This new Elph is sold as a camera which can compete with most others within the 7 to 8 megapixel range. I've done a series of comparisons of identical shots with my 3 year old Canon G3 4 megapixel camera. In my tests, the G3 is better in several important areas: exposure accuracy, resolution and macro capability. Without question, the SD550 is a fun little camera to carry and have ready at a moments notice. However, it does not produce prints which are as good as other (larger) cameras with CCDs having 7 to 8 megapixels, nor, in my case, 4 megapixels.

This camera has a very bad red-eye problem while taking flash photographs at night.

If the subject is NOT looking at the camera, they are guaranteed to get a red-eye even with red-eye reduction turned on.

I had to return my camera since the problem was so severe, and its silly to have such a camera and not be able to use it for flash photos. And I dont feel up to the task of doctoring all my photos using Adobe Photoshop...

I ordered the Canon SD550 right before my vacation and I am sooo happy with my purchase! It is my first digital camera, and although I am your avg point and shoot tourist, I wanted the option of being able to take nice pics using special features.

At first I tried looking for a silver-colored camera, which you can get on other sites, but learned that these cameras are manufactured overseas and are intended for international sale only. Therefore, the silver ones are not covered under the Canon USA warranty. So I ordered mine from Amazon and yes, its Champagne color, but its nicer than I expected. In fact, you probably won't even notice the color after you realize what a great camera it is so who cares.

The 2.5 LCD screen is great! My friend has the SD100, and the LCD looks puny by comparison. Plus the SD100 and SD550 are practically the same size. I love the fact that the LCD is huge. Definitely get an LCD protector, you can order one for $8 (incl. S/H) from Da Protector website. With the protector, I am not worried at all about damage to the LCD screen. Its pretty solid and scratch-resistant (however, not dust-resistant, so when you're putting the protector on, try to do so in a relatively dust-free environment, otherwise there will be some dust in btwn the protector and the screen).

I also ordered the Accessory 2 Kit package from Amazon, which comes with a case and an extra battery (good price, b/c the price of just an extra battery alone is the same, so you might as well go for the case too). You will probably need the extra battery if you are going overseas and don't have an adapter. The battery that the camera comes with is said to last over 100 pics at high resolution. While on vacation (for a week), I charged the battery only once (just in case, but it never reached low), and I probably didn't need to at all. My friend's SD100 battery had to be recharged daily. I was able to take about 160 pics on 1GB memory card (mostly all on the highest resolution, however, probably could've taken more if I didn't take some video clips--about 5). The video feature is great. Not sure how long you can record but one of my clips was over 2 minutes and replaying them on the LCD screen was almost like having a mini TV with me. The sound quality is decent too, but its really a digital camera, not a video camera, so don't expect much.

I love the features, it took me about a day to get used to them though. The My Colors features allows you to emphasize certain colors, which I liked, especially for scenic pics. The Macro features lets you take great pictures of anything close up. The Night Feature helpd a lot for sunrises and sunsets. The Stitch Feature (for panaromic use) is kinda difficult to use, you will have to match your pics up on the software and I am lazy and didn't use it. There are a ton of other features, but as long as you play around with it a bit, you'll figure it out.

The flap for the USB connector seems kinda weak, I was afraid it would break, but perhaps it was designed this way to appear flimsy but its not? You also need to take out the battery to charge, but honestly, its not really a big deal.

So, was my money worth spent? I believe so, considering I am hoping this camera will last me the next 5 years.

I know people like lists so here's mine:

PROS:
-Large LCD screen. Once you see it, you can't get anything less.
-Easy to use features (after you get used to it)
-Can take over 300 pics on 1GB at highest resolution with NO VIDEO CLIPS. I think when I first set my camera up with nothing taken yet, it was at 323 available pics. So just think how many pics you can take at just medium quality, which is just as good!
-If you take a picture of something on portrait view (as opposed to the usual landscape view), it will rotate itself to also show portrait view on the camera.
-Battery is strong. Its been 4 days since I charged my camera and still haven't seen low battery message yet. And I've used it to take pics, and to view playbacks many, many times.
-Takes gorgeous pics! Everyone said I didn't need anything over 5 pix but I love how sharp my pics came out.
-Camera starts up very quickly
-You can take continuous pics by setting it to this mode and just keeping your finger on the button (maybe a half sec delay in btwn shots?)
-Although it was hard for me to switch from a regular camera to digital, I am soooo happy i did because I can preview the pics and delete the ones that I don't really like, rather than waste a lot of film.

CONS:
-Definitely need to buy LCD protector and a larger memory card
-Battery needs to be taken out to charge, but I don't really find it a problem, some others may
-The case does scratch easily, although most of the time I had it in the case, there are a few faint marks on the front
-USB cover seems weak, but haven't had any problems so far
-When you zoom in on video, it looks grainy. I think it may be because the pixels on the LCD are not enough? I think the SD550 and SD500 have the same amount of pixels, but the SD 550 just has a bigger size screen.
-For some reason, I was unable to transfer 1 video clip to my computer. I am not sure why. this is the one that was over 2 minutes.

After much searching the reviews on different sites I finally settled on the Canon SD 550 as my pocket size camera. I ordered the camera from Amazon.com on a Thursday morning and was very surprised when it was delivered on Friday afternoon. I had seen the comments on the Champagne color and was not sure of what color to expect but when I opened the camera and found out it was Champagne , I was very surprised as I like the color better than the silver one. As far as the camera goes , It's a sweet , easy to hold and very simple to operate even without using the manual as of yet and I believe I have used most of the features so far.

I saw in one review that a person was looking for a LCD protector and having gone to Best Buy, I purchased the protectors for a Palm Pilot and it works just fine.

The only problem I have seen so far is that when I go into digital zoom , the pictures get a little grainy and you can see this clearly when taking movies, but when using just the regular zoom, this camera takes better movies than my older digital movie camera.

As said before , This is a sweet little camera and I am very pleased that Canon did such a fine job on this camera.

I just ordered mine this afternoon online from Circuit City - right around the corner from our house, and picked it up at the store 15 min. after ordering. ($50 cheaper for online customers). I had read the warning about the dreaded "Champagne" color, and low and behold that's what I got. As I gently peeked inside, and removed the white protective sleeve, I was pleasantly surprised. I actually liked it. (My car is the same color :).

Although I haven't actually taken any pics yet, I have used and then returned the SD500, which at the time I owned it, was too advanced for my slowly developing photo skills - the pictures were wonderful, but many were overexposed - (my inexperience). And, I was still trying to justify spending that much $$$ for a camera that I didn't understand how to operate, and had no confidence in my future as a (hobist) photographer. So, after three days, back the SD500 went.

I am happy to say that I am learning, (and enjoying) the process of discovering new things every day. But, I would like to know where to get the LCD protector??? This is the largest screen that I have seen on a digital camera, and I want to protect mine. Thanks for any info on this subject, even though this may not be the proper place to ask.

And, check out this new color, like me - you may be surprised and LIKE it! OR, you may not . . .

Love my new camera. It is so easy to use. I also bought a digital rebel by canon but could never figure out all the options. I never use it ..too big too dificult for me but takes great pics. I am clearly a point and shoot kind of guy. It takes great pictures and good videos as long as you don't zoom too much. I highly recommend this camera. If I didn't like it I wouldn't post it. This is the first post I have ever done so you know I am happy.
I did buy a cover for the viewing screen because of problems I have read about on early versions of this camera. Better safe than sorry and it was only a few dollars. I also bought a kit with the extra battery and carrying case from Amazon. The case is small and fits on your belt and protects the camera as well as makes it accessible.

great little camera that you can stash easy in your pocket and go. Lots of different options too.Very Nice!

I bought one of these for my girlfriend. It is her first digital camera, our second. I have a Nikon Coolpix 5000. I've been taking pictures for 30 years.

The 550 is a great little camera, as long as you're willing to trade size and speed and convenience for some important information that any professional photographer would find essential.

Impressions:

Fun to use, easy to control, very quick. Mostly reasonable exposure accuracy. Decent flash performance. Lots of redeye (so far we've been successful fixing redeye in iPhoto).

I didn't think the big screen would be as important as it is, but I found photography with it to be very 'immediate' -- you feel more wired in.

We've made some videos. They look great and sound decent. (The SD500 has a problem with buzzing and hissing in sound. I know because I intially bought the 500 and returned it for the 550).

The camera is very easy to use in the manual mode. You can leave a group of settings programmed into 'manual' and then turn the knob and go to full auto, and then go back to the same group of settings again. We found the menu system to be quicker and a bit more intuitive than the menu system on the Nikon Coolpix 7900, which we also looked at. (Other advantages for the Canon -- USB 2, bigger screen. But I have two friends have the 7900 and it seems to render color very artfully. Hard to describe but easy to see.)

One problem is that you never see a display of shutter speed and aperture. That's just silly. Another is that you can only see a histogram in playback.

The camera is super-fast. In all three major ways: to turn on, to focus and to store an image. For the first time with a digital camera, I feel that I'm not missing shots because the camera isn't ready. Combined with the big screen and the small size, this creates a 'come play with me' quality that is really appealing.

The metal surface of the camera is very slick and feels sophisticated, like a piece of jewelry. Maybe for that reason is seems feminine to us. Unfortunately the sexy surface is very slippery, and combined with the shape of the camera, it makes you always worry that you might drop it.

Bottom Line -- terrific camera that you can throw in a coat pocket. Just don't drop it. Guys might also want to consider the Nikon Coolpix 7900.

I purchased the SD200 for my father almost a year ago and wanted to upgrade him for his birthday 2 weeks ago. So that is where my comparison is coming from.

Mediahound below me really nailed it on the head the SD550 really is a great little camera, but one small thing I think is VERY VERY important to add is that not only is the LCD screen bigger its TOUGHER. The number 1 complaint about the SD200 SD300 SD400 and SD500 were the breaking screens.

I have 4 friends who own the SD line and 1 of them has cracked the LCD and numerous people on dpreview and other forums have as well. That has actually been the number one complaint I have seen is folks are scared to buy it because it is so fragile.

I stumbled on this upgrade when I was using the viewfinder and my rather large nose pushed against the LCD and from the corner of my eye I noticed the colors didnt change and no dimpling. Then further I used my thumb and applied similiar pressure to both and the SD550 was rock solid unlike the sd200 which showed massive dimpling and lcd reaction.

Cheers and enjoy folks!

I am having the same problems with the PQI Memory card as the review below... so beware. The videos I shot have a lot of static.
Other issues I have -
You have to not only consider the price but the extras you have to purchase with it.
So far I have had to purchase a memory card, case, extra battery, and one of the LCD protectors (I purchased the Da Protector, and it seems like it was a good purchase).
The camera doesnt always focus on what you want it to focus on. The pictures sometimes come out blurry. I especially have issues with blurry pictures. I think its maybe because I'm not keeping my hand as still as the camera would like. I wish it had image stabilization. I dont think the My Colors Mode is all that great. It doesnt seem to work all the time. The pictures seem to come out more blurry than in the normal modes. Most the pictures I took at a recent concert came out blurry, noisy, focused on the people in front of me..etc. Not what I expected for my $400.

I just received my SD550 an hour ago and proceeded to insert the PQI 2 gig memory card and try it out. The camera works great but I am suffering from some digital noise in the video clips. When I use the worthless 32 meg memory card (that comes with the camera) the noise is not present. I am not sure who is at fault, Canon or PQI. Beware of what memory card you get with this camera. Now I have a major hassle on my hands to discover who is at fault, the memory card mfr or Canon. I am not happy about this. I thought all SD memory cards were created equal. Please post here your results with the video record to share what memory cards work and which ones don't. Maybe I have a defective memory card? Here comes a bunch of calls to Canon, PQI, and the sellers. :-( Not happy.

I use my camera mainly to record video. I have the old Powershot S400 and was very frustrated with it's limit of 300 seconds per clip. At least the SD550 only has a 1 gig memory limit. I will need to follow up with another post.

I give the camera 4 stars for now, it may be the memory card fault. I unfortunately got the ugly gold color after the seller promised mine would be silver. Does it comes in silver?

LOVE IT !!!! LOVE IT !!!! LOVE IT !!!! This is the best camera for busy parents. This camera never leaves my side. Now I can catch all those great times with my kids/family anywhere. Quality prints...top notch..Video componet is great.Only thing that would have made the purchase better is if cannon threw in a protective cover sleeve. Battery/memory card button opens when just left in the purse and leaves screen open to scratches.After all the price we pay for the camera they could toss one in and not miss any profit.

If you're looking for a camera that does everything well this one's for you.

The pictures are stunning, the video is exception (for a camera) and the controls are easy to figure out and use.

Because this camera is so small, I can toss it in with my motorcycle gear and not even know it's there! When your traveling on a bike space is at a premium.

I have two small children and have found that this camera is so fast I rarely miss a picture and downloading them into my computer is a snap.

A memory card of at least 512 mb should suffice. I bought 1 gig so that I could go away for long weekends and shoot all the pictures I wanted as well as a handfull of short video clips without having to worry about running out of room.

I did alot of research before deciding to buy this model and am 100% satisfied with the product.

I purchased a SONY T1 last year and was very dissapointed with the indoor photos, the flash was too weak to use anywhere.

I searched for months, read every review I could find for compact cameras and the SD550 seemed to have everything I was looking for.

I've had it for 4 months now and am completely satisfied with my choice. Its a GREAT little camera. The flash is powerful indoors and red eye hasn't been much of a problem at all. The tones are nice and its very easy to use. Well done Canon.

I originally purchased the Casio EXZ750. The Casio wowed me with it's features, It does everything but it seems quality is lacking. I charged the unit over night and woke up to a lens error. Casio told me the unit was defected and to take it back to the store where I purchased it. Still able to take pictures (just not able to zoom) I experimented and took many pictures. I found the quality of the pics to be acceptable only about 50% of the time. Ohhh and the movies did not play on my Macintosh.

I exchanged it for the Canon SD550. The Canon did not have all the features the Casio has but.... You can immediately feel the quality of the Canon in your hands. The Canon does not seem frail as the Casio is. The quality of the pictures are exceptional. I only paid about $40 more for the Canon but it is truly worth the price difference. Crisp clear pictures in every lighting situation. Just love it. And the movie feature works wonderfully with my Macintosh.

I loved the features od the Casio but I wanted better quality pics and not to worry if the camera will be broken in a few months. I am so happy I returned the unit and went with the Canon SD550. The Canon is truly a much better camera.


Billy - thecloser

I love this camera because it fits in my pocket or purse and is easy to use. I haven't read the entire users manual, but I have figured out how to do a lot with it. It takes great movies. The pictures take up a lot of space, so a big memory card is essential.

I purchased this product from JR music.com from their own website, not from amazon.com . The seller is as awesome as the camera. I purchased Sony cyber shot T7 for my friend one month back from same the dealer it was tempting for me to get the same one for myself too given its looks. However, I when compared the customer pictures uploaded at amazon.com I decided to get Canon Powershot SD550. I cannot expect more from a small digital cam at that price. I am very satisfied with it. But, I would recommend a 1 GB scan disc given it is 7.1-mega pix u might really want to take some high-resolution pictures with it. Zoom is only 3x, but talking about $399 this is the best u may get. The pictures that I have uploaded are taken in the macro mode. In macro mode u can take the best as well as the worst pictures depending upon how stable your hand is. There is no image stabilization in macro mode so if you shake slightest degree u get very bad results even clicking the camera distorts the image to a greater extent. So the best thing to do is to take pictures in auto mode while u hold the cam and hold your breath too. Or if use a stand that is even better. Enjoy the pictures!

There are so many digital camera models out there. And just about all of them these days are loaded with features and take excellent pictures. So why this one when it costs 400 buckaroos when a 200 dollar one will take equally good pictures? Take the following into consideration:

[1] For small point and shoot digital cameras, your best bet is with the Canon, especially the SD series for its compactness. Canon digital cameras have excellent ergonomics, meaning all the controls are where they should be which makes them very easy to learn. They have excellent optics that produce beautiful pictures. With the DIGIC II processor, they are very fast and responsive. And Canon supplies you with an external battery charger (two big thumbs up!) enabling you to charge one battery while you are using one battery, so you'll never be without power. The camera comes with only one battery, so you should buy an extra battery (you don't need a Canon brand battery; third-party batteries are just as good). You should also buy extra memory (at least a 512MB SD card, preferably a 1GB SD card).

[2] 7.1 megapixels. 97% of you will never need/use it all, but it's nice to have JUST IN CASE. There might be that one time when you may want to make a 15"x20" print, or you just might want to blow up a small section of a picture and still see a lot of detail. For a frame of refrence, most 17"-19" computer monitors run 1024x768 or 1280x1024, which is roughly ONE megapixel for the full screen. For printing, a 3 megapixel picture will produce perfect prints at least up to 5"x7".

[3] 2.5" LCD screen. So much nicer to have this over the 2" screen. You can see much more detail. Can half inch make that big a difference? Area-wise, the 2.5" screen is over 50% larger than the 2" screen. Think 50" TV versus a 40" TV (same ratio as 2.5" to 2"). HUGE difference.

[4] Not only is the SD550 extremely functional, it is also very hot looking (it's got the sexy curve to boot). I prefer the silver one, but the champagne one's hot too.

[5] Since I mentioned HOT ... Maria Sharapova says you should get one. "Make every shot a PowerShot!"

One drawback is the bulk. While the SD550 is still a small camera, it a bit larger than the other SD series cameras and even slightly bigger than the SD500. For example, comparing it to the SD200 which is 30% smaller and 30% lighter, the SD550 feels huge (and costs more than twice as much). But that's the price you pay for the extra megapixels, the extra huge screen, and updated controls.

I have had some of the better professional digital cameras like the Canon D60 and 20D with many lens and accessories. Therefore, I have high expectations of the features and functions of any camera I would use. Having used point-and-shoot cameras from Kodak, Fuji and Sony, I have only found disappointments in flash functions, picture quality and logical menu navigation. I am happy to say I had no qualms with the marvelous design and functions contained within the Canon SD550 Digital ELPH. It is every bit as good and everyone says, and compared to the competition like the Sony DSC-W5 and W7 which is said to rival it, I would say not. Sorry Sony. The SD550 uses popular SD card, not the expensive and proprietary memory stick, the SD550 uses lithium cells, not 2 AA batteries. What comparison? The only thing I grumble about is the short battery life of the lithium. The SD550 2.5 display eats the power quickly. But for now, that is the nature of any camera of this design, not exclusive to the SD550. With that in mind, you must buy at least two NB-3L battery packs. Also, the compact Rezo 10 camera pouch with belt clip or carry strap works perfectly, with a stretch pouch for the extra battery. Just buy the SD550, you will never be sorry.

But I wouldn't buy it at Amazon. Dell has it for $359 with free shipping.

I think Amazon has really gone down hill. Their shipping used to be fast. Now it is terrible. I've ordered stuff where they say normally ships in 24 hours and a week later it still hasn't shipped.

Amazon sucks.

Not sure what robin hood is referring to regarding Dell. Its listed as $449. Amazon is still a better price. As for their shipping, its HORRENDOUS now. It used to be great. I ordered this camera on the 6th on dec, said it usually ships within 24 hours, and its just being PREPARED for shipping TODAY (DEC 12th)!! I guess super saver shipping now means they dont ship it for a week. I used to get items within 2-3 days.

This isn't much of a review, but it's more of a rant similar to the previous reviews. So I apologize for that in advance.

But with all of these "last minute deals" on Amazon, they're either lies or haven't worked for me. The free memory card: first off, the Viking 256 they're giving free isn't even in stock so you can't add it to your cart. When I tried adding another one, it didn't work (although its suppposed to subtract the difference). Next off, the 5% customer appreciation certificate: "error, this promotional certificate does not apply", although they advertise it on their Camera & Photos page for this camera.

Last of which, they raised the price of this camera from a week ago when I checked, to offer these free deals. Except, none of them actually can work during checkout!

I'm sure this is a great camera, and this is not a review. Just a buyer-beware alert.

After having owned five Nikon Coolpix cameras in a row (the latest being the Coolpix 7900), I got tired of the Nikon's inability to shoot in low-light conditions, and their incredible lag times in autofocusing and start-up. So I did my research and found very favorable reviews for the Canon SD series, especially in low-light situations. I have two infant daughters, and I've lost many a good photo to blur from poor autofocus with the Nikons. Not any more! The SD550 is an incredible camera. The pictures are razor sharp, the camera is extremely ergonomic, battery life appears impressive, uses industry standard SD memory, and comes with a compact battery charger (not the silly bricks like the Nikon Coolpix chargers). Most of all, it will almost always find focus very quickly in situations that choke the Coolpix. I did a side by side comparison in two situations: a kitchen with 320 watts of light bulbs on, and a living room with a single 60 watt bulb. The Coolpix could NOT find focus in either situation, no matter what I did. It's AF assist light is just too tepid. The SD550, however, locked focus instantly. It also has a very generous LCD size that puts other compacts to shame. My wife also has a Coolpix which she was using for supplemental photography at events, but it really sucked -- almost all her shots were blurry due to poor focus. I am getting rid of her Coolpix and getting her one of these! One last thing: the SD550 has some good scene modes, including one called Pets & Kids. With little ones running around, it's a great preset mode with instant focus and exposure lock, so you don't miss those moments. I only wish I had invested in Canon years ago.

I bought the SD550 immediately after it came out to stores. This was a big purchase for me as I am a SONY fanatic and buying a Canon... was kind of scary for me. Needless to say I am absolutely THRILLED about this camera. I took it to the Carribean with the WP-DC80 (Waterproof Case) and the pictures are AMAZING. I would recommend the Transcend 2GB 150x SD card (it is SUPER FAST)... you can definitely tell the difference between a faster SD card and a regular 32x--it will truly show you the full capability of "continuous" shooting mode--believe me! This camera is GREAT, excellent pictures, better focus points than what Sony has available with their point and shoot cameras. IT IS GREAT!

I bought this camera a few months ago and love it. I am not a pro photographer, but a pro video editor and digital media consultant, so I know poor quality digital images when I see them. The battery life lasts me for weeks, not days, even using the large LCD to show pictures to friends. While the shooting and resolution are both great, compared to what's out there now, it's not a pro-quality camera, but rather a "lifestyle" camera that's small enought to carry with you and take shots you would not normally have taken. I used to take more shots with my phone, now I carry this little fella around and don't have to say "man, I wish I had a picture of that..." anymore.

The design is what sets this apart - little things like image transition effects when scrolling though pictures, to a very nice interface for changeing settings and controls. Also, the feature that blows everyone away - if you tile the camera 90 degrees to take a photo, it usually shows up tiled on the screen, right? Or you need to use a menu to rotate the photo. On this camera, when viewing a photo on the LCD, you can simply rotate the camera itself, and the image also rotates 90 degrees to fill the LCD!

Of course, this is top-of-the-line. If you're looking for a sturdy, everyday, basic camera, I definitely recommend the SD 450. Same large screen, but smaller (and less resolution).

And just to throw in a note of imperfection (because nothing is perfect), I do have some issues that are more with the limitations of technology than this camera itself. Such as, the flash is great, but can be very overpowering unless people are about 6-10 feet away. And the ISO 400 setting is very grainy, I try not to use it, even at night with long exposures. Night shots in general are good, but changing into the night shooting modes can be difficult, so I usually stick to manual mode (but I'm at home with all of the various settings ad what they do, so you may prefer the various, funnily-named modes, such as "kids and pets" and 'fireworks").

I'm a happy owner of one S400 model for 2 years. After think in what give me as Christmas gift I decide do one "upgrade" at my digital camera.

When I receive this gracefull cam I can't believe at the perfect finishment and improvements compared with my old one.

My first think is that, if the display are larger than my old one the battery draw faster.... I start with my new camera and this surprise me, almost the doble of the battery time.

Everything is fast and the video record is amazing.

I love it and recomend,

I love the results that a digital SLR produces, especially in low light. Make no mistake, a digital SLR is way better at 400 ASA than any of these point-and-shoots.
BUT how often do you see a photo opportunity, and have your digital SLR ready to capture it? By the time you pull that one out of the carry case, this camera is done with the shot, the moment has passed, the SLR is only now ready, and victory belongs to the one who actually got to take a picture.
Points to note:
- Size. This fits into my front left pocket with my wallet. I can draw the camera and shoot within seconds at any time. And it's solidly built, even the screen remains clear and scratch free. I wouldn't stick it with coins and keys though.
- Fast power up. This camera is ready by the time I'm pointing. I used to hit the power button on my S400 as it came out of my pocket, but this one powers up almost instantaneously so you need no such tricks.
- USB 2.0 - with a 2GB card that I don't like to erase often, this is very important.
- Gravity-flip. If you have a portrait shot to view, rotate the camera 90 degrees and the picture uses the full screen. To get the right side up, the older generation of cameras would play back portraits in a wide screen, wasting a lot of screen space.
- Perfectly placed controls. Don't be fooled by touch-screen controls like the Sony 3" screen camera has. Sony designs its product controls like people have nothing better to look at than the camera itself. Canon allows you to feel what you need when taking the shot and places nice solid buttons in the right places. Even for my huge clumsy fingers.
- I like the 2.5" screen for playing back photos, particularly for older people who otherwise would need reading glasses. I also use the camera as a digital photo wallet, 2GB SD card gives you plenty of room.
- 640x480 video capture is nice. Again, you may not have a camcorder ready in your pocket but this camera will fit nicely. Not for production movies, but hey when you want to capture a spontaneous moment...
- Fast ASA switching in Manual mode. I can live with some noise at 400 ASA when the moment is important. I usually like 200 ASA indoors, the quality is reasonable. Sometimes I want to use the 50 ASA high-quality capture, and I don't have to dig deep into the menus to set this. It's one-touch
- I hate using the flash, so for me it's important to see the right details (shutter speed, ASA, flash status) Canon has the display planned very intuitively.
- I used to be a Nikon fan until the digital elphs came along. Canon has winners here, and I like the SD 550 best of all.
- Convenient battery size and life - about a day's worth of good usage, or days of casual usage. I got the Lenmar equivalent as a spare battery, and I'm never out of power. The charger is very quick and I usually have a fully charged battery at all times, often a charged spare as well. Note that Canon increased its battery capacity because the Lenmar offered more mAh when the S400 was in fashion. Battery beats having to deal with AA or AAA cells.
- Compatibility. This works perfectly with iPhoto, and I like that. I have never used their built-in software.

Do make sure you get the biggest SD capacity you can afford. Trust me.

I am interested in the Canon Powershot SD550 or the SD450.

I am looking to purchase my 1st digital camera & the date stamp/imprint is an important feature I want.

For all the SD550 owners, since you own one, is this feature available?

If this camera does not have it, what other sub compact cameras from 5 -8 megapixels have this feature? what brand/model?

This is my first digital camera, so take it into account when reading the comments below. I did some comparisons before buying it, and consider it the best in its class. What could be the improvements?
a- live histogram
b- more control over aperture/ time (or, at least, better description of the scene modes - e.g. would "portrait" provide the fastest exposure? does it works with subjects far away?)
c- indication of exposure time - not only when time is greater than 1/60s
d- an idea of remaining battery time (an additional battery is strongly recommended - the fast processor uses a lot of power and even heats the case of the camera)

Interesting features: "my colors" mode; stitching software.
Very good product... maybe I am searching for perfection... :)

This is the best point and shoot I have ever owned - and I have had to buy another one for my wife. It does most things very well, but I miss being able to choose speed and aperture and most shots need moderate sharpening. And it's easy to drop (small and slippery but very stylish). Overall - it's so good that I leave my DSLR at home most days. The battery life seems more than adequate to me.

Just bought this camera had it for about a week. Great shipping times from Amazon for a start and got a free 256mb SD card for buying it in January.

It's got everything you'd want from a point and shoot camera, and the software that comes with it is really easy to use. I was kinda bummed it didn't come with a case, so I bought it with the SD550 Upgrade Kit 2, which included an extra battery, case and heavier duty and longer strap. For an extra 40 bucks its really worth it, the extra battery is really handy and so's the case.

Everyone else has outlined the great features this camera has, and it's allo true. For a point and shoot, it doesnt get much better.

I updated and upgraded from a Canon SD 300 series. This is a massive improvement on an already top quality product. We find this to be an excellent machine.

I had an Olympus C750UZ (10x zoom) and was looking to get something smaller that took better quality movies and had a better (simpler) menu system - the Olympus can be very complex and caused me to record the first movies after my daughters birth with no sound - argh. After much research I found that you can not find a PERFECT camera but the Canon SD550 was about as close as you could get. I've had non-digital Canon cameras in the past so I trusted the name. After a few weeks of getting to know the camera I can say that I am overall extremely pleased with it. The menus are simple yet the features are complete. You don't have to press a million buttons to get something to work or figure out which mode you are in before you set something you thought you remembered seeing somewhere in there...just a nice simple layout. Getting into macro mode is very simple and even better it focuses right on and works really well. Switching between photo and movie mode is easy enough and the movies are of such better quality than my Oly. The sound is also great when recording movies...I could easily hear the conversation being had when I was filming a family outing at a park from 50+ feet away - gotta remember to remove them from my will. The only thing I do not like about the camera is that it tends to make redeye appear more often than other cameras I have used. Even with the redeye reduction setting on I just can't shake it. This may be user error and I hope to figure that out soon but even so the redeye is easy enough to fix in iPhoto so it doesn't concern me so much. One really cool feature is how the screen tilts the picture automatically for you when you rotate the camera for landscape vs portrait shot - very cool. Overall, Canon did a really great job on this camera...and it is so small yet feels solidly built and has enough weight to it to do the job. Get a second battery so you can swap when needed - I bought the Lenmar Canon equivalent and so far so good. I am very pleased with my purchase.

Fast, Quality, Bigger Screen. Excellent.

Only wish is that it were smaller, but I realize there is a compromise between size and quality photos......

Highly recommend.........

I have to say that this is by far the best digital camera ever.


Also, don't let the other reviewers fool you. The champaign color is very light and almost looks silver. You barely notice that is gold-ish.

I was very satified with the timely delivery and features of the product.

My wife and I had planned a vaction to India and wanted to purchase a digital camera before we went. Neither of us had ever used a digital camera before and we wanted something that was compact, easy to use, and would take really good pictures. We got the camera about 4 weeks before our vacation and it was so easy to use that we felt confident bringing it as our only camera for our trip. The results were spectacular, we took lots of pictures (over 1000) and the colors, the exposure, and the focus were teriffic on nearly all of our pictures. There were literally only an handful that were not "keepers." Although we had read up a bit and tried some of the camera's special features, we pretty much left it on automatic and let it decide what to do with our pictures. Our traveling friends had two older lower MP cameras and on many scenes where we both took photos the Canon provided results with much better exposure and color. Those who have seen our photos all are very impressed with the results.
I would recommend this very highly to anyone wanting a simple to use, high quality, compact digital camera.

The best small digital camera you can buy!! I spent hours researching and testing. Won't repeat all the postitives already stated by others.

What I want to do is inform you about a misconception regarding megapixels (high vs low).

You may decide to buy a less expensive camera when a salespeople at camera/electronic stores says, "Do you plan on mostly printing 4x6's, or will you do alot of enlargments"? You respond, "mostly 4x6 prints". The sales person then tells you that you won't need to get a 7 megapixel camera and can get along with a much less expensive 3 or 4 megapixel camera.

Not true!! If you plan on cropping your pictures, it is the equivilent of enlarging them and then printing only a portion of the image on a 4x6 print. Too severe of a crop with a lower megapixel camera and you get a fuzzy image. So, it's not just 8x10's and larger that need the high MP count. It's all photo's.

I crop almost every picture I take. It allows me to get a much larger share of "good" photo's. For example, I shoot many shots very wide on purpose. Because the SD550 has 7.1 MP, I can "frame" it up later without losing quality. So, I have not printed anything bigger than a 4x6 but I have not lost quality. The couple of extra hundred dollars you spend on this camera goes a long way.

When the salesman says "2 or 3 MP fine for 4x6"..that's true only if you don't crop pictures. With the Canon, I've made perfect close up portaits (face only) from wide shots which included other people in the original shot.

Remember, it's more expensive to buy 2 camera's (the first one, and then the one you really should have gotten) vs. just doing it right the first time.

Also, check my other reviews if you want to find the best and most inexpensive way to print your photo's. It's not on a typical injet printer. Most consumers think "inkjet" is the only
choice they have.

I bought my first digital camera the other day. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted or needed to get, but a friend who is quite the camera-savvy person recommended the Canon Elph 550 7.1MP. I am so glad that I took her advice! This camera is easy to use, the directions are clear, and the photos are excellent! I can't tell you about all of the technical details that make this camera so great, but if you're a first-time digital buyer looking for an easy to use but high-quality camera, I would recommend this one. I have been able to capture clear images of my son racing around the back yard as well as beautiful landscape shots. And yet the camera is small enough to fit in my pocket! I give this camera a big thumbs up!!

I believe that you can have a really nice camera and take mediocre photos or have a really mediocre camera and take breathtaking photos. It's all up to the individual behind the lens. Ive had a 5mp camera for years and learned all the ins-n-outs of digital photography. Now that I'm older and wiser and a more informed consumer, I knew that my Sony cybershot wasn't going to cut it anymore. So when I went to upgrade I enlisted a friend (Professional Photographer) and he told me to go with either Canon or Nikon. After looking at the options and showing him my choices for a good P&S camera he told me this one was the best buy for my money and for my photos... and I couldn't be happier. For people who say that it takes terrible indoor photos, I suggest "Manual Mode" rather that auto. Any camera on auto won't take as nice of a photo than you could. This is a great buy and you won't be sorry. P.S. The macro option is excellent in my opinion.

I just took this camera to 75 feet. The underwater mode corrects the colors perfectly. The flash works well and the underwater case includes a diffuser (underwater photographers know how important this is). I also accidentally took a 10 sec movie and it came out perfect. The camera will allow you to edit a movie even before putting it into the computer. I have had a few underwater cameras and this is easily the best.

I've owned 4 cameras over the past 6 years. Seems like some other manufacturers such as Sony, Casio are coming out with nicer looking cameras every year. We started with the Canon s110, then 200, then switch to a Casio compact due to the nice compact design. Speaking only of build quality, there is no other camera in this class that compares to the Canon. It feels like a solid piece of metal in your hand. I've dropped our old s110 onto concrete from my pocket...put a dent in the corner...still works fine. My canon s550 replaces my Casio which died after 18 months. The picture quality is slightly warm (which is a pleasing characteristic typical of all canons) and very well saturated. Images are very sharp. Start up is just about instant, and there is no shot-to-shot delay when using a high speed card. The LCD is larger and very bright. Battery life is good for a whole day of shooting. The menu system and auto modes are best in the business. If you are in the market for a pocket camera, there is no better investment out there.

I replaced my previous s500 with this and is really amazing and incredible the diference in every aspect. The Highlight for me is the LCD display.

Why settle for less, when you can get a brand new original top-of-the-line Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP camera for Free! I got mine from this web site: http://xrl.us/rebelxt

I just bought this as a replacement for a 3.1mp sony that was lost when I loaned it out. I tested it out last night and am very pleased with the ease of use of the menu's the size, quality (so far) and feel of it. One note, this camera is just a touch to large for the snug case sold for the SD500, SD450,SD300, etc. So don't buy the case hoping it will fit, even though it comes up as "recomeneded" accessory on amazon. Wal-mart has a bunch of these cases, I would wait and get one from there.

I had the Canon S70 for about 3 years and one day the image sensor broke. The cost to repair it was about $150 or half of the price of the camera when new. I then went with the PowerShot SD550 and after 3 months, the clip that holds the battery compartment shut broke off. Luckily it is still under warranty. Both Canons took great pictures, I took good care of them but they are prone to breaking.

Its small size allows it to be carried more easily than my other digital cameras so I am using it more. The pictures have been great and the menus have been very easy to get around so I find myself creating more effects. Great purchase.

I purchased this camera a couple of weeks ago because I was curious about the DIGIC II processor. (Translation: Jealous of my friend's camera.) I am a Panasonic Lumix fan but have long been impressed by the color output on the point and shoot Canons. The Lumix is a tremendous camera line. I have the FX-7. The FX-9 is supposed to be even better and, and FX-01, a comprehensive upgrade is on the way in May 2006. I tell you this because it may provide you with some context regarding my SD550 comments. The Lumix has a Leica lens that provides tac sharp images via the camera's very effective image stabilization system. When you pull the trigger on any Lumix camera, you are going to capture what you see.
Sounds good doesn't it? Not so fast. Is that really what you want your camera to do? Do you know why Bose is so successful? Its not because they replicate the concert hall. It's because their processors produce a sound that the average consumer likes. To put it another way....its better than the real music. I am a wine importer. I long ago realized that there is a difference between good wine and wine that people want to drink. The Canon engineers have produced a processor that satisfies the typical consumer......that would be me!
In real life, reds are not so red, and greens are not so green. With a DIGIC II camera, you can remember things the way Canon thinks you want to remember them. (Sounds Orwellian doesn't it.) Its really quite pleasing. I don't believe that the SD550 is the best choice for a post-processor (ie someone that dabbles in Photoshop, or even Apple's iphoto for that matter). It is best for the person that wants to store or print their pictures just the way they took them.

Here's some things I especially like about the camera:

1) Solid build. My wife already dropped it two feet onto a solid tabletop without effect. Its heavy in a good way.
2) Very small camera and very portable with a little belt pouch.
3) Battery. I have never run out of battery power during a normal "tourist day". However, I do not use the camera's excellent video mode that is sure to hog more juice.
4) Color effects are really neat...accent, swap, etc. Once again, this is great for the person that doesn't want to mess with post-processing.
5) Macro mode is excellent. Great for those times when you just have to capture some creepy crawly.
6) Menus- Very intuitive and fun.
7) Advanced playback features are useful when you have 100 or more images stored on your card.
8) I finally have a camera with stitch assist! (for panoramas)
9) 7.2 mp. Don't let anyone tell you this is not important. If you don't crop your photos, you should learn to. The more MP you have, the crisper your image will remain after cropping.

Here are some concerns I have with the SD550:

1) This camera needs image stabilization (IS). Some people will tell you its not important on a point and shoot. Wrong. Why?
a. No point and shoot works well in low light but those without IS suffer more acutely at slower shutter speeds.
b. This camera (and its competitors) has a 3X optical zoom. Its also has a 4X digital zoom. That brings your total zooming power to 12X. Sounds good, right? Well, on an IS enhanced camera like the FX-7 it is. I have taken excellent pictures at 12X. This SD550 is limited to its 3X optical zoom without a tripod. BUT....remember that with 7.2 mp, you can take a 3X shot and crop it to emphasize the object of interest. Its almost as good as a zoom.
c. Shooting from a car or train can be very challenging with a non-IS camera.

You may be aware that the next generation of SD cameras, scheduled for release any time now, do have IS. The Canon engineers recognized that this was a problem. That being said, I bought my camera two weeks ago and don't regret it. I am working around the IS issue and you know how technology works. There is always something better just around the corner

2) If you don't use the included wrist strap, you will drop this camera. Period. The finish is too slippery.
3) Colors are more vivid on the SD550 but I miss the tac-sharp resolution of the Lumix's Leica lens.
4) I am having some issues taking "sports" pictures. With my Lumix I just set it to "SCN Sports" and it took over flawlessly. This camera has a "SCN Kids and Pets" setting but I'm not sure its giving me a quick enough shutter speed. I don't want to make a big deal about this because with just two weeks of experience, it might be user error.
5) Even turned to high, the LCD screen can be difficult to see in bright conditions. Kudos to Canon for including an optical viewfinder to fall back on. My FX-7 doesn't have one.

CONCLUSION: I gave this camera 4 stars because I think IS would marginally improve the resolution of the photos. Other than that, the DIGIC II processor does everything as advertised. Portability is very important because the best photo is often, "the one you take". Keep this camera with you....purse or belt. This camera is a lot more fun than my Panasonic. The features keep me constantly entertained and as I noted earlier, I haven't even gotten to the video yet!

ok.... dont buy this camera... for real... unless you only want to use at home and with the care most of us are not able to give it.... come on, what can you say about a camera wich usb port breaks after 2WEEKS OF USE? and that means downloading pictures 2 or 3 times to the pc... and I`ll tell you what... i`m some thousands of miles away from where i bought it and warranty doesnt cover it. I`ve read what people say about elph line and i agree when talking about picture quality but I`m not gonna buy canon anymore.... NEVER, EVER , EVER, EVER AGAIN.... I was able to use 3 digital elphs.... 1 was my friends sd10 wich colapsed after 3 months of use, the second was my sisters s410 wich gave us problems on accessing the movie mode and manual mode after 6 months of use and finally the sd550 wich didn`t resist 2 WEEKS of use. And I`m not a camera breaker, my nice CASIO EXILIM is with me for 2 years now and i have really few complaints about it even though the image is not as good as canon`s.... when i used to read these reviews i thought the guys complaining were exeptions but its to comon for me the frequency canon give problems so im really not going for it anymore.... really... go for something more reliable even if you compromise a LITTLE on image quality

I bought this camera because my Casio EX-Z55 broke (my fault) - That was an awesome camera, all around. I decided on the Canon because it was the highest customer rated consumer digital camera on amazon.com. Whoops. While sample customer images were of excellent quality, ALL of them were during the day. I don't contend that this camera takes excellent quality pictures with natural light. However, it has serious flash problems. Every image is heavily blown out when the flash is used, and the background is faded and blurry. Yes, I tried changing all of the flash settings. Doing a google on "Canon SD550 Flash Problem" reveals people on various forums trying to get help with this. The only solution? Put the camera into Macro mode, which is an improper setting for regular point and shoot shots, and only makes the problem SLIGHTLY better. After only 2 days of futzing with this camera, I returned it to Amazon on that basis, plus the fact that the battery latch wasn't closing properly (either a manufacturing or design problem. Doesn't matter to me). Going back to Casio.

I once owned the Elph S300, a compact flash model with 2.1 megapixels. While this camera had realtively low pixelation it took excellent photos everywhere. The flash was great for most low light applications, and there were many different modes of operation. The only complaint would be that read times were slow on the camera, but that probably had much to do with the cheap flash cards I bought.

The SD550 uses the more compact SD memory cards, and has a hefty 7.1 megapixels for a camera of this size. Unfortunatley this is a camera that cannot be used in many low light conditions. At night, under forest canopy, whatever, the flash is woefully inadequate for any thing more than 10 feet away. This has been a big disappointment given my great experience with the earlier model. After a $600 investment, I need to buy another camera!

Why don't I return the SD550? The body is not nearly as rugged as that for the S300. After a just a few outings with the sd550, the body was extensivley marred by scrathes. The camera looked so "used" that I'm sure I could not have returned it. In comparison, my S300 took a beating, looked good and always performed.

I love the Elph line and concept, but I think the engineers at Cannon dropped the ball on the SD550. In the process of cramming more pixels into a slightly smaller unit, they managed to compromise performance and ruggedness. I hope they get back to the better standards that I expect of this brand.

Caveat emptor, test drive the newer Elph models for flash performance and ruggedness.

I previously had the Canon SD450 and it was BEAUTIFULLY SMALL and light. I used to fit my handbag and pocket; it was a pleasure carrying it. Unfortunately, I lost it. I wanted to 'improve' buying a 7 mega pixels camera, so I bought the new Canon SD550. It's design is very nice, LCD display amazing, but it's just too heavy and big compared with my previous camera. I haven't printed any photos, but I hope the pictures will be far much better than the ones I took with my old 5 Megapixels camera. Otherwise, I will regret having bought this camera.

I had a canon before this one, so I found it similar and easy to figure things out. I am still disappointed with the shutter speed and the delay on digital cameras, but overall it is a quality product that produces great pics!

Disclaimer, had this for only a month or so so far.

So far, so good. Takes great pictures on a variety of settings. Once in a long while you get a strange picture where it is darker than the room lighting, but I've only seen that once or twice. Also, I've scratched the LCD screen, but that happens with LCD screens.

Easy to use, compact, easy to upload pictures to the pc. That's how this camera rolls.

Just returned from trip...camera was right size for sightseeing and picture resolution is excellent. I would highly recommend this camera!!

I got this one for 350+ after all the rebates and promotions. After carefully looking at all others in the same range, I had shortlisted it down to 2. The Casio Exilim z750 and this one. I was also considering the SD500 or the SD450 but they had either a smaller LCD or no viewfinder. The 550 won over the Exilim for the one reason that you have to carry around the cradle for the Exilim everywhere and for this one you dont. Now below are the Pros and Cons of the SD550:

Pros:
- Excellent output for the VIDEO & Pictures (REALLY Great pictures in all lightings.)
- Powerful flash
- Scene modes are very useful/handy
- Menus are quite intutive and easy to use with one hand
- Extremely good design, size and shape
- Big bright screen
- Has a Viewfinder (Very handy when low on battery or when precision is required)
- Fast shutterspeed
- Power Consumption is also low so battery lasts long.
- Direct A/V outputs to connect to TV/VCR/DVD-recorder
- Excellent design/Very small and sleek.
- Very big LCD with excellent display.

Cons:
- Cannot be charged directly. The battry needs to be removed!! (big disadvantage).
- No USB streaming to use it as a web-cam
- Software not that great
- Date stamp only on postcard size pix (Another BIG Disadvantage. I can't believe Cannon does not provide this simple basic function).
- For some scene shots like 'fireworks', camera has to be extremely still, else image is blurred
- Cant' be sure if you'll get Gold or Silver color thr Amazon (I wanted silver and got GOLD)
- No internal memory but comes with a 32mb card free (which is basically useless)
- 7 megapixel is an overkill, but you can always adjust the resolution for regular pictures and save the high resolution capabilities for important occasions where you might need a bigger print.
- Sound quality not great for Video recordings and especially playback on the camera (But then again its not a camcorder). Also it records only 1 minute videos max.

It is a bit pricey, but still its the best thing around in that size.

I bought this camera because I always got good impression and hear good reviews from Canon ever since the SD series came out. I was impressed with the design and the feature of this awesome camera, however, the picture quality was not up to my expectation. A tiny little shake can ruin your picture, I thought Canon fixed the problem in this camera, since this is their latest invention with a huge 2.5" LCD.
But the camera really does pack with tons of features and great functions for one to use. The pic quality was the only thing make me cut 2 stars out.
If I'd to buy a camera again, I'd prob. try some other brand.

I own a 20D which I absolutely love and was looking for a good digital point and shoot to replace my current S400. My two major candidates were the SD550 and the S70.

If you follow the photography boards at all you realize that this is a fairly common dilemma - the SD550 vs the S70. The S70 offers excellent manual controls while the SD550 is significantly smaller with very limited manual controls other than exposure compensation.

I just LOVE the look and feel of the SD550 though if anything it could be argued that it is TOO small. If you feel it is and you are looking for a carry everywhere camera it is well worth the effort to get used to the small size because the camera takes wonderful pictures.

The SD550 is simply beautiful. I didn't think I'd like the "curve" from the pictures, but it does not detract, and in fact actually contributes to the elegance of this form factor. I can live without all the manual controls since I own the 20D and since this camera is primarily for my wife and for me when I don't want to lug the SLR around.

The sensor size of the SD500 is the same as that of the S70 (in fact it is the same Sony 7.1 MP sensor) - 1/1.8". This is an ideal size for a point and shoot IMO. The 1/2.5" sensor used in the smaller Canon series cameras represents a poor image quality trade off. Stick with the larger sensor which give less noise, chromatic aberration, and better image quality.

I purchased the leather Elph case which protects the camera well and only adds insubstantially to the bulk. Some have complained that prior iterations of this camera scratch easily. I've owned them and found that if you keep the camera in a case and exercise modest caution that the camera will remain pristine.

Several have pointed out that since this camera is so small it will always be with you whereas the S70 would be less likely to be carried along because of its increased size. I couldn't agree more! The camera is SUBSTANTIALLY smaller than its bigger brother the S70 and in fact is discernibly smaller than my previous S400 which I gave to my daughter. The form and size factors are what finally won me over.

The additional 3 MP over my previous S400 was an additional factor in deciding to switch. That extra 3MP gives me plenty of extra MPs for cropping with impunity. This camera is a significant improvement over the previous S400 in image quality, resolution, mega pixels, color rendition, color saturation, and purple fringing.

The good news about the extra 3MPs is that they are added WITHOUT adding extra noise. I don't know exactly how Canon accomplished this but this is somewhat akin to getting something for nothing! No significant trade-off was involved. The DIGIC II processor is fantastic in producing great photographs.

The LCD screen in the back of the camera is huge thought its resolution is less than ideal. It is a very nice addition to the camera particularly compared with the SD500 which has a much smaller screen. One criticism of the camera. Low light focusing is less than ideal. You need to work with the camera to understand its limitations indoors.

I am a huge fan of the Canon cameras and I would advise anyone looking for a camera, whether a point and shoot or a DSLR to carefully consider the Canon line since, in my opinion, Canon currently represents the state of the art. I like the Sony too, but the Canon with its superb form factor won me over. You will love this camera, but don't forget to buy a case to protect it from scratches and inadvertent drops.

I have owned several Canon cameras over the past 3-4 years and they've always been somewhere between 4.5 and 5 stars, but never something I could say was pretty much perfect. After much searching, I've finally found a camera that does everything I want it to do without any sacrifices. Just so you know where I'm coming from with the review, I'm not a great photographer by any means, but an enthusiast with a reasonable skill level. I have owned in the past the Canon A40, A75, S50, S1 IS, SD400, and now the SD550. I've also used the S70 quite a bit due to my best friend having one. All of these cameras are exceptional for what they are and did not disappoint, but all of them had one or two flaws that stuck out at me.

Back to the SD550. The combination of photo quality, size, features, and cost is balanced almost perfectly. The problem of size I had with all the others except for the SD400 is addressed, and this doesn't scratch nearly as easily as the SD400. The screen is miles ahead of the one on the SD400 or the S70. The motion looks very fluid and realistic when you move the camera, both in photo and movie modes. On previous Canon models there was always a delay on the screen, though it didn't show up on the movie when it was played back. I'm assuming this is due not only to the Digic II processor, but a better refresh rate on the SD550 screen.

The picture quality is phenomenal, and at least on par with the S70. The S70 definitely has better manual controls, but personally I think that if you're really looking for advanced manual controls, you're probably going to want a DSLR anyways. The preset shooting modes in the SD550 seem to work quite well for almost every situation I've come up with. I was very impressed by the digital macro mode. I'm very wary of anything that zooms digitally, but my eye can't pick up a difference up to 1.8x zoomed. After that I start to notice it a bit, but usually 1.8x is good enough to get a better macro shot than usual.

This camera is by