Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Blue)
Manufacturer: Canon USA Part number: 2512B001
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Canon's SD1100 IS adds optical image stabilization to last year's hit SD1000, while delivering just as impressive image quality.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/07/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Blue) price range: $329.99
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 03/05/2008
The good: Great image quality; minimal shutter lag; speedy performance; optical image stabilization; face detection; optical viewfinder.
The bad: No manual exposure controls; slow flash recycle time.
The bottom line: Canon's SD1100 IS adds optical image stabilization to last year's hit SD1000, while delivering just as impressive image quality.
One of the most popular cameras of last year wasn't a big fancy digital SLR, or a pimped-out superzoom, it was Canon's somewhat understated Powershot SD1000. Its combination of a nice, though not extravagant, feature set, small size, and relatively low price proved quite appealing to camera buyers. This year, with the PowerShot SD1100 IS, Canon has updated the aesthetic design, switched to a slightly different zoom range, and most importantly, added optical image stabilization. Of course, they've also raised the resolution to 8 megapixels from last year's 7.1 megapixels and refined some of the camera's other features.
Last year's model evoked the design of the original film Elph with its black circle around the camera's lens and squared-off edges. This year, Canon brought this model back in line with more recent designs without abandoning its elfin status and is offering it in silver, blue, brown, pink , and gold. The tweaked design is just slightly thicker than last year's and sports rounded edges and a slightly curved indent on the right-hand side that provides a perfect nook for a middle finger when gripping the camera. As with last year's model, Canon places all buttons on the right half of the body. A slider lets you switch among still image capture, video recording, and playback. Other than three dedicated buttons for Menu, Display, and Direct Printing, the only other control is the circular four-way rocker with a Function/Set button in the middle.
Canon doesn't include manual exposure controls in its Digital Elph line, but you will find an ample array of preset scene modes and some features that make automatic shooting simpler. As with a lot of compact cameras, the SD1100 IS includes face detection. This year, Canon has extended this function to let it set not only focus and exposure, but also flash output and white balance, so the camera should be less likely to blow out the details on your friend's face with the flash and should be better able to keep skin tones neutral in varied light sources. To help combat confusion when setting ISO, the SD1100 IS includes Motion Detection Technology, which raises the ISO setting if there is a moving subject when you have the camera set to High ISO Auto mode. By raising the ISO, the camera can shoot at a faster shutter speed to freeze the action.
While some cameras have been switching to wider-angle lenses, Canon includes a 38-to-114mm-equivalent f/2.8-to-4.9 3X optical zoom lens in the SD1100 IS in contrast to last year's 35-to-105mm lens. The change in focal lengths doesn't make for much of an effective difference, though we did notice more distortion at the SD1100 IS's 38mm setting than we did at the SD1000's 35mm setting. Canon did add optical image stabilization, however, which should help if you often shoot stationary objects in low light. Since the lens isn't all that wide, you might find the optical viewfinder helpful to bring the camera a bit further back when trying to frame a shot, or in situations where you don't want to have the bright LCD turned on.
Though it has a responsive shutter, the SD1100 IS took longer than its predecessor between shots and its flash took too long to recycle. The camera was quick to start up, taking 1 second from pressing the power button to until it captured its first JPEG. Thereafter, it took 2.1 seconds between JPEGs with the flash turned off, making it more than a half second slower than the SD1000. With the flash turned on, the camera took 3.5 seconds between shots, which is more than a second slower than its predecessor. Shutter lag measured a very impressive 0.4 second in our high-contrast test and an even more impressive 0.7 second in our low-contrast test, which mimic bright and dim shooting conditions, respectively. Continuous shooting yielded a none-too-impressive 0.8 frame per second, again a step down from the SD1000's 1.7 fps.
Image quality from the SD1100 IS is quite nice for a camera of its class. Its automatic white balance does a good, but not perfect, job of neutralizing colors under a variety of light sources. It adds a bit of warmth to incandescent-lit shots and a touch of green to fluorescent, but does a great job in natural daylight. The camera's tungsten setting did a good job of neutralizing the harsh yellow cast of our tungsten hot lights. While noise isn't completely nonexistent at ISO 80, you'll have to look quite closely to find any at this lowest sensitivity or at ISO 100, and both settings offer pleasingly sharp images with plenty of shadow detail. By ISO 200 you'll start to notice noise, especially in shadows, though there is still plenty of sharpness to the images. At ISO 400, noise still isn't over the top, and there is a surprising amount of sharpness, though I saw a noticeable roll-off in shadow detail. Things get precipitously worse at ISO 800, though you still might be able to get a decent 4x6-inch print under ideal circumstances. By ISO 1,600, images look as if they're shot during a hailstorm. I suggest staying below ISO 800 whenever possible.
Given the success of the SD1000, I was surprised that Canon let the camera's shot-to-shot time slide with the SD1100 IS. They make up for it a bit by adding optical image stabilization and keeping the impressive image quality of its predecessor. Despite my whining, the SD1100 IS is still a very nice camera, and if you're going to make a trade-off anywhere, I'd rather wait a bit longer between shots than sacrifice image quality or shutter lag. As long as you don't mind the long flash recycle time, Canon's SD1100 IS makes a great choice for a relatively inexpensive ultracompact camera. If optical image stabilization doesn't mean that much to you though, you should probably see if you can find still find the SD1000, since you can get it at a very nice discount if there are still any available.
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
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Typical shot-to-shot time | |
Time to first shot | |
Shutter lag (low-contrast) | |
Shutter lag (high-contrast) |
(Longer bars indicate better performance)
User reviews
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Features + Quality = Excellent camera
by happygillmore1927 on May 31, 2009
Pros: The Canon SD1100 IS is an awesome upgrade the previous model. The image stabilization (hence the "IS") is a needed improvement to Canon's line of ELPH cameras. The features on this camera also make up for any lack of quality you might find in photos.
Cons: Sometimes when taking a night shot, the "blur" warning shows up, even when on a tri-pod.
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The best compact camera I have owned.
by cshueh on February 18, 2009
Pros: The pictures come out crystal clear. My old camera was a Olympus and I dd not realize what I was missing out until I purchased my SD1000IS. The quality are like night and day.
The video feature is awesome. It replaced my old video camera.Cons: The only con I can think of is that it is easy to lose since it is so small.
Summary: This camera is a point and shoot camera. You get crystal clear photos and VIDEOS! I bought one for my in-laws so they could capture photos of my kids growing ...
Summary: This camera is a point and shoot camera. You get crystal clear photos and VIDEOS! I bought one for my in-laws so they could capture photos of my kids growing up too.
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Great take along camera for just about every occasion.
by Jim Buerk on February 11, 2009
Pros: Small, solid feel makes it easy to take along. Consistent color and picture quality. Easy to use, with lots of picture modes that really work well. Creative modes let you alter pictures without a computer. Display works in portrait and landscape.
Cons: A little slow when using the flash.
Summary: I am very happy with this camera. I take it everywhere. It is an ideal point and shoot camera. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a ...
Summary: I am very happy with this camera. I take it everywhere. It is an ideal point and shoot camera. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a camera handy for snapshots. The results are impressive. Start up time is fast. I've been able to quickly take pictures using the fully automatic mode, without missing the shot. The party mode worked great to capture streamers in mid air at a birthday party. The kids and pets setting allowed me to get clear, sharp pictures of the cat and dog playing.
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Awesome camera!! I dont regret it
by starryluv3 on February 6, 2009
Pros: Great clarity, good quality, flash is good, easy to use, awesome colors
Cons: Wierd approach to the shutter, battery life is okay, image stability at times
Summary: This is my replacement camera and so far i love it. The pictures are even more clear compared to my last camera, and the choice of colors just added to ...
Summary: This is my replacement camera and so far i love it. The pictures are even more clear compared to my last camera, and the choice of colors just added to its amazing-ness. The shutter is a bit of a pain cause you have to hit it like you're double clicking a mouse to actually get it to take a picture at that moment. You also cant take quick candids of yourself (myspace type portraits), the stability isnt nearly as stable as you need it to be for those types of pictures. Other than that its a great camera, and I definitely reccomend it to anyone who's thinking of getting one.
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You'll Like It.
by thomasleaton on July 26, 2008
Pros: Solid, small, easy to navigate and very sturdy. It is for casual photography but, boy, it does that well!
Cons: The "blue" metal. I think I would prefer the old silver.
Summary: Outstanding camera, easy to carry, quite easy to learn, with, for what it is, exceptional photos. The battery does not need frequent recharging and the video quality is suprizingly excellent ...
Summary: Outstanding camera, easy to carry, quite easy to learn, with, for what it is, exceptional photos. The battery does not need frequent recharging and the video quality is suprizingly excellent and easy to edit. I found it for $207 at Abe's of Maine.
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great choice
by Lionvista on July 4, 2008
Pros: more than enough for 99% of us
Cons: small range for flash
Summary: This is a great choice for the vast majority of us. Snapshots come out really good even for the brainless. If you want to tweak the settings once in awhile, ...
Summary: This is a great choice for the vast majority of us. Snapshots come out really good even for the brainless. If you want to tweak the settings once in awhile, it isn't too confusing to figure out. The manual is very specific when you want the nitty-gritty of all the things that are at your fingertips. There really are more options and settings than most folks will ever utilize. But they are there for when you feel creative. Buy one without hesitation.
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a solid point and shoot camera
by msbest03 on May 28, 2008
Pros: straightforward and easy to use, great pictures
Cons: a bit fuzzy when zoom is utilized, a slight lag in flash
Summary: Overall, this is great buy. This camera is pretty straightforward and takes great pictures.
Summary: Overall, this is great buy. This camera is pretty straightforward and takes great pictures.
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Not the best, not the worst.
by edge431 on April 18, 2008
Pros: Great small size, good picture quality, menues are easy to flip through and use.
Cons: Small screen, not great picture quality when zoomed in.
Summary: Overall I think this is a great point and shoot camera. The screen is a little small but big enough to get a feel for your picture. The picture quality ...
Summary: Overall I think this is a great point and shoot camera. The screen is a little small but big enough to get a feel for your picture. The picture quality when zoomed is is a little fuzzy. The multiple focus points work very well. I would reccomend!
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Canon USA
- Part number: 2512B001
- Description: Color communicates. It introduces you before you say a word, making the PowerShot SD1100 IS Digital ELPH the ultimate image-maker. Five fashion-forward hues expressed in pure aluminum add a new burst of excitement to Canon's Perpetual Curve design. Of course, a camera that brings out the best in you also delivers Canon's most advanced technology features. Call it style with substance, for a new level of picture-taking pleasure.
General
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Width 3.4 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 2.2 in
- Weight 4.4 oz
- Enclosure Color Rhythm & blue
Main Features
- Resolution 8 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 8,000,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 8,300,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.5 in
- Light Sensitivity ISO 80, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO auto
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode
- Shooting Programs Snow, Beach, Indoor, Sunset, Foliage, Aquarium, Fireworks, Color swap, Underwater, Kids & pets, Color accent, Digital macro, Portrait mode, Stitch assist, Night snapshot
- Special Effects Sepia, Vivid, Neutral, Vivid Red, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Black & White, Positive Film, Darker Skin Tone, Lighter Skin Tone
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- Image stabilizer feature Optical stabilization helps prevent blurry pictures, especially for handheld cameras at slow shutter speeds or when using high optical zoom.
- Max Shutter Speed 1/1500 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 15 sec
- Exposure Metering Spot, Evaluative, Center-weighted
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Face Detection Yes
- White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Cloudy, Daylight, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light (cool white), Fluorescent light (warm white)
- Digital Video Format AVI
- Still Image Format JPEG
- Continuous Shooting Speed 1.3 frames per second
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture AVI - 640 x 480 - 14 sec - With 32MB card, AVI - 640 x 480 - 27 sec - With 32MB card, AVI - 320 x 240 - 38 sec - With 32MB card, AVI - 160 x 120 - 189 sec - With 32MB card
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory 32 MB Flash - SD Memory Card
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Floppy Drive None
- Digital Storage Media None
- Image Storage Super-fine JPEG 3264 x 2448 : 8 - With 32MB card - 3.4 MB, Fine JPEG 3264 x 2448 : 14 - With 32MB card - 2.1 MB, Normal JPEG 3264 x 2448 : 29 - With 32MB card - 980 KB, Super-fine JPEG 2592 x 1944 : 11 - With 32MB card - 2.5 MB, Fine JPEG 2592 x 1944 : 20 - With 32MB card - 1.4 MB, Normal JPEG 2592 x 1944 : 41 - With 32MB card - 695 KB, Super-fine JPEG 2048 x 1536 : 18 - With 32MB card - 1.6 MB, Fine JPEG 2048 x 1536 : 32 - With 32MB card - 893 KB, Normal JPEG 2048 x 1536 : 64 - With 32MB card - 445 KB, Super-fine JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 29 - With 32MB card - 1 MB, Fine JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 52 - With 32MB card - 558 KB, Normal JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 99 - With 32MB card - 278 KB, Super-fine JPEG 640 x 480 : 111 - With 32MB card - 249 KB, Fine JPEG 640 x 480 : 171 - With 32MB card - 150 KB, Normal JPEG 640 x 480 : 270 - With 32MB card - 84 KB, Super-fine JPEG 3264 x 1832 : 11 - With 32MB card - 2.6 MB, Fine JPEG 3264 x 1832 : 18 - With 32MB card - 1.5 MB, Normal JPEG 3264 x 1832 : 19 - With 32MB card - 736 KB
Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Effective Flash Range 1 ft - 11.5 ft
- Features Flash +/- compensation
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 6.2 mm - 18.6 mm - F/2.8-4.9
- Focal Length 6.2 mm - 18.6 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 38 - 114 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Min Focus Range 11.8 in
- Macro Focus Range 3-50cm
- Lens Aperture F/2.8-4.9
- Optical Zoom 3 x
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Features Built-in lens shield
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 10 sec
- Additional Features DPOF support, Direct print, Face detection, Audio recording, Built-in speaker, Cropping an image, Histogram display, Resizing an image, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility, Digital image rotation, Digital noise reduction, In-camera red-eye removal, Camera orientation detection
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Optical - Real-image zoom
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.5 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
- Display Format 230,000 pixels
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Software
- Software Drivers & Utilities
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows Vista, Apple Mac OS X
- Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
- Carrying Case None
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Included Accessories Wrist strap
- Cables Included 1, 1 x A/V cable, USB cable
Power
- Power Device Battery charger - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Canon NB-4L
- Supported Battery 1 x Canon NB-4L Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 10 - 90%
Product series
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Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Pink)
Manufacturer: Canon USA
Specs: Ultracompact, 8 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
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Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Gold)
Manufacturer: Canon USA
Specs: Ultracompact, 8 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
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Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Brown)
Manufacturer: Canon USA
Specs: Ultracompact, 8 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
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Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Blue)
Manufacturer: Canon USA
Specs: Ultracompact, 8 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
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Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS (Silver)
Manufacturer: Canon USA
Specs: Ultracompact, 8 megapixels, 3 x, 2.5 in LCD display, 32 MB - SD Memory Card
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Canon USA
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Canon USA products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://estore.usa.canon.com/
- Address:
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042 - Phone: 516-328-5000
- Email: mediacontact@cusa.canon.com
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