Canon PowerShot A3100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue)

by Canon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.8 x 1.1 x 2.3 inches ; 5.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0032JRRWU
• Item model number: A3100IS Blue
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (166 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,447 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 5, 2010

Product Description

Color: Blue

From the Manufacturer

There's nothing more satisfying than taking great pictures! And with the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS, it's so effortless. The 12.1-megapixel resolution and 4x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer ensure radiant, detailed images. Plus, you've got an advanced DIGIC III Image Processor with evolved Face Detection Technology and the Face Detection Self-timer for extraordinary control and performance. New scene modes give your images a professional feel. There's the Face Detection Self-timer for extraordinary control and performance and Smart AUTO lets you handle challenging conditions with ease. Plus this trim, fashionable camera is yours in three stunning colors.

12.1-megapixel resolution

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Highlights


Powerful A-Series camera with 12.1 megapixels, 4x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer and DIGIC III Image Processor
With the PowerShot A3100 IS, dramatic, personal pictures have never been easier to shoot and share. This 12.1-megapixel camera lets you create impressive large photos of family and friends you'll be proud to display. The high-resolution 4000 x 3000-pixel images taken by the PowerShot A3100 IS can be enlarged up to 13 x 19 inches.

The PowerShot A3100 IS has a 4x optical zoom lens that makes it easy to get the inspiring, emotive close-ups that will make your images lasting keepsakes. This magnificent lens gives you the power to shoot subjects with razor-sharp precision and stunning lifelike color. So you can brilliantly capture a shot of a sweeping landscape, or a child's big smile.

The PowerShot A3100 IS is equipped with Canon's acclaimed Optical Image Stabilizer Technology that automatically detects and corrects camera shake--one of the leading causes of fuzzy or blurred shots. Even when zoomed in, you can get the steady, crisp, brilliant images you'll be proud to shoot and share. And Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer Technology is so convenient to use. It functions perfectly with or without a flash.

Lithium-ion battery
The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS uses a newly developed rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This compact, powerful battery helps make it an incredibly lightweight and slim camera. Charge-up is quick and easy, so the PowerShot A3100 IS will be ready and waiting for those special moments.

New Scene Modes deliver more creative freedom
The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS gives you even more creative freedom by including new modes made to get the kind of images people talk about. Super Vivid captures the colors you see with your mind's eye, saturating the scene with intense colors. Turn drab scenes into exciting compositions, when dull pinks blaze into brilliant fuchsia and off-yellows suddenly burn bright and hot. Even dark colors become richer with Super Vivid. Sunsets and floral scenes turn into bursts of color, and get your photo noticed.

Poster Effect combines several similar shades into one color, turning subtle gradations of color into eye-catching, scene-popping contrasts across your image for a unique artistic look.

18 Shooting Modes
Advanced presets for the best possible photos under certain conditions. With 18 Shooting Modes including Scene Modes, you're ready for whatever shot comes your way.

Smart AUTO will do the work for you by intelligently selecting the proper settings
Just set the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS to Smart AUTO and you're ready for maximum enjoyment from your picture taking every time. It's a relaxing and satisfying way to shoot because you can completely concentrate on your subject knowing that the camera has the technical details covered. Advanced Canon technology intelligently analyzes your situation and shooting conditions. Then it automatically selects an appropriate setting from 18 specially defined settings. So whether you're photographing flowers, a captivating sunset, or your friends at the park, you can be confident that you're getting dramatic, memorable images.

Low Light mode in action

Low Light mode for improved shooting in dim lighting
With an ISO of 400-3200, the Low Light mode takes the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS where no A-Series has gone before--into the shadows! Now even scenes notorious for having insufficient light, such as those lit by candles, fire, or street lamp, come through in fantastic color and clarity, with less noise. You can keep the feel of the scene intact without adding additional light, so the result will be scenes with the visual accuracy, depth and clarity you expect from a Canon camera.

Large, bright 2.7-inch LCD
The PowerShot A3100 IS's large 2.7-inch LCD screen gives you the big picture, whether you're shooting, reviewing or showing off your images. This high-resolution screen offers a crisp, clear and bright picture. It also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light.

Product Description

Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Point & Shoot Digital Camera - 12.1 Megapixel - 2.70" Active Matrix TFT Color LCD - Blue 4256B001 Digital Cameras

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

133 of 135 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely easy to use. Packed with a range of clever and user-friendly features., June 12, 2010

By 

Surgery100 "ADJ" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon PowerShot A3100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Silver) (Electronics)

This is a compact, easy-to-use, bring the fun back to photography camera that provides Canon's photo quality in a lower cost, compact build. A little bit bigger than the digital elphs, this camera still fits comfortably in a shirt or pant pocket.

The feature set is very basic, and nothing new. It has a "Face select" feature which lets you select which person you want to focus on in a group. On the dial it has four settings: Auto, Easy, Program and movie modes. The auto mode is just as with every other camera, the camera will select the settings it determines best, but you maintain control (if you care to select it) over the white balance and flash. Easy is the same as auto, except no options. Program gives you the option to select among several "scenes": Portrait, Landscape, Night, Kids&Pets, and Indoor (buried in the menu you can also select lesser used scene settings like Beach, Long Shutter, and Fireworks).

The only negative I've encountered with the camera is the relatively slow processor. That is the power up time (the time between turning the camera on and taking the first picture) is average (about 2 seconds), however, the time between pictures is around 2 seconds without the flash to 4 seconds with the flash. If you envision having (or wanting) to take faster pictures, then this is not the camera for you. Similarly, if you want to have any control over settings (i.e. shutter speed if you want to take pictures of your running toddler) this is not the camera for you.

Bottom line:
Canon replaces control and feature selection for extreme ease-of-use. This camera is a solid option for the money, and in case you are considering the A3000 IS, this (the A3100) is well worth the extra $30 (better resolution and faster picture-to-picture time).
The picture quality is great, no blur and vivid colors.

184 of 190 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, High Quality Camera for the Price with One Exception, May 1, 2010

By 

Daddy Bear (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon PowerShot A3100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Blue) (Electronics)

Just got this brand new camera. I replaced our Casio, which was one of the most impressive digital cameras I have ever owned (had it for only 14 months). The reason for the replacement, my family loses cameras... a lot.. and this one went bye bye somewhere. The Casio had great features, a nice touch screen, a great zoom, good shutter speed for sporting events, and time between photos was great for the photo quality. It had one flaw, its inability to take night photos and the movies even in natural light were only okay. There were a ton of options, which for a standard user could be overwhelming.

Now to the PowerShot. This camera, sometimes will look grainy on the viewfinder until the actual photo itself is taken, but when the photo is taken... perfection. No matter the differences in light and shadows in a picture, the PowerShot somehow nicely accommodates for this. While the standard zoom is 4X, it can go to 10x, and with the shutter and flash, it still takes much better than most from beyond its standard range. PIctures at night with or without flash is absolutely incredible and movies are easy to take and upload. The features are plenty, but not overly complex. This means a standard user cannot get into trouble, but the highly discerning user might want more. There are other 10 and 12 MP cameras out there, and many have poor picture quality, which for me makes no sense... having a high quality image of a bad shot is an oxymoron. You don't have to worry with this camera.

Here is the one downside... time between shots. If you are looking for a camera to hold down the shutter and take pictures in multiples in rapid fire, this might not be the camera for you. While a faster memory card will help issue, you will not be able to rattle off 5 shots in 10 seconds during your kid's soccer game. If you want to have 2 or 3 perfect shots in that 10 seconds, this is the camera for you. It doesn't have a touch screen either, but with the Casio, this sometimes got in the way during viewing or taking shots.

Summarizing... This camera is easy to use, not confusing, has a great smart mode, and has yet to take a poor picture in any light condition. If you can't take a good picture on your current camera, you will be able to on this one. The movie mode is very easy, but should be used in good light either indoors or out. It does zoom during the movie, which I understand isn't common, and the microphone is extremely sensitive... which means if you fumble around, it will record the fumbling noise, but that is very hard to avoid on any camera. It is lightweight, but substantial enough to hold comfortably. All in all, this is a camera any family would be happy to have.

83 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely easy to use. Packed with a range of clever and user-friendly features., June 12, 2010

By 

Surgery100 "ADJ" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canon PowerShot A3100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.7-Inch LCD (Red) (Electronics)

This is a compact, easy-to-use, bring the fun back to photography camera that provides Canon's photo quality in a lower cost, compact build. A little bit bigger than the digital elphs, this camera still fits comfortably in a shirt or pant pocket.

The feature set is very basic, and nothing new. It has a "Face select" feature which lets you select which person you want to focus on in a group. On the dial it has four settings: Auto, Easy, Program and movie modes. The auto mode is just as with every other camera, the camera will select the settings it determines best, but you maintain control (if you care to select it) over the white balance and flash. Easy is the same as auto, except no options. Program gives you the option to select among several "scenes": Portrait, Landscape, Night, Kids&Pets, and Indoor (buried in the menu you can also select lesser used scene settings like Beach, Long Shutter, and Fireworks).

The only negative I've encountered with the camera is the relatively slow processor. That is the power up time (the time between turning the camera on and taking the first picture) is average (about 2 seconds), however, the time between pictures is around 2 seconds without the flash to 4 seconds with the flash. If you envision having (or wanting) to take faster pictures, then this is not the camera for you. Similarly, if you want to have any control over settings (i.e. shutter speed if you want to take pictures of your running toddler) this is not the camera for you.

Bottom line:
Canon replaces control and feature selection for extreme ease-of-use. This camera is a solid option for the money, and in case you are considering the A3000 IS, this (the A3100) is well worth the extra $30 (better resolution and faster picture-to-picture time).
The picture quality is great, no blur and vivid colors.

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