Canon PowerShot SD950 IS Compact Digital Camera - Performance
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Performance and Image Quality
My research has shown a mixed bag of performance numbers for the Canon SD950 IS. While the SD950 uses the same Digic III processor as its predecessors, it has slightly slower performance than these other models. This slower performance probably has something to do with the increased resolution of the SD950. I focused on two different sources to find out performance information on the SD950, and I will give a brief summary of what both sources said.
CNet
CNet thought that the SD950 performed well for a 12 mega-pixel camera, but not as well as other lower resolution cameras. Their labs concluded that the average start-up time of the SD950 was 1.3 seconds. They also found that typical shot-to-shot times were about 2 seconds between shots, making the speed of this camera about average. Continuous shooting speeds also showed only average results for the SD950 at 1.6 fps.
CNet seems to conclude that unless you plan on printing a lot of 11x 17 inch (or larger) photos, you should go with a lower-pixel camera with better performance.
Steve's Digicams
Steve's Digicams painted a slightly different story for the SD950's performance. This site claims that "shooting performance was very impressive for an ultra-compact camera." The numbers calculated in their performance tests were slightly lower than CNet's numbers. This is quite common, because performance depends upon many different variables including the type of memory card used during testing and the amount of lighting in the test shot area.
Looking at both of these sources, I can conclude that the performance of the SD950 is above average when compared to the competition. I do agree with CNet, though, when they stated that you should choose a lower resolution camera if you don't plan on printing large photos. You'll get better performance from a comparable lower-pixel camera in many cases.
Image Quality
When it comes to image quality, my research shows that the Canon SD950 IS is excellent. This is no surprise; for the past few years Canon has surpassed every other camera manufacturer in terms of image quality. The combination of 12 mega-pixels, OIS, autofocus (and other auto-settings), and a great lens create exceptionally good quality images. Image quality is one area where you can almost always put Canon ahead of the class.
The only downside to the SD950's image quality was the quality of images taken at high ISO levels. This camera is capable of ISO 3200, but at those levels the images are not usable because of image noise (blurriness). I found that the SD950 produces good quality images up to ISO 200, and then quality started to diminish once you hit ISO 400. At ISO 800, only very small prints are usable, while larger prints will exhibit lots of image noise. Comparable cameras typically produce better-looking photos at ISO 400-800 than the SD950 does.
Overall, the Canon PowerShot SD950 IS is a great pocket camera with some nice features built in to its titanium body. The $400 price tag may be a bit high when compared to other cameras in its class, but for those people who need 12 mega-pixels of resolution, this is a great camera to have.
Sources: PopPhoto, CNet, Steve's Digicam
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