Canon’s powerful 12.1 megapixel camera looks nice, but are we going to get another pretty point-and-shoot or something we can actually use?

At Digital Camera Review, the PowerShot SD950 recieved favorable reviews because of its reliability across the board. Their are no weaknesses in the camera, but their isn’t anything that makes you step back and go wow!

“The SD950 IS offers an interesting mix of features that at times seem at odds with each other – a wonderfully compact and lightweight camera wielding a big 12.1 MP sensor matched with a somewhat pedestrian 36-133mm focal length lens with image stabilization, but no manual controls. Truth be told, Canon has improved this camera over its predecessor by the addition of image stabilization, as well as a higher resolution sensor with comparable noise performance. The lens won’t get you close to distant subjects, but it does now cover the 85 to 135mm focal length range many 35mm film shooters favor for portrait work. Image and color quality remain first rate. Focus acquisition and shutter lag are reasonably quick, and flash performance is good, with normal recycle times of only a few seconds.

Outside of the big sensor, there may not be any particular category that the SD950 IS leads the pack in. Image stabilization and a 2.5-inch monitor, for example, are as common as fleas on a dog’s back. It’s when you add up the sum of its parts that the true worth of the 950 begins to shine through. This camera doesn’t do anything poorly, and does a host of things quite well. That should be enough for most folks. “

Cnet thought that the 12 megapixels were nice, but that the rest of the camera was pretty pedestrian.

“For a 12-megapixel compact camera, the PowerShot SD950 IS fares well. But, if you don’t feel you need so many pixels, and unless you plan to print 11×17-inch images regularly, then you can probably get faster performance by choosing a camera with fewer megapixels, such as Canon’s 8-megapixel PowerShot SD870 IS–but you will have to give up the optical viewfinder if you do.”

Imaging resource loved the simplicity of the camera and the “forget about settings, just shoot” nature of the SD950.

“Feature creep, feature creep, trick or treat? Halloween may be behind us, but goblins and ELPHs never quite go away. We liked the Canon SD900 quite a bit for its compact titanium shell and don’t-worry-just-shoot capability. In the PowerShot SD950 IS, Canon has updated its 10-megapixel sensor with a 12.1 megapixel sensor and added image stabilization to the increased range of 3.7x optical zoom, up from 3x.

The PowerShot SD950 IS is an ELPH, though, so you still don’t get manual control. But do you care? The DIGIC III processor with Canon’s face detection autofocus (which also sets exposure and flash) delivers wonderful images with no work. That — and the striking good looks of that titanium shell — are the hallmarks of the ELPH line.

If the Canon PowerShot SD950 is a little fatter than the sleekest digicams, it still slips as smoothly as a bar of soap into your hand, ready when you are to capture an image. On a recent trip the only reason I didn’t pick up the Canon SD950 was a feeling of obligation to use the other review cameras I’d taken along. It’s hard to resist an ELPH.”

So if you’re looking for simple point and shoot that provides you with quality images (those 12 megapixels are nice!), then look no further than the SD950, just don’t expect it to be the camera of your dreams. Its a solid addition to ELPH line for the casual shooter.

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