Did some research, what do you think?

I purchased a Canon SD630 about a month ago and have grown to dislike it. I've come to the conclusion that am going to bring it back and get the SD800is. IS this a smart choice or am I just doing something wrong with the 630. Every pic I take is instant redeye. And when I'm taking pics at a distance (like at my friends wedding) the pics come out all dark. I've tried all the manuel settings with nothing helping. Setting it on night photo did brighten it up like it was but then made it all blurred. After reading numerous reviews it seems like the 800 with the IS is the way to go. Do you all agree or am I just doing something wrong with the 630. Thank you for your comments.

I think you might be expecting too much of a camera! Red-eye is more a function of how close your flash is in line with the subject's eye and the lens of your camera. To get better results you need a flash unit either mounted off camera or on a bracket which puts the flash head above and to one side of your lens. In camera flash have guide numbers between 15 and 25 (feet @ 100ASA) With a decent lens and not too high on the ISO range this puts you at 8 to 16 feet from your subject. An accessory flash like the Canon High Powered Flash has a guide number over 50 much more like the distance you would use at a wedding. The problem with the Canon unit is it uses DL123 batteries and will drain your pocket replacing them.

Going manual does not allow your camera gain more sensitivity so I'm not surprised you could not improve that way.
This is not a matter of P&S vs dSLR except a dSLR would probably have a faster lens than a P&S by a couple of stops which doubles your flash reach, but still very few people with a dSLR would use the on camrea flash for a wedding so why would the P&S produce a better result?

IS will help in non flash shots only. IS does nothing for flash it only helps with the longer exposure times. Going to an 800IS won't cure your need for more light. Buy a good slave flash and stick with your current camera. That way you have the convenience of P&S for most of the time and by clamping on an extra flash for "special occasions" you get the shots you want.

So your saying there's a slave flash I can buy for a SD630? I don't see how that would work. When I went to take a pic it would look perfect in the lcd, bright and everything. Once the pic was taken it turned all dark. Now when I tried with the flash off it stayed really bright but was blurred. I don't understand why when I take a pic with the flash off it takes so much longer to process.

Zaibatsu wrote in post #2465001
So your saying there's a slave flash I can buy for a SD630?.

I believe so. I was going for this unit http://www.phoenixcorp​.com …_Flash/digital_​flash.html until I realised I could use my old non-digital flash with my new Powershot S3.
If you were not using the flash often the Canon HF-DC1 may be a viable option for you because I think it will be totally automatic with your existing camera it is the cost of the batteries which would worry me.

Zaibatsu wrote in post #2465001
I don't see how that would work.

You get a flash bracket, I use a Hama folding bracket ( http://www.7dayshop.co​m …th=777_1&produc​ts_id=7537 )which attaches to the tripod thread at the bottom of your camera the slave flash is activated by the flash from the SD630 but is so much more powerful the on camera flash it won't be a problem. The Canon HF-DC1 comes with a straight bracket included.

Zaibatsu wrote in post #2465001
When I went to take a pic it would look perfect in the lcd, bright and everything. Once the pic was taken it turned all dark. Now when I tried with the flash off it stayed really bright but was blurred. I don't understand why when I take a pic with the flash off it takes so much longer to process.

The camera is using the CCD sensor at a very slow equivalent shutter speed to allow you to line up your shot. If you turn on "Slow Synchro" the camera will fire the flash and keep the shutter open much longer to get a better exposure otherwise you only get whatever light the flash has given you on a very short shutter time baybe as little as 1/250s. Slow Syncro is off by default, if you have any type of steady hand when taking photos then you should have it on. With the flash off you have even less chance of a successful photo unless you are in a bright location (clearly not the case) or you use a tripod to prevent camera movement while the shutter is open.

Hope this helps.

That was incredible. Thank you so much for taking time in answering my questions with so much detail! I'll have to look into the that flash and a bracket for it. Thanks again.