Digital Elph Jumps to 7.1 Megapixels
Canon's PowerShot SD500 offers higher resolution and takes sharp photos.
Canon's Digital Elph SD500 features a slimmer profile but gains some sexy curves.
Canon's $500 PowerShot SD500 Digital Elph camera brings a slimmer profile and new frills to this popular line of point-and-shoot models. By borrowing the 7.1-megapixel sensor and Digic II image processor from the highly rated Canon PowerShot G6, the latest Elph gets a boost in resolution and performance.
The size reduction is partly due to a switch from CompactFlash storage to the smaller SD memory card. The camera's metal body has gained some sexy curves, too, but it still manages to accommodate a large (2-inch) LCD screen.
In my informal tests of a preproduction model, I shot some sharp and highly detailed snaps. Even photos taken in low-light conditions came out looking bright, though I noticed some noise in the darkest areas. The camera powers up fast, and has no perceptible shutter lag.
A new stop on the mode dial gives you quick access to nine scene modes that can help you with common subjects such as portraits and fireworks.
While not providing full manual control of shutter speed and aperture, most Digital Elph cameras (including the SD500) have a mode that lets you set white balance, ISO sensitivity, and exposure compensation. In addition, the SD500 provides a My Colors setting that allows you to adjust the way it captures colors. Some of these features, such as substituting one color for another, are essentially gimmicks, but I achieved some pleasant results by adjusting the balance among red, green, blue, and skin tones.
Like its predecessors, the SD500 is tough enough and small enough to carry everywhere you go. This upgrade makes getting top-quality photographs even easier.