Product Description This compact and lightweight Canon PowerShot ELPH 7.1MP Digital Camera comes fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The SD500 has a 7.1-megapixel resolution with a 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom. Camera's 2" low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD (118,000 pixels) gives a big image preview and playback. Other features include real-image optical zoom viewfinder; 9-point autofocus; Fast Frame Rate movie mode; PictBridge compatible; SD memory card compatible; built-in flash with auto and red-eye reduction modes and continuous shooting: 2 shots per second. Also includes software, USB and A/V cables and wrist strap. Made in USA. 2-1/4Hx1Wx3-1/3L". From the Manufacturer With a host of new features and a unique "perpetual curve" contoured design, the brushed stainless steel titanium grey 7.1-megapixel PowerShot SD500 continues the PowerShot tradition of pushing compact camera design into new territories. Driven by the same DIGIC II image processing architecture that propels Canon's EOS-1 pro-series digital SLR cameras, the camera features a 3.0x optical zoom, large 2.0-inch LCD, high-quality VGA video clips at 30 frames per second up to the capacity of the memory card, high-speed USB 2.0 connection, 'My Color' in-camera color editing, and a Print/Share button for easy PictBridge direct printing and fast file uploads. Its 7.1-megapixel sensor allows detailed enlargements up to 15 x 20 inches.New Design While still referencing original PowerShot designer Yasushi Shiotani's 'box and circle' concept, the PowerShot SD500 design represents a departure from the traditional rectangular PowerShot. The silky finish and distinctive curves are designed to feel great in the hand, while rounded contours exaggerate an already slender body, 8% lighter than the previous top-of-range PowerShot SD500. The large 2.0-inch LCD screen features a QuickBright function that takes the screen temporarily to maximum brightness for improved visibility when shooting outdoors. A Night Display option improves LCD visibility for composition and framing in low light conditions. A sophisticated mode dial replaces the mode switch of previous models.Blistering Performance Trusted by professional photographers and agencies such as Getty Images for its outstanding image rendering ability, DIGIC II assures superb image quality through improved colour gradation and white balance accuracy. DIGIC II also delivers instant 0.8 second start-up time, uninterrupted 2.0 frame per second shooting until the memory card fills, and the new USB 2.0 high-speed interface for fast uploads. Processing power also supports a new high-speed image playback function, image jump function (with search facility) during in-camera review, fast image rotation, and increased card writing speed. Auto focus speed is 55% faster than its predecessor, thanks to a more compact, redesigned 37-111mm zoom lens and its new rear focusing system, combined with DIGIC II processing.Shooting Features To increase shoot-and-share enjoyment, a Hold function now allows users to extend indefinitely the display of a newly shot image, and to delete it immediately if necessary without the requirement to switch to replay mode. The camera returns to shooting immediately when the shutter button is pressed again. A new My Colors menu gives users pre-capture control over image colors in stills and movies. Nine sophisticated color-editing features include Color Accent, which gives users the ability to convert all but one chosen color of an image to monochrome. Other My Colors functions allow favorite colors to be made more vivid and colors to be swapped--a feature designed for creative or fun purposes as well as practical applications, such as product design or interior decoration planning. Users can choose to save 2 copies of the image--with and without an effect applied. For maximum versatility and ease of use, the PowerShot SD500 has a total of 13 shooting modes. These include Auto, Manual (allowing more experienced or adventurous users to take control of settings such as white balance, exposure compensation and shutter speed, which extend from 15 seconds to 1/2000 second), and stitch assist for creating panoramas. 9 Special Scene modes include portrait, snow, and beach modes for simple set-up in popular shooting situations. A new more powerful flash features 6 modes and has a range of up to 4.8 meters at ISO Auto.New movie features The PowerShot SD500 incorporates a number of new advanced video features. Digital zoom is now available while shooting video and users can record up to one minute at 60 frames per second (fps) for smooth in-camera slow motion playback. Control over slow motion improves with more sensitive, five speed level adjustment, while white balance and exposure adjusts automatically when zooming during video capture. For recording clips suitable for email attachment, a Compact' mode provides for recording up to 3 minutes of 15 fps, 160 x 120 resolution files.Ergonomics Despite successfully decreasing the size of the viewfinder, Canon's engineers have maintained a 16mm eye relief, perfect for prescription eyeglass wearers. The Intelligent Orientation Sensor not only rotates automatically images taken with the camera held vertically, it also improves auto white balance, auto focus and auto exposure by helping the Camera's iSAPS 'built-in photographer's assistant' to take into account likely positions of sky and foreground.Extending Creativity An optional waterproof case allows users to capture exciting marine life stills and video down to 40 meters. The case includes a diffusion plate to counter the 'snow' effect produced by particles suspended in the water, and a double glass lens to prevent fogging. Optional buoyancy compensation weights prevent the camera from pulling to the surface during scuba or skin diving. A new optional High Power Flash accessory, the HF-DC1, further extends the options for night and indoor shooting. With a guide number of 18 (ISO 100, meters), the slave flash automatically fires in-sync with the camera's in-built flash, ignoring any pre-flash. It can be adjusted to three power output settings based on the aperture value of the camera. The unit attaches to the camera with a supplied bracket that maintains the ability to mount both camera and flash on a tripod.Print and Share For photo prints without first uploading to a computer, the PowerShot SD500 supports full PictBridge functionality. When coupled with DIGIC II compact photo printers such as Canon's new Compact Photo Printer Selphy CP600, the camera/printer combination is capable of producing borderless photo prints in just 63 seconds. Wide (100 x 200mm) format landscape printing is also supported with these printers, images being automatically cropped to fit the wide format direct from the camera. Functions such as ID photo print, N-Up (Multi-image) printing, and movie clip series printing are also supported. One-touch upload is available via the print/share button and now supports direct transfer to both Windows and Mac platforms. Software and access to Canon iMAGE Gateway Software supplied includes ZoomBrowser EX (Windows) and ImageBrowser (Mac) for viewing, managing, and archiving images. Other software includes PhotoStitch and PhotoRecord, plus photo manipulation software ArcSoft PhotoStudio. Drivers include TWAIN (Windows 98/2000) and WIA (Windows Me). Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP) support allows the camera to connect to any Windows XP (SP1-2) and Mac OS X (v10.1.5-10.3) system without the requirement for a driver installation. Camera ownership entitles the purchaser to register for 100MB storage space on the Canon iMAGE Gateway, an online gallery where images and movies can be stored in albums and shared to selected friends and family. New My Camera functions (such as shutter sounds and start up images) can also be downloaded to the camera from Canon iMAGE Gateway.
L**.
Absolutely love it
I'm going to state it right away, I am a die-hard Canon fan. I have Canon digital and film slr's, flashes, lenses, bags, the whole deal. But, I'm not so blinded by camera love that I can't spot crap when I see it. I have owned three different Canon compact digital cameras, and this is heads above all, the best of them!I started out with the S400, a camera I had for two years and LOVED. Took about 9000+ images on it. It started to act funny, and I knew it was time for an upgrade so I got the Canon Powershot A95. I never really took to the camera, it was slowwwww to focus, and even though it was step up in megapixel power, the grain was HORRIBLE. The S400 outperformed it in image quality. I especially didn't like the A95 after I took it on a trip with me to Vegas, so two months later I sold it.I saw the SD500 at a store and on a whim, (since it looked so similar to my dear beloved S400) picked it up to play with it. I accidently had grabbed the shutter when I went to pick it up and BOOM, in the span of a millisecond, it had focused and fired off a shot. Right there, I knew I had my new camera.Starting off, the camera is a thing of beauty for the eyes. Smaller in length then my 20GB iPod, (slightly thicker), the camera is a breeze to carry with you at all times. THAT BEING SAID, I've read what other reviewers have written about the camera's durability and rated it badly because the lcd cracked. Just because the camera is 'pocket sized', doesn't mean in any way that you should stick it in your pants pocket. And then sit down with it in there, no less. Anything is bound to break if you do that! Get a sturdy case. It needs to be protected.The camera is so much wuicker to focus then the previous powershot elph models. That strange, slow clicking sound is gone, it focuses in under half a second and fires. The flash recycle time is much quicker as well. No morewaiting (provided you have a properly charged battery in the camera)Regarding battery life, it's pretty average for a rechargeable lithium battery. Alot of people do not like propriety batteries, I don't mind them, I have three for the camera in case I'm on a long trip. There's no reason not to have an extra, you don't want to be caught in the perfect moment to capture a photo and realize you have a dead battery with no alternative.This camera does not have full manual controls, like the A95 does. You cannot adjust the aperture or the shutter speed. This doesn't bother me, as I own a digital slr with full manual controls, but if you do not own an slr and are looking for a compact with manual contorls, this would NOT be the camera for you. Check out the Canon Powertshot A series.The image viewfinder is large enough, at 2 inches. I find myself sometimes getting finger prints on it easily when I go tograb the camera, but those are easily removed. The brightness of the lcd is also user adjustable, which is something you take for granted. I was going crazy when I had the A95 because I couldn't make the screen darker. It was so bright, everything looked blown out and the images looked COMPLETELY different exposure wise once you got them on the computer.This powershot elph camera introduces a few new features that are incredibly neat and worth mentioning.My colors has several user editable functions, like color swap, (two colors that you define that can be exchanged to make a really cool effect) and one of my personal favorites, color accent which lets you define one color, say, a pink shirt a friend is wearing (you point the camera and the color and hit the arrow button and it copies the color data) and it turns everything else in the picture black and white except for that one color so that it stands out. You can acheive this effect in photoshop, but being able to do it this easily in a camer is VERY cool.I also like the option of shooting with positive film color effects. Blues are bluer, greens are greens, and reds are, well, you get the idea. It's different from the vivid mode because it just doesn't blast everything out, it makes the colors pop, but keeps them rich and true looking at the same time. The only gripe I have with this and the color accent features is that you cannot change the iso setting when you are in this mode, which to me, is a gross oversight. These functions are only accessible in the manual section of the camera, you should be able to change the ISO! I mean, you can change the white balance, why not let us be able to change the iso?! The camera would be perfect if you were able to do that...Digital Macro is another really cool feature. You can take macros photos, but much further. It utilizes the digital, not optical zoom on the camera to bring the object closer while still keeping it clear. It works amazingly well, but at 4x, grain starts to become very apparent.The stitch assist (panoramic) mode is still here, but this time you have to click through the menu to find it instead of having it readily avialible on the selection knob. I noticed that you cannot shoot a panoramic sequence in macro mode, which dissapointed me bcause I wanted to try some flower panos. Again, this is an oversight that really would've made the camera sing even more had it been included.The movie mode! Oh my gosh, the movie mode. Best move mode on a canon compact, I believe. Double the FPS. The little movies look great. And unlink the A95, which would cut out after 30 seconds no matter how much room you had on your card, this'll let you keep going.All in all, this is the best compact digital I've owned so far. I didn't think I'd ever be able to find a compact that I've loved like my S400, but I have. And it's better.To sum it up:Pros:Near instant start-up (under .5 seconds)lightning fast focuslightning fast flashImproved color modesAmazing macro funtionsleek designimage quality A-MAZING!lcd screen brightness user adjustiblebest movie mode on a compact!Cons:No iso control in my colors modeno macro in pano modeIn the end, buy a sturdy case, and for goodness sake, have some sense and don't stick it in your pocket and sit on it! You will be happy with this camera if you can follow those rules. If you want a high qaulity compact digital camera with limited manual controls, this is it for you!
J**X
Hindsight is always 20/20 - Made the right decision up front
Before I took the family on a Disney Cruise to the Carribean, I shopped for a digital camera. I spent many nights reading reviews from various sites, compared prices vs features, size, megapix, accessory cost, memory card price,etc. I narrowed it down to a Sony Cybershot vs the Canon. I can say that I am not a pro photographer in any sense, but I enjoy snapping "tourist" photos and ones of the family so one day when I am senile I will remember. THIS CAMERA TOOK FANTASTIC PHOTOS, FOOEY ON THE NAYSAYERS. The only reason their pictures turned out blurry is because they cant hold their hands still!WHY I'M GLAD I DIDNT BUY THE SONY:Sony memory cards are a rip off (try pricing their high-speed ones versus regular SD high speed), their spare batts are a cha-ching, and their fragile LCD's are complained about a lot. Even though the Canon camera itself costs more than the Sony camera did, the Sony accessories would have cost me more than a fully loaded Canon w/ accessories! I'm sure the photos would have been nice also, but the features on the Canon are better and I have a higher megapizel camera for an overall cheaper cost of ownership.CANON'S COOL FEATURES!1. Besides taking gorgeous, rich, color photos, I spent a few minutes reading the manual. If you set it to SCN scene mode, there are a ton of pre-programmed modes that compensate for every setting, beach, night, indoor, close-up plants, and even fireworks. I played with the various modes and I easily figured out which was best for the picture about to take. The Disney cruise ship did fireworks from it and the pix are awesome. Cant wait until the 4th of July!2. Super fast 1 second, ready to shoot time from the pocket. Didnt miss a single action moment!3. Photostich- allows you to take panaramic photos left, right, up and down, then the included software automatically pastes the pictures together! It rocks!4. Battery life was fantastic. I wasted my money on the spare battery (which was a generic Digipower from Best Buy and it died after 20 shots!) I used the camera all day, took photos and motion video and used up the 1gb storage space and the battery never died that day.5. I bought a 1GB high-speed SD card for it from Fry's and I took motion videos with this camera! They play back in Windows media player and I emailed those out; people thought it was from a camcorder! I owned a Panasonic D-Snap and promptly sold it after my trip to Australia last fall. Wish I took the Canon there instead! Make sure you buy the high speed SD cards not a super Sunday sale cheap 512 card for $59! A 1gb high speed is about $80-$100. Also, dont forget to do a low level format 1st!6. Their included software is a little cumbersome to learn, but it works well once figured out. Just wish it had more editing features in it instead of having to use an external software for advanced editing.7. LCD can be seen at 50% level even in full sunlight & zoom was decent for a compact dig cam.CONS (IF ANY)I dont really have any true complaints, but to be fair here are some. Why pack a 32mb SD card? That's worthless, it holds like 7 pictures, Canon ditch it and lower the price instead! Dont like the flappy door thing covering the USB jack, seems cheesy. Camera can get slippery, use the hand strap at all times, thats cheap insurance!Hope this review helps, I know I appreciate the other reviews people posted here, it helped me make the right decision for an investment that costs over $700 with all the accessories.
T**T
Fantastic -- I love It
Based on the reviews on Amazon.com, I purchased the SD500 and have taken about 3,000 shots with it. Its been fantastic in all modes and we have gotten great digital pictures with it. I read worries here about the weakness of the LCD and one reviewer advised getting a clear cover by "'da protector." Very good advise. Its available for $8.00 on Amazon.com.Also, I purchased 2x of the the 1 gigabyte Smartcards from Sansdisk here. We got about 1,500 photos in medium mode on one disk.Also, since the Canon replacement battery is rather expensive, we opted for a backup battery made by the Everready (sp?) battery company which works just as well.The camera is great as it will slip into your pocket (seems safe with the sturdy LCD cover purchased separately). So you can take it anywhere such as a special dinner where you normally wouldn't want to lug around a SLR.If you want to see the quality of pictures in medium mode, I've uploaded a bunch to the photo section. Note that those photos have even been scaled back to 1/2 their pixels with Adobe Elements. But still, they look great on a 17" computer monitor.I would most definitely buy the camera again. Love it!
A**R
One Star
It,s already quit working
Trustpilot
3 weeks ago
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