with it isn't even worth the cost of making it. Your going to have to get a bigger one, obviously. I would highly recommend this camera. Dual purpose camera for pictures and videos
I am not going to write a long review since the others have done an excellent job with that. I just want to point out that with this camera you don't really need a handycam video camera anymore since it takes very good videos with sound at 640x480 resolution at 30 frames per second. Using Windows Movie Maker you can create your own movies and email them in compressed format to your friends. That is much more versatile than working with a Handycam. The main drawback on the video function is that you can't zoom while filming. So I suggest taking several clips and stitching them together later with Windows Movie Maker. With that software a 1 minute video is only 5 MB in wmv format (or whatever size you want), so it can be easily emailed alongside your pictures. I suggest getting a 1 GB SD Card with it if you plan on taking lots of movies. They really have come down in price. Make sure you get a "high speed card" (45x or faster). Compared to similar Sony cameras, the Canon uses much cheaper non proprietary SD memory and has a viewfinder to save batteries. This camera is so small that you can carry it with you at all times taking pictures and video anywhere you go. What good is a camera if you don't have it with you when the perfect Kodak moment is in front of you? SD400 only improves the Elph series
Whenever a new version of a favorite product is released, I always worry that it won't be as good as the last, that I'll be disappointed in some way. The SD400 is the third Canon ELPH I've owned, and it does not disappoint. As a long time user, I was extremely pleased that not only did the SD400 improve upon my last Canon (S400), it also didn't change or remove any of the functionality that I had grown accustomed to using. Plenty of reviews here praise this camera in general terms, so I will instead compare major changes compared with the Canon S400/410. Some are subtle, others more obvious. * Smaller and lighter than the S400 * A larger LCD than the S400. * USB 2.0 (notably faster) instead of the USB 1.1 in the S400. * 5MP instead of 4MP. * Digic2 instead of Digic (only the SD cameras and SLRs have it at this time). * Shoots video at double the resolution (640x480) steadily until memory card is full. * The default version of ZoomBrowser software (5.x) is much improved from the older versions -- faster and smoother to use, with better features to control the camera. The new version can be downloaded for older cameras. * Same metal casing, but a small plastic hinge flap covers the output ports now, instead of a rubber one. * Uses SD memory cards instead of CF1. These can be notably faster than CF1. * The physical controls are slightly more closely packed together, but I had no trouble with pressing the wrong ones by accident or anything like that. If anything, the small controls are better organized than previously. I always used to rotate the S400's dial into the wrong mode, which has not been a problem with the new layout which uses a slider switch and software menus. * Far more shooting modes (such as portrait, pets&children, night snapshot, etc), and better control over focus method, flash metering, exposure metering, etc. It's not a manual SLR, but it gets as close as pocket digital camera can. * Much faster feeling. Shooting a photo and having it stored to my "ultra" (high speed) SD memory card seems to take less than half the time it used to with the S400. Highly recommended, no complaints at all. SUPER CAMERA!
This is the first digital camera that I have bought. All I have to say is that this is one of the smartest buys I have ever made. The photo quality is absolutely impeccable. The 2 in. LCD is a very high resolution. AutoFocus, start-up, and shot-to-shot times are all quicker then possibly anyone would need. I recommend buying this camera in conjunction with a Canon PIXMA photo printer in which case you can get a $70 mail-in rebate from Canon... so if you buy a Canon PIXMA iP3000 printer from amazon you basically will only be paying 10 bucks for it. Overall I highly recommend this wonderful camera to all classes of photographers... from beginners to experts. I never expected so much could be packed into such a small device. P.S. Macro Mode in the SD400 IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!! No complaints - great camera
Same story as the other reviews: fantastic camera. It is about the size of a pack of cards, or smaller; IMO, this is about as small as most people would want. Pictures are excellent. Video is excellent. I disagree with another review, in which it was stated that you cannot zoom while video recording; my SD400 can zoom while video recording just fine. However, the zoom control is pretty loud in the video clip. For me, this camera eliminates the need for a separate video camera. I have a 1-gigabyte SD card, which is enough for more than 8 minutes of video. If you want to spice up your DVD slide shows with occational video clips, as I do, this is perfect. Battery life seems to be greatly improved over the older digital elph model I owned. IMO, most people would never exhaust their battery in a full day picture taking. Recharge takes only 90 minutes. Camera menus are simple and easy to navigate; a pretty big improvement over my old elph. Soft Focus, Disappointing Results
As a digital photography enthusiast and a fan of Canon cameras, I had high hopes for the SD-400, hoping it might be a smaller and lighter weight replacement for my Canon S-50, one of three Canons I own. What I discovered was that the SD-400 (that I ordered from Amazon) is incapable of capturing sharply focused photo. Every photo -- wide angles from distance, medium-range, head and shoulders, close-up, macro -- everything was every-so-slightly out of focus. It's best described as soft focus. Out of fairness to Canon, perhaps it could be chalked up to a bad lens on this particular camera, which I returned. But the picture quality was also consistently washed-out and no where near accurate or realistic. Compact, but flimsy !
I bought the SD400 two months ago. I had a S410 prior to this. The main reason I upgraded was for the 5 Mega Pixels and SD compatibility. But I realized my upgrade wasn't worth it. Pros: * Compact Size, fits in a palm * Video Quality is great * Outdoor Shots are comparable to any camera in its class * Quick Startup * Decent Battery Life Cons : * My LCD Broke while it was in my pocket and Canon doesn't cover this in the warranty. Repair Costs $110.00 * Indoor shots in "Auto" Mode were very very grainy * Low Light shots are just pathetic * Although the camera comes with enough manual controls, the camera shake warning comes up very often. SD400 - a Fantastic Digital Camera
The SD400 is a breakthrough in technology by canon, making a very small camera perform like a larger one. Besides having 5 megapixels, the camera has one of the best movie modes in the business. I have seen a lot of movie modes by Fuji, Sony, and others. Canon has the best, hands down. The reason is how they compress the movies. Canon has the least compression (movies must be compressed from a large file to a smaller one to fit on the SD card.) The new Digic II processor assists the movie mode to a full 30 frames/sec. Also a fast start up time of just over a second and uninterrupted 2.1 frame per second shooting. The only camera in the Canon line that has a better movie mode is the new S2IS camera. This one also gives you stereo sound. However, it is a much larger camera. The thing that appeals to me about the SD400 is that you can carry it anywhere and it will be there to get the shot. Either still picture or movies. There is a new trend of smaller cameras such as the SD400, the Sony T series, and Casio having much larger LCD screens. These screens are 2" or larger. With a larger LCD, you must also take care of your camera better. With the older cameras, the screen was small, and less likely to get damaged. Here are some tips that should keep your SD400 from ever having a cracked screen, or for that matter any of the newer cameras from Sony, Casio, Fuji, etc. that have larger LCD screens. (You can damage any LCD screen regardless of brand). [1] Do not place camera in with sharp objects like keys, lipstick holders, or any metal objects. I would suggest this even if you have the camera in a thin case, as the thin case is still no protection from sharp objects that can exert a lot of pinpoint pressure. [2] If you carry it in your pocket, you should not do it in tight pants, and do not sit on the camera! I recommend not carrying it in your pants pocket (too easy to bump into hard objects). I never have and never had a problem. If you feel the need to carry it in your pants, carry it so the LCD is NOT on the outside and vulnerable. The older models were too thick to fit in your pocket. I think you are seeing a lot more people improperly carry this camera because of its thin size. [3] The best bet would be a well padded case (not a thin one). Padding is the key here. Pamper your new camera. [4] Do not drop camera. Always put the strap around your arm when taking your camera out of the case. That way you never will drop it. Any digital camera will have a high probability of damage if you drop it. These are delicate electronic devices and need to be treated as such. [5] Do not leave your camera in your car. Extreme heat or extreme cold is very bad for any electronic device with an LCD screen. The SD400 is no exception. There is a silent majority of SD400 owners out there that are enjoying the camera, but have not left reviews. I would like to hear from them. Let people know of your success with the camera and you can even post images here that you have taken. Respect the camera, and it will give you a long life. Update: Just went on a trip to Europe. Two girls on the trip had the sd400 camera. They did have cases for their cameras, but one did not even have a strap on their camera. Both cameras survived the trip with no problems. They even took the cameras to the beach, and up mountains, and on several boats. They did not put the camera in unprotected pockets. My favorite digital camera
Great camera, compact, takes great pictures and movies. Its always with me, not like a larger camera which is a pain to carry around. I don't carry a camcorder, since this camera has an excellent video mode with sound. I carry mine in a case and never had a problem. As noted in the previous review, you have to take care with any camera with a big LCD. I am one who takes care of any of my electronic devices (whether cellphone, camera, or mp3 player. You want this camera.
I have been buying digital cameras from the beginning, starting with some brands that are now extinct and some cameras that offered less than 1 megapixel resolution. My most recent acquisition was a Pentax Optio SV which I panned in a review posted here on Amazon. Anyway, Canon is the benchmark for all other digital cameras. This model offers excellent, sturdy build (it was dropped onto a stone floor when it was only a few days old....even though it made a pretty bad sound, it wasn't dinged or scratched. I'm not sure how that can be, but it is a fact) and very good visual appeal. The size and weight are perfect. It is small enough for a purse or even a pocket, but not so small that it is hard to grasp while shooting. The LCD screen is the best I've used; 2 inches and readable even in bright sunlight. The optical viewfinder (I just don't like cameras that make you rely upon the LCD only for framing images; sometimes I feel I need to frame an image the old fashioned way) is tiny but very bright and also features all of the menu items you select from setup (or none if you prefer). The 3X optical zoom is smooth and fast and in most cases that's enough zoom power, though I did buy that Optio in search of even more power. For the record, pay no attention to digital zooms. They are computer trickery that enlarges the central part of your image at the expense of image resolution. For example, a 2X digital zoom effect exactly halves your resolution, making such images often unfit for printing. Talking about resolution and printing, the 5 megapixels available on this model allows for high quality 11" x 14" prints. The camera is also capable of functioning as a camcorder in a pinch, offering full motion (60 FPS) video and sound limited only by the size of your memory card. The controls of the SD400 are simple and intuitive and the menus have evolved nicely, making it much easier than it was with my S200 to navigate and adjust things. That said, the SD400 is part of a class of cameras designed mostly for automatic users; if you crave control, you're probably not shopping for this type of digicam. I find the Canon colors to be about the truest, though performance in that area is degraded when using the flash. Also, "red eye" is a problem, though newer software programs like Microsoft's PictureIt! Photo Premium 9 have finally made red eye fixes really easy. While I agree that the Canon's need for a proprietary battery is a pain, I am satisfied with the battery life--about 140 shots with the LCD on and the flash not in use--and I like the very compact charger included with the camera. To be on the safe side, I ordered another battery here on Amazon (a generic that is not too expensive and works identically to the branded one that came in the box). Of course the included 32 meg SD memory card is too small to be useful, but that is the case with every single digital camera I've bought. No matter, these cards are reasonably priced (though not quite as cheap as the larger CompactFlash format) and now come in gargantuan sizes if you like. I paid about $50 for a 512 MB Ultra II card that will hold hundreds of images. Lastly, I want to commend the new Digic II processor in the SD400. It is ready to shoot in about one second after it is powered up, and there is almost no shutter lag at all. Recovery time for a second shot is similarly brief. Shutter lag is a big factor when selecting a digicam and this one jumps that hurdle very nicely. All told, I'd give the SD400 a "best in class" ribbon. Excellent
I like the canon sd400 very much. Just went to Disney Land and I loved the pictures I took. Great compact camera
I have been using the Canon SD400-5MP for about 2 months now and overall, this is a great product. The picture quality is amazing, the camera is easy to use, and best of all, it is tiny! I had a larger Canon in the past and I never took it anywhere because it was slightly too large to fit comfortably in my pocket. The SD400 fits easily even in the same pocket as a cell phone. The only reason I do not give this product 5 stars is because the screen is overly fragile. Just putting it in my pocket (no accidents), the screen became scuffed up. The marks are not really noticable when the camera is on, but it's disappointing to see just how fragile it is (unlike my A70 which had a hard plastic covering over the screen). My solution was to buy a Palm Pilot screen guard and cut it down to fit on the camera's screen. Since then, no more problems. The second problem I've had (and this goes for all Canon digitals) is that there is no battery meter. I can't figure out why Canon refuses to put this feature on their cameras. While this is annoying, you do learn to charge the battery ahead of time and you get a good feel for how long it will last. Brilliant!!!!
I've had a few Canon digital cameras and just bought the SD400 after my S500 stopped working properly after only 4 months. I'm thrilled with the SD400 though, the better size than the S series is brilliant, the extra features make for much better photos I'm thoroughly impressed with my new purchase. E18 error
Our Canon PowerShot digital camera lens froze and with the E18 error. We rarely used the camera and kept it in perfect condition (locked up and well protected). But one day the lens would not retract, and the display only showed the error code "E18" in the lower left corner. I took out the battery and replaced the flash card with a new one, tried everything else I read about.... There is no reason why my camera should have stopped working, unless it was manufactured to do so... My friends told me that their PowerShot camera did the same thing, so instead of sending it back and getting another that would soon give another E18 error, we decided to purchase a Sony Camera that works. Canon should take responsibility for this! Perfect Point & Shoot
Before this camera I was shooting with a Nikon 5200, which was substantially larger. In comparison this takes sharper, more accurate images, fits in my pocket as comfortably as my cell phone, and has more intuitive menus. I took this on a vacation to Africa, it shot very sharp wildlife photos and was unscathed sitting in my pocket for days on end, sometimes in high temperatures. I have used its zoom quite a bit, and it takes very sharp pictures across its 3x optical, and very acceptable quality up to about 8x (combined digital and optical), but beyond 8x and up to the max 12x (3x optical * 4x digital), the quality is almost unusable. So it wasn't the best for distance photography, but very acceptable. There is minor purple fringing as with all point and shoots, but not at all noticeable on an any print 5x7 or less. And negligible even at 8-10 at its worst. While you will probably not get the quality of photo that you will get with a DSLR, that is not what this product even pretends to offer. It is a fantastic point and shoot, super small, and compared to others that I've seen it takes by far the best pictures (great contrast, colors, and sharpness). Also, its super super fast, unlike my previous Nikon 5200, which I missed quite a few shots with. For its size, picture quality, and functionality, it is best in its class. The only camera you need for outdoor photography
I've had the Canon SD400 for about 2 months now, and I would like to compare it to my other camera, Canon G3, which I bought 2 years ago. I am amazed by the advance in technology in 2 years. The Digic 2 chip really is much faster. Startup time, shot to shot time, focus times are all significantly faster. The SD series of course is much smaller than the G series. For outdoor daytime photography, I can't tell the difference between the picture quality of the 2 cameras. They both take excellent pictures but the SD focuses a bit faster. For indoor flash photography, I have the Canon 420EX external flash for the G3, and hence I can get higher quality pictures by completely eliminating red eye and also by using bounce flash. However, sometimes the G3 has a lot of trouble focusing, whereas the SD400 does not. One final benefit of the SD400 is that it uses USB 2.0 transfer which is much faster than the G3 USB 1. Also note that the SD200 and SD300 are also USB 1. I feel that everyone should have 2 digital cameras, a super compact one like the SD400 for take-anywhere outdoor phtography, and a digital SLR for indoor and outdoor when you want more control and versatility. Canon SD 400
I love this camera. Excellent quality of image. Very easy to use. Ideal for moms on the go. Only thing I can't figure out without reading a manual is where the indicators for battery and memory. Would be 'great' camera if not for....
Nice camera. Only does date stamp in 'post card' mode (1600X1200 resolution)and digital zoom does not work in all shooting modes. Takes a pretty good picture and does decent video (thats why they make 'video' cameras). Fast startup and if you use a fast SD card you are ready to take the next picture very quickly. Bought it for my wife and she really likes it because of size, operation and quality of photos at high res setting. Quite Awesome! :)
The NEW Canon SD400 Camera is such a great little camera. It is so tiny that you can take it wherever you go without worrying about a huge case with a huge camera in it. Fits perfectly in your purse, and your pocket (although it isn't safe to put it in you pocket). I would reccomend 2 major things to go along with this camera 1. A new 1GB Memory Card to store more photos 2. A GOOD STURDY CASE. This camera is obviously tiny in size, but also fragile. WATCH OUT! Nice point and click
I am not a camera expert. Just started using this camera. Works fine. After downloading the images, you see complete details even at 100% zoom. Sometimes, loses focus & hence details. I suppose this would be with all point & shoot. I think this is customizable with manual controls. Yet to read manuals for that. Beautiful Pictures and clarity
My father owns the Fujifilm Finepix E510 5MP Digital Camera with 3.2x Optical Zoom and I bought the SD400. I found the canon to take clearer and more detailed pics. The clarity even when changed to a jpg on my computer was outstanding. I was trying to take pics of my new puppy with the fuji, the dog didn't sit still and the pics came out blurry 8 out of 10 times. Even with the little running guy as the shutter speed setting. The canon did just the opposite with about 2 out of 10 moving pics coming out blurry with the automatic speed (camera decides). If you dont believe me, test it out in the store, that was the first thing i did, was take pics of ppl walking, and my rotating hand about a foot away. The camera is small and dainty, but for $350, you should handle it with care anyway. I fear for the lcd because of most reviews. Thats why i bought mine at costco, cause they take back year old meat!!! The fuji went thru costco kirkland batteries after 20 pics. I counted them. The camera wouldn't even start on Dollar store batteries. I dont know about duracell's, its not my camera. So far the canon has taken more than 20 and its not dead yet. The menu's were easy to use, the sub menus required a bit of explanation and reading. As a tech geek, the more the better though, just goes to show what it can do. The software was easy to use and again, had a lot of bells and whistles to edit your pics. It even came with an instruction manual to really do some damage if you prefer. But for super tech novice, you did not need the book. I recommend this camera as a novice photgrapher, but i think with this baby, ill be taking a lot more pics. If i have any probs, I'll update this one. Great little camera.
This is my second digital camera. The first I got 3 years ago and its like one of those old cell phone in the 80's. This thing was a brick. The SD400 I can fit comfortably in my pocket. I do worry about damaging the LCD screen but I would with any digital. Pros: Small, quick start up, great picture quality, alot of different features packed into small camera, no software required to download pictures (Windows XP), It automatically orients the picture after you take a horizontal or vertical picture when viewing on the camera LCD. Cons: No battery power indicator so it just warns you when its almost out which is usually only a few more pictures, I turn off the LCD and manage to take a few more before it won't even power up anymore. The serial number rubbed off before I bothered to write it down but I don't really care to much, just a warning to you. Its a great little camera for quick snap shots of me and my family. My sister liked it so much she is going to get one too. i like this camera
Well i think this is a good camera, from my time using it I have found that it works as a great point and shoot camera. I still have yet to do much experimenting with the manuel features. The pictures that I have taken seem very clear and focused. I especially love how small and light the camera is and how it is easy to keep in my pocket for any random moments!!! The only thing that I would say is not entirely up to par is the loudness of the zoom, this is so minor that it doesn't matter!! I strongly recommend it to anyone!!! WONDERFUL!! TOTALLY SPEECHLESS.....
This is my second camera, and I just got it today. The SD400 truly impressed me with it's literally *pure* image quality, large LCD screen for easy viewing, and absolutley *beautiful* colors (I am not exaggerating at ALL). I am truly truly truly happy with my new digital camera. However, there is one important factor. The camera itself is so small and lightweight compared to other cameras, so TAKE CARE OF IT! Overall, it's a PERFECT camera. Just what I was looking for. *If you are interested in buying this camera for a very good price, I highly reccomend Butterfly Photos. (...) Quite happy about it
I'm quite happy that I bought this camera. It takes nice crispy pictures and it's very intuitive to use. It has some very good modes like 'Against twilight' and 'kids and pets' to use. Contrary to some other users comments I found the flash pretty powerful and helps the shooting a lot. Well.. but i'm not a professional photographer. The CONS are probably that it it doesnt show battery status and it's your guess when it'll run out. Also I donno if it's normal but the camera gets hot pretty quick after taking 10 or more pictures. In dark background the pictures tend to be blur with even very slight shake, but this is a common problem with all cameras. Not quite point and shoot...
This is a great camera. I particularly appreciate the small size. The fact that it can fit in pocket makes it very simple to bring almost anywhere. The speed of the camera to turn on and take a picture is one of the most compelling reason to purchase this camera. User friendly, ultra-compact and great pictures
I evaluated the Sony T-7, Nikon S5, Canon SD500 before picking up this product. Here's why: 1. The Sony picture results were not in the same class as the other 3 products, and was thrown out early. 2. The SD500 was noticeably bigger than the SD400, and with both being ultra-compacts, paying $100 more for a bigger camera with a nominal picture improvement (7 megs to 5 megs in very layman terms) was not attractive. 3. Finally, size and elegance won out in favor of the SD400 over the nikon S5. (This is in spite of my using a Nikon N80 with comprehensive kit over the last 5 years.) After having used this camera for a couple of vacations since my last trip, it has performed almost flawlessly. A few points to note: 1. Flash range is limited, but don't expect anything better in ultra-compacts. Within the flash range pictures come out quite good. 2. I have taken great Vegas night shots by placing the camera on a ledge with a 2 second timer. 3. The battery life lasts you a full day of flashing, and if you are careful enough to recharge it at the end of the day, you can manage without a spare. 4. I picked up a Sandisk Ultra II 512 MB card, and the faster card makes downloads a breeze. The card is also supposed to make multiple exposures work better, but I haven't tried that out. My SLR is better for that. 5. The view finder crops a lot of the picture. Just compare the image in the viewfinder with the one on the LCD display. All said and done, the camera has limitations, but gives you a fantastic picture for its size !!! It's just OK. Not great.
What I like: - Video (movie) mode is very good. 640x480x30 movies are very clear. Better than my friend's Sony camera's movie. - Very small. It is probably one of the smallest 5MP camera. - Transfer to computer via USB 2.0 is very fast. (I just use the Window XP Photo Wizard program. I did not install any software that comes with the camera.) What I do not like: - Still picture is not as sharp as my old Canon S410 4MP camera. - Still pictures looks great in bright sunlight/outdoor conditions. Focus much slower in slightly darker conditions. - Camera gets warm after a little while. The camera (and the chips inside) are not hot, but it is uncomfortable to have warm metal in your hand. Sure Shot
Excellent camera. Its easy to manage photos. THe download is fairly easy once you get to the right software. Quality of photos are good. Absolutely the BEST small camera
Just finally replaced my old Sony Cybershot 2.1 MP camera. After just a few weeks with this camera it was no doubt the right choice. The features packed into this small size are fantastic. I used a 1GB card I was using with my iPaq in this and now I am set. The software that it comes with is even better then any other digital camera software out there. PROS: - Tons of features, including movie mode w/sound, B&W Pictures as well as color accents (B&W with just a specific color showing), many different modes to accommodate all your possible needs. - SMALL...SMALL, enough said. - Battery life is outstanding, 2 weeks, tons of pics and still haven't recharged - Small battery charger that is easy to bring on trips, no wires, just plug it into the wall - Large LCD for a small camera CONS: - Just takes some time to learn how to use all the features, but worth it. - Average person that just wants to take pics can, but really overkill if you just want a standard point and shoot camera. Overall, I love it and would recommend to anyone that likes digital pictures, wants something small, but is tech savvy enought to learn how to use all the features. Hope this helped. Still has reliability problems
The Canon S400, S410 and S500 have all had serious reliability problems. Read the reviews on this website and you will see that many customers have had a mysterious 'memory error' and/or the lens jamming (E18 error). These problems have shown up at about 18 months on all of these models. [...] Great package for the price!
I'll admit it. I'm a sucker for small brushed aluminum-look consumer electronics. I found this camera at a major retail chain. For $350, plus I got a $40 gift card to use. Such a deal. I replaced an old Olympus Stylus, which will not be missed! Now, on to the camera. Out of the box, the SD400 impresses right off the bat. Sleek case, cool metal finish. I keep my camera in a microfiber bag inside it's case, so I haven't had any scratches like I've read in other reviews. This thing isn't a tennis shoe, so I wouldn't treat it like one. I found the documentation and the quick start guide to be more than adequate. After installing the supplied software, I was ready to go. I am impressed with the quick startup of this unit. It fires up and is ready to go, right away. Just the thing for capturing spur of the moment shots. Like a lot of guys, I like to play first, and read later. The instructions, that is, so I was off and running. The menus were pretty easy to figure out. I was able to adjust resolution, adjust flash settings and choose my photo mode within about 2 minutes of starting. Not bad. The supplied SD card is only 16MB which is inadequate if you're going to take high resolution shots, but fine if you're going for low-res quick shots suitable for email. Quality is great even at low levels of resolution. Details are great at medium to high resolution, so much so that you might reduce it after seeing a couple shots of yourself. No one needs to see that much of me! I chose the SD series because of the SD card, that also works with my new Panasonic DLP. Battery life is outstanding, even with extensive use of the flash and LCD display. I'm sure I could extend it further by turning off the LCD, but the viewfinder tends to crop the field of view a bit. All in all, I'd strongly recommend the Canon SD400. It's all the camera you'll ever need. Canon PowerShot SD400 LCD screen
I saw that S. Slotnick and some other reviewers mentioned something about covering the LCD screen with plastic protectors or palm pilot screen protectors. Can you guys elaborate on the names of those products and how much they cost and how well it works. Thanks Love the form factor but pics are too soft
I've owned a Canon since the days of the 2.1MP S10. I then upgraded to the 3.2MP S30 and love its pictures in terms of sharpness and vibrant colors. Due to a recent good deal on an SD400 I had to take the plunge and upgrade. First of all, SD400 is a piece of art as much as technology. I was pleasantly surprised by its dimunitive form factor then I was surprised again with its operating performance. This is one FAST camera compared to my S30. Starts up in an instant and autofocus is quick due to the new DIGIC II chip. In contrast, S30 has no DIGIC(not even DIGIC I) and you can definitely notice the slower performance compared to the SD400. However, while SD400 excels in operating speed it lacks in picture quality. I've noticed photos taken so far are softer than the ones from the S30(taken of the same subject with S30 sharpness set to middle setting). Also colors from the SD400 are not as vibrant as on the S30 (again saturation set to middle setting). I know some might say SD400 might have more 'accurate' colors but I (like most people) prefer vibrant colors even if they're bit exagerated. There is no sharpness setting on the SD400 but it does have custom color setting where you can adjust the saturation but it only works when in My Colors mode. I know sharpness can be applied on the PC but I don't want to mess with the picture again if I don't have to. Also looking at indoor pictures, SD400 definitely has more noise compared to the S30 with both cameras set to auto mode. Noise is more prominent in darker areas of the picture. That said, S30 is more then twice(3x ?) the size and weight of the SD400 so obviously Canon had to make some sacrifices. Lens quality is lacking compared to the bigger lens of the S30. Also SD400 uses the smaller 1/2.5" CCD compared to the 1/1.8" on the S30. Squeezing in 37% more pixels into a smaller CCD does create room for more noise. Think of it like speakers. For example, a miniature BOSE system has decent sound but there are larger speakers that will give you better sound for less money. I'm not saying in any way SD400 is a bad camera and most folks will not notice these issues unless they make the effort to compare the pictures side by side with another camera. This goes without saying and its a great camera for portability but if you're serious about photography you might want to look elsewhere. Even an A510 or 520 will give you better pictures if you don't mind the size. Small and great
I was intimidated when I first took this out of the box - it was SO small, how could I manage to use it? But in fact, the controls are easy to use and the camera is small enough so that I take it with me everywhere (as opposed to my previous digital camera, which was bulky enough to discourage my taking it places). The pictures are great, the features are great and easy to use. great little camera
This is my first digital camera, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but so far it's almost perfect. My only complaint would be the battery display.. there is none, but oh well. design is great, zoom is fantastic for regular everday pictures, and I love how small and compact it is. The LCD isn't as flimsy as I thought it would be. Battery life is pretty good - on one charge I got about two days worth of sightseeing and tours. I also like the fact that it tells you how many more pictures you can hold according to your settings and sd card. you can also add voice memos to your pictures. The color accent and swap features are really cool too. Overall, sleek design, great features, easy to use navigation, and worth every penny! Hope this helps. canon sd400
Excellent camera. Takes wonderful pictures and the size is great to keep in pocket or purse SD400 Digital Elph
This camera was extraordinarily easy to use. I took several hundred pictures on a cross country road trip. I was impressed at how quickly the camera turned on and was ready to use. I captured several roadside attractions as we drove on by. Amazing. pricey bit of fun
you pay for the size of this camera, but overall a great little toy! you need to read the instructions carefully on how to use the features and even then you won't use every feature. battery power life seems to correlate well with the volume of the 256mb memory card pros--size (smaller than a wallet), variety of settings, clarity of photos (when used properly). cons--cost, poor 1.5--3.0 optical zoom quality, too many settings for the amateur, pricey sd memory cards. Beware of E18
8/17/2005 We've had the SD400 for exactly 34 days. Error message E18 is already upon us (if you've researched Canon cameras already, you'll know this is apparently a common problem, but usually occurs just after the warranty period ends and Canon requires approx. $150 to fix). I guess I am an optimist, and will return the camera for another SD400, as I have been impressed by it's convenience and photo quality. Good luck if you decide to roll the dice... 4/28/06 I should have updated this review a long time ago...Returned the camera to Amazon as defective. No hassels there except that my family went on vacation before I recieved the replacement- bummer). Have been using the replacement camera for about 9 months now with no problems at all. Not an improvement over the original Digital ELPH
After owning an original S100 Digital Elph for several years, I finally decided to upgrade to the SD400, expecting big improvements. After several months with the SD400, I have concluded that it was a waste of money because I have yet to realize any true advantages over the S100, and there are even a few drawbacks! What's definitely better: * USB 2.0. Much faster downloads that before. Be sure you connect to a USB 2.0 port, though. * Movie mode. Nice if you want something besides a still. What's better, perhaps: * Higher resolution (5.0 megapixels vs 2.1). But except for enlargements, I am not finding much benefit to this, and naturally the file sizes are bigger. I know that I can shoot at lower resolution, but then what's the point? * Smaller (only half as thick). This is nice, but not compelling. It doesn't fit anywhere that the S100 wouldn't. * Much larger display. I like it, but I'm concerned about its fragility. The old S100 had a smaller display but could be treated roughly without worry. What's not improved: * In automatic mode, you STILL cannot choose to force the flash to be used; you still only have the choices of auto flash or no flash. Has Canon never heard of fill flash? You have to go to manual mode to select this feature, which I find annoying. What's worse: * Annoying and fragile plastic lid over the USB connector. This thing isn't going to last long. * And the thing that I REALLY don't like about the SD400: blurry pictures. A significant number of the pictures that I have taken have been blurry for one reason or another, but mostly due to camera's choice of too low of a shutter speed. If you select the option of "no flash" this problem is particularly likely. Supposedly there is a "camera shake" warning indicator to help prevent this, but good luck seeing it when you need it. At a minimum, Canon needs to provide an option to prevent pictures or force flash if it computes the need for a shutter speed that is below a reasonable hand-held limit, which I have always taken to be 1/60 sec. So even after purchasing the SD400, I'm still using my old S100 much of the time, mostly because it is much more rugged, and also because I have never had blurred picture with it. SD400..easy, plus it takes great pictures
Not only did I find my camera cheaper on Amazon, it was great not having to pay for tax or shipping! I advise reading the manual when getting started, but when you get used to the camera, using it's a breeze! I love all of the features it has. The zoom feature is fantastic. I would definitely recommend purchasing this camera. All of my pictures have come out perfect, and very clear! Excellent Camera
I got two of these cameras at the same time, one for me and one for a friend - we are both thrilled. It exceeded our expectations by far. It's easy to use, picture quality is terrific, and it is so much fun. I am not a professional, but have always loved taking pictures, and I was very disappointed with my last digital camera (Kodak)and just stopped taking pictures altogether. Now I am constantly taking pictures again. The only problem is...my huband loves it too..and he keeps hogging it. This camera is worth every penny, and Amazon offers the best price I've seen around. Fuzzy close-up quality
Like the size of camera and the quick response, but the quality of picutres is not as good as the Sony I have. The close-ups are not as clear. Great Camera
I have found it a terrific camera that is easy to operate and most important fits in my pocket so it's always available. very disappointed...
I had canon digital camera since their first serie. my last one was S30. I recently bought SD400. almost none of my pictures at night are focused. my daytime pictures are just okay. the camera is fast to load, to take pix, and has nice menu system and absolutely compact. but the quality is unacceptable. only pictures of a sunny california day appear flawless. the rest are just bad. i wouldn't suggest this camera. in fact it might be my camera! i'm going to retunrn it to canon for a checkup. Great Camera lousy LCD
This camera takes great pictures and is easy to use right out of the vox. Unfortunaely the LCD onthe bac of the camera stopped working after one week of use. OK in bright light, horrible in low-light conditions
Bought this camera to replace an aging Canon Powershot S300 that took much better pictures in low light than the SD400 did. The SD400 produced good shots outdoors in bright light, but images taken in the shadows or indoors without flash had a large amount of "noise" that made them look extremely grainy. Focus wasn't the issue, it was just electronic noise as a result of the camera automatically cranking up its "ISO" in low light. Lots of point-and-shoot cameras do that, but this one's noise level at high ISO was horrible-looking. Yes, of course you can use NoiseNinja or PhotoShop to improve the grainy appearance, and you can use flash indoors. If you are comfortable with noise-processing software--or like the way flash portraits look--you'll probably enjoy this camera for its size and convenience. However, I returned it for a refund after a weekend of shooting. Love It!
This little camera is awsome! Nice big LCD, very small and thin (pack of cards!) and takes great photos. Only thing I don't like is that its zoom seems to max out at 1:1 (if this were an SLR camera it would be like having a 35-50mm zoom); that is the images are smaller/farther away than I would like. But I suspect that is the curse of all cameras with small lenses. Cautionary Tale: Repair Problems
I bought this camera and was very pleased with many of its features. The other reviews do a good job discussing its strengths and weaknesses, so I'm only going to contribute something that many readers may not find it easy to gain information about: repair problems. The Canon Powershot SD400 I bought broke the first time I used it. There was a problem after uploading the pictures to my PC, and the screen froze. That's when the troubles began. I mailed it to the Canon factory for repairs--having just been purchased it was still under warranty. The part they needed to repair it was out of stock and needed to be back ordered. So far, the camera has been in the factory for a majority of its owned life, with no prospect of my seeing it for another month or so. Moreover, Customer Service has been exceptionally unhelpful. For one thing, they claim to have no direct communication with the repair factory. This is my caveat to all who consider purchasing this camera--if you get a defective camera as I did, you will be waiting a long long frustrating time to get it back (or maybe forever--I still haven't gotten mine back, after all). I can not recommend this camera for purchase. It's great
it's easy to use and takes wonderful pictures. The best I've ever seen. Love it
After extensive research I decided on this cannon poweshot and I couldnt be any more happy. I absolutely love it. A major factor for my purchase was the fact that the camera is small (since I'm a woman and have lots of tiny purses). The pictures look absolutely fabulous. I went to a black tie party, where it was hot and dark and we were inside and outside a lot. All my pictures came out great. They were clear and sharp and not blurry at all. I did practice point shooting the day before to get use to holding the camera. The features are great. Pros Lightweight/Slim/small Great pictures Features (black and white photos look absolutely amazing) The video clips come out great Cons The memory card the camera comes with is terrible, you can only take about 8 pictures with it. I recommend getting a memory card with a larger capacity (I bought one for 250 pictures from [...]for about 35 bucks) I absolutely love it, however I also recommend getting some kind of pouch (not necessarily a case) to keep the camera in, especially if you're going to throw it in your purse or pocket with other items. Just plain love it!!
I have had this little and I do mean little camara now for about 2 weeks. It took me forever to find the perfect one. I tried a few Nikons and one Sony, but as soon as I got my hands on this one and took a few pictures I knew it was the one for me. With the others I had problems with blurry pictures in an indoor setting were I couldn't use flash. But with this one it does really well! It's so small I carry it my purse, just in case I stumble upon a photo opportunity. I definately recommend this camara. Great Little Camera
I am no pro. However I must say that I think this camera is great. It fits in your pocket if you don't mind the bulge, or can be worn on your belt if you don't mind appearing a bit geekish. I took some pictures of my Pembroke Corgi and my American Pit Bull Terrier together and they look fantastic blown up on my 17" imac screen. The resolution is great and the lighting is perfect (I used the auto mode in a partially backlit situation). Small, but versatile.
Have been using this camera during my most recent vacation, and am very pleasantly surprised at how well it's done. Despite the small size, the features are easy to navigate and the 2" LCD is amazing, even in bright desert light. I brought my regular digital camera along for the trip as a backup, but could have saves the extra weight. At least two people I've met on this trip have expressed interest in getting one of their own. rock solid
Great quality in a small camera you can fit in your pocket. Make sure you plan on buying an additional, much larger memory card. Good Choice for Animation
We use these cameras in our clay animation workshops and we have been very pleased with them, even with heavy use. We switch out the memory cards to empty the photos, and allow students to keep filming without moving the camera. The two features that make this camera work well for animation are: 1. Auto power-shutoff disabling. So the camera doesn't turn off while you adjust your puppet. It does go to sleep but a half-press of the shutter button wakes it right back up. 2. Timer mode, 2 seconds. You can set it to take a picture exactly two seconds after you press the button. It beeps repeatedly which reminds the animator to take their hand off the camera (mounted on a tripod or stand) and out of the frame. The result is much less camera movement and accidental hand shots in your animation. Without this, even the pressure of your finger as you press the shutter button moves the camera enough to create shifting frames. We chose the 3x zoom, which is pretty low as far as zooming capabilities go, since we can always get the camera close to the artwork to get a clear close-up. The macro focus feature on this camera is easy to use, even for kids. A flower graphic on the button and the LCD screen indicate macro-focus is on. Canon Powershot
We are very impressed with how easy the camera was to use and the price that we paid for it. This replaces our less expensive Cannon Digital and is well worth it. Great and Easy
My previous Canon camera served my family very well until my daughter got it wet. This new SD400 camera is GREAT! It's easy to use and very small (but big screen). Don't forget to use your ipod socks to protect your new camera. It fits perfectly. Very happy with this camera
I've been a very happy Canon G2 user for over 3 years. However it is not very easy to carry around. The SD400 came on a 1 day sale for $249.99. Couldn't resist the bargain so picked it up. Based on the few shots I've taken, the results are stunning! Shot at 1600x1200 as well as the full 5M Pixel resolution and printed them at a Kodak kiosk that uses Kodak's "Perfect Touch" processing ($0.29/print). Prints look fantastic! I've also sent these images to winkflash.com ($0.12/print + $0.99 shipping) to compare the results. The only design flaw is that if I want the date imprinted, the camera steps the resolution down to 1600x1200. Since I like to use the full 5M Pixel resolution, I have to post process all my images thro' DCE Autoenhance to embed the date on each image before printing. Not that big a deal but wonder why Canon overlooked this. Overall I'm very happy with the SD400 and the price I paid. Am still keeping the G2 for indoor pictures with an accessory flash. Can't beat the bounce flash picture quality! GREAT little camera for point and shoot with manual controls
This is my 5th digital camera (I still own several Nikon SLR cameras and lenses) and I am an amateur photographer. I own a sony DSC-V1 which is a prosumer camera and has many more features (manual focus, aperature and speed and program settings, ISO to 800, etc.) which takes great pictures but too bulky for casual shooting and everyday carrying. I have also owned a 1 MP Nikon (sold for upgrade), 2MP Nikon (dropped and broken) and 3MP Nikon (too plastic and pictures always needed color balancing in Photoshop). The Canon SD 400 takes it all in terms of everyday use --- due to the easy learn features and size. For the average user, this is a GREAT CAMERA and GREAT VALUE for the price. The SD 450 has a 2.5 LCD and is heavier... After reading many reviews of the Sony T-series and SD 400 at Amazon and [...], I decided on the Canon SD 400 camera as it had many more features than the Sony T-series and was a bit lighter. Both the Sony DSC-T1 and T33 were the same price as the Canon SD 400 and about two ounces heavier. I am more than delighted with the features of the Canon SD 400 and find the pictures great for such a small point and shoot. Pros The Manual Mode setting will let you customize various settings for shooting vs. using the Automatic Mode settings. Stitching program in Manual Mode will assist you in stitching together a panaorama shot rather than software which is more difficult to match multiple images (get it right when you are there rather than trying to adjust images that are not going to look right stitched together because you stepped back or angled the shot by accident). Ability to choose from 2 autofocus settings. The AiAF setting which is the default will take longer to focus, so you can turn it off and use a single vs. multiple focus read. Continuous shots with little lag (as long as battery lasts and memory card has storage). Easy to learn controls (the manuals that came with this camera weighed 10 times more than the camera) and features. Viewfinder with LCD (most ultracompact cameras like the Sony T-series only have LCD screens and no viewfinder). 2 inch LCD. Small Size (smaller than a deck of cards) --- carry it all of the time Relatively long battery life. Easy to purchase extra batteries (non-Canon) that are reliable and safe for the camera on E-Bay. Cons Viewfinder only shows 82% of the picture vs. the LCD (You won't see that extra tree that you will have to crop out later in Photoshop). Manual is difficult to read (more a reference than a read as the camera is easy to use). Not retaining exposure change adjustments and flash settings from various shooting modes. Color swap features are hard to learn without reading the manual. Get a 1GB secure digital camera and shoot 350+ pictures in the highest resolution (super fine) and size. Carry it and you will find that you take more pictures. However, for a special occassion where there is a need to capture more detail and more manual features, I will use the Sony DSC-V1. However, I think it may get sold on E-Bay if I find that I really have the same quality of pictures that I shot with the Sony DSC-V1. Overall, I think anyone purchasing this camera will use it everyday and most, it will do more than you expected. Very pleased with my first Digital Camera
I am far from an expert on the wonderful world of digital cameras and what makes some superior over others. I was told by a friend I trust to invest in this camera and was incredibly happy to have followed that advice. This camera is so easy to use and as a first time user, that was something that was important to me. Yes, you do have to read the manual to get accustomed to the different features, but once you read the gist and understand things, it makes your picture taking experience rather enjoyable. My only complaint was in the zoom feature. Sometimes, I wanted to zoom in on details of different things, and the clarity wasn't always there. My scenic shots came out beautifully and in addition to the portraits of family and friends, that was the most important thing I was hoping would turn out. I took over 350 pictures and only a small handful came out blurry. I would definitely encourage a friend to give this little gem a go. Error 16 and Unexplained lock-ups.
I only owned this camera for one night, so all I can give it is one star. After taking a few snapshots, which looked good on the LCD, it froze. Don't know why. After getting it powered down by pulling the battery, I tried again. Took a couple of shots and it blinked off. The screen relighted momentarily with the code E16 displayed. Went through several repetitions before calling it a night. Recharged battery the next morning, hoping it was just a battery or memory card problem. At that point it was unusable. Called Canon (Saturday morning). After a short discussion and talk through, the tech said, "Your camera is defective." That was enough for me. I returned it via Fedex for credit, and now I'm looking for something else because when I tried to find out about E16, I found out about E18 I don't know how many "E"s they have (at least 18, I guess), so I don't think it's a good idea to try another one of these little jewels. It's a shame though. I loved the design, and I think the photos would have been nice. Perhaps the Sony Cybershot or the Casio is a little better quality. Maybe the Olympus. The new Nikon S4 looks great, but it doesn't look pocket-sized, so I'm floundering here. The perfect gift for a 20 year old art major.
My son was absolutely thrilled with his birthday gift on his 20th birthday. It is a wonderful camera, with much versatility, sharpness and small size. I could not have found a better birthday present. He constantly takes pictures, whether it be nature close-ups or panoramic views of the spectacular Chicago skyline. All the pictures turn out nearly perfect without having to tweek anything. Great little camera
Wanted a digital camera that was small enough to fit in my shirt pocket. This one is. Also wanted a state-of-the-art camera that took great pictures for personal or internet use. I felt this one fit the bill, and it does. Stop splitting hairs...this is a great camera
I just got this camera and started learning the options, different shooting modes, etc... and I am not disappointed in any aspect of it. Most people who have problems with image quality or blurriness either have shaky hands or are trying to take a picture in such dim light that a darker, noisy photo is to be expected. This is a compact camera that costs a lot because of its size and amount of options for a camera that small. It is not going to win you any photo awards, but as an amateur photographer or just snapping pictures for fun, it's perfect for your needs. The movie mode, as well, in 30 or 15 fps (you have the option to choose), is just as high quality as any other camera on the market. Pros: - Image quality is fantastic so far, inside and outside. - Movie mode is very easy to use and playback/upload to computer - Blazing fast start-up speed - Small, attractive design - Canon is a reputable brand - LCD screen size/viewfinder. People, you're holding this thing one to two feet from your face, you don't need a 2.5" LCD screen that eats up batteries and pushes out a viewfinder. This camera has a 2" screen WITH a viewfinder, which is great for me. It saves batteries, gives you the option to use a viewfinder if you're in extreme sunlight or something malfunctions with the LCD while you're on vacation and can't bring it in for repairs Cons: - I honestly cannot think of any cons that a typical consumer would find with this camera. The image quality is great (I was this close to getting a Sony T-1 but read reviews about how the image quality was very, very poor, which steered me away from that brand, as well as the insane cost of the Sony memory sticks). - There are some negative reviews about error messages and LCD screen malfunctions with the camera, which I paid close attention to before making my decision. Ultimately, I decided to get my camera at Best Buy and got a warranty for 4 years. This way I'm covered, and I can go into the actual store and talk to someone in person. It's much more relaxing and I suggest that course for any camera that is purchased. Overall, this camera is so well-worth the money for yourself or as a gift. [...] If you are interested in seeing sample images from a real person who has basically no professional photography experience whatsoever. I'll show you how well this camera takes photos. Canon camera does what we need
This is our first digital camera. It is small & light so we take it with us. Step one to getting the pictures: have a camera. Once we got used to it, it is easy to use. I love this camera!
I love the 5MP Canon Digital Elph! This is the third digital camera I have owned, and it's by far the best of the bunch. I took it to the Grand Canyon a few months ago, and the pictures were amazing, even though I had only limited experience with the camera, and I'm a horrible photographer to begin with. Let me state this simply. I am the world's biggest idiot when it comes to taking pictures, but this camera is completely idiot-proof! Even I can't take a bad picture with it. That means YOURS will be spectacular! The Elph works extra-well for me because I can share Compact Flash with my MP3 player. Most of the buttons are intuitive enough that you can take quality pictures the first time you hold the camera without reading much documentation. Other settings require only a little reading to understand. This is an extremely intuitive camea, and ergonomically, it fits very naturally in you hand. Bottom line, you can't go wrong with this one! Canon Power Shot SD400
I've owned this camera for about a month and so far I have found it to be better than I expected in every way. I have owned 3 Sony digital cameras 2,5 and 7 mp and so far the little Canon outdoes them all. I bought it mainly because of the size but the quality is amazing. It is hard to take a bad picture! The Sonys were good but you get dark or poorly exposed pictures often, unless you really learn the camera menus and settings. The Canon you can get creative but the point and shoot settings are usually right on, leaving you more freedom to compose the picture. It was hard to bring myself to change manufactures but I am sold on the Canon 400, it is small enough to fit in a pocket, but the quality of the pictures is what really shines! Try one you'll be glad you did. Lovely, with a major defect looming
I love the design of the Elph digitals, and have used mine with much pleasure for a year. As much as I have enjoyed it, mine has ceased to function, due to the very common issue with some of these cameras around a "memory card error" which is actually a camera malfunction. A noticable number of digital elphs seem to fail between one and two years of ownership with this error. Cannon has been unsupportive. I should note that mine is the 4MP version...but I direct you to do a search on problems with the SX00 series. It's heartbreaking to enjoy and recommend a little camera like this, and then have it leave you without a financially viable alternative. Great Camera
I was at first a little questionable about how to upload the memory card onto the computer but once I figured that out everything else was a breeze. The product is user friendly and its picture is crystal clear. Clearity has always been an issue with me and with this camera its all that much easier. The pictures almost look professnial. The Canon Elph Shines Again-Now With 3x Zoom & Large 2.0" LCD & More
The Canon Powershot really sizzles and outperforms almost ALL other Competitors in the 5MP Digital Arena! I have always been interested in Canon products, especially the optics on their Digital and SLR cameras. The Canon Powershot SD400 Digital Elph has outperformed ALL of the previous cameras that I have owned. There are many cameras available with 5 megapixels or even more. It's important to pay attention to the quality of the camera in a number of different areas and NOT to just focus on the number of megapixels a camera has. I purchased this camera when it first came out-probably one of the first off the shelf. I should have waited for all of the rebate offers and sales, however I wanted to replace my previous ELPH and pass it on to a nephew so I could get the newest Canon Digital Camera. I had read all of the reviews online and in periodicals that I like to read. It was unanimously agreed upon that this camera really packed a true bang for the buck! I am a photographer and use typical SLR and Medium Format Cameras for the most professional work. I've incorporated digital photography for moments when I don't have the time to put the whole camera outfit together or when I am traveling and don't want to carry a heavy camera, lens, flash, etc. Recently I put the Canon to the test. I was called upon to photograph a Canadian Competition Bicycling team, from Toronto, that was training in sunny Arizona. The photo shoot went very well and I was comfortable that the photos would turn out great. In addition to taking my typical "35mm Film" photographs, I chose to use my Canon Powershot SD400 to see how it would compare. I developed all of the 35mm photographs and had prints made for all members of the racing team. After I finished this 4 day process, everything from taking the photos to developing the negatives and finally making prints of the best photos, I turned to my new ELPH and used my laptop computer to view the pictures. I was totally astounded by the incredible performance of this small but mighty camera. I decided to take it another step higher and took my Memory Card to a Kinko's Copy Center and had enlargements made-everything from 5 x 7's to 8 x 10's. The colors were brilliant and it was impossible for me to see any differences in quality between the original small prints and the 5 x 7's and 8 x 10's! As a semi-professional photographer, like so many others, I assumed that I would see a difference once the digital photos were enlarged. Not the case with this awesome digital Canon Powershot SD400 5MP Elph Camera! I hung 2 prints on the wall, both 8 x 10's from my 35mm SLR Camera, and then placed the digital 8 x 10's from Kinko's just below them. It would take a very, very professional eye, with a very, very powerful magnifier, to discern any differences in quality. I've always been impressed with the Canon Digital Cameras that I have owned, but this 5 megapixel Elph is a true gem and the best digital camera I have ever owned. I ended up with 4 photos on the wall, that still remain there, as I enjoy showing clients the power of a high quality digital camera. I hope this review offers some assistance to you. There are so many technicals points that I could have discussed with you, however I wanted to present an honest review as a result of a true experience I had with this incredible camera. There are so many to choose from, so many sales and specials and rebates, etc. If you're looking for a great camera that will guarantee you performance that even a professional would expect in a camera-then the Canon Powershot SD400 is the camera for you. this camera is so much fun!
i love this camera! i had so much fun using it on my recent vacation. i was pleased with the quality of the photos, i found it user friendly, the lcd screen isn't too small and the timer feature allows you to take several photos over the amount of time that you set. the audio could be better as well as the fact that the lcd screen became scratched easily even though it was very carefully handled. my friend has and older sony that has been much used and his lcd screen is perfect still. unfortunately my camera was stolen. i will be buying a replacement and will most likely buy the same model. Software
The Camera works great with crystal clear images. The software to convert the images to print is difficult. I want to select images and send to a processor and it is not clear how to do this. Thanks Mark Feature Rich and Easy to Use(*)
Disclaimer: I've never owned a camera of nearly this quality before, so I don't have much basis for comparison. I can't tell you if this is better than some similar camera, since I haven't used any others. That said, I'm really liking this camera. Out of the box, it's very easy to figure out how to point-and-shoot and use basic functions with all possible adjustments set to the default "automatic" setting. After that, you'll have to hit up the manual. Due to the compact design, there's no room for a verbose menu system, so everything is icon-based. To figure out how to access more advanced features, you're going to have to reference the manual. The manual is quite comprehensive, though, and handily indexed so I've been able to find what I wanted without much trouble. The manual also does a reasonable job of explaining not just how to adjust the settings, but what the different settings mean, e.g., "ISO 50" vs "ISO 400". It tells you how to change it and a brief explanation of why different settings may be desired. The picture resolution is quite spectacular. In fact, if you're just looking to take casual pictures to send to family members over the internet or a camera to take standard-sized photos with, you could certainly get away with a cheaper camera. This camera takes pictures of sufficient resolution to print as a small poster! (Or a very large glossy print.) The video mode is quite nice as well. With a 1 GB memory card, you can record over 15 minutes of video at maximum quality, or over 45 minutes of video at a medium quality (or over 2 hours of video at lowest quality). The video also includes sound, though I have doubts as to the quality of the built in microphone. The built-in flash is great and it has a red-eye reducer. The optical + digital zoom is fairly impressive and there other other features such as rapid-fire picture snapping (where you hold down the button as the camera clicks away) and macro mode (allowing you to take a magnified shot of something really close to the lens). Transferring data to your computer is also quite simple, with the included connections and software. You can also, of course, review stored images using the camera itself and erase whatever you want from there. As the camera only comes with a very tiny memory card, I advise getting a bigger memory card and an extra battery when you buy this camera. I got the 1 GB card and can honostly say it's more space than I could ever possibly want. 1 GB holds hundreds of top quality pictures -- or almost 2000 pictures at 1600x1200 resolution! There are cameras that take even higher resolution pictures than this one, but unless you know for a fact that you want to use your camera to print large posters, you truely don't need more than 5 megapixels. Small, sleek and great images.
Overall, this I've been pretty pleased with this camera. The size is good (ultra portable), but I almost feel as if it's a little TOO small (making it a little hard to handle). The picture quality is great, but the red eye is pretty bad in any condition that isn't bright outside light. There are enough manual controls to keep me happy, and it's a great point and shoot camera, but for those who want more manual control, you might be disappointed. My first digital
I love this camera. I researched a lot before I bought, and this had every thing I was looking for. It is small enough to fit in my purse, but sometimes a little hard to hold onto because of the size, but I still love it, I just always make sure I have the strap on my wrist incase it slips. Still learning more about it. Go Canon!
I've become a Canon fan through their cameras. I've gone through the G3, the G5, and the S1, and although these were all amazing cameras, I realized that what I really wanted was a small camera that I could fit in my purse, take everywhere with me, and use everyday without fumbling through the controls to take that one picture of my toddler wearing her dress backwards and upside down. 1. This camera is small but has a relatively large screen. Very beautiful. I suggest an LCD screen protector for this. 2. The controls are easy to use. This little camera still has a lot more features than I use on a daily basis, but they're there when I need them. 3. The battery life is excellent. If you travel a lot, I suggest buying extra extended batteries from eBay. I bought some just before I went on my overseas trip this past summer and I'm glad I did. 4. I no longer need my camcorder. I know, the quality isn't as good as a dedicated camcorder, but I found myself not using the camcorder at all since it took a while to set up. With the handy movie feature of this camera, I can take videos of my family in a snap. I also suggest extra SD cards, preferably the 1GB or more cards, if you do plan on taking a lot of short movies. 5. The picture quality is excellent. One little caveat, though. Take as many pictures of the same subject as you can, so that you can have your pick. I've found that I really have to keep the camera steady in lower light conditions without using a flash, especially close ups and macro mode. Otherwise, the picture comes out blurred. It's a little hard to tell on the LCD screen. If you have a steady shooting arm then this won't be a problem for you. 6. When I travelled this past summer, I found that I was able to do away with a bulky camera, the camcorder, and the laptop for downloading all the photos. So, if you want to take lots of pictures and don't want to be bothered by juggling three or more devices, I suggest: a. Buy the Mega View 566 PMC. It has a 20GB storage capacity, a screen, and an SD slot. I was able to store all the photos and movies from a full SD card, empty the card, and start over again. This will also fit in your purse or backpack without adding bulk. b. In addition, buy two or three 1GB SD cards for those times when you can't stop long enough to download your photos. On a 3 week vacation, I easily took 20GB of photos and movies, and could have probably used more. c. Buy extra batteries. They're relatively cheap. And you'll always have power when you need it. d. But the CAnon leather case. Great for protecting your camera in your purse. e. For places where there will be a lot of moisture, dirt or sand, like beach, rainy places, ski slopes, in the pool, buy the Canon all weather case. f. Buy a little make-up case to fit the charger (it's pretty small too with input of 100v-240V), the batteries for both the camera and the PMC, and your extra SD cards. These will all fit in your purse or backpack nicely. Well, that's my take on a camcorder free life. If they can make a camcorder the same size as the SD400, with a 5 MP or more resolution digital still camera, I'd switch. Until then, I'll stick with the high resolution photos, good quality video, and the highly portable size of the SD400. PERFECT
I bought this as a replacement to my three year old 2.0 MP Canon Elph. This camera is a huge improvement on past models, while retaining all the features and easy user interface that I love. This is a great camera. Fits in your pocket for all family and friend events. More than I expected
This camera is AWESOME! 1) Besides of being a good looking camera is really small and light, and most important, Canon makes no sacrifices in performance to achieve this. The zoom is very good. The resolution of the pictures is great. 2) The pictures it takes at night impressed me, it's awesome the quality of the pictures in places that are poorly illuminated. 3) The most outstanding feature is the MY COLORS MODE (the best are Color Accent and Color Swap), no other camera has something like this. Playing with colors is really fun and you can put your creativity to work. And you do it all from your camera, before taking the picture, not AFTER and having to use special software. 4) It also lets you set the begging and the end of a video (cutting it) and watch the videos in slow motion. 5) The software is useful and easy to use and install. There's ONLY ONE THING I DIDN'T LIKE, it doesn't come with a carrying case. So I bought the Canon PSC-90 Deluxe Leather Case, which works great and it looks cool. Also it comes with a really small memory card (like every camera in the market) you will always need to buy a bigger one. I bought the Sandisk SDSDH-1024-901 1 GB Ultra II. You probably think that 1 GB is too much and maybe it is. But the size of a 2-minutes-video in the highest quality is about 190 Megabytes! ------------ IN COMPARISSON TO OTHER MODELS/CAMERAS ----------- *This camera has the same features of the SD450, the only difference is that the SD450 has a 2.5 inch LCD screen (instead of 2.0), but it usually cost between $70-$100 more and the controls in the back are smaller; so is not really worth it. * Is very similar to the SD500, the main difference is that the SD500 has 7 Megapixels. But it is bigger and more expensive. And more Megapixels don't always mean its better. I mean with my SD400 pictures can be of 2.5 Megabytes (that's a lot), so you won't always take all your pictures at the full resolution and full size. * I really thought about getting a Panasonic Lumix, mainly because of the Optical Image Stabilization, but I haven't had troubles of blurry pictures with my Canon and the MY COLORS MODE is a better feature. great camera, great price
this is totally worth the money. you can't get a camera of this quality in it's category for this price. My only complaint about it is the opening where you plug the cable into the camera to connect to your computer. It's really hard to open and really flimsy, so be careful. I ended up buying a separate USB card reader so I don't have to worry about it anymore. I would also be careful opening the compartment that holds the battery/memory. The flap is plastic and seems easily breakable. All in all, no regrets. I'm happy with it for what I paid! Great Camera
I really enjoy using and playing with this camera - it is small which is difficult for my husband. But I love it! Cannon Powershot
Excellent camera. It is so small that it fits well in pocket, easy to tuck away and carry for when it may be needed for that special picture. It is easy to use. I'm happy with it
I bought this camera a few months ago. I loved it from the start. As an 18 year old male, I needed a camera that I could just throw in my pocket and take around town to do the things that we do. I hoped it would take abuse, but I overlooked that fact that the SD 200 and 300s both have fragile screens. That turned out to be a major oversight. I broke my LCD after only two months. Luckily, I was one of the few people who received the screen replacement for free. From what I've read about Canon, they usually charge a hefty $120 fee for that. So overall, I am very happy with the company, however I do wish that the screen would hold up better. In such an expensive camera, you expect it to be able to survive in a pocket. 300 vs 400
One of my uncle's recently bought the SD 300 and I was that it was pretty kewl. I too decided to buy a cannon SD camera and got the SD400 [...]. The 400 is also nice but what worries me a little is the LCD screen. It's got to much static compared to the SD300, I see a lot of grains in the screen. The pictures are pretty clear but it's a little disturbing to look at the screen when taking photos. If you were to move the camera fast then the image is blurry in the screen. The 300's LCD screen was pretty clean and neat. I requested Dell to send me areplacement and they sent me one, not much improvement though, the LCD is brighter in the 1st one compared to the second one and the static is more in the first one. The 300 has much less static....But when I checked a SD400 at a near by best buy store it was much more clear and had less static so now am wondering what to do...return SD 400 and get a SD 300 or just get a SD 400 from a local store at a costlier price... I guess I liked the 300 compared to the 400 because of the LCD. I believee with the 300 you could take decent 8.5 x 11 prints and I would not need larger prints. Not Perfect
While this camera is almost perfect in term of design and features, the image quality is its Achilles heel. This is my fourth digital cameras of all sizes and has the easiest menu to navigate and select through. Fast start up time is a great for though prefect moment. I love the little metal compact design and feel. Maybe the new Casio Exilim EX-S500 is sexier. The falling price makes this camera a great value, since the newer Canon sd450 and sd430 are coming out. My beef with this camera is the burry images. People say you can compare apple to orange with pocket digital camera to larger camera. But what is the point if you only get perfect image with outdoor shot with a lot of sunlight. Living in Seattle's cloudy fall and winter season, 1/3 to ý the images are blurry. Wow, no action mode means this little boy has a slow shutter speed. So taking pictures off a moving bus or car on a road trip is a joke. Anybody running too fast becomes blurry vision. Indoor shot with a flash is fine. Canon's images have the least amount of noise and pixilation of any brand. The image is very detail in perfect situation. For the best image quality for a pocket digit digital cameras out there now are the Fuji film FinePix Z1 and Casio Exilim EX-Z750. Camera that I owned or used. Best image, true color, sharpness, detail, under $500 - Panasonic FZ15 (large w/ 12x optical and image stabilizer) Best color saturation, vibrant color, indoor shot/ night shot, features- Sony DSC-F717 (new CyperShot lack sharpness) Cool factor, user friendly, little noise, blurriest- Canon SD400. Nikon Coolpix is below average and Olympus is fine but has robust body design. a little disapointing
I will start by saying this is my first digital camera, so I don't have much of a frame of reference... I have used my sisters considerably more expensive camera a time or two. I did a lot of research before I purchased this camera, and felt comfortable buying Canon, because of good things I'd heard. I knew that I wanted at least 5MP and some zoom capability. All that said, I have had my camera for 4 days and have taken quite a few pictures, and a lot of them aren't that great. I am more than willing to attribute the poor quality to my lack of skill as a photographer, but am not sure this is why. I have taken some shots out in the backyard that are beautiful. All of the pictures I have taken of people have sucked though. I guess I just expected a little better since this camera was billed as "point and shoot" by so many. The manual and directions are easy to read and helpful. I do not care much for the Zoom Browser software that accompanies the camera. It is very limited and the red eye reduction has yet to work for me. nice camera - no good in low light conditions
nice outdoors photos flash fills the picture very well (does not over burn the photo like my S50 ) easy to use very fast and responsive (much better than my S50, but not as good as SLR ) perform badly in low-light conditions high iso (400) is worse than nothing hard time focusing in low light env. If you need low light support go for the s60/70/80 which do a much better job for that matter battery/sd-card compartment of cheap quality (sd500 has a solid built) same goes for the usb cover( like all other compact digicams) Great price, great product
Bought this as a gift for my fiance's dad. He loved it. Small yet sturdy. I was even able to download the chinese manual so he can figure out how to use it on his own. Canon SD400 Digital Elph Camera Review
I bought this camera because for it's size vs performance; it has a lot of bang for buck. I took photos everyday for over 2 months while touring Europe and the camera never let me down. Really easy to sync with my iPod as well as computer kiosks to make photo CDs. A great travelers camera! Fast memory cards are key. A great litttle camera
I have now had my Canon SD400 for approx three months todate and have put it to considerable use already. I have taken it to two weddings and an eleven (11) day trip to Hawaii. I have taken scads of pictures. Here is my assessment of the camera: Out-of-doors it takes excellent pictures. Indoors the pics are OK, but you must know the limitations of the flash. According to the Users manual, the flash limit is 10 1/2 feet. And if you use the zoom indoors the flash limit goes down to 6 1/2 feet. These guiidelines are about correct, so don't expect to get quality pics beyond these limits. If you want better quality, the indoors must be lit with additional lighting or you must use another type camera with more powerful flash capabilities. The fact that the camera does not have a power meter is a negative. I ran my batteries completely out and there is a warning at this time that allowed only 2 - 3 more pics. I have both Canon and non Canon batteries and the non Canon batteries work just as well at a far lesser price. I bought this camera mainly because of the brand name and its size. I have had other larger cameras, and for a novice picture taker like myself, I find myself taking far more pics with the smaller camera, because I'm not having to "lug" along an unwieldy unit. Placing a protective film over the screen is a good idea, as I can already see a few minor scratches on the film. One can eventually peel off the protective film and replace it with new when you feel it is necessary This camera has a viewfinder which for me is an absolute must because when taking pics in the bright daylight, the screen is too difficult to view at times. Many mini cameras do not have the viewfinder which is a shame. I have now purchased 1GB and 2GB SD memory cards, as I have a habit of taking a bunch of pics. The 16 MB sd card that comes with the camera is only good enough to verify that the camera works OK after taking it out of the box. I have been setting the resolution to M1 and I got just over a thousand pics on the Hawaii trip on a single 1 GB sd card. I took just a few shots using movie mode and it really sucks up the memory, but the quality is excellent. I have used nearly all the bells and whistles of this camera and the more you use it the easier it gets. All in all, it is a great little camera as long as you understand its limitations. This is an update on this camera: I have now had the camera for just over a year, and just returned from a month vacation in Australia. I took the SD 400 with me and took approx 3000 pics and the quality on nearly all were excellent. The charger is dual voltage and the voltage in Australia is 240, the only thing is that I had to use a USA to Aussie electrical adapter. This worked out fine. I would move this camera up one more star as I had no problems with it. Just understand It is not a full blown model camera and it has its limitations. Great camera for a great price
Canon is one of the best camera makers in the world. Compared to the previous SD200 that I owned, the Canon Powershot SD400 is a sleek and powerful camera. The metallic casing on the sides makes the camera seem much greater than it is. The camera fits snug in my hands and the button placement makes it easy for my fingers to find what buttons I need. With any product, there come pros and cons to functions and durability. The greatest thing about this camera is the different modes you can take pictures in. If you're a beginner in taking pictures with a digital camera, or you just don't know how to set modes in the manual function, you can choose from different preset modes like "underwater" or "portrait". The best mode is "my colors" where you can change skin tone. You can also choose certain colors to appear brighter than others, or swap colors around in your photos. Another excellent point is the amazing battery life and how quick it takes to recharge. A big complaint about this camera is the LCD screen. The screen is remarkable. It is a 2-inch LCD screen and the picture never shows any noise. The worst thing about it is how easily it can be damaged, but with proper care you'll never get a scratch or break the screen. Another con about this product is the red-eye problem. When you're taking shots with flash, most of the time they will result in red-eye pictures. There is a red-eye reduction mode, but it didn't seem to work that great for me. An additional problem with modes is the manual mode. There isn't much you can do when you switch over to the manual mode when taking pictures. Uploading pictures onto your computer is very fast and very easy. You just plug the camera in and press a button. Editing pictures in graphic programs is also very simple. The best feature about opening a photo in a graphic program is the photo will rotate if you took the camera as a portrait. The automatic rotation saves a lot of time when it comes to rotating photos manually. As for the different modes, I find that the video mode works pretty well for a camera this tiny. Sound quality comes out well and the video quality is actually nice. You can also edit the video on the camera as well. Overall, this camera is great and it's easy to find a use for it everyday! Snap a shot of your children or maybe that bowl of fruit on your kitchen table. Any picture you take can look just like a professional picture, as long as you have a steady hand and creative mind. Don't just use this camera to take pictures of family and friends, take time to capture the smaller things in life. opted for the 450...
I ordered this and wasn't terribly impressed. I sent it back and got exactly what I wanted for just a few dollars more! The 450 is just nicer- quiter, larger screen and the price went down right after I received the 400. They're both beautiful point and shoot digitals. Cool
This camera surprised me. It's much more than I expected for a reasonable price. Great for tiny camera: bring on a dock next time !
I agree with all of the positive remarks from others but I have A HUGE Suggestion for the Canon engineers and designers working on the next batch of models: ADOPT THE IDEA OF A DOCKING STATION FOR BATTERY CHARGING AND IMAGE TRANSFER! -I got so used to this when using a Casio EX-Z55 that it should be the way to go for ALL digital cameras sold with rechargable batteries. -In case no one has noticed, that flimsy plastic trap door on this Canon SD400 (and all other SD models) that holds the battery and the SD memory is absurdly destined to break one day. I am not one of those "bull in china shop" rough fast rippers that seem to break everything, BUT, I have to use the utmost tedious care when opening it to recharge the battery or if I want to use my card reader to quickly view the images without moving them to my PC's hard drive. -I expect Canon to want a minimum of $100 to replace the battery door if it breaks. I paid $219 plus tax for the whole camera. -Do it Canon! steal the concept like Nikon, HP, and Casio have done with the innovative Kodak docking station idea. (The chrome plastic pressure fit cover for the USB cable is fragile also!) Nice feel, nice features BUT.......
Love my Canon G3. Wanted a smaller "point and shoot" that I could carry around with me everywhere I go. Tried out the SD400. Was stunned by the quality of the pictures.....vastly inferior to my G3 or Fuji 4700 (which I'd given to my wife). Am going to purchase the Casio Z750 instead. Was very disappointed with the SD400.. camera
Let me begin by saying that Canon makes exceptional digital cameras; the best in the market right now. This is because they have always used high quality components since they began manufacturing digital cameras. This one is no exception. Now that I've sold you on a Canon, which one should you choose? First off, let's see if you really need an SDxxx camera, or would be better suited with a cheaper non ultraportable camera. The SDxxx Series offers several key advantages over less portable models: -Beautiful, sleek design and metallic body will wow anyone who sees it. -Gorgeous 2 inch LCD screens -The excellent Dig!c 2 processor (other Canons only have dig!c 1) -Much better movie mode than previous Canons -Small light, easy pocketability On the other hand, there are some significant drawbacks due to the components Canon had to use to get the camera so small: -Few manual controls. -Pictures are not as sharp as those of similar non ultraportable cameras. -The flash is very close to the lens (lots of redeye problems) -More purple fringing issues than other Canons -Proprietary batteries that are expensive to replace -The LCD is very fragile. Read the SD200 and SD300 reviews to see lots of unhappy people whose LCDs broke. Canon's warranty does NOT cover this either. My suggestion? Buy using a credit card that offers a warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. If your lcd breaks, many CC companies will replace the camera no questions asked! If you don't need the ultra portability and flashy looks of the SD cameras, a slightly larger camera with more features might be right for you. I would highly suggest Canon's A510 or A520 if you don't need an SD model. If you still want an SD model, which one should you choose? The SD200 with 3.2mp, the SD300 with 4mp, the SD400 with 5mp, or the SD500 at a whopping 7.1mp? Your first instinct may be that more megapixels is better. Today, however megapixel ratings are similar to Ghz ratings in the computer world: They used to mean a lot, but they don't mean as much anymore. More megapixels do NOT mean a better image. They mean a larger printable image. Unless you have to have huge prints, you simply do not more megapixels. In fact, the 3.2mp of the SD200 is enough for anyone who doesn't plan on printing pictures larger than a standard 8.5x11 sheet of paper. That having been said, there are some differences between each SDxxx model. In order to get the larger 7.1mp sensor in the SD500, Canon had to make the camera larger. Thus, it is around a quarter inch thicker and 30% heavier than the other 3 models. The larger size did enable Canon to pack more features into it, however: Features unique to the SD500: -1/4 inch thicker -30% heavier -50% longer flash range -14% more battery life The SD400 and SD500 also share these benefits over the SD200/SD300: -New "Night Display" feature which brightens the LCD in low light -My Colors feature lets you highlight or swap colors right on the camera -USB 2.0 High Speed support The following are shared by all the SDxxx Cameras: Pros: -Beautiful, eye catching design -Great image quality, though not as good as non ultraportable models -New Dig!c 2 image processor -Excellent Movie Mode -3x optical zoom is adequate for most people -Excellent, intuitive manual controls -Huge 2.0 inch lcd that looks great under various lighting conditions -Uses widely available and cheap SD cards Cons (most of these are minor quirks): -Some purple fringing problems -Proprietary batteries are expensive to replace and inconvenient at times -Lots of issues with fragile LCDs -No RAW support -Few manual controls If you do choose this product, the first thing you should buy is a larger SD memory card. The camera comes with a 16mb card (32 in the SD500), which is pretty much useless. You should also immediately purchase a case and some screen protectors to protect the LCD. Fantastic Camera Loaded With Features My younger brother, who loves to take photographs, had been pestering me to get him a camera of his own. After a lengthy survey of the various brands, models and prices, I decided to get him a Canon PowerShot SD400. He just loved my choice and I too must say that it is an amazing camera and performs exceptionally well. Being sleek and compact it is easy to carry while traveling. I was surprised when I read about the different features this small camera offers. The color swap feature is great, it is easy to navigate and you can customize various settings for shooting using the Automatic Mode. The battery life is just too good. My brother had taken the camera with him for him 2-day camping trip and in spite of taking tons of snaps he didn't have to recharge it. Moreover it tells you how many more snaps the SD card can hold. The feature of adding voice comments to your pictures is just incredible. But one thing that surprised him was that the camera doesn't show the battery status and the date. A few things which could have made SD400 a better one are: 1) the red-eye reduction mode - It didn't seem to work. 2) The outlet door that holds the battery and SD memory is very flimsy and looks as though it will break within no time. 3) Flash range is limited and the quality of pictures taken indoor is not so good. 5) The zoom doesn't work while using the video. I've heard about E18 error, E16 error and certain repair proble | ||