Compared to... Panasonic FX01

Below you will find a studio comparison between the Canon SD 700 IS (Ixus 800 IS) and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 at ISO 400.

Studio scene comparison (@ ISO 400)

  • Canon SD700 IS (Ixus 800): Program mode, ISO 400 , Default Image Parameters,
    Manual white balance, +0.67 EV compensation
     
  • Panasonic DMC-FX01: Program mode, ISO 400, Default Image Parameters,
    Manual white balance, +0.66 EV compensation
     
  • Lighting: Daylight simulation, >98% CRI
Canon SD 700 IS (Ixus 800 IS)
Panasonic DMC-FX01
ISO 400, 1/400 sec, F4
ISO 400, 1/400 sec, F4.3
1,903 KB JPEG
1,903 KB JPEG

As ever the differences at ISO 400 are less distinct, but differences there are. For one thing the Panasonic result has visibly higher chroma noise (the color blotches); for another the noise reduction is much less efficient (producing a characteristic watercolor effect). As noted with other recent PowerShot models using the same sensor, the SD700 IS result is surprisingly good, better even the well-regarded 7MP models that came before it. Canon's approach seems to have changed slightly, meaning that luminance noise (the slight graininess) is not blurred away completely, leaving more detail from the original scene. Not bad, not bad at all.