Canon has just announced the new PowerShot SD4000 IS Digital Elph, and both the press release and camera specs reveal that Canon is looking to bring high image quality in low light environments to compact point & shoot cameras.

Less megapixels, more sensitivity

The megapixel race has been over for a long time, and so I am glad to see that Canon has released a compact camera with a focus on image quality instead of an arbitrary number. Here’s the deal: megapixel numbers are a marketing tool, a selling point that does not accurately reflect a camera’s performance. More megapixels do not automatically mean better pictures. In fact due to the dynamics of sensor design, more megapixels sometimes result in worse pictures. Forget about megapixels.

The PowerShot SD4000′s 10 MP sensor has less megapixels than any other current camera in the Digital Elph lineup. Except for the 12-month-old SD1200 IS, every other camera in this class has between 12 and 14 megapixels. With the new SD4000 IS, Canon seems to have made the smart decision to cut back on megapixels in order to improve image quality… in reality, less megapixels means more light hits each pixel and therefore can lead to better overall image quality.

PowerShot SD4000 Specs

10 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor

The SD4000 is capable of shooting up to 3200 ISO which means it can capture more light at once, therefore a faster shutter speed can be utilized in low light which in turn reduces blur from your shaking hands. Usually, shooting at high ISO with a compact camera resulted in grainy cell phone-quality shots, but Canon says that this camera and sensor design is aimed at improving sharpness and reducing digital noise for a better image at these high sensitivities.

Fast f/2 lens

The opening in this lens, which is what allows light to pass through onto the image sensor, can be opened up very wide in order to let in a lot of light at once. Like high ISO sensitivity, the goal of this feature is to cut down on slow shutter speeds which in turn reduces the amount of blur caused by your shaking hands. A fast lens makes it possible shoot in darker environments with less blur.

Wide angle 3.8x zoom lens

A wide angle lens is one of the nicest features I like to see in a compact camera. Your field of view when zoomed all the way out with this lens will include a great deal of the scene — think wide, sweeping landscapes, dramatic skies, or perhaps just fitting more bodies into the frame in a crowded bar.

Other Features

• 720p HD movie recording
• DIGIC 4 image processor
• 8.4 fps burst rate in certain situations
• 3-stop image stabilization
• Aperture and Shutter priority modes

Conclusion

Compact point & shoot cameras that perform well in low light are still rare, which makes the SD4000′s specifications sound great. It would be really nice to see a compact camera that does not rely on the built-in flash for every shot, and can produce good ambient light indoor photos. Here’s hoping that this new camera lives up to the numbers when it hits the stores in late May.

Recommended Retailers

At B&H:

• Black PowerShot SD4000 IS at B&H
• Silver PowerShot SD4000 IS at B&H
• Red PowerShot SD4000 IS at B&H

At Adorama:

• Black PowerShot SD4000 IS at Adorama
• Red PowerShot SD4000 IS at Adorama
• Silver PowerShot SD4000 IS at Adorama

At Amazon.com:

• Black PowerShot SD4000 IS at Amazon.com
• Red PowerShot SD4000 IS at Amazon.com
• Silver PowerShot SD4000 IS at Amazon.com

See the support page for more information about our recommended retailers.