Reviews Written by stan
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September 18, 2007
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August 5, 2007
great value
5 of 5 Yahoo! Users found this review helpfulPros: image quality, ease of use, price, size, AA batteries, sd card
Cons: some red-eye, shutter lag
I own a Minolta Z1, but I wanted a smaller camera to carry with me that wouldn't break the bank.
I started reading every review that I could find online. It seems that most review sites had high praise for Canons in general and the A550 along with others.
I was trying to get an ultra-compact, but when I checked them out, they just felt too small. I still came very close to buying a Canon SD600. I liked the style even though I thought it was too small. The store had only one left; a floor model. I agreed to buy it for $179, but when they dis-assemled it from the stand, they broke the bottom door. They then produced a SD630 @ $199, but I declined as I could get the new model (SD1000) for $203 online.
I decided to check the online prices again. By now I was leaning toward the A550 or A560. The A550 price went down to $117, no tax, no shipping.
Decision made!
Also, if you don't already have rechargeable batteries with a charger and a 1 gig Sd card, invest the few $$ for the upgrades. Battery life is not a problem with the rechargeable batteries.
Upon arriving home, the camera was easy to use right out of the box. Every setting on the camera is pretty much self-explanatory. The few questions I did have, I consulted the owners manual and Steve's Digicams website.
I have taken over 350 pics in the 2 weeks I have owned it. The images are fantastic. I have had maybe 3 shots with red-eye. The Canon zoom browser corrected 2 pics, but couldn't correct the 3rd. I used HP image zone and eliminated MOST of the red-eye, but not quite all of it.
I also have had a few blurry shots, but I set the camera wrong for the type of pics I was taking. A quick correction, and the pics were all good. So, out of 350 shots, maybe 5 blurry shots and 3 red-eyes ( in a dark reception hall.) I can live with that.
It seems that I have concentrated on the negative, but really, the negatives are a very small part of the over-all picture. This is really a super camera that takes amazing pictures. Daytime, nightime, cloudy, inside, outside; it doesn't make a difference. When you factor in the price, it is a lot of bang for your buck! You can really leave the camera on automatic for 99% of your shots and they will turn out fine. I like to fiddle with all of the settings to see how the pics will turn out.
One thing to remember, on some pics, turn off the flash! The camera will adjust to a higher ISO and the pic will be sharp and clear. Another usefull setting in the "manual" mode is the white balance. That really helps your inside pics.
From the specs on the camera, I think that the A550 and the SD600-630 share the same guts. It's just packaged in a little bigger camera that is very easy to hold onto. (Likewise, the A560 is the poor cousin of the SD1000.)
I have only taken one movie, but it was fantastic. It was a movie of my sheltie running in the yard. His bib was swaying in the wind, he was running and jumping. It was just a beautiful mini-movie of my li'l buddy.
If you are looking for an inexpensive point and shoot compact digital, look no farther. ...
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More bang for your $$$$
8 of 8 Yahoo! Users found this review helpfulPros: 6x zoom, image stabilization, color accent
Cons: flash recycling
This is my second new camera in 6 weeks! I purchased a Canon A550 and loved it. I soon figured out that the cheaper Canon took better pics than my Minolta Z1. I sold the Minolta. I did miss the higher zoom of the Minolta; but without IS, it was useless unless you use a tripod.
Since I sold the Minolta, I had practically nothing invested in the A550. I started to think about more zoom in the Canon. I was looking at the A710IS, the A720IS, and the A650IS. I figured that I would wait until after Christmas and maybe the prices would go down on the 2 new models.
I compared all 3 cameras and found that the "older" 710 had the features that I was looking for. The 650 is priced higher than I am willing to spend. The new 720 dropped some features that I was looking for: color accent among them. Yep, the 710 is JUST what I was looking for.
I started scouring the net for good prices, and as luck would have it, a retailer listed a bundle including a CP730 printer for only $249.95! Sold!
I have used it for just a few days and I love it. It did require using the owners manual to figure out the menu. (Unlike the A550, which IS easier to use btw.)
This camera gives the user more control. It is fun figuring out exactly what this camera will do. If you are willing to shoot in modes other than auto; this camera takes great pics. If you are NOT willing to tweak it a little, go to the A550, A560, or A570.
I kept my A550 for insurance, but now I am going to sell it. I have 3 friends who want to buy it. (They have seen the pics it produces.)
I was going to sell the printer that came with it, but after trying it out; I have decided to keep it also. Great 4x6 prints with no hassle at about 28 cents a copy.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a point and shoot camera that gives you more control than average, this is a great camera at a bargain price. ...