HIGH

• compact, stylish, solidly built
• good image quality
• good 28-105mm zoom lens
• effective optical image stabilization
• fast 2.0 aperture at 28mm wide end
• good in low-light without flash
• good 720p HD video with optical zoom
• HDMI output port
• good battery life

MIND

• relatively expensive
• vertical list of FUNC options is not as clear as the horizontal list in other powershots

WISE

• excellent compact point and shoot camera for a premium

There are other cameras at this price range that are more versatile with more features, but none is as stylish or feels as luxurious in hand as the PowerShot SD4000 IS. Ours has a beautiful matte black shell and a curved minimalist design. The buttons and controls are typical Canon: well laid out and easy to operate. The camera is quick in use, and the fast 2.0 lens is useful for available-light photography without flash in places such as museums.

The user menu interface is fairly clear and consistent. However, we don't like the vertical orientation of the FUNC menu's options list - it's not bad but should be better. The horizontal orientation of options list found in other PowerShots and older models is more intuitive and easier to use. Canon should stick to this in all models.

The SD4000 IS seems geared toward the users who want a simple but posh point and shoot camera that can capture good quality images - not one with comprehensive photographic control. For such a user or a Canon's point and shoot fan, this camera doesn't disappoint. We certainly enjoyed using the camera to take pictures of some of our favorite artworks in our most favorite museums, those in the Smithsonian Institution, in the United States.

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