Canon Powershot SD100 Review

The screen display in the Automatic record mode. Icons across the top indicate that metering is matrix, single frame drive, Auto flash, Auto exposure mode. The image size is currently Large and quality is Superfine. And we have enough space left on the SD card to take 136 more pictures.

The Auto mode recording options:

(from the Function menu):
Image Resolution 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 1024x768 or 640x480
Image Compression Superfine, Fine, Normal

(from the regular Menu):
Selftimer Off, 2 or 10 sec
AF Assist Illuminator On or Off
Digital Zoom On or Off
Review Time Off, 2 or 10 secs

In Manual record mode the icons looks similar to Auto mode but here you can now adjust the exposure compensation, change the white balance, use a Photo Effect, the ISO is settable, you can select Spot metering, disable AiAF or select a slow shutter speed and more.

To access these options you press the FUNC. button

Exposure Compensation - Override the metering +/- 2.0EV in 1/3 steps

Long Shutter - If enabled via the menu you can select a shutter speed from 1 to 15 seconds via the Exposure Compensation setting.

White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom one-push WB set
ISO Sensitivity Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400
Effect - Off, Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, B&W
Image Resolution 2048x1536, 1600x1200, 1024x768 or 640x480
Image Compression Superfine, Fine, Normal

Manual mode recording options:

AiAF - 9-point automatic AF point selection On or Off
Selftimer 2 sec or 10 sec delay time
AF Assist Illuminator On or Off
Digital Zoom On or Off
Review Time Off, 2 or 10 secs
Long Shutter On or Off
Stitch Assist - Panorama mode with onscreen LCD prompting

When the color LCD is turned on and you half-press the shutter you will see the active AF points (green rectangles) used for the AF lock. You can also see the effects of the focus illuminator (orange-red beam.)

The StitchAssist Panorama mode aids you via on-screen prompts to achieve the proper overlap of sequential photos for later "stitching" with the PhotoStitch program. You can capture up to 26 images in either left-to-right or right-to-left orientation. After the first picture is taken the white balance and exposure is locked until you exit the StitchAssist mode.   Use of a tripod is required.

The SD100 can record movie clips with audio at 15 frames per second in 640x480, 320x240 or 160x120 resolution. The maximum length of each clip is three minutes in 320x240 or 160x120 and thirty seconds in 640x480 resolution. Movie clips are recorded in Motion JPEG format and saved as AVI files.

Both the video and audio portion of movies can be replayed on the camera thanks to the builtin speaker. Full audio-video playback is also possible when connected to a TV monitor or a compatible PC after downloading.

Movie mode recording options:

Exposure Compensation - Override the metering +/- 2.0EV in 1/3 steps
White Balance - Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom one-push WB set
Effect - Off, Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, B&W
Movie Size: 640x480, 320x240 or 160x120