Canon PowerShot SD10 Review
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Review
Date: Dec 22, 2003 |
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Photoxels
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Image Quality
The
Canon PowerShot SD10 Digital ELPH is a
digital camera targeted to point-and-shoot photographers
and its image quality is comparable to other 4
megapixels resolution digital cameras.
For this review, I use the following settings
as my preferred settings:
-
Shooting Mode: Auto
-
Metering Mode: Evaluative
- ISO:
Auto
- Image
Size: 2272x1704 (Large)
- Image
Quality: Superfine
- White
Balance: Auto
All the pictures on this and the other pages (including
the navigation pictures at the top of each page)
have been taken by the PowerShot SD10 for this
review. The pictures on this page provide a good
sample of what the PowerShot SD10 is capable of
and I have provided the 800x600 version. Remember
that this version is of slightly lesser quality
than the original 2272x1704 version. Please open
and download only once to your hard drive -- and
save me some precious bandwidth. Thanks!
|
Clicking on a picture will display the 800x600
version image in a separate window. Leave
that separate window up for all the other
images will also display in that same separate
window. |
 There
is nothing like a school bus with its bright yellow
body, red and orange lights, and black markings
and wheels to check out the colour capabilities
of the PowerShot SD10. Here, colours are faithfully
reproduced. We can also see the dirt and grit,
and even the electric wires and tiny pebbles under
the bus. Focal Length 6.4mm, Auto, Evaluative,
shutter speed 1/250 sec., aperture F5.6 and ISO
Auto. [File size: 1.7 MB]
 Here
is another "colour test" since most
playgrounds are the same colour (at least here
in Toronto -- perhaps fabricated by the same firm?).
The sun is low in the sky, but the colours again
come out faithfully. This is also our "tree
branches against bright sky test" and the
SD10 suffers the usual chromatic aberration (the
purplish colours along the branches) as most other
digital cameras. Unless you take lots of similar
type pictures (subject against bright sky), this
is easily corrected in any image editing software
and certainly not a problem if you print 4x6 in.
or view on a screen monitor. Focal length 6.4
mm, Auto, Evaluative, shutter speed 1/160 sec,
aperture F2.8 and ISO Auto. [File size: 2.5 MB]
 Here
is a view of the skylight above Santa's castle.
The Auto White Balance is fooled a bit here with
all that natural light streaming in, rendering
the castle a slight greenish tint. Exposure itself
is right on the mark with Evaluative metering,
keeping details in both shadows and highlights.
Focal length 6.4mm, Auto, Evaluative, shutter
speed 1/160 sec, aperture F2.8, and ISO Auto.
[File size: 1.8 MB]
 Though
not an interesting composition in itself, this
pictue nevertheless demonstrates that the SD10's
Auto White Balance and Evaluative metering works
quite well outdoors. Because the snow reflects
so much light, a camera's meter is easily fooled
and tends to underexpose the shot. But, here,
the SD10 faithfully reproduces the glaring white
of the snow and exposes the pebbles correctly.
You can almost taste the snow. Focal length 6.4mm,
Auto, Evaluative, shutter speed 1/800 sec, aperture
F5.6 and ISO Auto. [File size: 1.8 MB]
 Driving
past in my car, it just seems too dark in the
day to take a picture of the Famous Players movie
theatre. I make a U-turn and pull into the parking
lot to try it anyway. Imagine my pleasant surprise
as to how well this shot turns out! The 1.5 in.
LCD is approximately 100% coverage, but somehow
I miss the tail ends of the two parked cars and
include them in the picture, doh! The movie titles
are clear enough to read. Focal length 6.4mm,
Auto, Evaluative, shutter speed 1/60 sec., aperture
F2.8, and ISO Auto, with Flash. [File size: 1.8
MB]
 With
sunset shots, you have to be quick or they are
gone in an eyeblink. This is right in my neighbourhood
as I was about to turn into my street and call
it a day. I make a last minute decision and veer
toward the park. I like the fact that the PowerShot
SD10 has managed to properly expose for the setting
sun, bringing out the colours really well. A bonus
with the presence of snow on the ground: footsteps
and the blades of grass pushing through add to
the composition. As far as composition is concerned,
I used The
Law of Thirds here, giving the sky about 1/3
of the frame. Focal length 6.4 mm, Auto, Evaluative,
shutter speed 1/100 sec, aperture F2.8 and ISO
Auto. [File size: 1.8 MB]
 "Premium
gasoline at 50 cents a gallon." Look closer
and you see this is not just a decorative piece
of an age gone by, but it is also a working clock.
Check out the sale price! Even though this may
be a classic, I'd rather spend the money on the
SD10! The PowerShot SD10 handles this indoor shot
with flash pretty well, though the dark patch
on the left indicates the reach of the flash does
not extend past that distance (2m / 6.6 ft). Focal
length 6.4mm, Auto, Evaluative, shutter speed
1/60 sec, aperture F2.8 and ISO Auto, with Flash.
[File size: 1.4 MB]
 This
is not an easy shot since the late sun is shining
straight into the glass. I move to the left and
use one of the columns to hide the sun. With strong
shadows and bright sun, this is a good test of
how the PowerShot SD10 handles this kind of two
extremes exposure situations. Details are kept
in the shadows but the highlights are blown. Faced
with this kind of extreme lighting situations,
you may want to switch to Manual and dial in a
negative exposure compensation (say, -1/3EV) to
save details in the highlights. Then regain the
details in the shadows in an image editing software.
Focal length 6.4mm, Auto, Evaluative, shutter
speed 1/200 sec., aperture F2.8 and ISO Auto.
[File size: 1.5 MB]
 Bell
peppers come in the most beautiful colours: green,
red, yellow and orange. The Auto White Balance
is spot on here even under fluorescent lighting,
as is the SD10's auto exposure using flash. In
some ways the simpler the camera, the easier it
is to take lots of pictures of everything you
see, anytime, anywhere. Focal length 6.4mm, Auto,
Evaluative, shutter speed 1/60 sec, aperture F2.8
and ISO Auto. [File size: 1.7 MB]
 This
is not quite a close up shot. I simply walk in
as close as I can so as to get the engraved numerals
to fill the frame. The Richmond Hill Library is
celebrating 10 years of existence. I like that
the PowerShot SD10 manages to capture even the
minute details in the concrete wall. Focal length
6.4mm, Auto, Evaluative, shutter speed 1/125 sec.,
aperture F2.8, ISO Auto. [File size: 1.6 MB]
 Everytime
I visit this particular restaurant in Mississauga,
I try to take a couple of pictures of the fish
swimming in the pond. I have so far not been able
to obtain good pictures because either the flash
has been too strong or the shutter lag too long.
Imagine my pleasant surprise when I take out the
SD10 from my pocket and snap away just out of
habit. Could have been sharper (probably camera
shake), but I just like the effects of the water
ripples and streaks of light. Focal length 6.4mm,
Auto, Evaluative, shutter speed 1/60 sec, aperture
F2.8 and ISO Auto. [File size: 2.2 MB]
Need
a place to upload your photos? Free photo sharing
and photo hosting web site at cassepoze.
A
Personal Word
The
Canon PowerShot SD10 Digital ELPH is very
easy to use and produces quality 4MP pictures
in Auto mode. It is really a "You Press the
shutter, the camera does the rest" proposition
with properly exposed pictures even in the most
difficult lighting situations -- outdoors and
indoors (though be prepared to deal with "red
eyes" with flash indoors).
In Playback mode, you can select to view detailed
information about your captured images, including
a histogram. All you really need to know about
using the histogram is on Page 41 of the User
Guide: by reviewing the histogram you get instant
feedback on whether your image is too dark or
too bright. If it is too dark, retake the picture
again and give it a positive exposure compensation
(say, of +1/3EV); if the histogram says the image
is too bright, give it a negative exposure compensation
(say, of -1/3EV). [More details in our tutorial
on Understanding
the Histogram.] This is a nice feature to
have and may tilt the balance when more advanced
photographers are considering which ultra-compact
take-anywhere digital camera to purchase.
The
Canon PowerShot SD10 looks extremely good not
only on the outside, but it also performs to expected
Canon quality. As a point-and-shoot camera, pictures
come out consistently good. Advanced amateur photographers
looking for an ultra-compact digital camera will
appreciate the limited Manual mode as well as
the high image quality it provides.
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