A bargain Powershot (Canon Powershot A460)

Member Name: geek_squad

Product:	Canon Powershot A460
Date:	27/07/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good zoom range, reasonably small

Disadvantages: Only basic features, ISO could be better, does not include charger

On first glance, the Powershot A460 might not impress many people with its only average aesthetic features, that makes it either bad or good. When you try to look at the camera, it does not remind you of a cheap generic camera nor does it remind you of a high end stylish camera. However, the camera has been designed ergonomically with a decent finish that is quite nice to touch and silver accents which gives the camera more redefined dimensions.

The camera has a lens that is capable of 38mm to 152mm zoom, which is slightly higher than the average range for a camera of this size and considering the amount of lens protrudes out of the camera. The flash is quite closely alligned to the shuttle button on the right, therefore you might get uneven flash distribution due to your fingers blocking it, which should not be a problem after initially getting used to it.

The size of the display screen is rather small compared to the ideal size, however it does perform quite well and shows images clearly. There is also a viewfinder placed on the left of the camera directly above the display screen which is useful, since the industry seems to try to phase out them as a standard feature on a digital camera. Although not many people use them primarily, it is extremely useful if you want to converse battery or even use it because intense sunlight makes the display screen hard to view.

As a whole this camera captures images quite well, with reasonable sharpness and colour accuracy. However, it can be rather annoying when using this camera to capture moving objects because of its slightly longer shuttle delay which makes it not ideal for high speed photography. The auto focus copes quite well, without needing too much time to focus on the object. The zoom does prove handy at times when the shot is out of your reach.

The ISO of the camera could have been higher to make it easier to cope with low light conditions. Since it is only limited to 400, which is quite low. There are a number of creative/fun features which can make photography more enjoyable at times.

The camera depends on standard batteries instead of custom batteries, therefore it is ideal for travelling where it is not always possible to recharge your batteries.

Summary: This is quite a good budget camera for a beginner that does not need manual and advanced settings

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