Manage updates with the Download AppCanon PowerShot SD600
Manufacturer: Canon Part number: 1079B001
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Despite its no-frills feature set, the Canon PowerShot SD600 delivers quality photos and strong performance in a small package.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Canon PowerShot SD600 price range: $499.99
- Reviewed by: Shams Tarek
- Edited by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 04/26/2006
- Released on: 03/07/2006
The good: Excellent image quality; top-notch build quality; quick performance.
The bad: Basic feature set.
The bottom line: Despite its no-frills feature set, the Canon PowerShot SD600 delivers quality photos and strong performance in a small package.
User reviews
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Superior Point & Shoot Camera with plenty of features
by KPkandFP on December 4, 2006
Pros: Compact , crystal clear pix & excellent shots of darker scenes
Cons: View finder is so small I don't use it, but I know it's there in case I have a problem with the LCD screen
Summary: I did A LOT of research before buying this little dynamo. I had to replace my Kodak 4 mp after I dropped it. I really wanted either the Casio Exilim ...
Summary: I did A LOT of research before buying this little dynamo. I had to replace my Kodak 4 mp after I dropped it. I really wanted either the Casio Exilim or the Nikon but research convinced me to buy the Canon. The SD600 is amazing and truly compact.
I've never used manual controls for fear I didn't know what I was doing, but this camera makes it very simple by just skimming the instructions and playing with the features in various lighting and motion scenarios . Reviews said it just had the basic set of features, but I can't find anything that it's lacking.
I took pictures in Las Vegas in a dark setting inside a hotel with a show full of lights and moving everything, the pictures came out perfect. Also took shots of the Freemont Street Experience and again...perfect pictures. I have so many old pictures of a nighttime party where all the lights are streaming across the pictures...this camera DOES NOT do that when the settings are (easily) adjusted accordingly and I have yet to come across shutter lag that is noticeable to the basic user. You need to know when you want more light to come into your picture, you need to hold the shot for a couple of seconds, but isn't that common sense? It's not a camera flaw.
The LCD screen is big and can be easily viewed in the dark or in bright sunlight.
I've taken pictures of pictures using the macro setting and the result was worth making 5x7's for the rest of the family of a picture that I thought was long gone. I know I could have taken it to the KODAK Picture Maker but I wanted to test out the macro setting.
I've taken pictures of a baseball game at noon and at 6 pm and I've been able to catch a clear shot of the ball in the air and the ball connecting with the bat not to mention the batter running between bases.
The video is also great, no problems yet.
Only downfall is that I used the same 256MB SD card from my old Kodak that held 300+ pictures but with this camera and the various setting I've used, I recommend the 1G or 2G card. The first day I had it I had it set to large format photos and used the video setting and it only held 21 pictures and a total of 45 seconds of video. I quickly made the adjustment, but thought I'd share the info. On the normal settings I have ran out of memory yet, but I'm still buying the bigger memory so I don't run into a problem at the worst possible moment.
I was really concerned about the rechargeable battery and thought I'd need a back up, but so far so good. I don't need to spend the extra $40 for the spare battery.
I've highly recommended this camera to everyone that is even remotely interested in buying a new digital camera.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great compact camera, great picture quality.
by G Man on April 28, 2006
Pros: Fits into my jeans pocket, great picture quality indoors without-flash gives non-fuzzy pictures.
Cons: None so far.
Summary: I just purchased this camera a month ago for a vacation to NYC. I wanted to get a camera that could take good indoor pictures in musuems that didn't ...
Summary: I just purchased this camera a month ago for a vacation to NYC. I wanted to get a camera that could take good indoor pictures in musuems that didn't allow the use of a flash, and something compact.
This camera did not disappoint, with the ISO settings, and also the Stitch function, which allowed me to get a great panorama view of the Manhattan skyline.
The camera feels sturdy, and the LCD screen seems to have a coating that makes it hard to scratch. Ergonomics are great, and I never had it fall out of my hand while grabbing for it in my pocket.
The only thing I didn't expect is a high-pitched mechanical whirring noise when you power on the camera, and when you focus. This noise is in addition to the mechanical zoom in/out sound. The previous models did not have it, and I almost returned the camera because of this. I had to go down to Fry's to hear the floor model do the same thing, and also the SD630. I guess the new models all have this sound. Just a heads-up.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great picture for the price
by jamesbond3 on May 1, 2006
Pros: Picture quality, ease to use, lots of features & ISO800
Cons: A longer zoom would be great like 4X or 5X optical
Summary: I paid 280.00 for the camera and had no complain at all. A lot of features and the Macro were great. I tested Macro function on a postcard portrait ...
Summary: I paid 280.00 for the camera and had no complain at all. A lot of features and the Macro were great. I tested Macro function on a postcard portrait and every one seen the picture thought it was taken from a live model. The size was so compact that I could just carry the camera in my pocket all day long without even thought about it. I rated a 9 due to only 3X optical zoom. If it has a 4X or 5X optical zoom then it would be a perfect 10. Definitely recommended for any one wanted a compact camera for great picture.
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Just awesome package
by abhisat on May 1, 2006
Pros: Compact, great picture and video quality
Cons: Buttons slightly clumsy
Summary: Thumbs up for this little master!! Can fit in my shirt pocket and shoots amazing photos and videos!! Highly recommended...
Summary: Thumbs up for this little master!! Can fit in my shirt pocket and shoots amazing photos and videos!! Highly recommended...
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A great little point-n-shoot camera
by anolehippy on April 29, 2006
Pros: small size, large display, custom settings, solid construction
Cons: USB connector cover poorly designed
Summary: I replaced my older Canon S230 with the SD600. More options for movies, and "nifty" extras like "changing colors" make it more versatile. Overall a GREAT little camera.
Updated...
ASummary: I replaced my older Canon S230 with the SD600. More options for movies, and "nifty" extras like "changing colors" make it more versatile. Overall a GREAT little camera.
Updated
A very BASIC camera, but we are NOT all pro photographers. It's small, it's sturdy and it's more than adequate. If you just want good pictures without the hassles, this camera is for you.3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Micro Monster - Picture Perfect
by rush2ks on February 6, 2007
Pros: Excellent pix n videos; Easy 2 use; Logical Manual controls; Easy 2 carry
Cons: little low battery life
Summary: Excellent Pix & Videos, Versatility n Programmability of manual controls are just some of the sexy features of this little babe iXus60. Pix r clear enough 2 capture even dust ...
Summary: Excellent Pix & Videos, Versatility n Programmability of manual controls are just some of the sexy features of this little babe iXus60. Pix r clear enough 2 capture even dust particles or ORBS, when shooting in night/dark. (dust particles while snapping photos in dusty areas or ORBS while snapping in ghostly or haunted areas, ha ha
Those who r crying over poor night photos,try this setting 2 get the true night pic better than its competitors like Sony, Casio, Olympus, etc.
Shooting Mode = Manual
Exposure Compensation = +2
Skin Tone = Dark
Metering method = Evaluative
Compression = Superfine (for most settings)
Flash = Off (if object is illuminated)
Flash = Auto if there is poor light.
Those who r crying over problems faced after connecting the cam with Win XP, better install licenced version of windows XP. Windows XP has clear n most simple way of communicating with wide range of cams, printers & scanners.
U dont even need to install Canon Photo Software.
Those who r crying over lack of anti-shake feature, better use timer to snap the photos. Set the timer to say 2 seconds and press the button, buzzer will beep and there u go. the software inside camera does the job of snapping the photo which r crisp clear and offcourse with 0% blurrrrrr.
BEST anti-shake by default is present in Casion Exilim series. but Casio is no match 2 Canon when it comes 2 indoor/close-up/night photos. Remember anti-shake doesnt work well in night modes/while shooting in dark.
Metering methods are simply mindbogling.
Using that u can snap clear pix under bright lights
even when the cam is facing the light source.
Slight Con is when the low battery warning appears then u have roughly 10 min 2 finish up the photo session. so b quick or carry a spare battery with u.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great P&S Camera
by ku4hx on November 28, 2006
Pros: Value, picture quality, upload speed
Cons: Poor bat/mem card door design
Summary: Unlike another rater, I have no problem with multiple USB imaging devices being installed on my computer and uploading from this camera. The camera simply falls in queue and uploads ...
Summary: Unlike another rater, I have no problem with multiple USB imaging devices being installed on my computer and uploading from this camera. The camera simply falls in queue and uploads when requested. Of course, any problem in this area could well be a Windows setup problem. I'm running XP Pro SP2 build 2600 and it's 100% patched. No idea about Apples.
I really have nothing bad to say about this camera, given it's price, I expect fewer bells and whistles. But as a P&S I really would recommend it to even those who might be electronic gizmo challenged.
Cameras of this nature, and other electronic "kit" purchases, are always assembled to maximize profit. To that extent, you going to have to take care of the "extras" yourself. Extra battery, large mem card, carry case, and etc. are simply not going to be included in the base purchase. I feel this is an advantage in that it gives me the freedom to shop around for what little extras I want. I like deciding for myself, finding the highest value, reading reviews and all other activities associated with all my hobbies and avocations.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Bought 3 days before 17 day Europe trip.
by Sportyyyy on June 25, 2006
Pros: Amazing image quality, easy to use
Cons: Flimsy A/V out - usb hookup
Summary: Got Best Buy to price match down to $300 3 days before I left for Portugal, Spain, France, England, Morocco because I could not decided between the 600 & the ...
Summary: Got Best Buy to price match down to $300 3 days before I left for Portugal, Spain, France, England, Morocco because I could not decided between the 600 & the 630. Played with both cameras twice in best buy and finally decided on the 600 as the resolution of the screens was identical- the 630's lcd seemed less sharp compared to the 600.
Extremely pleased with the 600. Also bought a Canon accessory pack containing leather case, metal neck lanyard, and spare battery for $55 bucks. Neck lanyard was godsend- I hate carrying large purse/stuff on trips- feel way too touristy. Leather case fit camera while on neck lanyard- very sturdy.
I don't know much about digital photography except that I had an old Olympus 2 MP and refused to take that- it still takes great pictures but it's heavy, large, and the AA batteries are constantly falling out of the compartment.
Besides using exposure compensation, macro, infinity, and reading 90% of the advanced user manual, steve's digicams and dcresource I have virtually no knowledge of digital cameras.
This camera is EXTREMELY easy to use. Switching modes from presets to manual, very intuitive - I had the hang of the camera in under a day.
I'm still a little befuddled by ISO other than basics of high vs. low - for low light pictures I found turning the flash off, setting the shot mode on continuous, and taking a series of 3-7 pictures typically presented 2/3 sharp pictures (I don't like the look of flash pictures in cathedrals, etc.), and then I'd erase the blurred ones later on.
I realized later on, that'd I'd seriously underestimated the number of pictures I'd be taking (rather idiotic of me since I'd taken a 3 week class in Egypt 1 year ago but also had my computer to dump photos) and filled up my 1 GB 80X Transcend card less than 10 days into the trip - 579 pictures on 6 MP & Fine (Medium) detail setting. Bought another 512 card and filled that one with 3 days remaining - (put it on SuperFine for the Louvre).
Camera ran wonderfully - battery life probably around 1.5- 2 days for intermittent use, longer if you turn the LCD off and aren't constantly reviewing your pictures (I'm anal). Movie mode was spectacular - I took one of the Eiffel Tower in Light Seizure Mode (very rapid blinking) and it looks amazing (320x240 30 fps, 11 secs @ 7 MB) but it also filled the remainder of the 512.
Several other people had Sony cameras and camcorders - there were constantly having trouble getting them working correctly (one refused to turn on every so often, even if battery was freshly charged, one camecorder could not delete individual pictures). My canon worked so refreshinly easy and it syncs perfectly with my mac.
I did note one problem when try trying to import pictures onto my mother's intelMac - about 75% of the photos refused to import and gave a file corrupt error, whereas I had no problem on my 17" Powerbook 1 Ghz. Also, the Canon software would not install on the intelMac- I didn't see a notice on their website but I didn't look too hard- I'm guessing it's not Univeral Binary yet so one would have to rely on iPhoto.
Canon software works fine on my computer, only thing I haven't gotten around to doing yet is the "ImageStich" software - for combining pictures to make a panoramic.
Overall, I'm glad I got the 600 instead of the 630 - I can't image battery life being nearly as long it was on the 600, and for those few shots were it's so ungodly bright you can't see the LCD, the viewfinder was the perfect safety. I still can't get over how sharp the LCD on the 600 looks next to the 630 - another .5" really does make a large impact on resolution.
I would not recommend any other camera- I spent months researching the aforementioned sites and quickly decided against the casio z850 when I read about it's deplorable movie mode, the sony T9 looks pretty but I can't stand how aggravating they can be to use. Canon was a perfect fit for me and I can't see anyone not being satisfied with this camera.
Just be very careful with the A/V Out, USB Door- I noticed this on other reviews but since I tend to treat my electronics better than my boyfriends, I'm not worried.2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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By far the best ALL IN ONE Camera
by gdejan on April 22, 2006
Pros: Great Pic Quality, Awesoem peformance!
Cons: None so far
Summary: This is a great small camera. Awesome picture quality. It powers on very fast and it’s ready to shoot the first picture. All of this will happen in about ...
Summary: This is a great small camera. Awesome picture quality. It powers on very fast and it’s ready to shoot the first picture. All of this will happen in about 3 seconds. Has awesome shooting modes and manual mode as well. I like to play a little bit as well. It fits and goes everywhere.
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Value, killer point-and-shoot
by bilobaman on November 22, 2007
Pros: Does what you need quickly, great battery life, has all you need for any point-and-shoot application.
Cons: Back button printing wears off quickly, not so bad if you have keys memorized. Some vignetting.
Summary: I've had this camera for about a year now, and I am impressed with its value. I've shot about 3000 pics through it cause it is small enough ...
Summary: I've had this camera for about a year now, and I am impressed with its value. I've shot about 3000 pics through it cause it is small enough to carry everywhere. It makes taking tons of pics easy wherever you are. I took it to spain and took almost 400 pics in one day on one charge. had it in my pocket here in Iraq for about 4 months now, and this camera is a trooper. Had a nikon 4300 and it didn't hold up for a month with the fine sand in the desert. Taking alot of pictures of daytime cloudless blue skies revealed some minor vignetting. Nothing serious though. If you want an awesome camera for less than 250 dollars, I highly recommend this one, and despite the editors review, it has more features then they lead on. Took me awhile to discover them, but very impressed.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Canon
- Part number: 1079B001
- Description: Canon PowerShot SD600 is equipped with 6.0 Megapixels, an optical 3x zoom lens (f/2.8 - f/4.9) with Canon high-performance and high-speed processing "DIGIC II", which makes it possible to take pictures with up to a maximum of 2816×2112 recording pixels and achieve more comfortable camera operation complying with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed. By blending superb functionalities and exquisitely elegant form into a compact body, Standard and Comfort Design was achieved. High grade and full flat metal body with an overflowing metallic feel enhanced the excitement of shooting and pleasure of having this camera. Employing a large 2.5-inch LCD monitor on the rear allows easy operation. Higher ISO Speed that can be adjusted up to 800 equivalent and High ISO AUTO that sets the ISO Speed to higher settings than the existing ISO AUTO enable you to reduce camera shake and subject blur, and shoot beautiful images in a dark area where the shutter speed is set to a slow setting.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Digital camera - Compact
- Point-and-shoot highlights A slim profile makes this camera easy to carry. Video capture ability makes this camera ideal for social functions or vacation shots.
- Resolution 6 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Total Pixels 6,200,000 pixels
- Effective Sensor Resolution 6,000,000 pixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.5"
- Optical Zoom 3 x
- Digital Zoom 4 x
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) Qty 9
- Digital Video Format AVI
- Image Recording Format JPEG
- AV Interfaces Composite video
Exposure & White Balance
- Light Sensitivity ISO 800,
ISO 100,
ISO 200,
ISO 80,
ISO 400,
ISO auto - Exposure Metering Evaluative,
Center-weighted,
Spot - Exposure Modes Program,
Automatic,
Manual - Shooting Programs Snow,
Night snapshot,
Digital macro,
Beach,
Underwater,
Stitch assist,
Indoor,
Foliage,
Kids & pets,
Fireworks,
Portrait mode - Special Effects My Colors,
Vivid,
Black & White,
Sepia,
Neutral,
Positive,
Color Accent,
Color Swap - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Daylight,
Tungsten light,
Fluorescent,
Cloudy,
Fluorescent light (daylight) - Max Shutter Speed 1/1500 sec
- Min Shutter Speed 15 sec
- Exposure Compensation ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
Lens System
- Type 3 x x Zoom lens - 5.8 mm - 17.4 mm - F/2.8-4.9
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 35 - 105 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Min Focus Range 11.8 in
- Macro Focus Range 1 in - 19.7 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
- Lens Construction 5 groups / 6 elements
- Features UA lens,
Built-in lens shield Camera Flash
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Flash Modes Fill-in mode,
Slow synchro,
Auto mode,
Flash OFF mode,
Red-eye reduction - Features AF illuminator
- Effective Flash Range 1.6 ft - 11.5 ft
Additional Features
- Continuous Shooting Speed 2.1 frames per second
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
10 sec - Additional Features Digital image rotation,
Display brightness control,
MOTION PRINT,
Audio recording,
Date/time stamp,
AF lock,
DPOF support,
RGB primary color filter,
FE lock,
Built-in speaker,
AE lock,
Auto power save,
Digital noise reduction,
Histogram display,
Camera orientation detection,
PictBridge support,
USB 2.0 compatibility,
Direct print Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Optical - Real-image zoom
Display
- Type 2.5 in LCD display
- Resolution 173,000 pixels
- Display Features Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x USB,
1 x Composite video/audio output
Software
- Software Canon ZoomBrowser EX,
Canon PhotoStitch,
Drivers & Utilities,
Canon ImageBrowser,
ArcSoft PhotoStudio System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows 98 SE,
MS Windows XP,
MS Windows 2000,
Apple Mac OS X 10.2 - 10.4,
MS Windows ME - Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Battery charger,
USB cable,
Wrist strap,
Audio / video cable - Body Material Stainless steel
Battery
- Supported Battery Canon NB-4L
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 760 mAh ( Included )
Memory / Storage
- Memory Card Slot SD card
- Supported Memory Cards MultiMediaCard,
SD Memory Card - Included Memory Card 16 MB SD Memory Card
- Image Storage Super-fine JPEG 2816 x 2112 : 4 VA - With 16MB card,
Fine JPEG 2816 x 2112 : 8 VA - With 16MB card,
Normal JPEG 2816 x 2112 : 17 VA - With 16MB card,
Super-fine JPEG 2272 x 1704 : 6 VA - With 16MB card,
Fine JPEG 2272 x 1704 : 12 VA - With 16MB card,
Normal JPEG 2272 x 1704 : 24 VA - With 16MB card,
Super-fine JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 13 VA - With 16MB card,
Fine JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 24 VA - With 16MB card,
Normal JPEG 1600 x 1200 : 46 VA - With 16MB card,
Super-fine JPEG 640 x 480 : 52 VA - With 16MB card,
Fine JPEG 640 x 480 : 80 VA - With 16MB card,
Normal JPEG 640 x 480 : 127 VA - With 16MB card,
Super-fine JPEG 2816 x 1584 : 6 VA - With 16MB card,
Fine JPEG 2816 x 1584 : 11 VA - With 16MB card,
Normal JPEG 2816 x 1584 : 23 VA - With 16MB card - Video Capture AVI - 640 x 480 - 6 sec - With 16MB card,
AVI - 640 x 480 - 14 sec - With 16MB card,
AVI - 320 x 240 - 20 sec - With 16MB card,
AVI - 320 x 240 - 40 sec - With 16MB card,
AVI - 320 x 240 - 10 sec - With 16MB card,
AVI - 160 x 120 - 99 sec - With 16MB card,
AVI - 320 x 240 - 60 sec - Max clip duration,
AVI - 160 x 120 - 180 sec - Max clip duration Dimensions & Weight
- Width 3.4 in
- Depth 0.9 in
- Height 2.1 in
- Weight 4.9 oz
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 °F
- Humidity Range Operating 10 - 90%
CNET Labs' Benchmarks
- Labs information All values are expressed in seconds. Please visit our <ref type="link" url="http://reviews.cnet.com/Labs/4520-6603 7-1014358-1.html">labs information page</ref> for information on how digital cameras are tested.
- CNET Labs Flash shot to shot time 2.1
- CNET Labs Shot to shot time typical 1.5
- CNET Labs Shutter lag bright 0.5
- CNET Labs Shutter lag dim 0.7
- CNET Labs Typical burst speed 2.1
- CNET Labs Wake up time 1.5
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Canon products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Canon
- Address:
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042 - Phone: 516-328-5000
- Email: mediacontact@cusa.canon.com
