Pros: Small, sleek design, Consistently good image quality, HD video capabilities, Sturdy build
Cons: Small, flat control buttons, Limited manual controls, Dawdling continuous shooting, No optical zoom in video mode
The Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS is a bit of a brainteaser. It's an good-looking, lightweight ultracompact point-and-shoot nearly identical to 2009's SD940 IS, using the same 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with a 4x zoom and 2.7-inch LCD. The only major tweak is a resolution bump from 12 megapixels to 14, which contrary to what you may be thinking does not improve photo quality. There are a couple new creative shooting modes and shutter-release timer options, but otherwise there are no interesting new features or improvements to old ones. Plus, shooting performance is run of the mill, as is battery life.
However, the SD1400 IS is still one of the better ultracompact designs around, and is appropriately priced for something so small. It's an easy recommendation for those searching for a grab-and-go pocket camera and don't want or need much more than the ability to take a good photo.
It's still very, very small, which remains its greatest attribute. It's small enough that you'll never hesitate to take it with you. However, if you plan to keep it loose in a bag, invest in some manner of protection or risk scratching up its beautiful body and screen. Using the camera is remarkably comfortable, even for large hands. Regardless of their shape and size, the controls are easy to master. You also have the option to turn on a help system with hints and tips for choosing the appropriate settings or simply telling you what the shooting mode you're in is going to do. It's not uncommon to find, but Canon does a nice job of it.
For connecting to a computer, monitor, or HDTV there are Mini-USB/AV and Mini-HDMI outputs underneath a small door on back at the top right corner of the body. The battery and memory card compartment is on the bottom under a nonlocking door. The battery does not charge in camera, and the shot life is rated at 230, so you'll probably find yourself opening the compartment quite a bit.
Other than Canon's very reliable Smart Auto mode, there's nothing terribly interesting about the SD1400's shooting options. The shooting-mode switch on back of the camera has three options: one for Auto, one for Movie mode (capturing up to 720p HD resolution), and a camera mode (that's what I'm calling it since it's designated by a picture of a camera). Canon added a Smart Shutter option, too, which includes a smile-activated shutter release as well as Wink and Face Detection self-timers, in addition color accent and color swap are it's introduced a few new modes. One is a Miniature Effect, which blurs the top and bottom of the frame and boosts contrast and color saturation to make subjects look like painted miniature models.
For such a small camera you might expect it to automatically be quick. In reality its shooting performance is middle-of-the-road is neither good nor bad. The camera turns on and shoots in 1.5 seconds, but then you'll be waiting an average of 2.7 seconds between subsequent shots. That time jumps to nearly 5 seconds if you're using the flash. Shutter lag is OK at 0.5 second in bright conditions and 0.7 second in dim lighting.
Ultracompact cameras take their best photos below ISO 200, and the SD1400 IS is no different. Photos taken with plenty of light will give you excellent color and very good detail. Canon typically does well at balancing noise reduction and noise in images, and that's the case here. Despite details getting softer, they're not smeared beyond recognition, giving you usable images straight up to ISO 1,600. Color consistency is very good up to ISO 800, too; above that there is some shifting and yellow blotching.
The SD1400's color performance is close to accurate, and the results are generally excellent in bright natural lighting. The auto white balance leans toward warm indoors, so you're better off using the appropriate preset for the lighting you're under or using the Custom option (though those aren't available when shooting in Auto mode). Exposure is overall very good; however, highlights will blow out occasionally--typical for this class of camera. There is mild barrel distortion at the camera's widest lens position, mostly on the left side. Likewise, the lens has very good center sharpness but gets softer on the left side, particularly in the corners. Video quality is on par with an inexpensive HD pocket video camera and turns jittery when panning. There's no use of the optical zoom while recording; it's digital only.
The biggest disappointment about the Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS is that it doesn't improve on last year's SD940 IS or SD780 IS. The increase in resolution certainly doesn't improve photo quality; the camera's shooting performance isn't remarkably better; battery life is still average; and there are no new must-have features. The positives of the previous models remain for the most part, though. Good news if you're after an attractive, easy-to-use ultracompact camera at a good price with very good snapshot photo quality.
However, the SD1400 IS is still one of the better ultracompact designs around, and is appropriately priced for something so small. It's an easy recommendation for those searching for a grab-and-go pocket camera and don't want or need much more than the ability to take a good photo.
It's still very, very small, which remains its greatest attribute. It's small enough that you'll never hesitate to take it with you. However, if you plan to keep it loose in a bag, invest in some manner of protection or risk scratching up its beautiful body and screen. Using the camera is remarkably comfortable, even for large hands. Regardless of their shape and size, the controls are easy to master. You also have the option to turn on a help system with hints and tips for choosing the appropriate settings or simply telling you what the shooting mode you're in is going to do. It's not uncommon to find, but Canon does a nice job of it.
For connecting to a computer, monitor, or HDTV there are Mini-USB/AV and Mini-HDMI outputs underneath a small door on back at the top right corner of the body. The battery and memory card compartment is on the bottom under a nonlocking door. The battery does not charge in camera, and the shot life is rated at 230, so you'll probably find yourself opening the compartment quite a bit.
Other than Canon's very reliable Smart Auto mode, there's nothing terribly interesting about the SD1400's shooting options. The shooting-mode switch on back of the camera has three options: one for Auto, one for Movie mode (capturing up to 720p HD resolution), and a camera mode (that's what I'm calling it since it's designated by a picture of a camera). Canon added a Smart Shutter option, too, which includes a smile-activated shutter release as well as Wink and Face Detection self-timers, in addition color accent and color swap are it's introduced a few new modes. One is a Miniature Effect, which blurs the top and bottom of the frame and boosts contrast and color saturation to make subjects look like painted miniature models.
For such a small camera you might expect it to automatically be quick. In reality its shooting performance is middle-of-the-road is neither good nor bad. The camera turns on and shoots in 1.5 seconds, but then you'll be waiting an average of 2.7 seconds between subsequent shots. That time jumps to nearly 5 seconds if you're using the flash. Shutter lag is OK at 0.5 second in bright conditions and 0.7 second in dim lighting.
Ultracompact cameras take their best photos below ISO 200, and the SD1400 IS is no different. Photos taken with plenty of light will give you excellent color and very good detail. Canon typically does well at balancing noise reduction and noise in images, and that's the case here. Despite details getting softer, they're not smeared beyond recognition, giving you usable images straight up to ISO 1,600. Color consistency is very good up to ISO 800, too; above that there is some shifting and yellow blotching.
The SD1400's color performance is close to accurate, and the results are generally excellent in bright natural lighting. The auto white balance leans toward warm indoors, so you're better off using the appropriate preset for the lighting you're under or using the Custom option (though those aren't available when shooting in Auto mode). Exposure is overall very good; however, highlights will blow out occasionally--typical for this class of camera. There is mild barrel distortion at the camera's widest lens position, mostly on the left side. Likewise, the lens has very good center sharpness but gets softer on the left side, particularly in the corners. Video quality is on par with an inexpensive HD pocket video camera and turns jittery when panning. There's no use of the optical zoom while recording; it's digital only.
The biggest disappointment about the Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS is that it doesn't improve on last year's SD940 IS or SD780 IS. The increase in resolution certainly doesn't improve photo quality; the camera's shooting performance isn't remarkably better; battery life is still average; and there are no new must-have features. The positives of the previous models remain for the most part, though. Good news if you're after an attractive, easy-to-use ultracompact camera at a good price with very good snapshot photo quality.
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