Alright, so the basic features of this camera (minus the tilt shift and fish eye, and the resolution) are pretty much the same as a previous model i owned.I knew what to expect from this camera but with only a few slight improvements. It was the exact same cost as the model I had before (which thoroughly impressed me), so I had no problem switching it out for this one.
The full touch screen made two-handed menu navigation much easier to get through versus having to use buttons with the right and thumb on the left. basically you can safely hold the camera and use both thumbs (or even fingers depending on how you hold it) to use the screen. I dig the fluff features like tapping the side to navigate the photos and clicking (think iphone/ipod touch).
One piece that I will touch on here is the quality of the presets. While there are certain scene settings you would use for certain situations (snow fireworks, etc) they do not do a thorough or specific enough job explaining when you'd want to use this versus the "P" (program). The low light scene setting is the most disappointing. You can't simply flip it on and expect fantastic pictures as if you had a good natural light source. The flash is a default with this, so if you're trying to get something close-up in a darker setting, beware. Otherwise, the setting is OK with a flash, so long as you are not right up on the subject or trying to capture something reflective. I simply have personal presets that I picked out to avoid using the flash at all. Generally for low light settings, I opted to program my own so I can choose the ISO that fits it the best. Just know that the higher you set the ISO, the grainer you pictures will become. This is something that is a universal thing, not just specific to this camera. The same goes with digital zoom. This is a point/shoot camera so it DOES have limitations; I'm well aware of that, so if I need something i know it can't do, I just use my highzoom Fuji or DSLR NikonD3000.
You can't have a single camera that is going to be able to do everything perfectly. But I will say that unlike some other reviewers I found the quality that comes from this model in generalized scene settings or even auto is actually quite good compared to other cameras i've used over the years.
As for the HD video. I have to agree on that point. There was more that could have been done with it. But you know what? People forget this is a still-shot camera FIRST, and a VIDEO camera SECOND. Video recording is an feature, not a function. You will have less options and control with it. same goes for video cameras that take still shots. Often the MPs are lower, and the quality leaves a lot to be desired. The only exceptions are some of the DSLRs with video features, but smooth zooming is often a problem for most people with those. Solution? If you want great HD video recording, get a video camera. There's nothing easier than that.
Battery life is acceptable and about average compared to other model cameras, but if you plan on taking out for an entire day, I suggest picking up a second battery as a back-up. Being forced to use the LCD screen for everything drains the battery fast, but it does have an auto shut-off to conserve energy. While some people don't use it, i will would have liked to have had a view finder, however the lack of one in now way kept me from buying this camera.
Be weary of putting a screen protector on the back. Unless you get one from Canon meant for this model camera, or from an authorized Canon dealer, you can damage the screen. Having a screen protector can interfere with the touch-screen interface.
This isn't the Magic Hat of cameras. Everyone is going to have their own personal view on it and find things they love or hate. My suggestion is if you can find a retail store with a working display, go look at it in person first. That's the best way to judge if its going to suit your needs or not. Or if you know someone who happens to have one, even better. I've already gotten some beautiful 16x20 prints, and 18x24 is pretty good too (however at this size, you need to make sure your picture quality is top notch).
If you're using a high ISO setting, or a longer shutter speed, use a tripodthe slightest shake in your shake WILL blur/ghost the image; again, that is something that happens to all cameras. They sell a variety of smaller tripod (the grypton ones are fun and versatile).
Perhaps in the future these limitations will be eliminated, but that remains to be seen.
All in all, I knew what I was getting from this camera. The price is exceptionally reasonable considering all you get.
I'm not disappointed by any means, because I figured out very quickly how to manipulate the settings to get better picture than the scene settings could produce. It definitely suits my needs for this category of camera; I really just needed this guy to take around the town and on nights out, because who really wants to tote a DSLR with telephoto lenses or a clunky highzoom to a bar ;)
-Update 5/4/2011
So far this camera has been phenomenal for all my picture taking. It even went through some hard times and came out shining. It was left on top of my car and slid down my front window onto my hood as I was driving down the highway. Needless to say it has a dent in it, but the camera works just as well as before and the glass is not scratched at all (I don't use those protective glass covers either) I had intended on using it for low activity days but I have quickly found out that it was actually very rugged. I take it out hiking, snowshoeing or whatever. It slides easily down into my pocket and even when it is raining I don't worry about it. Also, on the picture quality. It is very good. It all depends on how you use the camera. The Foliage setting on the camera really brings out great colors for plants and the point and touch focus is HUGE for focusing in on what you want. There might be better cameras (haven't really researched since purchasing the SD3500is) out there now but if the price is right on this camera I would buy it again.
-Update 8/12/2012
Camera has been working wonderfully since I purchased it two years ago. I take it outside for hikes mostly and it never fails. I did manage to crack the screen on it 6 months ago, but I was able to replace the touch screen. Works just like new. The battery on the camera is awesome. Honestly I almost never have to think about charting the battery. I can think of only 3 times that I have ever seen the low battery warning.I purchased this new at Amazon.
I wanted a pocketable p/s camera to carry for photos of opportunity not requiring a carrying case.
I am comparing this camera to the following p/s I tried before settling on this one.
Sony W200 12 megapixel not wide angle and automatic white balance is way off...always a problem with artificial lighting.
Nikon S570 12 megapixel too automated and too many out of focus pictures.
Sony TX1 10 megapixel -good pictures but not wide angle and I fear the lens cover lid will be flopping around in a few months.
Sony WX1 -10 megapixel-good pictures, nice wide angle, almost a keeper.
Canon SD 980 IS -12 megapixel-good pictures, older model but same price as the newer SD3500 14 megapixel.
Canon A650 12 megapixel, very good pictures, larger sensor, folding screen, but uses AA batteries and is like carrying around half a brick. Not for the shirt pocket.
First if you shoot with a p/s camera invest in Photoshop Elements and Noise Ninja if you want to make 8x10 inch prints or possibly squeeze out an 11x14 inch print. The sensor is tiny and noise is a factor which must be dealt with during editing. You will not get image quality equal to a half frame sensor. If you only want 4x6 inch prints it will not be so noticeable.
Comparing the Canon SD3500 IS to the above I get acceptable prints considering the sensor size, AWB is pretty good but still needs tweaking. Nice wide angle, 24mm equivalent, fits in shirt pocket, touch screen which takes a bit of time to get used to. One factor to consider is the video mode which makes MOV files. Windows 7 will automatically convert these to WMV for watching on your computer but if you want to email WMV files you will have to find a conversion software and quality will suffer immediately.
As to image quality I can only give a 4 as no 1 / 2.3" sensor will give you a 5 quality for the forseeable future. Construction appears to be good as you can get for this price range and things to watch out for is the delicate battery/memory compartment lid.My last camera was pretty ancient a Canon SD630. I bought it some years ago, and it was top of the line. It still takes really good pics for a camera its size. But, I felt it was time to upgrade. When I took my first SD3500 picture, the first thing I noticed was that it did a great job with the colors, even with the flash at close quarters. My second impression was that the photo looked a tad soft compared to my SD630, so I fired up an image editor to look at the quality.
The SD3500 *seems* to favor color quality and accuracy over sharpness. My SD630 seems to prefer sharpness at the expense of color quality. I did a fair test by setting both cameras' flashes off and doing a timed tripod shot of the same subject. The SD3500 produced noticeably sharper images, so my fears that the optics weren't there were allayed. I think if there is softness, it comes from image processing and not from the actual optics.
Auto mode is really, really good. I truly feel confident in leaving it in that mode as it seems to find its footing every time. And when the flash goes off, though I expect to see a whitewashed foreground and a darkened background, I get a very color-rich and white-balanced image. Again, auto mode really works.
Video quality was good, not great. I can get pretty clear 720p video, but it's nothing that will astound anyone. Zoom during shooting is definitely digital, so pre-optical zoom before shooting.
All of my testing tonight has been in low light, so that could also explain some lack of sharpness. Can't wait to try this in the sun.
The touch screen is responsive enough, though I find the photo swiping and pan scrolling gestures to be a bit slow and laggy. Other gestures and button presses work pretty well. Not iPhone quality UI, but not bad at all. Photos and videos look really great as the screen res is very high and colors are very saturated.
Build quality well, Canon always does a great job. The SD3500 feels to me just a hair lighter than it looks, which is a good thing I think. I like the less gawdy design than some of Canon's other designs.
Is this camera better than the SD980? I honestly don't know as my upgrade isn't from that camera. I do know that I really like this camera.
Pros:
Seems to focus on color quality over sharpness
Auto mode always produces good to great results
Touch interface works great, overall, and the side tapping is useful
Touch to focus, smile detector, blink detection, and all that stuff actually does work well.
Image Stabilizer is not overdone, and still gives you responsiveness.
The various shooting modes are fun to play with
Great build quality
Cons:
Some aspects of the touch interface could be more responsive
No optical zoom during video shooting
No high frame rate video modes
HDMI and USB doors are a little hard to get open
Mini HDMI cable is not included. Cmon Canon, it's like $2 from Amazon.
Well, er, seems to focus on color quality over sharpness.This is the third Canon PowerShot digital camera, which I have owned. Each has worked perfectly and the only reason I keep buying new models is that new features are introduced, which compel me to purchase the next generation.... good marketing, Canon!
What I love about this model: the tap-screen back, which enables one to quickly identify what part of the scene is to be tightly focused. And the 24 mm wide-angle lens (speaking in terms reserved for 35 mm cameras) is SENSATIONAL. It enables me to get much richer, more interesting shots than my previous PowerShot SD950 IS digital camera.
While the digital sensor in this point-and-shoot camera is no where near as large as the sensor in my CanonDigital Rebel T1i SLR, and cannot match the impeccable imaging of the larger camera, the PowerShot provides a stunning back-up camera -I am never without it. In Washington DC, last month, I was walking by the US Capital at 10 pm and had only my PowerShot SD3500 IS with me. I caught the gorgeous, lit dome and its mirror image in the reflecting pool in a shot that deserves to grace postcards or calendars. Love my PowerShot!
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