The SD850 IS was first announced in May 2007 as a replacement for the Powershot SD700 IS. It constitutes only a relatively subtle upgrade.

Visually the SD850 is virtually indistinguishable from the older model, and there are only a handful of modifications to the specification of the camera. Most notably the sensor now records 8MP images instead of 6 and the resolution of the 2.5″ screen has been increased to 230,000 pixels. The ‘digital heart’ beating in the SD850 is now the latest generation of Canon’s imaging processor, the DIGIC III. With the new processor there come a couple of new features too: Face Detection and the useful Auto ISO shift option.

Features:-

* 8.0 million Effective pixels

* Widescreen (16:9) stills recording

* Canon’s DIGIC III image processor, iSAPS, 9-point AiAF and Face Detection

* ISO 1600 and optical IS for flash-free indoor shooting

* 16 shooting modes

* Wide viewing angle 2.5″ LCD screen (230,000 pixels)

* My Colors photo effects

* 4x (35-140mm equiv.) zoom

* 30fps VGA movies with time lapse mode

Design:-

# Front: – The front of the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS is branded on the left side with a textured metal Canon logo and a printed model name. The right side of the camera’s front is a little busier. The optical zoom lens takes up most of this side. The lens sits flat with the rest of the camera body until it is turned on: it then extends in three segments. Each segment has a shiny chrome ring around its edge.

# Left side:-The left side of the SD850 doesn’t have any features. There are dark, medium, and light silver panels and two tiny screws.

# Back: – The left side of the back features a 2.5-inch LCD screen surrounded by a darker silver-colored panel. The panel unifies the LCD screen with another viewing tool, the optical viewfinder, directly above it. To the right of the optical viewfinder are two small LED indicator lamps. Just right of these is a small power button with its own LED.

# Top: – The shutter button is on the top of the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS. It is mildly domed, outfitted in chrome, and surrounded by a zoom ring that hardly moves at all. On the left side of the top is an “Image Stabilizer” label. Beneath the label are five holes that make up the speaker grill.

# Right side:-The right side has a chrome wrist strap eyelet in the center that curves up ever so slightly. A niche beneath it makes stringing the strap a little less of a chore. Near the top is a plastic door held on by a thin rubber strip. It covers the A/V out port on top and the USB port on bottom. Behind it is a tiny space big enough for the tip of a fingernail to pry the door open.

# Bottom: – From the bottom, users can see the slight wedge shape of the SD850. The wedge is interrupted by the fat panel for the LCD screen. Near the right side is a quarter-inch metal tripod socket surrounded by little bumps to keep the camera from scratching on a tripod mounting plate.

Photo quality: – Photo quality was very good on the SD850 IS. The camera took well-exposed photos, with pleasing, accurate colors. Sharpness is right in the middle: not too sharp, not too soft (and this can be adjusted if you desire). Noise is minimal until you hit ISO 400, with the ISO 800 setting being usable for small prints (ISO 1600 on the other hand, is not). Purple fringing was not a problem. The negatives in the image quality department include noticeable corner blurriness and severe redeye, both of which are common in the ultra-compact class. While there’s not much you can do about the blurriness (you won’t see it in all but the largest prints, though), you can use the tool in playback mode to get rid of the redeye.

Performance: – Camera performance is excellent. The SD850 is ready to shoot in about a second, which is above average. Focusing times were very good, even in low light situations. Shutter lag wasn’t an issue, and shot-to-shot delays were minimal. While the burst rate isn’t terribly high, the SD850 can keep shooting at 1.3 frames/second until your high speed memory card fills up. Battery life was average in the ultra-compact group and, like all Canon cameras; the SD850 supports the USB 2.0 High Speed standard.

This camera is a great little convenient camera, which is able to be concealed easily, and taken about anywhere because it easily slips into a purse or pocket. It’s a great camera for taking indoor portraits with flash, as well as outdoor photos. It is not good at stopping action.

Pictures of kids and pets running around will often be blurry because of the 1/60 sec. shutter speed. If you need to take low-light or action/sports photos, you would be better off purchasing a cheap DSLR. The only reason I don’t give this camera 5 stars is because of the noise at higher ISO’s.

The 8-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD850 IS combines several classic features of the Digital Elph line with new perks garnered mainly from a new image processor. The Digic III image processor brings with it face detection technology that can recognize up to nine faces at once, as well as technology that reportedly keeps pictures cleaner. The SD850 IS had an initial price of $399, but can now be found online for about $50 less.

Canon PowerShot 850 compact camera – Image stabilizer

Compact cameras are more susceptible to camera shake from handheld shots, especially in low light situations. 70 years of Canon’s optical innovation have enabled the development of lens elements that are perfectly suited to the challenges of compact photography. The PowerShot SD850 IS employs Canon’s lens-shift optical Image Stabilizer technology to compensate for camera shake caused by unwanted hand movement. Enabling shooting at shutter speeds up to 3 stops slower than would normally be possible, the optical Image Stabilizer is particularly useful at full zoom or when using the 2cm Macro mode. The 4x optical zoom lens incorporates an Ultra-High Refractive Index A spherical lens to achieve a focal length range of 35-140mm without affecting the camera’s slim profile.

Canon SD850 IS camera – Face detection

“The PowerShot SD850 IS builds on the success of its award-winning predecessor with new technologies that will appeal to amateurs and advanced photographers alike.” Canon’s advanced DIGIC III image processor powers a range of functions related to Face Detection Technology. Face Detection AF/AE/FE automatically detects up to nine faces within a scene and optimizes focus, exposure and flash exposure accordingly. Red-Eye Correction in playback uses Face Detection Technology to search through captured images and remove any red-eye it detects. Users can also perform red-eye correction manually if needed.

Canon SD 850 IS – Pure Color LCD screen

The high resolution Pure Color LCD screens gives users a number of visual benefits. Colour tones have been enhanced by 30% for vibrant, true-to-life reproduction. The wide viewing angle of the screen is complemented by an anti-reflective coating, which makes it easy to compose and review images even in brightly-lit conditions. A scratch-resistant layer provides extra protection against knocks and scrapes. Settings for shutter speed and aperture are now displayed on the LCD during shooting. When using Auto ISO and High ISO Auto, the LCD will also display the ISO speed. These camera settings are now recorded as EXIF data for review in playback.

PowerShot SD850 camera – Movie mode

The Time Lapse Movie mode enables users to capture changing scenes – such as drifting clouds or a bustling city street – for accelerated playback as smooth VGA-quality movie clips. Captured at one-second or two-second intervals, a scene of two hours’ duration can be condensed to a fluid eight minute or four minute movie file. Users can also record standard VGA movies with sound at 30fps and QVGA movies with sound at 60fps. The PowerShot SD850 IS features a dedicated Print menu for quick access to direct print options. Full PictBridge support means users can print directly to any PictBridge compatible printer without the need for a PC. A Print/Share button allows one-touch printing and easy uploads to Windows or Mac systems.

Features:-

• 8.0 Megapixels

• 4x optical zoom 35-140mm (35mm equivalent) UA lens with optical Image Stabilizer

• Eye-catching design with Touch Control Dial

• DIGIC III with Face Detection AF/AE/FE and

• Noise Reduction Technology

• Red-Eye Correction in playback

• 2.5” high resolution Pure Color LCD

• ISO 1600 and Auto ISO Shift

• 18 shooting modes including Creative Light Effect plus My Colors photo effects

• 30fps VGA Movies and Time Lapse Movie function

• Shortcut button for instant access to favourite functions