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Canon SD880 IS firmware update fixes mysterious power issue

Canon today has released a firmware update (version 1.0.1.0) for the Powershot SD880 IS.

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Joshua_Goldman.jpg
Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
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Joshua Goldman

Canon

I don't typically write about firmware updates on Crave (it is, after all, a tech gadget/gear blog). But this is for one of my favorite cameras from last year--the Canon Powershot SD880 IS--and the combo of settings that causes the problem that the update fixes is just funny. Especially since Canon refers to it as a "phenomenon" in the announcement. So here we go:

This firmware update corrects a phenomenon that when the following settings are used in combination, if the shutter button is pressed halfway to focus during shooting (AND the AF frame magnifies), but the shutter button is released without taking the picture, the camera will lose power.

Setting details

  1. The shooting mode switch is set to Special Scene Mode (SCN), Kids&Pets.
  2. AF Point-Zoom on the menu is set to On. (When the AF frame is in Face Detect or Center, and the Servo AF is OFF, the AF Point-Zoom can be set to On.)

Please note that, if the shutter button is pressed halfway, and the picture is then taken, this phenomenon will not occur.

If loss of power does occur, pressing the power switch will restore the camera to its normal operation.

The affected cameras have serial numbers whose fifth digit from the left is 0 or 1. The download and install instructions are available now.