A dream device, but still only 4 points !?

For the camera itself I would give smooth 5 points, although I have also noted that a number of points. For the manual, there are more than one point. With such a sophisticated device with complicated technology that is quite an important factor. If the user selects the camera not optimally served, because he does not understand the instructions use is the best technology nothing.
The fact that you have to print out the manual one has already almost used, but in a device for nearly 1,000 that's a joke. But more important are the following points.
The instructions are really poor translated through to incomprehensibility. It was obviously written by people who know nothing of the art, yet have German as their mother tongue. Here's an example: "'You can record using appropriate functions only with effortless operation by touching the screen."'
The instructions contain factual errors. Example: "'The image is given in the order of [HA], [HG], [HX] and [HE] higher quality".' Too bad, if one relies on. In reality, [HA] is the highest quality.
There is no (or incomprehensible or incorrect) background information on the really interesting points. So the user can not decide when and how to use a feature is useful. Example Image Stabilizer: It is nowhere explains what hybrid means. The Declaration on Mode1 and Mode2 is in my opinion even wrong. In Mode 2 is only stabilized when triggered. Apart from the power saving is achieved by the lenses already are not movement before the stop, and then the actual recording can no longer stabilize. That would be in contrast to the statement of the manual without a tripod just more critical than with. What a "'Optical Image Stabilizer Lock' 'is supposed to be and how I've used so far figured out.

. Now to the camera itself, the Positive I will summarize briefly:
The camera is a top unit makes very high quality recordings. Since I have no measurement laboratory here but I do not want to go into details. That is also widely read in the trade press.
The operation is largely well-designed and easy.
Manual focus with the adjusting ring and the focus aid in image works well.
The intelligent automatic is real progress to conventional full automatics. The same goes for the smart contrast and exposure
The display options such as histogram are good.
An absolutely great feature that you by chance found in the manual, is the PreRecording for me. The camera overwriting permanently 3 seconds film into an internal buffer memory without the film ends up on the memory card. But if you press the shutter button, then the last 3 seconds are stored with retroactively. If you film scenes that you can not fully plan and where surprising happens (eg animals) no longer missed you the most beautiful moments.

It was important for me, the photo function. I have compared the SD909 with our bridge or superzoom camera Canon PowerShot S5 IS and believe that the SD909 is as at least as good. A focus ring on the lens is at Bridge cameras quite rare and the intelligent automatic the SD909 is in my opinion also consider. Also zoom range, macro shots, light intensity, resolution, handiness are at least equal.
There are other, very technical features, but I think rather gimmick personally. Firstly there is individual facial recognition or automatic object tracking. But this is certainly a matter of taste.
You can switch between film and photo mode works very quickly. That is perhaps important because the photos that you can do in the movie mode yes, vary in quality significantly from those in the photo mode even though they provide the same resolution.
A detail, but I think that is very useful is the automatic shutter that covers the lens when the camera is turned off.

Now to the criticisms of the camera:
The zoom lever is too sensitive for smooth zooms. Actually, I do not understand why one needs ever stepless speed when zooming. It would have to reach 2 steps: "Fast" to a section and set "Slow" for an even ride Zoom when shooting. When you "slow" then could not preconfigure this, it would be perfect. Thankfully though, the SD909 has a zoom control on the display, which runs only a fixed, average speed. But for that one must of course always open the display.
In photo mode, although there is a manual setting of shutter speed and aperture, but it lacks features such as time or shutter priority, as are common in cameras. This means that you set a value manually and the camera selects the exposure value of the other so correctly.
Setting a small aperture (ie a larger value) is the way in photo mode absolutely not recommended. Instead of reaching a greater depth of focus, the image is completely blurred !! Since the automatic transmission is always selected almost entirely open aperture presumably due to technical reasons and the manufacturer aware.

Operation of the SD909 is possible in principle even without touch screen / display when using the viewfinder. This is somewhat unwieldy on the focus ring. Here a directional pad would be much more comfortable.
The Remote Control: The remote control sensor is on the front of the camera. This is very handy if you want to record yourself with the remote control in hand. Otherwise it is the worst possible place.
The fan is a little scary to me. Even if he is now silent. What's in 2-3 years? What about dust? And what does a repair when the part should be even defective?
Summary:
The SD909 is a very handy travel camera for the discerning amateur. She is a top model in the video area and takes great HD shooting in any situation.
They replaced for photos a superzoom or compact camera.

After I have the camera 2 weeks Iceland heavily used, I can add the following comments:

In pans with activated image stabilization, the camera always produces a small backward movement when (perhaps too abrupt) completed the swing. This can be but probably hardly avoid. Otherwise, even without a tripod panning succeed quite stable.

In photo mode, I'm very excited by macro shots. By pivoting monitor can comfortably accommodate diagonally from below also small flowers on the ground yet. The manual focus with the lens ring and the focusing aid is awesome. Because the blue edges are displayed in focus throughout the image area is easily the optimum focal plane for great macro photos to find.

Overall, I am extremely pleased by the practical application of Iceland (3 hours of film and 1,000 photos) with the camera still. Also from the battery life I was very pleasantly surprised. With a fully charged battery I always got problems all day.