Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver) review summary

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Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Silver)

- - > read the manual before starting ! ! - - many people buy point and shoots for typical picture taking but neglect getting to know all the features , including several here that give you just enough room for manipulation that can produce magnificent results . - - key thing to remember . . . . if you see the [ DISP ] symbol pop up on the menu as you scroll through your different settings along the bottom of the viewfinder , PUSH DISPLAY , as it opens an entire addtl menu of more options or adjustment settings ! one of my friends who also owns a canon point and shoot was oblivious until just recently that he could stitch his photos or adjust colors b / c he never discovered the hidden options ! - - > secondly , my use of this camera once again solidifies the one piece of advice i've received from pro photographers time and time again : if you have the eye , even point and shoot cameras can produce fabulous results comparable or even better than the next guy with the fancy SLR [ ie my boyfriend ! : ) ] For the rest , i'll try to be as concise as possible , but please keep in mind that i'm just an ordinary consumer - - i don't know much about electronics and / or photography , so if something i comment on seems really irrelevant and / or obvious , then sorry ! : ) i'm just trying to point out stuff found significant or notable in comparison to my past experiences with other point and shoots . also , I've posted an array of photos i took right after buying this camera . . . if anything , they should be enough evidence as to what a great product this is ! ( in the end , canon's digital camera sensors never disappoint , despite how much others tried to steer me towards nikon ! ) 1 . beautiful , sleek body that stirs up complements EVERY single time i take it out ; however . . . - - buttons may seem a little small for big handed guys ( i'm a girl w / small hands , and even sometimes the power button is a little annoying ) - - actual menu buttons , however , seem very easy to maneuver 2 . this little monster actually has a viewfinder . . . . yay ! ! ! don't forget how important this is for when you're standing out in glaring sunlight and can't really see your LCD screen ! 3 . start up as well as capture speed is awesome . . . had absolutely no issues missing out on spontaneous and candid photo ops . 4 . manual setting really requires conscious adjustment of ISO , as camera has a tendency to pick up blur with just hand held pics in normal cloudy daylight . however . . . 5 . i've never seen a point and shoot take such beautiful night pics ! ! ! 6 . having the wide format option is awesome : it really made a 100% difference in many of my shots in terms of composition ( although wish it was truly a wide angle type of effect . . . instead , black bars just chop off the original top and bottoms of your view ) 7 . video is great except frames-per-second gets noticeably jittery during quick movements by the subject 8 . i shot the majority of my pics in vivid color , but this camera steals my heart by giving me additional opportunities to adjust color on the pic after its been taken ( saves the edited pic as a copy ) 9 . battery life is great . . . i would take pics from day to night during my vacation , spending several seconds before each shot playing with composition , white balance and pushing the shutter button halfway ( for focus ) over and over again ( vs just simply pushing the button ) , and battery still lasted 2 days . 10 . 3X optical zoom is a little weak ; however , not ever really a major issue from my experience . . . however , i DO wish optical zoom worked in video mode . 11 . 3 parameters that i found myself adjusting most often for the best pics = ISO , light source ( although seems like cloudy setting when outdoors always worked best , regardless of amount of sun ) , and color . . . also , sepia and black and white were very fun - - often when the lighting was just too bright washed out colors , switching to sepia always miraculously captured textural details that produced just as beautiful of a picture 12 . black and white mode seemed to be a little weak in its capture of contrast , depsite how much i'd try pointing around at different places for the white balance that i wanted . 13 . rarely used flash in my pics ; however , when taking outdoor daytime pics in which my subject was backlit , using the flash managed to operate effectively even when i was sure that i was standing way too far from my subject . overall . . . i give this canon SD780 a 10 / 10 , as it has by far been one of the best purchases i've ever made ! i'm especially thankful that i had it with me during a vacation in which i had so many opportunities to capture more artistic images . it's a relief to know it don't need a big expensive camera to do that ! hope this helps : )

001 4 I just purchased this Canon on a whim , earlier today at Best Buy . I have been tinkering with it for the majority of the evening . My previous SD300 is still working like a champ , however I have been considering a video camera for some time . . . after some peering at the video camera counter I wandered over to the point and shoot table . . . what initially drew me in to the SD780IS was its appearance on the display stand . The sleek matte-black body is very eye-pleasing . . . then I looked at the specs . and realized that it shoots video in HD ! ( 1280x720 ) Then all the other attributes made me realize that it was time to update my everywhere , anytime camera . I proceeded to check out some of the other Canon SD cameras . The SD960 became the other candidate . . . it has a little more glass ( 4x ) zoom , over the SD780 ' s ( 3x ) zoom . The SD960 has an appealing f2.8 apeture over the SD780 ' s f3.2 . The SD960 ' s screen is more tailored for the HD video capture as it has a 16 : 9 ratio LCD panel . ( Kinda nice for instant viewing ON THE CAMERA ) After some thought I went with the SD780 for these reasons : 1 . The HD video capability is awesome and comparible with the SD960 . It has a HDMI jack . The traditional 4 : 3 screen does not bother me , because the video is ultimately going to be viewed on a HD TV . ( There will be an upper and lower bar on 16 : 9 playback through the SD780 ' s LCD ) . 2 . The weaker 3x zoom is not a big deal as this camera is for general shooting ( out w / freinds , bars , random afternoon at the beach , mountain biking , etc . ) and with this camera EASLIY fitting in my jeans pocket or camelbak , the portability is what gives me the opportunity to document those moments , that would otherwise be missed . The SD960 is a little bulkier ( but still small ) . I do also shoot with a Canon 40D , accompanied with L optics , but the weight and bulkiness do not lend to certain shooting circumstances . ( as mentined above ) 3 . The user interface on the SD780IS is like most ( if not all ? ) preceeding SD cameras . While there is not much control in the way of shooting settings , feature buttons like flash override , AE lock , AF lock , and exposure compensation are present on the camera body . The SD960IS has two buttons and a jog wheel , which lend to swims in the menu . I'm sure the new interface on the 960 is intuitive , but I liked the 780 due to its similarity to my old SD300 . I am very happy with the results produced thus far with the SD780IS . The HD video is excellant , however it should be known that once recording you can only zoom digitally . Low light cabilities and sound in video mode are excellent . The stills I have taken look great . Also , to the budget-minded who are upgrading from older digital point-and-shoots , a class 4 minimum 4GB or 8GB SDHC card would be well suited due to the demanding memory of the 12.1 million pixels , and HD video . Also , most old card readers will not process the the SDHC cards so you may have to purchase a new card reader as well . I have to mention it again . . . the small size of the Canon SD780IS is mind-blowing . . . and the functionality actually mirrors its beauty .
002 4 OVERVIEW Canon SD780IS is the perfect travel / everyday camera . It weighs a little over 4 ounces . The size of the camera is astonishing . It is smaller than my iPhone 3G and my wallet . I love the new 720p video recording HD feature on the 2009 Canon P + S line . The image stabilization for video / image stills is a winner . The clips are sharper and clearer than the clips from the Creative Vado HD and the Flip Video MinoHD . PLAYBACK ON COMPUTERS For video playback without choppiness on the computer , you need to have at least a Core 2 Duo 1.66 GHz or higher processor on Windows ( Vista / XP SP2 / XP SP 3 ) or Core Duo 1.66 GHz or higher processor on Mac OS X ( v10.4 - v10.5 ) MEMORY CARD You should get at least 8GB Sandisk Extreme III SDHC ( Class 6 or higher ) memory card for the camera . 4000x3000 resolution images can quickly fill up your 2 / 4GB SD memory card . CONCLUSION + Quick Continuous Snapshots + 720p HD Video Recording with Image Stabilization + Lightning Quick Startup + Ultra-Compact Point & Shoot Camera ( Thin + Light Combo ) + Beautiful Design + Great for Beginners ( Very Easy To Use ) + Bright LCD Screen + DIGIC IV Technology + Blink Detection + Can Edit Video Clips on the go + Scene Detection Mode works Flawlessly - No Optical Zoom in Video Mode while Recording ( You can Digitally Zoom ) - Monotone Sound in Video Mode - Only 3x Optical Zoom for image stills - View Finder is Useless - Little Noisy / Grainy when Using Higher Than ISO400 but Acceptable SCORE / VERDICT 09 / 10 : Recommended
003 4 After researching ultra-compact cameras for 2 weeks , I had narrowed down my choices to this camera , the Canon SD880 IS and a couple of models from other manufacturers ( though I knew in the end I'd choose a Canon ) . As with most electronic purchases I make , it was an agonizing process . Every camera had a feature that I wanted , yet none of them had everything that I wanted . I would have liked a bit more zoom , and other cameras have wider lenses . In the end , the three features that won me over were the amazingly small size , the ability to capture HD video at a resolution of 720p , and the HDMI out . As for the performance , I couldn't be happier . Many of the reviews I read before purchasing mentioned a high amount of noise , but in my experience it only occurs at higher ISO's , is not very noticeable , and seems to be in line with other compact cameras that I've used , no more , no less . I would NOT let this be a determining factor if I were considering this camera . This is my first camera with image stabilization and it's works very well . On a recent trip I took over 500 pictures ( and filled up less than 1 / 4th of my 8 - gig card at the highest resolution ) , and not one of them ended up blurry . The AUTO feature has also proven to be much better than I had anticipated : it changes between 18 settings automatically , such as macro , bright sunshine , etc . , and so far , it's been right on the money . Another complaint that I've read is that viewfinder is useless . While it is quite tiny , I have actually used it , and I find it to be quite serviceable . At some point , a camera gets so small that it's difficult to squeeze everything onto its surface area . Kudos to Canon for even including the optical viewfinder at all . My complaints are few , and none would be a dealbreaker for me . The small size and smooth , symmetrical shape sometimes make it hard to tell which side I am holding onto when I take it out of my pocket . When attempting to push the power button , I will often realize I am pushing on the bottom of the camera . I have to actually look at it to tell what I am doing . Also , as stated previously , the HD video takes a pretty beefy CPU to play back smoothly . My PC is 4 years old and has a hard time keeping up . The easy solution to this is to play back directly to the monitor / TV with an HDMI cable . It seemed improbable to me that a video made with a camera this small would look good on a 55 HD television . I was stunned at how sharp it looked . The bottom line is that anybody looking for an ultra-compact camera is going to be extremely satisfied with this one . It doesn't take the pictures that a digital SLR is going to , nor does it have the same features . But anybody looking at this camera realizes that already . I went to an arts festival last weekend and was AMAZED at how many people are lugging around DSLR's these days . It seemed like every other person had one . When looking at performance vs . convenience and portability , I'll take the SD780 any day .
004 4 As many have already left HUGE reviews on this camera I will try to be quick about it , but I did have to review this camera . This camera is great . When I say that I mean it . I work for a camera store and everyday I'm reviewing cameras to people's faces and when this one came out I took one look at it and the features and told my boss Oh yeah , we'll be out by tomorrow and we were . It sells FAST . Why ? Because it's a GREAT camera . The form factor can't truly be captured in a picture , you have to feel this thing in your hand to know what everyone's talking about . 9 out of 10 people I show the camera to decide to buy once they've held it . It's small , it's REALLY small . It's just a sexy form . The 2.5 isn't screen isn't because they wanted to be cheap , it's because they couldn't put a bigger screen on there without making the camera a good deal bigger . Same for the 3x zoom . The Digic IV processor and iSAPS technology means this camera is fast and accurate . It's constantly focusing and letting you know what it thinks you want to take a picture of . It's facial recognition is so fast and accurate , it can track someone running quickly across the screen with a box around their face the whole time . And it picks up faces on magazines , ads , anything that has a human face on it . The iSAPS is constantly changing the mode to better suit what you're shooting and it'll show you the mode you're in while it's doing it ( upper left hand corner of the screen ) . The 720p high-def video is the one that seals the deal . You know it's fast . You know it's accurate . You know it's easy . But the video , always catches you of guard . Wait you mean to tell me this camera smaller then my blackberry curve can take high-def video as well as pictures ? ? Oh it can do more then that . Canon always has a few things thrown into video mode for the fun of it , like color Accent , as in taking away all but one color . Allowing your friend in the red shirt to be the REAL center of attention . And seeing that on the big screen only makes the camera more interesting . And I even sold myself on buying the camera , with it's sleekness , speed , accuracy , and high-def I just couldn't resist . I'm not telling you to get the camera , but if you do , you won't be disappointed .
007 4 PROS : Easy to use , Simple controls / menu , Nice features / settings , Bright LCD , Excellent image quality , Lightweight / Portable , compact volume CONS : Poor Low-Light Performance , some noise in low light , tiny viewfinder , mini-HDMI to HDMI cable not included , SD / SDHC storage card not included Amazon has the best price at under 250 bucks . Most sites are charging full retail since this camera is so popular . High Definition video is very good at 720p . This will not replace a full size camera or the 5D Mark II for video quality . But , it is a lot better than most including the original Flip video camera . An HDMI cable IS NOT INCLUDED with the camera . You will need it to watch HD video directly from the camera on an HDTV . I bought a 3 ft miniHDMI-to-HDMI cable online from Monoprice for 8 bucks including USPS first class shipping . They have quality cables for the lowest price on the Monoprice site . UPDATE : I am very happy with the mini-HDMI to HDMI cables . They were so inexpensive that I bought 2 of these at 3ft long : one for the iMac , the other is for my travel bag . I bought a 6ft mini-HDMI to HDMI cable for the HDTV in the first floor family room . I should have gotten a longer cable since you have to control the video start / stop / next buttons on the camera . You have to get up often to start the next movie clip . I also bought a small 1x3 / 4inch miniHDMI to HDMI adapter to carry everywhere I take the camera which is everywhere ! UPDATE : The small cover that protects the miniHDMI and USB ports feels a little flimsy . The hinge stretches . I have to force it slightly beyond my comfort to insert cables . I can see this covering breaking off with a lot of use . An SD storage card IS NOT INCLUDED . They are available at low cost , under 15 bucks , on the net . Check the Dealnews site for the latest sales . I used a 4GB SD high capacity ( SDHC ) card which will hold about 30mins of video . Some complain 2.5inch is too small for the LCD . There is no place to put a larger 3inch LCD on this camera without making it a touch screen like the iPhone or increasing the camera size . Plus , 2.5 inch is common on a lot of cameras . I have no problems with it . TINY VIEW FINDER : It was hard peering through the small hole . I mainly use the LCD screen about 95% of the time . So , NOT A PROBLEM . Got this camera to try out the 720p HD , face / blink detection and other features . They all worked great . I was surprised by the small size since I only saw this camera online and never tried it out at a store . It is slightly smaller than my average size business card and about as thin as a new deck of playing cards . I'm female , but , I never bought an ELPH-size Canon camera because they seemed too small . I was concerned I would not be able to comfortably operate the buttons or it would slip out of my hands . I don't have that fear with the SD780 . The brushed metal finish provides some friction . The buttons are placed well . Also , the wrist strap is always available as protection against dropping the camera . SMART AUTO feature is great ! I use it often to take closeup ( macro ) shots or when I don't have time to adjust the settings . I hold the camera about 4 inches from an object and the camera self adjusts the settings . It amazing to watch it work . I partially press the shutter button to see where the camera is focused and move it to focus on my area of interest . The camera selects of the pre-programmed 18 modes to find the one that creates the best image . As many stated , the images are superb thanks to the 12.1 mega pixel resolution , Digic 4 , and the image stabilizer ( IS ) function . You should not live without IS unless you are into the artsy blurry pictures . It takes great pictures of kids who don't sit still . Great if you don't have steady hands . Images are crisp , clear and can be easily seen in the beautiful 2.5inch LCD . I noticed the noise in some of the photos . Did not have too much problems with it . The 3X optical is fine . Best for the photographer to move in or out to zoom / out on the subject matter and not worry about the camera lens zoom when just taking photos . Zooming during filming would be better . Hopefully , Canon adds this feature to future powershot ELPH models . Overall , a great camera that is thin enough to hide in a small purse or pocket yet still deliver superb photos for it's size ! ( I have owned 7 Canon cameras including 5 digital cameras . I have used this camera for about 1 week . )
008 4 I have a higher end Canon Rebel DSLR with some pretty good glass and used it this past week at Disney world . While you can't beat the quality of pictures from a DSLR in low light and on fast moving targets ( not to mention all other times ) , it became a HUGE pain to carry around the park and to take on and off getting on rides . So I read the reviews and found that the best carry-around camera was the Panasonic Lumix ZS3 ( TZ7 in other parts of the world ) . Unfortunately , no one around here carries that camera , and online the prices are still in the $400 + range . So I decided to wade through the middle market and came across this camera , the Canon Powershot SD780 IS ( IXUS 100 IS in other parts of the world ) . The various Sony's looked good as well , I just hate the memory sticks they use . I always like keeping everything the same , and since my Canon Rebel uses SDHC , I decided to go with a cam that used that as well . It takes amazing pictures when there is plenty of light , such as outside or indoors with ambient lighting . Clouds look beautiful and are not blown out . Color is very vivid , like all Canon shots . The video quality is definately HD 720p quality and looks nice at a steady 30 frames per second . However , the minimum f-stop even at full wide is 3.5 and creeps into the 6 ' s with the zoom racked out . With that said , low light situations create such a grainy picture as to be unusable by my standards . The shadow areas are horrible and muddy . And the video exhibits this same nastiness . I was able to figure out all camera features on my own without reading the manual at all , but if you want to , there is a VERY detailed manual that goes step by step with pictures of how to work the cam . If you want to take over in full manual mode , they give you access to pretty much all the settings in one simple menu . Shoot in Program AE , change ISO , change white balance , change tone , self timers , continuous shooting , focus lock , exposure compensation , metering mode , AF frame mode and focal point , Servo AF , etc . One of the best features of the camera ( and I sugest you try all the cams out in the store to see what I mean ) is how FAST it auto focuses and takes a picture . Right from power up , I can take a pic in under 2 seconds . On top of that , the shutter lag is about .02 seconds . You hit the button , the picture takes right then . AF on almost ALL other cameras I picked up had to hunt for the focus for several seconds , and some never gained focus at all , while others kept trying to refocus after acquiring a lock . This camera , even in up close macro mode , gained a solid focus lock in under a second and stayed there . And macro mode is wonderful ! You can be just over an inch from your subject and take some of the greatest , full focused images . Auto mode will sense how close you are and automatically change to macro mode . You also have the ability to create folders on your memory card right from the camera . Very useful if you are hitting multiple camera ops in a day and would like to keep them all separate . All the menus are well laid out , but once you set up for your shoot , most of the buttons you will be using will be on the camera body . And again , as much as I like to set everything myself in full manual mode , I found that full auto is smarter than me most of the time . I guess the camera is calibrated to know what the best settings for its lens are . Reviewing images , zooming in on them to check details , deleting , tagging , watching videos , etc are all very easy . And videos are in the standard . MOV format making them easy to edit and stitch on a PC or a Mac . I went ahead and picked up the Canon leather belt pouch as well for this cam as it keeps it on your side at the ready , looks professional , and is no bigger than a phone holster . One additional note on why I picked this cam . . . it has cool accessories ! Just to name a few : HDMI out to TV with standard Mini-HDMI to full HDMI . Waterproof / dustproof case that you can take to 140ft underwater ! High power external remote flash . All available on Amazon ! Another hint . . . you can find additional rechargeable lithium batteries for as little as $2 here on Amazon . The Canon brand goes for almost $50 and the others last just as long . All in all , it was a good purchase and will be coming with me on all camera excursions and trips . It may very well be the camera that gets the shot that my big DSLR doesn't because of it always being at my hip and ready to shoot in a couple of seconds .
009 4 I've had this camera now for about a week . The main reason for this purchase is the 720p HD video feature . I've been playing with all the recent point and shoot camcorders such as the Kodak Zi6 and the Creative Vado HD . I also have the not-yet-released-in-the-US Canon SX1 which does full 1080p HD video . I have also tried the Sony T500 . The first thing you'll notice is how small this camera is . To date , its the smallest Canon camera yet almost to the point that its difficult to handle . I'd call it Ultra-compact and this thing can fit anywhere . The button are more flush than any other Canon which makes button finding and feeling a bit cumbersome . I wasn't expecting much from this camera in terms of performance but it blows all other point and shoot camcorders out of the water . The colors are much more accurate and the video overall is much smoother . Part of this due to the image stabilization feature . The toy cameras do not have this feature which is a huge necessity for something so small and light . It handles low-light situations better as well . Search SD780 on youtube for samples . Make sure you click the HD button . The photos are secondary to me but they can be good in the manual mode . Using it with higher ISO setting will introduce noise . Then again , these photos are much better than the point and shoot camcorders . These are actually usable . So with the point and shoot camcorders around the $200 mark ( MinoHD , VAdoHD , Zi6 ) , for $80 more ( SD780 ) you get something that is much better overall . + Made in Japan and much better build quality than the toy camcorders + Removable SD storage card + Removable battery ( uses the common NB - 4L ) + Image stabilization + Usable stills + Canon optics + Ultra compact ( 2 / 3 the size of a MinoHD ) + Easy to use . MOV files + Stealth Black color The only drawbacks I can think of are : - Cannot use optical zoom during recording ( let's hope this can be changed via firmware upgrade ) - Photos can be noisy and grainy at times - Mono sound recordings
010 4 I've been using the new Canon SD 780 for about a week now , and I like it . I've been a Canon point-and-shoot fan for some time . In my opinion Canon has the best optics . I have a Canon G10 for higher-end photography and although it is a compact camera , it is not quite a pocket camera . I wanted something I could easily keep in my shirt pocket all the time and the SD 780 fits the bill perfectly . I find that I shoot a lot less if I don't have a really compact camera available . The SD 780 is Canon's smallest camera to date . It's easy to use and the Canon layout is excellent . The buttons are small and it may take a day or two to get used to them , especially if you have big hands . The HD video is really great and noticeably better quality than the 640 x 480 mode of my G10 . My quibbles are few : - - 3.2 maximum aperture instead of the usual 2.8 - - No optical zoom in the movie mode . - - Grainy images at ISO of 400 and higher . This is a problem with most point-and shoot cameras , even my G10 . Overall , considering the very small size , it's a great camera .
013 4 first of all , i cannot stress 2 things more : - - > read the manual before starting ! ! - - many people buy point and shoots for typical picture taking but neglect getting to know all the features , including several here that give you just enough room for manipulation that can produce magnificent results . - - key thing to remember . . . . if you see the [ DISP ] symbol pop up on the menu as you scroll through your different settings along the bottom of the viewfinder , PUSH DISPLAY , as it opens an entire addtl menu of more options or adjustment settings ! one of my friends who also owns a canon point and shoot was oblivious until just recently that he could stitch his photos or adjust colors b / c he never discovered the hidden options ! - - > secondly , my use of this camera once again solidifies the one piece of advice i've received from pro photographers time and time again : if you have the eye , even point and shoot cameras can produce fabulous results comparable or even better than the next guy with the fancy SLR [ ie my boyfriend ! : ) ] For the rest , i'll try to be as concise as possible , but please keep in mind that i'm just an ordinary consumer - - i don't know much about electronics and / or photography , so if something i comment on seems really irrelevant and / or obvious , then sorry ! : ) i'm just trying to point out stuff found significant or notable in comparison to my past experiences with other point and shoots . also , I've posted an array of photos i took right after buying this camera . . . if anything , they should be enough evidence as to what a great product this is ! ( in the end , canon's digital camera sensors never disappoint , despite how much others tried to steer me towards nikon ! ) 1 . beautiful , sleek body that stirs up complements EVERY single time i take it out ; however . . . - - buttons may seem a little small for big handed guys ( i'm a girl w / small hands , and even sometimes the power button is a little annoying ) - - actual menu buttons , however , seem very easy to maneuver 2 . this little monster actually has a viewfinder . . . . yay ! ! ! don't forget how important this is for when you're standing out in glaring sunlight and can't really see your LCD screen ! 3 . start up as well as capture speed is awesome . . . had absolutely no issues missing out on spontaneous and candid photo ops . 4 . manual setting really requires conscious adjustment of ISO , as camera has a tendency to pick up blur with just hand held pics in normal cloudy daylight . however . . . 5 . i've never seen a point and shoot take such beautiful night pics ! ! ! 6 . having the wide format option is awesome : it really made a 100% difference in many of my shots in terms of composition ( although wish it was truly a wide angle type of effect . . . instead , black bars just chop off the original top and bottoms of your view ) 7 . video is great except frames-per-second gets noticeably jittery during quick movements by the subject 8 . i shot the majority of my pics in vivid color , but this camera steals my heart by giving me additional opportunities to adjust color on the pic after its been taken ( saves the edited pic as a copy ) 9 . battery life is great . . . i would take pics from day to night during my vacation , spending several seconds before each shot playing with composition , white balance and pushing the shutter button halfway ( for focus ) over and over again ( vs just simply pushing the button ) , and battery still lasted 2 days . 10 . 3X optical zoom is a little weak ; however , not ever really a major issue from my experience . . . however , i DO wish optical zoom worked in video mode . 11 . 3 parameters that i found myself adjusting most often for the best pics = ISO , light source ( although seems like cloudy setting when outdoors always worked best , regardless of amount of sun ) , and color . . . also , sepia and black and white were very fun - - often when the lighting was just too bright washed out colors , switching to sepia always miraculously captured textural details that produced just as beautiful of a picture 12 . black and white mode seemed to be a little weak in its capture of contrast , depsite how much i'd try pointing around at different places for the white balance that i wanted . 13 . rarely used flash in my pics ; however , when taking outdoor daytime pics in which my subject was backlit , using the flash managed to operate effectively even when i was sure that i was standing way too far from my subject . overall . . . i give this canon SD780 a 10 / 10 , as it has by far been one of the best purchases i've ever made ! i'm especially thankful that i had it with me during a vacation in which i had so many opportunities to capture more artistic images . it's a relief to know it don't need a big expensive camera to do that ! hope this helps : )
025 4 On the heels of another reviewer , I just spent an hour going through years of archived photos having used the following cameras . And to keep it short and sweet , I was shocked that the $137 Panasonic Lumix outperformed every camera EXCEPT for the HD Video of the new Canon SD780IS . However , the Panasonic family allows WVGA which takes up a LOT less disc space and perfect for Mac / PC viewing . Canon SD200 = My first Elph camera worked perfectly in all conditions for over 3 years ; ahead of its time . Under 1MB photos stored , but red eye reduction never worked . Canon SD500 = Bought as upgrade with slightly noticeable difference for still & video , always kept photos in about 1MB size , worked like a charm before 2008 but red eye reduction never worked either . Canon SD1100IS = the BEST Canon I have owned , but stolen last year . indoor , outdoor and video on AUTO were great ! no complaints . Looking back , this camera outperformed the photo quality ( all conditions ) of the 12MP new SD780IS . I hear the 880IS is the ultimate compact model , though discontinued and NO HD . A Canon rep said its been their best model to date for consistent quality and wide angle lens . They sell refurbs at Canon w / warranty . Panasonic DMC-FS7 = THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK PERIOD . the still photos and WVGA videos are amazing and AUTO setting for Panasonic is much more effective than Canon's technology . I was told the Leica lenses are far superior to Canon lens technology as well . This was also stolen overseas , so I bought the pricer FX48 below . Panasonic DMC-FX48 = The still photos were NO different than the lesser priced FS7 and I tested all light conditions , speed etc . However , oddly , the HD video was terrible as compared to the Canon HD . It was very grainy and the motion sensor didn't work well . Canon SD780IS = WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT ! I am overseas now again after tossing the box and papers , and now stuck with this this lousy camera . The HD video is amazing , but the SmartAUTO focus never seems to work for indoor stills , the PROGRAM mode is a royal pain in the * ss , the flash always seems to be too bright for indoors even after changing settings , and good luck trying to photo moving children - takes 1 / 2 day to focus and shoot . In summary , I changed settings and ISO and cannot get the same quality photos as the Canon SD1100IS ( now 1200IS ) . 12 - 12 UPDATE : I discovered the night time setting and WOW . . . . . very close evening quality to the AUTO setting of the pre - 2009 SmartAUTO technology . ADVICE = NEVER USE AUTO FOR NIGHTTIME SHOTS - YOU WILL SEE BLURRY , YELLOW RESULTS . Switch into Program mode and use preset setting . , . . tested Kids / Pets mode and also works well indoors at night . I'M GOING TO GRAB A 940IS ( WIDE ANGLE ) AND TEST SOON . It also has front HD mic so your hand doesn't block top mic like 980 design complaints . . . AND it doesn't have the annoying pop-up flash for 2 - hand takers like me . Hope this simple review helps , folks !
028 4 I read plenty of reviews and did much testing before deciding to buy this camera . Now that I've used it for over a month now and on several trips I can confidently say this is the best camera at its size and price . If someone can produce another camera at this size and weight with similar features and image quality with a lower price please provide a link to it . I tested Nikons and Panasonics and they all had worse IQ , and even other bigger Canons but disliked the bulk . The best feature of course is its size , it fits comfortably in my pocket with a cell phone too . The pictures are great and the shutter speed is amazing , especially if you turn off the picture review and want to take many pictures in a row but just not in continuous mode . The Auto works great for most anything , however indoors and in low light , its best to raise your ISO and use program mode . My minor complaints would be the display quality ( noisy ) , audio quality , and only 3x optical zoom . I would love it with 5x optical zoom and better audio , but its not any worse then the audio on the Flip . This is the perfect compliment to my DSLR and I was very impressed with the camera's performance given its tiny size .
036 4 Having been involved with photography since I was 10 years old back in the 1950 ' s , I have used every type of compact camera - Nikons , Olympus OM SLR's , Leica CL , Minox , the famous 70 ' s Japanese point-shoot such as Konica , always seeking the maximum photographic flexibility in the minimum package . Playing with the incredibly small Canon SD780 for a few days , it's a good time to take a step back and recognize the amazing technology which has come to us through the digital revolution . There is simply no comparison to the photographic capability which one can now carry hardly noticed in a shirt pocket , including taking high def VIDEOS ! Decent pictures at ISO 800 or even 1600 . Amazing . Also , Canon listen to customer feedback ; their menus and interfaces are simpler and cleaner than some of the other makers . Finally , the price is really very low for the sophistication that goes into one of these babies - the equivalent of about forty bucks in 1970 ' s dollars when the first compact cameras hit the market at much higher prices . There is only one downside - this camera is so small , and the sensor is so small , that 12MP is too many for top picture quality . I would have voted for fewer pixels , 8 MP instead of 12MP - and get lower noise in return . The exposure sometimes leaves blownout highlights . If absolute image quality is your top priority , there may be other Canon's to look at . But if you're not that picky , the results are excellent . The video function works well and I use it all the time since I find a short movie ( a few seconds ) is a better remembrance of an event than a still photo . Forty three minutes of High Def video on an 8GB card , so who needs a camcorder ? Bottom line ; The best camera is obviously the one you have with you . So get one of these - no excuse ever to be without it .
038 4 I selected this camera as a always carry item . I own a Canon 20D professional camera with many lenses and other attachements , and it is HEAVY . So I don't take it unless I am on a photo shoot . The SD780IS has a very important feature : an optical viewfinder . This is really helpful in bright sunlight , when you will have great difficulty using the LCD to frame a photo . The image quality is great , the HD video is great , only complaint is that the mic is very susceptable to wind noise . The ability to apply filters and cropping / resizing in the camera is very nice . This camera is so small it is smaller than a credit card ( only thicker ) . The flash works great , the focus light works great - I can take photos in complete darkness ! The shutter lag is very very short . If you are looking for an absolutely GREAT camera that will disappear in your pocket ( you will forget it is there ) , this is the one ! The only limitations ( in comparison to my big camera ) is . . . no lens options ( only built-in 3x zoom , with a very good digital zoom and image stabilizer function ) , and a slightly higher noise level in the image data ( required because it uses a very tiny sensor ) . The noise is not visible for even very large prints ( 12 megapixels is a LOT of pixels ) . And , of course the adjustment options are limited ( I like shutter priority , but can't do that on this camera ) . However , the exposure system is EXCELLENT ! I usually shoot in Program mode , with - 2 / 3 stop exposure . This is due to the fact that auto mode causes the image to often be slightly over-exposed ( as viewed on the LCD ) . The image is usually NOT overexposed , just looks that way . Since I like to share the photos on the camera a lot , I use this to get great color on the LCD , not just on the computer . The additional image noise from this adjustment is very tiny . Great camera ! HD video in the palm of your hand ! Waiting for Canon to release the 60D so I can do HD on my big camera , too !
048 4 I reserve 5 for the absolute best , and that would be the best of the DSLRs . My 4 stars mean best of type , and this is the best of the compacts . I have a Canon DSLR with L glass and have had Fuji , Sony , Kodak and Canon compacts . This is the best compact so far . Plenty of image size to work with , and image quality is excellent for the pixel density . Elegant black , beveled body . Build quality is excellent . LCD a fingerprint magnet , but they all are . Some reviews say the video is great , others say it's no good . My results have been superb . Because of its palm size and short lens-to-sensor axis , this little camera is more stable than my dedicated image-stabilized HD camcorder . The flash is best for fill or backlit scenes . The 780 ' s high-ISO setting yields great indoor available-light photos , so why use the flash ? I get irritated at people who won't turn off their flash , then complain when highlights are blown . Ignore the review that says the optical view finder is useless . The optical finder is one of the best features of this camera and very rare in compacts these days . Though an LCD is great , a viewfinder allows you to hold the camera discreetly against your face . A viewfinder backs you up when bright sunlight washes out the LCD . It also allows you to turn off the LCD to get significantly more battery time . I researched Nikon , Panasonic , Olympus and other Canons before buying this one . Even though the 780 has been out for over a year , at the current Amazon price , including memory card offer , there's still nothing in a compact that comes close . I bought a second 780 as a gift .
051 4 I believe people who gave this camera a poor rating either don't own it or may have been expecting way to much from it . Its no match for my DSLR's but it isn't meant to be . I'll just graze over the pros and cons since so many have gone into detail already . Pros - Solid image performance - Good HD video ( as good as any of the mini camcorders out there and better stills to boot ) - Good feature set - Some manual controls - Decent speed - Super compact - Very stylish ( if that's your thing ) Cons - Too many mega pixels ( canon should have stopped at 8 to 10mp for point and shoots . I believe that was the sweet spot ) - ISO's over 400 not really useable ( by my standards anyway ) - Buttons are smallish - Not much by way of zoom ( and you cant zoom while shooting vids ) This camera is the perfect compromise when I don't want to lug my 50D ( or my xti for that matter ) . Its shirt pocket portable so there is no excuse not to have it with you . We all know the best camera is the one you have with you when you need it .
062 4 I did a lot of agonizing between the SD940 and this camera . After all the 940 is almost the same camera , but with a slightly bigger screen , and slightly better optical zoom and wide angle . That's a lot of slightlys . I had ruled out Nikons and Fujis only because I really wanted the HD video , and I love that it's a MOV format instead of an AVI . ( yes I'm a mac user ) . In the end I bought this camera because it was $169 on Black Friday and at an 90 difference I see no reason not to go with this camera . Currently at a $50 difference , I would say if you happen to have the extra cash , and those slightly better features are important to you , go with the 940 - but I think if you get this camera I think you would be quickly happy and forget what the differences were anyway . This is a TINY camera . It's quite a bit smaller then my iphone ! When you are recording video , and I found the quality quite good for such a little package , make sure you don't cover up the mic on top while holding the camera , which is easy to do since it's so small . The IS works really well , I was amazed at what I could hand hold in low light . Macro is quite good as well . A feature I really like is you can have your playback display show both the whole photo and a 100% zoom so you can see the noise and focus quickly , which is super handy . There is not a lot of manual customization on this camera , but there is a program mode where you can control some things like slow syncro flash , WB , etc . I really wish it came with a case , but canon does make a case specifically for this camera , and you can get it on amazon . I usually hate software included with cameras , but I was forced to try it out , because the camera does not mount as an external drive , so I needed it to import photos using the camera's usb . Surprisingly I find the software pretty handy , particularly for trimming videos . I would recommend something else for actually enhancing your photos though . All in all , I love the size , love the video , enjoy the photo quality , and highly recommend this camera .
064 4 Canon Powershot SD780 is one of the smallest Canon camera ever created . Along with the ultra-portable size , it comes with four colors , gold , red , silver and black . The camera is very sleek and fashionable . Here is Canon Powershot SD780 IS spec : * 12 Megapixel / 1 / 2.3 sensor * 80 - 3200 ISO range * 2.5 LCD screen ( 230k ) * Optical image stabilization * 33mm - 100mm ( 3X zoom length ) * f / 3.2 ( W ) - f / 5.8 ( T ) aperture * Record HD video * Dimension : 3.43 x 2.15 x 0.72 in . / 87.0 x 54.5 x 18.4mm * Weight : 115g camera body only IMAGE QUALITY Canon SD 780 IS has 1 / 2.3 sensor size which is considered very small but not the smallest . From my test , SD780 ' s image quality really depend on the lighting situation or what ISO setting that you use . In low ISO setting , like 80 - 200 , the image quality is very good . But from 400 and up , the image started to break down ( lose detail and unsharp edges ) due to aggressive noise reduction . However , the color / contrast are still very consistent through out . Like all Canon cameras , image straight out of the camera are generally vivid and punchy . Canon usually boosts the red and it makes the image warmer than reality . This camera is not something you want to use for serious photography work , but it is very good for web sharing , regular 4 × 6 print . For ISO comparison images , please visit my blog . BODY AND HANDLING Canon SD780 body is surprisingly very good . It is very small , the width and length has the same size as credit card , and the depth is only 0.7 thick . It is smaller than many cellphone in the market . The body feels very solid and dense , buttons are small , but not flimsy . The layout is typical of compact camera . It has playback , function , menu , display , flash , macro , self-timer / trash , direct print / exposure compensation , shutter button , zoom lever , and on-off button . Surprisingly , it also has a optical viewfinder . But the viewfinder is so small ( maybe around 0.2 x ) that it is quite challenging to use it , especially for people who wear glasses . The viewfinder is electronic viewfinder meaning that what you see in the viewfinder is what you will see in the camera . However , for people who like to compose picture from eye level , this will be a nice addition . It has 3X zoom lens , from wide 33mm to 100mm . This focal length is good for general purpose . It is great outdoor , but not very for indoor because it is not very wide . Taking group picture indoor will be a bit of a challenge but do-able . The maximum aperture is quite small , so it will be a challenge in low light or when you want to make a blurred background . LCD screen is pretty standard . 2.5 inch is generally big enough but the resolution only 230k . It is not a the best but good enough to view your image and compose pictures . OPERATION & FEATURES This camera is pretty much a straightforward some settings that you can change . It has Auto mode , Program mode and video recording mode . The P mode can be changes in function menu to several scene modes , such as portrait , night shot , kids & pets , indoor and sunset . If you want to change setting , just press the function button . From there you can change various settings such as shooting mode , ISO setting , white balance , color retouch , metering mode , shutter release mode and image size . Regarding image size , you can choose either standard 4 : 3 ratio or 16 : 9 wide screen ratio . Other features the camera has are face detection , blink detection and image stabilization . OPERATION PERFORMANCE Start up time is considered fast for compact camera . It only requires around 1 sec to power on . Auto focus speed and is generally fast as well ( .5 sec ) . General operation are also very fast and nothing to worry about . Thanks to the DIGIC IV processor . CONCLUSION Canon Powershot SD780 IS Digital Elph is a compact camera that is optimized for its size , look and performance . Image quality is generally good for outdoor in a sunny day , but not very good in indoor setting or in low light situation such as in an overcast day . Regarding camera operation , it is responsive , and easy to use . I recommend this camera for casual snap shooters who need high performance , ultra portable compact camera . For images , please visit my blog . You can click on my profile to get the blog address . Thanks for reading .
070 4 I bought an SD770 from amazon 3 months ago which is another 5 - star . With the recent HD pocket cam craze , I wanted to get in on the action , and bought Kodak Zi6 . DISAPPOINTING . Twice the size of this cam . Then bought Vado HD . A little better quality , still not great HD quality . I realized that all the video samples I had seen were played on my PC screen , and not on a HDTV . So , once I plugged the Vado to my HDTV , I was disappointed . But decided to keep it regardless . Very soon , I realized the drawback - I would have to carry two devices , both my SD770 and the Vado HD . Looking for solution - ENTER SD780 IS . WOW ! ! The best video quality I have seen so far . This thing is MADE IN JAPAN ( like it's older bro SD770 ) and the build quality makes me think it was manufactured by UFO flying aliens . The black LOOKS SICK ! ! Canon must not compress the video as much as Vado , even in HD + mode . In HD + mode , Vado shows 2h : 12m remaining on 8GB . Canon shows only 44m n 8GB . May be that has something to do with smoother quality video . Overall . . 780IS 720p video OWNS them all - in the compact HD category .
077 4 I'm a member of Canon Professional Services and make my living using Canon cameras . I have owned a number of point & shoot digital cameras , all Canon . First the good . The 780IS is sleek and tiny . For a $200 camera , it creates pretty darn good HD video . Much better than expected . Nice still images on bright sunny days with non-moving subjects . Unfortunately , we ( bought for my wife ) didn't buy for its video capabilities , but to mainly capture images of our young kids . The Canon 780IS is a train wreck in the photographing moving kids department . The shutter lag problem is the big deal breaker here . Push the shutter and wait wait wait . Holy cow , is anything happening ? finally a photograph is made , literally 1 second , sometimes 2 seconds later . The 780IS is the absolute worst digital camera i have ever owned . AVOID it at all costs if you're taking photographs of anything that moves ( kids , pets , smiles , emotion ) . In low-light or a with a moving subject this thing performs worse than my very first powershot ( circa 2000 ) . Amazing that Canon would put out such a POS .
085 4 I bought this camera the other day , and the results are spectacular . When I first took it out of its packaging , I was blown away by the size as well as the visual appeal of the camera itself . Pros 1 ) . The camera itself is the size of an altoids tin , a great plus for travel and it is almost unnoticeable in my pocket . 2 ) . The quality of the pictures are great ! They were almost flawless in outdoors . With 12.1 you can't go wrong 3 ) . Hd video shooting capabilities . you wouldn't usually see this feature on a camera this small , but it has very good quality . 4 ) . Viewfinder - Although it's a bit on the small side , it works just as well as any other . Now days you never see viewfinders on small compact digital cameras , but this one manages to keep this keen feature . Cons - I don't have much to say bad about this product , but if i had to pick a couple features these would be them 1 ) . Picture quality is great , except when it comes to bad lighted areas . With flash it makes up for it , but without the pictures are a bit grainy with high ISO . 2 ) . Microphone , while shooting videos , the sound of my finger barely touching the camera was picked up by the mic . This makes it so you have to hold it ONLY by the edges if you want a good sounding video . I read other reviews ( some negative ) and I am pleased I chose this champ over the new sd1400 after looking at it in best buy . If you want a portable camera that has a great build , good picture quality , and hd video shooting capabilities , this is the way to go !
100 4 Very sad to say , this is the first Canon that left me very disappointed . Pros - Size - Build quality ( except for battery door ) - Looks Cons - Picture quality - Refuses to use flash in Auto mode - As a result of above , ISO shoots to 640 , making for watercolor like photos . . BLAH - Battery door feels very flimsey , even when closed . Summary : Such a nice looking and feeling camera , but OMG are the pictures soft , even outdoors at ISO 80 , they are soft . Go indoors and it turns to crap .
115 4 I have been using the Canon PowerShot SD line since SD300 . Had experienced through so many of them already . I was never amazed by the photo quality of the SD lines but this camera has surpassed my expectations . I normally shoot with a Canon Rebel XT - 350D , with several lenses including a 28 - 75mm f / 2.8 and a 10 - 22mm wide lens . Whenever I shoot photos indoors during dinner with my SLR , people are amazed that I do not need to use the flash . Well this SD780 is absolutely THAT . I was shooting photos in doors without flash on AUTO mode and it was capturing perfectly sharp images ! I think the smartness of the camera's auto ISO selection along with the amazing canon line's Imagine Stablization - IS - really helped . The size of the camera is small , like a credit card . Anyone can easily drop it in their shirt pocket , and especially the girls out there with super tight jeans , I'm sure this can be dropped into your back pocket as well . It's extremely light ! ! ! Modes - I remember when I first used night mode in the SD400 , I really loved how the photos turned out . The idea behind night mode is that it'll use the flash to capture the foreground ( subject ) and also extend the shutter to allow the background capture . This method generated beautiful imagery with night shots ! It's too bad there's no more shutter control on this camera because I was trying to shoot an outdoor photo at night , with no flash , but I wanted to make sure to capture the beautiful architectural lights in the background . I couldn't figure it out within the 15 secs I had so I gave up . I'm fairly familiar with the SD line's menus so I didn't bother reading the manual . Videos - 720p movies in . mov format . What more can i say ? I think a 2min video came out to about 350 - 400mb large . So if you're planning to capture some videos , make sure you have a large capacity SDHC card . I usually don't shoot videos , especially since there's no video function on my SLR , but man was it fun to capture the moment with the dialogues and just facial expressions that cannot be captured with a photograph . I was debating between SD780 vs SD940 vs SD1400 since they're successors of each other . I knew the SD1400 ' s shape was no longer like the small footprint of the SD780 , but the latter two offered a 2.7 screen instead ! A second consideration was the wide angle ability of SD940 and SD1400 . Truthfully , this camera was for my gf , whom doesn't know much about photography . Whenever I ask her to take a pic with my SLR , it is always an epic fail . So I knew when she turns on the camera , if it defaults to wide angle , all her photos would look funky . So I knew a traditional 28mm equivalent would be best for an amateur shooter . Honestly wide angle is fun for architectural photography like indoor and buildings . Otherwise , wide angle really distorts the way people look in images . Wide angle is fun , but it wont be a photo I'd print out for frames . Anyways , I'm not a good writer , paragraph structure and grammars are bound to be wrong here . Just know this is A GOOD CAMERA and why it won so many editor's choice awards and why there's HUNDREDS of amazon reviews already raving about it . You can't get a better camera than this for one hundred and eighty dollars with a free 4gb SDHC class6 card !
128 4 I'll be reviewing the Canon Powershot SD780 IS . This camera is in the compact point and shoot category . It boasts a 3X optical zoom , 12.1 megapixels of resoultion and a 720p movie mode . Users can simply point and shoot and for the advance user there are a plethora of picture options such as macro shooting mode ( used for up-close pictures ) , lighting settings , and even a manual ISO adjustment . Battery life is more than sufficent for a day of snapping pictures . The camera accepts the industry standard secure digital card which makes expanding avilable memory simple and inexpensive . The first thing you notice when you pick up the camera is the size . This is a very small camera : the face is no bigger than that of a credit card . The camera is well under three quarters a inch thick and the back of the camera is dominated by a crisp 2.5 inch LCD screen . The next thing you notice is the quailty of the construction of this camera , it has a solid feeling in your hands and instills confidence that the camera will be very durable . For those users who prefer a more traditional shooting expereince , Canon even inculded a viewfinder , a feature that is becoming increasingly rare in this category . Customers can chose from a variety of colors including red , silver , gold and the standard black . The stills from this camera , with adequate lighting , are quite good . Unfourtanely , image quality quickly deteriorates in low light conditions , due in part to the small size of the image sensor and the high effect megapixel rating . Shooting video is a breeze , and although it is dissappointing that users cannot change focus or zoom levels once recording has begun , the compresed video looks very good on any high resoultion screen . To prove that they are serious about the video quailty of this camera , Canon even inculded an HDMI mini connector for a direct connection to any new high definiton television . Overall this is a very good camera for the price and should satisfy all but the most demanding users in this category . Canon has consistenly improved their digital ELPH series and the SD780 IS is no exception to this trend . This is a great camera and I would recommend it to all my friends ! I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars .
130 4 I've become very fond of this camera . Great still photos with lively color and ultra-sharp focus . Smaller than even my Casio EX-S600 , which was the smallest camera I had seen before the Canon SD - 780 , yet operable by my big hands . It can even shoot a succesion of still photos continuously without limit until you fill up the card . But the best feature is the 720p hi-def video . The quality is , as far as I can tell , identical to that of the Panasonic FZ - 28 , which also shoots 720p hi-def but is a much larger ( and of course more capable ) camera . The Canon , like the Panasonic , zooms silently while shooting video , and like the Panasonic the image stabilization works perfectly ( not something one can say about all brands ) . The deciding factor for me in choosing this camera was the usable ISO of 1600 reported by Consumer Reports . Yes , the image is grainy , but not outrageously so . There are a few downsides . Previous Canon models had a high-ISO auto-exposure feature that allowed the camera to access the highest sensitivity ratings the camera would allow . This one does not . The highest ISO it will access automatically is 400 . You have to manually select ISO 1600 in order to shoot at that level of sensitivity . The sound quality when shooting video is good but not great . The LCD screen is a good one but it is difficult to see in bright light . Amazingly , this tiny camera does include an eye-level direct viewer just like film-type cameras used to have . I got a couple of extra batteries with the camera , the Lenmar brand from Amazon . Inexpensive , very reliable , and equivalent to Canon OEM batteries in my experience . A word of caution , though . If you need an extra battery charger , say for travel , it is worth getting the Canon OEM charger , the CB - 2LV or CB - 2LVG , rather than an aftermarket unit . The aftermarket chargers I have seen seem to work OK for a while , but then the battery begins to lose capacity . The Canon charger keeps the battery working at capacity much longer . I have some five-year-old Canon and Lenmar batteries that are still working perfectly . In addition , the Canon charger is smaller than the aftermarket units and has a foldable AC plug . As of late February 2010 you can get Canon OEM chargers for about $35 at Amazon or for about $30 , including shipping , on eBay .
132 4 I wanted to get a point-and-shoot for my wife and I knew it had to be something small that she wouldn't mind carrying in her jacket / jeans pocket or handbag . Also I wanted this camera to complement my dslr , in terms of compactness and features . I'm happy to say the SD780IS does the job excellently . Its unbelievably sleek , making it as portable as a cellphone . And its got a ton of shooting modes - in my most recent vacation I could absolutely find a shooting mode for every scenario I was in . Love it ! And briefly on how I narrowed down on this camera - I'm a Canon fan so didn't look anywhere else , and the SD1200IS and SD780IS were the two options in my price range . To compare the SD780IS with a SD1200IS , I feel the SD780IS is well worth the few extra bucks considering you get HD video and a much slimmer camera .
134 4 As an avid photographer I value having a camera that takes good pictures , which is why I bought a Canon 40D with an L series lens and three other IS USM lenses , along with a monopod , tripod , bag , filters , etc . Then the economic crisis hit me and I became strapped for cash , so I sold it all on ebay ( I hated to do it , but had no choice ) . This left me camera-less , so I looked for an inexpensive point-n-shoot . After hours and hours of research I decided on the Powershot SD780 IS and must say this thing has exceeded my expectations in every way possible . I can not believe such a small , lightweight camera can shoot video and 12 mega pixel images . With a 4GB card , shooting at 2592 x 1944 ( and it goes up to 4000 x 3000 and 4000 x 2248 for wide shoot , which really are wide ) I can take 2677 photos before I have to empty it ( not that I would ever let it build up to that ) . I'll skip all the features and details ( you can read that on your own at the Canon website ) , but will say you will NOT be disappointed . The images are crisp , clear and always in focus . You have a plethora of scene settings to choose from , but just set it on auto and let it decide how to shoot . I guess that's what they mean by Point-n-shoot . My favorite thing about this is how small it is ! Fits right in my pocket ( and is smaller than my Droid phone ) . I bought a belt holster on eBay for $7 and now my camera is always with me . I also used the Amazon credit card and got $40 off , so I paid $169 for this ! Talk about a bargain . This is 5 stars all the way ! April 2010 Update : I bought a new Canon 50D with all the lens for those professional shots , but I STILL use this PnS camera for quick shots and because it's so portable . I find that even with $4,000 worth of professional equipment , I still find myself using this PnS - that images are REALLY good , especially outdoors .
138 4 I bought this camera as an upgrade to my Canon SD870IS . I use my little pocket cameras to video outdoor primal movement that I then edit them into training DVDs and needed a bit better video capacity . The SD780IS gives me that , plus outstanding still photography and it is even smaller . The HD video excellent . We compared it to the video from the SD870IS and my waterproof Canon D10 . The difference is significant . The controls are typical Canon style and easy for me to use . Because of the smaller size it took me maybe a day of use to get myself adjusted to it . I have taken video in some extremely low light situations and been very impressed with it . The battery is excellent and of course I bought a second one for when I am doing lots of video . So far this is my favorite Always Carry Camera . I hiked up to a waterfall the other day and captured a rainbow in the falls . This camera really does job .
156 4 I got this one refurbished for approximately 110 $ ( retail price 134 $ ) from beachcamera after coupon applied . Comparing to my old canon sd 870 IS , the night shot is way better . The video quality is also good except the audio noise . But what would you expect from such a tiny body . I tend to buy point & shoot when there are enough reviews and when there are refurbished version so that I can get the best features for the money . I also had a test on canon sd1400IS in store , the replacement model . However , it is just some more pixels and a slightly wider lens . I would go for this one if it is 80 - 100 $ cheaper . 12M is enough and both shoot 720p . The wide of the lens on this is enough for family and daily shots . If you shoot group photos most of times , then go for sd1400IS . Otherwise , sd780IS is a must-have . I would recommend any one get this if you ( 1 ) want above avg image quality and shoot HD video ( 2 ) have a DSLR and want a compact to carry with .
159 4 I had Canon SD790IS and Canon SD1200IS before , this camera looks much nicer and sexier , but the preform of this camera is not as good as Canon SD 1200 IS . It is a slower camera . It can take 0.8fps while Canon SD 1200 IS can take 1.4fps , the only thing I can think of this camera is better than SD1200IS is the look is better and smaller . You have to try both cameras to see the differences . For me , Canon SD780IS is too little in my hand , and the buttons are too small , they are very hard to use . Canon SD1200IS is easier to control . Canon SD 1200 IS is cheaper than this one about $50USD .
162 4 Most point and shoot cameras have eliminated the ability to look thru the view finder when shooting the picture . Regardless of how well the image stabilization software works , it is still difficult to get a sharp picture when you have to hold the camera in front of you . The Canon PowerShot SD780IS gives the user the choice between the large , well-lit LCD or the traditional viewfinder . The controls are easy to identify and use and the battery life appears to be quite satisfactory . Picture quality is excellent .
213 4 I have been looking for just the right digital camera and at last I have found it . I am technologically challenged and have been afraid of buying a camera that would be way too complicated for me . But after reading about digital cameras in a consumer magazine and a few of the reviews listed here , I decided that this camera would fit my needs nicely . Since this is my very first ever digital camera , I thought that I would be stuck reading the operator's manual for days , but not so . I only had to read one or two pages ( maybe three total ) in order to get started and I haven't needed to look at the handbook since . It's practically a point and shoot camera . All one needs to know is what button to push to open and close the lense and which button to push in order to capture an image . ( I leave it in AUTO mode so everything comes out perfect . ) It's really that simple . I have had absolutely no problems with the camera . It is very small ( it's classified as a sub-compact ) so I usually slip the strap on my wrist so it won't fall on the ground if it slips out of my hands ( just a safety precaution on my part ) . I've had the camera for 2 - 3 weeks now and have yet to recharge the battery ( a battery and battery charger was included ) . The software was very easy to install and uploading pictures to the computer is extremely simple ( the directions are very easy to follow ) . I purchased an extra battery as recommended by Amazon ; however , Amazon failed to recommend a Flash Memory Card be purchased ( which IS NOT included with the camera ) or recommend a camera case be purchased ( not included with the camera ) in order to protect the camera if carried in a purse or satchel or luggage . I am very happy with my little red camera ( Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH ) and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in a simple easy to operate camera that captures clear , detailed , crisp , and excellent images .
215 4 I purchased this camera on as a replacement for my 5MP Kodak EasyShare that took absolutely GORGEOUS photos on the Auto setting . I often used the SCN settings on my Kodak even though auto worked just fine ( if not better than the scenes ) . I will say I am a bit disappointed at the Auto feature on this camera . This is a point-and-shoot camera and as such I feel that the Auto setting should be much better than it is . After reading lots of reviews all about Canon's Smart Auto I figured this would be a good buy . I will say that the Smart Auto is kind of cool and it definitely works , but pictures are not at all what they should be ( on Auto ) for a 12MP camera . That is , however , my only real complaint . After reading over the manual I have started playing with the Canon's scene settings - - there are a lot of these , which is fantastic . Though there are some scenes that are pretty worthless in my opinion ( read : underwater , fireworks ) . The camera takes MUCH better pictures when you use the scene settings . MUCH , MUCH better . I do wish that there was an Outside / Sunny setting because I find that using Beach or Snow do not work at all on a bright day . . . they just throw the white balance of the photo way off . I've even tried setting the ISO to 100 or 200 , but even on a bright day the image is not as clear as I would expect with all those MPs ! Video is OK . Sucks that you can't use the zoom . However , I really like the HD feature and the fact that you can plug right into your TV to view videos and pictures in HD . Overall , this is a phenomenal camera for the price . The SCN settings do take a while to get the hang of , but it's sturdy and the flat black coloring is awesome . I would have LOVED to get the gold , but it's for some reason $100 more ? ! Odd . . Anyway , I would definitely buy this camera again .
221 4 The SD780IS is a great little point & shoot pocket camera . A surprising feature given its small size is the inclusion of a viewfinder . You'll find that most digicams these days leave this out and you're forced to use the LCD screen . It is a tiny viewfinder , but nevertheless , I appreciate that one is included . I was also surprised to find that there is a Program feature , which allows the user to choose ISO , White Balance scene mode , color settings , metering & shot modes . There are no aperture or shutter speed modes , but I'm guessing if you're looking at this camera that's not a problem . I own several digital cameras of varying cost and size , but I wanted a camera that I could toss in my bag or jacket and know that I was never without a camera ( without the added bulk to remind me I was always carrying one ) , but at the same time took decent quality photos & video and this fit the bill . Make no mistake it won't take poster quality photos , but it will do in a pinch for snapshots and facebook / myspace , etc . Do NOT use the included wrist strap with this camera . The metal part of the strap will scrape the camera and remove the paint . I have had this camera for several months and kept it in pristine condition . The other day I put the strap on and it scraped the paint off the edge of the camera and left several shiny rub marks that could not be removed . Why they would choose to include this strap is beyond understanding . I don't know what compelled me to use the strap as I always use fabric-only straps .
227 4 This is overall a fantastic camera . I bought it to replace another Canon ( Elph 1000 ) which worked well in closeup / macro situations but not so well in poor light or glare , and had some general issues with light quality and focus . So I had some trepidations , but figured - or rather , hoped - that Canon had worked out the bugs on the earlier elph ( which I bought in 2007 ) . This one is a revelation - it's simply a superb little camera that pretends it's an SRL . My wife wanted a small camera for her archival work , and I wanted something that was versatile and had an effective macro . Both of us wanted a camera with high quality video ( Check ) and a children and pets setting ( for photos of our toddler and pets - check ! ) . Only two negatives : the zoom is fairly useless , and the auto setting is to be avoided , as it tries to do everything to prevent the flash from going off - specifically , what it defaults is relatively long aperture ( 1 / 15 or 1 / 10 sec ) and high ISO settings . As a consequence , lots of photos taken on AUTO look blurry or out of focus . The PROGram setting is brilliant , though , and the optics components seem really quite good ( esp . for the price ) . I've taken about 2000 photos in the last 2 months , and could not be happier ( and did I mention the price ? )

033 4 I had been doing research into a pocket video camera and narrowed down my choices to either the MinoHD or the Vado HD until I came upon this camera . I read the rave reviews and decided to go down to the local best buy and check it out . It was so tiny and cool looking with a great list of features that I just had to have it ! I started snapping some indoor and outdoor pics and videos as soon as I got home . I downloaded them to my computer and took a look at the results . They were not nearly as great as I was expecting after reading all the reviews so I decided to break out my old sd600 and take side by side shots and compare the two . I was shocked ! My old sd600 , which is only 6MP by the way , took much sharper , colorful and clearer pics than this camera ! Even when I blew the pics up the sd600 still outperformed this camera . This made me wonder how the hd video would compare to the pocket cameras . I ordered the Vado HD from Amazon and received it two days later . I shot side by side video with both cameras to compare the two . The video from the Vado HD turned out to be much better in all lighting conditions . The video was clearer , sharper with better color saturation and was $100 less ! So this camera is going back to best buy . Maybe I just happened to buy a lemon or maybe my old sd600 is just a really fantastic camera . . . who knows . I REALLY wanted to like this camera though ! It looks really cool in red . . . lol

034 4 I bought this camera as an upgrade to an older Canon powershot that I was very happy with . This one , however , has been a big disappointment . First of all , within two days of purchasing it the pictures started getting white streaked lines . This had nothing to do with sunlight . Even in a dark room it gave a grainy image with white streaks . Clearly the model I purchased was defective . So , I call Canon and ask them for a replacement . Instead they told me to send it in for repair . And it was my responsibility to box it up , and pay shipping and insurance to send it to them ! When it came back there were no more white streaks . As I've used it more , however , I'm noticing that the camera makes a lot of noise that gets picked up when recording video . At first I thought it was the furnace fan in my house , so I shut everything down in the house but there was still a strong background hiss when recording videos . Sure enough , if you hold the camera close to your ears while it's on you can hear a faint but perceptible hum from the unit . This hum gets picked up pretty strongly by the microphone when recording video . Not sure if this occurs in all the units , or just mine . Either way , it seems that quality control has gotten poorer at Canon .

055 4 I have a nice SLR camera that I love , but it can be cumbersome sometimes . I wanted to get a small point and shoot camera that I could use in situations where it just wasn't practical to take a large camera . I tried a Kodak , Nikon Coolpix and another Canon model before trying this one and loving it . Compared to the other three , this one had very good quality pictures in low light and had the least grainy pictures . I bought it just before a trip to Guatemala where I took 6GB of pictures and video and I was very pleased with the overall quality . Not quite as good as an SLR , but the closest thing I've found in a point-and-shoot .
144 4 I purchased this camera as a Christmas gift to myself , it has become one of the best investments I've made . The pictures on this camera are the clearest and best pictures I've ever taken . Right now , I am extremely satisfied with the ease of using this camera seeing that I am not really good at working camera's .

072 4 I was traveling and in a hurry , and made the mistake of buying a Pentax Optio M20 on sale when I found I'd left my trusty old Canon SD110 at home . I call it a mistake not because there was anything terribly wrong with the Optio , but because I found it harder to get good pictures with it than with the venerable SD110 , despite a friendlier user interface , much higher resolution and image stabilization . Since I use my Canon EOS 30D for my non-candid photo needs , the Pentax has been adequate for the past couple years . But as I flipped through more and more candid photos that were blurry ( or focused on the plant behind the subject's face ) , I decided to do a little research , and ended up pre-ordering the SD780IS . I love the feel of this camera . It's sleek and solid , and fits easily into my pants pocket . The small flash offers surprisingly good coverage , considering its size , and the LCD is nicely sized and clear . The daylight shots are crisp and colorful , and the multiple face recognition makes it easy to take quick shots of several subjects at varying distances from the camera . Start up is quick , as is the image read / display rate in playback mode , and battery performance is more than adequate for casual shooting . The techie features are abundant as well . I love the blink detection and face timer , even though neither option saves much time or effort . I'm also impressed with how smoothly Canon has integrated digital zoom , so that when taking pictures at lower than maximum resolution , the effective non-interpolated zoom increases from the optical 3x ; this is clearly indicated in the process , so that it's not easy to accidentally zoom beyond 1 - to - 1 pixel capture . There are , of course , small inconveniences that come with the miniaturization of this much technical sophistication . It took me a while to get used to the zoom lever due to its size and shape , and the navigation buttons on the back are slightly smaller than my thumb would prefer . Moving beyond ergonomics , the small aperture that this camera shares with others in the pocket genre means that low-light imaging is not always ideal ( usually manifested as blur due to movement combined with a slow shutter speed ; when the shutter speed is kept high , it is instead manifested as noise in the imagery due to the increased sensitivity at high ISO settings ) . The optical image stabilization does help , and it makes this a better candidate for low light than most of the small cameras that have come before it ; it is certainly better than the two other small cameras I've owned ( mentioned above ) in this respect . Being able to shoot high resolution video with this camera is refreshing , and I've enjoyed that feature . I had optimistically hoped that it would be good enough that I wouldn't need a separate camcorder for video , but that was wishful thinking . It's wonderful for short , candid videos but suffers from the small aperture and - - ironically - - form factor for longer shots . This is manifested as movement blur and camera shake . The movement blur is much less pronounced in good lighting , but the stabilizing lens can only move so much , and the human hand is notoriously unsteady when unbraced . The size of the camera makes it that much harder to hold still , as momentum tends to slow the movement of some of the larger cameras / camcorders . In summary , I'm more than pleased with this camera and would have no second thoughts about recommending it to anyone looking for a small point-and-shoot . The defects it suffers are shared in common with all cameras of this size to some extent ; as technology improves , more of these will be mitigated , but for the time being the convenience and fun being offered in this tiny package would be hard to beat at twice the price .

045 4 the LCD screen broke on the first occasion , while being carried inside a semi-rigid case in my jacket pocket . Warranty was refused because they say it's an impact . I've owned two previous versions , and I can say this one was definitely not abused in any way , it's just too brittle . I could get it repaired at about half the cost of a new one , but I think I'll buy a different brand instead , I'd feel very bad if I replace the screen just to break again next time I take it out .
068 4 I bought this camera mainly due to its size and ability to shoot HD video . I upgraded from a Sony DSC-P8 , which took pretty good daytime pictures but horrible low light shots and the shutter lag was ridiculously long . Also , I couldn't fit the camera in my pocket because it was so thick . This camera is an improvement in all of those categories . Of course I understand the Sony DSC-P8 is an older camera and most new cameras would be better . This is the smallest , slimmest camera I have ever owned . I also have a Canon XSi DSLR which allows for more flexibility and takes professional looking shots but its by no means compact . When going out with friends or on a short trip , I'd much rather take the Canon SD780 IS which I can fit in my pocket . I also purchased the Canon PSC - 1050 camera case from Amazon which is made specifically for this camera , as stated on the packaging . If you buy this camera , you should also get this case . Why buy a small camera only to buy a bulky third party case ? To me , the low light shots are acceptable for a point and shoot camera . The pictures still have a little bit of noise to them if you zoom in on your PC , but no where near the shots I took with my Sony . However , even though the noise is much improved , the sharpness of the pictures suffer a slight bit . The older Sony was better in this department . Overall , the low light shots taken with the Canon look much better than the Sony . I have no complaints with the daytime shots . The shutter lag is also much better than the Sony . You can forget taking pictures of moving objects with the Sony . It sometimes took 3 - 4 seconds for the camera to take the picture from the point of pressing the shutter . The SD780 IS still has a shutter lag of about a second or less depending on the shooting conditions . For shots of moving objects like children and pets , I have my Canon XSi . The buttons and on screen menus are easy to use and understand . Due to the small size of the camera , the buttons are small . I sometimes have trouble pressing the correct button . It's not a major problem though . I would rather have small button and a large LCD than the other way around . Overall , I am very pleased with the camera . I never expected it to be perfect since its a rather inexpensive and compact point & shoot camera , but it exceeded the expectations that I did have and serves its purpose well .
113 4 My daughter ordered this with birthday money after researching cameras online . It was one of the cameras recommended by Ken Rockwell , and one of the few low-end digitals that still has an optical viewfinder . My pragmatic daughter insisted on this , since sometimes in bright light the LCD is hard to view . The camera is tiny ! Even after seeing a picture of the camera hiding behind a credit card I was not prepared for how small it is ! The buttons are recessed and the whole camera slips easily into a pocket without snagging on anything . Despite its small size , the LCD is easy to view , and the buttons are very usable . The second moment of awe was powering on . The camera turns on and off very quickly ! Some other point-and-shoot digitals we've had have had a considerable delay before they are ready to shoot , extending the lens and running through the self-test of the software . This camera is not quite instantaneous , but it's very fast ! The pictures are good quality , and it's easy to switch between photo and video mode . Another fun surprise was that the auto-focus places the camera in macro mode when you try to focus on something right in front of the lens . In short , the features of the camera are very well done . I can't comment on the battery life or sturdiness / durability because we've only had the camera for a short time and my daughter is fastidious about taking out the battery when she isn't actively using the camera .
118 4 I take a lot of pictures and have gone through a few digital cameras . I had a sony cyber shot for about 5 years until a friend dropped it on its open lens and jammed it and a casio exilim for the passed 5 years . no complaints about the sony and the casio though extremely durable , did not impress me on picture quality so i decided to upgrade to this camera about 3 months ago . i have a canon rebel that i adore so i thought this should be a good everyday camera an dit was . it took in light well and the flash was nice too . i cant say much about the video i never used it . the zoom was grainy but otherwise i had no problems with the pictures . my problem was the LDC screen randomly going white an dstaying that way . ive seen a few reviews from people with the same problem . canon seems to be famous for high quality but i barely used it and i take care of my cameras theres no reason the LCD would have stopped working . im going back to a sony .

087 4 I bought this camera on the number and positive reviews at Amazon , which is how I purchase many things here . I was not disappointed . This is a great little point and shoot camera and an excellent value for the money . I work on a ship and had started taking pictures of other vessels to post on the web , so I really wanted a camera that had a large optical zoom , but I wasn't ready to lay down the cash for an expensive DSLR . Other point and shoots , like the COOLPIX , had more optical zoom , but the feedback was not very good , so although the Canon Powershot SD780IS has only 3x optical zoom I bought it on the strength of the reviews . I ordered it from the ship , had amazon deliver it to the agent in the next port , and had in a few days . The camera is VERY small , and comes with a USB connection , wrist strap , manual , software , battery and charger , but you need to purchase a memory card ( I also got a spare battery ) . You have to charge the battery before you use it , but that was pretty fast . Having been using my 6 year old OLYMPUS 3.2 megapixel camera , I was blown away between the difference in the quality of the images . With it's image stabilizer , up to about 8x digital zoom , the Canon Powershots pictures are excellent , after that up to the max of 12x they start getting a little more grainy , but still pretty good . The screen on the back of the camera is good sized and you can adjust the brightness , but like most of this type of camera it still can be difficult to see it in bright sunlight . It also has an optical viewfinder but it is tiny and somewhat difficult to use . The camera's manual is pretty good and not to hard to follow and like most of these cameras you have a full auto or manual setting in addition to being able to shoot video . Most of the features I haven't tried yet , but one I do like is being able to adjust the ISO setting in the manual mode , disable the flash and get pretty good images using the ambient light . This is great at concerts or other venues where you don't want to disturb others . I didn't care for the image software that came with the camera and instead I use Photoscape ( free on the web ) and Photoshop Essentials , which came with my Canoscan 8800F scanner . The photoscape software is very easy to use . As mentioned the camera is small , so it can easily fit in a purse , pant pocket or inside suit jacket pocket , but be careful as keys , loose change or other hard objects can easily scratch the view screen . The camera seems well made , but I would suggest buying a case if you plan to use it on hikes , trips or other extended outings . I gave the camera 5 stars because I was very happy with it and the overall purchasing experience . I am certainly not a photo expert , but I think most folks like me that want a decent little camera at a good price will like the Canon Powershot SD780 IS .

093 4 Prior to buying this camera , I did an extensive amount of research with cameras that would fit my budget . I finally was succumbed to the Canon SD780is . After much testing , it was clear that this little camera packed a punch . The quality of the photos blew me away . I also enjoy the features that allow you to bring out colors depending on lighting situations before you take the photo . The auto feature , which allows the camera to adjust for you accordingly , is excellent for beginners . It zooms 3x before sacrificing megapixels but it can go beyond that to 12x . The HD recording quality is excellent , but what blew me away was that it was able to record sound with almost perfect replication to the real thing . The camera is tiny and very portable . It is about the size of my cell phone . I was very pleased with the SD780is . I'm sure I'll be enjoying these aesthetically pleasing photos for years to come .

149 4 Very compact and excellant pictures . The HD video is great , unless you zoom which quickly degrades image quality . Battery life is very good , and has a ton of present picture modes . A great buy , especially if you want an ultracompact camera .

099 4 I've had this camera for about three weeks , and it's amazing . I usually can't take a good picture to save my life , but with the 780IS it seems as though I can't take a bad one . The video is beautiful . Most amazing of all is the low light capability . You will need a large SD card , as the 720p video eats up memory quickly . I say Run , don't walk to buy this one , and like me you may find yourself waking up in the middle of the night , unaware you have been holding the camera in your sweaty palms chanting my precious .

102 4 This is a great camera . The user interface was easy to figure out even though I never owned a digital camera . I like the date feature which prints the date in small red numbers in the corner of the picture . The only downside to this camera is that you might have a little trouble with the buttons if you have thick fingers . At first I thought it a slow to take many pictures in quick succession , due to autofocusing between shots , but then I found there is a feature that lets you take many shots at once , just by keeping the button held down . What a great feature ! The camera doesn't come with a case , but Canon PSC - 1050 Deluxe Leather Case fits well .

225 4 the shutter lag is what kind of annoys me , but this thing is SO tiny and easy to throw in your bag that it's great for candids when just hanging out with friends . I am happy to always have it lying around in case ther'es an unexpected photo opp waiting around the corner but sometimes nothing beats an SRL , even if they are rather heavy . The video feature is also quite nice , though like other reviewers said , it's a shame you can't zoom while filming .

124 4 I have always been a Nikon person . I own a Nikon D40X SLR digital camera for serious photos . For an upcoming trip to Paris I wanted a pocket camera that could should video as well as digital photos . I purchased a Nikon Coolpix point and shoot camera . I hated it . So I returned it and purchased the Canon SD780 on Amazon.com . The price was good , and it qualified for free shipping . I chose that model because it takes HD video and had good reviews in Consumer reports . I LOVE this camera . The videos are better quality than I expected ( so are the photos ) . It doesn't have an option for manual controls . But that's okay . This camera will be used for candid shots . So all I have to do is reach in my pocket turn the camera on and shoot . I am very glad I bought this camera .

032 4 This is my 10th digital camera . I own variety of different brands of digital cameras for different shooting conditions ranging from underwater Sony camera to Nikon SLR . The size is very compact . The camera takes awesome pictures with very good metering . The dynamic face tracking ensures all the faces are in focus with evenly balance exposure . Pictures at highest resolution are not as sharp , with some distortion . However , the 12MP is a bit over kill for me . It's a waste of storage space and difficult to post or e-mail . This camera is perfect for a night out with friends . I will probably use something with bigger lense for my travel . Overall rating is excellent , for everyday use . It is definitely a BUY !
146 4 Bought this camera as a walk around , when the DSLR would be in the way . Works very well . Auto focus is quick enough to catch 3 year old grandsons ! Would reccommend this item to all my frriends .
151 4 The portability of this camera cannot be beat ! However , do not expect SLR grade pics with it . Its a point and shoot , and really can do quite a bit . But its not going to give you the best picture quality you've ever seen . Also , the flash is fairly weak , probably due to the small size and power limitations . I was also impressed with the speed . Others have said its slow , but I disagree . From power button press to picture taken is less than 2 seconds . Overall , a great camera for slipping into a pocket and carrying with you .
187 4 This is a remarkable piece of technology for one's life and pocket - - not to mention pocketbook . It is so much more convenient than my high-priced Nikon digital SLR and the results are equal . Don't bother looking at the competition - - this is the one !
202 4 This camera takes great pictures and is so small I can carry it in my shirt pocket . It won't beat a high quality SLR digital , but then again - it doesn't cost near as much . Can't be beat for everyday photography .

136 4 This is my fourth Canon PowerShot digital camera . I take my camera everywhere on trips , and usually throw it in my pocket . . . and they have all lasted longer than they should have . Reliable picture quality . Plenty of custom settings . I love it . . . was worried about the smaller 2.5 display ( last Canon had 3 display ) , but barely notice the difference . I love the HD video capturing ability , nice small and compact design . Though the brushed aluminum finish makes it slippery , extra care is needed when taking pictures , making sure you have the wrist strap on . I rarely even shoot in full 12MP size , because I share pictures online most of the time . . . .5MB setting is more than enough . Great battery life . Great image quality . Sturdy outter design . I definitely recommend this camera . . . easy to tuck in your pocket anywhere you go !

081 4 I guess you could say that the only negative is that this camera is TOO small . Someone with large hands or with some arthritis coming on might have trouble with the controls . The hd movie feature is incredible ! 1 hour of movies on an 8GB chip . I play them on my 32 hdtv and they look perfect . To me , a viewfinder in bright sunlight is essential , and this little jewel has one that zooms with the lens . Get this baby as I did before Canon drops it for one of its non-viewfinder upgrades .
167 4 The camera is as thin as they get . It takes HD video and great pictures . It does not come wth a sd card so I recommend to get a large capacity SD card because of the enormous space HD takes ( 32GB is as high as you can get it , 8 Gb would be fine )

158 4 I bought this camera on super sale on Black Friday and have been so pleased with it I can hardly contain my excitement . I adore it's sleek design and compact size . A pocket is all you need to carry it around . Despite the camera's small size it has a large screen for viewing . The features are easy to use and the quality is fantastic . I'm so enthralled with this product I cannot recommend it enough . While I'm certainly still learning to use it and all its features , I have already taken twice as many photos as normal and feel they are much better than before I started using the PowerShot . Its portability adds to my desire to shoot more shots . I can carry it anywhere and therefore am more apt to take spontaneous photographs . I bought the Canon in an attempt to improve my amateur photography skills and have been impressed with my progress so far .

040 4 This is the smallest camera from canon that takes excellent pictures . The view finder is too small to use but can be used in a pinch . The flash is not that good because only works in short distances and the colors are off with the flash . I have set the camera to never use flash since most situations do not need a flash . I have a bigger Canon for flash pictures and bigger optical zoom . The small size of this camera means I am most likely to carry it when I go out .
097 4 I love this camera . It's just what I wanted . I am the owner of several canon cameras so when my last canon died after several years of heavy use , I knew that canon was the only way to go . I went in search of reviews of highly recommended small cameras . After reading many reviews on different websites the Canon SD780IS captured my heart . I love the gold color . The pictures that it produces exceeds my expectations . It's very easy to use straight out of the box . This camera has many features that one may never use but is there if you ever need them . Haven't played with the video much yet so the jury is still out on that . I love that it is so small it fits in a pocket ready to pull out at a moments notice to capture that can't miss picture . I highly recommend this camera to anyone no matter your level of photography experience .
127 4 The size of the camera is astonishing . It is much smaller than my mobile phone and weighs only around 4 ounces . The picture and video quality are simply outstanding . Would definitely recommend this .
217 4 A great camera except for fact that dust , dirt , or something have put spots on the photos after six months of use .

183 4 First , let me say that as I'm nowhere near being a professional photographer - - hey , what can I say , I'm an audio guy - - I hope this review may help someone like myself consider purchasing what I've found to be a very good camera . I couldn't be happier with the features , and the results I've gotten are stellar . I believe the Canon SD780IS truly may be a great stepping-stone for someone looking to move beyond the fully automated point-and-shoot variety to a cam that at least gives you a fair degree of manual control ( if you wish ) over how you choose to take a picture - - from exposure to white balance and a few other tweaks . True DSLR's of course are not at all cheap , so this camera in my mind gets you most of the way there at what may be a fraction of the cost . That said , my one gripe is this is not a camera for someone with large hands ! I do have a great deal of trouble at times pushing the tiny buttons - - but eventually I do get there . Had I paid more attention to the dimensions , or had I had the chance to physically play around with this camera , I would not have purchased it . Down the road I do see myself taking the further step up to a DSLR for even more flexibility and manual control , but for folks who are looking for a pocket camera and for whom size doesn't matter . . . the Canon SD780IS may just be the perfect little package of features at a very reasonable price .

057 4 The SD780IS is a great buy if you're looking for a pocket camera to take with you on a whim ( just in case you feel the urge to snap a few shots ) . Its a canon so its easy to use and the pre-set modes are fun . I wasn't floored with the picture quality because the colors were way off in certain situations . I rated it three stars overall because the camera doesn't function as well as I wanted it too in low light situations ( inside a club , at night , dance floor , weird lighting ) .
083 4 I just love this camera . The picture quality is good and with the 16gb disk I have inside I can take tons of pictures or long videos . Since I know this camera so well , when I went to replace the one I dropped in the water ( my bad ) I chose to purchase the same unit again because I didn't see the need for a new version at higher cost when this one does such a great job . It is so portable and people are shocked at the quality of the video's I am able to take with it . I also love the fact that it will adjust for macro pictures so I can take up close shots . It is small enough to fit in my purse or pocket so it goes with me everywhere . The battery charges quickly and compared to AA batteries lasts much longer .
084 4 A real great slim pocket camera , takes great pictures . Low light picture quality is also good . Its so small that you'll never know if its still there in your back pocket : ) . Cannon's quality has been great for this camera too !
125 4 I am very pleased with my decision to buy the Canon Powershot SD780 IS camera . I was looking for something small enough that it could fit in my pocket without bothering me , but that could also take great pictures on-the-go . This camera turned out to be everything I wanted in an ultra-compact point-and-shoot . At 12.1 megapixels ( and in appropriate light ) the pictures look fantastic . My one complain would be that once the ISO starts to climb there is noticeable grain in the photos , but I use it mostly for daytime / flash pictures with my friends so this isn't a problem . The battery lasts for a very long time and the features are intuitive to any beginner . If you are looking for a great trade-off between size , price , and image quality . . . ( drum roll please ) look no further than the Canon Powershot SD780 IS .

200 4 This is now my second Cannon and I must say I love the line . Unless something goes terribly wrong I'll be sticking with the Cannon line . This takes great pictures and video in such a small package . I haven't yet gone too in depth with all of the features but what I have tried so far has been easy with great results . This camera is so easy to use right out of the box . I would highly recommend this for the average user . I decided to upgrade from my previous Cannon as my wife & I just had our first son and I am happy I did . We have been snapping away and getting crystal clear near perfect pictures . The only drawback to this camera is the battery . Although it does last for a decent amount of time I would recommend either getting a longer lasting battery or purchasing a backup battery . Lucky for us this uses the same battery as our last Cannon so we are all set . All and all this is a great camera and a great buy ! The 4GB memory card Amazon is currently offering free with this was only the icing on the cake making this a must buy ! ! ! Go out and get one for yourself and see the results first hand ! ! !

012 4 Size : this sucker is small . easy to carry around in your pocket . Picture quality : I cant complain . Some people write about noisy photos , over saturation , washed out this and that , i just dont see it and honestly i think it makes people feel smart when they write reviews like that . to my eye , the pics look great . i am not a professional photographer so maybe thats the problem . if you are like me and are a regular consumer , i am sure you will be pleased . HD movies : I was specifically in the market for point and shoot that did video well . let me say , the video in a brightly lit area is fantastic . hooked the camera up to my HD TV via mini hdmi and was amazed that this tiny little guy took such sharp video . in low light , the video can be a little noisy , but that is going to happen with any digital camera . that will even happen with a dedicated video camera , so no complaints from me . Battery life : battery is great , once again , no complaints . I think there is a reason that all the top selling camera's on amazon appear to be Canon's . This camera met all my expectations .
014 4 I was very pleased with the image capture . The pictures were very clear and it almost always took a great picture even if the lighting was poor or I was moving around a lot . I was dissapointed in the video portion . The video itself looked great , but the audio that was recorded with the video has a lot of noise that is recorded from inside the camera somewhere . I recorded in complete silence , and the audio still had a humming that was quite loud .
059 4 I've been waiting for this camera to come out . I absolutely love the size of it , I finally have a small camera that I can take with me anywhere . I've been satisfied with the picture quality so far . I think I need to mess around with the settings a bit more - my macro photos are looking soso . My only main complaint so far is that the screen is small ( would have loved to see a large screen that takes up more of the back of the camera ) and the buttons are so tiny , you need to hit them just right with part of your finger . But it's easy to use and I love the way it looks and the size and for someone who takes pictures like me ( casually ) , it's perfect . And there have been a number of photos that have turned out beautifully , great colors .
060 4 I got the camera so that I would have something small that I could throw in my purse so I could take pictures whenever and wherever . I wanted something that would take a great picture , and be easy to use because I am not the greatest with technology . This camera is all those things and not a bad price .
066 4 I was a bit leery of buying this camera because some reviews raised issues with picture quality , edge softening , lens flare , pinkish cast to tungsten settings and graininess . I am happy to report that picture quality on my new camera is equal to that of my last 2 SDs , an SD1000 and an SD800 . There is absolutely no lens flare at 100X magnification . AT iso 400 , pictures taken indoors with tungsten setting with or without flash have no pinkish cast and are acceptable for prints up to 5X7 or so . Picture edges are acceptably sharp . Here are 2 really , really nice features ; 1 . The review button is separate , turns the camera on for review of pictures , and the pics can be cycled through rapidly . 2 . The slider allows auto and a custom setting . I use Auto outdoors , and set the C setting for indoors using tungsten , iso 400 and flash off . Then when coming indoors just move the slider to the C position . It's instantly set for most indoor shots with tungsten and good ambient light . If the light is low , just turn the flash to auto . The camera itself is tiny and pocketable . Cons : the optical viewfinder is really tiny . It's hard to carefully frame a picture using it in low light . Buttons are also quite small , but arranged in the usual Cannon configuration . I found myself using a fingernail to quickly change settings . So far pictures have been really stellar ; makes me think some reviewers got sub-par cameras to test .
089 4 Great point and shoot and pretty good video recorder . You'll need a lot of light to get crisp video , indoor will be OK , but will show a decent amount of grain . The size and portability is the real deal maker for this camera . I couldn't find a case that fit it snug enough , so I bought a cell phone clam shell . It fits perfectly and I recommend it . The battery life is not the best , the view finder is literally like looking through a pin-hole on a piece of paper . But in a tight spot I guess it would function . . but no better then just holding the camera and guessing . Overall , a nice camera . I have used it a lot and it usually can determine the correct settings when in ' auto . ' But the real reason i got this was for the HD and the size . . . both are good and I recommend this camera for those that aren't going to ' pixel-peep ' .
090 4 I used this camera first on a trip through the Southwest , taking pictures along side my nearly professional photographer husband , who was using 20 pounds of camera equipment . In most cases , except for some very low light situations , my pictures were clear , bright , focused and all I did was point / focus / shoot . It has a lot of built in smarts , so that it adjusts as you focus to shoot the scene . It also has some advanced features that I am still learning to use . Great little camera . The zoom part takes some getting use to . The view finder doesn't work well , when you use the zoom feature .
094 4 If you are looking for a tiny camera / video recorder that will fit easily in your pocket to take easy shots whenever you want . . . this is what you are looking for . The power on time is super fast . The video quality is excellent . The only down sides : - You are going to want to get a descent sized card . - Low light video quality isnt that great .
111 4 This little camera is beyond believe . I bought this camera for my wife for Mother's Day . She needed a point and shoot that was small enough to fit in her purse . My wife is photo challenged but with this little camera , she looks like a pro . The video is HD and you will not believe what the little camera can do . I just bought an HD cam corder and it doesn't take Video this good . The sound could be better , but it isn't bad . So much in a little package and the price was under $180 . My $400 Panasonic can't do any better . ( not as good in video ) I may just have to get myself one of these . If you are looking for the perfect camera to take with you on vacation or just have ready when a picture needs taking , you will love this camera .
122 4 I have had this camera for a few months now . This is the first Canon product I have ever owened , and couldn't be happier . This little camera takes great stills , and the ability to record in HD is awesome . I have been recording all kinds of things , because it is very easy , and the image stabilization works tremendously . When you play video back on your HD TV it looks awesome ( of course you need to get an extra cable to hook it up that way . ) Also easy to make and edit movies with included software . All in all great camera for a great price , and very portable . . .
142 4 An excellent camera that is small , cute and very effective . Do not be fooled by size , size does not matter . I brought this camera a month back and took it to my trip to Singapore without reading the manual . Took 800 photos and 760 of them came out very well . Ease of use , portability , and convenience are the hallmarks of this camera .
170 4 I had a Canon before this one that I loved , and was not happy when it died after a drop . Then I got this one . . . and love it more . Positives : - Versatile - - great photos in a variety of conditions - Good video - Compact - Fast - - takes pictures relatively quickly and stores them very fast - Overall excellent picture quality - Many others I probably do not realize , since I was spoiled by my last Canon , which was a generation or two earlier version of this one . Negatives - Would have liked more optical zoom , but realized it was a sacrifice for size . - Colored cases show every scratch and ding - - I wish had got a sliver one instead of a black one Have you every had a pair of shoes that you loved because they were comfortable and looked great and found that you wore them everywhere until you wore them out or could not resole them again ? Well , this is the camera version of those shoes .
173 4 I bought this camera and immediately took it on a two week trip in Europe where I got to use it both indoor and outdoor . The main reason I bought it was to have the ability to take decent pictures with a camera that fits in side pocket of my jeans . I was not disappointed at all . The pictures came out well , the camera feels solidly built , with intuitive menus and easy access to features . The videos are decent even when shot in lower res mode . My only complaint really is that the little switch that controls whether the camera is in auto / pro / video mode changes position pretty easily if you put the camera in a pocket , so one needs to be careful to check that the camera is in the right mode . Overall : very good .
188 4 At the beginning , I bought this camera to replace the camera I really liked , the Canon SD850is after it suffered a nasty fall onto concrete . I didn't understand why that camera had doubled in price and saw this toted as a newer model and figured the SD 850 camera was discontinued . This camera although good does not even come close to the 850 . The biggest problems are red eye and blurriness . I rarely had either problem with the 850 . The flash is in a tiny sliver at the top front of the camera and the instrutions warn that if you accidentally put your finger on it it could destroy the flash . It makes holding the camera akward . I was so happy with the 850 and this is most certainly a downgrade . This camera is comparable to other point and shoots but the small size , decent photos and video quality make it one of the better ones out there . I would recommend getting the next model up .
197 4 I agree with all the positive reviews . Well . . . not all of them . Who has the time to read that much ? So I don't know if anyone has mentioned that no mini hdmi cable is included for direct to HDTV display . ( Mini-HDMI Cable HTC - 100 ) I just want to say : don't buy this at the Canon store . Use Amazon or Monoprice Cable , and pay a tiny fraction of what they would charge .

204 4 This camera is small enough for me to put in a pocket and the picture quality has been amazing . The best feature is the auto focus and image stability . Even when the kids are moving slightly the circles around their faces in the viewfinder moves to where they are . I was impatient and have not read the owners manual but found it easy to use . I bought this to replace a Olympus digital camera which was bulkier and disappointed me with the pictures it took .

180 4 I have only had this camera for a month , but I love it . Small enough to fit in your pocket.Has a large screen to view your pictures . easy to load onto your computer and works good with windows . Has alot of options . so many so you really need to read the manual . It is a must have for anyone who enjoys picture taking .

210 4 I bought this camera for my wife to serve as a handy substitute for a much bigger and bulkier DSLR . With grandchild number five now on board , she needed a camera that took reasonably good photographs and was quickly accessible for priceless moments that deserve preservation . At best I qualify as an amateur photographer and have taken photos for over fifty years with a wide array of film and digital devices . This camera is simply incredible . It's small , almost too small , but packs a punch . Easy to use , it takes beautiful photographs , some of which rival those taken with our DSLR . At first my wife was a bit skeptical when she opened it as a birthday gift , but soon changed her mind after seeing the photographs it can produce . For the money , I can't imagine getting a quality camera capable of more beautiful photographs . A two month update-Now having used the camera extensively for almost two months , my wife and I are even more impressed than we were initially . This camera is almost foolproof and the photographs are , by and large , exceptional . Couple that with software that is very easy to use , we're more pleased than ever . We are definitely Canon converts .

198 4 I work with SLR cameras and when looking for a everyday easy to use camera this was it . I bought it thinking it would be like all other digital cameras but I was wrong . This camera is just as impressive as any of the expensive Canon SLRs . You have to play with the setting of course to get it to its max potential yes but once there the pictures are flawless . It is a simple camera yes but that is what makes it great . Right before you snap any picture it has a mini zoom box that helps make sure your focused . Does not do those stupid twenty thousand flashes which blinds everyone and yeah its not a touch screen camera but I've used those and trust me this camera's just simplicity makes it gold . An excellent buy and a great price .

211 4 I was in the market for a new point and shoot since my Canon S40 was a dud . I cam across this and was immediately attracted by its size and weight . I primarily use this camera on travel for photos however I also use it for other things as well . By no means am I a professional or even seasoned amateur when it comes to photography . I simply needed something to capture the moments . This little thing fit the bill quite nicely and I couldn't be any happier with it . The features that impressed me the most were the 12MP , Lithium ion battery , size / weight , and functionality of it . With a lot of other point and shoots , the camera's have selector wheels that allow you to adjust the settings based on the environment , lighting , etc , to get the best picture . Only problem is that , when taking that once in a lifetime shot , screwing around with the selector wheel is the last thing one should be worried about . This camera is a true point and shoot which is what I liked the most about this camera . You simply turn it on , point and snap . The start up time for the camera is very quick ( I'd say 2 seconds ) . Since I don't have to screw around with a selector wheel , this camera allows me to snap away at whatever i want and let the processor figure out what's best for the shot . An often overlooked but really great feature of this camera . The video recording on this is so-so although I wouldn't expect high grade video quality from something like this . Overall though , it's a nice little feature of this camera since it takes videos in 720p resolution . The files are limited at 30 minutes a piece and , if plan on using this thing for video purposes , you're going to need a large SDHC card since the video files can get massive in size , real quick . I currently use a 32GB card with a 16GB for backup and those workout great for me . I also purchased an aftermarket extended battery for this off eBay for $5 and really like that as well . The picture quality of the camera is quite nice . For the average 3x5 or 4x6 photo , this camera will capture almost every detail in the pic . The large size of the photos come out at 4000 x 3000 pixels which can be blown up to poster size ( if i'm not mistaken ) . I recently had some photos blown up to 12 x 18 posters and there was no loss of quality in the pics . Really nice picture quality for those scrap booking people . The 12MP is a way overkill for a 4x6 photo but it never hurts to have photos that are TOO clear . The size / weight of this is almost negligible . It's tiny , lightweight and you'd almost forget you're carrying it around . Fits in my jean pockets or my backpack cellphone case without any issues . Recently took this on a snowboarding trip and it stood up to the cold and some wetness without fail . I wouldn't go so far as to call this thing very durable as the matte finish is a magnet for scratches , however , it does work well in pretty much any condition and can withstand normal wear and tear . My only real complaints about this thing is the picture quality in low light conditions and the size of the LCD screen . When snapping photos in low light / nighttime settings , the pictures come out looking like you're in the middle of a snow storm . I'm sure the preferences can be fine tuned a bit in manual mode however I haven't gotten that far yet with this thing . the LCD size is a bit on the tiny side but still works for using as your main viewfinder and reviewing pics / videos you've taken . Overall , I'm really happy with this thing and it should be my main point and shoot for some time . It has pretty much all the features the average person needs or is looking for in a camera . Since the new SD line is out , I'm sure you can pick this one up for cheaper than I did . For those looking for a true point and shoot that's functional , look no further than this one .

017 4 I consider myself an amateur photographer , and would probably be willing to spend more hours looking for the ' right ' equipment than doing my homework . Now , that was the case when I purchased this little toy . I had a Nikon D40 dSLR ( one of the big cameras ) , and I was looking for something smaller that I could carry around everywhere . Particularly , I needed something to take on my trip to Japan . I spent days reading reviews and testing products at stores , and finally decided on this camera . I narrowed down my choices to Canon cameras , because although I love Nikon cameras and dSLRs , I think that when it comes down to point-and-shoot cameras ( small , easy to use cameras ) Canon cameras are simply the best . I've never been disappointed by one of these . Among 10 different Canon models it was difficult to choose , but what finally made me decide on this one was the size and ability to record HD video . I watched on YouTube some of the sample videos ( which you can find just by typing the camera model ) and the HD was amazing , even in such a small camera ! The resolution is great , and the picture quality simply great . 12MP of image resolution means more to love and more flexibility to crop when editing ( it also means you should get an SD card with a couple of GB's ) I got the camera with an 8GB card and I can take thousands of pictures at maximum resolution , or record over 45 minutes of video in one clip if I want to do so . This camera's pictures rival my Nikon dSLR pictures , and the flexibility the camera gives you in manual mode is great . I mostly use it in automatic modes , and it works perfect . If you are looking for a ' photographer ' camera , then I'd still go for a Nikon D40 or something similar , since you can shoot in RAW format which is very valuable for heavy editing . But if you just want to capture easily all the beautiful things around you , and videos of your family / friends or you enjoying your days , this camera is perfect for all of it . One more note , the camera feels great in my hands and it's very easy to use . I was quite familiar with the Canon menus , so it might have been easier for me to use it , but I'm sure you can learn fast how to master this camera . Ask any questions you may have . : )
020 4 As an experienced and picky photographer , I'll try to be fair , objective , and to the point . The bottom line is this is a great compact digital camera for the price . It takes great photos when set up right - - auto-mode produces less-than-desired results ( typical for auto set ups ) as they tend to be overexposed and lacking in color . Perfectly normal for auto . Use P mode and tune as desired . The lens isn't that wide - - I believe it's a 28mm on 35mm equivalent , but it's certainly wide enough for most uses . The lens is sharp but does have distortion at its widest end . Avoid taking photos of really defined horizons such as the ocean / sky . One issue I have with this camera is the durability . After light-to-moderate use , the paint is either thinning , or rubbing and chipping off . I only had it a few months and it already looks beat and battered , especially when next to my friend's 3 - year old panasonic point and shoot which he uses a lot more than I use my camera and it looks almost new . Another friend has this exact same camera for about the same time ( a few months ) and it too is chipping , peeling , etc . For more photos taken with this camera , you can visit my site at [ . . . ]
021 4 I bought this camera about one month back for an upcoming vacation . In that time , I can honestly say that this camera is the best for the price . Pictures . . . videos . . . they all come out excellent . I viewed the pictures on my TV ( 52 LCD ) and I can state that they were the sharpest , most detailed pictures of all of my previous digital cameras ( 4 before the SD780 IS ) . Usually , when taking pictures , I leave the camera on the Auto mode and , for the most part , the pictures will come out great . For those other occasions , I switch to the Program mode and adjust the settings from there . I have not noticed any serious noise while taking pictures in low light . In fact , I shot quite a few pictures in a museum and the ones without the flash turned out better than those with the flash . The Image Stabilization mode works wonderfully . I've actually taken pictures while walking , but you would never know it by looking at the photos . 3X zoom is adequate most of the time , but I do wish it went a bit further . The video quality is awesome for a camera in this class . I've converted the video to AVCHD DVD and played it back on my BlueRay player and I could not believe the quality . As far as I'm concerned , I no longer need my old mini DV video camera as this does most everything better . The video is sharp and smooth in the 720 mode . The only drawback is that you cannot use the optical zoom while recording . Set it ahead of time and you're fine . You can , however , use the digital zoom , but you can see the degradation in the video quality while using it beyond 2.5X zoom . Not terrible , but something to be aware of . I have read some of the previous reviews on the sound quality being poor , but as far as I'm concerned , the sound quality has been nothing short of excellent . Battery life is good as I got about 20 minutes of video and 160 pictures on one charge . Pick up a second battery as a spare so you don't have to worry about missing any shots . If you are looking for a simple point and shoot camera that takes excellent pictures and video , then this is the one for you .
023 4 It's easy to get lost in feature lists and technical comparisons . I've done that with lots of devices , and certainly I could do so here . But my new-camera needs were fairly simple , and the bottom line is that this little gizmo fulfilled them all . My husband used to be a professional photographer , and he is still most comfortable with a camera that gives him a lot of control ; he wants and needs an SLR , and he cheerfully will adjust F-stops to get a photo to look just-so . Cool ; he can have a high-end camera . But I'm a typical snapshot photographer who merely wants to record her vacation photos . I don't pretend to be a good photographer ; I just want to create pictures that aren't embarrassing . I want something simple enough to use without memorizing a manual , too . I like that I _ can _ do more with the camera than the basics . . . but I especially like that I don't have to remember how to twist a lot of knobs . My needs were short and sweet : I wanted a camera small enough to carry with me that could make up for my weaknesses . ( My 5 - year-old Canon was too big to fit comfortably into my laptop bag , so I had to be really motivated to bring it along on a trip . ) The PowerShot clearly fit the bill on the first requirement ; it does literally fit into a breast pocket , so I actually have the camera with me . It's fast to turn on , too , so I can be fairly spontaneous . It's solid , so a klutz like me can drop it without worrying too much ( not that I admit that I've done this already . . . ) . And - okay , this sounds dumb , but it matters - it's RED . So I can find it lurking at the bottom of my purse , otherwise known as The Black Hole From Which Nothing Emerges . Primary among my weaknesses ( the photo-taking ones , let's not get too personal . . . ) is a bad case of hand-shake . All too often , my pictures were out of focus , because I tend to move as I whack on the button . The PowerShot's image stabilization delivered admirably . I took 88 pictures on a recent trip , and the only pictures that are out-of-focus are because someone was actively waving his arms while he was talking . One extra that I appreciated - - and I would never had shopped for - - is the camera's ability to identify faces and focus on those rather than , say , the potted plant next to my subject . I can tell that the camera is doing a better job for me ; certainly my first batch of photos has a higher success rate than anything I've done previously . That feature certainly has changed the way that I look through the viewfinder . I haven't used the camera for video ; I have a Flip Video for that use , which is even more dead-simple than this . ( Perhaps this makes me sound like a Luddite . In reality , I'm a software geek . But I don't care to be a geek about EVERYthing . I like convenience , too . ) Weaknesses ? Well , I do agree that the on / off button could be a problem for people with big fingers ( though it's fine for me ) . And the place where I plug in the USB cable to connect to my iMac seems like it might be fragile . It probably is just fine ; it just * looks * like I could break off that connector during a brain-dead moment . But man , I love this little camera . It's simple enough for me to use , but not so stupid that it gets in my way . That's just what I wanted - - and it might be exactly what you wanted , too .
024 4 I bought the SD 780 because I wanted HD video . It's HD video is great . Some other reviewers complained about the HD video being noisy , especially in low light . However , I found that the SD 780 ' s HD video was just as good as , if not better than , than other compact cameras ' video abilities in low light . My one complaint is that the SD 780 ' s video format is now Quiktime . mov ( all earlier Canon SDxxx used . avi ) . This can be slightly annoying if your computer runs Windows and you expect to use Windows Media Player , Windows Movie Maker , etc . to view / edit videos because these applications can't handle the . mov created by the SD 780 . However , you can easily get quicktime viewer to view the videos on Windows , and you can get conversion software to turn the . mov into formats that work with whatever software you use .
029 4 I'll give my observations of the HD video capabilities of this camera ; I wouldn't consider this a full review . I just wanted to test the limits of the camera in terms of battery life and recording time . Procedure : I tested two times with a full charge and an empty 16GB card . I just put the camera on record and sat it on my desk . Canon estimated that my 16GB card was good for around 85 minutes of video . It was pretty darn close . Note that this is an estimate and will vary due to the variable bit rate . I found that a 16GB memory card is the perfect match for the battery life . Each video clip has a file size limit of 4GB due to the FAT32 limitations of current SD cards . There is also a 30 minute cap in recording time for each HD clip , although you will probably deal with the 4GB cap more often . There is an on-screen warning that the movie is getting close to either one . The battery outlasted my memory card , but not by much . I recorded around 88 minutes of video and used up the entire card ( 15GB ) . The battery still had some life left so I popped in my spare 4GB card and the battery finally died around 2 minutes later . The average running time of the videos that reached the 4GB file size limit was around 22 - 24 minutes . A spare battery is recommended if you have a larger memory card and want to use this solely for video . I hope you found this information helpful . Tidbits : - You can't use optical zoom while recording , only digital zoom . This is basically the only thing you can adjust once you begin filming . - Focus is set when you start recording and does not change until you stop and start again . You can preview focus with a half-press prior to recording . - You can use one of the three focus modes ( macro , normal , infinity ) for filming . - Image Stability does work on video recording . - The audio for recording is Mono . I don't see this as an issue . The sound quality is good , even if it is only one channel .
030 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics )
041 4 i bought this camera after seeing so many positive reviews from amazon . i didnot buy from amazon , but a different retailer since i wanted to evaluate it before a final buy . i didnot like the camera and here is why - - 1 . HD video - very grainy in low light . Video taken at home during evening hours with lights on appears very grainy . Camera is too small and too light to hold steady for 10 - 15 mins continously while taking video - stabilization doesnot seem to work . you will see small movements in the video which are irritating - reflects your hand moving during that time . No good surface to get a good grip and hold nicely . 2 . Zoom - is useless in low light and at max zoom 3x images appear grainy . lot of fuzzy pictures at high zoom . forget about digital zoom . 3 . Pictures - quality of pictures ( steady , no movement ) is same as my old s410 . Nature photos like trees , foilage are more clear with s410 , appears fuzzy with sd780 4 . File size - 12MP is useless , creates more grainy pictures and increases file size . A 8 or 10MP camera with better / bigger lens will take good pictures . 5 . In good light - Nothing extra ordinary - any camera will take good pictures . dont see value in paying 225 + $ for that . 6 . Battery - Got very hot after about half an hour of charging . The battery charger and battery became very hot and i had to let it rest for a few minutes before inserting into camera . 7 . LCD - very grainy . with a camera this expensive i want to enjoy taking pics . When i look at LCD , pictures appear grainy , so dont feel like taking a picture although i must say that the final pic is good . i can understand LCD resolution is less , but grainy LCD is definitely not appealing . 8 . Sound - cannot use HD video so much , because microphone is too small and unable to capture sound clearly . May be my expectations were too high after reading so many awesome reviews , or may be i like my s410 , which is a canon too . May be other comparable cameras from sony , nikkon also suffer the same drawbacks - i dont know . Buy this camera if you want to take images in good sunlight at 3 - 4 feet away .
042 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics )
046 4 I bought this camera in the gold and couldn't be happier . i took it to my garden along with my SLR camera and took 2 of several shots using both cameras . I printed them off and asked my family which ones were best . The little Cannon came in first every time . The pictures were professional quality . I bought the Canon PSC - 55 Deluxe Leather Compact Case too and the camera fits in it perfectly . edited : I guess i should make myself clear . I have a brand new Nikon D40 also . I compared both cameras on auto setting . It's not like I wanted to compare apples to oranges . I wanted to use the same setting on both cameras and see which came out better . I also have a brand new Cannon printer . I gave an honest assessment of the outcome . i'm not saying an SLR camera is not a good camera . I'm saying at the auto settings this camera came out clearer . I assumed feedback was to give our opinion on how a product works for us so it might help others . That was what I attempted to do . Not to offend users of SLR cameras .
050 4 I bought this camera about a month ago and I couldn't have been happier . I've taken about 500 photos so far and 50 video clips and they're all perfect ! Pros : Small size : Smaller than iPhone / iPod touch when stacked and twice as thick on the side . Ultra portable ! 12.1 MP pictures are perfect quality Auto mode makes it really easy to snap quick shots Face detection works really well Many features in the Program mode that will satisfy any teenager like myself Color swap and color accent are really cool effects . Major plus ! HD video quality is amazing and I think it's better than the Flip HD . It's also MUCH smaller than the Flip Mino . While recording a video , the camera will automatically change the brightness , tone , and exposure Microphone is on the front instead of on the top where the speakers are so your fingers won't cover it when recording for a long time . Ability to set custom timers and how many pictures to take . Fast transfer to computer even when using the USB cable . Usually taking out the SD card and putting it in your computer's card reader is faster , but no need to do that with this camera . Image Stabilization works well . Came with a free 4gb SDHC card . Blink detection is also really useful . If a person blinks in the photo , the powershot will review the picture and have an icon telling you to retake the picture if you can . Only 2 hours for a full charge Cons : Taking a picture of a fast moving object while in Auto mode might turn out blurry . Putting it on Program mode and Kids & Pets will fix it . In Auto mode , the camera may blow out the sky and make it all white when focusing on someone ( beach photos ) . I recommend turning down the exposure to - 1 / 3 or using the beach mode in Program Audio is mono when recording videos No option to choose what to focus on before shooting a video Doesn't auto focus while recording videos . Annoying when i'm taking a macro video but then want to show something else Video quality is really noisy in low light conditions , but bearable . No optical zoom while recording a video - only digital Viewfinder is pretty useless . Too small Wrist wrap should be just a little longer and have a tightning feature so you can tighten it around your wrist . Power button is just a little too small . The switch to switch between Auto , Program , and Video could've been larger and easier to move .
053 4 - Image not sharp enough - nice and tiny point and shoot - battery life moderate - really good face recognition feature - Overall Pic quality - moderate The pictures from this camera are not as sharp as I wanted . But there is only so much you can expect with the optics that are packaged in such small width . One thing good about this camera is that it is inclined on taking pics without the flash , allowing the pics to look natural , but it does come with a drawback of increased shutter time and holding it steady . The face recognition feature is awesome . It almost always succeeds in recognizing the face and focusing on them . It even focuses on faces of statues . It also follows the face if the person is moving . I am satisfied with the size and the price of this camera . Since I was going on longer trips with lots of tourists spots , I bought an additional battery , since the battery would not last long enough for the day ; especially with the flash active .
058 4 It takes good photos and videos , but the real virtue of this camera is its portability . It also has a useful feature that I use all the time : you're only one button away from an exposure compensation control . The image stabilization feature works well and gives you decent low-light capability . The only downside , and the reason I can't recommend it , is that my camera is full of sensor dust after only 6 months of use . Now I'll admit , I don't coddle my cameras . I keep it in my pants pocket or a pocket in my briefcase . That environment proved to be too much for the SD780 to handle . There's no way to clean it , and this is not covered by the warranty , so I can no longer use it . This may sound like nitpicking , but my logic is this : a camera this small has only one reason for being . . . to always be at hand . If I have to keep it in a case , then a ) it won't fit in my pocket , so it's likely to be left behind , and b ) it's not ready for quick access , so I will lose shots either to laziness or delay . So , if you're willing to keep it in a case and protect it from dust when not in use , buy it .
067 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera mainly due to its size and ability to shoot HD video . I upgraded from a Sony DSC-P8 , which took pretty good daytime pictures but horrible low light shots and the shutter lag was ridiculously long . Also , I couldn't fit the camera in my pocket because it was so thick . This camera is an improvement in all of those categories . Of course I understand the Sony DSC-P8 is an older camera and most new cameras would be better . This is the smallest , slimmest camera I have ever owned . I also have a Canon XSi DSLR which allows for more flexibility and takes professional looking shots but its by no means compact . When going out with friends or on a short trip , I'd much rather take the Canon SD780 IS which I can fit in my pocket . I also purchased the Canon PSC - 1050 camera case from Amazon which is made specifically for this camera , as stated on the packaging . If you buy this camera , you should also get this case . Why buy a small camera only to buy a bulky third party case ? To me , the low light shots are acceptable for a point and shoot camera . The pictures still have a little bit of noise to them if you zoom in on your PC , but no where near the shots I took with my Sony . However , even though the noise is much improved , the sharpness of the pictures suffer a slight bit . The older Sony was better in this department . Overall , the low light shots taken with the Canon look much better than the Sony . I have no complaints with the daytime shots . The shutter lag is also much better than the Sony . You can forget taking pictures of moving objects with the Sony . It sometimes took 3 - 4 seconds for the camera to take the picture from the point of pressing the shutter . The SD780 IS still has a shutter lag of about a second or less depending on the shooting conditions . For shots of moving objects like children and pets , I have my Canon XSi . The buttons and on screen menus are easy to use and understand . Due to the small size of the camera , the buttons are small . I sometimes have trouble pressing the correct button . It's not a major problem though . I would rather have small button and a large LCD than the other way around . Overall , I am very pleased with the camera . I never expected it to be perfect since its a rather inexpensive and compact point & shoot camera , but it exceeded the expectations that I did have and serves its purpose well .
074 4 I write this not really to review the canon camera , but rather to talk about my amazon experience . I purchased the canon 780is for my wife for Christmas . She loved it . I thought it looked great , and took remarkable pictures especially in comparison with my 7 year old 4 mega pixel canon A520 . After Christmas we took a trip to Coronado , CA and we were taking pictures while on a bike ride around the island . At one point the camera was dropped , while on and with the lens out . The camera landed right on the lens and jammed it in a way that it would not go back into the camera body , making the camera inoperable . I emailed amazon when we got home and told them exactly how the camera was dropped and is now inoperable . To my surprise and excitement , amazon emailed back in about 45 minutes to say that they had placed an order for the exact same camera to replace my broken model . Just like that . Pretty amazing customer service policy if you asked me . My new camera has arrived and my old damaged camera is being sent back to amazon . Customer service like this is what builds great companies . I will be visiting amazon for all of my online product shopping from this point on . Thanks amazon . I'm spreading the word .
075 4 I am utterly disappointed with this camera . I needed to replace an old Sony Cybershot DSC-W7 with another point and shoot camera . I did a lot of research before deciding to buy this particular camera . The reviews for this are really good compared to other point and shoot cameras , which helped lead to my decision . I also liked the small size and portability . I thought that it would perform well and that I'd be pleased with it , but it was just the opposite . Christmas day was the first time I used it . Since it was a gift from my husband , and I hadn't had time to read the manual yet , I set it on auto mode and went from there . I didn't end up with one decent picture or video out of it . Everything was washed out and the colors were wrong . I thought maybe it was me . I'm not a camera novice . I've had a Nikon D80 for over 2 years and take great pictures with it in all settings . This little point and shoot should be so much easier to use . So a few days later I sat down and read through the entire manual , changed settings , tried different types ( portraits , objects , etc . ) of pictures in different settings ( outside , inside ) . Every picture was horrible . They were grainy , blurry and the colors were off . The videos were very grainy and shaky . I can't believe how bad the opitcal zoom is on this . Every picture using the zoom is unbelievably grainy . My old Sony takes better pictures , and has a better picture quality when using zoom . This camera is supposed to have great image stablization , and I made sure that it was turned on , but it didn't work . There is also the shutter lag issue . There were also problems with using the timer with the face detection setting . It took forever to detect a face and then actually start the countdown . Frankly I'm shocked by all the good reviews . I did notice a few people who had the same issues that I did . Did we get faulty cameras ? I've already sent it back and I'm replacing it with a Nikon Coolpix s630 and hoping for better results . UPDATE 1 - 23 - 2010 : The Nikon Coolpix s630 is a very bad camera as well , slightly better than this Canon . I ended up testing it against a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 as well as a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-W290 . The Sony definitely has the best picture quality of any of the cameras that I tried . The Panasonic was a close second with an awesome 12x wide angle optical zoom , but for me picture quality is the most important thing and the Sony definitely won out .
079 4 To be honest , I bought this particular model pretty much based on the great reviews here on Amazon . I am not a photographer , but I own a high end DSLR and after that , I guess , maybe my point-and-shoot expectations were a little too high . I used to own a Sony point-and-shoot for many years that I loved , then got a Nikon DSLR , so this is my first time with Canon . And I am disappointed . It is my hope that I learn how to use this little camera better and get better pictures . Good things : 1 . Good focus - the pictures are rarely blurry . 2 . Very small and compact , fits into the cell phone compartment of my purse - great portability . 3 . Image quality for the most part is ok if you shoot under ideal conditions - not too much sunlight , not too dark , no one is moving and you hold the camera very still . 4 . The video quality is fantastic . Bad things : 1 . I find that this camera frequently over-exposes images . Whether it's daylight outside , sunlight or dusk , whether I use the flash or not , 80% of the time , at least a few spots on the camera are too bright , too white and the image looks poorly . 2 . Auto mode chooses the settings poorly in my opinion . There is a Program mode that allows you to select more specifically ( white balance , color choice , vivid vs neutral , lighting conditions , etc ) , so I ended up reshooting the same thing in the P mode and got much better picture . But if you're like my husband ( the primary user of this point-and-shoot ) , he says it's annoying to change settings all the time , so naturally he gravitates toward the Auto . 3 . The flash is too bright for the zoom range . Meaning , the flash is super bright and there is no point in it being so bright because it bleaches out people's faces and anything you put in the few feet range of the flash . However , if you try to shoot something far away with this flash , the zoom doesn't reach far enough to actually see the far image , so especially in low lighting you hardly see anything at all . Annoying . 4 . I'm a female and my fingers are pretty small . I work in healthcare , so don't have very long nails . The buttons on this camera blend into the body of the camera very well . They are also tiny buttons , so you really have to make an effort with your nail to push the buttons to get the camera to do something . But my husband ( whose fingers are much bigger ) finds this feature particularly painful . If given the opportunity again , I wouldn't buy this camera .
095 4 I traded in another camera for this one , I have enjoyed the Powershot.I personally like cameras that I can play around with a little and have a load of features . I am just going to number the features that this camera has based on what I use and have enjoyed . 1 . Compact : I enjoy its compact size , it can easily be slipped into the pocket of a snug pair of jeans . 2 . Face detection feature 3 . Photo features : I had a fun time with all the features on this one , the camera has features to click portraits , kids and pets , etc . Then there is additional stuff like darker skin ( where your skin looks darker : ) ) lighter skin , contrasts and different color focused pictures can be taken . And then there is the usual sepia , b / w , neutral tones etc 4 . It has a rechargeable battery 5 . Features like red eye correction , blink detection , auto flash , LCD brightness that you can adjust and language features 6 . Sound : This camera has a mute feature , which makes it very noiseless.It also has sound options 7 : 12.1 MP - simply love the picture quality of this camera I feel its worth the price I paid for this .
104 4 I had a Canon Powershot SD600 ( 6 megapixel ) and loved it but it broke so I bought this . I returned this because it was not as good as my OLDER model ! What do I mean , not as good - I couldn't simply point and shoot with this . When I pointed , pressed halfway to focus , then pressed all the way - the shot was delayed and inevitably horrible ( motion of subject related ) . No matter how well charged the battery , the picture would not take quick enough . No matter what setting I used , the pictures all showed movement instead of clearly snapping a moment in time . I'm not sure why this is the case . We returned this camera and got an SD1400 , which is more in line with my SD600 , but we are having the same exact problem so I think these newer models are somehow different from the older ones . If someone can explain how I can get the ease of use , simple , clear , great photos I am accustomed to - please let me know !
110 4 When our Nikon Coolpix died , we were left with a lot of usable accessories , etc . But I compared all the reviews and this Canon stood out , so I bought it instead of another Coolpix . From the first picture taken in a dimly lit kitchen to pictures taken from a slow-moving bus to pictures of two dogs walking down a wooded path , I have been amazed and pleased . The camera is super-quick to focus and very quick to take a picture . The stabilizing feature , the ability to capture movement ( in auto mode ) , the adaptation to any lighting condition and any focus challenge all amaze me . The ease of use and image quality makes me want to pull the camera out at every opportunity - - it's not just handy , it's good ! For about $50 more than my defunct Nikon , I have a far better camera that takes pictures as good as my much bigger ultra-zoom . I did not buy it for the video , but I enjoyed filming dolphins sporting in the Atlantic from my motel room balcony and then editing the video right in the camera to cut out the frames of empty ocean - - the sound was surprisingly clear , too . I am now actually grateful that my wife took the old Coolpix sea kayaking ( though it might have been moribund anyway ) . And I am glad I did not follow my leftover Nikon accessories to the purchase of another so-so camera .
120 4 I already own an SLR , couple of point and shoot cameras , a flip and a video cam . So , photography is not new to me . I ordered this because I wanted a portable camera to carry around when I can't take SLR . This fits the bill perfectly . It starts up very fast ( better than any point and shoot camera I've seen till date ) . Photos in low light are a bit noisy . Sometimes it has problems focusing but mostly image quality is good . Photos taken with maximum zoom are heavily distorted . Photos without any zoom are stunning . If you can afford an SLR ( like Nikon D3000 etc ) , go for that . If you need a portable / pocket-able camera , get this one . You won't be regretted . - Sam .
140 4 For fine still photography , I'm a Nikon man . For video or pocket cameras , I love Canon . Though my venerable Canon Powershot SD - 450IS still works perfectly , it's just 5 megapixel and the 4 year old battery had worn out . As I searched for a replacement battery , I also found reviews and videos on this Canon Powershot SD - 780IS . Turns out , this camera has all the great features and easy of use of my older camera , even better construction quality and shot brilliant 12 megapixel and 720p HD Video . It has better Image Stabilization ( IS ) , beautiful color reproduction and a high quality feel . It won't replace an HD Camcorder , but for the money and size , it can't be beat . My only complain with the Powershot series is that none of these cameras will allow you to save images in their raw format , saving in processed jpeg format . But te average shooter won't be doing extensive image processing , and the image quality is high enough that you still have no problem getting 11x14 ( or larger ! ) paper prints if desired from good quality images . If you're looking for a full-featured , shirt pocket camera that shoots great video with excellent low light capability , the SD - 780IS answer ! I recommend it , even over the newer SD - 940IS .
152 4 I bought this camera after researching different models and companies for six months ( as I was in no rush to purchase a new camera . ) I have to say that overall I am pleased with its performance . The pictures have good color and are crystal clear in most cases . This little gem fits easily into a small purse and is always ready when a photo opportunity arises . One drawback I've found is the shutter speed - even in continuous mode . This is a priority for me as I don't want to miss those cute shots of the grandchildren . The manual indicates that there may be a delay especially if a flash is necessary but I find that no matter what the light , there is always a delay - longer than I would like . Maybe the camera has a feature that I'm not utilizing ? ? ?
154 4 The picture quality of this camera seems good . The macro mode is nice on these newer cameras . I ( and my wife ) are disapointed with the video quality of the canon sd780 in mid to low lighting . Outdoors during the daytime - video looks great . In dim lighting the video is extreemly grainy ! Indoors with the lights on at night time in our house video looks grainy , in the kitchen with brighter lighting the video looked ok , maybe slightly grainy . If you are in a room with less than ideal lighting video looks very grainy / fuzzy . That was the case last night when we tested it in our greatroom that has average to slightly below average indoor lighting . We tested it via hdmi to our HDTV and also on my computer . I had a Canon sx200is ( 12X optical zoom , 720p video w / hdmi output ) . The video was also grainy indoors at night time with the lights on but I don't think it was as bad as the sd780 ( it's hard to say ) . I returned the sx200is because if I was going to have a camera with 12Xs zoom I wanted it to zoom during video and I liked the size of the sd780 . The sd780 is a very nice sized little camera . The 2.5 screen looks great and has the same resolution as the 3 screen on the sx200is , in my opinion the 2.5 looks sharper . I am happy overall but I don't think it will replace my old HI - 8 camcorder in low light situations unfortunately . And because there is no optical zoom I still will use the camcorder now and then . But for most situations it is nice to only take this small camera around for pictures and 720p video . If you are looking for a camera that zooms during video ( 12X optical zoom ) and has 720p video w / hdmi and has great reviews look up the panasonic zs3 ( the lcd screen is also sharper vs . the canon - twice as many pixels ) . I was debating between that one and the canon sd780 . I chose the canon for the size and the price . The panisonic is about $399 . I almost gave the review 3 stars due to the dim video quality . But overall this seems to be a nice camera with great features that is a nice size and looks great .
155 4 The Canon PowerShot SD780 is a great camera . I was drawn to the camera for its small size and HD video capability . The camera is comfortable in your hand and has all of the features of a standard point and shoot . I am using a 16GB SD class 6 card for storage . I am getting 5001 12 megapixel pictures . Or 86 minutes of HD video . On the plus side : + Very small form factor + LCD is bright and crisp + Optical view finder ( can turn off LCD display with one button to save battery ) + On / Off button does not allow for accidental pushing + Mini HDMI out port + HD video ( 720P ) is good quality . Sound is good . ( Quicktime MOV files ) + Picture quality is good + Image stabilization helps alot Neutral or Negatives : - Only 3x optical zoom . This is probably due to small size of camera . Would like to see at least 5x - HD video is recorded in . mov quicktime files . Fine for Mac users , but if you run Windows you will probably need to convert the files before importing them into editing software - Some pictures look a little grainy in lower light
160 4 I've used lots of digicams . My initial impression of the SD780IS is that it does a great job for its size , and my Made-in-Japan version seems sturdy and well-built . There are plenty of good reviews here about the PQ of the still shots , so I won't comment there , and I'm not much of a photographer anyway . But for the video , I'm very impressed . I've tried 3 or 4 different still cams that do HD video , and so far the Canon rules them all . It beats the video from my main digicam , a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 . Although the TZ5 lets you zoom while shooting , it inevitably loses focus while doing so . So that's a wasted feature . In contrast , you cannot zoom on the Canon while shooting , but you can pre-zoom before hitting the record button . This trade-off in my opinion , is worth the far better video quality of the Canon . The color is true and there is a lot less noise and graininess than the Panasonic . Just make sure you disable the digital zoom . Don't expect miracles for video from any still camera . My only expectation was respectable video quality under optimal ( i.e . daylight ) conditions . No still camera will ever replace my HF200 as a camcorder , but for spontaneous daylight clips , this camera is great to have in my pocket .
163 4 One of the problems with writing camera reviews is that people never consider the space which this camera occupies in the market . For example , I know that a $200 point and shoot camera will never take as awesome photos as my $3500 digital SLR , or even as my Powershot G10 . But at the same time , I'm not going to go out on a night of drinking with my friends and bring a digital SLR because a ) it's expensive and b ) bulky . Having said that , I'm really impressed at the output of the pictures . At the default high resolution JPG , I was blown away at how crisp the images were . At higher ISOs , the photos became progressively noisier - but that's a problem that's common among most point and shoot cameras . I'm not too worried - again , this is a camera I'm taking out and about and taking snapshots , not trying to be Annie Liebovitz . Prints at 8x10 look fine . The 720p video is rather slick - even while goofing around taking videos , the videos were of decent enough quality that I'd be happy posting them to YouTube or Facebook . And no rolling shutter ' , which is kind of cool . I'd recommend getting a Class 6 SDHC card for the camera , so it'll write the HD video fast enough to the camera without having to deal with dropping video . The optical zoom doesn't work in video mode , but digital zoom does . Digital zoom , in my experience , generally leads to awful photos and videos , so I try to avoid it all costs . The SD780 is easy to operate , and there's virtually zero learning curve if you have experience with other Canon cameras . One of the common complaints is that the camera's casing will attract dings , scratches and other things that will keep your camera looking less than pristine . If you're going to be buying this camera , you're better off spending $25 extra to get the Invisible Shield cover for this camera . For under $250 , this camera is great . It's smaller than my Blackberry and wallet , and makes up deficiencies by being a petite camera that fits in virtually any pocket .
196 4 This little cam so far has met all expectations . Pictures and HD video quality has been great . This Canon camera is so small to a point where someone with big hands ( like myself ) has trouble handling it . I wasn't expecting much from this camera in terms of performance but it kicks all other point and shoot camcorders out of the water . Colors are more accurate and the video is much smoother . Part of this due to the image stabilization feature . Pros : - Compact Size - Removable SD Card - Image stabilization - 720p HD Video - Bright LCD Screen - Design and Color - Quick Startup Cons : - No zoom while recording - Mono Sound - Noisy and Grainy at times - Mini HD cable not included
208 4 I bought this camera because of its size and ability to record decent video . I also own a Canon PowerShot G2 which I bought in 2002 and still use . The photo quality of this new camera isn't quite on par with my old one . IMO Even though my old camera is only 4 MP , it still blows this one out of the water on Auto mode . However for close-up shots , that's where this new camera shines . It picks up detail wonderfully . If you like taking close-up photos of flowers ( or anything ) , you'll be happy with this camera . I'm impressed with the video quality . I also own a Flip HD video camera and though the video quality is better with the Flip , this one will do when I'm out and about and want to take short videos . Like others , I noticed the humming sound that is picked up by the camera . It's not so much that it ruins or distracts from the video though . The main reason I got this camera is because my G2 is a beast to carry around for long distances . This little camera , which is smaller than most cell phones , can be taken anywhere without feeling like you're lugging a brick around . I'm still getting used to the smaller buttons but once I get used to them , I'm sure it'll become second nature to take great photos . Overall , I'm very happy with my purchase !
223 4 My first generation digital Canon camera final gave up after lots of heavy use and abuse . In looking for a replacement there were so many positive reviews on the SD780 that I wondered if it was some sort of marketing gimmick . Well , I liked the styling , the specs , and the price so I thought I'd take a chance on it and can now see why others were so enthusiastic . To be honest when I first opened the box the camera was about the size of a deck of cards and was quite smaller than I expected . I wondered if I could even work the buttons . No worries . The size grew on me ( if you will excuse the pun ) and although the power button is smaller than I would prefer , the rest of the controls can be manipulated comfortably . I bought the gold color camera and think it's beautiful . For starters the camera is pretty intuitive if you just want to jump into it , but I recommend studying the manual at some point to really understand the finer points and incredible features . By the way , unlike others , this manual is very well written and useful . You can also download a pdf version from the Canon website . The auto mode is a no-brainer , but using the varied programmed settings is pretty easy . I like the fact that a particular program function has a plain English title to go with the icon since icons always confuse me . I don't take much video , but it worked amazingly well for a small camera . The clarity and colors of the still photos were a huge improvement from my previous camera . I'm still learning and playing though . One of the big features for me is the digital macro function . I use my camera extensively in business and often need to take macro shots of components . I was blown away by this capability . It was better than my macro lenses on my old SLR 35mm cameras . Just read the manual instructions first . I was surprised that it didn't come with a memory card so I ordered a 4GB which is adequate for my needs . I do recommend a case and the LCD screen protector that will protect the display from scratches , fingerprints and is supposed to reduce glare . With the understanding that there is not much real estate on this camera , my improvement wish list would be for a larger power button , a better access door to the USB / HDMI ports , and a plug in charger so you don't have to take the battery out . Bottom line is that I am really enjoying this camera and have no hesitation to recommend it with the understanding that it is small .
228 4 I had a very specific use case for this camera . That I could take it into rock shows and get awesome photos and videos . This camera ROCKS ! ! Simple enough . Why ? Well I'm not really a camera expert so I can't give you all the specs but here is why I bought it and what makes it an awesome choice . - I wanted something fast enough with continious shooting . I can use on the program mode at 800 or 1600 without a flash and still capture rock stars who tend to move around quickly in low or flashing light . - It had to be small and powerful - - well this camera fit that bill better than any other . The digital zoom works great . It's like a real zoom . I can shoot from the back of a venue and still get photos and video - HD video was a must b.c I love to put my videos on you tube ( cynsk8 is my page ) and I have captured some amazing video of some heavy bands . The video quality is perfect and the audio better than most of what I have seen out there by other non-professionals . - The auto mode had to be smart and flexible . Which it is , I can shoot on auto with a flash at a rock show from the edge of the stage and capture shots that are as good as a large professional camera . So much so that everyone asks me about my camera once they see the shots . - Sturdy , so far so good even in the middle of a mosh pit , I've gotten pretty tossled and had to close the lens on a moments notice and so far no issues . I have been worried about this , but I trust that Canon has made the sturdiest little camera . - Useability , a touch screen control wouldn't work for me b.c I often cannot look down at the screen while I am adjusting the camera . I can seemlessly switch between auto / program / video with a touch . I can also turn off the flash without looking down . The zoom is so easy and the entire usage can be done with one hand - - which at a concert is all I ever have available .

220 4 This camera is powerful yet small . Easy to use . DO GET the display plastic cover because right out of the box I was getting fingerprints on the screen . It's so small , it's hard NOT to touch the screen . Easy to use , the movies were impressive , again , powerful for it's size . Don't scrimp on memory ! And am sorry I didn't buy a carry case at the same time also . Using my old Elph bag which works , but the new camera is SO small , it doesn't really fit it well . A good price for a good camera .

169 4 I bought this camera to take photos on a trip to Argentina a Uruguay . I wanted something I could take everywhere , easily and fit in my pocket . The SD780IS was perfect for that . It's almost as thin as my iPhone and I couldn't be happier with the quality of pics it took . Easy to learn to you , very small and convenient , beautifully designed . It turned out to be exactly what I was looking for .

Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) PROS : Easy to use , Simple controls / menu , Nice features / settings , Bright LCD , Excellent image quality , Lightweight / Portable , compact volume CONS : Poor Low-Light Performance , some noise in low light , tiny viewfinder , mini-HDMI to HDMI cable not included , SD / SDHC storage card not included Amazon has the best price at under 250 bucks . Most sites are charging full retail since this camera is so popular . High Definition video is very good at 720p . This will not replace a full size camera or the 5D Mark II for video quality . But , it is a lot better than most including the original Flip video camera . An HDMI cable IS NOT INCLUDED with the camera . You will need it to watch HD video directly from the camera on an HDTV . I bought a 3 ft miniHDMI-to-HDMI cable online from Monoprice for 8 bucks including USPS first class shipping . They have quality cables for the lowest price on the Monoprice site . UPDATE : I am very happy with the mini-HDMI to HDMI cables . They were so inexpensive that I bought 2 of these at 3ft long : one for the iMac , the other is for my travel bag . I bought a 6ft mini-HDMI to HDMI cable for the HDTV in the first floor family room . I should have gotten a longer cable since you have to control the video start / stop / next buttons on the camera . You have to get up often to start the next movie clip . I also bought a small 1x3 / 4inch miniHDMI to HDMI adapter to carry everywhere I take the camera which is everywhere ! UPDATE : The small cover that protects the miniHDMI and USB ports feels a little flimsy . The hinge stretches . I have to force it slightly beyond my comfort to insert cables . I can see this covering breaking off with a lot of use . An SD storage card IS NOT INCLUDED . They are available at low cost , under 15 bucks , on the net . Check the Dealnews site for the latest sales . I used a 4GB SD high capacity ( SDHC ) card which will hold about 30mins of video . Some complain 2.5inch is too small for the LCD . There is no place to put a larger 3inch LCD on this camera without making it a touch screen like the iPhone or increasing the camera size . Plus , 2.5 inch is common on a lot of cameras . I have no problems with it . TINY VIEW FINDER : It was hard peering through the small hole . I mainly use the LCD screen about 95% of the time . So , NOT A PROBLEM . Got this camera to try out the 720p HD , face / blink detection and other features . They all worked great . I was surprised by the small size since I only saw this camera online and never tried it out at a store . It is slightly smaller than my average size business card and about as thin as a new deck of playing cards . I'm female , but , I never bought an ELPH-size Canon camera because they seemed too small . I was concerned I would not be able to comfortably operate the buttons or it would slip out of my hands . I don't have that fear with the SD780 . The brushed metal finish provides some friction . The buttons are placed well . Also , the wrist strap is always available as protection against dropping the camera . SMART AUTO feature is great ! I use it often to take closeup ( macro ) shots or when I don't have time to adjust the settings . I hold the camera about 4 inches from an object and the camera self adjusts the settings . It amazing to watch it work . I partially press the shutter button to see where the camera is focused and move it to focus on my area of interest . The camera selects of the pre-programmed 18 modes to find the one that creates the best image . As many stated , the images are superb thanks to the 12.1 mega pixel resolution , Digic 4 , and the image stabilizer ( IS ) function . You should not live without IS unless you are into the artsy blurry pictures . It takes great pictures of kids who don't sit still . Great if you don't have steady hands . Images are crisp , clear and can be easily seen in the beautiful 2.5inch LCD . I noticed the noise in some of the photos . Did not have too much problems with it . The 3X optical is fine . Best for the photographer to move in or out to zoom / out on the subject matter and not worry about the camera lens zoom when just taking photos . Zooming during filming would be better . Hopefully , Canon adds this feature to future powershot ELPH models . Overall , a great camera that is thin enough to hide in a small purse or pocket yet still deliver superb photos for it's size ! ( I have owned 7 Canon cameras including 5 digital cameras . I have used this camera for about 1 week . )

006 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) PROS : Easy to use , Simple controls / menu , Nice features / settings , Bright LCD , Excellent image quality , Lightweight / Portable , compact volume CONS : Poor Low-Light Performance , some noise in low light , tiny viewfinder , mini-HDMI to HDMI cable not included , SD / SDHC storage card not included Amazon has the best price at under 250 bucks . Most sites are charging full retail since this camera is so popular . High Definition video is very good at 720p . This will not replace a full size camera or the 5D Mark II for video quality . But , it is a lot better than most including the original Flip video camera . An HDMI cable IS NOT INCLUDED with the camera . You will need it to watch HD video directly from the camera on an HDTV . I bought a 3 ft miniHDMI-to-HDMI cable online from Monoprice for 8 bucks including USPS first class shipping . They have quality cables for the lowest price on the Monoprice site . UPDATE : I am very happy with the mini-HDMI to HDMI cables . They were so inexpensive that I bought 2 of these at 3ft long : one for the iMac , the other is for my travel bag . I bought a 6ft mini-HDMI to HDMI cable for the HDTV in the first floor family room . I should have gotten a longer cable since you have to control the video start / stop / next buttons on the camera . You have to get up often to start the next movie clip . I also bought a small 1x3 / 4inch miniHDMI to HDMI adapter to carry everywhere I take the camera which is everywhere ! UPDATE : The small cover that protects the miniHDMI and USB ports feels a little flimsy . The hinge stretches . I have to force it slightly beyond my comfort to insert cables . I can see this covering breaking off with a lot of use . An SD storage card IS NOT INCLUDED . They are available at low cost , under 15 bucks , on the net . Check the Dealnews site for the latest sales . I used a 4GB SD high capacity ( SDHC ) card which will hold about 30mins of video . Some complain 2.5inch is too small for the LCD . There is no place to put a larger 3inch LCD on this camera without making it a touch screen like the iPhone or increasing the camera size . Plus , 2.5 inch is common on a lot of cameras . I have no problems with it . TINY VIEW FINDER : It was hard peering through the small hole . I mainly use the LCD screen about 95% of the time . So , NOT A PROBLEM . Got this camera to try out the 720p HD , face / blink detection and other features . They all worked great . I was surprised by the small size since I only saw this camera online and never tried it out at a store . It is slightly smaller than my average size business card and about as thin as a new deck of playing cards . I'm female , but , I never bought an ELPH-size Canon camera because they seemed too small . I was concerned I would not be able to comfortably operate the buttons or it would slip out of my hands . I don't have that fear with the SD780 . The brushed metal finish provides some friction . The buttons are placed well . Also , the wrist strap is always available as protection against dropping the camera . SMART AUTO feature is great ! I use it often to take closeup ( macro ) shots or when I don't have time to adjust the settings . I hold the camera about 4 inches from an object and the camera self adjusts the settings . It amazing to watch it work . I partially press the shutter button to see where the camera is focused and move it to focus on my area of interest . The camera selects of the pre-programmed 18 modes to find the one that creates the best image . As many stated , the images are superb thanks to the 12.1 mega pixel resolution , Digic 4 , and the image stabilizer ( IS ) function . You should not live without IS unless you are into the artsy blurry pictures . It takes great pictures of kids who don't sit still . Great if you don't have steady hands . Images are crisp , clear and can be easily seen in the beautiful 2.5inch LCD . I noticed the noise in some of the photos . Did not have too much problems with it . The 3X optical is fine . Best for the photographer to move in or out to zoom / out on the subject matter and not worry about the camera lens zoom when just taking photos . Zooming during filming would be better . Hopefully , Canon adds this feature to future powershot ELPH models . Overall , a great camera that is thin enough to hide in a small purse or pocket yet still deliver superb photos for it's size ! ( I have owned 7 Canon cameras including 5 digital cameras . I have used this camera for about 1 week . )
011 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Size : this sucker is small . easy to carry around in your pocket . Picture quality : I cant complain . Some people write about noisy photos , over saturation , washed out this and that , i just dont see it and honestly i think it makes people feel smart when they write reviews like that . to my eye , the pics look great . i am not a professional photographer so maybe thats the problem . if you are like me and are a regular consumer , i am sure you will be pleased . HD movies : I was specifically in the market for point and shoot that did video well . let me say , the video in a brightly lit area is fantastic . hooked the camera up to my HD TV via mini hdmi and was amazed that this tiny little guy took such sharp video . in low light , the video can be a little noisy , but that is going to happen with any digital camera . that will even happen with a dedicated video camera , so no complaints from me . Battery life : battery is great , once again , no complaints . I think there is a reason that all the top selling camera's on amazon appear to be Canon's . This camera met all my expectations .
016 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I consider myself an amateur photographer , and would probably be willing to spend more hours looking for the ' right ' equipment than doing my homework . Now , that was the case when I purchased this little toy . I had a Nikon D40 dSLR ( one of the big cameras ) , and I was looking for something smaller that I could carry around everywhere . Particularly , I needed something to take on my trip to Japan . I spent days reading reviews and testing products at stores , and finally decided on this camera . I narrowed down my choices to Canon cameras , because although I love Nikon cameras and dSLRs , I think that when it comes down to point-and-shoot cameras ( small , easy to use cameras ) Canon cameras are simply the best . I've never been disappointed by one of these . Among 10 different Canon models it was difficult to choose , but what finally made me decide on this one was the size and ability to record HD video . I watched on YouTube some of the sample videos ( which you can find just by typing the camera model ) and the HD was amazing , even in such a small camera ! The resolution is great , and the picture quality simply great . 12MP of image resolution means more to love and more flexibility to crop when editing ( it also means you should get an SD card with a couple of GB's ) I got the camera with an 8GB card and I can take thousands of pictures at maximum resolution , or record over 45 minutes of video in one clip if I want to do so . This camera's pictures rival my Nikon dSLR pictures , and the flexibility the camera gives you in manual mode is great . I mostly use it in automatic modes , and it works perfect . If you are looking for a ' photographer ' camera , then I'd still go for a Nikon D40 or something similar , since you can shoot in RAW format which is very valuable for heavy editing . But if you just want to capture easily all the beautiful things around you , and videos of your family / friends or you enjoying your days , this camera is perfect for all of it . One more note , the camera feels great in my hands and it's very easy to use . I was quite familiar with the Canon menus , so it might have been easier for me to use it , but I'm sure you can learn fast how to master this camera . Ask any questions you may have . : )
018 4 Excellent wide angle ( 5.9mm ) lens with 3x optical zoom to 17.9mm . ( That's the equivalent of 30 to 100mm in 35mm camera jargon . ) The lens is stabilized ( IS ) and it works well . The wide angle is necessary for interior shots and for landscapes . Stabilization can be selected as continuous , only at shooting , or off for tripod work.The LCD ( 2.5in ) is smaller than several of Canon's SD series , but allows the presence of a bright optical view finder . I consider an optical view finder to be essential for operation in direct sunlight . Photographs are recorded as JPEG , and are magnificent at ISOs up to 200 ( above an ISO of 400 noise starts to become apparent ) . I usually print them at 16x20in on an Epson Stylus PRO 4000 . The camera will also record sound ( monaural ) and High Definition ( HD ) video ( 16x9 ) at 1280x720 pixels , 30 frames / sec as well as standard definition video . Movies are recorded in the MOV format . The program ZoomBrowser EX on the included CD contains a function to convert MOV files to the AVI format . The conversion is a bit slow taking about 10 min for a 1 min clip . The HD movies played on a 42in plasma TV are stunning . On a 16GB SDHC card , the camera will take over 5,000 photos at highest resolution , or about 90 min of HD video . The camera has a mini HDMI port , so videos and / or photos can be displayed on a HDTV through an HDMI cable ( sold separately ) . The SD780 IS offers a large number of shooting modes . I often use the Macro mode to produce 16x20in prints of small flowers that on the final print are 4 - times life-size . The camera comes with all the bells and whistles currently offered on many of the newest ( and far more expensive ) DSLRs . For example , the self-timer countdown can be set to start only after a new face enters the frame . Although most of my photography is with a medium format film camera using Velvia 50 , the Canon SD780 IS produces comparable results , and it is always in my pocket . An amazing 12.1 megapixel camera ! Congratulations to Canon !
019 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) As an experienced and picky photographer , I'll try to be fair , objective , and to the point . The bottom line is this is a great compact digital camera for the price . It takes great photos when set up right - - auto-mode produces less-than-desired results ( typical for auto set ups ) as they tend to be overexposed and lacking in color . Perfectly normal for auto . Use P mode and tune as desired . The lens isn't that wide - - I believe it's a 28mm on 35mm equivalent , but it's certainly wide enough for most uses . The lens is sharp but does have distortion at its widest end . Avoid taking photos of really defined horizons such as the ocean / sky . One issue I have with this camera is the durability . After light-to-moderate use , the paint is either thinning , or rubbing and chipping off . I only had it a few months and it already looks beat and battered , especially when next to my friend's 3 - year old panasonic point and shoot which he uses a lot more than I use my camera and it looks almost new . Another friend has this exact same camera for about the same time ( a few months ) and it too is chipping , peeling , etc . For more photos taken with this camera , you can visit my site at [ . . . ]
022 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) It's easy to get lost in feature lists and technical comparisons . I've done that with lots of devices , and certainly I could do so here . But my new-camera needs were fairly simple , and the bottom line is that this little gizmo fulfilled them all . My husband used to be a professional photographer , and he is still most comfortable with a camera that gives him a lot of control ; he wants and needs an SLR , and he cheerfully will adjust F-stops to get a photo to look just-so . Cool ; he can have a high-end camera . But I'm a typical snapshot photographer who merely wants to record her vacation photos . I don't pretend to be a good photographer ; I just want to create pictures that aren't embarrassing . I want something simple enough to use without memorizing a manual , too . I like that I _ can _ do more with the camera than the basics . . . but I especially like that I don't have to remember how to twist a lot of knobs . My needs were short and sweet : I wanted a camera small enough to carry with me that could make up for my weaknesses . ( My 5 - year-old Canon was too big to fit comfortably into my laptop bag , so I had to be really motivated to bring it along on a trip . ) The PowerShot clearly fit the bill on the first requirement ; it does literally fit into a breast pocket , so I actually have the camera with me . It's fast to turn on , too , so I can be fairly spontaneous . It's solid , so a klutz like me can drop it without worrying too much ( not that I admit that I've done this already . . . ) . And - okay , this sounds dumb , but it matters - it's RED . So I can find it lurking at the bottom of my purse , otherwise known as The Black Hole From Which Nothing Emerges . Primary among my weaknesses ( the photo-taking ones , let's not get too personal . . . ) is a bad case of hand-shake . All too often , my pictures were out of focus , because I tend to move as I whack on the button . The PowerShot's image stabilization delivered admirably . I took 88 pictures on a recent trip , and the only pictures that are out-of-focus are because someone was actively waving his arms while he was talking . One extra that I appreciated - - and I would never had shopped for - - is the camera's ability to identify faces and focus on those rather than , say , the potted plant next to my subject . I can tell that the camera is doing a better job for me ; certainly my first batch of photos has a higher success rate than anything I've done previously . That feature certainly has changed the way that I look through the viewfinder . I haven't used the camera for video ; I have a Flip Video for that use , which is even more dead-simple than this . ( Perhaps this makes me sound like a Luddite . In reality , I'm a software geek . But I don't care to be a geek about EVERYthing . I like convenience , too . ) Weaknesses ? Well , I do agree that the on / off button could be a problem for people with big fingers ( though it's fine for me ) . And the place where I plug in the USB cable to connect to my iMac seems like it might be fragile . It probably is just fine ; it just * looks * like I could break off that connector during a brain-dead moment . But man , I love this little camera . It's simple enough for me to use , but not so stupid that it gets in my way . That's just what I wanted - - and it might be exactly what you wanted , too .
026 4 I've had my SD780IS ' digital elph ' for about a month now and generally am pleased with it . It certainly won't be the last camera I buy , but should serve me well for now . The camera is smaller than my cell phone which is it's greatest feature . Unfortunately , the camera itself will get you more oooooh's and aaaahhh's than the photo's it takes . It's compact and lightweight but still has a nice big screen . It also has a standard viewfinder that is so small it's pretty much useless . The camera is also pretty stylish , albeit pretty girly . I got a better deal on the silver model . If you paid more to get the red one you are much cooler than me . Strong points - Lot's of shooting modes , quick and decent AUTO mode , allows user control of all variables if desired . Lot's of options regarding flash , self timer , etc . Image stabilization seems to work under the right circumstance , like portraits , but it's only nice to have because the small camera is hard to hold still , and it seems to increase recycle time . Continuous drive was a must for me . I think it's .8 fps without the flash , which makes it far easier to get good shots of kids , animals , and sports . Decent optical zoom . Takes really nice macro shots and allows for digital zoom macro . The video feature also takes macro . The video is some kind of HD , I don't know much about it but they do look nice full screen . The audio comes in loud and clear usually , but sometimes I think I'm hearing the camera in the video . The image viewing mode is nicely done , with more options than I'd ever need . Quickly looking through for a particular shot is no problem . Generally sturdy construction . Weak points - Probably the single most important feature has me a little disappointed . Image quality is good , but is not amazing or fantastic . Other reviews suggested that Canon's 10 MP cameras capture better images . I have found this one to be fine for average stuff , but I usually am taking 3 or 4 shots at a time hoping that one or two of them won't be washed out or overly grainy , even on AUTO . The small size also makes it hard to hold and get a steady shot . I have not tried all of the shooting modes but the ones I have tried are pretty decent . The kids and pets one is not nearly as good as it was on my old fuji camera , the macro and digital macro is good , the fireworks mode is pretty good if you hold it still , landscape and night portrait also seem decent . Don't get me wrong , it still takes good pictures that are acceptable for a small pocket point-and-shoot , but don't be fooled by the 12 MP rating and think the pictures are going to know your socks off . Not very many video options , and even if they are HD , don't expect too much because the focus is not very impressive . Once you begin recording , the focus locks and you must keep your subject in focus by moving the camera . Not archive quality for the family christmas , but good enough for some high quality you-tube fun . I've really been enjoying the video feature . Clunky controls . I've been using this thing almost daily for the past month and the controls still have me confused . I push the wrong button pretty much every time . The small icons on the buttons don't do much good . My only complaint about the frame is the rinky dink battery door . One good drop on the ground and that door is a goner , but the camera does have a wrist lanyard . All in all I am pleased . Mine was in the neighborhood of two-twenty , and I would lay out more than that for it .
027 4 I love my SD780 . I won't bore you with a lot of stuff , just hit the highlights . * Great pictures in a variety of situations . 12 megapixels makes for some super sharp photos . * 720p HD video looks great . To think you have a HD camera that's not much bigger than most cell phones is incredible . * Simple layout of buttons and features , though I wish some buttons were raised in order to give tactile clue of layout in dark or situations where it's faster to not look at the camera . * Long battery life . I've taken pictures at Disneyland , car shows , and just in general , where I'm literally taking pictures all day long and have not had the battery warning come up once . I've been able to take something like 350 pictures in a day before the battery finally gives out . * The compact size makes it easy to take anywhere . I carry my cameras with me all day long , and having a small camera sure makes things easier . * It has a viewfinder ! Compact cameras like this don't often come with a viewfinder . I have a Leica D Lux - 3 and even THAT doesn't come with a viewfinder . It makes things easier when you can't use the screen . * Speaking of the screen , good size for such a little camera . Quite sharp . * Software that comes with it is redundant to what is most likely already on your computer . On my Mac I just use Image Capture to download pictures . It's easier and quicker , and doesn't require dealing with proprietary software . * Best ELPH I've owned yet . Smaller by half to my old S500 , with twice the megapixels . * Great little camera .
031 4 The SD780 is Canon's replacement for the 10 MP SD770 model released around a year before it . I upgraded to the SD780 as I was happy with my SD770 but liked the new features and smaller profile . The interface has improved , most notably with the automatic shooting mode detection . As I have a dSLR for serious photography I used the SD770 as more of a happy snaps camera and as such it spent nearly all it's life in the automatic profile . The SD780 utomatically activates a suitable shooting profile in auto mode ( when taking a close range photo for example it will automatically select macro mode ) , and so far I've found this system to be very quick and accurate . It's lighter than the 770 ( which itself is quite light ) and doesn't cause any discomfort in your pocket thanks to it's slim profile . Another improvement is a wider lens ( it's no Panasonic FX37 , but a 33mm equivalent wide end is better than 35mm ) which was one of the shortcomings of the older model . Unfortunately the SD780 ' s lens is f3.2 - 5.8 which means it does struggle at times with low light even with the optical image stabilisation system activated . The lens itself is quite good for a compact point and shoot , with no noticable barrel distortion . Shooting performance is excellent , as good or even better than the previous model with very quick power up to shooting times , shot to shot times and minimal shuttter lag . The CCD resolution has been increased to 12.1 megapixels but is the same physical size . This coupled with quite agressive noise reduction means that image quality does suffer at high ISO settings . Combined with the relatively slow lens it's night performance isn't quite as good as some of it's rivals , but is still adequate quality for casual shooting . While the extra resolution is a bonus in daylight shooting I can't help wondering if the resolution increase was more of a marketing excercise than anything else , and whether the camera would have better served retaining the older 10 MP image sensor . 720P video is a welcome addition as is the switch from Motion JPEG to H .264 video . The video files are stored in the Quicktime container so Mac users especially will find it easy to work with video files from the camera . Battery life is best described as adequate , Canon has switched from the NB - 6L to the smaller NB - 4L which means battery life is rated at 210 shots , which is lower than average . The batteries charge quickly however and the battery life isn't really a problem if you charge it after every trip . Overall I would say that the SD780 is a solid camera with a couple of shortcomings , mainly due to the packaging constraints . I bought the 770 because I wanted something that was as carryable and convenient as a cameraphone but with decent quality images . If that's what you are looking for you wont be disappointed .
035 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Having been involved with photography since I was 10 years old back in the 1950 ' s , I have used every type of compact camera - Nikons , Olympus OM SLR's , Leica CL , Minox , the famous 70 ' s Japanese point-shoot such as Konica , always seeking the maximum photographic flexibility in the minimum package . Playing with the incredibly small Canon SD780 for a few days , it's a good time to take a step back and recognize the amazing technology which has come to us through the digital revolution . There is simply no comparison to the photographic capability which one can now carry hardly noticed in a shirt pocket , including taking high def VIDEOS ! Decent pictures at ISO 800 or even 1600 . Amazing . Also , Canon listen to customer feedback ; their menus and interfaces are simpler and cleaner than some of the other makers . Finally , the price is really very low for the sophistication that goes into one of these babies - the equivalent of about forty bucks in 1970 ' s dollars when the first compact cameras hit the market at much higher prices . There is only one downside - this camera is so small , and the sensor is so small , that 12MP is too many for top picture quality . I would have voted for fewer pixels , 8 MP instead of 12MP - and get lower noise in return . The exposure sometimes leaves blownout highlights . If absolute image quality is your top priority , there may be other Canon's to look at . But if you're not that picky , the results are excellent . The video function works well and I use it all the time since I find a short movie ( a few seconds ) is a better remembrance of an event than a still photo . Forty three minutes of High Def video on an 8GB card , so who needs a camcorder ? Bottom line ; The best camera is obviously the one you have with you . So get one of these - no excuse ever to be without it .
037 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I selected this camera as a always carry item . I own a Canon 20D professional camera with many lenses and other attachements , and it is HEAVY . So I don't take it unless I am on a photo shoot . The SD780IS has a very important feature : an optical viewfinder . This is really helpful in bright sunlight , when you will have great difficulty using the LCD to frame a photo . The image quality is great , the HD video is great , only complaint is that the mic is very susceptable to wind noise . The ability to apply filters and cropping / resizing in the camera is very nice . This camera is so small it is smaller than a credit card ( only thicker ) . The flash works great , the focus light works great - I can take photos in complete darkness ! The shutter lag is very very short . If you are looking for an absolutely GREAT camera that will disappear in your pocket ( you will forget it is there ) , this is the one ! The only limitations ( in comparison to my big camera ) is . . . no lens options ( only built-in 3x zoom , with a very good digital zoom and image stabilizer function ) , and a slightly higher noise level in the image data ( required because it uses a very tiny sensor ) . The noise is not visible for even very large prints ( 12 megapixels is a LOT of pixels ) . And , of course the adjustment options are limited ( I like shutter priority , but can't do that on this camera ) . However , the exposure system is EXCELLENT ! I usually shoot in Program mode , with - 2 / 3 stop exposure . This is due to the fact that auto mode causes the image to often be slightly over-exposed ( as viewed on the LCD ) . The image is usually NOT overexposed , just looks that way . Since I like to share the photos on the camera a lot , I use this to get great color on the LCD , not just on the computer . The additional image noise from this adjustment is very tiny . Great camera ! HD video in the palm of your hand ! Waiting for Canon to release the 60D so I can do HD on my big camera , too !
039 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This is the smallest camera from canon that takes excellent pictures . The view finder is too small to use but can be used in a pinch . The flash is not that good because only works in short distances and the colors are off with the flash . I have set the camera to never use flash since most situations do not need a flash . I have a bigger Canon for flash pictures and bigger optical zoom . The small size of this camera means I am most likely to carry it when I go out .
043 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Before you buy any Canon camera you need to be OK with the possibility that your camera may become a brick . You see , Canon cameras often times get the error message , Lens Error , Restart Camera , and you can do NOTHING about it . Don't believe me , just call Canon and ask them yourself . This is my second Canon camera to have this problem , my first being the PowerShot SX200is , and Canon REFUSES to acknowledge the problem . It's a shame because I really wanted to like this camera .
047 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I reserve 5 for the absolute best , and that would be the best of the DSLRs . My 4 stars mean best of type , and this is the best of the compacts . I have a Canon DSLR with L glass and have had Fuji , Sony , Kodak and Canon compacts . This is the best compact so far . Plenty of image size to work with , and image quality is excellent for the pixel density . Elegant black , beveled body . Build quality is excellent . LCD a fingerprint magnet , but they all are . Some reviews say the video is great , others say it's no good . My results have been superb . Because of its palm size and short lens-to-sensor axis , this little camera is more stable than my dedicated image-stabilized HD camcorder . The flash is best for fill or backlit scenes . The 780 ' s high-ISO setting yields great indoor available-light photos , so why use the flash ? I get irritated at people who won't turn off their flash , then complain when highlights are blown . Ignore the review that says the optical view finder is useless . The optical finder is one of the best features of this camera and very rare in compacts these days . Though an LCD is great , a viewfinder allows you to hold the camera discreetly against your face . A viewfinder backs you up when bright sunlight washes out the LCD . It also allows you to turn off the LCD to get significantly more battery time . I researched Nikon , Panasonic , Olympus and other Canons before buying this one . Even though the 780 has been out for over a year , at the current Amazon price , including memory card offer , there's still nothing in a compact that comes close . I bought a second 780 as a gift .
049 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera about a month ago and I couldn't have been happier . I've taken about 500 photos so far and 50 video clips and they're all perfect ! Pros : Small size : Smaller than iPhone / iPod touch when stacked and twice as thick on the side . Ultra portable ! 12.1 MP pictures are perfect quality Auto mode makes it really easy to snap quick shots Face detection works really well Many features in the Program mode that will satisfy any teenager like myself Color swap and color accent are really cool effects . Major plus ! HD video quality is amazing and I think it's better than the Flip HD . It's also MUCH smaller than the Flip Mino . While recording a video , the camera will automatically change the brightness , tone , and exposure Microphone is on the front instead of on the top where the speakers are so your fingers won't cover it when recording for a long time . Ability to set custom timers and how many pictures to take . Fast transfer to computer even when using the USB cable . Usually taking out the SD card and putting it in your computer's card reader is faster , but no need to do that with this camera . Image Stabilization works well . Came with a free 4gb SDHC card . Blink detection is also really useful . If a person blinks in the photo , the powershot will review the picture and have an icon telling you to retake the picture if you can . Only 2 hours for a full charge Cons : Taking a picture of a fast moving object while in Auto mode might turn out blurry . Putting it on Program mode and Kids & Pets will fix it . In Auto mode , the camera may blow out the sky and make it all white when focusing on someone ( beach photos ) . I recommend turning down the exposure to - 1 / 3 or using the beach mode in Program Audio is mono when recording videos No option to choose what to focus on before shooting a video Doesn't auto focus while recording videos . Annoying when i'm taking a macro video but then want to show something else Video quality is really noisy in low light conditions , but bearable . No optical zoom while recording a video - only digital Viewfinder is pretty useless . Too small Wrist wrap should be just a little longer and have a tightning feature so you can tighten it around your wrist . Power button is just a little too small . The switch to switch between Auto , Program , and Video could've been larger and easier to move .
054 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I have a nice SLR camera that I love , but it can be cumbersome sometimes . I wanted to get a small point and shoot camera that I could use in situations where it just wasn't practical to take a large camera . I tried a Kodak , Nikon Coolpix and another Canon model before trying this one and loving it . Compared to the other three , this one had very good quality pictures in low light and had the least grainy pictures . I bought it just before a trip to Guatemala where I took 6GB of pictures and video and I was very pleased with the overall quality . Not quite as good as an SLR , but the closest thing I've found in a point-and-shoot .
056 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) The SD780IS is a great buy if you're looking for a pocket camera to take with you on a whim ( just in case you feel the urge to snap a few shots ) . Its a canon so its easy to use and the pre-set modes are fun . I wasn't floored with the picture quality because the colors were way off in certain situations . I rated it three stars overall because the camera doesn't function as well as I wanted it too in low light situations ( inside a club , at night , dance floor , weird lighting ) .
061 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I did a lot of agonizing between the SD940 and this camera . After all the 940 is almost the same camera , but with a slightly bigger screen , and slightly better optical zoom and wide angle . That's a lot of slightlys . I had ruled out Nikons and Fujis only because I really wanted the HD video , and I love that it's a MOV format instead of an AVI . ( yes I'm a mac user ) . In the end I bought this camera because it was $169 on Black Friday and at an 90 difference I see no reason not to go with this camera . Currently at a $50 difference , I would say if you happen to have the extra cash , and those slightly better features are important to you , go with the 940 - but I think if you get this camera I think you would be quickly happy and forget what the differences were anyway . This is a TINY camera . It's quite a bit smaller then my iphone ! When you are recording video , and I found the quality quite good for such a little package , make sure you don't cover up the mic on top while holding the camera , which is easy to do since it's so small . The IS works really well , I was amazed at what I could hand hold in low light . Macro is quite good as well . A feature I really like is you can have your playback display show both the whole photo and a 100% zoom so you can see the noise and focus quickly , which is super handy . There is not a lot of manual customization on this camera , but there is a program mode where you can control some things like slow syncro flash , WB , etc . I really wish it came with a case , but canon does make a case specifically for this camera , and you can get it on amazon . I usually hate software included with cameras , but I was forced to try it out , because the camera does not mount as an external drive , so I needed it to import photos using the camera's usb . Surprisingly I find the software pretty handy , particularly for trimming videos . I would recommend something else for actually enhancing your photos though . All in all , I love the size , love the video , enjoy the photo quality , and highly recommend this camera .
063 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Canon Powershot SD780 is one of the smallest Canon camera ever created . Along with the ultra-portable size , it comes with four colors , gold , red , silver and black . The camera is very sleek and fashionable . Here is Canon Powershot SD780 IS spec : * 12 Megapixel / 1 / 2.3 sensor * 80 - 3200 ISO range * 2.5 LCD screen ( 230k ) * Optical image stabilization * 33mm - 100mm ( 3X zoom length ) * f / 3.2 ( W ) - f / 5.8 ( T ) aperture * Record HD video * Dimension : 3.43 x 2.15 x 0.72 in . / 87.0 x 54.5 x 18.4mm * Weight : 115g camera body only IMAGE QUALITY Canon SD 780 IS has 1 / 2.3 sensor size which is considered very small but not the smallest . From my test , SD780 ' s image quality really depend on the lighting situation or what ISO setting that you use . In low ISO setting , like 80 - 200 , the image quality is very good . But from 400 and up , the image started to break down ( lose detail and unsharp edges ) due to aggressive noise reduction . However , the color / contrast are still very consistent through out . Like all Canon cameras , image straight out of the camera are generally vivid and punchy . Canon usually boosts the red and it makes the image warmer than reality . This camera is not something you want to use for serious photography work , but it is very good for web sharing , regular 4 × 6 print . For ISO comparison images , please visit my blog . BODY AND HANDLING Canon SD780 body is surprisingly very good . It is very small , the width and length has the same size as credit card , and the depth is only 0.7 thick . It is smaller than many cellphone in the market . The body feels very solid and dense , buttons are small , but not flimsy . The layout is typical of compact camera . It has playback , function , menu , display , flash , macro , self-timer / trash , direct print / exposure compensation , shutter button , zoom lever , and on-off button . Surprisingly , it also has a optical viewfinder . But the viewfinder is so small ( maybe around 0.2 x ) that it is quite challenging to use it , especially for people who wear glasses . The viewfinder is electronic viewfinder meaning that what you see in the viewfinder is what you will see in the camera . However , for people who like to compose picture from eye level , this will be a nice addition . It has 3X zoom lens , from wide 33mm to 100mm . This focal length is good for general purpose . It is great outdoor , but not very for indoor because it is not very wide . Taking group picture indoor will be a bit of a challenge but do-able . The maximum aperture is quite small , so it will be a challenge in low light or when you want to make a blurred background . LCD screen is pretty standard . 2.5 inch is generally big enough but the resolution only 230k . It is not a the best but good enough to view your image and compose pictures . OPERATION & FEATURES This camera is pretty much a straightforward some settings that you can change . It has Auto mode , Program mode and video recording mode . The P mode can be changes in function menu to several scene modes , such as portrait , night shot , kids & pets , indoor and sunset . If you want to change setting , just press the function button . From there you can change various settings such as shooting mode , ISO setting , white balance , color retouch , metering mode , shutter release mode and image size . Regarding image size , you can choose either standard 4 : 3 ratio or 16 : 9 wide screen ratio . Other features the camera has are face detection , blink detection and image stabilization . OPERATION PERFORMANCE Start up time is considered fast for compact camera . It only requires around 1 sec to power on . Auto focus speed and is generally fast as well ( .5 sec ) . General operation are also very fast and nothing to worry about . Thanks to the DIGIC IV processor . CONCLUSION Canon Powershot SD780 IS Digital Elph is a compact camera that is optimized for its size , look and performance . Image quality is generally good for outdoor in a sunny day , but not very good in indoor setting or in low light situation such as in an overcast day . Regarding camera operation , it is responsive , and easy to use . I recommend this camera for casual snap shooters who need high performance , ultra portable compact camera . For images , please visit my blog . You can click on my profile to get the blog address . Thanks for reading .
065 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I was a bit leery of buying this camera because some reviews raised issues with picture quality , edge softening , lens flare , pinkish cast to tungsten settings and graininess . I am happy to report that picture quality on my new camera is equal to that of my last 2 SDs , an SD1000 and an SD800 . There is absolutely no lens flare at 100X magnification . AT iso 400 , pictures taken indoors with tungsten setting with or without flash have no pinkish cast and are acceptable for prints up to 5X7 or so . Picture edges are acceptably sharp . Here are 2 really , really nice features ; 1 . The review button is separate , turns the camera on for review of pictures , and the pics can be cycled through rapidly . 2 . The slider allows auto and a custom setting . I use Auto outdoors , and set the C setting for indoors using tungsten , iso 400 and flash off . Then when coming indoors just move the slider to the C position . It's instantly set for most indoor shots with tungsten and good ambient light . If the light is low , just turn the flash to auto . The camera itself is tiny and pocketable . Cons : the optical viewfinder is really tiny . It's hard to carefully frame a picture using it in low light . Buttons are also quite small , but arranged in the usual Cannon configuration . I found myself using a fingernail to quickly change settings . So far pictures have been really stellar ; makes me think some reviewers got sub-par cameras to test .
069 4 I have a Konica Minolta Dimage X1 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Anti Shake Zoom ( Cradle Included ) which I love and have used for years but my problem was that only I could take pictures in focus with it . Which defeats the point and shoot aspect of a small camera . So a few years later I upgraded . After reading reviews of all different brands and testing them at my local electronic super store , I decided on this Canon PowerShot SD780IS12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) . I am very happy with it and will continue to recommend it to friends looking for a new camera . Its smaller than my old camera which was the smallest at the time and has a 12.1 - megapixel resolution . Being able to carry the camera in my front pocket with ease is what I love about small cameras . It takes great pictures , but most importantly to me is that other people can take great pictures with it and the camera stays in focus . Which means I can ask a stranger on the street to take a picture of something with me in the shot and it turns out every time . Very important to me . Setting the camera to smart auto automatically selects an appropriate setting from 18 specially defined settings when I take a picture and it works . Optical Image Stabilizer works like a charm to help with the hand shakes . The face detection is awesome and works well thanks to the advanced DIGIC 4 image processor in the camera . A Face Detection Self-Timer automatically detects an increase in the number of faces and makes the appropriate adjustments so you can set up the family for the picture , jump in the group and still get a perfect shot . The camera knows when you are in place because it can see your face . Red eye correction works as it should . Either the camera can be set to remove the red eyes from the picture when it detects them or after you take the picture you can go back into the picture while it is on your camera and remove them . Its easy to use and works . The camera feels very well made but if you have a hard time pressing small buttons beware the camera has only small buttons . Not a problem for me though . HD video mode works great and looks better . The HDMI out port makes hooking the camera up to my HDTV a snap . 280 x 720 resolution , 30 minutes / 4GB Love the 100% all black I am very happy with this camera and look forward to using it as my pocket camera for years to come .
071 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I was traveling and in a hurry , and made the mistake of buying a Pentax Optio M20 on sale when I found I'd left my trusty old Canon SD110 at home . I call it a mistake not because there was anything terribly wrong with the Optio , but because I found it harder to get good pictures with it than with the venerable SD110 , despite a friendlier user interface , much higher resolution and image stabilization . Since I use my Canon EOS 30D for my non-candid photo needs , the Pentax has been adequate for the past couple years . But as I flipped through more and more candid photos that were blurry ( or focused on the plant behind the subject's face ) , I decided to do a little research , and ended up pre-ordering the SD780IS . I love the feel of this camera . It's sleek and solid , and fits easily into my pants pocket . The small flash offers surprisingly good coverage , considering its size , and the LCD is nicely sized and clear . The daylight shots are crisp and colorful , and the multiple face recognition makes it easy to take quick shots of several subjects at varying distances from the camera . Start up is quick , as is the image read / display rate in playback mode , and battery performance is more than adequate for casual shooting . The techie features are abundant as well . I love the blink detection and face timer , even though neither option saves much time or effort . I'm also impressed with how smoothly Canon has integrated digital zoom , so that when taking pictures at lower than maximum resolution , the effective non-interpolated zoom increases from the optical 3x ; this is clearly indicated in the process , so that it's not easy to accidentally zoom beyond 1 - to - 1 pixel capture . There are , of course , small inconveniences that come with the miniaturization of this much technical sophistication . It took me a while to get used to the zoom lever due to its size and shape , and the navigation buttons on the back are slightly smaller than my thumb would prefer . Moving beyond ergonomics , the small aperture that this camera shares with others in the pocket genre means that low-light imaging is not always ideal ( usually manifested as blur due to movement combined with a slow shutter speed ; when the shutter speed is kept high , it is instead manifested as noise in the imagery due to the increased sensitivity at high ISO settings ) . The optical image stabilization does help , and it makes this a better candidate for low light than most of the small cameras that have come before it ; it is certainly better than the two other small cameras I've owned ( mentioned above ) in this respect . Being able to shoot high resolution video with this camera is refreshing , and I've enjoyed that feature . I had optimistically hoped that it would be good enough that I wouldn't need a separate camcorder for video , but that was wishful thinking . It's wonderful for short , candid videos but suffers from the small aperture and - - ironically - - form factor for longer shots . This is manifested as movement blur and camera shake . The movement blur is much less pronounced in good lighting , but the stabilizing lens can only move so much , and the human hand is notoriously unsteady when unbraced . The size of the camera makes it that much harder to hold still , as momentum tends to slow the movement of some of the larger cameras / camcorders . In summary , I'm more than pleased with this camera and would have no second thoughts about recommending it to anyone looking for a small point-and-shoot . The defects it suffers are shared in common with all cameras of this size to some extent ; as technology improves , more of these will be mitigated , but for the time being the convenience and fun being offered in this tiny package would be hard to beat at twice the price .
073 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I write this not really to review the canon camera , but rather to talk about my amazon experience . I purchased the canon 780is for my wife for Christmas . She loved it . I thought it looked great , and took remarkable pictures especially in comparison with my 7 year old 4 mega pixel canon A520 . After Christmas we took a trip to Coronado , CA and we were taking pictures while on a bike ride around the island . At one point the camera was dropped , while on and with the lens out . The camera landed right on the lens and jammed it in a way that it would not go back into the camera body , making the camera inoperable . I emailed amazon when we got home and told them exactly how the camera was dropped and is now inoperable . To my surprise and excitement , amazon emailed back in about 45 minutes to say that they had placed an order for the exact same camera to replace my broken model . Just like that . Pretty amazing customer service policy if you asked me . My new camera has arrived and my old damaged camera is being sent back to amazon . Customer service like this is what builds great companies . I will be visiting amazon for all of my online product shopping from this point on . Thanks amazon . I'm spreading the word .
076 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I'm a member of Canon Professional Services and make my living using Canon cameras . I have owned a number of point & shoot digital cameras , all Canon . First the good . The 780IS is sleek and tiny . For a $200 camera , it creates pretty darn good HD video . Much better than expected . Nice still images on bright sunny days with non-moving subjects . Unfortunately , we ( bought for my wife ) didn't buy for its video capabilities , but to mainly capture images of our young kids . The Canon 780IS is a train wreck in the photographing moving kids department . The shutter lag problem is the big deal breaker here . Push the shutter and wait wait wait . Holy cow , is anything happening ? finally a photograph is made , literally 1 second , sometimes 2 seconds later . The 780IS is the absolute worst digital camera i have ever owned . AVOID it at all costs if you're taking photographs of anything that moves ( kids , pets , smiles , emotion ) . In low-light or a with a moving subject this thing performs worse than my very first powershot ( circa 2000 ) . Amazing that Canon would put out such a POS .
078 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) To be honest , I bought this particular model pretty much based on the great reviews here on Amazon . I am not a photographer , but I own a high end DSLR and after that , I guess , maybe my point-and-shoot expectations were a little too high . I used to own a Sony point-and-shoot for many years that I loved , then got a Nikon DSLR , so this is my first time with Canon . And I am disappointed . It is my hope that I learn how to use this little camera better and get better pictures . Good things : 1 . Good focus - the pictures are rarely blurry . 2 . Very small and compact , fits into the cell phone compartment of my purse - great portability . 3 . Image quality for the most part is ok if you shoot under ideal conditions - not too much sunlight , not too dark , no one is moving and you hold the camera very still . 4 . The video quality is fantastic . Bad things : 1 . I find that this camera frequently over-exposes images . Whether it's daylight outside , sunlight or dusk , whether I use the flash or not , 80% of the time , at least a few spots on the camera are too bright , too white and the image looks poorly . 2 . Auto mode chooses the settings poorly in my opinion . There is a Program mode that allows you to select more specifically ( white balance , color choice , vivid vs neutral , lighting conditions , etc ) , so I ended up reshooting the same thing in the P mode and got much better picture . But if you're like my husband ( the primary user of this point-and-shoot ) , he says it's annoying to change settings all the time , so naturally he gravitates toward the Auto . 3 . The flash is too bright for the zoom range . Meaning , the flash is super bright and there is no point in it being so bright because it bleaches out people's faces and anything you put in the few feet range of the flash . However , if you try to shoot something far away with this flash , the zoom doesn't reach far enough to actually see the far image , so especially in low lighting you hardly see anything at all . Annoying . 4 . I'm a female and my fingers are pretty small . I work in healthcare , so don't have very long nails . The buttons on this camera blend into the body of the camera very well . They are also tiny buttons , so you really have to make an effort with your nail to push the buttons to get the camera to do something . But my husband ( whose fingers are much bigger ) finds this feature particularly painful . If given the opportunity again , I wouldn't buy this camera .
080 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I guess you could say that the only negative is that this camera is TOO small . Someone with large hands or with some arthritis coming on might have trouble with the controls . The hd movie feature is incredible ! 1 hour of movies on an 8GB chip . I play them on my 32 hdtv and they look perfect . To me , a viewfinder in bright sunlight is essential , and this little jewel has one that zooms with the lens . Get this baby as I did before Canon drops it for one of its non-viewfinder upgrades .
082 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I just love this camera . The picture quality is good and with the 16gb disk I have inside I can take tons of pictures or long videos . Since I know this camera so well , when I went to replace the one I dropped in the water ( my bad ) I chose to purchase the same unit again because I didn't see the need for a new version at higher cost when this one does such a great job . It is so portable and people are shocked at the quality of the video's I am able to take with it . I also love the fact that it will adjust for macro pictures so I can take up close shots . It is small enough to fit in my purse or pocket so it goes with me everywhere . The battery charges quickly and compared to AA batteries lasts much longer .
086 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera on the number and positive reviews at Amazon , which is how I purchase many things here . I was not disappointed . This is a great little point and shoot camera and an excellent value for the money . I work on a ship and had started taking pictures of other vessels to post on the web , so I really wanted a camera that had a large optical zoom , but I wasn't ready to lay down the cash for an expensive DSLR . Other point and shoots , like the COOLPIX , had more optical zoom , but the feedback was not very good , so although the Canon Powershot SD780IS has only 3x optical zoom I bought it on the strength of the reviews . I ordered it from the ship , had amazon deliver it to the agent in the next port , and had in a few days . The camera is VERY small , and comes with a USB connection , wrist strap , manual , software , battery and charger , but you need to purchase a memory card ( I also got a spare battery ) . You have to charge the battery before you use it , but that was pretty fast . Having been using my 6 year old OLYMPUS 3.2 megapixel camera , I was blown away between the difference in the quality of the images . With it's image stabilizer , up to about 8x digital zoom , the Canon Powershots pictures are excellent , after that up to the max of 12x they start getting a little more grainy , but still pretty good . The screen on the back of the camera is good sized and you can adjust the brightness , but like most of this type of camera it still can be difficult to see it in bright sunlight . It also has an optical viewfinder but it is tiny and somewhat difficult to use . The camera's manual is pretty good and not to hard to follow and like most of these cameras you have a full auto or manual setting in addition to being able to shoot video . Most of the features I haven't tried yet , but one I do like is being able to adjust the ISO setting in the manual mode , disable the flash and get pretty good images using the ambient light . This is great at concerts or other venues where you don't want to disturb others . I didn't care for the image software that came with the camera and instead I use Photoscape ( free on the web ) and Photoshop Essentials , which came with my Canoscan 8800F scanner . The photoscape software is very easy to use . As mentioned the camera is small , so it can easily fit in a purse , pant pocket or inside suit jacket pocket , but be careful as keys , loose change or other hard objects can easily scratch the view screen . The camera seems well made , but I would suggest buying a case if you plan to use it on hikes , trips or other extended outings . I gave the camera 5 stars because I was very happy with it and the overall purchasing experience . I am certainly not a photo expert , but I think most folks like me that want a decent little camera at a good price will like the Canon Powershot SD780 IS .
088 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) Great point and shoot and pretty good video recorder . You'll need a lot of light to get crisp video , indoor will be OK , but will show a decent amount of grain . The size and portability is the real deal maker for this camera . I couldn't find a case that fit it snug enough , so I bought a cell phone clam shell . It fits perfectly and I recommend it . The battery life is not the best , the view finder is literally like looking through a pin-hole on a piece of paper . But in a tight spot I guess it would function . . but no better then just holding the camera and guessing . Overall , a nice camera . I have used it a lot and it usually can determine the correct settings when in ' auto . ' But the real reason i got this was for the HD and the size . . . both are good and I recommend this camera for those that aren't going to ' pixel-peep ' .
091 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I loved this camera because of the design and portability , I just started hating it some weeks ago when the infamous ' lens error ' started showing up . It worked for about 6 months . This is my third canon camera and the second one that has this issue . I think I should consider some other brand .
098 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I've had this camera for about three weeks , and it's amazing . I usually can't take a good picture to save my life , but with the 780IS it seems as though I can't take a bad one . The video is beautiful . Most amazing of all is the low light capability . You will need a large SD card , as the 720p video eats up memory quickly . I say Run , don't walk to buy this one , and like me you may find yourself waking up in the middle of the night , unaware you have been holding the camera in your sweaty palms chanting my precious .
101 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This is a great camera . The user interface was easy to figure out even though I never owned a digital camera . I like the date feature which prints the date in small red numbers in the corner of the picture . The only downside to this camera is that you might have a little trouble with the buttons if you have thick fingers . At first I thought it a slow to take many pictures in quick succession , due to autofocusing between shots , but then I found there is a feature that lets you take many shots at once , just by keeping the button held down . What a great feature ! The camera doesn't come with a case , but Canon PSC - 1050 Deluxe Leather Case fits well .
103 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I had a Canon Powershot SD600 ( 6 megapixel ) and loved it but it broke so I bought this . I returned this because it was not as good as my OLDER model ! What do I mean , not as good - I couldn't simply point and shoot with this . When I pointed , pressed halfway to focus , then pressed all the way - the shot was delayed and inevitably horrible ( motion of subject related ) . No matter how well charged the battery , the picture would not take quick enough . No matter what setting I used , the pictures all showed movement instead of clearly snapping a moment in time . I'm not sure why this is the case . We returned this camera and got an SD1400 , which is more in line with my SD600 , but we are having the same exact problem so I think these newer models are somehow different from the older ones . If someone can explain how I can get the ease of use , simple , clear , great photos I am accustomed to - please let me know !
107 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) All in all it's a great small point and shoot camera , but there's one fairly serious issue . Audible noise in all the video recordings , the camera itself makes a buzzing noise that gets picked up on the microphone . The video image quality is truly amazing for something this small , it's the audio that unfortunately lets down an otherwise great little camera . The still image quality is good , though not up to DSLR standards obviously , but for the size it's good .
109 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) When our Nikon Coolpix died , we were left with a lot of usable accessories , etc . But I compared all the reviews and this Canon stood out , so I bought it instead of another Coolpix . From the first picture taken in a dimly lit kitchen to pictures taken from a slow-moving bus to pictures of two dogs walking down a wooded path , I have been amazed and pleased . The camera is super-quick to focus and very quick to take a picture . The stabilizing feature , the ability to capture movement ( in auto mode ) , the adaptation to any lighting condition and any focus challenge all amaze me . The ease of use and image quality makes me want to pull the camera out at every opportunity - - it's not just handy , it's good ! For about $50 more than my defunct Nikon , I have a far better camera that takes pictures as good as my much bigger ultra-zoom . I did not buy it for the video , but I enjoyed filming dolphins sporting in the Atlantic from my motel room balcony and then editing the video right in the camera to cut out the frames of empty ocean - - the sound was surprisingly clear , too . I am now actually grateful that my wife took the old Coolpix sea kayaking ( though it might have been moribund anyway ) . And I am glad I did not follow my leftover Nikon accessories to the purchase of another so-so camera .
112 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) My daughter ordered this with birthday money after researching cameras online . It was one of the cameras recommended by Ken Rockwell , and one of the few low-end digitals that still has an optical viewfinder . My pragmatic daughter insisted on this , since sometimes in bright light the LCD is hard to view . The camera is tiny ! Even after seeing a picture of the camera hiding behind a credit card I was not prepared for how small it is ! The buttons are recessed and the whole camera slips easily into a pocket without snagging on anything . Despite its small size , the LCD is easy to view , and the buttons are very usable . The second moment of awe was powering on . The camera turns on and off very quickly ! Some other point-and-shoot digitals we've had have had a considerable delay before they are ready to shoot , extending the lens and running through the self-test of the software . This camera is not quite instantaneous , but it's very fast ! The pictures are good quality , and it's easy to switch between photo and video mode . Another fun surprise was that the auto-focus places the camera in macro mode when you try to focus on something right in front of the lens . In short , the features of the camera are very well done . I can't comment on the battery life or sturdiness / durability because we've only had the camera for a short time and my daughter is fastidious about taking out the battery when she isn't actively using the camera .
114 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I have been using the Canon PowerShot SD line since SD300 . Had experienced through so many of them already . I was never amazed by the photo quality of the SD lines but this camera has surpassed my expectations . I normally shoot with a Canon Rebel XT - 350D , with several lenses including a 28 - 75mm f / 2.8 and a 10 - 22mm wide lens . Whenever I shoot photos indoors during dinner with my SLR , people are amazed that I do not need to use the flash . Well this SD780 is absolutely THAT . I was shooting photos in doors without flash on AUTO mode and it was capturing perfectly sharp images ! I think the smartness of the camera's auto ISO selection along with the amazing canon line's Imagine Stablization - IS - really helped . The size of the camera is small , like a credit card . Anyone can easily drop it in their shirt pocket , and especially the girls out there with super tight jeans , I'm sure this can be dropped into your back pocket as well . It's extremely light ! ! ! Modes - I remember when I first used night mode in the SD400 , I really loved how the photos turned out . The idea behind night mode is that it'll use the flash to capture the foreground ( subject ) and also extend the shutter to allow the background capture . This method generated beautiful imagery with night shots ! It's too bad there's no more shutter control on this camera because I was trying to shoot an outdoor photo at night , with no flash , but I wanted to make sure to capture the beautiful architectural lights in the background . I couldn't figure it out within the 15 secs I had so I gave up . I'm fairly familiar with the SD line's menus so I didn't bother reading the manual . Videos - 720p movies in . mov format . What more can i say ? I think a 2min video came out to about 350 - 400mb large . So if you're planning to capture some videos , make sure you have a large capacity SDHC card . I usually don't shoot videos , especially since there's no video function on my SLR , but man was it fun to capture the moment with the dialogues and just facial expressions that cannot be captured with a photograph . I was debating between SD780 vs SD940 vs SD1400 since they're successors of each other . I knew the SD1400 ' s shape was no longer like the small footprint of the SD780 , but the latter two offered a 2.7 screen instead ! A second consideration was the wide angle ability of SD940 and SD1400 . Truthfully , this camera was for my gf , whom doesn't know much about photography . Whenever I ask her to take a pic with my SLR , it is always an epic fail . So I knew when she turns on the camera , if it defaults to wide angle , all her photos would look funky . So I knew a traditional 28mm equivalent would be best for an amateur shooter . Honestly wide angle is fun for architectural photography like indoor and buildings . Otherwise , wide angle really distorts the way people look in images . Wide angle is fun , but it wont be a photo I'd print out for frames . Anyways , I'm not a good writer , paragraph structure and grammars are bound to be wrong here . Just know this is A GOOD CAMERA and why it won so many editor's choice awards and why there's HUNDREDS of amazon reviews already raving about it . You can't get a better camera than this for one hundred and eighty dollars with a free 4gb SDHC class6 card !
116 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I was looking for a portable camera option for capturing moments ( pictures and video ) when I just did not want to haul around my DSLR ( Canon 40D ) and lenses . I researched more than 10 cameras and decided on the Canon SD780IS . This camera is extremely portable and fit the bill perfectly . The picture quality was good , just about what I expected from a point and shoot and the video quality was also decent , but the audio noise / humm when recording video was the deal breaker . After checking Youtube ( searched for Canon SD780IS Test Video ) , it appears that I must just have a defective unit as there are many quiet setting video recordings with the SD780IS that sound just fine , great in fact . Perhaps there is a difference in manufacturing as I understand that the Canon PowerShot SD780IS12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) used to be made in Japan and now , like mine , is made in China . I discovered a couple video samples with the humm , one I believe was in a review here on Amazon . I tried recording video in several different situations and the audio humm made the video unacceptable in every instance . I tried turning off the image stabilization and the noise was still present . The noise sounds almost like a fan , but not quite . To give you an example , I filmed the dog eating and drinking and the humm would obscure some of the audio that I was trying to capture . I could import the video in to Adobe Premiere and apply some audio filters to make the humm less obnoxious , but it would severely degrade the audio quality and one should not have to do this anyway . So , after much thought , I decided to return the defective camera and order the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 - Inch LCD ( Black ) rather than get a replacement SD780IS and risk getting another defective unit . I really appreciate all the user reviews on Amazon as they often help me make final buying decisions . I hope this review is helpful to someone . Bottom line , if video is not something you will ever use , the camera should be fine . If video is important , make sure your camera is performing properly , it is impossible to miss the audio noise / humm . Sorry Canon , you get two stars from me as the audio issue when recording video is unacceptable .
117 4 I was looking for a portable camera option for capturing moments ( pictures and video ) when I just did not want to haul around my DSLR ( Canon 40D ) and lenses . I researched more than 10 cameras and decided on the Canon SD780IS . This camera is extremely portable and fit the bill perfectly . The picture quality was good , just about what I expected from a point and shoot and the video quality was also decent , but the audio noise / humm when recording video was the deal breaker . After checking Youtube ( searched for Canon SD780IS Test Video ) , it appears that I must just have a defective unit as there are many quiet setting video recordings with the SD780IS that sound just fine , great in fact . Perhaps there is a difference in manufacturing as I understand that the Canon PowerShot SD780IS12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) used to be made in Japan and now , like mine , is made in China . I discovered a couple video samples with the humm , one I believe was in a review here on Amazon . I tried recording video in several different situations and the audio humm made the video unacceptable in every instance . I tried turning off the image stabilization and the noise was still present . The noise sounds almost like a fan , but not quite . To give you an example , I filmed the dog eating and drinking and the humm would obscure some of the audio that I was trying to capture . I could import the video in to Adobe Premiere and apply some audio filters to make the humm less obnoxious , but it would severely degrade the audio quality and one should not have to do this anyway . So , after much thought , I decided to return the defective camera and order the Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7 - Inch LCD ( Black ) rather than get a replacement SD780IS and risk getting another defective unit . I really appreciate all the user reviews on Amazon as they often help me make final buying decisions . I hope this review is helpful to someone . Bottom line , if video is not something you will ever use , the camera should be fine . If video is important , make sure your camera is performing properly , it is impossible to miss the audio noise / humm . Sorry Canon , you get two stars from me as the audio issue when recording video is unacceptable .
119 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I already own an SLR , couple of point and shoot cameras , a flip and a video cam . So , photography is not new to me . I ordered this because I wanted a portable camera to carry around when I can't take SLR . This fits the bill perfectly . It starts up very fast ( better than any point and shoot camera I've seen till date ) . Photos in low light are a bit noisy . Sometimes it has problems focusing but mostly image quality is good . Photos taken with maximum zoom are heavily distorted . Photos without any zoom are stunning . If you can afford an SLR ( like Nikon D3000 etc ) , go for that . If you need a portable / pocket-able camera , get this one . You won't be regretted . - Sam .
123 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I have always been a Nikon person . I own a Nikon D40X SLR digital camera for serious photos . For an upcoming trip to Paris I wanted a pocket camera that could should video as well as digital photos . I purchased a Nikon Coolpix point and shoot camera . I hated it . So I returned it and purchased the Canon SD780 on Amazon.com . The price was good , and it qualified for free shipping . I chose that model because it takes HD video and had good reviews in Consumer reports . I LOVE this camera . The videos are better quality than I expected ( so are the photos ) . It doesn't have an option for manual controls . But that's okay . This camera will be used for candid shots . So all I have to do is reach in my pocket turn the camera on and shoot . I am very glad I bought this camera .
126 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) The size of the camera is astonishing . It is much smaller than my mobile phone and weighs only around 4 ounces . The picture and video quality are simply outstanding . Would definitely recommend this .
129 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I've become very fond of this camera . Great still photos with lively color and ultra-sharp focus . Smaller than even my Casio EX-S600 , which was the smallest camera I had seen before the Canon SD - 780 , yet operable by my big hands . It can even shoot a succesion of still photos continuously without limit until you fill up the card . But the best feature is the 720p hi-def video . The quality is , as far as I can tell , identical to that of the Panasonic FZ - 28 , which also shoots 720p hi-def but is a much larger ( and of course more capable ) camera . The Canon , like the Panasonic , zooms silently while shooting video , and like the Panasonic the image stabilization works perfectly ( not something one can say about all brands ) . The deciding factor for me in choosing this camera was the usable ISO of 1600 reported by Consumer Reports . Yes , the image is grainy , but not outrageously so . There are a few downsides . Previous Canon models had a high-ISO auto-exposure feature that allowed the camera to access the highest sensitivity ratings the camera would allow . This one does not . The highest ISO it will access automatically is 400 . You have to manually select ISO 1600 in order to shoot at that level of sensitivity . The sound quality when shooting video is good but not great . The LCD screen is a good one but it is difficult to see in bright light . Amazingly , this tiny camera does include an eye-level direct viewer just like film-type cameras used to have . I got a couple of extra batteries with the camera , the Lenmar brand from Amazon . Inexpensive , very reliable , and equivalent to Canon OEM batteries in my experience . A word of caution , though . If you need an extra battery charger , say for travel , it is worth getting the Canon OEM charger , the CB - 2LV or CB - 2LVG , rather than an aftermarket unit . The aftermarket chargers I have seen seem to work OK for a while , but then the battery begins to lose capacity . The Canon charger keeps the battery working at capacity much longer . I have some five-year-old Canon and Lenmar batteries that are still working perfectly . In addition , the Canon charger is smaller than the aftermarket units and has a foldable AC plug . As of late February 2010 you can get Canon OEM chargers for about $35 at Amazon or for about $30 , including shipping , on eBay .
131 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Gold ) ( Electronics ) I wanted to get a point-and-shoot for my wife and I knew it had to be something small that she wouldn't mind carrying in her jacket / jeans pocket or handbag . Also I wanted this camera to complement my dslr , in terms of compactness and features . I'm happy to say the SD780IS does the job excellently . Its unbelievably sleek , making it as portable as a cellphone . And its got a ton of shooting modes - in my most recent vacation I could absolutely find a shooting mode for every scenario I was in . Love it ! And briefly on how I narrowed down on this camera - I'm a Canon fan so didn't look anywhere else , and the SD1200IS and SD780IS were the two options in my price range . To compare the SD780IS with a SD1200IS , I feel the SD780IS is well worth the few extra bucks considering you get HD video and a much slimmer camera .
133 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) As an avid photographer I value having a camera that takes good pictures , which is why I bought a Canon 40D with an L series lens and three other IS USM lenses , along with a monopod , tripod , bag , filters , etc . Then the economic crisis hit me and I became strapped for cash , so I sold it all on ebay ( I hated to do it , but had no choice ) . This left me camera-less , so I looked for an inexpensive point-n-shoot . After hours and hours of research I decided on the Powershot SD780 IS and must say this thing has exceeded my expectations in every way possible . I can not believe such a small , lightweight camera can shoot video and 12 mega pixel images . With a 4GB card , shooting at 2592 x 1944 ( and it goes up to 4000 x 3000 and 4000 x 2248 for wide shoot , which really are wide ) I can take 2677 photos before I have to empty it ( not that I would ever let it build up to that ) . I'll skip all the features and details ( you can read that on your own at the Canon website ) , but will say you will NOT be disappointed . The images are crisp , clear and always in focus . You have a plethora of scene settings to choose from , but just set it on auto and let it decide how to shoot . I guess that's what they mean by Point-n-shoot . My favorite thing about this is how small it is ! Fits right in my pocket ( and is smaller than my Droid phone ) . I bought a belt holster on eBay for $7 and now my camera is always with me . I also used the Amazon credit card and got $40 off , so I paid $169 for this ! Talk about a bargain . This is 5 stars all the way ! April 2010 Update : I bought a new Canon 50D with all the lens for those professional shots , but I STILL use this PnS camera for quick shots and because it's so portable . I find that even with $4,000 worth of professional equipment , I still find myself using this PnS - that images are REALLY good , especially outdoors .
135 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This is my fourth Canon PowerShot digital camera . I take my camera everywhere on trips , and usually throw it in my pocket . . . and they have all lasted longer than they should have . Reliable picture quality . Plenty of custom settings . I love it . . . was worried about the smaller 2.5 display ( last Canon had 3 display ) , but barely notice the difference . I love the HD video capturing ability , nice small and compact design . Though the brushed aluminum finish makes it slippery , extra care is needed when taking pictures , making sure you have the wrist strap on . I rarely even shoot in full 12MP size , because I share pictures online most of the time . . . .5MB setting is more than enough . Great battery life . Great image quality . Sturdy outter design . I definitely recommend this camera . . . easy to tuck in your pocket anywhere you go !
137 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera as an upgrade to my Canon SD870IS . I use my little pocket cameras to video outdoor primal movement that I then edit them into training DVDs and needed a bit better video capacity . The SD780IS gives me that , plus outstanding still photography and it is even smaller . The HD video excellent . We compared it to the video from the SD870IS and my waterproof Canon D10 . The difference is significant . The controls are typical Canon style and easy for me to use . Because of the smaller size it took me maybe a day of use to get myself adjusted to it . I have taken video in some extremely low light situations and been very impressed with it . The battery is excellent and of course I bought a second one for when I am doing lots of video . So far this is my favorite Always Carry Camera . I hiked up to a waterfall the other day and captured a rainbow in the falls . This camera really does job .
139 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) For fine still photography , I'm a Nikon man . For video or pocket cameras , I love Canon . Though my venerable Canon Powershot SD - 450IS still works perfectly , it's just 5 megapixel and the 4 year old battery had worn out . As I searched for a replacement battery , I also found reviews and videos on this Canon Powershot SD - 780IS . Turns out , this camera has all the great features and easy of use of my older camera , even better construction quality and shot brilliant 12 megapixel and 720p HD Video . It has better Image Stabilization ( IS ) , beautiful color reproduction and a high quality feel . It won't replace an HD Camcorder , but for the money and size , it can't be beat . My only complain with the Powershot series is that none of these cameras will allow you to save images in their raw format , saving in processed jpeg format . But te average shooter won't be doing extensive image processing , and the image quality is high enough that you still have no problem getting 11x14 ( or larger ! ) paper prints if desired from good quality images . If you're looking for a full-featured , shirt pocket camera that shoots great video with excellent low light capability , the SD - 780IS answer ! I recommend it , even over the newer SD - 940IS .
141 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Gold ) ( Electronics ) An excellent camera that is small , cute and very effective . Do not be fooled by size , size does not matter . I brought this camera a month back and took it to my trip to Singapore without reading the manual . Took 800 photos and 760 of them came out very well . Ease of use , portability , and convenience are the hallmarks of this camera .
143 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera as a Christmas gift to myself , it has become one of the best investments I've made . The pictures on this camera are the clearest and best pictures I've ever taken . Right now , I am extremely satisfied with the ease of using this camera seeing that I am not really good at working camera's .
145 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Bought this camera as a walk around , when the DSLR would be in the way . Works very well . Auto focus is quick enough to catch 3 year old grandsons ! Would reccommend this item to all my frriends .
148 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Very compact and excellant pictures . The HD video is great , unless you zoom which quickly degrades image quality . Battery life is very good , and has a ton of present picture modes . A great buy , especially if you want an ultracompact camera .
150 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) The portability of this camera cannot be beat ! However , do not expect SLR grade pics with it . Its a point and shoot , and really can do quite a bit . But its not going to give you the best picture quality you've ever seen . Also , the flash is fairly weak , probably due to the small size and power limitations . I was also impressed with the speed . Others have said its slow , but I disagree . From power button press to picture taken is less than 2 seconds . Overall , a great camera for slipping into a pocket and carrying with you .
157 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera on super sale on Black Friday and have been so pleased with it I can hardly contain my excitement . I adore it's sleek design and compact size . A pocket is all you need to carry it around . Despite the camera's small size it has a large screen for viewing . The features are easy to use and the quality is fantastic . I'm so enthralled with this product I cannot recommend it enough . While I'm certainly still learning to use it and all its features , I have already taken twice as many photos as normal and feel they are much better than before I started using the PowerShot . Its portability adds to my desire to shoot more shots . I can carry it anywhere and therefore am more apt to take spontaneous photographs . I bought the Canon in an attempt to improve my amateur photography skills and have been impressed with my progress so far .
161 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Gold ) ( Electronics ) Most point and shoot cameras have eliminated the ability to look thru the view finder when shooting the picture . Regardless of how well the image stabilization software works , it is still difficult to get a sharp picture when you have to hold the camera in front of you . The Canon PowerShot SD780IS gives the user the choice between the large , well-lit LCD or the traditional viewfinder . The controls are easy to identify and use and the battery life appears to be quite satisfactory . Picture quality is excellent .
164 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) Easy to carry in your pocket . Image stabilization works well . Just finished two week vacation and batteries still have 3 / 4 charge .
166 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) The camera is as thin as they get . It takes HD video and great pictures . It does not come wth a sd card so I recommend to get a large capacity SD card because of the enormous space HD takes ( 32GB is as high as you can get it , 8 Gb would be fine )
168 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera to take photos on a trip to Argentina a Uruguay . I wanted something I could take everywhere , easily and fit in my pocket . The SD780IS was perfect for that . It's almost as thin as my iPhone and I couldn't be happier with the quality of pics it took . Easy to learn to you , very small and convenient , beautifully designed . It turned out to be exactly what I was looking for .
171 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I wanted a camera that I could carry in my pocket to shoot HD video of my daughter's graduation . I looked at those pocket camcorders , but when I found I could get a tiny Canon that would shoot HD video and was also a regular camera , that sounded more versatile to me . I have owned several Canon digital cameras before , and have always been happy with them . After reading reviews of this one , I had two concerns : Would it be so small that it would hard to operate with my average-sized male fingers , and would such a small device have adequate image quality ? After using it at the aforementioned graduation , I am happy to say that neither one of those concerns was a problem . It has a quality feel and is VERY small , actually a bit shorter than my iPhone 3G , about the same width , and only a little bit thicker . But it is very easy to operate . It fits easily and comfortably in both my pants pocket and shirt pocket , but I bought a small cellphone case that fits it very nicely , so I can also clip it to my belt . I have a couple of suggestions for anyone who might want to use this camera for video : First , I wasn't sure how much memory card capacity I would need , so I went ahead and bought 2 16G SDHC cards . Good move ! I filled the first one up before the end of the ceremony , and was able to quickly swap in the second one . The thing I didn't consider , though , was battery life . I got a low battery warning even before I filled up the first memory card . Fortunately , there were two parts to the ceremony , and during the break I was able to find an outlet to charge up the battery . In general , I like the small rechargeable battery that comes with its own charger , but it would be good to have a second charged battery on hand . Another idea I had was to screw a mini tripod into the bottom to use as a handle . That worked out very well . It made it easier to shoot over the heads of the people in front of me , and was probably more comfortable too . In summary , I'm completely satisfied with this camera . The image quality is more than adequate for my needs , and I love the small size .
175 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I wanted a camera that can take quality pictures and record HD videos . This camera allows me to do just that . I selected a Canon because I have confidence in their quality . I truly enjoy recording in HD with this camera . The playback on my HDTV set is beautiful . If you decide to purchase this camera , I would recommend buying at least an 8GB SDHC card . Recording in HD will eat up a lot of space .
177 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) Upon the reviews of friends I began my search for a camera looking for Canon . I'm certainly glad I did . I've taken this camera on two trips so far and the only problems I had have been user error . I'm not a big guy but even I feel like a bumbling ogre when handling the teeny camera and figuring out how to click the eensy buttons with my comparably ginourmous hands . After a few minutes you get the hang of it and in the end the size is a great benefit to the camera . On top of the convenient size this takes excellent photos and does very well in low-light situations . I was able to take nearly 100 images inside a cathedral without flash and all came out great . The flash , while bright , doesn't tend to wash people out as I've seen with other cameras either . I am very pleased with my purchase and have recommended this to friends who also approve .
179 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I have only had this camera for a month , but I love it . Small enough to fit in your pocket.Has a large screen to view your pictures . easy to load onto your computer and works good with windows . Has alot of options . so many so you really need to read the manual . It is a must have for anyone who enjoys picture taking .
182 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) First , let me say that as I'm nowhere near being a professional photographer - - hey , what can I say , I'm an audio guy - - I hope this review may help someone like myself consider purchasing what I've found to be a very good camera . I couldn't be happier with the features , and the results I've gotten are stellar . I believe the Canon SD780IS truly may be a great stepping-stone for someone looking to move beyond the fully automated point-and-shoot variety to a cam that at least gives you a fair degree of manual control ( if you wish ) over how you choose to take a picture - - from exposure to white balance and a few other tweaks . True DSLR's of course are not at all cheap , so this camera in my mind gets you most of the way there at what may be a fraction of the cost . That said , my one gripe is this is not a camera for someone with large hands ! I do have a great deal of trouble at times pushing the tiny buttons - - but eventually I do get there . Had I paid more attention to the dimensions , or had I had the chance to physically play around with this camera , I would not have purchased it . Down the road I do see myself taking the further step up to a DSLR for even more flexibility and manual control , but for folks who are looking for a pocket camera and for whom size doesn't matter . . . the Canon SD780IS may just be the perfect little package of features at a very reasonable price .
184 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This camera is great for using outdoors . It takes SLR quality pictures ( if not blown up too much ) when used with the natural lighting of the sun . When it comes to the inside , well , it all depends on your skill level . If you stick with the auto feature , then you will need to take several pictures as about 20% or so will not be what you want . Lots of lighting problems , as well as shutter problems on the auto feature . BUT , if you customize your set-up ( Iso etc . ) to fit your needs , it works much better . The HD video is great and looks wonderful on a 42 LCD HD TV . Great value ! ! !
186 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This is a remarkable piece of technology for one's life and pocket - - not to mention pocketbook . It is so much more convenient than my high-priced Nikon digital SLR and the results are equal . Don't bother looking at the competition - - this is the one !
189 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) Got this for travel without a DSLR and it's been amazing . It's very portable , great image quality , very easy to use and very well built . My only gripe is that it's so small and my hands are too large . . . but I manage .
191 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I love the style of this , although you have to take really good care of it because the black gets scratched easily . Didn't think about it , left it in my purse and the edges scratched . This is a really small petite camera so you have to be careful about where you place it or if you clubbing with it . It takes great pictures ! I love the macro feature and it takes great night pictures .
193 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera to replace my Kodak 10 MP digital camera . So far I love it . The pictures are great . . . even when I crop them and make an 8x10 from the cropped photo they are still clear . I use the camera very often and carry it with me and I have been pleasantly surprised by the battery life and how rarely I've had to charge it . Great camera for the price !
195 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This little cam so far has met all expectations . Pictures and HD video quality has been great . This Canon camera is so small to a point where someone with big hands ( like myself ) has trouble handling it . I wasn't expecting much from this camera in terms of performance but it kicks all other point and shoot camcorders out of the water . Colors are more accurate and the video is much smoother . Part of this due to the image stabilization feature . Pros : - Compact Size - Removable SD Card - Image stabilization - 720p HD Video - Bright LCD Screen - Design and Color - Quick Startup Cons : - No zoom while recording - Mono Sound - Noisy and Grainy at times - Mini HD cable not included
199 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This is now my second Cannon and I must say I love the line . Unless something goes terribly wrong I'll be sticking with the Cannon line . This takes great pictures and video in such a small package . I haven't yet gone too in depth with all of the features but what I have tried so far has been easy with great results . This camera is so easy to use right out of the box . I would highly recommend this for the average user . I decided to upgrade from my previous Cannon as my wife & I just had our first son and I am happy I did . We have been snapping away and getting crystal clear near perfect pictures . The only drawback to this camera is the battery . Although it does last for a decent amount of time I would recommend either getting a longer lasting battery or purchasing a backup battery . Lucky for us this uses the same battery as our last Cannon so we are all set . All and all this is a great camera and a great buy ! The 4GB memory card Amazon is currently offering free with this was only the icing on the cake making this a must buy ! ! ! Go out and get one for yourself and see the results first hand ! ! !
201 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This camera takes great pictures and is so small I can carry it in my shirt pocket . It won't beat a high quality SLR digital , but then again - it doesn't cost near as much . Can't be beat for everyday photography .
203 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) This camera is small enough for me to put in a pocket and the picture quality has been amazing . The best feature is the auto focus and image stability . Even when the kids are moving slightly the circles around their faces in the viewfinder moves to where they are . I was impatient and have not read the owners manual but found it easy to use . I bought this to replace a Olympus digital camera which was bulkier and disappointed me with the pictures it took .
205 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Silver ) ( Electronics ) I'm not a photographer - - but I LOVE this camera . I have been using it a lot everyday since January 2010 . . . When I first received the package I opened the box and when I saw this camera I was disappointed - - it was so small not what I hoped . I thought - - this is going back ! ! But I really wanted and needed the camera so I decided to play . I am so glad I did . I began to take images and was amazed . When I loaded the images onto the computer I was in awe ! ! The images were stunning , and wonderful . Since opening the box - - I use this camera everyday in the classroom and the images are striking . I truly capture the work in my classroom . I love the continuous shots - - it just keeps going as long as I hold it down ! My classroom assistant uses a small Pentax and can only get 5 images continuously vs my unlimited . Outside the classroom the images captured just take your breath - - I love flowers and nature and the macro images are stunning ! The camera captures every small detail - - even water and dew drops . The images of flowers and nature is beautiful . Although I'm not a professional photographer this camera makes me feel like one by the quality of images that I take . Our Studio teacher has a high end Canon and the images I am able to get rivals that camera . There are lots of options and settings that one can use - - I'm able to capture good shots even in low lighted areas . . . I do love the small size - - for travel you can take this small camera knowing you are going to get awesome shots ! Why lug a huge camera around . Cons : which really isn't a con but really a recommendation - - because you are going to love the quality and taking images - - I would HIGHLY recommend - - a 16 GB memory card and an additional battery . Video - - this really eats into your battery life - - the video is good use it when in a pinch but I have a Sanyo that I use for video shooting . My two teaching assistants - - - are in love with this camera as well and are going to get one asap now that the price dropped - - parents love the images of their children from this camera and some are going to purchase this camera as well . As the saying goes - - good things come in small packages - - I say awesome things come in small packages when it comes to this small camera - - don't let the size deceive you . Bought this through Amazon as a present to myself - - amazed at the speed of delivery - - love that the ship free to anywhere with a purchase over $50 . I'm very satisfied and pleased !
207 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera because of its size and ability to record decent video . I also own a Canon PowerShot G2 which I bought in 2002 and still use . The photo quality of this new camera isn't quite on par with my old one . IMO Even though my old camera is only 4 MP , it still blows this one out of the water on Auto mode . However for close-up shots , that's where this new camera shines . It picks up detail wonderfully . If you like taking close-up photos of flowers ( or anything ) , you'll be happy with this camera . I'm impressed with the video quality . I also own a Flip HD video camera and though the video quality is better with the Flip , this one will do when I'm out and about and want to take short videos . Like others , I noticed the humming sound that is picked up by the camera . It's not so much that it ruins or distracts from the video though . The main reason I got this camera is because my G2 is a beast to carry around for long distances . This little camera , which is smaller than most cell phones , can be taken anywhere without feeling like you're lugging a brick around . I'm still getting used to the smaller buttons but once I get used to them , I'm sure it'll become second nature to take great photos . Overall , I'm very happy with my purchase !
209 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I bought this camera for my wife to serve as a handy substitute for a much bigger and bulkier DSLR . With grandchild number five now on board , she needed a camera that took reasonably good photographs and was quickly accessible for priceless moments that deserve preservation . At best I qualify as an amateur photographer and have taken photos for over fifty years with a wide array of film and digital devices . This camera is simply incredible . It's small , almost too small , but packs a punch . Easy to use , it takes beautiful photographs , some of which rival those taken with our DSLR . At first my wife was a bit skeptical when she opened it as a birthday gift , but soon changed her mind after seeing the photographs it can produce . For the money , I can't imagine getting a quality camera capable of more beautiful photographs . A two month update-Now having used the camera extensively for almost two months , my wife and I are even more impressed than we were initially . This camera is almost foolproof and the photographs are , by and large , exceptional . Couple that with software that is very easy to use , we're more pleased than ever . We are definitely Canon converts .
212 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) I have been looking for just the right digital camera and at last I have found it . I am technologically challenged and have been afraid of buying a camera that would be way too complicated for me . But after reading about digital cameras in a consumer magazine and a few of the reviews listed here , I decided that this camera would fit my needs nicely . Since this is my very first ever digital camera , I thought that I would be stuck reading the operator's manual for days , but not so . I only had to read one or two pages ( maybe three total ) in order to get started and I haven't needed to look at the handbook since . It's practically a point and shoot camera . All one needs to know is what button to push to open and close the lense and which button to push in order to capture an image . ( I leave it in AUTO mode so everything comes out perfect . ) It's really that simple . I have had absolutely no problems with the camera . It is very small ( it's classified as a sub-compact ) so I usually slip the strap on my wrist so it won't fall on the ground if it slips out of my hands ( just a safety precaution on my part ) . I've had the camera for 2 - 3 weeks now and have yet to recharge the battery ( a battery and battery charger was included ) . The software was very easy to install and uploading pictures to the computer is extremely simple ( the directions are very easy to follow ) . I purchased an extra battery as recommended by Amazon ; however , Amazon failed to recommend a Flash Memory Card be purchased ( which IS NOT included with the camera ) or recommend a camera case be purchased ( not included with the camera ) in order to protect the camera if carried in a purse or satchel or luggage . I am very happy with my little red camera ( Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH ) and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in a simple easy to operate camera that captures clear , detailed , crisp , and excellent images .
214 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) I purchased this camera on as a replacement for my 5MP Kodak EasyShare that took absolutely GORGEOUS photos on the Auto setting . I often used the SCN settings on my Kodak even though auto worked just fine ( if not better than the scenes ) . I will say I am a bit disappointed at the Auto feature on this camera . This is a point-and-shoot camera and as such I feel that the Auto setting should be much better than it is . After reading lots of reviews all about Canon's Smart Auto I figured this would be a good buy . I will say that the Smart Auto is kind of cool and it definitely works , but pictures are not at all what they should be ( on Auto ) for a 12MP camera . That is , however , my only real complaint . After reading over the manual I have started playing with the Canon's scene settings - - there are a lot of these , which is fantastic . Though there are some scenes that are pretty worthless in my opinion ( read : underwater , fireworks ) . The camera takes MUCH better pictures when you use the scene settings . MUCH , MUCH better . I do wish that there was an Outside / Sunny setting because I find that using Beach or Snow do not work at all on a bright day . . . they just throw the white balance of the photo way off . I've even tried setting the ISO to 100 or 200 , but even on a bright day the image is not as clear as I would expect with all those MPs ! Video is OK . Sucks that you can't use the zoom . However , I really like the HD feature and the fact that you can plug right into your TV to view videos and pictures in HD . Overall , this is a phenomenal camera for the price . The SCN settings do take a while to get the hang of , but it's sturdy and the flat black coloring is awesome . I would have LOVED to get the gold , but it's for some reason $100 more ? ! Odd . . Anyway , I would definitely buy this camera again .
216 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) A great camera except for fact that dust , dirt , or something have put spots on the photos after six months of use .
218 4 Highly recommend this camera . We just took this my Nikon Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera ( Body Only ) , Canon VIXIA HF S10 HD Dual Flash Memory with 32 GB Internal Memory and 10x Optical Zoom , and the Canon PowerShot SD780IS12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) . We used the D700 maybe twice and the HFS10 never . This camera took amazing shots and video . Highly portable and like they say , the best camera you can shoot with is the one you have with you .
219 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Deep Red ) ( Electronics ) This camera is powerful yet small . Easy to use . DO GET the display plastic cover because right out of the box I was getting fingerprints on the screen . It's so small , it's hard NOT to touch the screen . Easy to use , the movies were impressive , again , powerful for it's size . Don't scrimp on memory ! And am sorry I didn't buy a carry case at the same time also . Using my old Elph bag which works , but the new camera is SO small , it doesn't really fit it well . A good price for a good camera .
222 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Gold ) ( Electronics ) My first generation digital Canon camera final gave up after lots of heavy use and abuse . In looking for a replacement there were so many positive reviews on the SD780 that I wondered if it was some sort of marketing gimmick . Well , I liked the styling , the specs , and the price so I thought I'd take a chance on it and can now see why others were so enthusiastic . To be honest when I first opened the box the camera was about the size of a deck of cards and was quite smaller than I expected . I wondered if I could even work the buttons . No worries . The size grew on me ( if you will excuse the pun ) and although the power button is smaller than I would prefer , the rest of the controls can be manipulated comfortably . I bought the gold color camera and think it's beautiful . For starters the camera is pretty intuitive if you just want to jump into it , but I recommend studying the manual at some point to really understand the finer points and incredible features . By the way , unlike others , this manual is very well written and useful . You can also download a pdf version from the Canon website . The auto mode is a no-brainer , but using the varied programmed settings is pretty easy . I like the fact that a particular program function has a plain English title to go with the icon since icons always confuse me . I don't take much video , but it worked amazingly well for a small camera . The clarity and colors of the still photos were a huge improvement from my previous camera . I'm still learning and playing though . One of the big features for me is the digital macro function . I use my camera extensively in business and often need to take macro shots of components . I was blown away by this capability . It was better than my macro lenses on my old SLR 35mm cameras . Just read the manual instructions first . I was surprised that it didn't come with a memory card so I ordered a 4GB which is adequate for my needs . I do recommend a case and the LCD screen protector that will protect the display from scratches , fingerprints and is supposed to reduce glare . With the understanding that there is not much real estate on this camera , my improvement wish list would be for a larger power button , a better access door to the USB / HDMI ports , and a plug in charger so you don't have to take the battery out . Bottom line is that I am really enjoying this camera and have no hesitation to recommend it with the understanding that it is small .
224 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Black ) ( Electronics ) the shutter lag is what kind of annoys me , but this thing is SO tiny and easy to throw in your bag that it's great for candids when just hanging out with friends . I am happy to always have it lying around in case ther'es an unexpected photo opp waiting around the corner but sometimes nothing beats an SRL , even if they are rather heavy . The video feature is also quite nice , though like other reviewers said , it's a shame you can't zoom while filming .
226 4 This review is from : Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5 - inch LCD ( Gold ) ( Electronics ) This is overall a fantastic camera . I bought it to replace another Canon ( Elph 1000 ) which worked well in closeup / macro situations but not so well in poor light or glare , and had some general issues with light quality and focus . So I had some trepidations , but figured - or rather , hoped - that Canon had worked out the bugs on the earlier elph ( which I bought in 2007 ) . This one is a revelation - it's simply a superb little camera that pretends it's an SRL . My wife wanted a small camera for her archival work , and I wanted something that was versatile and had an effective macro . Both of us wanted a camera with high quality video ( Check ) and a children and pets setting ( for photos of our toddler and pets - check ! ) . Only two negatives : the zoom is fairly useless , and the auto setting is to be avoided , as it tries to do everything to prevent the flash from going off - specifically , what it defaults is relatively long aperture ( 1 / 15 or 1 / 10 sec ) and high ISO settings . As a consequence , lots of photos taken on AUTO look blurry or out of focus . The PROGram setting is brilliant , though , and the optics components seem really quite good ( esp . for the price ) . I've taken about 2000 photos in the last 2 months , and could not be happier ( and did I mention the price ? )

Would it be so small that it would hard to operate with my average-sized male fingers , and would such a small device have adequate image quality ? After using it at the aforementioned graduation , I am happy to say that neither one of those concerns was a problem . It has a quality feel and is VERY small , actually a bit shorter than my iPhone 3G , about the same width , and only a little bit thicker . But it is very easy to operate . It fits easily and comfortably in both my pants pocket and shirt pocket , but I bought a small cellphone case that fits it very nicely , so I can also clip it to my belt . I have a couple of suggestions for anyone who might want to use this camera for video : First , I wasn't sure how much memory card capacity I would need , so I went ahead and bought 2 16G SDHC cards . Good move ! I filled the first one up before the end of the ceremony , and was able to quickly swap in the second one . The thing I didn't consider , though , was battery life . I got a low battery warning even before I filled up the first memory card . Fortunately , there were two parts to the ceremony , and during the break I was able to find an outlet to charge up the battery . In general , I like the small rechargeable battery that comes with its own charger , but it would be good to have a second charged battery on hand . Another idea I had was to screw a mini tripod into the bottom to use as a handle . That worked out very well . It made it easier to shoot over the heads of the people in front of me , and was probably more comfortable too . In summary , I'm completely satisfied with this camera . The image quality is more than adequate for my needs , and I love the small size .

121 4 I have only had this camera for a few days but I already LOVE IT ! ! ! It is so small and yet the pictures are so clear . It is very easy to use and if you have ever owned another cannon digital camera you will basically know how to use this one . The face detection feature is awesome it actually follows the face around . I would definately recommend this camera to anyone looking for a small camera that takes great quality pics : )
172 4 I wanted a camera that I could carry in my pocket to shoot HD video of my daughter's graduation . I looked at those pocket camcorders , but when I found I could get a tiny Canon that would shoot HD video and was also a regular camera , that sounded more versatile to me . I have owned several Canon digital cameras before , and have always been happy with them . After reading reviews of this one , I had two concerns : Would it be so small that it would hard to operate with my average-sized male fingers , and would such a small device have adequate image quality ? After using it at the aforementioned graduation , I am happy to say that neither one of those concerns was a problem . It has a quality feel and is VERY small , actually a bit shorter than my iPhone 3G , about the same width , and only a little bit thicker . But it is very easy to operate . It fits easily and comfortably in both my pants pocket and shirt pocket , but I bought a small cellphone case that fits it very nicely , so I can also clip it to my belt . I have a couple of suggestions for anyone who might want to use this camera for video : First , I wasn't sure how much memory card capacity I would need , so I went ahead and bought 2 16G SDHC cards . Good move ! I filled the first one up before the end of the ceremony , and was able to quickly swap in the second one . The thing I didn't consider , though , was battery life . I got a low battery warning even before I filled up the first memory card . Fortunately , there were two parts to the ceremony , and during the break I was able to find an outlet to charge up the battery . In general , I like the small rechargeable battery that comes with its own charger , but it would be good to have a second charged battery on hand . Another idea I had was to screw a mini tripod into the bottom to use as a handle . That worked out very well . It made it easier to shoot over the heads of the people in front of me , and was probably more comfortable too . In summary , I'm completely satisfied with this camera . The image quality is more than adequate for my needs , and I love the small size .
206 4 I'm not a photographer - - but I LOVE this camera . I have been using it a lot everyday since January 2010 . . . When I first received the package I opened the box and when I saw this camera I was disappointed - - it was so small not what I hoped . I thought - - this is going back ! ! But I really wanted and needed the camera so I decided to play . I am so glad I did . I began to take images and was amazed . When I loaded the images onto the computer I was in awe ! ! The images were stunning , and wonderful . Since opening the box - - I use this camera everyday in the classroom and the images are striking . I truly capture the work in my classroom . I love the continuous shots - - it just keeps going as long as I hold it down ! My classroom assistant uses a small Pentax and can only get 5 images continuously vs my unlimited . Outside the classroom the images captured just take your breath - - I love flowers and nature and the macro images are stunning ! The camera captures every small detail - - even water and dew drops . The images of flowers and nature is beautiful . Although I'm not a professional photographer this camera makes me feel like one by the quality of images that I take . Our Studio teacher has a high end Canon and the images I am able to get rivals that camera . There are lots of options and settings that one can use - - I'm able to capture good shots even in low lighted areas . . . I do love the small size - - for travel you can take this small camera knowing you are going to get awesome shots ! Why lug a huge camera around . Cons : which really isn't a con but really a recommendation - - because you are going to love the quality and taking images - - I would HIGHLY recommend - - a 16 GB memory card and an additional battery . Video - - this really eats into your battery life - - the video is good use it when in a pinch but I have a Sanyo that I use for video shooting . My two teaching assistants - - - are in love with this camera as well and are going to get one asap now that the price dropped - - parents love the images of their children from this camera and some are going to purchase this camera as well . As the saying goes - - good things come in small packages - - I say awesome things come in small packages when it comes to this small camera - - don't let the size deceive you . Bought this through Amazon as a present to myself - - amazed at the speed of delivery - - love that the ship free to anywhere with a purchase over $50 . I'm very satisfied and pleased !

[ . . . ] While picture quality is not comparible to a digital SLR , it is certainly adequate for most point and shoot circumstances . When judging picture quality , one must take into account the size and weight of this camera , and the ability to take this camera just about anywhere . The Widescreen mode is perfect for viewing images on a HD TV screen . The HD Video mode is awesome , and I was amazed that my Pinnacle Studio 12 software will take video from this camera and allow it to be burned to a standard DVD . Built-in HDMI port was the deal maker for me since the Sony requires a special [ . . . ] cable . With this camera , you can use a standard mini HDMI cable . The camera is very fun to use and has many useful features such as in-camera red eye correction which actually works quite well , automatic scene detection , macro mode , face detection and color controls . There are plenty of image samples from this camera at this site and at pbase . One final note - read the manual ! There are manny hidden features such as the expanded scene modes and the built in digital clock which I would have NEVER found . Update 7 / 27 / 09 : A five star rating was probably a bit too generous for this camera . After taking a few hundred photos , I have been noticing some noise in the photos . Also , the sharpness is not quite as high as I am used to . However , given the small size of this camera , the image quality is very good .

178 4 Upon the reviews of friends I began my search for a camera looking for Canon . I'm certainly glad I did . I've taken this camera on two trips so far and the only problems I had have been user error . I'm not a big guy but even I feel like a bumbling ogre when handling the teeny camera and figuring out how to click the eensy buttons with my comparably ginourmous hands . After a few minutes you get the hang of it and in the end the size is a great benefit to the camera . On top of the convenient size this takes excellent photos and does very well in low-light situations . I was able to take nearly 100 images inside a cathedral without flash and all came out great . The flash , while bright , doesn't tend to wash people out as I've seen with other cameras either . I am very pleased with my purchase and have recommended this to friends who also approve .

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