Canon PowerShot SD600 6MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
From the Manufacturer
Equipped with the latest Canon technology, the PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph gives all the
power you'd expect from a high resolution camera and more. Packed with a full array of
Canon's most popular and convenient shooting features, this Digital Elph has a sleek,
ergonomic design that will turn heads.
High resolution and superior comfort
Better shots, easier replay
PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph incorporates a large 2.5-inch LCD screen for a truly
eye-opening view. This high-resolution screen offers a crisp, clear picture and wider
viewing angle to make shooting, playback, and using the camera's menu functions especially
convenient. And when you're shooting at dusk or at night, the Night Display function lets
you see the display clearly. It brightens the object while you compose your shot by
reducing the frame rate on the LCD screen.
Canon innovation enhances your experience
The PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph features new ISO 800 and High ISO Auto settings that
reduce the effects of camera shake and sharpen subjects in low-light situations with high
shutter speeds, giving you greater flexibility for shooting.
Advanced imaging technology improves every photo
DIGIC II Image Processor
Canon's DIGIC II Image Processor is designed to improve processing speed and image
quality, so DIGIC II provides markedly faster startup, autofocus, and playback, plus it
assures that every image is more colorfully vibrant.
iSAPS Technology
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 fast DIGIC II Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as
well as exposure and white balance.
Shoot and view wide images
The PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph includes a 16:9 widescreen resolution option, producing
images and film clips that are perfect for your widescreen TV or computer monitor.
Superior quality movies
Fast Frame Rate Movie Mode allows you to record extremely smooth, full-motion movie clips
for up to one minute long in QVGA at 60 frames per second (fps) (320 x 240 pixels). With a
highly flexible movie mode, you can create the movie that's perfect for any application.
Select from VGA (640 x 480 pixels) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) with frame rates of 30 fps
and 15 fps for recording up to 1 hour or 1 GB. Plus, Compact Movie Mode (QQVGA; 160 x 120
pixels) records at 15 fps for up to 3 minutes.
Shooting Modes
Auto: The camera chooses all the settings so you can concentrate on your subject.
Manual: The ultimate in creative control, you set ISO speed, exposure compensation and white balance.
Portrait: The camera sets a large aperture, focusing the subject and artistically blurring the background to make your subject "pop."
Foliage: Capture brilliant shots of autumn foliage, greenery and blossoms.
Snow: Shoot clear snow scenes without darkened subjects or bluish tint.
Beach: Get clear shots of people at a sunny beach without darkened faces.
Fireworks: Grab brilliant images of skyrocketing fireworks.
Underwater: Capture underwater images with reduced backscatter effect. (Note: Optional Waterproof Case WP-DC2 required for shooting any underwater images)
Indoor: Reduce blur and improve color accuracy when shooting handheld indoors.
Kids and Pets: Reduced focusing time freezes fast-moving subjects, so you won't miss those special shots.
Night Snapshot: Get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.
Color Accent: Choose to retain a single color in your image while other colors turn monochrome.
Color Swap: Select a color and replace it with a color you specify for special effects.
Digital Macro: Shoot larger-than-life close-ups with one-button simplicity.
Stitch Assist: Build awe-inspiring panoramas by neatly aligning sequential images.
My ColorsVivid Blue: Emphasize the sea, sky and other blue areas.
Vivid Green: Add vivid dimension to greens for extraordinary nature shots.
Vivid Red: Charge up red objects in your images for extra impact.
Neutral: Produce images of subtle, elegant tonality.
Sepia: Recreate the look of vintage photographs.
Black and White: Deliver enhanced clarity - especially useful when shooting text.
Positive Film: Combine "Vivid Blue," "Vivid Green," and "Vivid Red" to achieve a positive film effect.
Lighter Skin Tone: Make your subjects' skin tones lighter.
Darker Skin Tone: Darken skin tones a shade.
Custom Color: Finely adjust brightness and vividness, and set your preferred balance of blue, green, red, and skin colors.
The complete print solution The PowerShot SD600's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the SD600 to a Canon CP, SELPHY, or PIXMA Photo Printer or any PictBridge-compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button, and print! (Printer not included--must be purchased separately.) Also use the Print/Share button to transfer images to a computer (Windows and Macintosh).
What's in the Box
PowerShot SD600 body, Lithium battery pack NB-4L, battery charger CB-2LV, SD memory card
SDC-16M, wrist strap WS-600, Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM, USB interface cable
IFC-400PCU, AV cable AVC-DC300
Product Description
Equipped with the latest Canon technology, the PowerShot SD600 Digital ELPH gives all the
power you'd expect from a high resolution camera and more. Packed with a full array of
Canon's most popular and convenient shooting features including 16:9 widescreen mode, ISO
800 exposure, Fast Frame Rate Movie Mode, and brilliantly large 2.5" LCD screen, this
Digital ELPH has a sleek, ergonomic design that will turn heads. Built-in Flash with Auto,
Auto w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Flash Off, and Slow
Synchro settings Shooting Specs - Auto, Camera M, Portrait, Special Scene (Foliage, Snow,
Beach, Fireworks, Underwater, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Color Accent, Color Swap), Night
Snapshot, Digital Macro, My Colors, Stitch Assist, Movie; 2-sec./10-sec./Custom
Self-Timer; Continuous shooting at approximately 2.1fps JPEG images and AVI movies stored
on SD Memory Card or MultiMedia Card (MMC) (sold separately) A 16MB SD Card is included,
however we suggest purchasing an Optional 512MB memory card. It will allow you to store a
lot more Video and images, as well as take advantage of the camera's high Resolution
abilities. Print directly to Canon CP/SELPHY Compact Photo Printers, PIXMA Photo Printers
and PictBridge compatible printers via USB 2.0 Cable without a computer using the
dedicated Print/Share Button! Interfaces - USB 2.0 (mini-B jack), A/V out (NTSC/PAL)
Approximate Unit Dimensions - (WxHxD) 3.39 x 2.11 x 0.85; Unit Weight - 4.94 oz. (without
battery and memory card)
With under a hundred bucks separating the first five models, a consumer might well be in a minor dither about which to get. Currently most Amazon consumers are bucking the adage "newer is better" and going with the SD600 (which the tech people at Cnet support, giving it a rating identical to or higher than the slightly larger and heavier SD700 and recent SD800 and SD900, both with Digic III processors). Perhaps their thinking is like mine: first, its dimensions (width, depth, and height) are smaller and its weight (under 5 oz) lighter than the other six models (the 500's are the largest, and the 630, in fact, is a bit of an oxymoron: a bigger screen to accommodate failing eyes but tighter and tinier controls for those same eyes to locate and navigate); second, the 600 is the only one of the seven that maintains the original Canon Elph aesthetic of perfectly square angles at all corners of the camera (the contoured look that Canon is beginning to introduce is, I confess, a slight offense to my eye). Finally, in the category of set-up time for the first and each subsequent shot, the 600 is comparable in speed with the other models, rated a nano-second behind the 800 but better than the 900. Moreover, the price at this time is right (though don't expect this model to be around much longer). If you can live with a "mere" 6 megapixels and shoot with a sufficiently steady hand to ignore the absence of the 700's image stabilizer feature this may very well be "the one" for you. (Not for an eternity, but in our world of rapidly changing technology even an "extended honeymoon" of several years has to be considered equivalent to a lasting marriage.)
If it needs a further recommendation, my botanist son-in-law, who owns an SD500, is about to order a supply of the smaller and lighter 600's to put in the hands of his students in the field.
Postscript: Contrary to a later reviewer's claim, this camera does not have an "anti-shake" feature like the SD700. I've never had a problem with shaky pictures, but should you observe jittery images, try shooting through the viewfinder for a firmer grip (which is lacking, by the way on the SD630). As for a 6 megapixel lens vs. a higher number, only the sharpest eye would detect any difference in quality of resolution--and even then it would have to be an image blown up to wallpaper size. Finally, the cost of SD memory cards has come down by 50% in just the past several months, so it makes sense to go for the larger (1 GB) card. Also, I would spend the extra fifteen bucks for the faster speed of the Sandisk Ultra II card. (If you like to check the results of a shot the instant after exposure or if you transfer large numbers of shots to your computer at the same time, you'll notice a difference). If you're content with a conventional SD card and want to save a few additional bucks, go with Kingston (as good as Sandisk, in my experience, though I'd stay clear of Lexar, which has given me trouble).
This is my third - and possibly final - digital camera. It does everything superbly and in a size I can just throw in my pocket so it's always there. Before the SD600 I had a Canon S100 2.1 mp [a great camera] and a Sony DSC-W1 5.1 mp [a piece of $%#@ - every other image blurry].
With the Sony less than a year old, I couldn't put up with it anymore - it was time to go back to Canon so I wouldn't miss any future shots. I got the SD600 at Best Buy 1 day before leaving on a week-long trip to Boston. My 10-yr old daughter was studying the Revolutionary War in school so I was told to take a lot of photos and "Dad, make sure they aren't blurry like all those others." [She's got the old S100, so she's not worried].
Since I'd already had the old S100, the controls were familiar. Best Buy had a 1GB PNY SD chip on sale for $39, so I had room for over 500 photos, plus I picked up an extra battery.
In the week in Boston I shot day, night, flash, long exposure, high light, low light, drizzle, rain, sun, and even a short video of Morris dancers in Boston Common. Every shot was great - and not one blurry, even when the 'shaking hand' was on. I'm not sue that the image stabilization with the SD700 would be all that necessary.
I found that indoors [my greatest fear since the Sony made you worry about every shot] with reasonably good lighting I was able to turn the flash off and shoot with natural light. I've not yet had the time to play with the various modes - just straight turn it on and shoot [both of which were very quick with minimal delay].
Everyone we were with were greatly impressed by the 600's size, style, and images on the LCD - and surprised to see me turn it on end to show full screen portrait format shots [very cool]. Even friends with the SD450 [my Christmas recommendation] wanted to trade theirs in.
I was able to get over 150 shots - maybe a quarter with flash - without recharging [I just stuck the little spare in the coin pocket in my jeans and didn't worry about it].
The software's great, too. I used the old ZoomBrowser EX with the Sony, so it was nice to see this updated and much more functional. I might not have to use Irfan Skiljan's IrfanView package anymore.
I'm sure that over the summer I'll find all those bells and whistles to be entertaining, but for just taking pictures, I don't think there's anything more I'd ever want. Now if I can just find someone to take the Sony... and I'll throw in my old Omega D2 enlarger for free!
The SD600 is as close to perfect as you can get and all I'll ever need.
Absolutely perfect camera for someone who doesn't know much about cameras but just wants
to take great pictures. Solid, compact little camera that doesn't require rocket science
to operate, yet really comes through with results.
