More features than I'll ever use (and that's saying something)
Written: Jun 19 '07
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Pros: Features, price/value, battery life, takes excellent pictures.
Cons: Some have experienced jammed lens assemblies.
The Bottom Line: I wholeheartedly recommend this camera. It's a few years out of production now, but it gives me no reason whatsoever to upgrade. A great value in a used camera.
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| thejmfc's Full Review: Canon PowerShot A60 Digital Camera |
I'll admit it. I'm a feature junkie. A button pusher. I like to be able to tweak things to do what I want them to, and I strongly dislike being forced to accept the default settings. Many digital cameras (and the companies that produce them, apparently) seem to think that I'm too stupid to do things myself, and that their "auto" setting is pretty darned smart. Well, usually "auto" is just fine. But there are also times when you want to make the camera do something that it wouldn't think of on it's own. And this is where the Canon A60 really shines. With several different levels of manual modes, you can select anything between full auto mode, and nearly full manual control over your camera's settings. It's like an expensive SLR married a hot little point-and-shoot, and had a digital child with the best of both worlds.
I actually own two of these beauties. One I bought new a couple of years ago, my first digital, as a recommendation from a family member (who since replaced his with an A520, which he doesn't like as well). I liked it so much that I bought a second just a month ago off of Ebay, just to have a spare.
Some people balk at it having "only" 2 megapixels, when most new cameras now have 5+ megapixels. That's just silly. I've never wished for more resolution than what the A60 gives me. My pictures are limited by my photography skills, not my megapixels. Any higher megapixel count would only take up more of my harddrive space when I download them.
As I mentioned before, I like some degree of manual control when I take pictures, and this camera delivers that. I can set (or emulate, I guess) film speeds, shutter speeds, white balance, and the list goes on. Those are just what I usually play with to take good pictures indoors without flash, or outdoors in low light.
The auto mode is quite good too, if you're more of a casual user. It's reasonably smart, and makes good decisions (and pictures) most of the time.
Another benefit of this camera, one often sacrificed in newer cameras in order to be more compact and light, is that it takes 4 AA batteries. How is that a good thing, you ask? Well, the flash charges up quickly, and recharges aren't needed very often. Both of which can be problems with other cameras I've seen used. I'll take the extra few ounces of battery, thanks!
Setup menus are easy to navigate, pictures are easy to delete. The sounds can be customized, as can the time that a picture is displayed after you take it (more time to review vs. lining up the next shot sooner, always a trade-off).
I suppose every camera has it's downside, and these do tend to jam their lens assemblies sometimes. I've not had it on mine, but others have had it happen. Usually only if there gets to be sand or dirt in the assembly, or if the camera is dropped, something like that. Take good care of it and keep it clean, and you should be just fine.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 41
This Camera is a Good Choice if You Want Something... Flexible Enough for Enthusiasts
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Epinions.com ID:
thejmfc
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Location: Hudsonville, MI
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
My name is Jon, and I like to rate things.
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