Canon PowerShot SD940IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-inch LCD
Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at
5:53 am
- 12.1-megapixel resolution; 28mm wide-angle lens with 4x optical zoom and Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer
- Capture 720p HD movies; HDMI output connector for easy playback on your HDTV
- Crisp 2.7-inch PureColor System LCD with wide viewing angle
- Improved Smart AUTO intelligently selects from 22 predefined shooting situations
- Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Product Description
Your camera says a lot about you – and according to Canon’s PowerShot SD940 IS, you’re into hot design and cool technology. Emerging from your jeans pocket or purse like a sleek little jewel, the PowerShot SD940 IS makes a statement before you even take a picture. And the menu ensures easy access to all its advanced Canon technology, where 12.1 megapixels, improved smart auto mode and 720p HD movies are just the beginning…. More >>
Tagged with: 12.1MP • 2.7inch • Angle • Camera • Canon • Digital • Image • Optical • Powershot • SD940IS • Stabilized • Wide • Zoom
Filed under: Canon Powershot SD
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I needed a replacement for my Casio card camera (I broke the LCD). One of the best things about it is its cradle, connected to both computer and power; just drop it in the cradle and it charges, push a button and it transfers images. But the new version do not come with a cradle; you have to take out the battery each time you want to charge it. This is so bad for so many reasons. So I went searching for a replacement.
And I found this camera. I played with it extensively in a couple of stores and was tremendously impressed. First, it’s almost as thin as the Casio card cameras. Second, it feels solid, not plasticky. It’s responsive. The main controls are easy to use, and the screen is big enough and bright. The auxiliary controls (menus and stuff) are a bit challenging because they are flush to the camera body. And I was not able to find the scene modes that make the Casio cameras so incredibly useful (for example, the whiteboard mode or the eBay mode, both of which just work). Interestingly, there;s a cover in the upper right that has both a USB and an HDMI connection. Wow.
But this camera suffers fro the same fatal flaw as the new Casio cameras: you have to remove the battery to charge it. Here are the issues with that design decision:
First, opening and closing the cover. The cover was not designed to be opened and closed so much. Over time, the hinge will likely loosen, or worse, deform.
Second, it’s so much ore work to open the cover, take out the battery, find the charger, put the battery in the charger, wait for the charge, put the battery back in the camera. Some might say “well, it’s not that big a deal.” But usability isn’t just about big deals, about fixing big frustrations. It’s about the little deals, fixing the little frustrations, the little things that, by themselves uses don’t often notice, but that add up over time. This is one of those. And it doesn’t have to be: It’d be so easyto simply either provide a cradle or be able to just plug a cable into the camera.
Which brings me to, third, the battery doesn’t charge when you plug the USB cable in. Huh?? This is so mind-boggling stupid it defies description.
Let’s not that this Canon camera is not cheap. It’s not competing on price, but on quality (as Canon rightfully should). So to leave out this capability on such an otherwise high quality device completely undermines the trust in Canon engineering.
To be fair, having worked in high tech for so many years, I’d wager that this really was less of an engineering decision than a management decision. They didn’t want to add the small cost it would take, or they wanted to push the model to market before the engineering for it could be completed, something like that.
This camera is so new that the major camera review sites ([...]) haven’t given it a real run-through, but I’m guessing that the photo quality will be to the usual Canon high standards. And if it wasn’t for this incredibly annoying flaw, it’d have been in my cart and in my hands by now. But this is a real deal killer. My search will continue, with the very real hope that Canon engineering (or management) will pull their heads out of their…you know…and fix this in this camera’s successor, turning it from a 1-star product into very likely a 5-star product.
Rating: 1 / 5
I like the removable battery feature because I always carry a spare. One can be in the charger while you still have the use of the camera. I haven’t tried the camera yet – waiting for the price to come down or my SD 750 to break. I have had great experience with Canon though and expect this model to be as good as any others this size.
Rating: 5 / 5
Great improvement over the Canon SD700IS
which I gave to my son.
Have not been able to get the video’s to
play on my XP computers YET
Rating: 5 / 5
Let me start by saying i’ve played with the SD780, SD960, and SD1200 extensively. Upon opening the box I was immediately impressed by the design of the camera. The camera is SO much better than what I imagined – what I mean is the body is MUCH nicer compared to the 780 and even better than the photos. Online it looks like a SD780 – but I think it is much better in the build, and the 2.7″ screen IS that much larger. It has a solid sleek feel, very thin, but not CHEAP and not so thin or small i’ll drop it. Overall I love this camera. Has all the excellent features of the newer Canon models we’ve come to love! i think this camera is well the money.
Having said all that – the photos are mostly good, but not as consistent as I’d like them to be. This is trus of any of the newer cameras that I have played with, though. my other two concerns are the lens seems to make actual noise while focusing – i do not know if this is a defect or normal. Secondly, photos with the flash are interesting – a lot of edging do you call it? I took a photo in daylight and flash kicked in but background looks like nighttime (indoor). a little weird. Resolution is great! Low light photos with flash are awesome and crisp. can’t have a shaky hand with no flash. If you are a first time Canon user (like I was a few months ago) it takes a little time to get used to how to get clear shots, but then once you figure it out it’s good. All in all – I think this is going to be one of Canon’s best sellers. As far as comparison to the SD960 it very comparible in features and quality – but the design is very different. I miss the scroll feature of the SD960, but it’s easier to delete photos on this one. I did not own a SD780, I just played with it in the store on several occasions, but I could never get used to it – so I think the SD940 is better in design and ease of use as far as navigation goes. not sure on picture QUALITY COMparison.
Rating: 4 / 5
This is my first pocket camera. I am very pleased with the size (that is why the expensive price tag), I like the ease, the ability to turn off the sound, the less lag time, the quick response. I only have 2 batteries, will need to purchase more. I am currently getting about 2 hours per battery as it is in continual use with photos of cemetery headstones (genealogy).
The camera was recently pruchased and the ease of use is great! My favorite feature is the low light without flash. This is my reason for choosing this model. Thanks to previously read reviews.
Yes, I would purchase the camera again for this purpose.
Rating: 4 / 5