Canon-Powershot-A80 Review

Last month we bought the Canon Powershot A80 online for about $325 including shipping after looking at digital cameras for about a month. It had all the features we were looking for in our price range and the stylish gleaming metal case didn't hurt either. We looked at a few other cameras, notably the Fujifilm FinePix S7000, but settled on the Powershot and we are glad that we did.

The Canon Powershot A80 is a 4-megapixel compact digital still camera with a high quality, swiveling, flip-out LCD; built-in flash and a 3x Optical / 3.6x Digital /11x Combined Zoom. It has a Shutter Speed of 15 - 1/2,000 seconds, and a variety of shooting modes and photo effects built in. It stores photos on a Type I compact flash (CF) Card and is powered by non-proprietary AA batteries

The camera can be used in a simple point and click manner that is trivial for novice users but is expandable with optional lens adapter's and full manual control. Its ready to use after a very short power up, the zoom lever is very smooth, and the menuing system is easy to use. Photoshop found the camera's USB connection right away and we were downloadig photos within minutes of plugging it in.

On the downside it does have a noticeable shutter lag and it does not do a great job capturing video, small quibbles that do not detract from the overall usefulness and quality of the camera.

Even though the Powershot A80 is a joy to use, the real value is the photo quality. Indoor and outdoor photos are exposed well and have excellent saturation. Our biggest problem with previous digital cameras was jpeg artifacting - with the Canon A80 this is not even an issue. Family and friends raved about the quality of the photos that we posted online and with very few exceptions we have been exceedingly happy with the image quality of the photos taken with Powershot A80. We've used it in every type of lighting situation imaginable and have come away impressed in every single instance. The strong flash is a big plus in low light situations.

In conclusion we think that the Canon Powershot A80 is an excellent value for the money. Forget the numerous features - it's worth the money for the picture quality alone. If you are in the market for a small digital camera priced under $500, you could do a lot worse than this Canon Powershot A80.

This article was originally posted on IMSlack.com and was written by James Kendall of Copacetix Digital Creation.

---

Color Management, the Digital Darkroom, and Adobe Photoshop

PrefaceIn order to understand color management, it is important to get your hands around some of the workflow. It is also important to understand a little bit about the ICC itself. The ICC... Read More

Light Meter Readings for Film and Digital

Reflected Light Readings for Film and Digital ImagesIn order to correctly expose your film or digital CCD there are two variables that must be identified: average reflectance and average light. Unless you have... Read More

Stitching Memories

Sometimes, usual photographs look so common and boring. Converting your pictures into charcoal or oil painting is a welcome change but then, a lot of people have been into these crafts already that... Read More

Move Up to the World of the Digital SLR Camera

A digital SLR camera or a single lens reflex (SLR) camera is one of the most popular cameras amongst photographers today. These cameras not only provide high quality images but the photographer can... Read More

History of the Camera

Early cameras of the 16th and 17th century were able to project images onto paper or glass but the study of capturing, processing and printing the images took many more years. Up until... Read More

Candid Photography

Candid photography is photography that focuses on spontaneity rather than technique. Your subject's focus is not on the camera, but on their current task. So we're not talking about the photo albums full... Read More

Why 1.5 Megapixels is Enough

Dots Per Inch is a useful measure of relative resolution. But if you don't know the image size in inches or some other measure of size, then the amount of dots per inch... Read More

Keep a Digital Photos Diary

Digital Photo Diary - memories that last a life timeThe best things in life come in threes, like friends, dreams, and memories.A digital photo diary keeps some of the big and little memories... Read More

Studio Photography and Digital Backgrounds

The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and 3.Most photographers who are serious about improving their portrait taking skills have realized that a beautiful background... Read More

Understanding Digital Photography

Most serious photographers and all professionals use a Single Lens Reflex camera (SLR), the definition of an SLR camera is that the image is captured exactly as you see it in the viewfinder.... Read More

Birthday Party Photo Tips ? How to Make Yours Truly Stand Out

How many of the birthday party pictures you've seen are kept just because they are of someone's birthday, not because it is inherently a terrific photograph?When was the last time you heard anyone... Read More

The Paradigm: Going Digital

As you might imagine the paradigm shift from traditional film-based photography to digital is rapidly creating new opportunities to learn and grow. The photography industry is moving at an incessant pace, and digital... Read More

Is your Digital Camera Compatible With Your Computer?

So you recently bought a digital camera or perhaps your thinking about it. And perhaps you may be wondering how many pictures will your computer hold? First you need to answer a few... Read More

Proper Handling and Storage of Paper Photos

Youv'e taken that perfect photo in the perfect light at the perfect angle and it has turned out beautifully.How you handle and store the photo from now on will determine how long it... Read More

Kodak CX7300 Digital Camera

Quality digital cameras are becoming affordable for just about everyone these days. Kodak's entry into the low cost end of the market is their CX7300 3.2 mega pixel model. You just may be... Read More

The Well-Dressed Photographer - Winter

Some of the best images can be captured during the winter months, so don't let the cold stop you. For the best photography experience, wear clothing that will keep you comfortable and safe.Dressing... Read More

Canadas Digital Cameras, Digital Camcorders and Cheap Memory Cards Canada

Digital SLR Camera or Digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera is an ideal camera for professionals and amateur photographers. They usually having interchangeable lenses and are known for capturing superior quality images. They come... Read More

Help! My Old Colour Photo has Turned Pink ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

Almost all of us will have seen this particular photographic problem, namely, your old colour photographs appear to have taken on an overall pink or blue tint.This is primarily due to the chemicals... Read More

Digital Wedding Photography: Myth Vs. Reality

1. Myth: Digital photos are pixilated or fuzzy. Reality: most people that say that have never seen a photo produced by a professional grade digital camera. The quality of modern digital cameras is... Read More

Removing Spot Scratches in Your Treasured Photos ? 5 Minute Digital Fix

Probably one of the most common problems you will be faced with in doing any type of digital photo restoration work will be to do with spot scratches on your old photos.When we... Read More

Photography Has No Gender

Women photographers are fortunate. Unlike other titles, photographer has no gender. Women photographers don't have to force stilted language like "flight attendant" instead of "stewardess," or "letter carrier" instead of "mailman." "Photographer" doesn't... Read More

Buying Your Child A Digital Camera - What You Need To Know

Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing task. You can never be sure whether they will like what you buy for them or not. So, when you want to buy... Read More

Home Run Baseball Photography Tips

Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!Baseball! America's Pastime, and a sport growing in popularity throughout the world, where the Boys of Summer slug it out. A baseball game is the perfect way to... Read More

Digital Cameras and Digital Photography

Before you rush into buying your digital camera this holiday season make sure your properly informed. Many consumers during the holiday season rush into purchasing electronic equipment in a mad panic to get... Read More

The Primer on Digital Camera Printers

Once you have clicked photos through your digital camera, then the next step is to turn these 'virtual' images into real photos. One way is to send the memory card to a digital... Read More

Digital Zoom Versus Optical Zoom

The digital camera is but a technological advancement of the conventional analog camera. And thus every component of the analog camera must have been upgraded or changed to bring in some improvisations. This... Read More

Tame Those Memories

Family vacations, summer weddings and family reunions are in full swing, and the warm memories and envelopes of photographs are ever growing! You certainly intend to organize them -- but the boxes in... Read More

Digital Camera Memory - An Introduction

The digital camera is essentially a computer-based device, whose core is controlled by the computer. And as a result the photographs are stored in a location called memory. Now, this concept is or... Read More

Becoming A Digital Artist On A Budget

So, you want to become a digital artist but paying several hundred dollars for Photoshop seems too much. Don't worry, there are dozens of very inexpensive tools you can use available on the... Read More