Friday,
Dec 5, 2003 - Here's what I receive in the box:
PowerShot
SD10 Digital ELPH (Colour: Black)
Soft
Case
Wrist
Strap
Li-Ion
rechargeable battery (with cover) and Battery
Charger
32MB SecureDigital (SD) Memory Card (in case)
Interface
Cables: A/V; USB
Documentation
(English & French): User Guide; Software
Starter Guide; Quick Start Guide; System Map
Software CDs: Digital Camera 14.0; ArcSoft Camera
Suite 1.2
The
Canon PowerShot SD10 Digital ELPH comes
with everything you need to start taking pictures.
Let's see: there's a Li-Ion rechargeable battery
and battery charger, a 32MB SD memory card, and
even a soft case. The camera's dimensions are:
90.3W x 47.0H x 18.5D mm / 3.56W x 1.85H x 0.73D
in. and it weighs 100g / 3.5 oz without the battery
and memory card. Even in its soft case, it is
comfortably pocketable (the soft case also has
a flap to hang it from a belt). As such, it is
JeansPocket™
Certified.
The
battery charger is the type that plugs directly
into the wall outlet. The SecureDigital (SD) memory
card is, of course, tiny when compared with the
CompactFlash (CF) card used in most of the other
Canon digital cameras.
Since
I already installed the Zoom Browser and PhotoStitch
when I reviewed the PowerShot
A80, I do not need to reinstall the Digital
Camera Solution CD. My PC runs Windows XP, so
I don't need to install the USB driver.
Concerning
the documentation, the handy Quick Start Guide
is all I need to get the PowerShot SD10 up and
ready for picture taking. Read this card first
before you put in the battery and memory card.
The User Guide's small format makes it
a bit difficult to keep the pages open. I would
prefer the screen shots be a bit bigger because
I find it difficult to see what exactly they are
trying to illustrate. Otherwise, I find the User
Guide well written and I was able to find all
the information I needed to operate the camera.
You
can download a softcopy of the manuals (English
version only, sorry) from Canon Canada's site
and view them in as large a font as you want on
your own PC display monitor: Canon
SD10 Manuals.
There
is an Auto mode and (limited) Manual mode, so
there are not too many settings to customize.
I
take the time to set the PowerShot SD10 to the
way I would like to use it:
FUNC
(Shooting mode):
Shooting
mode = Auto (other available choices: Manual,
Long Shutter, Macro, Stitch Assist)
Image Size = L 2272x1704 (other available choices:
M1 1600x1200, M2 1024x768, S 640x480)
Image Quality = S Superfine (other available
choices: Fine, Normal)
MENU
(Rec. Menu tab):
Quick
Shot = ON
Self-timer
= 2 sec.
AF-assist
Beam = ON
Digital
Zoom = Off
Review
= 10 sec.
MENU
(Set up tab):
Mute
= OFF
Volume
= set up just loud enough to hear
Info
Display: Shooting Info = ON, Review Info = ON,
Replay Info = Detailed
LCD
Brightness = set to your preference
Power
Saving: Auto Power Down = Off; Display Off =
3 min.
Date
and Time
Clock
Display = 5 sec. (in Shooting mode, depress
SET button for about 2 sec., to see the date
and time displayed)
File
No. Reset = Off
The
included 32MB SecureDigital (SD) memory card holds
about 14 SuperFine Large (2272x1704) images. I
recommed you get a 256MB SD card, which would
hold 100+ SuperFine Large pictures.
Krispy
Kreme
6.4mm, Auto, Evaluative
1/320 sec., F2.8 and ISO Auto
First
impressions
The
PowerShot SD10 is without doubt a fashion statement.
It's design is elegant in its simplicity and the
availability in four different colours scream
"individuality." It's surprisingly easy
to hold the SD10 in your right hand only, but
due to its ultra-compact size, you may prefer
to use your left hand to stabilize it to prevent
possible camera shake. It is well balanced and
operation is quite fast. Start up time is about
2 sec. and shot-to-shot time is about 3 sec. (using
flash). Shutter lag is negligible. A QuickShot
mode optimizes focus (hence probably bypasses
autofocus, saving time) and allows you to depress
the shutter release button in one press to catch
a candid shot.
The
PowerShot SD10's 1.5 in. LCD has 78,000 pixels
resolution and is fine to use to compose but not
to review. For most everyday shots, and considering
that this camera is probably going to be mostly
used for snapshots, this should not matter at
all. I was glad to see that coverage is pretty
much 100%.
Transferring
images from the PowerShot SD10 to my PC is just
a matter of connecting the USB cable into the
appropriate slots. Slide the Mode Switch to Playback
Mode, and turn on the camera. At the computer
screen prompt, I select Zoom Browser EX and the
images are transferred. It takes about 4 sec.
to transfer one image on my PC (Windows XP Home,
512MB, 1.6GHz P4). Once done, I just unplug the
cable at both end, and I'm done. There is no need
to turn off the computer at any time. I make sure
all the images have been transferred successfully,
and to erase the pictures from the camera, I switch
to Playback Mode, go into MENU and select ERASE
ALL.
In
Shooting mode, the four way controller serves
as dedicated function buttons for self-timer (2
or 10 sec.), flash and single-frame erase. Since
a small camera is prone to camera shake, the self-timer
set at 2 sec. is quite a convenient feature.
Most
other functions are available through the FUNC.
button. You can set the amount of time a captured
shot remains on the LCD (after capture) for review
from 2 to 10 sec., or OFF. A half-press of the
shutter release button immediately sets the camera
back into Shooting mode. So, even if you set review
to 10 sec. you can still quickly get back to Shooting
mode so you do not miss a snapshot opportunity.
In detailed Playback mode, a histogram displays
and is a very good way to judge whether your image
is under-, over- or correctly exposed. See Page
41 of your User Guide for a simple explanation
of how to use the histogram on the SD10, or read
our tutorial: Understanding
the Histogram.
There is a limited Manual mode for adjusting exposure
compensation (+/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps), White Balance
(Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent
H), ISO (50, 100, 200, 400), Photo Effect (Vivid,
Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia, B&W), and
Light Metering Mode (Evaluative, Center-Weighted
Average, Spot), though you cannot set shutter
speed and aperture.
The
Canon PowerShot SD10 Digital ELPH is point-and-shoot
easy to use and has the image quality Canon is
famous for. Its ultra-compact size as well as
elegant design makes it an anywhere, anytime camera
perfect for any occasion.
