The PowerShot SD870 IS Digital ELPH Digital Camera incorporates a high resolution 8.0 megapixel CCD, and a wide angle, 3.8x optical zoom lens with an optical image stabilizer for steady zooming in an extremely compact and stylish body. Plus the camera is loaded with features including Face Detection technology, in-camera Red-eye Correction, an ISO 1600 setting for sharper images in low light, and five movie modes including a time lapse movie option.
The exclusive Canon DIGIC III processor makes all of these features possible, plus it ensures that your camera performs quickly and supports the unique iSAPS technology that ensures that your pictures always look their best. Other key advancements incorporated into the PowerShot SD870 IS include auto ISO shift for improved low light shooting and an impressive 3.0" PureColor LCD screen offering enhanced colour reproduction and scratch-resistance.
| Camera Type | Wide-Angle Compact Point-and-shoot Digital Camera |
| Image Quality | |
|---|---|
| Image Sensor | 1/2.5" 8.3 Megapixel CCD |
| Effective Resolution | 8.0 million pixels |
| Color Depth | 24-Bit RGB |
| Color Modes | Vivid, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Custom Color |
| Image File Formats | JPEG (SuperFine, Fine, Normal) |
| Recorded Resolution |
Large (3264 x 2448) Widescreen (3264 x 1832) Medium 1 (2592 x 1944) Medium 2 (2048 x 1536) Medium 3 (1600 x 1200) Small (640 x 480) |
| Video Recording |
AVI Motion JPEG with Audio 640 x 480 @ 30 fps (VGA) 640 x 480 @ 15 fps (VGA) 320 x 240 @ 30 fps (QVGA) 320 x 240 @ 15 fps (QVGA) 160 x 120 @ 15 fps (compact) 640 x 480 @ 1 fps (Time Lapse) 640 x 480 @ 0.5 fps (Time Lapes) Clip up to 4GB or 60 minutes VGA & QVGA @ 30 or 15 fps, up to 2 hours at 0.5 fps/1 fps (Time Lapse), Up to 1 minute at 60 fps (Fast Frame Rate), up to 3 minutes QQVGA (compact) |
| Audio Recording |
WAV format record time up to 60 seconds with image |
| Optics | |
|---|---|
| Lens Type | Canon UA Zoom Lens |
| Optical Zoom | 3.8x |
| Lens Focal Length | 4.6mm - 17.3mm (28mm - 105mm equivalent) |
| Digital Zoom | 4x |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 1.2" (3cm) |
| Maximum Aperture | f/2.8-5.8 |
| Optical Image Stabilization | Yes (Lens Shift-type Optical Image Stabilizer) |
| Accessory Lens/Filter Mount | No |
| Focus Control | |
|---|---|
| Focus Type | TTL Autofocus |
| Focus Modes | Autofocus (9-point AiAF, 1-point AF), Face Priority AF |
| Focus Range |
Normal: 18" (45cm) - infinity Macro: 1.2" (3cm) - 24" (60cm) wide Digital Macro: 1.2" (3cm) - 24" (60cm) wide only |
| Exposure Control | |
|---|---|
| Sensitivity |
Auto ISO High ISO Auto Selectable ISO (80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600) |
| Shutter Type | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Shutter Speed | 15 - 1/1600 seconds |
| Aperture Range | f/2.8-5.5 (max.) |
| Exposure Metering | Evaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot |
| Exposure Modes | Program AE, Auto ISO Shift, Exposure Compensation (±2EV stops in 1/3-stop increments), AE Lock |
| White Balance Modes | Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H), Custom |
| Scene Modes | Portrait, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, Underwater, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, Color Accent, Color Swap, Digital Macro, Stitch Assist |
| Flash | |
|---|---|
| Built-in Flash | Yes (Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Synchro, Flash On, Flash Off) |
| Effective Flash Range | 1.0' (0.3m) - 13.1' (4.0m) |
| External Flash Connection | No |
| External Flash Control | Not Applicable |
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Start-Up Time | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Shutter Lag | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Time Between Shots | Not Specified by Manufacturer |
| Burst Capability | 1.3 fps continuous |
| Self Timer | 2 seconds, 10 seconds or Custom |
| Interval Recording | No |
| Date & Time Stamp | No |
| Memory & Power | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Memory | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Compatible Memory Cards |
Secure Digital (SD/SDHC) Card MultiMediaCard (MMC) |
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| Recording Capacity |
Includes 32MB Secure Digital (SD) Card Still Image Capacity
Video Capacity
|
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| Battery Type | NB-5L Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power Adapter | ACK-DC30 AC Adapter Kit (optional) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Input/Output | |
|---|---|
| Computer Interface | USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) mini-B jack |
| Direct Print Capable | Yes (PictBridge) |
| Remote Control | No |
| Video Output | Yes (NTSC & PAL) |
| Web-Cam Capable | No |
| System & Software Requirements |
Windows System
Macintosh System
|
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Viewfinder | No |
| LCD Display | 3.0" LTPS TFT Color LCD (230,000 pixels) with brightness adjustment |
| Language Options | English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified/Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Ukrainian |
| Playback Options | Single Image, Magnification (2x-10x), Jump, Auto Rotate, Rotate, Resume Playback, My Category, Histogram, Index (9 thumbnails), Sound Memos, Slide Show, Erase (single image, by date, by category, by folder, all images), Movie Playback (Normal Playback, Special Playback, Editing, Erase) |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (HxWxD) | 3.7 x 2.4 x 1.1" (93 x 59 x 26mm) |
| Weight | 5.5 oz. (155g) excluding battery |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Reviewed by 26 customers
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I love this camera especially the time lapse feature. The only thing I have a complaint about is the long shutter option. When using long shutter it automactically sets to widest aperture so you can't really use it other than at night.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
i bought this camera as an upgrade to the canon powershot sd400. its exactly what i wanted. stronger flash to reach further in low-lighting. bigger lcd screen. and just as easy to use. the only thing that is disappointing is the size of the battery changed so while i have an extra battery for the old camera, it wasnt useful and i had to purchase another. i dont have anything negative to say about it.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I bought the Canon SD870 for a 280 mile/five day bike ride and as a camera to take along when "I don't expect to take pictures, but just in case..." I enjoy my Nikon D80 DSLR but in the above cases it simply isn't practical to take a DSLR.
I have taken about 150 plus pictures so far to test the camera's capabilities.
What I like:
1. Crisp/ Sharp, good color enlargements @ 12x18 inches. (at 80-200 IS0)Haven't yet made any 16 x 20 inch OR enlarged at any other ISO.
2. ISO 400 comes out nice at the 4x6 inch size. I haven't enlarged any of these yet to see how they print at a larger size.
3. There is a line item in the menu to mark the view finder to frame the parameters of a 2:3 ratio. This allows you to frame your shot to fit into a standard 4x6 print. These point and shoots are a 3:4 ratio. In printing, the top and bottom 1/4" are cut off, which might also mean that you have cut off the top of someone's head.
4. You can do a lot of the things you can do with a DSLR..ensure proper exposure, establish your focus point, be in control of ISO, custom white balance OR
5. Let your husband turn on the auto and just literally point and shoot...granted the pictures may come out "grainy" if the camera chooses too high of an ISO.
6. I love the 28mm wide angle (for group shots, small spaces and landscape). I do wish that the camera had a longer zoom though.
I am very picky about picture quality and I believe that anyone-professional to newbie -will be happy with picture performance even if this is your only all around camera.
Things that I don't like:
1. The Panasonic is easier to operate from get go. The buttons and dials are more finger friendly. (Thus, the 4 star rating) Although, now that I have learned how the SD 870 works, I am very comfortable with it.
2. General comment about point and shoots. I wish these cameras had a viewfinder. A viewfinder allows you to steady the camera against your body which limits camera shake. This in turns lets you use a lower ISO to get sharper pictures.
I would defintiley recommend the SD 870.
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
This camera is so small you can easily fit it in your pocket and take everywhere. Even more - it takes amazingly great photos - close-ups or wide angle.
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Seems to be very good...quality wise. Really like the wide angle lense.
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I love this camera .. the size is perfect I can keep it with me all the time.The photos (especially daylight) are clear and bright. I love the big screen and easy controls.
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I bought for less thqn 250 USD and it has everything included for this price, the best ratio quality / price wide angle which is sufficient; the stabiliwor works fine and couple with the aiap autofocus it delievrs very nice pics!!!
**
Ah I forgot the cheery on the cake, a huge display on its bback side of 3 inches, and a very easy and intuitive interface of canon!!!
I recommend it
Only weakness 8.0 Mio pixels, but sufficient for most of us....
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I take the camera wherever I go because of its compact size.
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I am a novice at this but I can tell you it is the easiest and accurate camera I have ever used. The lcd is huge, a good thing for older eyes like mine. A true value for the dollar. And it's a Canon.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I take my camera everywhere and put my photos on my blog and facebook.
I like the options and megapixels in camera. I like the size and stabilizer too (doesn't mind is my hand is shaking). I can also take pictures even if the object is moving (somebody jumping).
I'd like a bit bigger optical zoom cause I can't take photos from very far. The digital zoom mostly covers the problem but I don't really like using it.
Pros
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I have been using the camera at a vacation in new york and Florida. It has taken lots of pictures in a high quality, and the large screen makes it easier to review the pictures afterwards. The video capabilities are impressing. However, one day the camera was suddenly out of power, without any previous warning, when I turned it on in the morning on a tour. That was very unfortunate, and I had to purchase a single use camera to cover the whole day. Maybe the camera had been turned on accidently while in the bag, something which is possible since there is no way to 'lock' the power switch. Apart from that, it is a great camera.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I love this camera. I have 2 small children. I am taking many close up pictures and action shots of a 2 year old. This camera is great for both. I had bought another camera 2 years ago and have never been fully satisfied with the close up shots - it was very hit or miss, the pictures would be slightly out of focus. I have not had that problem at all. I wish would have bought this camera sooner. It is easy to use, has a great zoom and the digital macro feature is great.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
This is my pocket camera when I don't want to carry around my DSLR. It turns on quick, takes sharp pictures with fairly low noise, good wide-angle lens, and bright & crisp LCD display.
My only complaint is that there is no way to turn off the flash be default; need to turn it off every time the camera is turned on.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Love the large display on a very compact camera. Takes great pictures and video. We bought one for my daughter then had to get another one for my wife.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Great camera for quick snaps, the 28mm lens is a definate plus.
Fairley intuitive.
Finally bought this modle when it became obvious that Canon was not going to come out with an S90
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Great for people looking for an easy to use camera with great quality pictures. Great camera for the price
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Bought the SD870 to allow us to capture memories easily on the go. It is serving us in this respect very well.
Really pleased with the wide lens and overall good picture quality. The SD870 is very user friendly, and is very well built.
Pictures in low lighting are somewhat grainy, but that's to be expected of the small sensor that comes with this compact camera.
Overall: Really happy with it. =)
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Great for arm chair photographer...great picture quality. Lots of options. Play with the camera to figure out the best settings for the best light/environmental conditions to optimize the photo quality.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
I've purchased two of these; one for my mom and one for a friend. I took the former on vacation with me for a week and had a blast. It is a great little camera that does well in most all conditions. Autofocus is accurate and face recognition appears to work as advertised. The camera kicks out well detailed, colorful, and contrasty images with no post processing needed per se. Although there isn't a dedicated manual mode like the G9, more advanced users will find that without too much trouble you can get the camera to shoot the way you want it to with exposure compensation, flash control, white balance settings, etc. If there was a weak point I would say it would be in lower light. Files appeared clean (tolerable noise up to ISO400), although it always wanted to use a flash in some settings I didn't feel it appropriate. Of course, it was easy enough to set the timer and force the flash off. Image stabalization works well and I could hand hold easily to 1/15 or maybe a little slower with minimal motion blur. Overall I would say fantastic for a novice, OK for a more advanced user, and super portable.
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Comments about Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph Digital Camera (Black):
Many compact cameras in the market, but this SD870 IS offered 28mm wider angle than the other models. Silk solid metal body fell really good when you hold. Not feel cheap plastic like others camera. I looked for high quality compact for year and this one is the answer. Newer model doesn't look and feel like this 870. Quality just about the same great, ready to print. I should buy 2nd before its discontinue.
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