Flash Off • Auto Flash • Fill-in Flash • Red-eye Reduction Flash • Slow Sync
Viewfinder
Without Viewfinder
LCD Screen
With LCD Screen
LCD Screen Size
2.7 in.
LCD Screen Resolution
230,000 pixels
LCD Protected Position
Without LCD Protected Position
Interface Type
USB 2.0
Video Interface
Video Out
Battery Type
Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery
Battery Life
220 Images
Self Timer
12 Sec.
Built-in Microphone
With Built-in Microphone
Operating System
Microsoft Windows XP • Microsoft Windows Vista
Width
3.52 in.
Depth
0.79 in.
Height
2.16 in.
Warranty
1 Year
Family Line
Canon PowerShot
Included Accessories
USB Cable • Driver • Battery Charger • Strap • AV Cable • Battery Pack
Product ID
88067441
Product Description
Your camera says a lot about you - and according to Canon's new PowerShot SD940 IS, you're into hot design and cool technology. Emerging from your jeans pocket or purse like a sleek little jewel, the PowerShot SD940 IS makes a statement before you even take a picture. And the new menu ensures easy access to all its advanced Canon technology, where 12.1 Megapixels, improved Smart AUTO Mode and 720p HD movies are just the beginning.
Strengths: Really very good photo quality; almost rivaling some early DLSR's. This is remarkable because if you read my a540 review you can see how I was lamenting that compact cameras weren't going anywhere in terms of photo quality. This came out just a year later,
In general a very good meter; I can point it right at the sun on semi cloudy day and it all comes out okay. The only times it gave me issues was photographing wildlife against snow on a sunny day, which is challenging no matter what the camera.
Very small and portable, I bought a small vinyl case with a magnetic flap and carry it in my pocket all the time.
Good Hi-Def movies; I think they're 720P. I've had a few people think they were taken with a real camcorder.
Very good to excellent noise control for a compact; only really dim lighting shows smudges or jpeg artifacts.
Lithium Ion battery....one of the great developments of mankind. It will last for hundreds of shots; sit idle for weeks or even months, and still be ready to go. One of big name professional reviewers always advocates AA batteries as they can be had anywhere; but I strongly disagree. Alkalines only go for a few shots anymore; while NIMH's don't hold charges and always seem to go bad in 6 months to a year. On the cameras I have that use NIMH's (like a D1-H), the batteries can be properly conditioned and charged, yet still suddenly die, and carrying a handful is impractical. For this camera I have a total of 3; and usually get by with one.
Weaknesses: It is a compact, and thus doesn't have the shot to shot speed of a DSLR or the dynamic range; I only have a +/- exposure compensation of 2EV while most cameras do 5.
There is a practical limit of how small these can be, and the controls are tiny and require a little finesse to use.
Can be frail; after less than six months of use the camera was one day very warm as I took it out of my pocket and would only open the lens partway; alternately shutting off or showing a blank screen. Canon fixed it under warranty and the problem was due to a bad PCB board. It's been okay since then.
Bottom Line:
For a long time I scoffed at carrying around a compact camera. I was singularly unimpressed with the quality of photos from my Canon A540 and S3. They used AA batteries; weren't particularly small, and had all kinds of problems with blown highlights and noise in low lighting.
In April of 2010 I was nearly run over at a crosswalk by some guy in a sports car who then pulled into the parking lot to confront me, even though I was in my rights to cross and the vehicles in the opposite lane had stopped. I decided after that to always have a camera with me to document the next time something like that happened.
Of course I never saw the guy again, but the SD940 has been a superb compact to keep in your pocket for those spur of the moment photos.
