An upgrade to the short-lived Canon PowerShot A700, the A710 IS received a design facelift and a few feature tweaks, the biggest and most welcome of which is that the new model adds optical image stabilization. In addition, upgrading from 6 megapixels to 7 megapixels provides for improved image quality. Is the A710 a worthy successor to the popular A700?
Here are the main features:
- 7.1 Megapixels
- 6x optical zoom with optical Image Stabilizer (35-210mm equiv.)
- DIGIC II, iSAPS, 9-Point AiAF, FlexiZone AF/AE
- Digital Tele-Converter and Safety Zoom
- 2.5” LCD with wide viewing angle and real-image optical viewfinder
- 20 shooting modes
What else has changed?
Although a better-looking camera, the A710 IS is more than mere style, with the addition of the optical image stabilization system, the only downside of which is the slight decrease in battery life. Still, one can get an impressive 360 shots from a good pair of rechargeable AA NiMH batteries.
Additional changes include….
- 60fps (QVGA) movie mode
- MyColors effects in playback mode
- Playback overexposure warning
- 3:2 overlay on live view
- SDHC card support
- Underwater scene mode (for use with new optional 40m underwater case)
- Slightly reduced continuous shooting speed (1.7fps vs. 2.0fps)
- 10g (0.36oz) heavier
Here are the full list of features and specifications:
- Sensor: 1/2.5” Type CCD, 7.1 million pixels
- Image Processor: DIGIC II with iSAPS technology
- Image Sizes: 3072 x 2304, 3072 x 1728, 2592 x 1944, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480
- Movie Clips: 640 x 480 – 15/30 fps, up to 1 GB or 1 hour. 320 x 240 – 15/30/60 fsp, up to 1 GB or 1 hour (15/30 fps) or 1 minute (60 fps). 160 x 120 – 15 pfs, up to 3 minutes. AVI motion JPEG.
- Lens: 6x optical zoom, 35-210 mm equivalent, F2.8 – F4.8
- Optical Stabilization: Yes (shift type)
- Focus: TTL autofocus, AF illuminator, 9-point AiAF or 1-point AF (any position or fixed center), 1 cm macro mode
- Metering: Evaluate, Center-weighted average, Spot (center or linked to focusing frame)
- Shooting Mode: 13 different modes, including Night Scene, Shutter Priority AE and Aperture Priority AE
- Shutter Speeds: 15 – 1/2000 second
- Apertures: F2.8 – 8 (Wide) F4.8 – 8 (Tele)
- Exposure Compensation: +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments
- Sensitivity: Auto, High ISO Auto, ISO 80 – 800
- White Balance: 8 settings, including underwater
- Image parameters: 12 different settings, including photo-stitch
- Continuous: Continuous (1.7 fps) until memory is full
- Flash: 5 modes, including red-eye reduction. Range: 55cm – 3.5m (wide) / 2.5 m (tele)
- Storage: SD, SDHC, MMC compatible. 16 MB card included
- Viewfinder: Real-image zoom, optical viewfinder
- LCD Monitor: 2.5” P-Si TFT, 115,000 pixels
- Connectivity: USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, AV out
- Power: 2x AA batteries (alkaline included, but NiMH recommended), optional AC adapter
- Optional Accessories: 3 lenses, high-power flash, waterproof case
- Dimensions: 97.5mm x 66.5mm x 41.2mm
Generally, users of this camera give good reviews, citing the advantages of using 2 batteries over 4, the convenience of using SD disks, the date/time feature, overall quality, and ease of use. Some users find that using the zoom feature indoors lowers image quality the limits of the 1 GB file (about 8 minutes of video) and the limited storage capacity of the provided 16MB card.
580 When people shop for digital cameras, they usually fall into one of two categories: those who want good picture quality at a low price, and those who want exceptional picture quality, period. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH, though not the least expensive digital camera out there, is still affordable for most digital photographers. It has been described as being worth every penny of its moderate price. It would make a wonderful gift for a budding photographer or new parents who want to document their child’s early years in clear, vivid color.
The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH is a 10-megapixel digital camera. It has an optical zoom of 3x and a digital zoom of 4x. The camera’s LCD is quite large, at 2.5 inches. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH uses the following recording methods: SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, and SD card. It even comes with frame movie mode and a self-timer for maximum fun.
With a generous 32MB of internal flash memory, this camera is ready to point and shoot the moment you remove it from its wrappings and charge up the battery. It comes with A/V and USB cables, as well as a wrist strap to help keep the camera in hand. At a slender 5.8oz and 2.4 in x 3.6 in x 1.1 in (HxWxD), the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH has been described as especially pocket-friendly. This is a camera you can take anywhere. Users praise its photo quality. Some use it for everyday picture-taking, while others bring it out for special events.
Though this camera is the most highly rated on many Internet shopping sites, it has a few downfalls. For one thing, the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH uses a proprietary battery. Some users complain that the battery life is too short. Others point out that the camera does not have a battery indicator, which can be problematic, to say the least. Also, this is not a plug-and-play device. The camera must have its own software installed before Windows will communicate with it. With so many competitors churning out Windows-ready digital cameras, one has to wonder why Canon didn t follow suit.
The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH comes with a time and date stamp feature, but, curiously, this seems to be available only at high resolutions. And, of course, the camera is not cheap. Those users who want a quick point-and-shoot digital camera with average-quality photos could save a lot of money by going with another brand. But serious hobbyists will enjoy the high quality and many features that come with the Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH.