Canon PowerShot SD770IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)

I bought this camera from Amazon to replace the Canon Powershot A95 which has been a good camera but it is a beast to carry around - it is huge and heavy. It also had a really long delay between shots so it was tough to use in action sequences or for anything more than single shots. Otherwise, it was a good one.

This camera is fantastic...it is so lightweight and portable that it is easy to pack around with you. It also has a large display so you can really see what you are shooting and the photos are clear and crisp. There are so many features that are enjoyable on this camera and printing photos is a breeze.

My only complaint was with Amazon's free memory card deal - when I tried to put the card in my cart and check out, it would not deduct the price from the total and I didn't want to pay for the card otherwise, so I let that part of the deal go.

But the camera is a great deal for what you get - a light, portable camera with a ton of features and it is so user-friendly!

My old digital camera decided to tumble down a flight of stairs and natually it never worked again. I was never really happy with the older camera but I also wasn't ready to replace it yet...

As a mom to a younger child I needed to find replacement pretty quick.. I searched all Cameras and reviews on Amazon. I kept gravitating back to this one. I was leary because of the price. I paid twice this amount for the now broken one.

I am very pleased with my purchase minus a few minor concerns (reason for the 4 stars - the camera isn't perfect). This one looks sleek. It is small and compact. You can definitely hide it away in a small purse or shirt pocket.

The clarity of the pictures is a huge step up from the other camera I had, which was only a year old. My testing (based on experience with older camera) - taking pictures on my patio at night of things on or around my patio. The flash is perfect and I could see things in my patio furniture I never noticed before. I took pictures in well lit areas of my home and dimmed areas. The camera does an excellent job adjusting to each environment and the lighting.

The video capabilities are way better than my other camera too. My other camera made videos look grainy or blurry depending on what was being recorded. These are pretty clear.

My only concerns are there a few plastic pieces on the camera - the battery/SD chamber and the A/V door. I realize for the price I shouldn't complain I am just worried that these may break easier, but I have made myself promise to be more careful with this one.

The other issue I have is the zoom. I have yet to find a camera that will allow you to really zoom in and get the clarity you are looking for. I am sure part of it has to do with adjusting settings on the camera but I would like to have a point and shoot that is truly a point & shoot where I don't have to modify settings to zoom in and capture a close-up.

Overall this camera is everything I was looking for.

This is more of a review on Amazon's bait-and-switch tactics than the camera itself. It is a Canon Elph, enough said.

Amazon advertised a free 16GB card along with this camera, which was the only differentiator at this price on Black Friday from NewEgg or other dealer. So I ordered it at Amazon. When the product arrived it only contained a 32 MB card (a 10MP camera with a 32 MB card, won't do much for you!) When I called customer support they gave me some cock-and-bull story on how I was supposed to add the card to the cart and then let their system take care of the promo. I think that is bad promo software, at the very least, and terrible customer care to say it worse. Beware of ordering from Amazon based on their promos in future.

If you're trying to decide between these 3 digital elph models SD1100, SD770 and SD790 which fall in a similar price range, here's my take. I have used the SD1100 and SD790 extensively and SD770 is like an in-between hybrid.

{The SD790 is actually the 2008 upgrade of 2007s very popular model SD750. The SD1100 is an upgrade of the SD1000. Canon probably felt the need for an in-between model so the SD770 is new, with the layout and screen-size similar to SD1100 but the CCD is larger like the SD790 making it a 10MP camera.}

Common new features:
- Digic III processor = better picture taking
- Face detection - detects multiple faces in a shot and adjusts the flash, white balance so that the faces don't get bleached out and you get less red eye
- Motion detection - focuses on subject even if they're moving so your shot is not blurry.
- Shooting modes - NEW sunset mode (great results) and the usual portrait, night shot, stitch assist (panoramic), foliage, fireworks, indoor, kids and pets, underwater, aquarium, beach, snow and ALSO Color accent (keep one color and rest of pic is B/W) and Color Swap (Exchange one color with another)

Here are the pros and cons of each model:

SD1100: Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Silver)
Pros: Small size with a nicely contoured look. Cool colors. Viewfinder with 2.5 inch screen. Lowest price.
Cons: Less MPs (8MP) and smaller CCD 1/2.5 inch.

SD770: (Priced in between SD1100 and SD790)
Pros: Smallest in size. 10 MPs. Viewfinder with 2.5 inch screen. Larger CCD at 1/2.3 inch.
Cons: Camera controls are not as intuitive and flexible as the SD790. Screen size is smaller than SD790.

SD790: Canon PowerShot SD790IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Pros: Small camera. 10 MPs. Mega 3 inch screen which really makes composing shots so easy. Larger CCD at 1/2.3 inch. Layout is intuitive. Flat layout on the back with extra button for replay, makes switching between modes faster.
Cons: Price is highest of the three models in consideration. No viewfinder, it hasn't been a problem for me even in bright sunlight but if you prefer to have a viewfinder it may be a deal breaker for you.

All 3 cameras come with Image stabilization and the usual Canon features and shooting modes. All three cameras are small, the SD800s and SD900s are bigger in size.

I prefer SD770 and SD790 over SD1100 due to the slightly improved picture taking.

Just for performance and features my #1 Rank goes to SD790 due to it's larger screen and intuitive controls and great pics. SD770 is a close second with a great balance between size and performance and SD1100 comes in 3rd.

Since price of these cameras fluctuates on Amazon everyday it's hard to rank them using prices but recently I have seen the SD790 go for $189 and SD770 go for $159 and the SD1100 for $149. At just a $10 difference between the SD770 and SD1100 I will recommend the SD770.

I bought the camera on black Friday. It said that If I buy it from amazon, I can get a 4G memory card for free. However, they ordered it twice and did not send the memory card. And when I call the customer service, they refuse it. It is unbelievable. I am very angry.