My Review: SD900

[M Powered]

Let me disclose that I am no professional photographer by any means, I'm just your basic consumer who like to take pictures of things. So if you are looking for a comprehensive review, then you'll have to wait for dcresource to write their review.

Initial impression:

Coming from the SD 700 IS and the SD 800 IS, I was already impressed with Canon's rock solid construction (with the exception of the SD 800 battery door). However, my idea of quality construction all changed when I picked up the SD 900, this camera made the other two feel like a cheap piece of plastic! This camera felt like a solid piece of titanium brick. The dial on the SD 900 felt better than the SD 800 - for me it has better thumb placement.

Aside from the quality rugged construction, one thing I was impressed was the battery door. Now the SD 700, had a spring loaded door that upon depressing outwards, it springs the door open; now sadly to say the SD 800, was cheap to say the least. The SD 900 however, beats them both! It has a slider that once you press it, the spring loaded door automatically pops open, very nice.

Picture Quality

For me the SD 700 was superb in every aspects of picture quality. Strangely enough, when I went to purchase the SD 800, I seriously thought it was an upgrade and having a higher megapixel would improve the picture quality; boy was I wrong! So with the megapixel pixel myth seared into my brain, I was somewhat skeptical about the 10MP SD900. To my disbelief, the SD900 pumped out some of the best photos I've ever taken. (wished I had a place to upload my photos so you guys can see.) The only thing I missed was the IS that the previous two canons I've owned had. Luckily, most of the photos I take are during the day in a well lit enviroment (car shows, vacation trips) however, I have also decided to purchase a mini tri-pod for the camera, for those nighttime moments :)

Ultimately, photos will speak for themselves, and if someone gives me a website for me to upload the photos to, I'll gladly post them.

All and All, I'm very happy with the SD 900, and ditching the SD 800 was definitely a step in the right direction.

[M Powered]

Finally,

Got a website now

Here are some pictures, more to come later.

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/flower.jpg

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/foliage.jpg

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/nightshot.jpg

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/pinkflower.jpg

[PaulG]

Sounds good. Hate the lack of IS though, because I wish to share my next camera with my elderly parents, and IS will be extremely helpful for them.

I also love the idea of a 28mm wide angle. For my personal uses, the wide angle would actually be useful too.

If the 900 had IS and the 28mm, I would get one tomorrow.

WTF does Canon make a million different models, with every one of them missing at least one key feature?! The 800IS and the 900 are perfect examples. Either you choose wide angle and IS but relatively poor IQ, or you choose better image quality and lose wide angle and IS.

I want the good IQ AND the wide angle AND the IS!!! God I hate Camera companies sometimes.

:mad:

[M Powered]

You can have it all, buy the G7 :) Good image quality and IS

Honestly, for night photos, people recommend turning off IS.

But IS is extremely helpful during those "indoor parking lot" photos :)

[PaulG]

I really dislike the G7. Maybe after some reviews I will consider it more. But it's neither a pocket camera, nor is it an ultra-zoom. Which makes it a daunting choice for me personally. Plus it's expensive, and lacks some features that some might argue should be there.

I plan to get an ultra compact and an ultra-zoom over the next 12 months. Right now I'm having a very hard time chooisng either one. There's always some annoying catch involved... >_<

Between the two cameras, I would prefer that at least one of them had a nice wide angle. I want IS on both. And I want solid IQ. I have more requirements as well (i.e. SD card support). It's just hard to pick a camera...

[JMBZ71]

WTF does Canon make a million different models, with every one of them missing at least one key feature?!

God I hate Camera companies sometimes.

:mad:

Nicely said Paul. Sometimes it seems to me that what ends up on the consumer market (at least with P&S's) has more to do with rivalries between the big electronics companies and even divisional or team rivalries within those companies than it has to do with what we consumers really want. Frustrating...

JMBZ71 :)

[MMB916]

Hi All,

The G7 is too large for my purposes. I purchase the SD800IS (hate the battery door) and am happy with the photos but am still struggling regarding the SD900. I hate that it doesn't have IS though. I don't have a huge need for the wide angle however, it might come in handy on vacations and trying to get "it all" in the photo. Everything I'm reading about the SD900 sounds like it is superior to the SD800IS, I completely agree - you would think Canon could have found a way to add IS to the SD900. I have had some shakey pics in the past from a Sony Cybershot so I'm a little "chicken" to give up the IS. However, reading about the pic quality of the SD900 makes one wonder!! IT's not so easy to pick a camera :eek:


You can have it all, buy the G7 :) Good image quality and IS

Honestly, for night photos, people recommend turning off IS.

But IS is extremely helpful during those "indoor parking lot" photos :)

[MMB916]

...I'm sure I'm missing something obvious---:confused: --where are the photos?

Thanks in advance...


Finally,

Got a website now

Here are some pictures, more to come later.

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/flower.jpg

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/foliage.jpg

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/nightshot.jpg

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/pinkflower.jpg

[ocspray]

Well, here's what is there, but I have no idea what camera they came from. (http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/)

I think Jeff's review accurately highlights the 800's advantages over the 900 (http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_sd800-review/), but to each their own. For someone looking for very large prints, the extra 2.9mp just might be worth it.

For me, having a wider lens, IS, and $100 more to spend on memory made the SD800 the better choice, but maybe there's enough IQ improvement in the SD900 to overlook those negatives. I'll have to go back to BestBuy to examine the 900 a bit more, because I don't remember it feeling markedly different than the 800. Other than the lame battery and output port covers, I have no concerns about the construction of the 800.

I am curious about one thing. M Powered, how long did you own an SD800 IS? I thought they just came out.

[M Powered]

Sorry, I deleted the pictures I originally took due to web space.

Here are some night pictures.

http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/westfield1.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/westfield2.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/westfield3.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/westfield4.jpg
http://home.socal.rr.com/mpowered/westmoon.jpg


I am curious about one thing. M Powered, how long did you own an SD800 IS? I thought they just came out.

I had the SD800 for about a week. From day one I was dissapointed about the pictures it took. Everything from out doors, to interior photos turned out horrible. When fully zoomed in overcast sky, the photos turned out very pixelated and distant objects are not very clear; barely make it out.

Ultimately not being able to take photos to somewhat of my satisfaction, that left me with an unsecure feeling that I would not be able to take good photos when I need to.

IS for me with the SD 700 only helps when you are inside a covered parking lot, or somewhat dim lighting - however, IS only helps in Auto mode, it becomes useless in manual mode. Most of my shots are manual mode, so I don't miss IS all that much.

Another thing that sets the SD900 far apart from the SD800 is build quality. Hold both in your hand and the difference is obvious. Also the batter door on the SD900 is a slider that when depressed the door springs open.

[ocspray]

Those look pretty good. I wonder if you just got a bad 800? When you say zoomed photos were pixelated, was that optical zoom, or did you go into digital zoom? I always turn digital zoom off in everything I own, because if I need something blown up, I can do it in post. I also wondered if the white balance got goofed up on your 800, because I know that can make indoor shots look horrible. I haven't used my 800 too much, but I've been impressed with outdoor shooting with some sun.

It's overcast today, so I'll try what you said and see how things look.