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Canon PowerShot A530 5MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
By: Canon Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 215
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 On: 2008-05-27
I like this camera, all things considered. I am only a casual photographer, so the fact that it makes it easy to take good pictures is excellent for me. I think that the menus are well thought-out and a lot of fun to play around with. My only complaint is that my camera eats batteries; I usually get to use the camera on one event per set of charged batteries. Its really annoying because it doesnt show battery status until theyre almost dead. Other than that, great camera.
 On: 2008-05-08
I love this camera. It has enough features for a camera hobbyist and is simple enough for an amateur. The manual provided with the camera is very detailed and easy to understand. One of the things I dont like about it is the shutter lag time (especially bad when batteries are low). I like to take pictures of my niece and the camera isnt fast enough sometimes to capture some special moments. The only other thing I would change would be for the zoom to be 6x, but still a great camera. I bought it on Black Friday so the price was much better too:). I would definitely buy this camera again. I have some great pictures because of it.
 On: 2008-03-10
Alright. For being my first camera, I liked it at first. The main reason was because it would tell you in understandable english what setting you had it on. Another thing I liked is that when you are looking at the pics, the camera detects what way you are holding the camera, and displays the picture so its right side up whichever way you are holding it.
Now, what is making me sell the camera and buy a different one is that well, the 5 pixels makes the pictures come out poor. And dont even try to take a scenery picture with this thing. But the main reason is that I have gone through 4 sets of batteries in one day. I wasnt even taking that many pictures, and was turning it off in between. What I think is ridiculous is that it doesnt even come with a charger, which was a very poor choice for Canon to make. One more downfall is that the display screen is a little small, it doesnt bother me that much, but I know for some people it would be a big deal.
Right now I am looking at the HP digita cameras, and they are all looking promising!
On: 2008-01-12
First of all, I am a reporter for a weekly newspaper. This camera travels with me wherever I go. I take both newsy outdoor photos and indoor photos at social functions. Its the latter that this camera really stinks. It is programmed to wait six seconds between flash photos, which, when you are taking photos of the mayor shaking hands with another dignitary, is an eternity. I end up taking an early safety shot then completely missing the real moment. Grrrr! It also is horribly grainy indoors, often to the point of being unuseable.
But the camera isnt without some merits. Outdoors in good sunlight this little camera is fine. In fact, Ive taken many good shots with it. The built-in movie mode is also very handy. Both the video and the sound are surprisingly good.
The A530 may be OK for light home use, but it is not for the professional. Im still impressed with Canon, however, and Im looking at getting a higher level Canon point-and-shoot digital.
 On: 2008-01-01
I originally got this camera for a trip to Italy and Greece. And it took AMAZING pictures while I was there. A lot of reviews complain about the quality of pictures or the graininess, but a lot of that can be solved just through browsing the manual and stepping out of the "auto" option.
All was well for a about a year, until my automatic lens cover began malfunctioning. Now, every single time I go to take a picture, I have to remember to flick the half open lens cover with my finger. The camera already has a slow start-up, so this is just the icing on the cake. Figures that the problem comes up after the warranty period is over.
On: 2007-12-28
I love this camera. Its durable, easy to use, fits in my purse, and does everything I need it to to do. Ive even dropped it a few times and it still works fine. In normal daylight, I always use the automatic settings. It takes perfect pictures. For pictures of my artwork, I change a few settings in the P mode, so I can adjust for the light and avoid using the flash. The macro works great and is easy to activate. If anything happened to it, Id get another one either just like it or a similar model.
On: 2007-12-11
Excellent all around camera. It even worked after I left it out in the rain.
On: 2007-11-11
This camera starting surprising me the day a bought it. Ive had mine for over one year now. The picture quality I experiance with this camera is unmatched.
I would have to say the video quality is good. If youre outdoors and have planty of light youll be happy with the video. Indoors or lower light situations not so much.
Overall, this is an awesome camera for its size and price.
On: 2007-10-21
Takes several tries to get a decent picture. Pics usually come out off-centered and blurry. Threw it out in frustration. Junk. Dont buy it.
 On: 2007-09-28
Ive always had good experience with Canon. I own the S400, SD400, Rebel XT . I bought a few of these A530 for the warehouse folks to use and the lens keep locking up. It wouldnt retract. One after another. I have no idea why. The cheap Kodak ones didnt have the same problem. The warehouse is quite new so I dont know if its dirt or what. Maybe being dropped once or twice lock it up? But how come the cheap Kodak survived? Mind boggling.
On: 2007-09-18
I have been reading great reviews of the Canon Powershot for several years, and having taken a bunch of high-rez pictures on a Sharp, was ready for an upgrade.
Welllll... the camera is easy to use, light, simple to operate... but the pictures arent the excellent quality I have come to expect from Canon. Good, but not great.
Service was okay, a bit slow to ship and advertised the product as new (it was not), but when they didnt have the smaller storage chip we ordered, they substituted a 1Gig which went a long way toward consoling us.
Again, good, maybe even very good, but not great.
On: 2007-09-13
Bought it for my 9 yo who was begging for a camera, solid, easy to use, hard to break. Dont need more than 5 MP on a small point and shoot, very well made.
On: 2007-09-03
Bought this camera for my 11 and 12 yeard old daughters who find it very user friendly. The various controls are well placed, the images are bright and the memory card is placed in the same area as the batteries so that once you want to change cards the power is interrupted (since the cover must be opened )which is definitely a safety feature. The cameras macro mode allows them to take lovely pictures of flowers and insects of interest while the movie feature is used by them to make numerous movies of themselves while singing and/or dancing or even of the family. The software that comes with the camera is a defininte plus since they download everything from the memory card onto the computers hard drive before clearing the contents of the card in order to use the camera again.
My only problem with this camera is that it is sold with a 16 MB card which, in this day, is quite useless so I think that a 512 MB card(which is what I bought for them) should be standard with the camera.
On: 2007-08-25
Ive had my eye on a Canon brand camera for years now. After being dissapointed by some other brands in the same price range (Fuji, Olympus) I thought it was finally time to give Canon the go around, and I must say I am rather pleased. The only negative I can think of is that it is not as fast as I thought it would be in continuous picture mode (where it takes consecutive pictures over and over). And also perhaps there arent too many resolution options. Its either tiny picture, huge picture, or really huge picture. Because for me, Im never going to have a picture printed out at poster size.
I really love the different manual settings however, and for the money I would say its one of the best point and shoot cameras you can get.
On: 2007-08-20
I have been a photographer for 20 years, and most of my favorite cameras have been Canons. When my trusty G1 broke, I decided to get a wee camera to use when I dont want to lug around an SLR. I found a new 530 for $150 and gave it a spin. Its a feature-rich pocket-sized cam with 4x zoom: adequate.
First off, the tiny, brightness-UNadjustable tiny LCD mkes framing in daylight impossible unless youre staring at it dead-on.
Then, I dropped it, from my coffee table onto a carpeted floor, and somehow the crappy plastic door over the batteries broke. I tried to return it for exchange, but no dice. So I wrapped rubberbands around it to get it to function. As long as I squeezed it while shooting, it kind of worked.
Then, inexplicably, about 6 months into its use, the pictures started being very blurry, no matter what I did. I took less than 1000 shots with this camera, and am now the happy owner of a Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ8.
When I bought my 530, a friend bought a similarly sized-and-priced Sony. It has a 2.5"LCD and is very bright. Takes great pictures, and when a pixel died, Sony replaced the camera with a better one within a week.
Canon is pretty good on the SLRs, and OK on the high-end point & shoots, but Panasonic, Olympus, Fuji and Sony are kicking their butts on the low-end stuff.
On: 2007-08-19
I do not like this camera. I think this camera takes horrible pictures. My pictures are blurry and not clear. It is very slow. It eats up AA batteries. My kodak 3mp camera took a lot better pictures than this 5mp camera
the only good thing about this camera is that it is easy to use and cheap.
On: 2007-08-14
There is a recall on this camera regarding the battery door which could cause a fire and drains the batteries quickly. I had it fixed by canon for free. I thought this might impact the shutter and write time. It did not. This camera takes forever to take and write to SD card. You will miss important pictures. Do NOT Buy.
On: 2007-08-13
I have had this camera for a year now and I must say it is still doing me a great service. I especially love all the features, such as the color accent and the fireworks setting. Even basic auto has turned up some especially nice images. I also find my number of blurred movement images has decreased from my previous camera and my close up images are clearer. All in all a great camera for the money, small and lightweight, I can carry it anywhere.
Any complaints I would have are normal for having an inexpensive camera, when I get my upgrade I will still think this camera is great, especially for everyday use.
On: 2007-08-07
We bought this camera for our son to use on the Appalachian Trail. He has been on the trail over 2 months, and the camera is still working like new. Two months doesnt sound like much time, but he has taken over 3,500 pictures with it. Also, he has fallen in the water with it in its case twice, getting it damp enough to have drops of water all over it. It has been damp many times from drenching rain, but he did keep it in its case. He never used the camera in the rain, so as not to damage it. Despite all of this, it still works well. One complaint he has is that it is hard to take close ups clearly and, since it does not have anti shake or an action setting, some pictures are blurry from his hand shaking sometimes. Otherwise, this is a great camera.
On: 2007-07-27
I have the A520 and bought this one for my parents. It is "relatively" easy to use, I like the features and the manual. The stitch feature is easy to use, and the included software is great. I have taken some amazing manual zoom pictures with my camera. The LCD screen is on the small side, so if you have vision problems or easily develop eye strain, then you will want to look for a sale on one of the higher-pixel models (A540 or A560) that has a larger screen.
On: 2007-07-26
We needed a "knock around" low priced camera for our real estate business. We are very pleased with the simplicity and quality in this camera. It is a low priced camera that would serve many uses. A "great" family camera.
On: 2007-07-24
This is my first Digital Camera so I cant really compare it to others.... I have owned the product for about 6 months now and Im very happy with it. The Camera is easy to use and takes very good pictures. The pictures I have taken outside have been great with very vivid colors that really "jump out" at you, very nice. The indoor photos are good but some have been slightly grainy. It could be Im not using the best settings for taking indoor photos and will have to try different camera modes/settings, whice this camera does provide.... I keep the camera on "auto" and just "point and shoot" as I like to keep things simple. I have been happy with 90% of all photos taken this way, but the great thing about the camera is that you can, when your ready for that next step, put it on "manual" and begin to experiment with different things and maybe even become a photographic "Artist" someday.... In the mean time, if your just interested in taking artistic "looking" photos of your camping trip, without much effort, you cant go wrong with this camera.... Great value at $119.00....
On: 2007-07-22
It does what I bought it to do; take good quality pictures from a basic aim and shoot camera. It came with a 16 MB memory card which isnt large enough. I installed a 520 card which is sufficent for my needs. Batteries seem to last longer in this camera then my last. I owned a similar Cannon prior to this one, but it failed the drop test. I would recommend this camera.
On: 2007-07-05
I want to add that the thing is very durable.
I just had a fall on the street, with the camera in my hand, so it basically absorbed much of my kinetic energy.
As consequence, the camera looks horrible. The surface on one side around the lens got completely rasped away, with the deepest scratches around one third of a millimeter.
But... its completely functional!
So, five thumbs up!
On: 2007-06-27
Very suprised. This is a great camera. The person I gave this too loves it.
On: 2007-06-27
OK... really sick of paying more money these days for QUALITY products, and they stink out on me less than one year. This camera has begun failing me last week, which would make it 7-8 mos old. Now I have to dig up my receipt and warranty. (thankfully after my last purchase of a $400 Nikon) I have learned my lesson in keeping receipts and boxes. Anyhow, my problem with the camera is that no matter what battery I put in it now, it is constantly showing LOW BATTERY and it just shuts off. Was very disappointed after taking this on a trip, i will never be able to get some shots I really wanted to get. Other than this problem now, I find the lighting on the camera to only be so-so. To be honest, I dont remember the Nikon I had, but that was an excellent camera for pics. Canon A530 is not great for the avid Ebayer either. Was only good for general purpose pictures. Save your money and stick with Olympus or Minolta. Never has failed me. Guess I have to dig my old Minolta that requires actual film out again now. Im sure this warranty process will take months.
On: 2007-06-14
Ive had my canon a530 for about 5 months now. In that 5 months its been in texas, on a plane, at my school(im 16), outside, indoors and dropped once by my father. After taking a fall the zoom tended to stick a tiny bit but after moving it, it works fine. I love the features and it took amazing pictures out of the plane window, but my only concern is how durable it is.
by: Anonymous On: 2007-06-08
This is a very good camera and it even records video and has sound. The pictures are clear and sharp and looks very professional. You can even zoom in and out for optimal results. Very impressive!
On: 2007-05-31
it was lighter than the a520 which is a good thing, but it seemed like it had fewer features.
On: 2007-05-14
Takes amazing photos in day light. However, night time photographs are just average.
Pros:
1. Not very expensive.
2. Uses AA batteries.
3. Good day time photos.
Cons:
1. Heavy.
2. Night photographs are just around average.
This is a great aim and shoot camera for amateurs.
On: 2007-05-13
I love my new camera. It is easy to use and it fits all my needs.
On: 2007-05-11
This is a very good camera, unless you wear bi-focals or progressive lens. I could not see the display on outdoor shots unless the sky was overcast and I also had trouble with indoor shots in low light. When I tried using the viewfinder, the shot never turned out as I thought I had set it up.
This was my first digital camera; I am much happier with the A710 I have now.
On: 2007-05-08
This camera has been everything I could ask for. It was priced right, with all the features I needed.
On: 2007-05-07
I dont think you can ever go wrong with a Canon digital and the A530 doesnt disappoint. Its not the smallest camera, but it fits in your hand well. The screen isnt huge like some other models, but it doesnt feel small either. This camera takes great pictures. Its fast and responsive and the menus are easy to navigate. The 4x zoom is a nice bonus as many cameras in this range have only a 3x. It autorotates pictures taken vertically. The movie mode is excellent. You can take 640 x 480 video at 30 fps until your memory card fills up. I would definitely recommend this camera for someone whos not into the tiny cameras.
On: 2007-04-20
Unbelievable product and value. Bought this camera back in October with no expectations that any great things could happen with such a cheap camers. What a mistake! Only after a few months and downloaded the manual and enlarged the print, Then I could easily learn all the tricks to fabulous photos
On: 2007-04-15
Perfect for departmental use and occaisional travel. Use of 2AA batteries makes it easy to power just about anywhere in the world. Takes good photos, closeups, scenic, and technical shots for emailing to associates or dropping into work instructions. Durable and simple enough to share with point and shoot coworkers. Not as convenient as an SD600, but more affordable and adequate for most pockets. Battery life not noticed as I always carry extra batteries and remember to recharge overnight. This is not a good camera for quick impromptu shots due to slow turn-on cycle and time lag between shots. Would be a great first-camera gift for those just getting started or prone to dropping, losing, etc. Best kept in a small case rather than a purse or pocket, due to size.
On: 2007-04-02
I used to have an old Digitrex DSC-3000 (also available on Amazon), and it left me disappointed. The A530, however, has left me quite satisfied. A set of quality (rechargeable) batteries can snap at least a hundred pictures or so, mostly outdoors. I dont know what an f stop is or what ISO speeds mean, but I know that I can mess with them to get better pictures in the dark. In the light, and especially with the flash on, my pictures come out sharp and clear, with far less motion blur than I see in my friends photos. Another perk was the short time between turning it on and being able to take a picture; only takes about a second or so. All in all, Id definitely recommend this to anyone that wants something more than a simple "point and shoot," but doesnt want to spend a fortune. Throw in a 2GB SD memory card, and youre good to go.
On: 2007-03-16
I got this camera for a Christmas present, and let me tell you. I absoluty HATE it. For 5mp it takes horrible pictures inside. I did all kinds of settings but nothing made it better, AND I had great lighting! The guide that comes with this camera is not very helpful at all either, I was very disapointed with this camera. Its flash-back time was the worst though. Id take a picture and once 10 SECONDS later it came up! This camera is also a battery killer, I get about 15-20 minutes out of use on a fully charged set of batteries! I hated this camera and I sold it. I will not buy a Canon again with this experince. Total Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Nice outdoor shots
Its very compact
Cons:
Horrible Flash-Back time
Very confusing guide
Kills batteries in 15 minutes
Indoor pictures are horrible
On: 2007-03-11
Our first camera with-out-film,WOW!,so many features we added a 512mb card and so now we will take it with us on special events and this camera either photos or video recording Very-Very Pleased also has Zoom 4X that helps in Shots 20 or more everything included cables video-audio-RCAs and USBs.All we will ever need as a Family p.s. my wife loves to Scrap-Book memories in albums and allows creativity in our Computer Printer with High gloss paper.
On: 2007-03-09
I got it for a friend of mine. Did not really use it. But the quality of pics are really amazing even when you are a novice. I am a A510 user and there is no other range of cameras which can beat the quality and price.
On: 2007-02-27
I have to acknowledge what a fine company canon is. I bought this camera for my daughter [13] for chistmas. Not even a week later due to my daughters neglet it was left out were it got trampeld and scratched up and the optical lense was inoperative. The camera was trashed, so we were so upset because it cost a pretty penny. She took it upon herself to call customer sevice and have it shipped back to the factory to get an estimate to fix. Well come to everyones surpise they fixed the camera and shipped it back to my daughter free of all charges. They stated that allthough the repairs were not covered under waranty they stood by there product and wanted full satisfaction from thier customer!!!! Well all in all its a great camera with even beter customer service!!!! way to canon
thanx
mike
On: 2007-02-18
based on previous reviews i bought this camera as it was inexpensive compared to other canon cameras and i needed to buy a camera for my 15 year old son. this camera has v. good features as all other canon cameras have though i dont particularly like its look. However it is easy to hold the camera to shoot pictures without shaking, and the digital display is good enough i guess for a first time camera for my son. I would definitely go in for a better camera (thin and sleek one, though it would be more expensive) when i buy a camera again.
On: 2007-02-14
The camera is easy to use. It came with very complete instuctions on how to set it up and operate it. It can be used as a point and shoot camera or you can select for creative photography. The main drawback is when shooting a lot flash pictures it uses up the batteries pretty fast.
On: 2007-02-09
This is a first-rate product and I am a second-rate operator. I am gaining on it, though! Each weekend I learn a few more functions. I wish it were not so complicated but once I master everything it will be great. Already I have taken some pictures of certain subjects (an elderly sled dog, for one) that are far superior to the many previous pictures taken with other cameras. This is a fine piece of equipment.
On: 2007-02-08
Pros: This camera takes AWESOME snapshots! I bought the Fujifilm Finepix A400 4 mega pixel for my girlfriend and this is 10X better! (Shes gonna kill me since she wanted this one, but it was outside my price range at Christmas). The photos are crisp, detailed and clear and the menu is intuitive. Its Picture Bridge enabled. It uses an SD card, which is MUCH cheaper than the XD that the Fujifilm and Olmpus cameras use. The downloads via USB are simple. You can download ALL photos or NEW photos or select the ones to download and youre prompted with a blue light on the camera. The pictures download VERY quickly. Theres a ton of included software, most of which I will never use, but its nice to have. The micro zoom is nice for shooting close-ups of flowers and smaller, detailed subjects.
Cons: 1. Eats batteries like nobodys business - I put the included batteries in, took about 12 shots using the flash and within 30 minutes the LCD flashed the weak battery symbol. 2. Shutter lag - powers on quickly enough, but speed between shots is somewhat gimpy.
Other Thoughts: I had an old Sony Maverica with the floppy disk for storage. This is my first REAL digital camera. There are a LOT of adjustable settings, both manual and automatic, that I have yet to play with completely. So far, Im VERY impressed with this camera and the price has come down quite a bit recently. Get yourself some rechargeable batteries.
On: 2007-02-06
I was pondering whether to buy this one or the A540 model. I gather the only difference was the 6MP for the A540 - since I knew I wouldnt print any pictures I would assume that 5MP should work just fine for my purposes. Paid $110 incl shipping online for refurbished unit. Use it with a 512 MB SD card - can hold some 300-400 pics. Battery life seems reasonable - have to change every 250 pics or so. Been doing a great job so far - and I know nothing much at all about cameras.
Best, Marcus
[...]
On: 2007-01-31
Amateurs must buy this one,, good and clear pictures, no charging hassle and fast focus... bright flash too
On: 2007-01-25
For a digital camera that has been recently manufactured, this camera is unreasonably slow in its power up and response time. So slow, you might not even be able to capture scenic pictures before the sun goes down. Ok, I might be exaggerating a little, but not by much. This model is an embarrassment to Canons otherwise nice line of cameras.
If you like pressing the shutter button and then having the picture snap two seconds later, this is the camera for you.
On: 2007-01-23
very great camera. takes great pictures. good for all climates in the world. Love to travel with my camera to Europe, Africa and continental USA. Best gift for anyone.
obi
On: 2007-01-23
The Canon A530 has been my first experience owning a digital camera, and the first real investment I have made in any type of photography equipment, and I can honestly say it has been a stress-free, pleasant experience. I dont care about technical camera features, I bought this camera to be able to take great shots right out of the box, and it has done that for me and more. I bought a cheap kingston 1GB memory card (18 bucks) and some rechargeable batteries on Amazon and have already taken hundreds of photos. I also picked up the A530 storage case from Amazon as well. The only drawbacks to this camera are taking shots in rather dark settings, and that for certain photos in certain conditions it takes a few seconds to actually take a photo. But, for me, this isnt too big of a drawback, and after a few months as a Canon owner I can say that I am very happy with this purchase.
On: 2007-01-23
this camera was ok, at best. Not nearly as gooda their A630 which Iv e owned for a year and love. Before this camera came up with dreaded "lens error", rendering it inoperable, i found it to be fair at best, took average pictures, and had problems with many lighting conditions. I dont recommend it.
On: 2007-01-15
It takes great pictures, is easy to use, and is compact. The instructions are easy to follow. I like the possibility of using regular or rechargeable batteries.
On: 2007-01-13
This is a great camera for users that are just interested in taking everyday photos. It has many features, yet is easy to use.
On: 2007-01-13
Cant compain much about the camera. Its quick to start up and focus, expose, and capture images. Images are great for a point and shoot. There is enough flexiblity to properly expose under difficult conditions too. Sometimes its a little slow to save photos to the memory card though. The redeye function doesnt seem to do much either.
On: 2007-01-13
We bought this camera for my mother for her 65th birthday. She loves it! She is not very tech savvy and this was her first digital camera. Its very easy to use, compact and the pictures are great.
On: 2007-01-13
For the most part I like my new Canon Powershot A530, except, the lens cover (works sort of like a shutter in front of the lens) sticks when you turn the camera on. Ive ruined several shots since it started doing this. When you first turn on the camera you have to remember to finish popping it open with your fingernail.... Any suggestions?
On: 2007-01-13
well this camera is fantastic , i absolutly love it , very easy to use , really compact , it fits and my smaller bag, its reat if this is just first camera timers.
On: 2007-01-12
very small and light, perfect for a girl,had no problems with it. the only thing is you need to buy more gigs as the memory card that comes with it wont do it for a traveller.
On: 2007-01-12
First, the pros: This camera packs a lot of nice features into a small box with easy to use buttons and a small price tag. As a rule Ive found that blurriness/darkness/brightness/etc. tend to be the photographers fault much more than the cameras, and if you use the camera a lot and get familiar with the controls you can generally find a way to take care of the problem. One feature I love is the color change: black and white shots are clear, sharp, and dramatic and can make a pretty bland subject more interesting, and portraits come out great. Theres so much more detail that you would miss in a full-color photo. Sepia photos are antique-looking, and with a few props you can take photos that look just like the ones you might see in a Civil War book. For a beginning digital photographer, or someone who doesnt make high demands on a camera, this one is pretty sweet.
Now, the cons: first, plan on either buying rechargeable batteries or buying a lot, because this camera burns batteries like theyre going out of style. This could be because I took nearly 500 pics the first week after I bought this camera :), and probably this camera doesnt burn batteries faster than any other model in this category-Ive heard digitals are notorious for spending batteries. Just thought Id warn you. Secondly, plan on getting at least one additional memory card. The included card takes about 15 Medium photos before the you have to upload-very annoying. The zoom is ok, especially if you utilize the digital zoom, but at just 4x its not quite enough for my taste. Its great for normal use, but to capture that shot of a bird (or something) in that tree way over THERE-you may want to look into a few more "xs". Its also a little slower than I would like-its "point-pause-shoot." Which means someone can make a face at the camera and have looked away before you get the shot-so its not so great for children or active pets! Also, its not a "click-click-click" continuous camera; there are a few seconds between the time one picture is taken and the time the camera is ready for the next.
Overall, despite my critism, this is a great starter camera that goes far above and beyond the conventional film cameras most amatuer photographers have (the birthday/Christmas 35mm cameras that are limited to a flash, a viewfinder, a shutterbutton, and a wriststrap) and Id recommend it to anyone who doesnt make big demands on a camera, like really fast speeds and a powerful zoom (most people dont, I expect, need pro capabilites!) and who just wants a versatile camera for taking pictures of the kids (or the parents, whichever the case may be). Its pretty simple to use, it can give clear tight closeups of objects within its range, and with a little practice it can fill most peoples needs, I think.
On: 2007-01-12
The camera is easy to use, light weight and take very good pictures, The price is right too.
On: 2007-01-12
Well I bought this camera for my younger brother. Everything works out great. It was not too expensive and was a lot easier to travel with then a regular 35mm. The shot look real good and the flash is good for the house parties he went to. The only problem he has with it is, it take forty shots and then you need to replace the batteries. Overall it is not a bad camera as long as you dont mind changing batteries all the time.
On: 2007-01-12
Its really handy stuff to carry with you in your hand bag or when you go to the party or any other event.
I like it. However Im lazy in learning all the functions it has it was easy for me to take pictures and transfer them to CPU etc. The quality of pictures is great especially when they are made outdoor.
The only my problem was that I didnt order the charger and memory card with camera together. I had to buy it separately. Also there was no case for camera and its difficult now to find suitable case. I like camera to be protected.
I like my camera and if you need nice small camera to carry with you everywhere this one is for you.
Alex
On: 2007-01-12
We brought this camera to Disney World with us and we are extremely happy with the photos - in the dark or daylight - inside or outside - Christmas lights - moving animals - all our pictures came out great. We were so satisfied with it, we bought another one as a gift for our daughter.
On: 2007-01-12
Love the camera. And the instructions on how to use it are very clear and helpful!
On: 2007-01-11
First, the pros: This camera packs a lot of nice features into a small box with easy to use buttons and a small price tag. As a rule Ive found that blurriness/darkness/brightness/etc. tend to be the photographers fault much more than the cameras, and if you use the camera a lot and get familiar with the controls you can generally find a way to take care of the problem. One feature I love is the color change: black and white shots are clear, sharp, and dramatic and can make a pretty bland subject more interesting, and portraits come out great. Theres so much more detail that you would miss in a full-color photo. Sepia photos are antique-looking, and with a few props you can take photos that look just like the ones you might see in a Civil War book. For a beginning digital photographer, or someone who doesnt make high demands on a camera, this one is pretty sweet.
Now, the cons: first, plan on either buying rechargeable batteries or buying a lot, because this camera burns batteries like theyre going out of style. This could be because I took nearly 500 pics the first week after I bought this camera :), and probably this camera doesnt burn batteries faster than any other model in this category-Ive heard digitals are notorious for spending batteries. Just thought Id warn you. Secondly, plan on getting at least one additional memory card. The included card takes about 15 Medium photos before the you have to upload-very annoying. The zoom is ok, especially if you utilize the digital zoom, but at just 4x its not quite enough for my taste. Its great for normal use, but to capture that shot of a bird (or something) in that tree way over THERE-you may want to look into a few more "xs". Its also a little slower than I would like-its "point-pause-shoot." Which means someone can make a face at the camera and have looked away before you get the shot-so its not so great for children or active pets! Also, its not a "click-click-click" continuous camera; there are a few seconds between the time one picture is taken and the time the camera is ready for the next.
Overall, despite my critism, this is a great starter camera that goes far above and beyond the conventional film cameras most amatuer photographers have (the birthday/Christmas 35mm cameras that are limited to a flash, a viewfinder, a shutterbutton, and a wriststrap) and Id recommend it to anyone who doesnt make big demands on a camera, like really fast speeds and a powerful zoom (most people dont, I expect, need pro capabilites!) and who just wants a versatile camera for taking pictures of the kids (or the parents, whichever the case may be). Its pretty simple to use, it can give clear tight closeups of objects within its range, and with a little practice it can fill most peoples needs, I think.
On: 2007-01-11
Very good camera for the money. Only con is it is little bulky
On: 2007-01-11
My only gripes with the camera thus far are (1) the date stamp ONLY works in the "auto" mode and (2) going from live view to viewing a taken picture is very, very slow. Otherwise, this is an excellent camera and I am very pleased with it.
On: 2007-01-11
I purchased this camera for my 14 year old daughter. She loves it!! Iwas ready for her to use right out of the box. I wish now I would have ordered 2!!
On: 2007-01-11
Trade up! Go for the 600 Series. This camera has a v e r y s l o w flash recharge delay. My nephews unwrapped their Christmas presents faster than the shutter would engage. I have a lot of pictures of bodies flying toward blurred gifts. In frustration I gave it to the seven year old and he took outstanding still lifes. It is now his.
On: 2007-01-10
Awesome camera for the $$. All the quality you would expect from a Canon product. I purchased two of these as gifts for Christmas and both recipients have been overwhelmed with the images they are able to produce. I highly recommend this camera for entry level enthusiasts and seasoned shutterbugs as well. Ease of use and intuitive design make for simple yet exquisite results. All this and more at a comparatively reasonable Amazon price!
On: 2007-01-10
We bought this little camera for a trip to Central Europe, and it completely filled the bill. It takes fine pictures very easily in automatic mode, uses AA batteries so doesnt need an adapter for European power, and can be carried in a shirt pocket. The flash is a bit slow charging up, but I dont like to use flash anyway, so that was never a problem. It just needs to be well braced for indoor pictures. If you dont use the flash, the batteries last a long time - a couple of hundred pictures per set. Im a dinosaur from the age of film and have very little to compare this camera with; but Im quite happy with it and would recommend it to anyone who, like me, wants good pictures without a lot of fussing. And it does have manual, closeup, portrait modes, etc. for those who like to mess around more.
On: 2007-01-10
This camera is one of the cheapest and it works great. I liked the rounded edge, gives you something to grip not like the flat cameras. The picture quality is great and it even takes video. there are different options so you can really be creative. I would highly recomend this camera. I even bought 2 for my adult children.
On: 2007-01-10
This is a great starter camera for anyone. Canon is a great user friendly camera. You can take this camera further if you wish, or you can aim and shoot.
On: 2007-01-10
I used this camera and I dont repent my decision of buying it.
I like it a lot but also one has to understand you cannot get everything out of this camera which cost so less. For outdoor this is great, pictures are nice. For indoor too is quite good not excellent but definately better than saying not bad.
Overall, I recommend to buy if u r getting under 150 bucks...
On: 2007-01-10
For the money this camera would be difficult to beat. There are things such as unable to see the shutter speed and apature when taking the picture, but for the most part, this is a dandy little camera. I have yet to print my photos, but expect they will be OK. Very handy size makes it a camera to always have around.
On: 2007-01-10
Easy to use, and very flexible with many features. I am used to single lens reflex cameras, and depth-of-field calculations. But you can use this camera as a simple snap-shot camera, or by-pass the automatic features for more creative work. Also, good for letting your kids try out digital photography with low risks (technical and financial). A great investment for <$140., and a great, new toy for me. The software is very easy to use; you can email your photos almost at once.
On: 2007-01-10
My daughter-in-law loves the camera. The major downfall is the limited memory capability.
On: 2007-01-10
I love my new camera. It is easy to use. The only drawbacks that it has are that the AA batteries dont last very long and that the shutter time isnt fast enough for those action shots.
On: 2007-01-10
Nice camera - takes great pictures. The camera seems to go through batterys very quickly - not sure if it is an issue with the camera. Every time I use it, I have to change the batteries, other than that I like it. Not sure who I talk to at Amazon about this unfortunately.
On: 2007-01-09
I love the camera, however it seems to be a bit on the fragile side, based on the fact that it has a lens error and I never dropped it or had considerable damage done to it. It is currently on its way back to the manufactor to get repaired.
However I love the options, and its fairly easy to operate. I was also slightly dissapointed that there are no waterproof cases available for my model. Maybe in the future?
Overall, I enjoy my digital camera very much. Thanks!
On: 2007-01-09
Although I am notorious for never reading the instruction material that comes with my purchases, in this case with the Canon I had to break down and read about 5 pages of material. And it was SIMPLE! I can do a lot more with the camera than I have done so far, like take videos, but for now, the ease of use, especially hooking it up to my printer and/or my computer is a breeze! I have just converted to an Apple computer, and was worried about compatability, but no worries - plug and play and walk away! The pix are sharp no matter what I do - the camera makes decisions about light that work out great, but you can make those decisions yourself if you feel like tinkering. The technology has obviously gone through the roof since my old Olympus digital I bought 10 years ago. And I find it so cute - its small and just darling! This is the best camera Ive ever owned in about 30 years of photography! BRAVO CANON!
On: 2007-01-09
Excellent choice for point and shoot digital photography. Shirt pocket size. Easy to operate. Software package is easy to install and use.
On: 2007-01-09
I took this camera on our vacation down to Key West over Christmas. I had already bought a battery recharger and a 2 GB memory card. This camera took very good pictures whether I was inside a museum or outside on an airboat (just need to use the viewfinder outside to see what youre taking a picture of.) Im not ready to give up my SLR camera, but it was nice to not have to worry about changing film and getting it developed.
On: 2007-01-09
This camera takes excellent pictures and is very simple to use. I also love the video feature and the viewfinder--neither of which are standard on a lot of cameras in this price range. The software is user friendly as well. My only complaint is that there doesnt seem to be an editing feature that allows you to edit the pictures before you upload them. Other than that, I would very highly recommend this camera to anyone who doesnt want to spend a fortune on a digital camera but does want to have decent quality photos.
On: 2007-01-09
The close-up shots are simply great. The camera is easy to use and a good value for the money. Overall i love this camera.
On: 2007-01-09
I purchased this model for my young adult children, who had both used digital cameras before. Both have been very pleased with the features and the ease of operation. This is the perfect camera for the casual picture-taker; the price range (I paid $150) is very reasonable, and the end product is excellent. I bought this model after reading the reviews of the A540 and sveral others - this is by far the better value.
On: 2007-01-09
This product is excellent. It has shown me the best results then any other Camera available in the market.
On: 2007-01-06
I had A80 which is suppose to best of the bread, but this A530 -
- is much more light weight (works with 2 batteries).
- Controls are easy to operate
- Screen colors are not that realistic (but photos would come with real colors)
- Photo quality is good (comparable to A80)
- Even though it is entry level digital camera, I guess it is sufficient for some one like me who takes lot of photos and expect them to come nice without having any photography skills
- Surprisingly its video came out better than A80 in low light
On: 2007-01-06
The powershot A530 is a nice cam for a point and shoot purpose. Is small, handy,fast and gives good pics.
On: 2007-01-06
I bought this to replace my Canon A75 to increase from 3.2MP to 5MP and go from a 3x optical zoom to a 4x optical zoom as well as move a smaller sized camera. All that is good, but my one dissappointment is that I have to wait much longer between shots (up to 15 seconds) before I can take another photo! I assume this is for the flash to charge but it is really annoying when there is the fast action of Christmas and other activities and I am continually waiting for the camera to take the next photo.
On: 2007-01-06
This is a great small, portable camera. If you are looking to do high end work, you might want to look at the SLRs. For everyday snapshots and photos this is more than suitable. For a carry in your pocket camera, this cant be beat. I bought one for my personal use, then two more for work. At work they get used by many people to photograph construction activities (generally not treated very gently) and have held up very well. Considerations for buying this:
1. Good price.
2. Uses AA batteries, so you arent stuck with expensive proprietary batteries and you can always find replacements. I use rechargable NiMH and they last a long time (deplete faster if you use the screen and flash).
3. Uses low-cost SD card. Sony and Fuji use higher cost Memory Stick or XD. I use 2GB Kingston cards, which cost about $40 each. Holds over 1000 photos at max resolution.
4. The screen on the back is the right size. The later models have a bigger screen, but you lose the space in the button area. This model has a good combination of a readable screen and buttons that you can push wearing gloves.
5. 4X optical zoom is a plus.
6. Comfortable grip. One hand only works fine.
All these small cameras have weak flashes. Dont expect more than about a twelve foot range. For low light shooting, I set to multiple shot mode at 1 second increments. Then it shoots itself with no wobbling from the finger pushing the button.
5MP max resolution will get you great 10x12 prints, and decent larger prints. Anything smaller is excellent.
This camera takes great outdoor pics, with good color and resolution. I dont have to do much (if any) photoshopping on those.
The included shooting modes are useful. I use night a lot and it improves the photos.
The little Canon carry case is well worth the $10. The camera fits right in and is well protected.
My daughter has had the older A510 at college and it has worked great for her as well.
On: 2007-01-05
Ive had this camera for about 4 months. It takes great pictures and has more than enough "bells and whistles" for the average point and shoot photographer (me). The only "bad thing" about it is operation is not intuitive, other than the on/off switch and zoom. Youll have to get into the manual to learn the functions.
On: 2007-01-05
Great little camera. Replaced memory card that came with the camera with a 1GB card and we still are shooting away! Easy to use software and small size is great for travel! We took it to Florida and Ireland for our honeymoon and it took great photos with ease!
On: 2007-01-05
Does everything I need it to and simple to use! Top notch picture quality in the auto mode for quick pics. Goes everywhere with me from mountain biking to snowshoeing, skiing to hiking! Have to carry extra batteries though! They go quick!
On: 2007-01-05
I used to have the earlier model A510 for several years and was very happy with it. When the camera was knocked out of my wifes hand by our dog, and hit the hardwood floor, I was forced to search for a new digital camera. As usual, I searched the web for reviews and looked at many cameras at local shops. I decided to upgrade to the A530 which provided the 5 Megapixel resolution, a faster built-in computer, better control interface and a nice 4x zoom. The camera is very easy to use, the pictures are great and the macro function provides very good closeup shots. The camera comes standard with a small 16M flash card so I would recommend purchase of a larger flash. A 1 Gbyte flash card that I have can hold over 600 photos. Would also recommend high performance AA batteries.
On: 2007-01-05
This is a very good value for the money. Works well, easy to use, reliable.
On: 2007-01-05
I have purchased 2 520s and 2 530s for my kids and inlaws. They are great little cameras - no problems with any of them, the picture quality is very good, and my 10 year old can use it. I have had battery life issues with the NiMH batteries I use in them - I am not sure if it is the camera draining them quickly or the battery quality.
On: 2007-01-05
This camera, in use since October, burns batteries at an incredible rate. After twenty shots, the batteries die. I have requested from Canon an explanation, they tell me to send it back for repairs. A big dissapointment
On: 2007-01-04
I bought this camera for my parents. It takes far better pictures than the camera I paid 3x as much for. It also is a lot less complicated.
On: 2007-01-04
its a great little camera! it takes super photos of the greatest quality. the only thing that stinks is the battery life isnt that great, but if youre out some place and you run out, you dont have to worry about re-charging, you can just purchase 2 double A batteries. :-)
On: 2007-01-04
Ive used this camera for about a year now. It takes decent pictures and is durable. The only thing I could complain about is that it is a battery hog. If you are going on a trip, bring a pack or two of batteries along for this camera.
On: 2007-01-04
Canon is a well known brand over the world. I have been using this camera for about 3 months now, and it is truly amazing. a great buy at a good price.
On: 2007-01-04
The camera is good and user friendly. I was impressed with the ratings and also with the price. I had very good buying experience with Amazon. I would defenitely recommed this camera on Amazon.
On: 2007-01-04
Camera is very capable; works very well. Camera has many manual mode adjustments for perfectionists. Recommend purchasing 512MB or larger memory card and AC adapter/charger with at least two rechargeable AA batteries for use with printer/computer.
On: 2007-01-03
Takes a beautiful picture. But, that being said it is definitely not user friendly. The instruction manuel is too complicated and every time you take any action you have to go to the menue button to try to figure out what to do. There is nothing simple about this camera. Also, the LCD eats the batteries up in a hurry.
On: 2007-01-03
I bought recently Canon Powershot A530 5MP camera. Really this camera is Excellent. I have Sony 7.1MP also. I compared both camera pictures. I like canon pictures very much than Sony. No need to buy power adapters if you go other countries. In any country simply you can use 2 AA batteries. I like this camera very much. The memory card also SD. Now SD cards available in very low prices.
On: 2007-01-03
Nice camera for the money and easy to use. One downer is the AA batterys. Even with rechargables in seems were always changing them.
On: 2007-01-03
This camera has all the features the casual photographer needs. The cost and the fact that it doesnt eat batteries makes it a great deal.
On: 2007-01-03
This little camera takes beautiful photos! My only complaint, and a minor one at that, is that it eats batteries.
On: 2007-01-03
This is by far the most user friendly Camera that I have ever owned. In not a pro so I can honestly say that I wont ever need another camera. Thanks Canon !
On: 2007-01-03
Only problem i faced is that the battery drains very quickly. Other than that its too good.
On: 2007-01-01
I bought this for my wife and she loves it. Shes actually downgrading from a Nikon SLR film camera to this point-and-shoot and is perfectly satisfied with the features and ease of use of this camera.
In my own evaluation of the camera, I find it remarkably well made and capable of producing surprisingly high quality images. If youre wondering about purchasing a more expensive model with higher megapixel numbers, Id say save your money. For all around use---family pics, snapshots, etc.---the 5 MP of this camera is more than adequate for 5x7 prints. In fact, it does something my Nikon D80 cant: you can use the display screen to frame shots as well as the viewfinder. An advantage I noticed during a family get together was that 3 of us had these Canons; so if you have trouble figuring out how to use it (unlikely), youll probably find a relative who can show you how!
My one criticism of this camera---and its a commentary on many miniaturized electronic devices these days---is its unnecessarily small size. Sure, it makes this camera pocketable, but for large hands it is a bit of a challenge to use. More importantly, the size limits the number of batteries to 2. For a negligible increase in size Canon could have made a camera that uses 4 AA batteries and a shot-to-battery-charge ratio that would be far more practical. Watch how fast you go through a pair of batteries and see if you agree. Im withholding a star due to the above and also because I noticed the camera advertised locally for much less than I paid on Amazon (obviously not a criticism of the camera, but of Amazon).
Highly recommended.
On: 2006-12-30
Is a very good camera on the day, but on the nigth take a bad pictures sometimes see like moved..
On: 2006-12-29
Strangely enough, our experience with this product is quite the opposite of what most of the reviews are claiming.
During my holiday trip, I forgot to pack my camera and was forced to buy this one as a temporary replacement. From the very first photo, I started having horrible experience. The night scene mode capptures extremely grainy images - nowhere close to whats expected of a 5 MP camera. Each picture takes 30 seconds or more to be saved - so you really cannot take more than 2 pictures per minute. Yes - not 2 pics per second - but 2 pics per minute. That is unacceptable by any standards - right? In addition, it has a terrible time focusing while taking nightshots.
I am increasingly finding it difficult to accept that Cannon would manufacture such a low grade camera. May be I was unlucky to pick up a defective piece - and I sure am going to return it soon.
On: 2006-12-29
I purchased this camera for myself as a Christmas gift. I love it. It was cheap (although I did buy it from Ritz Camera) and takes excellent pictures. It is very easy to use even without the manual. I would recommend this to anyone looking for their first digital camera.
On: 2006-12-27
Got this for Christmas -- my Dad researched this and it truly is worth it. I did the field work taking this on a Disney trip -- and it worked super! We took more than one hundred pictures, which stored easily on the 512 MB card I got to go along with this. The 2 AA batteries lasted and did not lag -- I found no need for more speed. I was unfamiliar with the push down the button halfway to focus, then fully to shoot, but that didnt mar any of the photos. I learned quickly, and just about every image was what we wanted!
--The AUTO setting was fine -- it captured each image without problem, and I dont think I need the more advanced modes.
--NO RED EYE in any shot. I had it set to Red Eye ON and Auto Focus assist Beam and Auto Flash. Solid!
--Bright! My first shot of the family Christmas tree at night absolutely lit up the room -- you could see the reflecting lights in the wood floors and every wall was white as daylight.
--Transfer to PC was easy and quick.
Overall this is a great camera. I just wish I looked better in the photos -- there is too much reality in the images! I am sure you reading will appreciate this camera and will probably look great in your photos! With this gift, I was able to send holiday memories direct to the grandparents and share our vacation easily. Just what I wanted!
On: 2006-12-25
I just bought this camera; perhaps I will have more to report in the future but these are my first impressions:
Design- Very good. Not an ultracompact, but quite small while still allowing ample space for comfortable, uncluttered controls. Combo of mode dial+ D-pad allows for easy access to many handy functions. The viewfinder, though not exactly accurate, is positioned well and functions decently when the LCD is not convenient-- you can always crop off the extra later. Overall, a very nice look and functional design. However, I would have preferred a sturdier body. The A530s plastic casing feels a little fragile to me; Im quite nervous that it wont hold up very well to average bumps and scrapes.
Features- Also very good. Basically the same set of preset modes youll get on any well-rounded camera, in addition to some manual settings. I appreciate being able to experiment with more professional tweaks, and I dont envision wanting more (aperture and shutter priorities available on more pro cameras). I like the fact that you are able to edit videos right on the camera. That means that you can keep shooting without missing anything, and then delete unwanted parts to free up the memory. Even though the video is not such high quality, it is a little perk that I enjoy.
Images- This is where the A530 really shines. The first day, I was disappointed that my pictures were coming out more grainy, blurry, or off-color than Id expected. However, after a little bit of playing around, a peek into the manual (dont bother) and some online tips, I got the hang of taking great pictures in all kinds of settings. With a little practice, I hope to become even better at it. If you want to be able to just point and shoot, I reccomend sticking with "Auto" as often as possible, using the flash as infrequently as possible, and set the color mode to "vivid." According to my own experience and online reviews, this ought to produce in most situations. Oh, and the macro mode is awesome!
Manual- Wasnt terribly helpful. Look around at user reviews online for tips. The manual basically only says what the different options are called and how to access them, but not what they mean. Fortunately, the menus are quite intuitive once you get used to them (didnt take me long) so the tech-savvy user shouldnt need much help. A real novice would probably want to just stick with a simpler camera, trade in the fancy features for better ease of use.
BUT, the big BUT-- this camera is not speedy. Not at all. Without flash, its about average- not bad, though not great. If you use the flash... well, for still life settings, its just dandy. But if you have people posing, youd better get it right on the first or second try because theyre not going to stay for a third. This is the only thing that keeps the a530 from being the perfect family camera, which is a real pity because nothing else comes quite this close (unless you want to kick in another $200 at least, which I dont)
Im not sure yet if Ill keep this or sacrifice the features for more family-friendly speed. I generally prefer not to use flash even if it would be fast. On the other hand, it does come in handy-- often, too. And many ultracompacts are zippier in other areas, too (startup, next shot). Unfortunately, the A530 and A540 are the only Canons this size-- very small without being too tiny to handle. Im quite frustrated now, trying to make the decision. My other main option is the SD600, almost $100 more. Any advice or other suggestions are welcome, though theyll probably just make me more confused... :(
On: 2006-12-18
This camera is great! The picture Quality is AMAZING, when i took a picture of a leaf with the macro mod and it came out looking like a professional photo!!! The compliant i have about it is "nothing" :D.
On: 2006-12-16
I recieved this camera as a gift about 6 months ago. I have had great experiences with it. The picture quality is amazing. The amaount at which you can zoom in on your pictures is amazing. For instance, we took a picture of a police car accross the street and kept zooming in just to see how far it would let us until it got blury. We could see what was in his backseat!! This camera never ceases to amaze me. It is a great gift! And an excellent camera for the price. I recently had the honor of taking my friends engagement pictures with my camera...here is a slideshow of them....they look professional.
[...]
On: 2006-12-16
I bought this camera to supplement my DSLR. DSLRs are great but I have neither the need nor the desire to lug mine around to parties and such. Anyway, heres what I think about this one:
Pros:
Small, lightweight
Takes AAs, and only two
Fast start-up and operation
Fully manual mode, useful P mode
ISO up to 800
Great picture quality
Great menu system
Lots of options
Cant beat the price
Cons:
Spotty auto-focus (can tend to hunt quite a bit indoors)
Flash recycle time slow (because of only two AAs, but its not that big of a deal)
Occasional lens flare inside with flash
---
Overall though, if youre looking for a cheap camera, I think this one is tough to beat. 5 MPs give you quite a bit of detail; if you think you need more than that, think twice, because you probably dont. Excellent picture quality from this camera and it has a great feature set, especially for its price. If you want something smaller or a little fancier try the Canon SD series; however, be prepared to spend more. At this price range, this is an obvious winner.
by: Anonymous On: 2006-12-11
I got this camere for my birthday and I love it!
It has tons of cool features, and is really easy
to use. It is a great gift!
It is a pretty reasonable size, but it could
be a bit smaller.
On: 2006-12-08
I bought this camera mainly because of its fair reviews on the internet. Customer ratings were around 4 stars, so i thought it was very smart to buy this camera and become my first digital one.
What i found?
- The pictures are slightly darker than its competitors with the same specification.
- Usually marks you are shaken to take the picture
- In other ocassion you are not notify about the shaken status and even though the photos are blurred.
- Size is ok
- You have to wait about 6 or 7 seconds to take your next picture (too much time!)
- The outside photos are the better ones, but the one taken inside are too dark for my expectations.
I definetly think you may invest 40 or 50 extra bucks and get something better. As i will do right now.
On: 2006-12-02
Thus far I had been very happy with Canon - I had a 35mm Rebel and then upgraded to a digital Rebel XT for the majority of my photography. However, I wanted a small point and shoot (that had a viewfinder)that I can put in my purse to take to social functions, put in a diaper bag, etc. The majority of the reviews Ive read (and I did a LOT of research) claimed that this was a great camera well I beg to differ. I have continously seen recharge times of 6-7 seconds between pictures which is unacceptable in my eyes. Ive compared my camera to other manufacturers with similar functionality, megapixels, etc. and the majority of the rest of them recharge in 1-2 seconds. Ive also noticed that the camera doesnt take very good pictures in low light.
Short end of it - if you want to be able to capture any memories that happen fairly quickly do not buy this camera.
On: 2006-11-26
This is the fourth digital camera Ive purchased in the last five years (a point-shoot and DSLR for myself, and two point-shoots as gifts for others).
If you were spending nearly $400 for 3 megapixel cameras in 2001, its amazing to see whats available for half that price today.
This was purchased for my mom, who is well into her 70s, and has been selling on Ebay for a few years. Her product pictures on a very low end camera she bought a few years ago really needed some help.
This camera is fairly intuitive, and worked well out of the box.
No strong negatives, but prepare for the following:
Some of the the menus are complex and options I would consider commonly used (like photo resolution) are rather deeply buried.
The memory card and batteries are located within the same access door on the bottom of the camera. This seems like a good way to end up picking up batteries.
The bundled software is only OK. You can get a better organizer for free (Googles Picasa) and the editing software is nothing to get excited about.
The flash options are limited to "auto flash" and "no flash". I was surprised not to find a "manual flash" to force flash operation (this may be one of the deeply buried options).
It has lots of "scenario" presets (kids and pets, landscape, etc), but none of these seemed to offer any improvement over full auto. Inexplicably, the "nightscape" setting doesnt turn of the flash.
If youre needs are simple (and if you are already running an organizer like Picasa or the one in Photoshop Elements v5) then this camera should be more than adequate.
On: 2006-11-25
I got this camera back in May and lost it (but this camera seemed to be the best). I ordered the same camera from Amazon but had to return it because one of the pixels were blown. I got my replacement but the amount of time it takes to take a picture is an eternity.
Look for some other camera. If people are posing you better hope you get it on the 1st shot, because if you dont it takes too long to take another.
On: 2006-11-23
From reading the other reviews, I seem to be one of the few to have mechanical issues with my A530. Within a month after buying it, the lens cover began remaining half closed when the power is turned on. I have to manually flick open the shutter/cover. Then, the flash began intermittently malfunctioning and now the zoom function will only work in one direction (that is, it works to "zoom in" on something, to zoom back out I have to turn the camera off and back on. To my knowledge, the camera has not been dropped or otherwise physically abused to cause these problems.
Im disappointed because I do like the photos that the camera takes when it does function properly.
Fortunately, I bought it at Costco, so its going back.
On: 2006-11-22
Easy to use, including zoom and uploading to computer. Nice clear photos when printed out.
On: 2006-11-18
This camera is a steal. The reviews on amazon helped me decide on this camera and sure it is worth it.
by: Anonymous On: 2006-11-16
This camera can take good quality pix, once in a while:(. good zoom, but has no B & W Feature.
On: 2006-11-16
Im a graphic design student in college, so i really needed a camera. I decided on this one and i am really glad i did. The pictures are nice and clean. The camera itslef is a very sleek looking one and is very compact. The only downfall to this is that it eats batteries pretty quick, but i just took them out when i wasnt using them. Buy this camera.
On: 2006-11-14
This camera is the first digital for me, and the only camera I have ever enjoyed having. The macro setting gives amazing closeups of bugs, flowers, etc. With the purchase of a charger and some batteries, Ive kept it going for almost nothing. Better get a big memory card, too. The silly settings like "color swap" and "fireworks" are fun to play with. My only complaint is it is slow to recover between shots, so you miss some action of kids, etc. For the price, it cant be beat.
gramma t
On: 2006-11-13
The camera is the perfect solution for someone who does not want exchangable lensesand some items for more professional results. Combined with a direct photo printer it is easy and fun with plenty of photo options on the dial.
My only problem is that I did not receive with the camera the software to alllow me to download to the computer from the from the Memory chip itself. Is there any way to get this software?
On: 2006-11-11
After hearing that Consumer Reports gave the Canon A520 a BEST BUY rating, I decided this must be a good family of cameras. It has been a joy to own and use. Easy to take pictures, easy to work and yes, it takes great pictures. It has more bells on it than I will ever use. I have been very satisfied with 4 and 5 MP cameras and have not wanted to spend a fortune for more. I just need to take pictures, review them and easily download to my computer. This does that and much, much more.
On: 2006-11-11
Very quick delivery. Product was exactly as advertised. Very happy with the whole process and the product.
On: 2006-11-10
It takes around 3-4 seconds to take the picture after I click the button!!
And then another 8-10 seconds just to store that picture on the SD card!!
So basically, I cant take another picture until atleast 10-15 seconds of one picture!!!
On: 2006-11-10
This camera takes high definition shots that look great . The zoom is good enough to get detailed shots of alligators in the water or birds in trees.It is simple to us and so compact and light that I can take it with me every day. This was very useful when I was on vacation recently in South Carolina.
I also bought the rechargable battery pack as it goes through a lot of power, a 1gb memory card and a cary case.Its good to get these at the same time.
On: 2006-11-10
I recently bought a Canon Powershot A530 from Amazon.com. I must say the overall experience has been fantastic. The ease of purchasing online could never be better. Even though i opted for free shipping, i got the camera delivered 2 days ahead of schedule, neatly packed so as to prevent any damage whatsoever. Thanks Amazon!
On: 2006-11-10
I love the camera, it is small and compact, and it takes great pictures. It is easy to use, even my husband can take a good picture, which didnt happen too often with our old camera! The only thing I dont like about it is how fast it burns through batteries. I have rechargeables and it doesnt take long for the batteries to die. I have been meaning to buy energizers to see if they last longer, but I havent yet. I love the movie setting! We do not have a digital camcorder, but I have always wanted one, and this is great! I do not like the software that came with it, so I am looking for a different program to use.
On: 2006-11-10
The price is right, it has lots of features and a strong review from Consumer Reports.
Unfortunately I bought this camera before a mountain trekking trip and it did a poor job shooting severe light contrast. In other words, pretty much any scene with snow either washes out on the bright end, or underexposes dark objects in the frame (people, landscape, etc.).
Get this camera if youre going to use it for indoor shooting, normal outside lighting conditions, etc.
On: 2006-11-10
I am very happy with the product, it is very very good, the only thing was that it does not bring the multiple pictures leaving the button pressed, but the image quality is outstanding!!
On: 2006-11-10
Battery doesnt last for one day. I have to change every day a new battery. I am looking into the options of returning it.
Even the prints are darker than what I see on the PC, I dont know if its the issue with the printing but it doesn;t happen with my other SONY camera.
On: 2006-11-08
I have owned several A series Canon cameras in the past, as well as the Canon SD series, the Canon S series and also the S2 IS.
A series - In my opinion, the A series is best for you if youre looking for a low cost camera that gives you a wide range of features, many manual controls and great image quality. Especially if you love the convenience of AA batteries which are available in every corner of the world.
The SD series cameras are smaller and fit into small pockets but more expensive and their smallness makes some features only accessible through the menu which makes changing between modes more cumbersome. They also have less manual controls. I also find that the smallness and lightness of the SD series makes my hand shake more than when Im holding the A series camera with the side grip. I get more fuzzy pics with the SD series and I hardly ever got any fuzzies with my A series.
The S2 and S3 have great image sensors, a great zoom and super macro function but are also more expensive and pretty bulky.
The A530 comes to you at a super low price with some great features, and at this price is an easy upgrade. At this price, it is just a tiny bit more expensive than some toy cameras and makes a great gift for a "tween" or teen who is just starting to learn about the power of the camera lens.
The A530 gives you:
- A nice sized 1.8 inch LCD screen, and 5MP resolution. Seriously, you dont need any more to for regular sized prints. The higher MP cameras also create giant files and fill up my hard disk too quickly!
- It has an intelligent focusing system AiAF and a DIGIC II processor which can give some pretty good results on auto mode
- SD card slot - cheap to buy 1 GB. You can choose from 4 sizes for the pics depending on the size you may want to store/ print.
-The controls are pretty simple too. The top dial helps you scroll through modes including the special SCN mode
-Photo-stitch - For stitching together panoramic views. I have shot countless seascapes, bridgescapes, and landscapes from all my Canons using this function and stitching together 6-10 shots in one. It is really easy too with the software provided which does it intuitively!
- Portrait, Landscape and Night shot modes. The night shot mode gives great results if you can hold the camera steady with the delayed shutter response.
-Macro mode - Great for close ups of babies or product shots
- The SCN mode is great for point and shoot convenience in special situations- Fireworks, Beach, Snow, kids and pets, Underwater (with the waterproof case), Foliage and Indoor. Now even amateurs can use Canon experience to get the best shot quickly before they miss the photo opportunity while fiddling with manual controls.
-The "My colors" option allows you to choose a color you want to highlight or darken and lighten skin tones. It also allows you to capture only a particular color in a shot while the rest of the picture is black and white. So you can do a black and white portrait of your child with a red ribbon or red ball. Or you can swap out one color with the other, like change your car color to blue from red...In a nutshell, it allows for some creativity in your pictures.
-Complete Manual functions available - shutter priority, Aperture priority, White balancing, Manual focusing etc.
- Tone settings for different lighting (Tungsten, Sunlight, Cloudy etc.) which helps correct the White balance
-Special effects (B/W, Sepia, Vivid, Nuetral etc.) I have used sepia a lot when taking potraits giving them an old world feel. Vivid has been helpful in special situations like a red kite against a blue sky to bring out the colors.
-You can also take videos in 3 different resolutions with this camera and edit them right on the camera. And you can create a slide show of all the images you took on the camera itself with fancy transition effects of your choice. The zoom button shows one or many images at a time in the replay mode and you can zoom into each individual image to see parts of it closely.
-Free Canon software, which though not the best in the world works well and allows you to edit images, photo-stitch images, maintain an album, change camera settings from your computer, subtitle and edit videos, upload images back to camera to transfer to another computer etc.
-It uses AA batteries which are available anywhere in the world.
A Sony Super Quick Charger (5 hours) with 4 rechargeable 2300mAH NiMH batteries is available for around 20 bucks Amazon! Charge these batteries up to 1000 times. I keep the LCD on for all my shots and usually I get 300-400 shots from each charge.
Overall, you are getting a great deal for the price you pay for this camera. With all the features available even amateurs can take pictures like pros!
On: 2006-11-07
The camera is easy to use and takes excellent pictures without having to edit. I needed 5 mega pixels to print up to 8.5" X 11" prints, and this camera does the job. The pictures are in JPG format so I doent have to comvert the format.
On: 2006-11-06
THIS IS THE PERFECT CAMERA FOR OUR FAMILY. NOT TOO TECHNOLOGICAL TO CONFUSE THE WIFE AND ENOUGH SETTINGS TO KEEP THE HUSBAND INTERESTED. IT TAKES AMAZING PICTURES. THE CLARITY AND DEFINTION OF THE PICTURES CLEAR AS A BELL. THERE ARE JUST ENOUGH FEATURES. THE ABILITY TO RECORD SHORT VIDEOS IS A GREAT TOOL AND ACTIONS SHOTS COME OUT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL TOOK THEM. WE ARE MORE THAN IMPRESSED AND COULDNT BE HAPPIER WITH OUR CHOICE. AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THIS CAMERA IS ONE OF THE MOST AFFORDABLE ON THE MARKET. GREAT DEAL, GREAT CAMERA, HIGHLY RECCOMENDED ON ALL LEVELS.
On: 2006-11-06
Takes really good pictures and Its easy to operate. The software that comes with the camera is pretty good also. I got this with a 1 gig memory card and a card reader. I hardly use the card reader b/c the camara downloads my pics really fast. If you want great pictures, easy to use software, and fast file transfer, this is the camera for you. for the price its hard to beat.
On: 2006-11-05
I have a 10 month old and wanted an inexpensive camera that would hold me over until I could get an D-SLR camera. The lag when indoors between when the button is pressed and the time the picture is way way way too long. This is reduced outdoors, making it bearable. Unfortunately, my 10 month old isnt walking yet so we still spend quite a bit of time indoors. Also, time between pictures indoors is around 6 seconds, this is unacceptable.
On: 2006-11-03
I bought it for a 4 week trip to Europe where I took 2,500 pics. I love this little camera. Lightweight and takes good quality images. The batteries are easy to find. And the macro focusing came in handy too.
On: 2006-11-03
Excellent camera - for the price,especially at Amazon. Their price was below the Best Buy $50 discount. The camera takes great photos and has the same capabilities as a SLR for almost all logistical conditions. Highly recommend for a mid-range digital camera.
On: 2006-10-30
I purchased this as a travel camera. I wanted something compact, easy to use, flexable, and took great pictures. This camera does it all. I use it with the viewfinder unless I am doing an important shot where composition counts. Then the LED display is perfect. You can even see it clearly in the daytime.
The only downside I found with this camera is a 4X optical zoom which is not enough for distant animal shots or extream range pictures such as at the racetrack for example. This camera takes beautiful pictures with vibarent colors the rest of the time. This camera is great for most kinds of pictures and it has the anti-shake feature that saved many of my shots.
When I print out my pictures I find that the 5 megapixel is not a problem. However if I print anything bigger than an 8x10 the quality begins to fade and the pictures pixelate. For most people like myself, it is not a problem. Many of my shots are scenery or point and shoot. This camera will not print for poster or large commercial publicity venue. In that case use another camera but for all the rest I recommend this Canon 530.
On: 2006-10-24
We needed a relatively inexpensive small camera to carry in a pocket while out with the children and this Canon fills our needs very well. It takes good pictures, and has a suprising number of pre-defined scenes as well as manual controls. The 4X optical is nice for a camera this small, as most of the competition come equipped with 3X.
We have taken pictures in the woods, at the beach, and indoors and are always happy with the results. For the price, I could not find a camera that was better suited to an active families needs. If small size is critical, this camera is pretty small but you could spend a little more and go with one the Canon Elph line. However you will give up a little bit of lens (3X versus 4X).
On: 2006-10-24
This little camera is a gem. (I had a Fuji FinePix, which was darned unintuitive. And it broke!) Its small, lightweight (even with the batteries). Software for transfer to computer is excellent and pretty intuitive, but do read the manual for the transfer software. Cables and all that included. It takes AA batteries, which add to the weight but are easy to find. No proprietary battery pack. Guess you could use rechargeables, but I go to Costco and get their gazillion-battery package. AA battery-run was a deal-breaker for me. Buy an extra memory card (the one that comes with it holds about 8 pix!). Also, having a non-proprietary memory card was a deal-breaker. Buy the case. I couldnt be happier with this camera. I can even take decent pix with it. I wish the "refresh time" were shorter, but you cant get everything in one machine! And this is about the only negative I can think of. While 1-2 seconds to refresh seems long....arent we all spoiled with instantaneous-ness?!...its not that bad! Great camera. I shopped this purchase long and thoroughly (many places, many brands, many types), and it was hands-down the best one for my needs and deal-breakers. Dont hesitate to get this camera.
On: 2006-10-21
Ive owned this camera for a couple of months and have had the A510 (very similar) as a work camera for 18 months. I have been very pleased and feel that the money was well spent.
I was a little surprised that this camera still comes with the 16 MG card - definitely upgrade to the 512 or 1 GB card. I use the video function infrequently and if this is an important feature for you there are probably better cameras out there. But if you need great pictures in almost every possible light setting, this camera will be excellent.
I read a couple of reviews that slammed the indoor light conditions - not true. There are a lot of settings, as one reviewer noted, and a few minutes working with the instructions will have you taking great shots in any light. Anyway, if you upgrade to the 1 GB card, you can take lots of practice shots.
On: 2006-10-18
I have had my new Powershot A530 for about 7 days now and this seems to be a tiny little camera that packs quite a punch. I didnt realize that it had so many options when I made the purchase! This camera has MANY more bells and whistles than I need and although I am looking forward to learning them all I feel that it is a little overwhelming right out of the box. Dont get me wrong - right out of the box you can take a great picture even if you did not want to learn anything more about the camera and its other capabilities at all! It is very easy -- insert batteries, insert memory card, push the power button and you are ready to roll but MY GOSH the options on this little thing!
I really enjoy learning and using all the functions on my cameras and home electronics but this one may take me a while. You can make adjustments in the functions of this camera very similar to how you would in a regular 35mm camera! Which would be really great if I remembered ANY of my high school photography class lectures.. sadly - I dont. It feels like it is something that could take years to really get genuinely familiar with which will be a fun process in itself.
I am planning a trip to Italy and I wanted to get a digital camera (my first one) in plenty of time to have a couple of months to learn how to use it properly.. WOW, I may have to postpone my trip! :-)
The software that comes with it is SUPER easy to navigate, incredibly easy to install and downloading pix from the camera is a snap-snap-snap!
I also picked up the 1 GB memory card, the 2 year warranty, and thanks to so many reviews talking about the short battery life I got a dozen AA batteries - so I am pretty well set! :-)
I cant wait to get buckled in, take her out and really open her up.:-)
A great little camera and a great value, 7 days into the experience anyway :-)
by: Anonymous On: 2006-10-16
I got this camera on Friday. Its really great. It has great lighting and it takes good movies, too. The only bad thing is the flash. But it arrived here really quickly. This camera is great and I think you should buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On: 2006-10-05
Ive had this camera for about 2 weeks. Its definately the best digital camera I have ever owned.
Pros: Small, compact size, yet not so small that its hard to hold; 4x optical zoom is very effective; takes 2 AA instead of the 4 AA Im used to - this is a good thing as long as the camera lasts a while on the two batteries; many shooting modes available, and they work well; manual shooting controls available if you need them (though I will probably not use this, the shooting modes are what I use); video mode shoots VGA (640x480 - full DVD quality) as well as a compressed mode which generates file sizes suitable for e-mail.
Cons: the only con Ive found so far is the SD card slot is in the same compartment as the batteries, and since the batteries are spring-loaded, it makes it a little annoying to open the battery/SD card door every time you want to get the card out to download images/video to your computer. To solve this, Ive just been using the USB cable that came with the camera to download, this way the card can stay in the camera. The only drawback to this is the camera must be turned on in order to access the images/video, but its a minor problem.
Overall, this camera is excellent. You get a whole lot for the money you pay. I would definately recommend purchasing a 1 GB card; the camera only comes with a 16 MB card, which you will fill up with 20 seconds of VGA video.
On: 2006-10-04
Good outdoor pics. Terrible, grainy indoor pics. Not a camera to buy if you take lots of indoor pics.
On: 2006-09-26
Ive had this camera since March 2006. Bought it to replace my venerable 2.1MP Oly C2040. Wife wanted a smaller camera (the Oly got left behind a lot simply because it was so bulky), and liked the feel of the A530.
Outdoors, its a great camera -- great zoom for a compact, good viewfinder for when the sun washes out the display, and continuous shoot mode gives well over 2 shots per second (with a 150X SD card anyhow -- I found my old 40X SD card bogged the camera down in continuous shoot mode). Resolution and color are quite good.
Indoors is a different story, tho -- the flash maxes out about around 10ft, so shots of most indoor sports are either dark, grainy, or blurry, depending on your settings. Even worse, the flash takes nearly 10 seconds to recharge, even with freshly charged NiMH batteries. This is an eternity when youre trying to do any sort of indoor photography.
Unless youre planning to do all of your shooting outdoors, Id stay away from the A530 (and the A540, which has the same issues indoors). If you want small, take a look at the Canon Elph series -- spendy, proprietary batteries, and fragile screens, but the flash recharge time is roughly half that of the A530/A540. The Canon A6xx series (which use 4 AA batteries instead of 2) are quite a bit bulkier than the A530/A540, but they also have good flash recharge times.
On: 2006-09-25
Im very happy with this camera. The video feature comes out to a nice size on my 15 inch screen, it covers about 1/3 of the screen. The pictures are nice, too, and cover my whole screen.
My only complaint is that nighttime pictures/video require a lot of lighting. I took a video in a dim room and it was grainy, and a picture I took at night blurred. That is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
However, overall it is a wonderful purchase!
On: 2006-09-22
I already own few digital camera and surely canon performance is much better.
On: 2006-09-15
This camera is a great, great value for the price. This is not to infer that the actual performance of the camera is anything other than excellent i was just surprised how low the price was! It is a great camera and a great price and i recommend it highly but be sure to purchase a fairly large memory card also.
On: 2006-09-11
The camera is excellent and works as expected. It was delevered in a flash.
On: 2006-08-31
This camera took fantastic pics but the batts would die instantly-Id put in new batts and it would tell me to change the batteries right away. This happened more than once. The size with the handle is a little too large. I was unable to fit it into my small purse.
I returned it within 2 wks.
On: 2006-08-30
I got this camera as a baby shower gift. I needed a camera that was quick and easy to use. When youre taking pictures of the funny things kids do, you have to be quick. This camera is exactly what I needed. Once I spot the kids doing something funny, I have time to turn the camera on and get the picture before they even realize theyre in the spotlight. It has a great zoom and red-eye protection. I am really happy with the quality especially for the price.
On: 2006-08-30
Before purchased the Cannon A530, I compared it with several other 5MP cameras.(Kodak, Sony, Nikon, Polaroid, HP, Vivitar). I chose the A530 for several reasons: 1- The number of shooting modes (over 17), 2- It uses two inexpensive AA batteries rather that more expensive Lithium, or other specialty batteries, 3- The new ISO 800 setting which reduces camera shake, 4- The White Balance Control (Auto, preset for Cloudy, Tungsten, & Flourescent, and the 4X Optical zoom lens, and 5- The Post Card Size and the Date Imprint.
I takes excellent clear pictures. The color is very true. The exposure is right on. I have tried editing a few photos, and cannot make them any better by editing brightness, contrast,saturation,and color.
Although it has an optical viewfinder, the LCD is bright and clear even in sunlight for composing a shot.
It is on the verge of being too bulky, but Cannon has other smaller models with similar features (at a higher price). I am very happy with this camera and havent wished I had chosen a different camera.
On: 2006-08-30
I bought this camera simply because it was a good deal, fit my budget, and received decent reviews on amazon. Ive had it for a few weeks now and Im pretty happy with it. Its really easy to understand and ESPECIALLY easy to get my pictures onto my computer. That what I wanted and thats what I got. The shots have all come out pretty well too.
I dont want to say too much, considering I havent owned or used it very long, but I sure cannot say anything bad about it.
On: 2006-08-29
This camera is being used for work projects. It is easy to use,
4x optical is a bonus for the price. Pictures turn out excellant. We liked it so well, we just ordered a second one!! Like the fact
that standard AA batteries can be used in a pinch.
On: 2006-08-28
This is my first digital camera and I really like it. Easy to use and excellent quality pictures. Took a lot of pix in dim light which turned out great and no red eye problem. Its small but not too small and love the grip part on the side. The AA alkalines run out quickly but I just bring extras with me. I would definitely recommend this camera.
On: 2006-08-28
Easy to use, easy to download images, great for smal video.
It was more than what i expected to be.
Thank you!
On: 2006-08-28
I shopped around for this along time. The camera is amazingly easy to use and the photo quality is fantastic,,,and the price worked into the factor quite well. I cant wait to go on a vacation with it..outside shoots are gorgeous and close ups at 100 percent look great, too. A great little score. Very, very pleased so far.Re-chargeable energizers last a long time and ive put in a sd 2g card and im ready to rock and roll.
On: 2006-08-25
This is basically a good camera if you shoot only indoors or in cloudy conditions. The display is absolutely useless in strong light and only passable the rest of the time. That means that the cool feature of Stitch Assist is unuseable unless you are in dim light since you need to see the display clearly in order to line up the images. Very Dissappointing!!!! When using this camera I found that I had to look through the viewfinder more often than not in order to get a look at how the photo would shape up. Not what I expected when I invested in my first digital camera.
Buyer beware of how you intend to use this camera before buying.
On: 2006-08-21
Excellent camera for the money. I use only the minimum of this cameras functions and it produces wonderful pictures.
On: 2006-08-18
I recently purchased this camera and have no complaints. If your like me and basically take photos of the kids, pets, and the annual family vacation, this is the perfect camera. It is pretty easy to learn the features and basic operation. I purchased a better memory card to hold more photos. Only thing Im not yet aware of is the battery life - hopefully it performs as well as the rest.
On: 2006-08-15
Antes tenia una camara sony, pero siempre habia querido evolucionar a una canon por tener una mayor tradicion en lo que respecta a camaras fotograficas. La verdad no solo lleno mis espectativas sino que las sobrepaso. excelente calidad en las fotos, muy comodo el tamaño y la apariencia fisica de la camara es muy atractiva. el unico detalle es que no trae las baterias recargables incluidas pero fuera de eso ha sido una excelente compra!!
On: 2006-08-14
It is a great camera for the price. It has wonderful features for a point and shoot. I had a Kodak before and there is NO comparison. Love it!!!!
It is now January, and I am still delighted with this camera. As I learned about the features (since June) I am able to take better pictures. I take lots of pictures of kids, and they do love their pictures, they tell me they are good pictures. I do recommend it for beginners like me. It can be a little slow between pictures because of the flash, but that has never been a problem for me. I still do love it!!!
On: 2006-08-12
Por the price its a good item, it has 5 megapixels and 4 optical zoom, aditionally use sd card. Good Flash and you can add a aditional one: HD-FC1. Only we cant add aditional lenses. A540 do, but is more expensive (60$ aprox).
On: 2006-08-11
This camera is my first digital and I am very pleased with the results. The features are great and the shooting modes help you capture the photo you want....All and all a great product and great price! The only con I have is the battery life...but then again they are easily replaced with 2AA batteries!
On: 2006-08-09
I have got 5 cams and this one is the worst I have ever got. Its canon...its supposed to be good but I will not recommend this cam to anyone. Pay 50-60 bucks more and get a beter one...
On: 2006-08-09
I wont mention any sp | | |
