Take the Picture! Take the Picture!
Written: Feb 21 '03
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Pros: Affordable, compact, detailed LCD screen
Cons: Viewfinder, occasional focus problems
The Bottom Line: A straightforward digital camera that will serve most point-and-shoot needs.
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| camyee's Full Review: Canon PowerShot A10 Digital Camera |
A Dose of Perspective
Three years ago my employer purchased the Olympus D-620L digital camera. At the time it was the best $1100.00 could buy with its 1.4 megapixels, 3x zoom and maximum 16MB Smart Media capacity. It amazes me to consider that today I can pay $220.00 for the PowerShot A10, a camera with comparable features and, in some areas, even better performance.
For a long time, because of my occasional frustrations with the Olympus, I told myself I would only buy a digital camera when it offered the same flexibility and performance as my SLR film camera. Though most consumer grade digital cameras still aren’t comparable to a good SLR (and digital SLRs are way beyond my means), it’s obvious the point and shoot film camera is in its final days of viability. This is ultimately why I decided to buy the A10, though I admit I’m still holding on to my Olympus Stylus Epic for a backup.
What I Like
After having a thorough experience with a good digital camera like the Olympus D-620L, the more I use my Canon A10, the more impressed I become with its image quality, focusing accuracy and flash power. In fact I would say it outshines the Olympus on the last two points and offers greater compression flexibility on the first. Though there are the occasional misjudgments, particularly in the telephoto range, focusing time is swift and consistent. The flash range and output is excellent, able to illuminate my entire 20x30 living room without any problems.
The LCD display is bright and sharp but, as with all LCDs, suffers a bit in the glare of full sunlight. The camera buttons and switches are thoughtfully placed and simple to operate. Overall the A10 requires little knowledge to operate – an exemplary point-and-shoot product.
What I Don’t Like
My main complaint about the camera is its poor optical viewfinder. I still like to use the little window on occasion, if only to conserve battery power by turning off the LCD display. Unfortunately the window is incredibly inaccurate, not just with its parallax shift (the result of the window and the lens not existing on the same axes) but with its framing. The window crops off an incredible amount of the actual field of view, so that what looks like tighter framing is actually much wider. If you’re a stickler for composition, it’s best to use the LCD display.
The Extras
Other nice features include multi-frame shooting (only in manual mode), a panoramic assist function (used in conjunction with bundled software) and a self timer.
Conclusion
The Canon A10 is an excellent way to get started in digital photography without making a large investment. The combination of useful features and attractive pricing make it an easy choice over a point-and-shoot film camera any day. It’s also the best option if most of your picture taking revolves around vacations and holidays.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 220
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
camyee
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Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 5 members
About Me:
Media enthusiast - film, video games, music, books...not necessarily in that order.
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