Andrew_Lim's Full Review: Pentax Optio A40 Digital Camera
A Note to the Reader: It’s been over a year since I’ve last written a genuine review, and I undoubtedly feel odd as my fingers begin to move over the keyboard again, the way they used to. As Stephen King would say, I too, have been accused of “diarrhea of the word processor”, and this piece is embarrassingly long. I’ve tried to give this review a very personal touch, which I trust you will enjoy. Miniature reviews of three other cameras are added to depict the progress of my research.
Where applicable, links to sample photos in my photo gallery are provided. I recommend using a separate browser to access these links, and to read the review at the same time. All the photos are very large, but load relatively quickly, even on slow connections. If the links do not work, I would be grateful if you informed me of the problem in your comment. If, on the other hand, Geocities protests and says I’ve exceeded my bandwidth limit, then please bookmark this review and visit the links approximately 1 hour later…if this has happened, I apologize.
A Bit of History
The month of September 2002 could have been described as a month of change…the month when I began collecting old bottles…collecting cacti and succulents…and it was also the month during which I literally grew up in a day. Initially, I had little interest in cars, and even less interest in learning how to drive. But that tiny spark turned into a warm fire overnight, and I fell in love with a Jaguar XJ6…an elegant car with a leaping cat ornament adorning its bonnet. A photo of this mascot would grace my profile today, if Geocities actually got its act together.
My interest in digital cameras however, dates back as far as the beginning of the year 2000. At this time, I was intrigued by the little metal boxes my friends carried around. Costing over a thousand bucks apiece, the devices produced excellent photos, had nifty controls, and allowed the user to instantly delete mediocre photos to save on memory space. This was something that I had never seen before in a film camera. But the sheer cost of these beasts made me stick to my simple, point-and-shoot Konica U-Mini that was actually a free gift from an unknown package.
But it was soon clear that I had missed out on many prospective photos, solely because I had taken little pride in my photography, and never had a decent camera with me when I needed it most. Interested to form a portfolio (of animal ailments and parasites, among other things) on my computer, a search for that “perfect” camera ensued…
Glossary of Technical Jargon…for Your Morbid Pleasure
It is a pain to listen to a photography freak, especially if one does not understand some basic terms. Learning these may help you put these fanatics in their place, together with the false wine “experts”, who know much less about wine than themselves. A sales representative may fare better than me, but I thought to include a small list here for the sake of convenience.
CCD: An abbreviation for Charge-Coupled Device, a sensor that separates the colors of the scene into red, green and blue, allowing the camera to process it. After the CCD captures the black-and-white image, this is passed through red, green and blue filters to produce color images.
ISO: An abbreviation for International Standardization Organization. It refers to the relative sensitivity of film to light. A higher ISO depicts a faster film that is more sensitive to light. Digital cameras do not have film per se, but these ISO ratings are still used in an identical fashion for the sake of ease. While a higher ISO setting allows the capture of images under lower light conditions, it increases the amount of grain or noise (Sample taken at ISO 400: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/GunNoise.JPG) in your image.
LCD: An abbreviation for Liquid Crystal Display. Most digital cameras have this color screen on its reverse side, and is mostly used to review captured images or as a viewfinder to compose an image (deciding how and where you wish to take the photo). Since memory is the limiting feature on all cameras, poor images should be deleted immediately. The resolution of the LCD is measured in pixels, a higher number of pixels resulting in a sharper image on the screen. In my opinion, a digital camera without an LCD must be avoided like a plague!
Macro: A function that allows the camera to capture a high resolution image even when the tip of the lens is very near the subject, and is used by naturalists, researchers and hobbyists to photograph small objects such as insects, flowers (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/NorthBalwynMumsPetunas.jpg), coins, stamps and small animals (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/Chippy7DaysOld.jpg). Many cameras have this function, though with varying degrees of efficacy. More specialized cameras can capture excellent images even when the tip of the lens is very near the subject. Citing an example, the Ricoh Caplio RR30 has a "1cm Macro” function that takes excellent photos even when the lens is 1 centimeter away from the subject!
Mega Burst/ Continuous Shooting: Allows the rapid capture of multiple images of the same scene. This creates a slow-motion sequence and allows you to observe the strokes in fast ball games such as badminton, basketball and soccer. The rate of shooting is measured in frames (in the case of cameras, this term refers to images) per second (FPS). Based on my current knowledge, a lower FPS rate represents slower shooting, with the capture of fewer images over the same period of time.
Megabyte (MB): One million bytes, a measure of the storage capacity of a digital camera. The form of storage may be internal, or in the form of a flash memory card. A higher amount of memory allows you to take more photos on those long holiday trips when you cannot regularly transfer images onto your computer.
Megapixel: One million pixels. A higher pixel rating represents a larger image that has a higher resolution when compared to low-megapixel images. High-megapixel images (two megapixels and above) can be blown up to a larger size with less loss of quality. Low-megapixel (one megapixel or less) images will be perfect on greeting cards, but certainly not on A4-sized paper. I recommend that one purchases a 2 megapixel camera, at the very least.
Noise: A term used to the point of nausea by some professionals. Images are theoretically silent, but Noise tends to make images, particularly nightshots, appear grainy.
Pixelation/ Pixelization/ Jaggies: Pixels are a collection of small dots that together make up a digital image. As pixel size increases, the jagged or angled edges between adjacent pixels become more obvious (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/RSPCAPixelation.jpg).
Red-Eye: In darker conditions, the pupils of eyes of all living creatures dilate (widens) to take in more light. When the flash is used at this time, light reflects off the insides of the eye, making it appear red in photographs. The red-eye reduction system utilizes a flash of light which causes the pupils to constrict before the photo is taken, reducing the chances of red-eye in the final image.
White Balance: This control adjusts the settings of the camera to match the natural or artificial light source in the scene, allowing the camera to reproduce the colors more accurately in the image.
Digital Zoom: This is not a genuine zoom function. The camera digitally magnifies the scene by interpolating (adding pixels to the image) pixels, rather than with the help of optical lenses. The image thus becomes grainier and loses optical quality. Digital Zoom is measured in increasing multiples such as 2X (two times), 3X (three times) and so on, in a similar fashion to magnification.
Optical Zoom: This is a genuine zoom function that is performed with the aid of optical lenses. There is no resulting loss of quality. Cameras that have an Optical Zoom cost much more than those with only a Digital Zoom, partly because of the additional moving parts. I believe that even amateur photographers should purchase a camera with an Optical Zoom.
Note: Optical and Digital Zoom can be combined to achieve the maximum zoom on an image. For example, if a camera has a 3X Optical Zoom and a 2.5X Digital Zoom, the total zoom is 7.5X.
FujiFilm Axia Slimshot
On 8th November (which was the worst time to get distracted, as my finals had only just begun), my attention was drawn to a segment of a brochure featuring this camera. It was cheap, when compared to other cameras, and extremely compact. The credit-card sized camera was only 6mm thick, and had a decent internal memory of 8MB.
Unfortunately, it had no flash and no LCD screen, two things which were deemed mandatory by a more experienced friend. The camera also has no Optical or Digital Zoom, and captures 640 X 480 pixel images, working out to a mere 307,200 pixels (or 0.307 megapixels), which makes it unsuitable except for the most casual of all photographers.
Kodak EasyShare CX4200
The final exam was over on 27th November, and I would have gone straight to the shops after leaving the examination hall, if my Mum had not held me back (she told me to save my money instead). The Kodak EasyShare CX4200 is an easy-to-use, 2 megapixel camera, is endowed with a 2X Digital Zoom, and has a respectable storage capacity of 16MB. This seemed attractive initially, because it was well within my budget.
However, the camera has no Optical Zoom.
Once I had reached this stage, my Dad was convinced I had gone mad…yet again. Though he didn’t stop me, he wasn’t keen to watch me make a poor purchase and blow off hundreds of dollars in the process, so he handed me some glossy brochures. “If you want to buy a camera, make sure you do your research first”, said he…I was glad I did.
Ricoh Caplio RR30
This was the third camera I researched. Though the pricing was a little over my budget, its macro function intrigued me: the camera can photograph objects as near as 1cm away from the lens! The Ricoh Caplio RR30 is surprisingly low-priced, considering it is a 3 megapixel camera, capable of 3X Optical Zoom, and has negligible shutter lag, allowing it to capture images in rapid succession!
But research soon revealed that besides its macro mode, fast shutter release and possibly the included rechargeable batteries, there was little to recommend about this camera. The images were noisy, and were imbued with a strange blue tinge, which was even more apparent in nightshots.
Canon PowerShot A40
It took a long while before I finally started researching on this camera. I had ignored it initially, because it seemed expensive when compared to other cameras in its class, and the mediocre information in the brochures pushed me to believe that this was an ordinary device, with nothing to get excited about. Despite this, Canon proved the worth of this camera, and eventually pocketed my money.
In Brief
The Canon PowerShot A40 is a 2 megapixel (effective) camera, running on 4 standard AA batteries (rather than proprietary ones) with a 3X Optical Zoom and a 2.5X Digital Zoom Function. It features a Manual Mode, which allows the user to control the shutter speed and aperture size, and the interesting Stitch-Assist Mode for the production of panoramic photos. In addition to this, the camera also boasts a Movie Mode which allows the capture of short clips with audio (it is most amazing to find this feature on a cheaper camera)!
It communicates with the computer only via the USB port. At this time, the camera is compatible with Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, as well as Mac OS 8.6 through to 9.1 and Mac OS X 10.1.5 or later (thanks to placebo3 for correcting me on an error I made in this section).
What’s Included?
- Canon PowerShot A40
- Software (Canon Solution Disk Version 8.0 & ArcSoft Camera Suite 1.1)
- Canon PowerShot A30/ A40 Camera User Guide (179 pages)
This thick manual looks very daunting, but is actually well-structured and easy to comprehend. It includes an excellent contents page, a Quick Start section, and a comprehensive Specification list as well as an index. Nearly all sections are laden with diagrams or images to aid learning.
- Canon Software Starter Guide (114 pages)
This guide is very well done indeed. The information is well organized and all the intricacies of the included software are explained in impeccable detail.
- Interface Cable IFC-300PCU
This connects your camera to the computer, via the USB port.
- AV Cable AVC-DC100
The cable links your camera together with your television set. I used this feature to present photos to my family and relatives on the night of 16th December.
- CompactFlash Card FC-8M
The camera does not have any internal memory, and stores images in a flash memory card. The included card has a capacity of 8MB.
- Wrist Strap WS-200
This simple contraption allowed me to fasten the camera securely to my wrist during the first few days, when I didn’t have a camera case.
- 4 AA Alkaline Batteries (single use)
These batteries won’t last very long, and are expensive to replace. It is estimated that only 200 images can be captured, if the LCD screen is turned on. The optional Canon NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) rechargeable batteries would last for 350 images under the same conditions. It is recommended to purchase these or use your existing NiMH rechargeable batteries [NiCd (Nickel Cadmium) batteries are not recommended because of their short battery life and are unreliable].
- System Map
This green sheet shows a diagram of the included as well as optional accessories that are available for your camera. It also provides a list of the printers that are capable of utilizing the camera’s Direct Print function. Once the compatible printer is connected to the camera via a cable, images can be printed immediately by using the camera controls.
First Impression
The Canon PowerShot A40 is an all-plastic, metallic-grey camera. Measuring 11.03cm X 7.1cm X 3.76cm (W X H X D respectively), it is easy to hold in one hand, but is too large for most pockets. Weighing 250g (without batteries), this camera is no lightweight. The construction is exceptionally resilient, and I believe it will withstand the stresses of my future trips to farms or during clinical rounds.
The Top
This is a relatively uninteresting side which features only the logo, “PowerShot A40” and the Shutter button. The latter is also termed a “two-stage shutter release”, the industry standard. When pressed halfway, the camera focuses on the image and adjusts the white balance and exposure. Once this is done, the camera beeps. The button can then be depressed fully to capture the image.
The Front
When viewed from the front, the battery compartment protrudes very markedly on the left, but I find this increasingly useful as a handgrip.
The lens resides around the middle of this side, and can be fitted with optional accessories such as the Wide Converter [for taking wide angle (when zoomed out) shots], Tele-Converter [a magnifying lens to aid telephoto (when zoomed in) shots], and the Close-Up Lens (for taking macro shots). This camera features a built-in lens cover and eliminates the worry of losing it, especially in “haystacks”, such as those in my unkempt room.
The microphone is situated above the lens and records sound monaurally when the camera is in Movie mode. The optical viewfinder is positioned to the left of the microphone.
At the top right-hand corner of the front face is the flash compartment, which is constructed ingeniously because it incorporates an orange-red light that functions as an AF-assist beam (helps the camera focus, especially in dark conditions), a red-eye reduction lamp or a self-timer lamp.
While we are still viewing the camera from the front, let’s proceed to review the left and right sides.
The Left Side
There are few features on this side, except for a compartment for the CompactFlash (CF) Card, and a separate compartment for a CR2016 battery (this should last about three years from the date of installation, if not more), which functions to retain the date, and time. The wrist strap eyelet is positioned above the CF Card compartment.
The Right Side
Hidden underneath a durable rubber flap are three main features which I will discuss in order from top to bottom:
- Digital Terminal: When fitted with the included cable, this port allows the camera to communicate with the computer via its USB port. Overall, communication speeds are excellent.
- A/V Out Terminal: If the camera is connected to your television via the included cable while you are reviewing your images or video clips, they will appear on the television screen instead of the LCD. The video output signal can be switched between NTSC and PAL as required.
- DC In Terminal: With an optional adapter kit, the camera can be connected to an external power source to allow extended use of the camera without having to stop to change the batteries.
The Back
The screen is perhaps the most evident feature on this side. It is a TFT color LCD, displaying images at a resolution of 120,000 pixels. This screen performs well under most conditions, is brightly lit, clear, and allows an accurate review and framing of images. Under dimmer conditions, the LCD begins to look grainy, but this has no effect on the final image. The viewable area is a mere 3.1cm, and I was certainly expecting a larger screen on this camera.
The optical viewfinder rests above the LCD screen. I rarely use this unless my batteries are running too low to turn on the LCD. The two LED indicators to the left of the viewfinder are used to remind the user of the current shooting mode, warns that the camera is shaking, or depicts that the camera is busy.
Underneath the screen are four buttons which I will discuss from left to right:
- Set/ Flash button: Use it to set features in the various menus or to toggle between the flash settings when taking photos.
- Left directional button: Toggle between the Continous Shooting Mode and the Self-Timer Mode. This functions as a left button when reviewing images or exploring menus.
- Right directional button: Toggle between Macro (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_gallery/DandenongRangesFlower.jpg), Snapshot (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_gallery/GreatOceanRoadGrotto2.jpg) and Landscape (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_gallery/GreatOceanRoadThe12Apostles.jpg) (infinity) modes. While reviewing images or looking through menus, this button is used to move to the right.
- Menu button: Brings up a variety of menus, which vary according to the shooting mode or review mode. The key features of this button are to adjust the image resolution (1600 X 1200, 1024 X 768 or 640 X 480), degree of compression (superfine, fine and normal, with superfine representing the lowest compression and a higher quality image), changing the ISO (the settings available are 50, 100, 200, 400, Auto) and to set the Light Metering Mode (Evaluative or Spot Metering).
To the right of the screen are three buttons. From top to bottom, these are the:
- Display button: Used to turn the LCD on or off, or to display detailed information while shooting or reviewing images. In the latter case, this makes it possible to see what camera settings were used to capture an image, and then learn how to adjust the settings accordingly to achieve a better photograph in the future.
- Exposure Compensation, White Balance, Photo Effect and Erase button: When shooting in bright daylight, or against a strongly backlit area, the Exposure can be adjusted between -2 (the captured image becomes darker) and 2 (lets more light in and brightens the image) in 1/3 step increments. White Balance can be adjusted depending on the nature of the light source, some examples of which are “Daylight”, “Cloudy”, “Tungsten” and “Fluorescent”. The Photo Effect is used to determine the characteristics of your final image. Some photos will look more powerful in “black and white” (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/KeyboardBW.JPG) or “sepia” (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/TheTwelveApostles3Sepia.jpg), while macro shots of flowers and insects look amazing when taken in “vivid” (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/FruitVivid.JPG) color. Other settings are “neutral” (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/FruitNeutral.JPG) and “low sharpening” (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/FruitLowSharp.JPG). Of course, one could always choose to leave the Photo Effect “off” (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/FruitOff.JPG).
- On/ Off button: A nifty silver button that does just what it says. It would be a pain to do without it.
At the right-most end of this side is the Mode Dial, which allows you to choose between the following operating modes:
- Replay: Review the images that are stored on your CF Card. This is the mode to use when you intend to download images from your camera onto your computer.
- Auto: This shooting mode turns your camera into a point-and-shoot device. The camera does the light metering, ISO settings and white balance automatically. This is the best mode to use if you need to take photos immediately after taking the camera out of its box! The downside is that photo effects such as “sepia” are not available.
- Program AE (P): Only the shutter speed and aperture size are set by the camera. Other functions such as ISO, white balance, photo effects and light metering are set by the user. I find this mode sufficient for all photos taken during the day.
- Manual (M): A mode for more experienced users, it allows for the manual adjustment of the shutter speed (ranges from 1/1500 of a second for brightly lit scenes to 15 seconds for dimmer areas) and the aperture size (a choice of two values between F2.8 and F14 are available at any zoom setting). The Manual mode is fast becoming my favorite as it allows me to express myself, and is particularly useful for evening (Sample: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_2000/NorthBalwynEasternFreeway.jpg) and nightshots.
- Stitch Assist Mode: This intriguing feature allows the capture of a sequence of images (from left to right or vice versa) which can then be stitched together into a panoramic photo (Samples: www.geocities.com/doggie_zipp_gallery/GreatOceanRoadLookout2Panoramic.jpg) with the Photostitch software that is supplied with the camera. Thus far, I’ve created two panoramic images in this way, and I’m impressed at how accurately the software can appose adjacent images!
- Movie Mode: The camera can capture short movie clips at about 20 FPS. At a higher resolution of 320 X 240, the camera records for a maximum of 10 seconds. For longer movie clips, the lower resolution of 160 X 120 allows you to record clips up to 30 seconds long. Recording ceases automatically when the time frame elapses, or if your CF Card becomes full, whichever occurs first. The movies are also recorded with audio, making it handy for videoing short demonstrations.
The last (but not least) feature on this side is Zoom button that is used to activate the digital and optical zoom. While reviewing images, the user can also use this button to magnify the image by up to ten times, and then panning across the image using the left and right directional buttons.
The Bottom
Only the battery compartment cover and the tripod socket are seen in this area.
Software
Two CDs are included in the package, one being the Canon Digital Camera Solution Disk and the other is the ArcSoft Camera Suite 1.1. The software is compatible with both Windows and most Macintosh Operating systems (as mentioned above).
The Canon Digital Camera Solution Disk includes:
- TWAIN Driver: A driver file that allows the computer to recognize your camera to allow for downloading of images.
- Zoombrowser EX: The program allows the downloading of camera images onto the computer, organization in a chronological fashion to form a Time Tunnel (images are arranged in a simulated tunnel, according to their creation date, which can be zoomed forward or backward as though one were moving through time), converting the camera’s RAW file format into BMP files (this function is redundant since all images on the camera are already in a JPEG format can be opened with Paint) and resize images to create email attachments.
- PhotoRecord: The main feature of this program is to let the user create electronic photo albums, adding words to describe the image or a personal experience.
- PhotoStitch: As mentioned before, the program takes the images, shot with the Stitch Assist Mode, arranges them, and turns them into a panoramic photo. It is accurate, and easy to use. The stitched edges are only vaguely apparent in areas where movement occurred while the photo was taken.
- RemoteCapture: When the camera is connected to your computer, the program lets you control the camera’s shutter button and basic settings remotely from the computer, and images are downloaded immediately onto your computer instead of the CF Card.
The ArcSoft Camera Suite CD contains:
- ArcSoft PhotoImpression: It can be described, quite simply as a jazzed-up version of the regular Paint program on your computer. With this, one can edit images by cropping it, enhancement (sharpen, blur e.t.c.), or via the addition of special effects. The program is very functional and intuitive, and certainly much less of a pain to use than the comparatively primitive Paint.
- ArcSoft VideoImpression: This ingenious program allows the user to compile several short movie clips or still images into a movie with dramatic transitions (select from a list of dissolve, wipe, special or fancy effects), and also provides a feature for editing and removing any unwanted frames.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve come this far, let’s summarize this review and get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible.
The Good…
- Excellent image quality, allowing the production of outstanding photos, every time.
- Durable construction ensures that the camera will outlast some of the tougher challenges.
- Feature packed yet easy to use, giving even the newest photographers a chance to get their hobby on the road.
- Manual Mode leaves the user with lots of room to grow and experiment.
- Software bundle was well thought-out, filled with features and very user friendly.
- Noise reduction system was exceptional and all the photos I took appeared to have little or no grain at all. The camera utilizes special processing techniques to reduce noise in images that are taken at shutter speeds slower than 1.3 seconds. This, however, requires a length of processing time which must elapse before the next image can be captured.
- Instruction manuals are well-organized well presented.
The Bad and the Ugly…
- I was shocked when I opened the box, only to realize this camera didn’t come with a Camera Case! Since I was due to go sightseeing with my relatives immediately, I depended heavily on the wrist strap for a firm grip.
- The included CompactFlash Card has a capacity of only 8MB, too small for its own good. I recommend purchasing a 64MB card (stores about 64 images, even at the finest quality), which is sufficient for longer trips away from home.
- It is unfortunate that no rechargeable batteries and charger were provided.
- A four-directional pad instead of just a left and right button would’ve made reviewing and panning through images a lot easier.
- The LCD is a little too small, even though this isn’t a serious flaw.
- Images are stored in a JPEG format, a compression which results in a smaller file, but also causes the loss of some detail. I would have preferred the camera to store the image in a RAW format (no detail is lost), which can then be converted to a standard BMP file on the computer.
- Shutter lag is quite noticeable, causing some delay (about 1 second) before another photo can be taken.
Overall, this camera would make an excellent tool for beginners and hobbyists, but also leaves them with much room to grow. For its price, the Canon PowerShot A40 is surprisingly powerful and outshines many cameras in the 2 megapixel category. If you are new to the world of digital photography, this is the camera I’d highly recommend.
Further Reading
Digital Camera Resource Page: An excellent review on the Canon PowerShot A40
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/a40-review/index.html
Short Courses: Learn more about digital cameras, how to choose the right one for your purposes, creative photography and much more
http://www.shortcourses.com
Canon PowerShot.com: Canon’s official page features a full glossary
http://www.powershot.com/powershot2/why/glossary.html
Revised 7-9-03
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 250 This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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