Canon PowerShot SD600 6MP Digital Elph Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (OLD MODEL)

This is one of the last good cameras that Canon made before it decided to move onto plastic bodies and a more rounded shape such as their SD750, SD630. The SD1000 is the SD600 successor but is boxier with respect to the 600. I like the 600 because it has a sturdy body and is compact. I bought the leather case that goes with the camera and the case fits like a glove on the camera protecting it in case I drop it. The screen is a decent size and this camera is one of the few I liked which still had an optical viewfinder instead of just the LCD showing what I was going to take a picture of. Picture quality is 4/5. I had a Sony 5MP camera before I bought this Canon one and the Sony one just had a crisp clearer picture. Canon has decent image quality nonetheless and accepts SD which is less proprietary than Sony's Memory Stick and less expensive of course. Canon also is known for the different modes in which pictures can be shot, with color especially. It's nifty if you want to play with the functions (because it has so many) and if you're hanging out with your friends and want fun pictures. Indoor shots are decent and the pictures don't tend to be blurry even when taken with an unsteady hand. With a 2GB memory card, you can snap around 1100 pictures in 6MP format. Also the multiple snapshot function works well when you're taking candid pictures of people and at parties. You can always delete the ones you don't like later when you transfer them to the computer via a card reader or USB. Video recording is a bit on the rough side when it comes to recording a show because the image will blur in and out. One of the bad things about the camera/video/play switch is that sometimes you mean to take a picture and you end up recording a movie which is kind of cumbersome because you miss a really great picture moment. It's not the slimmest camera out there like the Sony T7 but it can definitely compete in the other departments like different modes and a more widely accepted memory format. If you're looking for a fashionable camera and it has to be compact as well, I would definitely recommend this camera among the others. Battery life is 5/5. (Lithium ion battery is much better than the rechargeable AAA batteries.) Image quality 4/5 Functionality 4/5 (buttons are a bit squished) Cost-Benefit 5/5

Funny how this camera seems to be tested in Boston. I bought this camera specifically for a trip to Boston. I thought my brother's SD450 was the best digital camera I've ever used, until I got the SD600. I took TONS of pictures in different lighting and all turned out great. I shot everything from plates of food inches away to soccer games with players clear across the field. Certain settings worked better than others for different lighting situations. It really just depends on what color tones you prefer. I prefer warmer tones and the camera worked really well. For the basic point-and-shoot shots with the setting on automatic and flash, I thought the colors were very true to life. The video feature is really great as well. Playback is amazing on the large LCD screen. The newer version of this camera (SD630) has a larger display of 3inches but I actually prefer my 2.5inch screen. THis is because when I tried out the SD630, I'd get finger prints on the screen just trying to manuever the buttons. I don't have this problem w/ the SD600. I am able to avoid touching the screen while changing the settings on my camera. The best thing about this camera is that it is ready almost instantly after you turn it on. No waiting for an annoying flash to warm up. It also takes a picture right away when you press the button. Hardly a delay compared to other digital cameras. I don't have much else to add to this review that hasn't been already addressed. This camera with its numerous settings is far better than any old point-and-shoot camera. I think it's a great compromise between a professional camera and a point-and-shoot. It's quite versatile for those who like to play around with settings and effects. For the price, this camera rocks. 3 people have already been convinced into buying this camera after seeing me use it.

After doing much homework on the internet to find the best digital camera for the bucks, I finally narrowed it down to two Canon cameras. The other camera had come out later, had most of the same features, but cost quite a bit more. I finally chose the SD600 and I am so glad I did! After 3 months, I cannot find much that isn't there. -- Ease of use: Although there is a learning curve, the menues are very intuitive. -- Easy switching to "record video," "take photos," and playback. This especially useful on the fly so you can switch quickly. -- Size aand quality of LCD. Although there are other cameras out there with the same or large size, the quality of the LCD screen is amazing. -- I use this camera as my primary video camera. Although there are features that are not on the video portion that full-fledged video cams have, it has enough features so that I can do all that I want. The only negative is that you can't optically zoom while taking video, but can with the digital zoom enabled. When used, the quality deteriates rather dramatically. -- I like the memory cards. You can have a couple around and never run out of room. I bought two 2GB from Kingston on Amazon. They work great. -- I have never run the lithium battery down so that I have to recharge in the middle of shooting. However, I bought a back up just in case. -- Even with no stabilzation features, the video is pretty steady. Enough so that people watching it don't complain, but no where near professional quality. I had a tripod (Targus-$30) which is very durable. The little camera looks funny atop the tripod, but it sure does help steady the shots or provide the ability to use the self-timer. -- The software that comes with the camera is fantastic. It was so easy and automatic, I didn't have to learn anything. Seamless tranfer from camera to computer or direct to a portable device, makes the usual burden of transfer a thing of the past. Video and Photos alike are almost a one-button transfer. -- Of all the qualities, the size is the best. I carry the camera in my front pocket on my jeans and it is comfortable there. I would recommend getting a screen protector for the LCD (the lens has a self-cover). This allows me to be very mobile and "instantly" ready for great photos or video on the fly. In summary, I don't think you can get a 6 megapixel camera with as many features as the SD600 for the money. I bought mine for $138 as refurbished from a third party through Amazon. I have the original warranty and there isn't anything wrong with it. (It came in the original box with original documents and accessories.) AS MUCH AS I HAVE PRAISED THIS CAMERA, YOU MIGHT THINK I SELL THEM WHICH I DON'T. I HAVE RECOMMENDED THIS CAMERA TO A FAMILY MEMBER AND TWO FRIENDS WHO ALL BOUGHT IT AND LOVE IT AS MUCH AS I DO! GO FOR IT!

This camera is my holy grail. Everyone loves the pictures it takes. Even for an older camera its competes so well with modern day cameras. The functionality still holds up. It gives a old nostalgia feel with each picture. Almost like a memory you’ve had. The colors are bright. Its so easy to use. Everyone, even strangers I’ve met have been able to take pictures of me easily and well. Its a very small camera so i can always squeeze it in my purse. For the girls, BUY IT.

I previously own an earlier Elph and loved it. When I purchased the Elph SD 600 I was so excited..and like many other reviewers ..loved it. I read all these excellent reviews and would have written one too. BUT, about a year and a half later with only infrequent use...the lens would not retract. After googling this issue to my horror this is a widespread problem which has even prompted a class action suit...The dreaded E-18 error..or in my case LENS ERROR. Past warranty Canon charges $259 to fix plus shipping.. in my case I saw battery was low and shut camera down..I guess that triggers a problem because when I put a fresh battery in the lens came out but would not retract. Yikes. Now I find that this is a known design flaw..often once it is fixed it reoccurs. I have always had nothing but Canon, but now I have to look elsewhere once I am in a position to buy another camera. I loved my little Elph and took perfect care of it, but the lens mechanism is so fragile that it breaks in about 10 different circumstances and is very costly to repair.

I've had five Canon digitals: the tough-as-nails S230, the reasonably robust s410 (though the rotary settings dial failed there, happily I had the AMEX extended warranty), the ultra-rugged G2 and the excellent Digital Rebel XT. Oh, and the brand new frail and feeble Canon PowerShot SD600. Oh, it's not a terrible camera. It's inexpensive, the images aren't worse than the s410, the shutter lag is somewhat less ... but I expected more. Yes it's smaller -- but only outside of the case. Put it inside the somewhat bulky case (you wouldn't want to carry this fragile gem any other way) and it's about the same size as the s410 in its case. So the size drop doesn't bring much practical value, but the large display and small size have some unfortunate side-effects. The flash is microscopic and the battery looks too small to power the big display for long. Speaking of the big display, it doesn't leave much room for the almost invisible controls. Yes, the display is nice for doing on camera image review and editing, but we do that on the 20" iMac display. It's made for consumers who don't use a computer. Maybe it was the lack of space that made Canon remove the mechanical switch between 'Auto' and 'Manual' settings. That hurts. My wife uses auto, I use manual. The switch used to be foolproof, now it requires quirky menu navigation. And so we come back to the build quality. On the one hand the camera has a one year warranty. On the other hand it probably doesn't cover the camera door coming off in your hands. This camera is 'Made in Japan', but evidently that doesn't mean what it once did. The first time I inserted the SD card it wouldn't pop out again, though it did on a second try. The Digital Elph's had an enviable reputation for solid construction, Canon has tossed that out the window. If I were Canon's CEO I'd be calling for an internal inquiry. A few positives to end with. It still uses a standard mini-B USB connector and Canon's compact and plugless wall charger is as well designed as ever. For the price it may still be a competitive offering, but in the past I used to tell friends to save their time and buy Canon. Now I have to tell them to look around first.

I bought the SD600 because I needed a small and reliable camera to take with me to the Himalayas in February. Originally, I was going to buy a higher end SLR camera for this trip but decided the bulk and worry behind carrying a camera like that would not be worth it. This being said, let me talk about how happy I am with the quality and color of the SD600. First off, in proper situations, the color and brightness of the SD600 are far superior to all other small digital camera's I tried. When I am getting photos printed, I still have to do some small adjustments in photoshop most of the time, but that's only really nitpicky. The SD600 also has a view finder, which is great for traveling and general shooting because all LCD screens on the back of cameras can get washed out by the sun, making them very hard to see. Although the view finder is not great, it still helps drastically and is a important and fast dieing feature in a camera. One of my only complaints is quality of the flash. But, this isn't a fault unique to the SD600. Because of the physically tiny size of the flash in the SD600, it is hard for it to get as even, wide and distant spread as I would like. My only other complaint (besides the price), is that the LCD screen on the back doesn't seem to show true colors perfectly. Pictures taken with a flash often look a little washed and it's hard to see small blurs in low light pictures. Even with these two complaints, I would still recommend this camera. It is easy to use, takes surprisingly great pictures and movies and is so physically small you could take it anywhere, effortlessly. My use for it is travel, but I couldn't really pick a better small digital for everyday use.

Bought this camera from Adorama Camera via Amazon along with a lot of accessories (extra battery, carrying case, metal strap, 1GB SD card, etc). Delivery was fast and all the items work well together. I love my SD600. The build quality is top notch. It easily fits in your pocket. The images are awesome. You can read other reviews here for all the good features. There are just a few minor glitches for me: o My other digital cameras let you force the flash on while in full auto mode. The SD600 you need to be in Manual mode in order to force the flash o Lots of Red Eye even with Red Eye Reduction flash due to proximity of flash to the lens o I do NOT like having the video mode between camera and review mode on the slide switch. I've taken way too many videos by mistake. Video mode should have its own button. o The instruction manual is not well written. There are SO many modes on this camera and the icons are not easy to determine what each mode does. I almost bought a similar Sony camera soley due to the Sony having built-in help. As you select a mode it tells you what the mode does. ALL cameras should have that but I opted for the Canon as photo quality trumped usability. These are minor glitches. Force Flash and accidental Video are my biggest gripes but otherwise I love this camera and highly recommend it.