An In-Depth Look at 4 Ultra-compact Digicams
by Stephen Caston on July 18, 2005 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
Color Reproduction
* For all of our color tests, we reset all 4 cameras to their factory default settings. They were then set to record using the highest image quality option. All images are sRGB.With each camera, we took a picture of our color chart using each of the following WB settings: Auto, Incandescent, and Manual. Click on a thumbnail below to view the full-size image.
Incandescent
| Auto WB | Incandescent WB | Manual WB | |
| Canon SD400 |  Click to enlarge. |
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| Nikon S1 |  Click to enlarge. |
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| Olympus IR-300 |  Click to enlarge. |
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N/A |
| Sony DSC-T33 |  Click to enlarge. |
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 Reference Chart ("actual colors") |
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| Auto WB | Incandescent WB | Manual WB | |
| Canon SD400 |  |
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| Nikon S1 |  |
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| Olympus IR-300 |  |
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N/A |
| Sony DSC-T33 |  |
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Under tungsten light, we found that all three cameras show a moderately strong yellowish cast with Auto WB. The Sony DSC-T33 produced the brightest and most saturated colors of the bunch. When we set the cameras to Incandescent WB, all the cameras show a dramatic improvement over their performance with Auto WB. However, the Canon SD400 is, by far, the most accurate. In fact, we measured the exact same RGB values with both the Incandescent and Manual settings. The Canon SD400 and Nikon S1 are the only cameras with the advantage of a Manual WB option, which provides extremely accurate color reproduction.
Daylight
* NOTE: Distortion seen in some of these samples is not barrel distortion caused by the lens. During our testing, the heat from the sun started to warp our color chart creating the illusion of barrel distortion.| Auto WB | Daylight WB | Manual WB | |
| Canon SD400 |  Click to enlarge. |
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| Nikon S1 |  Click to enlarge. |
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| Olympus IR-300 |  Click to enlarge. |
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N/A |
| Sony DSC-T33 |  Click to enlarge. |
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N/A |
| Reference Chart ("actual colors") |
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| Auto WB | Daylight WB | Manual WB | |
| Canon SD400 |  |
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| Nikon S1 |  |
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| Olympus IR-300 |  |
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N/A |
| Sony DSC-T33 |  |
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N/A |
As with most of the cameras that we test, all four cameras generally did a very good job reproducing accurate colors under direct sunlight. However, there are a couple of things to note here. We found that the Sony DSC-T33 produced the brightest results. The Olympus IR-300 showed a very slight yellowish color cast when set to Daylight WB. Overall, we are very impressed with the results of all four cameras when set to Auto WB in direct sunlight.
Built-in Flash
For the flash test, we set all cameras to Auto mode w/Auto flash. The pictures were taken from 5 feet away.| Canon SD400 |  Click to enlarge. |
| Nikon S1 |  Click to enlarge. |
| Olympus IR-300 |  Click to enlarge. |
| Sony DSC-T33 |  Click to enlarge. |
It is obvious from the samples above that the Sony DSC-T33 produces images with significantly warmer skin tones than the other three cameras when using the built-in flash. Although the Nikon S1 appears cool in comparison to the other cameras, it actually produces the most accurate white (wall). The skin tone from the Canon SD400 is the closest to being accurate. However, this isn't very easy to see because of the underexposure. We found the Olympus IR-300 to have the strongest color cast (yellow-orange) out of the bunch.
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stephencaston - Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - link
Thanks for catching that Jarred, I've fixed it now.Tujan - Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - link
None of these cameras seem to get that soft lime-green colored square. Top right.What IS the true color of that 'Engineering Bldg.?
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Which,or how well do these cameras work to create DVDs. How to determine this.Wich propietor has the best software. Wich software suite works best with wich camera to do so ? [ ]
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Most reviews miss this aspect of features for a camera.I've read for example,codec articles,wich tell of specificities of 'formats,and playback. Generally what you do with your output depends on how you want to use it though.Then what playback device/medium is wished to use. Some formats do not work so well with creation of DVDs.Or authoring. Those wich are most ubiquotous will give you most satisfaction for your camera.
You might think that for example,that favorite movie you caught would be great to send to grandma. You can't capture it again though. However its an extra step to re-process the capture. So quality count of a good camera becomes the question of being able to edit from its usable format.What each uses,and how well it keeps the original intented quality for the use you want it to.
Some Cameras will use the MPEG4 format for example.However the utility of editing this format to DVD is difficult to find exact detail from any reviews. In trying to keep of what you see is what you have using the Camera.
JarredWalton - Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - link
You link for the Sony movie clip is broken. You've got a ".jpg" at the end of the file name. The Canon looks pretty nice, though I'm still holding out for SLR. Give me a few more months....Thatkid - Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - link
number 21 it is possible i actually took a hard looka t my camera as well nikon sometimes uses diffrent metals in there cameras im speaking from my experiance using there profresional cameras and they feel plastic but i did open the bettery lid and its a pretty thick metal shell. But you are right it defenately feels diffrent from the sont and cannon. the sony is brushed stainless teel i belive and is ver hard. the canon sd400 feels great its a small and dense feeling camera. they are very diffrent and when compared to the feel of these cameras it deos feel as if it were plastic but compare it to your mouse of keybaord or some sort of video game controller and youll see its a wierd metal.stephencaston - Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - link
#19, thats interesting. The sample we reviewed definitely felt like plastic and made a plastic sound when I tapped on the shell with my fingernail. It felt nothing like the solid metal of the SD400 or the T33. It didn't even feel cool to the touch after leaving it in air-conditioning like metal should. Perhaps the body is made of a very thin metal surrounded by plastic. Either that or you and I received different versions.PrinceGaz - Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - link
That Canon SD400 certainly looks very nice, not as high a resolution as the top-end SD500 but a bit smaller and lighter than it which is important to me. If I needed a replacement camera, that would be the one I'd go for.It's worth noting that in the UK (and maybe other countries) the Canon SD400 is called the Canon IXUS 50, but apart from the name is otherwise identical.
Thatkid - Tuesday, July 19, 2005 - link
the nikon is made with an all metal body if you want to refrence that see Http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=2&productNr=25529the bottom of the page says in bold compact super slim metal body. i know this also because i own one.
my friend has a SD400 weve done all the posible real life senario test possible night time shooting in clubs both get the same exact looking prints some small discrepensies in color cast in the pictures but other then that same performance on both awsome cameras. one thing this article didnt mention is the annoying yellow cast in all the sony t33 pictures sony may advertise 1000+ shots for the t33 but with flash and normal usage checking you pics and that kinda stuff maybe 100 - 150 shots on one baterry. i had the t33 and returned it when i took a picture of the best buy roof only to find it looking extremly orange.
IceWindius - Monday, July 18, 2005 - link
Canon wins again, go figure. My A85 farking rocks, I love it!ShadowVlican - Monday, July 18, 2005 - link
w00t canon wins again, happy i choose an A95rubikcube - Monday, July 18, 2005 - link
Been in the market for a camera for a while and was considering the digital rebel xt for quality concerns. After I read this review, I decided that the quality wouldn't be that different, so I ran out and bought the SD400. Thanks for the great review.