An In-Depth Look at 4 Ultra-compact Digicams

Final Words

Throughout our time with these 4 cameras, it became very clear that the strongest performers were the Canon SD400, Nikon S1, and Sony T33 (we'll get to the Olympus IR-300 in a bit). These 3 cameras were very competitive with each other in numerous aspects. In terms of speed and responsiveness, the Canon SD400 and Sony T33 were incredibly impressive. Both had very fast startup and cycle times. In addition, both cameras proved to have outstanding battery life. With respect to image quality, both the SD400 and T33 had the highest resolution capability. Bringing the Nikon S1 back to the discussion, all three cameras proved to have very good auto-focus and shutter lag performances. In addition, all three cameras have AF-assist lamps for focusing in inadequate lighting. Both the Canon SD400 and Nikon S1 have very good continuous drive modes. Also, they are the only cameras in the group with manual white balance as an option. In our field test with these three cameras, the Canon SD400 produced the best looking images. Next in line was the Nikon S1, which did a decent job reproducing fine details, but had a fuzzy quality to some of its images. The Sony T33 had rather average image quality, but its images were frequently characterized by fuzzy details.

The reason why we have been delaying the discussion of the Olympus IR-300 is simply because it is so different from the other three cameras. More specifically, it is not really on par with the other cameras. Although it is not an absolutely horrible camera, it is nowhere near as good as the other ones in this review. To begin with, it is the slowest camera out of the bunch in nearly every respect. It takes a bit over 4 seconds to start-up and take a picture, nearly a full second to focus and take a picture, and had some of the slowest cycle times out of all 4 cameras. In terms of resolution ability, the IR-300's performance is on the low side of average. However, its real image quality issues stem from the over-compression of its images. This results in jaggies and JPEG artifacts. Some of the other issues that we experienced with the IR-300 had to due with its lack of features. For example, the camera does not offer ISO control, manual white balance, or an AF-assist lamp. In addition to the absence of these still image features, the IR-300 has an outdated video mode offering a maximum resolution of 320x240 at 15 fps. We should remind you that the Nikon S1 does only a bit better than this. The S1 offers video at 640x480, but only records at 15 fps.

Another important thing to keep in mind when comparing these cameras is build quality. Both the Canon SD400 and Sony T33 have a solid metal body and feel well-constructed. The Nikon S1 and Olympus-IR 300 are made of plastic. The Olympus IR-300 lens makes a very audible noise whenever it zooms in or out. This, in combination with the plastic body, makes it feel poorly-constructed when compared to the sturdy build quality of the Canon SD400 or Sony T33. When we look at the prices of these cameras, the Canon SD400 is the most expensive at approximately $355. The Nikon S1 and Sony T33 are priced around $330. The most affordable camera of the bunch is the Olympus IR-300 at approximately $305. Considering that there is only a $25 difference between the Olympus IR-300 and the Nikon S1/Sony T33, we feel that there is no reason to even consider the IR-300. We were most impressed with the Canon SD400 because it consistently showed some of the best performance and image quality out of all 4 cameras.

Canon PowerShot SD400
Pros	Cons
- Excellent resolution - Very fast startup time - Fast shutter lag and focus - Fast cycle time - Very impressive continuous drive - Exceptional movie mode - Manual WB - AF-assist lamp - Metal body	- Images become soft at ISO 400 - Some purple fringing

Nikon Coolpix S1
Pros	Cons
- Good resolution - Fast startup time - Fast shutter lag and focus - Very impressive continuous drive - Manual WB - AF-assist lamp - Decent battery life	- Images become soft at ISO 400 - Some purple fringing - No metering options - Below average movie mode at 15 fps - Plastic body

Olympus IR-300
Pros	Cons
- Acceptable resolution - Decent battery life - Affordable price	- JPEG artifacts (high compression) - Slight yellowish cast in sunlight images - No ISO options - No manual WB - Fairly slow shutter lag and focus - Slow startup time - Slow cycle time - No AF-assist lamp - Outdated movie mode - Plastic body - Lens noise when zooming

Sony DSC-T33
Pros	Cons
- Incredibly fast shutter and focus lag - Excellent resolution - Retains detail at ISO 400 - Very fast startup time - Very fast cycle time - Exceptional movie mode - AF-assist lamp - Very good battery life - Metal body	- Fuzzy images - No Manual WB - Must use duo pro cards for Fine video mode - Annoying tripod adapter

Thanks again to Newegg.com for loaning us the Canon PowerShot SD400, Nikon Coolpix S1, Olympus IR-300, and Sony DSC-T33 for review.