Canon PowerShot SD940 IS

The Canon PowerShot SD940 IS offers basic snapshot shooting in a petite body that fits easily into most pockets. With the always-attractive Digital ELPH styling, the SD940 IS is as appealing for its looks as it is for its ease of use. Although similar to the Canon PowerShot SD1200, the SD940 IS offers higher resolution with its 12.1 megapixel sensor, a cleaner design and generally better image quality at around the same price.

Another point of difference between the SD940 IS and its subcompact Canon SD siblings is its wide-angle 4x optical zoom lens, which starts at 28mm and extends to 112mm. At wide-angle, the f/2.8 lens is fast enough (has a wider aperture) to allow more light to enter the camera than other models, although at telephoto it slows to f/5.9. Combine the fast lens with the camera's image stabilization (IS) and the SD940 IS has a little extra edge when shooting in low light and at slower shutter speeds. A 12.1 megapixel sensor provides enough pixels to make large prints without overwhelming your computer with huge image files.

You won't find manual exposure controls on the point-and-shoot Canon SD940 IS. Instead, the camera is outfitted with totally automatic shooting options, including Canon's Smart Auto mode, Intelligent Contrast Correction, Face Detection, Blink Detection, and a wide range of scene modes. For photographers who want a little more control over their images, the Canon SD940 IS also offers a Program Auto mode, which allows you to choose a number of settings including white balance, metering and ISO. The camera's movie mode is capable of shooting up to 720p HD movies with sound and an HDMI port makes it easy to connect the camera to an HDTV for large screen viewing.



Despite the camera's small size, it's very well built and feels solid in the hand. At first glance, the SD940 IS looks (and may feel) like its difficult to hold because there's no grip. However, the camera's smooth surface actually provides a little bit of traction and there's space to rest your thumb to the right of the LCD with your forefinger on the front panel for single-handed shooting. For a steadier grip, also place the forefinger of your left hand on top of the camera and support it at the bottom with your left thumb. You'll still want to use a wrist strap or lanyard when shooting so it doesn't accidentally slip from your hand. You'll help keep the camera scratch-free by stowing it in a small case when it's being transported in a purse or small camera bag.

Since most controls are almost flush with the camera body, its unlikely that the camera will be accidentally powered on when taking it out of your pocket or bag. The only exception might be the shooting mode switch, which protrudes slightly from the back panel, so be sure to check its position before shooting.


Controls. The SD940 IS' control layout is fairly standard for this class of camera. A small, flush-to-the-surface Power button sits along the top edge of the camera. Because of its flush position, though, the Power button was difficult to press with the pad of my forefinger so I had to use the tip of my fingernail instead. To the right of the Power button is a good-sized shutter button, which is surrounded by the zoom lever.