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Canon A640 10MP 4x Zoom Digital camera review
Canon PowerShot A640 Digital Camera :
A few bucks more for a Compact, Versatile and Interesting Digital Camera
Mohammad Hossain Nikpoor's review of the October 26, 2008 9:28:46am
The Canon PowerShot A640 couples a 10 megapixel CCD imager sensor with a 4x optical zoom lens that offers a 35mm-equivalent focal range of 35 to 140mm. That''s a moderate wide-angle that reaches to a somewhat more generous telephoto than you''ll find on most compact cameras. Maximum apertures vary from f/2.8 to f/4.1 across the zoom range. The A640''s sensor yields an ISO range of 80 to 800, with shutter speeds of 1/2,500 to 15 seconds. Designed with ease of use in mind, the Canon A640 offers both a range of features that make it approachable to beginners, as well as the ability to exert more control over the photographic process. For the former category of users, there''s a fully automatic mode, and a generous selection of 13 Scene modes. For the latter, you''ll find Manual, and Aperture/Shutter Priority exposures possible, plus preset, or manual White Balance, and three Metering modes. A VGA-or-below Movie mode captures videos at a maximum of 30 frames per second, for up to one hour (or one gigabyte) per clip. A USB connection allows easy offload of images from the SD, or MMC card to a Mac, or PC -- and unlike some manufacturers who are still clinging to the older USB 1.1/2.0 Full Speed standard, Canon has adopted a much swifter USB 2.0 High Speed interface in the Canon A640. For users without a computer (or those who like to make quick prints without the hassle of touching their PC), you can bypass the extra step completely, and print directly from the PowerShot A640 to a Canon, or other PictBridge-enabled printer via the same USB connection. Though the Canon A640 has a relatively large 2.5 inch LCD, Canon retained a real image optical viewfinder in the A640''s design. Not only can optical viewfinders save battery life if you turn off the LCD display, but they''re also useful when ambient light makes it tough to see many LCDs properly. Power comes from four AA batteries, and Canon includes single-use alkaline disposables in the product bundle. Also included with the Canon A640 is a 32MB MultiMediaCard -- perhaps slightly larger than average, but still not sufficient for more than a handful of photos at the highest resolution and lowest compression. If you don''t already have some, you''ll want to purchase some rechargeable batteries and a larger flash card along with the camera.
Pros and cons by Mohammad Hossain Nikpoor
Pros: it has a good weight and feel for average sized hands The use of AA batteries helps keep the cost down For those that prefer an optical viewfinder, Canon is probably the strongest supporter, and this is a better than average viewfinder, although it does not have a diopter adjustment. flex-focus system. Today''s AF cameras do a decent job, but occassionally, they just don''t hit on the right focus point. With the flex system, you can determine which point to use. This is simply great for crowded rooms or nature photos where the subject may not be the closest item within the focusing areas. Control for this price point is very good
Cons: digital zoom jumps in very discrete steps once you go beyond the 4x lens capability the camera selects spot after spot around the periphery of my item of interest without locking on to the center of the item itself Unless one wishes to use the Custom mode, one''s settings will only last so long as the camera does not go back from picture taking mode to play mode. The door protecting the computer interface slots feels like a soft plastic; flimsy and delicate and seemingly unlikely to remain for long on the camera. The battery chamber door is not much better, as the batteries have to be jiggled and gently worked into place before the battery door will close
Ease Of Use
Durability
Style
Value For Money
