Customer Reviews

Canon PowerShot A70 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(137)
4 star:		(52)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(54)

 

 

After many hours of research I am happy to review the Canon A70 Powershot. My first and probably only digital camera for a long time.

Easy to use, simple to learn, and compact.

I don't mind the 4 AA batteries. I bought "good" recharable and have taken about 100 photos and a video on the first set with no end in sight yet.

The camera has many "bells and whistles" but not that many buttons and settings to use them. Tricky.

The autofocus takes about 20 pictures to get used to, but then it is a worthy attribute.

I love the stitch command. When you're standing in front of scenery that is 4 or 5 pictures long, the downloading software will "Stitch" them together into one long picture...very cool.

The camera is small but not too small. The camera comes with all the downloading software you need and works with all the "photoshop" software that my Dell computer already came with.

The user manuals are useful, and not totally technical geeky.

Trust me, 3.2 Mpix is just fine. The only reason to get 5.0 Mpix or higher is if you're making posters or just want to say "it's a 5.0 Mpix". My opinion is don't waste your money, just get this camera. It'll do everything and anything that "joe-shmoe" picture taker needs.

The only bummer, is the 16bit (or whatever the measurement is) card that the camera comes with. It only holds about 25 pics or maybe 30 to 45 seconds of video. I'm checking for a 128 or 256 card that will hold more pics than I know what to do with (download them and take more). They make a 516 but again, do I need all that or do I just need to say "it's a 516 card".

Don't worry, the card is like a floppy disk. It just clicks in and out. BUT BEWARE, my friends told me if you take the cards in and out constantly you run the risk of bending or tweeking the tiny connector pins in the camera that connect the card to the camera. If you do this...time to buy another camera. This goes for all digital cameras so I'm getting a bigger card for $$$ to $$$ bucks and will never take the card out again (just download them, erase them, and keep on shooting).

Which come to think of it...you know those Windows Media Player videos all your friends send you at work...this camera takes those. The software downloads it as a WMP video and then asks, "want to e-mail this?"...heck ya, this is fun.

Word to the wise...if you plan on taking action photos of fast moving/fast action sports or activities you might want to research more expensive digital cameras that can take 3 or 5 frames per second. This camera can do it but not every picture may be in focus as the "shoot" button focus' the shot when pressed half way down, lets you know it's in focus, and then you press all the way down and it shoots. If you just shoot away it focus' as best it can and takes the shot.

The camera does not come with a little camera bag, but hey, most of the little bags provided with electronic stuff is lame anyway. It does come with a cord to hold it, but I didn't put it on.

Lastly...NO LENS COVER...totally cool, it has it's own that opens and closes when you turn it on and off. Nothing to lose and no "uh duh take the lens cap off" moments.

Hope this has been useful. A very worthy purchase. ....

this camera is perfect for people who are starting off their digital camera career. it will work as a point and shoot but this is a camera you can hone your creativity on. when you're ready to experiment, the A70 provides a high degree of manual control for a camera at this price point.

pros:
- very nice resolution
- 3x optical zoom lens
- amazing manual control for the price: manual focus, selectable ISO sensitivity, and exposure (aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual)
- good metering and good tonal balance - maintains shadow detail
- good natural light white balance, strong and balanced colours
- AF assist lamp helps auto-focus for low light situations
- nice layout of controls and easy to understand
- very nice build quality - feels more expensive than what its price would suggest
- bright, detailed LCD monitor
- good shot-to-shot times, quick start-up time too
- movie clip mode up to 3 minutes
- low noise at ISO 50 (keep in mind that ISO 50 for this camera is actually ISO 100 for everyone else; likewise, ISO 100 is in reality closer to ISO 200, etc)
- impressive battery life plus it uses non-proprietary AAs (but i'd recommend buying rechargeables)
- excellent value - no one else offers this feature set at this price level

cons:
- slight chromatic aberrations visible
- AF Assist lamp doesn't have enough power at telephoto zoom
- moderately underexposed flash shots
- RAW format not supported
- no histogram available - useful to see if photos have correct exposure
- distracting mirror finish frame surrounds the LCD monitor
- competition is lighter and smaller, but also does not give the same amount of manual control
- the supplied 16MB CF card is not adequate - be ready to shell out more $$ for more memory

i was surprised by this camera. at its price point, it has the most features among cameras available today. this camera will work well with beginners (but who'll want to spread their "creative" wings later) but will not disappoint more advanced photographers on a budget. definitely a camera to add to your short list.

There were two things that really turned my head about this camera. The first was it's use of Compactflash memory. This memory is highly available, available in large storage sizes (512 megs, 1gig, etc) quite affordable, and can easily be used as a usb drive on nearly any computer system with an adapter.

The second feature that intrigued me was their use of standard batteries. I've had camera's before used expensive disposable lithium batteries (upwards of $15 a piece)...and if your on vacation, it can be a pain to try and find something to bring your camera back to life instead of working on a suntan. Even though I've been using recharchable NimH batteries in this camera since I've had it it is very nice to know that I should be able to find spare batteries for it almost anywhere if I'm in a pinch.

Now that I've had the camera, I can say that I am very impressed: It fits well in the hand, is simple to use, is feature rich, and has enough interactive feedback available on the display to help you get great shots even in tricky situations.

This is a nicely featured camera at a great price - and the standards they've chosen have created a low cost of ownership.

This is my first digital camera purchase, so I did a lot of research to find the best camera for [the price]. I can say with certainty that this camera fits the bill! It is 3.2 Megapixels, which some may not feel is enough, but unless you are going to print out photos larger than 8x10 I don't see any reason you would need a higher resolution. In fact, most of the pictures we take aren't even at the highest resolution possible.

The 16MB CompactFlash card that comes with this camera is way too small. Look at getting at the very least a 128 MB card, or even a 256MB or 512MB card.

I don't have any complaints about this camera. In dark situations, the LCD becomes very grainy, but the pictures you take look great. Red eye reduction works wonders as I have yet to see any red eyes from pictures I've taken. In the sun, the LCD similarly gets sun circles, but those are not apparent in the final image when you take a picture. The shiny chrome finish around the LCD is a little hard to deal with in the sun, but it's easy enough to get used to.

I highly recommend this camera. It's geared toward the point-and-shoot consumer, but it has settings and the ability to add attachments for the more avid photographer.

This camera has features that are absolutely unheard of in its price range. It has full auto controls, full manual controls (i.e. Shutter-speed priority, Aperture priority, and manual focus), as well as a dozen or so photo effects. They use the same DIGIC processor and AiAF system (5-point) as higher end models, so pictures come out very crisp and clear. Night shots are great as well, thanks to the AF-assist lamp, which is not a standard in other brands. One minor problem with night pictures is the red-eye effect, even with the red-eye reduction mode. This is somewhat expected, seeing how close together the lens and the flash is. However, this can be easily corrected with the included software package.

Another deciding factor for me is their use of standard AA batteries instead of a proprietary battery pack, which can be fairly expensive. In a cram, I can just run to the store and grab batteries off a shelf, or have another set of NiMH rechargeables handy. I also love the body size. I was considering buying a Canon S230, which is one of the smallest digicams out there. However, the ELPH series do not have any manual controls, the flash is weak, has a lower power zoom (2x as oppose to 3x), and they use a proprietary battery pack. The A70 is only slightly large than the ELPH. I actually like the size and the right hand grip on the A70, which gives you better control and balance of the camera.

The A70 is a very quick camera. It takes about 2.5 seconds for the camera to power up and be ready to go. Focus takes about a second, and you only have to wait about 1.5 seconds in between pictures. In playback mode, it takes a little bit over a second to go between pictures in high res mode. There is a lot of information displayed for each picture, with the exception of a histogram. However, once the pictures are downloaded to the computer, you will have access to the histogram.

Other bonuses that I like about the A70 is the Stitch Assistant mode, which helps you make great panoramic shots. It also has a video capture mode (up to 3 min) as well as audio memos that you can add to each picture taken. This camera also supports some direct printing to some printers.

All in all, this is a great camera for a great price! The pictures turn out great, even for a novice. And for the adventurous, there are plenty of manual controls to play with. There is no other camera in this price range that has all these features, combined with the great optics known for in Canon cameras.

I received my Canon A70 about a week ago in the mail. This is my second digital camera- my first being an old Olympus D360-L point and shooter. Thus far, I love my new camera! I can go on and on about it, but I'll try to summarize what I like and don't quite like about it.

Likes

1. Lots of manual controls - shutter speed, real manual focus, white balance
2. Great pre-sets - these let me take great pictures for certain pre-set environments (fast action, portrait, panoramic, slow shutter, etc...) Easily accessible on dial at the top of camera
3. Nice size - not too small and light, so my twitchy hands don't mess it up too much, but not bulky like some of the other cameras with manual controls
4. Battery life - I still have not run out of a charge, during a day or two's use. (Note: I use 1600 mA LiMH batteries and charge them after every day or two)
5. Sharp screen - hi-resolution screen, though not terribly bright in direct sunlight
6. Great looking pictures!
7. Video mode, with sound up to 640x480 for 30 secs, and lower resolutions for much longer.
8. Looks great!
9. Able to fit additional lenses as well as waterproof housing (Not that I'm planning on getting these yet, but its nice to know I have the choice to!)

Not Likes:
1. Takes a bit of time for the zoom lens to extend when turning the camera on.
2. Plastic tripod mount

I've printed my cropped 8x10" photos out on my Canon S600 printer on glossy paper and they look awesome!

Anyways, I really like this thing a lot, so I heartily recommend this to people who are looking for a point-and-shoot, as well as those who are trying to learn to dabble a little bit more with their camera's manual controls (like myself!)

Besides the Canon name, the first thing that draws me to this camera is the way it fits in the hand with its right-hand grip, and its just-right size...not wafer thin, but not bulky, either. I've had the camera since August, and I'm going to start with its few problems, and then list all the things I like about it:

Problem 1: Maybe it's just this particular camera, but sometimes the macro lens just does not want to focus on the closeup object. I have had to turn the camera off and on a few times to get the macro to work. You know it's working when a little frame appears to show you what it's focusing on. It has a very hard time finding the object if it is similar to the background color. I discovered that sometimes the focus frame doesn't appear just because I'm trying to take the picture from too close, so I have to back it up a bit. Because I use the macro lens a lot for photographing items that I sell, it is not the absolute best for macro photography, but I have been able to get some spectacular photos with it, especially if I do some detailing in Photoshop Elements.

Problem 2: Bright red and blue come out too intense, and I often have to tone them down in Photoshop.

Problem 3: Screen hard to see in sunlight.

That's all for the problems!

Positives: Can take about 300 photos on rechargeable batteries. It has a lens cover that opens and closes automatically when you turn the camera on or off (NO CAP!) The buttons are placed in easy-to-find places and work easily. They are not itsy-bitsy so I don't accidentally hit the wrong one. No toggle buttons! It's easy to figure out how to do some photography besides just point and shoot. With a little time reading the manual, I learned how to turn off the automatic button, and take pictures on the manual switch, adjusting the amount of light allowed in the lens...easy. Crisp, clear photos. Takes short movies with sound. Sturdy, reliable, and once again... feels just right in the hands. I am not a professional photographer, but have found it a great, inexpensive digital camera to use in my business, and the photos sell my products! Great price for what you get!

Basically my headline says it all. I love this camera's ability to set f stops, shutter speeds, ASA/ISO speeds, under/over- exposure etc etc. Particularly useful to me is the ISO 400 setting -- set the camera there you can take lots of pics indoors without a flash (like film cameras usibg hi speed film, the images will be grainy, but useable).

The main problem is the lens. It performs overall less well than my 2 previous digital cameras (Fuji 2400 and 2800, which regularly gave me tack sharp pictures). This lens gives you OK shots, but often without that extra edge of definition, despite the high number of pixels. There is a fair amount of flare at large apertures, and the program modes like to keep the lens wide open and aim for higher shutter speeds. One workaround to this problem is to use the aperture proiority mode and to stop the lens down to f 4.5 or so.

I am keeping this camera because of all the creative control it gives me, but I still have a Fuji 2400 in my desk drawer when I need to take a really sharp product photo for ebay.

After doing TONS of research over a span of about two months, i finally bought this camera. I tried it out in stores (along with many others) and it was simply the best for the money. Though it may not be one of those TINY pocket cameras, i never had a problem fitting it in the pocket of my cargo pants or jeans. If you are unsure about this camera, this may help:

1. Great quality pictures. Believe me, 3.2 MP is plenty for the average person. Amazing quality up untill 8 by 10 inches

2. Though it is not advertised, the camera lasted through a day of pouring rain while i was hiking without a problem. It was very wet, but even in a cloud on the top of a mountain i found no problem with the camera. I would still suggest avoiding wet weather (just in case), but it stood up fine for me.

3. Panoramic mode is really great - stiches very easily together

4. Movies have great quality with long length - sound works well, i have a lot of fun with them.

5. Software is simple to use, easy to upload pictures

6. TV output made it easy to show everyone the pictures

7. Long battery life (with rechargeables)

9. Nice zoom + nice quality = good editing. I was able to zoom way in on pictures i took in NYC from a building to see the license plate numbers clearly - the quality is that good!

10. easy to switch between modes

11. personalizeable

12. Reasonable weight - not cumbersome evern for long hikes

The only problems I encountered with this camera are:

1. Long period of time between when you press the shutter button and when it takes the picture - if you are going to need to catch very fast shots of things (maybe whale watching) you could have a problem - i solved this however by using the movie mode and taking out the frame i wanted on the computer.

2. Took a while to get the correct settings for museum shooting. too bright, too dark - i did get it to work well eventually. it just needs some fiddling.

3. The software isnt amazing, you may want to buy a better program for editing.

I would suggest buying several accesories for the camera:

1. a larger memory card (I got a 512 MB card so i would never need another, and I am very happy with it. It stored every picture I toook over the span of a week in the Virgin Islands no problemo. at highest quality, you can take over 300 pictures without a worry!

2. Rechargable batteries (i got 2200) they last very long!

3. a good case

All in all, this is an amazing camera. a solid choice for everyone except maybe a professional photographer. after the research, this is definately the best value for the money.

First off, let me tell you that I researched the heck out of digital cameras before buying this one. I read some of the disappointment reviews which made me hesitate....DON'T! I put months into my decision and for the price, this camera is by far the best out there! I PROMISE you will love it. Here are just a few points I want to make.

First:
You are getting a Canon lens with this camera. I would rather have a 1 MP Canon camera (my SLR is Canon and I have never been let down) than a 4 MP of many other brands. The quality you get with the Canon name alone is worth it.

Second:
This camera is VERY user friendly if you take the TIME to figure it out. As for the person complaining about the slow shutter speed, if they took the time to understand their camera they would have realized that the button has two features. Your not supposed to just snap the picture. You push the button half way to focus (which gets you a great picture), once the camera focuses for you it will beep so that you know its ok to take the picture. Thats way you tell everyone to say cheese! The shutter opens immediately upon taking the picture. If you do not take that two step approach, the camera does a quick focus (which usually is not accurate) and then the shutter opens (hence the few second delay)

Third: The person complaining about the software conflicts....it has nothing to due with camera...those are just the brakes of computers...sometimes there is a glitch....the camera is still amazing!

Do not hesitate! Its small, its user friendly, its a Canon, its worth every penny!