Canon Powershot SD940 IS - Ultra Tiny...Mega Features
Conclusions
The new tiny but mighty SD940 IS is a true
representation as to how advanced and how impressive Canon PowerShot cameras
really are. The ELPH series has been so popular for many reasons.
Not only do they sport a unique design unlike all others, but break barriers
in terms of what they offer based on their overall size. In fact,
despite just how shockingly small they are getting, they manage to sport the
latest in technology, features and quality that simply all other manufactures cannot compete with.
Breathtaking Design
Just when you thought Canon couldn't make them
any smaller, they come out with a beauty like this that just leaves many in
complete awe. Yes, their SD780 IS is actually just a bit smaller, but
the SD940 IS sports a larger 2.7" LCD that is of high quality. No
cheap plastic here folks. This little beast is one solid camera,
sporting an all aluminum design with a very high quality anodized finish.
Superb Features & Interface
**click to enlarge**
Unlike previous models in this series, the new
SD940 IS sports a much better interface most, like myself, love over older
models. It's much easier to navigate and get to where you want to be.
Despite its size, it is loaded with features and is Canon's first ELPH series
camera to sport a 4x optical zoom. On top of that, Canon also managed
to remarkably squeeze in both the standard mini USB port and mini HDMI,
unleashing additional functionality when connected to your HDTV. It
was tested and actually works as it should.
Impressive Image Quality & Video Capture
This 12.1 megapixel camera will likely satisfy
all who invest in it. Image quality is what you'd expect from Canon
and there are plenty of manual settings that can produce some pretty
impressive pictures. Don't forget one of its major features...720p
video capture capabilities. It does it damn well and as demonstrated
in the sample videos featured in this article, quality is amazing when ample
light is available.
I personally found its video capture quality so
impressive, that I have included an additional sample above taken from a
dive with the optional underwater housing. This tiny camera is not
only capable of taking some impressive pictures, but can manage to record
high quality 720p HD videos when used properly.
Final Thoughts
The new Canon SD940 IS may be remarkably small,
but its size does not impact performance on bit. Canon not only continues to pack in the latest features, but manages to offer all
this in a remarkably small form factor that no other manufacturer can
compete with. With that said, the SD940 IS
earns our highest recommendation.
Pros
Cons
Extremely high quality build
Remarkably Small
Impressive image quality
New 4x Optical Zoom
Larger, vivid 2.7" display
Impressive HD 720p video
Excellent underwater pictures
HDMI port for TV playback
Small buttons may be difficult for those with
big fingers
A bit expensive
More information on the new Canon SD940 IS can
be found on
Canon's Website.
Jump over to the last page for a collection of
pictures taken with this little beast, some quality shots of which were
taken underwater with optional recommended housing.