->Deals
I was torn between this and the S3 IS. I got the A710 because it is pocketable (I will probably get a larger camera in the future, either something like the S3 IS or an SLR). The 6x zoom and image stabilisation are great features.
I like that it takes AA batteries which can be purchased anywhere. Several reviewers have complained about battery life and I had the same experience with regular batteries. But, I have found that with the newer lithium ion (non rechargeable)high power batteries the battery life is excellent. I was able to take over 3GB worth of photos (about 800) on one set and this included flash and lots of review and editing. For a 2 week trip (1200 plus photos) you only need one spare set of AA batteries. These batteries are light weight also.
Photo quality is good but the camera does overexpose if the the exposure compensation is not used (resulting in burned out highlights). I find I allways need to underexpose by 1/3 to a full f stop. This is annoying and those not familiar with photography may find it difficult to get good results in many situations. It also increases the chance of having to spend time "photoshopping" the end result.
The LCD display is poor, The resolution is such that it is difficult to tell if photos are in focus. The LCD is also quite sensitive to angle of view and has to be tilted slightly for best results (I checked this on another model and it was the same). As with most cameras the LCD is almost useless in full day light. Unfortunately as many have pointed out this is confounded by the fact that the optical viewfinder does not show the full picture capture area. I don't like electronic view finders much but at least you can see them in day light and have access to all the menu information.
I do like the video option although the resolution leaves a lot to be desired (and you cannot operate the zoom while taking a video).
Again as others have pointed out the recycle time after using flash is quite long.
I am intrigued by the availability of add-on lenses and filters although you will lose the pocketability if you use these (or have to fit and remove them after each photo). The (0.8) "wide" angle lens is still not very wide (this allways seems to be a problem for digital cameras). They are also expensive if you use the (probably higher quality) canon models. The macro mode of this camera works very well.
Overall this is a good fairly easy to use camera which has features that few other cameras in its size and price range can match. If price is not so much of an obstacle though you might want to look at some more expensive alternatives (there are several other Canon models for example). I am satisfied with my purchase.
->Purchase
this being my first camera and a latest model, i expected a lot. but i was disappointed. it sucks battery a lot. when i take pictures with nightmode, it takes a lot of time to store the pictures into the card.
->Affordable
this is a great little camera. not quite as sleek as the elph, but it has a 6x zoom lens. i love it!
->Lowest Price
I upgraded from Canon powershot A540 to A710. I was quite satisfied with 540, and I selected this for upgrang as it offered a higher pixel resolution (7.2MegaPixel), Image Stabilization and better optical zoom (6x optical). It is more robust than A540. It is light and very handy to use.
->Lowest Price
WOW, I'd been waiting to go from film to digital, this little camera has been truly the easiest thing I've ever learned ( and I'm not a computer / techie type!)
->Price
Say you save even $100 by buying a cheap camera. How many photos do you think you will take? A thousand, 5 thousand? So the cheapest one will save you 2 cents a shot?
But now you still need a digital camcorder.
+ The Canon A710 IS is not just a great Digital Camera!
+ The Canon A710 IS is a great digital CAMCORDER as well!
The A710 IS has so many features that typically are only found in big, expensive Digital SLRs. Save the extra $500 and get the A710!
Remember that anything over 5-6 Megapixels is wasted unless you are going to print posters. So even these 7 Megapixels are really overkill. Dial down to a medium resolution to save memory and gain zoom.
Pros:
1. Real 6x Optical zoom plus digital zoom.
2. Easy to use the first time you turn it on.
3. Great night, beach, landscape, and portrait shots.
4. Lightweight, small, and durable.
5. SD Memory Cards are cheap and rugged.
6. Great reviews everywhere.
7. Uses 2 common AA Batteries (or rechargeables) instead of proprietary wafer batteries.
8. Great wide angle for group shots. Others are so limited.
9. Great accessories for longer telephoto & wide angle.
10. Big bright display.
11. Has a real viewfinder to use instead of the display to triple the life of your batteries.
12. Movies are in wonderful, full DVD resolution (640x480!).
13. Press the shoot button half way to pre-focus. Press fully for a no delay, instant shot.
Cons:
1. Bring lots of batteries. Invest in AA rechargeables.
Summary:
For most users, this is the small, 8 ounce camera to take with you instead of a camcorder and bulky digital SLR. Wait until you see what you can do!
->Prices
What I like: AA batteries that last for several hundred shots; ease of downloading files; 6x zoom; stitch mode; lots of useful modes; compact size; just about all the features I could want; great looking pictures!
What I would improve: Image stabilization in low-light situations, and better quality low-light shots
Overall, I was so pleased, I bought another one for my wife, and one for my daughter!
->Wholesale
I will write more detail later, but buy the additional lens. I am going to be complete honest this camera takes great photos, handles a beating, I have 4 kids, 15 animals, this camera has been dropped, thrown, submerged and it still takes great photos. Already been to Costa Rica, Germany, and a few inbetween. And the quality is great for the price and had everything for a lesser prince then the 1000.00 model I wanted,
->Buy
I purchased and received this camera just prior to leaving for vacation. It is so similar to my slightly older A520 there was no need for a learning period. In Croatia and Slovenia, I took over 600 pictures - all turned out excellent. Some were shot through moving bus windows, others at night and still others indoors with low light. I cannot praise this camera enough.
->Discount
This digital camera is very user friendly. The performance of this camera and the sharpness of the photos make it perfect for capturing everything from family moments to sporting events. The camera is versatile and well worth the price. I would strongly suggest purchasing rechargable batteries as the camera does seem to run the batteries dry in short order.
The Pros:
1) User Friendly
2) Features are excellent from zoom capabilities to viewing area
3) Small and light
4) Functions will in subdued lighting
5) Outdoor shots are exceptional
6) Zoom shots rarely look out of focus
The Cons:
1) Batteries go quick
2) Zoom takes a little getting used to
I give the overall performance of the camera a 5 star rating, especially with the affordable cost.
->Deal
I got only for one month, but it looks one of the best ROI products
->Price
Camera takes good photos but flash takes to long to recycle if your taking a lot of flash photo it is poor..due to recycle time..
->Sale
These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results, though, are a mixed bag. The entry-level A460 is lousy, but the rest of the line gives you a lot for the money. (How do I know all this? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living shooting photos at Walt Disney World for a travel guidebook, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)
Here's my opinion of the "A" series line:
Canon PowerShot A460 5.0MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Silver)
Yuck! This 5MP camera is like a relic from five years ago: the simple but poorly designed controls -- a little joy pad surrounded by four buttons -- make it far too easy to do things like change the zoom setting when you set the flash. I have fat fingers and I mess things up almost every time! Also, I've seen photos taken with this camera, and they often have that purple fringe around their highlights, which are typically blown out. On the plus side, the camera does have an optical viewfinder.
Canon PowerShot A540 6MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. Looking for a good bargain camera? Take a look at this one. It's a 2006 model, but it works just fine. You get 20 shooting modes, a full set of manual controls and can record low-res sound video at 60 frames per second. Before you buy it, however, check Amazon's price of the better, and newer, A560. It may be cheaper.
Canon PowerShot A550 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
This basic camera isn't that bad, but there's no reason to buy it. For about $25 more you can step up to the PowerShot A560 (see below), which has the same body, sensor and lens but Canon's much better Digic III processor. Buy this one and, yes, you'll save a few bucks, but your photos won't look as good.
Canon PowerShot A560 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. Here is a nice camera! Featuring Canon's acclaimed Digic III processor, it includes the company's face-detection metering system and a decent red-eye removal.
Canon PowerShot A570IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
RECOMMENDED. Same as the A560 but with optical image stabilization and the ability to shoot manually.
Canon PowerShot A630 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera. It has a flip-out LCD panel and lots of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.
Canon PowerShot A640 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
Same as the A630 except 10MP.
Canon PowerShot A710 IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. This fully-loaded model has all the toys, including a full-range zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last features means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out. Much more for your money than the A640.
By Mike Neal, author of The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.
->Discount
I did a lot of research on this camera. Read every review I could find, both on Amazon and on professional camera sites. If you have a limited budget, like me, are not a professional photographer, and just want good family snapshots without taking classes, this is a great choice. It's user friendly and if you have the time to learn, it has many quality adjustments to give some professional touches. It's still purse size and yet not too fragile. It's all they said it would be. I'm very satisfied and would recommend it to anyone.
->Best Price
This camera is everything I hoped for. It's easy to use, and definitely a point and shoot camera. There are also other features if you want o get more in depth, but the auto function takes great shots too.
->Deals
Over the years I've found the product reviews here on Amazon to be invaluable and now I am returning the favor with a brief review of my own. In the Fall of 2003 I bought my first digital camera, the Canon Digital Rebel EOS. That camera continues to serve my wife and I well and was enough to make me a believer in Canon's digital camera products. Neither my wife or I are serious camera buffs and thus neither of us have ever come close to utilizing all the Digital Rebel's features or abilities. Don't get me wrong, we love the pictures it takes and there's nothing like traveling with our laptop and sharing our daily adventures with friends and family via e-mail. Unlike me however, my wife has never felt comfortable using the Digital Rebel and due to it's bulk and complexity she is unwilling to carry it with her when she and her friends get together.
So, for her birthday in the Fall of 2006 I bought her a Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph. The picture quality of the SD600 is outstanding. Although I did not buy the SD600 because of it's video recording ability, I am amazed at how well this feature works. Great for simple low-res video (including sound) of friends/family and pets etc. Yes I would say the SD600 is another high-quality, feature-packed Canon digital camera. However. It was our experience with the SD600 that one does not simply start using it "out of the box". The SD600 has a serious learning curve. Our camera included two rather imposing users manuals, one of which was
the "Quick Start Guide". This has diminished my wife's enthusiasm of the SD600 significantly.
Enter the PowerShot A710 IS. My seventy year old mother visited us this
month (May 2007). With her she brought my folks new Canon PowerShot A710 IS. My wife and I both tried it and we were both delighted. It's larger than the SD600 but only slightly. It has the rounded grip like that found on the Digital Rebel which gives it a really solid yet comfortable feel. We found it's control layout to be comfortable. My wife and mother
preferred to use the LCD when taking pictures whereas I preferred the optical view finder. It's nice to have a choice. But most of all I have to agree with previous poster Patti from CT "Great Camera to use straight out of the box. ...has all the bells and whistles a point and shoot camera needs". Indeed, and well said.
->Sale
I have a Nikon D50 (but wish I had the D200). That's my "get serious" camera. But I can't always lug that thing around. Besides, people are even more camera shy when they see something that looks like serious equipment pointed their way.
I needed a small camera to take with me when my full-sized SLR wouldn't be practical. Amusement parks with high-speed rides and mountain trails come to mind. But I didn't want to go too small, because really tiny cameras tend to be fully automated. I want to have some degree of control over the shots I take. This camera fills the void quite well.
As an IT person, computer equipment getting smaller and cheaper all the time doesn't surprise me. But for some reason (cameras enjoy the same trend as do other electronic products), it amazes me that this camera is way better than my old digital Olympus Ultrazoom (2.1 Mpix), which cost me a couple hundred more way back when.
Conclusion: It's great for the price. No complaints.
->Price
Great Camera to use straight out of the box. This is my third digital camera and this one has all the bells and whistles a point and shoot camera needs.
->Price
As a graphic designer, I am very impressed by the digital photos I have shot using this camera. The saturation of colors, sharpness of details, and the smooth look of pictures are just perfect. I definitely recommend this camera to others.
->Price
Easy to use controls zoom is fantastic
AA batteries so I can always grab a set if my rechargeable AA go dead
->Buy
This is my first digital camera and I love it. Little my little I am learning to use another feature and it has many. It does everything my 10 lb. manual Pentax SLR did and more - plus it weighs so much less. It is very easy to understand the instuctions, however I strongly suggest going online and printing out the instructions rather than trying to read that little bity book that comes with it. I used the batteries that came in the box forever. I did buy a rechargeable battery kit and wished I hadn't. Everyone says digital cameras eat batteries, but I didn't find this to be true with this camera, even with all the playing and practicing I was doing. I am just really pleased with this camera.
->Compare
Bought it from amazon after reading all great comments/ feedbacks by other users.
Could not believe that sharpness of colors on LCD screen was less than sharpness of $129 Samsung camera.
I am not sure it was just this piece or this product has flaw.
TRying chaging settings , shutter speads, but no diff.
Tried 150 photos , compared in every setting.
Brightness of photos after transfering on laptop seems OK.
->Deals
This camera is very versatil and has some extra functions that the previuos versions doesn't have like a 6X optical zoom and you have much more control on your pictures.
For picture lovers that don't want to spend too much, this is a great choice. I am one of them and this is my third CanonPowershot. As a "bonus" it has beautiful dark gray camera body color, it is smaller and it has a bigger LCD screen.
Definitily I will recommend.
->Deal
This camera is perfect for me. Compact for a 6x. It has image stabilization. Pictures are very crisp. Large review screen is nice. (weak in sunlight) Looks good and feels good when using. This is my 3rd digital camera and best so far.
->Deal
This is a excellent camera, easy to learn and use. Lightweight with image stabilization which is important for longer zoom ranges. The controls are easy to use. I searched through the digital photography review website for the camera with the features I wanted, and IS was an important one, with a adequate zoom. Usually shooting a DSLR, it is my travel camera, very handy.
Highly recommended.
->Compare
Great camera. Batteries do get sucked away VERY fast, so you should always keep some extras handy. But it takes great pictures, has a great screen, and the 6x zoom is awesome. It's the best deal for the price in the category if zoom is your thing. Very easy to use, picture review is very easy, uploading is very easy. It's all good.
->Lowest Price
Awesome Awesome Awesome. I love my new camera. It works great, easy to use. The delivery and shipping on this product was great. The case that i bought with it, is somewhat small, but the camera is wonderful. I highly recommend it.
->Comparison
I returned this camera after a few days because the recyle time on the flash is very slow. It takes 6-9 seconds before you can take another picture with the flash. This is way slower than my old Canon A85. Otherwise I do like the camera.
->Best Price
I'm a dedicated film camera guy. I'll give up my Canon EOS-1 35mm when you pry it from my cold, dead hands (or it stops working, which ever comes first). I bought the Canon Powershot A710IS for my wife. She doesn't want to know anything about apetures or ISO settings, she just wants to shoot and play with the cool features like color swapping and such. My wife absolutely loves it. She sat for hours just playing with the features in our living room. It takes beautiful, noise-free pictures and is easy to use. When she finally put it down for a minute (got to go to the bathroom sometime) I took a few test shots with it. I have to say, I'm quite impressed. The image stabilization alone is worth the upgrade from our older Fuji F700. I was able to take a crystal-clear picture of our sleeping dog, in a dimly-lit room, using no flash and a 1.5 second exposure time by just handholding the camera and bracing my elbows on a table. I would never dream of trying a handheld shot with my film camera for that long.
I was worried about the size of this camera when I bought it for her. She usually keeps the digital camera in her pants pocket when we go out, while I lug around a camera bag and tripod everywhere. This camera looked bulky on the web, but it's actually lighter than our old Fuji F700, and still fits easily into her pants pocket. Also, the shape of the camera makes it very easy to hold. I'm always more interested in features which allow me to take a good picture, rather than those which provide convenience. With the A710, you get a camera which is small and light enough to carry easily, plus a shape which allows for a firm, steady grip, even if you are using only one hand.
There is one area where a compromise was necessary. Canon designed the A710 to use two AA batteries, whereas the other "A" series cameras use four. This allowed them to make the camera lighter and smaller, and careful power management still lets you get lots of pictures from NiMh rechargable batteries. The only downside is flash recharge time. Even with new batteries, flash recharge time is about 5 seconds. I'm willing to put up with that to get a camera my wife can carry anywhere, and that uses AA batteries that can be bought anywhere. With the image stabilization feature, you won't need to use flash that much anyway.
All in all, this is a great camera that I would highly recommend. [...][...] But do buy this camera. You won't be disappointed.
->Wholesale
I purchased this camera about 2 months ago. While I am not an expert, this is my 4th digital camera and I have been fairly happy with all of my previous ones. The 710IS has a 6x zoom and image stabization that I believed would allow me to do some things my other cameras would not. It has a really nice feel and many functions (though some are not so easy to access). It is amall enough to put in your pocket thereby allowing you to get some shots you might not otherwise get. I love the fact that it uses 2 AA batteries.
Cons: When comparing the photos made with my previous camera, a Kodak 7630, the pictures are very soft without much contrast. They almost seem slightly out of focus when compared to the Kodak. The Kodak's shots are much more vivid, and without exception, others looking at my photos prefer the Kodak's shots.
I have experimented with every setting including the automatic focus trying to remedy the problem, but so far the photos have been well below average.
The only other issue I have with the camera is the flash. It is very weak. With my particular camera, if you are 10 feet away from your subject the flash is inadequate at any setting. If I decide to continue using the camera, I may purchase an add-on flash offered by Canon that is suppose to fuction up to 30 feet.
There is no intent to "down" anyone's camera here, I am just relating my experience with the 710.
->Prices
I was shopping for a long time for a camera. I drove everywhere for a camera under $250. I found some nice cameras out there but nothing compared to this camera that I just stumbled across on Amazon. This camera is full function, full manual, 6x zoom with image stabilization, color swap. Everything you would want and more. Only problem I see is low light portrait photos tend to have red eye. Something I alreadt knew when buying a Canon and its usually a click fix in some photo software. All in all the biggest bang out there at the time of purchase!
->Deals
What I liked:
Optional waterproof case, anti-shake focusing, COLORS, easy autofocus, optional 4GB SDHC memory chips (inexpensive), battery life (two rechargeable AA batteries), nicer travel size for hiking & exploring than bigger prosumers, macro settings for close and very close.
What was ok:
Lens range is reasonable, price.
What I didn't like:
Fuzzy background on videos, can't seem to delete individual pictures.
Used this camera in hawaii with the Canon waterproof case for snorkeling pictures. Rain and waves are also a problem in a hawaii. Waterproof case worked great, although special care to keep the sealing gasket clear of sand and small particles (use a Q-Tip) is important. Be sure to have the flash on while shooting underwater or colors may not be what they could be. Camera captures greens of the landscapes and colors of the flowers and water beautifuly. People shots turned out great too. Auto focus lock is nice to show me what areas of the shot that the camera focused on before I shoot. I did one video, which wasn't bad, but the details in the background were a bit on the fuzzy side, despite allowing reasonable time for the camera to adapt to the background. I added a 4GB SDHC memory chip, which allows me to shoot over 2,000 pictures at full resolution. After a weeklong vacation of shooting, I still had about 900 shots left. One bad thing is that I can't seem to delete individual pictures. I just copy my pictures near my home to a PC/laptop regularly and delete things there. For trips, I recommend getting a portable storage device. Less liability than a laptop and smaller too. The 4GB SDHC memory chip allows for lots of pictures, so it's not a problem. Memory chip upgrade cost me about $50, which is reasonable. All in all, easy to use, decent features, priced ok, and smaller size.
->Price
I had a Canon SureShot 35mm camera for 20 years producing the best pics. It finally quit working. I went thru one-time-use cameras for about 6 months, searching for the next best choice. While looking at digital Canons & couldn't decide, a Saleperson suggested looking this Canon camera, PS A710 IS. I don't regret it. It has been great! Gotta read it's User's manuals...it does have some lags, I give it a 4 stars but all in all...it has been fun using it. The zoom, the image-stablizer, the different photo shoots... easy for the inexperinced photographer. Recommend it to all: it's lightweight, user friendly, works great with my MAC (important factor), & photos are true to color.
Very Pleased!!
->Affordable
This is simply a great camera.
PROS:
Takes great pictures in almost any setting automatically
Very quick to take a picture...very close to instant
6X zoom is great and the IS feature make 6X shots actually come out clearly
Uses AA batteries
Smaller than most AA battery cameras since it only uses 2 batteries
CONS:
Flash is slow to recharge. Shot to shot probably takes 5 seconds when using flash
Still bigger than the slim cameras with the proprietary battery packs
Screen doesn't flip out like the A600 series cameras
->Deals
Quick response time. Only complaint so far is memory card is accessible from battery compartment.
->Comparison
pictures are crisp and clean.. the camera is easy to use and the size is just right.
->Deals
I bought this primarily for my wife, but i have found myself using it every now and then. She always has this in her purse, so it is nice to always have a decent camera around. I like all the manual controls, and the feel of the camera. On top of having a 6x zoom, it also has a very wide angle too. Great for landscapes. The image stabilization really works well. I would highly recommend this camera.
->Comparison
As much as I love my Nikon DSLR, I usually left it home when traveling because of its size and weight, and because I worried that it might be lost, damaged, or stolen. This little gem of a camera makes a great travel replacement because of its versatility and creative controls, compact size, and light weight. Best of all, I can leave the battery charger at home too because it runs on a pair of AA batteries that I can find anywhere.
->Compare
This camera was intended to be an up grade, but it simply does not cut the cake. The pros: Camer is light, nice 6X optical zoom, 2.5" LCD and image stabilizer. Cons camera is very cheaply made material wise, 2 AA batteries are not enough to power this Camera as battery life is too short if you are using the LCD continuous, or taking flash photos or fill in flash. Please be sure to take along an additional set of batteries. worst of all it is very slow writing to the memory card.Canon PowerShot A710 IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom
->Buy
New to digital camers, the Canon A710 IS was researched for features and recommended by a few in the know including one professional photographer.
I haven't discovered all of it's features yet, but to date, I find it easy to use, lightweight, and easily carried. The images and zoom produce outstanding photos.
I'd probably give it 5 stars. But I'll wait to check out the rest.
Great buy at a great price. I tucked my Kodak Brownie away.
->Sale
I was very disappointed with the screen which was not very bright and not very clear, although the pictures were okay when reviewed.
Also, I went through two sets of batteries in about 50 pictures. Maybe it was defective.
I turned it in for a Sony, which is smaller and a bit harder to hold if you have big hands, but seems to work better.
->Best Price
I've had this camera for more than a month now and have only one thing to say - Wow!
i have always been a Canon buyer, for their quality and ease of use and this camera does not disappoint. I needed a point-and-shoot digital camera to shoot pics of my kid and given that the primary consideration was ease of use - the other option of my Canon EOS SLR was a little cumbersome for action pics of a kid - I am thrilled with this camera. How much better could it be? Great pics, 7.1 mp, 10x zoom AND quick, easy downloads.
A winner and highly recommended.
->Comparison
For the price, where could you find a major Japanese made camera, that has 7.1 megapixels, Optical viewfinder at 2 and a half inch LCD, and a 6X Zoom, and the new anti shake mechanism of IS? I doubt anywhere except Amazon, who sends it right out to you.
->Comparison
Did a lot of research before I bought this one. It's really a great camera. The combination of it's resolution (7MP) with it's optical zoom (6x) is perfect. The feature that I love most about this camera is it's Image Stabilization. Most cameras have this feature but none of them compare with this one in the same price range. I was able to take great pictures with low lighting levels.
I was a little concerned about battery life since it uses only 2 AA batteries. I got the low battery warning after taking 50 pictures or so, but the batteries actually died after another 30-40 shots. I used to own another Canon that used 4 AA batteries and it would easily take around 150 pictures before having to change batteries, so 80 shots per pair with this one is decent.
I'd recommend you buy a high speed SD card (the 16MB card that comes with it is a joke) so that you can take a lot of shots with very little delay between them. 3-4 sec delay between shots seems like forever in some occasions.
I'd highly recommend this camera to anyone. Canon makes great cameras, and this one definitely is one of their best.
->Buy
Product is perfect.
Picture quality is good and lots of features. 6x Zoom is amazing and easy download. I liked this product.
Only issue you may find is battery life but that is fine as you can get cells anywhere.
->Lowest Price
I really wanted to like this camera. I researched for quite a while everywhere and finally decided this is the one. I have owned olympus and kodak before and really wanted a canon because of their rep and reviews, boy was I disapointed. The picture quality is really the most important to me and that is where the problem is. When you use your flash you will ALWAYS get red eyes and GOLD walls and when you go in and adjust the red eye, everyones eyes either have green circles around them or the color of their eyes look almost black, not natural eye color at all. What a pain. I would only suggest this camera to someone who just shoots outdoors because that is the only way you will get a beautiful shot with this camera. I did send mine back and now I don't know if i will ever get to own a canon. With all of their wonderful reviews I feel like I'm really missing out darn it.
->
This camera was better than I could have imagined. This is the 2nd digital camera I have owned (the 1st being a 2.1MP Fuji bought in 1998 or 99). It is very intuitive, producing excellent pictures in somewhat adverse conditions. Immediately after purchaing the camera, I used it in Cabo San Lucas, taking over 600 pics over a 10 day period. 100 of these were underwater using Canon's WP-DC6 UW housing. The camera has a setting for an under water white balance that provided pictures equal to or better than many cameras made for this purpose. What really impressed me was the ability to take underwater videos by simply changing to video while under water. This past weekend, I was at a Nascar race where I took another 100 pics along with some video using this camera. Again, it performed flawless. With the image stabalization and 6X zoom, I discarded very few pics, even capturing the driver in the car as he drove by me at 140 mph. I have recommended this camera to several friends who are currently in the market.
->Sale
This little camera seems like a great value. I own a couple of other Cannons and this one is a nice blend of small size and good zoom. Even the optical zoom is good. For the money it was a great choice for me.
->Sale
Love this camera for close-up shots of flowers ....... simple to use and takes good photos. Easy to carry ....good size.
->Deals
Great camera and easy to use. Computer support program works with MS Vista. I also bought a underwater housing, but haven't used that yet.
->Comparison
I'm still learning the camera, there are a lot of bells and whistles, that are fun, but I'm still at the stage that when I want to be sure I get the shot, I use the auto. It's fun zooming in on subjects. It takes great pictures as far as I can tell, I don't print a lot of my pics, just look at them on the computer.
->Purchase
I am a semi-pro photographer who likes to have a handly little point and shoot camera on hand. This camera by Canon fit the bill perfectly. The image stability and big zoom work really well to meet my needs. It's small, hi res and also does movies.
It has the shutter priority and manual settings if I need them and I like the fact that it runs on just 2 AA batteries (which last a long time).
I highly recommend this camera to anyone.
->Price
I had the Canon Powershot 40, but my son finally gave it the drop of death. I was really worried about buying a new one, as the reviews are all over the place.
I am so pleased with this camera! The features are awesome. I LOVE the features and am having fun using it.
The only problem I have with the camera is the lag time between pictures which gets longer as the batteries get worn down. But with just about every camera I have tried out, in this prices range, they all have a longer lag than I would like having a fast toddler to try to capture :)
->Comparison
This review is really about a case for the A710 IS (I have not had the camera long enough to form an opinion, so I am giving it four stars to try to not affect the overall ratings). Several of the reviews I read before buying this camera focused on not being able to find a suitable case. The case I finally settled on is the LowePro Z5. The camera, along with its wrist strap, slides into the case very easily and is fastened with a zipper. It has a pocket on the front that fastens with Velcro and is easily big enough to accommodate two extra batteries, an extra SD card (in its cover) and maybe a few more small items. It has a belt loop rather than a slip-on clip (this is not an issue for me). The case has a small amount of padding that should protect the camera from minor bumps, but I doubt that it would protect it from a serious fall.
Cons: 1). The case is just a fraction long for the camera. If this becomes a problem, a small amount of tissue paper in the bottom should remedy that. 2). The closure flap for the storage pouch is attached about half an inch above the top of the pouch. It is conceivable that a battery could slip through this gap. By placing the batteries crosswise in the bottom of the pouch and the SD case above them and fastening the flap snuggly, I don't believe this will be an issue.
->Compare
My interest in photography is new and I was looking for a camera that was small/light so I can carry it with me everywhere and with good auto mode to get me started and enough manual settings to keep me busy for a while. I bought this camera knowing it's primary drawback - long flash recycle times. However, I don't like using flash that much anyway, and was really impressed by so many of the other features that this tiny little camera offers - 6x optical zoom, Image stabilization and the manual control over the aperture and shutter speed. The only thing that I actually wish this camera had was the flip-and-twist LCD. I have now owned this camera for 6 months, taken 2500 pictures indoors, outdoors, snow, macro... I love the macro feature the best, this camera truly allows you to get within 1cm of the subject!!! I primarily have been shooting in aperture priority and shutter priority, with some fully manual attempts. Tested some of the scene modes but not all. For outdoor pics, the camera tends to blow out highlights but that is easily fixed by setting the exposure compensation to -1/3 stop. The colors and details are excellent and I am very happy with the image quality. I saw some reviews mention significant battery issues, but not using flash and using the GE/Sanyo Eneloop batteries I easily get ~400 pics and some videos, so I am happy :) Oh, btw, the videos are great and the IS really helps.
->Sale
This camera is so wonderful. It's so easy to operate and the picture quality is excellent. What a deal!
->Comparison
I recently purchased this camera. It arrived one day before I was due to fly out to Palm Springs. I took lots of pictures with this camera and was pleased with all of them except the night time pictures. This may or may not be because I am a novice photographer. Even with the night time setting my pictures came out blurry, but all others came out better than I ever expected. I think once I play around with it, my night time pictures will improve, but straight out the box this was kinda disappointing to me. No regrets with this purchase though. Also, buy a larger memory stick. The one that comes with the camera only stored 6 pictures and I had to run out and buy another.
->Affordable
I love this camera. I would suggest this camera to anyone looking. It takes great photos and is easy to download.
->Cheap
I went through the G-series of PowerShot cameras and was probably an owner of one of the first batch of G1s that were imported. Still love them, especially with a 420EX Speedlight mounted on top. Alas, I needed a pocketable digital camera so went with the A710IS. I get excellent pictures from it, even on Auto, and the several non-photographers I've suggested it to are amazed how many more excellent shots they get. ITS THAT GOOD.
I have two beefs with it. Pocketable means pocketable: 1) the need for an add-on flash because the built-in one is only good for 11 feet instead of 18 feet. 2) the need for a case because the LCD doesn't reverse for storage like others in the Canon product line. Canon does not have it quite right yet.
->Cheap
Being an owner of Canon Digital Camera, I had high expectations for the A710. The model I owned before this one was the PowerShot A60 2.0 megapixel.
There are a few key features that made me very satisfied.
The main two are: 7.1 megapixels, 6x optical zoom, which are of obvious high quality due to being a Canon.
A feature that is somewhat 'unique' to this camera is a color swapping mode(allows you to swap a color for anyother color, i.e. turn a red car into a blue one, change wall colors...) Coupled with the powerful software that is provided, this camera is ideal for any individual looking to have a well rounded camera with user friendly controls.
**Would not recommend to a first time digital camera user however**
->Compare
Recognizing that I'm not an "advaned" photographer, nevertheless I still want the capability to exercise options beyond the basic functions of a lesser camera. And the A710 fulfills this need...and very nicely. Its size is just right for me; not too large but not one of those tiny marvels. I especially like the fact that it requires only two batteries instead of the need for four batteries...not much but it makes life a little easier. We spend a considerable amount of time traveling all over Europe and with the newly developed enhanced batteries I suspect that we'll do fine (taking a charger along is NOT an option since we travel light). Also, with an enlarged memory chip we're set for 3-4 weeks with no storage problems. I'm still in the exploration stage of becoming familiar with the camera before our next trip and am having great fun seeing what it can do. So far: ***** and counting!
->Price
I really, really wanted to like this camera. In many ways, it's wonderful - a great, long zoom lens, manual controls, and a nice form factor. My main issue is with the LCD display - it's very difficult to see when you're outdoors. Indoors, it's plenty bright. (There is an optical viewfinder for use as a back-up outside, but it's nothing to write home about). I compared the display on this camera to the one on Canon's SD700 by holding both cameras side-by-side outdoors, and decided to go with the SD700 instead. I would have preferred to stick with the A710, but couldn't cope with the LCD.
->For Sale
I have been very happy with the product. I knew that it was slow on flash reset so it was not a surprise. But it is a great product.
->Compare
I bought this camera for my wife for Christmas. She was concerned about learning a new technology (her last camera was a point and shoot 35mm), but quickly learned all the major functions.
The camera has an excellent, large lcd screen, plus a real viewfinder. The viewfinder may not be exactly accurate at full telephoto, but it is easy enough to frame the picture to allow for the slight difference.
Color accuracy appears to be very good. The camera has a 6x telephoto, but an additional 4x digital telephoto, if you really want to reach out. The image stabilizer is a real help when using the telephoto, or when shooting in very low light.
About the only thing lacking is I cannot force the flash to flash, like a fill flash setting. I suspect it is there. I just can't find it. Everything else on the camera is so easy to set, I am surprised this isn't.
When shopping for a camera, be sure to check this one out.
->Discount
This camera is great. The quality of the pictures is excellent. I found the 6x zoom to be adequate and much nicer than the 3x zoom offered in other cameras. I took video outside with the IS on while just holding the camera in shaky hands and the IS took out all but the most large shakes. I occasionally jerked the camera so much it couldn't fix that but the vibrations were taken out of the video and it looked almost professional. The sound was pretty good too. I have tried all of the preset modes except panorama and all had nice results under the conditions they were meant for. This is a good camera for beginner and more advance users who don't want to pay for an SLR. There are preset modes for the beginner and quite a few settings for the advance user. I like its small size. The reason why I bought it was because it had IS, a lot of mega pixels, lots of zoom but is still small. It isn't quite small enough to fit into your pocket but it fits into my hands nicely.
->Cheap
Takes excellent pictures. The only complaint is the flash recycle that takes about 5-8 seconds.
->Lowest Price
This is my very first digital camera and although it's a little bigger than I would have liked, it is still much smaller than my 35mm. I gave up having a really small camera for some of the features of the a710 IS. The image stabilization works really well and I love being able to take pictures and video in black and white, and sepia. I think my favorite feature is the color accent. You can pick a color to accent and everything else in the picture or video is in black and white. It allows for a lot of creativity.
->Deals
Bought this two months ago as an upgrade from a non-zoom Canon 3.1mp zoom. I will keep the 3.1 because it works fine for close-ups and as a back-up. The A710 IS is considered heavy for a digital point & shoot, but compared to my 30 year old Nikkormat FT2 with a 70-210 lens (which I still use on occasion), this is nothing! I have yet to use all the features available. It's quiet, once all the volumes are turned off. The picture quality is quite good. The zoom is almost enough for what I had planned... I really wanted a Canon S3 w/12x zoom. However,the price was a touch too high and the S3 seems too busy with buttons and such for my somewhat large (fat?) hands as well as the too small LCD, unlike the 710's. Red eye is a problem, however a few "tricks" can lessen the effect. And, as others have stated, get at least two sets of good rechargeable NiMH batteries. So far, this has been a pleasure to own.
->Price
This camera takes great videos and the photos look great. I'm probably most amazed at the underwater photos we took with it. The 6x Zoom is fantastic. I'm comparing it to my old Fuji 4700 (which I used to think was great, but it's now "old")
->Lowest Price
Purchased this product and tried it out at my daughter's choir performance. Was really disappointed with the the red-eyes and the flash recyling time. Tried various modes from automatic to the scene/indoor mode. Picture quality is okay. While the 6x zoom is attractive, the picture quality is not. I returned this camera for a combo of Canon A640 and Canon monopod.
->Cheap
Previous camera was a Fuji 2meg so this is a big step up, also my first Canon. I was a little concerned by other customer reviews of slow picture processing times so I bought the SanDisk Extreme III 1G card to help with picture write times. Delay between pics isn't too bad, less than 3 secs or less. Camera itself is slightly larger than I was hoping but overall not bad. Easy to handle, buttons easy to use, and even though it has more options than I know what to do with, the menus are easy to move through and easy to change. LCD is easy to ready/understand. Pic quality is excellent and 6x zoom is excellent. Batt life doesn't seem too bad, I always carry extras though. Materials, workmanship, and overall feel of the camera appears to be first rate--smoe metal, some plastic, but with a solid/durable feel in your hand.
->
This is a great camera--pictures are clear, crisp and bright. But, you MUST always carry extra batteries as it can take as few as 40 pictures on one set of 2 AA's.
->Best Price
I'm happy with this camera. The zoom worked great for my trip to Europe- allowing me to capture all those gargoyles. You do need to steady the camera when using the high zoom or the photo comes out blurry. The memory card they include is a complete throw-a-way- it held 3photos before it was filled. I purchased a 2 GB card separately and with 300+ photos at the highest resolution, I have not found it's outer limit. Also, definitely purchase the rechargable battery kit. Their longevity is exponential compared with regular AA batteries.
->Deal
This camera is awesome!! It gives me great quality on pictures. I love it!!
->Sale
A great camera for ease and comfort. The design is great for holding as I have arthritis and can grasp the camera with more security than my older flatter and thinner cannon. The process of finding my way around the options is a bit ackward but very learnable and doable. Picture quality is very good. Enough options for making adjustments when one wants; to and automatic when that is what I want.
->Price
Hey, it takes great pictures! I thought I was buying an oil can. What a wonderful surprise. Never thought an oil can could make prize-winning photos. I'd buy it if I were you before they replace it with a real oil can. There's a terrible surplus of them, you know, ever since WD 40 came on the scene. So, make sure they send you the camera, NOT THE OIL CAN!
(From an old pro photographer of 40 years most comfortable under the dark cloth of an 8X10 Deardorf camera shooting 8X10 film for contact prints. Huh! Who does that anymore?)
AJ Economides
->Price
The only disappointments I have with this camera is the view finder. It's small/tight, and not as clear as my A540, and like my A540, the LCD is washed out in bright sunlight. Canon needs to fix this. Otherwise, I love It! The pictures are sharp, colorful & clear. I strongly suggest that you always use the finest settings regarding compression.....superfine. Memory cards have tumbled substantially in price so.....no excuses. All cameras require the user to do the right things. The "IS" feature is just what the doctor ordered. My hands aren't as steady as they used to be so, the image stabilization is a homerun. The camera performs well in the auto mode. I've experimented a little at night with the auto high ISO, but not enough to really say much here. What little I did shows promise but, the noise levels were disappointing. But being fair, the level of lighting was quite low so.....keep an open mind. The manual settings are neat & fun to work with. I like experimenting with the colors and ajusting the white balance myself. Sometimes auto doesn't cut it under certain conditions. Experiment with it yourself, and enjoy. You won't be disappointed with this little gem.
->Cheap
This camera has a lot of advanced features that I will never use. Left on the simple automatic function, though, the camera can take phenomenal pictures - even at night. In fact, I have never seen such good nighttime pictures shot by myself on any camera or even any friend or family member's camera. Awesome. Red eye can be a problem day or night with this camera but the software that comes with the program - while not perfect - does a good job getting rid of the red eye (much better than the program I used with my last non-Canon camera.) Don't shy away from this camera because you are a camera dunce like me. This camera is good for both camera dunces and those with greater experience and demands.
->Cheap
I have found the camera to be great and I enjoy using it. So much faster then I have ever used. It can do so many things that it will be a long time till I figure it all out!
->Deal
I've had my PowerShot A710 for three months and it has exceeded my expectations. I love the picture quality and there is no noticeable shutter lag. The high shutter speed gives me excellent action shots and I love the color filter feature. Using the wide variety of digital color filter settings easily replaces a bag full of Hoya filters.
->Wholesale
This camera works very well. The IS helps a lot. The resolution is plenty. The camera is fast when not using the flash, otherwise there is a 3 second delay between shots when using the flash. The batteries seem to last a long time. I was surprised by this. I've taken a couple hundred in the last month and I changed the batteries but I bet I could have kept them in there longer than I did. Just two batteries which helps the wait. Overall I'm very pleased.
->Buy
I have been looking for a digital camera, so I started with reviews, then camera stores, and also friends. I have a Canon SLR and have been very happy with it. When the Canon A710 was shown to me one feature that impressed me was the image stabilizer feature. My niece took a picture with the camera while jumping around. Guess what? The picture was in focus. Great feature and wonderful camera.
->Price
Excellent camera! I like the metal body, the zoom is fantastic, takes great pictures. It's everything and more of what I was looking for.
Complaints:
1. Flash takes a REALLY LONG TIME to recharge (something like 5 seconds). By the time it has recharged my toddler is already in a different room!
2. Slow-syncro flash is not easily accessable - you have to go through a menu to find it.
Features I like:
1. It's USER FRIENDLY!
2. Spans "idiot mode" (ie, point-and-shoot automatic mode) to expert mode (ie, set your own shutter speed, and/or aperture)
3. Nice colour enhancing "My Colours" feature that allows you to enhance colours, like if you take a pic of your lawn you can enhance the green etc.
4. Robust size buttons for blokes with big thumbs like myself.
5. The sturdy design means that this camera survived a 4 foot drop off a table onto a tile floor (thanks to my toddler) without breaking! YIKES!!! :)
6. AA batteries can be purchased in any country and they are STANDARD. I use rechargable NiMH batteries with 2500mAh for extra long life.
7. The camera is not TOO small - again people with large hands can't use those credit-card sized cameras. This one is just right - fits in my pocket just fine.
8. Overall it's a pleasure to use!
->Deals
I was very surprised at the features and quality of the camera. It is easy to hold and produces a very clear shot even from a moving sail boat. The auto feature makes it a superb point and shoot camera. It took a very crisp sunrise shot which clearly showed the foreground. I doubt I would ever use the manual settings since the auto is so good.
->Lowest Price
After reviewing cameras for hours both in stores and online, I chose the A710 IS. I upgraded from a Sony Cybershot 5MP. I have taken about 200 pictures in different settings using my Sony and the Canon for comparison. My biggest complaint with my Sony was poor image quality with indoor shots. The Canon does much better. Overall, I have been satisfied with the colors and picture quality. I chose the Canon over a few others because it is small enough to put in your pocket yet it does have a few advanced options like aperture priority, shutter priority, and exchangeable lenses. I noticed that the reviews stated that flash recharge time was slow. It is VERY SLOW (usually 5-10 seconds compared to 3-6 for the Sony). This can be a significant problem. Otherwise I have been happy with the results and would recommend the camera for people who love to point and shoot but aspire to learn more about advanced settings in the future.
->Cheap
I did alot of research before purchasing this digital camera. I wanted more zoom than most of the cameras offered, and I wanted the stabilization feature. It has proved to be a great camera, although I haven't had the time to go through and test all the features on it. Also, I purchased the Digipower battery pack to charge the AA batteries. It has been a lifesaver since digital cameras burn batteries very quickly.
Love Amazon.com as well. There are no hidden charges, and you know how much you will be paying, and when the item will arrive. I was very impressed when I ordered my camera on a Monday, and it arrived by UPS the next evening. Great service!
Colleen
Redding, CA
->Buy
This review has 2 part one for the camera and one for Amazon. First the camera. This camera is a camera that is small enough to take anywhere but still is big enough not to get lost in your hand. It is easy to use right out of the box but has enough features to keep you trying different things and experimenting for weeks. The picture quality is great. Just one slight negative is the tiny capacity memory stick that comes with it. If you buy this camera order a larger stick as well. (Example: the stick that comes with the camera will only hold 3-4 pictures)
Second about Amazon. When I ordered this camera there was a promotional item that should have come with the item. The Amazon website for some reason did not allow me to order the promo item. I emailed customer support and they had the issue solved within 48 hours. I received the promo item and as a bonus Amazon absorbed the shipping cost of the promo item. I have been using Amazon for quite a few years now and all the purchases I have made have been good experiences. Hope this review helps.
->Best Price
We purchased at Christmas and so far works great. Highly recommend!!
->Prices
Love this Camera!! Works great for every purpose and situation I've put it through. Highly recommend!! I've had my work purchase several based on my recommendation and they couldn't be happier!
->Discount
The good: This camera takes very nice photos. It's small and easy to tote around. It's also loaded with neat features like IS, a 6x zoom, view finder, as well as different scene modes. These modes are for night, sporting, and landscape settings as needed. It makes life a little easier for point and shoot photographers. In addition you can play around with various color settings and really take artistic pictures. It also has full manual mode which is a truly great feature to have on any camera. The canon software is also decent. The photostich app is a handy way of doing panoramics without using a photoshop type program.
On the downside canon only gives you a 16mb SD card which can only hold about 4 high resolution shots. Considering that prices are dropping on these cards it's almost an insult. But that's not so much a criticism of the camera. My only real gripe with the camera itself is that the flash recycles painfully slow. I had read that this was true and thought this might be an exaggeration. It is not. The good news is that this camera takes extremely good low light photos so if you've got decent indoor lighting you can take nice interior shots without really needing the flash in the first place.
While image quality is very good I was a little disappointed. I have an old canon S30 3.2 mp and I did some comparisons. While the 710 did shoot noticeably higher resolution it didn't blow me away with clarity compared to 3.2 mp. I thought the difference would be more dramatic then it actually is. My old S30 was a very high quality camera and there is a lot to be said for optics. But the 710 is a very good camera. Considering that you can get it now for well under $300 it's really a bargain for a camera to does so much so well.
If the flash rate was better I would easily give it 5 stars. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a compact camera under $300.00. Still, the flash is just about useless for multiple shots.
->Affordable
Only problem I had was some difficulty in initially opening the battery compartment. Otherwise it would be 5 stars.
->Sale
- great optical zoom
- great quality and
- great colors.
i like it all.
->Sale
The combination Viewfinder Window and Large LCD display make taking pictures in sun or shade very easy. The Funtion /Setup screen allows fast switching between different Compression and Pixel setting a snap.
The picture Quality is excellant. The 6X optical zoom (coupled with a neat display bar) is a wonderful feature for a vacation camera.
Because only 2 AA batteries are used, I recommend that NiMH recharchable
be used.
->Wholesale
It's an excellent camera, HOWEVER you have to struggle a bit before you can begin to operate it. And I mean struggle. The book with instructions to operate it are clear when you read them over and over. But I guess its no different from other technology. I purchased this particular model because of the stabalization feature. And of course I replaced the picture card with a 2Gb card.
->Buy Online
I upgraded from a Powershot A530 and really like the new Powershot a710IS. This is a fine camera that is very sophisticated but also easy to use. It takes high quality pictures that are easy to save and store. Short of getting a professional (and much larger) grade this is my top on the line. For under $300 the technology in the camera is wide ranging, user friendly and delivers great results. I like everything about the camera; the large view screen, the in-camera view finder, the grip edge for holding, and so on. The most dedicated non-professional can really appreciate this camera.
->Deal
Very pleased with camera and Amazon. Camera has very good focus. Batteries are great!! Very fair price. Lots of modes.
->Sale
I shopped around a lot to find the best price for this item. It has many sophisticated features, some of which I am still learning to use. The image quality is superb.
->Comparison
I am very pleased with the camera, which I have been using for about a month now. The delivery was very prompt. Even though I do not quite understand how the auto focus works and some pictures were blurred (as a result of wrong focus), I am very happy with the camera. Most of the pictures were excellent, and there are lots of options for the more creative photographer. I love this camera. The only thing I need to make sure is to turn the switch to "view pictures" before I put the camera in the bag. Thanks to one previous reviewer for this tip. I unintentionally pressed the power button a few times when the camera was in the case. Fortunately the lens did not try to come out because I had set the camera in the "view picture" mode.
->Compare
35 pictures on the lowest setting is the record so far! It may use "regular AA", but it eats them. On recent trip to Tahoe had to change batteries twice in 2 days!! Have contacted Cannon...waiting to hear.
->Prices
Great camera, many features. Amazon and Cannon should tell you the supplied 16mb card will only hold 4 pictures in memory. Another recommendation is for cannon to either leave the card out altogether or tell you it won't hold squat. The 1gb card is only $20+ dollars and will hold 500-600 pictures easily.
->Best Price
Now, That's a neat little camera!
I have had it for two weeks now and my wife is complaining about my playing with it all the time.
The thing is that you can just put the mode dial on "Auto" and point and click or you can get wild and experiment with all the other settings including Full Manual mode, color swapping, aperture or speed priority etc. This is my first digital camera. Before, I used an old film camera, a Nikormat FT2 with no auto anything. It's interesting to discover that, if I ant to, I can use this digital camera in much the same way as i used the Nikormat.
The interesting features that made me buy it are:
- the low price (for the possibilities it offers),
- the compact size (I can hold it with one hand while driving and still make a very decent picture through the opened window of the car),
- the image stabilization,
- the 6x optical zoom (though I off the 4x digital zoom most of the time),
- the AA rechargeable batteries NiMH (the alkaline lasted me one day so the first thing I did was buy a set of 4 PowerEx 2700Mamp batteries along with their C204W charger, the camera only uses two so I always have two spares, The 2700Mamp batteries last me a full week, I take pictures every day),
- the camcorder possibilities,
- the large LCD
- the quality of the Canon lens,
There are some things that Canon should work on though:
- the battery door latch is a little clumsy,
- the thread for the tripod is plastic, should be metal (it works with my old tripod)
- the flash should have a longer range and a shorter recharge cycle.
The 710is is a good looking camera, the position of the controls is very intuitive and I like the fact that I can program the timer and the number of pictures it takes after I have set it. There are a couple of attachments that Canon and other makers have available for it but I think that if one needs them you are better off buying a larger camera like a DSLR (The Nikon D40 is only about twice the price of the 710is) instead of attaching different lenses to it and making it fragile and bulky.
I just love it!
->Cheap
Obviously this is no SLR - but you're not paying for an SLR. I bought this camera after using a Panasonic Lumix FZ15. I loved that camera but it was bulky like an SLR. I wanted a smaller camera that gave me similar results and the A710 is what the doctor ordered. Granted it doesn't have the zoom capability as the Lumix (12x) but I seldom used that much zoom anyway. (6X is just fine most of the time). I also wanted a camera that allowed me to take quality video. For not being an actual video camera it does a great job - except for the other night when I accidentally took all my video at 15fps intead of 30. I had to junk that. I'm still learning the in's and out's of the camera. The reviews are correct though - video taken with zoom in dark conditions are so noisy they are really not fit to share. But again it's not a video camera - it's a camera that shoots video! The other problem with the camera is a problem mentioned by just about everybody. When you take out the SD memory card you have to be careful because the batteries want to pop out also.
You want a better camera? Be preapared to spend a lot more bucks!
->Best Price
Esta cámara toma unas fotos increÃbles, el estabilizador mejora el resultado de las fotos.
->Discount
As the first of Canon's great A series this camera comes with image stabilization and 6 x zoom. Great camera!
->Discount
Had a Canon A60 and loved it ...Needed to update and checked out several other cameras....Settled on this one and sure happy that I did....Does everything it says and Amazon.com you did a great job again.
->Lowest Price
I have all Canon cameras. But this is the best Point and shoot camera I've seen so far. I was going to buy a smaller one for pocket use. But after looking at the difference in features I opted for a slightly larger one. It is a trade off between size and features. I have a Canon 20D but I use this one more. Best features are the 6X which is about 210 mm. And the image stabilization which is a must have for sharp pictures hand held.
->Best Price
This is my third digital camera, and it's by far the best. Great set of features with aperture and shutter priority, full manual, 6X optical zoom, 7 MP, and image stabilization. There just isn't another camera out there with the same features. Feels good in the hand too. I'm particularly impressed with the speed of operation, especially when using a high-speed SD card, and with the image stabilization feature. I've been able to take good quality shots without a tripod at the 6X optical zoom setting and the shutter speed as slow as 1/30 of a second. That would be impossible without stabilization. All in all, I think it's a great camera for anyone who doesn't need a SLR.
->Prices
I was really excited to receive the camera after doing several months of research. Unfortunately, after only 20 minutes of use, the camera failed to turn back on. Instead, I got the message that is part of the title. After doing some research on this error message, it seems that Canon has a long-standing issue with this problem. I guess I will be sending it back to them for repair, but it certainly is not starting on the right foot.
->Purchase
I am very happy with this camera. The instant stability is excellent. Also the zoom works great for outdoor pictures from inside the house. All inside pictures are very good.
->
I bought a 710 when my beloved 700's sensor died after two years (digital cameras do not have long lives, unfortunately).
This is a fabulous almost desert island level camera once its limitations are understood and accepted.
The general image quality and color are superb. I have a Pentax K100 DSLR and it is gathering dust because its kit lens colors are inferior to this little Canon.
Resolution is very good at ISO 80-200. I generally just leave it on 80 most of the time. With the image stabilizer, I can take handheld pictures in available light down to 1/5 second at least.
The meter will always blow highlights, I just leave it on -1/3 and all is well.
White balance is fairly decent outdoors, needs to be set manually if you're picky indoors.
I love all the other manual tweaks: manual exposure, color ranges from screaming vivid to insipid neutral, black and white and sepia, the ability to change contrast and sharpness and saturation. I have sharpening set to -2 since their algorithm tends to oversharpen things like landscapes with a lot of detail. I have never used Auto mode, but the Portrait mode produced excellent reduced depth of field as long as you remember to use the lens at maximum telephoto and try to fill the viewfinder with your subject.
The flash recycling time is horrible, but if you have a lot of time and want to illuminate something standing still, its coverage is decent.
Battery life is great. I get about 200 or so shots with rechargeable AAs.
The best thing about this camera is that it lives in my pocket and can be taken anywhere so I not only never miss a shot, but have infinite opportunities to learn and grow as a photographer with shots I never thought I would take.
It would be wonderful to have a swivel screen, but Canon never listens to its customers.
However, if you have more guts than me and can get in people's faces, this truly is the poor man's Leica for the early twenty-first century.
->Buy
zippy performance (thanks to Digic II), very good imge quality, tons of features, great battery life
->
I'm an Olympus loyalist, and purchased the 710 for my daughter at Christmas, but she wasn't pleased with it. Her friends have this A710 that she's used and became comfortable with it. So I exchanged the Olympus for this Canon and now she's in heaven. My personal take on it though....too bulky for fitting in a pocket; not very compact. The menu buttons on the camera weren't obvious ('course, that's what manuals are for). Didn't have a flip-around screen (nice feature for kids). The memory card only allows for about 7 pictures, so plan on spending some serious coin to upgrade your memory. It's a good camera, you won't have wasted your money on it - just not my first choice.
->
Having had an early digital, and a really good Toshiba PDR-35 (no longer made)-- I wanted an upgrade to about 35mm picture quality digital. In the past I have had Canon equipment, and trust the quality of lenses and camera. We take a LOT of photos on trips, well over a hundred per week at those times, under all kinds of real life action and all light conditions.
This one does it all, better than I had hoped!! Smaller, easier to use, bigger display, optical viewfinder etc. I was amazed at the movie quality with available light, indoors at a library. Love the indicator to show when you run over the (best) optical telephoto range, and enter the digital part. Deleting old pix was a snap, but the "in computer" editing controls are simpler on the Sierra "Image Expert" from my old Toshiba, nice to have both. In building wood boats I keep detailed records on how and why it was done that way for future owners. So high quality images, quick and easy, are better for me. I can not think that even the much heavier and more expensive digi-cams would materially improve what this one will do. Check out the extra flash add-on, 35mm slide copier, filter adaptors, 2x tele-verter and underwater case, this has it all -- at a very reasonable weight and price -- a super camera that does everything very well.
->Sale
I'm a newby when it comes to digital cameras, this was my first. I wanted a compact with a decent zoom and a see thru view finder. This has all that and more. It's a lot of camera and I'm still learning. The nice thing is you can "point and shoot" while still learning what all the other bells and whistles do. I like it but it's a battery eater and I'm glad I bought the re-chargeable batterys and charger!
->Deals
Bought the camera in early January to take on a trip to the South Seas in mid January. Needed IS for a slight hand tremor, so IS was top of the list. 6x zoom instead of 3x, as on my other digital camera, is a benefit. Just got back from French Polynesia, downloaded the images, and am very pleased with the results. The IS works fine for me, including shots from a rolling deck. Took a few videos with it and am amazed at the sound quality. Bought a battery recharger to take along, two spare batteries, and had no troubles. Used a 2G SD chip. I really like it so far, though I have more to learn about it. An easy point-and-shoot with advanced features if you wish. And -- thank you to those who wrote reviews: I read them for this camera and others, and you helped me decide on this one.
->Price
This is my first digital camera and so far it has been extremely fun and easy to use. Downloading photos to my computer is SO simple, and the quality looks wonderful. I am very happy with my purchase so far!
->Discount
i just picked up the a710 for a recent trip to tokyo to replace my a70. i loved my a70 for the ruggedness, flexibility, manual settings and the fact that it takes AA batteries.
the a710 did not disappoint. it seems a tad smaller and it's definitely lighter taking only 2 batteries compared to the a70's 4. The one thing that i was apprehensive about was the fact that i would have to buy new memory moving from CF to SD. luckily memory is currently pretty cheap.
the features of the 710 are great. i especially like the IS feature since i like to take a lot of photos in low light and i hate to use a flash. this has given me a ton more flexibility and in my opinion justified the purchase of the camera.
the last thing that's nice is the screen size. without looking it up i think it's about 2.5". either way, it's a step up from the a70 which, now when i look at it, has a laughable screen.
there are a whole slew of other features which i won't get into but the bottom line is that this is a great camera if you're looking for something between a pocket size point-and-shoot and a DSLR. Admittedly it's closer to the point-and-shoot . you won't be disappointed with this camera.
->Buy
Ity's easy to use and I love it. I waited a long time for a camera like this and got in line when it first came out. It's a keeper for sure and small enough to go anywhere. The video part of it is great and the software is easy as pie
->Best Price
Before replacing our old digital camera, I did research online, checking customer reviews and camera-review websites before I decided to get this one. The deciding factors for us were:
- cameras with 10-megapixels appear to be overkill unless you have a really expensive camera to take full advantage, and I think this camera's 7.1 megapixels are plenty for us to get great photo resolution for our needs,
- the zoom is super for taking pix at my son's athletic events,
- image stabilization (IS) is a feature highly recommended on camera review websites,
- it can be a fully automatic point-and-shoot, or I can adjust settings for different effects and results,
- it had good ratings for use as a short-video camera (which we need but not enough to buy a separate video camera at this time).
Amazon had the best price, free shipping, no tax, and I now see that the post-holiday price is even better than what we paid a month ago.
The camera is small enough to stick in a pocket if you want, but big enough that my husband and I can both use it easily. It has a nice heft and solid feel. The right side protrudes to allow for the battery compartment and that makes the difference between a secure grip and a tenuous one. The LCD screen is nice and big, too, covering about 3/4 of the back of the camera.
We are on set #3 of batteries after fairly light use, but so far I have spent less time taking pictures and more time going through the manual and playing with the camera settings to learn the bells and whistles. I hope I will get more pictures per battery once I learn what I want to learn. But so far, battery usage is my only complaint and not a major one. We have a great padded camera case with zipper pockets to carry extra batteries. (It's an M-Rock case purchased from a 3rd party seller through Amazon... if you need a camera case, ours is beyond great and was relatively inexpensive). The SD card that comes with the camera is barely enough to take some test pictures at medium resolution, so be sure to get one with more capacity, like 1GB.
So far I've most enjoyed the color adjustments this camera offers. I can sample any color and take a photo which is all black and white except for that color (i.e. red flowers in a b/w photo). Or, I can intensify either blues, reds, or greens to make that color really pop. Also, there are white-balance settings for different lighting conditions (daylight, cloudy, flourescent light, etc) if the auto-mode doesn't adjust colors correctly (or the way you like). There are settings for night, fireworks, foliage, kids&pets, which I haven't tried yet but I look forward to tinkering with those as well.
We are really enjoying this camera and are happy with the photo results and extra effects we've tried thus far. I would recommend this for anyone in the market for a new camera.
->Best Price
The product is good and what i was looking for. The pictures in-door and out-door are excellent. I am using it for few weeks and expecting to have great experience with the product.
Good value for the money.
Regards,
Ashok Kumar J
->Price
Finally, Canon gets around to image-stabilization. I hope that this feature filters down to the entire line, like Panasonic. This camera is terific, full featured, great images and a good size, not as big as an SLR, but still feels good in the hand
->
I was a little worried when I read some of the reviews regarding this camera. After using it extensively for the past two weeks I can only assume they must have been comparing it to a Canon 5D. The pictures are excellent. I have compared the pictures to my Canon 30D and I was very impressed. Obviously Canon never designed this camera to be a replacement to a SLR camera with a lens that cost 3 times the price of the A710IS. The 6X optical zoom is great and the image stabilization is a must have on the long zooms. Ninety percent of the people using cameras today would be very happy with this camera the rest need to purchase a high end SLR
->Buy Online
Very pleased with this product. So far has provided everything that I expected. There is a learning curve and I am working on it.
->Comparison
The most important thing first. The picture quality is very good. It looks like they've done something right with the Canon point-and-shoot digital cameras.
Don't expect anything fancy; it's not thin and light, it doesn't have 3" screen. Just a reasonable set of good basic features at the best price while keeping the great picture quality.
6x zoom is the only reason that I bought this model, instead of the thin and sexy SD630 which only does 3x zoom. I've been longing for a bigger zoom capability while using a previous 3x camera (SD200) so far.
I feel the IS (image stabilization) is only a marginal improvement, when it comes to picture taking. More often than not, it's the moving object that causes the problem, rather than the shaky hand. Don't get me wrong; definately, better to have it, but I would have traded the IS feature for the SD630's small size and 3" LCD screen, if possible. (I went with A710IS because of 6x zoom.)
Having said that, IS does help greatly for the video. I get much less of that shaking video with crude home video feeling.
If I reduce the resolution from 7M to 3M, then the real optical zoom range is 9x! How great is that!
Great all-around camera with great value.
->Prices
I have loved this camera since the moment I opened it. I bought some of the lithium AA's at the store because it goes through regular AA's fast, but they have not run out yet. I have been using the video feature a lot and the sound is not bad for a digital camera. The screen is huge and the pictures are beautiful although it still can be difficult to focus at high zoom and in the dark. I highly recommend this camera and think it is one of the best on the market right now for a reasonable price!
->
Pros: I was either extremely lucky that day or really steady and fired off a 1 second exposure holding the camera against my chest. It was an inside shot, no flash, of my wife in the kitchen fixing breakfast. She was noticeable only as a blur moving around in the kitchen. I zoomed in to the items on the counter at pixel level on my monitor and could not tell any camera movement. Very outstanding. Oh yes, the IS was on.
Cons: The picture quality leaves me a little cold however. The details get muddied up a little in the high contrast small detail. I think my Fuji 330 Finepix did a better job at it. It was a 3 Mpix and possibly had a better match with the lens and sensor. The detail at pixel level was better. IMHO more MPix alone may not necessarily be a better picture only larger image files on my hard drive. Possibly a less aggressive JPeg compression would help also and I wish a lot of these cameras had more compression options to back off a little. With the price of big memory cards going down fast, I would think that less compression would soon be in order. Have not had the camera long enough to comment on battery life.
Overall:
An excellent buy with a lot of features including manual settings capabilities, and of course the amazing IS.
->Comparison
I picked this camera for a lot of reasons, not the least of these being that I have rather large hands and needed something to "HOLD ON TO". I felt the flat skinny ones are too hard to handle. This one has a "Handle" (of sorts). I love the camera! It could be a little bigger for ease of handling, but I am getting used to it.
->Best Price
Thought we had some trouble with the first camera... A slight whirring noise when the led was lit. Cannon said to return camera to Amazon. Amazon's customer service bent over backwards to send us a new camera by Xmas. They really went over and beyond great service. The new camera made the same noise. Called Canon again and this time service rep. went to some quiet corner and got the same whirring noise. Come to find out the noise was to be expected in this model. Camera does everything we hoped it would and more.
->Prices
Wonderful camera with one big mistake: The viewfinder is separate and not through the objective/lens. Due to the resulting parallax it is not at all suited for close up or macro photos.
I had to return it.
->Lowest Price
The LCD on the camera did not work. I could not see anything on the screen and it had to be returned. Big disappointment as it was a Christmas gift. Ended up driving over to best buy and buying a digital camera there.
->Comparison
This is the third digital camera that I have owned and it is also the best of the three. I bought it because I wanted to use rechargeable AA batteries; the battery life is very good. The stability control works very well, pictures taken from within a moving car were not blurry at all. I also like the manual mode. You can set it on a tripod and take pictures with long exposures, in near darkness, that come out great. With 7 MP you can really enlarge the image without loosing detail. I am very happy with the Canon PowerShot A710.
->Lowest Price
For a non-technical person who's used to disposable cameras and point and shot options the Canon PowerShot was easy to master and understand how to use. I purchased it as a holiday gift for myself to use over the holidays and was able to capture pictures, which were sharp images and clear. If there were errors they were with the operator and her learning curve and easily deleted and retaken. That's the beauty of real-time photos!
I'd recommend this camera to novices. The information is easy to understand and master.
->Affordable
I have been using Canon SLR and DSLR for many years, and I had a Powershot G1 as a backup camera. I bought the A710 a month and a half ago to replace the G1. I am very happy with the A710 and here are some of my feedback about the A710:
Strength:
1. Excellent picture quality for a compact digital camera. Pictures are sharp enough, exposure is mostly very good and color is good so long one has sufficient light (doesn't have to be ideal or great light).
2. Very rich function set; lots of features and freedom of tailoring.
3. Just about the right size. Easy to use especially with its rich functions, much better than the tiny credit-card cameras.
4 Optical viewfinder, Image Stalization and AA battery are HUGE plus. No more extra lenses and I still can take pictures by looking directly at most of what I am shooting.
5. Great zoom range. 28mm would've been better, though I am not complaining about what it is now.
6. A terrific everyday camera and excellent back-up for SLR when quick set-up and shooting is needed.
Weakness:
There really isn't any. In low-light the picture gets noisy like most compact digital camera do. Some commented on the battery usage; I don't plan to take thousands of pictures with it every year, so I use Energizer lithiium AA battery, and battery is not a problem for me.
It does need a camera case, otherwise one would have to take extreme caution not to damage the LCD panel.
Overall, I am very happy with it, and I highly recommend the Canon A710.
UPDATE - 03/14/2007:
After using it for a while, the Canon A710 is beginning to grow on me. It easily can do at least 90% of everyday phtography extremely well. I still use DSLR for special occassions, but these are become fewer and fewer.
I have not use any add-on flash so 'serious' flash photography can be less than ideal with the A710, although there are some room to tweak on the flash and exposure to make it less harsh. The A710 is truly a great product from Canon, I would like to see how they can top this one.
->Buy
This camera does everything you want it to do as a 'point and shoot', yet it is very good for any amateur photographer that likes to set almost every aspect of their shoot. It even includes an image histogram showing light balances and many other variables for each shot. You will have read elsewhere the miriad of functions it has, so I won't go into them.
The lens quality, hence image clarity, is very good for a camera at this price and class. The mechanics seem sound and I have recently purchased the additional lens converter and tele lens, which performs very well. Even with out the tele lens, the optical zoom of x6 is more than the majority in this range.
The 7.1 MP is also ample for most amateur photographers - with Superfine res set on the camera, at this level there is no drop in resolution quality for a 16x20" print. And let's face it, how often do most people actually get photos printed in this size?
One slight chink is the red-eye which does not always work well in dim light conditions. Having used previous digital camera brands that claimed the same, none have really met expectations; so I would say this Canon is no worse than others. Furthermore, Canon must have realized this as the supplied image software is very easy to use and has a noticeable button to remove red-eye, which it does very well.
Yes, normal AA batteries are used up after approximately 200 shots. However, I was recently advised by a camera expert to use Energizer Lithium E2 (L91BP) batteries and the ones I am using have been going for 423 shots without replacement needed yet (including flash many times), so this is now not a problem for me.
If you are not a SLR purist, and want high specs and functionality as well as flexibiility, then in my opinion there is not other camera at present in this price range that matches these criteria this well.
->Purchase
It's a really nice camera. the only thing that I dislike about this camera is that the screen is sometimes hard to see outside.
->Buy
I really like the camera and all it can do! It was a great price also! Im really loking forward to using it alot in the future. I will be getting the waterproof case also so I can bring it in the rivers fishing with me. The size is great also.(not too big/small) It has alot of very cool fetures that I love! Most of all Its VERY easy to use!
->Deals
The Canon Powershot A710 IS that I received had a horribly blurry optical viewfinder. I wondered if it was just mine, so I visited some local stores. The A710 at the local stores also had blurry viewfinders, but not quite as bad as the one that I received. I searched the internet and found others who experienced the same problem.
I've looked at Pentaxs, Sonys, Kodaks, and Fugifilms, and all their viewfinders are very sharp.
It looks like Canon has a quality control problem with this camera.
I returned mine for refund due to the defective viewfinder.
->
Bought this camera for my husband for Christmas. Was disappointed to open the box and find that the camera wasn't wrapped in factory packaging, had no warranty cards/info and only came with a user manual for advanced users. Then,to top it off, the camera was programmed to be in Japanese and it was clearly written on the box NOT INTENDED FOR SALE OUTSIDE U.S.---contact etronics and they responded via email pretty quickly. We told them that we wanted to return the camera for a full refund. We did get a refund for the full amount, minus the return shipping of $11.
But be warned! This could happen to you!
->Lowest Price
Overall a great camera and glad I bought it from Amazon. Came in during the Christmas Holidays with no problems at a great price. My only recommendation is anyone buying this camera should strongly consider geting the NiMH batteries and charger. I have been using regular Alkaline batteries and they don't last very long, in the first week I burned through 10 normal batteries. It is my option the camera should have been designed for LiPolymer and too bad it can't be adapted.
->Compare
The A710IS is a really nice camera in that it really packs a ton of features into a relatively small body. It is not tiny but still small enough to fit into a winter coat pocket. It has all manual overides or can be set in the auto manner for full automatic usage for those not familiar with photography. The IS feature is very helpful, allowing about 1-3 more stops. A nice feature is the "grid" overlay on the viewing screen allowing for better composition and leveling of images.
Image quality is good, not great.
All in all, for a point and shoot that has some advanced features, I would rate this a good buy.
->Best Price
Bought this Camera for Christmas for myself. I looked at alot of cameras and read alot of reviews,this camera has a great zoom,and you can add lens for wide angle and more zoom. Canon has a good computer program,very easy to use.You can't go wrong with this camera,very easy to use for the first timer.
->Buy
Our first digital died last year and we just recently purchased the Canon S2 IS (from Amazon) in November to replace it. At first didn't really like the quality of pictures we were getting with it. Plus the size was a bit big and heavy for everyday use so we were planning on returning it. I was also a bit intimidated by all the functions that I did not know how to use. Started looking and researching another, smaller camera. Wanted to stay with the A series Canon because they use AA batteries and SD card. Researched (and researched and researched!!) and it came down to the A630 and the A710IS, both of which are very good cameras. Finally decided on this great little camera mainly because of the IS (check out our pictures above). Love it, great size for carrying anywhere, awesome features (most of the same features as our S2) and pictures. Plus, the movies are good quality too. I don't have an issue with the flash recycle time that I read quite alot about. I use rechargables and lithium batteries so maybe that is why. After playing with and reading up on how to use some of the features on the A710 I realized Auto is not the best mode and have actually learned some of the functions of the manual controls (only way to go, IMO) and am extremely pleased with this camera. In the end we decided to keep the S2 (got out of Auto mode and that camera is doing beautifully also!). Now we have the best of both worlds!!
->Prices
what a find! I love this camera. Besides the wonderful job it does taking natural light pics, also has many options for creativity. I appreciated the ease of use and small size. It uses batteries quickly so, i use rechargable and keep a spare pair with me. The video may be zoomed during use which is not the case with some other digital cameras. The sound and clarity are wonderful too. All in all a great deal for beginners or veterans.
->Purchase
Took close to 700 images with this camera on a trip to Greece. Used camera for family shots, landscape shots, some digiscoping of birds and macro shots for insects, amphibians and plants. Movie with sound is cool feature. HD CCD would be a plus. And it works great in most lighting situations. In dim landscape situations with strong back-lighting the back ground gets washed out unless you click on the sky and then drag to the subject. Then the for-ground is under exposed, but at least you can lighten in Picasa or similar. Other minor complaints are it's not water-proof/dust proof, it's has some shutter lag (0.3 sec), boot up time is fairly short (3sec with flash about 1 sec in bright conditions) and reboot time after a flash is long (approx 5 sec). Sometimes the sutter lag is huge 2-3 seconds indoors using flash. But haven't figured out why yet.
Software is OK lacks sofisticated (sorry) renaming feature and sadly does not name files with date-time stamp. Date-time is in exif data and can be added with Exifer. I use Lupus rename to add essential data to file name such as who what where. Would be nice if camera had a GPS to where stamp but that is asking a lot.
When digiscoping paired with a Swarovski STS 65 with 20x eyepiece. There is no vinetting. Marco is awesome can focus down to 10 mm or less.
->Best Price
Great small size digital camera with image stabilization and great resolution at 7MP. It is small enough to go in my purse. Price at Amazon was best we found at the time. Computer software not as easy to work with as previously owned Fuji so I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager to edit the pictures instead of the Canon software. It comes with two user booklets and for some items you must use both--seems like the smaller one should have been incorporated into the larger one.
->Lowest Price
I found the Cannon PowerShot A710 7.1 after reviewing many different camera brands, models and capabilities. This camera meets my need for taking "point and shoot" pictures and for taking more detailed and elaborate pictures. Controls are clearly marked,easy to move. Directions easy to follow.
->Purchase
Love Zoom , quality of pictures in various conditions
love amount of control
love size and shape of camera
love cost
negative slow processing of shots( even with fast chips)
negative poor batery life
negative too easy to accidently change some parameter and not know it
Overall very good camera
->Sale
This is our first digital camera purchase - we are completely amateur users, but did a lot of research in finding the "best" camera to fit our needs. We are most happy with the increased optical zoom & IS. We have taken hundreds of pictures and are most pleased with the outcome. We would definetly recommend this camera to others.
->Buy
I bought this camera because I was looking for something simple and easy to use, yet that I could grow into as a photographer. I've been using it mostly in auto mode or one of the scene selections, and the color saturation of all of my pictures is great. There is a nice, solid feel to the body, like the SLR cameras I grew up with. Don't even bother with the optical viewfinder, though; It doesn't really represent what the borders of the photo will be. The only thing I would complain about is the flash, which tends to wash out subjects. Perhaps someone more experienced would understand how to change exposure and white balance so as to correct this, because the camera does have manual options. Overall, I would say tha this is a great camera for someone who wants very good quality pictures and a camera that is a little bit more sophisticated than your average point-and-shoot.
->Deals
might not buy the $1200 dollar Nikon after this one.
->Prices
First, I have to say that I'm really used to the Canon interface - so this was a big plus when comparing this model to others with image stabilization. I was drawn to the Fuji F30, but I had had a fuji in the past, and although it took good pics, it was not what I was used to using. I've had the Canon S2 IS, and loved it, but found I didn't use it like I wanted because there are just some places that I needed to have a smaller camera that fit in my purse.
The A710 is perfect for me. I don't use the flash that much - so my batteries last and last. I have two grandbabies under the age of 12 mos, and most of the pics of them come out clear and sharp, (notice I said MOST . . . everyone should know that it takes dozens of shots to get the perfect ONE, but with the 710 it's so much easier!) I love the 6X zoom. Pics of my grandson's Christmas program came out great. I could actually get close enough to identify HIM from the 6th row back. I know how to use the manual settings - but the auto setting,(with the flash turned off) gives me such perfect shots MOST of the time that its a pleasure to use. Its almost as small as my beloved little A510 (which I regretfully passed on to my son). So, it does fit very nicely in my purse. Of course, I'll continue to experiment, but I'm totally satisfied. LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! . . . FIVE STARS!!!
->Price
I have only had the A710IS for a few weeks now, but I am very impressed so far. I am a novice, but have found the camera very easy to use. I replaced my aging Fuji Finepix 2600, which was great for it's time, but I was looking for better picture quality, no more blurry pictures of my active 2 yr old, better flash, more features, etc. etc.
I actually replaced the first A710IS I got from Amazon as it had red dots on the LCD screen. After returning it and further research, I found that this was most likely dead pixels in the LCD itself. The replacement that Amazon sent was perfect.
Positives:
-Excellent picture quality so far both indoors and outdoors
-Awesome Zoom
-VERY stable pictures at extended zoom ranges
-Great "quick" buttons provide easy and quick access to camera features without navigating the menu
-Menu system is VERY easy to use and intuitive
-Large LCD - compared to my Fuji, the sceen is very large and works well in all lighting situations
-Stitch Features: I tried the "Stitch" feature (which may be common on other cameras, but I've never heard of it until I read the owner's manual for this camera). I tried it once and took 3 pictures to stitch together. It was Very easy to figure out how to use on both the camera and the software that canon provides. It worked Great to provide a panoramic shot.
The only negatives I have found have already been mentioned by other reviewers (which is why I gave a 4 instead of a 5 rating):
-Battery Drainage: Drains the batteries quickly. For me, this isn't a big deal as I always be sure to have extra batteries on hand. I started out using my rechargeable batteries from my old Fuji, so since these are about 4 yr old, that could be part of the problem. I plan on buying newer rechargeables and expect them to last even longer.
-LCD:
1. LCD doesn't swivel: Again, not a big deal as I'm not sure how much usage I'd get out of this, but it would be nice for the few occasions that I may need it.
2. LCD Resolution seems a bit low such that the picture quality on the LCD appears a bit fuzzy. The quality it good, but not great.
-Included memory card - the 16MB memory card that is included is a joke. I purchased a 1 GB Ultra II card, which should be plenty for my usage
-Physical size of pictures is Large - This is obvious given the higher megapixel count for the camera (6 MP compared to my Fuji's 2 MP), so not really a negative, but more of a reality to be aware of if you have the settings at Fine and above.
I still haven't tried the movie mode yet, but plan to soon. I still use my Sony Digicam for movies.
->Best Price
I ordered this camera the first of December but didn't have a chance to really work with it until around the 15th. As a amatuer photographer I wanted the A710 as a companion to my DSLR and to carry in my purse for all occasions. I was very interested in the 7 megapixels, 6x optical zoom, and top priority for me was the image stabilization feature. I gave this camera 3 stars because the outside shots were very good, it's the inside shots that are problematic. All of the inside shots were far to noisy to be acceptable when using the zoom feature. If you used the camera preset modes it raised the ISO to high causing a great deal of noise and if you used the aperture priority and set the ISO to an acceptable level it was still very difficult to get a photo that wasn't noisy. I tested it against my Canon A620 (great camera) and the A620 had a better photo in all but one occasion. I have gone back to using the A620 . This camera would be good for someone that just wants a point & shoot to do home photos. I called Amazon and they were great, I returned it the 22nd.
->Buy Online
After 1000 images and umpteen sets of (rechargable) batteries I still like the camera, but haven't figured out a good battery solution yet. The estimate of 100 images per set of alkaline batteries / 350 for NiMh seems rather optimistic (or my rechargeables are in pretty bad conditions).
Otherwise the camera is great. The image stabilizer extends my options without using a flash (which is as bad as one can expect, considering that it sits an inch above the lens and can't be adjusted). The software is straightforward, the programming modes are fine (some seem superfluous), I like the "manual" option best.
The camera is very small, considering that it packs a 6x optical zoom, and I like the fact that it fits into my shirt pocket. The plastic body is reasonably stable, but some of the buttons start to rub off. A dedicated bag would fix that. Its only drawback (aside from being a battery hog) is that the optical viewfinder does not really show you what will be on the image (it undersetimates, which might be OK, at least you don't cut off any heads).
->Price
After seeing 2 reviews about the Canon 710 gobbling batteries, I had to set the record straight. With a pair of inexpensive X1 rechargeable batteries, my 710 took about 400 shots without recharging, which amazed me. (Regular batteries die quickly with a digital camera.)
Amazon's price was considerably lower than Costco's, which was impressive.
As someone who's still learning how to use this camera, I encountered a persistent problem that I haven't solved. While using the auto setting quite a few of the shots looked overexposed. Then I tried photographing some ducks that were swimming in the shade and I noticed that the white birds looked overexposed, losing many details, while the darker ones looked just right. It's almost as if the camera is too sensitive to white, or bright lighting, not infrequently causing a washed out look and disappeared details.
The shutter response is pleasingly quick, and the macro detail is impressive, but some of the shots in auto mode still aren't quite as crisp as I expected a Canon camera to produce. Whether the few problems I've encountered disappear with more experience remains to be seen.
->Comparison
all the nice features the camera has, is lost when it comes to batteries consumption. I bought the camera after I read a lot of nice reviews about it, and only 1 review mention the batteries problem which I did not pay enough attention, until I bought the camera from Amazon, tried for couple pictures, saw the batteries red light flashing, packed the camera back in its original boxe and ship it back to Amazon.
if you're willing to keep carrying batteries everytime you use this camera, then get it, otherwise look for another one.
->Lowest Price
You will not find a more versatile camera for the money anywhere. This camera is still selling locally at $399 "on sale" but as usual AMAZON beats them all. As for the camera it offers the best of everything for just about everyone..........Full Auto to Full Manual and everything in between plus the new Image Stabilization feature!!! For those that know how to take advantage of manual operation this sure beats lugging around a full size SLR and for those point and shoot types it couldn't be easier............plus the added benefit of being able to experiment a little as you become more familiar with photography. Canon continues to top the ratings at most of the camera review pages...this one is no exception. Money well spent!!!
->Sale
I researched digital cameras for over two weeks and finally decided on the Canon A710 IS for a couple reasons. One)it offered the 2nd largest optical zoom, only surpassed by Panasonic right now. Two) the sharpness and quality of the canon images. Three) the Image Stabalizer (IS), which is absolutely the best on the market right now. I shook my hand violently while I snapped a picture and it was crisp and clear. Warning: the IS does not work as spectacularly with flash, nor would any other IS system, because the camera sets the shutter speed lower to get enough light in and this effects the IS capability. Still works well, though. Four) This Canon camera is sleek, easy to hold, easy to use menu features, manual options, and lots of cool extras (I love the color accent feature). And five) because of all of the excellent reviews on this particular camera. Pros, cnet, customers, everyone had something positive to say and very few negatives.
I wanted a camera to capture our first child (Simba, a Shiba dog)and our future first child (hopefully in the next year) when they are active, indoor low-light shots of when we are hanging out with our friends, and have the instant on-hand video camera to catch exciting moments. This camera does all that and more! Very impressed with low-light pictures but was hoping for slighly less red eye (hard to get less red eye, though, with where such small cameras have to place the flash).
I was really torn between this one, the Fuji Finepix F30, the Panasonic Lumix TZ1, and the Canon SD800IS. We had a Fuji before that lasted forever and the F30 is said to take the best indoor, low-light photos available in a digital camera right now, but it was hard to find customer reviews on this camera and the optical zoom was only 3x. The Panasonic has the highest optical zoom at 10X, and customer reviews said it was very impressive but I saw quite a few reviews regarding problems in the first few months and a short warranty along with bad customer service. And nothing was said about low-light images, though Panasonic images just aren't as clear and crisp as Canon's.
In the end, I decided the extra megapixel was not worth the lower optical zoom, so I went with this one over the 800IS.
I have attached some pictures to view.
I am very very impressed with this camera. I viewed my pictures hooked up to a 64" TV and they were awesome. The video is also great quality; my stepdad is considering this digital camera with a large memory card instead of getting a new video camera, he was so impressed.
The camera is extremely easy to use and comfortable to grip. The only thing I have to complain about is that I am nervous about the error 08 that people have said causes the camera to stop working and the lens to not retract. However, this was not enough to stop me from purchasing it. This is something any camera could have happen if grain or dirt blocks the lens shutting and canon customer service assured me that if it did happen, they would repair it free of cost to me (I would have to pay shipping). Best way to avoid this, keep in a case.
I have had it for 4 months and have had zero problems.
It uses 2 AA batteries (great for me cause they can be found anywhere) and I played with the camera for almost 2 straight days before they died (lots of pics and video and viewing on screen).
Also, my stepmother has the Canon 600. She dropped it and it fell down about 20 feet, hitting multiple rocks along the way. When recovered, the LCD screen was broken so the menu cannot be viewed, but the camera still works and still takes great photos! Amazingly durable.
I would recommend checking out [...] for more info.
UPDATE: I don't know if it was summer and I just wasn't taking many indoor photos or if my "Auto" setting has changed itself, but I am not getting very clear pictures inside anym ore. Maybe my hand is shaking more but with the IS feature, this shouldn't be a big deal. I have added some pictures that aren't as sharp as before so you can see what I am talking about. I am still happy with my camera but now I will have to toy with all the setting features to see if I can get better inside people shots. Either my subjects have bad red eye, are slightly blurred, or just not clear when I zoom in on my computer (even when the pics were taken at highest resolution. I will update if I fix this problem.
->Comparison
I hope you like this camera as much as I do!
I spent about three solid days online/in store researching camera's before I decided that this was the camera for me. There were three things that I really wanted from a new camera: better zoom, image stabilization, and better quality pics. I believe I got all of this and more in this little camera.
First, most camera's on the market have a 3X optical zoom- this one has 6x, which gives you a better quality picture further away. I realize there are other camera's on the market that have a better zoom ability, but I did not want to jeopardize size, I wanted something close to "pocket sized."
Second, the image stabilization feature is great- especially at night when you are trying to take photo's of buildings, etc. Regardless of how steady my hand was with my last digital, I could never get a night shot to come out- not a problem with the A710.
Third, the quality of pictures this camera offers is superb. I have no complaints on the ease of taking pictures. While there are quite a few different settings to choose from, the "basic" manual explains each one in an easy to follow manner (and I am not directions reader).
I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for an easy use, high quality camera. Everything you need comes in the box, you can literally pop the batteries and memory card in and you are set. There are many camera's that have a lot of great options out on the market, but I believe this to be the best.
->Best Price
First off I would like to say that I am just an average camera user with no special skills and I really do not understand what any of the jargon means when people talk about their cameras.
I was interested in this camera for several reasons:
1. It was highly rated in every review I read about it by people that know a whole lot more about such things than me.
2. It uses 2 AA batteries not 4 and not a rechargeable battery. I use rechargeable AA batteries on my own. I really do not like being forced to use the ones provided with the cameras. No matter what they say the batteries will run out and at the most inconvenient time. I can swap the batteries out in an instant or buy new ones. You can't do that with other rechargeable batteries. I travel a lot. I never know if I will have access to electricity to recharge my camera or if I will even have time. For this reason I absolutely insist on AA batteries. This may not be a concern for your standard user but it is to devoted travelers.
3. I am not that obsessed with photography. I wanted a camera that would work "out of the box" and let me learn about the features as I go.
4. It uses an SD disk. This allows me to use the same disks without buying new ones or buying an adapter for my computer. I can use the same SD discs with my mp3 player and my palm pilot. This is why I refuse to buy items using xd discs or anything by Sony and their insane use of their memory stick. Hey Sony the Beta was great but no one bought it. You are going down the same path with your memory stick. The deciding factor between a Sony computer and the Gateway I bought was the memory stick feature versus an SD drive. I did not buy cameras from Sony twice now because of the use of memory sticks. I have told many people about this and have steered them to other brands for the same reason. Compatabilty is very important in electronics.
5. It has lots of cool accessories that I may or may not eventually decide to buy. The main one being the waterproof case. I tried this out at the camera store and it was really cool. It allows divers full access to all of the features on the camera and seems like it is really easy to use. I will be buying it in a month or so for an upcoming diving trip. I will know better after that if it works in the water as well as in the camera store.
6. It has a separate watch battery to store the date and time information. That was a major issue I had with my last camera. Digital cameras go through batteries fast. Having to constantly enter this information gets annoying, especially if I am not wearing a watch.
These are my initial thoughts after purchase:
Setting up the camera was a snap. Everything seemed intuitive and I had no problems whatsoever.
I have taken a few test shots in the various modes and am really impressed. It has a lot of detail that my previous camera did not provide.
The camera seems to be the perfect size for me. This camera is big enough so that you can operate the buttons without getting a 4 year old to do it for you. And small enough that it can be used as a handheld camera, fitting nicely in a case around your shoulder.
My only complaint on this camera and with a lot of them is the wheel that switches the modes. I really wish they would make these things flush with the camera body. This one is better than my previous camera but the wheel still shifts modes when you pull it out of its case. Other than that one minor gripe I am very pleased with this purchase.
->Comparison
Canon has an excellent rep with its digital cameras and the A710 is one of the latest in that long line. It's a great camera...not too small to handle with but small enough to be slipped into a jacket pocket. The zoom works well and the stabilization keeps zoomed photos clear, although a bit grainy at full zoom. Syncing with the computer couldn't be easier...load the included software and you're ready to go. I couldn't believe how easy it was to do this. As stated by another reviewer, the included 16mb card is almost worthless, but I used it to practice and get the hang of the camera operation before loading up a 1 gb card. I took the camera on a week and a half vacation and loved it. At the touch of a button I can see how many shots I have left on the card and how many I'll have if I adjust the size and detail of the photos. This let me reduce photo quality just a bit to get the last few photos at the end of the vacation onto the card. Zoom is quick, but, as stated in another review, the flash recharge takes a few seconds. The large LCD screen is great, but, like most digitals, difficult to see in bright light. This makes the optical viewfinder a god-send, but be aware that the viewfinder shows you a tighter shot that what is really being captured in the photo(watch out for the trend from other camera manufacturers of dropping the optical viewfinder!). There are a multitude of optional settings that I'm still figuring out. One - the night shot setting - is questionable. I get better night time shots with the setting on 'automatic' that I do using the 'night shot' setting.
My only problem with the A710 is battery life. Even with the power save function on, I went through a set of batteries a day. Obviously, using the flash a lot reduces battery life and I took many photos inside buildings. I also took 50-60 photos a day, so I was working the batteries from sun-up to sun-down and sometimes after that (I took 600+ photos in 10 days of travel). Rechargables are probably a good idea, but traveling in Europe complicates that....you need to carry a Euro style plug in addition to the battery charging apparatus and lugging all that would be just about as bad as dragging around my big, old Pentax film SLR (the main point, for me, of going digital was to reduce the size and weight of taking the film camera on an extended vacation). The need for all the batteries is the only reason I don't give the A710 5 stars and that's probably not really fair considering the number of photos I'm taking and the conditions of flash use.
In conclusion - The A710 takes great photos, is easy to use, figure out, and connect to your computer, has all the features a non-professional photog could want has the megapixels to let you enlarge your photos to at least 8x10 and is reasonably priced. If you can live with replacing batteries frequently in heavy-use situations, I doubt you can do better in this price range than this camera.
->Best Price
I bought this camera about 2 weeks ago and I'm very happy with the camera so far. It's easy to use right out of the box and the picture quality is very good. I like the 6x optical zoom and the IS really helps with the camera shake, especially when using the zoom. The movie mode is very nice as well. The camera is big enough to feel right in my hand yet small enough to easily slip into a sweatshirt pocket or purse. My two complaints are: the camera ships with a 16 MB SD card-which is a joke, and battery life seems fairly short. Investing in rechargables would be a good idea. I'm now using a 1 GB Ultra II SD card with great results. Overall, I'm very happy with the camera and I'm still getting to know it.
I recommend it.
->Comparison
Good camera. Compact size and weight. Like the 6X optical zoom and the IS. Full set of manual controls.
Flash takes a bit long to re-charge. Also, initially many of the indoor shots were grainy (noise) and a lot of redeye. Finally figured out that indoors with less light one has to keep the zoom on the low side.
Overall happy with the camera.
->Deals
I was torn between this and the S3 IS. I got the A710 because it is pocketable (I will probably get a larger camera in the future, either something like the S3 IS or an SLR). The 6x zoom and image stabilisation are great features.
I like that it takes AA batteries which can be purchased anywhere. Several reviewers have complained about battery life and I had the same experience with regular batteries. But, I have found that with the newer lithium ion (non rechargeable)high power batteries the battery life is excellent. I was able to take over 3GB worth of photos (about 800) on one set and this included flash and lots of review and editing. For a 2 week trip (1200 plus photos) you only need one spare set of AA batteries. These batteries are light weight also.
Photo quality is good but the camera does overexpose if the the exposure compensation is not used (resulting in burned out highlights). I find I allways need to underexpose by 1/3 to a full f stop. This is annoying and those not familiar with photography may find it difficult to get good results in many situations. It also increases the chance of having to spend time "photoshopping" the end result.
The LCD display is poor, The resolution is such that it is difficult to tell if photos are in focus. The LCD is also quite sensitive to angle of view and has to be tilted slightly for best results (I checked this on another model and it was the same). As with most cameras the LCD is almost useless in full day light. Unfortunately as many have pointed out this is confounded by the fact that the optical viewfinder does not show the full picture capture area. I don't like electronic view finders much but at least you can see them in day light and have access to all the menu information.
I do like the video option although the resolution leaves a lot to be desired (and you cannot operate the zoom while taking a video).
Again as others have pointed out the recycle time after using flash is quite long.
I am intrigued by the availability of add-on lenses and filters although you will lose the pocketability if you use these (or have to fit and remove them after each photo). The (0.8) "wide" angle lens is still not very wide (this allways seems to be a problem for digital cameras). They are also expensive if you use the (probably higher quality) canon models. The macro mode of this camera works very well.
Overall this is a good fairly easy to use camera which has features that few other cameras in its size and price range can match. If price is not so much of an obstacle though you might want to look at some more expensive alternatives (there are several other Canon models for example). I am satisfied with my purchase.
->Sale
this being my first camera and a latest model, i expected a lot. but i was disappointed. it sucks battery a lot. when i take pictures with nightmode, it takes a lot of time to store the pictures into the card.
->Sale
this is a great little camera. not quite as sleek as the elph, but it has a 6x zoom lens. i love it!
->Comparison
I upgraded from Canon powershot A540 to A710. I was quite satisfied with 540, and I selected this for upgrang as it offered a higher pixel resolution (7.2MegaPixel), Image Stabilization and better optical zoom (6x optical). It is more robust than A540. It is light and very handy to use.
->Buy
WOW, I'd been waiting to go from film to digital, this little camera has been truly the easiest thing I've ever learned ( and I'm not a computer / techie type!)
->Sale
Say you save even $100 by buying a cheap camera. How many photos do you think you will take? A thousand, 5 thousand? So the cheapest one will save you 2 cents a shot?
But now you still need a digital camcorder.
+ The Canon A710 IS is not just a great Digital Camera!
+ The Canon A710 IS is a great digital CAMCORDER as well!
The A710 IS has so many features that typically are only found in big, expensive Digital SLRs. Save the extra $500 and get the A710!
Remember that anything over 5-6 Megapixels is wasted unless you are going to print posters. So even these 7 Megapixels are really overkill. Dial down to a medium resolution to save memory and gain zoom.
Pros:
1. Real 6x Optical zoom plus digital zoom.
2. Easy to use the first time you turn it on.
3. Great night, beach, landscape, and portrait shots.
4. Lightweight, small, and durable.
5. SD Memory Cards are cheap and rugged.
6. Great reviews everywhere.
7. Uses 2 common AA Batteries (or rechargeables) instead of proprietary wafer batteries.
8. Great wide angle for group shots. Others are so limited.
9. Great accessories for longer telephoto & wide angle.
10. Big bright display.
11. Has a real viewfinder to use instead of the display to triple the life of your batteries.
12. Movies are in wonderful, full DVD resolution (640x480!).
13. Press the shoot button half way to pre-focus. Press fully for a no delay, instant shot.
Cons:
1. Bring lots of batteries. Invest in AA rechargeables.
Summary:
For most users, this is the small, 8 ounce camera to take with you instead of a camcorder and bulky digital SLR. Wait until you see what you can do!
->Best Price
What I like: AA batteries that last for several hundred shots; ease of downloading files; 6x zoom; stitch mode; lots of useful modes; compact size; just about all the features I could want; great looking pictures!
What I would improve: Image stabilization in low-light situations, and better quality low-light shots
Overall, I was so pleased, I bought another one for my wife, and one for my daughter!
->Best Price
I will write more detail later, but buy the additional lens. I am going to be complete honest this camera takes great photos, handles a beating, I have 4 kids, 15 animals, this camera has been dropped, thrown, submerged and it still takes great photos. Already been to Costa Rica, Germany, and a few inbetween. And the quality is great for the price and had everything for a lesser prince then the 1000.00 model I wanted,
->Affordable
I purchased and received this camera just prior to leaving for vacation. It is so similar to my slightly older A520 there was no need for a learning period. In Croatia and Slovenia, I took over 600 pictures - all turned out excellent. Some were shot through moving bus windows, others at night and still others indoors with low light. I cannot praise this camera enough.
->Affordable
This digital camera is very user friendly. The performance of this camera and the sharpness of the photos make it perfect for capturing everything from family moments to sporting events. The camera is versatile and well worth the price. I would strongly suggest purchasing rechargable batteries as the camera does seem to run the batteries dry in short order.
The Pros:
1) User Friendly
2) Features are excellent from zoom capabilities to viewing area
3) Small and light
4) Functions will in subdued lighting
5) Outdoor shots are exceptional
6) Zoom shots rarely look out of focus
The Cons:
1) Batteries go quick
2) Zoom takes a little getting used to
I give the overall performance of the camera a 5 star rating, especially with the affordable cost.
->Buy
I got only for one month, but it looks one of the best ROI products
->Buy
Camera takes good photos but flash takes to long to recycle if your taking a lot of flash photo it is poor..due to recycle time..
->Best Price
These PowerShot "A" cameras are Canon's attempt to deliver the quality and features of its more expensive PowerShot "G" and PowerShot Pro "S" lines (such as full zoom lenses) at a budget price. The results, though, are a mixed bag. The entry-level A460 is lousy, but the rest of the line gives you a lot for the money. (How do I know all this? Because I've actually gotten to use all of these cameras. I earn my living shooting photos at Walt Disney World for a travel guidebook, and nearly every day guests ask me to take photos of them with their own cameras, which most often are Canon PowerShots.)
Here's my opinion of the "A" series line:
Canon PowerShot A460 5.0MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Silver)
Yuck! This 5MP camera is like a relic from five years ago: the simple but poorly designed controls -- a little joy pad surrounded by four buttons -- make it far too easy to do things like change the zoom setting when you set the flash. I have fat fingers and I mess things up almost every time! Also, I've seen photos taken with this camera, and they often have that purple fringe around their highlights, which are typically blown out. On the plus side, the camera does have an optical viewfinder.
Canon PowerShot A540 6MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. Looking for a good bargain camera? Take a look at this one. It's a 2006 model, but it works just fine. You get 20 shooting modes, a full set of manual controls and can record low-res sound video at 60 frames per second. Before you buy it, however, check Amazon's price of the better, and newer, A560. It may be cheaper.
Canon PowerShot A550 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
This basic camera isn't that bad, but there's no reason to buy it. For about $25 more you can step up to the PowerShot A560 (see below), which has the same body, sensor and lens but Canon's much better Digic III processor. Buy this one and, yes, you'll save a few bucks, but your photos won't look as good.
Canon PowerShot A560 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. Here is a nice camera! Featuring Canon's acclaimed Digic III processor, it includes the company's face-detection metering system and a decent red-eye removal.
Canon PowerShot A570IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
RECOMMENDED. Same as the A560 but with optical image stabilization and the ability to shoot manually.
Canon PowerShot A630 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. You can do a lot with this sweet little camera. It has a flip-out LCD panel and lots of manual controls. The shots I've seen from this model look great. Keep your ISO under 800 and you won't get any noise.
Canon PowerShot A640 10MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom
Same as the A630 except 10MP.
Canon PowerShot A710 IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom
RECOMMENDED. This fully-loaded model has all the toys, including a full-range zoom (35mm film equivalent of 35-210mm), adjustable flash power and optional second-curtain flash. This last features means you can make the flash fire at the end of a long exposure, instead of the beginning, so moving subjects streak into focus instead of out. Much more for your money than the A640.
By Mike Neal, author of The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World.
->Purchase
I did a lot of research on this camera. Read every review I could find, both on Amazon and on professional camera sites. If you have a limited budget, like me, are not a professional photographer, and just want good family snapshots without taking classes, this is a great choice. It's user friendly and if you have the time to learn, it has many quality adjustments to give some professional touches. It's still purse size and yet not too fragile. It's all they said it would be. I'm very satisfied and would recommend it to anyone.
->Buy Now
This camera is everything I hoped for. It's easy to use, and definitely a point and shoot camera. There are also other features if you want o get more in depth, but the auto function takes great shots too.
->Lowest Price
This is a great camera. Takes great pictures. Picture to picture delay is short. Images are very sharp because of the IS.
->Purchase
Cannon's latest top of the line A series is an outstanding camera that offers more manual controls than anyone could ever want in a point & shoot, a great zoom, and it still fits in the breast pocket of a light jacket. Best of all, it's simple enough that my wife (who is not technically savvy) immediately fell in love with it and has all but ditched her HP camera.
The only drawback is that it's not as fast between shots as a film camera with similar features. The picture clarity and flexibility of this camera make up for the difference, in spades.
If you don't want to spend thousands on a digital SLR, this camera is the one for you.
->Buy Online
Camera was a gift for my wife. She enjoys flower/garden photos and macro photography. So far she is very pleased with it.
With flash I noticed that there is a 3-4 second delay between pictures which seems annoying.
IF making the decision over, I would still buy this camera.
->Cheap
I purchased the camera because we needed to replace an old 1.3 meg camera. I have purchased a Canon camera for my daughter and I was always pleased with the image quality. A while back I saw the A700 and I was interested because my wife wanted a greater zoom range then the 3-4X and I wanted a viewfinder. However I knew she wouldn't use a tripod or steady herself before taking shots so I decided to hold off buying it for a while.
I was cruising the web recently and I noticed the A710IS. After reading the reviews I was sold. I received the camera and started taking sample shots (indoors and outdoors and movies.) My wife took it to the kids swim meet (the final test) and we reviewed all the photos.
All I can say is wow. The outdoor shots are clear even at full zoom. The indoor shot are good but subject to lighting conditions. The movies are great.
The most interesting thing of all is how long the batteries are lasting. I am still on my first set of batteries (Costco-Kirkland)and we have taken over 200 photos (medium, fine and superfine resolutions)and movies (6 min, 3 min, 2 min) over a few days. I use the viewfinder and set the LCD display to only stay on for 3 seconds after each shot. I don't typically review the photos in the camera. Of the 200 shots at least 50 were taken using the flash. So I don't understand some of the comments about poor battery life.
A friend at work had just bought a Panasonic 7.1 meg IS 3X camera the same week I received my A710IS. He commented that he wasn't sure the camera was working well. So the next day he and I walked during lunch stopping and taking photos (same resolution settings and trying to match the same zoom amount). We even took movies while we were walking. Later in the day we downloaded the photos and did a side by side comparison. Both camera took nice pictures but when you enlarged the photos and compared the images, hands down the Canon was superior. My friend returned the Panasonic and now has the A710IS and his wife loves it.
Go for it.
->Compare
I had to return this camera because it only worked for two days, then would not turn on. But Amazon sent me a new one within 3 days, and I received it the day before I went on vacation!
->
Over the years I've found the product reviews here on Amazon to be invaluable and now I am returning the favor with a brief review of my own. In the Fall of 2003 I bought my first digital camera, the Canon Digital Rebel EOS. That camera continues to serve my wife and I well and was enough to make me a believer in Canon's digital camera products. Neither my wife or I are serious camera buffs and thus neither of us have ever come close to utilizing all the Digital Rebel's features or abilities. Don't get me wrong, we love the pictures it takes and there's nothing like traveling with our laptop and sharing our daily adventures with friends and family via e-mail. Unlike me however, my wife has never felt comfortable using the Digital Rebel and due to it's bulk and complexity she is unwilling to carry it with her when she and her friends get together.
So, for her birthday in the Fall of 2006 I bought her a Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital Elph. The picture quality of the SD600 is outstanding. Although I did not buy the SD600 because of it's video recording ability, I am amazed at how well this feature works. Great for simple low-res video (including sound) of friends/family and pets etc. Yes I would say the SD600 is another high-quality, feature-packed Canon digital camera. However. It was our experience with the SD600 that one does not simply start using it "out of the box". The SD600 has a serious learning curve. Our camera included two rather imposing users manuals, one of which was
the "Quick Start Guide". This has diminished my wife's enthusiasm of the SD600 significantly.
Enter the PowerShot A710 IS. My seventy year old mother visited us this
month (May 2007). With her she brought my folks new Canon PowerShot A710 IS. My wife and I both tried it and we were both delighted. It's larger than the SD600 but only slightly. It has the rounded grip like that found on the Digital Rebel which gives it a really solid yet comfortable feel. We found it's control layout to be comfortable. My wife and mother
preferred to use the LCD when taking pictures whereas I preferred the optical view finder. It's nice to have a choice. But most of all I have to agree with previous poster Patti from CT "Great Camera to use straight out of the box. ...has all the bells and whistles a point and shoot camera needs". Indeed, and well said.
->Best Price
I have a Nikon D50 (but wish I had the D200). That's my "get serious" camera. But I can't always lug that thing around. Besides, people are even more camera shy when they see something that looks like serious equipment pointed their way.
I needed a small camera to take with me when my full-sized SLR wouldn't be practical. Amusement parks with high-speed rides and mountain trails come to mind. But I didn't want to go too small, because really tiny cameras tend to be fully automated. I want to have some degree of control over the shots I take. This camera fills the void quite well.
As an IT person, computer equipment getting smaller and cheaper all the time doesn't surprise me. But for some reason (cameras enjoy the same trend as do other electronic products), it amazes me that this camera is way better than my old digital Olympus Ultrazoom (2.1 Mpix), which cost me a couple hundred more way back when.
Conclusion: It's great for the price. No complaints.
->Buy
Great Camera to use straight out of the box. This is my third digital camera and this one has all the bells and whistles a point and shoot camera needs.
->Price
As a graphic designer, I am very impressed by the digital photos I have shot using this camera. The saturation of colors, sharpness of details, and the smooth look of pictures are just perfect. I definitely recommend this camera to others.
->Compare
Easy to use controls zoom is fantastic
AA batteries so I can always grab a set if my rechargeable AA go dead
->Price
This is my first digital camera and I love it. Little my little I am learning to use another feature and it has many. It does everything my 10 lb. manual Pentax SLR did and more - plus it weighs so much less. It is very easy to understand the instuctions, however I strongly suggest going online and printing out the instructions rather than trying to read that little bity book that comes with it. I used the batteries that came in the box forever. I did buy a rechargeable battery kit and wished I hadn't. Everyone says digital cameras eat batteries, but I didn't find this to be true with this camera, even with all the playing and practicing I was doing. I am just really pleased with this camera.
->Buy
Bought it from amazon after reading all great comments/ feedbacks by other users.
Could not believe that sharpness of colors on LCD screen was less than sharpness of $129 Samsung camera.
I am not sure it was just this piece or this product has flaw.
TRying chaging settings , shutter speads, but no diff.
Tried 150 photos , compared in every setting.
Brightness of photos after transfering on laptop seems OK.
->Price
This camera is very versatil and has some extra functions that the previuos versions doesn't have like a 6X optical zoom and you have much more control on your pictures.
For picture lovers that don't want to spend too much, this is a great choice. I am one of them and this is my third CanonPowershot. As a "bonus" it has beautiful dark gray camera body color, it is smaller and it has a bigger LCD screen.
Definitily I will recommend.
->Sale
This camera is perfect for me. Compact for a 6x. It has image stabilization. Pictures are very crisp. Large review screen is nice. (weak in sunlight) Looks good and feels good when using. This is my 3rd digital camera and best so far.
->Sale
This is a excellent camera, easy to learn and use. Lightweight with image stabilization which is important for longer zoom ranges. The controls are easy to use. I searched through the digital photography review website for the camera with the features I wanted, and IS was an important one, with a adequate zoom. Usually shooting a DSLR, it is my travel camera, very handy.
Highly recommended.
->Lowest Price
Great camera. Batteries do get sucked away VERY fast, so you should always keep some extras handy. But it takes great pictures, has a great screen, and the 6x zoom is awesome. It's the best deal for the price in the category if zoom is your thing. Very easy to use, picture review is very easy, uploading is very easy. It's all good.
->Comparison
Awesome Awesome Awesome. I love my new camera. It works great, easy to use. The delivery and shipping on this product was great. The case that i bought with it, is somewhat small, but the camera is wonderful. I highly recommend it.
->Best Price
I returned this camera after a few days because the recyle time on the flash is very slow. It takes 6-9 seconds before you can take another picture with the flash. This is way slower than my old Canon A85. Otherwise I do like the camera.
->Compare
I'm a dedicated film camera guy. I'll give up my Canon EOS-1 35mm when you pry it from my cold, dead hands (or it stops working, which ever comes first). I bought the Canon Powershot A710IS for my wife. She doesn't want to know anything about apetures or ISO settings, she just wants to shoot and play with the cool features like color swapping and such. My wife absolutely loves it. She sat for hours just playing with the features in our living room. It takes beautiful, noise-free pictures and is easy to use. When she finally put it down for a minute (got to go to the bathroom sometime) I took a few test shots with it. I have to say, I'm quite impressed. The image stabilization alone is worth the upgrade from our older Fuji F700. I was able to take a crystal-clear picture of our sleeping dog, in a dimly-lit room, using no flash and a 1.5 second exposure time by just handholding the camera and bracing my elbows on a table. I would never dream of trying a handheld shot with my film camera for that long.
I was worried about the size of this camera when I bought it for her. She usually keeps the digital camera in her pants pocket when we go out, while I lug around a camera bag and tripod everywhere. This camera looked bulky on the web, but it's actually lighter than our old Fuji F700, and still fits easily into her pants pocket. Also, the shape of the camera makes it very easy to hold. I'm always more interested in features which allow me to take a good picture, rather than those which provide convenience. With the A710, you get a camera which is small and light enough to carry easily, plus a shape which allows for a firm, steady grip, even if you are using only one hand.
There is one area where a compromise was necessary. Canon designed the A710 to use two AA batteries, whereas the other "A" series cameras use four. This allowed them to make the camera lighter and smaller, and careful power management still lets you get lots of pictures from NiMh rechargable batteries. The only downside is flash recharge time. Even with new batteries, flash recharge time is about 5 seconds. I'm willing to put up with that to get a camera my wife can carry anywhere, and that uses AA batteries that can be bought anywhere. With the image stabilization feature, you won't need to use flash that much anyway.
All in all, this is a great camera that I would highly recommend. [...][...] But do buy this camera. You won't be disappointed.
->Purchase
I purchased this camera about 2 months ago. While I am not an expert, this is my 4th digital camera and I have been fairly happy with all of my previous ones. The 710IS has a 6x zoom and image stabization that I believed would allow me to do some things my other cameras would not. It has a really nice feel and many functions (though some are not so easy to access). It is amall enough to put in your pocket thereby allowing you to get some shots you might not otherwise get. I love the fact that it uses 2 AA batteries.
Cons: When comparing the photos made with my previous camera, a Kodak 7630, the pictures are very soft without much contrast. They almost seem slightly out of focus when compared to the Kodak. The Kodak's shots are much more vivid, and without exception, others looking at my photos prefer the Kodak's shots.
I have experimented with every setting including the automatic focus trying to remedy the problem, but so far the photos have been well below average.
The only other issue I have with the camera is the flash. It is very weak. With my particular camera, if you are 10 feet away from your subject the flash is inadequate at any setting. If I decide to continue using the camera, I may purchase an add-on flash offered by Canon that is suppose to fuction up to 30 feet.
There is no intent to "down" anyone's camera here, I am just relating my experience with the 710.
->Cheap
I was shopping for a long time for a camera. I drove everywhere for a camera under $250. I found some nice cameras out there but nothing compared to this camera that I just stumbled across on Amazon. This camera is full function, full manual, 6x zoom with image stabilization, color swap. Everything you would want and more. Only problem I see is low light portrait photos tend to have red eye. Something I alreadt knew when buying a Canon and its usually a click fix in some photo software. All in all the biggest bang out there at the time of purchase!
->Cheap
What I liked:
Optional waterproof case, anti-shake focusing, COLORS, easy autofocus, optional 4GB SDHC memory chips (inexpensive), battery life (two rechargeable AA batteries), nicer travel size for hiking & exploring than bigger prosumers, macro settings for close and very close.
What was ok:
Lens range is reasonable, price.
What I didn't like:
Fuzzy background on videos, can't seem to delete individual pictures.
Used this camera in hawaii with the Canon waterproof case for snorkeling pictures. Rain and waves are also a problem in a hawaii. Waterproof case worked great, although special care to keep the sealing gasket clear of sand and small particles (use a Q-Tip) is important. Be sure to have the flash on while shooting underwater or colors may not be what they could be. Camera captures greens of the landscapes and colors of the flowers and water beautifuly. People shots turned out great too. Auto focus lock is nice to show me what areas of the shot that the camera focused on before I shoot. I did one video, which wasn't bad, but the details in the background were a bit on the fuzzy side, despite allowing reasonable time for the camera to adapt to the background. I added a 4GB SDHC memory chip, which allows me to shoot over 2,000 pictures at full resolution. After a weeklong vacation of shooting, I still had about 900 shots left. One bad thing is that I can't seem to delete individual pictures. I just copy my pictures near my home to a PC/laptop regularly and delete things there. For trips, I recommend getting a portable storage device. Less liability than a laptop and smaller too. The 4GB SDHC memory chip allows for lots of pictures, so it's not a problem. Memory chip upgrade cost me about $50, which is reasonable. All in all, easy to use, decent features, priced ok, and smaller size.
->Affordable
I had a Canon SureShot 35mm camera for 20 years producing the best pics. It finally quit working. I went thru one-time-use cameras for about 6 months, searching for the next best choice. While looking at digital Canons & couldn't decide, a Saleperson suggested looking this Canon camera, PS A710 IS. I don't regret it. It has been great! Gotta read it's User's manuals...it does have some lags, I give it a 4 stars but all in all...it has been fun using it. The zoom, the image-stablizer, the different photo shoots... easy for the inexperinced photographer. Recommend it to all: it's lightweight, user friendly, works great with my MAC (important factor), & photos are true to color.
Very Pleased!!
->Comparison
This is simply a great camera.
PROS:
Takes great pictures in almost any setting automatically
Very quick to take a picture...very close to instant
6X zoom is great and the IS feature make 6X shots actually come out clearly
Uses AA batteries
Smaller than most AA battery cameras since it only uses 2 batteries
CONS:
Flash is slow to recharge. Shot to shot probably takes 5 seconds when using flash
Still bigger than the slim cameras with the proprietary battery packs
Screen doesn't flip out like the A600 series cameras
->Prices
Quick response time. Only complaint so far is memory card is accessible from battery compartment.
->Lowest Price
pictures are crisp and clean.. the camera is easy to use and the size is just right.
->Buy
I bought this primarily for my wife, but i have found myself using it every now and then. She always has this in her purse, so it is nice to always have a decent camera around. I like all the manual controls, and the feel of the camera. On top of having a 6x zoom, it also has a very wide angle too. Great for landscapes. The image stabilization really works well. I would highly recommend this camera.
->Deals
As much as I love my Nikon DSLR, I usually left it home when traveling because of its size and weight, and because I worried that it might be lost, damaged, or stolen. This little gem of a camera makes a great travel replacement because of its versatility and creative controls, compact size, and light weight. Best of all, I can leave the battery charger at home too because it runs on a pair of AA batteries that I can find anywhere.
->Buy
This camera was intended to be an up grade, but it simply does not cut the cake. The pros: Camer is light, nice 6X optical zoom, 2.5" LCD and image stabilizer. Cons camera is very cheaply made material wise, 2 AA batteries are not enough to power this Camera as battery life is too short if you are using the LCD continuous, or taking flash photos or fill in flash. Please be sure to take along an additional set of batteries. worst of all it is very slow writing to the memory card.Canon PowerShot A710 IS 7.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom
->Price
New to digital camers, the Canon A710 IS was researched for features and recommended by a few in the know including one professional photographer.
I haven't discovered all of it's features yet, but to date, I find it easy to use, lightweight, and easily carried. The images and zoom produce outstanding photos.
I'd probably give it 5 stars. But I'll wait to check out the rest.
Great buy at a great price. I tucked my Kodak Brownie away.
->Discount
I was very disappointed with the screen which was not very bright and not very clear, although the pictures were okay when reviewed.
Also, I went through two sets of batteries in about 50 pictures. Maybe it was defective.
I turned it in for a Sony, which is smaller and a bit harder to hold if you have big hands, but seems to work better.
->
I've had this camera for more than a month now and have only one thing to say - Wow!
i have always been a Canon buyer, for their quality and ease of use and this camera does not disappoint. I needed a point-and-shoot digital camera to shoot pics of my kid and given that the primary consideration was ease of use - the other option of my Canon EOS SLR was a little cumbersome for action pics of a kid - I am thrilled with this camera. How much better could it be? Great pics, 7.1 mp, 10x zoom AND quick, easy downloads.
A winner and highly recommended.
->Cheap
For the price, where could you find a major Japanese made camera, that has 7.1 megapixels, Optical viewfinder at 2 and a half inch LCD, and a 6X Zoom, and the new anti shake mechanism of IS? I doubt anywhere except Amazon, who sends it right out to you.
->Discount
Did a lot of research before I bought this one. It's really a great camera. The combination of it's resolution (7MP) with it's optical zoom (6x) is perfect. The feature that I love most about this camera is it's Image Stabilization. Most cameras have this feature but none of them compare with this one in the same price range. I was able to take great pictures with low lighting levels.
I was a little concerned about battery life since it uses only 2 AA batteries. I got the low battery warning after taking 50 pictures or so, but the batteries actually died after another 30-40 shots. I used to own another Canon that used 4 AA batteries and it would easily take around 150 pictures before having to change batteries, so 80 shots per pair with this one is decent.
I'd recommend you buy a high speed SD card (the 16MB card that comes with it is a joke) so that you can take a lot of shots with very little delay between them. 3-4 sec delay between shots seems like forever in some occasions.
I'd highly recommend this camera to anyone. Canon makes great cameras, and this one definitely is one of their best.
->Deal
Product is perfect.
Picture quality is good and lots of features. 6x Zoom is amazing and easy download. I liked this product.
Only issue you may find is battery life but that is fine as you can get cells anywhere.
->Affordable
Bought the camera for my daughter so that she would have a decent one to take to Kenya for an overseas study course. Went to her graduation (well, she "walked" won't get the diploma officially until she completes the above course). We forgot our own camera in our haste to leave for the trip to her college (Michigan State University...Go Spartans!!!). She offered me her new one, and only gave me a 20 second orientation of the buttons and such. I was able to take quality shots and made good use of the zoom, as we were seated up in the balcony. Being a bit nervous and emotional watching my one and only daughter graduate, I am sure my hand was not all that steady. But since it has that stabilization feature, the pictures came out as if taken on a tripod. Set on auto mode, it will figure out if you need a flash or not. It feels sturdy and comfortable in the hand, and you feel like you have been taking pictures with it for months, after only a couple hours of use. What more can you ask for in a camera? The real test will be when it gets a workout in Kenya. Maybe I will post an addendum then.
->Deals
This camera is remarkable! It has tons of shooting options- I love the one for kids & pets which lets you shoot them even when they're in motion. There were no blurry pics and when I printed all my pics- they were crystal clear and the colors so vibrant.
The camera is a good size-fits comfortably in your hand but not too small like some of the cameras out there. The flash charging time between pics is pretty fast, a few seconds in between. The LCD screen is more than enough-you don't need any bigger than it.
A great camera for its price. I recommend buying a larger memory card though- the one included w/ the camera only hold about 16 pics.
->
This camera is as close to perfect as a "pocket" point and shoot can get. The image-stabilized zoom allows me to shoot in low light situations when the flash is not powerful enough. The macro is super sharp and the color recognition is extremely good. This is a great camera that is very easy to use in the auto mode but lets you grow as a photographer when you become more familiar with all of it's features. I had read in a previous review that removing the memory card presented problems. I don't consider it a factor when evaluating this camera. I'm glad that it still has a viewfinder but I do think that Cannon could improved it's quality.
->Deals
I was originally going to get the A630 but then Canon introduced this camera that had better optical zoom plus the Image Stabilizer feature. I also like that it has a bigger LCD screen than my old A75. The buttons are placed a little differently, and it feels slightly flimsier but overal it's a good little point-and-shoot with a great deal of features that I'll probably never use.
My only real complaint is that it uses only two AA batteries instead of the four that my A75 had. That means that the flash recycle time is much slower. It also means that the camera runs out of power much quicker. Keep extra batteries handy.
->Compare
The Cannon 710 IS is a really great camera at a moderate price. It fits in my pocket, yet it has all of the features that an experienced photographer would want. I like the fact that it has a viewfinder and a large LCD. The 7X zoom combined with image stabilization is great. I highly recommend it.
->Lowest Price
I really wanted to like this camera. I researched for quite a while everywhere and finally decided this is the one. I have owned olympus and kodak before and really wanted a canon because of their rep and reviews, boy was I disapointed. The picture quality is really the most important to me and that is where the problem is. When you use your flash you will ALWAYS get red eyes and GOLD walls and when you go in and adjust the red eye, everyones eyes either have green circles around them or the color of their eyes look almost black, not natural eye color at all. What a pain. I would only suggest this camera to someone who just shoots outdoors because that is the only way you will get a beautiful shot with this camera. I did send mine back and now I don't know if i will ever get to own a canon. With all of their wonderful reviews I feel like I'm really missing out darn it.
->Compare
This camera was better than I could have imagined. This is the 2nd digital camera I have owned (the 1st being a 2.1MP Fuji bought in 1998 or 99). It is very intuitive, producing excellent pictures in somewhat adverse conditions. Immediately after purchaing the camera, I used it in Cabo San Lucas, taking over 600 pics over a 10 day period. 100 of these were underwater using Canon's WP-DC6 UW housing. The camera has a setting for an under water white balance that provided pictures equal to or better than many cameras made for this purpose. What really impressed me was the ability to take underwater videos by simply changing to video while under water. This past weekend, I was at a Nascar race where I took another 100 pics along with some video using this camera. Again, it performed flawless. With the image stabalization and 6X zoom, I discarded very few pics, even capturing the driver in the car as he drove by me at 140 mph. I have recommended this camera to several friends who are currently in the market.
->Best Price
This little camera seems like a great value. I own a couple of other Cannons and this one is a nice blend of small size and good zoom. Even the optical zoom is good. For the money it was a great choice for me.
->Buy Now
Love this camera for close-up shots of flowers ....... simple to use and takes good photos. Easy to carry ....good size.
->For Sale
Great camera and easy to use. Computer support program works with MS Vista. I also bought a underwater housing, but haven't used that yet.
->For Sale
I'm still learning the camera, there are a lot of bells and whistles, that are fun, but I'm still at the stage that when I want to be sure I get the shot, I use the auto. It's fun zooming in on subjects. It takes great pictures as far as I can tell, I don't print a lot of my pics, just look at them on the computer.
->Deals
I am a semi-pro photographer who likes to have a handly little point and shoot camera on hand. This camera by Canon fit the bill perfectly. The image stability and big zoom work really well to meet my needs. It's small, hi res and also does movies.
It has the shutter priority and manual settings if I need them and I like the fact that it runs on just 2 AA batteries (which last a long time).
I highly recommend this camera to anyone.
->Cheap
I had the Canon Powershot 40, but my son finally gave it the drop of death. I was really worried about buying a new one, as the reviews are all over the place.
I am so pleased with this camera! The features are awesome. I LOVE the features and am having fun using it.
The only problem I have with the camera is the lag time between pictures which gets longer as the batteries get worn down. But with just about every camera I have tried out, in this prices range, they all have a longer lag than I would like having a fast toddler to try to capture :)
->Purchase
This review is really about a case for the A710 IS (I have not had the camera long enough to form an opinion, so I am giving it four stars to try to not affect the overall ratings). Several of the reviews I read before buying this camera focused on not being able to find a suitable case. The case I finally settled on is the LowePro Z5. The camera, along with its wrist strap, slides into the case very easily and is fastened with a zipper. It has a pocket on the front that fastens with Velcro and is easily big enough to accommodate two extra batteries, an extra SD card (in its cover) and maybe a few more small items. It has a belt loop rather than a slip-on clip (this is not an issue for me). The case has a small amount of padding that should protect the camera from minor bumps, but I doubt that it would protect it from a serious fall.
Cons: 1). The case is just a fraction long for the camera. If this becomes a problem, a small amount of tissue paper in the bottom should remedy that. 2). The closure flap for the storage pouch is attached about half an inch above the top of the pouch. It is conceivable that a battery could slip through this gap. By placing the batteries crosswise in the bottom of the pouch and the SD case above them and fastening the flap snuggly, I don't believe this will be an issue.
->Buy Online
My interest in photography is new and I was looking for a camera that was small/light so I can carry it with me everywhere and with good auto mode to get me started and enough manual settings to keep me busy for a while. I bought this camera knowing it's primary drawback - long flash recycle times. However, I don't like using flash that much anyway, and was really impressed by so many of the other features that this tiny little camera offers - 6x optical zoom, Image stabilization and the manual control over the aperture and shutter speed. The only thing that I actually wish this camera had was the flip-and-twist LCD. I have now owned this camera for 6 months, taken 2500 pictures indoors, outdoors, snow, macro... I love the macro feature the best, this camera truly allows you to get within 1cm of the subject!!! I primarily have been shooting in aperture priority and shutter priority, with some fully manual attempts. Tested some of the scene modes but not all. For outdoor pics, the camera tends to blow out highlights but that is easily fixed by setting the exposure compensation to -1/3 stop. The colors and details are excellent and I am very happy with the image quality. I saw some reviews mention significant battery issues, but not using flash and using the GE/Sanyo Eneloop batteries I easily get ~400 pics and some videos, so I am happy :) Oh, btw, the videos are great and the IS really helps.
->Buy
I purchased this camera so I could photograph wildlife on hikes. I needed something that was not too heavy, was image-stabilized, with telephoto power. This camera meets all those requirements. It does have one problem, however. In bright light, the viewfinder blanks out, so one cannot clearly see the object to be photographed. I have solved that problem to some extent, by pointing the camera at the object, and letting the autofocus do the rest. This "fix" has resulted in many excellent photos. Like many other small cameras, the results tend to be contrasty, and I modify this tendency in photoshop.
->Deal
I love my new Canon A710. Large LCD makes taking pictures easy to frame, color and sharpness is good all around and needing only 2 AA batteries is great. I no longer need to search and buy special camera batteries, I can go into any drug store.
Only draw back on this camera is the size of the memory card 16mb. For a few bucks more put in at least a 1Gig.
Overall rating for a camera in this price range - above average.
->For Sale
Overall, I am quite satisfied with the usability and photo quality of the Canon A 710 IS. This camera was an upgrade from my 3-year-old HP 935 -- the old guy still worked fine, but was very slow and didn't handle low-light situations very well at all. I was also looking for a bigger zoom range. After weighing the options, I decided that the A 710 IS was the way to go.
Pros:
- Uses standard AA batteries. Invaluable when you're on the go and need more juice. Also, the battery life has been very good - I'm using the same AA rechargables I used for over a year in my old camera, and I routinely get 2-4 days usage from them before needing to recharge.
- Huge LCD screen that doesn't suck power. Fast response, too.
- Digital zoom that actually helps! Because the camera is 7.1 MP and has an image stabilizer, I can actually get usable images even at the full 24x combined zoom. Very impressed.
- Very wide range of available settings. You can customize almost any aspect of this camera, from sounds to shutter speed to flash speed/brightness to focus to....
- Big enough, and small enough. It will fit in my back pocket most of the time, but it's big enough to remind me that it's there before I sit down.
- Fast processing time. Taking a 3 or 4 minute video and having it ready to go again in less than 5 seconds is a true novelty to me -- my old HP took forever! The fast processor also helps in viewing the images on the camera - you can scroll through very quickly, and also jump to an image very quickly too. Much better than previous Canon models even.
- Memory backup battery. Remembers what day it is, time it is, and what image you're on -- even if you take the regular AA's out. Very useful.
- Fast start-up time. It's ready to take a picture right after you turn it on, especially if you bypass the "welcome" image sound and screen.
- Cool features, like color swap and color select. Also, there's an option for when the camera is connected to your computer to set any image as your computer's wallpaper with just the press of a button on the camera. The camera also allows you to use the digital zoom while taking video, a nice touch.
- You can change lenses and add filters very easily.
Cons:
- As I mentioned earlier, one of the reasons I upgraded from the HP was to have better luck with low-light situations. I've had the camera now for just over a month, and I still haven't figured out the best setting for clear, low-light photos -- something that was very easy to do with older Canon models, say, the A 510. As mentioned, there is a wide range of settings available, which can also be a negative if you don't know quite what you're looking for.
- No "action" setting. Similar to above, the one setting I miss the most from other Canons is that action setting. This camera requires you to set it manually.
- Video file sizes. A typical 4-minute clip can run upwards of 200 MB -- making it almost impossible to send via email or upload anywhere online. Also takes up a good chunk of a 1MB memory card, really quickly. Canon would have done better to use MPEG-4 here instead of AVI.
- Similarly, the video quality doesn't reflect the large file size in most cases, though the sound quality is very good.
- The big LCD is great, but is very hard to see outside in the sun. It does have a backup optical viewfinder, but using that puts your nose up against that LCD and leaves a nice smudge on it if you're not careful.
- Buttons are still somewhat confusing after a month of use, but that's relatively minor and will undoubtedly pass with time.
- Bundled software does not offer the ability to resize your images -- I have to go back through the old HP software if I want to take an image down from 3000 pixels wide to 600!
Overall, as mentioned, the camera is a huge improvement from my old HP, and even with all of those little annoyances, I'm sure the camera would be a perfect fit for pretty much any amateur-to-intermediate photog. It's no SLR, but it's getting there. And, you certainly can't beat the price.
->Deals
Excellent camera. I have a Digital Rebel XL and wanted a smaller high quality camera for hiking, etc. I am very pleased. It is not as slick as the rebel and the smaller lens is not a match - but the shots are more than adequate. It has a few very sweet aspects - one being the WYSIWYG aspect of a half shutter depression - very good for questionable lighting situation which I tend to find myself in. The IS is a slight advantage too, and works well. Overall I am pleased.
->Lowest Price
I made sure I did my research and read all the reviews on various cameras before deciding to go with this one.
I was highly disappointed when I got my camera home and put in the batteries, turned it on and immediately the lens got stuck in the "out" position with an error reading that said: lens error, restart camera. I tried to restart it a zillion times, only for it to say the same thing. I went on line and found that this is a problem with some canon cameras and now, instead of being excited about having this particular camera, I am completely disappointed.
I'm glad others have had such good luck with their cameras. Please research the error because, in some cases, it didn't happen until a year later.
->Comparison
Recognizing that I'm not an "advaned" photographer, nevertheless I still want the capability to exercise options beyond the basic functions of a lesser camera. And the A710 fulfills this need...and very nicely. Its size is just right for me; not too large but not one of those tiny marvels. I especially like the fact that it requires only two batteries instead of the need for four batteries...not much but it makes life a little easier. We spend a considerable amount of time traveling all over Europe and with the newly developed enhanced batteries I suspect that we'll do fine (taking a charger along is NOT an option since we travel light). Also, with an enlarged memory chip we're set for 3-4 weeks with no storage problems. I'm still in the exploration stage of becoming familiar with the camera before our next trip and am having great fun seeing what it can do. So far: ***** and counting!
->Price
I really, really wanted to like this camera. In many ways, it's wonderful - a great, long zoom lens, manual controls, and a nice form factor. My main issue is with the LCD display - it's very difficult to see when you're outdoors. Indoors, it's plenty bright. (There is an optical viewfinder for use as a back-up outside, but it's nothing to write home about). I compared the display on this camera to the one on Canon's SD700 by holding both cameras side-by-side outdoors, and decided to go with the SD700 instead. I would have preferred to stick with the A710, but couldn't cope with the LCD.
->Deal
I have been very happy with the product. I knew that it was slow on flash reset so it was not a surprise. But it is a great product.
->Purchase
I bought this camera for my wife for Christmas. She was concerned about learning a new technology (her last camera was a point and shoot 35mm), but quickly learned all the major functions.
The camera has an excellent, large lcd screen, plus a real viewfinder. The viewfinder may not be exactly accurate at full telephoto, but it is easy enough to frame the picture to allow for the slight difference.
Color accuracy appears to be very good. The camera has a 6x telephoto, but an additional 4x digital telephoto, if you really want to reach out. The image stabilizer is a real help when using the telephoto, or when shooting in very low light.
About the only thing lacking is I cannot force the flash to flash, like a fill flash setting. I suspect it is there. I just can't find it. Everything else on the camera is so easy to set, I am surprised this isn't.
When shopping for a camera, be sure to check this one out.
->Cheap
This camera is great. The quality of the pictures is excellent. I found the 6x zoom to be adequate and much nicer than the 3x zoom offered in other cameras. I took video outside with the IS on while just holding the camera in shaky hands and the IS took out all but the most large shakes. I occasionally jerked the camera so much it couldn't fix that but the vibrations were taken out of the video and it looked almost professional. The sound was pretty good too. I have tried all of the preset modes except panorama and all had nice results under the conditions they were meant for. This is a good camera for beginner and more advance users who don't want to pay for an SLR. There are preset modes for the beginner and quite a few settings for the advance user. I like its small size. The reason why I bought it was because it had IS, a lot of mega pixels, lots of zoom but is still small. It isn't quite small enough to fit into your pocket but it fits into my hands nicely.
->Comparison
Takes excellent pictures. The only complaint is the flash recycle that takes about 5-8 seconds.
->Deal
This is my very first digital camera and although it's a little bigger than I would have liked, it is still much smaller than my 35mm. I gave up having a really small camera for some of the features of the a710 IS. The image stabilization works really well and I love being able to take pictures and video in black and white, and sepia. I think my favorite feature is the color accent. You can pick a color to accent and everything else in the picture or video is in black and white. It allows for a lot of creativity.
->Compare
Bought this two months ago as an upgrade from a non-zoom Canon 3.1mp zoom. I will keep the 3.1 because it works fine for close-ups and as a back-up. The A710 IS is considered heavy for a digital point & shoot, but compared to my 30 year old Nikkormat FT2 with a 70-210 lens (which I still use on occasion), this is nothing! I have yet to use all the features available. It's quiet, once all the volumes are turned off. The picture quality is quite good. The zoom is almost enough for what I had planned... I really wanted a Canon S3 w/12x zoom. However,the price was a touch too high and the S3 seems too busy with buttons and such for my somewhat large (fat?) hands as well as the too small LCD, unlike the 710's. Red eye is a problem, however a few "tricks" can lessen the effect. And, as others have stated, get at least two sets of good rechargeable NiMH batteries. So far, this has been a pleasure to own.
->Best Price
This camera takes great videos and the photos look great. I'm probably most amazed at the underwater photos we took with it. The 6x Zoom is fantastic. I'm comparing it to my old Fuji 4700 (which I used to think was great, but it's now "old")
->Prices
Purchased this product and tried it out at my daughter's choir performance. Was really disappointed with the the red-eyes and the flash recyling time. Tried various modes from automatic to the scene/indoor mode. Picture quality is okay. While the 6x zoom is attractive, the picture quality is not. I returned this camera for a combo of Canon A640 and Canon monopod.
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Previous camera was a Fuji 2meg so this is a big step up, also my first Canon. I was a little concerned by other customer reviews of slow picture processing times so I bought the SanDisk Extreme III 1G card to help with picture write times. Delay between pics isn't too bad, less than 3 secs or less. Camera itself is slightly larger than I was hoping but overall not bad. Easy to handle, buttons easy to use, and even though it has more options than I know what to do with, the menus are easy to move through and easy to change. LCD is easy to ready/understand. Pic quality is excellent and 6x zoom is excellent. Batt life doesn't seem too bad, I always carry extras though. Materials, workmanship, and overall feel of the camera appears to be first rate--smoe metal, some plastic, but with a solid/durable feel in your hand.
->Buy
This is a great camera--pictures are clear, crisp and bright. But, you MUST always carry extra batteries as it can take as few as 40 pictures on one set of 2 AA's.
->Best Price
I'm happy with this camera. The zoom worked great for my trip to Europe- allowing me to capture all those gargoyles. You do need to steady the camera when using the high zoom or the photo comes out blurry. The memory card they include is a complete throw-a-way- it held 3photos before it was filled. I purchased a 2 GB card separately and with 300+ photos at the highest resolution, I have not found it's outer limit. Also, definitely purchase the rechargable battery kit. Their longevity is exponential compared with regular AA batteries.
->Prices
This camera is awesome!! It gives me great quality on pictures. I love it!!
->Buy Online
A great camera for ease and comfort. The design is great for holding as I have arthritis and can grasp the camera with more security than my older flatter and thinner cannon. The process of finding my way around the options is a bit ackward but very learnable and doable. Picture quality is very good. Enough options for making adjustments when one wants; to and automatic when that is what I want.
->Deals
Hey, it takes great pictures! I thought I was buying an oil can. What a wonderful surprise. Never thought an oil can could make prize-winning photos. I'd buy it if I were you before they replace it with a real oil can. There's a terrible surplus of them, you know, ever since WD 40 came on the scene. So, make sure they send you the camera, NOT THE OIL CAN!
(From an old pro photographer of 40 years most comfortable under the dark cloth of an 8X10 Deardorf camera shooting 8X10 film for contact prints. Huh! Who does that anymore?)
AJ Economides
->Best Price
The only disappointments I have with this camera is the view finder. It's small/tight, and not as clear as my A540, and like my A540, the LCD is washed out in bright sunlight. Canon needs to fix this. Otherwise, I love It! The pictures are sharp, colorful & clear. I strongly suggest that you always use the finest settings regarding compression.....superfine. Memory cards have tumbled substantially in price so.....no excuses. All cameras require the user to do the right things. The "IS" feature is just what the doctor ordered. My hands aren't as steady as they used to be so, the image stabilization is a homerun. The camera performs well in the auto mode. I've experimented a little at night with the auto high ISO, but not enough to really say much here. What little I did shows promise but, the noise levels were disappointing. But being fair, the level of lighting was quite low so.....keep an open mind. The manual settings are neat & fun to work with. I like experimenting with the colors and ajusting the white balance myself. Sometimes auto doesn't cut it under certain conditions. Experiment with it yourself, and enjoy. You won't be disappointed with this little gem.
->Lowest Price
This camera has a lot of advanced features that I will never use. Left on the simple automatic function, though, the camera can take phenomenal pictures - even at night. In fact, I have never seen such good nighttime pictures shot by myself on any camera or even any friend or family member's camera. Awesome. Red eye can be a problem day or night with this camera but the software that comes with the program - while not perfect - does a good job getting rid of the red eye (much better than the program I used with my last non-Canon camera.) Don't shy away from this camera because you are a camera dunce like me. This camera is good for both camera dunces and those with greater experience and demands.
->Comparison
I have found the camera to be great and I enjoy using it. So much faster then I have ever used. It can do so many things that it will be a long time till I figure it all out!
->Wholesale
I've had my PowerShot A710 for three months and it has exceeded my expectations. I love the picture quality and there is no noticeable shutter lag. The high shutter speed gives me excellent action shots and I love the color filter feature. Using the wide variety of digital color filter settings easily replaces a bag full of Hoya filters.
->Prices
This camera works very well. The IS helps a lot. The resolution is plenty. The camera is fast when not using the flash, otherwise there is a 3 second delay between shots when using the flash. The batteries seem to last a long time. I was surprised by this. I've taken a couple hundred in the last month and I changed the batteries but I bet I could have kept them in there longer than I did. Just two batteries which helps the wait. Overall I'm very pleased.
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I have been looking for a digital camera, so I started with reviews, then camera stores, and also friends. I have a Canon SLR and have been very happy with it. When the Canon A710 was shown to me one feature that impressed me was the image stabilizer feature. My niece took a picture with the camera while jumping around. Guess what? The picture was in focus. Great feature and wonderful camera.
->Compare
Excellent camera! I like the metal body, the zoom is fantastic, takes great pictures. It's everything and more of what I was looking for.
Complaints:
1. Flash takes a REALLY LONG TIME to recharge (something like 5 seconds). By the time it has recharged my toddler is already in a different room!
2. Slow-syncro flash is not easily accessable - you have to go through a menu to find it.
Features I like:
1. It's USER FRIENDLY!
2. Spans "idiot mode" (ie, point-and-shoot automatic mode) to expert mode (ie, set your own shutter speed, and/or aperture)
3. Nice colour enhancing "My Colours" feature that allows you to enhance colours, like if you take a pic of your lawn you can enhance the green etc.
4. Robust size buttons for blokes with big thumbs like myself.
5. The sturdy design means that this camera survived a 4 foot drop off a table onto a tile floor (thanks to my toddler) without breaking! YIKES!!! :)
6. AA batteries can be purchased in any country and they are STANDARD. I use rechargable NiMH batteries with 2500mAh for extra long life.
7. The camera is not TOO small - again people with large hands can't use those credit-card sized cameras. This one is just right - fits in my pocket just fine.
8. Overall it's a pleasure to use!
->Prices
I was very surprised at the features and quality of the camera. It is easy to hold and produces a very clear shot even from a moving sail boat. The auto feature makes it a superb point and shoot camera. It took a very crisp sunrise shot which clearly showed the foreground. I doubt I would ever use the manual settings since the auto is so good.
->Purchase
After reviewing cameras for hours both in stores and online, I chose the A710 IS. I upgraded from a Sony Cybershot 5MP. I have taken about 200 pictures in different settings using my Sony and the Canon for comparison. My biggest complaint with my Sony was poor image quality with indoor shots. The Canon does much better. Overall, I have been satisfied with the colors and picture quality. I chose the Canon over a few others because it is small enough to put in your pocket yet it does have a few advanced options like aperture priority, shutter priority, and exchangeable lenses. I noticed that the reviews stated that flash recharge time was slow. It is VERY SLOW (usually 5-10 seconds compared to 3-6 for the Sony). This can be a significant problem. Otherwise I have been happy with the results and would recommend the camera for people who love to point and shoot but aspire to learn more about advanced settings in the future.
->Best Price
I did alot of research before purchasing this digital camera. I wanted more zoom than most of the cameras offered, and I wanted the stabilization feature. It has proved to be a great camera, although I haven't had the time to go through and test all the features on it. Also, I purchased the Digipower battery pack to charge the AA batteries. It has been a lifesaver since digital cameras burn batteries very quickly.
Love Amazon.com as well. There are no hidden charges, and you know how much you will be paying, and when the item will arrive. I was very impressed when I ordered my camera on a Monday, and it arrived by UPS the next evening. Great service!
Colleen
Redding, CA
->For Sale
This review has 2 part one for the camera and one for Amazon. First the camera. This camera is a camera that is small enough to take anywhere but still is big enough not to get lost in your hand. It is easy to use right out of the box but has enough features to keep you trying different things and experimenting for weeks. The picture quality is great. Just one slight negative is the tiny capacity memory stick that comes with it. If you buy this camera order a larger stick as well. (Example: the stick that comes with the camera will only hold 3-4 pictures)
Second about Amazon. When I ordered this camera there was a promotional item that should have come with the item. The Amazon website for some reason did not allow me to order the promo item. I emailed customer support and they had the issue solved within 48 hours. I received the promo item and as a bonus Amazon absorbed the shipping cost of the promo item. I have been using Amazon for quite a few years now and all the purchases I have made have been good experiences. Hope this review helps.
->Purchase
We purchased at Christmas and so far works great. Highly recommend!!
->Deals
Love this Camera!! Works great for every purpose and situation I've put it through. Highly recommend!! I've had my work purchase several based on my recommendation and they couldn't be happier!
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The good: This camera takes very nice photos. It's small and easy to tote around. It's also loaded with neat features like IS, a 6x zoom, view finder, as well as different scene modes. These modes are for night, sporting, and landscape settings as needed. It makes life a little easier for point and shoot photographers. In addition you can play around with various color settings and really take artistic pictures. It also has full manual mode which is a truly great feature to have on any camera. The canon software is also decent. The photostich app is a handy way of doing panoramics without using a photoshop type program.
On the downside canon only gives you a 16mb SD card which can only hold about 4 high resolution shots. Considering that prices are dropping on these cards it's almost an insult. But that's not so much a criticism of the camera. My only real gripe with the camera itself is that the flash recycles painfully slow. I had read that this was true and thought this might be an exaggeration. It is not. The good news is that this camera takes extremely good low light photos so if you've got decent indoor lighting you can take nice interior shots without really needing the flash in the first place.
While image quality is very good I was a little disappointed. I have an old canon S30 3.2 mp and I did some comparisons. While the 710 did shoot noticeably higher resolution it didn't blow me away with clarity compared to 3.2 mp. I thought the difference would be more dramatic then it actually is. My old S30 was a very high quality camera and there is a lot to be said for optics. But the 710 is a very good camera. Considering that you can get it now for well under $300 it's really a bargain for a camera to does so much so well.
If the flash rate was better I would easily give it 5 stars. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a compact camera under $300.00. Still, the flash is just about useless for multiple shots.
->Comparison
Only problem I had was some difficulty in initially opening the battery compartment. Otherwise it would be 5 stars.
->Best Price
- great optical zoom
- great quality and
- great colors.
i like it all.
->Lowest Price
The combination Viewfinder Window and Large LCD display make taking pictures in sun or shade very easy. The Funtion /Setup screen allows fast switching between different Compression and Pixel setting a snap.
The picture Quality is excellant. The 6X optical zoom (coupled with a neat display bar) is a wonderful feature for a vacation camera.
Because only 2 AA batteries are used, I recommend that NiMH recharchable
be used.
->Compare
It's an excellent camera, HOWEVER you have to struggle a bit before you can begin to operate it. And I mean struggle. The book with instructions to operate it are clear when you read them over and over. But I guess its no different from other technology. I purchased this particular model because of the stabalization feature. And of course I replaced the picture card with a 2Gb card.
->Price
I upgraded from a Powershot A530 and really like the new Powershot a710IS. This is a fine camera that is very sophisticated but also easy to use. It takes high quality pictures that are easy to save and store. Short of getting a professional (and much larger) grade this is my top on the line. For under $300 the technology in the camera is wide ranging, user friendly and delivers great results. I like everything about the camera; the large view screen, the in-camera view finder, the grip edge for holding, and so on. The most dedicated non-professional can really appreciate this camera.
->Buy
After much research ( and printouts of reviews on about a ream of paper) I narrowed my search to 3 Canon cameras. My first digital was an Olympus 3 years ago and I still have it but wanted to upgrade. We were going on a lengthy cruise with potentially great photo-ops so I was on a mission to find MY new camera! I was not disappointed! Very easy to set up and use. The viewfinder - an especially necessary item in the bright tropic sun - was the envy of all of the other tourists toting new,expensive, miniscule, and displayscreeen-useless-in-sunlight cameras!
The fact that it can take real batteries was also important. (My older camera also does and ran out of power on a vacation and just a trip to a local drug store allowed me to play tourist again.)
I am NOT a techie but I do like to do my homework and the reviews I read helped me to make a decision.
->Sale
So far I enjoy everything about the camera except how long it takes to refresh if the flash is on. It takes between 3-5 seconds, depending on the strength of the batteries, before you can take another picture. If you want to be able to shoot quick shots, you'll have to do it without using the flash. It takes about 1 second between shots without flash.
->Deals
I got a Canon SD600 Digital Elph camera for Christmas. This is after owning and using a SD30 for about 4 years, give or take. I was deciding between getting the A710, or a Casio Z70/700 or similar. I decided on Canons, due to supposedly higher image quality. The Casio's have great/fast interfaces.
I got my A710 from Amazon, and thought "I can't wait till it's charged and I can use it". Then I remembered, it uses normal batteries! At first I didn't like this, since I liked the easily rechargeable battery from my older S30. However, I love the normal batteries now; they're easy to replace if you need to, and I can keep multiple pairs for charging (great for trips). Plus, no special charge to misplace all the time.
The IS is why I bought this camera. It seems most of the available cameras (when I was looking, Christmas '06) don't include Image Stabilization (IS). This is the part I love most! When I'm moving the camera, it's almost eerie and disconnected since the picture doesn't move when I'm shaking the camera (including intentionally shaking the camera like I've eaten too much sugar/caffeine). You can definitely notice, especially on movies where normal camera shake have rendered other movies unusable. The IS is great!
The LCD is good, noticeably better than the Exilim's I've seen and used. It's bright enough, though hard to see in the bright sun. For those situations, I've found myself using the viewfinder. The higher-end exilims without the viewfinders are supposed to have incredibly bright LCD's, still usable in the bright sun.
The shot quality is amazing, much better than my old S30. Even a lot of higher-megapixel cameras simply don't look it, as their shots are fuzzy, have chromatic aberation (purple fringing), and bad color. This camera shoots great pictures, and has rekindled my love of taking quick snapshots.
The camera is quick from startup and shot-to-shot, with the exception of using the flash. I don't use the flash much, due mostly to the fact that the old S30 looked horrible with the flash on (overexposed everything, no matter what the manual settings). The flash on the A710 looks great, but it adds a delay. You take a picture with flash, can review the picture right away (hold the button down if you want to review it for a while). As soon as the review is gone, the LCD turns off for 4-5 seconds to recharge the flash. First time this happened, I thought I'd broken the camera. It's annoying, and is the one huge flaw on this camera. I imagine it's due to the camera using 2 AA batteries instead of 4 like older A-series Canon's.
The movie mode looks fantastic (I would definitely consider using this instead of a non-HD camcorder) except that the files are huge (125mb per minute... no MPEG-4 here!). I really wish Canon would get onto the MPEG-4 bandwagon, like the Exilim's. A 1gb card does 8 minutes, a 4gb card a half-hour. You can pull quality down, but it's just a shame it doesn't do MPEG4. However, the sheer quality of the video is excellent, and makes for a good quick clip (30 seconds, couple minutes) feature.
It's smaller than I thought, less bulge due to using 2 AA's instead of 4. The lens doesn't protrude any more than the handle bulge, and it's comfortable to hold. The interface is nice, easy to change most items from a couple of menus.
Battery life for me has be very impressive... about 300-400 pictures so far on my single set of AA 2800mah NIHM batteries from Walmart. I decided to use the camera until they die... they still haven't yet! I keep getting the low-battery warning, but they just never quit. I've got little energizer bunnies in there or something. The bundled Alkaline's died after the first 100-200 pictures, still pretty decent. About on par with what I got from my old S30, which wasn't great on the included Li-Ion battery anyway.
The only things I'd change are the blank-LCD-delay after flash photos, and the extremely huge but nice video clips. Definitely recommended for a good mid-range point-and-shoot semi-manual. Very happy with my purchase.
->Best Price
This is our first digital camera. We have a Canon Rebel EOS film camera, and love using it, but we needed something for everyday use. We originally bought a panasonic digital camera, and returned it because it lacked the features we were looking for. I got online, and found this camera, which has all of the features we want. We love Canon, and will most likely never buy any other brand. This camera is well worth the cost!
->Affordable
This camera is absolutely wonderful! The picture quality is amazing and the camera is very easy to figure out how to use. I like the fact it has AA batteries so it's easy to replace when you're on the go. It does go through them farely quickly, but it's worth the extra couple bucks on the batteries. We have rechargable ones so when we are at home or something, we can just charge them up when they get low. I/we LOVE this camera! It's worth the money.
->Purchase
Very pleased with camera and Amazon. Camera has very good focus. Batteries are great!! Very fair price. Lots of modes.
->Compare
I shopped around a lot to find the best price for this item. It has many sophisticated features, some of which I am still learning to use. The image quality is superb.
->Prices
I am very pleased with the camera, which I have been using for about a month now. The delivery was very prompt. Even though I do not quite understand how the auto focus works and some pictures were blurred (as a result of wrong focus), I am very happy with the camera. Most of the pictures were excellent, and there are lots of options for the more creative photographer. I love this camera. The only thing I need to make sure is to turn the switch to "view pictures" before I put the camera in the bag. Thanks to one previous reviewer for this tip. I unintentionally pressed the power button a few times when the camera was in the case. Fortunately the lens did not try to come out because I had set the camera in the "view picture" mode.
->Purchase
35 pictures on the lowest setting is the record so far! It may use "regular AA", but it eats them. On recent trip to Tahoe had to change batteries twice in 2 days!! Have contacted Cannon...waiting to hear.
->Prices
Great camera, many features. Amazon and Cannon should tell you the supplied 16mb card will only hold 4 pictures in memory. Another recommendation is for cannon to either leave the card out altogether or tell you it won't hold squat. The 1gb card is only $20+ dollars and will hold 500-600 pictures easily.
->Best Price
Now, That's a neat little camera!
I have had it for two weeks now and my wife is complaining about my playing with it all the time.
The thing is that you can just put the mode dial on "Auto" and point and click or you can get wild and experiment with all the other settings including Full Manual mode, color swapping, aperture or speed priority etc. This is my first digital camera. Before, I used an old film camera, a Nikormat FT2 with no auto anything. It's interesting to discover that, if I ant to, I can use this digital camera in much the same way as i used the Nikormat.
The interesting features that made me buy it are:
- the low price (for the possibilities it offers),
- the compact size (I can hold it with one hand while driving and still make a very decent picture through the opened window of the car),
- the image stabilization,
- the 6x optical zoom (though I off the 4x digital zoom most of the time),
- the AA rechargeable batteries NiMH (the alkaline lasted me one day so the first thing I did was buy a set of 4 PowerEx 2700Mamp batteries along with their C204W charger, the camera only uses two so I always have two spares, The 2700Mamp batteries last me a full week, I take pictures every day),
- the camcorder possibilities,
- the large LCD
- the quality of the Canon lens,
There are some things that Canon should work on though:
- the battery door latch is a little clumsy,
- the thread for the tripod is plastic, should be metal (it works with my old tripod)
- the flash should have a longer range and a shorter recharge cycle.
The 710is is a good looking camera, the position of the controls is very intuitive and I like the fact that I can program the timer and the number of pictures it takes after I have set it. There are a couple of attachments that Canon and other makers have available for it but I think that if one needs them you are better off buying a larger camera like a DSLR (The Nikon D40 is only about twice the price of the 710is) instead of attaching different lenses to it and making it fragile and bulky.
I just love it!
->Buy
Obviously this is no SLR - but you're not paying for an SLR. I bought this camera after using a Panasonic Lumix FZ15. I loved that camera but it was bulky like an SLR. I wanted a smaller camera that gave me similar results and the A710 is what the doctor ordered. Granted it doesn't have the zoom capability as the Lumix (12x) but I seldom used that much zoom anyway. (6X is just fine most of the time). I also wanted a camera that allowed me to take quality video. For not being an actual video camera it does a great job - except for the other night when I accidentally took all my video at 15fps intead of 30. I had to junk that. I'm still learning the in's and out's of the camera. The reviews are correct though - video taken with zoom in dark conditions are so noisy they are really not fit to share. But again it's not a video camera - it's a camera that shoots video! The other problem with the camera is a problem mentioned by just about everybody. When you take out the SD memory card you have to be careful because the batteries want to pop out also.
You want a better camera? Be preapared to spend a lot more bucks!
->Comparison
Esta cámara toma unas fotos increÃbles, el estabilizador mejora el resultado de las fotos.
->Compare
As the first of Canon's great A series this camera comes with image stabilization and 6 x zoom. Great camera!
->Comparison
Had a Canon A60 and loved it ...Needed to update and checked out several other cameras....Settled on this one and sure happy that I did....Does everything it says and Amazon.com you did a great job again.
->Best Price
I have all Canon cameras. But this is the best Point and shoot camera I've seen so far. I was going to buy a smaller one for pocket use. But after looking at the difference in features I opted for a slightly larger one. It is a trade off between size and features. I have a Canon 20D but I use this one more. Best features are the 6X which is about 210 mm. And the image stabilization which is a must have for sharp pictures hand held.
->Comparison
This is my third digital camera, and it's by far the best. Great set of features with aperture and shutter priority, full manual, 6X optical zoom, 7 MP, and image stabilization. There just isn't another camera out there with the same features. Feels good in the hand too. I'm particularly impressed with the speed of operation, especially when using a high-speed SD card, and with the image stabilization feature. I've been able to take good quality shots without a tripod at the 6X optical zoom setting and the shutter speed as slow as 1/30 of a second. That would be impossible without stabilization. All in all, I think it's a great camera for anyone who doesn't need a SLR.
->Deal
I was really excited to receive the camera after doing several months of research. Unfortunately, after only 20 minutes of use, the camera failed to turn back on. Instead, I got the message that is part of the title. After doing some research on this error message, it seems that Canon has a long-standing issue with this problem. I guess I will be sending it back to them for repair, but it certainly is not starting on the right foot.
->Best Price
I am very happy with this camera. The instant stability is excellent. Also the zoom works great for outdoor pictures from inside the house. All inside pictures are very good.
->Discount
I bought a 710 when my beloved 700's sensor died after two years (digital cameras do not have long lives, unfortunately).
This is a fabulous almost desert island level camera once its limitations are understood and accepted.
The general image quality and color are superb. I have a Pentax K100 DSLR and it is gathering dust because its kit lens colors are inferior to this little Canon.
Resolution is very good at ISO 80-200. I generally just leave it on 80 most of the time. With the image stabilizer, I can take handheld pictures in available light down to 1/5 second at least.
The meter will always blow highlights, I just leave it on -1/3 and all is well.
White balance is fairly decent outdoors, needs to be set manually if you're picky indoors.
I love all the other manual tweaks: manual exposure, color ranges from screaming vivid to insipid neutral, black and white and sepia, the ability to change contrast and sharpness and saturation. I have sharpening set to -2 since their algorithm tends to oversharpen things like landscapes with a lot of detail. I have never used Auto mode, but the Portrait mode produced excellent reduced depth of field as long as you remember to use the lens at maximum telephoto and try to fill the viewfinder with your subject.
The flash recycling time is horrible, but if you have a lot of time and want to illuminate something standing still, its coverage is decent.
Battery life is great. I get about 200 or so shots with rechargeable AAs.
The best thing about this camera is that it lives in my pocket and can be taken anywhere so I not only never miss a shot, but have infinite opportunities to learn and grow as a photographer with shots I never thought I would take.
It would be wonderful to have a swivel screen, but Canon never listens to its customers.
However, if you have more guts than me and can get in people's faces, this truly is the poor man's Leica for the early twenty-first century.
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zippy performance (thanks to Digic II), very good imge quality, tons of features, great battery life
->Compare
I'm an Olympus loyalist, and purchased the 710 for my daughter at Christmas, but she wasn't pleased with it. Her friends have this A710 that she's used and became comfortable with it. So I exchanged the Olympus for this Canon and now she's in heaven. My personal take on it though....too bulky for fitting in a pocket; not very compact. The menu buttons on the camera weren't obvious ('course, that's what manuals are for). Didn't have a flip-around screen (nice feature for kids). The memory card only allows for about 7 pictures, so plan on spending some serious coin to upgrade your memory. It's a good camera, you won't have wasted your money on it - just not my first choice.
->Lowest Price
Having had an early digital, and a really good Toshiba PDR-35 (no longer made)-- I wanted an upgrade to about 35mm picture quality digital. In the past I have had Canon equipment, and trust the quality of lenses and camera. We take a LOT of photos on trips, well over a hundred per week at those times, under all kinds of real life action and all light conditions.
This one does it all, better than I had hoped!! Smaller, easier to use, bigger display, optical viewfinder etc. I was amazed at the movie quality with available light, indoors at a library. Love the indicator to show when you run over the (best) optical telephoto range, and enter the digital part. Deleting old pix was a snap, but the "in computer" editing controls are simpler on the Sierra "Image Expert" from my old Toshiba, nice to have both. In building wood boats I keep detailed records on how and why it was done that way for future owners. So high quality images, quick and easy, are better for me. I can not think that even the much heavier and more expensive digi-cams would materially improve what this one will do. Check out the extra flash add-on, 35mm slide copier, filter adaptors, 2x tele-verter and underwater case, this has it all -- at a very reasonable weight and price -- a super camera that does everything very well.
->Purchase
I'm a newby when it comes to digital cameras, this was my first. I wanted a compact with a decent zoom and a see thru view finder. This has all that and more. It's a lot of camera and I'm still learning. The nice thing is you can "point and shoot" while still learning what all the other bells and whistles do. I like it but it's a battery eater and I'm glad I bought the re-chargeable batterys and charger!
->Affordable
Bought the camera in early January to take on a trip to the South Seas in mid January. Needed IS for a slight hand tremor, so IS was top of the list. 6x zoom instead of 3x, as on my other digital camera, is a benefit. Just got back from French Polynesia, downloaded the images, and am very pleased with the results. The IS works fine for me, including shots from a rolling deck. Took a few videos with it and am amazed at the sound quality. Bought a battery recharger to take along, two spare batteries, and had no troubles. Used a 2G SD chip. I really like it so far, though I have more to learn about it. An easy point-and-shoot with advanced features if you wish. And -- thank you to those who wrote reviews: I read them for this camera and others, and you helped me decide on this one.
->Best Price
This is my first digital camera and so far it has been extremely fun and easy to use. Downloading photos to my computer is SO simple, and the quality looks wonderful. I am very happy with my purchase so far!
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i just picked up the a710 for a recent trip to tokyo to replace my a70. i loved my a70 for the ruggedness, flexibility, manual settings and the fact that it takes AA batteries.
the a710 did not disappoint. it seems a tad smaller and it's definitely lighter taking only 2 batteries compared to the a70's 4. The one thing that i was apprehensive about was the fact that i would have to buy new memory moving from CF to SD. luckily memory is currently pretty cheap.
the features of the 710 are great. i especially like the IS feature since i like to take a lot of photos in low light and i hate to use a flash. this has given me a ton more flexibility and in my opinion justified the purchase of the camera.
the last thing that's nice is the screen size. without looking it up i think it's about 2.5". either way, it's a step up from the a70 which, now when i look at it, has a laughable screen.
there are a whole slew of other features which i won't get into but the bottom line is that this is a great camera if you're looking for something between a pocket size point-and-shoot and a DSLR. Admittedly it's closer to the point-and-shoot . you won't be disappointed with this camera.
->Buy
Ity's easy to use and I love it. I waited a long time for a camera like this and got in line when it first came out. It's a keeper for sure and small enough to go anywhere. The video part of it is great and the software is easy as pie
->Deals
Before replacing our old digital camera, I did research online, checking customer reviews and camera-review websites before I decided to get this one. The deciding factors for us were:
- cameras with 10-megapixels appear to be overkill unless you have a really expensive camera to take full advantage, and I think this camera's 7.1 megapixels are plenty for us to get great photo resolution for our needs,
- the zoom is super for taking pix at my son's athletic events,
- image stabilization (IS) is a feature highly recommended on camera review websites,
- it can be a fully automatic point-and-shoot, or I can adjust settings for different effects and results,
- it had good ratings for use as a short-video camera (which we need but not enough to buy a separate video camera at this time).
Amazon had the best price, free shipping, no tax, and I now see that the post-holiday price is even better than what we paid a month ago.
The camera is small enough to stick in a pocket if you want, but big enough that my husband and I can both use it easily. It has a nice heft and solid feel. The right side protrudes to allow for the battery compartment and that makes the difference between a secure grip and a tenuous one. The LCD screen is nice and big, too, covering about 3/4 of the back of the camera.
We are on set #3 of batteries after fairly light use, but so far I have spent less time taking pictures and more time going through the manual and playing with the camera settings to learn the bells and whistles. I hope I will get more pictures per battery once I learn what I want to learn. But so far, battery usage is my only complaint and not a major one. We have a great padded camera case with zipper pockets to carry extra batteries. (It's an M-Rock case purchased from a 3rd party seller through Amazon... if you need a camera case, ours is beyond great and was relatively inexpensive). The SD card that comes with the camera is barely enough to take some test pictures at medium resolution, so be sure to get one with more capacity, like 1GB.
So far I've most enjoyed the color adjustments this camera offers. I can sample any color and take a photo which is all black and white except for that color (i.e. red flowers in a b/w photo). Or, I can intensify either blues, reds, or greens to make that color really pop. Also, there are white-balance settings for different lighting conditions (daylight, cloudy, flourescent light, etc) if the auto-mode doesn't adjust colors correctly (or the way you like). There are settings for night, fireworks, foliage, kids&pets, which I haven't tried yet but I look forward to tinkering with those as well.
We are really enjoying this camera and are happy with the photo results and extra effects we've tried thus far. I would recommend this for anyone in the market for a new camera.
->Lowest Price
The product is good and what i was looking for. The pictures in-door and out-door are excellent. I am using it for few weeks and expecting to have great experience with the product.
Good value for the money.
Regards,
Ashok Kumar J
->Deals
Finally, Canon gets around to image-stabilization. I hope that this feature filters down to the entire line, like Panasonic. This camera is terific, full featured, great images and a good size, not as big as an SLR, but still feels good in the hand
->Deal
I was a little worried when I read some of the reviews regarding this camera. After using it extensively for the past two weeks I can only assume they must have been comparing it to a Canon 5D. The pictures are excellent. I have compared the pictures to my Canon 30D and I was very impressed. Obviously Canon never designed this camera to be a replacement to a SLR camera with a lens that cost 3 times the price of the A710IS. The 6X optical zoom is great and the image stabilization is a must have on the long zooms. Ninety percent of the people using cameras today would be very happy with this camera the rest need to purchase a high end SLR
->Comparison
Very pleased with this product. So far has provided everything that I expected. There is a learning curve and I am working on it.
->Deal
The most important thing first. The picture quality is very good. It looks like they've done something right with the Canon point-and-shoot digital cameras.
Don't expect anything fancy; it's not thin and light, it doesn't have 3" screen. Just a reasonable set of good basic features at the best price while keeping the great picture quality.
6x zoom is the only reason that I bought this model, instead of the thin and sexy SD630 which only does 3x zoom. I've been longing for a bigger zoom capability while using a previous 3x camera (SD200) so far.
I feel the IS (image stabilization) is only a marginal improvement, when it comes to picture taking. More often than not, it's the moving object that causes the problem, rather than the shaky hand. Don't get me wrong; definately, better to have it, but I would have traded the IS feature for the SD630's small size and 3" LCD screen, if possible. (I went with A710IS because of 6x zoom.)
Having said that, IS does help greatly for the video. I get much less of that shaking video with crude home video feeling.
If I reduce the resolution from 7M to 3M, then the real optical zoom range is 9x! How great is that!
Great all-around camera with great value.
->For Sale
I have loved this camera since the moment I opened it. I bought some of the lithium AA's at the store because it goes through regular AA's fast, but they have not run out yet. I have been using the video feature a lot and the sound is not bad for a digital camera. The screen is huge and the pictures are beautiful although it still can be difficult to focus at high zoom and in the dark. I highly recommend this camera and think it is one of the best on the market right now for a reasonable price!
->Buy
This is the third digital camera that I have owned and it is also the best of the three. I bought it because I wanted to use rechargeable AA batteries; the battery life is very good. The stability control works very well, pictures taken from within a moving car were not blurry at all. I also like the manual mode. You can set it on a tripod and take pictures with long exposures, in near darkness, that come out great. With 7 MP you can really enlarge the image without loosing detail. I am very happy with the Canon PowerShot A710.
->Affordable
For a non-technical person who's used to disposable cameras and point and shot options the Canon PowerShot was easy to master and understand how to use. I purchased it as a holiday gift for myself to use over the holidays and was able to capture pictures, which were sharp images and clear. If there were errors they were with the operator and her learning curve and easily deleted and retaken. That's the beauty of real-time photos!
I'd recommend this camera to novices. The information is easy to understand and master.
->Cheap
I have been using Canon SLR and DSLR for many years, and I had a Powershot G1 as a backup camera. I bought the A710 a month and a half ago to replace the G1. I am very happy with the A710 and here are some of my feedback about the A710:
Strength:
1. Excellent picture quality for a compact digital camera. Pictures are sharp enough, exposure is mostly very good and color is good so long one has sufficient light (doesn't have to be ideal or great light).
2. Very rich function set; lots of features and freedom of tailoring.
3. Just about the right size. Easy to use especially with its rich functions, much better than the tiny credit-card cameras.
4 Optical viewfinder, Image Stalization and AA battery are HUGE plus. No more extra lenses and I still can take pictures by looking directly at most of what I am shooting.
5. Great zoom range. 28mm would've been better, though I am not complaining about what it is now.
6. A terrific everyday camera and excellent back-up for SLR when quick set-up and shooting is needed.
Weakness:
There really isn't any. In low-light the picture gets noisy like most compact digital camera do. Some commented on the battery usage; I don't plan to take thousands of pictures with it every year, so I use Energizer lithiium AA battery, and battery is not a problem for me.
It does need a camera case, otherwise one would have to take extreme caution not to damage the LCD panel.
Overall, I am very happy with it, and I highly recommend the Canon A710.
UPDATE - 03/14/2007:
After using it for a while, the Canon A710 is beginning to grow on me. It easily can do at least 90% of everyday phtography extremely well. I still use DSLR for special occassions, but these are become fewer and fewer.
I have not use any add-on flash so 'serious' flash photography can be less than ideal with the A710, although there are some room to tweak on the flash and exposure to make it less harsh. The A710 is truly a great product from Canon, I would like to see how they can top this one.
->Comparison
This camera does everything you want it to do as a 'point and shoot', yet it is very good for any amateur photographer that likes to set almost every aspect of their shoot. It even includes an image histogram showing light balances and many other variables for each shot. You will have read elsewhere the miriad of functions it has, so I won't go into them.
The lens quality, hence image clarity, is very good for a camera at this price and class. The mechanics seem sound and I have recently purchased the additional lens converter and tele lens, which performs very well. Even with out the tele lens, the optical zoom of x6 is more than the majority in this range.
The 7.1 MP is also ample for most amateur photographers - with Superfine res set on the camera, at this level there is no drop in resolution quality for a 16x20" print. And let's face it, how often do most people actually get photos printed in this size?
One slight chink is the red-eye which does not always work well in dim light conditions. Having used previous digital camera brands that claimed the same, none have really met expectations; so I would say this Canon is no worse than others. Furthermore, Canon must have realized this as the supplied image software is very easy to use and has a noticeable button to remove red-eye, which it does very well.
Yes, normal AA batteries are used up after approximately 200 shots. However, I was recently advised by a camera expert to use Energizer Lithium E2 (L91BP) batteries and the ones I am using have been going for 423 shots without replacement needed yet (including flash many times), so this is now not a problem for me.
If you are not a SLR purist, and want high specs and functionality as well as flexibiility, then in my opinion there is not other camera at present in this price range that matches these criteria this well.
->Buy
It's a really nice camera. the only thing that I dislike about this camera is that the screen is sometimes hard to see outside.
->Sale
I really like the camera and all it can do! It was a great price also! Im really loking forward to using it alot in the future. I will be getting the waterproof case also so I can bring it in the rivers fishing with me. The size is great also.(not too big/small) It has alot of very cool fetures that I love! Most of all Its VERY easy to use!
->Buy
The Canon Powershot A710 IS that I received had a horribly blurry optical viewfinder. I wondered if it was just mine, so I visited some local stores. The A710 at the local stores also had blurry viewfinders, but not quite as bad as the one that I received. I searched the internet and found others who experienced the same problem.
I've looked at Pentaxs, Sonys, Kodaks, and Fugifilms, and all their viewfinders are very sharp.
It looks like Canon has a quality control problem with this camera.
I returned mine for refund due to the defective viewfinder.
->Buy
Bought this camera for my husband for Christmas. Was disappointed to open the box and find that the camera wasn't wrapped in factory packaging, had no warranty cards/info and only came with a user manual for advanced users. Then,to top it off, the camera was programmed to be in Japanese and it was clearly written on the box NOT INTENDED FOR SALE OUTSIDE U.S.---contact etronics and they responded via email pretty quickly. We told them that we wanted to return the camera for a full refund. We did get a refund for the full amount, minus the return shipping of $11.
But be warned! This could happen to you!
->Price
Overall a great camera and glad I bought it from Amazon. Came in during the Christmas Holidays with no problems at a great price. My only recommendation is anyone buying this camera should strongly consider geting the NiMH batteries and charger. I have been using regular Alkaline batteries and they don't last very long, in the first week I burned through 10 normal batteries. It is my option the camera should have been designed for LiPolymer and too bad it can't be adapted.
->Prices
The A710IS is a really nice camera in that it really packs a ton of features into a relatively small body. It is not tiny but still small enough to fit into a winter coat pocket. It has all manual overides or can be set in the auto manner for full automatic usage for those not familiar with photography. The IS feature is very helpful, allowing about 1-3 more stops. A nice feature is the "grid" overlay on the viewing screen allowing for better composition and leveling of images.
Image quality is good, not great.
All in all, for a point and shoot that has some advanced features, I would rate this a good buy.
->Discount
I love this Camera. It is exactly what I was looking for ! Not bottle nec.
->Buy Today
Very convenient, very easy, very good.
I bought this Cam in December before Christmas and satisfied with it! Very good IS (really works) and very clear and sharp lens, nice colors. You can get a beautiful pictures independently of your experience.
->Affordable
The Canon PowerShot A710 has met all my expectations. This was a replacement for my Canon PowerShot G3 which is also an excellent camera, but a little too big and heavy compared to the A710. I took this camera on a 25 day trip, so purchased 2 2GB memory cards. The high resolution, low compression settings that I prefer to use require lots of memory. I like the size of this camera--not so small as to make holding it steady a problem, but small enough to fit into a jacket pocket. The 7x optical zoom is another plus. It takes beautiful pictures and has more features than most serious amateur photographers will use. If you don't want to bother with learning all the features, set the camera to "auto" and get excellent results.
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I bought the camera in November, and I took it on a couple of trips. The IS really works. In Hawaii we took a helicopter ride over the volcano, and I was able to get some great shots of the lava (including some nice zoomed in shots) - they would have been impossible without the IS. The zoom is long enough that I do not even bother to take my SLR with me on trips anymore. The only negative is that it can take a long time to refresh after using the flash, but it typically only happens after I have used the batteries for awhile. I have a couple of sets of rechargables with me so if I start to have trouble with the flash I can change the batteries.
->Compare
Bought this camera to replace an older Canon S30. The S30 is my only experience with digital cameras, so I do not have many comparison points. Our biggest issue with the S30 was that battery life had diminision and buying a new OEM Canon battery was expensive. I did a lot of research prior to selecting this camera and narrowed my search down to the Canon SD630 and A710. We selected the A710 because it takes AA batteries and because of the better zoom. My wife and I are happy with the purchase. The A710 takes nice pictures, we like the extra zoom and we are getting good battery life out of regular Energizer AA rechargable batteries.
->Deal
Bought this Camera for Christmas for myself. I looked at alot of cameras and read alot of reviews,this camera has a great zoom,and you can add lens for wide angle and more zoom. Canon has a good computer program,very easy to use.You can't go wrong with this camera,very easy to use for the first timer.
->Deal
Our first digital died last year and we just recently purchased the Canon S2 IS (from Amazon) in November to replace it. At first didn't really like the quality of pictures we were getting with it. Plus the size was a bit big and heavy for everyday use so we were planning on returning it. I was also a bit intimidated by all the functions that I did not know how to use. Started looking and researching another, smaller camera. Wanted to stay with the A series Canon because they use AA batteries and SD card. Researched (and researched and researched!!) and it came down to the A630 and the A710IS, both of which are very good cameras. Finally decided on this great little camera mainly because of the IS (check out our pictures above). Love it, great size for carrying anywhere, awesome features (most of the same features as our S2) and pictures. Plus, the movies are good quality too. I don't have an issue with the flash recycle time that I read quite alot about. I use rechargables and lithium batteries so maybe that is why. After playing with and reading up on how to use some of the features on the A710 I realized Auto is not the best mode and have actually learned some of the functions of the manual controls (only way to go, IMO) and am extremely pleased with this camera. In the end we decided to keep the S2 (got out of Auto mode and that camera is doing beautifully also!). Now we have the best of both worlds!!
->Comparison
what a find! I love this camera. Besides the wonderful job it does taking natural light pics, also has many options for creativity. I appreciated the ease of use and small size. It uses batteries quickly so, i use rechargable and keep a spare pair with me. The video may be zoomed during use which is not the case with some other digital cameras. The sound and clarity are wonderful too. All in all a great deal for beginners or veterans.
->Cheap
Took close to 700 images with this camera on a trip to Greece. Used camera for family shots, landscape shots, some digiscoping of birds and macro shots for insects, amphibians and plants. Movie with sound is cool feature. HD CCD would be a plus. And it works great in most lighting situations. In dim landscape situations with strong back-lighting the back ground gets washed out unless you click on the sky and then drag to the subject. Then the for-ground is under exposed, but at least you can lighten in Picasa or similar. Other minor complaints are it's not water-proof/dust proof, it's has some shutter lag (0.3 sec), boot up time is fairly short (3sec with flash about 1 sec in bright conditions) and reboot time after a flash is long (approx 5 sec). Sometimes the sutter lag is huge 2-3 seconds indoors using flash. But haven't figured out why yet.
Software is OK lacks sofisticated (sorry) renaming feature and sadly does not name files with date-time stamp. Date-time is in exif data and can be added with Exifer. I use Lupus rename to add essential data to file name such as who what where. Would be nice if camera had a GPS to where stamp but that is asking a lot.
When digiscoping paired with a Swarovski STS 65 with 20x eyepiece. There is no vinetting. Marco is awesome can focus down to 10 mm or less.
->Compare
Great small size digital camera with image stabilization and great resolution at 7MP. It is small enough to go in my purse. Price at Amazon was best we found at the time. Computer software not as easy to work with as previously owned Fuji so I use Microsoft Office Picture Manager to edit the pictures instead of the Canon software. It comes with two user booklets and for some items you must use both--seems like the smaller one should have been incorporated into the larger one.
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I found the Cannon PowerShot A710 7.1 after reviewing many different camera brands, models and capabilities. This camera meets my need for taking "point and shoot" pictures and for taking more detailed and elaborate pictures. Controls are clearly marked,easy to move. Directions easy to follow.
->Cheap
Love Zoom , quality of pictures in various conditions
love amount of control
love size and shape of camera
love cost
negative slow processing of shots( even with fast chips)
negative poor batery life
negative too easy to accidently change some parameter and not know it
Overall very good camera
->Lowest Price
This is our first digital camera purchase - we are completely amateur users, but did a lot of research in finding the "best" camera to fit our needs. We are most happy with the increased optical zoom & IS. We have taken hundreds of pictures and are most pleased with the outcome. We would definetly recommend this camera to others.
->Comparison
I bought this camera because I was looking for something simple and easy to use, yet that I could grow into as a photographer. I've been using it mostly in auto mode or one of the scene selections, and the color saturation of all of my pictures is great. There is a nice, solid feel to the body, like the SLR cameras I grew up with. Don't even bother with the optical viewfinder, though; It doesn't really represent what the borders of the photo will be. The only thing I would complain about is the flash, which tends to wash out subjects. Perhaps someone more experienced would understand how to change exposure and white balance so as to correct this, because the camera does have manual options. Overall, I would say tha this is a great camera for someone who wants very good quality pictures and a camera that is a little bit more sophisticated than your average point-and-shoot.
->Cheap
might not buy the $1200 dollar Nikon after this one.
->For Sale
This one is definitely "the little camera that could" yielding some very impressive photos for such a low price. I like the manual focus adjustment in particular allowing me optimal clarity where I need it. Also the nighttime and indoor photography is just second to none for such a little guy. The one drawback has been the short battery life, but I'll give the high end and rechargeable batteries a workthrough see if I can mitigate that some.
->Deals
I purchased this camera primarily to obtain image-stabilization. I am pleased. It works well, particularly in zoom setting. I have absolutely no problems, although I have not tried all the "bells and whistles." This is my fourth digital camera, and it is clearly the best.
->Comparison
I'm very impressed with this camera. It's smaller than it looks in photos but still large enough to handle easily. I also bought Canon's accessory soft case (that's listed for the A700) and it fits nicely. A previous reviewer mentioned the protruding function wheel -- I haven't noticed that to be a problem yet, especially since the wheel has a *very* firm, positive "click" motion that feels like a fine piece of machinery. It would take a serious rub to accidentally move it.
Digital cameras with proprietary batteries are OUT. Rechargable AA is the way to go. The disposable AA's that came with the camera lasted all of 30 shots, but those aren't serious batteries. Anyone who reviews battery life based on a disposable battery that comes with the camera needs to wake up, invest in a set of rechargables (about $10 for 4) and a charger, and then evaluate the battery life.
Pros: Great image quality, especially w/IS
Strong flash
Awesome feature set
Cons: None yet
->Price
I got this camera for Christmas and took it to New York City for a day. It took great pictures and even better videos with the auto setting. The flash does take a very long time to recharge, but the quality of the photos made up for it.
I would highly recoomed this camera.
->Affordable
I own 3 digital cameras, this being the best. Last weekend on a trip to Washington DC I got to take alot of shots alonside my sisters Canon DSLR XTI. She has a 10MB super fast 133X speed card compared to the 4GB SDII I use. The 6x optical zoom was plent even in long shots where she was using a large Canan zoom lens. Using medium fine setting the computer viewed shots compared easilt to her Large files. The A710 screen is great and the features are jam packed. This camera easily accomomdates the picky photographer. Next step up is a Digital SLR but I do not see the need unless I wanteds to take lots of shots in succesion. That is were the speed of an DSLR sets them apart. You cannot go wrong with the A710 as long as you carry extra batteries.
->Compare
First, I have to say that I'm really used to the Canon interface - so this was a big plus when comparing this model to others with image stabilization. I was drawn to the Fuji F30, but I had had a fuji in the past, and although it took good pics, it was not what I was used to using. I've had the Canon S2 IS, and loved it, but found I didn't use it like I wanted because there are just some places that I needed to have a smaller camera that fit in my purse.
The A710 is perfect for me. I don't use the flash that much - so my batteries last and last. I have two grandbabies under the age of 12 mos, and most of the pics of them come out clear and sharp, (notice I said MOST . . . everyone should know that it takes dozens of shots to get the perfect ONE, but with the 710 it's so much easier!) I love the 6X zoom. Pics of my grandson's Christmas program came out great. I could actually get close enough to identify HIM from the 6th row back. I know how to use the manual settings - but the auto setting,(with the flash turned off) gives me such perfect shots MOST of the time that its a pleasure to use. Its almost as small as my beloved little A510 (which I regretfully passed on to my son). So, it does fit very nicely in my purse. Of course, I'll continue to experiment, but I'm totally satisfied. LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! . . . FIVE STARS!!!
->Price
I have only had the A710IS for a few weeks now, but I am very impressed so far. I am a novice, but have found the camera very easy to use. I replaced my aging Fuji Finepix 2600, which was great for it's time, but I was looking for better picture quality, no more blurry pictures of my active 2 yr old, better flash, more features, etc. etc.
I actually replaced the first A710IS I got from Amazon as it had red dots on the LCD screen. After returning it and further research, I found that this was most likely dead pixels in the LCD itself. The replacement that Amazon sent was perfect.
Positives:
-Excellent picture quality so far both indoors and outdoors
-Awesome Zoom
-VERY stable pictures at extended zoom ranges
-Great "quick" buttons provide easy and quick access to camera features without navigating the menu
-Menu system is VERY easy to use and intuitive
-Large LCD - compared to my Fuji, the sceen is very large and works well in all lighting situations
-Stitch Features: I tried the "Stitch" feature (which may be common on other cameras, but I've never heard of it until I read the owner's manual for this camera). I tried it once and took 3 pictures to stitch together. It was Very easy to figure out how to use on both the camera and the software that canon provides. It worked Great to provide a panoramic shot.
The only negatives I have found have already been mentioned by other reviewers (which is why I gave a 4 instead of a 5 rating):
-Battery Drainage: Drains the batteries quickly. For me, this isn't a big deal as I always be sure to have extra batteries on hand. I started out using my rechargeable batteries from my old Fuji, so since these are about 4 yr old, that could be part of the problem. I plan on buying newer rechargeables and expect them to last even longer.
-LCD:
1. LCD doesn't swivel: Again, not a big deal as I'm not sure how much usage I'd get out of this, but it would be nice for the few occasions that I may need it.
2. LCD Resolution seems a bit low such that the picture quality on the LCD appears a bit fuzzy. The quality it good, but not great.
-Included memory card - the 16MB memory card that is included is a joke. I purchased a 1 GB Ultra II card, which should be plenty for my usage
-Physical size of pictures is Large - This is obvious given the higher megapixel count for the camera (6 MP compared to my Fuji's 2 MP), so not really a negative, but more of a reality to be aware of if you have the settings at Fine and above.
I still haven't tried the movie mode yet, but plan to soon. I still use my Sony Digicam for movies.
->Price
I ordered this camera the first of December but didn't have a chance to really work with it until around the 15th. As a amatuer photographer I wanted the A710 as a companion to my DSLR and to carry in my purse for all occasions. I was very interested in the 7 megapixels, 6x optical zoom, and top priority for me was the image stabilization feature. I gave this camera 3 stars because the outside shots were very good, it's the inside shots that are problematic. All of the inside shots were far to noisy to be acceptable when using the zoom feature. If you used the camera preset modes it raised the ISO to high causing a great deal of noise and if you used the aperture priority and set the ISO to an acceptable level it was still very difficult to get a photo that wasn't noisy. I tested it against my Canon A620 (great camera) and the A620 had a better photo in all but one occasion. I have gone back to using the A620 . This camera would be good for someone that just wants a point & shoot to do home photos. I called Amazon and they were great, I returned it the 22nd.
->Lowest Price
After 1000 images and umpteen sets of (rechargable) batteries I still like the camera, but haven't figured out a good battery solution yet. The estimate of 100 images per set of alkaline batteries / 350 for NiMh seems rather optimistic (or my rechargeables are in pretty bad conditions).
Otherwise the camera is great. The image stabilizer extends my options without using a flash (which is as bad as one can expect, considering that it sits an inch above the lens and can't be adjusted). The software is straightforward, the programming modes are fine (some seem superfluous), I like the "manual" option best.
The camera is very small, considering that it packs a 6x optical zoom, and I like the fact that it fits into my shirt pocket. The plastic body is reasonably stable, but some of the buttons start to rub off. A dedicated bag would fix that. Its only drawback (aside from being a battery hog) is that the optical viewfinder does not really show you what will be on the image (it undersetimates, which might be OK, at least you don't cut off any heads).
->Wholesale
After seeing 2 reviews about the Canon 710 gobbling batteries, I had to set the record straight. With a pair of inexpensive X1 rechargeable batteries, my 710 took about 400 shots without recharging, which amazed me. (Regular batteries die quickly with a digital camera.)
Amazon's price was considerably lower than Costco's, which was impressive.
As someone who's still learning how to use this camera, I encountered a persistent problem that I haven't solved. While using the auto setting quite a few of the shots looked overexposed. Then I tried photographing some ducks that were swimming in the shade and I noticed that the white birds looked overexposed, losing many details, while the darker ones looked just right. It's almost as if the camera is too sensitive to white, or bright lighting, not infrequently causing a washed out look and disappeared details.
The shutter response is pleasingly quick, and the macro detail is impressive, but some of the shots in auto mode still aren't quite as crisp as I expected a Canon camera to produce. Whether the few problems I've encountered disappear with more experience remains to be seen.
->Compare
all the nice features the camera has, is lost when it comes to batteries consumption. I bought the camera after I read a lot of nice reviews about it, and only 1 review mention the batteries problem which I did not pay enough attention, until I bought the camera from Amazon, tried for couple pictures, saw the batteries red light flashing, packed the camera back in its original boxe and ship it back to Amazon.
if you're willing to keep carrying batteries everytime you use this camera, then get it, otherwise look for another one.
->Purchase
You will not find a more versatile camera for the money anywhere. This camera is still selling locally at $399 "on sale" but as usual AMAZON beats them all. As for the camera it offers the best of everything for just about everyone..........Full Auto to Full Manual and everything in between plus the new Image Stabilization feature!!! For those that know how to take advantage of manual operation this sure beats lugging around a full size SLR and for those point and shoot types it couldn't be easier............plus the added benefit of being able to experiment a little as you become more familiar with photography. Canon continues to top the ratings at most of the camera review pages...this one is no exception. Money well spent!!!
->Lowest Price
I researched digital cameras for over two weeks and finally decided on the Canon A710 IS for a couple reasons. One)it offered the 2nd largest optical zoom, only surpassed by Panasonic right now. Two) the sharpness and quality of the canon images. Three) the Image Stabalizer (IS), which is absolutely the best on the market right now. I shook my hand violently while I snapped a picture and it was crisp and clear. Warning: the IS does not work as spectacularly with flash, nor would any other IS system, because the camera sets the shutter speed lower to get enough light in and this effects the IS capability. Still works well, though. Four) This Canon camera is sleek, easy to hold, easy to use menu features, manual options, and lots of cool extras (I love the color accent feature). And five) because of all of the excellent reviews on this particular camera. Pros, cnet, customers, everyone had something positive to say and very few negatives.
I wanted a camera to capture our first child (Simba, a Shiba dog)and our future first child (hopefully in the next year) when they are active, indoor low-light shots of when we are hanging out with our friends, and have the instant on-hand video camera to catch exciting moments. This camera does all that and more! Very impressed with low-light pictures but was hoping for slighly less red eye (hard to get less red eye, though, with where such small cameras have to place the flash).
I was really torn between this one, the Fuji Finepix F30, the Panasonic Lumix TZ1, and the Canon SD800IS. We had a Fuji before that lasted forever and the F30 is said to take the best indoor, low-light photos available in a digital camera right now, but it was hard to find customer reviews on this camera and the optical zoom was only 3x. The Panasonic has the highest optical zoom at 10X, and customer reviews said it was very impressive but I saw quite a few reviews regarding problems in the first few months and a short warranty along with bad customer service. And nothing was said about low-light images, though Panasonic images just aren't as clear and crisp as Canon's.
In the end, I decided the extra megapixel was not worth the lower optical zoom, so I went with this one over the 800IS.
I have attached some pictures to view.
I am very very impressed with this camera. I viewed my pictures hooked up to a 64" TV and they were awesome. The video is also great quality; my stepdad is considering this digital camera with a large memory card instead of getting a new video camera, he was so impressed.
The camera is extremely easy to use and comfortable to grip. The only thing I have to complain about is that I am nervous about the error 08 that people have said causes the camera to stop working and the lens to not retract. However, this was not enough to stop me from purchasing it. This is something any camera could have happen if grain or dirt blocks the lens shutting and canon customer service assured me that if it did happen, they would repair it free of cost to me (I would have to pay shipping). Best way to avoid this, keep in a case.
I have had it for 4 months and have had zero problems.
It uses 2 AA batteries (great for me cause they can be found anywhere) and I played with the camera for almost 2 straight days before they died (lots of pics and video and viewing on screen).
Also, my stepmother has the Canon 600. She dropped it and it fell down about 20 feet, hitting multiple rocks along the way. When recovered, the LCD screen was broken so the menu cannot be viewed, but the camera still works and still takes great photos! Amazingly durable.
I would recommend checking out [...] for more info.
UPDATE: I don't know if it was summer and I just wasn't taking many indoor photos or if my "Auto" setting has changed itself, but I am not getting very clear pictures inside anym ore. Maybe my hand is shaking more but with the IS feature, this shouldn't be a big deal. I have added some pictures that aren't as sharp as before so you can see what I am talking about. I am still happy with my camera but now I will have to toy with all the setting features to see if I can get better inside people shots. Either my subjects have bad red eye, are slightly blurred, or just not clear when I zoom in on my computer (even when the pics were taken at highest resolution. I will update if I fix this problem.
->Deal
I hope you like this camera as much as I do!
I spent about three solid days online/in store researching camera's before I decided that this was the camera for me. There were three things that I really wanted from a new camera: better zoom, image stabilization, and better quality pics. I believe I got all of this and more in this little camera.
First, most camera's on the market have a 3X optical zoom- this one has 6x, which gives you a better quality picture further away. I realize there are other camera's on the market that have a better zoom ability, but I did not want to jeopardize size, I wanted something close to "pocket sized."
Second, the image stabilization feature is great- especially at night when you are trying to take photo's of buildings, etc. Regardless of how steady my hand was with my last digital, I could never get a night shot to come out- not a problem with the A710.
Third, the quality of pictures this camera offers is superb. I have no complaints on the ease of taking pictures. While there are quite a few different settings to choose from, the "basic" manual explains each one in an easy to follow manner (and I am not directions reader).
I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking for an easy use, high quality camera. Everything you need comes in the box, you can literally pop the batteries and memory card in and you are set. There are many camera's that have a lot of great options out on the market, but I believe this to be the best.
->Prices
First off I would like to say that I am just an average camera user with no special skills and I really do not understand what any of the jargon means when people talk about their cameras.
I was interested in this camera for several reasons:
1. It was highly rated in every review I read about it by people that know a whole lot more about such things than me.
2. It uses 2 AA batteries not 4 and not a rechargeable battery. I use rechargeable AA batteries on my own. I really do not like being forced to use the ones provided with the cameras. No matter what they say the batteries will run out and at the most inconvenient time. I can swap the batteries out in an instant or buy new ones. You can't do that with other rechargeable batteries. I travel a lot. I never know if I will have access to electricity to recharge my camera or if I will even have time. For this reason I absolutely insist on AA batteries. This may not be a concern for your standard user but it is to devoted travelers.
3. I am not that obsessed with photography. I wanted a camera that would work "out of the box" and let me learn about the features as I go.
4. It uses an SD disk. This allows me to use the same disks without buying new ones or buying an adapter for my computer. I can use the same SD discs with my mp3 player and my palm pilot. This is why I refuse to buy items using xd discs or anything by Sony and their insane use of their memory stick. Hey Sony the Beta was great but no one bought it. You are going down the same path with your memory stick. The deciding factor between a Sony computer and the Gateway I bought was the memory stick feature versus an SD drive. I did not buy cameras from Sony twice now because of the use of memory sticks. I have told many people about this and have steered them to other brands for the same reason. Compatabilty is very important in electronics.
5. It has lots of cool accessories that I may or may not eventually decide to buy. The main one being the waterproof case. I tried this out at the camera store and it was really cool. It allows divers full access to all of the features on the camera and seems like it is really easy to use. I will be buying it in a month or so for an upcoming diving trip. I will know better after that if it works in the water as well as in the camera store.
6. It has a separate watch battery to store the date and time information. That was a major issue I had with my last camera. Digital cameras go through batteries fast. Having to constantly enter this information gets annoying, especially if I am not wearing a watch.
These are my initial thoughts after purchase:
Setting up the camera was a snap. Everything seemed intuitive and I had no problems whatsoever.
I have taken a few test shots in the various modes and am really impressed. It has a lot of detail that my previous camera did not provide.
The camera seems to be the perfect size for me. This camera is big enough so that you can operate the buttons without getting a 4 year old to do it for you. And small enough that it can be used as a handheld camera, fitting nicely in a case around your shoulder.
My only complaint on this camera and with a lot of them is the wheel that switches the modes. I really wish they would make these things flush with the camera body. This one is better than my previous camera but the wheel still shifts modes when you pull it out of its case. Other than that one minor gripe I am very pleased with this purchase.
->Purchase
Canon has an excellent rep with its digital cameras and the A710 is one of the latest in that long line. It's a great camera...not too small to handle with but small enough to be slipped into a jacket pocket. The zoom works well and the stabilization keeps zoomed photos clear, although a bit grainy at full zoom. Syncing with the computer couldn't be easier...load the included software and you're ready to go. I couldn't believe how easy it was to do this. As stated by another reviewer, the included 16mb card is almost worthless, but I used it to practice and get the hang of the camera operation before loading up a 1 gb card. I took the camera on a week and a half vacation and loved it. At the touch of a button I can see how many shots I have left on the card and how many I'll have if I adjust the size and detail of the photos. This let me reduce photo quality just a bit to get the last few photos at the end of the vacation onto the card. Zoom is quick, but, as stated in another review, the flash recharge takes a few seconds. The large LCD screen is great, but, like most digitals, difficult to see in bright light. This makes the optical viewfinder a god-send, but be aware that the viewfinder shows you a tighter shot that what is really being captured in the photo(watch out for the trend from other camera manufacturers of dropping the optical viewfinder!). There are a multitude of optional settings that I'm still figuring out. One - the night shot setting - is questionable. I get better night time shots with the setting on 'automatic' that I do using the 'night shot' setting.
My only problem with the A710 is battery life. Even with the power save function on, I went through a set of batteries a day. Obviously, using the flash a lot reduces battery life and I took many photos inside buildings. I also took 50-60 photos a day, so I was working the batteries from sun-up to sun-down and sometimes after that (I took 600+ photos in 10 days of travel). Rechargables are probably a good idea, but traveling in Europe complicates that....you need to carry a Euro style plug in addition to the battery charging apparatus and lugging all that would be just about as bad as dragging around my big, old Pentax film SLR (the main point, for me, of going digital was to reduce the size and weight of taking the film camera on an extended vacation). The need for all the batteries is the only reason I don't give the A710 5 stars and that's probably not really fair considering the number of photos I'm taking and the conditions of flash use.
In conclusion - The A710 takes great photos, is easy to use, figure out, and connect to your computer, has all the features a non-professional photog could want has the megapixels to let you enlarge your photos to at least 8x10 and is reasonably priced. If you can live with replacing batteries frequently in heavy-use situations, I doubt you can do better in this price range than this camera.
->Deals
I bought this camera about 2 weeks ago and I'm very happy with the camera so far. It's easy to use right out of the box and the picture quality is very good. I like the 6x optical zoom and the IS really helps with the camera shake, especially when using the zoom. The movie mode is very nice as well. The camera is big enough to feel right in my hand yet small enough to easily slip into a sweatshirt pocket or purse. My two complaints are: the camera ships with a 16 MB SD card-which is a joke, and battery life seems fairly short. Investing in rechargables would be a good idea. I'm now using a 1 GB Ultra II SD card with great results. Overall, I'm very happy with the camera and I'm still getting to know it.
I recommend it.
->Sale
Good camera. Compact size and weight. Like the 6X optical zoom and the IS. Full set of manual controls.
Flash takes a bit long to re-charge. Also, initially many of the indoor shots were grainy (noise) and a lot of redeye. Finally figured out that indoors with less light one has to keep the zoom on the low side.
Overall happy with the camera.