Canon IXUS i7 zoom
By Connie Veneracion on Monday, May 7, 2007 at 3:06 am in Gadgets
There are places where cameras are not allowed. The glass doors at the entrances of Robinson’s Metro East, for instance, have no-camera-allowed stickers. I have been told that in some restaurants, taking photos of the food one has already ordered are not allowed too. Fortunately for me, I have never been told off in a restaurant although I have had some encounters with security guards at the Gateway Mall. If anyone tells me I can’t take photos of food I have already ordered, I’d probably create a scene.
But why let things go that far when I can be inconspicuous with the photo taking, right? It’s being conspicuous that is the issue, I think. If the photos can be taken without attracting attention, who will complain? In short, there are instances when whipping out a DLSR isn’t the best modus operandi.
Moreover, there are times when bringing a DSLR can really be an inconvenience. A bag with a camera and an assortment of lenses can really weigh you down if you have to carry it for hours. But, see, I loathe leaving the house without a camera so I figured that the logical solution was to buy a second — and much smaller — digital camera. Cam phones are no substitute for a DSLR but a good compact digital camera is a good option.
I’ve spent the past two hours familiarizing myself with the features of my new Canon IXUS i7 zoom (known as Canon Powershot SD40 IS Digital Elph in the U.S.) and it really feels weird. I’ve been using my Canon EOS 350D for exactly two years now and the process of re-orienting myself with how a point-and-shoot camera works is indescribable.
Of course, the lens is small. It’s a very small camera, after all. You can view photos of its comparative size at DigiCamReview. What I wasn’t quite prepared for was the difference in the quality of the photos. After 30 minutes of tinkering with it, I was so sure I bought a lemon. But then I remembered that was how I felt too when my EOS 350D was only a few days old in May, 2005. Until one has learned to maximize the use of the features of a gadget, well, it always feels that it falls short of expectations.
Despite being a point-and-shoot camera, the shutter speed of the Canon IXUS i7 zoom can be adjusted (”long shutter” function) and the ISO settings programmed to reduce grainy shots. It has a wide range of features to boot. Like, you can take a photo of the food on a green plate and have everything else in the background appear black and white. How’s that for emphasis, eh? No Photoshop tricks — there is a setting in the camera that allows you to do that.
So, anyway, what I originally intended as my “sneak” camera has turned out to be much more. I love the small size, I love the appearance (I wanted the hot pink but had to settle for the denim blue) and how it feels in my hand, I love the way the control buttons are organized… It’s a nifty little toy which, I feel, will more than serve the purpose of allowing me to bring a camera in places where my DSLR would be too inconvenient to bring.
Comment by nikita
Made Monday, 7 of May , 2007 at 4:57 am
Sassy, what reason do they give for not taking pics of food you ordered in a restaurant?? I can understand why they don’t want people taking pics in a store but I don’t understand the reasoning with food.
Comment by chris
Made Monday, 7 of May , 2007 at 5:06 am
Hey Con,
My buddy got that cam for xmas, we were quite dissapointed with the graininess of the pictures it took. Compared to my (fairly old) SD500, the pictures it took were totally inferior at all resolutions. We were wondering why. He then sold it and upgraded to the SD1000, we were pretty suprised to see the same kind of graininess to the pictures. I believe it is the new digicIII sencor that these new canons use. I’m a big canon fan and I was really dissapointed. I”m glad that I didn’t sell my SD500 now, workhorse that it is, it still gives me excellent pictures to this day.
Comment by Bob
Made Monday, 7 of May , 2007 at 7:38 am
I also use a Canon 350d as my main camera. Like you, lately I have been wanting something small to carry around for everyday shooting, especially in places where my 350d would not be practical. I recently bought a Nokia N95 with a 5 megapixel camera built in. I have had luck with camera phones before too (Sony K750i), so wanted to give this one a try. Having just one device to carry is a big plus for me. The camera does a great job, but the drawback is in low light conditions. I can live with it, though.
Have fun with your new toy!
Comment by Connie
Made Monday, 7 of May , 2007 at 10:07 am
nikita, it wasn’t me who was prevented from taking pics in a resto — i was stopped from taking pics OUTside Gateway Mall. It was another food blogger who told me he had been prevented from taking pics inside some restos. I didn’t ask why but I told him what legal argument to raise next time it happened hehehe
Chris, well, quality is far far far from DSLR standards. The graininess appears to be associated with low-light/no-flash pics. But if you adjust the ISO setting to AUTO, the quality improves. With the flash on, graininess is minimized but you’ll have to cover the flash with tissue or whatever to prevent that washed out output. Outdoors, the photos are fine.
Hi Bob, I guess for general shooting (small images for cell phone wallpapers or for sending SMS) camphones are okay. But I take food photos and if uploaded on my blog with a 450px width, camphone photos just look terrible.
Comment by Mila
Made Monday, 7 of May , 2007 at 2:10 pm
Hi Connie,
I just bought a new digital camera, a Canon M75. Small, but boy, the manuals sure are convoluted. I’ve only started reading the first of them, and I’m starting to wonder if I shouldn’t just get a regular camera with film (do they sell film anymore??). Haven’t begun taking photos with it, but will keep in mind some of what you’ve posted.
Comment by Connie
Made Monday, 7 of May , 2007 at 3:44 pm
Hi Mila, it probably goes by another series number here. But I know what you mean about the manual. Last night, I was reading my manual and it says “press the ok button” but shucks there was nothing which says which was the ok button. Parang hulaan. Documentation is getting really poor.
Comment by purplegirl
Made Tuesday, 8 of May , 2007 at 11:26 am
you’re right, lugging a huge DSLR is so cumbersome but what i’ve done (since about 2001) is to constantly carry a small point-and-shoot with me (my current is the Canon SD700 IS and Canon G7 IS) to take pictures of restaurant food. of course, it can’t compare to my DSLR (currently a Nikon D200) but it serves its purpose especially since most people get scared whenever you take pictures inside a restaurant. incidentally, Canon makes the best point-and-shoot cameras. nothing compares! i’ve been doing side-by-side testing of Canon and Nikon p&s cameras for years and Canon wins all the time. even hard-core Nikon users like me all agree.
Comment by Oliver Timmermann
Made Tuesday, 8 of May , 2007 at 5:10 pm
Oh yes.. I’ve bought this camera as an addition to a DSLR and i’m still faszinated.
Comment by Connie
Made Tuesday, 8 of May , 2007 at 9:53 pm
purplegirl, after i bought the Rebel XT, i intended to retain my olympus mju 410 as a second camera. alas! i have daughters who expect an advance on their legitime. LOL
Oliver, by “fascinated” you mean the manual is still a mystery? So much of it is a mystery to me. LOL
Comment by Paul
Made Tuesday, 15 of May , 2007 at 10:05 am
Where did you buy it?
Comment by Connie
Made Tuesday, 15 of May , 2007 at 12:19 pm
Abenson, Paul. 12 months, zero interest. 