It may be the slimmest Digital ELPH Canon has ever created, but the impact couldn't be bigger. The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH captivates the senses with bold saturated colors and a daringly original design that matches the intensity of Canon's most innovative camera technology. Even when picture-taking conditions seem pretty unforgiving, you've got Canon on your side. So the shots you used to miss are the images you'll now be sharing, and the movies you never took before will be HD unforgettable.
Canon PowerShot SD780IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Gold)Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
It may be the slimmest Digital ELPH Canon has ever created, but the impact couldn’t be bigger. The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH captivates the senses with bold saturated colors and a daringly original design that matches the intensity of Canon’s most innovative camera technology. Even when picture-taking conditions seem pretty unforgiving, you’ve got Canon on your side. So the shots you used to miss are the images you’ll now be sharing, and the movies you never took before will be HD unforgettable.
PowerShot SD780 IS Highlights
12.1-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer
Canon’s commitment to innovation defines the excitement of the PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH. 12.1-megapixel resolution is more than a number, it’s your cutting-edge link to the outstanding clarity and quality you’ve always wanted in your images. Think bold and big, because razor-sharp oversized prints are a breeze. Get the picture? It’s absolutely brilliant.
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The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH is equipped with Canon’s acclaimed Optical Image Stabilizer Technology that automatically detects and corrects camera shake--one of the leading causes of fuzzy or blurred shots. Even when zoomed in, you can get the steady, crisp, brilliant images you’ll be proud to shoot and share. And Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer Technology is so convenient to use. It functions perfectly with or without a flash.
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The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH lets you record video in beautiful high definition (1280 x 720 pixels). The camera also makes it easy to enjoy HD movies (and still photos) on your HDTV with a mini-HDMI connector for direct connection to a high-definition monitor. You’ll enjoy the HD experience with no degradation of image or audio in the signal, plus the ability to display up to 130 still images at once.
Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper settings
Just set the Canon PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH to Smart AUTO and you’re ready for maximum enjoyment from your picture taking every time. It’s a relaxing and satisfying way to shoot because you can completely concentrate on your subject knowing that the camera has the technical details covered. Advanced Canon technology intelligently analyzes your situation and shooting conditions. Then it automatically selects an appropriate setting from 18 specially defined settings. So whether you’re photographing flowers, a captivating sunset, or your friends at the park, you can be confident that you’re getting dramatic, memorable images.
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Advanced presets for the best possible photos under certain conditions. With 20 Shooting Modes, you’re ready for whatever shot comes your way.
2.5-inch PureColor LCD II and wide viewing angle
The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH gives you a large 2.5-inch LCD screen for excellent control when framing your shots. Canon’s PureColor LCD II offers spectacular color, resolution and contrast even when viewed at an angle. The screen is highly durable and easy to see in any light with a scratch-resistant, anti-reflective coating. It also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light--a perfect feature for gathering friends and family around to see your images.
A World of Advantages with Canon’s Technology
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DIGIC 4 Image Processor
Canon’s most advanced image processor, DIGIC 4, delivers evolved Face Detection Technology that keeps every face in every photo looking its very best. The technology finds and tracks the faces of moving subjects until you’re ready to shoot, then delivers perfect focus. In addition, exposure, flash and white balance are compensated, so that faces exhibit natural skin tones and backgrounds are properly exposed.
iSAPS Technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the advanced DIGIC 4 Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.
A Face Detection Self-Timer automatically detects an increase in the number of faces and makes the appropriate adjustments. For instance, to include the photographer’s face in a group shot, there’s no need to rush in. Just put the camera on a stand or tripod, specify Face Detection Self-Timer, and the camera will wait for the photographer’s face to get on-camera before it takes the shot. Motion Detection tracks moving subjects in a much larger range, and the Servo AF retains focus on a moving subject after the shutter button is pressed halfway--allowing you to wait for the perfect shot without refocusing.
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DIGIC 4 also makes possible the i-Contrast (Intelligent Contrast Correction) system, which controls the compensation level in pixel units to brighten dark areas while leaving bright areas unchanged for better images where the main subject is dark, and more natural transition. The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH can even use i-Contrast in playback mode to adjust images that were shot without the setting activated.
Red-eye Correction provides three options for removing red-eye from subjects in flash pictures.
1) Red-eye Correction during shooting actually identifies and corrects red-eye in human subjects as pictures are taken.
2) The PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH can be set to automatically detect and correct red-eye during image playback.
3) You can manually locate any red eyes in a scene during image playback on the LCD screen, and command the camera to remove them.
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What's in the Box
- PowerShot SD780 IS Digital ELPH body
- Lithium-ion battery pack (NB-4L)
- Battery charger (CB-2LV)
- Wrist strap (WS-DC7)
- Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
- USB interface cable (IFC-400PCU)
- AV cable (AVC-DC400)
Customer Reviews
With such great power comes great resp- ..video?
As many have already left HUGE reviews on this camera I will try to be quick about it, but I did have to review this camera. This camera is great. When I say that I mean it. I work for a camera store and everyday I'm reviewing cameras to people's faces and when this one came out I took one look at it and the features and told my boss "Oh yeah, we'll be out by tomorrow" and we were. It sells FAST. Why? Because it's a GREAT camera.
The form factor can't truly be captured in a picture, you have to feel this thing in your hand to know what everyone's talking about. 9 out of 10 people I show the camera to decide to buy once they've held it. It's small, it's REALLY small. It's just a sexy form. The 2.5 isn't screen isn't because they wanted to be cheap, it's because they couldn't put a bigger screen on there without making the camera a good deal bigger. Same for the 3x zoom.
The Digic IV processor and iSAPS technology means this camera is fast and accurate. It's constantly focusing and letting you know what it thinks you want to take a picture of. It's facial recognition is so fast and accurate, it can track someone running quickly across the screen with a box around their face the whole time. And it picks up faces on magazines, ads, anything that has a human face on it. The iSAPS is constantly changing the mode to better suit what you're shooting and it'll show you the mode you're in while it's doing it(upper left hand corner of the screen).
The 720p high-def video is the one that seals the deal. You know it's fast. You know it's accurate. You know it's easy. But the video, always catches you of guard. "Wait you mean to tell me this camera smaller then my blackberry curve can take high-def video as well as pictures??" Oh it can do more then that. Canon always has a few things thrown into video mode for the fun of it, like color Accent, as in taking away all but one color. Allowing your friend in the red shirt to be the REAL center of attention. And seeing that on the big screen only makes the camera more interesting.
And I even sold myself on buying the camera, with it's sleekness, speed, accuracy, and high-def I just couldn't resist. I'm not telling you to get the camera, but if you do, you won't be disappointed.
Amazing camera very small and beautiful, and superb photos.
Excellent wide angle (5.9mm)lens with 3x optical zoom to 17.9mm. (That's the equivalent of 30 to 100mm in 35mm camera jargon.) The lens is stabilized (IS) and it works well. The wide angle is necessary for interior shots and for landscapes. Stabilization can be selected as continuous, only at shooting, or off for tripod work.The LCD (2.5in) is smaller than several of Canon's SD series, but allows the presence of a bright optical view finder. I consider an optical view finder to be essential for operation in direct sunlight. Photographs are recorded as JPEG, and are magnificent at ISOs up to 200 (above an ISO of 400 noise starts to become apparent). I usually print them at 16x20in on an Epson Stylus PRO 4000. The camera will also record sound (monaural) and High Definition (HD) video (16x9) at 1280x720 pixels, 30 frames/sec as well as standard definition video. Movies are recorded in the MOV format. The program ZoomBrowser EX on the included CD contains a function to convert MOV files to the AVI format. The conversion is a bit slow taking about 10 min for a 1 min clip. The HD movies played on a 42in plasma TV are stunning. On a 16GB SDHC card, the camera will take over 5,000 photos at highest resolution, or about 90 min of HD video. The camera has a mini HDMI port, so videos and/or photos can be displayed on a HDTV through an HDMI cable (sold separately). The SD780 IS offers a large number of shooting modes. I often use the Macro mode to produce 16x20in prints of small flowers that on the final print are 4-times life-size. The camera comes with all the bells and whistles currently offered on many of the newest (and far more expensive) DSLRs. For example, the self-timer countdown can be set to start only after a new face enters the frame. Although most of my photography is with a medium format film camera using Velvia 50, the Canon SD780 IS produces comparable results, and it is always in my pocket. An amazing 12.1 megapixel camera! Congratulations to Canon!
Stye and function
Although my favorite, most frequently used Canon is a cheap, 3mp A410 (it's capable, on occasion, of matching the images on my daughter's Canon SLR with Tamron lens), the Canon SD series is an amazing piece of engineering for its size. Its form and style factor has no doubt spawned a whole new generation of photo fanatics while enjoying wide acceptance by professionals who require compactness without the forfeiture of quality (my brother-in-law is a biologist who swears by Canons, even after a brief fling with Nikon point and shoots). So the recent decision to go with a Canon Elf as a graduation gift was at once a no-brainer and a difficult one. The hard part was deciding between last year's model, the SD770, and this year's SD780.
The conclusion I came to in my first review was not a popular one with Amazon readers, who rightfully made me aware that "shopping" should not be confused with "research." I withdrew the review and "owned" the SD780 long enough to give it a moderately thorough field test before returning it. There's no way to rule out personal, subjective considerations in comparisons such as these, but after handling the cameras and studying the actual results, my preference is still for the SD770. Though I tried to approach the cameras as of equal value (as their retail prices would suggest), I won't deny that the price difference probably influenced my decision. But the images I was able to capture with the SD770 were as sharp, nuanced, and "true" as those of the SD780 if not more so (but bear in mind I still prefer my trusty A410). At first I thought I would be swayed by the newest model's HD video capability, but such was not the case: 1. I noticed no improvement in definition, at least on a 26" LCD screen; 2. Attaching a heavy HDMI cable to a camera as light and minuscule as the SD780 was an incongruity, making me all too aware that the feature is likely to see little if any use; 3. I'm a fan of the "classic" hard edges of the SD770 over the softer and smoother contour of the SD780.
Recently I saw a reviewer who was virtually being piled on and beaten up by readers who assailed his preference of a $15 Sony headphone over their own pricier preference. Then I saw that "Consumers Reports" had the same response as the Amazon reviewer, rating the Sony headphones significantly higher than another headphone set costing 25 times the price of the Sony! Who's to say that the Consumers Reports review is the final word? I won't, nor will I try to pretend that mine should be anything more than one reviewer's impressions that, ten years from now, should matter less to anyone than the camera itself.
