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Independent Site Reviews Of The Canon SD780IS
Read Full Review - Imaging Resource says "We still think the SD780 IS is a very nice digital camera to use, and that it will serve as a decent camera for serving up good 4x6-inch prints at up to ISO 800, but that 12-megapixel designation on the front of the camera makes it seem like the camera is capable of more."Amazon User Reviews Of The Canon SD780IS
We rounded up all of the amazon user reviews and placed them on one page for you. Reviews are ordered by the best rated first and worst rated last.Brian Andonian rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Fantastic Ultra-compact point and shoot - I was looking for a camera that is extremely portable yet durable enough to take camping, hiking, and to amusement parks. I currently own a Nikon DSLR and an assortment of lenses. The DSLR is too large to haul around while hiking, biking, etc..
The decision was between the Sony W290 and the Canon SD780. When I saw the SD780 in the store I was immediately sold. The size of this camera is simply amazing! I can take it just about anywhere. The design is beautiful, simple, and intuitive. The build quality is superb, and the camera case is all metal, which gives it a solid feel. I did not have a case, but I borrowed my wife's motorola RAZR cell phone case and it fits perfectly! The one she has is here:
http://www.amazon.com/Insten-Black-Motorola-Leather-Eforcity/dp/B000FKD908/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1248103373&sr=1-14
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 ($30) cable. With this camera, you can use a standard mini HDMI cable[...].
There are plenty of image samples from this camera at this site and at [...].
Also note that Amazon seems to have the lowest price on this camera right now. This camera is HIGHLY recommended.
The decision was between the Sony W290 and the Canon SD780. When I saw the SD780 in the store I was immediately sold. The size of this camera is simply amazing! I can take it just about anywhere. The design is beautiful, simple, and intuitive. The build quality is superb, and the camera case is all metal, which gives it a solid feel. I did not have a case, but I borrowed my wife's motorola RAZR cell phone case and it fits perfectly! The one she has is here:
http://www.amazon.com/Insten-Black-Motorola-Leather-Eforcity/dp/B000FKD908/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1248103373&sr=1-14
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 ($30) cable. With this camera, you can use a standard mini HDMI cable[...].
There are plenty of image samples from this camera at this site and at [...].
Also note that Amazon seems to have the lowest price on this camera right now. This camera is HIGHLY recommended.
Bonnie Hughes rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - I Love This Little Gem - 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.
Doctor.Generosity rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - The best camera is the one you have with you - 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.
Having now played 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.
And the SD780 is not just small, it's very well made and takes excellent photos. It is possible to quibble with a few design decisions - I would have voted for fewer pixels, 8 MP instead of 12MP - and get lower noise in return. The exposure sometimes leaves blownout highlights. But overall, it's superb, with quite good results at ISO 800 and useable at 1600. Canon is the leader in pocket cameras for a reason - they listen to customer feedback and keep improving each new model.
Finally, the price is really very low for the sophistication that goes into one of these babies - the equivalent of about fifty bucks in 1970's dollars when the first compact cameras hit the market at much higher prices.
If you agree with me that the best camera is the one you have with you when the opportunity arises for a priceless pic, then get one of these - no excuse to ever be without it.
Having now played 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.
And the SD780 is not just small, it's very well made and takes excellent photos. It is possible to quibble with a few design decisions - I would have voted for fewer pixels, 8 MP instead of 12MP - and get lower noise in return. The exposure sometimes leaves blownout highlights. But overall, it's superb, with quite good results at ISO 800 and useable at 1600. Canon is the leader in pocket cameras for a reason - they listen to customer feedback and keep improving each new model.
Finally, the price is really very low for the sophistication that goes into one of these babies - the equivalent of about fifty bucks in 1970's dollars when the first compact cameras hit the market at much higher prices.
If you agree with me that the best camera is the one you have with you when the opportunity arises for a priceless pic, then get one of these - no excuse to ever be without it.
annabella rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - powerful little pocket machine, amazing results - 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 :)
--> 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 :)
Tech Nut rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent For Still Pictures and Video - 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.
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.
R Shaw rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - very impressed - 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.
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.
rk2000 rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Small Camera That Takes Great Shots! - My first priority was a small camera. I figure the smaller it is, the more likely I'd be to carry it with me, even if it didn't take the best shots in the world. I did a lot of research and this was the camera that consistently got the best reviews. AND it takes great photos, so I feel like I didn't need to compromise at all!
The red color is really sharp. I was leaning towards the Sony T77 since it was cool looking, but that thing is a fingerprint trap. The Canon UI is really easy to use, time to power on and take a shot is very fast, images stabilization works well, shoots HD video, doesn't use that silly proprietary Sony format - it's got everything I need! Only improvement I might like is a bigger screen, but I'm not sure how you would fit it on such a small camera. Very happy with this camera.
The red color is really sharp. I was leaning towards the Sony T77 since it was cool looking, but that thing is a fingerprint trap. The Canon UI is really easy to use, time to power on and take a shot is very fast, images stabilization works well, shoots HD video, doesn't use that silly proprietary Sony format - it's got everything I need! Only improvement I might like is a bigger screen, but I'm not sure how you would fit it on such a small camera. Very happy with this camera.
J. Irwin rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - IMPRESSIVE - Very happy with camera, have taken about 200 photos during my first month.
The picture quality is good, with tons of settings.
The HD video is a huge plus, the quality is amazing.
I like the size, it packs easily into my pocket, so i can take it everywhere.
At the price paid, this camera is a real value, I highly recomend it.
The picture quality is good, with tons of settings.
The HD video is a huge plus, the quality is amazing.
I like the size, it packs easily into my pocket, so i can take it everywhere.
At the price paid, this camera is a real value, I highly recomend it.
R. Belleza rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great camera!!!!! - Camera is excellent for the price I got it. Take beautiful picture in the daytime as well as the nighttime. The video cam feature is top notch as well. Really happy with this product!!!!
Donna D. Felt rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Look Guys - Real View Finder - On those bright sunny days or in the dark of night those bigger than life plastic panels are lousy for composing your subject. Try using a view finder no matter how small....it can save the day!
Sara A. Mclaughlin rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great little camera! - I am really satisfied with this camera. I have had it for about a month after my old camera broke. The pictures are wonderful!
R. Corbelli rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Love it! - I have absolutely no complaints about this camera. It was everything it promised to be at a great price. Highly, highly recommended.
Greg Schmidt rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - best camera i've owned! - This camera is simply fantastic. It has everything you could really want all packed into this tiny little elph! Takes great photos, the automatic scene feature is outstanding and works flawlessly. Macro shots look professional and the HD video is superior for a digital camera. My only complaint is no optical zoom during movie mode (only digital, which distorts the picture). Shoots well in low lit areas when using flash, otherwise pictures are a bit grainy. The camera is very attractive in design and small enough to take on the go. Battery life is average, but it only take 90 minutes for a full recharge! I'm glad I purchased this instead of the Sony w290.
Beach Life rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - This thing has some horsepower - This is an amazing little camera. The thing is tiny in size (thinnest yet) but huge on performance. The still image quality is really, really nice and dude,...HD video at 720p out of this thing? Sweet.
We shot a recent trip to Europe with this camera and left our DSLR at home. I was worried about carrying around just a point-and-shoot but I gotta say that the pictures came out so beautiful.
You really can't go wrong with this. I highly recommend. For me, it's Canon for point-and-shoots and Nikon for DSLRs.
We shot a recent trip to Europe with this camera and left our DSLR at home. I was worried about carrying around just a point-and-shoot but I gotta say that the pictures came out so beautiful.
You really can't go wrong with this. I highly recommend. For me, it's Canon for point-and-shoots and Nikon for DSLRs.
Roger D. Wilderotter rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - incredible camera! - I am a professional photographer and I needed something for quick snapshots and I have been extraordinarily impressed with this camera.
Brian Davie rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Nice little camera - I wanted something nice and small to carry around with me. This camera is perfect for me. It fits very nicely in my shirt pocket and it takes a nice pic and video to boot. This camera is best for well lit scenes. Most digital cameras have the same issues with low light so I'm fine with that. For dark scenes, get a mini tripod and learn to use the long shutter. You can do great things with this camera if you learn how to use it. Read the manual...you'll be glad you did. If you want award winning photos, get a digital slr if you just wanna take nice pictures of family, friends, and your dog, this camera is great.
N. Higgins rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great gift - My husband purchased this camera as a gift for me last month. I absolutely love it. My previous camera canon powershot A720 was good too. I love everything about this camera.
Pros:
Easy to use
Simple controls
Nice settings
Bright LCD,
Excellent quality,
Good battery life,
HD Movie
Cons:
No superfine setting
Low-Light Performance
Pros:
Easy to use
Simple controls
Nice settings
Bright LCD,
Excellent quality,
Good battery life,
HD Movie
Cons:
No superfine setting
Low-Light Performance
John Aitken rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent Camera! - Simply put, this camera takes excellent pictures. The size is Very Small. The HD Video really surprised us. You can really see the difference. If you like a small camera that takes great pictures, look no further.
Boyd Soule rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - My thoughts - 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.
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.
Barbara K. Nourse rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great Father's Day Gift - I purchased this camera as a Father's Day gift for my husband. He absolutely loves it. It arrived in plenty of time and was priced comparably with like cameras advertised in the newspaper. The size makes is great for carrying to soccer games or orchestra concerts. Great present.
S. Chiu rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Perfect truly portable memory maker - I really wanted an HD camcorder, but haven't gotten one due to prices, the fact I would need to buy a new computer to process the AVCHD files, and the nagging voice of reason that told me I wouldn't use it as much as I think I would (based on my past experience with a Sony Handycam gathering dust in the closet). But I knew I needed something to capture my daughter's moments. So far, I've been suffering through using the standard dev video on my Panasonic point and shoot which hasn't been a bad experience, but the video quality can get quite dismal. So I started shopping for the new compact "pocket" camcorders ala Flip Mino HD and Creative Vado HD. After days of procrastination, ordered up a Vado for larger hard drive size, larger viewing screen, and cheaper price. Then I learned that the new point and shoots produce HD video. After cursing myself for my failed research, I went down to Best Buy and picked up the Canon SD780. I didn't think I would keep the Canon just because I didn't need another point and shoot but once I did a side by side video comparison with the Vado, it was a no brainer. The video colors from the Canon were more vibrant especially in lower light. The Canon also picked up sound much much better than the Vado which made people sound like they were far and tinny. In the end, the Canon won out and I have absolutely no regrets. It fits in the pocket nicely and is easy to manage. The still pictures are high quality Canon photos and having the still picture functionality is just an added bonus for me.
Esther Schindler rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - The simplicity review: Why I love this little camera - 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.
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.
Omar Fernández rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent Digital Camera, Amazing HD Video Recording, Tiny Body and Weight - 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. :)
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. :)
Shawn Cheng rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - SD780IS Review - This camera has been great. I went to a couple concerts and took some great HD video. I also was able to take some great photos. I don't think there is a better point and shoot camera on the market right now. It's like having a Flip and SD canon camera all in one. Canon for the most part has always had great support for their products.
Ateya Richard rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - THE BEST CAMERA I EVER HAD! - This is the BEST CAMERA EVER! [...]
When it does look at the GREAT QUALITY of my CANON SD780IS...on my gosh...the best camera! You wont be sorry...TRUST ME! It does it all. Video, Pictures, Close Ups, Editing...man its the best camera.
And I got the RED ONE and its HOT LIKE FIRE!!
When it does look at the GREAT QUALITY of my CANON SD780IS...on my gosh...the best camera! You wont be sorry...TRUST ME! It does it all. Video, Pictures, Close Ups, Editing...man its the best camera.
And I got the RED ONE and its HOT LIKE FIRE!!
Teresa Cannady rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great Camera!! - I bought this camera on the recommendation of a friend who had an older version and have been extremely pleased. It is compact and lightweight and more importantly, makes great pictures. The image stablization feature is excellent. It is simple to use and I highly recommend it.
Nz rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Perfect - I was looking to get a compact digital camera that takes great photos and I couldn't ask for a better quality camera than this. It's sleek and looks very good. The pictures come out very nicely. There is no problem with taking pictures at night. I love the features it has.. very easy to use. My one complaint is that the gold looks more like copper.. but it is still very nice. If you're a female I'd definitely get the gold. I LOVE this camera.
J. Howell rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - My review for Canon PowerShot SD780IS - This is possibly the best camera out there. It takes such clear pictures & the HD video is a plus. The only down fall i have on this camera is the buttons. They are extrememly small & sometimes hard to use. I have big hands but i manage well. Other then that i give this camera 5 stars. I love this camera. It is definitely worth the price. If you are looking for a little camera that takes extremely clear pictures & videos buy it. By the way i am 18 yrs old & my name is Salie. I am using my dads account to write this.
Jvaries423 rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - LOVE IT - I researched several cameras before purchasing the SD780IS. There were several features that I was looking for specifically. I wanted a camera that had several shooting modes, ultra-compact, in-camera red-eye fix, in-camera trimming, etc. This camera has all those features. One of the things the I like most about the SD780IS is the special "color" effects. Several cameras give you the ability to change the photo to Black & White or Sepia. This one enables you to change the photo to: Black & White, Sepia, Vivid, Color Accent, Color Swap, Vivid Green, Vivid Blue, Vivid Red, Positive Film, or Creative Light. It even lets you change the skin tone of those in the picture using the Lighter Skin Tone/Darker Skin Tone feature. I have had the SD780IS for a little over a month now and I am loving it. It takes great shots and the features are everything I expected them to be.
A. Larson rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Compact Love - Canon PowerShot SD780IS12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Black)
Fantastic camera for the price. If you're a photo hound and love the accessibility of a small camera, this is the joint for you! Takes great HD video and really decent 12MP photos. Fewer settings make it that much easier to use. It's size is PERFECT for travel - fits in your pocket as if it isn't even there.
One recommendation is to go with a 16GB or higher memory card as the HD video takes up space quickly.
Overall, love this camera! Highly recommend.
Fantastic camera for the price. If you're a photo hound and love the accessibility of a small camera, this is the joint for you! Takes great HD video and really decent 12MP photos. Fewer settings make it that much easier to use. It's size is PERFECT for travel - fits in your pocket as if it isn't even there.
One recommendation is to go with a 16GB or higher memory card as the HD video takes up space quickly.
Overall, love this camera! Highly recommend.
carolw rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - great little camera - Great camera, purchased at the recommendation of a friend. We love the many features that make taking good pictures a breeze.
Caring Parent rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Simple and Powerful - 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.
Tammy rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Love it! - This camera takes GREAT pictures. The quality of the pictures is better than I expected. The image stabilization works really well. None of my pictures have been blurred, even when I have accidentally moved while taking a picture. The colors are very vivid. Movies come out great as well.
My only concern is the door for the battery/memory card compartment. The hinge seems kind of flimsy, so I am extra careful whenever I open it.
Other than that - I would highly recommend this camera. And the red color is absolutely THE BEST!!!!!!!
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My only concern is the door for the battery/memory card compartment. The hinge seems kind of flimsy, so I am extra careful whenever I open it.
Other than that - I would highly recommend this camera. And the red color is absolutely THE BEST!!!!!!!
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric C. Anderson rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - What an amazing camera! Big camera performance, tiny package! - 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!
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!
Marge Simpson rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent, well made little camera - This camera is small and made quite well. If you compare it to other cameras in it's class, you will immediately notice it is heaftier and made of metal, not plastic. The menus are easy to figure out and the camera is packed with a ton of features. The only negative is this: When you take a picture it takes a few seconds to appear on the screen, in the interim, a note that says "Busy" appears on screen. This is annoying.
James Brightly rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Fantastic Pocket Camera - My family and I do a lot of camping and off-roading, which makes this camera ideal. I carry it in my shirt pocket so that it's instantly available. I'm taking many more shots now than I was able to do with my Canon digital SLR. I've also discovered several really neat features on this camera that I use all the time now, including zooming the image after it's taken. I'm very happy with this camera.
Yair Marx rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - just what i expected - 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.
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.
Nico rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great pictures and video for such a compact camera - All around, the best camera in it's class of sub compact point and shoots. I was so impressed with how easy it is to use that I bought another one for my parents.
Sportura rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - THE BEST UNDER $250 - 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.
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.
H. Mera rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - More Than Expected!! Superb Photos! - 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.)
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.)
George D. Gates rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Amazing Things Sometimes Come In Tiny Packages - 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.
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.
D. Ryan rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - STUNNING - 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".
S. Winder rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Nice pocket camera - 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.
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.
Ali Rizvi rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great pics and video - My son is turning four and I wanted to get an HD video camera to capture his funny antics. I already had a nice Panasonic 8mm tape camcorder but for a variety of reasons rarely used it. The 780 is a perfect fit for me. It replaces my older powershot for photos and I can take decent HD videos too that I can immediately play back on my 52" Samsung HDTV. I found indoor low light performance to be quite acceptable with some graininess. Mind you my old 8mm camcorder's video quality is better than the HD video from this camera but the pros outweigh the cons. The one area where I see lots of room for improvement is when the video blurs as you move the camera itself quickly. Very slow movement is OK. The 12 megapixel pics are great but I expect them to be anyway. I'm taking a lot of videos now because its fun, super convenient, form factor is not at all intimidating and I can play back, record, upload with ease. It was funny though to see this very tiny camera perched on top of my big tripod at a recent family event. The 2-in-1 camera/camcorder convergence is a must have for me. I just could never lug around a camcorder in addition to a camera. The other tools I paid for are Quicktime pro for easy as ABC splitting/joining of (.mov) video files that this camera produces and Vimeo for uploading HD videos to share with family. Very happy with this Amazon purchase.
D R rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Solid camera with very good video capability as a bonus. - 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.
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.
A. Aguada rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Awesome - Update since purchase. It's now 6/09. I like it even more now. I've been using the movie mode and it look pretty good. I have a 62 inch HDTV and it looks great!! This coming from a camera smaller than a disposable camera. I have an 8 gig memory card and never ever had to worry about memory capacity. It's now a little cheaper so I'll get one for my wife.
Awesome camera!! I am one impatient person. No problem with this camera. Turn this camera on and you are ready to snap pics in seconds. Second shot? No problem with lag time. It has and does everything I need. Plus, my favorite color is red. Easy to carry. Battery charges in less than 2 hrs. Software for the computer isn't the greatest but it does the job. Battery life is great. No regrets with this camera. Haven't even tried the HD video yet. I'm sold even if it didn't have that feature. That's how good it is.
Awesome camera!! I am one impatient person. No problem with this camera. Turn this camera on and you are ready to snap pics in seconds. Second shot? No problem with lag time. It has and does everything I need. Plus, my favorite color is red. Easy to carry. Battery charges in less than 2 hrs. Software for the computer isn't the greatest but it does the job. Battery life is great. No regrets with this camera. Haven't even tried the HD video yet. I'm sold even if it didn't have that feature. That's how good it is.
Michael J. Snedegar rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - GREAT BUY! NICE UPGRADE FROM THE SD 750 - now, dont get me wrong, i was a total Canon SD750 junkie. that is still an amazing camera, so much so that i kept buying them after i would lose one. so, with a high precedent set, i eventually tried to go outside canon. I got the kodak 1033. pictures were ok, VIDEO WAS SO BAD. HORRIBLE Sound. returned it. went back to the canon. And i shopped around wanting to go a step above and FINALLY they released this little devil. so slim, so compact and amazing HD video!!! LOVE IT! and CANON! I also had a flip camera and it was so annoying carrying around 2 things! this little devil does both!! so happy
A. Martin rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great camera for the size - 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
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
E. Squires rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - FAVORITE! - I've got through quite a few cameras in the past few years. I've definitely decided that canons are the BEST cameras around, and so far this is my absolute favorite camera! It's very compact and portable. The gold is chic and unique (so when a heard of cameras are snapping away you can always find your own). It's got amazing point and click capabilities & the "auto" function is usually pretty precise (sometimes i have to go manual... but rarely). I've gotten so many compliments on my pictures...in all different lighting. I love candid shots and this is the PERFECT camera for such photos. GO CANON!
Kent T. Hambrock rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - With such great power comes great resp- ..video? - 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.
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.
Wendell M. Stanley rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Amazing camera very small and beautiful, and superb photos. - 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!
Samuel Chell rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - It makes an impression. - Canon released its new line into a tough market with economic hard times and a glut of consumer hand-held devices, so if you can resist all the graduation and Father's Day hype, this one, like its predecessor the SD770, is likely to come down in price (same for the SD1200). For those who like the practicality and convenience of a slightly larger camera offering more aspect ratios, the SD880 and SD890 are understandably better bets. Wide angle lenses may not excite some consumers as much as a zoom lens, but they're far more practical for tight framing of group shots, not to mention insuring the mic picks up dialog during videos.
But the SD780 is a camera where looks, though not the only thing, aren't far from being the main thing. The camera feels even smaller than its listed dimensions and weight; the carton it comes in is 3/5 the size of the box for its predecessor, the SD770. And just compare the surfaces of these two cameras: not a speck of space is wasted on the SD780, making the viewfinder a bit slower to deploy and the flash slightly less powerful than either of these features on the SD770. But no question that, assuming you don't miss the classic Canon squared-off look, the SD780 is a sexy-looking, stealthy (especially in black) point 'n shooter that's as aesthetically pleasing and as well designed as an iPod Nano (just be careful not to put either device into a pants pocket without first checking for holes). As for size, my Sony Cybershot U-10 is fatter but 30 percent smaller overall than the SD780, so best to regard this one not as the smallest camera but the smallest Canon.
Initial impressions of the shots are favorable. The ones from my Canon PowerShot model with a mere 3.2 megapixel lens set up faster and strike me as more natural, but I'd hate to crop or enlarge any of them. The SD780 invites the user to exercise patience as well as creativity in order to get the most from its extreme miniaturization. I haven't tried attaching an HDMI cable to this pint-sized overachiever as yet, but I expect to do so and return to this review in the near future, hopefully with some sort of assurance that carrying this little marvel will save you the trouble of bringing along a Flip to your granddaughter's ballet recital or son's Little League game.
But the SD780 is a camera where looks, though not the only thing, aren't far from being the main thing. The camera feels even smaller than its listed dimensions and weight; the carton it comes in is 3/5 the size of the box for its predecessor, the SD770. And just compare the surfaces of these two cameras: not a speck of space is wasted on the SD780, making the viewfinder a bit slower to deploy and the flash slightly less powerful than either of these features on the SD770. But no question that, assuming you don't miss the classic Canon squared-off look, the SD780 is a sexy-looking, stealthy (especially in black) point 'n shooter that's as aesthetically pleasing and as well designed as an iPod Nano (just be careful not to put either device into a pants pocket without first checking for holes). As for size, my Sony Cybershot U-10 is fatter but 30 percent smaller overall than the SD780, so best to regard this one not as the smallest camera but the smallest Canon.
Initial impressions of the shots are favorable. The ones from my Canon PowerShot model with a mere 3.2 megapixel lens set up faster and strike me as more natural, but I'd hate to crop or enlarge any of them. The SD780 invites the user to exercise patience as well as creativity in order to get the most from its extreme miniaturization. I haven't tried attaching an HDMI cable to this pint-sized overachiever as yet, but I expect to do so and return to this review in the near future, hopefully with some sort of assurance that carrying this little marvel will save you the trouble of bringing along a Flip to your granddaughter's ballet recital or son's Little League game.
lovemypets rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Canon PowerShot SD780IS Digital Camera - Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Deep Red)
I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO AMAZON FOR THE FIRST REVIEW I WROTE. The mistake was mine. I would give Amazon 10 stars if I could and the camera is a 5 star. After 12 seperate orders from Amazon, they have become my favorite store because of their exceptional customer service and the quality of their products. Items always arrive when promised and usually a few days before the scheduled delivery date.
FOLLOW-UP: My mother who is NOT a camera enthusiast liked this camera so much because of it's small size, simplicity, and video/still shot picture quality that I gave it to her and ordered another one from Amazon for myself.
I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO AMAZON FOR THE FIRST REVIEW I WROTE. The mistake was mine. I would give Amazon 10 stars if I could and the camera is a 5 star. After 12 seperate orders from Amazon, they have become my favorite store because of their exceptional customer service and the quality of their products. Items always arrive when promised and usually a few days before the scheduled delivery date.
FOLLOW-UP: My mother who is NOT a camera enthusiast liked this camera so much because of it's small size, simplicity, and video/still shot picture quality that I gave it to her and ordered another one from Amazon for myself.
W. Chan rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Revolutionary! Beautiful and Powerful - 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
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
T. Matsuyama rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Canon SD780: Finally found the ultimate hybrid camera - 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
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
A. Arbury rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great little camera - 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.
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.
U. Wilkins rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - A True Pocket Camera with HD Video - 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.
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.
Sandra York rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Good camera - Bought this camera for my daughter's birthday. It is small enough to stash away in a purse or pocket to have handy at anytime. It takes great pix and very simple to use.
YK rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Very nice camera - 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.
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.
Brian Andonian rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Fantastic Ultra-compact point and shoot - I was looking for a camera that is extremely portable yet durable enough to take camping, hiking, and to amusement parks. I currently own a Nikon DSLR and an assortment of lenses. The DSLR is too large to haul around while hiking, biking, etc..
The decision was between the Sony W290 and the Canon SD780. When I saw the SD780 in the store I was immediately sold. The size of this camera is simply amazing! I can take it just about anywhere. The design is beautiful, simple, and intuitive. The build quality is superb, and the camera case is all metal, which gives it a solid feel. I did not have a case, but I borrowed my wife's motorola RAZR cell phone case and it fits perfectly! The one she has is here:
[...]
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.
The decision was between the Sony W290 and the Canon SD780. When I saw the SD780 in the store I was immediately sold. The size of this camera is simply amazing! I can take it just about anywhere. The design is beautiful, simple, and intuitive. The build quality is superb, and the camera case is all metal, which gives it a solid feel. I did not have a case, but I borrowed my wife's motorola RAZR cell phone case and it fits perfectly! The one she has is here:
[...]
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.
Bonnie Hughes rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - I Love This Little Gem - 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.
Doctor.Generosity rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - The best camera is the one you have with you - 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.
Having now played 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.
And the SD780 is not just small, it's very well made and takes excellent photos. It is possible to quibble with a few design decisions - I would have voted for fewer pixels, 8 MP instead of 12MP - and get lower noise in return. The exposure sometimes leaves blownout highlights. But overall, it's superb, with quite good results at ISO 800 and useable at 1600. Canon is the leader in pocket cameras for a reason - they listen to customer feedback and keep improving each new model.
Finally, the price is really very low for the sophistication that goes into one of these babies - the equivalent of about fifty bucks in 1970's dollars when the first compact cameras hit the market at much higher prices.
If you agree with me that the best camera is the one you have with you when the opportunity arises for a priceless pic, then get one of these - no excuse to ever be without it.
Having now played 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.
And the SD780 is not just small, it's very well made and takes excellent photos. It is possible to quibble with a few design decisions - I would have voted for fewer pixels, 8 MP instead of 12MP - and get lower noise in return. The exposure sometimes leaves blownout highlights. But overall, it's superb, with quite good results at ISO 800 and useable at 1600. Canon is the leader in pocket cameras for a reason - they listen to customer feedback and keep improving each new model.
Finally, the price is really very low for the sophistication that goes into one of these babies - the equivalent of about fifty bucks in 1970's dollars when the first compact cameras hit the market at much higher prices.
If you agree with me that the best camera is the one you have with you when the opportunity arises for a priceless pic, then get one of these - no excuse to ever be without it.
annabella rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - powerful little pocket machine, amazing results - 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 :)
--> 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 :)
Tech Nut rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent For Still Pictures and Video - 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.
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.
R Shaw rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - very impressed - 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.
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.
rk2000 rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Small Camera That Takes Great Shots! - My first priority was a small camera. I figure the smaller it is, the more likely I'd be to carry it with me, even if it didn't take the best shots in the world. I did a lot of research and this was the camera that consistently got the best reviews. AND it takes great photos, so I feel like I didn't need to compromise at all!
The red color is really sharp. I was leaning towards the Sony T77 since it was cool looking, but that thing is a fingerprint trap. The Canon UI is really easy to use, time to power on and take a shot is very fast, images stabilization works well, shoots HD video, doesn't use that silly proprietary Sony format - it's got everything I need! Only improvement I might like is a bigger screen, but I'm not sure how you would fit it on such a small camera. Very happy with this camera.
The red color is really sharp. I was leaning towards the Sony T77 since it was cool looking, but that thing is a fingerprint trap. The Canon UI is really easy to use, time to power on and take a shot is very fast, images stabilization works well, shoots HD video, doesn't use that silly proprietary Sony format - it's got everything I need! Only improvement I might like is a bigger screen, but I'm not sure how you would fit it on such a small camera. Very happy with this camera.
J. Irwin rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - IMPRESSIVE - Very happy with camera, have taken about 200 photos during my first month.
The picture quality is good, with tons of settings.
The HD video is a huge plus, the quality is amazing.
I like the size, it packs easily into my pocket, so i can take it everywhere.
At the price paid, this camera is a real value, I highly recomend it.
The picture quality is good, with tons of settings.
The HD video is a huge plus, the quality is amazing.
I like the size, it packs easily into my pocket, so i can take it everywhere.
At the price paid, this camera is a real value, I highly recomend it.
R. Belleza rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great camera!!!!! - Camera is excellent for the price I got it. Take beautiful picture in the daytime as well as the nighttime. The video cam feature is top notch as well. Really happy with this product!!!!
Donna D. Felt rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Look Guys - Real View Finder - On those bright sunny days or in the dark of night those bigger than life plastic panels are lousy for composing your subject. Try using a view finder no matter how small....it can save the day!
Sara A. Mclaughlin rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great little camera! - I am really satisfied with this camera. I have had it for about a month after my old camera broke. The pictures are wonderful!
R. Corbelli rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Love it! - I have absolutely no complaints about this camera. It was everything it promised to be at a great price. Highly, highly recommended.
Greg Schmidt rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - best camera i've owned! - This camera is simply fantastic. It has everything you could really want all packed into this tiny little elph! Takes great photos, the automatic scene feature is outstanding and works flawlessly. Macro shots look professional and the HD video is superior for a digital camera. My only complaint is no optical zoom during movie mode (only digital, which distorts the picture). Shoots well in low lit areas when using flash, otherwise pictures are a bit grainy. The camera is very attractive in design and small enough to take on the go. Battery life is average, but it only take 90 minutes for a full recharge! I'm glad I purchased this instead of the Sony w290.
Beach Life rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - This thing has some horsepower - This is an amazing little camera. The thing is tiny in size (thinnest yet) but huge on performance. The still image quality is really, really nice and dude,...HD video at 720p out of this thing? Sweet.
We shot a recent trip to Europe with this camera and left our DSLR at home. I was worried about carrying around just a point-and-shoot but I gotta say that the pictures came out so beautiful.
You really can't go wrong with this. I highly recommend. For me, it's Canon for point-and-shoots and Nikon for DSLRs.
We shot a recent trip to Europe with this camera and left our DSLR at home. I was worried about carrying around just a point-and-shoot but I gotta say that the pictures came out so beautiful.
You really can't go wrong with this. I highly recommend. For me, it's Canon for point-and-shoots and Nikon for DSLRs.
Roger D. Wilderotter rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - incredible camera! - I am a professional photographer and I needed something for quick snapshots and I have been extraordinarily impressed with this camera.
Brian Davie rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Nice little camera - I wanted something nice and small to carry around with me. This camera is perfect for me. It fits very nicely in my shirt pocket and it takes a nice pic and video to boot. This camera is best for well lit scenes. Most digital cameras have the same issues with low light so I'm fine with that. For dark scenes, get a mini tripod and learn to use the long shutter. You can do great things with this camera if you learn how to use it. Read the manual...you'll be glad you did. If you want award winning photos, get a digital slr if you just wanna take nice pictures of family, friends, and your dog, this camera is great.
N. Higgins rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great gift - My husband purchased this camera as a gift for me last month. I absolutely love it. My previous camera canon powershot A720 was good too. I love everything about this camera.
Pros:
Easy to use
Simple controls
Nice settings
Bright LCD,
Excellent quality,
Good battery life,
HD Movie
Cons:
No superfine setting
Low-Light Performance
Pros:
Easy to use
Simple controls
Nice settings
Bright LCD,
Excellent quality,
Good battery life,
HD Movie
Cons:
No superfine setting
Low-Light Performance
John Aitken rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent Camera! - Simply put, this camera takes excellent pictures. The size is Very Small. The HD Video really surprised us. You can really see the difference. If you like a small camera that takes great pictures, look no further.
Boyd Soule rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - My thoughts - 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.
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.
Barbara K. Nourse rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great Father's Day Gift - I purchased this camera as a Father's Day gift for my husband. He absolutely loves it. It arrived in plenty of time and was priced comparably with like cameras advertised in the newspaper. The size makes is great for carrying to soccer games or orchestra concerts. Great present.
S. Chiu rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Perfect truly portable memory maker - I really wanted an HD camcorder, but haven't gotten one due to prices, the fact I would need to buy a new computer to process the AVCHD files, and the nagging voice of reason that told me I wouldn't use it as much as I think I would (based on my past experience with a Sony Handycam gathering dust in the closet). But I knew I needed something to capture my daughter's moments. So far, I've been suffering through using the standard dev video on my Panasonic point and shoot which hasn't been a bad experience, but the video quality can get quite dismal. So I started shopping for the new compact "pocket" camcorders ala Flip Mino HD and Creative Vado HD. After days of procrastination, ordered up a Vado for larger hard drive size, larger viewing screen, and cheaper price. Then I learned that the new point and shoots produce HD video. After cursing myself for my failed research, I went down to Best Buy and picked up the Canon SD780. I didn't think I would keep the Canon just because I didn't need another point and shoot but once I did a side by side video comparison with the Vado, it was a no brainer. The video colors from the Canon were more vibrant especially in lower light. The Canon also picked up sound much much better than the Vado which made people sound like they were far and tinny. In the end, the Canon won out and I have absolutely no regrets. It fits in the pocket nicely and is easy to manage. The still pictures are high quality Canon photos and having the still picture functionality is just an added bonus for me.
Esther Schindler rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - The simplicity review: Why I love this little camera - 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.
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.
Omar Fernández rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent Digital Camera, Amazing HD Video Recording, Tiny Body and Weight - 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. :)
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. :)
Shawn Cheng rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - SD780IS Review - This camera has been great. I went to a couple concerts and took some great HD video. I also was able to take some great photos. I don't think there is a better point and shoot camera on the market right now. It's like having a Flip and SD canon camera all in one. Canon for the most part has always had great support for their products.
Ateya Richard rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - THE BEST CAMERA I EVER HAD! - This is the BEST CAMERA EVER! [...]
When it does look at the GREAT QUALITY of my CANON SD780IS...on my gosh...the best camera! You wont be sorry...TRUST ME! It does it all. Video, Pictures, Close Ups, Editing...man its the best camera.
And I got the RED ONE and its HOT LIKE FIRE!!
When it does look at the GREAT QUALITY of my CANON SD780IS...on my gosh...the best camera! You wont be sorry...TRUST ME! It does it all. Video, Pictures, Close Ups, Editing...man its the best camera.
And I got the RED ONE and its HOT LIKE FIRE!!
Teresa Cannady rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great Camera!! - I bought this camera on the recommendation of a friend who had an older version and have been extremely pleased. It is compact and lightweight and more importantly, makes great pictures. The image stablization feature is excellent. It is simple to use and I highly recommend it.
Nz rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Perfect - I was looking to get a compact digital camera that takes great photos and I couldn't ask for a better quality camera than this. It's sleek and looks very good. The pictures come out very nicely. There is no problem with taking pictures at night. I love the features it has.. very easy to use. My one complaint is that the gold looks more like copper.. but it is still very nice. If you're a female I'd definitely get the gold. I LOVE this camera.
J. Howell rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - My review for Canon PowerShot SD780IS - This is possibly the best camera out there. It takes such clear pictures & the HD video is a plus. The only down fall i have on this camera is the buttons. They are extrememly small & sometimes hard to use. I have big hands but i manage well. Other then that i give this camera 5 stars. I love this camera. It is definitely worth the price. If you are looking for a little camera that takes extremely clear pictures & videos buy it. By the way i am 18 yrs old & my name is Salie. I am using my dads account to write this.
Jvaries423 rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - LOVE IT - I researched several cameras before purchasing the SD780IS. There were several features that I was looking for specifically. I wanted a camera that had several shooting modes, ultra-compact, in-camera red-eye fix, in-camera trimming, etc. This camera has all those features. One of the things the I like most about the SD780IS is the special "color" effects. Several cameras give you the ability to change the photo to Black & White or Sepia. This one enables you to change the photo to: Black & White, Sepia, Vivid, Color Accent, Color Swap, Vivid Green, Vivid Blue, Vivid Red, Positive Film, or Creative Light. It even lets you change the skin tone of those in the picture using the Lighter Skin Tone/Darker Skin Tone feature. I have had the SD780IS for a little over a month now and I am loving it. It takes great shots and the features are everything I expected them to be.
A. Larson rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Compact Love - Canon PowerShot SD780IS12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Black)
Fantastic camera for the price. If you're a photo hound and love the accessibility of a small camera, this is the joint for you! Takes great HD video and really decent 12MP photos. Fewer settings make it that much easier to use. It's size is PERFECT for travel - fits in your pocket as if it isn't even there.
One recommendation is to go with a 16GB or higher memory card as the HD video takes up space quickly.
Overall, love this camera! Highly recommend.
Fantastic camera for the price. If you're a photo hound and love the accessibility of a small camera, this is the joint for you! Takes great HD video and really decent 12MP photos. Fewer settings make it that much easier to use. It's size is PERFECT for travel - fits in your pocket as if it isn't even there.
One recommendation is to go with a 16GB or higher memory card as the HD video takes up space quickly.
Overall, love this camera! Highly recommend.
carolw rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - great little camera - Great camera, purchased at the recommendation of a friend. We love the many features that make taking good pictures a breeze.
Caring Parent rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Simple and Powerful - 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.
Tammy rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Love it! - This camera takes GREAT pictures. The quality of the pictures is better than I expected. The image stabilization works really well. None of my pictures have been blurred, even when I have accidentally moved while taking a picture. The colors are very vivid. Movies come out great as well.
My only concern is the door for the battery/memory card compartment. The hinge seems kind of flimsy, so I am extra careful whenever I open it.
Other than that - I would highly recommend this camera. And the red color is absolutely THE BEST!!!!!!!
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My only concern is the door for the battery/memory card compartment. The hinge seems kind of flimsy, so I am extra careful whenever I open it.
Other than that - I would highly recommend this camera. And the red color is absolutely THE BEST!!!!!!!
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eric C. Anderson rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - What an amazing camera! Big camera performance, tiny package! - 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!
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!
Marge Simpson rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Excellent, well made little camera - This camera is small and made quite well. If you compare it to other cameras in it's class, you will immediately notice it is heaftier and made of metal, not plastic. The menus are easy to figure out and the camera is packed with a ton of features. The only negative is this: When you take a picture it takes a few seconds to appear on the screen, in the interim, a note that says "Busy" appears on screen. This is annoying.
James Brightly rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Fantastic Pocket Camera - My family and I do a lot of camping and off-roading, which makes this camera ideal. I carry it in my shirt pocket so that it's instantly available. I'm taking many more shots now than I was able to do with my Canon digital SLR. I've also discovered several really neat features on this camera that I use all the time now, including zooming the image after it's taken. I'm very happy with this camera.
Yair Marx rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - just what i expected - 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.
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.
Nico rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great pictures and video for such a compact camera - All around, the best camera in it's class of sub compact point and shoots. I was so impressed with how easy it is to use that I bought another one for my parents.
Sportura rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - THE BEST UNDER $250 - 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.
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.
H. Mera rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - More Than Expected!! Superb Photos! - 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.)
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.)
George D. Gates rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Amazing Things Sometimes Come In Tiny Packages - 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.
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.
D. Ryan rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - STUNNING - 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".
S. Winder rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Nice pocket camera - 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.
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.
Ali Rizvi rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great pics and video - My son is turning four and I wanted to get an HD video camera to capture his funny antics. I already had a nice Panasonic 8mm tape camcorder but for a variety of reasons rarely used it. The 780 is a perfect fit for me. It replaces my older powershot for photos and I can take decent HD videos too that I can immediately play back on my 52" Samsung HDTV. I found indoor low light performance to be quite acceptable with some graininess. Mind you my old 8mm camcorder's video quality is better than the HD video from this camera but the pros outweigh the cons. The one area where I see lots of room for improvement is when the video blurs as you move the camera itself quickly. Very slow movement is OK. The 12 megapixel pics are great but I expect them to be anyway. I'm taking a lot of videos now because its fun, super convenient, form factor is not at all intimidating and I can play back, record, upload with ease. It was funny though to see this very tiny camera perched on top of my big tripod at a recent family event. The 2-in-1 camera/camcorder convergence is a must have for me. I just could never lug around a camcorder in addition to a camera. The other tools I paid for are Quicktime pro for easy as ABC splitting/joining of (.mov) video files that this camera produces and Vimeo for uploading HD videos to share with family. Very happy with this Amazon purchase.
D R rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Solid camera with very good video capability as a bonus. - 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.
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.
A. Aguada rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Awesome - Update since purchase. It's now 6/09. I like it even more now. I've been using the movie mode and it look pretty good. I have a 62 inch HDTV and it looks great!! This coming from a camera smaller than a disposable camera. I have an 8 gig memory card and never ever had to worry about memory capacity. It's now a little cheaper so I'll get one for my wife.
Awesome camera!! I am one impatient person. No problem with this camera. Turn this camera on and you are ready to snap pics in seconds. Second shot? No problem with lag time. It has and does everything I need. Plus, my favorite color is red. Easy to carry. Battery charges in less than 2 hrs. Software for the computer isn't the greatest but it does the job. Battery life is great. No regrets with this camera. Haven't even tried the HD video yet. I'm sold even if it didn't have that feature. That's how good it is.
Awesome camera!! I am one impatient person. No problem with this camera. Turn this camera on and you are ready to snap pics in seconds. Second shot? No problem with lag time. It has and does everything I need. Plus, my favorite color is red. Easy to carry. Battery charges in less than 2 hrs. Software for the computer isn't the greatest but it does the job. Battery life is great. No regrets with this camera. Haven't even tried the HD video yet. I'm sold even if it didn't have that feature. That's how good it is.
Michael J. Snedegar rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - GREAT BUY! NICE UPGRADE FROM THE SD 750 - now, dont get me wrong, i was a total Canon SD750 junkie. that is still an amazing camera, so much so that i kept buying them after i would lose one. so, with a high precedent set, i eventually tried to go outside canon. I got the kodak 1033. pictures were ok, VIDEO WAS SO BAD. HORRIBLE Sound. returned it. went back to the canon. And i shopped around wanting to go a step above and FINALLY they released this little devil. so slim, so compact and amazing HD video!!! LOVE IT! and CANON! I also had a flip camera and it was so annoying carrying around 2 things! this little devil does both!! so happy
A. Martin rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great camera for the size - 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
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
E. Squires rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - FAVORITE! - I've got through quite a few cameras in the past few years. I've definitely decided that canons are the BEST cameras around, and so far this is my absolute favorite camera! It's very compact and portable. The gold is chic and unique (so when a heard of cameras are snapping away you can always find your own). It's got amazing point and click capabilities & the "auto" function is usually pretty precise (sometimes i have to go manual... but rarely). I've gotten so many compliments on my pictures...in all different lighting. I love candid shots and this is the PERFECT camera for such photos. GO CANON!
Kent T. Hambrock rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - With such great power comes great resp- ..video? - 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.
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.
Wendell M. Stanley rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Amazing camera very small and beautiful, and superb photos. - 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!
Samuel Chell rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - It makes an impression. - Canon released its new line into a tough market with economic hard times and a glut of consumer hand-held devices, so if you can resist all the graduation and Father's Day hype, this one, like its predecessor the SD770, is likely to come down in price (same for the SD1200). For those who like the practicality and convenience of a slightly larger camera offering more aspect ratios, the SD880 and SD890 are understandably better bets. Wide angle lenses may not excite some consumers as much as a zoom lens, but they're far more practical for tight framing of group shots, not to mention insuring the mic picks up dialog during videos.
But the SD780 is a camera where looks, though not the only thing, aren't far from being the main thing. The camera feels even smaller than its listed dimensions and weight; the carton it comes in is 3/5 the size of the box for its predecessor, the SD770. And just compare the surfaces of these two cameras: not a speck of space is wasted on the SD780, making the viewfinder a bit slower to deploy and the flash slightly less powerful than either of these features on the SD770. But no question that, assuming you don't miss the classic Canon squared-off look, the SD780 is a sexy-looking, stealthy (especially in black) point 'n shooter that's as aesthetically pleasing and as well designed as an iPod Nano (just be careful not to put either device into a pants pocket without first checking for holes). As for size, my Sony Cybershot U-10 is fatter but 30 percent smaller overall than the SD780, so best to regard this one not as the smallest camera but the smallest Canon.
Initial impressions of the shots are favorable. The ones from my Canon PowerShot model with a mere 3.2 megapixel lens set up faster and strike me as more natural, but I'd hate to crop or enlarge any of them. The SD780 invites the user to exercise patience as well as creativity in order to get the most from its extreme miniaturization. I haven't tried attaching an HDMI cable to this pint-sized overachiever as yet, but I expect to do so and return to this review in the near future, hopefully with some sort of assurance that carrying this little marvel will save you the trouble of bringing along a Flip to your granddaughter's ballet recital or son's Little League game.
But the SD780 is a camera where looks, though not the only thing, aren't far from being the main thing. The camera feels even smaller than its listed dimensions and weight; the carton it comes in is 3/5 the size of the box for its predecessor, the SD770. And just compare the surfaces of these two cameras: not a speck of space is wasted on the SD780, making the viewfinder a bit slower to deploy and the flash slightly less powerful than either of these features on the SD770. But no question that, assuming you don't miss the classic Canon squared-off look, the SD780 is a sexy-looking, stealthy (especially in black) point 'n shooter that's as aesthetically pleasing and as well designed as an iPod Nano (just be careful not to put either device into a pants pocket without first checking for holes). As for size, my Sony Cybershot U-10 is fatter but 30 percent smaller overall than the SD780, so best to regard this one not as the smallest camera but the smallest Canon.
Initial impressions of the shots are favorable. The ones from my Canon PowerShot model with a mere 3.2 megapixel lens set up faster and strike me as more natural, but I'd hate to crop or enlarge any of them. The SD780 invites the user to exercise patience as well as creativity in order to get the most from its extreme miniaturization. I haven't tried attaching an HDMI cable to this pint-sized overachiever as yet, but I expect to do so and return to this review in the near future, hopefully with some sort of assurance that carrying this little marvel will save you the trouble of bringing along a Flip to your granddaughter's ballet recital or son's Little League game.
lovemypets rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Canon PowerShot SD780IS Digital Camera - Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Deep Red)
I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO AMAZON FOR THE FIRST REVIEW I WROTE. The mistake was mine. I would give Amazon 10 stars if I could and the camera is a 5 star. After 12 seperate orders from Amazon, they have become my favorite store because of their exceptional customer service and the quality of their products. Items always arrive when promised and usually a few days before the scheduled delivery date.
FOLLOW-UP: My mother who is NOT a camera enthusiast liked this camera so much because of it's small size, simplicity, and video/still shot picture quality that I gave it to her and ordered another one from Amazon for myself.
I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE TO AMAZON FOR THE FIRST REVIEW I WROTE. The mistake was mine. I would give Amazon 10 stars if I could and the camera is a 5 star. After 12 seperate orders from Amazon, they have become my favorite store because of their exceptional customer service and the quality of their products. Items always arrive when promised and usually a few days before the scheduled delivery date.
FOLLOW-UP: My mother who is NOT a camera enthusiast liked this camera so much because of it's small size, simplicity, and video/still shot picture quality that I gave it to her and ordered another one from Amazon for myself.
W. Chan rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Revolutionary! Beautiful and Powerful - 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
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
T. Matsuyama rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Canon SD780: Finally found the ultimate hybrid camera - 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
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
A. Arbury rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - Great little camera - 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.
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.
U. Wilkins rated the SD780IS as 5/5 and says - A True Pocket Camera with HD Video - 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.
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.
Ahreum Cho rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - great camera - This camera has many upgrades from it's older Canon SD versions. It's tiny in size but has all the features I wanted. It's AUTO setting is amazing. It's so smart that I dont even need to adjust anything I normally did in MANUAL setting
Jesaro rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Perfect--with one minor detail - I bought this camera after my SD 790 IS died over the 4th of July weekend. I am a huge fan of the color accent mode which is why I bought this Powershot instead of the other models that don't have this feature. The SD790 had the option to keep the original photo in addition to the color accent photo. Unfortunately, this little Powershot does not have the option to keep the original photo. That is a shame considering that is why I bought this camera and paid the extra for it.
Otherwise, I am very happy with it.
Otherwise, I am very happy with it.
Louis Vasquez rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Excellent Camera, Small and Good Quality - This camera is nice and small, cool looking, very easy to use, and produces nice (albeit not perfect - thus the 4) results. I'm very happy with the price/quality ratio.
My only negative points would be that the color is a bit off (colors a little louder than real life), and zooming in doesn't get what I would think this many Megapixels would. Oh yeah, and the recorded bits are humongous. I just ran it through a free program, WinFF and was able to reduce the size very nicely. The problematic parameter was the bitrate. I changed it from 20Mb/s to 1Mb/s. It would be nice if the camera had an option to do this internally.
That said, those are really picky points and its a great deal for the money. I really just love it's small form factor because I can throw it in my pocket and not feel like I'm encumbered, yet it takes good quality pics easily!
My only negative points would be that the color is a bit off (colors a little louder than real life), and zooming in doesn't get what I would think this many Megapixels would. Oh yeah, and the recorded bits are humongous. I just ran it through a free program, WinFF and was able to reduce the size very nicely. The problematic parameter was the bitrate. I changed it from 20Mb/s to 1Mb/s. It would be nice if the camera had an option to do this internally.
That said, those are really picky points and its a great deal for the money. I really just love it's small form factor because I can throw it in my pocket and not feel like I'm encumbered, yet it takes good quality pics easily!
Matt N rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - The Stills are fantastic, but video leaves a little to be desired. - Like i said in the title, the pictures this camera takes are awesome, the best point & shoot i've ever owned. the white balance and color temp is spot on, and it's very easy to use, i couldn't be happier with that aspect of the camera. The let-down is in the "HD video", I think that perhaps my expectations were set too high for this part of the camera The video is far better than the video that we're all accustom with from older point & shoot cameras, but i think that i was expecting something more. The video is grainy and motion looks like it's interlaced rather than progressive. all and all this is a great camera for the $$$, and at about $250, you can't beat it.
casual hiker/photog rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - what i expected - After reading dpreview.com, cnet, amazon & others; this camera lived up to the reviews. I've not tried the HD video cable output direct. But the video capture is excellent considering the size of the camera. Images are crisp & vivid. I used it side by side with a nikon slr and it excelled when you consider the difference in cost & optics. Form factor is unbeatable & spare batteries are cheap. Happy with purchase.
Mark Henderson rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - The best digi cam I've ever owned, still not perfect however. - As far as picture quality and easy of use, this camera gets 5 stars. I found it took fantastic photos in all conditions. Indoor and outdoor, day and night, up close and far away. This camera has just enough features to make me very happy without overwhelming me.
The biggest bonus of this camera was the video quality. I made a couple videos early on and discovered the quality to be so good that I use the video feature quite often now.
The downside to this camera is more delicate then I feel that it should be. Just placing it in my pocket accumulated some large and irritating scratches on the screen. I ended up placing this camera in a sock to keep it from getting any more scratches. If I'm not careful I'm afraid the screen could become significantly obscured by scratches. I plan to see if I can find a screen protector for this camera.
The biggest bonus of this camera was the video quality. I made a couple videos early on and discovered the quality to be so good that I use the video feature quite often now.
The downside to this camera is more delicate then I feel that it should be. Just placing it in my pocket accumulated some large and irritating scratches on the screen. I ended up placing this camera in a sock to keep it from getting any more scratches. If I'm not careful I'm afraid the screen could become significantly obscured by scratches. I plan to see if I can find a screen protector for this camera.
Douche McGavin rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Best in Class Ulta-Compact - 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.
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.
John E. Nelson rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Correct case for SD780 IS - After much searching I found the correct case for this camera. It is specifically made for the SD780IS, It is the Canon PSC-1050. It says made for the Powershot SD780IS right on the box and fits like a glove. Get the correct case.Canon PSC-1050 Deluxe Lether Case (Black)Canon PSC-1050 Deluxe Lether Case (Red)
Jordan T. Brooks rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Good overall but very noisy video in mid to low light situations - 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.
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.
B. Kiersz rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Tiny and great HD video - 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.
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.
Mike B. rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Awesome Little Camera - 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"!
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"!
Terrald Johnson rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Great small Canon SD 780 - 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.
Alice rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Satisfied - 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.
Rebecca P. Del Fabbro rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - great point and shoot - Very easy to use out of the box. Not the best video quality but for a camera better than average.
Jennifer B rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Great little camera - 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.
Adam Dachis rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Noisy, but good - If you want this little new camera from Canon it's probably due to it's attractive body and small size, something Canon has done well in the past and managed to improve upon in the SD780 IS. If those two things are topping your list, don't bother reading this review. You've succeeded in finding a tiny, attractive little camera that can go just about anywhere. If quality and features also matter, it's more of a mixed bag. As usual, when you make a camera this small, the form factor means sacrifices in more practical areas. Nonetheless, Canon does a nice job all-around in giving you an excellent value despite the shortcomings inherent in pocket photographic devices.
For owners of small pocket cameras, it should come as no surprise that noise is the number one problem with this device. With a 12MP sensor, it's no wonder there's so much noise in every photo you take. Outdoors, indoors, pitch black, whatever: it doesn't matter. You will see noise no matter how well-lit your scene is, whether there are dark areas or not. This is a huge drawback if you're printing large photos. If you're like most people and only go beyond 4x6 or 5x7 for that occasional photo that warrants an 8x10, you don't have much to worry about. Though cramming 12MP into a tiny little sensor, like the one used in the SD780 IS, is certainly a cause of the high levels of noise, the resolution it provides makes the noise imperceptible when printing small photographs. You may notice it in an 8x10 photo taken at night, but for your smaller prints you should get by just fine.
Where noise is a bigger problem is in the video mode. Since the introduction of their 5D Mark II DSLR, Canon's begun to embrace high-definition video across their photographic line. Though few cameras in Canon's arsenal can capture HD video at this time, I believe by the end of 2009 it should be more the norm than the exception. While the SD780 IS doesn't capture 1080p video like the 5D Mark II, or it's (much) bigger brother the SX1S IS, 720p is quite a feat for a camera this small. It's comparable in size to the Flip Mino HD and only costs about $50 more (if you're comparing by suggested retail pricing). Though not as straightforward and simple as the Flip, by virtue of being a still camera first and a video device second, if you're looking for a device that does both and are willing to pay a little extra you've found it. The video quality in the Canon SD780 IS is more uniformly sharp (in daylight or indoors), though the Flip Mino HD tends to pick up slightly more detail in the distance (in daylight, not indoors). The SD780 IS gives you selective focus and stabilization. While you may not care for selective focus, the image stabilization offered in the SD780 IS is very nice to have when taking video clips. The image stabilizer allows for nice, smooth pans that are not offset by the "jello effect" you get with CMOS sensors. The Flip uses a CMOS and has that issue. The SD780 IS uses a CCD and does not. The SD780 also offers H.264 encoding at an average bit rate of about 24Mbps. For H.264 720p video, this is a very high bit rate from a device. Nonetheless, the files aren't too big. If you've got a 16GB SDHC card you'll get about an hour and a half of video. Where the Flip does a better job, however, is in noise.
Though the Flip isn't exactly the best device in low light, it still manages pretty well for a tiny little camera. The SD780 IS looks noisy in every situation. While the high megapixel rating keeps the noise harder to see in a photo, when you're dealing with 720p video the noise is very apparent. You can see it in perfect daylight, though it's not that bothersome, and you can really see it indoors regardless of the lighting. This is a noisy camera. Though it's forgivable in the photographs, in most cases, it really hurts the video mode. Given the limitations of the tiny hardware and the unfortunate megapixel race, noise reduction would've been nice. Nonetheless, if you're looking for an incredibly tiny device that records HD video, the SD780 IS should by high on your list by virtue of its stabilization.
Being that this is a primarily a still camera and not a video device, there are a lot of positives to look at. Let's start on the outside and work our way in. Canon's clearly put a lot of thought into the form factor. Regardless of what color you get, I think most will agree that this is a very attractive device. It's compact and light, so taking it with you will seem about the same as not taking it with you: you will often forget you have it. On one hand, that's very nice. On the other, make sure you don't lose it. Though it's not the smallest camera you can buy, it feels a lot smaller than it is. This could be an issue for some people. I've owned and/or reviewed a large number of consumer imaging devices and I've never run into the problems that some seem to have with button size. I've used a Sony camera that's a bit smaller than this one and had no issues, whatsoever, with accidental presses. The SD780 IS is the first device I've owned where I often make these mistakes. If you have big fingers, you will probably find this device extremely frustrating. For me, the problem is primarily with what I'll call the function wheel. Kind of like an iPod, in the center is a Function/Set button surrounded by a wheel of four other options. Though this is not a new interface for Canon, it's awfully small on the SD 780 and it's very easy to mistakenly push the wrong button on the wheel (or the center button). Personally, I don't find myself running into this problem too often because I'm not frequently changing settings. Nonetheless, it's something you should consider if you've had trouble with accidental button pushes in the past.
The other switches, however, are quite easy to deal with. The other four buttons on the back panel have quite a bit of space around them, even when not considering how small this camera is, and pushing them is no trouble at all. One is a switch that goes from automatic photo mode to custom photo mode to video mode. Though I've come to prefer separate buttons for starting a video and taking a photo, much like Sanyo does with their line of convergence cameras (which they're now calling "dual cameras"), this switch works well in the sense that it keeps you in the mode and saves you from remembering which button to push when you want something. More importantly, switching modes is about as fast as you could ask for. Though it's not my preferred way to switch modes (because I prefer the devices to seem like there's no switch at all), it doesn't really end up being a problem.
Lastly, there are two buttons on the top of the camera. One is for the shutter and the other is the power button. If you have large fingers, good luck pushing the power button. It's tiny and it isn't raised at all. I consider my fingers normal-sized and have no difficulty pushing the button but if you're concerned, go try the camera in a store before you buy it. As for the shutter, that's no problem at all. You half-depress to focus and press fully to take the photo, like you would with pretty much any digital camera on the market. There is also a zoom ring around the shutter button which has a tiny little edge to it for your finger to flick. It works quite well, despite being as tiny as it is. For the most part, the camera is very easy to control despite its size. Though you may have difficulty when changing settings, when it comes to general operation (aside from turning it on and off) you shouldn't run into issues.
My two favorite parts of the SD780 IS body are its large screen and port access. The screen is incredibly bright and clear, even at half brightness (which is where it starts out of the box and probably where you want to leave it), and is well protected by a glass covering. Smudging is easy to clean but be careful of scratches. The refresh rate of the screen is also excellent. Color accuracy is surprisingly good and realistic, assuming you're not using the "my colors" feature. I've come to expect less from Canon's devices (especially in the white balancing department) and I was pleasantly surprised. While that isn't entirely the display's job, what I see on the screen is what I see in reality. No complaints. If you prefer shooting from the viewfinder, which is perfectly reasonable, you will definitely be disappointed. The option is nice, of course, but it's so incredibly tiny that it seems more for show than for any actual use. I appreciate Canon's inclusion, but I can pretty much guarantee it will never be used for any practical purpose. My other favorite part is the port access, because it's exactly how I like it. In the top left corner (if you're looking at the back of the camera), you pull off this little piece of plastic to reveal a mini HDMI port and a mini USB port. There's no proprietary connections. It's nice to see a tiny camera not sacrifice connectivity for the sake of size. To transfer pictures, just pull the plastic covering away and plug the camera into your computer. The process is the same if you want to connect the camera via HDMI to your HDTV. Canon doesn't include the necessary cable, which is a shame, but being that I've never once connected my camera to a television I'm not really bothered. They do give you a standard definition cable, however, so you're not stranded with no options. On the bottom of the camera there is the usual slide-off access to the battery and memory card. Canon really crammed them both in there, but in a way that's impressive and not cumbersome. Additionally, they managed a tripod head mount on the bottom as well, and you can pull away a little rubber covering to reveal a hole for the tripod head's stabilizer (the little piece that doesn't screw in but holds the camera in place on the head).
Overall, the camera body has an excellent design. It's not only attractive but functional. The only drawback is the possibility of accidental button pushes, but that sort of comes with the territory.
What about the camera's features? We've already discussed video mode, which is excellent aside from the noise issues. The still camera features and controls are quite good all around, with only a few silly omissions. Let's start with the menu system. It's very simple. You press the menu button and you have two columns. One is the very simple camera options column, only giving you four choices, and the other is the function column giving you much more to do. In the camera options, you can turn certain functionalities on or off. Despite the paltry zoom on this device, which is to be expected due to its size, I'd recommend turning off digital zoom. It's on by default. Why it is even included in cameras is something I've never quite understood. As for the functions menu, you have a number of basic functions (display brightness, card formatting, etc.) but also some superfluous functions like changing the sound effects and the camera's startup image. You don't get many choices, and the dog bark shutter sound is absent from this device (which I always loved), but you get choices nonetheless. If you don't want sound effects at all, there is a mute feature. You should note, however, that this camera makes noise on startup nonetheless. The body is a little noisy on its own. The image stabilizer also sounds like a fan is running. I haven't heard the microphone pick up this noise in video mode, but if operation noise is a problem for you for whatever reason you can minimize it by turning off image stabilization. That said, aside from getting a couple of extra pictures out of your battery life, I can't imagine why you'd ever want to turn it off.
Canon's autofocus has lagged behind Nikon's in the DSLR market, in my opinion, but in their consumer devices I've been pretty pleased with how well it works. Autofocus is very fast and, in my experience so far, very accurate. The only problem I've consistently run into is the minimum focal distance in normal mode. Turning on macro mode solves the problem, and seems to be the most versatile mode (as it has no problem, unlike some consumer cameras, focusing far off as well). The unfortunate issue with macro focus is that it resets every time you switch modes or turn the camera off. If you want it on, you need to set it every single time. It would be nice to either be able to change the default or for the camera to automatically switch to macro when it can't manage to focus due to its proximity to the subject.
The flash does a pretty good job for being so tiny. Even from far away, it does well. Oddly enough, close subjects were not as blown out as I'd expected. Often times the photos looked surprisingly natural for a flash. Nonetheless, since you're getting image noise regardless, I recommend shooting with higher ISOs if you have a reasonable amount of light in the room. It still tends to look more natural, especially after a little color correction.
Exposure controls and the self-timer meet expectations. There's not a lot of room for innovation with these features, but you can adjust what I can only assume is the gain before taking a photo. Perhaps you're adjusting shutter speed, though I'm not sure. You can also set a self-timer for 2 or 10 seconds. Actually being able to choose the time would be a nice step up, but I don't think many have complained about the options given. They work just fine.
The SD780 IS also includes many superfluous but fun features common to Canon's consumer line. My Colors is one of them. They give you so many different color modes (including positive film, monotone and sepia) I don't know why you'd want to create your own, but you do have that option. You can also shoot in black and white with a color accent, if you're trying to create the feel of Schindler's List in your family photos (hopefully that includes no one), or just swap colors for whatever reason you'd want to do that.
Playback mode is excellent. It's very easy to zoom in and out on your photos and navigate through them. You can even display a histogram and EXIF data while looking at the photo, which is pretty excessive but cool for a consumer device. Video playback provides a wealth of control, which even includes in-camera editing. This isn't terribly new to Canon's devices but it's still nice. Personally, I'd rather edit outside of the camera but if you need space on your card and don't have a spare it might be a good way to solve that issue (assuming you have parts of your videos that you want to remove).
As far as silly omissions go, when selecting an image size you can get the normal 4:3 or 16:9 (likely a result of the video mode). Where's the 3:2 option? Digital cameras have pioneered the 4:3 format, which, personally, I do not like. When printing a 4x6 photo I'd prefer to avoid cropping. Both 4:3 and 16:9 require cropping, which is unfortunate. It seems ridiculous to not offer 3:2 shooting, but then again that's not the norm with these devices. I think that's unfortunate. As I've mentioned previously, the lack of an HDMI cable and noise reduction is also too bad. The HDMI is understandable as this camera is pretty inexpensive (and you'd never know that by looking at it), but noise reduction is sorely missed. It's no replacement for an actual lack of noise, but a little bit would go a long way with this device.
The battery life is surprisingly good. Perhaps I feel that way because I haven't used a camera this small in a long time, but being that it can make it through the day given all the crap I put it through with room to spare, I'm impressed. The camera also comes with a separate charger, which is great if you want to pick up a spare battery. It's also very easy for travel. Though I always prefer the option, at least, to charge via USB (in case I forget the charger or don't want to bother bringing it with me), the provided charger is very compact and makes charging the battery an easy thing to do. The only downside is that you constantly have to remove the battery from the camera, but they make that access easy enough (as described earlier).
Overall, there's a lot to like about the Canon SD780 IS. The noise issue is the biggest drawback, but educated buyers should know to expect this when purchasing a pocket device. Everything else is mostly trivial. Though the noise issues are a major drawback, especially if you're interested in the mostly great HD video mode, this is a great little camera and well worth the price thanks to the HD video mode.
In summary...
+ Attractive, tiny size and solid build
+ Surprisingly good battery life
+ Big, bright, color-accurate display
+ Menu system and on-screen interface is attractive and easy to use
+ Forgetting the noise issues, video mode is very good providing 720p video in H.264 with a high bit rate (average of 24Mbps)
+ Easy access to ports and easy to transfer photos or display them on your (HD)TV
+ The flash is surprisingly effective without being excessively bright
+ Inexpensive for what you get
= Very high resolution photos, though this comes at a cost (6 to 8 MP seems like a more logical choice)
= Image stabilization is excellent considering the size, but isn't what you get with a larger device
= Has a viewfinder, though it's pretty much useless
= Many superfluous but fun features, mainly color-related
- Physical buttons are often too small and accidental pushes are commonplace
- Images and video are extremely noisy, no matter the lighting conditions
For owners of small pocket cameras, it should come as no surprise that noise is the number one problem with this device. With a 12MP sensor, it's no wonder there's so much noise in every photo you take. Outdoors, indoors, pitch black, whatever: it doesn't matter. You will see noise no matter how well-lit your scene is, whether there are dark areas or not. This is a huge drawback if you're printing large photos. If you're like most people and only go beyond 4x6 or 5x7 for that occasional photo that warrants an 8x10, you don't have much to worry about. Though cramming 12MP into a tiny little sensor, like the one used in the SD780 IS, is certainly a cause of the high levels of noise, the resolution it provides makes the noise imperceptible when printing small photographs. You may notice it in an 8x10 photo taken at night, but for your smaller prints you should get by just fine.
Where noise is a bigger problem is in the video mode. Since the introduction of their 5D Mark II DSLR, Canon's begun to embrace high-definition video across their photographic line. Though few cameras in Canon's arsenal can capture HD video at this time, I believe by the end of 2009 it should be more the norm than the exception. While the SD780 IS doesn't capture 1080p video like the 5D Mark II, or it's (much) bigger brother the SX1S IS, 720p is quite a feat for a camera this small. It's comparable in size to the Flip Mino HD and only costs about $50 more (if you're comparing by suggested retail pricing). Though not as straightforward and simple as the Flip, by virtue of being a still camera first and a video device second, if you're looking for a device that does both and are willing to pay a little extra you've found it. The video quality in the Canon SD780 IS is more uniformly sharp (in daylight or indoors), though the Flip Mino HD tends to pick up slightly more detail in the distance (in daylight, not indoors). The SD780 IS gives you selective focus and stabilization. While you may not care for selective focus, the image stabilization offered in the SD780 IS is very nice to have when taking video clips. The image stabilizer allows for nice, smooth pans that are not offset by the "jello effect" you get with CMOS sensors. The Flip uses a CMOS and has that issue. The SD780 IS uses a CCD and does not. The SD780 also offers H.264 encoding at an average bit rate of about 24Mbps. For H.264 720p video, this is a very high bit rate from a device. Nonetheless, the files aren't too big. If you've got a 16GB SDHC card you'll get about an hour and a half of video. Where the Flip does a better job, however, is in noise.
Though the Flip isn't exactly the best device in low light, it still manages pretty well for a tiny little camera. The SD780 IS looks noisy in every situation. While the high megapixel rating keeps the noise harder to see in a photo, when you're dealing with 720p video the noise is very apparent. You can see it in perfect daylight, though it's not that bothersome, and you can really see it indoors regardless of the lighting. This is a noisy camera. Though it's forgivable in the photographs, in most cases, it really hurts the video mode. Given the limitations of the tiny hardware and the unfortunate megapixel race, noise reduction would've been nice. Nonetheless, if you're looking for an incredibly tiny device that records HD video, the SD780 IS should by high on your list by virtue of its stabilization.
Being that this is a primarily a still camera and not a video device, there are a lot of positives to look at. Let's start on the outside and work our way in. Canon's clearly put a lot of thought into the form factor. Regardless of what color you get, I think most will agree that this is a very attractive device. It's compact and light, so taking it with you will seem about the same as not taking it with you: you will often forget you have it. On one hand, that's very nice. On the other, make sure you don't lose it. Though it's not the smallest camera you can buy, it feels a lot smaller than it is. This could be an issue for some people. I've owned and/or reviewed a large number of consumer imaging devices and I've never run into the problems that some seem to have with button size. I've used a Sony camera that's a bit smaller than this one and had no issues, whatsoever, with accidental presses. The SD780 IS is the first device I've owned where I often make these mistakes. If you have big fingers, you will probably find this device extremely frustrating. For me, the problem is primarily with what I'll call the function wheel. Kind of like an iPod, in the center is a Function/Set button surrounded by a wheel of four other options. Though this is not a new interface for Canon, it's awfully small on the SD 780 and it's very easy to mistakenly push the wrong button on the wheel (or the center button). Personally, I don't find myself running into this problem too often because I'm not frequently changing settings. Nonetheless, it's something you should consider if you've had trouble with accidental button pushes in the past.
The other switches, however, are quite easy to deal with. The other four buttons on the back panel have quite a bit of space around them, even when not considering how small this camera is, and pushing them is no trouble at all. One is a switch that goes from automatic photo mode to custom photo mode to video mode. Though I've come to prefer separate buttons for starting a video and taking a photo, much like Sanyo does with their line of convergence cameras (which they're now calling "dual cameras"), this switch works well in the sense that it keeps you in the mode and saves you from remembering which button to push when you want something. More importantly, switching modes is about as fast as you could ask for. Though it's not my preferred way to switch modes (because I prefer the devices to seem like there's no switch at all), it doesn't really end up being a problem.
Lastly, there are two buttons on the top of the camera. One is for the shutter and the other is the power button. If you have large fingers, good luck pushing the power button. It's tiny and it isn't raised at all. I consider my fingers normal-sized and have no difficulty pushing the button but if you're concerned, go try the camera in a store before you buy it. As for the shutter, that's no problem at all. You half-depress to focus and press fully to take the photo, like you would with pretty much any digital camera on the market. There is also a zoom ring around the shutter button which has a tiny little edge to it for your finger to flick. It works quite well, despite being as tiny as it is. For the most part, the camera is very easy to control despite its size. Though you may have difficulty when changing settings, when it comes to general operation (aside from turning it on and off) you shouldn't run into issues.
My two favorite parts of the SD780 IS body are its large screen and port access. The screen is incredibly bright and clear, even at half brightness (which is where it starts out of the box and probably where you want to leave it), and is well protected by a glass covering. Smudging is easy to clean but be careful of scratches. The refresh rate of the screen is also excellent. Color accuracy is surprisingly good and realistic, assuming you're not using the "my colors" feature. I've come to expect less from Canon's devices (especially in the white balancing department) and I was pleasantly surprised. While that isn't entirely the display's job, what I see on the screen is what I see in reality. No complaints. If you prefer shooting from the viewfinder, which is perfectly reasonable, you will definitely be disappointed. The option is nice, of course, but it's so incredibly tiny that it seems more for show than for any actual use. I appreciate Canon's inclusion, but I can pretty much guarantee it will never be used for any practical purpose. My other favorite part is the port access, because it's exactly how I like it. In the top left corner (if you're looking at the back of the camera), you pull off this little piece of plastic to reveal a mini HDMI port and a mini USB port. There's no proprietary connections. It's nice to see a tiny camera not sacrifice connectivity for the sake of size. To transfer pictures, just pull the plastic covering away and plug the camera into your computer. The process is the same if you want to connect the camera via HDMI to your HDTV. Canon doesn't include the necessary cable, which is a shame, but being that I've never once connected my camera to a television I'm not really bothered. They do give you a standard definition cable, however, so you're not stranded with no options. On the bottom of the camera there is the usual slide-off access to the battery and memory card. Canon really crammed them both in there, but in a way that's impressive and not cumbersome. Additionally, they managed a tripod head mount on the bottom as well, and you can pull away a little rubber covering to reveal a hole for the tripod head's stabilizer (the little piece that doesn't screw in but holds the camera in place on the head).
Overall, the camera body has an excellent design. It's not only attractive but functional. The only drawback is the possibility of accidental button pushes, but that sort of comes with the territory.
What about the camera's features? We've already discussed video mode, which is excellent aside from the noise issues. The still camera features and controls are quite good all around, with only a few silly omissions. Let's start with the menu system. It's very simple. You press the menu button and you have two columns. One is the very simple camera options column, only giving you four choices, and the other is the function column giving you much more to do. In the camera options, you can turn certain functionalities on or off. Despite the paltry zoom on this device, which is to be expected due to its size, I'd recommend turning off digital zoom. It's on by default. Why it is even included in cameras is something I've never quite understood. As for the functions menu, you have a number of basic functions (display brightness, card formatting, etc.) but also some superfluous functions like changing the sound effects and the camera's startup image. You don't get many choices, and the dog bark shutter sound is absent from this device (which I always loved), but you get choices nonetheless. If you don't want sound effects at all, there is a mute feature. You should note, however, that this camera makes noise on startup nonetheless. The body is a little noisy on its own. The image stabilizer also sounds like a fan is running. I haven't heard the microphone pick up this noise in video mode, but if operation noise is a problem for you for whatever reason you can minimize it by turning off image stabilization. That said, aside from getting a couple of extra pictures out of your battery life, I can't imagine why you'd ever want to turn it off.
Canon's autofocus has lagged behind Nikon's in the DSLR market, in my opinion, but in their consumer devices I've been pretty pleased with how well it works. Autofocus is very fast and, in my experience so far, very accurate. The only problem I've consistently run into is the minimum focal distance in normal mode. Turning on macro mode solves the problem, and seems to be the most versatile mode (as it has no problem, unlike some consumer cameras, focusing far off as well). The unfortunate issue with macro focus is that it resets every time you switch modes or turn the camera off. If you want it on, you need to set it every single time. It would be nice to either be able to change the default or for the camera to automatically switch to macro when it can't manage to focus due to its proximity to the subject.
The flash does a pretty good job for being so tiny. Even from far away, it does well. Oddly enough, close subjects were not as blown out as I'd expected. Often times the photos looked surprisingly natural for a flash. Nonetheless, since you're getting image noise regardless, I recommend shooting with higher ISOs if you have a reasonable amount of light in the room. It still tends to look more natural, especially after a little color correction.
Exposure controls and the self-timer meet expectations. There's not a lot of room for innovation with these features, but you can adjust what I can only assume is the gain before taking a photo. Perhaps you're adjusting shutter speed, though I'm not sure. You can also set a self-timer for 2 or 10 seconds. Actually being able to choose the time would be a nice step up, but I don't think many have complained about the options given. They work just fine.
The SD780 IS also includes many superfluous but fun features common to Canon's consumer line. My Colors is one of them. They give you so many different color modes (including positive film, monotone and sepia) I don't know why you'd want to create your own, but you do have that option. You can also shoot in black and white with a color accent, if you're trying to create the feel of Schindler's List in your family photos (hopefully that includes no one), or just swap colors for whatever reason you'd want to do that.
Playback mode is excellent. It's very easy to zoom in and out on your photos and navigate through them. You can even display a histogram and EXIF data while looking at the photo, which is pretty excessive but cool for a consumer device. Video playback provides a wealth of control, which even includes in-camera editing. This isn't terribly new to Canon's devices but it's still nice. Personally, I'd rather edit outside of the camera but if you need space on your card and don't have a spare it might be a good way to solve that issue (assuming you have parts of your videos that you want to remove).
As far as silly omissions go, when selecting an image size you can get the normal 4:3 or 16:9 (likely a result of the video mode). Where's the 3:2 option? Digital cameras have pioneered the 4:3 format, which, personally, I do not like. When printing a 4x6 photo I'd prefer to avoid cropping. Both 4:3 and 16:9 require cropping, which is unfortunate. It seems ridiculous to not offer 3:2 shooting, but then again that's not the norm with these devices. I think that's unfortunate. As I've mentioned previously, the lack of an HDMI cable and noise reduction is also too bad. The HDMI is understandable as this camera is pretty inexpensive (and you'd never know that by looking at it), but noise reduction is sorely missed. It's no replacement for an actual lack of noise, but a little bit would go a long way with this device.
The battery life is surprisingly good. Perhaps I feel that way because I haven't used a camera this small in a long time, but being that it can make it through the day given all the crap I put it through with room to spare, I'm impressed. The camera also comes with a separate charger, which is great if you want to pick up a spare battery. It's also very easy for travel. Though I always prefer the option, at least, to charge via USB (in case I forget the charger or don't want to bother bringing it with me), the provided charger is very compact and makes charging the battery an easy thing to do. The only downside is that you constantly have to remove the battery from the camera, but they make that access easy enough (as described earlier).
Overall, there's a lot to like about the Canon SD780 IS. The noise issue is the biggest drawback, but educated buyers should know to expect this when purchasing a pocket device. Everything else is mostly trivial. Though the noise issues are a major drawback, especially if you're interested in the mostly great HD video mode, this is a great little camera and well worth the price thanks to the HD video mode.
In summary...
+ Attractive, tiny size and solid build
+ Surprisingly good battery life
+ Big, bright, color-accurate display
+ Menu system and on-screen interface is attractive and easy to use
+ Forgetting the noise issues, video mode is very good providing 720p video in H.264 with a high bit rate (average of 24Mbps)
+ Easy access to ports and easy to transfer photos or display them on your (HD)TV
+ The flash is surprisingly effective without being excessively bright
+ Inexpensive for what you get
= Very high resolution photos, though this comes at a cost (6 to 8 MP seems like a more logical choice)
= Image stabilization is excellent considering the size, but isn't what you get with a larger device
= Has a viewfinder, though it's pretty much useless
= Many superfluous but fun features, mainly color-related
- Physical buttons are often too small and accidental pushes are commonplace
- Images and video are extremely noisy, no matter the lighting conditions
Eric Gomez rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Great little camera - 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.
* 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.
Ahreum Cho rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - great camera - This camera has many upgrades from it's older Canon SD versions. It's tiny in size but has all the features I wanted. It's AUTO setting is amazing. It's so smart that I dont even need to adjust anything I normally did in MANUAL setting
Jesaro rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Perfect--with one minor detail - I bought this camera after my SD 790 IS died over the 4th of July weekend. I am a huge fan of the color accent mode which is why I bought this Powershot instead of the other models that don't have this feature. The SD790 had the option to keep the original photo in addition to the color accent photo. Unfortunately, this little Powershot does not have the option to keep the original photo. That is a shame considering that is why I bought this camera and paid the extra for it.
Otherwise, I am very happy with it.
Otherwise, I am very happy with it.
Louis Vasquez rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Excellent Camera, Small and Good Quality - This camera is nice and small, cool looking, very easy to use, and produces nice (albeit not perfect - thus the 4) results. I'm very happy with the price/quality ratio.
My only negative points would be that the color is a bit off (colors a little louder than real life), and zooming in doesn't get what I would think this many Megapixels would. Oh yeah, and the recorded bits are humongous. I just ran it through a free program, WinFF and was able to reduce the size very nicely. The problematic parameter was the bitrate. I changed it from 20Mb/s to 1Mb/s. It would be nice if the camera had an option to do this internally.
That said, those are really picky points and its a great deal for the money. I really just love it's small form factor because I can throw it in my pocket and not feel like I'm encumbered, yet it takes good quality pics easily!
My only negative points would be that the color is a bit off (colors a little louder than real life), and zooming in doesn't get what I would think this many Megapixels would. Oh yeah, and the recorded bits are humongous. I just ran it through a free program, WinFF and was able to reduce the size very nicely. The problematic parameter was the bitrate. I changed it from 20Mb/s to 1Mb/s. It would be nice if the camera had an option to do this internally.
That said, those are really picky points and its a great deal for the money. I really just love it's small form factor because I can throw it in my pocket and not feel like I'm encumbered, yet it takes good quality pics easily!
Matt N rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - The Stills are fantastic, but video leaves a little to be desired. - Like i said in the title, the pictures this camera takes are awesome, the best point & shoot i've ever owned. the white balance and color temp is spot on, and it's very easy to use, i couldn't be happier with that aspect of the camera. The let-down is in the "HD video", I think that perhaps my expectations were set too high for this part of the camera The video is far better than the video that we're all accustom with from older point & shoot cameras, but i think that i was expecting something more. The video is grainy and motion looks like it's interlaced rather than progressive. all and all this is a great camera for the $$$, and at about $250, you can't beat it.
casual hiker/photog rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - what i expected - After reading dpreview.com, cnet, amazon & others; this camera lived up to the reviews. I've not tried the HD video cable output direct. But the video capture is excellent considering the size of the camera. Images are crisp & vivid. I used it side by side with a nikon slr and it excelled when you consider the difference in cost & optics. Form factor is unbeatable & spare batteries are cheap. Happy with purchase.
Mark Henderson rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - The best digi cam I've ever owned, still not perfect however. - As far as picture quality and easy of use, this camera gets 5 stars. I found it took fantastic photos in all conditions. Indoor and outdoor, day and night, up close and far away. This camera has just enough features to make me very happy without overwhelming me.
The biggest bonus of this camera was the video quality. I made a couple videos early on and discovered the quality to be so good that I use the video feature quite often now.
The downside to this camera is more delicate then I feel that it should be. Just placing it in my pocket accumulated some large and irritating scratches on the screen. I ended up placing this camera in a sock to keep it from getting any more scratches. If I'm not careful I'm afraid the screen could become significantly obscured by scratches. I plan to see if I can find a screen protector for this camera.
The biggest bonus of this camera was the video quality. I made a couple videos early on and discovered the quality to be so good that I use the video feature quite often now.
The downside to this camera is more delicate then I feel that it should be. Just placing it in my pocket accumulated some large and irritating scratches on the screen. I ended up placing this camera in a sock to keep it from getting any more scratches. If I'm not careful I'm afraid the screen could become significantly obscured by scratches. I plan to see if I can find a screen protector for this camera.
Douche McGavin rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Best in Class Ulta-Compact - 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.
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.
John E. Nelson rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Correct case for SD780 IS - After much searching I found the correct case for this camera. It is specifically made for the SD780IS, It is the Canon PSC-1050. It says made for the Powershot SD780IS right on the box and fits like a glove. Get the correct case.Canon PSC-1050 Deluxe Lether Case (Black)Canon PSC-1050 Deluxe Lether Case (Red)
Jordan T. Brooks rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Good overall but very noisy video in mid to low light situations - 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.
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.
B. Kiersz rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Tiny and great HD video - 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.
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.
Mike B. rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Awesome Little Camera - 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"!
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"!
Terrald Johnson rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Great small Canon SD 780 - 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.
Alice rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Satisfied - 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.
Rebecca P. Del Fabbro rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - great point and shoot - Very easy to use out of the box. Not the best video quality but for a camera better than average.
Jennifer B rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Great little camera - 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.
Adam Dachis rated the SD780IS as 4/5 and says - Noisy, but good - If you want this little new camera from Canon it's probably due to it's attractive body and small size, something Canon has done well in the past and managed to improve upon in the SD780 IS. If those two things are topping your list, don't bother reading this review. You've succeeded in finding a tiny, attractive little camera that can go just about anywhere. If quality and features also matter, it's more of a mixed bag. As usual, when you make a camera this small, the form factor means sacrifices in more practical areas. Nonetheless, Canon does a nice job all-around in giving you an excellent value despite the shortcomings inherent in pocket photographic devices.
For owners of small pocket cameras, it should come as no surprise that noise is the number one problem with this device. With a 12MP sensor, it's no wonder there's so much noise in every photo you take. Outdoors, indoors, pitch black, whatever: it doesn't matter. You will see noise no matter how well-lit your scene is, whether there are dark areas or not. This is a huge drawback if you're printing large photos. If you're like most people and only go beyond 4x6 or 5x7 for that occasional photo that warrants an 8x10, you don't have much to worry about. Though cramming 12MP into a tiny little sensor, like the one used in the SD780 IS, is certainly a cause of the high levels of noise, the resolution it provides makes the noise imperceptible when printing small photographs. You may notice it in an 8x10 photo taken at night, but for your smaller prints you should get by just fine.
Where noise is a bigger problem is in the video mode. Since the introduction of their 5D Mark II DSLR, Canon's begun to embrace high-definition video across their photographic line. Though few cameras in Canon's arsenal can capture HD video at this time, I believe by the end of 2009 it should be more the norm than the exception. While the SD780 IS doesn't capture 1080p video like the 5D Mark II, or it's (much) bigger brother the SX1S IS, 720p is quite a feat for a camera this small. It's comparable in size to the Flip Mino HD and only costs about $50 more (if you're comparing by suggested retail pricing). Though not as straightforward and simple as the Flip, by virtue of being a still camera first and a video device second, if you're looking for a device that does both and are willing to pay a little extra you've found it. The video quality in the Canon SD780 IS is more uniformly sharp (in daylight or indoors), though the Flip Mino HD tends to pick up slightly more detail in the distance (in daylight, not indoors). The SD780 IS gives you selective focus and stabilization. While you may not care for selective focus, the image stabilization offered in the SD780 IS is very nice to have when taking video clips. The image stabilizer allows for nice, smooth pans that are not offset by the "jello effect" you get with CMOS sensors. The Flip uses a CMOS and has that issue. The SD780 IS uses a CCD and does not. The SD780 also offers H.264 encoding at an average bit rate of about 24Mbps. For H.264 720p video, this is a very high bit rate from a device. Nonetheless, the files aren't too big. If you've got a 16GB SDHC card you'll get about an hour and a half of video. Where the Flip does a better job, however, is in noise.
Though the Flip isn't exactly the best device in low light, it still manages pretty well for a tiny little camera. The SD780 IS looks noisy in every situation. While the high megapixel rating keeps the noise harder to see in a photo, when you're dealing with 720p video the noise is very apparent. You can see it in perfect daylight, though it's not that bothersome, and you can really see it indoors regardless of the lighting. This is a noisy camera. Though it's forgivable in the photographs, in most cases, it really hurts the video mode. Given the limitations of the tiny hardware and the unfortunate megapixel race, noise reduction would've been nice. Nonetheless, if you're looking for an incredibly tiny device that records HD video, the SD780 IS should by high on your list by virtue of its stabilization.
Being that this is a primarily a still camera and not a video device, there are a lot of positives to look at. Let's start on the outside and work our way in. Canon's clearly put a lot of thought into the form factor. Regardless of what color you get, I think most will agree that this is a very attractive device. It's compact and light, so taking it with you will seem about the same as not taking it with you: you will often forget you have it. On one hand, that's very nice. On the other, make sure you don't lose it. Though it's not the smallest camera you can buy, it feels a lot smaller than it is. This could be an issue for some people. I've owned and/or reviewed a large number of consumer imaging devices and I've never run into the problems that some seem to have with button size. I've used a Sony camera that's a bit smaller than this one and had no issues, whatsoever, with accidental presses. The SD780 IS is the first device I've owned where I often make these mistakes. If you have big fingers, you will probably find this device extremely frustrating. For me, the problem is primarily with what I'll call the function wheel. Kind of like an iPod, in the center is a Function/Set button surrounded by a wheel of four other options. Though this is not a new interface for Canon, it's awfully small on the SD 780 and it's very easy to mistakenly push the wrong button on the wheel (or the center button). Personally, I don't find myself running into this problem too often because I'm not frequently changing settings. Nonetheless, it's something you should consider if you've had trouble with accidental button pushes in the past.
The other switches, however, are quite easy to deal with. The other four buttons on the back panel have quite a bit of space around them, even when not considering how small this camera is, and pushing them is no trouble at all. One is a switch that goes from automatic photo mode to custom photo mode to video mode. Though I've come to prefer separate buttons for starting a video and taking a photo, much like Sanyo does with their line of convergence cameras (which they're now calling "dual cameras"), this switch works well in the sense that it keeps you in the mode and saves you from remembering which button to push when you want something. More importantly, switching modes is about as fast as you could ask for. Though it's not my preferred way to switch modes (because I prefer the devices to seem like there's no switch at all), it doesn't really end up being a problem.
Lastly, there are two buttons on the top of the camera. One is for the shutter and the other is the power button. If you have large fingers, good luck pushing the power button. It's tiny and it isn't raised at all. I consider my fingers normal-sized and have no difficulty pushing the button but if you're concerned, go try the camera in a store before you buy it. As for the shutter, that's no problem at all. You half-depress to focus and press fully to take the photo, like you would with pretty much any digital camera on the market. There is also a zoom ring around the shutter button which has a tiny little edge to it for your finger to flick. It works quite well, despite being as tiny as it is. For the most part, the camera is very easy to control despite its size. Though you may have difficulty when changing settings, when it comes to general operation (aside from turning it on and off) you shouldn't run into issues.
My two favorite parts of the SD780 IS body are its large screen and port access. The screen is incredibly bright and clear, even at half brightness (which is where it starts out of the box and probably where you want to leave it), and is well protected by a glass covering. Smudging is easy to clean but be careful of scratches. The refresh rate of the screen is also excellent. Color accuracy is surprisingly good and realistic, assuming you're not using the "my colors" feature. I've come to expect less from Canon's devices (especially in the white balancing department) and I was pleasantly surprised. While that isn't entirely the display's job, what I see on the screen is what I see in reality. No complaints. If you prefer shooting from the viewfinder, which is perfectly reasonable, you will definitely be disappointed. The option is nice, of course, but it's so incredibly tiny that it seems more for show than for any actual use. I appreciate Canon's inclusion, but I can pretty much guarantee it will never be used for any practical purpose. My other favorite part is the port access, because it's exactly how I like it. In the top left corner (if you're looking at the back of the camera), you pull off this little piece of plastic to reveal a mini HDMI port and a mini USB port. There's no proprietary connections. It's nice to see a tiny camera not sacrifice connectivity for the sake of size. To transfer pictures, just pull the plastic covering away and plug the camera into your computer. The process is the same if you want to connect the camera via HDMI to your HDTV. Canon doesn't include the necessary cable, which is a shame, but being that I've never once connected my camera to a television I'm not really bothered. They do give you a standard definition cable, however, so you're not stranded with no options. On the bottom of the camera there is the usual slide-off access to the battery and memory card. Canon really crammed them both in there, but in a way that's impressive and not cumbersome. Additionally, they managed a tripod head mount on the bottom as well, and you can pull away a little rubber covering to reveal a hole for the tripod head's stabilizer (the little piece that doesn't screw in but holds the camera in place on the head).
Overall, the camera body has an excellent design. It's not only attractive but functional. The only drawback is the possibility of accidental button pushes, but that sort of comes with the territory.
What about the camera's features? We've already discussed video mode, which is excellent aside from the noise issues. The still camera features and controls are quite good all around, with only a few silly omissions. Let's start with the menu system. It's very simple. You press the menu button and you have two columns. One is the very simple camera options column, only giving you four choices, and the other is the function column giving you much more to do. In the camera options, you can turn certain functionalities on or off. Despite the paltry zoom on this device, which is to be expected due to its size, I'd recommend turning off digital zoom. It's on by default. Why it is even included in cameras is something I've never quite understood. As for the functions menu, you have a number of basic functions (display brightness, card formatting, etc.) but also some superfluous functions like changing the sound effects and the camera's startup image. You don't get many choices, and the dog bark shutter sound is absent from this device (which I always loved), but you get choices nonetheless. If you don't want sound effects at all, there is a mute feature. You should note, however, that this camera makes noise on startup nonetheless. The body is a little noisy on its own. The image stabilizer also sounds like a fan is running. I haven't heard the microphone pick up this noise in video mode, but if operation noise is a problem for you for whatever reason you can minimize it by turning off image stabilization. That said, aside from getting a couple of extra pictures out of your battery life, I can't imagine why you'd ever want to turn it off.
Canon's autofocus has lagged behind Nikon's in the DSLR market, in my opinion, but in their consumer devices I've been pretty pleased with how well it works. Autofocus is very fast and, in my experience so far, very accurate. The only problem I've consistently run into is the minimum focal distance in normal mode. Turning on macro mode solves the problem, and seems to be the most versatile mode (as it has no problem, unlike some consumer cameras, focusing far off as well). The unfortunate issue with macro focus is that it resets every time you switch modes or turn the camera off. If you want it on, you need to set it every single time. It would be nice to either be able to change the default or for the camera to automatically switch to macro when it can't manage to focus due to its proximity to the subject.
The flash does a pretty good job for being so tiny. Even from far away, it does well. Oddly enough, close subjects were not as blown out as I'd expected. Often times the photos looked surprisingly natural for a flash. Nonetheless, since you're getting image noise regardless, I recommend shooting with higher ISOs if you have a reasonable amount of light in the room. It still tends to look more natural, especially after a little color correction.
Exposure controls and the self-timer meet expectations. There's not a lot of room for innovation with these features, but you can adjust what I can only assume is the gain before taking a photo. Perhaps you're adjusting shutter speed, though I'm not sure. You can also set a self-timer for 2 or 10 seconds. Actually being able to choose the time would be a nice step up, but I don't think many have complained about the options given. They work just fine.
The SD780 IS also includes many superfluous but fun features common to Canon's consumer line. My Colors is one of them. They give you so many different color modes (including positive film, monotone and sepia) I don't know why you'd want to create your own, but you do have that option. You can also shoot in black and white with a color accent, if you're trying to create the feel of Schindler's List in your family photos (hopefully that includes no one), or just swap colors for whatever reason you'd want to do that.
Playback mode is excellent. It's very easy to zoom in and out on your photos and navigate through them. You can even display a histogram and EXIF data while looking at the photo, which is pretty excessive but cool for a consumer device. Video playback provides a wealth of control, which even includes in-camera editing. This isn't terribly new to Canon's devices but it's still nice. Personally, I'd rather edit outside of the camera but if you need space on your card and don't have a spare it might be a good way to solve that issue (assuming you have parts of your videos that you want to remove).
As far as silly omissions go, when selecting an image size you can get the normal 4:3 or 16:9 (likely a result of the video mode). Where's the 3:2 option? Digital cameras have pioneered the 4:3 format, which, personally, I do not like. When printing a 4x6 photo I'd prefer to avoid cropping. Both 4:3 and 16:9 require cropping, which is unfortunate. It seems ridiculous to not offer 3:2 shooting, but then again that's not the norm with these devices. I think that's unfortunate. As I've mentioned previously, the lack of an HDMI cable and noise reduction is also too bad. The HDMI is understandable as this camera is pretty inexpensive (and you'd never know that by looking at it), but noise reduction is sorely missed. It's no replacement for an actual lack of noise, but a little bit would go a long way with this device.
The battery life is surprisingly good. Perhaps I feel that way because I haven't used a camera this small in a long time, but being that it can make it through the day given all the crap I put it through with room to spare, I'm impressed. The camera also comes with a separate charger, which is great if you want to pick up a spare battery. It's also very easy for travel. Though I always prefer the option, at least, to charge via USB (in case I forget the charger or don't want to bother bringing it with me), the provided charger is very compact and makes charging the battery an easy thing to do. The only downside is that you constantly have to remove the battery from the camera, but they make that access easy enough (as described earlier).
Overall, there's a lot to like about the Canon SD780 IS. The noise issue is the biggest drawback, but educated buyers should know to expect this when purchasing a pocket device. Everything else is mostly trivial. Though the noise issues are a major drawback, especially if you're interested in the mostly great HD video mode, this is a great little camera and well worth the price thanks to the HD video mode.
In summary...
+ Attractive, tiny size and solid build
+ Surprisingly good battery life
+ Big, bright, color-accurate display
+ Menu system and on-screen interface is attractive and easy to use
+ Forgetting the noise issues, video mode is very good providing 720p video in H.264 with a high bit rate (average of 24Mbps)
+ Easy access to ports and easy to transfer photos or display them on your (HD)TV
+ The flash is surprisingly effective without being excessively bright
+ Inexpensive for what you get
= Very high resolution photos, though this comes at a cost (6 to 8 MP seems like a more logical choice)
= Image stabilization is excellent considering the size, but isn't what you get with a larger device
= Has a viewfinder, though it's pretty much useless
= Many superfluous but fun features, mainly color-related
- Physical buttons are often too small and accidental pushes are commonplace
- Images and video are extremely noisy, no matter the lighting conditions
For owners of small pocket cameras, it should come as no surprise that noise is the number one problem with this device. With a 12MP sensor, it's no wonder there's so much noise in every photo you take. Outdoors, indoors, pitch black, whatever: it doesn't matter. You will see noise no matter how well-lit your scene is, whether there are dark areas or not. This is a huge drawback if you're printing large photos. If you're like most people and only go beyond 4x6 or 5x7 for that occasional photo that warrants an 8x10, you don't have much to worry about. Though cramming 12MP into a tiny little sensor, like the one used in the SD780 IS, is certainly a cause of the high levels of noise, the resolution it provides makes the noise imperceptible when printing small photographs. You may notice it in an 8x10 photo taken at night, but for your smaller prints you should get by just fine.
Where noise is a bigger problem is in the video mode. Since the introduction of their 5D Mark II DSLR, Canon's begun to embrace high-definition video across their photographic line. Though few cameras in Canon's arsenal can capture HD video at this time, I believe by the end of 2009 it should be more the norm than the exception. While the SD780 IS doesn't capture 1080p video like the 5D Mark II, or it's (much) bigger brother the SX1S IS, 720p is quite a feat for a camera this small. It's comparable in size to the Flip Mino HD and only costs about $50 more (if you're comparing by suggested retail pricing). Though not as straightforward and simple as the Flip, by virtue of being a still camera first and a video device second, if you're looking for a device that does both and are willing to pay a little extra you've found it. The video quality in the Canon SD780 IS is more uniformly sharp (in daylight or indoors), though the Flip Mino HD tends to pick up slightly more detail in the distance (in daylight, not indoors). The SD780 IS gives you selective focus and stabilization. While you may not care for selective focus, the image stabilization offered in the SD780 IS is very nice to have when taking video clips. The image stabilizer allows for nice, smooth pans that are not offset by the "jello effect" you get with CMOS sensors. The Flip uses a CMOS and has that issue. The SD780 IS uses a CCD and does not. The SD780 also offers H.264 encoding at an average bit rate of about 24Mbps. For H.264 720p video, this is a very high bit rate from a device. Nonetheless, the files aren't too big. If you've got a 16GB SDHC card you'll get about an hour and a half of video. Where the Flip does a better job, however, is in noise.
Though the Flip isn't exactly the best device in low light, it still manages pretty well for a tiny little camera. The SD780 IS looks noisy in every situation. While the high megapixel rating keeps the noise harder to see in a photo, when you're dealing with 720p video the noise is very apparent. You can see it in perfect daylight, though it's not that bothersome, and you can really see it indoors regardless of the lighting. This is a noisy camera. Though it's forgivable in the photographs, in most cases, it really hurts the video mode. Given the limitations of the tiny hardware and the unfortunate megapixel race, noise reduction would've been nice. Nonetheless, if you're looking for an incredibly tiny device that records HD video, the SD780 IS should by high on your list by virtue of its stabilization.
Being that this is a primarily a still camera and not a video device, there are a lot of positives to look at. Let's start on the outside and work our way in. Canon's clearly put a lot of thought into the form factor. Regardless of what color you get, I think most will agree that this is a very attractive device. It's compact and light, so taking it with you will seem about the same as not taking it with you: you will often forget you have it. On one hand, that's very nice. On the other, make sure you don't lose it. Though it's not the smallest camera you can buy, it feels a lot smaller than it is. This could be an issue for some people. I've owned and/or reviewed a large number of consumer imaging devices and I've never run into the problems that some seem to have with button size. I've used a Sony camera that's a bit smaller than this one and had no issues, whatsoever, with accidental presses. The SD780 IS is the first device I've owned where I often make these mistakes. If you have big fingers, you will probably find this device extremely frustrating. For me, the problem is primarily with what I'll call the function wheel. Kind of like an iPod, in the center is a Function/Set button surrounded by a wheel of four other options. Though this is not a new interface for Canon, it's awfully small on the SD 780 and it's very easy to mistakenly push the wrong button on the wheel (or the center button). Personally, I don't find myself running into this problem too often because I'm not frequently changing settings. Nonetheless, it's something you should consider if you've had trouble with accidental button pushes in the past.
The other switches, however, are quite easy to deal with. The other four buttons on the back panel have quite a bit of space around them, even when not considering how small this camera is, and pushing them is no trouble at all. One is a switch that goes from automatic photo mode to custom photo mode to video mode. Though I've come to prefer separate buttons for starting a video and taking a photo, much like Sanyo does with their line of convergence cameras (which they're now calling "dual cameras"), this switch works well in the sense that it keeps you in the mode and saves you from remembering which button to push when you want something. More importantly, switching modes is about as fast as you could ask for. Though it's not my preferred way to switch modes (because I prefer the devices to seem like there's no switch at all), it doesn't really end up being a problem.
Lastly, there are two buttons on the top of the camera. One is for the shutter and the other is the power button. If you have large fingers, good luck pushing the power button. It's tiny and it isn't raised at all. I consider my fingers normal-sized and have no difficulty pushing the button but if you're concerned, go try the camera in a store before you buy it. As for the shutter, that's no problem at all. You half-depress to focus and press fully to take the photo, like you would with pretty much any digital camera on the market. There is also a zoom ring around the shutter button which has a tiny little edge to it for your finger to flick. It works quite well, despite being as tiny as it is. For the most part, the camera is very easy to control despite its size. Though you may have difficulty when changing settings, when it comes to general operation (aside from turning it on and off) you shouldn't run into issues.
My two favorite parts of the SD780 IS body are its large screen and port access. The screen is incredibly bright and clear, even at half brightness (which is where it starts out of the box and probably where you want to leave it), and is well protected by a glass covering. Smudging is easy to clean but be careful of scratches. The refresh rate of the screen is also excellent. Color accuracy is surprisingly good and realistic, assuming you're not using the "my colors" feature. I've come to expect less from Canon's devices (especially in the white balancing department) and I was pleasantly surprised. While that isn't entirely the display's job, what I see on the screen is what I see in reality. No complaints. If you prefer shooting from the viewfinder, which is perfectly reasonable, you will definitely be disappointed. The option is nice, of course, but it's so incredibly tiny that it seems more for show than for any actual use. I appreciate Canon's inclusion, but I can pretty much guarantee it will never be used for any practical purpose. My other favorite part is the port access, because it's exactly how I like it. In the top left corner (if you're looking at the back of the camera), you pull off this little piece of plastic to reveal a mini HDMI port and a mini USB port. There's no proprietary connections. It's nice to see a tiny camera not sacrifice connectivity for the sake of size. To transfer pictures, just pull the plastic covering away and plug the camera into your computer. The process is the same if you want to connect the camera via HDMI to your HDTV. Canon doesn't include the necessary cable, which is a shame, but being that I've never once connected my camera to a television I'm not really bothered. They do give you a standard definition cable, however, so you're not stranded with no options. On the bottom of the camera there is the usual slide-off access to the battery and memory card. Canon really crammed them both in there, but in a way that's impressive and not cumbersome. Additionally, they managed a tripod head mount on the bottom as well, and you can pull away a little rubber covering to reveal a hole for the tripod head's stabilizer (the little piece that doesn't screw in but holds the camera in place on the head).
Overall, the camera body has an excellent design. It's not only attractive but functional. The only drawback is the possibility of accidental button pushes, but that sort of comes with the territory.
What about the camera's features? We've already discussed video mode, which is excellent aside from the noise issues. The still camera features and controls are quite good all around, with only a few silly omissions. Let's start with the menu system. It's very simple. You press the menu button and you have two columns. One is the very simple camera options column, only giving you four choices, and the other is the function column giving you much more to do. In the camera options, you can turn certain functionalities on or off. Despite the paltry zoom on this device, which is to be expected due to its size, I'd recommend turning off digital zoom. It's on by default. Why it is even included in cameras is something I've never quite understood. As for the functions menu, you have a number of basic functions (display brightness, card formatting, etc.) but also some superfluous functions like changing the sound effects and the camera's startup image. You don't get many choices, and the dog bark shutter sound is absent from this device (which I always loved), but you get choices nonetheless. If you don't want sound effects at all, there is a mute feature. You should note, however, that this camera makes noise on startup nonetheless. The body is a little noisy on its own. The image stabilizer also sounds like a fan is running. I haven't heard the microphone pick up this noise in video mode, but if operation noise is a problem for you for whatever reason you can minimize it by turning off image stabilization. That said, aside from getting a couple of extra pictures out of your battery life, I can't imagine why you'd ever want to turn it off.
Canon's autofocus has lagged behind Nikon's in the DSLR market, in my opinion, but in their consumer devices I've been pretty pleased with how well it works. Autofocus is very fast and, in my experience so far, very accurate. The only problem I've consistently run into is the minimum focal distance in normal mode. Turning on macro mode solves the problem, and seems to be the most versatile mode (as it has no problem, unlike some consumer cameras, focusing far off as well). The unfortunate issue with macro focus is that it resets every time you switch modes or turn the camera off. If you want it on, you need to set it every single time. It would be nice to either be able to change the default or for the camera to automatically switch to macro when it can't manage to focus due to its proximity to the subject.
The flash does a pretty good job for being so tiny. Even from far away, it does well. Oddly enough, close subjects were not as blown out as I'd expected. Often times the photos looked surprisingly natural for a flash. Nonetheless, since you're getting image noise regardless, I recommend shooting with higher ISOs if you have a reasonable amount of light in the room. It still tends to look more natural, especially after a little color correction.
Exposure controls and the self-timer meet expectations. There's not a lot of room for innovation with these features, but you can adjust what I can only assume is the gain before taking a photo. Perhaps you're adjusting shutter speed, though I'm not sure. You can also set a self-timer for 2 or 10 seconds. Actually being able to choose the time would be a nice step up, but I don't think many have complained about the options given. They work just fine.
The SD780 IS also includes many superfluous but fun features common to Canon's consumer line. My Colors is one of them. They give you so many different color modes (including positive film, monotone and sepia) I don't know why you'd want to create your own, but you do have that option. You can also shoot in black and white with a color accent, if you're trying to create the feel of Schindler's List in your family photos (hopefully that includes no one), or just swap colors for whatever reason you'd want to do that.
Playback mode is excellent. It's very easy to zoom in and out on your photos and navigate through them. You can even display a histogram and EXIF data while looking at the photo, which is pretty excessive but cool for a consumer device. Video playback provides a wealth of control, which even includes in-camera editing. This isn't terribly new to Canon's devices but it's still nice. Personally, I'd rather edit outside of the camera but if you need space on your card and don't have a spare it might be a good way to solve that issue (assuming you have parts of your videos that you want to remove).
As far as silly omissions go, when selecting an image size you can get the normal 4:3 or 16:9 (likely a result of the video mode). Where's the 3:2 option? Digital cameras have pioneered the 4:3 format, which, personally, I do not like. When printing a 4x6 photo I'd prefer to avoid cropping. Both 4:3 and 16:9 require cropping, which is unfortunate. It seems ridiculous to not offer 3:2 shooting, but then again that's not the norm with these devices. I think that's unfortunate. As I've mentioned previously, the lack of an HDMI cable and noise reduction is also too bad. The HDMI is understandable as this camera is pretty inexpensive (and you'd never know that by looking at it), but noise reduction is sorely missed. It's no replacement for an actual lack of noise, but a little bit would go a long way with this device.
The battery life is surprisingly good. Perhaps I feel that way because I haven't used a camera this small in a long time, but being that it can make it through the day given all the crap I put it through with room to spare, I'm impressed. The camera also comes with a separate charger, which is great if you want to pick up a spare battery. It's also very easy for travel. Though I always prefer the option, at least, to charge via USB (in case I forget the charger or don't want to bother bringing it with me), the provided charger is very compact and makes charging the battery an easy thing to do. The only downside is that you constantly have to remove the battery from the camera, but they make that access easy enough (as described earlier).
Overall, there's a lot to like about the Canon SD780 IS. The noise issue is the biggest drawback, but educated buyers should know to expect this when purchasing a pocket device. Everything else is mostly trivial. Though the noise issues are a major drawback, especially if you're interested in the mostly great HD video mode, this is a great little camera and well worth the price thanks to the HD video mode.
In summary...
+ Attractive, tiny size and solid build
+ Surprisingly good battery life
+ Big, bright, color-accurate display
+ Menu system and on-screen interface is attractive and easy to use
+ Forgetting the noise issues, video mode is very good providing 720p video in H.264 with a high bit rate (average of 24Mbps)
+ Easy access to ports and easy to transfer photos or display them on your (HD)TV
+ The flash is surprisingly effective without being excessively bright
+ Inexpensive for what you get
= Very high resolution photos, though this comes at a cost (6 to 8 MP seems like a more logical choice)
= Image stabilization is excellent considering the size, but isn't what you get with a larger device
= Has a viewfinder, though it's pretty much useless
= Many superfluous but fun features, mainly color-related
- Physical buttons are often too small and accidental pushes are commonplace
- Images and video are extremely noisy, no matter the lighting conditions
db rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - Good; not great; flawed; expensive - My son dropped my Canon SD1100is, a great camera that I loved, so I bought SD780is as a replacement, and was ultimately disappointed and returned the camera. Both cameras are a very convenient size and they use the same battery. Problems I encountered with the SD780is are (1) that the door/piece/cover that covers where the battery and SD card are inserted was loose. It shifted/wiggled/moved every time I took a picture, just a little bit but enough to be annoying and unacceptable in an almost-$300 point-and-shoot camera. It just felt cheap and wrong given the price that I paid and given that other cameras don't do this. At first I planned to exchange the camera, but then I found that the cover wiggled on the 2nd SD780is that I looked at too, so I got a refund. (2) Second, the HD video was a primary reason that I bought the SD780is instead of SD1200is, but when I viewed the HD video on my computers it consistently had a line/defect/artifact? through the video-not good. (3) Third, at one point the 780 camera screen didn't seem to turn on and function when I hit the power button, though later at the store it did turn on for the salesperson, so I'm not sure how to explain this unusual event. (4) Fourth, still picture lighting and flashing was inconsistent, producing some disappointing photos in normal-usage situations. (5) Lastly, shutter lag is a problem; there's often what feels like a half-second delay between the time that you push the button and when the picture is taken; this is a problem with a lot of point and shoots but is quite annoying even if lots of cameras have a similar flaw. Overall, this might be an okay camera but I would also consider alternatives, especially considering the price. I expected the newer, more expensive, SD780is to perform better than my older, cheaper SD1100is, but it did not deliver as I hoped and expected it would.
T. Anderson rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - video noise - 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.
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.
grummix rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - Movie Feature - Bought this camera mainly cause I thought with its OIS it would be more stable than my Vado hand-held.
Turns out the Canon video shows plenty of noise, which makes me want to put it aside.
Worse, for a PC Windows user, I have yet find a satisfactory way to edit this Quicktime movie format. Even bought Apple's Quicktime Pro, but this software is a bear of an application when it comes to make a movie out of several clips.
Any ideas are welcome.
Update: Used the ZoomBrowser software Canon provides with this camera to stich several video clips together into a large movie.
Was astonished to realize the software transformed the Quicktime mov file into an "avi" file, one that can now be played with the Windows Media Player-very good video results too, a big surprise.
Amazing Grace, Canon why are you not recording the videos in the "avi" format in the first place.
Perhaps this newly converted file can now be edited with an ordinary Windows based editing software?
Turns out the Canon video shows plenty of noise, which makes me want to put it aside.
Worse, for a PC Windows user, I have yet find a satisfactory way to edit this Quicktime movie format. Even bought Apple's Quicktime Pro, but this software is a bear of an application when it comes to make a movie out of several clips.
Any ideas are welcome.
Update: Used the ZoomBrowser software Canon provides with this camera to stich several video clips together into a large movie.
Was astonished to realize the software transformed the Quicktime mov file into an "avi" file, one that can now be played with the Windows Media Player-very good video results too, a big surprise.
Amazing Grace, Canon why are you not recording the videos in the "avi" format in the first place.
Perhaps this newly converted file can now be edited with an ordinary Windows based editing software?
Asher rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - No sound recorder! - The camera is designed very well. It feels very durable, and is small, with a quick start up speed. The photos and HD video look great so far. Here's my only problem. Canon has removed one of the nicest features of its previous SD cameras: the sound recorder. With the lens retracted, you used to be able to record up to an hour of high quality audio. I'm very disappointed that they've removed this feature! Canon has also removed the fun "stop action video mode". Perhaps they thought they were removing clutter from the menus, but they also removed some great features!
nick james rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - Cool looking camera......Bad video quality - I bought this camera from best buy on sale. I did a few days of research and was leaning toward the sony t500. Then I saw this canon on sale so I picked it up. I am now returning it because the video quality is really quite terrible. There is noise all over it! Even on a bright sunny day outside, you could still see noticeable noise in the video. Also, beware the HD video. I had seen online where some people warned that it takes a lot of cpu to edit it. Well my pc couldn't even play back the video file without it being choppy. And I have a very nice pc! Just keep that in mind. I do have to say the camera itself looks very cool and the menu system is very intuitive. But looks can be deceiving.=)
db rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - Good; not great; flawed; expensive - My son dropped my Canon SD1100is, a great camera that I loved, so I bought SD780is as a replacement, and was ultimately disappointed and returned the camera. Both cameras are a very convenient size and they use the same battery. Problems I encountered with the SD780is are (1) that the door/piece/cover that covers where the battery and SD card are inserted was loose. It shifted/wiggled/moved every time I took a picture, just a little bit but enough to be annoying and unacceptable in an almost-$300 point-and-shoot camera. It just felt cheap and wrong given the price that I paid and given that other cameras don't do this. At first I planned to exchange the camera, but then I found that the cover wiggled on the 2nd SD780is that I looked at too, so I got a refund. (2) Second, the HD video was a primary reason that I bought the SD780is instead of SD1200is, but when I viewed the HD video on my computers it consistently had a line/defect/artifact? through the video-not good. (3) Third, at one point the 780 camera screen didn't seem to turn on and function when I hit the power button, though later at the store it did turn on for the salesperson, so I'm not sure how to explain this unusual event. (4) Fourth, still picture lighting and flashing was inconsistent, producing some disappointing photos in normal-usage situations. (5) Lastly, shutter lag is a problem; there's often what feels like a half-second delay between the time that you push the button and when the picture is taken; this is a problem with a lot of point and shoots but is quite annoying even if lots of cameras have a similar flaw. Overall, this might be an okay camera but I would also consider alternatives, especially considering the price. I expected the newer, more expensive, SD780is to perform better than my older, cheaper SD1100is, but it did not deliver as I hoped and expected it would.
T. Anderson rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - video noise - 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.
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.
grummix rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - Movie Feature - Bought this camera mainly cause I thought with its OIS it would be more stable than my Vado hand-held.
Turns out the Canon video shows plenty of noise, which makes me want to put it aside.
Worse, for a PC Windows user, I have yet find a satisfactory way to edit this Quicktime movie format. Even bought Apple's Quicktime Pro, but this software is a bear of an application when it comes to make a movie out of several clips.
Any ideas are welcome.
Update: Used the ZoomBrowser software Canon provides with this camera to stich several video clips together into a large movie.
Was astonished to realize the software transformed the Quicktime mov file into an "avi" file, one that can now be played with the Windows Media Player-very good video results too, a big surprise.
Amazing Grace, Canon why are you not recording the videos in the "avi" format in the first place.
Perhaps this newly converted file can now be edited with an ordinary Windows based editing software?
Turns out the Canon video shows plenty of noise, which makes me want to put it aside.
Worse, for a PC Windows user, I have yet find a satisfactory way to edit this Quicktime movie format. Even bought Apple's Quicktime Pro, but this software is a bear of an application when it comes to make a movie out of several clips.
Any ideas are welcome.
Update: Used the ZoomBrowser software Canon provides with this camera to stich several video clips together into a large movie.
Was astonished to realize the software transformed the Quicktime mov file into an "avi" file, one that can now be played with the Windows Media Player-very good video results too, a big surprise.
Amazing Grace, Canon why are you not recording the videos in the "avi" format in the first place.
Perhaps this newly converted file can now be edited with an ordinary Windows based editing software?
Asher rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - No sound recorder! - The camera is designed very well. It feels very durable, and is small, with a quick start up speed. The photos and HD video look great so far. Here's my only problem. Canon has removed one of the nicest features of its previous SD cameras: the sound recorder. With the lens retracted, you used to be able to record up to an hour of high quality audio. I'm very disappointed that they've removed this feature! Canon has also removed the fun "stop action video mode". Perhaps they thought they were removing clutter from the menus, but they also removed some great features!
nick james rated the SD780IS as 3/5 and says - Cool looking camera......Bad video quality - I bought this camera from best buy on sale. I did a few days of research and was leaning toward the sony t500. Then I saw this canon on sale so I picked it up. I am now returning it because the video quality is really quite terrible. There is noise all over it! Even on a bright sunny day outside, you could still see noticeable noise in the video. Also, beware the HD video. I had seen online where some people warned that it takes a lot of cpu to edit it. Well my pc couldn't even play back the video file without it being choppy. And I have a very nice pc! Just keep that in mind. I do have to say the camera itself looks very cool and the menu system is very intuitive. But looks can be deceiving.=)
D. Weatherford rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Great camera if you have a MAC - Have had this camera over a week. Took many very good pictures. Took a lot of video. The pictures were easy to view after up loading with Zoom Browser EX (supplied). However, cannot view the video because the SD780is only produces MOV files. Canon recommends using Quicktime ONLY! Programs we use on our WINDOWS PC, do not support MOV files.
So, if you own a MAC this a great camera. If you own a Windows PC don't waste you money!
So, if you own a MAC this a great camera. If you own a Windows PC don't waste you money!
Kip Rogan rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Small, all-around. - Out of the box, everything looks great. The camera is sleek, compact, well-fitted with easy-to-use features, and very lightweight. The image quality, though, is poor. The pictures lack life - the colors are very dull. This camera is probably great if you require an ultra-compact form factor, but for less money, you can get a better-looking picture (from Kodak among others).
S. Watson rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Worked fine for the people who designed it... - ...but it's pathetically small for everyone else. I don't own this camera, but after trying it out in several stores, I found its buttons are just about too small to be usable. Just take that for what it's worth ahead of time
egale rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - It's Red! - This was purchased as a replacement for my wife's Canon A85 4mp camera which recently bit the dust. Having had other Canon cameras over the years including my current 50D, I am familiar with the quality of the Canon product.
This camera has everything my wife wanted. It's small, it's red, it's stylish, it's red, it's cute, it's red, it has very few manual controls, it's red, Canon sells a nice leather case to fit it which is red, oh and did I mention it's red?
That's about where the good stuff ends. I should say the camera appears to be well built. It is totally a point and shoot camera as there are no manual controls to speak of. This is all fine if that is what you want.
The big problem is that picture quality is absolutely horrible. Anything over ISO 200 is worthless as the pictures are very noisy and grainy. In Auto mode, ISO is automatic and not user changeable. Using the underpowered flash, the camera picked ISO 640 which rendered a picture that was full of visable noise and artifacts. Outside in the bright sun, it picked ISO 400 which is borderline of the camera's limits.
Doing some testing in P mode. I did some sample shots using ISO 80, 100, 200 and on up. If using ISO 80 or 100 and the flash, your range is about 7 feet max. With this combination, the pictures were relatively noise free. For any distance over 7 feet though, the pictures are way underexposed at those ISOs. You must bump ISO up to 400 or more and then noise becomes an issue again.
Comparing the output of this camera to the old 4mp A85, the A85 blows this camera away. Looking at similar shots, the A85 produces relatively noise free pictures which are well exposed and saturated. The SD780's pictures are noisy and lack the saturation and contrast of the A85.
This camera may be ok for outdoor shots on a bright day where you can manually keep ISO below 400 but indoors and using the flash the camera will be marginal at best and only good for snapshots at 4x5. Forget about 12 megapixels. Unfortunately, this has become a big selling point that is meaningless for point and shoot cameras. Actually, more megapixels is a detriment with these cameras. Current technology is not good enough to pack that many pixels into such a small area without introducing tons of noise. The pictures produced by these 12 megapixel cameras are so noisy that you can't blow them up any larger then their default 4x5 because the quality so bad. If they took this same camera, lowered the sensor to 6 megapixel, and then had you compare the output of 6 and 12, you would be amazed at how much better the lower pixel count looked.
In any case, this camera has one big pro, it's red!!!
EDIT***********
I just wasn't comfortable with the camera as most reviews are rather good and I wasn't happy with it. So, I exchanged it for another hoping the results would be better. Well, I can honestly say, "ITS STILL RED!". Nothing has changed with the replacement.
This camera has everything my wife wanted. It's small, it's red, it's stylish, it's red, it's cute, it's red, it has very few manual controls, it's red, Canon sells a nice leather case to fit it which is red, oh and did I mention it's red?
That's about where the good stuff ends. I should say the camera appears to be well built. It is totally a point and shoot camera as there are no manual controls to speak of. This is all fine if that is what you want.
The big problem is that picture quality is absolutely horrible. Anything over ISO 200 is worthless as the pictures are very noisy and grainy. In Auto mode, ISO is automatic and not user changeable. Using the underpowered flash, the camera picked ISO 640 which rendered a picture that was full of visable noise and artifacts. Outside in the bright sun, it picked ISO 400 which is borderline of the camera's limits.
Doing some testing in P mode. I did some sample shots using ISO 80, 100, 200 and on up. If using ISO 80 or 100 and the flash, your range is about 7 feet max. With this combination, the pictures were relatively noise free. For any distance over 7 feet though, the pictures are way underexposed at those ISOs. You must bump ISO up to 400 or more and then noise becomes an issue again.
Comparing the output of this camera to the old 4mp A85, the A85 blows this camera away. Looking at similar shots, the A85 produces relatively noise free pictures which are well exposed and saturated. The SD780's pictures are noisy and lack the saturation and contrast of the A85.
This camera may be ok for outdoor shots on a bright day where you can manually keep ISO below 400 but indoors and using the flash the camera will be marginal at best and only good for snapshots at 4x5. Forget about 12 megapixels. Unfortunately, this has become a big selling point that is meaningless for point and shoot cameras. Actually, more megapixels is a detriment with these cameras. Current technology is not good enough to pack that many pixels into such a small area without introducing tons of noise. The pictures produced by these 12 megapixel cameras are so noisy that you can't blow them up any larger then their default 4x5 because the quality so bad. If they took this same camera, lowered the sensor to 6 megapixel, and then had you compare the output of 6 and 12, you would be amazed at how much better the lower pixel count looked.
In any case, this camera has one big pro, it's red!!!
EDIT***********
I just wasn't comfortable with the camera as most reviews are rather good and I wasn't happy with it. So, I exchanged it for another hoping the results would be better. Well, I can honestly say, "ITS STILL RED!". Nothing has changed with the replacement.
C. Buoscio rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Poor noisy photos - I wanted to like this camera. Size and features and speed are great.
But the picture quality is terrible.
Outside shots show well over saturated in the greens at all settings.
Pictures are extremely pixilated and noisy.
For 12mp I expected this to have sharper images than my Olympus 5mp camera but they were FAR worse. Printed and on a larger screen they don't hold up.
Enlargements are terrible. All the images look like they've been digitally sharpened about 5 times.
Video feature is nice but 90% of the time I want to take photos with this and ones that appear natural not juiced.
But the picture quality is terrible.
Outside shots show well over saturated in the greens at all settings.
Pictures are extremely pixilated and noisy.
For 12mp I expected this to have sharper images than my Olympus 5mp camera but they were FAR worse. Printed and on a larger screen they don't hold up.
Enlargements are terrible. All the images look like they've been digitally sharpened about 5 times.
Video feature is nice but 90% of the time I want to take photos with this and ones that appear natural not juiced.
T-mo customer rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - very Slow camera! - Before this camera I had owned only sony cameras,thus I am comparing to them.
The first thing that bothered me about this camera is how slow the operations is. Let me explain:
Let's imagine I have it in my pocket and I walk down the street and I see something interesting I want to take a picture of? With Sony T20 I reach into my pocket and by the time I get it to my eye level I have already slid the cover turning the camera on and it's fully operational, I am ready to take a picture.If I need to use the zoom,it's fast and responsive.
With canon: I reach into my pocket, I have to look at the camera to find the power button which is not raised and is also the same color as the rest of the background. 2-3 sec later I locate the button and now I need to press with my nail on it to turn it on. Very hard to do because it's also very small! Now I have to wait another 2-3 seconds for the thing to boot up. Then I have to wait for it to focus another 1-2 sec, the it tries to detect the scene ( I always leave my cameras in auto mode in case I need to take a picture fast and I have no time to play with settings). Scene detection doesn't work on this camera very well,so it will take another 2-3 sec until it just decides to switch back to auto mode.
If you need to use zoom, after each zoom adjustment it needs to start the whole focusing and scene detection again. So on average it might take you around 15 sec to take a shot!
Yesterday, I was walking in the park and this amazingly hot girl ran by me in booty shorts. Naturally I wanted to snap a picture of that. By the time I got the cam to be operational she was getting further away from. I decided to use zoom ( which is only 3x) but the camera could not focus on her body as she was running away from me. And that's when I decided to return this camera!
The intelligent scene detection is a joke! I took about 200 pictures in different environments and it almost never detected the right scene. I only see it detecting macro consistently but it also detects macro when you try to take a picture thru the window glass. Of course you get a picture of the glass and not of what's outside. I took pictures inside my room using different lighting,outside also with different lighting conditions, the intelligent scene detection does more harm than good. I'll never forget how my camera decided to use flash on a bright sunny day when I was taking a pictures of the mountains miles away! wow!
One of selling points of this cam was HD video. It looks good if there's enough lighting,but under any other conditions it's grainy with way more noise that any sony camera has. If you don't have a mac computer you will most likely not be able to play videos anyway. My pc computer which has no problem playing latest 3d games like "Crisis" and also having an ATI HD video card could not handle the video from this camera. I don't understand why would Canon decided to use Apples MOV format? Basically if you have a PC, you are not going to able to edit or even play videos.
The zoom on this camera is really slow too. The lag is about a second between you pressing on the lever and anything happening,then of course the cam needs another 2 seconds to focus. Whe it does start to move it moves way too fast,so you have to go back and forth before finding the right setting. Forget about taking pictures fast when you need it.
Also the optical zoom is disabled when shooting movies, and if you use digital...hm..let's just say the tiny 12 mega pixel sensor is not going to perform well. Just use your cell phone camera and you probably going to get a better picture!
After about two weeks, the lsd screen started losing pixels, so about 25 of them are gone already.
To sum it up:
extremely slow,
hard to operate
forget about movies unless you got a mac comp.
zoom is slow
the intelligent scene detection doesn't work at all!
noise in pictures and movies
lcd failed before 30 days.
ask me questions, I'll keep it until next Monday when my new Sony t90 comes in.
The first thing that bothered me about this camera is how slow the operations is. Let me explain:
Let's imagine I have it in my pocket and I walk down the street and I see something interesting I want to take a picture of? With Sony T20 I reach into my pocket and by the time I get it to my eye level I have already slid the cover turning the camera on and it's fully operational, I am ready to take a picture.If I need to use the zoom,it's fast and responsive.
With canon: I reach into my pocket, I have to look at the camera to find the power button which is not raised and is also the same color as the rest of the background. 2-3 sec later I locate the button and now I need to press with my nail on it to turn it on. Very hard to do because it's also very small! Now I have to wait another 2-3 seconds for the thing to boot up. Then I have to wait for it to focus another 1-2 sec, the it tries to detect the scene ( I always leave my cameras in auto mode in case I need to take a picture fast and I have no time to play with settings). Scene detection doesn't work on this camera very well,so it will take another 2-3 sec until it just decides to switch back to auto mode.
If you need to use zoom, after each zoom adjustment it needs to start the whole focusing and scene detection again. So on average it might take you around 15 sec to take a shot!
Yesterday, I was walking in the park and this amazingly hot girl ran by me in booty shorts. Naturally I wanted to snap a picture of that. By the time I got the cam to be operational she was getting further away from. I decided to use zoom ( which is only 3x) but the camera could not focus on her body as she was running away from me. And that's when I decided to return this camera!
The intelligent scene detection is a joke! I took about 200 pictures in different environments and it almost never detected the right scene. I only see it detecting macro consistently but it also detects macro when you try to take a picture thru the window glass. Of course you get a picture of the glass and not of what's outside. I took pictures inside my room using different lighting,outside also with different lighting conditions, the intelligent scene detection does more harm than good. I'll never forget how my camera decided to use flash on a bright sunny day when I was taking a pictures of the mountains miles away! wow!
One of selling points of this cam was HD video. It looks good if there's enough lighting,but under any other conditions it's grainy with way more noise that any sony camera has. If you don't have a mac computer you will most likely not be able to play videos anyway. My pc computer which has no problem playing latest 3d games like "Crisis" and also having an ATI HD video card could not handle the video from this camera. I don't understand why would Canon decided to use Apples MOV format? Basically if you have a PC, you are not going to able to edit or even play videos.
The zoom on this camera is really slow too. The lag is about a second between you pressing on the lever and anything happening,then of course the cam needs another 2 seconds to focus. Whe it does start to move it moves way too fast,so you have to go back and forth before finding the right setting. Forget about taking pictures fast when you need it.
Also the optical zoom is disabled when shooting movies, and if you use digital...hm..let's just say the tiny 12 mega pixel sensor is not going to perform well. Just use your cell phone camera and you probably going to get a better picture!
After about two weeks, the lsd screen started losing pixels, so about 25 of them are gone already.
To sum it up:
extremely slow,
hard to operate
forget about movies unless you got a mac comp.
zoom is slow
the intelligent scene detection doesn't work at all!
noise in pictures and movies
lcd failed before 30 days.
ask me questions, I'll keep it until next Monday when my new Sony t90 comes in.
M. Johnson rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Not as good as I thought it would be - I bought this camera because my Olympus SW broke before a trip to Disney. From the reviews I thought it would be great. If you want HD Video, this is a great camera because the video truly is spectacular. I was not as impressed with the pictures despite it's stellar review. My daughter has a Olympus FE-360 $99 point and shoot and we compare many similar images. That $99 Olympus was always in focus and colors were sharp. I cannot say the same with this $250 Canon. I was really surprised. As I used the camera, the face recognition frequently focused on the wrong spot and focus and colors both seemed off. If you want to pay $50 more than one of the Flips, this may be a good camera, though because the video was superb. I like the idea of HD Video but, would not recommend the pictures from this camera at the price.
Jeffrey Bertrand rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Very Dissapointed! - 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
D. Weatherford rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Great camera if you have a MAC - Have had this camera over a week. Took many very good pictures. Took a lot of video. The pictures were easy to view after up loading with Zoom Browser EX (supplied). However, cannot view the video because the SD780is only produces MOV files. Canon recommends using Quicktime ONLY! Programs we use on our WINDOWS PC, do not support MOV files.
So, if you own a MAC this a great camera. If you own a Windows PC don't waste you money!
So, if you own a MAC this a great camera. If you own a Windows PC don't waste you money!
Kip Rogan rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Small, all-around. - Out of the box, everything looks great. The camera is sleek, compact, well-fitted with easy-to-use features, and very lightweight. The image quality, though, is poor. The pictures lack life - the colors are very dull. This camera is probably great if you require an ultra-compact form factor, but for less money, you can get a better-looking picture (from Kodak among others).
S. Watson rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Worked fine for the people who designed it... - ...but it's pathetically small for everyone else. I don't own this camera, but after trying it out in several stores, I found its buttons are just about too small to be usable. Just take that for what it's worth ahead of time
egale rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - It's Red! - This was purchased as a replacement for my wife's Canon A85 4mp camera which recently bit the dust. Having had other Canon cameras over the years including my current 50D, I am familiar with the quality of the Canon product.
This camera has everything my wife wanted. It's small, it's red, it's stylish, it's red, it's cute, it's red, it has very few manual controls, it's red, Canon sells a nice leather case to fit it which is red, oh and did I mention it's red?
That's about where the good stuff ends. I should say the camera appears to be well built. It is totally a point and shoot camera as there are no manual controls to speak of. This is all fine if that is what you want.
The big problem is that picture quality is absolutely horrible. Anything over ISO 200 is worthless as the pictures are very noisy and grainy. In Auto mode, ISO is automatic and not user changeable. Using the underpowered flash, the camera picked ISO 640 which rendered a picture that was full of visable noise and artifacts. Outside in the bright sun, it picked ISO 400 which is borderline of the camera's limits.
Doing some testing in P mode. I did some sample shots using ISO 80, 100, 200 and on up. If using ISO 80 or 100 and the flash, your range is about 7 feet max. With this combination, the pictures were relatively noise free. For any distance over 7 feet though, the pictures are way underexposed at those ISOs. You must bump ISO up to 400 or more and then noise becomes an issue again.
Comparing the output of this camera to the old 4mp A85, the A85 blows this camera away. Looking at similar shots, the A85 produces relatively noise free pictures which are well exposed and saturated. The SD780's pictures are noisy and lack the saturation and contrast of the A85.
This camera may be ok for outdoor shots on a bright day where you can manually keep ISO below 400 but indoors and using the flash the camera will be marginal at best and only good for snapshots at 4x5. Forget about 12 megapixels. Unfortunately, this has become a big selling point that is meaningless for point and shoot cameras. Actually, more megapixels is a detriment with these cameras. Current technology is not good enough to pack that many pixels into such a small area without introducing tons of noise. The pictures produced by these 12 megapixel cameras are so noisy that you can't blow them up any larger then their default 4x5 because the quality so bad. If they took this same camera, lowered the sensor to 6 megapixel, and then had you compare the output of 6 and 12, you would be amazed at how much better the lower pixel count looked.
In any case, this camera has one big pro, it's red!!!
EDIT***********
I just wasn't comfortable with the camera as most reviews are rather good and I wasn't happy with it. So, I exchanged it for another hoping the results would be better. Well, I can honestly say, "ITS STILL RED!". Nothing has changed with the replacement.
This camera has everything my wife wanted. It's small, it's red, it's stylish, it's red, it's cute, it's red, it has very few manual controls, it's red, Canon sells a nice leather case to fit it which is red, oh and did I mention it's red?
That's about where the good stuff ends. I should say the camera appears to be well built. It is totally a point and shoot camera as there are no manual controls to speak of. This is all fine if that is what you want.
The big problem is that picture quality is absolutely horrible. Anything over ISO 200 is worthless as the pictures are very noisy and grainy. In Auto mode, ISO is automatic and not user changeable. Using the underpowered flash, the camera picked ISO 640 which rendered a picture that was full of visable noise and artifacts. Outside in the bright sun, it picked ISO 400 which is borderline of the camera's limits.
Doing some testing in P mode. I did some sample shots using ISO 80, 100, 200 and on up. If using ISO 80 or 100 and the flash, your range is about 7 feet max. With this combination, the pictures were relatively noise free. For any distance over 7 feet though, the pictures are way underexposed at those ISOs. You must bump ISO up to 400 or more and then noise becomes an issue again.
Comparing the output of this camera to the old 4mp A85, the A85 blows this camera away. Looking at similar shots, the A85 produces relatively noise free pictures which are well exposed and saturated. The SD780's pictures are noisy and lack the saturation and contrast of the A85.
This camera may be ok for outdoor shots on a bright day where you can manually keep ISO below 400 but indoors and using the flash the camera will be marginal at best and only good for snapshots at 4x5. Forget about 12 megapixels. Unfortunately, this has become a big selling point that is meaningless for point and shoot cameras. Actually, more megapixels is a detriment with these cameras. Current technology is not good enough to pack that many pixels into such a small area without introducing tons of noise. The pictures produced by these 12 megapixel cameras are so noisy that you can't blow them up any larger then their default 4x5 because the quality so bad. If they took this same camera, lowered the sensor to 6 megapixel, and then had you compare the output of 6 and 12, you would be amazed at how much better the lower pixel count looked.
In any case, this camera has one big pro, it's red!!!
EDIT***********
I just wasn't comfortable with the camera as most reviews are rather good and I wasn't happy with it. So, I exchanged it for another hoping the results would be better. Well, I can honestly say, "ITS STILL RED!". Nothing has changed with the replacement.
C. Buoscio rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - Poor noisy photos - I wanted to like this camera. Size and features and speed are great.
But the picture quality is terrible.
Outside shots show well over saturated in the greens at all settings.
Pictures are extremely pixilated and noisy.
For 12mp I expected this to have sharper images than my Olympus 5mp camera but they were FAR worse. Printed and on a larger screen they don't hold up.
Enlargements are terrible. All the images look like they've been digitally sharpened about 5 times.
Video feature is nice but 90% of the time I want to take photos with this and ones that appear natural not juiced.
But the picture quality is terrible.
Outside shots show well over saturated in the greens at all settings.
Pictures are extremely pixilated and noisy.
For 12mp I expected this to have sharper images than my Olympus 5mp camera but they were FAR worse. Printed and on a larger screen they don't hold up.
Enlargements are terrible. All the images look like they've been digitally sharpened about 5 times.
Video feature is nice but 90% of the time I want to take photos with this and ones that appear natural not juiced.
T-mo customer rated the SD780IS as 2/5 and says - very Slow camera! - Before this camera I had owned only sony cameras,thus I am comparing to them.
The first thing that bothered me about this camera is how slow the operations is. Let me explain:
Let's imagine I have it in my pocket and I walk down the street and I see something interesting I want to take a picture of? With Sony T20 I reach into my pocket and by the time I get it to my eye level I have already slid the cover turning the camera on and it's fully operational, I am ready to take a picture.If I need to use the zoom,it's fast and responsive.
With canon: I reach into my pocket, I have to look at the camera to find the power button which is not raised and is also the same color as the rest of the background. 2-3 sec later I locate the button and now I need to press with my nail on it to turn it on. Very hard to do because it's also very small! Now I have to wait another 2-3 seconds for the thing to boot up. Then I have to wait for it to focus another 1-2 sec, the it tries to detect the scene ( I always leave my cameras in auto mode in case I need to take a picture fast and I have no time to play with settings). Scene detection doesn't work on this camera very well,so it will take another 2-3 sec until it just decides to switch back to auto mode.
If you need to use zoom, after each zoom adjustment it needs to start the whole focusing and scene detection again. So on average it might take you around 15 sec to take a shot!
Yesterday, I was walking in the park and this amazingly hot girl ran by me in booty shorts. Naturally I wanted to snap a picture of that. By the time I got the cam to be operational she was getting further away from. I decided to use zoom ( which is only 3x) but the camera could not focus on her body as she was running away from me. And that's when I decided to return this camera!
The intelligent scene detection is a joke! I took about 200 pictures in different environments and it almost never detected the right scene. I only see it detecting macro consistently but it also detects macro when you try to take a picture thru the window glass. Of course you get a picture of the glass and not of what's outside. I took pictures inside my room using different lighting,outside also with different lighting conditions, the intelligent scene detection does more harm than good. I'll never forget how my camera decided to use flash on a bright sunny day when I was taking a pictures of the mountains miles away! wow!
One of selling points of this cam was HD video. It looks good if there's enough lighting,but under any other conditions it's grainy with way more noise that any sony camera has. If you don't have a mac computer you will most likely not be able to play videos anyway. My pc computer which has no problem playing latest 3d games like "Crisis" and also having an ATI HD video card could not handle the video from this camera. I don't understand why would Canon decided to use Apples MOV format? Basically if you have a PC, you are not going to able to edit or even play videos.
The zoom on this camera is really slow too. The lag is about a second between you pressing on the lever and anything happening,then of course the cam needs another 2 seconds to focus. Whe it does start to move it moves way too fast,so you have to go back and forth before finding the right setting. Forget about taking pictures fast when you need it.
Also the optical zoom is disabled when shooting movies, and if you use digital...hm..let's just say the tiny 12 mega pixel sensor is not going to perform well. Just use your cell phone camera and you probably going to get a better picture!
After about two weeks, the lsd screen started losing pixels, so about 25 of them are gone already.
To sum it up:
extremely slow,
hard to operate
forget about movies unless you got a mac comp.
zoom is slow
the intelligent scene detection doesn't work at all!
noise in pictures and movies
lcd failed before 30 days.
ask me questions, I'll keep it until next Monday when my new Sony t90 comes in.
The first thing that bothered me about this camera is how slow the operations is. Let me explain:
Let's imagine I have it in my pocket and I walk down the street and I see something interesting I want to take a picture of? With Sony T20 I reach into my pocket and by the time I get it to my eye level I have already slid the cover turning the camera on and it's fully operational, I am ready to take a picture.If I need to use the zoom,it's fast and responsive.
With canon: I reach into my pocket, I have to look at the camera to find the power button which is not raised and is also the same color as the rest of the background. 2-3 sec later I locate the button and now I need to press with my nail on it to turn it on. Very hard to do because it's also very small! Now I have to wait another 2-3 seconds for the thing to boot up. Then I have to wait for it to focus another 1-2 sec, the it tries to detect the scene ( I always leave my cameras in auto mode in case I need to take a picture fast and I have no time to play with settings). Scene detection doesn't work on this camera very well,so it will take another 2-3 sec until it just decides to switch back to auto mode.
If you need to use zoom, after each zoom adjustment it needs to start the whole focusing and scene detection again. So on average it might take you around 15 sec to take a shot!
Yesterday, I was walking in the park and this amazingly hot girl ran by me in booty shorts. Naturally I wanted to snap a picture of that. By the time I got the cam to be operational she was getting further away from. I decided to use zoom ( which is only 3x) but the camera could not focus on her body as she was running away from me. And that's when I decided to return this camera!
The intelligent scene detection is a joke! I took about 200 pictures in different environments and it almost never detected the right scene. I only see it detecting macro consistently but it also detects macro when you try to take a picture thru the window glass. Of course you get a picture of the glass and not of what's outside. I took pictures inside my room using different lighting,outside also with different lighting conditions, the intelligent scene detection does more harm than good. I'll never forget how my camera decided to use flash on a bright sunny day when I was taking a pictures of the mountains miles away! wow!
One of selling points of this cam was HD video. It looks good if there's enough lighting,but under any other conditions it's grainy with way more noise that any sony camera has. If you don't have a mac computer you will most likely not be able to play videos anyway. My pc computer which has no problem playing latest 3d games like "Crisis" and also having an ATI HD video card could not handle the video from this camera. I don't understand why would Canon decided to use Apples MOV format? Basically if you have a PC, you are not going to able to edit or even play videos.
The zoom on this camera is really slow too. The lag is about a second between you pressing on the lever and anything happening,then of course the cam needs another 2 seconds to focus. Whe it does start to move it moves way too fast,so you have to go back and forth before finding the right setting. Forget about taking pictures fast when you need it.
Also the optical zoom is disabled when shooting movies, and if you use digital...hm..let's just say the tiny 12 mega pixel sensor is not going to perform well. Just use your cell phone camera and you probably going to get a better picture!
After about two weeks, the lsd screen started losing pixels, so about 25 of them are gone already.
To sum it up:
extremely slow,
hard to operate
forget about movies unless you got a mac comp.
zoom is slow
the intelligent scene detection doesn't work at all!
noise in pictures and movies
lcd failed before 30 days.
ask me questions, I'll keep it until next Monday when my new Sony t90 comes in.
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