Official Obama Presidential Portrait: Canon 5D Mark II at 105mm f/10 Portrait Retouching

Canon PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH Review

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Posted by Patrick on Jan 14, 2009 in Cameras, Compact, Reviews

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The Canon Powershot SD990 IS borrows the 14.7 megapixel sensor from the G10, features the Digic IV processor and is available for under $300. Canon’s approach for the SD990 was to cram it full of megapixels instead of superfluous features, but of course as we’ve learned before, cramming more megapixels on tiny sensors doesn’t always end up providing improved image quality. While the SD990 is capable of making larger prints, and can sport some amazing detail, in review at Digital Camera Review there’s a question as to how much value the increased megapixels actually bring:

Hence, the great overarching contradiction of the SD990’s image quality: you can take much bigger shots, but it’s open question whether, given the increased noise and softness that comes with a more densely packed sensor, you can effectively use these extra pixels to produce final images that are observably better than what other cameras with lesser sensors provide.

-Digital Camera Review

None of this is to take away from the fact that the SD990 is a very well made camera that does take great pictures. The question is the value of the never ending megapixel increases on these tiny sensored cameras. Mind you the next generation will move forward from 15 megapixels—it doesn’t just stop at 14.7 folks.

Get the rest of the review here.

Get your Canon Powershot SD990 IS here at Amazon or here at B&H Photo Video.