Canon Powershot A520 4MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
by Canon
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Our Price: $399.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $24.23 (click here) Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon Powershot A520 4MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
Customer Review: Excellent and affordable little camera
Summary: 4 Stars
Well, compared to other cameras in the market, it is actually not so little, but is still an excellent buy. The actual trend is very much directed to make digital cameras smaller every time, but nonetheless this one has a good size. It is not one of the tiny little narrow ones, but it is not bulky either. It is narrower than it's older brothers on the "A" series from Canon, because it uses two AA batteries instead of four. It will still fit in your jacket pocket.
Some people call this the Canon "economic" series. I think that is true if you compare them to the Digital Elph series, and this is mostly because of the use of plastic cases and several plastic parts instead of metal. Like one reviewer stated, the tripod mount is made out of plastic, and yes, I don't understand why it is in the corner. If your tripod is very light and the tripod head is small, it might cause the camera to tilt to the side and find it difficult to make it sit straight. To me this is a major flaw which I noticed at once at the moment of using a tripod, which I do often. You have to be real careful when you screw it on and off the tripod, frequent use might wear the plastic screw receiver.
You also have to be careful when you pull up the rubber strip that covers the inputs and outputs to transfer your pictures to your computer or view them on your TV screen. If you pull it too far back, this may cause the little rubber hinge that attaches it to the camera to break, with which you will loose this cover forever and beyond repair. I have seen this system before on several cameras and camcorders of different brand names and I think it is too fragile and should be changed.
This are maybe the main reasons I did'nt give it five stars, because otherwise, I am very much pleased with mine. I got it about four months ago and I have enjoyed it thoroughly. I had a Nikon 3100 for two years before the Canon, and I liked it a lot, but I must say this is a better camera overall.
The fact that it has a Digic processor instead of a Digic2, like more expensive models, is true; but hardly noticeable by most users, given the excellent picture quality that it delivers.
The 1,8 inch display has a very nice size and is very clear under most light conditions. It does'nt scratch easily, which did happen with the Nikon 3100 (read my review on this).
Battery life is great. Last weekend I took more than 200 pictures in the M1 setting which is 1600x1200 quality, the second larger available (it fills your computer screen), on a single pair of AA rechargeables, and they are still going.
I very much recomend the wide angle snap-on lens that you can get from Amazon at... 20 bucks!! It makes a world of difference when you are shooting landscapes or... whatever!! Besides a memory card (I use a 256MB and it stores hundreds of pictures), a carrying case (it does protect your camera), and a battery charger (it WILL save you a lot of money), this is definitely the best accessory you can buy.
The camera has a huge menu of manual settings, effects, scene modes and more that, I must admit, I haven'nt figured out or used totally yet. But, does anybody ever?
I did a lot of online and offline research before I decided myself on buying this one and I am very happy that I did. You won't find a better camera for this price. Trust me.
Customer Review: Great Family Camera
Summary: 4 Stars
My husband and I bought this camera 3 years ago. We still have this camera and use it daily (we have a cute toddler). In the 3 years that we have owned this camera we haven't had too many problems. This camera is a great camera for a family or someone who wants to take "casual pictures". I don't recommend this camera for someone looking for profession landscapes or other high quality photos. Otherwise, saying that, it takes great pictures for the photo album of family vacations or of a first birthday. Photos of faces have great detail! Onto the pros and cons:
Pros:
Lightweight and durable
Fits well in the hand
Short and longer timer settings
Different photo settings to choose from (videos, fast motion, landscapes, people, etc)
Spot for a tripod connection
Taking videos is a breeze...even has decent sound quality.
You can view the videos and photos right on the camera...it even allows for you to zoom in fairly well to see more details
Easy to use
Easy setup to transfer pictures from the camera to PC
I am sure there are more, but I am not big on remembering the zoom statistics...
Cons:
Taking pictures in a lower light setting (even with the flash on) isn't that great of quality
After 3 years I have found that older rechargeable batteries aren't working as well, but this is solved with purchasing new rechargeable batteries.
Other solutions for batteries...definitely buy rechargeable batteries. I also found that if you take the batteries (of any kind) out of the camera when you are done using it, the batteries will last longer. Now that last suggestion may not be for everyone, especially if you want to be able to grab your camera for a quick picture...but I would really recommend taking your batteries out if you are packing them for a trip or won't be using it for a while. This way when you go to use your camera again you won't be stuck with a "low battery" message.
Other suggestions...buy the case for it too. This makes it super handy to carry around and protect the camera from bumps.
Customer Review: "The Right Camera For Any Person"
Summary: 4 Stars
The PowerShot A520 is advertised as "The Right Camera For Any Person" which I will testify as true. Since I have gotten this digital camera I have never waited around for expensive film to be developed, but instead I print out my pictures right at home. This product comes with software that allows me to format and manipulate pictures the way I would like them to be. The crystal clear 1.8-inch display shows me the picture I have taken within seconds whereas many other brands and models like the Samsung Maxima don't even have a screen to view the moment I just captured. The convenient switch from taking to viewing pictures just takes the flick of a switch. While the screen may not be as large as the 2.5-inch screen of the Olympus SP-350, it gets the job done. Size does matter when it comes to cameras, the smaller the better. You don't want a big, bulky one to carry around during family picnics and Christmas gatherings. The A520 model is wide but not awkward compared to the Canon A610 at a massive 2.9 pounds. Zooming in is exceptional for a camera of this small size; this camera may not have the focus of a professional photographer's camera, but it is perfect for those in-the-moment party pics. Many would expect the above features to be standard, but the random, personal features are a bonus. This camera allows you to choose themes for your camera like planets or birds. These themes allow for fun sound effects when taking and viewing photos. The thirteen different modes may also seem like a bonus, but they're not necessary. These modes let you chose the setting you are taking a picture in to get the optimum quality. Thirteen is a bit much if you ask me; I just leave it on auto, which works well enough. This camera has all the necessary fundamentals and then some to satisfy all of your digital camera qualifications.Customer Review: Best selling digital camera series!
Summary: 4 Stars
Canon has fully redesigned the Powershot A series to make it lighter (uses only 2 AA batteries now), smaller and with 4x optical zoom.
Pro's,
1. Very good image quality.
2. 4 MP and 4x optical zoom (A510, the 3.2MP version should be fine for most though).
3. Priced right, unlike some overpriced digicams out there.
4. Works on 2 normal AA batteries (buy rechargeable ones for extra life and lower cost), unlike expensive & hard-to-find propreitary batteries.
5. The menu on the Canon cameras is light years ahead of most other manufacturer's. Lots of manual options and scene modes.
6. Battery and SD card doors seem to be of above average quality.
7. 1.8" LCD screen is bright and fluid.
8. Uses standard SD cards, unlike propretary memory cards like Memory Stick or xD card.
9. Can attach extra lenses if one buys the adaptor for it.
10. Actual LCD screen looks nicely protected below a plastic plate.
Con's,
1. The camera is still quite thick (although not bulky).
2. It uses Digic instead of Digic2 processor in other new Canons.
3. Tripod mount is on the corner and made from plastic.
4. Doesn't have that cool-ness like iPod or Elph series.
5. Nothing else different except extra MP from A510. Save your money and get the other one.
I guess you gotta spend more money to buy Elph series for more pocketability & style. I am almost sure this will be THE best selling camera series of 2005, just like A60 & A75 in past. With a price this low for a fully loaded A510/A520 there really is no reason to buy slightly cheaper but vastly inferior cameras from HP, Kodak, Olympus, Fuji or Samsung. Just check out the top sellers list right here on Amazon!
Customer Review: Nice Digital Point & Shoot (with small negatives)
Summary: 4 Stars
After a long hold out, I bought this as my first digital camera.
This camera is worthwhile for a entry level digital photo enthusiast. I got this for $159 from [...] (including some coupons).
Tips:
1.Buy atleast 512mb sdram from online(example: newegg)
2.Need to buy rechargable AA batteries, since this camera runs with 2 AA batteries. This is mandatory because digicams uses lot of juice while LCD is used.
Following are the haves and have nots for the product.
Has:
1. Comes with Wrist strap,USB cable,A/V cable
2. Comes with CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solutions, ArcSoft Camera Suite, and drivers
3. There's a built-in lens cover on the A520, so there are no messy lens caps to worry about.
4. Despite having a more powerful zoom lens, the A520 is quite a bit smaller than their predecessors.
5. Support for optional conversion lenses, external flash, underwater case
6.Excellent photo quality, period.
7.4X optical zoom lens
8.Full manual controls, unusual for a camera in this price range
Negatives:
1. Takes a long time(about 10 secs) to move onto next snap, due to having only 2 AA batteries.
2. Poor low light focusing, despite having an AF-assist lamp (worse than old models)
3. Redeye.
4. Movie mode still needs some work
5. Noisy images at ISO 200 and above
6. LCD doesn't "gain up" very much in low light
For the price and picture quality it provides, you can not go wrong with this Canon product. Sure suitable for casual digital snap requirements.