Canon PowerShot A70 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
By: Canon Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 275
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 On: 2008-06-17
I know this camera is old. However, it is similar to the newer models. Dont buy this camera. I bought it quit after 5 years of use with great care in handling it. The reason I bought it was because it took 4, AA batteries. This seemed like a good feature at first with not having to recharge the battery all the time, but it also made the camera have a delay while taking pictures. The delay was long enough for me to miss many great shots. The batteries just arent strong enough for a fast flash.
My next camera will probably be a Pentax Optio M50. It is great for casual shots like when the family gets together. It is also only around $200 at the time of this review. Canon has good cameras, but this series is not one of them, and I give the A70, 2 stars for working 5 years. And all things considered 2 stars is generous.
 On: 2008-05-01
This camera takes good pictures and its easy to operate. It is well worth its price. However, there are some problems.
1. The CCD has known issues. It is highly susceptible to moisture and will develop problems. The images will have horizontal lines in them and the color balance will be wrong. Canon fixes this problem at no charge and even pays for shipping. However, in two years of owning this camera, Ive had to return it twice for this repair.
2. The LCD display is rather small and hard to see. It is even more difficult to see in bright light.
Other than those two things, the camera works great. Its easy to operate and use the cameras functions, and the results are very good. Color balance is good for all white balance settings, especially incandescent when shooing in incandescent light. Pictures are sharp and free from image artifacts.
One minor annoyance is that the zoom is electronic. It is difficult to get the exact zoom you want, especially for normal (the human eyes perspective). Another annoyance is the cameras widest aperature. It is not wide enough to make things n the background go out of focus. However, with a little skill with Photoshop, you can mask the subject and perform blurring.
Connecting and downloading images to your computer is easy and painless. The supplied software is adequate but not stellar.
A nice featuer is that the camera uses AA sized batteries. Get yourself rechargable 2500ma batteries and an inexpensive charger and youll get a lot of photos out of one set of batteries.
One very recommended accessory is the lens adapter, the LAH-DC20. Even f you dont attach an auxilary lens, this provides some protection for the lens in case you drop the camera while its powered up, and it provides a means to attach 52 mm close up diopters, filters, and any lens hood.
For its price, the camera is exceptional.
 On: 2008-01-14
Ive had this camera for 6 years and it still works perfectly! However, I gave it to a cousin of mine who is in grade school, because I wanted something with more pixels.
On: 2008-01-06
I bought this camera in 2003 and it worked GREAT. I have changed the batteries a total of 3 times since Ive had it and have taken hundreds of pix. I have just purchased the Canon Powershot A570IS, because my A70 has just broken down as of October 31, 2007 (no Halloween pix). I wont bother to repair it, since its not worth it, however it did a great job for the past 4 years, and I hope the new one does a better job, if thats possible. I would recommend Cannon to my friends. Its a great product and does what its made to do.
 On: 2007-11-03
work okay for a little less than 2 years. it was always slow when you pushed the button but other than that it was fine. then all of sudden all the pics had white lines. Im assuming the CCD needs replacing (at what cost??). My recommendation - look elsewhere.
On: 2007-06-02
We bought our Canon Powershot A70 for a small camera to take on trips, etc. Weve already sent it back to the factory twice and although Canon upgraded us to a new camera with more megapixels, this new one is broken, less than 6 months later. Dont waste your money. We will be shopping for a non-Canon product next time.
 On: 2007-03-21
I bought it in June 2004 and took (only) near 3800 shots. The recent photos have distorted colors. Some experts told me that the CCD is dying.
It was a great camera with great pictures. I only wish it could last longer. I hate to buy a DC every 2 or 3 years though it is the trend for consumer electronics.
On: 2007-01-14
I bought this camera after several relatives bought it and said great things. I thought the bright light pictures were good, but low light pics always blurred.
I had some LCD trouble in November, but was able to turn on/off the camera and get some pictures from it. On Christmas Eve I took pictures without any of the previous trouble. On Christmas Day - trying to take pictures of my kids opening presents - my A70 DIED. No pictures for 2006!
The camera was less than 3 years old. Ive owned Canon cameras for over 20 years and this is the first time Ive gotten a defective product from them. Looks like others are having same trouble.
I dont recommend buying the Canon A70 camera. My aunts camera died also.
On: 2006-12-27
My camera is about 3 years old. It is my first digital camera. About 1 year ago the LCD screen began to fade and soon I could no longer see what I was taking a photo of AND when the screen was dark, the photo did not turn out. I would need to turn the camera off/on for it to clear. I called Canon support and like the other person who wrote a review, I was told the the LCD screen was defective and that they would pay for me to send it back to be fixed and return to me at their cost as well. They were very nice about it. About 4 weeks later I had my camera. While I am happy with the photos that it takes, I still have issues with the LCD screen. Every once in awhile the screen will go dark and I need to hit the "display" button once or twice before it clears up again. Very annoying. I will need to call Canon service again but I dont know what else can be done. I just had it "fixed this past summer.
W.Kohorst, Silver Spring, MD
On: 2006-12-15
I bought my camera about 2 years ago. The camera worked beautiful. I started getting error messages about a year ago. I thought it was the memory card so I continued to use the camera. The problem worsened and the camera would get stuck and wouldnt take pictures. I took my memory card to have pictures developed. The memory card was empty. I lost all my pictures. I went to get a new memory card and took a sample picture. I was able to view the picture and then tried to take a second picture. The camera said memory card error. Thats when it was confirmed that this camera is defective. If you want a camera to buy, DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA. Defects need to be handled. Canon need to give people refund on this camera.
On: 2006-12-14
Ive had the camera just about a year - and a great camera it was for the first year. Then..... Almost to the day, I started getting the E18 Error message (the lens is stuck and wont move in or out - takes 15 minutes every time I turn it on to be able to use it - then it just stops working completely!) So, I checked for reviews on line and, surprise, surprise - HUNDREDS of people are reporting this problem but Canon doesnt seem to be doing anything about it.
So, no. I wont be buying another Canon product. Not if this is what theyre like. Stay away from this one or you will regret purchasing it.
On: 2006-11-29
I bought this camera back in July of 2004 and i have been a happy user of this product for over two years. One of the things that i loved about canon powershot A70 is the battery life. I use 4 Monster NiMH rechargeable batteries on this camera and they work awesome, over 100+ pics. The picture quality is nice, and the camera is easy to use.
However now that 2007 is around the corner, Im starting to think of upgrading, one thing that I dont like about this camera is that it is pretty bulky when carrying it in your pocket. This camera is bigger than the newer cameras of its class, and at 3.2MP its starting to show its age.
Overall, nice camera.
On: 2006-10-13
I think this is a great camera for the reasons stated by many reviewers.
However, after several years of continuous use, the LCD viewer stopped displaying images and, when I took photos, the images did not appear on the memory card.
Because I couldnt find anything in the camera manual or on Canons web site that addressed this problem, I called Canon technical support. The Canon technical support representative I spoke to told me the problem was a defective image sensor, which he said Canon would replace for free (even though the camera was way outside the warranty period). He even said Canon would pay for shipping the camera to their factory service center.
I havent completed this process, but assuming Canon follows through (and I have no reason to think they wont), I thought this was extraordinary customer service -- yet another reason for purchasing this camera.
On: 2006-09-28
I had purchased the camera on Amazon to give to my daughter as her first digital camera. It was used, and had only a 64MB CF card as its only acessory, no cables or software. On the second day, all I could get on the display while pointing at a light was a slightly purple screen. I went online to Canon, checked under the model number, and found a few things out. Some of the ccds were made by a third party company, and they were sensitive to heat and humidity. On the A70 page, it said to contact them, and they will check it out and replace the ccd for free if it had not been damaged by dropping it. They sent me, by email, a shipping label for free shipping. After one week, they emailed me and told me it would be a free repair and would take 7-10 working days. I just yesterday received the camera, and WOW, what a surprise!! Canon had replaced my older A70 with a BRAND NEW IN THE BOX WITH ALL ACESSORIES POWERSHOT A520!!!!!
That is customer service you cant beat. Just another of the resaons I will only buy Canon cameras and printers.
On: 2006-09-19
Ive had this camera now for a little more than 2 years and I am ready to throw it out the window. I take flower and plant closeups as a hobby and the focus zones for the lens are unpredictable and uncontrollable even in manual mode. About 60-70 percent of the closeups I take come out Completely Useless because the camera has chosen to focus on an element in the frame that I did not want to emphasize. For example, a leaf to the side will come out sharp, while the flower itself is an utter blur, even on "macro" mode, although the frame was composed with the flower at dead center. Whats worse, when the image is previewed on the screen on the camera back, it appears to be fine!
It does an adequate job with meta-pictures (whole scenes) but try to zoom in on an interesting insect or a tender bloom and you will soon go bald as a rock with frustration over the results. I used to take film pictures and got quite practiced at it, so this camera really annoys me because it refuses to behave like a standardized photographic instrument -- that is, when you point the lens at something and have it dead center in the frame, the lens is supposed to look for edges on that dead-center object and calculate focus accordingly.
This piece of "equipment," however, has a mind of its own, so you wind up with lovely background foliage and a muddy blur of color in the middle where a sharp image of a bloom should be.
In short, if your photography makes any sort of technical demands and requires a sharp instrument to assist, Buy Something Else.
If all youre looking for is a good snappy camera to take pictures of groups of friends or wide vistas, this camera will probably be fine.
On: 2006-09-02
I have been using my A70 almost nonstop since i bought it, and have had no problems, I take it snowboarding, hiking, climbing, etc and I am not gentle with it. The aluminum case is very strong. I have dropped it from ~5 onto concrete and the only thing that broke was the CF card cover, which is no big deal since the camera still works.
Recently the CCD failed on one of the cameras (not the one I abuse), I saw the post about the recall (thanks!) so I called their tech support, I hope to hear back from them soon.
... They were very nice on the phone and it sounds to them like a CCD issue, they will send me a UPS label via email for RMA. w00t!
On: 2006-05-09
I bought this camera 2 years ago and it is just awesome. It was my first digital camera, and I couldnt have asked for a better equipment. Easy to use, high picture quality, many options. My friends always complain about why my pictures are always a lot better than theirs, and its all the cameras fault! I never had any problem with it!
On: 2006-04-27
Generally very disappointing. It does have numerous little gadgets, but acts more of a toy than a real camera. Photo quality just isnt up to other digital cameras in the same price range. The ccd has serious problems reading images, as I say it is more of a toy than a camera, but fine for people who are not serious about photography.
On: 2006-03-26
I bought this camera in the summer of 2004 and have really enjoyed it. It was my first digital camera. I have used it on a number of trips and it has made some fantastic photos. It is small, convenient, and easy to use...just point and shoot.
I did buy myself a 256k memory card, which is plenty for my purposes. Downloading pics to your computer is a snap and is very easy to use.
On the downside, it is only a 3.2 megapixel camera. This was great for downloading photos to my computer, using them in slide shows as screensavers, etc. until.........I made the photo of all photos. Yup, I got lucky and made the best photo I had ever made in my life. Unfortunately, due to the 3.2 limitation, I am unable to have this shot blown up to a large size. For this reason alone, it wont happen with my next digital purchase.
Also, this camera will do tons more than I am able to make it do. I consider a downside to be that it is a little complex to use unless you are doing the simple point and shoot kind of thing. Anything more advanced is......well, advanced. I always have to stop and look at the manual which is just not convenient when taking a shot on vacation. So, Im left with just "pointing and shooting". Seriously, this is not one of those cameras you can just pick up and "figure out" as you go. It is a little more complicated than that when you want to try some of its bells and whistles.
All in all though, it is a good camera for the average homeowner who is not a camera enthusiast.
On: 2006-03-24
All PowerShot A70 owners whove seen problems with the camera sensor (CCD) failing to function or exhibiting excess noise or other image distortion should take advantage of a recall. Canon will repair this widely seen CCD defect for free even if your camera is out of warranty.
See the A70 support page on Canons website or search for "PowerShot A70 CCD failure".
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=221&modelid=8776
Unfortunately, Canon isnt making this offer conspicuous on its website and is not contacting customers proactively. I only learned of it on an independent camera review website.
I had contacted Canon Support about terrible noise problems in photos Id taken (often discovered only later, when reviewing photos on the computer), and at first they failed to reply, let alone inform me of the free repair program. After discovering the recall notice, I contacted them again to request free repair, and theyve agreed to repair my camera.
In other respects, Ive been very happy with the PowerShot A70s features and performance, but not very impressed with some design defects and this CCD problem. The only mitigating factor with the CCD defect is that several other manufacturers cameras have been affected by the same problem, though theyve dealt with their customers better in addressing it. Olympus offers to repair cameras with CCDs that may be defective, regardless of whether the camera is currently exhibiting problems.
This issue, combined with a Canon camcorder that is now unreliable due to a widely-seen recorder section problem, severely undermines Canons reputation for quality. This is especially disappointing for me because I believe Canons products are often functionally superior, and I previously had Canon film cameras that were bulletproof.
On: 2006-03-23
All PowerShot A70 owners whove seen problems with the camera sensor (CCD) failing to function or exhibiting excess noise or other image distortion should take advantage of a recall. Canon will repair this widely seen CCD defect for free even if your camera is out of warranty.
See the A70 support page on Canons website or search for "PowerShot A70 CCD failure".
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=221&modelid=8776
Unfortunately, Canon isnt making this offer conspicuous on its website and is not contacting customers proactively. I only learned of it on an independent camera review website.
I had contacted Canon Support about terrible noise problems in photos Id taken (often discovered only later, when reviewing photos on the computer), and at first they failed to reply, let alone inform me of the free repair program. After discovering the recall notice, I contacted them again to request free repair, and theyve agreed to repair my camera.
In other respects, Ive been very happy with the PowerShot A70s features and performance, but not very impressed with some design defects and this CCD problem. The only mitigating factor with the CCD defect is that several other manufacturers cameras have been affected by the same problem, though theyve dealt with their customers better in addressing it. Olympus offers to repair cameras with CCDs that may be defective, regardless of whether the camera is currently exhibiting problems.
This issue, combined with a Canon camcorder that is now unreliable due to a widely-seen recorder section problem, severely undermines Canons reputation for quality. This is especially disappointing for me because I believe Canons products are often functionally superior, and I previously had Canon film cameras that were bulletproof.
On: 2006-03-20
I had purchased this camera for my job. I like the camers so much that when I changed jobs, I purchased one for my personal use.
On: 2006-03-05
Best digital camera Ive had, good quality for the price. Biggest problem is its a little too slow. I click the button, but by the time it takes the photo the action is over! Also, for some reason the video only goes to 30 seconds now, but it used to do 3 minutes worth. Great camera, though.
On: 2006-02-23
Ive found this easy to use and produces great pictures.
To augment it Ive bought a 1 gig memory card for $50 dollars and rechargable batteries.
This allows one to take lots of pictures and even movies without worrying about battery power overmuch.
On: 2006-01-24
I have have this Camera for about 3+ years and it was been worked very well for what I wanted it for. Mostly pictures for my website and to print some for shareing with friends.
I just recently started having problems with my camera not working all the time because of the screen, but now my lens is stock about half way out and will not right its self. I did some searching and found that cannon has a service notice on this camera that will repair it even if it is out of warranty. I will be sending my camera in to see if I can get it fixed. To bad to because I just got a new camera for my birthday.
On: 2005-12-21
If you want to spend the money for a great 1-year camera, the Canon PowerShot A70 is the one for you.
I agree with all the great reviews of the A70 digital camera. It takes wonderful pictures and is easy to use. I have used the video function numerous times and it works great. When I bought the camera, Consumer Reports recommended this camera.
HOWEVER, this camera is apparently designed to "fail" between 1 and 2 years of use, depending on how often you use it. After exactly 2 years of use (4,217 pictures), my camera also now gives me the black/purple screen that numerous other consumers have complained about. When the camera decides to be operational, the majority of the pictures now come out blurry. This camera has turned from the best camera I have ever used to an unreliable piece of junk.
On: 2005-12-20
I bought three Canon A70s. All are now broken. This camera obviously has some design or quality issue. I am not sure if I can trust Canon now.
On: 2005-12-07
I agree with everyone else - this camera is awesome. the only thing i have to add is that if you are clumsy like me, and drop it with the lens open, it will break. (im sure this is the case with any digital camera....) the lens will turn slightly enough so it doesnt open/close properly...it kinda slowly malfunctions... it wont focus etc. if you have a canon warranty they will fix it. this has happened to me, my father and another family member that had the camera. just dont be clumsy and youre all set!
like i said... AWESOME camera. quality is amazing, and 3.2 megapixels is plenty.
On: 2005-12-04
I havent tallied up exactly how many of the reviews here are complaining of the same problem - after about a year camera quits working (I got the purple/black screen problem). It seems to me that there is definitely some defective components in this camera. Since Canon doesnt want to stand behind their product when there is an obvious defect issue, Im wondering if we should all band together and file a class action law suit against them. Email me at canona70sucks@yahoo.com
On: 2005-11-30
This was the first digital camera I bought and did so after a good amount of research and playing with a variety of other ones through my friends. Ive owned it almost two years now and it has served me pretty well. The batteries dont drain too quickly, even when shooting video and the picture quality is good enough for almost anything you need to do. Most of my pictures end up on-line and this camera serves that purpose well. The features are standard, nothing too out of the ordinary now. Its a little larger than I would have liked, but its not a pain to fit in most places. Overall, for the price I think its a good deal and worth it if you are just looking for a recreational camera.
On: 2005-11-22
I have two of these cameras, the A60 and the A70. Each of them worked for about 6 months. Then the screen got all fuzzy and had lines through it, and woukdnt take pictures. After a while it just turned black and stopped working. I sent it in to be fixed under warranty and they fixed it. A few months later it broke again and of course my warranty was up by then.
I find it ridiculous that I spent almost $200 on each camera and now all I have to show for it is two broken cameras. I will NEVER buy a Canon again!
On: 2005-09-04
My sister and I both have A70s, and in one year, theyve started to exhibit the purple-black hazy line problem. Giving the cameras a couple slaps seems to solve the problem at the moment, but it keeps on coming back, and sometimes the slaps dont work. This is a well-documented problem online. it takes great pictures, but the body & doors are rather flimsy, and its useless once you get the lines problem. too bad.
On: 2005-09-01
I based my purchase decision largely on reviews I read on this site. Just about everone was THRILLED with their new camera - so I purchased.
I, too, was thrilled - for about 1 year. Then the camera began producing pictures with black lines through them - or red hues. I thought perhaps I got the camera wet - as I also have the underwater housing and take it scuba diving.
I surfed the web looking for a repair store in my area - and found many blogs where COUNTLESS people complained of the exact same issues with their PowerShot A70. I contacted Canon, as given sheer number of people who complained, I concluded there must be a design defect. Canon did not stand by their product at all.
My conclusion? The camera was not built to last. A good starter digital camera, to be sure. But you should only expect it to work for about 1 year.
On: 2005-08-23
Ill make this short, but this is a good first camera. Ive probably taken over 1,000 pictures with this camera and we have some good memories already, in only just over a year. Good camera for the price.
However, I will hopefully be upgrading soon. I want something with a more generous zoom and a camera that takes the pictures faster. There is a pretty big delay in the way the camera takes the pictures. Its good for portrait stills, but its hard to capture action shots.
Overall, good camera.
On: 2005-08-08
ive had a powershot a70 for two years, and in that time have taken thousands of pictures and hours worth of video clips. this thing hasnt left my side since i bought it- its become almost an extra appendage.
unfortunately, ive lost two of these cameras to the dreaded "purple haze" now. my first camera broke six months after i bought it, but i dont think this was any fault of canons. i was so hard on that thing. i carried it around in a bag without a case everywhere i went, dropped it multiple times, and pretty much did everything with it that you shouldnt do with a camera. and contrary to what others have been saying about canon customer service, i thought they were great. i sent in my camera, and despite the fact that it was dented and scratched and clearly mistreated, they sent me a refurbished one, no questions asked.
ive been a lot more careful with my second camera, but its still been through a lot of wear and tear over the past year and a half. up until it broke, it did everything i asked of it, and then some. i realized about a month ago that it was about to go, and decided that it was fine with me, because ive more than got my moneys worth in the time that ive had it. my only regret is not buying the extended warrenty when i bought my camera originally, because i would love to get another identical refurbished camera from canon.
this is a great camera for casual photographers. it doesnt take professional quality images, so dont expect to be blown away, but the pictures still look great. the video mode is pretty decent, and its one of the features that ive come to love most about my camera. and as for battery life, i have yet to find a camera with batteries that last as long. the four double as make the camera kind of heavy, but they last for weeks at a time. my only complaint is that the camera has troubles in low light, but thats to be expected with any digital camera in this price range. the flash tends to be too bright and washes pictures out, but without the flash, the image will blur unless you keep the camera perfectly still. this problem can be solved by buying a tripod, however.
overall, this is a great camera. my dad, sister, and boyfriend all bought similar powershots because they liked mine so much. despite the fact that my camera is broken, i would say it had a good run, and would suggest it to any casual photographer in the market for a new digital camera
On: 2005-08-04
Once I got the hang of taking pictures with this camera, I loved it. It took great pictures with amazing quality. A few months back though the camera started blacking out or it would have purple lines. I thought it might be the LCD screen but it wasnt. My pictures were coming out black or with these lines. I would hit it a couple of times and that would do the trick and the pictures would be fine. Now the camera gets hit so hard my hand would start hurting. I gave up and moved on to a Minolta. Apparently Canon cameras, according the negative reviews has this type of problem with their cameras. Its sad because the pictures came out awesome.
On: 2005-07-28
I got this camera in 2003. It was my first digital camera, so I dont have much to compare it to, but it seemd somewhat troubled from the beginning--for instance, within a few months after I bought it the tiny memory card that it came with got corrupted and destroyed all the pictures that were on it. I also found the flash to be too bright--if you used it, the pictures were too bright and washed out. However, the real problem was that a few months ago (spring 2005) the camera died. For a few weeks it would still take pictures but they were completely distorted, and then it stopped altogether. Of course, the warranty was expired by the time this happened. I have had previous, non-digital cameras for years and years, so it seems ridiculous that such an expensive camera would die so fast. I will not buy another digital camera from Canon.
On: 2005-07-25
I have owned this camera for more than 2 years. It is one of 4 digital cameras I have owned. It has been trouble free, and I have used it a lot. It is one of the best all around cameras you can buy. You can even make very good (VGA) movies with this camera. It is easy on the rechargeable batteries. Professional grade.
On: 2005-07-20
After One year and 3 weeks of use the dreaded E18 error.
Canon Customer Support is non-exsistant. And they act like they know nothing about this problem. Wanting to sell me a refurbished A75 as a replacement for $99.00 or fix it for $150.00.. NOT
On: 2005-06-25
I happened to see all of the "not so good reviews" on the Canon A70 and thought I needed to send in my bad luck story also. Im in Iraq right now and my wife was using our camera the other day taking pictures of the kids and it stopped working. After going through all the troubleshooting, she still cant get it to work (wont turn on at all). My initial thought is that it will cost well over $100 to fix and the camera really isnt worth much more than that now. The camera is about two and a half years old and I figured for what I paid for it it should have lasted a lot longer. So, I went from having a great camera to not having one at all. My next thought is my next camera probably wont be a Canon. Sorry Canon, but after all the recent reviews here you might want to look into this.
On: 2005-06-09
Ive had this camera for a little over a year. Initially, i thought it was a great camera. It worked fine and even though it was only 3.2 megapixels, the picture were great for what i used it for.
However, currently my camera is in a repair shop. When you turn it on, all you get is a black fuzzy screen. After reading several of these posts, i understand this is a common problem. In fact around the same time this happened to my camera, one of my colleagues had the same exact problem with his canon. His camera is also at the repair shop.
Unfortunately, my experience with this camera impacts my decision on other products, and i would probably never consider buying anything canon makes ever again, be it cameras or printers etc.
On: 2005-06-01
I really thought I was the only one. I really loved this camera, felt it was my best purchase in a while, thought it was value for money, but alas! I got the purple haze and now black screen. I wont even contact Cannon cause my warrranty is up. But really, whats up with that purple haze black screen? I thought it was my batteries, went to buy new ones. then figured it was the memory card...was about to change that too, till I came here and saw that most people had that same problem. So Cannon taking us for a ride?
On: 2005-06-01
Ive had this camera for 20 months and just now I am getting the Balck Screen problem. I called Canon and they can repair this "rare occuance" problen on my dime. This is not a rare occurance as you have seen by these other reviews. Ive learned my lesson. I will never buy a Canon camera or other product again.
On: 2005-05-26
I thought I would be the exception from experiencing the Black Screen problem. However, I wasnt. 13 months after I bought it my camera occasionally had blurry purple come up on the LCD screen and thats exactly how the picture looked. I literally bang it against my hand and then the screen comes up clear. However, since Im past the warranty, I dont feel like getting it repaired. Im tempted to look into other Canons like the SD400, but Im reading how that has a LCD cracking problem. If someone has a good suggestion for a $300 digital, Im all ears.
On: 2005-04-25
Ive owned the Canon PowerShot A70 for about 18 months and loved - LOVED! - it. Simple to use, plenty of options for full auto or manual operation, a ton of extras, efficient battery usage, great companion software for easy uploading - all in a compact, attractive, sturdy package. Then the lens retraction mechanism failed and I got the dreaded "E18" error message. I emailed Canons support desk and got a speedy and thorough reply. But since the one year warranty had expired, I was told my only options were that I could send in the camera to its service center (average cost of repair: $100 - $200) or I could pay $150 and theyd send me a factory refurbished A70. Considering the expense, Ill just spend a little more to get a brand new camera. Unless somebody from Canon is monitoring these posts and wants to cut me a deal on repair costs for my beloved but broken PowerShot A70...
On: 2005-04-20
Although this camera takes wonderful pictures and it easy to use, I wouldnt buy it. We bought it for about $300 and weve had it for less than 3 years. Weve need to repair it 2 times. After using it for less than a year, the LCD screen stopped working and the camera took all-black pictures. Canon fixed it because it was still under warranty. A year later, the camera had the same problem but Canon would not fix it. They said I could pay them $150 for a "refurbished" exact same model and send them my old camera. Humm...doesnt make much sense since this camera sells for a little over $190 now anyway. I think it is a bit of a scam. Id look for something different.
On: 2005-04-16
Nice camera - until it stopped working. The lens mechanism jammed, i got an E18 error and the camera would have cost too much to repair by canon so ive had to spend money twice for a camera: one that doenst work and a new one. Never again
On: 2005-04-04
This camera was a good one as long as it lasted. However, we have used it lightly less than two years, and it has stopped working. Weve been told that cost to repair these cameras is frequently more than replacement cost. Since we paid over $300 for this camera, I expected it to last longer.
On: 2005-02-24
I bought this camera in May 2004 and have been extremely happy. It takes excellent videos and pictures ofcourse! I bought a 256 MB card and it works great. It is very frugal on the use of battery so my regular batteries last for a very long time. A great buy I would say.
On: 2005-02-22
My experience with this camera:
I have owned this camera for two years and have taken thousands of photos with it.
This camera has never broken on me. No software has ever screwed up. My belief is that cameras are NOT toys and should be treated with care - then they will not malfunction.
The available shooting options on this camera are far beyond what any other similarly priced digital camera offers. The large variety of auto/manual shooting modes and other background manual settings are really what sold this camera to me. I wanted a digital camera I could toy with and learn the ins and outs of photography with...before spending money on developing costs associated with traditional cameras. This camera is perfect for me. However, if you want a camera only to take pictures of haha hes rolling around drunk on the floor, quick take a picture or cute little fluffykins - this may not be the best camera for you.
As with all things electronic, it is well worth your time reading the manual. This is how you learn to save batteries/etc. I remember finding out the way to turn off the LCD display so that I could batteries, simply by reading the manual. Many complaints about power use or complicated features can be sorted out by reading the manual. I cannot stress this enough (I would be saying this about any other electronic prodcut as well, so dont take this as a point against this camera).
On: 2005-02-21
Ive owned this camera for two years now. It has its issues. It wastes a lot of battery power by constantly pushing out and pulling in the lens every time the camera is turned on and off. It has a automatic power saver feature that autoshuts down the camera to make sure this happens regularly. It also continuously projects movie like images on the LCD screen of what the camera sees -- nice power wasting feature. I only need it to do that when I am actually taking a picture, not all the time. As you might imagine, youll get tired of changing the batteries. Low light pictures were never very good.
The camera comes with a bewildering array of options but I found that 95% of them I never used. There is a dial on top with a dozen special settings for various pictures. In my two years Ive only used one. The same goes for the various image sizes, compression levels, etc. The one time I actually needed a feature, it failed:
My mistake apparently was to attempt to delete pictures on the compact flash card using my computers file browser. After I reinserted the CF card back in the camera, the camera refused to take pictures. I had the camera reformat the flash card and still wouldnt take pictures. I tried another CF card and it wont take pictures on that either. New batteries didnt help. Canon says that the repair will cost $200. Gee, thanks guys. The camera cost that much.
The fact of the matter is that I feel that these cameras are too feature laden and kinda buggy. I really would prefer a digital camera that took digital pictures. Period. The computer can do everything I need. I dont need the pile of features to complicate the use of the thing. Ultimately, I feel that all this stuff has left Canon with a camera that is simply not robust. Buy if you want, but understand that once it breaks, you are buying a new one, and all those features just make the thing break sooner.
On: 2005-02-05
WARNING! CANON CUSTOMER SERVICE STINKS! Our experience indicates that if you buy a Canon, you should be prepared to pay for the camera a second time in repairs. This is regardless of extended warrantees. BEWARE!
This is the second Canon Powershot camera we have owned. We have had problems with both and in both cases Canon has refused to repair the camera without paying a very high flat fee. The first time the problem occurred after the warrantee period, so we paid it - about $150. Supposedly the camera was then covered for a 3 month further period. Within one month the camera completely failed to work again. We called Canon service long distance from China, where we had taken the camera, but they refused to repair it saying that the warrantee was not in effect because the problem was a different one than the one they had previously repaired. We swore we would never buy another Canon. But, STUPID US!, we read reviews that said Canon was best in our desired type and price range, so we purchased a Canon A70. It is still within the first year warrantee period, but now again Canon refuses to fix it unless we pay the flat fee - this time $100 plus shipping and handling! They say that the reason is that the camera was dropped. We know that there is a small dent on the side of the camera, but we do not want or need that fixed. The problem is that the camera does not take pictures, its obvious and essential function. This problem developed months after the small dent in the corner of the camera. We have tried calls and so far Canon has refused to fix the camera. WE WARN YOU NOT TO BUY CANON! DO NOT BE AS STUPID AS WE HAVE BEEN!
On: 2005-01-28
I would be very impressed with this camera. If it were not now, after 13 months of ownership, simply taking up space in a box in my closet (I keep hoping some recall will take place, but doesnt look that way). Really too bad, I thought this camera had everything.
I am not a big camera user. I would say I used this camera once or twice a month to take a few pictures of something. The camera was always stored in a nice padded holder...never dropped, never mishandled. And yet, six months in, the lens stuck and I received my first E18 error. After some jiggling, I managed to get it to retract and that was that. A month later, same problem...same resolution. This would happen about half the time after that, and a call to Canon told me it was probably dust (every time?) and to use canned air. I did so, and it would resolve itself. I skipped using the camera the eleventh and twelth month of ownership (i.e. within warranty), and on the thirteenth (OUT of warranty) the camera REALLY began acting up. It was always hit and miss as to whether the camera would work at all...eventually the lens would retract and I might get to use it. In my naivete, I tried new batteries *roll eyes, I was desperate, ok?* I had two good usages with no problems, then took the camera to Disney World. First time out of the bag the camera froze, and has remained so since. Fixing it will cost me almost the price of the camera to start with.
Given A70s demand when it came out, I felt lucky to be able to get my hands on one..beware what you wish for, right? A search for "Canon" and "e18" online absolutely ASTOUNDED me with the huge number of complaints on this issue of the lens sticking. I wish Id known this beforehand. Clearly there is a problem, and while a flawed product is forgivable, Canons lack of interest and response in taking care of it will keep me from buying a Canon product again.
Before buying, I truly urge you to consider and do your research before you buy a Canon product, this is not just occuring on the A70s. If you are absolutely determined, I highly urge you buy an extended warrenty as these errors are occuring on average within the first 18 months of ownership.
On: 2005-01-20
The camera has worked effectively for 1 year and 7 months.
However it has now stopping working, and the message given
on the screen reads E18. Apparently this is common problem
that has to do with lens misalignment or something. Canons
can fix it for 100 - 200, or replace it with a refurbished
model for 150. In any case this seems very frustrating for
camera to only function for about a year and a half.
Another issue is that if you purchase the wide angle adapter
lens it will not work with the flash. I believe this is a design
flaw. The lens is so wide it blocks the flash, and creats a
curved dark area on the images.
One last issue is that the view screen cover is plastic or
something and is very easily scratched. I also somehow got
dust or dirt underneath this screen which was under warranty
and was repaired.
Otherwise its a pretty decent camera. Not a true pocket size
camera. When its working it takes great pictures.
On: 2005-01-19
About eight months after I bought the camera from Amazon USA I have noticed a white spot on all pictures I took with my A70. First I thought it is a piece of dirt on lens so I ignore it. Soon I realized it is a "dead" pixel. I contacted Canon USA and they told me to contact a service facility in my country. I called the Canon service in my country and, to my great surprise, they told me I must pay 25$, the cost of repair, which actually implies not changing the sensor but downloading new interpolation data so as to hide the white spot. Since I have already paid the warranty, as embedded cost, I do not understand why I should pay extra money.
5 stars for Canon engineers.
0 stars for Canon warranty.
On: 2005-01-17
While the features and ease of use may be good on the A70, the overall quality and durabilty is VERY POOR. My camera developed a fuzzy spot (presumed inside the sealed lens) that appears at the top corner of every photo. A panel on the body also has begun to loosen, even though the camera has always been cased, and never mishandled.
In reading other complaints and problems in this forum, it seems that Canon sees users of its consumer cameras as idiots, who will gleefully send these cameras back to the factory and pay a further $150 (plus shipping) for a refurbished replacement.
I suggest you purchase a higher-quality brand (Nikon, Leica), and leave Canon to sort out its obvious Quality Control problems on other, less-informed consumers.
On: 2005-01-04
One year and one month after I purchased this camera and the LCD screen is full of black and purple lines and everyone in the photos looks jaundice. Bring it to the shop. Am told it will cost $140 and all I get is a 90 day warranty! I could buy a new camera for that amount. Get the camera back and they dont even replace the scratched LCD screen. Nor do I get an explanation of what was wrong with the camera in the first place. I am so mad. Canon is such a rip-off! So I call to complain (AGAIN) and get the total run-around from Canon. I only wish I had the time to go on every camera website and write a review of this company and their crappy products. Buy a Nikon.
On: 2004-12-26
Ive had my PowerShot A70 for about a year and a half and I love love love it! I bought it because I wanted a point and click camera that I could take anywhere. The photographs it produces are so much better than I expected from a camera in this price range. Pictures taken on the automatic settings come out well most of the time, and other options that can be set manually let you take perfect photos in trickier situations. Battery life is also good, and the downloading software that comes with it is easy to use. Highly recommended.
My only complaint is that the red eye flash takes really bizarre photos - it looks like the flash goes off twice, so if youre taking a picture with any action in it, you get a sort of double image. But redeye is easily corrected in an image editing program, so I just dont use that feature.
On: 2004-12-24
...out A70s digital pickup elements died after just a year. It would play back fine, just couldnt take pictures. We sent it back twice for fixing until it finally ran out of its warranty. I absolutely loved the features of this camera though, and was sorry to give it up. And, sorry to say, I wouldnt buy another Canon because of this experience.
On: 2004-12-13
We went everywhere together. I had it for nearly a year and a half when the mechanism that reads the image suddenly went dead. The camera displays photos fine, so its not the LCD. I didnt drop it or expose it to any extreme elements. Im disappointed that it lasted less than 1.5 years - but I do have to say that it was a very good 1.5 years.
If the camera didnt break so early on, Id have given it the full five stars.
by: quantrillian On: 2004-12-10
Dec. 10, 2004: My first digital camera and I found it very easy to use. Great high-quality pictures. Easy downloads to my computer. I would suggest using rechargeable batteries to save money in the long run - keep a spare set handy so you wont miss that great shot! I received great customer service with the Canon 800#: I damaged one of the prongs while reinserting the flash card the first week I had the camera. I called the 800# and they were very pleasant and patient, walking me through steps to hopefully resolve the problem while I was on the phone, but I ended up having to send the camera in to be repaired. The camera was returned to me within about 10 days good as new and I wasnt charged for the repair. ******Comment added 9-19-2005: Still loving this camera!
On: 2004-12-01
First of all, I want to say that I am not a technical minded person at all. I love my 35mm camera and was really hesitant about going digital. The ONLY reason I even considered buying a digital camera is that I was traveling to Scotland on my honeymoon and wanted to be able to see the pictures as I was taking them because these were shots that I would never have the opportunity to retake, should they come out badly. So, I did a lot of research and tried to get the most user friendly camera I could find.
This camera has really been great. There are of course a lot of features that I have never used, and a few that I have finally learned. The owners manual was a little intimidating - it was so thick! But with a little practice, Ive become a pretty good photographer. The Zoom works really well. Batteries last pretty well - we have a recharger for when they run out. The editing software that comes with the camera is very easy to use. The panorma feature (or photo stitch I think its called) gave us some great scenery shots and the "auto pilot" feature allowed us to both be in the picture at the same time. The picture quality is generally good. At first it was no match to my trusty 35mm, but then I switched the setting to capture the highest quality pictures, and have had no complaints since then.
In the beginning it was hard to get used to the delay in shutter speed - I was used to "snap and click", but with the powershot I had to hold down the button for maybe a second or so before the picture would take. I was missing a lot of action shots. But now, Ive learned to set the speed to action and that is no longer a problem.
I would definitely recomend this camera to any novices like me. As a matter of fact, now that I have the hang of digital cameras, I am moving up to a camcorder - Canon ZR85 here I come!
On: 2004-11-30
First of all, I want to say that I am not a technical minded person at all. I love my 35mm camera and was really hesitant about going digital. The ONLY reason I even considered buying a digital camera is that I was traveling to Scotland on my honeymoon and wanted to be able to see the pictures as I was taking them because these were shots that I would never have the opportunity to retake, should they come out badly. So, I did a lot of research and tried to get the most user friendly camera I could find.
This camera has really been great. There are of course a lot of features that I have never used, and a few that I have finally learned. The owners manual was a little intimidating - it was so thick! But with a little practice, Ive become a pretty good photographer. The Zoom works really well. Batteries last pretty well - we have a recharger for when they run out. The editing software that comes with the camera is very easy to use. The panorma feature (or photo stitch I think its called) gave us some great scenery shots and the "auto pilot" feature allowed us to both be in the picture at the same time. The picture quality is generally good. At first it was no match to my trusty 35mm, but then I switched the setting to capture the highest quality pictures, and have had no complaints since then.
In the beginning it was hard to get used to the delay in shutter speed - I was used to "snap and click", but with the powershot I had to hold down the button for maybe a second or so before the picture would take. I was missing a lot of action shots. But now, Ive learned to set the speed to action and that is no longer a problem.
I would definitely recomend this camera to any novices like me. As a matter of fact, now that I have the hang of digital cameras, I am moving up to a camcorder - Canon ZR85 here I come!
On: 2004-11-28
Dread E18 appeared 2 weeks prior to warranty expiration. I joined the faulty product club. I guess Ill have to buy a new camera soon, not a Canon, thats for sure.
On: 2004-11-27
Ive had my A70 for a year now and have not had a problem with it. It takes nice pictures and short movies. There are fancier new cameras out there now (like the A75 or A95), but if youre looking for a bargain the A70 is a good choice. Ive always had good experiences with Canon products because theyre affordable and user-friendly. Some drawbacks: shutter speed is slow, camera is heavy/bulky, LCD is small. I do not mind the drawbacks, however, and I would recommend this camera for a bargain shopper.
On: 2004-11-27
Dread E18 appeared 2 weeks prior to warranty expiration. I joined the faulty product club. I guess Ill have to buy a new camera soon, not a Canon, thats for sure.
On: 2004-11-26
Ive had my A70 for a year now and have not had a problem with it. It takes nice pictures and short movies. There are fancier new cameras out there now (like the A75 or A95), but if youre looking for a bargain the A70 is a good choice. Ive always had good experiences with Canon products because theyre affordable and user-friendly. Some drawbacks: shutter speed is slow, camera is heavy/bulky, LCD is small. I do not mind the drawbacks, however, and I would recommend this camera for a bargain shopper.
On: 2004-11-04
I loved the camera...great software, good fit in hand, takes great movies (something I didnt plan on using as much as I have).
Then the other day (just out of warranty) I turned it on, and got a psychedelic view on the LCD instead of a proper picture. Hmmm...tooks some pictures, and the problem is not in the LCD, its in the camera. I tried the universal repair method of tapping it on the top and sides, and lo and behold, it works again. Some more taps, and squiggly lines, and occasionally not working. Looks like there is something loose inside.
Call Canon to see about a repair, thinking it will probably take them 10 seconds to fix it by re-fastening something inside, and they tell me it will be a minimum of $100, or $150 to replace with a newly refurbished A70 with 6 month warranty. Whaaa...?
Check online prices for new A75 with more features, and see that they are available for not much over $180. Easy decision.
I also see that Olympus and Kodak and Nikon also have products in the same price range. Wonder how their reliability is?
So my plan is to buy a new camera from somebody that is not Canon, and take my A70 apart myself and see if I can diagnose the problem. Probably a loose connector is my guess.
Buy something else. This camera will break your heart, and do it out of warranty.
On: 2004-10-31
Bought this camera along with the accessory pack for my daughter as a college graduation present in May 2004.
It recently dropped out of her purse into a puddle, it was in its case. It worked initially, then stopped working.
The company offers nothing to replace or fix this camera other than she can spend 150.00 to get a refurbished one or she can send it in to be repaired which would cost over 200.00.
That seems out of line for a camera which cost 219.00 originally and you can get now for 175.00.
They didnt even offer to look at it for no fee and give options for repair or credit for purchase of another canon camera.
She was very happy with the performance of this camera and is devistated that all is now lost. I will be hesitant to purchase another canon product.
On: 2004-10-30
Bought this camera along with the accessory pack for my daughter as a college graduation present in May 2004.
It recently dropped out of her purse into a puddle, it was in its case. It worked initially, then stopped working.
The company offers nothing to replace or fix this camera other than she can spend 150.00 to get a refurbished one or she can send it in to be repaired which would cost over 200.00.
That seems out of line for a camera which cost 219.00 originally and you can get now for 175.00.
They didnt even offer to look at it for no fee and give options for repair or credit for purchase of another canon camera.
She was very happy with the performance of this camera and is devistated that all is now lost. I will be hesitant to purchase another canon product.
On: 2004-10-29
This is my first digital camera, I have had it for 18 months, it works great, very easy to use, my 6 year old can even use it. The pictures are great quality, I also use a Canon Rebel SLR camera for when I want top quality photos. It is very durable, my 9 year old dropped it while riding an atv and it was undamaged. Would highly recommend. We did upgrade the memory card to 256, would do that again. If I were to buy another digital camera, I would buy Canon again.
On: 2004-10-27
My husband and I finally broke down and bought a digital camera when our 35mm Minolta broke on vacation in August of last year. This is the camera we chose for two main reasons 1. It uses AA batteries and 2. The compact flash card fits into our laptop and HP printer at home. We did not want a camera that was too "gadgety" that would be hard to use. This camera is simple to use and takes good pictures. I did not experience ANY of the problems posted on some of the reviews. Personally I never use the LCD screen to take the photos. It was a novelty at first, but uses a LOT of battery power. I would suggest buying rechargeable batteries and a "quick charger" we bought one that will fully charge four "AA" batteries in one hour. The quality of photos are very good. We print a lot of photos of our daughter in the 8 x 10 size and they turn out beautifully with vivid color and detail. I have suggested this camera to several people. Several have perchased the S410, which is smaller and are extremely happy with it as well. Others in our family have the 5.0 mega pixel version of the Canon and love it. When we are ready to upgrade I would definitely buy another Canon product.
On: 2004-10-24
This is my 3rd Digital Camera from Canon that I have bought and I had it for almost a year, and it has work perfect. Even it took a big fall from my backpack, it was inside the case (lowepro) and it still working just as new.
This is a Camera to recomend.
On: 2004-10-23
This is my 3rd Digital Camera from Canon that I have bought and I had it for almost a year, and it has work perfect. Even it took a big fall from my backpack, it was inside the case (lowepro) and it still working just as new.
This is a Camera to recomend.
On: 2004-10-11
I had the e18 error two months after purchasing this camera. I got it fixed because I had no choice and had just spent $299 purchasing the stupid camera. This cost me $120. Now, 14 months after I purchased it, the camera has the black and purple lines on the LCD. I have a four month old baby that Id like to take pictures of but cant. I am so mad!! I will never ever buy another Canon product. Lets sue them for a faulty product. Just wanted to update this review to post the following reply from Canon about my problem:
We are sorry to hear of the difficulty you have experienced with the LCD screen on your PowerShot A70. Please note, Canon USA does not monitor, confirm, endorse, or attest to the accuracy of any information posted on third party websites. It
seems many customers are overwhelmed by the barrage of information (or misinformation) being posted on unregulated, non-Canon websites. Unfortunately, this is not something over which Canon has any control. We are able only to confirm the performance of the camera based on our own testing. Canon USA has not released any service notifications regarding an issue
with the LCD screen. Since the camera is more than one year old, it is out of warranty. We have two options available: you may send the camera in for repair, or you may participate in our PowerShot Upgrade program. The standard labor cost to make the repair will range from $100 to $200. Parts may be an additional cost. Cameras damaged by impact, liquid, or sand may have a considerably higher repair cost, depending on the
results of the Factory Service Centers evaluation.
So even though this has happened to many people and on many websites there are similar complaints about this model, Canon wont take responsibility. If youve experienced problems, I suggest you call them. A better suggestion, dont buy Canon products. The repair and upgrade program they refer to are both jokes. $100-$200 to repair a camera that now costs $180? Ha! or a $150 for a refurbished camera that will likely break again.
On: 2004-10-10
I had the e18 error two months after purchasing this camera. I got it fixed because I had no choice and had just spent $299 purchasing the stupid camera. This cost me $120. Now, 14 months after I purchased it, the camera has the black and purple lines on the LCD. I have a four month old baby that Id like to take pictures of but cant. I am so mad!! I will never ever buy another Canon product. Lets sue them for a faulty product. Just wanted to update this review to post the following reply from Canon about my problem:
We are sorry to hear of the difficulty you have experienced with the LCD screen on your PowerShot A70. Please note, Canon USA does not monitor, confirm, endorse, or attest to the accuracy of any information posted on third party websites. It
seems many customers are overwhelmed by the barrage of information (or misinformation) being posted on unregulated, non-Canon websites. Unfortunately, this is not something over which Canon has any control. We are able only to confirm the performance of the camera based on our own testing. Canon USA has not released any service notifications regarding an issue
with the LCD screen. Since the camera is more than one year old, it is out of warranty. We have two options available: you may send the camera in for repair, or you may participate in our PowerShot Upgrade program. The standard labor cost to make the repair will range from $100 to $200. Parts may be an additional cost. Cameras damaged by impact, liquid, or sand may have a considerably higher repair cost, depending on the
results of the Factory Service Centers evaluation.
So even though this has happened to many people and on many websites there are similar complaints about this model, Canon wont take responsibility. If youve experienced problems, I suggest you call them. A better suggestion, dont buy Canon products. The repair and upgrade program they refer to are both jokes. $100-$200 to repair a camera that now costs $180? Ha! or a $150 for a refurbished camera that will likely break again.
On: 2004-10-09
This is a good camera no doubt but I wont rate it as the best I have ever seen. Because 1st of all its not so small. It cant fit in your purse. 2ndly, it takes four batteries every time. Batteries last long no doubt but since I had only four rechargable batteries, I couldnt let one set for charging and use the other one. When I was out for long time, I had to leave four of the batteries for charging for eight hours and go out without any camera. So, anything else which uses two batteries at a time is far more better. 3rd point is, sometimes the photos in night mode are hazy, for that you probably need a tripod, because if you shake your hand for a fraction of second, the photo will be a mess. Overall, canon A70 is a good deal.
On: 2004-09-20
I really loved this camera--for 13 months.
Then, like some other people who have reviewed this camera, the lens stuck open.
Fortunately, thanks to another reviewer, I discovered that American Express doubled the 1 year warranty, and issued me a credit. (Took about a month of back and forth faxing, returning the camera, etc).
I love the camera so much that Im tempted to buy the same one all over again---as long as it breaks within 2 years, Ill be fine :)
Most likely Ill upgrade to a newer Canon model---again, as I said, while it worked it was a wonderful camera, easy to use, easy to upload photos via the USB port of my PC, and with my Viking expansion memory card, stored a bunch of photos.
On: 2004-09-06
Just like the other review, my canon powershot A70 became non-functional, just beyond the warranty period. Instead of the picture, it produced orange and black stripes. The Canon Service Center determined it to be a non-functional imaging unit and indicated it would take a minimum of $100 to repair. My options were either to junk the camera and lost $300 investment in it or agree to their demand. I would have expected Canon to repair it for free because the camera was discovered to be non-functional within 13 months of the purchase and at the time of discovery had not been used for over a month. I have reluctantly ponied up $100 for the repair but would warn any one considering a canon powershot to be aware of the reliability problem with their imaging unit.
On: 2004-09-05
Just like the other review, my canon powershot A70 became non-functional, just beyond the warranty period. Instead of the picture, it produced orange and black stripes. The Canon Service Center determined it to be a non-functional imaging unit and indicated it would take a minimum of $100 to repair. My options were either to junk the camera and lost $300 investment in it or agree to their demand. I would have expected Canon to repair it for free because the camera was discovered to be non-functional within 13 months of the purchase and at the time of discovery had not been used for over a month. I have reluctantly ponied up $100 for the repair but would warn any one considering a canon powershot to be aware of the reliability problem with their imaging unit.
On: 2004-08-17
Ive had this camera for about a month now. Ive been pretty impressed with the picture quality and features.
One thing I notices recently is that its making a grinding sort of noise aftering powering on/off. the noise occurs after the lens is fully extended. the same noise happens when focusing for a shot. i cant remember if it was doing this all along or not, but its made me paranoid. wondering if anyone could shed some light on this...
thanks --
On: 2004-08-16
Ive had this camera for about a month now. Ive been pretty impressed with the picture quality and features.
One thing I notices recently is that its making a grinding sort of noise aftering powering on/off. the noise occurs after the lens is fully extended. the same noise happens when focusing for a shot. i cant remember if it was doing this all along or not, but its made me paranoid. wondering if anyone could shed some light on this...
thanks --
On: 2004-08-14
I bought this camera for myself after hearing great reviews from friends and seeing it receive excellent marks in Consumer Reports. I have LOVED it. It has all the features Ive ever needed, plus many manual functions that I havent had time to play with yet. If you are averse to settings, you just need to keep it on "Auto" all the time. Youll get beautiful pictures. I dont even keep it on the highest resolution setting and Ive never needed more resolution. Tip: I think using flash can make subjects too stark. When I turn it off, most pictures come out better. I have had the camera for 8 months.
On: 2004-08-13
I bought this camera for myself after hearing great reviews from friends and seeing it receive excellent marks in Consumer Reports. I have LOVED it. It has all the features Ive ever needed, plus many manual functions that I havent had time to play with yet. If you are averse to settings, you just need to keep it on "Auto" all the time. Youll get beautiful pictures. I dont even keep it on the highest resolution setting and Ive never needed more resolution. Tip: I think using flash can make subjects too stark. When I turn it off, most pictures come out better. I have had the camera for 8 months.
On: 2004-08-04
This camera is very user friendly, takes amazing pictures and video footage. I am not a technical type at all and after reading a few pages of the manual I can operate mose features of this camera. I have had it for 6 months and it travels well too. I highly recommend it.
On: 2004-08-03
This camera is very user friendly, takes amazing pictures and video footage. I am not a technical type at all and after reading a few pages of the manual I can operate mose features of this camera. I have had it for 6 months and it travels well too. I highly recommend it.
On: 2004-07-27
Great while it worked, which wasnt long. After 9 months of ownership the camera stopped working, with all the pictures coming out black. Because it was still under warranty Canon repaired at no charge, but the same problem occurred again 3 1/2 months later. No longer under warranty, my only option now is to spend $100+ to fix the exact same problem, which is only guaranteed for another 90 days. Not worth it. I will be spending the $100 towards another camera, and it will definetely NOT be a Canon.
On: 2004-07-26
Great while it worked, which wasnt long. After 9 months of ownership the camera stopped working, with all the pictures coming out black. Because it was still under warranty Canon repaired at no charge, but the same problem occurred again 3 1/2 months later. No longer under warranty, my only option now is to spend $100+ to fix the exact same problem, which is only guaranteed for another 90 days. Not worth it. I will be spending the $100 towards another camera, and it will definetely NOT be a Canon.
On: 2004-07-25
PLEASE CONSIDER CAREFULLY BEFORE BUYING A CANON A SERIES CAMERA. Slightly more than a year ago I bought a Canon PowerShot A70, having read many excellent reviews of it and having compared it with other 3MP cameras then on the market. Until a few days ago (when its warranty had lapsed by several weeks) the camera was a joy; all the good things said about it in its many reviews had proven true. But then, one afternoon, out of the blue, E18! The cameras optical unit failed, the lens would not retract, and the camera became completely nonfunctional. To no avail I tried the few remedies suggested by Canon tech support on line, by e-mail, and over the phone (where responses were quick, courteous, but completely ineffectual). The telephone tech rep then informed me that I could send the camera, at my expense, to Canon, who would repair it for anywhere from $100 to $200. I asked him if lens-unit failure was a common problem with the camera (already, from the dozens of reports Id read on the web, I knew it was), and, quite candidly, he replied that it was. He added that this was true with ALL PowerShot A series cameras, so that I could not buy a subsequent model (e.g., A75 or A80) with any confidence that the E18 problem would not occur with it. Please read the negative reviews of this camera and consider that the problems described may affect your camera (and those of the rave review writers) several weeks or months into ownership. For over 40 years I had been a highly satisfied user of Canon products (most of them, unlike the new digital cameras, made in Japan). No longer, alas, since I shall not buy another Canon camera.
On: 2004-07-20
This is my first digital camera and I absolutely love it. I am a computer guy myself, so the basic come a little easier to me than others but even my wife (not so much the computer person) is able to use it without reserve and she prefers it better than our still camera.The shooting modes are easily accessible on the top dial. You can switch from AUTO, to camcorder, to action shots within seconds. I can get 137 pix out of one 128mb card. The battery life is great. I DEFINITELY recommend rechargables! There are a couple little *quirks* about it like the fact that there are two menus which can be a pain if you know you saw a feature somewhere but dont remember exactly which menu had it. Plus I cant figure out a way to get a date on the print. It may be there but then Id have to read the manual :-) Otherwise, you simply cant beat this camera for the price. Get it now before Canon phases it out. There are two newer models out there now so the clock is ticking!
On: 2004-07-10
i got this camera after being disappointed with the quality of my 3MP fuji finepix s5000. i did my homework and researched 3MP digital cameras for a few weeks. i noticed the A70 had the same advanced controls as the finepix s5000. it got good reviews from both professionals and casual users. so, i bought it and i have been VERY happy with this camera ever since.my advice? READ THE MANUAL if you ever plan on doing more than pointing and shooting. even if you dont, read it anyway! this camera has a great feature set and youd be wasting your hard earned money if you dont check it out. also, as always, spring for a bigger compact flash card (at least 128MB), rechargable batteries and a case. protect your investment! PROS:
* takes excellent 3MP photos (color is cool and images are sharp). isnt this what digital photography is all about?
* advanced features are great! its a great point and shoot camera, but also has tons of advanced features for those wanting more control; white balance, shutter speed, aperature, ISO, and many, many more!
* movie feature is kinda cool. with sound, too!
* fairly small and feels comfortable in your hand. controls are where they should be.
* menu is easy to understand.
* battery life seems to be pretty good (i use rechargables). CONS:
* LCD on back of camera scratches very easily. dont remove the protective cover, or buy one on ebay. people actually sell these things. :)
* LCD gets a pink hue to it when i am in daylight, taking photos. the LCD is hard to see in daylight. try using the viewfinder. though the optical viewfinder isnt exactly what youll see when you transfer to your puter, but its close enough.
* time between photos could be better. overall, a SUPER camera! i just hope i dont get the dreaded "E18" error! 7.12.04
well, its off to the factory already for repairs. its been a little over a month since i bought the A70 and its already got problems. pink streaking on the LCD and although it doesnt show up in the pictures, it does show up on the video. i am so scared of sending this thing to the canon factory to be worked on cause i have heard so many stories about their horrible customer service. oh well, here goes...
On: 2004-07-09
Ive long believed that the only way to become good at photography is to keep experimenting and the move to digital allowed me to indulge in my hobby without worrying about consuming film on failed photographs. I have found the A70, with its impressive list of manual controls, perfect for the job. Its pictures are sharp and clear and uploading them to the computer is a piece of cake.Its wide range of shutter speeds and apertures allows for a lot of experimentation, especially with low light and night shots. Ive come up with some night shots and macros that Ive been quite proud of. I also have a three year old and as anyone with kids knows, they never have the time to pose for a photograph. So for such moments when there isnt enough time to fiddle around with the settings, the preset modes like portrait, shutter priority, etc. work real well. The batteries last quite long(Ive taken about 200 shots, most of them with the LCD on, with one set) and with 2 sets of rechargeables, I make sure Im never without a fresh set. The reduction of 1 star is due to the E18 error Ive gotten several times. And apparently it is quite prevalent if the forums are to be believed. Though its never affected my photographs(since it occurs only when shutting down or turning the camera on in play mode), it is quite annoying and scary. Overall, I love my A70 and never leave the house without it!
On: 2004-07-07
I love this camera. I did a lot of searching for a camera under $300 that had all the features I thought I needed like manual settings and focus. Turns out, the auto settings work just fine and I dont really want to stop what Im doing and fool around with settings anyway.
Pros: (1) It just feels nice in my hand. Sure, its a little bulkier than other cameras, but its not so large that you cant carry it in your pocket. (2) The battery life is amazing compared to my last camera. I filled a 256k card on one set of AAs. (3) The video setting is better than I could have imagined. I thought the quality would be grainy and the sound bad, but happily, I was wrong. (4) It has a power button rather than a knob that is easily bumped or is flimsy and can break.
Cons: (1) I have a lens cover problem. It sticks a lot and has since day 1. I cant bear to part with it though so I never sent it in for service. (2) The software that comes with it is confusing. I now use another program to capture and download and it also has a way better editing feature than what the camera came with. (3) Picture quality is pretty good, but you really need an editing program to sharpen things up.
All in all, Im really glad that I bought this camera and would recommend it to anyone, especially the budget minded person who wants a great first digital camera.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-07-06
We just had our first child and needed to upgrade from our basic 1.1MP camera to something with a bit more power. This camera is excellent. It is a nice size and feel unlike other cameras which are so small, you forget youre holding a camera. This model is feature packed. I usually keep it on auto mode for shooting, but found the sports setting and P settings good for shooting in low light without the flash. As much as this kid is photographed, we would blind our baby with constant camera flashes. The photo stich assist feature is great for capturing panorama views. Ive used it to save a 360 view of the baby room to share with relatives. As for battery life, my number one criteria is that we dont have to take a second mortgage to afford to power the camera. So far, the batteries are hanging in there after many shots and on-camera reviews of pictures. We have yet to invest in rechargable batteries, but I imagine the performance is the same. If theres one piece of advice I have for new parents, it is this: Leave your camera out ready to go so you can capture those special moments. With a 128MB CF card, we can get over 100 pictures at the highest resolution. We can shoot many pictures before off loading to the laptop. Then, the blurry, low light, or otherwise uninteresting shots can be dumped. Bottom line: This camera is a great value.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-07-05
Easy to use and trouble free since day one. I absolutely love this camera!
by: Anonymous On: 2004-07-03
OK So the camcorder comment may be a bit overdone...but this really is a great camera. The price, for what you get, is very fair and unless youre taking pictures for publication in National Geographic magazine, its going to do a great job for you. From still shots of a european vacation to shooting thirty second videos in the manufacturing facilities where I work, this camera does a great job and with a little tweaking it will make great videos in Windows Movie Maker where you can cut custom DVDs. I use it to make training DVDs for machinery and equipment. One thing in particular that needs to be pointed out is that you definitely need to upgrade to at least at 256 MB memory card (around $75), rechargable batteries (around $30 for batts and charger), and a padded case to protect your imvestment.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-26
It takes nice pictures when it works. Unfortunately it seldom works. Two trips back to Canon is enough. I think Canon has a quality control problem with this as well as their SLRs.
On: 2004-06-25
I am a reader and not a photographer. I enjoy taking pictures with the next man but I would not call it my hobby as much as a necessity from my wife. I bought this camera because frankly we needed a new camera that was digital and would allow this amature to delete pictures before running to Wal-Mart to process them. This camera is great for me!The camera itself is lightweight and quite easy to learn. I had some difficulty at first figuring out how to take pictures, switch to the video, and then move to cutting and deleting pictures and short films. However, Canon sends an easy to follow book that teaches you all you need to know to run the camera. Finally, buy rechargable batteries! This camera (as I am learning with all digital cameras) eats batteries for fun. Spend the $50 to get a battery pack and get a nice camera case as well (Canon does not provide you with one).
On: 2004-06-24
This camera is worth every penny you will pay for it. I could not expect anything more out of a low-mid price range digital camera. Canon has thought of everything when it comes to making their products user-friendly. I have messed around with a lot of digital cameras recently and most of the non-Canons have not yet mastered camera ergonomics. Many manufacturers are trying to make their camera super small, which I admit, can be nice sometimes. But in doing so, theyve thrown ergonomics out the window, so using the more advanced features is very frustrating. You have to have sharp fingernails to press some of the buttons on other cameras. But with the Canon A70, fingertips work fine. The camera is shaped so that your right hand fits perfectly around the body without obstructing the lens or mashing unwanted buttons. I dont need to list all the features here, as they are listed in several other reviews. But one neat feature(some people think its a negative) is that it takes four AA batteries instead of a battery pack. The real trick is to buy two four-packs of either the Rayovac or Energizer rechargeable NiMh batteries and a charger. Instead of spending 80 bucks on an extra battery pack, you spend 15 bucks on a charger and 12 bucks per 4-pack of AAs. Plus, when your friends are scrambling for a wall-outlet to charge their camera battery packs, you just drop in the other set of AAs and shoot away. It has been an invaluable asset when Im shooting in the field away from AC power. The software that is bundled with the camera is almost limitless. The "Photo-stitch assist" mode of the camera is really cool. It helps you line up subsequent pictures for a panoramic, so when you bring the pics into the computer software, it does an amazing job at making a panoramic image! Id recommend a 256 MB CF memory card for this camera for more than enough storage. (...)Way to go Canon!
On: 2004-06-24
Ive had the camera for over 2 weeks now and I must say I am more than satisfied with the quality of pictures. The optics and electronics produce really neat pictures. Has good features like full manual control of shutter speed, exposure etc..
The only problem I had with this camera is that it sucks on batteries. within a few days of clicking, i exhausted the battery pack and am now left looking for a good set of rechargeable batteries.
Also, it doesnt have a battery status indicator (only beeps alarm when battery is critically low).
Otherwise, it is worth every cent :)
On: 2004-06-21
The camera took great pictures for a full year. 2 days after the warranty expired the lens cover got stuck. Support said they might replace it since it was so close to the warranty period. They wanted me to ship it back and theyd let me know. Instead I called American Express (the card I purchased the camera on) who doubles all warranties up to one year. About 2 weeks later I received a check for my full purchase price and am now shopping for a new camera.
On: 2004-06-20
I have owned this product for almost a year now. It is still in good condition and I love it a lot. The image quality is excellent. The good part about this camera is that it gives you a lot of control - for a non-professional camera, contrary to other camera which really on gives you ability to POINT and SHOOT. It gives you control over shuttle speed, focus length, ISO speed, various image sizes, flash intensity, just to name a few.The con about this product is that it needs 4 AA batteries, which makes it quite bulky and heavy. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a camera which is easy to use and still does not want to lose too much of control, pick Canon A70.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-10
The lens cover failed 2 weeks after the warranty expired. The top half closes but not the bottom. Canon support stated that the lens cover is very sensitive and that it would cost approximately $175 to repair.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-09
Is the Canon Powershot A70 camera pictbridge compatiable,and does it come with a cable to conect to and print pictures directly from my Canon i560s printer?
On: 2004-06-04
I used this camera to take images in a lab as a record of some work done on a steering mirror system. Its a cheap camera and the image quality reflects it. Matte surfaces had nasty artifacts, even at the upper medium resolution and Superfine quality.Although the camera is easy to handle and quite simple to use, the image quality is everything - and this is a piece of junk in that respect. Any of the Nikon Coolpix series are infinitely superior. Sorry, Canon. You should be able to do better than this.
On: 2004-06-03
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.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-06-02
I admit that I dont have anything to compare this to--but I am very happy with this camera. Is simple to use, takes great pictures. Im sure there are people who have a lot of experience with digital cameras that could find something to be improved on this rather inexpensive, average number pixal model, but for a newbie like me its great!! Im glad I bought this one rather than the other 20 or more I looked at.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-30
I bought the A75 and was very disappointed in the quality of pictures. It said it was Auto, but you better know a lot about photography so you can set it all manually. I wanted a quick point and shoot camera. The photos I took looked fine on the camera monitor, but when I brought it up on my computer they were dark. The only easy thing about it is the menu and settings, etc. But after 3 days of reading and trying to understand the thick book that came with it, I gave up and took it back. To me if I have to spend days trying to figure out how to operate something, it isnt worth having. I ordered the Olympus Camedia D-580 and I love it! VERY easy to understand, pictures 100 times better and they come up on my computer and look beautiful. With the Cannon, every person and dog had glassy yellow or red eye and I tried Auto and manually put it on red eye reduction, but still their eyes looked horrible. Im sure if I went in and manually set whatever the professionals set, the eyes would have been fine, but Im not a professional. I want something simple and easy and fast. Olympus - the eyes were PERFECT! Blue eyes and brown eyes - no shine - no glassiness - no red. Oylmpus instructions were a lot easier to understand and explained more, but yet in 1/4th of the pages it took cannon. Cannons book - you have to keep refering back to other pages because it will say "Refer to page such and such". I dont have time to sit and keep fliping around to different pages. Also Cannons softwear - the 1st day my new XP computer reconized the cannon, the 2nd day it would not reconize it. Olympus camera - you dont need to load softwear at all if you dont want to - the computer will reconize it and you can bring the photos up in any program.
The cannon would be fine for a person that knows a lot about photography and all the meanings, settings, etc. but for an amature - I say go with Olympus. And if you want your pictures to come out clearer and better on your computer to print - go with Olympus.
On: 2004-05-28
This is the third Canon (we have one Sony) in the family. I bought Canon because the other two provided good pictures, good software, easy and user friendly operation, all at a good price. My A70 has been a joy to operate. This is my first digital camera to call my own. I have two Minolta 35mm camera, and although this digital wont replace them, it can be carried a lot easier than my two film cameras, and all their lenses. I also like the instant color-to-B&W (and other special features) rather than switching out film. The batteries last for a long while, but even longer since I bought (free with rebate) a card reader. The local retail store prints copies of the digital pics that you want to put in the album or in a frame. Good camera with no problems. The 3MP at just over $200 has served me well.
On: 2004-05-28
I selected the A-70 because it ran on AA cells (dont have to lug a charger around - although you will probably need to anyway because of alkalines short life in the camera) and had a good variety of features. After a couple of years with the camera and several thousand exposures, some observations:
- Optical viewfinder is junk - but this seems to be common in cameras of this price range. Shows only about 70% of view, and mine is also off about 10 degrees in rotation.
- Picture quality is excellent as long as the "ASA" is kept on Auto or at or below 100. "Auto ASA" will net shutter/apertures at ASA 50 equivalent. At ASA 200 and 400, there is lots of noise and the camera will overexpose pictures taken in daylight.
- Picture quality as "high ASA" speeds (200,400) has deteriorated over time. Beware if you are buying used. Pictures taken in low light are filled with noise, streaks, and "sparkles".
- Power management is poor. Batteries die without warning (Ive never seen the "low battery" indication), and camera has gotten "stuck" a couple of times in a mode where it seems to think even fresh batteries are no good; it has recovered after a few minutes with the batteries removed. Can take about 120 no-flash pictures on a set of 2000 maH NiMhs, with LCD mostly on. Battery life on alkalines is shorter than high-capacity NiMhs.
- Autofocus has failed on about 1% of pictures.
On: 2004-05-25
I give the A70 one star because of the mental anguish it has caused me, and not because it is a bad camera. I dont understand the people at Canon. I had a PowerShot s30 - an excellent camera, with virtually the same features as the A70, but small enough to fit into your pocket - but my s30 was stolen and I was forced to buy the A70 because the s30 was discontinued. The A70 takes just as good pics as the s30, and it has almost the same features, BUT its substantially bigger and it takes four clunky, heavy AA batteries rather than a small rechargable one half the size of an average matchbox. I just dont get it. With the S30, you had a great manual camera that was small enough to fit into your pocket and that was reasonably priced. Now, Canon forces you to choose between a manual large camera, and a non-manual pocket-sized one. Why cant they just revive the great features of the S30? My advice: If you want a high quality, low-priced digital camera with manual features, and dont mind a large and heavy one, get the A70 or eqivalent new model. If you want any other mix of features, try something else.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-24
Perhaps I got a rare defective product, but it was annoying enough that I felt the need to write a review.* After 6 weeks, the replay mode stopped working. I couldnt look at old pictures I had taken. Furthermore, since the camera needs to be in replay mode to download pictures, I couldnt even get them onto my computer. I sent the camera back for repair ($10+ shipping that Canon doesnt cover) and they repaired it in about 3 weeks. Problem solved. Or was it... * A month after that, horizontal lines started to appear on LCD, and also on the pictures I took. Annoying, but I dealt with it. Some pictures were so distorted, it looked like LSD rather than LCD. After a while, the display would totally give out and remain black about 50% of the time. The resulting pictures were also black. I sent the camera in again for repair ($10+ shipping). This time Canon fixed it and sent it back within a week. Canon gets halfway decent marks for doing the repairs smoothly, and the camera itself is great. But as far as reliability, chalk this users experience up in the lemon department.
On: 2004-05-22
I purchased this camera two months ago and do not have a single complaint. It is easy to use (though I did have to spend an afternoon with the manual to understand the more esoteric features) and takes wonderful pictures.The batteries that came with the camera were eaten up in about two days. I decided Id better get rechargable batteries at that rate of consumption so I picked up an Energizer kit with four batteries, and got 4 extras so Id always have a charged set. What I have found is that the second set of batteries probably was not necessary. We use this camera a couple of times a week for 15-30 minutes at a time - including making several movies - and after two months the original rechargable batteries are still going strong! That is much better performance than I ever would have dreamed. The camera fits comfortably in an adult hand and is easy to operate. The only quibble I have with the construction is that the cover to remove the CF card is poorly designed - when you unlatch it, the bottom of the cover "sticks" so you have to be careful you dont snap it trying to open it. The plastic on this cover feels flimsy, like it could break easily if extreme care is not taken. Still, anhyone with common sense will use care when handling a camera, and I havent found this one issue annoying enough to regret my decision at all. A very good bargain.
On: 2004-05-18
I have taken about 500 pictures so far in the last couple of months with the A70, my first digital camera. My review is strictly my opinion on using the A70, since I have never used any other brand, so I dont know if other may behave similarly or not.
First the good things: The A70 produces excellent color images, both on the monitor/tv or printed. It uses the least expensive memory card - compact flash. It uses the least expensive AA size batteries. (I bought 8 rechargeable ones, still very inexpensive compared to those batteries used in some very small tiny digital camera). Direct hookup to tv for viewing without the need of a dock.
Now the negatives: It bothers me very much that what you see in the viewfinder is not what you get. The little 1.5 inch screen seems to show what you will really get, but not the viewfinder. Under bright sunlight, the little screen is totally useless, you cannot see a thing. And since using the viewfinder does not correctly show you what youll get, its very frustrating to have to guess. Also because of the little screen becomes totally useless under bright sunlight, it is extremely hard to make any setting changes since settings are only displayed on the little screen, not through the viewfinder. For example, if you need to change from flash-on to flash-off under bright sunlight, good luck. The second annoying thing is the zoom control. It is almost impossible to zoom precisely. Youll go too far one way and when you zoom back, youll go too far the other way. No precision control on the zooming mechanism. It is fine with casual snapshot type of pictures, but not when you want a little bit of artistic creation. Third annoying thing is the delay reaction on the shutter, which I have read on other brands also, so it is not a unique A70 issue, but that does not make it not annoying. Among the three, the third is the least annoying.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-05-16
This is an OK entry level digital camera. Its small and well built, not a cheesy piece of junk. When it manages to focus on the subject, it takes pretty decent photos. There lies the rub. The focusing system is worthless. It picks random points within the field of view to focus on and I have not found a way to make it consistantly focus on the center of the frame. The small lens picks up no light, so every indooor shot is a flash photo, which leads to red eye and flash bounce from everything. The time between finger press to shutter release in agonizingly long. Half the time, youll move the camera thinking something is wrong just as its releasing the shutter.If you can deal with these problems, then its not a bad system. I would go the next level higher and get one that you can actually pick what gets focused on. My 2 cents.
On: 2004-05-09
I have had this camera for about 3 weeks now and am very happy with it. The image quality is very good with good color and contrast and sharp images. They are not as good as my fathers Canon Digital Rebel, but then his camera also cost 3 times as much. I have printed the photos on my Epson Stylus C84 (also available at Amazon, and highly recommended) and the results have been truly great. I got the printer because of the camera, and the 2 are a perfect team!It is a nice size to hold, not too big and not too small. The features are many and it has many manual controls, including flash level, focus, and many other things you would not expect on a camera like this. The only real feature that I have found sometimes not that great is the AiAf (artificial intelligence auto focus), sometimes it is not artificially intelligent but instead genuinely stupid. It is possibly to manualy control the focus on the camera though. Pros:
Good pictures
Lots of control when wanted
Lots of features
Solid build quality Cons:
AiAf can sometimes be just plain stupid
On: 2004-05-08
I have had this A70 since Christmas 2003. All who see the finished pictures always ask how many pixels it is because of the extra fine quality. The battery life is absolutly unbelieveable for a Digital camera. I love the panoramic view photos which are very impresssive [and very easy to make].
The ability of conecting it to the TV and seeing the photos so big is a great big WOW! The setting for the best quality picture is 38, but the quality it produces is worth it.
On: 2004-05-07
Very good overall but design and battery is a big problem.Since Canon does not supply battery charger with the camera you have to pay 20 bucks more.And the camera is very battery consuming.But other features are good enough.It is worth buying it.
On: 2004-05-03
I have been very pleased with the A70. I used to do a lot of photography in college, but afterwards found that without access to a darkroom, point-and-shoot (Rollei 35S) was the easy way to make photos. About three months ago, I made the switch to digital and decided to invest in a camera with the capability of manual controls. The learning curve for the A70 was not trivial, and it took awhile for what was obvious thirty years ago to come back. The biggest challenge has been focusing using the macro mode. In general, I find this camera a hoot and am enjoying photography again. I feel liberated by being able to pick the 10% of the photos that really stand out. The amount of info in the 3.2 meg image seems adequate for 4x6 or 8x10 prints. As I said in the title, Im very pleased.
On: 2004-05-03
This camera works great and has tons of modes. In auto mode all you need to do is press the shutter and you have an instant picture. Very high quality pictures with very little noise. This camera also includes a manual mode for the advanced users and people who want to learn it.
by: Anonymous On: 2004-04-30
I waited for a while for this Camera to come down below $250.00 and I scored it for $220.00 or so here on Amazon and I couldnt be happier. Great print out quality at 8 x 10s shooting at the highest resolution and superfine quality. The video function is actually practically useable with a 512, 9mb write speed card. Sequence shots have been great with wakingboarding and skating. Cant wait to get the waterproof casing for it. Aluminum body is sturdy and ergonomic. Doesnt eat batteries. Get ya one!
On: 2004-04-28
Im new to digital cameras and Im not even sure why I bought this one. I think I got one just to do it.
Im not quite sure what to take pictures of yet, but what I have taken pictures of look very good. I dont have any other cameras to compare it to though. The images are good quality, but I wished it was even sharper than it is. When you look at the largest images (2048 x 1536) with a desktop resolution of 1280 x 960, the images are somewhat blurry when you zoom into the image 100%. It looks very good though. I took pictures of my backyard and I tested its ability in low light. I took a picture of myself with me only being lit dimly by my computer screen and it showed up pretty well (I used the nighttime photo mode). And even if the image isnt bright enough or colored the way you want you could just edit them once you download them to your computer.
I was suprised with the quality of the video. It is very good looking, but at 640x480 it can only record for like fifteen seconds. I suppose I can make movies like Michael Bay though with thousands upon thousands of 5 second shots.
I researched different cameras and went to review sites with image quality tests and this one seems to have the best looking images for the cost. And it also seems to have the most features. The bottomline is that the images taken with this look great, the video feature looks great, lots of options to choose from and the camera itself is very sharp looking.
On: 2004-04-23
I have been using this camera for over six months now, above and below the water with the Canon housing. Dont get hung up on higher resolution camera - 3.2MP is terrific. I bought Maha 22 |
