Canon Powershot SD100 Review

By Movable Type Admin

Review posted 7/15/03

Click to take a QuickTime VR tour of the Canon Powershot SD100 Digital ELPH

Click to take a QTVR tour of the SD100

The PowerShot SD100 is the world's smallest and lightest digital ELPH camera. The new PowerShot SD100, with its ultra-compact size and new white-platinum finish crafted in stainless steel, represents the ultimate in portability, durability and elegance. Now, more than ever, consumers can easily and securely carry their ELPH digital camera everywhere they go, and with 3.2 megapixels they are assured the highest quality images for making prints as large as 8.5x11-inches.

The size of the PowerShot SD100 was made possible through the process of miniaturization, beginning with its new optical lens design so small it can literally hide under a U.S. dime, to the extremely small built-in flash unit and new condensed battery. In addition, the PowerShot SD100 is the first Canon digital camera to exclusively record all images to a Secure Digital (SD) Memory card, allowing even further miniaturization of the camera for greater portability. And a new waterproof housing for the PowerShot SD100 even allows photographs to be taken up to 130 feet underwater.

The PowerShot SD100 Digital ELPH is approximately 15% smaller in volume and 8% lighter than the current PowerShot S230 model. The new SD100 offers the same high quality features and functions as the S230 including Canon's exclusive DIGIC Image Processor which helps achieve higher picture quality and improves existing camera features, most notably its ability to capture up to 3 minutes of video at resolutions up to 320 x 240, 30 seconds for 640 x 480 pixels. In addition, the new camera uses Canon's exclusive iSAPS technology to enhance the speed and performance of the camera's autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance functions while a 9-point AiAF autofocus system makes focusing quick and easy, even with off-center subjects.

Canon is also bringing out two new dye-sublimation printers which are approximately 40 percent smaller and 13 percent lighter than current models in the line. The Canon Card Photo Printer CP-200 / CP-300 dye-sub printers allow users to create extremely high quality color prints directly from any current model PowerShot camera with the use of a USB cable.

Three different sized prints from miniature stickers to wallets to 4x6-inch are possible with the new printers. The CP-300, with its optional battery pack and compact size, makes creating beautiful color prints fast and simple from wherever the photographs themselves are created. The combination of PowerShot SD100 and CP-300 takes the entire photographic process and puts it in your suitcase, or briefcase.

Powershot SD100 Features

3.2 Megapixel CCD imager for up to 2048x1536 pixel images
2x optical 35-70mm f/2.8-3.9 zoom
1.5" color LCD with up to 10x playback zoom
Ultra-compact and durable stainless steel body (3.3 x 2.2 x 0.94 in.)
Advanced TTL AiAF nine-point autofocus system
Program AE automatic and Manual exposure modes
Movie mode w/sound 640x480 30 secs/320x240 3 minutes
2.5fps Continuous exposure mode
Evaluative metering on focus point or Spot
Stitch Assist mode for perfect panoramas
Exposure compensation: +/-2EV in 1/3-step increments
White Balance: Auto, 5 presets or Custom
Photo Effects: Low Sharpening, Vivid Color, Neutral, Sepia and B&W
Low-light focus assist illuminator
Shutter speeds of 15 seconds to 1/2000 second
Auto noise reduction with 1.3 sec or longer shutter speeds
Selectable ISO settings from 50 to 400
Voice memo (up to 60 secs) can be attached to images
Intelligent Orientation sensor
Builtin microphone and speaker
Lithium rechargeable battery and charger included
Direct print to CP-100/200/300 and other Canon printers
USB connectivity for PC and Mac
Secure Digital (SD) card storage
Optional Waterproof Case

Physical Views

The SD100 compared to a standard CD disc.

The ultra-compact Powershot SD100 and the Pentax Optio S

Continue on to
Page Two

Powershot SD100 Specifications

Effective pixels:

Approx. 3.2 million

Image sensor:

1/2.7 in. CCD
(Total number of pixels: approx. 3.34 million)

Lens :

5.4 - 10.8mm
35-70mm (35 mm film equivalent)

F2.8 - 3.9 maximum aperture

Digital Zoom:

Maximum approx. 3.2x (Maximum approx. 6.4x with optical zoom)

Optical Viewfinder:

Real-image optical zoom viewfinder

LCD monitor :

1.5 in. low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD, Approx. 118,000 pixels, 100% coverage

Autofocus :

TTL 9-point AiAF / TTL 1-point center AF
Focus lock possible
Focus assist lamp for accurate low-light AF

Focusing Range :
(from tip of the lens barrel)

Normal:	47 cm (1.5 ft.) - infinity
Macro AF:	10-47 cm (4 in. - 18 in.) (W) 23-47 cm (9 in. - 18 in.) (T)

Shutter :

Mechanical + electronic

Shutter Speed:

15 - 1/1500 sec. Automatic

Noise reduction is used on speeds between 1.3 - 15 sec.

Light Metering System:

Evaluative metering
Center-weighted averaging
Spot metering

Exposure Control:

Program AE

Exposure Compensation:

+/- 2 stops in 1/3-stop increments

Sensitivity :

ISO 50, 100, 200, 400 equivalent and Auto

White Balance:

TTL auto / preset (daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, fluorescent H) or custom

Flash :

Red-eye reduction auto/auto/on/off/slow-synchro

Flash Range:

Normal:	47 cm - 3 m (1.6 - 9.8 ft.) (W) 47 cm - 2 m (1.6 - 6.6 ft.) (T)
Macro:	27 - 47 cm (11 in.- 18 in.) (W /T)

Shooting Modes:

Auto / Program / Manual / Stitch Assist / Movie

Continuous Shooting:

Approx. 2.2 images/ sec. (Large/Fine mode, LCD monitor off)

Self-Timer :

Approx. 10 sec. or less

PC Connected Shooting:

Available (USB connection only. Exclusive software program RemoteCapture is included in the camera kit.)

Recording Media:

Secure Digital (SD), 16MB supplied

File Format:

Design rule for Camera File system, DPOF 1.1 compliant

Image Recording Format:

Still Images:	JPEG (Exif 2.2)*
Movies :	AVI (Image data : Motion JPEG Audio data : WAVE [monaural])

Compression:

Superfine / Fine / Normal

Number of Recording Pixels:

Still Images:

Large : 2048 x 1536 pixels

Medium 1 : 1600 x 1200 pixels

Medium 2 : 1024 x 768 pixels

Small : 640 x 480 pixels

Movies:

640 x 480 pixels (maximum 30 secs.)
320 x 240 pixels (maximum 3 min.)
160 x 120 pixels (maximum 3 min.)
Approx. 15 frames / sec.

Menu Selection	File Size (KB)	Resolution (pixels)	8MB	16MB	128MB
Large / SuperFine	1,602	2,048 x 1,536	3	8	76
Large / Fine	893	2,048 x 1,536	6	15	136
Large / Normal	445	2,048 x 1,536	13	30	269
Medium 1/ SuperFine	1,002	1,600 x 1,200	5	13	121
Medium 1/ Fine	558	1,600 x 1,200	11	24	216
Medium 1/ Normal	278	1,600 x 1,200	22	46	411
Medium 2/ SuperFine	570	1,024 x 768	10	23	211
Medium 2/ Fine	320	1,024 x 768	19	41	372
Medium 2/ Normal	170	1,024 x 768	35	73	651
Small / SuperFine	249	640 x 480	24	51	460
Small / Fine	150	640 x 480	40	80	711
Small / Normal	84	640 x 480	67	126	1,117

Replay Modes:

Single image view/ index view (9 thumbnails)/ zoomed view (LCD monitor zooms images 2x to 10x) / slide show / movie

Interface :

USB (mini-B, PTP [Picture Transfer Protocol]),

Audio / Video output (NTSC or PAL selectable, Monaural audio)

Direct connection to Canon Card Photo Printers and select Bubble Jet Direct Photo Printers.

Power Source:

Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery (Canon NB-3L)

Battery life:

Optional AC Adapter Kit ACK900

Operating Temperatures :

0 - 40 °C (32 - 104 °F)

Operating Humidity:

10 - 90 %

Dimensions
(w x h x d):

85 x 56 x 23.9 mm (3.35 x 2.2 x 0.94 in.)
(excluding protrusions)

Weight:

Approx. 165 g (5.82 oz.)
(camera body only)

OS Compatibility:

Windows® Computer Model: IBM PC/ AT compatible OS: Microsoft Windows 98 (including Second Edition)/ Me/ 2000/ XP. CPU: Pentium 150MHz or higher processor (Windows 98/ Me/ 2000), Pentium 300MHz or higher processor (Windows XP). Interface: USB (Windows 98/ Me/ 2000/ XP pre-install model only).

Macintosh Computer Model: Power Macintosh, PowerBook, eMac, iMac or iBook OS: Mac OS 9.0 - 9.2, Mac OS X (v10.1/ 10.2). CPU: PowerPC. Interface: USB (Models with Apple genuine USB interface only).

* This digital camera supports Exif 2.2 (also called "Exif Print"). Exif Print is a standard for enhancing the communication between digital cameras and printers. By connecting to an Exif Print-compliant printer, the camera's image data at the time of shooting is used and optimized, yielding extremely high quality prints.

Package Contents (U.S./N. America)

Powershot SD100 Digital Camera

Wrist Strap WS-300

Battery Charger CB-2LU/2LUE

Battery Pack NB-3L

SD Card SDC-16M

Case for SD Card

AV Cable AVC-DC100

USB Interface Cable IFC-300PCU

Digital Camera Solution Disk

ArcSoft Camera Suite Disk

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