Updated (January, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot A3300 IS vs Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

51

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

Weight
Light-weight
120 g
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel
Canon PowerShot A3100 IS

45

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS

Shutter lag
Barely any delay taking photos
390 ms shutter lag

differences

Advantages of the Canon A3100 IS

Screen size Larger screen 2.7" vs 2.5"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Aperture Slightly wider aperture f/2.7 vs f/2.8
Help
At its widest zoom, the A3100 IS's lens captures marginally more light (0.1 f-stops)
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/1600s vs 1/1500s
Help
Around 10% faster max shutter speed
Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Learn more about
the Canon A3100 IS

Advantages of the Canon SD1200 IS

Size Significantly smaller 86x55x22 mm vs 97x58x28 mm
Help
More than 30% smaller
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Tunnel vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Weight Significantly lighter 120 g vs 165 g
Help
Around 30% lighter
Thickness Thinner 0.9" vs 1.1"
Help
More than 20% thinner
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Learn more about
the Canon SD1200 IS
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent compacts, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Canon PowerShot A3100 IS
45 vs 51
Explain scores
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
A3100 IS:f/2.7
SD1200 IS:f/2.8
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
3 cm
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
A3100 IS:1/1600s
SD1200 IS:1/1500s
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO Help
Lacks boost light sensitivity
Wide angle Poor wide angle Help
35 mm
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
Movie format Movie support Help
480p @ 30fps
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
1,600 ISO
Screen size Very small screens Help
A3100 IS:2.7"
SD1200 IS:2.5"
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Zoom Poor zoom Help
A3100 IS:4x
SD1200 IS:3x

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a much wider wide angle lens
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$103 - $189

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a much wider wide angle lens
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Compact

$129

Movie format Records lower quality movies
Wide angle Has a much wider wide angle lens
Weight Is slightly heavier
Shutter lag Has much more shutter lag
Canon PowerShot A3200 IS

Canon PowerShot A3200 IS

Compact

$122 - $174

Movie format Records lower quality movies
Wide angle Has a much wider wide angle lens
Weight Is slightly heavier
Size Is slightly larger
Nikon Coolpix S3100

Nikon Coolpix S3100

Ultra compact

$132

Movie format Records lower quality movies
Wide angle Has a much wider wide angle lens
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Macro focus Much worse macro focusing
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

Travel zoom

$294 - $299

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot A2200

Canon PowerShot A2200

Compact

$147

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Aperture Slightly narrower aperture
Sony Cybershot DSC-W560

Sony Cybershot W560

Compact

$116

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Macro focus Worse macro capability
True resolution Slightly lower true resolution
Canon PowerShot A800

Canon PowerShot A800

Compact

$84 - $90

Macro focus Better macro capability
Lowest price Cheaper
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Aperture Narrower aperture
Nikon Coolpix L24

Nikon Coolpix L24

Compact

$60

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Lowest price Cheaper
Aperture Narrower aperture
Wide angle Worse wide angle

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS

Compact

$178

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Screen size Larger screen
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Size Slightly larger
Canon ELPH 310 HS

Canon ELPH 310 HS

Travel zoom

$195 - $196

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Aperture Narrower aperture
Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Canon PowerShot SD780 IS

Ultra compact

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Better wide angle
Aperture Narrower aperture
Weight Heavier
Canon PowerShot SD790 IS

Canon PowerShot SD790 IS

Compact

Screen size Much larger screen
Thickness Slightly thinner
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Weight Much heavier

appearance

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS
Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS
Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

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