Testing / Performance

**Color ***(6.98)
*Canon digital cameras have typically tested well in terms of color, but the SD40 remixes the standard fare inside the camera. It has a new Digic III image processor, a 7-megapixel image sensor, and a Canon lens seen on other PowerShot models. To see how well the SD40’s combination of elements can reproduce realistic colors, we photographed the ever-colorful GretagMacbeth color chart. This chart shows colors from throughout the spectrum. We take the SD40’s photographs of the chart and upload them to Imatest imaging software, that compares the original chart’s colors to those from the camera. Below is a chart showing the original colors in the vertical rectangle of each tile, the Canon SD40’s colors in the outer square of each tile, and the ideal corrected for exposure in the inner squares.   

Some of the colors are hard to distinguish from each other, while others are obviously off. Below is another comparison chart to show just how far each color is from where it should be. The Canon PowerShot SD40’s colors are shown as circles, and the ideal colors are squares.  

The white appears to be spot on, but many of the other colors are dancing about the frame. Many of the camera’s colors move toward the outer edges of the chart, indicating that they are oversaturated. Indeed, the numbers proved this. Colors are over-saturated by an average of 119.6 percent. Most cameras oversaturate by a few percentage points to really flaunt colors, but this is a bit much! Warmer colors tended to be the most inaccurate. The Canon SD40 ended up with a mean color error of 8.59 and an overall score of 6.98, which are disappointing numbers for this digital camera.   

**Still Life Scene
**Below is a shot of our stock still life scene, recorded with the Canon PowerShot SD40.

[

*Click on the image above to view the full size image. *](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=SD40-StillLife-LG.jpg)

**Resolution ***(5.40)
*The SD40 packs a 7.1-megapixel image sensor under the hood. At its top JPEG resolution, we snapped several pictures of an industry standard resolution chart to see how effective it is at capturing detail. The chart is shown below.

[

Click on the chart to view the full resolution file](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/cameras/viewer.php?picture=SD40-ResCH-LG.jpg)

ISO setting (horizontal axis). 

ISO noise score. 

**Low Light ***(3.0)
*All of our other tests are done in optimal studio lighting. However, since not everyone shoots under perfect lighting, we dim our lights for a few tests. The first test was done at 60 lux that is equivalent to the amount of light in a living room after dusk with two soft lamps. Our second test is done at 30 lux, which is equivalent to light emitted from a 40-watt bulb. The 15 and 5 lux test are extremely dark and are meant to push the image sensor to its limit.

ISO sensitivity, but that caused the images to come out garbled. They look spotty and honestly quite awful. This digital camera isn’t a star performer in low light, but it can at least capture fuzzy renditions of subjects that look something like watercolor paintings.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot*(8.65)*

The Canon Powershot SD40 can start up and take a shot in 1.35 seconds. That’s quick for a compact camera and will be useful when a chance for a spontaneous shot comes up. DSLRs usually take less than a second to start up, but it’s common for compact cameras to take over 3 seconds.

Shot-to-Shot Time*(9.38)*

When it was set to burst mode with maximum file size and quality, the SD40 shot at 1.6 frames per second. We shot 66 frames at that rate, and it appeared that the SD40 would have kept on going until the memory card filled up. 1.6 fps isn’t fast enough for sports or action sequences, but it allows users to get off a couple of shots at a time when shooting portraits or group pictures.

Shutter to Shot Time (8.28) 

The SD40 takes 0.36 seconds to capture a shot after the shutter button is pressed. Among compact cameras, that’s mediocre performance. Many cameras are closer to 0.2 or 0.25 but some are over 0.5. As far as practical use goes, 0.36 seconds is long enough to ruin a shot. Users of the SD40 should try to train themselves to compensate for the delay and press the shutter slightly before the peak of action.

Physical Tour

Front*(7.5)*
The small Digital Elph is strongly rectangular and just about the size of a cell phone. The right side of the camera’s front has a shiny chrome plate with an edge that curves around the lens. The lens barrel is about the size of a quarter, but the actual window of the lens is smaller than a dime. There are two plastic panels that meet in the center of the lens diagonally to protect the glass from scratching. Around the outer rim of the barrel are the lens’ specs: "Canon Zoom Lens 2.4x, 6.3-14.9mm, 1:3.2-5.4." On the far right side of the chrome plate, Canon boasts its resolution: "7.1 Megapixels." In the top right corner is a miniscule built-in flash. To its left is an auto focus assist lamp. On the left edge of the chrome plate, nearly in the center of the camera, is a small hole for a microphone. The left panel of the camera is emblazoned with the Canon PowerShot SD40 and Digital Elph logos; the panel is the main color of the camera body, whether it is Precious Rose, Twilight Sepia, Olive Gray, or Noble Blue (the model shown is the latter). The far left edge is a rounded chrome panel with a wrist strap eyelet in its center.

**

Back***(6.25)*

The horizontal frame of the camera makes for an interesting layout on the back of the SD40. The 1.8-inch LCD screen takes up the left half of the back side, and a slew of controls takes over the right half. The display screen is set below the rest of the camera body and has a Canon logo below it. The controls aren’t very neatly organized and are complicated by the abundance of icons surrounding them. In the center of the right half is a dime-sized round control that acts as the zoom toggle and multi-selector. It has four lines on the control pointing in the cardinal directions. At the top is an icon symbolizing the telephoto end of the lens for zooming in on subjects. The bottom has an icon to zoom out and another icon of a trash can to delete pictures. Pushing the right side changes the flash modes and pushing the left side activates the macro mode. To the top left of the control is an oval-shaped switch that moves from the playback mode on the left, to the movie mode in the center, and to the still imaging mode on the right side. Directly below this is a circular button with a LED in its center; this is the Print/Share button. To the bottom left of this button is a small circular LED that blinks when writing pictures to the memory card. To the bottom left of the multi-selector/zoom control is a Func./Set button and to the bottom right is an identical button to call up the menu. Around the multi-selector/zoom control is a moat for fingers to swim in and distinguish the buttons from one another on the back.

**Left Side ***(7.25)*

The left side of this Digital Elph is featureless. It has a shiny chrome panel on the front that wraps partially around this side and adds a pleasing aesthetic element. If readers think creatively, they can even see a sideways smiley face on this side with the curve acting as the smile and the two screws beside it making eyes.

**Right Side ***(7.25)*

The right side has a protruding chrome plate toward the front with an eyelet for attaching the wrist strap. Behind this is a plastic battery door that must be pushed toward the back before it swings open on its hinge. Beneath the door are slots for the memory card and battery.

Top*(7.5)*

The chrome plate on the front and left sides also extends a bit on the top and shows an interesting curve. Below its curve on the left side is an AiAF logo. In the center of the top is an interestingly shaped panel. It looks like a comet with the shutter release button being the head and the panel trails off to form the tail. The power button is on the left of the shutter release button. On the right edge are ten leaf-shaped holes that make up the built-in speaker.

Bottom*(6.75)*

This angle on any camera is never a gorgeous view, but then again, it doesn’t have to be. Still, the shiny chrome panel wraps onto this side the same way it shows up in the top right corner. Each of the bottom’s four corners have a tiny foot on it to keep it from sticking onto a tripod plate or otherwise getting damaged. To the right of the center is a metal tripod socket. To the left of the socket are serial numbers and corporate information, with the single port on the camera (USB) located above the serial info.

Components

Viewfinder*(0.0)*

This digital camera is much too small for an optical viewfinder; Canon reserves those for many of its other models. The SD40 uses its LCD screen, which is quite small when compared with other display screens. The upside for this type of view is that what you see is what you get; the LCD shows 100 percent coverage of what the image sensor captures. The downside is that the screen may be difficult to see in extreme lighting, and it solarizes when held above or below eye level. All of this considered, its accurate view still makes the LCD a decent viewfinder.

**LCD Screen ***(3.25)*
A low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT LCD screen graces the left half of the camera’s back. Many digital cameras’ screens occupy two-thirds or even three-quarters of the back, but the Canon PowerShot SD40’s screen measures only 1.8 inches diagonally. The view is small, but accurate – so it is still a good viewfinder. As a playback medium, though, it is lacking. It solarizes when held above or below eye-level but does better when held from side to side. The screen is normally hard to see in daylight, but the brightness can be adjusted in the setup menu within 15 levels. The 118,000-pixel LCD screen has decent resolution for its size, but the view can be blocked by grease and fingerprints that collect on the screen’s surface. The information on the display screen cannot be easily changed. There is no on-camera button that cycles through info and histograms and such. Instead, there is an option in the setup menu that lets users activate shooting, reviewing, and replaying info. Overall, the SD40’s LCD screen is functional but isn’t the camera’s best aspect.

**Flash ***(4.5)*
The built-in flash unit on the PowerShot SD40 is disappointing. It is located in the top right corner of the front, where the left fingers will likely curl over it and prevent it from lighting up much of anything. Even when uncovered, the flash only reaches from 1-6.6 ft in wide and 1-4.3 ft in telephoto – certainly not enough to be effective for any sort of group portraiture. In the macro mode, the flash only covers from 1-1.6 ft and looks ghastly at that. On the upside, the flash coverage is pretty even with some normal vignetting in the corners of the frame. The following flash modes are available: Auto, Auto with Red-eye Reduction, Auto with Slow Synchro, Flash On, Flash On with Red-eye Reduction, Flash On with Slow Synchro, and Flash Off. Auto, On, and Off options are available by pushing the right side of the navigational control. The red-eye reduction and slow synchro options can be activated within the shooting menu. The Canon PowerShot SD40 is compatible with the Canon HF-DC1 flash accessory that can flash up to 30 ft and can be mounted onto the camera or held by hand or placed on a separate tripod. The accessory costs $99 and eliminates the tidy compact feel of the SD40, but it is worth considering for users who anticipate shooting in low light frequently.

Zoom Lens*(4.5)*
The Canon PowerShot SD40’s zoom lens isn’t very impressive. It measures 6.3-14.9mm, which is equivalent to a 38-90mm lens. This is neither wide enough for portraits of the extended family at the reunion nor is it long enough to capture candid pictures of the grandparents playing bridge. The 2.4x optical zoom lens is short of the standard 3x. The Canon lens also falls short with its maximum aperture a full stop smaller than what most compact cameras now offer. At the widest focal length, the aperture can open as much as f/3.2. At the most telephoto, a f/5.4 aperture is as big as it gets.

The tiny lens extends in two segments from the body of the camera. The zoom can be adjusted with the nickel-sized control on the back. This control is unique. Most compact digital cameras either have zoom buttons on the top right of the back, or they have a lever surrounding the shutter release button. The Canon PowerShot SD40, however, uses its navigational control for zooming as well. This setup isn’t very intuitive and requires a lot more movement from the thumb than with zoom controls on other digital cameras.

The SD40’s zoom control is not sensitive at all. There are only three stops in the zoom range, and there isn’t any info on-screen to tell your whereabouts within the range – until 2.4x is reached. Once the maximum optical zoom is reached, arrows appear on the screen next to the "2.4x" to indicate the digital zoom. The optical and digital zoom can combine to get 10x total zoom, but pictures will be horribly grainy if the digital zoom is used at all.

Overall, this tiny lens and its insensitive control are uncharacteristically useless, and it’s disappointing to see this from a manufacturer with a reputation in optics. 

Design / Layout

Model Design / Appearance*(8.25)*

Canon attempts to meld form and function with its Digital Elph series. The fusion is a success in the PowerShot SD40 that looks like something which could dangle daintily from a model’s long neck. The stainless steel body comes in four colors: Precious Rose, Twilight Sepia, Olive Gray, and Noble Blue (pictured in this review). The camera also has plenty of shiny chrome highlights to add interest and provide a mirror-like surface that users can check their smiles on. The SD40 is strongly horizontal and very rectangular, but has rounded edges that smoothly transition from side to side. Overall, the Canon SD40’s good looks are one of its best assets.

Size / Portability*(8.5)*

The SD40 measures smaller than my cell phone, but it weighs slightly more. The tiny camera has smooth edges on its 3.78 x 1.78 x 0.94-inch body. This isn’t the skinniest camera on the market – some Casios have trimmed down to 0.7 inches thick – but it is still very good looking, very compact, and very portable. Its smooth edges make it very easy and comfortable to stash in a pants pocket, and the curved left side (when viewing from the front) has a nicely sized wrist strap eyelet that is pleasantly integrated into the overall design. This PowerShot weighs 3.7 oz without the SD card and lithium-ion battery. Those items don’t weigh much, so the total weight barely exceeds 4 ounces. Canon wants this digital camera to be extremely portable; it is compatible with the optional waterproof AW-DC40 case that lets users submerge it up to 9.8 ft. The Canon PowerShot SD40 is truly a go-anywhere camera with its classic styling, small size, and compact features.

**Handling Ability ***(5.5)*

Consumers with large hands won’t want to bother with this camera; it’s simply too small. Even users with small hands won’t want to handle this camera longer than a few minutes. The right side does have a curved edge, but it doesn’t make handling any easier. The back of the SD40 has a slew of buttons and a round niche in the camera body surrounding the zoom control that acts as subtle grip to help the thumb differentiate between buttons and be able to hold the camera up properly. The camera is well-balanced and light enough that it can be held just fine with one hand. Two hands are always preferred, of course, but users have to make sure their left fingers don’t wander in front of the tiny built-in flash on the front. Overall, the Canon PowerShot SD40 handles just okay – it’s too small to offer a leather bucket seat and a plush fuzzy steering wheel.

**Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size ***(5.75)*

The power and shutter release buttons are atop the camera, but all other controls are located on the back. At first glance, the controls don’t look very well organized, and users may wonder where the zoom control is. Indeed, the setup is not traditional.

A switch near the top of the camera moves between the playback, movie, and still image shooting modes. There are three small circular buttons for printing and calling up the Func./Set and main menu systems. In between these buttons is a larger control that looks like one very large button. It has small bumps pointing in each of the cardinal directions, and an icon graces each side too. The left side has a flower macro icon, and the right has a flash icon. The top has a telephoto icon that looks like one tree in a single frame. The bottom has a wide zoom icon that looks like three trees with a trash can for a deletion function in the playback mode.

The combination of the navigational control and the zoom control is interesting. Personally, I don’t prefer it because it requires much more movement with the thumb and the button itself isn’t sensitive enough to fully utilize the lens. Minimalists may like the nontraditional approach though.

**Menu ***(7.0)*

The menus on this digital camera are typical of other Canon PowerShot cameras. The features are split into two menu systems with frequently used options accessed by the Func./Set button, and the regular menu system accessed by the Menu button. People who sort their socks by color into different drawers will appreciate this setup. Those who prefer to store all socks in one massive pile may be confused as to which options are where. There is some rhyme and reason to Canon’s organization. The shooting mode and a few manual controls can be found in the Func./Set menu.

There are live views throughout the Func./Set menu, but those end once the typical menu system is called up. It displays its options in a nicely organized folder setup with three tabs along the top. The red camera tab at left shows shooting options, the central yellow setup tab shows setup options, and the right tab is purple with a person’s head next to a camera – meant to customize the SD40. The following is the nicely organized shooting menu, designated with a red camera icon.

The following menu is the second yellow tab within the menu structure that showcases the setup features.

The third tab on the menu has users customize everything from the startup image to the self-timer sound. The sounds on this camera range from the dull beep of a standard digital camera to more interesting audio like wolves howling and birds singing.

Overall, the menu system is well-organized. Navigation through the menus is simple with the nickel-sized control but making selections is a little tedious. Most digital cameras have a multi-selector with a selection button in the center. The Canon PowerShot SD40 uses the large coin-like control for navigation and the Func./Set button to the bottom left for making selections. This is just a little more movement for the thumb but could be a pain if you’re one to fiddle in the menus often.

**Ease of Use ***(7.0)*

Once users figure out where the zoom control is, the Canon PowerShot SD40 is fairly easy to use. If consumers are familiar with Canon digital cameras, adjustment to this model won’t be difficult at all. True beginners may not know where to find the shooting modes (in the Func./Set menu), but a quick briefing with the SD40 will alleviate any potential problems.

Modes

Auto Mode*(7.75)*

The Canon PowerShot SD40 has a fully automatic mode stashed in the same menu as the other shooting modes. The regular menu is fully available, including the face detection auto focus feature. The Func./Set menu, however, is limited to few choices: ISO, drive mode, and image size. Manual ISO options aren’t available, but users can still pick between the normal auto ISO and the high auto ISO settings. The drive mode allows access to the vast self-timer options, but it doesn’t even show a burst mode. The image size is the only option fully available in the Func./Set menu. On the navigational control, users can choose macro settings and a limited selection of flash modes (auto and off). Overall, the auto mode is just as it should be: It is easy to use and takes decent pictures.

Movie Mode*(7.75)*

The movie mode has its own position on the mode switch and hosts several movie mode options: Standard, Fast Frame Rate, Compact, Color Accent, and Color Swap. The Standard movie mode records 640 x 480 or 320 x 240 pixels with 30 or 15 fps. Fast Frame Rate records QVGA resolution video at 60 fps for up to one minute. It looks crystal clear and smooth in the camera, but the image is grainy on a normal television screen. The Compact movie mode records 160 x 120 pixels at 15 fps for up to three minutes. Color Accent and Color Swap modes aren’t entirely intuitive since users must hold down the Menu button for a few seconds to select colors. These interesting modes operate at top resolution. I tried swapping the red color of my couch for the black color of the carpet, but the camera seemed to only dull the red and not much else. These modes are fun to play with but not meant for full-length feature films.

In all of the movie modes except the color swap and accent modes, the white balance can be set and My Colors modes accessed. The self-timer can also be activated. The optical zoom is disabled while recording, but there is 8x digital zoom available (although it makes video look grainy). The movie mode records audio too. It records audio well and sounds great in playback.

Overall, video from the Canon PowerShot SD40 looked pretty good except when shooting in very strong lighting. Backlit subjects look completely dark, and subjects in bright daylight look washed out. Still, this movie mode is decent for an ultra-compact digital camera. It records television-quality resolution at a good frame rate and does so up to 4 GB or an hour at a time. Users also have the option of creating "movie prints" with Canon SP and Selphy compact photo printers.

**Drive / Burst Mode ***(6.0)*

The Canon PowerShot SD40 has a drive option in its Func./Set menu, but its selection changes as the shooting mode changes. In the still image shooting modes, the single drive mode is available at all times. Most of the time, the self-timer choices are available too. This digital camera has three options: a 2-second delay, a 10-second delay, and a custom option that can snap between 1-10 shots with a delay of 0-30 seconds. The delay happens before the first shot, then the camera takes up to 10 pictures with only about a 2-second pause between each one. This feature is perfect for family portraits when it’s a battle to get everyone’s eyes opened in the same shot. The continuous shooting mode can only be activated in the "manual" mode (it could be more accurately titled a program mode). Canon’s specs claim that it snaps 1.6 fps, but it didn’t seem to even go that fast. Even if it did, those specs aren’t impressive when many compact models can snap 2-3 fps. The Canon SD40 does have an advantage over most cameras when it comes to endurance though. The burst mode is limited only to the capacity of the memory card.

Playback Mode*(7.5)*

The playback mode is accessed by moving the switch on the back of the camera all the way to the left. Pictures and videos can be viewed and edited from here, as well as organized and deleted.

Viewing options include single frames and thumbnail screens of nine images, available by holding the Func./Set button down for a few seconds (this is a little gem learned from the user manual; it certainly isn’t labeled on the camera). This way of accessing the

multi-up view is very different than on other digital cameras. Most use the wide end of the zoom control, which is the delete function on the SD40. Users can also view slide shows via the playback menu complete with different transitions.

Pictures can be deleted with the bottom of the navigational/zoom control or through the playback menu. Deleting lots of images is tedious with the control, so it’s better to use the menu for deleting large numbers of images at once.

When scrolling through images and videos, users can organize them into categories by pushing the Print/Share button to the right of the LCD screen. Several categories appear, and users can scroll down and tag one or several categories within this selection: People, Scenery, Events, Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, and To Do. These categories can be used when playing slide shows. Users can select Events, for instance, rather than showing all images on the card.

Users can magnify images up to 10x but only to the center. The image cannot be moved around with the navigational control. Voice memos up to 60 seconds can be added within the playback menu. Standard or detailed file info can be viewed, when selected in the setup menu, but the detailed info takes up almost half of the already tiny view. The LCD screen measures only 1.8 inches diagonally, but its 118k resolution is good for its size.

There is a host of editing options available from the playback menu.

Movies can be played back normally, frame by frame, or in five levels of slow motion. The audio can be adjusted while viewing the movie by pushing up and down on the navigational control. Movies can be split into two files too.

The Canon PowerShot SD40 comes with a Camera Station CS-DC1a and a tiny wireless control that allows users to sit on the couch and transfer their photos to the computer or play slide shows on the television. Users can play slide shows via the playback menu or can choose to manually scroll through the pictures with the navigational dial on the remote control.

Custom Image Presets*(7.75)*

All still image recording modes are located in the Func./Set menu. A few of the scene modes are listed alongside the Auto and Manual modes. These include Portrait, Landscape, Night Snapshot, Color Accent, and Color Swap. The last position on this menu shows a selected "special scene" and a prompt to push the Menu button. Pushing the Menu button in this case brings up the "special scene" modes: Kids & Pets, Indoor, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, and Underwater. This is a good selection because there are options for shooting in bright light (Beach, Snow, Kids & Pets) and others for shooting in low light (Indoor, Fireworks, Night Snapshot). The Night Snapshot mode still allows users to access the flash modes, so it can be turned on or off according to the users’ desires. Overall, the Canon PowerShot SD40 includes a robust list of scene modes.

Control Options

Manual Control Options

This digital camera is mostly designed with ease of use in mind and definitely not manual controls. Still, it has some impressive flexible options for being an otherwise automatic camera. It has sensitivity options that can be manually selected up to 1600, manually selectable long shutter speeds that can be utilized for low light photography with noise reduction, and custom white balance.

Focus
Auto Focus*(8.0)*

The Canon PowerShot SD40 is equipped with a 9-area AiAF auto focus system that also has a face detection mode, thanks to the new Digic III image processor. The through-the-lens auto focus system lets users choose the auto focus mode (AiAF or Face Detect) in the recording menu. The AiAF shows green boxes (within 9 areas) on the screen to indicate what is focused. The Face Detect mode shows white brackets around faces until the exposure is locked, then only the primary face (the closest one) is framed in green. Canon claims that its system can recognize up to 9 faces at a time, but I could never get it to recognize more than 3 faces at once. That’s still not bad. My pictures still came out crystal clear. But don’t expect white frames to pop up around everyone’s faces all at once. The SD40’s auto focus system can focus as close as 12 inches normally. By pushing the left side of the navigational/zoom control, users can access the macro and landscape focus modes. The macro mode focuses as close as 3.9 inches at the widest focal length and 12 inches at the most telephoto; the edge of the macro mode’s reach is 1.6 ft. The camera’s auto focus system worked well, but it isn’t the speediest that Canon makes. The SD40 isn’t as slow as many of its ultra-compact competitors, but it will probably still miss a few fleeting moments. Of note is the orange auto focus assist lamp that can be turned on in the shooting menu. It works in low light but not in extremely low light since it isn’t very powerful.

Manual Focus *(0.0)*

This feature is not on the Canon PowerShot SD40, mainly because its target audience isn’t likely to use it.

ISO*(8.75)*

The Canon PowerShot SD40 has a new imaging processor, the Digic III, that has better noise reduction technology and can therefore offer more ISO options. In every still image shooting mode, Auto ISO and High ISO Auto choices are available. All compact digital cameras have a normal automatic ISO mode, and most of them keep their automatic ranges below ISO 200. This makes for poor low light photography though. Canon created a solution by including the High ISO Auto mode that uses the upper part of the ISO range. Manual ISO options, available only in the Manual mode, include 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600. Previous Digital Elphs only offered as much as ISO 800. All of the ISO options can be found within the Func./Set menu.

White Balance*(7.75)*

Also in the Func./Set menu is a host of white balance modes: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, and Custom. White balance can be set in the manual and movie modes. Many digital cameras don’t allow users to adjust the white balance in the movie mode so this is a bonus. The white balance can be customized by aiming at a white surface and framing it within the tiny white brackets on the screen, then pushing the Menu button. Sound complicated? There are on-screen prompts to make it easier. Overall, the white balance selection is good, the menu structure with the live views is good, and the function itself seems to work well.

Exposure*(7.0)*

The SD40 may have a "manual" mode on its list, but this camera does not allow users to manually adjust the shutter speed and aperture. In most of the modes, though, an exposure compensation feature can be accessed from the Func./Set menu. It has live views in its standard +/- 2 EV range with steps every third of the way. Users who like to watch the exposure more carefully will be saddened by the absence of a live histogram. There is a histogram shown in the playback mode with the detailed file information setting, but by then, the photo is taken and it is too late to change.

Metering*(7.5)*

In the shooting menu, light metering choices appear on the first page: Evaluative, Center-weighted Average, and Spot metering. These appear as icons, and there is no live view or text explanation to help beginners. The Evaluative mode is the default and measures light from sources all over the frame to determine the exposure. The Center-weighted option measures from the middle, and the Spot option measures from a very tiny point in the center. The Spot metering is fixed to the center, and it does not move as the focal point moves.

Shutter Speed*(0.0)*

The shutter speed cannot be manually adjusted, but the exposure compensation can. The SD40 automatically chooses shutter speeds from its 15-1/1600th of a second range. It sticks to the faster end of the range unless the Long Shutter option is activated in the shooting menu. This doesn’t let users manually select shutter speeds, but it suggests to the camera to lean on the longer end of the exposure times and bumps up the noise reduction system simultaneously.

Aperture*(0.0)*

The aperture cannot be manually adjusted but is automatically chosen by the camera. The maximum aperture at the widest focal length is f/3.2, a full stop smaller than what most digital cameras offer. At the longest focal length, the maximum aperture is f/5.4. The aperture offerings on the SD40 are quite unimpressive.

Image Parameters

**Picture Quality / Size Options ***(7.5)*

This Digital Elph has a good amount of image size options, available in the Func./Set menu: 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 1728 (widescreen), 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, and 640 x 480 pixels. Notice there is a widescreen format available, but there is no 3:2 format for perfectly cropped 4 x 6-inch prints. That said, there is an option in the setup menu that allows users to superimpose 3:2 guidelines over the live preview. Users still have to crop the image in post-production though. This means printing good 4 x 6-inch prints directly from the camera will be impossible, unless users don’t care how the printer crops the image. The Canon PowerShot SD40’s JPEG images can be compressed in Normal, Fine, and SuperFine settings.

**Picture Effects Mode ***(8.5)*

This area is a strong point for Canon PowerShot digital cameras. Most compact models have black & white and sepia color modes along with the standard color. The Canon PowerShot SD40 and its siblings go above and beyond though with the My Colors mode. The following effects can be achieved from this list in the Func./Set menu: Vivid, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, and Custom Color. There is a live view when scrolling through the choices, so users can see the orange-tinted sepia mode and the different hues of the darker and lighter skin tone effects. The custom color option lets users tweak several parameters at once: contrast, sharpness, saturation, red, green, blue, and skin tone. All of these options have a +/- 2 scale with full stops. All of the My Colors modes are available in the movie mode too, which is quite unique on a digital camera. Color Accent and Color Swap effects are available as still image shooting and movie modes. With these modes, users can select colors within the frame using the Menu button. The on-screen prompt is a bit confusing though. It shows "Menu" in a gray box like a button, with a down arrow next to it. It looks like the Menu button has to be pushed simultaneously with the bottom of the navigational control; however, the combination of icons means that users need to hold down the Menu button for about a second. These modes are fun to play with and work best with bright obvious colors (i.e. bright red instead of pale green). The Color Accent and Swap modes are not available in the playback mode, but all of the My Colors modes can change photos and save them as separate files in the playback mode.

Connectivity / Extras

**Connectivity
***Software (6.75)*

This digital camera comes with ZoomBrowser EX software that has several viewing modes: zoom, scroll, and preview. The zoom mode shows thumbnails fit onto one page from selected folders; the size of the thumbnails can be adjusted. The scroll mode shows thumbnails with a scroll bar at the side so they don’t have to be squashed onto a single page. The preview mode shows a large picture at the top of the window, with the file info and histogram on the right, and a row of thumbnails along the bottom. There is a Filter Tool in each viewing mode that separates the images according to their rank as favorites or categories.

Slide shows can be played, with 32 different transitions and an option to play photos every 1-120 seconds. Pictures can also be edited with a primitive toolset. Red eye correction, auto adjustment, color/brightness adjustment, sharpness, trim, and insert text are all that’s available in this program.

Images can be sent to a home printer or to friends and family via email. Overall, the ZoomBrowser EX software isn’t the best that Canon offers, but it is good enough for simple editing functions and organizational features.

Jacks, ports, plugs*(3.0)*
The Canon PowerShot SD40 has only one port on its bottom: It’s a USB port that hooks into the included Camera Station. From the dock, users can transfer images to a computer, television, printer or other device with the USB and AV-out jacks. There is also a power adaptor jack and a cable included so that the camera’s battery can charge while sitting in the dock. The USB 2.0 hi-speed port uses a mini-B jack. The AV-out function can be set to NTSC or PAL for viewing anywhere in the world. The camera’s USB jack also connects directly to Canon CP and Selphy compact photo printers. Having most of the camera’s jacks on the included dock keeps the SD40 uncluttered, but it also means that users will have to tote around a slew of cables and accessories on vacation.

Direct Print Options*(8.25)*

Photographers who want to print pictures directly from the camera will appreciate the designated Print/Share button that transfers photos to the printer. DPOF print orders can be made through the playback menu. A sub-menu in the system includes quite a few options that let users select the images, quantity of each print, and whether to print the dates or not. Print orders can be custom made or easily selected by category, folder, or all images at once. Index prints can be made, as well as standard ones. The PowerShot SD40 has a USB jack on its bottom that sits directly on Canon CP and Selphy compact photo printers. With these printers, the SD40 can create ID photos for passports and movie prints from video clips. The SD40 can connect to other PictBridge compatible printers via its USB cable and the camera dock.

Battery (3.75)

The SD40 comes with a skinny NB-4L rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. This tiny battery fits in a slot on the right side of the camera next to the memory card slot. The skinny battery only gets 190 shots per charge, which isn’t very impressive. To make things worse, the battery costs $60! One is included with the camera, so be sure not to lose it. Also in the package is a camera dock that charges the battery. If users want a wall-mounted charger, they’ll have to fork over another $50 for it. The smaller charger may be a good idea for photographers who frequently travel and don’t want to carry the camera dock and cable for charging.

Memory*(3.75)*
The Canon SD40 comes with a 16 MB MultiMediaCard that is enough to snap four pictures at top quality. This isn’t enough memory for ten minutes at a birthday party, so consumers will want to consider getting more memory at the time of purchase. The SD40 accepts MMC, SD, and SDHC memory cards up to 4 GB.

Other features*(4.5)*
Camera Dock – The Canon PowerShot SD40 comes with a Canon Camera Station CS-DC1a in the box. This consists of a white oval-shaped body that has a infrared sensor on the front and several ports going out the back. A separate power cable attaches to one of the rear ports. USB and AV-out cables connect to the back too. The infrared sensor on the front detects the wireless remote control that also comes in the package. The remote is very small, barely bigger than a CompactFlash memory card. The remote has a navigational control and buttons for the menu, set, and deletion functions. This control allows users to sit on their couches and scroll through photos, play slide shows, and watch a big screen when the camera is hooked up to a television or computer.

Stitch Assist – This feature is hidden within the shooting menu rather than being listed as a mode in the Func./Set menu. Users can choose whether to shoot left to right or right to left. Once an option is chosen, the camera shows a widescreen-like live preview. When a picture is taken, an overlay of one side is shown so users can line up the next shot. The SD40 lets users snap as many pictures as the card will hold in this fashion. The images aren’t stitched together until loaded into the included PhotoStitch software on a computer.

Overall Impressions

**Value ***(5.5)
*Canon placed a $349 retail price on the PowerShot SD40. That seems to be the going price for 7-megapixel thin and trendy digital cameras these days. In that respect, it is competitively priced because it has a speedy and effective auto focus system, face detection, custom white balance, and a wide ISO range – things that not all cameras in this price range possess. If consumers are looking to save a few dollars, they can forego the trendy slim housings and go for the more functional Canon A-series, for instance. Those usually cost less and come with more manual controls but can’t fit in a pocket quite as easily.

Comparisons 
Canon PowerShot SD30 – This Digital Elph has 5 megapixels and comes with an older image processor. The Digic II is still fairly speedy (although this model does have a slower 1.3 fps burst mode), but the SD40’s Digic III makes some improvements mainly in its auto focus system. The Canon PowerShot SD30 has many of the same features and components: 2.4x optical zoom lens, aperture and shutter speeds, 1.8-inch LCD screen with 118,000 pixels, metering settings, white balance options, and scene mode selection. The cameras share the same measurements and even weigh the exact same 3.7 oz. Besides the resolution and image processor differences, the Canon SD30 has a shorter ISO range that only reaches 400. It cannot accept the newer SDHC memory cards but still takes the standard SD and MMC cards. The battery gets less mileage with only 160 shots per charge, but it comes with the same camera station and wireless control. The Canon PowerShot SD30 comes in purple, gold, black, and red, and can be found online for around $250.

Casio Exilim EX-Z700 – This 7.2-megapixel digital camera is Casio’s version of the super-slim and super-trendy. Announced about a month before the Canon SD40, the Casio Z700 has a much larger 2.7-inch LCD screen, a 3x optical zoom lens, a digital image stabilization mode, and a list of scene modes that could go to the moon and back. The Casio doesn’t have face detection, but it has a tracking auto focus system that follows moving subjects. This camera weighs in a bit more, but it measures smaller in its 3.48-inch width and 0.81-inch depth. The battery in the Z700 lasts 460 shots per charge, but it charges in an included camera cradle. The Casio Exilim EX-Z700 retails for $299 and comes in silver, gray, and blue colors.

Kodak EasyShare V705 – Coming in at the same retail price of $349 is the V705, one of Kodak’s dual lens digital cameras. This model claims to be the world’s smallest ultra-wide-angle digital camera with its 23mm focal length and purported 5x optical zoom. With 7.1 megapixels, this EasyShare can shoot with its 22 scene modes, VGA movie mode, and limited manual controls. The V705 is very easy to use and allows users to organize pictures into albums and favorites on the camera. It has 32 MB of internal memory and a slot for SD cards. The Kodak EasyShare V705 has a similar rectangular shape as the Canon SD40 but has a much larger 2.5-inch LCD screen with great resolution. Kodak throws in perks like digital image stabilization, a true in-camera panorama stitching function, and Perfect Touch technology in the playback mode to automatically fix lighting and colors in images. The V705 is trendy and easily fits in pockets with its 0.8-inch profile. It comes in black, silver, and pink.

Nikon Coolpix S7c – This digital camera has many similar specs such as its 7.1 megapixels, ISO options up to 1600, and predominantly automatic features. The S7c has an internal lens that gets more zoom at 3x, and it operates with a digital vibration reduction system. Nikon was the first major manufacturer to come out with any sort of face detection technology. Indeed, the S7c has face-priority auto focus like the Nikons introduced two years ago. The technology was all the rage back then, but other manufacturers quickly offered better versions and Nikon hasn’t updated theirs. The biggest different in the Canon’s and Nikon’s face detection technology is speed. Nikon’s is much slower and doesn’t track as well. The Nikon Coolpix S7c has a one-touch portrait button on the back that pairs the face-priority AF with a digital red-eye fix algorithm. Also on the back of the camera is an enormous 3-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels. The all-metal body is thin but has a wavy design that makes it a little easier to hold. The S7c has 15 scene modes, 4 with helpful framing assists, and a Pictmotion mode that merges slide shows with music within the camera. Perhaps its most unique feature is the wireless Coolpix Connect function. This emails pictures directly from the camera; the camera comes with one year of service to T-Mobile’s Hot Spot service to support this. The wireless Nikon Coolpix S7c retails for $349.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters – These consumers will appreciate the convenience of a small camera and the automatic features the SD40 is endowed with. A palette of My Colors modes and the face detection technology make this Digital Elph even trendier with the point-and-shoot crowd.

Budget Consumers – If these consumers want effective face detection on the cheap, then this is a good option. But if budget-seekers simply want a compact camera with automatic features and ease of use, there are plenty of other digital cameras that fit that description and are much cheaper.

Gadget Freaks – The Digic III image processor is enough to make gadget freaks drool with its ability to recognize and track up to nine faces in a frame. The Canon PowerShot SD40 doesn’t wear its gadgety nature on its sleeve thoug. Users have to enter a menu to access the face detection.

Manual Control Freaks – There is manual white balance and ISO selection, but the choices are otherwise scant on the PowerShot SD40.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists – This group of consumers have no need to look at the PowerShot SD-series.

Conclusion

Conclusion

The newest Digital Elph comes with 7.1 megapixels and a Digic III image processor with some trendy technology. The Canon PowerShot SD40 not only has a sleek sturdy body, but it also includes effective face detection technology that ensures portraits are always sharply focused. The SD40 has plenty of other great perks too: a high-quality movie mode, a wide ISO range that allows for low light photography, and interesting My Colors modes that make for fun effects. Despite all this, though, the Canon SD40 isn’t all that it should be for its $349 retail price. Canon really skimped on this camera’s components. The 2.4x optical zoom lens has limited apertures and a horrible control. The built-in flash unit is undersized and hardly lights anything beyond arm’s length. The LCD screen measures only 1.8 inches, making up only a third of the camera’s back. While this PowerShot may be one of Canon’s most attractive models, it is full of trade offs in terms of quality and performance.

Specs / Ratings

Specifications
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