CANON'S POWERSHOT 50950 IS is a high-performance point-and shooter that's perfect for photographers who want brilliant, crisp images but don't want to mess with manual controls. While this very capable 12-megapixel camera might strain your pocket (and your pocketbook), it's a top-notch snapper loaded with high-end features for serious amateurs. Canon has increased the resolution and added an optical viewfinder for use in bright daylight, though it had to reduce the SD950's screen to 2.5 inches to fit the viewfinder.

Another nice feature that's sometimes absent from point-and-shooters is an on-screen battery metera good idea and oh so useful. The first thing you notice about the SD950 is its handsome, solid titanium body, which is rendered in snazzy curves and rounded corners. As do most current point-and-shoot models, the SD950 comes with advanced face detection and an optical image-stabilization feature, which is especially useful at longer zoom lengths. You also get 11 scene modes, such as portrait, indoors, beach, snow, and so on.

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On our lab tests, the SD950 delivered very strong performance. Daylight shots were awesome in their detail and clarity at ISOs of 100 and 200. At ISO 400, noticeable fuzziness crept in, and anything above that level was very noisy. Flash photos were similarly beautiful at ISO 100 and 200-and just as disappointing at high sensitivities. Boot-up time was a relatively fast 3.4 seconds, and recycle time using flash was about 3.2 seconds. The camera performed beautifully on my field tests, capturing detailed images with true color.

In Auto mode, many of the photos snapped at ISO 200 were crisp, with no noise.
In many cases, photos taken in dark shadows at ISO 400 were also surprisingly crisp and impressive. Face detection worked as advertised, as did the image stabilization technology. Primarily because of its high cost, the Canon PowerShot SD950 IS isn't for everyone. If you're not a Canon stalwart, the Fuji FinePix F50fd is definitely worth a look. But for those who don't mind paying extra for a point-and-shooter, this one delivers high resolution and truly impressive photos