Just in Time for Christmas: My ELPH Story

My very first childhood camera was a Keystone 125X, a little plastic brick that took 126 film cartridges, and served me well on class trips to the Museum of Natural History. When it came time to upgrade, I saved up for a Kodak Pocket 110. Slim profile, sliding lens cap, thumb-operated  film advance lever; at about an inch thick, I could actually slip it into a pocket. This was the camera for me.

Then I got back my first roll. Argh. Still, there was that spy-camera coolness factor.


Maturity and a High School Photography class paved the way to the Canon AE-1.

My affection for the Minolta SRT-201 I learned on eventually led to the purchase of a used Canon F-1, also a manual-exposure match-needle camera.

When the ELPH, Canon’s first entry into the APS market, arrived on the scene in 1996, I pined for one. But what would I have done with it? The APS system was a nice alternative to 35mm, but the last thing the world needed was another sub-35mm film format. I sucessfully dodged the Disk Camera bullet, and I wasn’t about to fall into the APS trap.

But with yesterday’s arrival, I did finally get my ELPH. A Digital ELPH. It’s by far the smallest camera I’ve ever owned, and a 2010 Homage to Canon by a new Nikonian.

I’d have to say, while Nikon does DSLRs the best, the compact camera market belongs to Canon. Or at least it did when the SD780 IS hit the streets.

Nikon has never made a compact digital with an optical viewfinder. Until now Canon always gave us the option. Sadly though the most recent models do away with this important feature. Most consumers will never switch to a mode other than auto, the one with the little green camera icon. But that doesn’t mean they should take away the other modes. Not having an optical viewfinder compromises shooting under bright conditions, and forget about avoiding sun glare. No one should have to see what you’re shooting except for you. In the city, I’m tired of dodging tourists with outstretched arms, pinkies up, trying to concentrate on the tiny, low-res screen in front of them. It’s not the way to take pictures.

So, I held out as long as I could, but I finally got my ELPH and the optical viewfinder I love. Sorry Nikon.

Like the credit card with which it shares it’s dimensions, I plan to never leave home without it.