PDA

View Full Version : My experience with the SD500 aka Ixus 700


Jibreel
05-07-2005, 11:25 PM
Peace all

i wanted to share my experience with this camera, i got stiffed with it for one, because i never intended to buy but try it at a local store that gave me 15 days to do so and that i could return it only if it was returned in perfect condition.

1- its very easy to scratch, this is the reason i ended up with this camera instead of its competition models priced way under.

2-It does shoot fantastic photos, 7mp (2,5 MB per pict) at super fine, and has some basic manual features easily accessible.

but here is my breakdown
Pros:
1-great quality photos

2-decent video@ full "PAL/NTSC size",
i added video clips into iMovie/FCP and they blended well side by side with my sony trv-950, i mean there is a deference but again its a small pocket camera i have been using way more then the trv-950 which is huge and makes you hesitate to take out on the way to school for example.

3-looks cool, for those out there with class in mind.

4-i think the battery life is decent, i noticed negative opinions but with my 1 gig SD card it outlasts my photo and video shoots, so for me it seems fare on the edge.

5-fast start up, shooting and switching.

6-fun to connect to TV and watch picts and videos!!!!

2-decent flash compared to competition, i mean its close to not so mcdanalds (florescent) white areas, still decent

Cons:
1-Price (as off april 2005) is a joke. (i pain 489€ for the cam and a 1 gig card) the sd card was 120€ so it was over 600€.

2-there are cams smaller that can compete with this one, maybe not with video been full size and decent though, which is why i had to try it.

3-when you shoot video, DO NOT USE THE ZOOM! its digital and looks terrible.

4-also during video play back, i can not hear anything! audio is very low.

5-noisy microphone as well!

6-gets scratched very easy, i mean easy!, you really need a case, i got this mobile phone case that is a "sock", it protects phones but the cam fits perfectly, you can buy girls ankle size socks and tuck it in, works great.

7-heavy for its size

8-true that the battery could be a little bit longer

9-it would of been nice to add the "direct to wall plug and charge adapter" for the European model rather then a cable to charger.

10-many of my photos come out blurry, i mean you have to hold still at times

11-red eye is there too allot with flash

12-if you use the flash your whites seem better then most little cams this size can handle, but still crappy mcdanalds (florescent) white areas as always

13-add on flash is not worth it

14-the video records in segments and not all the way until the end as Sony cams do

any-case, the cons out number the pros,

ok so what if the quality of the photos are great, for less then this price i can also get a even smaller camera and you can compare them side by side and not tell much deference.

i only have this camera because it got scratched so easily and i could not return it, i hope canon does not make a habit about this as marketing strategy :cool:

Over all when the price drops and canon makes it smaller and lighter i say get one or like it, atleast one that shoots video as good as this and comes with min 7+ MP, at the moment all i can say having it is that i have shot over 15 gigs of picts and videos in the last 2 weeks, that is about a gig a day+!

Anyone else get this camera?

myid
05-11-2005, 09:19 AM
Hi,
I'm glad you posted your experience, I was thinking about this camera and a Cybershot. Now I am definetally not going to buy this.
Thanks!