Canon PowerShot A710 IS

Review Date
June 19, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 3 votes

Reviewed by
Andy C. , Expert

Price Paid
$299.00 at Berry's Camera

Photography Experience
11-20 years

Summary
I bought this camera after looking for something smaller to use than my 20D and its accessories, and to have a digital camera of some kind when I'm out shooting film. I've owned two Powershots in the past--the G5 and the Pro1, both of which were very nice cameras. I was surprised to find that I like this one quite a bit more than either, since it has roughly the same focal range as the Pro1 (35-210 for the A710IS vs. 28-200 for the Pro1), and the A710IS produces images that are just as sharp. It's also incredibly compact while still packing an impressive amount of features, especially Image Stabilization. Even at 210mm the lens' size isn't much greater than at 35mm. Another major improvement over the aforementioned cameras is the responsiveness of the shutter. With the focus point set to the center sensor, the shutter lag is very minimal, enabling me to catch the shot I was hoping for almost every time. The resolution is impressive and the processor's control of noise under 400ISO is impressive as well. On both of the other Powershots I was hesitant to shoot at even ISO 100 (I usually kept them at ISO 50). 8x10s are a breeze, and under 400ISO look as though they came from a dslr. One does have to be mindful of highlight clipping and use exposure compensation to avoid burnout on occasion in extreme contrast situations. I also like that it has an optical viewfinder which allows me to turn off the monitor and save batteries. I love this camera, and I'm growing to love it more and more. It's a superb performer with enough simplicity for a beginner and enough control for a much more seasoned photographer, with many of the features on my EOS bodies.

Strengths
-Great resolution, minimal shutter lag, Image Stabilization, great focal range, superb image quality with noise becoming an issue over 400 ISO, lots of creative and useful features packed into a compact body, good build quality, sharp lens.

Weaknesses
-Lower res monitor than I'd like, slow flash recycling, I wish it had the multi-angle monitor

Similar Products Used
Canon D60, 10D, 20D, Powershot Pro1, G5, EOS 1vHS, Nikon D1, D1H, Coolpix 4500

Customer Service
Not needed

Review Date
May 10, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 3 votes

Reviewed by
Andy B , Professional

Price Paid
$144.00 at Canon Outlet Centre

Photography Experience
21+ years , People

Summary
What an absolutely stunning little camera this has turned out to be. As a pro, I always like to have a camera with me, but don't always want to carry a DSLR. So, I needed a compact digi which was easy enough for my wife to take out and use as a point and shoot, but which offered me full manual controls.



For size reasons I couldn't really go for the G7, which I think is just too big to slip into a shirt pocket - plus my wife wouldn't have liked the size either.



This was the result of my searches. The picture quality is fantastic, yes it gets a bit noisy after 400ISO but the beauty of it is that you can get away with taking a lot of night shots at 200ISO because of the very, very good Image Stabilisation.



The picture quality is quite honestly astonishing for such a little camera. It's about the size, maybe smaller, than a packet of cigarettes but packs a massive image quality punch, The lens detail is sharp as you like with very little (if any) chromatic abberation. The screen is nice and big and crisp. The controls are not too fiddly and the menu system is ample in its options.



As you will see from other reviews on the net, the flash recycle time is a bit on the tardy size, but that is a very small price to pay for a really exceptional little camera.



I cannot recommend this enough.

Strengths
Picture quality

Lens sharpness

Size

Versatility

Image Stabilisation

Ease of use

Intuitive controls and menu system

Minimal shutter lag

Optical viewfinder for when it's too bright to see the screen

Weaknesses
Flash recycle time

Noise at 800ISO (but still better than a lot out there)

Similar Products Used
A whole bunch of Nikon DSLRs, lenses too many to mention

It's my job, I've got a lot of stuff!

Customer Service
Not needed yet.