At the very first glance, the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS does not look like anything from the Canon stable. For one thing, it is not the trademark silver colour. It is also not typically ‘boxy' like most of the previous Canon designs. A lot of things have changed in terms of the buttons, look and feel as well. This time around, Canon seems to have gone in for the brushed metal look. One thing though is that the surface is a scratch magnet. If you decide to throw this camera into a bag with various other metal items, coins etc, you might end up with more wear and tear than you bargained for. Alternatively, you could pick up an outer case though I'm not sure any are out in the market.
In terms of features, the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS is of the standard point and click variety. It is really compact (will definitely appeal to the backpacker or trigger happy varieties who are always ready for that candid shot) but the compact size and design does not compromise on any major features. Their display for instance is a decently sized 2.5 inch LCD screen. The sensor is 12.1 megapixels. You also have a 3x zoom. The additional facet is that this is Canon's very first camera that comes with the latest gen image stabilization technology. Even if at the surface, the camera does not have very much to offer, the proof of the pudding lies inside. One of the things I liked the best about the SD780 is the fact that it comes with a new technology called the ‘Smart Auto'. What this essentially does is to identify a scene based on a pre-determined set of eight scenes and adjust the setting accordingly. Makes it ideal for less advanced users!
The killer app as far as this camera is concerned however is the HD capability. In addition to the basics like video recording, the PowerShot SD 780 IS is HD-ready for output to a HD display unit. The innovative new movie recording feature provides an unbelievable resolution of 1280×720. The flash could have been a tad stronger though and currently, the recharge time it takes is not top of the line.
The main crib one could have with the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS is the fact that for a camera that seems to be loaded with so many features, it feels rather basic. I don't really know if this has got to do with the look and feel of the camera or with the over promise of the 12.1 mega pixel resolution, but overall, the camera actually feels like it could have performed better if it tried. But considering the price range and price to features ratio, I'm sure sufficient number of people will be more than happy with this clicker.
