| | |  | | Home » Canon Powershot SD990IS 14.7MP Digital Camera with 3.7x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) | | | | | | | Description: | | When you’re ready to experience a higher level of pacesetting technology and image brilliance, the PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH is ready for you. One glance at the sleek sculptured profile, and you know this is a camera driven by design and features. Style without compromise is the perfect complement to the ELPH model’s most advanced feature lineup--engineering leadership that opens your eyes and imagination to the real potential and boundless pleasures of photography. | | | Features: | |
• 14.7-megapixel resolution for the highest image quality
• 3.7x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer; 2.5-inch PureColor LCD II
• DIGIC 4 Image Processor improves Face Detection
• Quick Mode decreases lag time so you don't miss anything
• Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 3.8 inches | | Product Width:
| 2.4 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.1 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.35 pounds | | Package Length:
| 8.8 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.4 inches | | Package Height:
| 2.4 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.75 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 181 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 181 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
380 of 405 found the following review helpful:
 Very good..but far from perfect...Oct 13, 2008
By Radio Man
"yarns13"
I realize there IS no "perfect point and shoot camera". I suppose there can not be a PERFECT small camera due to the small size.
In recent months I have owned TOO many small point and shoot cameras including..the older Canon SD950, a Fuji F100FD, a Panasonic TZ5, Even an Olympus 1010 model..and lastly bought a new discontinued Fuji F30 off e-bay for indoor low light shooting. I am sort of running my own private consumer reports situation it seems. :)
This SD 990IS is maybe the best OVERALL point and Shoot I ever had. But, instead of all the usual glowing remarks Canon Elphs seem to get..I want to point out a few negatives or inconsistencies with this camera. I mostly bought this camera because of the new function..FACE SELF TIMER seemed like a GREAT and useful idea as I take more pics with my g/f, or friends, dog, whatever..on timer than anything else. Long story short Face Detection works THE best on this 990 of ANY other camera I have ever used. It's nearly flawless INDOORS. However I tend to use this Canon more OUTDOORS. Problem is is in rather bright sunshine like MANY cameras, Face detection has trouble. Simply, often it doe NOT detect a face..and won't detect the second face either. This is only in rather strong sunshine..otherwise Face detection and Face Self timer DOES work and works rather well. The lens is OK, but on such an expensive elph I feel there should be less purple fringing THOUGH it's not BAD..but it IS there...and also indoors ISO set above 250 or so tends to get a bit grainy. So much so, I set the megapixels to 10..thereby why did I need a 14.7 meg camera??
I have also noted to my eyes this camera is not producing the almost too vivid colors of most canons...DEEP greens...Deep blues. But I actually feel the colors produced by this camera are perhaps more natural than almost any point and shoot I have had so that's a good thing. Also a positive..this camera handles blown highlights (Too BRIGHT) and dark shadows better than most. To sum up..this IS a really good camera with REALLY useful features WHEN they work, ala face detection in bright sun.
I feel Canon and just about all the point and shoot cams presently out there are WAY too concerned about who's got the most meagapixels. I'd much MUCH prefer a camera closer to my OLDER Fuji F30 which BLOWS the doors of this Canon in low light no flash) WITH JUST 6 MEGAPIXELS..then a nearly 15 meagpixel camera with too much noise. The Fuji's lens sadly has THE most purple fringing outdoors of any cam I have tried, hence my search has continued. To sum up..in today's market..perhaps this 990is may be about the best OVERALL small cam out there..but as I pointed out..if you are rather picky..it has a few flaws and I feel it is a bit overpriced...BUT also a VERY good camera which will make most people quite happy. It has a nice metal body..and the battery lasts a LONG time..another plus!
63 of 66 found the following review helpful:
 Powerful Little GemNov 14, 2008
By Alan Levine
I got the early version of this camera in Japan, sold as the IXY 3000 IS and am head over heels in love; this replaces an SD800IS which was a long time favorite. The new one got my attention for the whopping 14.7 MP as I have been using this for taking panoramas on a GigaPan rig - [...]-- and more pixels count for much there. Plus there is the full manual (focus and exposure modes). And then there was the thrill of getting a new camera a few weeks before it was available in the US.
Mine is set up with an 8GB SD HC card, which feels infinite.
I've been very happy with the quality, and I do a lot of macro shots, posting hundreds on my flickr site [...]
The new QuickShot mode is nice- to shoot through viewfinder where you want the quickest response time. And a bonus is a long overlooked feature- an on screen battery level indicator. There is a small button where you can instantly go to view mode, rather than flipping the shooting mode. Face focussing is very handy. Video quality is superb. Having the camera stitch mode (used for getting good overlap for single row panoramas) on the presets selection is great. And w00t! It uses the same NB-5L battery, so I now have more spares.
My negatives are minor- the black style is slick, but the plastic shell feels a little cheap/flimsy, but the camera is sturdy. My biggest gripe is the latch on the battery/SD card compartment comes open easily in your bag or your pocket; the one on the SD800 never popped open on its own. The latch for the USB dock too is odd, it is hard to figure out where the hinge part is, and I always feel like I am going to do it wrong and break it off.
Spinning the lower selection wheel takes some dexterity; so setting the aperture and f/stops in manual mode is going to take some time to be a smooth process.
I've never bought a camera just because it has a large resolution, but I am shooting 4416x3312, better than my first generation Digital Rebel.
I am in love with this little camera!
81 of 89 found the following review helpful:
Amazing camera! 9/10th of a G10 for much less $$Oct 24, 2008
By Drew J. Pearson
First of all, this camera is built beautifully. It is a highwater mark among the current Canon lineup (along with the G10 obviously). The metal body feels very solid and luxurious in your hand. I have only taken about 40 pictures with it thus far, in all different settings, and they all turn out great. The manual mode is what made me choose the SD990 over the aging SD950. It is nice to have this much control of a compact camera.
I was initially worried about the noise a 14.7 megapixel sensor this size would produce, but thanks to the new DIGIC 4 processor, it is always under control. I wouldn't use anything above ISO 600.
I am the type of consumer that pays more for better quality, and then holds onto things for a long time. This is one of those high-quality items. After your friends go through 2 or 3 plastic Kodak digicams, this will still be going strong. I wish I could afford a G10, but alas, I cannot. This is truly the next best thing. Way to go, Canon!
71 of 78 found the following review helpful:
 Great camera, but some problemsFeb 11, 2009
By Mark Twain
"jack"
I have been using Canon cameras for many years and have been very happy with them. This new model has some annoying new problems. The on-off button is very hard to operate, its nearly impossible to operate without both hands and a strong finger depressing the button with absolute force and spot-on accuracy. Why did they change this feature that was not giving any problems in the past?? The new Quik Shot mode does not seem to me to be that much better to deserve a separate mode. Sure, we need to have as fast a shot as possible, but this one is not much faster and of course you can't see what you are shooting. As far as I can tell there is no more Slow-synchro setting as in previous models. If its there, its buried and I haven't found it yet. That was the one feature I used most in the past, now its gone. I must admit the ISO3200 setting in the 'Scenes' mode is a nice substitute, but does not give the same motion effects as you could get with the older Slow Synchro mode of the past models. I do like the design and the black finish, its definitely a pleasure to hold and I have gotten comments on the design. The new "face recognition" feature on the timed shutter release is very nice when it works, which is about 75% of the time. when it doesn't work, get used to standing there for 30 secs before the shutter goes, then be prepared to have three shots go in rapid, i mean very rapid succsssion... which might come in handy for group shots where someone may have eyes closed on one shot, but not the next. All in all its a great camera, the only really annoying feature is the on-off button which I hope they get rid of in the next upgrade.
32 of 34 found the following review helpful:
SD990 IS RocksNov 08, 2008
By Kiki
I upgraded from the SD550, which was a great little camera.
I'm loving the SD990 IS. Pictures are awesome. Colors are right on, even when printed. There are many preset options to choose from, plus you have the option of shooting manually. Digital zoom is much less noiser than my old SD550.
I'm never fond of digital zoom, but I do have to say in full digital zoom I got an awesome shot of the moom. Very detailed to the point you could see the surface of the moon. Yes it was a little noisy, but much better than what I expected.
The camera is made very well. Feels very solid in your hands. Controls are placed nicely...very easy to access. You have the option of in camera edit for red eye, cropping, color swap...features which come in handy if you want to use direct print.
Face detect works great in the conditions I've used it in. I haven't used the self timer so I can speak for that. I do like the option of having magnified focus display which kind of zooms in to check the focus.
Macro images turned out great as well--crystal clear.
With the new software in the camera this little sucker is fast. Much faster than my old SD550.
I purchased this camera thinking I'd find some kind of flaw and have to return it after returning a few other cameras over the past few months; however, I haven't found any reason to return it. I would recommend this camera to anyone looking for an awesome compact camera that gives the user many options to choose from. My 8yr old could pick up this camera and get a great shot with the preset modes and a pro could get an awesome shot on manual as well.
Forgot to comment on video mode: It's good, but not much of a change from my SD550. I'm more a picture person so that doesn't phase me too much. It's nice to have the option for those video moments and you can even set the transfer button to video mode, which is a nice feature.
See all 181 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
