We've owned a wide variety of the Canon SD series P&S cameras since their introduction. I don't know how many we've owned in total, probably five or six.
The Canon SD cameras qualify as the world's product line most in need of nomenclature rationalization. They carry different model designations in different markets and within market, such as the U.S., the various model numbers make no sense whatsoever.
The short story is: there's a wide angle series and a non-wide angle series. We've used the wide angle series for a while now.
We currently use:
- SD870 - mine, pretty beat up, still ticking
- SD880 - Steph's new one, replaced the one she dropped from the cab (I'm not saying she used the dinged up case to justify a replacement. Really. I'm not.
)
They are our pocket cameras and are always with us.
For an example of image quality from the 870 click here:
http://www.hackneys.com/travel/peru/docs/roomofwakes.pdf
I probably got more positive feedback on the photography in that essay than any other, and I shot every image with the 870. I purposely took only that camera that day just to demonstrate what was possible with a P&S.
We've used the SDs in high heat, cold, rain, fog, high altitude (16k feet), on beaches, on boats, on motorcycles, on oceans, driest desert in the world, etc. They've been dropped, slammed, crashed on and otherwise ridden hard and put up wet.
Failures:
1. Drop from Fuso FG cab seat to pavement. Bent the body a little bit. Camera still worked. Believe that one was an SD850.
2. Rear display burned two hotspots shooting a sunset in Chile. Imager still works fine. SD870.
Total get-off face-plants with an SD in my chest protector pouch or in front jacket pocket: Hey, we're talking me on a dirt bike trying to keep up with my buddies here - countless.
SD downsides for your purposes:
1. Proprietary batteries. This is mitigated somewhat by long battery life and small battery size. If you bought some extras and/or borrowed some extras from other SD owners they wouldn't take up much room and they don't weigh much either.
2. Small lens and imager chip.
3. Noisy high ISO.
4. No weather sealing.
5. No optical viewfinder, must use display which uses up battery power.
6. Rear panel controls for ISO and flash will be tough with heavy gloves.
I've also got a G10. I posted a review of it on this thread.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18929&page=2
I don't think my results with the G10 compare favorably to Trevor's, which probably has a lot more to do with the shooter than the camera!
I think the G10 is a decent camera at low ISOs. My opinion of it suffers because I was hoping/expecting it to be a 50D or 5DMkI in a rangefinder form factor.
Upsides of the G10 for your purpose:
1. Ability to shoot in RAW format (highly recommended, even if you don't know why you would at this point).
2. Larger, better quality lens than most P&S type cameras
3. Good image quality at low ISO
4. High MP count enables digital zoom / crop that will still yield useful images
5. Knob controls will be useable with heavily gloved hands. P&S cameras typically rely on buttons and menus, which will be very tough to utilize with heavy gloves.
6. Large rear display
7. Optical viewfinder enables low-current operation mode, extends battery life.
8. Fully functional hot shoe
9. Semi-pro level controls and features (though frankly, these are unlikely to be used in your scenario)
Downsides of the G10 for your purposes:
1. Proprietary batteries.
2. Larger battery and charger form factor than SD series cameras.
3. Larger camera body form factor than SD series or other compact P&S
4. No weather sealing
5. Heavy, high mass compared to compact P&S
6. Steep learning curve if you plan to use semi-pro features, very deep menu system (this will be true of any camera with semi-pro capabilities)
Note: Canon also introduced a weatherproof / submersible P&S at PMA 2009, the D10.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=2590&modelid=18332
They claim it is freeze-proof.
