Canon PowerShot A70 Cameras

The three megapixel PowerShot A70 and two megapixel PowerShot A60 were introduced this year just in time for the photos Marketing Association (PMA 2003) trade show in Las Vegas. The PowerShot 'A-series "are Canon's entry-level digital cameras, the A60 and A70 and A40 replace the A30 exactly twelve months earlier. This year, however Canon has taken the amount of functionality provided by a camera entry-level to the next level, both chambers have manual controls including aperture and shutter priority, as well as select the sensitivity modes approach, measuring modes, white balance, photo effects and three minute movie clips. Almost everything in this review are not related to the image resolution can be applied to the PowerShot A60, other than the sensor cameras are identical.
The PowerShot A70 lets you select the image size and quality JPEG separately. For the image size you have the following options; 2048 x 1536 (H), 1600 x 1200 (M1), 1024 x 768 (M2) and 640 x 480 (S). For there are quality JPEG Super-Fine, Fine and normal configuration. Please note that the A70 does not provide a RAW or TIFF output.

To give an impression of what some of the combinations of image size and quality of produce table below is a cross reference of some of them:

2048 x 1536 Super-Fine JPEG
Fine JPEG 2048 x 1536
1600 x 1200 Super-Fine JPEG
1024 x 768 Super-Fine JPEG
640 x 480 Super-Fine JPEG
As I said Canon low compression "Super-Fine 'environment free of JPEG artifact that would be difficult to distinguish from TIFF's the same shot. You pay a higher penalty for these storage (Compact Flash, although the media is relatively cheap these days). To Canon's credit, even greater compression of Fine establishment has almost no visible artifacts.

As noted in previous reviews Canon PowerShot seem to use a high quality interpolation algorithm (probably bilinear) to its lowest resolution, which means cleaner images detailed images without hard edges or alias effects.


Image Parameters
Unfortunately, the A70 provides no direct control of image parameters such as contrast, saturation and sharpness. That is a pity taking into account the wide range of other controls available in this chamber. Canon do provide five extra 'canned' photo effects that let you at least have some options for adjustment.
Anyone who has followed the line Canon PowerShot digital camera can not help but see similarities between the A70 and PowerShot G1 (the original 'G'). The A70 is so easy to use camera can drop in the hand of a beginner and pure that taking out excellent images. Later he wants to start experimenting, the A70 provides control of the ISO, exposure (aperture priority, shutter priority or manual) and manual focus. These are all things that do not normally expect to see an entry-level digital camera.

To be fair to the jurisdiction of the PowerShot A70 is not the smallest or lightest in this category, ensuring its four AA batteries is weight, size wise is the same height as a Coolpix 3100, but longer. Overall Design, however, is welcome, the controls are what you might expect and build quality is higher than the ticket price indicated. Battery life was also a big surprise with this camera, we simply never had a camera spent so much time on AA batteries.

Best of all, the picture quality is really much better than I expected and really almost as good as it gets for a three-megapixel digital compact camera. But better than all this must be the price. At this time you can get the PowerShot A70 in U.S. dollars 350 (under £ 300 in the United Kingdom), that the price would be very foolish not to consider the A70, I could happily recommend to throughout the budget price digital camera and, of course, convince those who want '$ 200 digital camera' to spend a little more for the big difference it would make.

Recommended

So one should buy? One question asked me several times a day, the answer is that everyone has different needs. In a new addition to my comments (after the number of reviews that normally receives) I added a link to a specific forum in which to discuss the revision or ask other questions that I have not responded to these pages.