Technology
Canon Powershot A70 Review
August 2003. I recently bought a Canon Powershot A70. I diligently researched about digital cameras, different brands, prices, and features, before I finally settled on the Powershot A70. I used to have an SLR camera before it got stolen, and so the basic knowledge of photography, film cameras, and SLRs helped.
Deciding Factors
Maybe the first thing I did was set a budget. I figured I can spend up to 350 US dollars for a digital camera. Then I limited my search. And then I listed the features that I wanted in a digital camera.
I've always thought you should have both film based and digital cameras. There are still some things a digital camera can't do. But since I know a bit about SLRs, I looked for some SLR features. I wanted to take pictures instantly, but I also wanted to take pictures that had to be set up. So here's what I wanted: 1) fully automatic, and 2) some manual adjustment of aperture and speed, 3) at least 3 megapixels.
While I wanted other features such as motion activated operation and video capability, I figured they are nice-to-have features rather than must have. After all, I still plan to buy an SLR and a video camera. I didn't bother to look at evaluating CCD or MOSFET, but Digital Photography Review provides some help.
There was this site I ran across that compared mega-pixel to print quality, but I lost the link. Maybe I will post them here when I find it. But the short of it is, 1 megapixel is good for sharing photos over the Internet, 2 megapixel is okay for the 3x5 prints, while 3 megapixels are okay with 5x7, 4 is okay with 8x10 or something. 5 and up is really professional quality, as most digital SLRs have at least 5.
So I settled for 3.2 megapixels. And then I read reviews. Powershot A70 was getting rave reviews: more bang for the buck, most feature packed for the price, etc. etc. ZDNet, Digital Photography Review, epinions, all had nice things to say. But that's not to say it's not without fault. We'll discuss that later.
But the things that made me decide to go for the Powershot A70 are the price vs. megapixel, some manual features like aperture setting or shutter speed setting, and lens replacement. And so I went out and bought one.
The Camera
I immediately started using the camera. I was in Hong Kong so what better time to test than on vacation. The first thing I noticed was that it was very light. It's a good thing. The downside is that it's plastic. It's not as sturdy as a metal one. So you'll have to be very careful about not dropping it.
Placing the batteries and compact flash were fairly simple. The good thing about the Canon Powershot A70, personally, is it uses ordinary AA batteries. It's a personal preference. Some people prefer proprietary batteries, but I like AAs because they're fairly common, and I can interchange the batteries with my remote control toy.
Now for some pictures. The first thing you'll notice is the nearly one second delay after pressing the button. This is fine for pictures of people posing for a photograph. But for fast action, you'll have to anticipate the motion. I was in ocean park and the problem was really evident. In this photo, I was trying to catch the dolphin in the air. Instead, I just got a splash of water. (The image was reduced in size to save space and download time.)
Indoor photography is a breeze. Even leaving it on AUTO will suffice. The flash works well if used within limits. Here's a picture using the
10 second shutter delay. I mounted it on a tripod so I can join the photo. One review I read mentions that the tripod mount on the camera was
also plastic and will probably loose tread easily. So I just have to be careful. Anyway I don't use a tripod that often. This is more of a
point and shoot camera.
So far everything is fine except for the shutter delay. I'm pretty satisfied with the photo quality. Though I haven't had any printed yet. Then the next problem comes. I read somewhere, and now I'm confirming it, that the batteries that came with it, ordinary alkalines, are useless after maybe twenty pictures. One of the next things I'm going to buy is a set of rechargeable batteries, at least 1600mAH.
If you want to take high resolution pictures like I do, you would want to upgrade your flash memory card to at least 64MB. The standard 16MB that came with it was out after 10 shots. Luckily, the store gave me a free 32MB compact flash card, not Canon, but it's free anyway.
The Lowdown
The Powershot A70 is a good all-around camera for amateurs. It goes from fully automatic to fully manual, and a lot of features in between. I'd have wanted more aperture range or more shutter speed range but that's minimal. The main bad thing is the shutter delay, and secondary is the need to buy batteries and the small compact flash memory. Just take care of it well and it will also serve you well. Just don't go comparing it to an SLR - like don't expect manual focus.
I'm just compiling some experimental shots. Will surely post it when there are more than ten... Here's another review, with similar findings at Catalysoft.
December 2003. Canon Powershot A70 second best-selling camera at Yahoo! Shopping. There must be a reason why. It is bested only by another Canon, the S400 which is pretty high-end. Best value for money, in my opinion.
14 November 2005: After two years of good use, the CCD of my Canon Powershot A70 died. All pictures became blurred. As advised by the Canon Service Center in Pasong Tamo, Makati, this is a factory defect. There was probably a recall but I never go the mail because I purchased this in Hong Kong. Luckily, Canon was gracious enough to lend me an A520 temporarily. The replacement parts will arrive a month from now. Good enough, considering that I am in the US and can still shoot pictures. Too bad I can't have it fixed here, I don't know why. They say only Asian service centers can do it. Oh well, better than no camera at all. My only problem now is how to send it back for replacement.
20 November 2006: After one year, my original camera got lost. Canon Philippines botched its job and tried to give me a replacement with the serial numbers filed off and passed it off as the same camera. Screw them. They had to find a replacement A70 (already phased out). I got a "new, old stock" unit, and was given the same warranty for the CCD issue. The only problem is I have to ship it to them if it breaks.