As I unboxed the Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS I asked myself, “Didn’t I just review this camera?” This past October, I critiqued the Canon SD940 IS, an ultra-compact camera with some fun features. Apparently Canon Camera Charger decided it was time for an update, though aside from a resolution increase from 12 to 14 megapixels, I was hard pressed to find major differences between them. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, considering the high quality of the previous version.
When an email arrived from DCR asking if I’d be interested in reviewing the PowerShot SD1400, I was warned that the camera was “very, very pink.” Sure enough, the camera is a deep, metallic pink, almost magenta, and is rather attractive. In addition to the traditional silver and black, Canon also offers the camera in bright orange. Its bright colors and appealing size makes the SD1400 IS well-suited for young people and anyone who wants an attractive, slim camera that can be easily transported in a pocket or purse.
The PowerShot SD1400 IS is very small, only 92×56x18mm, with a weight of 133 grams. According to Canon, it’s the thinnest PowerShot to date. Despite its small size, it’s sturdy, with a body that’s mostly metal. The SD1400 IS is tapered at the sides and all controls are recessed to allow the camera to easily slide in and out of a pocket. The most vulnerable part of the camera is the thin, plastic latch for the battery and memory card, located at the bottom. Of course care should always be taken to avoid damaging the 2.7-inch LCD screen, which means using a case is probably a good idea.
The SD1400 IS Canon Battery Charger can be held with the right hand. The camera’s front panel has a wide area at the left to grip with your fingers, while the back of the camera contains an A/V out and an HDMI latch on the upper right hand corner, which is a good place to put your thumb. However, if you’re a person who likes to shoot with two hands, you have to be careful so your left hand doesn’t block the thin flash on the upper left edge of the front of the camera. The camera body houses a 4x optical zoom lens, 5-20mm zoom length, which is recessed when not in use, an auto focus assist lamp and the aforementioned flash. The top of the camera contains pinholes for the microphone and speakers, an on/off button, the shutter, and a small zoom toggle switch. Despite my initial misgivings, I found the toggle worked well.
Beneath the control panel are a button for displaying information on the LCD screen and another button for activating the main menu. At the top left of the panel is a photo review button, next to which is a three-way selector for auto, program and movie modes. Many of the functions around the circular panel and in the regular menu and shortcut menu will not activate while the camera is in auto mode. The camera Canon PowerShot Charger bottom contains a combination battery/memory card compartment and a solid, metal tripod mount.

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