Canon PowerShot SD790 IS reviewed, predictably great

Canon has the art of the compact digicam down to a science by now, and the PowerShot SD790 is no exception, according to PC Magazine. The new shooter nabbed the publication's Editors' Choice award for "superior image quality" that pulled it ahead of the likes of Panasonic's DMC-FX55 and Sony's DSC-T2. The SD790 includes a new physical scroll wheel that took a bit of getting used to, but turned out to be a quicker way to skim through menus. The camera includes a new motion-detection feature to automatically switch ISO and exposure to keep the images sharp, and it worked as advertised. Other automatic settings have been tweaked for better images, and the camera performs notably well in high ISO shots. The flash isn't super powerful, and the reviewer would've preferred a wider angle lens at this $350 pricepoint, but all-in-all there seems to be plenty to love about this latest Digital Elph.

[wingzinco @ Apr 5th 2008 7:29PM]

I was able to pick this up at Circuit City about 2 days after they announced it (3 weeks ago) and I have to agree, I couldn't be happier. The picture quality is stunning and the size of this thing lets me carry it everywhere...as opposed to the 4mp brick I left behind. Well done Canon.

[ipodrulz @ Apr 5th 2008 7:30PM]

The physical wheel is amazing, especially on the Canon Powershot G7 + G9.

[Urza @ Apr 5th 2008 8:39PM]

The Canon Powershot line is amazing. I have a SX100IS, and it's quite possibly the best camera I've ever seen. $200 for 10x zoom and 8.0MP, and excellent image quality. And the image stabilizer is so good that I can take 10x zoom pictures while walking without any problems.

Kind of wondering what makes this one so expensive though. I mean, my Powershot was dirt cheap for all the features.This SD790 seems a bit expensive to me.

[sikantis @ Apr 5th 2008 8:58PM]

Great post! Good information! I'm looking forward to more. Thanks!

[Zadillo @ Apr 5th 2008 9:37PM]

I've been wanting to get a Digital ELPH for a while; I have a PowerShot G3IS which I love, but of course it is a bit big, so a small take-anywhere point-and-shoot would be nice to have too.

One thing I have to ask though; where does this fit in to the rest of the current ELPH line? Model-number-wise, one would think this would be the "low-end" unit compared to the SD870 IS, the SD1100 IS, and SD950 IS, but I assume that isn't the case (i.e. I understand the SD1100 IS is at least cheaper).

I guess what I'm wondering is, what does this do that the other current ELPHs don't do, and in turn, what do the other ELPHs do this one doesn't?

[King Big Schlong @ Apr 5th 2008 9:46PM]

Ok..i have to ask, what the heck is a "Scatman"??? I shudder to think it has anything to do with scat..as in shi-ite???

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Apr 5th 2008 10:26PM]

It is unfair to compare this to the Sony T-2. A comparison to a Sony W series, or a Canon Elph to a Sony T series comparison would be much more appropriate.

[Funke, Tobias Dr. @ Apr 5th 2008 10:32PM]

Well colour me cranberry with embarassment. In my haste to defend the Sony camera, I overlooked the fact that this is an Elph series camera.

[Craig @ Apr 6th 2008 11:46PM]

wouldn't you rather be painted blue?

[BobTurbo @ Apr 5th 2008 11:19PM]

I am not sure about this camera, but as far as I am aware, the first digit (8/9) is the generation, and the next two digits (70, 80, 90) are the class (higher number means more megapixels/zoom/whatever). The SD1100IS is smaller than the SD850IS that I have, but the picture quality does not seem to be as good.

By the way, I would wait till someone other than PC Magazines reviews it :) Flickr camera finder is also an excellent resource as you can see the cameras results from real use situations by real people.

[BobTurbo @ Apr 5th 2008 11:21PM]

Err that was supposed to be a reply to Zadillo and I meant the 850IS has better picture quality than the SD1100IS (they seem to have sacrificed picture quality for size in that case).

[Zadillo @ Apr 5th 2008 11:53PM]

Thanks; yeah, the thing that confuses me about the "generation" bit then would be that the 7xx, 8xx, 9xx and now 1xxx series all seem to be getting updated, but I wonder, for example, if the SD790IS has better picture quality/features than the SD850IS.

[BobTurbo @ Apr 6th 2008 12:22AM]

Actually sorry I got it around the wrong way. The first number is the class and the second is the generation. So the 7 means it is the lower class and the higher classes will have more of something, while the 90 means it is in that generation. So it is newer than the 850IS (50 vs 90) but of a lower class (8 v 7). Far out it is confusing......

[Mehul @ Apr 6th 2008 2:08AM]

SD890IS... 10MP, 5X optical zoom, Optical Viewfinder, Image Stabilization plus everything that the SD790is has... Thats the one I'm waiting for.

[undersaur @ Apr 6th 2008 5:25AM]

BobTurbo, I don't think that's quite right. My SD750 is contemporary with the SD1000. The SD1000 has a slightly smaller screen, is more compact, and was cheaper when I was shopping.

[Leoedin @ Apr 6th 2008 7:30AM]

Canon's elph series are pretty well made, but I've always felt they're a little overpriced.

Good call on the wideangle. Having a DSLR with a 17mm (28 equiv) lens, I find it very frustrating using a canon compact (A570IS) with a 35mm equivalent lens. The extra width really is useful a lot of the time. Certainly, my next compact will be a 28mm or wider equivalent lens.

[haracas @ Apr 6th 2008 7:52AM]

Being the design whore that i am, i'd rather pick up a sony over this, thing just screams NEED POLISH all over its case. (my favourite is actually the casio exilim if not for the fact their terribly made).

Damn though, 10 megapix is nearly the same as my DSLR >.>

[beezle @ Apr 6th 2008 8:44AM]

Check me on this.. I don't go to photography magazines for reviews on a new pc, why would anyone care what PC Magazine has to say about a camera?

[Jeebus @ Apr 6th 2008 10:32AM]

You're disgusting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scat

[W.G. @ Apr 6th 2008 2:32PM]

What is the highest end camera for Canon (Ultracompact). I was in the market for T300 but the reviews just aren't great.

[Zeke @ Apr 6th 2008 3:30PM]

Don't let that scroll wheel scare you off. Once you get used to it, you won't want to go back. Button pushing is so 2005!

http://nicephotomag.com

[Max @ Apr 6th 2008 5:07PM]

Why can't Canon come out with at least ONE digital elph with manual controls? I love the form factor, but would love some manual. Even limited manual like the higher end Sony Ws. I'd love an Elph with the controls -- and the 28 -- of the Lumix LX2.

[Jaxim @ Apr 6th 2008 7:30PM]

I have this exact question???

[Nichole @ Apr 6th 2008 9:32PM]

Short recent history of Canon's elph series has gone like this, if you're interested in the numbering
(if not, don't bother reading, you'll be bored :-)


sd400-> sd500-> sd600, amongst others that i won't bore you with. all very similiar with a "normal" size screen in relation to other cameras each year,

then came the sd700IS, and the SD600 wasn't updated when that came out. This one changed the form factor and added the image stabilization.

The SD630 came out around the same time, nearly identical to the SD600 but with a bigger screen (and more focus points, but the difference in these two was pretty much nothing)

They discontinued the SD700IS in favor of the SD800is pretty quickly, and they also came out with the SD900, which was 10 megapixels, but ended up being very noisy at high ISOs, and they put the higher megapixels on hold for a couple generations.

So there were three types:
basic big screen early image more pixels
stabilized
sd600 sd630 sd700is sd900
| | | |
v v v v
sd1000 sd750 sd800is on hold a bit
| | | |
v v v v
(starting here, they put image stabilization in all of them)
| | | |
v v v v
sd1100is sd870is sd850is sd950is
(still (3"screen) (2.5"screen) (more pixels
basic)

Sooo, I personally don't see LOTS of sense in the numbering of the cameras, but maybe the summary helps.
(and sorry if i bored any of you, i warned you to stop reading.)