Canon Powershot SD800 IS Digital Camera

I had been wanting to get a compact digital camera to carry with me at all times.  I have a larger Kodak and it is not convenient to carry on a regular basis.  So I finally decided to purchase a Canon Powershot SD800 IS digital camera.  Received it in the mail a few days ago and wanted to post about my initial thoughts on the overall feel of the camera.

Canon Powershot SD800 IS

Here is what came in the box (plus a lot of manuals).  To see a virtual tour of the camera go to Canon Virtual Tour.

 

First and foremost I like the compact size.  It has a nice shinny body and does not feel cheap and all plastic. 

Pros and Cons so far.

Pros:
Compact size
SD Memory (2GB for under $20)
Fast on/off speed (important for quick pics)
3.8 x Optical zoom not all digital

Cons:
Two access doors are flimsy
Mode dial button a little cumbersome
Shinny case get's smudged easy
Does not offer full manual mode (which is okay at this point)

Here are just some of the specifications of the camera, you can click on specifications below to see the complete list.

Specifications

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Type of Camera
Compact digital still camera with built-in flash and the lens shift-type image stabilizer (IS) system, 3.8x Optical / 4x Digital / 15x Combined Zoom

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Image Capture Device

Type
7.1 Megapixel, 1/ 2.5 inch type Charge Coupled Device (CCD)

Total Pixels
Approx. 7.4 Megapixels

Effective Pixels
Approx. 7.1 Megapixels

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Lens

Focal Length
4.6-17.3mm f/2.8-5.8 (35mm film equivalent: 28-105mm)

Digital Zoom
4x

Focusing Range
Normal: 1.5 ft./45cm-infinity
Macro: 1.2 in.-2.0 ft./3-60cm (WIDE), 1-2.0 ft./30-60cm (TELE)
Digital Macro: 1.2 in.-2.0 ft./3-60cm (WIDE)

Autofocus System
TTL Autofocus

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Viewfinder & Monitor

Viewfinder
Real-image optical zoom viewfinder

LCD Monitor
2.5 inch low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD
Brightness adjustment: 15 levels

LCD Pixels
Approx. 207,000 pixels

LCD Coverage
100%

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Aperture and Shutter

Maximum Aperture
f/2.8 (W) - f/5.8 (T)

Shutter Speed
15-1/1600 sec.;
Long Shutter operates with noise reduction when manually set at 1.3-15 sec.

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Exposure Control

ISO Sensitivity
Auto, High ISO Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 (Standard Output Sensitivity/Recommended Exposure Index)

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I would recommend this camera to anyone wanting a nice compact digital camera that packs a lot of punch.

Enjoy

JB