I did all my research. I compared sample images. I pored over review after review after review. I compared it to all it’s competition, and thought I had found exactly what I was looking for. The SD850 IS (which stands for Image Stabilization! ooh!). And I had… except…<\/p>\n
Dear Canon,<\/p>\n
Why would you produce a wonderful camera, with a huge LCD backpanel AND a viewfinder should the sun be too bright to use the LCD? With a 4x optical zoom and a relatively noise-free images all the way up to ISO 1600? Why would you do all this so as to make me buy the camera, and not include a latch on the battery door???? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n Jim Markham Seriously though, I spent almost a month doing my homework on this. I was looking at an Olympus that is supposed to be pretty much ‘everything-proof’, but after seeing multiple sample images that had excessive lack of focus away from the center of the frame for both near-field and telephoto, I went back to the drawing board. I found glowing reviews about the SD850, and only 1 negative comment about the battery door which was, and I quote: “Battery\/SD Card Door can slide out and pop open easily.” Can pop open easily? Try this on for size as a better statement of the above: “You may find it difficult to handle the camera, i.e. take the camera out of a camera case, without ‘inadvertently’ opening the over-sprung, under-latched battery \/SD card door.” Complete showstopper. Every other Canon camera I’ve used, and as a matter of completeness, EVERY camera I’ve operated in say the last 10 years, has either a two stage latch, or a very tightly fitted slide latch. Either push a button\/switch\/slider one direction then pull the battery door in a perpendicular direction to open it, Or hold the camera tightly and press on the battery door while sliding it to open it.<\/p>\n Exhibit A: Video of the battery-door in operation<\/p>\n
A pissed off customer<\/p>\n