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View Full Version : Canon PowerShot SD800 IS versus Canon PowerShot A710 IS



sgomes
04-23-2007, 11:22 AM
Hello everyone!

I'm thinking of buying a new camera since the one I have (a Sony Cybershot P-73) has some problems with low-light and image stability: I get way too many shaky photos, having developed the habit of taking 6 or 7 shots of the same thing in the hopes that one of them will be acceptable.

Naturally, since I've dealt with this problem for a few years now, I'm very much into the new IS technology in Canon cameras, and I generally get the feeling that Canon's picures are some of the best, so I've decided for a Canon IS (admittedly, I haven't looked at other manufacturers, since I feel that this one's a safe choice).

I have a question, though: should I go for a compact or ultra-compact camera?

Now, I'm not a professional photographer, and I generally don't want anything to do with camera settings such as apertures and ISO levels, with the exception of exposure compensation (in really bright or dark settings) and in some cases white balance. Most of the time though, I want a good pont-and-click camera that does a nice job (and since my family also use the camera I need it to be as simple as possible for them).

As I see it, the SD800 has the advantage of being more portable, lighter and less clumsy, while it also has a nice 28mm-equiv lens, which is good for wide angle photos (I'm going to take pictures of some landscapes, so it sounds attractive). On the other hand, the A710 has a more powerful zoom, which may be just the thing for some tricky distance shots, and, being a compact, should have better image quality than an ultra-compact.

So, given a choice between these two, which one would you rather have, and why?


Thanks in advance for your help!

reppans
04-23-2007, 05:48 PM
I'd probably go with a the SD800 if I were you.

I went with the 710 because my priorities included (in order): a Canon, AA batteries, the smallest size possible, full manual controls, and a long zoom. The 710 was the best compromise for my priorities. But if manual controls, AAs and the long zoom are not that important, I'd go for the small size. The way I look at is, you should carry a camera with you 100% of the time, but you only take pix for about 0.01% of the time.

I still have a 4 year old S320 Elph and am still amazed at the quality of the photos that thing can put out.