How tough/durable is this camera?

I'd like to be able to take my camera running and biking with confidence. I am trying to decide between this camera and the Olympus SW 770. The Canon is clearly not as durable but has better image quality and looks.

Oh, I should add that I owned a Canon Elph 440 which seemed prone to breaking down.

I would go with the Olympus. Did you know that the 770 is both waterproof and shock-resistant?

You could get a case for the Canon, but that adds to the bulk.

Hi Richio,

thanks for the reply. Let me focus my question: I am aware of the shock and waterproof features of the Olympus SW 725 and 770. However, many reviews say that it takes rather poor photographs.

The Canon SD 1000 gets excellent reviews for the quality of its images. I would buy it in a moment if I felt confident that it could withstand the rigors of running and biking without problem. Can you, or anyone else, answer that question from experience and/or expert knowledge of the Canon SD 1000.

My experience with the Canon Elph 440 was not so positive in this regard. It took great photos but required significant repair a total of three times over a three year period. I don't know if this repair record had anything to do with taking the camera running several times but it does not inspire confidence in Canon cameras.

Sorry, I don't own any of the elph cameras, so I can't give you the benefit of personal experience there.

Thanks Richio, but its not the Elph camera I need to know about but how tough is the SD 1000. If I felt confident that it could withstand being taken running etc I'd buy it.

Or alternatively if someone could let me know that its possible to get good images from the Olympus then I might be encouraged to go with that. I've heard a lot of negative comments about what poor images it produces.

I'm afraid that your original question requires a subjective answer. One might feel that their SD1000 is tough--because they have had it 3 weeks, taken 100 photos with it, and it still works.

Somebody else has dropped their SD1000 three times in 8 months, and finally it broke the third time---and so now they get on the web and complain about how flimsy the SD1000 is.

Even Consumer Reports doesn't test cameras the way that they test other appliances. You won't find CR setting up cameras with robots pushing the shutter buttons every 3 seconds, and then coming back in 6 weeks to how they are all doing.

Hmm, not sure about your reply Richio.

How about if someone who owns an SD 1000, and goes running/biking/dancing with it, responds and tells me its held up well. Then I would be given some real information on which to decide.

Or they respond that their SD 1000 hasn't held up to the running/dancing/biking.

Or someone who owns an Olympus SW 770/725 says, Yes, this camera does take poor images but if you play with this setting and that setting you can produce a quality image'. Or, maybe they tell me a little image correction after taking the photo is all that is needed to turn a mediocre image into a great one.

All of this feedback would be anecdotal, for sure, but on point, and therefore useful to me in making a decision.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I have an SD1000 and it has been caseless in my jeans pocket around the world and back. After one and a half years and 10,000 photos, it still takes wonderful pictures. There is not a scratch on it and still feels like it came out of the box.

www.flickr.com/photos/alexbarrow