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Canon Powershot A610 5MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
By: Canon Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 120
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 On: 2008-06-02
I will admit the camera took great pictures but from the very beginning I had issues. When it was very cold the shutter would not open completely, sometimes I had to open the battery door and close it to get it to power up. Then came the dreaded blank screen. I contacted Cannon and received the typical $110 up front answer. I will continue to argue with them and try to get a reduced price or free if I can but Im not holding my breath. I took excellent care of this camera but is still died after about 28 months of use. I still have a 25 year old Pentax camera that works like the day I bought it, why cant they make anything that last now days?
 On: 2008-05-13
I purchased my camera about 2 years ago, and I hear nothing but wows when I show off my pictures. I have read many bad reviews about the reliability and durability of this camera, but I just dont see it. I DID, however, purchase the underwater case for it, since I took up scuba diving. The case has hardly come off since I bought it. It was fairly expensive, but a worthwhile investment. I take the camera camping with me, and I go fairly frequently. Hiking, swimming, biking, and other general outdoor use - this camera has been at my side the whole time, and has not had one single problem. The pictures are great for a point and shoot camera - I am by no stretch of the imagination a great photographer, but I turn out a gem every once in a while simply with the "auto" setting. People have mentioned problems with the flash cards - I got a 1GB Corsair card (Im a computer geek, and Im very loyal to Corsair RAM). Its fast, it holds a good amount of pictures and video, and again, it has NEVER given me a problem.
The one negative thing that I can say is that when shooting a video, it gets fairly grainy when you zoom in.
All in all, though, the A610 does everything I need it to do, and well. I recommend it, but I also recommend getting the underwater case if you plan on bringing it along with you frequently during outdoor activities.
On: 2008-05-02
I bought my Canon camera thinking it would be a good quality camera. It worked fine up until I owned it for just under 15 months. The screen went black, and like so many others with the exact same problem, Canon REFUSES to fix it. Saying it is out of warranty. Bottom line is that Canon produced a line of defective cameras, and I for one will NEVER buy another product that bears the Canon name. Now, all I have is a really expensive paperweight!!! I hate to throw it away! Maybe someday, Canon will come to its senses and offer to fix it. But I wont hold my breath. If you are even remotely considering buying a Canon camera, I would strongly recommend not doing so. Their customer service is absolutely among the worst I have ever seen and experienced!
On: 2008-03-14
After one year of babying the camera, it suddenly has malfunctioning lens i.e. both zoom and focus. Cover would not close properly anymore. Makes loud buzzing noise when turned on, and lens does not glide smoothly. Now it drains fully charged high capacity nickle metal hydride batteries very quickly. The internal gears must be made of absolutely worthless material to go bad so quickly. The alternatives are not much better either as every manufacturer may well be using poor quality internal gears so they can keep selling a new one to customers every year or so. Good scheme for generating revenues. Is there collusion among manufacturers?
 On: 2008-03-06
Good camera. Havent used all of the options on it, but its performed fairly well. There are some features I both like and dislike about the camera. It does the job.
On: 2008-02-18
I did a good bit of research before buying my camera, and found that, for the price, this was the best one for the job. Im not a professional photographer, but I wanted something that took good pictures and would be easy to operate.
The multi-angle LCD makes it easy to take pictures overhead, down low and of myself.
Its also durable. I accidentally left it on top of my car and drove off one morning. I realized my mistake about half a mile from my house and when I found the camera (at the end of my block) it only had some minor scratches on it, and still works perfectly.
I took it to Greece in 2006, and came back with some amazing pictures (links below).
Would definitely recommend.
[...]
On: 2008-01-13
If you look at the ratio of reviews, youll note that its the opposite of the bell-shaped curve: many 5 star reviews and many 1s. I dont recall ever seeing this schism before, but it exists for good reason. The camera takes lovely pictures, given enough light, maybe some of the best Ive seen from a Point-and-Shoot... when it works. So if a reviewers cam is still working, 5 stars make sense. But so many report the e18 lens error or, like mine, the dreaded black screen, that Canon needed to step up and handle these better. I sent mine in, and got the usual $107 quote to fix it out of warranty. Having read other reviews, I think Ill just let it slide, since even cameras that have been repaired continue to have problems.
For me, it boils down to a companys integrity. With such a proliferation of complaints, Canon needed to own up to the problem. Instead, theyre trying to reward their own lack of QC by earning more money on repair of an unreliable camera. They do offer to "upgrade" you to an A540, I believe it is, for "only" $100. The A540 lacks the swivel screen of the 610, which was why I bought my 610 in the first place, and has some of the same problems reported.
Third strike is that, while most digicams mount on my Mac desktop when plugged in, the Canon requires software to download the pictures. Alas, "convenient" integrity, sloppy repairs and interface problems equal three strikes for Canon. Ill be looking elsewhere for a pocketable camera.
On: 2008-01-09
Wow, so Im not alone in my $150 purchase of a camera that lasts 16 months? Thanks everyone, misery loves company.
For my camera, I was taking photos when i put my finger in front of the lens when i zoomed out. All of a sudden I get error code "E18" (obstructed lens) and my camera is DEAD. Im out of Canon warranty, I didnt get Bestbuys warranty, and the local repair shop wants $65 minimum to take a look.....betwen my own lens problem and all of the other published problems on this camera, I dont want to invest more money in a lemon. I am now seriously concerned for the quality of all canon cameras and I dont CARE how popular they are, Once burned, you learn your lesson, Ill go for Sony next time.
I really LOVED this camera while it lasted which is the sad part. I hate Canon and I do hold a grudge. They lost a customer forever. An electronic product should not be this shoddy.
On: 2008-01-08
Wow, so Im not alone in my $150 purchase of a camera that lasts 16 months? Thanks everyone, misery loves company.
For my camera, I was taking photos when i put my finger in front of the lens when i zoomed out. All of a sudden I get error code "E18" (obstructed lens) and my camera is DEAD. Im out of Canon warranty, I didnt get Bestbuys warranty, and the local repair shop wants $65 minimum to take a look.....betwen my own lens problem and all of the other published problems on this camera, I dont want to invest more money in a lemon. I am now seriously concerned for the quality of all canon cameras and I dont CARE how popular they are, Once burned, you learn your lesson, Ill go for Sony next time.
I really LOVED this camera while it lasted which is the sad part. I hate Canon and I do hold a grudge. They lost a customer forever. An electronic product should not be this shoddy.
On: 2008-01-02
I should have done this review 18 months ago to help other people.
This camera is a solid buy. 5 MPs isnt much by todays standards. I have just purchased the Canon A560 - 7.1 MPs.
I have used the camera on several vacations. It performed quite well.
I spent more on the older Canon but that is technology for you. If you buy the A610 for a decent price, it will be a good buy. Solid camera.
On: 2008-01-01
I should have done this review 18 months ago to help other people.
This camera is a solid buy. 5 MPs isnt much by todays standards. I have just purchased the Canon A560 - 7.1 MPs.
I have used the camera on several vacations. It performed quite well.
I spent more on the older Canon but that is technology for you. If you buy the A610 for a decent price, it will be a good buy. Solid camera.
On: 2007-12-08
Like so many that have commented, after owning this camera for about 15 months it stopped taking pictures. The monitor still works since I can view the old pictures on memory, but the camera will no longer capture a new picture. Avoid this camera!
On: 2007-12-07
Like so many that have commented, after owning this camera for about 15 months it stopped taking pictures. The monitor still works since I can view the old pictures on memory, but the camera will no longer capture a new picture. Avoid this camera!
On: 2007-12-04
Took great pictures for a year and then the power switch got flakey on me. For a while it took two presses to turn it on. Then had to press it repeatedly for 10 seconds then 20. Time got longer to turn it on before I finally sent it in for repair. Estimate was $180 to repair a $250 camera. Ummm, naaahh.
by: shawnuff On: 2007-11-15
It was great while it lasted.
Canon loads more quality optical elements and automatic features in the A610 than youll find on any other disposable camera. Outstanding zoom lens, automation that ranges from full (a variety of easy-to-use presets that adjust for scenery), to moderate (e.g., speed priority or aperture priority), to none (manual operation), my Canon gave me excellent pictures for about 19 months. Thats right, it was almost two full years before the Canon stopped working--try beating that with your disposable!
At 19 months, the cameras viewfinder suddenly malfunctioned. I couldnt see an image through the LCD viewer, neither on picture preview (before you take the picture) nor on picture review. Staff at a professional camera shop said that it was probably the CCD sensor. Canon told me theyd repair it for $107 since the camera was over its one year warranty.
If you Google Canon A610 CCD problem (and you should, I think, if youre considering this or any other Canon), youll come to a thread on the CNET consumer electronics forum. Have a loved one or some tranquilizers nearby; this is scary stuff. IT appears that many people have had the same or a similar problem with their A610. In fact, Canon admits that several models made between 2002 and 2004 used faulty CCD sensors made by Sony; it issued "advisories" on these models (some of which are still sold), and, laudably, they will fix CCD-related problems for free.
Even though a professional camera shop told me that my A610 probably had this problem, Canon would not budge because the A610 is not on their "advisory" list. If you have some evidence that this is the problem (Google CCD sensor problems and youll learn some of the symptoms, and their prevalence), you will need to call the Canon Factory Service Center and argue tenaciously why you believe Canon should pay all repair fees. Canon apparently will NOT admit that the A610 has a CCD problem--that would open up the model to costly recalls. When I received mine back (repaired for free after much investment of time and emotion), the repair sheet vaguely noted only a problem with the "optical assembly." How informative! The invoice did not specify the specific problem or what was replaced or repaired--itself an indictment of Canons (lack of) Candor in dealing with this problem.
Depending on how legitimate your claim and your persistence in reaching a supervisor, Canon will offer discounted repair prices (for example, 1/2 off, 3/4 off). Go for 100% off if you believe that Canon is at fault. Go to forums.cnet.com for some consumer accounts of the problem and Canons response. I believe Canon claims that all CCD problems ended after 2004. You might ask yourself, then, why so many people report such similar problems, often with A610s bought within the same period (towards the end of 2005).
If you must buy this camera, or if you already own one, consider an extended repair contract if one is available. In fact, this might be a good idea for ANY Canon product with an "optical assembly."
Otherwise, console yourself with the fact that you have bought the greatest disposable camera ever made.
On: 2007-11-14
It was great while it lasted.
Canon loads more quality optical elements and automatic features in the A610 than youll find on any other disposable camera. Outstanding zoom lens, automation that ranges from full (a variety of easy-to-use presets that adjust for scenery), to moderate (e.g., speed priority or aperture priority), to none (manual operation), my Canon gave me excellent pictures for about 19 months. Thats right, it was almost two full years before the Canon stopped working--try beating that with your disposable!
At 19 months, the cameras viewfinder suddenly malfunctioned. I couldnt see an image through the LCD viewer, neither on picture preview (before you take the picture) nor on picture review. Staff at a professional camera shop said that it was probably the CCD sensor. Canon told me theyd repair it for $107 since the camera was over its one year warranty.
If you Google Canon A610 CCD problem (and you should, I think, if youre considering this or any other Canon), youll come to a thread on the CNET consumer electronics forum. Have a loved one or some tranquilizers nearby; this is scary stuff. IT appears that many people have had the same or a similar problem with their A610. In fact, Canon admits that several models made between 2002 and 2004 used faulty CCD sensors made by Sony; it issued "advisories" on these models (some of which are still sold), and, laudably, they will fix CCD-related problems for free.
Even though a professional camera shop told me that my A610 probably had this problem, Canon would not budge because the A610 is not on their "advisory" list. If you have some evidence that this is the problem (Google CCD sensor problems and youll learn some of the symptoms, and their prevalence), you will need to call the Canon Factory Service Center and argue tenaciously why you believe Canon should pay all repair fees. Canon apparently will NOT admit that the A610 has a CCD problem--that would open up the model to costly recalls. When I received mine back (repaired for free after much investment of time and emotion), the repair sheet vaguely noted only a problem with the "optical assembly." How informative--A camera itself is just one complex "optical assembly!" The invoice did not specify the specific problem or what was replaced or repaired--itself an indictment of Canons (lack of) Candor in dealing with this problem.
Depending on how legitimate your claim and your persistence in reaching a supervisor, Canon will offer discounted repair prices (for example, 1/2 off, 3/4 off). Go for 100% off if you believe that Canon is at fault. Go to forums.cnet.com for some consumer accounts of the problem and Canons response. I believe Canon claims that all CCD problems ended after 2004. You might ask yourself, then, why so many people report such similar problems, often with A610s bought within the same period (towards the end of 2005).
If you must buy this camera, or if you already own one, consider an extended repair contract if one is available. In fact, this might be a good idea for ANY Canon product with an "optical assembly."
Otherwise, console yourself with the fact that you have bought the greatest disposable camera ever made.
On: 2007-10-28
Ive now owned an A80 and the A610 -- Love the cameras, hate the failures. My A610 has failed exactly like other peoples cameras -- screen goes black, pictures go black, and now I have no camera! Are Powershots just crappy for longevity?! Honestly, the design of these cameras is brilliant, but I cannot afford to keep replacing my camera so frequently!!
On: 2007-10-22
Just wanted to add a voice to the chorus of people whose A610 died. I took excellent care of it, and then one day I turned it on and all it could do was take pictures of darkness. Sad that so little quality goes into products these days. Canon should be smarter than this; it makes it very hard for me to trust them with my money again.
On: 2007-10-04
Bought this camera 12/2005. I was thrilled with this camera. But alas 15 months later the lcd started to go blank. By 18 months dead as a door nail. Contacted Canon. They said they were not aware of any ongoing problem with this model, but ,they would fix it for a starting fee of $99.00. This fee would be half of what I paid for it.
On: 2007-10-03
Bought this camera 12/2005. I was thrilled with this camera. But alas 15 months later the lcd started to go blank. By 18 months dead as a door nail. Contacted Canon. They said they were not aware of any ongoing problem with this model, but ,they would fix it for a starting fee of $99.00. This fee would be half of what I paid for it.
On: 2007-09-10
UPDATE: After speaking with a supervisor and expressing my anger about this issue Canon agreed to fix my camera for $25. Although I didnt want or think I should have to pay this, I agreed b/c it was much better than the $110 quote or $100 inferior "upgrade". I received it just a day after submitting my repair authorization in good working order. Im not sure what was actually done, repair summary was vague. However, Im happy to have it back b/c there arent many cameras in this price range that take awesome photos and have so many manual controls. I would urge anyone with this problem to be persistant with customer service, I could not have replaced this camera for $25 so it was worth it to me. Im still angered that Canon is just outright denying this issue and am now looking at Nikkon instead of the Rebel for my DSLR purchase.
Original post:
I bought this camera in Feb of 06 and have LOVED it. It took the best pictures and the video/audio quality was as good, if not better than my $800 Handycam. Just recently it started going through batteries like crazy and would just powerdown, but not even close completely. I bought new, rechargeable batteries, but now it wont even power up. I was very careful to this camera. I did drop it one time on the grass probably a year ago, but just a minor dent and it still worked fine for a many many months. I took it to a camera repair and they opened it and said that nothing was damaged, that it is probably a circuit problem which can be complex and very expensive and that I would be better off just buying a new camera (of course ONE week b/f our family vacation!). I am soooo disappointed as I paid over $300 for a camera that lasted less than a year and a half. I am emailing Canon today, but reading other reviews not expecting them to do much. I will buy a new camera (not Canon) b/c just for the estimate to send it in is $100 and they will let you know if they need to do more, in which I might then be out $100 dollars and still out a camera.
SOOOOOO FRUSTRATING!
On: 2007-09-10
I bought this camera in Feb of 06 and have LOVED it. It took the best pictures and the video/audio quality was as good, if not better than my $800 Handycam. Just recently it started going through batteries like crazy and would just powerdown, but not even close completely. I bought new, rechargeable batteries, but now it wont even power up. I was very careful to this camera. I did drop it one time on the grass probably a year ago, but just a minor dent and it still worked fine for a many many months. I took it to a camera repair and they opened it and said that nothing was damaged, that it is probably a circuit problem which can be complex and very expensive and that I would be better off just buying a new camera (of course ONE week b/f our family vacation!). I am soooo disappointed as I paid over $300 for a camera that lasted less than a year and a half. I am emailing Canon today, but reading other reviews not expecting them to do much. I will buy a new camera (not Canon) b/c just for the estimate to send it in is $100 and they will let you know if they need to do more, in which I might then be out $100 dollars and still out a camera.
SOOOOOO FRUSTRATING!
On: 2007-09-09
First off let me tell you that when this camera is working it is great. The pictures are great the ease of use is great, everything about it is great................except! I had this camera for 6 months and then it started going south. The drive to zoom was not functioning right, so I sent it back to cannon who fixed it and fixed it in a very timely manner. Everything was back to normal and the camera was making me very happy again. Then about 8 months later............it stopped working, completely. It would not even turn on. So I contacted cannon and the email I got back shocked me. They told me that there was nothing they could do because it had been a year since I had bought the camera, and they proceeded to tell me that if I sent in my A610 with $120 they would send me a refurbished A520. Are you freakin kidding me, a refurbished A510 and $120, I can buy a BRAND NEW A510 for under $100. So the point of the story is that I had read many reviews like mine and ignored them, do not ignore this one. If you buy I would strongly suggest getting some kind of extended warrenty so you do not waste $300 like I did.
On: 2007-08-28
I bought this camera back in February of 2006 and I took it EVERYWHERE and took litterally thousands of photos and hundreds of videos. I love the quality of the photos and the video. The only thing I did not like about this camera, is the amount of time it took to take multiple photos back to back. I was at a wildlife park and was trying to get some photos of some of the animals and the camera had a delay between photos... it bugged me! But other than that I would buy this camera again, if I didnt already want to buy a different one. I do miss this camera though, I dropped it while at the zoo and it broke. This is a great camera for beginners. :)
On: 2007-08-09
After more than year or so, i been using this excellent camera! recently y prefered to buy a U/W case for scuba photography instead on buy a new one with more MP.
Batteries lasts as manual spec shows, about 300 pics! and uses AA!!
On: 2007-07-22
Im travelling for several months, and lo and behold, the camera will not power up. Ive had it for a year and a half, which seems to be the end of life for this model.
On: 2007-07-21
untill it got stollen I was quite pleased it did a very good job for me took over 2 thousand pics the zoom was a little less that I wanted but it is adequate with in 100 ft the movies were ok
by: Anonymous On: 2007-07-10
This is a GREAT camera.
I use it all the time and bring it everywhere.
I take Pictures of anything from Food to My dog Blue.
I sometimes have trouble with the flash but its GREAT
On: 2007-07-05
The title is self explanatory.
Just like others here my camera died no pictures and no screen after few time I used.
Never dropped or abused.
It is a lemon form Canon.
Gio.
On: 2007-06-08
I bought this camera back in March 2006, specifically for my trip throughout Italy. It took very clear, vibrant, and sharp images. I received many compliments on the digital photos. This was my first Canon camera, as I had always been a Nikon fan, but was not happy with my Nikon Coolpix camera because of the delay it has between shots. I have had no such problem with my Canon - it is quick and easy to use. I liked the digital zoom and also the macro function - pictures have come out very clearly for me.
I just came back from another long trip and the camera worked as good as it did a year ago! The photos are beautiful and I took so many photos, that I filled up my 1GB memory card. I bought some long lasting Energizer Titanium batteries and they lasted throughout my trip - and I had turned the camera on and off quite a bit (everyday for 2 weeks)!
I have not had a problem with the little floppy cover for the USB port like everyone else has mentioned - you just need to be careful with it and it snaps back into place every time.
The only drawbacks to this camera is outside night shots - they dont come out as well as daytime shots and it is a little bit bulky/heavy (for my tastes, but I am comparing it with my really small Nikon Coolpix 775), especially with the 4 AA batteries it needs.
In summary - I love the camera for the $200 pricetag (what I paid for it in 3/06) and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants an easy-to-use camera with lots of functionality, and wants clear and vibrant photos.
On: 2007-05-26
Awesome camera, quick, and just easy to use. I did tons of research on it when I purchased it in Feb 06. Unfortunately, if you start looking at some of the more recent reviews, you can see that folk that got it around a year ago are having major issues.
Mines no exception, and amazingly, this is first piece of hardware thats actually failed me. Quite an experience and interesting to see that many others are having the same issue as me: a LCD screen thats black and an inability to take pictures.
And like a previous poster said, Canons taking responsibility for a bunch of other models but not this one yet. You can read the notice on their website after navigating through their digital camera support section.
So all in all, it was nice...while it lasted. Hope things are better now.
On: 2007-04-27
After light and careful usage, my A610 stopped recording images. Just a black screen, and black memory card image. The image sensor appears to be defective. Canon knows that it got a bad batch of CCD image sensors from Sony and they are in quite a few products. They are trying to take care of the problem now, but youll have to go to their website and look at their service advisory, and the A610 is not yet on the list of camera that they will repair free of charge.
On: 2007-04-26
After light and careful usage, my A610 stopped recording images. Just a black screen, and black memory card image. The image sensor appears to be defective. Canon knows that it got a bad batch of CCD image sensors from Sony and they are in quite a few products. They are trying to take care of the problem now, but youll have to go to their website and look at their service advisory, and the A610 is not yet on the list of camera that they will repair free of charge.
On: 2007-04-06
The camera is fairly lightweight and does take decent photos. The camera is also fairly easy to use if used with the basic modes.
The low rating of this camera however is fully deserved (actually, this product is a good justifcation for NEGATIVE stars). The durability of the camera is simply very poor in my experience. This camera was only used inside and for less than 200 photos (still orginal batteries). Apparently, according to the Canon Web Site, there is an issue with the screen not displaying images and also not taking photos. This renders the camera useless. Ours was one of the cameras affected by this issue. Minimum cost to fix the "problem": $107 plus shipping and insurance. No exceptions. No flexibility.
UPDATE:
If only getting the repair was easy. After three attempts, I finally had the joy of paying $107 (must be pre-paid) for the "repair" by telephone (the web site was useless). However, Canon does not promise a repair for your $107. They simply promise that for $107 they will send you a working camera. So, they can use recycled parts, reclaimed parts, or simply send a refurbished model (of unknown origin). Again, no flexibility and no consumer rights. Due to the poor quality (in my experince) and horrible customer "service", I stand by my original note that this camera deserves negative stars.
On: 2007-04-06
The camera is fairly lightweight and does take decent photos. The camera is also fairly easy to use if used with the basic modes.
The low rating of this camera however is fully deserved. The durability of the camera is very poor in my experience. This camera was only used inside and for less than 200 photos. Apparently, according to the Canon Web Site, there is an issue with the screen not displaying images and also not taking photos. This renders the camera useless. Ours was one of the cameras affected by this issue. Minimum cost to fix the "problem": $99 plus shipping and insurance. No exceptions. No flexibility.
On: 2007-04-05
The camera is fairly lightweight and does take decent photos. The camera is also fairly easy to use if used with the basic modes.
The low rating of this camera however is fully deserved (actually, this product is a good justifcation for NEGATIVE stars). The durability of the camera is simply very poor in my experience. This camera was only used inside and for less than 200 photos (still orginal batteries). Apparently, according to the Canon Web Site, there is an issue with the screen not displaying images and also not taking photos. This renders the camera useless. Ours was one of the cameras affected by this issue. Minimum cost to fix the "problem": $107 plus shipping and insurance. No exceptions. No flexibility.
UPDATE:
If only getting the repair was easy. After three attempts, I finally had the joy of paying $107 (must be pre-paid) for the "repair" by telephone (the web site was useless). However, Canon does not promise a repair for your $107. They simply promise that for $107 they will send you a working camera. So, they can use recycled parts, reclaimed parts, or simply send a refurbished model (of unknown origin). Again, no flexibility and no consumer rights. Due to the poor quality (in my experince) and horrible customer "service", I stand by my original note that this camera deserves negative stars.
On: 2007-03-23
I have owned a Canon Powershot A610 camera for about a year now. I have taken literally thousands of still pictures and hundreds of videos. This device has never failed once. It is kind of amazing. Only flaw is the crappy rubber flap that protects the DC IN and A/V Out holes. This is my third Canon camera. All three have been great. I hope that Canon maintains the quality I rely on. Just dont let American labor unions get a foothold in any of their manufacturing plants and we will be OK.
On: 2007-03-11
i bought this camera in december 2005 from amazon. it was good in everything, ease of use, picture quality, and everything. after 10 months, it started to give me problem like "low battery". so i changed the batteries, after a couple of shots same issue, still i suspected there is something wrong with the batteries, so i changed the batteries again. after a couple of shots the same warning "change the batteries". i couldnt use my camera to take shots during my entire trip(which included my wedding).
then i come back to US and sent the camera for repair(as i found online that there is a firmware problem with the camera) so i sent it for repair(it was still under warranty). it came back with the report that it was cleaned for battery drain. the problem is still there. i called those tech support guys and told about the problem, they asked me to send it back. but the canon website wont allow me to create a repair order unless i agree to $107 repair charge, and the tech guys told me that the repair people wont charge, as it is within three months of the repair. but now i got the camera back, again on a trip, the camera still giving the same warning, lost $107 dollars for nothing. i hope ill get the money back. i hope they will repair the camera, once i get back from my vacation.
On: 2007-02-25
Only complaint is the rubber flap on the side is always coming open
On: 2007-02-08
I have owned this camera for over a year and have had no problems. This camera is perfect for all ocasions. The auto feature is great for point and shoot. The camera has a shoot mode for every type of subject. It really does make a difference to choose the best mode for the subject to get the best picture possible. We have taken many portraits of our new baby boy and they look awesome. The camera comes with more than enough stuff to get you up and running. Make sure you buy a memory card 1 gig or larger(the card that comes with the camera only holds a few pictures) if you plan on taking video, which is also another great feature. If you are just getting into photography like me, there is enough manual adjustments to learn and have fun. I would recomend a Canon Power Shot to anyone looking for a digital camera. I will buy a Canon again.
On: 2007-01-24
This is a great digital camera. The pictures come out beautifully. I purchased my camera through another site, but what helped me decide was the reviews on amazon. I looked through the pictures that were posted by other customers, pictures that they took with their camera.
Ive heard so many good things about Canon, and when I found this one for less than $200.oo I thought Id give one a try. I have not been disappointed, yet. Seems to be a pretty durable camera.
The camera we had before this one used up the batteries rather quickly, so, what I decided to do is buy some rechargable batteries and a charger to save on batteries. It does quite well with the batteries I have. I bought the Monster brand of batteries and charger, and they go for a long while on one charge. I would say upward of 300 pictures per charge. I usually have the camera set on the largest size of picture (2592x1944 resolution) I have a Toshiba 512MB SD card that seems to work exceptionally well with my camera.
If you havent yet, take a look at some of the images that are posted here from other customers. Its an amazing little camera that Im pleased to own. Canon has won over another loyal customer (provided they continue to make quality products at reasonable/fair prices).
On: 2007-01-20
I got my PowerShot A620 in early April of 2006. I was completely satisfied and happy with all picture-taking features. Just getting into shooting videos by early summer and still very enthused. So I decided to buy my daughter an early Christmas present - a PowerShot A610 - in August 2006.
Then, on November 17, 2006, I had just inserted a fresh SD memory card and turned on the camera when it issued a loud "scream" and the LCD screen displayed "E18." The lens barrel had partly extended and apparently the gears for that function had "stripped," causing the startling noise. I contacted Canon and the camera was repaired at no charge under warranty. It was back in my hands in about 10 days after I shipped to Canon. BUT - since then, this camera has exhibited a strange behavior where it will partly extend the lens barrel (the same "optical assemby" Canon replaced) spontaneously (all by itself, without use of the power button). I have searched the web and found that others complain about the "E18" failure of the opitical assembly.
BUT thats not all: On Christmas Day, as my daughter and I prepared to visit relatives, we were checking our cameras when my daughter told me her A610 had suddenly (at that moment) displayed "Insert Memory Card" on its LCD screen. Subsequent tests with 3 other identical memory cards for my camera (Kingston SD, 1 GB) failed to be detected in her camera. The memory card in her camera was OK - I was able to rescue images on it by inserting it in my A620 and downloading to my computer. Im awaiting word from her on what Canon is doing to correct the problem with her camera.
STILL not all: during that same period (November - December 2006) the adult daughter of a close friend had HER Canon A610 go bad. The problem was failure of the LCD screen - it just went blank and stayed that way.
Again - Canon was prompt in fixing that problem but the point here is that THREE of the A600 series cameras owned by different people developed three different problems (all warranty covered) in the span of about 6 weeks.
Since that time, Ive heard more of the same from some people - while others have had no problems with their "A600s" and love them. But I cannot recommend this series because it appears to have a high failure rate. To have a camera that takes great pictures and videos which "quits" disasterously just when you plan on using it for something important makes that camera worse than useless - its a huge disappointment and I wouldnt wish that on anyone.
Meanwhile - my "solution" to this was to buy a Canon PowerShot S3-1S; an even better camera with more features (image stabilization! - 12X zoom! - audio recording! ) and its much more strongly constructed.
Since neither the A600s nor the S3 series are "pocket cameras" - the added bulk is not that big a factor to me.
Canon is a fine brand and has many other models to suit virtually any photographic need. Just avoid the A600 series and research before you buy.
On: 2007-01-18
Very unreliable camera, since we bought this camera last December, the camera has been sent back to Canon three times for problems. The basic issue was that it did not take pictures. Each time, Canon fixed and sent camera back. For the third time, we requested a replacement because we believed that the camera was a lemon. The camera was out of commission for 4+ months out of the 12 month warranty for repair and transit time.
On: 2007-01-10
I was pleasantly surprised to find a very good digital camera for this price. We have no complaints. I had read that this camera was hard on batteries. We took it to Italy and took over 300 pictures before needing to replace them.
On: 2007-01-09
Best Camera ever! Great price, great pics. I couldnt be happier! I am not a great photographer but almost every picture I took with this camera (and we are talking at least 500)was beautiful! Bought it for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation and it captured the scenery perfectly! I will NEVER use a regular film camera again!
On: 2006-12-26
This camera does everything we wanted it to do,
It takes great photos
It is easy to use
It is easy to make adjustments for different photo needs
It is easy on the batteries
It is easy to carry
We are very happy
On: 2006-12-25
This camera does everything we wanted it to do,
It takes great photos
It is easy to use
It is easy to make adjustments for different photo needs
It is easy on the batteries
It is easy to carry
We are very happy
On: 2006-12-06
Im pleased with this camera. It takes pretty good pictures. I think the learning curve is a bit steep though. I still havent been able to eliminate the red-eye problem entirely, even though Im sure Ive played with every setting imaginable. If you buy one of these, get a good case for it. My zoom lever popped off and I had to send it in to Canon. Canon fixed it, as it was still under warranty. Im happy to say that their customer service handled my issue very well.
On: 2006-11-17
Ive had this camera since March 2006, I researched on it highly and when it took a price cut, I went for it (the new models were just starting to come out about this time as well, hence the price cut). Not disappointed in the least with this gem of a camera. Battery life is excellent, pictures are crisp and clear, just need a tad sharpening. Ive taken well over 10,000 picture with this camera (No lie, I take it with me everywhere...) and its still going as strong as it was when I first bought it. Of course, I often wonder when the time will come when the imfamous E18 error will come, but thats why I bought an extended warranty. Hopefully, this camera will continue to rock well into the coming years.
On: 2006-11-04
I bought this camera, and unfortunately, I had to return it. It came with SEVERAL booklets, and one would just refer you to another. It was just too difficult to figure out. Im a novice, and this was my first digital camera. I wanted something simple. Im sure its a very good camera for someone with digital camera experience, but this is NOT the camera for a first-time user.
On: 2006-11-03
I bought this camera, and unfortunately, I had to return it. It came with SEVERAL booklets, and one would just refer you to another. It was just too difficult to figure out. Im a novice, and this was my first digital camera. I wanted something simple. Im sure its a very good camera for someone with digital camera experience, but this is NOT the camera for a first-time user.
On: 2006-11-03
This is the best digital camera ever. I love it. It takes awesome pictures. You wont believe the quality.
On: 2006-10-29
This camera simply exeeded my expectations. It has features for standard and professional users as well. Easy to use, great resolution and lots of shooting modes. Youll get great photos with it. I love it.
 On: 2006-09-28
This camera is great overall when it works properly. There is a known issue where the lens will not retract (and its not due to low battery).
Otherwise the quality and features are great but in all the research I did, I didnt find that info before I bought the camera. Of course it happened right after one year (no warranty coverage left).
Check the web - I did too late.
On: 2006-09-26
***6/5/08 Changing the rating of this camera to THREE stars. CCD began to fail about 3 months ago...blacking out the LCD for a short time, then snapping back on...then total failure. Looked online, found a huge thread of Powershot A610 users that had the same issue. Canon has replaced some for free, but more often its generally its a major effort to receive satisfaction (a free repair). Sending mine in tomorrow, will update on their resolution.
Bought this to replace an older 3mp Canon that my wife loved, but the battery (and subsequent replacements) were awful. Theyd last perhaps 10-20 pictures and then start flashing "low-battery".
So I started hunting down a camera that used AA-type and settled on the A610.
Great camera and features. We rarely print bigger then 5x7, so the 5mp was perfect. If you want the higher resolution A620, theyre identical cameras with the 7mp chip.
With fully loaded batteries, we get hundreds of shots and only recharge perhaps one every 3-4 weeks...and my wife is taking pics of the kids constantly.
On: 2006-09-26
Bought this to replace an older 3mp Canon that my wife loved, but the battery (and subsequent replacements) were awful. Theyd last perhaps 10-20 pictures and then start flashing "low-battery".
So I started hunting down a camera that used AA-type and settled on the A610.
Great camera and features. We rarely print bigger then 5x7, so the 5mp was perfect. If you want the higher resolution A620, theyre identical cameras with the 7mp chip.
With fully loaded batteries, we get hundreds of shots and only recharge perhaps one every 3-4 weeks...and my wife is taking pics of the kids constantly.
On: 2006-09-02
I purchased this camera about six months ago after my Kodak Easyshare camera completely died on me. I did a little research and read only good things about this Canon camera so I decided to go with it because it was very reasonably priced (about $200). Not only did the camera live up to my expectations, it surpassed them by leaps and bounds! Here are the things I have loved about this camera:
BATTERY - this camera has the best battery of any digital camera I have ever owned or used. At first I was worried since it uses four AA batteries instead of two like my other cameras, but it was advertised to have a good battery life so I was hopeful. Let me tell you that I have had this camera about six months and have not had to change the batteries yet! And I use the camera quite a bit. I used it for church Vacation Bible School all week, youth weekend retreat, family vacation, pictures of friends and pets, all of this and the battery is still going strong! If I had not experienced this, I would not believe it was possible for any digital camera to do so well with batteries (my Kodak sucked the life out of batteries in a matter of just a few hours or less!)
EASY TO USE - I was able to sit down with the camera and figure out pretty much all of the functions in a very short period of time and with very little reference to the manual. (And Im no technology expert).
PICTURE QUALITY - all of the pictures Ive taken and printed out have been great. The camera is a 5.0MP camera and it does a great job for its resolution I think. All my pictures have been sharp, clear, and great color.
FEATURES - I love the ability to quickly and easily change between outdoor, indoor, different lighting conditions, action vs. still shots, close-up, etc. And it makes a real difference in the quality of the pictures to be able to tell the camera what the conditions are of the picture you are trying to take.
LCD SCREEN - I was hoping to get a camera with a very large LCD screen, but quickly discovered that I like the swivel feature on this camera even more than having a huge LCD. Being able to swing the screen out and turn it around gives you that much more versatility in what pictures you can take. It revolutionized the "self-portrait" :)
SD MEMORY CARD - I was also looking for a camera that used SD memory cards. Mostly because that was what Id used before and all of my other pictures were on SD Memory. So that was a big plus for me. That may be different for each person though depending on which type of media you are used to using.
I cannot stress how highly I recommend this camera. I will never buy another digital camera besides Canon again. And the A610 (as well as the A620 - the 7.0MP version) is the best digital camera Ive ever used.
On: 2006-08-20
i love this camera. i bring it with me EVERYWHERE. it takes great pictures and i love the color color options. i know, it takes four batteries, but they last a REALLY long time. especially if you get rechargables. the flip screen is great too. i like to get into weird angles or just to flip around so i can take a picture of myself and a friend. its great. i would highly suggest this camera.
On: 2006-08-11
The shipping of my camera was fast and it was just as I expected.
Very satisfied.
Thanks.
On: 2006-08-10
I love this camera. Best purchase Ive made recently and fast delivery!!!
On: 2006-07-19
I love my new Powershot A610. The my colors feature was especially fun to experiment with. This camera has a lot of features and takes great pictures for a great price. Ive noticed however that some of my pictures turn out blurry, because in a darker room the shutter speed is a lot lower
 On: 2006-07-19
I chose this camera for its viewfinder (in addition to the digital image finder) and the stability offered by the battery compartment bulge - you can grip your fingers around the battery compartment to stabilize the camera while shooting. I also like that it uses regular batteries rather than more expensive digital batteries. Took it on a two-week vacation recently and got approximately 180 pictures on the first set of batteries - a plus when traveling! I havent taken it off the "auto" setting yet, but it seems like the advanced features would satisfy any user. Its heavier and a bit bulkier than the more streamlined digitals but I like that. Two nits - since its a bit heavier than a shirt pocket camera, a longer cord that allows it to hang around your neck would be a plus. Also, when turned vertically, the pics have black borders on both the right and left sides (or maybe Im just not doing it right). All in all, I love both its ease of use and the picture quality. The Amazon ordering & delivery process was quick, easy and met all expectations.
On: 2006-07-18
Google "Canon" and "e18" before you buy this camera! They have a major flaw in the lens mechanism of all their cameras.
On: 2006-07-08
After reading reviews from various sources on various digital cameras, I chose the canon 610. I am by no means an expert photographer, but the pictures this camera produces on the auto setting is amazing! I can only imagine what a real photographer could accomplish with it. While it has a myraid of settings, I primarly use auto, so if your not an expert, you can easily use this camera. Coupled with the Kingston 512 mem stick you can take hundreds of pictures! I recommend this camera for everyone who wants great photos at reasonable cost and ease of use. My only complaint is the manual is poor. Good thing this camera is intuitive.
On: 2006-07-07
Ive had this camera for 2 weeks now and am very pleased. Its easy to use, takes great pictures, and has a ton of features for the money. Great battery life with regular AAs. Fits good to my hand yet still fits in my pocket. I had one photo blown up to an 8x10" and it turned out great..no pixelation. The swivel LCD is much more useful than I thought it would be. The best part is there is very little delay in between shots, so I dont miss as many shots as I did with my old Kodak. I do prefer Kodaks software though..it was easier to e-mail compressed photos from it than it is the Canon software.
Update..had to send to Canon for repair (Image Processor needed repair). They fixed it (under warranty) and had it sent back FEDEX within 5 business days..so i have it back in time for Christmas...KUDOS to Canon for great Service!!!!!Very Satisfied!!!
On: 2006-07-05
There are many features and controls on this. But what is the point of this rich feature set on a camera that basically takes junkier pictures (on automatic) than my old Sony DSC-S30? The AE (autoexposure) frames still manage to expose my pictures wrong. The Sony with no such "feature" never got it wrong. The colors on the A610 are muddy and grey, not vivid. I have to take 5 pix to get enough coverage for one of them to be in-focus. pathetic. And the "camera shake" icon is the default state of this thing. What is the point of making a camera that uses its technology to helpfully tell you it cant take your pictures 70 percent of the time?
This thing goes through non-rechargeable batteries like nobodys business.
Not a good camera. Not a good deal.
On: 2006-07-05
The camera surpasses my wildest dreams. It it a very easy camera to use. It is also easy to downloan. Anybody who orders this camere is in for a very pleasent surprise.
On: 2006-07-04
I was able to pick this camera up and start using without even looking at the manual. There are a lot of extra functions that I need to learn how to use, but just for regular pictures it is easy. The swivel screen is very useful. Especially if you want to put the camera on something and time a picture. You can see what you will be shooting much easier. The 4 AA batteries have a much longer life than my old 2 AA camera. I hear the rechargable batteries are even better. Overall this camera has all I need for everyday use at a great price.
On: 2006-06-29
I needed a camera that can take great pictures, can do good quality videos and can do close-up macros. This was the only camera in this price range that does this, and Ive been quite happy with it overall.
The pictures are always good quality, and the videos are pretty nice. They are not DVD quality, but theyre not bad and are pretty close to what you get with an old VHS recorder. With a 1 GB memory card, I can get about 8 minutes worth of video at 30 frames/sec, 640x480 resolution. My only gripe about the videos is that there is a high-pitched noise on all of them. Its not a real loud noise and it doesnt ruin the videos, but it is noticeable.
While the features are good, I do question the quality. Right after I bought it, the automatic lens cover wouldnt shut right. Then, about a month later, the whole lens assembly just froze up and wouldnt retract at all. The camera was useless at this point. I sent it in for warranty service and it took about three weeks from the time I sent it to the time I got it back. As one reviewer noted, they do keep you pretty well informed of whats going on during the repair period. I have had no major problems with the repaired camera, though once in a while the on/off button gets stuck.
So, overall, was satisifed with the camera features and the Canon warranty service, but I do wonder about the quality of these cameras. There was one major defect and several minor ones. My A610 model was made in China whereas older Canon models were made elsewhere, and I wonder if this recent move by Canon has affected their quality.
On: 2006-06-27
We bought this camera to keep my 78 yo dad busy during a family gathering. His first venture to digital technology, he spent LOTS of time reading the book and trying things out. The biggest problem in his learning was that the chip that comes with the camera is so small as to hold less than a dozen pictures. So, when you buy the camera, BUY A BIGGER CHIP AT THE SAME TIME!!!!
On: 2006-06-17
I am using Canon Powershot A95 since last 3 years, and I am extremely happy with it. And I have always recommented Canon cameras becuase of its good features and good performance. And hoping that Powershot A610 is an improved one,(so naturally better than A95) I recommented and bought one for my friend. What a pity! The machine noise when I zoom it, is terrible. I am afraid I will wake up people if they are resting with this noise. In quite places like a church or somewhere I am very hesitant to use it. The cover of USB/AV port is worse than paper. It just does not remain close often and be very careful to press it too hard. It may be a plastic stuff, but more flexible and shapelss than a thick paper. And once I attach the hand string, i cannot close it or open it freely! And i found it really terrible.
The SPORTS MODE (or the fast shutter mode) for shooting, which I greatly appreciate is just missing from this improved model.
I do not simply understand how could people say that this is a great camera with its terrible machine noise and its disappointing cover of the USB connection.
On: 2006-06-03
I purchased my A610 in November 2005 as a replacement for my Canon A60 digital camera. Ive owned two Canon digital cameras (S10 and A60) prior to upgrading to the A610. My experience with all three cameras has been very good. For my taste, Canon cameras have achieved a near-perfect balance of features and image quality. My A60 turned out spectacular photos; the A610 is a decent upgrade in features and still turns out perfect photos one after the other. My previous Canon cameras were essentially trouble-free; however, the A610 only lasted five months before experiencing an internal failure that required it to be returned for warranty service. More on that in a bit.
First, the A610 provides great features at an unbeatable price. It includes the full range of auto and manual exposure controls, an excellent movie mode, and a swivel LCD screen that comes in handy more than youd think. The Canon Digic II processor is superfast in focusing and exposure lock which helps you snap quick photos with little shutter lag. My previous Canons were noticeably slower to lock on and take the picture. The A610 provides you full control over every aspect of picture control (ISO, white balance, flash intensity, just to name a few). While the AUTO setting is the easiest to use for most people, I prefer the "P" setting that allows me to select a few custom settings to tweak the exposures to my preferences. Plus, this camera goes for a couple months on a single set of rechargeable AA batteries. All this in a nicely built metal/plastic body that has a good handgrip but thats not too bulky.
Now about my A610 failure. After five months of routine use (and no mishandling or drops of any kind) the camera suddenly stopped taking pictures. It powered up fine and could playback previous photos on the memory card but it couldnt take new pictures. When in the "shooting" mode, the LCD was blank except for the menu icons. When I snapped a picture, the camera took only black pictures (no image at all). I tried all of the troubleshooting steps but to no avail. At this point I knew that the camera had an internal failure and so I called Canon Factory Service. They were courteous and after a few questions they recommended I return it for warranty repair which would take 7-10 days turnaround. When asked if they would repair my exact camera (I asked twice) I was assured that my serial number camera would be repaired and returned to me. I was suspicious of this since most companies prefer to send you a replacement (or refurbished) unit because its quicker and cheaper for them to process. Either way, their website includes a simple Repair Request form that you can fill out and print to send along with your camera. All Canon digital cameras go to either Chicago or New Jersey for service; mine was sent to Chicago. I packaged up the camera as instructed (camera only, no memory card, no batteries, no strap) and sent it off.
Within five days I received a notification email and a snail mail letter that confirmed receipt of my camera for repair. Pretty good. In addition, I was able to track my repair status on their website. Within the following three days, the status said my camera was repaired. One day later I received an email with the FedEx airbill number that indicated my camera was on its way to me. Sure enough, the package arrived on time --the whole repair process from my shipment to their return took under two weeks. Very good, in my opinion.
When I opened the box, I found an A610 camera, my original shipping documents, and a repair order that stated that the servicing techinician had recommended a "replacement" instead of a repair for my camera. Sure enough, the A610 sent back to me was a different serial number than my original camera. Just as I suspected would be the case. Well, at least they didnt disappoint but I do wish that Canon Service would have told me that up front instead of leading me to believe that my camera would be repaired. This may not be a problem for most people (since we really just want a working camera) but when it comes time to upgrade, I like to re-sell my old camera along with the original box, manuals, and accessories. Now with my new replacement camera, the serial number on my old box and the replacement camera dont match and so Ill have to explain this. To Canons credit, the replacement camera they sent me was in perfect condition and appeared brand new (even had the stickers on it) and works perfectly. However, I believe that technically this camera is "refurbished" because Canon marks a small dot next to the serial number on the bottom of the camera. I have seen this before and it flags to Canon Service that this camera is a refurb if it is ever returned in the future (different warranty applies). Overall, the warranty process is what I expected and for all practical purposes, it is the best one could hope for.
Bottom line: Great camera. Should you need service, its likely that you wont get your original camera back but youll be sent a replacement "refurb" instead. This is common practice for consumer electronics and in the end, is probably the only way a company that sells millions of cameras can possibly turnaround warranty service in a reasonable amount of time. It is simply too expensive to disassemble, troubleshoot, and repair each and every camera that is returned under warranty (especially when the original camera only cost $200!). Thats life in the electronics age where we demand maximum value for the lowest possible price.
For me, Canon stood by their product and returned a perfect working replacement. This makes a great product even better.
On: 2006-05-25
I bought this before a trip to Hawaii to replace an older film camera of approximately the same size. Wow! The photos are sharp, they can be blown up to 5x7 or probably larger without an issue (I havent tried 8x10 yet). Several pictures we took are beautiful -- better than any film camera weve owned.
The real beauty of this camera is the adjustable viewing screen. For those of us with bifocals or trifocals, the large screen and the ability to twist the display so I can see it through my bifocals without twisting my head up funny is worth every cent. I enjoy taking photos again!
My only concerns are that the unit is not as sturdy as I would like. As the other reviewers have mentioned, the covers to the batteries and the cable connections are flimsy, but if youre careful with them, it should be fine. Also, the dial on the top that sets the scene selection gets "bumped" to other settings with little effort. I was also disappointed that the mounting for the tripod is plastic...one twist too many and it will probably crack, so be careful.
We found that to avoid blurry photos, just disable the digital zoom and only use the optical zoom. We took over 400 pictures with the camera and the only shot that was blurry was with digital zoom. I even took shots from moving cars and the results were excellent.
We were shooting the largest-richest format of photos available on the camera and noticed that after repeated uploading and deleting of photos that the time between shots was taking a little longer. We used the memory card reformat option on the camera and the speed returned. Buy yourself a fast, good quality memory card (I use a SanDisk Ultra II 512MB) along with the camera and you shouldnt have any problems.
On: 2006-05-25
I bought this camera for my digital photography class thinking that it would be a great investment and turned out to be wrong. Dont get me wrong it has many features, but after two months into my semester my camera pooped out on me. It slowed down. It will take forever to take a shot or focus. Also it is way to heavy to take photos without a tripod you will end up with many blurred photos. So now I am looking for a lighter camera with an imagae stablilizer.
On: 2006-05-20
I bought this camera to replace a 2M Powershot A60 before a trip to Hawaii. I have been very happy with the pictures it takes, and also with the speed of focus, which is MUCH faster than the A60. I like the preset "scenes", like the landscape that turns off the flash, and the "kids" setting that forces a quick focus and fast shutter speed. I got about 100 pictures on a set of NIMH batteries, mostly outdoors but some with flash.
My gripes are minor, no battery level indicator, the cover over the usb socket doesnt stay closed very well, and the battery door is flimsy (same as the A60, actually).
On: 2006-05-15
This camera sets itself apart in the crowded marketplace of cameras, and is a great value at its current price point. Hurry before they sell out!
Pros:
- Flip screen is extremely useful, Ive gotten into the habit of flipping it out to use, so that the LCD is always protected when camera is closed
- 1/1.8" sensor is same as higher-end Canon prosumers, this is bigger than all SD series, the new A700, A530/540, even the IS2 (which all use 1/2.5" sensor)! Bigger sensor = more detail and less noise, especially in low light, although without IS, youll get noticeable noise shooting at ISO 400 in dimly light areas.
- extremely customizable if youre up for it - full manual shutter speed/aperture control, plus flash level, custom white balance (lets you calibrate to gray cards), whew!
- excellent, intuitive Canon interface, so changing parameters is a breeze
- the macro mode is stunning, esp. with FlexiZone focusing to customize focus point and min. focus distance of 1 cm. Some DSLRs cant even focus that close
- its fast, fast, fast. fast startup, fast shooting, fast flash cycling
- the best that money can buy for two hundred bucks
Cons:
- no RAW capture (thats stretching it I know)
- its not pocketable and its quite heavy, but you feel safe throwing it in a jacket pocket because the screen is protected!
- less MP than A620, but costs less (they have the same sensor though)
- no remote capture (A620 does have it)
- lens cover is thin piece of plastic, could be fragile if youre careless
- zooming sound is distinguishable in a quiet room, zoom is not smooth (only about 10 steps from wide to tele)
- USB cover appears flimsy, but it looks like its designed to stand repeated abuse and wont break.
On: 2006-05-11
My Dad actually got this camera for me. I have a really nice Canon film camera I love, but I had not yet gotten into digital.
Being new to the digital camera world I love this camera.
It is very easy to use, and takes great pictures. I have countless pictures of my son. I highly recommend this as a first digital camera before taking the leap to a nicer quality more professional digital like I plan on doing someday.
On: 2006-05-02
I bought this camera to replace an older Canon powershot. The picture quality is superb and the video quality is as well. The viewscreen is larger and the camera is very easy to use. The only drawback is that it is a bit bulky and heavy and uses 4 batteries.
On: 2006-05-02
This camera stopped working after using it three times. It was not dropped or abused in any way, it just lost the ability to detect that a memory card was in the camera. This was not a formatting issue and a local specialty shop that I do business with for film processing and other matters, examined the camera and confirmed that it needs to be replaced or repaired by the manufacturer.
Worse still when I tried to get some service from Amazon.com I was greeted by an employee in India whose english language skills were not adequate for me to communicate my problem.
I tried to get some service from Amazons vendor/partner (Adorama), but I have been unable to reach them by phone and they have not responded to my emails despite their claim to respond to all email messages within 24 hours.
This is the last order I will place with Amazon, the last time I will do business with Adorama, Amazons vendor/partner, and the last cannon camera that I will purchase.
It will be interesting to see if this email is posted.
On: 2006-04-24
Camera is nice and take good pics. But never install the software. It doesnt work and screws up your computer...
On: 2006-04-18
I have had this camera for about 3 months now. I was ify bout this camera b/c it wasnt slim like i wanted. but i really like it! if u want a small camera dont get this. but if u want a camera w/amazing pic quality. this is for you.
Pros:
-Amazing pics
-Many settings
-Choose how many frames/second u want when recodrin(up to 60 f/s)
-it can zoom 16x
-durable
-Screen flips
-Can choose color scheme
-Sooo many options!
Cons:
-It is noisy when shutter zooms, opens, closes
-Big
If i could go back i would probably get a smaller camera b/c its more practical for me. but this review is about the camera. and this is an amazing camera. ive been through 3 of them, so i have a pretty good idea. The only reason its not 5 stars is b/c the noise the camera makes. When i take fast moving pics it still comes out great b/c it has a setting called "kids and pets". it also has a night mode setting which helps out.
On: 2006-03-24
This camara has all of the features I need. I can take great pet photos, night and indoor shots. These three were nearly impossible to capture well with my old camara. The ease of use auto focus is important to me also. I highly recommend this camara.
On: 2006-03-22
I bought this camera because I am a dedicated Canon customer. I have owned several Canon cameras and have no problem. I purchased this camera in Jan. 2006 and in Feb. 2006 I had to have it serviced. The camera would drain a battery charge within 15 minutes of usage and eventually would transfer pictures to my pc. I contacted Canon who advised me to send it in and it would be returned to me within 7 business days. I sent it Feb. 3rd and it arrived there according to FedEx on Feb. 7th. On the the 15th I received an email stating that it would be returned to me in 7 business days (14+ days after they received it). I told the rep. on the phone I needed it for my research by no later than March 21st. I called and called when it never came back only to be redirected to a new department every time I spoke with someone. I was always cordial on the phone, only to be treated with apathy or rudeness everytime I called. I emailed only to get a 1800 number to call. I have yet to speak to one person who actually helped or listened. It was finally shipped but unexpedited before the 21st ensuring that it would not arrive for me to use on this date. Dont buy if you are concerned with customer service.
On: 2006-03-21
Wow. What a camera. With so many functions, pictures can be taken anywhere with professional quallity and ease. A very reliable camera thats perfect for business and hobby use. 10/10.
On: 2006-03-21
I bought this camera because I am a dedicated Canon customer. I have owned several Canon cameras and have no problem. I purchased this camera in Jan. 2006 and in Feb. 2006 I had to have it serviced. The camera would drain a battery charge within 15 minutes of usage and eventually would transfer pictures to my pc. I contacted Canon who advised me to send it in and it would be returned to me within 7 business days. I sent it Feb. 3rd and it arrived there according to FedEx on Feb. 7th. On the the 15th I received an email stating that it would be returned to me in 7 business days (14+ days after they received it). I told the rep. on the phone I needed it for my research by no later than March 21st. I called and called when it never came back only to be redirected to a new department every time I spoke with someone. I was always cordial on the phone, only to be treated with apathy or rudeness everytime I called. I emailed only to get a 1800 number to call. I have yet to speak to one person who actually helped or listened. It was finally shipped but unexpedited before the 21st ensuring that it would not arrive for me to use on this date. Dont buy if you are concerned with customer service.
On: 2006-03-20
I am totally pleased, and somewhat impressed, with this camera. Its price makes it a great value. There are many different shooting modes, which really enables you to have the camera select the appropriate settings for that particular mode.
What I really like about it, is that you can shoot on fully auto and fully manual, with a wide range of options in between.
Its a great choice for someone looking for a quality, easy to use camera. And, its also terrific for someone looking to learn more about digital photography by using the many modes, including manual, to have more control over your snapshots.
Although I havent used the video mode much at this point, it appears to be quite capable of producing good vids.
I would suggest getting a 1Gb card right from the start. Having the storage is well worth it. Also, an NiMH/NiCd charger/batteries is a good idea. I actually prefer a cam that takes these "AA" batteries. In so many reviews of cams with rechargeable sticks, etc., people seem to not like their short batt. life. With this cam, even if your recharge. batts die, you can slip in 4 Duracells and not have to return a different type of battery to its charger.
Hope this helps ya.
On: 2006-03-20
Ive had this camera for a few months now, and the more I use it, the more dissappointed I get. Dont take me wrong: its a good camera for basic shooting modes/day scenes/slow action, however, when you try to change the settings, it starts to act funny... for example, it takes too long to take a picture, or to focus on an object (not what I would expect from Canon)..., and it just doesnt work in a night/night scene modes: it is impossible to get rid of a "shaking hand" effect (unless you use a tripod, I guess). However, a good thing is that it does not freeze under cold temperatures.
In general, its just an "ok" camera; it works great for the first 2-3 months, and then all the processes seem to slow down... now, I am looking for a new camera.
On: 2006-03-15
If you are willing to ignore aesthetics of this camera then this is THE best camera in the price range. While buying a camera one must look for the CCD size (higher the better) and Optical Zoom (higher the better). Canon gives 1/1.8" CCD size for this camera and all other 5 Mega Pixel Camera (even Canons own SD400, S500, SD450) use 1/2.5" CCD. Infact Canon uses the same size CCD (i.e. 1/1.8") for its new 7 Mega Pixel Cameras.
This is the second Canon digital Camera I bought for my family. The earlier one S500 is working perfectly for last one and half years and I expect this one will set new standards.
On: 2006-03-13
I wondered whether a high-speed Secure Digital card would truly enhance the performance of Canon PowerShot A610. I contacted Canon USA. Canon replied that it had not tested the various SD cards on the market. I went on to look for answers over the Internet, and concluded that Canon PowerShot A610 could benefit from higher speed SD cards capable of writing up to 5 mbps or 33X.
In his recent article "Compact Flash and SD Cards," Bob Atkins indicated that the speed at which data is written to the flash memory card depends upon three factors: the maximum write speed of the card, the maximum write speed of the camera, and the efficiency of the interaction between the cameras software and the cards onboard controller. Canon PowerShot A610 employs the DIGIC II Imaging Processor for picture quality and processing speed. In the article, Canon EOS 20D containing the same DIGIC II processor tops out at 5 mbps when writing to a card capable of writing 9 mbps. Canon PowerShot A610 would expect to write in similar speed and thus benefit from a higher speed SD card capable of write speed 5 mbps (I am ignoring the third factor here).
The write speed of most SD cards appears to be 1.2 mbps that is 8X (1X = 0.15 mbps). For Canon PowerShot A610, SD cards capable of writing speed between 33X and 50X would be sufficient. Be mindful that the advertised multipliers may be misleading. Often the advertised multipliers would indicate the read speeds only. For example, a 50X SD reads up to 10 mbps, but writes only 1.2 mbps (8X). A 150X SD reads at the promised 22.5 mbps but writes 15.0 mbps (100X). The write speed seems always to lag behind the read speed by a sizable margin.
On: 2006-03-13
I cant say enough wonderful things about this camera. I did plenty of research before selecting this camera (my first digital one). This camera has a lot of the great features as more expensive ones, such as Panoramic Photo Stich, 20 scenic modes,etc. It also has a very handy tilt LCD screen for self-portraits or for when you need to shoot above a crowd (now you dont have to guess that your aiming at the right spot, you can actually see it). If I would have to list something negative about this camera, it would be that compared to others in the market right now, it is on the bulky side. But all the beautiful looking pictures Ive taken so far compensate for that though.
On: 2006-03-04
While the A610 takes great pictures and has an excellent user interface, for some reason the remote shooting function that comes with the packaged software, and that is commonly available on some cheaper Canon models and on the A620, is not enabled on this camera. This function would have allowed the camera to take pictures from and save directly to a USB connected computer. Why they decided to exclude this function I dont know, but seems like a glaring omission on what would otherwise be a great software/hardware package.
On: 2006-03-04
DONT BUY THIS CAMERA. Disregard my original rating of 5 stars. I liked the A610 camera when I bought it back in February/March 2006. It is now May 2007, the warranty expired 2 months ago. I turned on the camera last week and no LCD display. The image sensor has died. I have used this camera less than 10 times. Never dropped it, no bumps or bruises on it. The LCD display is completely black. I can now take only pure black pictures. Everything else on the camera works - just no image. Canon evidently received a batch of faulty image sensors but they are taking no responsibility for their bad parts. I contacted them and they gave me two options: I can pay $100++ to have it repaired at their factory in Illinois, or I can join their loyalty program and pay $125 plus $10 shipping for a refurbished camera. Some loyalty program. DONT BUY THIS CAMERA. CANON DOESNT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS.
On: 2006-03-02
I bought this camera last month & till now it worked just fine. I have only one complaint. When i try to take a picture in night mode, i need to keep the camera real steady or else u will get a shaky pic.
On: 2006-02-27
I work at a public access TV station where we bought five of these for our digital imaging classes. Im very impressed.
4 Quick Pros:
Battery life. It uses 4 AAs which last significantly longer than I expected them to.
Video mode: Uses a Mac-friendly format and looks great
Full manual mode: A little tricky because you have to hit the same buttons to make different adjustments, but its there.
Full swivel screen: Great for shooting over a crowd or from the hip.
Cons:
The compartment doors are a little flimsy.
Comes with a 16mb card (useless), but most camera companies are kind of stingy in this regard.
On: 2006-02-24
I have enjoyed this camera alot! It is small enough for my purse and I have taken great pictures of the grandchildren. I have been very happy so far.
On: 2006-02-24
Love, love,love my new camera. So far its been very easy to use, downloading picts. has been simple. Its small, but not too small. Picts. turn out very clear, not grainy. Its a good purchase for those of us who dont know too much about cameras. Picture taking is easy.
On: 2006-02-10
I bought this camera for my parents to replace their old Olympus 1.2 megapixel camera. My Mom was convinced shed need at least 6 megapixels but I proved to them 5 mp gives you more than enough quality (unless of course you are a professional). Not to mention with the release of the A620, this camera has become quite the bargain. You wont see too many 5 megapixel cameras with all the features this has for much cheaper. The optical zoom is a must in the camera world. Sure, you think you wont use the zoom much but youll discover later on you really needed it.
This camera is small, but not that small and despite being made of some kind of plastic has a very sturdy, metallic feel to it. It fits comfortable in even a mans large hands and lets you avoid that problem of shakiness many of the too small digital cameras have. The interface is easy to use, simple, and effective. There is a dial for most of the features an amateur photographer would need to use in a split second, and I love the LCD screen on the back. Its the right size and perfectly movable. The grip on the side of this camera is one of its best features. Not only does it let you take secure pictures if you are like me and have shakey hands, but its also nice when maybe you are leaning out or in a moving vehicle trying to take a picture, you feel like you have a really good grip on your camera.
Another feature I like is that the lens is interchangeable and you can buy more advanced lenses to serve your particular needs. The package came with a USB cable adapter that lets you get all your pictures off the camera without ever having to touch the memory card.
All in all I think this is a perfect choice for the average consumer. It is a little pricey through Amazon, more affordable through some other retailers, but a good buy nonetheless. Things Id like to see with it would be maybe a case or easy way to protect it, and its also not the kind of camera you could easily slip into your pocket or anything. Its not that advanced in features, but consider what its aiming for I think it does a good job.
On: 2006-02-09
I bought this camera for my parents to replace their old Olympus 1.2 megapixel camera. My Mom was convinced shed need at least 6 megapixels but I proved to them 5 mp gives you more than enough quality (unless of course you are a professional). Not to mention with the release of the A620, this camera has become quite the bargain. You wont see too many 5 megapixel cameras with all the features this has for much cheaper. The optical zoom is a must in the camera world. Sure, you think you wont use the zoom much but youll discover later on you really needed it.
This camera is small, but not that small and despite being made of some kind of plastic has a very sturdy, metallic feel to it. It fits comfortable in even a mans large hands and lets you avoid that problem of shakiness many of the too small digital cameras have. The interface is easy to use, simple, and effective. There is a dial for most of the features an amateur photographer would need to use in a split second, and I love the LCD screen on the back. Its the right size and perfectly movable. The grip on the side of this camera is one of its best features. Not only does it let you take secure pictures if you are like me and have shakey hands, but its also nice when maybe you are leaning out or in a moving vehicle trying to take a picture, you feel like you have a really good grip on your camera.
Another feature I like is that the lens is interchangeable and you can buy more advanced lenses to serve your particular needs. The package came with a USB cable adapter that lets you get all your pictures off the camera without ever having to touch the memory card.
All in all I think this is a perfect choice for the average consumer. It is a little pricey through Amazon, more affordable through some other retailers, but a good buy nonetheless. Things Id like to see with it would be maybe a case or easy way to protect it, and its also not the kind of camera you could easily slip into your pocket or anything. Its not that advanced in features, but consider what its aiming for I think it does a good job.
On: 2006-02-08
This is my first digital camera and I can say that I am very pleased with this camera. Pictures come out looking awesome and although I had to check the Advanced Users guide that came with the camera to check up on some of the features, I found it easy to understand. Ability to zoom in while taking video in VGA at 60 fps. Tons of features for the price.
On: 2006-02-02
Excellent product, you can configure everything like in more expensive models. Only memory card is a misunderstanding 16Mb. If you decide to buy this camera order 1Gb memory card.
On: 2006-02-01
I have never owned a digital camera. This one is great, and I am so glad I bought it. So many of my friends, some that know their cameras, tell me I got a good one. This takes great video with sound, and good pictures. The display in the back is handy and I use it often. All that I could have wanted from a camera it does.
On: 2006-02-01
De verdad que la experiencia con la nueva camara a sido genial, la fotos son execelentes, los videos de 640x480 a 30 fps son geniales, para sacarle provecho es recomendable una memoria de 1 gb, entre lo que no me gusto fue el software para el PC ya que te abliga a bajar la fotos con este y no detecta la memoria como una unidad de disco, pero si tienes card reader problema resuelto, el otro detalle es la tapita donde esta la entrada de A/V es como fragil pareciera que se fuese a partir debieron hacerla igual a la de la memoria que es excelente.
la recomiendo con los ojos cerrados.
saludos.
by: sbbrogan On: 2006-02-01
Just used this for three weeks in Asia. It took hundreds of gorgeous shots without a hitch. Battery life was good and flexible resolution/detail options allowed me to save memory for the "big" shots. I love the detail and color in the pics; really didnt regret leaving my slide film behind. I also brought my 3MP Canon A400 to use as a "pocket" camera, but never took it out of the case because this one, though no Elph in size, is handy to carry and has addictive features. I was skeptical about the flip-around screen, but have found it very useful. Aside from the unobtrusiveness of looking away while shooting a subject, it basically saved me from lugging around a tripod because I could use any surface to stablize the camera in low light and simply move the screen to see the subject. This also helps the camera shake problem. I agree with those who find the "shake" icon appears too frequently, but it really does stop you from taking a pic that will only appear out of focus once you blow it up at home. If youre taking a lot of action shots in low light without a flash, you may need to go deeper into the software than I did to see if the settings will adapt to your purposes. The AV door is also flimsy, as others mentioned, not my favorite feature, but at least its flexible so it doesnt break off. I looked at a lot of camera sites before choosing this model, and have been very happy with its ease of use, quality, and reliability. It was easy (and cheap) to transition to this from the smaller Canon, as the software, SD card, and batteries were the same. There are definitely sleeker models out there (HP ,Sony), but for me this was a great combination of ease of use, functionality, quality, and price.
On: 2006-01-30
I bought this digital camera sometime in December and already have placed an order for another one as a gift. Since this is my first digital camera, i bought it from a store and thought shall try it out to see know it feels. The camera is simply amazing. Nice compact design, not as noisy as some others, nice crisp pictures, plenty of zoom, fast response to zoom and snaps. Fully loaded camera with plenty for manual and automatic settings.
As with all products, there are some cons with this one as well. First, although it is not as noisy as some others but you still can hear a noise when you zoom in and out. I found some of the Sony and Nikon making less noise. Secondly, the pictures at the far end of the zoom were very shaky and out of focus. Thirdly, it uses 4 AA batteries while others use only 2.
But overall, nothing beats a Canon and this ones the best out there.
On: 2006-01-24
The Cannon PowerShot A610 is a wonderful camera.
- 4 AA batteries mean that you dont have to charge a proprietary battery pack and you can refill at any store
- Long battery life, we use 2000mAh NiMH AAs and they last for weeks of casual shooting. At a friends wedding I took over 200 pictures, most with flash and did not need new batteries.
- Fast shutter response, not as fast as an SLR, but close.
- Large fold out screen, this opens up a huge range of picture taking that you never thought possible.
- Great pictures on the auto setting, just point and shoot for setting free pictures.
- Great range of settings, from "kids and pets" for fast shots to completely manual.
- Buy the fastest 1GB card you can find and you will never have to worry about changing cards again.
- Great movie mode, perfect for those moments that look better on film.
- Excellent display options for reviewing your photos.
- Additional timer function where you can have it take multiple shots after a delay so if people are blinking or being silly you have several to choose from without running back to the camera
- The only drawback is its size, if you want a "pocket" camera this is not for you, the large size does make it easy to hold and stable for using the timer.
On: 2006-01-19
I suffered through a few cheaper cameras, all with disappointing results, before paying for this one. Digital cameras still arent as cheap as film cameras, so you really just need to pay more if you want a good one. Maybe some cheaper digital cameras are OK for some people, but this one zooms farther, shoots faster, and takes better pictures. Indoor pictures come out pretty good (cheaper cameras take terrible indoor pictures) and outdoors it is just amazing.
It has a variety of settings you can adjust, but I just leave it set to automatic mode and it works better than messing around with modes and settings on cheaper cameras. The only things you really need to touch are the macro option for really close pictures (within a few inches) and sometimes you might want to turn the flash off manually, although most of the time it will turn off automatically when not needed. Eventually I will try playing with different settings, but for now I am just thrilled with how well it works on auto.
The first one I got was defective, but with Amazon I didnt have to pay anything for return shipping either direction to get it replaced.
On: 2006-01-13
I have owned many brands of Digiams from HP to Sony to Kodak and have found this to be the best of them all(with Sony as a close runner-up). This makes the third generation of Canon DigiCam that I have owned. An a60, and a75 and now this a610! All still function as new! For all those with the e18 errors, heres a solution.....DONT DROP YOUR CAMERA! Treat it gently and for the most part, it will last quite a while. The pictures you get from this are simply stunning. Perfectly saturated colors with VERY little noise(Even on high ISOs). Battery life is very good with nimhs, mainly due to utilizing 4 batteries. I routinely get 200-300 pictures on a set of fully charged NiMh AAs and around 100 pics on your run of the mill Alkaline AAs(NOT reccomended by the way). The interface is FULL of features, yet not too overwhelming. The new "My Colors" setting yields an absolutely stunning twist to your photos! For this year they have also increased the zoom to a 4x! Canon really did their homework on the A-series cameras!
On: 2006-01-07
The camera has got some really nice features that are unavailable in similar models.... Some good features are various modes of shooting such as portrait, landscape and special settings for cloudy and sunny days... also, there is a Tungsten setting which allows you to take photographs of bright light sources... it gets really good detail even when taking such shots...
All in all a fantastic camera..
On: 2006-01-06
Features and functionality are very nice, but I cannot get a single sharp image; pictures are all blurry and noisy no matter what setting i use. Like the previous reviewer, I also get the camera shake icon way too often. I assume from the generally favorable reviews that the camera is a good one and that I simply have a lemon.
On: 2006-01-06
This camera takes incredibly good pitchers. However, be forewarned that you will get redeye on indoor shots...Yes, you can download the pitchers to your computer and take them out, but its time consuming if you take many shots (if you like the camera as much as we do, you will). Also, you will not be able to correct the eye color of pets.
That being said, for the money its a great camera
On: 2006-01-04
I am giving this 3 stars for now because I have just ordered a replacement and dont want to slam the camera in case I just happened to get a "bad" one. I previously had the Canon A80 and was always pleased with the results so I opted for the A610 when it was time to get a new camera. Out of the box, I set the camera to Auto and started shooting a few indoor shots and noticed that all the shots seemed blurry. Additionally, the camera shake icon comes on when using the optical zoom no matter how still the camera is held. I even set the camera on a table to ensure that it was completely still but I cant get the camera shake icon to go away (any suggestions?). Based on my good experiences with the A80 and after reading all the good reviews posted, I have decided that the camera must be defective in some way so I am sending it back to Amazon for a replacement.
On: 2005-12-29
Thanks to putting a similar model on my wish list at Amazon.com, I received this model for Christmas. I believe its a good camera. Time will tell. However, you should be warned that the software is very, very bad, does not correspond to what is in the manual, and is likely to screw up your computer. So, in spite of the repeated warnings that you "must" install the software on you computer before connecting to download the pictures--which is pure hokum--you should not use the software at all. In fact, it might be okay for managing pictures, but it completely screwed up my computer system, and I learned, as I had expected, that you dont need it at all. The best thing, for all digital cameras, is to get the PCMCIA adapter and use that to copy pictures into your computer from the memory card. By all means DONT USE CAMERA COMPANIES SOFTWARE. My experience with Kodak and now with Canon, is that it is not only poorly written, it may well damage your system. In my case installtion of the Canon software resulted in inability to communicate with other computers on my LAN, and reset my power management options. Furthermore, the install program never finishes, it continues to recycle endlessly until you stop it.
On: 2005-12-29
I had owned the earlier Powershot A60 model and was very happy with that. The A610 is an improvement in every aspect.
* Video mode is great! You get full motion videos at 600x480 that look great when played back on a TV. I had just bought a digital video camcorder, JVC-GR270, and Im returning the camcorder because the Canon simply put its videos to shame. I STRONGLY recommend the
1GB SD Card and get an "ultra fast" version.
* Very useful additional photo features. It allows you to try
a trial flash so that it can correct exposure, before the actual
flash shot to avoid wash out.
* In review mode you can see a histogram of color levels.
* I didnt think I would find a lot of use for the flexible LCD
display. But it comes in very handy in macro mode and also for
taking self portraits.
* It has full manual controls and Canon has improved the button controls on the back.
* VERY nice that you can use 4 double-A batteries of your choice. I was able to shoot hundreds of photos with the LCD on all the time on one set.
Just a great camera.
On: 2005-12-28
I bought this camera for my mom and au pair for Christmas.
I have been really impressed. The pictures look very nice, the camera is quite easy to use, and the videos look EXCELLENT! The camera was smaller than I expected which was nice too. The flip LCD is very useful - Im very pleased with that.
My only slight complaint is what I have heard others say - the little door covering the A/V inputs is incredibly thin and flimsy. It doesnt even seem to close properly. It is quite odd that they didnt do a little better job Hopefully that wont become a problem. I could see it easily getting ripped off it is *so* small and think.
I have a Nikon D70, but am considering getting one of these as a smaller alternative when I dont want to lug my big camera everywhere.
For the price, this is a very good option.
On: 2005-12-28
After extensive usage, I would like to add that some of the images are soft. They are not as sharply focussed as some of the other cameras on the market (I am comparing a Sony W5 and the Canon A610). But still a great camera with tons of features.
Pros :
- Great pictures!!
- Nice build quality
- Easy to use/Menus and functions well layed out
- Great battery life
- Powerful flash
- Awesome macro mode
- Comforatable grip
- Really fast operation both at the time of starting and while using flash
Cons:
- Small memory card provided
- Slightly heavy and big (not pocketable)
(Guess it is a tradeoff between 4 x AA batteries and sleek design)
- Some red eye problem.
I got myself a 512 MB card, 2300mAh rechargeable batteries. Have taken over 200 pictures spread over almost a month now. Batteries still going strong. This is my first digital camera, and I think there is none better for the price !! Great job Canon.
On: 2005-12-17
I bought this camera so that I can take pictures of my son when I go visit him. I havent actually done that just yet but I am practicing taking pictures.
I am a beginner in every sense. I got the bug from my sister. Shes pretty good at this stuff.
Im no aspiring Ansel Adams or any other great photographer but i would like to be able to take great looking shots in every condition that I may be in. Be it a party or at a museum, whatever ligthing condition etc. etc. etc. I want to be able to photograph that moment.
Well this camera can do that and more. The auto mode is great for just being lazy and taking a snap shot to the color mode where you can do the color swap/accent etc. Its also got a good macro mode for close ups.
Another great feature is the ability to take fast frame rate video. Its at a lower resolution but the quality is there. If you want a video camera, buy a video camera. This is a digicam that can take video as well.
I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who wants a point and shoot camera and have a little bit of control for things like shutter speed, aperture blah blah blah.
Definitely get at least a 512 high speed SD card to minimize the time it takes from taking the picture to trying to take the next but that can be remedied by the burst mode.
The only thing that I dont like about this camera (and it really isnt a big deal at least for now) is the zoom. albeit, itt great zoom for a small camera, I would prefer to have at least 10x-12X zoom with image stabilization as well as a live histogram.
I might keep this camera for a while till I get my skills improved but the next camera I want is the S2 IS.
Bottom line, this will do what you want it to do and if you have time to play around with it a bit, then this is the camera for you. Keep in midn that this isnt a slim pocket cam but a real camera to take real pictures.
On: 2005-12-16
I own a 20D and a A85, this is a great walkaround camera and significantly faster than the A85 with its Digic2 chip.
If you take the time to check out its features you can do a whole lot with it.
Even has continuous shooting mode at about 2.4fps.
Focus is very fast.
On: 2005-12-15
I run a internet company which requires professional use of digital photos, etc. In short, this camera surprised me with all the options and all. Dont listen to people saying "it is too heavy". the heavier the better. It is solid, and I really love it. I also checked reviews before I bought this camera. It deserves 5 stars, not 4.5. If people did/do complain, it is because they dont know how to take pictures, for that matter..do they even know how to check their email? Anyways, i am impressed.
On: 2005-12-14
I bought this camera and i love it. the marco mode is amazing, even though you dont need to you can touch the subject and the camera will still focus. the zoom is very good (4x it would be nice with more but oh well, you can get a lens adapter from canon for about 120 it think). the shooting modes are easy to use and get to. my favorite is the color mode which is very fun to play around with. the style fits my hand very well. the screen is nice and large and it is nice that it flips closed so you dont scratch it or damage it. also it starts up very quickly. for a camera just under $300, this is a great buy. so far i have been completely satisfied. i would definatly recomend this to anyone looking for a great camera.
On: 2005-12-07
I have my A610 a week now after having owned two digital cameras. The last camera was a Canon A10 so this camera is a vast improvement. I love this camera! The pictures are wonderfully clear and crisp. My only negative comment is that it is a little tricky getting a good focus and exposure at macro settings. This thing will focus down to 1 cm! I found it best not to use the flash on close up shots as it tends over expose. The manual tells you this and a good exposure is possible with just a minimal amount of light without the flash.
The menus are straight forward but complex. Canon has allowed settings for just about everything. I cant imagine a setting that was missed.
The camera is slightly on the large size and a little heavy since it has 4 batteries, but it runs forever on that power source. The extra space needed for the batteries gives the camera a nice grip since the front protrudes out allowing you to hold the camera very still for low light settings.
I like the finish on the camera contrary to previous complaints. It is a textured silver finish rather than gloss and, I guess, it all a matter of taste. I do not think it has a cheap finish. Besides, the fit or the various pieces are almost perfect. This should not discourage you from buying this camera. Actually, I would have preferred an all black camera anyway, but silver seems to be the rage these days.
It has wonderful low light capabilities which are better than my old 35mm SLR. I was really surprised about this. I have noticed no noise problems in really low light.
The mechanical mechanisms are quiet and sound very refined. My old camera was rough and noisy.
We looked at a lot of cameras an did a great deal of research. I am very satisfied with this purchase and highly recommend it.
On: 2005-12-06
I have my A610 a week now after having owned two digital cameras. The last camera was a Canon A10 so this camera is a vast improvement. I love this camera! The pictures are wonderfully clear and crisp. My only negative comment is that it is a little tricky getting a good focus and exposure at macro settings. This thing will focus down to 1 cm! I found it best not to use the flash on close up shots as it tends over expose. The manual tells you this and a good exposure is possible with just a minimal amount of light without the flash.
The menus are straight forward but complex. Canon has allowed settings for just about everything. I cant imagine a setting that was missed.
The camera is slightly on the large size and a little heavy since it has 4 batteries, but it runs forever on that power source. The extra space needed for the batteries gives the camera a nice grip since the front protrudes out allowing you to hold the camera very still for low light settings.
I like the finish on the camera contrary to previous complaints. It is a textured silver finish rather than gloss and, I guess, it all a matter of taste. I do not think it has a cheap finish. Besides, the fit or the various pieces are almost perfect. This should not discourage you from buying this camera. Actually, I would have preferred an all black camera anyway, but silver seems to be the rage these days.
It has wonderful low light capabilities which are better than my old 35mm SLR. I was really surprised about this. I have noticed no noise problems in really low light.
The mechanical mechanisms are quiet and so | | |
