Bookmark & Share
Expert Recommendation
.
Overview
In the budget range of ultracompacts, options start to become a little limited. While it doesn’t particularly excel at any single category, Canon’s SD890 offers a solid balance between features and image quality that lets it competently handle just about any photographic situations.
My Best In Class Pick
Canon PowerShot SD890 IS
Like most of the budget cameras in Canon’s SD line are more or less vanilla ultracompacts that don’t feature too much more than solid all-around quality and a somewhat bland featureset. The SD890 breaks the mold slightly by offering a 37-185mm (5x) zoom range, making it a bit more versatile than the average budget ultracompact camera. While the 37mm wide-angle isn’t ideal for things like landscapes or shooting in cramped street corners or building interiors, the 185mm telephoto end is just about long enough for close-ups of medium-range sports, or to cover the traditional portrait range, for example.
In terms of high-ISO performance, the SD890 is a bit above average. The SD890 also features an image-stabilized lens, which reduces camera shake blur. While low-light images will still be somewhat grainy, they still retain more detail than the average budget camera and are definitely still usable for small prints or to post online.
Speed-wise, the SD890 is a little below average, so precisely timing photos or focusing on fast-moving subjects is somewhat problematic. The SD890 can take photos continuously at 1.2 frames per second, which is about average but not really fast enough to be used for taking bursts of photos.
Comparison with Fujifilm FinePix F60fd
The choice between the F60 and SD890 is image quality versus versatility - the SD890 is overall a more capable camera that can perform decently in low-light situations, while also featuring a wider-ranging 5x zoom lens that is just adequate enough for medium-range telephoto subjects. If you are planning to shoot mostly in low-light situations, though, the F60 is capable of producing much cleaner low-light photos thanks to its sensor.
Comparison with Nikon Coolpix S600
The SD890 has the S600 beat by a large margin in the image quality department, making it the better choice unless you really value having a 28mm wide-angle over everything else (which might be the case if you want to do travel photography exclusive in good daylight situations, for example).
Pros
- +Image stabilization
- +185mm telephoto
- +Above-average high-ISO
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot SD890 IS
-
Best Price:
$219
See It »
- $219 - $450 Compare Prices »
Comparing My Best In Class Pick with Other Good Choices
| Product |
 |
2
 |
3
 |
| Customer Rating |
 
(from 206 reviews)
|
(from 18 reviews)
|
(from 59 reviews)
|
| Price | $219 - $450 | $145 - $239 | $249 - $310 |
| Size (W x H x D) | 3.8 x 2.2 x 1.1 in. | 3.6 x 2.3 x 0.9 in. | 3.5 x 2.1 x 0.9 in. |
| Weight (without batteries) | 5.5 oz | 5.7 oz | 4.6 oz |
| Max Shooting Speed (burst) | 1.2 frames/sec | 2.5 frames/sec | 1.2 frames/sec |
| Max Consecutive Burst Frames | Unlimited | 3 frames | 10 frames |
|
?
Close
Min Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. On any 35 mm film camera, a 30 mm or less lens is considered a wide-angle lens.
|
37 mm | 35 mm | 28 mm |
|
?
Close
Max Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. Larger max focal lengths make distant objects appear more magnified.
|
185 mm | 105 mm | 112 mm |
| Optical Zoom | 5.0x | 3.0x | 4.0x |
|
?
Close
Image Stabilization Available
Image stabilization features are designed to reduce the blur that results from normal, minute shaking of a lens due to hand-held shooting. However, image stabilization does not prevent motion blur caused by the movement of the subject or by extreme movements of the camera.
|
Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
?
Close
Max Aperture (wide-angle)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (wide-angle) is the largest possible size at the wide-angle limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
|
f/3.2 | f/2.8 | f/2.7 |
|
?
Close
Max Aperture (tele-photo)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (tele-photo) is the largest possible size at the tele-photo limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
|
f/5.7 | f/5.1 | f/5.8 |
| Battery Life | 320 shots | 230 shots | 190 shots |
| High ISO quality | Average | Good | Poor |
| Shutter lag | Average | Average | Good |
| Travel Rating | Average | Poor | Average |
| Fast Action Rating | Average | Poor | Unusable |
| People/Pets Portrait Rating | Good | Average | Poor |
| Low-light Rating | Average | Good | Poor |
Fujifilm FinePix F60fd
The Fuji F60fd is a part of Fuji’s flagship of F-series ultracompacts featuring the unique SuperCCD sensor that provides significantly better high-ISO performance than just about any non-SLR on the market. Combined with its sensor-shift IS system, the F60 is just about the best low-light performer available, save for its older brother, the Fuji F100fd, and Panasonic’s high-end LX3.
Aside from its low-light ability, however, the F60fd is a fairly typical camera, featuring a 35-105mm (3x) lens which isn’t particularly wide or versatile. Autofocus and shutter lag performance are about average on the F60fd. The F60fd has a moderately useful burst mode that can snap three photos at 2 frames per second, but otherwise has an almost useless 0.5 frames per second mode for continuous shooting.
Comparison with Nikon Coolpix S600
The choice between the F60fd and Nikon’s S600 lies between the F60fd’s much better high-ISO performance and the S600’s more versatile 28mm wide-angle lens. If you plan to shoot exclusively in daytime situations, then high-ISO may not be much of a factor and the S600 would be a more capable camera.
Pros
- +Best-in-class high-ISO
- +Image stabilization
Cons
- -Limited 3x (35-105mm) zoom range
- -Burst mode only for 3 frames at a time
Where to buy
Fujifilm FinePix F60fd
-
Best Price:
$145
See It »
- $145 - $239 Compare Prices »
Nikon Coolpix S600
At the very budget end of Nikon’s S-series is the S600. While most of its specs and performance are so-so, it’s one of the few cameras in this price range to offer a 28mm wide-angle lens (28-112mm 4x zoom to be exact), which makes it a very capable camera for wide landscape shots or large landmarks. The 112mm long end is typical for an ultracompact, and provides enough versatility to cover many everyday scenes, but doesn’t zoom close enough for real telephoto applications like sports or wildlife photography.
The S600 does have an IS system, but low-light performance is below-average due to its poor high-ISO performance, which tends to produce blotchy, noisy photos in low-light situations. Speed-wise the S600 is a bit above average with autofocus and shutter lag, making it easier to precisely time shots or track fast-moving subjects. The S600 takes photos continuously at 1.2 frames per second, which isn’t really fast enough to use as a burst mode.
Pros
- +Image stabilization
- +28mm wide-angle
Cons
- -Poor high-ISO
Where to buy
Nikon Coolpix S600
-
Best Price:
$249
See It »
- $249 - $310 Compare Prices »
How It Works
You tell us your budget, intended uses, and desired features. We show you personalized recommendations from unbiased experts to quickly identify the best digital camera for you.
Advertisement
How to Pick Digital Cameras
- For Travel Photos
- For Photos of Children or Pets
- For Action or Sports Photos
- For Photos in Low Light
