Compared to... Panasonic DMC-FX33

Below you will find a studio comparison between the Canon SD 870 IS (IXUS 860 IS) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33 at ISO 800.

Studio scene comparison (@ ISO 800)

• Canon SD870 IS (IXUS 860 IS): Program mode, ISO 800, Default Image Parameters,
  Manual white balance, +0.67 EV compensation
   
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33: Program mode, ISO 800, Default Image Parameters,
  Manual white balance, +0.33 EV compensation
   
• Lighting: Daylight simulation, >98% CRI

Canon SD 870 IS (IXUS 860 IS)	Panasonic DMC-FX33
ISO 800, 1/500 sec, F4.5	ISO 800, 1/800 sec, F10
3,540 KB JPEG	2,873 KB JPEG

At ISO 800, the results from such small densely-packed sensors are pretty much as you'd expect. The Panasonic's noise reduction has kicked-in to a greater extent, smoothing away much of the fine detail to create a less grainy mage but one in which the colors are bleeding into one another. The SD 870IS does a reasonable job of balancing the retention of detail without getting too gritty and produces a more pleasant - and useful - result.