Nearly every Canon compact camera we've tested recently has merited a high rating. And the SD790 IS, the latest high-end pocket shooter, takes its place among the SD870 IS, the SD1100 IS, and SD950 IS in Canon's ever-expanding arsenal of excellent Digital Elphs. The camera incorporates Canon's signature slick, pocketable design, a new control wheel (which takes some getting used to), and motion-detection technology. On top of all that, it pumps out outstanding images that are likely to please just about everyone. If pressed, I admit I would have liked a wider-angle lens: The SD790's lens has a 6.2mm-to-18.6mm range (35mm film equivalent: 35mm to 105mm) with maximum f-stops of f/2.8 to f/4.9. But other than that I couldn't find much else to pan. The SD790 easily earns our Editors' Choice.

The SD790 IS sports the simple, silvery, boxlike design that we love on other Elphs, including the SD1000. Weighing about 6.4 ounces with battery and SD card, it's a bit heavier than the similar SD870, and the brushed stainless steel body feels sturdy and solid. The most intriguing design element in the SD790 has to be the new control wheel. In previous Elph models, like the SD870, the control wheel was touch sensitive but, like the iPod's click wheel, it didn't actually move: You just moved your finger in a circular motion to access the controls. With the SD790, however, Canon has, well, redesigned the wheel: It physically turns, which takes some getting used to, since it's rather sensitive. At first, I found myself scrolling too fast and accidentally skipping over the settings I intended to select. After using it for a few days, I got the hang of it, and it proved much quicker for zipping through menus than the old wheel. Placed on the back of the camera next to the 3-inch LCD, the controller is easy to reach with a right thumb and provides access to just about every setting, from shooting modes to ISO and flash.

At 10 megapixels, the SD790 IS has a higher resolution than its predecessor, the SD750, which offered 8MP, and it produces extremely high-quality images. It also retains the same lens, but, given the price, a 28mm wide-angle lens like on the SD870 IS would have been nice. Starting with the SD1100 and now here, Canon has added motion-detection technology to its point-and-shoot models. When shooting in high ISO mode, the camera automatically detects motion and adjusts ISO and exposure settings to compensate. I found that both image stabilization and motion detection worked well on my tests. In my review of the SD1100, I noted surprisingly good results in high ISO shots. The SD790 IS also impressed me by producing clear-looking shots at high ISO settings. For example, in a low-lit restaurant, I snapped a shot of the bar, and at 800 ISO it came out fine, with very little noise. It wasn't until about 1600 ISO that noise became distracting.

Canon has also improved the automatic white-balance mode here. Rather than focusing on the background or an entire scene, the camera focuses on a subject's face and produces higher-quality portraits, avoiding washed-out faces. Along with 11 other scene modes, the SD790 adds a sunset scene mode that helps you capture a perfect shot of the sun going down.

All in all, the SD790 IS produced stellar images. In the lab, simulated daylight shots were outstanding, with near-perfect contrast and vivid color. I noticed a little purple fringing in some shots, but nothing out of the ordinary. The one gripe I had was with flash shots: Although good for the most part, some shots were underexposed and a bit dark. But that was my only complaint.

Most point-and-shoot cameras have a noticeable boot-up time. The SD790 IS is one of the fastest point-and-shooters I've seen, taking a mere 1.8 seconds to power up and snap a shot—an outstanding result. At 2.67 seconds, the recycle time between shots was fast, and the shutter lag—the time it takes to shoot an image after the shutter is depressed—was also quick at just 0.4 seconds.

Recording in movie mode at 640-by-480 at 30 frames per second was easy enough, and image quality was very respectable. You can zoom in and out while shooting, and there was no noticeable blur while zooming. Canon has also added support for MMC and HC MMC cards, in addition to SD and SDHC cards.

At about $350, the SD790 IS is on the high side for a pocket point-and-shooter, but considering what you get, the price is fair. My only gripes—flash shots that are a bit dark, and a wide-angle lens that could be wider—are minor. Among the competition, which includes Canon's own SD870 IS, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX55, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T2, the SD790 IS offers superior image quality and easily earns our Editors' Choice.

Check out the Canon PowerShot SD790 IS's test scores.

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