Canon PowerShot SD790IS 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

I bought this camera from Amazon about a month ago to replace a 4 yr old Kodak. I went with this camera for the great reviews on multiple sites and because of the Canon brand. I don't intend to take a ton of pictures, but wanted something that could fit in a pocket and take good, quality pictures. The price being around $200 was good for me and the 3" LCD screen is great for viewing.

I did find the flash a bit annoying at first, but maybe that's because of my ignorance. It took me a while to figure out I had to push the button half way down to focus the lens on the subject and then take the picture. I was getting frustrated since I was trying to take pictures of my son and by the time the picture actually took, he was almost out of the frame. I think I'm getting the hang of it now. Pictures look good, not as great as I hoped. Took some video at a children's concert and that looked good for a point-and-shoot camera. Hope to learn the camera some more!

I am a "point and shoot" type of photographer and just need the basics. This is a great camera at a great price.

I find picture quality in Auto Mode very disappointing. I am sure there is a way to improve it through one of hundreds of adjustable settings but if you are casual photographer like me this camera may not be the best option.
Specially inside, when using flash, picture comes out washed-out and very dark. Outside pictures on a cloudy day are slightly better. We have twin babies and take a lot of pictures inside, needless to say, my wife is very disappointed.
Another issue, you can put time stamp on the picture only if you lower quality to 2 MP. I find that really annoying.
On the good side, it is very fast, it takes pictures almost instantaneously and battery lasts forever. Pictures outside on sunny day are beautiful.
In my experience, if you are not interested in learning anything about photography and all you want to do is take nice pictures with camera straight out of the box I would not recommend this model. YMMV.

Digital Photography is my number one hobby, and this is the perfect camera to make it fun!

This is the first point and shoot purchased since 2002. After reading numerous reviews both on amazon.com as well as newegg.com, going into Best Buy and playing with all point and shoots available (then reading their reviews), and playing with a friends Canon SD 770, we decided to purchase this model.

Our reasons being:
1) All point and shoot Canons have the Color Accent feature, which is way too much fun to play with.
2) The image quality, in our opinion, is equal, if not far superior to all other models we played with. The color was crisper, the image was clearer (mostly due to the IS), and the screen larger.
3) The price off Amazon.com was by far lower than any other retailer. It put the camera under $200, which was competitively priced, and allowed us to purchase a camera with more features than any other in that range.

So far the battery life has been good, the computer software easy to use, and the camera operation simple to learn. Reading the manual is a must if you plan to do much more than just use automatic.

All in all, no issues, good price, and fun to use!

I ruined my `Nikon 7900' 7.0 megapixel camera after three great years by getting it wet. This was upsetting as I had the SCUBA encasement for that model and a ton of accessories. My nephew turned me onto the `Canon SD790IS' (as it also has an optional SCUBA encasement) and I am very happy.

It has more megapixels (10.0) which is top of the line for pixel qualtiy meaning crisper pictures with a larger 2.5-inch LCD monitor and tons of extras. There is an "Optical Image Stabilizer" which reduces the blur of any camera movement, even with low light. There is also a cool feature called, "Face Detection WB" which means the camera concentrates upon faces, then it calculates "white balance" for the best colors and tones. You can also just select ONE face among the group to highlight (think Birthday parties)!

There is a cool "red-eye" correction that identifies and corrects red-eye when pictures are taken. You can also later detect and correct "red-eye" during image playback.

The camera is smaller and thinner than my previous Nikon and it fits very easily into any pocket (be careful!). It's quick, easy and responds readily. It is a great value for the price. The pictures are just as good (maybe better) than my old camera. I can't wait to go diving now so I can try the underwater encasement (accessory). You can also buy a less expensive underwater encasement accessory for up to 15 feet of depth for snorkeling and there is a waterproof encasement accessory for rainy day shooting.

If your looking for the "everything" point&shoot carmera this is it. It does so much and more. It allows me to to take my random picture with friends as well as try out some interesting shots with nature and color. It's a solid piece of equipment and I'm glad I got it. The large lcd screen is pretty awesome too!

I bought this to replace an SD700IS that gave up the ghost (CCD problems) after 2 years of hard use. The SD790IS is a big improvement in a lot of areas.

The facial recognition feature is great for candid shots. It was sometimes tricky to get faces in focus on the old camera. With this, it finds the faces and uses that to focus on.

I also like the new controls. No more knob to clunk back and forth. The most used functions (video, profiles, manual) are accessed via a sliding switch. And there's a dedicated button to go to picture review.

The only downsides are lack of an optical viewfinder, and less optical zoom than my previous camera (3x instead of 4x). So far I haven't missed either.

Overall, it takes wonderful photos. The only downfall is the small amount of zoom. Other than that, I am more than thrilled with my purchase! I definitely recommend it!

I really can't think of anything that is wrong with this camera. I especially love the long battery life. Picture quality is good, compact a great everyday camera that is easy to use and puts out good pictures

I've had the privilege to test out a lot of different cameras for free over the last several years. Some I kept (and paid for) and some I returned. I have gotten to try a lot of canons and this one is the best I've used. I've got to try several "A" powershots and "SD" powershots and out of all this one seems to perform the best.
I have a Canon EOS 40D which has 10 megapixels and is an extremely good camera. When I looked at photos from this camera and the 40D, both being 10 megapixels I was shoocked at the quality of this small point and shoot for less than $200. The pictures were almost identical in quality. Its really hard to see any differences. I like to test cameras with macro using coins. When you take a macro photo with this camera and the 40D on both you can see every little scratch, imperfection and dust. I was blown away by this camera at such a good price (right now $183).
Of course no camera is perfect. One thing I don't like about this camera is that while recording video, the zoom function is only digital zoom and not optical, like that on the Samsung nv24hd. But the picture quality is far superior here than the samsung. But this camera doesn't have HD recording and the samsung excels at that, video is incredible with a fast comptuer or PS3.
Battery like is over 50% longer on this powershot than my last one, the SD630. That camera is extremely good but the screen is low res and that camera is mostly plastic (that looks like metal), this one is a metal brick. Amazing quality at such an affordable price ($183)

As an amature photographer taking pictures of family,friends and interesing places this camera is the best. I like its portability - I am able to carry it anywhere. I like the instructional manual - It's straight to the ponit. The camera itself is very easy to use. I will recommend this camera to friends.

This Canon camera is amazing. It is easy to use and takes great pictures. The camera is easy to navigate thru the options provided. I would recommend it highly.

Great Camera for a Point and Shoot. I'm a long time Canon dSLR user and bought this for my wife as I believe in Canon products!! She loves it!!

I have recently purchased this cannon sd790is camera. It has fulfilled all my demands and I am completely satisfied with it. It has excellent picture quality. It is very easy to use.

This has been the best camera I have ever used. The image stabilization is awesome. It really does stabilize the shakes. The auto feature on this little camera is really good that I never had changed the mode of shooting anywhere. This camera is very good for someone who just wants to click pics on the go. The different modes in the camera make it even more attractive. I would strongly recommend this camera to anyone.

Note: Buy a high speed SD card for faster shooting.

I have owned many Canon products over the years,but this one tops it all. 10 mp with a 3" screen display with an image stabilizer,and precision manufactured in Japan.all for about $200.Great camera.

I bought this camera specifically for a cruise I'm taking my family on. I bought it with the Canon WP-DC24 waterproof housing for scuba diving. The camera is very thin and light-weight, but loaded with so many features, I'll never use them all. The 3" LCD screen is HUGE and easy on older eyes for setting up your shots. The 10mp images are great to begin with, but this camera allows you to alter the image and colors in a multitude of ways. My kids like the black and white images with just one color isolated in the photo - really trick. You can slip this camera in a back pocket, ready for any situation. It's built like a chunk of stainless steel - definitely Canon quality. Can't wait to take it underwater!

I spent a lot of time researching the canon cameras before making my selection. (I had a canon camera that I loved a few years ago until it stopped turning on... then I switched to a Sony cybershot and was NOT satisfied, so I wanted to go back to Canon). I've had the camera for about a week.. so far it's been taking great pictures. I've been taking the same shot (on auto) with the Sony and the Canon to compare the pictture quality. The Canon has been getting the shots a million times better than the Sony. (Some of the pictures on the Sony just came out either all black or all white).
The Canon has been also doing a great job of using the flash appropriately on auto mode... I also like that it's been taking clear pictures even if the subject is moving.
Some of the pictures I took on high ISO did come out focused but grainy... but I'd rather have a grainy picture than a completely blurred or unrecognizable picture like I had with the Sony!!
It took a couple days to get used to the controls... the turn wheel does take a little bit of time to get used to the sensitivity, but I feel much more comfortable with it now. There are plenty of modes and options in the manual mode if you want control over your pictures.. but I have to say, so far I've been very impressed with the auto setting. The "kids and pets" setting has been also impressive to catch moving subjects without blur!

I was looking for a reliable camera to take good pictures even indoors and with moving subjects... So far so good!!

I've had this camera (Canon Power Shot SD790) about a month now and just want to say that I love it! It takes great pics and is easy to use. I like the size of it and how it looks (which I didn't expect to like)... nice and comfortable to hold, easy to take in a pocket or purse. I've had no problem with the wheel on the back ... I still have to study what all of the features/icons are used for yet, so at this time, I am not using it to its full potential. Uploading the pictures to the computer is easy. Takes good pics and of course I LOVE the size of the viewfinder!

As a user of many of Canon's cameras and camcorders, I have been very satisfied with every one I bought. This is a great camera and Canon continues to improve there lines with each new released camera. I installed a 16 gb card so I can take numerous photos and many movie clips. Anyone looking for a camera like this should have no problem with of Canon SD line of camera, The few nay sayer's in there reviews indicated a lack of understanding or they just like to complain. I highly recommend this camera

I was always a Sony person and never like the look and feel of Canon. But the end result of this camera are far better then any Sony Camera I have ever used. It may not have the touch screen feature just like some new Sony Cameras but pictures taken from this camera are just awesome......

This camera is all it is touted to be and comes at a great price. Compared to similar products, it outshines them all. You can't go wrong with this Cannon.

I love this camera. It was exactly what I was looking for. The 10 megapixel quality is amazing. The zoom works very nicely. I also love the different picture modes that you can use for everything from sunsets, to foliage, to indoor. The pictures come out looking beautiful. Also, the slim body of the camera makes it very portable. I highly suggest the Slim Kroo Case to go along with it as well :) I put it in that durable case, and carry it everywhere with me.

Love the camera, GREAT PICTURES, Easy to use, Auto fuction takes perfect pics 95% of time, Good battery life, Barely any blurred pics with IS. Also must praise AMAZON I tried a couple of other cheaper sites and got calls back with not in stock, or slightly differt model. Amazon had it, and had to me quick; still cheaper than Dept stores

There is a fixed amount of improvement in a camera, and this is obvious in the SD 790. The quality is impressive and the camera is small, compact and feels right in hand despite being so small. The screen is amazingly large, giving the photographer unexpected amounts of image when previewing pictures. The qualiy of the screen is very good and the image stabilization makes a huge difference.

However, one must be careful that these qualities start eating in the robustness of this camera.

For example, the camera is compact and to achieve a size smaller than a deck of cards, the viewfinder had to go. That limits angle from which you can preview and you may get some pictures wrong because you look at the previewing screen from an angle that you can't see well. The compact size limits the length of the zoom also.

To get a large screen you expose a large surface of ... well ... LCD panel. This becomes easier to break and I I sadly learned, once that is broken you can;t use the camera since it does not have a viewfinder.

Great Camera. I actually used it in the rain hiking the other day and it held up. Small, Compact, I love this camera, if anything it has many, many functions which take a little time to figure out. But the quality - video and picture is amazing.

I looked long and hard and did a lot of research before purchasing. I wanted great quality and easy and I got both in this camera. I used a lot of these reviews from customers to help me decide as well as Consumer Reports and I think I made the right choice. I'm not a professional photographer but I share a lot of pictures of my niece and nephew Cam and Allie with my family and I missed too many great photos using my old cheap Fuji basic digital camera. The quality of these pictures are beautiful and downloading them to Snapfish on Comcast is a breeze. Amazons price is about $50 less than regular store prices and I didn't have to pay for shipping. The memory card it comes with is too small so you'll be happier if you order a larger one and pick up an extra battery that you can use as a backup so you don't run out of juice and miss any picture taking opportunities. I've purchased a lot of things at Amazon and you get your items really quick. I've always had good experiences.

i got this camera to replace one i dropped in the pool. i am very happy the camera. it takes great shots and battery lasts for ever.

I bought this camera on the excellent recommendations from Ken Rockwell's site, as well as the Amazon reviews. However, upon receiving it, I got the 'Lens Error, restart camera' error and the camera is not able to take pictures.

I might up the rating when I receive a new one - this one is heading back to Amazon.

Works as advertised, takes great pictures and decent video. As with any camera nowadays, there are more features than I know what to do with.

I'm a hobbiest/pro photographer.Going on vacation I did not want to drag my large/heavy canon lens around. I am picky enough that I still wanted quality pictures. This little camera is great. The large screen is worth the money. The controls are small and a little slippery(the rotating wheel) but once you are used to it you can quickly change settings. There are many features I will most likey never use but with some creativity you could have fun with it. I had no trouble with battery life. I took around 850 pictures in 10 days so it was used a lot. I had to charge every night but it took pics solid all day on one charge. (I did not use flash very often)Get a car charger. I have a universal charger that will charge the batteries for both my cameras while on the road.

I upgraded to this camera from the SD450 after it was dropped and refused to operate correctly. This camera is exceptionally stylish, all buttons are inlaid and cut from the body. It fits very nicely in a pocket.
The picture quality is a jump from the SD450, which suffered from a focus issue. I have not taken a single out of focus picture with this camera. The response time is what you would expect from a digital camera, I don't know if there have been any advances in this area, this is purely a limitation of the flash card.
If you are looking for a camera to take along with you, this is a great choice.

We have been using this camera for over 2 weeks. All is very-very good. The only complaint is that filming movies is not great - no zoom which messes with the focus. Beautiful design, great metal case, super clear screen, nice menus, good battery life, etc. IS (image stabilization) works VERY well, no blurred images. Images have vibrant color and have very crisp details. It is easy to accidentally change shooting modes by touching the new function-wheel on the back of the camera. I am used to checking status before shooting, but my wife has missed many shots because she accidentally changed to a manual mode.

This is an amazing camera for the price. It does especially good with close up digital macro shots. I am completely happy with my purchase.

Excellent photo's and overall excellent product with great price and 8GB memory card for $299 shipped

This is a great camera. Make sure to read the manual so you learn the settings and all of the options available.

Awesome compact camera that fits in your pocket or purse to take with you everywhere!! It has more features then the Canon SD850IS so it takes a little longer to get used to, but well worth the time!!! I LOVE the red eye correction feature. My son has bright blue eyes and they are red in every picture. With this feature I can edit them right then on the camera and not have to mess with photo software on the computer. I am very satisfied with my purchase!

I love this camera except for the little wheel where you can select the picture setting. It's a little awkward to use. Love the big LCD and the small size of the camera. Takes awesome photos!

Great camera. Easy to carry around. Easy to use. Lots of features. Best small camera I've ever owned.(I have 5)
I haven't had anything bad to say about this camera. I have taken about 2000 pictures so far and they are all great. I am very pleased.
If I wear this camera out, I would buy a new one!

I bought this camera before going on a European Cruise (I'm American).

Pros:
1. Camera films great standard video (640 by 480).
2. Camera pictures are good under all lighting conditions and are 10 MP.
3. Camera does TIME-LAPSE video, taking a picture every 1 or 2 seconds (you choose) to film scenes over a long time. I used it to video a home renovation project. It was a lot of fun to look at afterwards.
4. Camera can sense which way you're holding the camera and shifts the image on the screen just like the iPhone does! Great during playback of video and still shots to always fill up the whole screen.
5. Camera has a lot of interesting special effects, like color swap, black and white with only one color developed (ex: black and white landscape with blue sky showing as blue).
6. Very small and easy to put in your pocket. It was great for my trip. I left my bulky 10MP SLR and Mini-DV camcorder at home, why lug that stuff around when this camera takes awesome pictures and video!
7. Can take 1000 high quality pictures (10MP) with one 4GB card or 45 minutes of video!
8. The camera can track and recognize your face so that it always focuses on your face. This is amazing because you can watch it track (little white square) a person's face on the viewfinder as you set up a shot.
9. HUGE screen. I didn't buy a case and the screen never became scratched.
10. It shows you how much battery life you have left. Batteries lasted over a day with very heavy use of taking and viewing both video and TONS of pictures. I bought an extra battery just in case. Batteries were fully charged in under 2 hours.

Cons:
1. It takes maybe 5 minutes to get used to the menu system, but after the initial learning curve it's easy to use.
2. The 4GB memory cards couldn't be read by the photo shop or my SD card reader because the larger GB format is new and requires updated card reader equipment.

if you want to buy Digital Camera in limited budget, get this camera. you get more than what u have paid.

Love the big reveiw screen. A bit more steps involved to review and or delete pictures than I was used to. Am sure the more I use it the better I will enjoy it. Pictures look great with the 10 mega pixels. Will really know for sure when I have them printed out. Ease of down loading to my computer is really great. Probably the easiest I have ever used. The motion stilling feature is really nice. Will probably want to upate it to all stars with use.

Awesome camera...love all the features. Easy for an average user like me. Do not like the "wheel", but not in the way, don't use that often. Takes great pics!

I went with the Canon SD790 after I dropped my other digital camera on its protruding lens, thus rendering it useless. After using the SD790 for a while, my accident feels like a godsend.

This camera is speedy making spontaneous moments easy to capture. And all those memories will look great too, the image quality is unmatched by any other digicam I've ever owned. It's 10.0 megapixels, but I typically shoot in 6.0 megapixels and these photos look much better than my previous 6.0 megapixel camera.

Battery life is superb. I took almost two-hundred pictures and the battery was still mostly charged. All the different scene modes are very appreciated, but some of them I doubt I will ever use (i.e., fireworks, underwater).

Not to mention that this is one of the sexiest gadgets I currently own. I would highly recommend the Canon SD790IS.

Canon has been playing with various mixes of features and prices with their newer models. The model numbers are confusing, but I've gone through a few new models recently and hope this extra info may help you. Even though I do own a few older Canon DSLRs, for point and shoot I've been leaning more towards Nikon's Coolpix S series for the better pricing and some features. I did a lot of research into the various models in this price range. The 790IS stands up well against the Nikon Coolpix S600 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Wide Angle Zoom, S52 and S52c. And for my needs it's more appealing than Canon's SD890IS , SD950IS, SD770IS or SD1100IS models.

** The Nikon Coolpix S52c 9MP Digital Camera Zoom with Wi-Fi, has all the good stuff that's included with the Nikon Coolpix S52 9MP Digital Camera plus a wireless antenna for uploading pictures without syncing to your PC. Either of these is a better value than the Canon 790 or 770 at about 30% less.

** 10-megapixels is a nice round number and good capacity. I wouldn't expect it to be much better than 8 or 9 MP models, but more never hurts. The 770 and 890 each also offer 10 MP and the 950 offers 12 MP, though at a much higher price. The Nikon S600 also has 10 MP. The 9 MP of the Nikon S52c was enough for me, so the 790's 10 MP is a slight upgrade.

** 3x optical zoom is also a perfect amount that tends to not result in blurred photos. The 950IS and the 870IS each has 5x optical zoom, but both have smaller screens and thicker bodies. Digital zoom is irrelevant to me.

** Canon's image processing is faster and more reliable than on my Nikon. The built-in image stabilization, face detection and motion detection reduce blur. I simply wouldn't consider a Canon without IS at this point.

**Just like the Nikon, and unlike the other Canon models I was looking into, the 790 has the 3 inch LCD screen is too beautiful to ignore. No view-finder here, but with this beautiful screen you don't really need one. The Nikon's screen is best of all, and made from a nicer glass that is more durable. But this Canon is just as big and very nice as well.

** In terms of memory compatibility, Canon's lead this group. Just like the Nikon they support SD and larger SDHC cards. And they also support the wide range of MMC, MMC Plus, and HC MMC Plus. No usable card is included, but you can get a nice 8 GB SDHC for only 40 bucks.

** All those common extras for in-camera editing are included here, including red-eye correction and image cropping. The Canon has a lot of extra shooting modes too. These may aid casual users a lot, but you have to spend some time studying the manual and playing with them. I haven't used them all a great deal, but I'm generally happy with using minimal adjustments instead of the shooting modes.

** The control wheel and buttons are intuitive but not as tactile as on the Nikon. I'm not crazy about the flattened buttons. But if you really want a Canon with a 3 inch screen, you give up the buttons.

** The other advantage of the Nikon S52 is the internal zoom. That means no waiting for the lens to zoom in and out, and no worries about the mechanical issues with those external lens extension cameras. It is possible to view pictures on the 790 IS without activating the lens by pressing the view button. But for taking pictures, the lens articulates out.

** The slim chiseled body of this Canon is very comparable to the S52 and more attractive than the rounder and fatter 890 and 950. I still prefer the Nikon body design, but the Canon definitely feels more solid in your hand.

** Picture taking is better feeling on the Canon, with a more effective button design, less lag and faster shutter. It's true that some manual controls aren't available here, but it's a point and shoot. Step up to a bridge model like the Canon G9 or the Nikon P60 if you want more manual controls.

** Low light performance is better with the Canon in auto but better with the Nikon when the ISO is set manually. On balance I think the S52 is better in this area.

** The wireless upload feature is a nice extra on the S52c. Connecting to a wireless access point takes some time. This is not a feature I plan on using often, but considering even the S52c is significantly less pricey than the 790 it's almost like a freebee. Upload speeds are too slow for video, but for pictures it will do in a pinch.

** The video recording features are pretty similar but slightly better on the Canon. The video quality is great on both and sound quality could be improved on both.

** The S600 has a widescreen capability that may appeal to some and 10 megapixels as well. The 790IS is on the cusp of wide-lens aperture, but the S600 is better in that area. The S600 also has an externally articulating lens, so it's less compact than the S52. The S600 is a serious competitor to the 790IS. The body of the Canon is still nicer looking though.

** All of the ELPHs have proprietary rechargeable batteries. Plan on recharging them often and buying a spare battery. You'll also need to buy a little case for this camera. Some bridge models like the P60 offer the convenience of AA batteries. If you plan on travelling a lot internationally, being able to use AAs comes in handy.


This is a great camera, and probably the best Elph out there right now. 1) If you think you might use the Wifi upload feature, prefer the internal lens or are looking for the best value, the S52c or S52 is the way to go.
2) If you plan on shooting a lot in auto mode and want a thin camera with the 3 inch screen, the 790IS is the way to go.
3) If you don't need the 3 inch screen and just prefer Canon to Nikon, go with the 770 IS or the 1100 IS to save some cash.
4) If you need something that doesn't force you to use those proprietary batteries and chargers, check out the P60.
5) If you want a little wider lens capabilities, look at the Nikon S600.

I know this is a lot to digest. I hope you can benefit from this info and the recent spree of camera purchases I've made.

Enjoy your new camera.

I have been an avid canon fan for 22 years and once again find myself with yet another quality product. The camera has a variety of features, a convenient turn wheel for camera options, and is worth the extra price for the Image Stabilizer; because I normally shoot with a SLR (Canon 20D)I was looking for a solid camera that offered these options in a user friendly way. This camera lives up to my expectations. However, the camera is not without its weaknesses: it processes slow after pressing the shutter button(the same frustration with my old Canon Elph S500), it is heavy for its size, only offers 3x optical and 10MP(while others offer 5x and 12MP at comparable rates), and it is very hard to wipe off finger prints on the screen and body--even with a microfiber camera cloth (other bodies are manufactured from scratch resistant material). It's a toss up between this model and the SD950IS, but I like the sleekness of the SD790IS and the turn wheel on the back of the camera. It's a trade off and you'll need to decide what fits your needs.

I had a panasonic pocket cam, but I scratched up the screen!!!! So... I was able to return it and get another pocket cam. The model of panasonic that I had was unavailable at the store where I returned it. Therefore I decided to get this canon since I have had good luck with canons previously. (I own a rebel xti and a canon a75. Both of them are too large to carry in my pocket.)

Ultimately, all pocket cams suffer from the size of their minuscule sensors. Anything but the lowest ISO setting will show some noise and the dynamic range is fairly low. But that's what DSLR's are for. Of course DSLR's have one huge drawback. I can't fit any of them in my pocket!

On to the review.

First off, I would like to get my biggest complaint out of the way. That little spinning wheel SUCKS!!! It is far too sensitive. Also, the designers of this camera made the little function/set button in the middle of the wheel too small in order to accommodate said wheel. Hence, four stars instead of five.

Now for the best thing about this camera: THE SCREEN! Bright, fairly accurate, legible from all angles, and contrasty. (Is that a word?) There will never be a need for a peephole viewfinder (which this camera lacks). Even in bright sun, I can be fairly confident about the results of each shot. Hallelujah! Most surprisingly, there seems to be some kind of anti-reflective coating. And the coating actually works! Blacks look black and bright external lights don't obscure the view.

There are even a few hidden features that I am extremely happy with. (I say "hidden" because I never would have figured them out without the instruction manual.) Hidden bonus #1) Exposure lock and FLASH EXPOSURE LOCK. This means that I can actually attempt to get some control over the output level of the flash. I have never seen this feature on any other pocket cam. I would recommend reading the instruction manual to learn how to do these things. I don't want to give step by step instructions in a review.

Hidden item 2) the "my colors" mode. Once this mode is accessed, the color saturation, contrast and sharpness can be adjusted to taste. Once I figured this out, I immediately turned the contrast all the way down. Now I am able to avoid blown highlights in high contrast situations more easily. And portraits are also better with lower contrast. Sure, dynamic range is still limited, but it helps to have this kind of control. One other thing: a little saturation boost looks good to me. Your results may vary.

Hidden item 3) grid lines. This puts lines across the lcd which break the composition into thirds. (Those of you who know about the rule of thirds will appreciate this.) I can keep straight lines fairly straight (assuming lens distortion hasn't curved the straight lines) and I can use the intersection of lines to apply the rule of thirds. (I would recommend a google search of "rule of thirds.")

Hidden item 4) aspect ratio masking. This means that I can choose to have gray shaded bars at the top and bottom of the screen which will show what I will get from a 4x6 print. I like to print my pics at a popular warehouse store (rhymes with bosco) and in the past it has been frustrating to receive prints which crop away the edges of my careful in- camera framing of a shot. Now I can pre-visualize the results of a 4x6 print while I shoot. Amen brother.

One last complaint: these cameras should be made available in black. Not silver with a little "black eye" in the middle. My panasonic was black. Damn.

One more complaint: Hey Canon people!!! Figure out a more creative name than "powershot sd 790 is." My recommendation: paint it black with a skull and crossbones. Call it the "poison cam." Okay, maybe not. But, seriously, how many times can a new model with yet another number designation suffice? 790,870,950,911, 666 the camera of the beast!!! Enough with the stinkin' numbers!

One last recommendation: use caution when carrying a camera in a jacket pocket or (worse still) pants pocket. I ruined my panasonic by carrying it in the same pocket as a set of keys. Luckily, my brain has two distinct, separate lobes which don't slosh around in my skull damaging each other like my keys damaged my camera. (What a lousy metaphor!) I bought this case and it's a perfect fit.Tamrac 5204 T4 Digital Camera Bag (Black)

In conclusion, I expect that I will use this camera quite often owing largely to its diminutive proportions. (Hopefully, its diminutive proportions don't mean that it will be lost!) I just need to make sure not to accidentally spin that stupid little wheel. Oh well, perhaps I can cut a little piece of gaffer's tape to hold it still.
------------------
update to review
------------------
Order this battery: Lenmar DLC5L Lithium-ion Digital Camera/Camcorder Battery Equivalent to the Canon NB-5L Battery Works great for a great price.

Another good thing about this camera: it is possible to view images on the camera's screen without extending the lens. With the camera turned off, just hold down the play button to turn on image playback. The lens won't pop out.
The extending lens design of this and many other point and shoot cameras seems to me the most likely element to be damaged. Some cameras avoid this issue by utilizing a lens design whereby the zoom lens is entirely contained inside the camera housing. I'm not entirely certain whether internal zoom lenses are equal in quality to extending zoom lenses.

Another thing I have noticed is that I can't really see any difference between "fine" and "super fine" jpegs. One thing is certain. The fine jpegs take up less file space.
Also, 10 megapixel files ("large" jpeg setting) seem like overkill for such a tiny sensor. I haven't done any valid comparisons, but I suspect that setting this camera to record 6 megapixel images may look just fine and would also save on file size. I have a Canon A75 which makes great 8x10 prints even though it only has 3.2 megapixel resolution. If this camera is used to make poster-size prints, that little bit of extra resolution may help. But, then again, maybe not. I know of at least one article on the internet which suggests that 6 mp may be the "sweet spot" for sensors of the size contained in this camera. I will need to compare prints made from files of different resolutions to know for sure. If I remember, I will eventually post my opinion here. I would appreciate if anyone more knowledgeable in this area could post a comment.

Every bit of hype I read about this camera has proven to be absolutely true -- it's the best point-and-shoot camera I've ever owned, superior to even the excellent film-based Elphs.

You simply can not go wrong buying this camera.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2BS3DS7IC25I6