Canon PowerShot SD800 IS (IXUS 850 IS) and SD700 IS (IXUS 800 IS) 100% crops and samples

PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS:

Canon PowerShot SD800 IS (IXUS 850 IS) This 7.1MP camera has 28mm (35mm equivalent) wide-angle coverage, Optical Image Stabilizer, and Optical Viewfinder.

28mm wide-angle coverage is only available on a small number of P&S cameras, and there is currently no consumer camcorder that comes with such a wide lens.

The three-stop Optical Image Stabilizer produces camcorder-quality, shake-free videos, and ISO 640-1600 equivalent blur-free images, using the low-noise ISO 80-200 settings. However, from ISO 400 and up, noise can become an issue for 8X10 (203X254mm) enlargements.

ISO 80 + IS = low-noise ISO 640 equivalent blur-free images
ISO 200 + IS = low-noise ISO 1600 equivalent blur-free images

Optical Viewfinder enables the display to be turned off while taking photos to conserve batteries on a multi-day or week trip in the wilderness without the ability to charge batteries.

This camera can generate dSLR-like photos, staying between ISO 80-200. The 28-105mm (35mm equivalent) 3.8x zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer is very sharp overall and exhibits little chromatic aberration.

The side-by-side comparison between the 7.1MP SD800 IS and the 8MP XT/17-85 IS shows this miniature P&S has similar image quality throughout its entire zoom range with far less chromatic aberration at the wide end. As expected, the dSLR gear produces smoother images overall, especially in low-light situations.
(Both cameras had identical Contrast, Sharpness, and Saturation settings.)

The three-stop Optical Image Stabilizer produces ISO 640-1600 equivalent blur-free images, using the low-noise ISO 80-200 settings. Although it's easy to see the difference in ISO 200 noise level in the 100% crops below, the 50% crop shows the noise level is hardly noticeable when viewing the SD800 image whole on screen.

Only a few P&S cameras have 28mm (35mm equivalent) wide-angle coverage - a feature that is indispensable in so many places like the Grand Canyon or Sistine Chapel where 35mm is simply too narrow. The low-light shot below would not have come out so blur-free without Optical Image Stabilizer. (Taken by my wife in Nara, Japan)

Image quality is excellent for daytime shots. (Taken by my wife in Tokyo, Japan)

Night Snapshot mode produces very good results. (Taken by my wife in Osaka, Japan)

Canon PowerShot SD700 IS (IXUS 800 IS) with WP-DC5 housing takes surprisingly good pictures and steady videos on land and underwater for such a compact setup.

The ISO performance is pretty much identical to the SD800 IS - good up to ISO 200 and becomes noisy from ISO 400 and up. The three-stop Optical Image Stabilizer really helps in low-light situations.

The 35-140mm (35mm equivalent) 4x zoom is sharp edge to edge at the wide end with very little chromatic aberration, but can get a little soft toward the upper zoom range.

Staying between ISO 80-200, using OIS or a micro-tripod, SD700 IS can deliver excellent results in low-light situations.

Similar to adjusting the reddish cast out of night shots, underwater images often require post processing to get the colors closer to what we see while diving. (El Nido, Philippines)