On August 19 2010, Canon has released the PowerShot SD4500 IS Digital Elph (IXUS 1000 HS in Europe or IXY 50S). The SD4500 IS replaces the SD4000 model. This new compact super zoom camera packs a lot of useful features: 10x Stabilized Optical Zoom, 1080p Full HD video recording, 3.0" Wide LCD, Optical Image stabilizer and much more.
Canon's Digital Elph Point and Shoot cameras are very popular compact cameras. As technology advances so do the image quality and features availability of those compact cameras. Sometimes you just want to take a pocket camera to a trip or party, without the hassle of carrying a bulky camera. The Canon SD4500 IS is the perfect camera for every occasion.
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| SD4500 IS (Brown) - Compact & Stylish Digital Camera |
Yes, the Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS is a small super zoom camera, but it features Canon's finest technologies. In this review I will cover most of the SD4500 features with videos and images. If you want to buy a compact super-zoom digital camera, you should probably continue reading this review. OK, let's start and dig deeper into the Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS Digital Elph (also known as IXUS 1000 HS in Eurose).
Camera Build Quality & Design
Ultra Slim and Stylish Camera
Canon "Digital Elph" cameras have gone through different changes in the last 10 years. I do remember them being more square and less stylish than what we have today. The IXUS 1000 HS / SD4500 IS measures just 101 x 59 x 22 mm (very slim) and weights 190g. If you've searched for a small camera to put in your purse, bag or jeans pocket, this is the camera to have. Canon has decided to release the IXUS 1000 HS in silver, brown and pink colors.
Canon has celebrated 10 years of digital IXUS cameras with the IXUS 1000 HS. In this video you can see the evolution of the Digital IXUS cameras, starting from the year 2000 until today (2010).
Canon IXUS cameras are competing against Casio Exilim camera series (ex. EX-200, EX-S7, EX-Z16, etc.) and some of Nikon's compact COOLPIX cameras (ex. S5100, S80, S1100pj, etc.). Digital Elph cameras were always my favorite compact cameras when it comes to stylish design.
3.0-inch 230,000-dots LCD
At the back of the camera you can find a large 3.0-inch PureColor II G LCD screen. The LCD has a 230,000-dots resolution. The IXUS 1000 HS has curved corners and it's really looks modern and stylish compact camera. The camera really looks gorgeous outside, but wait till you see what's inside. Let's go over the features and see what makes this cute little camera so special.
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| Large 3.0-inch LCD at the back of the camera |
Back-Illuminated CMOS Sensor
The Canon SD4500 IS Digital Elph also featured a 10.0-megapixel 1/2.3" back illuminated CMOS sensor. Canon has works really hard to come up with small and high-performing CMOS sensors. This is the heart of any digital camera, and in order to improve the image quality, Canon needed to improve its sensor's design.
Canon is not the only company that introduced a back-illuminated CMOS technology. Sony has done the same thing with its "Exmor R™" back-illuminated CMOS sensors for mobile phones, digital cameras and video cameras. In back-illuminated CMOS sensors, a light is directed onto the silicon substrate from behind as opposite from Front-illuminated sensors. Companies used this technology to enhance boost the sensors' sensitivity, so they can improve the image quality in dim light, without sacrificing the image quality.
The advantages of back-illuminated are:
- Boost the sensor's light sensitivity for both stills and video
- Improve performance in low light with improved signal-to-noise ratio
- Low power consumption
- Allows better technology enhancements
Before I continue, watch this video review of the camera from ThePhoblographer.com:
10x Zoom Lens
The first obvious upgrade from the SD4000 is regarding the lens itself. The SD4500 features 10X optical zoom, while the SD4000 offers a 3.8x optical zoom. This is a major difference between the too. The IXUS 1000 HS lens is a 36 - 360 mm f/3.4-5-6 (in 35mm terms) vs. the SD4000 which is 28 - 105 mm. The SD4000 has an advantage of being wider, but lacks the long tele advantage of the SD4500.Canon incorporated one aspherical UA lens and one aspherical lens into this new super-zoom lens. This lens will help minimize distortions and reduce chromatic aberrations.
As the SD4000 IS before it, the SD4500 IS / IXUS 1000 HS employs Canon Optical Image Stabilization mechanism (lens-shift). The Optical Image Stabilizer will help prevent camera shake, which is especially important when shooting with long tele zoom range.
I think that the extra zoom range is an important edition. Sometimes you just want to get closer to your subject, and if this is the only camera you carry around, it should provide that flexibility.
If you want a longer zoom, you should read my review about the Canon SX30 IS Review with 35x optical zoom.
1080p Full HD Video Clips
The Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS featured 720p/30 maximum resolution HD video clips. The new Canon Power Shot SD4500 IS takes the video features even further, offering 1080p Full HD video recording in 24fps. Who would imagine that we will come to a day that the Digital ELPH can shoot Full HD movies. Now you have a Pocket-sized video camcorder right in your pocket. The camera can be connected to a HDTV screen with a single miniHDMI cable, that connected directly to the camera's HDMI mini connector.
The SD4000 IS supports the following movie clips resolutions:
- 1920 x 1080p at 24 fps
- 1280 x 720p at 30 fps
- 640 x 480p at 30 fps
- 320 x 240p at 30 fps
- 320 x 240p at approx. 240 fps (Super Slow Motion)
Video 1: Super Slow Motion Mode (Throwing flowers)
Video 2: Super Slow Motion Movie (ATV - All Terrain Vehicle)
Don't forget that those Slow motion videos were shot at 320x240 resolution.
Video 3: Canon IXUS 1000 HS 1080p Video Sample (Street and people)
I think that the video image quality at 1080p is very good, I really do. Such a small sensor can produce IMPRESSIVE 1080p videos. The video are 30fps, but I could swear that I see some blurring (look at the people when they cross the street). Even so, I wouldn't complain too much about it. For a compact consumer camera, this is a big achievement!
OK, I can't resist, just one more video of a Canon Japanese girl model:
You probably shouldn't be concerned with audio interferences while shooting video. The Dynamic Image Stabilizer of the SD4500IS/IXUS 1000 HS minimizes that effect, so you can get clear sound while shooting movie clips.
Movie maximum recording time (according to Canon's official product page):
- 1080p - up to 14 minutes and 24 seconds or 4GB per clip
- 720p - up to 20 minutes and 43 seconds or 4GB per clip
- 480p - up to 43 minutes and 43 seconds
- 240p - up to 1 hour, 58 minutes and 19 seconds or 4GB per clip
Advanced Smart Auto
The "Advanced Smart Auto" is another important feature that utilized in the SD4500 IS camera. The main purpose of the Advanced Smart Auto was to improve the image quality of both video and stills. It improved the image quality by scanning the scene and automatically applies the optimal settings to improve image quality. There are 28 different scenarios that can be matched, and for everyone of them, the camera makes fine tuning adjustments without user intervention.
More Features
- Fast continuous shooting - Up to 8.8fps in High-Speed Burst mode for fast moving action
- Best image selection- The camera takes 5 successive images, analyze them and choose the best shot out
- Handheld night scene mode - The camera combines several shots into one clear and bright low-light image
- Fisheye and Miniature effect for video and stills
- Wink Self-timer
- My Colors - A wide variety of color effects that can be applied to the image (ex. Natural, Sepia, Vivid Blue, Black & White, etc.)
- USB 2.0 & PicBridge
- Support for SD / SDHC / SDXC memory cards
- Operates on rechargeable Li-ion Battery (NB-9L) - No AA battery support.
- Internal Flash
- DIGIC 4 and HS system for better low-light performance and fast camera operation
- Straight forward menu navigation
- Very friendly focusing system
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