Compared to... Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS3

Below you will find a studio comparison between the Canon SD1100 IS and the Panasonic FS3 at ISO 1600.

Studio scene comparison @ ISO 1600  

  • Canon SD1100 IS (Ixus 80 IS): Program mode, ISO 1600, Default Image Parameters,
    Manual white balance, +0.67 EV compensation

  • Panasonic DMC-FS3: Program mode, ISO 1600, Default Image Parameters,
    Manual white balance, +0.33 EV compensation
     
  • Lighting: Daylight simulation, >98% CRI
Canon SD1100 IS (Ixus 80 IS)
Panasonic DMC-FS3
ISO 1600, 1/250 sec, F10
ISO 1600, 1/250 sec, F9
3,637 KB JPEG
1,904 KB JPEG

There's not really too much point in discussing the differences in the cameras' output at ISO 1600. The general picture has not changed, there is slightly more detail (if you really want to call it 'detail') on the Canon and slightly less noise on the Panasonic but you would certainly not want to use these images for anything but the smallest of prints. Every last bit of fine detail has been smeared away by the noise reduction algorithms but yet the images are full of noise and processing artifacts. Avoid using such high ISO settings for anything you actually want to print bigger than a postcard with anything approaching 'photographic' quality.