Reviews Canon PowerShot A60 Digital Camera

Product Description
Featuring a high-tech design with aluminium front cover and metallic handgrip, the Canon PowerShot A60 combines a sense of both the modern and the traditional. Despite its entry-level designation in Canon's digital line-up, the 2-megapixel PowerShot A60 is a surprisingly advanced model with excellent picture quality and more manual features than you'll find on most digital point-and-shoots.

Optics and Resolution: the PowerShot A60 features a 2-megapixel sensor that can capture images up to 1,600 x 1,200 pixels, producing print enlargements up to 8 by 10 inches. It's also equipped with a 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm, f/2.8-4.8) to cover a wide selection of photographic opportunities, as well as a 2.5x digital zoom. The PowerShot A60 also features Canon's five-point AiAF (Artificial intelligence Auto Focus) system for focusing accuracy, shutter speeds of 15 to 1/2,000 second, and fast sequence shooting at a rate of 2.6 frames per second (fps).

Movie Mode: shoot up to three minutes of MPEG video at resolutions up to 320 x 240 pixels with sound, editing controls, and VCR-like playback. The movies aren't camcorder quality, but they're fun, convenient and perfect as e-mail attachments. The camera can also attach voice memos or sound files of up to 60 seconds to each image.

More Features: offering a wider scope for photographic experimentation, Canon has also included manual, aperture priority and shutter priority exposure modes. These modes are supported by a metering system that boasts evaluative, centre-weighted average and spot options. Canon's DIGIC (DIGital Imaging Core) processor ensures excellent colour rendition and white balance for every shot, as well as super-fast auto focusing, noise-free imaging, and advanced flash exposure performance.

Other features include:

• 1.5-inch TFT (transreflective) LCD monitor.
• built-in flash with auto, on, off, manual, and red-eye reduction modes
• shot modes include manual, portrait, landscape, night scene, stitch assist and more

Storage and Transfer: images and video are stored on CompactFlash memory cards (Type I only) and the included 16 MB card holds approximately 26 images at the Large/Fine setting. Files can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB connectivity, which means it can be connected to any USB-based Windows 98/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Printing: Canon has introduced a series of printers designed to work directly with its line-up of digital cameras. Using these printers, no computer is required--simply connect the camera to the printer and start printing. Printers include Canon's bubble jet direct printers S830D and S530D, and card photo printer CP-100. Of course, photos from your camera can also be printed on any home computer system with an inkjet printer, sent off for online processing, or simply enjoyed on your computer screen.

Power, Size and Contents: the camera is powered by four AA batteries (alkalines included; rechargeable NiMH batteries recommended). It measures 4.0 by 2.5 by 1.3 inches and weighs 7.6 ounces (without batteries). This package includes the PowerShot A60 digital camera, 16 MB CompactFlash card, four AA batteries, USB and AV cables, wrist strap, and ArcSoft Camera Suite CD-ROM and USB drivers for Windows and Mac.

Movies complete with sound up to three minutes long--now you can shoot movies right from your digital camera while a built-in speaker clearly records sound. When you replay them on the LCD screen, you'll enjoy VCR-like operations including next frame, previous frame, fast forward and fast reverse. You can even jump to the start or end of a clip and edit out unwanted scenes.

Canon PowerShot A60 Digital Camera Box contains
 

• PowerShot A60 Body
• Wrist Strap WS-200
• AV Cable AVC-DC100
• 4 AA-type Alkaline Batteries
• Interface Cable IFC-300PCU
• Compact Flash Card CF-16M
• Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
• ArcSoft Camera Suite CD-ROM

Spotlight Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

canon can, January 12, 2004
First Digital Camera, seriously looked at over 30 digital cameras from 2mp - 4mp. Don't be put off by 2 megapixel, if your not printing any bigger than 10 x 8" then a higher pixel count won't make much difference. This camera produces better quality pics than most 3/4mp camera in this price range. For the novice there is a multitude of predefined settings such as night shots/landscapes etc and it can honestly be used straight out the box its that easy. For the more advance user there is total control over the settings unlike most other cameras in this price range, you can alter white balances, flash output, you basically have a lot of control over your shots. The flash is superb, not like the usual sad excuse for a candle that most dish out. Colour accuracy is spot on, but once again you have full control over colour/contrast if you wish - you shouldn't need photoshop.
One word of advice if you are printing colour photos make sure your printer is upto the job, the printer and quality of paper used can make all the difference.
This price is unbelievable, this is the cheapest I have seen this camera anywhere, and believe me Iv'e looked.
Video also as Audio unlike most other cameras at this price.
OVERALL: This is a excellent camera with more features/control than you would believe. It is a solid reliable camera that oozes quality. I can't honestly fault this camera and for the money its a steal, throw that hold film camera in the bin you won't be disappointed.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

A good value for money under £100, March 2, 2004
 

I bought my Canon A60 after initial research and reading various reviews. I decided to purchase from Amazon because of a bargain price of £99 and have had my camera for over a week.

I have conducted my initial tests and summarise below my findinds for any potential buyer:

1. The design, built in quality and added features are all excellent and provide opportunties for further experiments.

2. My initial tests provided excellent results at both auto, Tv/Av and macro modes. The image colours are well balanced and vibrant.

3. I found some evidence of shutter lag and auto focusing is difficult in the low light conditions.

4. You need NiMh high capacity batteries and charger along with 128Mb CF card for more flexibility.

In conclusion, this is a very good camera for £99 and in my opinion there isn't a better camera in the market with 2M pixels. My camera was dispatched within 4 days not as stated 24 hours - be prepare to wait bit longer.

Buy now before it is too late.

Great Camera, March 28, 2004
Bought this camera this week, as a first time digital camera user I wanted something that would offer me the opportunity to learn more about taking pictures yet have the ease of use of a fun camera that you see for sub £40.

Well camera arrived and wasn't disappointed, the manuals was slightly off putting quite thick and me thinking it would be split up into different languages NOT!! It was all English but very easy to understand and follow. Installing the camera and software couldn't of been any easier very newbie friendly.
I have yet to find a bad review of this camera and can see why a solid camera in your hand not one of those plastic types, easy installation, advance settings available too if needed.
I found this web site a useful source of information on it , some examples of pics and the movie capability of the camera.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/a60.html

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

Fantastic for the price - total control, March 25, 2004
 

I now have two digital cameras, a Nikon coolpix 2000 and the canon A60. OK, so they are both 'only' 2 megapixels but don't let that deceive you. I have succesfully blown up images to 10x8 and you cannot see the pixels. At 10x15 you can if you get really close, so close you can't see the whole picture.

So why did I buy the A60 when I already have a great little camera? The answer is total control. A camera that will allow complete control of focus, shutter speed, white balance, apeture with a feature set similar to that on high end SLR cameras. This is the main bugbear with the Nikon which has a great macro, if you can persuade the autofocus to focus where you want.

At 2MP (probably the highest resolution I would go for at this sensor size) the images are great. It is easy to just 'pick up and use'. I could find how to do almost everything without using the manual, yet it is easy to point and shoot as well. The advanced options are very easy to find with the function key, very clear menus.