Canon PowerShot A630 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
by Canon
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Our Price: $649.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $115.00 (click here) Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon PowerShot A630 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
Customer Review: Great camera
Summary: 5 Stars
My wife and I received a Nikon SuperZoom 5MP camera for our wedding almost 3 years ago. While it is a great camera, it was too large to be convenient as it required a separate case and was not easy to throw into a purse or backpack. Due to this size limitation, we rarely had the camera to capture candid moments and general activities.
We also wanted a camera that ran on standard batteries if necessary. Our old camera ran on a rechargable lithium-ion, but when we went on vacation this summer my wife forgot to pack the charger. We burned through the battery in the first 2 days and had to resort to disposable cameras for the remainder of our trip.
After reading a number of reviews and hearing a few people mention their happiness, it was clear we wanted a Canon. Canon makes 2 different lines of "point-n-shoot" cameras, the SD line and A. Both received high reviews and we could have gone either way. I decided to purchase the A610 because it appeared to be a sweet spot for the number of megapixels (8), optical zoom (4x) and price. We took it on vacation over the holidays and took a number of quality shots, ranging from close-up portraits to large scene landscapes. I used the PhotoStitch feature to grab 5 shots of the desert landscape around Scottsdale, AZ and used the included software to tie it together into a great-looking wide angle shot. I hope to get the photo printed professionally because it came out too large for my home photo printer. I also liked how the LCD screen automatically rotates when shooting in landscape or portrait mode. The controls were very intuitive and easy to use. The standard SD card slot is a plus as my laptop also accepts SD, thereby allowing me to use my laptop as a transfer device and not require carrying multiple cards. A 1GB disk is certainly big enough for 1 day of photos, and if it is full, I can easily empty it onto my laptop.
All in all, the Canon A610 is a great looking, feeling and photo-producing camera.
Customer Review: Amazing camera value!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of those nice cameras that's so well done, it's easier to talk about what the camera ISN'T, rather than what it IS! This camera is not a small, shirt pocket camera, and might be a bit bigger than a woman would wish to carry in a purse. It's not a super-tele camera, but it does have a respectable, bit longer than average 4x optical zoom.
Using the camera, it has a good weight and feel for average sized hands. The use of AA batteries helps keep the cost down, and has it's own advantages, although some may prefer the longer life charges of Lithium-Ion batteries (I do). General, controls are well thought out and easy to use. The zoom is nice and smooth.
For those that prefer an optical viewfinder, Canon is probably the strongest supporter, and this is a better than average viewfinder, although it does not have a diopter adjustment. But you'll probably never use it with the tremendous 2.5" rotary screen. Yes, there are 3" screens on the market, but this dwarfs anything on a hinge! It is a great aid in composing photos at low, high, or other odd angles (photos you simply didn't take before).
Another feature that gets high praise is the flex-focus system. Today's AF cameras do a decent job, but occassionally, they just don't hit on the right focus point. With the flex system, you can determine which point to use. This is simply great for crowded rooms or nature photos where the subject may not be the closest item within the focusing areas.
Control for this price point is very good indeed. Multiple "scene" modes make it easy for the novice (ok, or sometimes lazy pro), while the semi-auto and manual modes give even experienced users all they need.
Simply put, this camera could have easily been priced $50 to $100 more. The only real competition is the A640, $100 more, 10 meg, and a bit more attractive black finish.
Customer Review: The proof is in the photos!
Summary: 5 Stars
Looking at the photographs resulting from the Canon Powershot A630, one would be hard-pressed to differentiate between them and pictures taken with a D-SLR because of the brilliant clarity, texture and color.
I have uploaded six pictures to Amazon from a recent trip to the highlands of Peru in 2007. The colors and textures come through amazingly well. I kept the camera on Auto for the entire trip and practically every picture was frame-worthy. Battery life is also quite good (much better than I had anticipated), and the 4AA's allow one to escape into the mountains without having to worry about recharging a proprietary battery or paying an arm and a leg for a backup lithium ion battery.
It should be noted that there are downsides to this camera; one being its size. In this age of lilliputian pocket digital cameras, this one is quite honestly, portly. A part of getting an amazing shot is simply having the camera on hand to take a photo; the size will preclude this possibility for many people. Also, this camera does not take the best indoor flash photos, but because I rarely use it for that purpose, it never presented a problem for me.
But this being said, all in all, for the money this simply cannot be beat. The A640 is identical to this except for its 10 Megapixels and the ability for remote capture. And it should be noted that I use the LowPro D-Res 20 AW carrying case; the camera fits in perfectly, but does not allow for other things to be stored.
This camera also does not have digital image stabilization, but for the price (I paid $197 in June '07), it should not be expected.
All in all, a fantastic camera for the money.
Customer Review: A great camera....!!! Una gran cámara!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm dentist and i'm using the camera for little details and for my personal entertainment, and i'm really surprise, the fotos are nice and i recomende it 100%! There is an better information in spanish:
Mi experiencia ha sido muy buena con esta cámara, ya que soy Odontólogo y la compre para llevar un registro de los tratamientos con mis pacientes y las fotos intrabucales salen bastante nitidas con la función macro y el zoom óptico de 4x, eso es lo más importante para esos pequeños detalles.
- Es bastante rápida entre toma y toma con el flash y más aún sin flash.
- Tiene capacidad de tomar videos, esta función la pude aprovechar más colocandole la tarjeta de memoria de 1gb, así como la capacidad de tomas más fotos.
- Añade efectos a las imágenes fijas con la función MIS COLORES.
- Puede grabar memos de sonido para las fotos.
- Es posible la edición de peliculas.
- En la toma: configura automáticamente los ajustes de disparo para adaptarlos a las condiciones concretas.
- Posee un sensor de orientación inteligente, detectando la orientación de la cámara automáticamente.
- Posee una velocidad ISO alta, evitando los efectos de sacudidas o que los sujetos salgan movidos.
- Fácil transferencia de archivos al ordenador, y es posible cambiar el formato del archivo para que no sea tan pesado.
- 21 modos de disparo
- Opción de disparo continuo, y muchas otras funciones que aún me falta por aprender! La recomiendo 100%!
Customer Review: Great camera, great price
Summary: 5 Stars
I stepped up to this model from a PowerShot A70, and was pleased to find that basic operation was pretty much the same as the A70, allowing me to get up to speed with it in a very short time. In size, the A630 is even larger than the A70, but that's not a drawback for me as it still fits conveniently in my pocket. It uses four AAs, like the A70, and its hefty feel adds camera stability when longer shutter times are called for. The 8 mega pixel images are a vast improvement over the A70's 3.2 mega pixels, with incredibly precise resolution possible, especially in well lighted images. These images run between 5 and 6 megs each, but the 1 gigabyte data card I bought with it still holds over 200 of them (or many hundreds of smaller pictures), so that's not a problem either. I like the option of complete manual operation, but also appreciate being able to take lots of fast snapshots on auto with some expectation of getting usable pictures. The flash is stronger than the A70's, so I'm looking forward to using it underground on caving trips. Redeye is still a problem, even with the redeye reduction pre-flash. I'm getting better at PhotoShopping it out. One thing I really like is the fact that this camera will do its thing the instant you press the shutter button, like an SLR, so if you're trying to put a speeding diesel locomotive right in the center of the frame, you don't have to lead your target or compensate for any time lag. One of the best features of this model is its pricepoint - amazingly low for what you get. I say, if you don't mind its size, go for it.