Canon PowerShot A520 Review

March 2005 | By Simon Joinson

Review based on a production Canon PowerShot A520

Announced just before PMA in February 2005, the PowerShot A520 is the replacement for the PowerShot A85, and continues the line of best-selling budget models that goes right back to early 2001 with the A10 and A20. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary; a reduction in size and weight (it's 13% smaller and 20% lighter), the inclusion of a new four times optical zoom lens (the A85 had a three times), zoom-linked flash, a shift from CompactFlash to SD card for storage and a drop to two AA batteries from four.

4.0 megapixel CCD
4x (35-140mm equiv.) zoom lens
Manual, semi automatic and fully automatic exposure
20 exposure modes
New 'hold' function
Zoom flash
9-point AiAF focus
Optional underwater housing, external flashgun and add-on lenses
AA battery power

Canon PowerShot A520 vs A85 (main differences)

	Canon PowerShot A520	Canon PowerShot A85
Sensor	• 1/2.5-inch CCD • 4.0 million effective pixels	• 1/2.7-inch CCD • 4.0 million effective pixels
Lens	35-140mm equiv. F2.6-F5.5	35-105mm equiv. F2.8-F4.8
Storage	SD/MMC card	CompactFlash Type I
Dimensions	91 x 64 x 38 mm (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in)	101 x 64 x 32 mm (4 x 2.5 x 1.3 in)
Weight (inc batteries)	230 g (8.1 oz)	300g (10.6 oz)
Continuous Shooting	1.9 fps	1.5 fps
Maximum Movie Size/Frame Rate	640 x 480, 30 secs, 320 x 240, 15 fps, max 3 mins	640 x 480, 10 fps, max 30 sec
LCD screen	• 1.8-inch • 115,000 pixels	• 1.8-inch • 118,000 pixels
Power Source	2 x AA batteries	4 x AA batteries

Canon PowerShot A520 Key specifications

Street price	• US: $270 • UK: £175
Body Material	Metal and plastic
Sensor	• 1/2.5" Type CCD • 4.0 million effective pixelxels
Image sizes	• 2272 x 1704 • 1600 x 1200 • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480
Movie clips	• 640 x 480, max 30 sec • 320 x 240, max 3 mins • 160 x 120, max 3 mins • With audio
Lens	• 4x optical zoom • 35 - 140 mm equiv. • F2.6 - F5.5
Focus	• TTL autofocus • AF illuminator • 9-point AiAF or - point AF (center) • Manual focus • 5cm macro mode (Wide), 30cm (Tele)
Shooting mode	• Auto • Program AE • Shutter priority AE • Aperture priority AE • Manual exposure • Portrait • Landscape • Night Scene • Fast Shutter • Slow Shutter • Stitch Assist • Movie • Foliage • Snow • Beach • Fireworks • Underwater • Indoor • Kids & Pets • Night Snapshot • AE compensation -2.0EV to +2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps
Shutter speeds	• 15 - 1/2000 sec • Noise reduction for shutter speeds slower than 1.3 sec
Apertures	• F2.6 / F3.2 / F3.5 / F4.0 / F4.5 / F5.0 / F5.6 / F6.3 / F7.1 / F8.0 (wide) • F5.5 / F6.3 / F7.1 / F8.0 (wide)
Sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 50, 100, 200, 400
White Balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Tungsten • Fluorescent • Fluorescent H • Custom
Image parameters	• Picture adjust (Vivid, Neutral) • Sharpness (2 levels) • Color effects (Sepia, Black and White)
Continuous	• Single • Continuous (1.9 fps, max 8 images) * * Large/Fine with LCD off
Flash	• Built-in • Modes: Auto, On, Off • Slow Sync: On/Off • Red-Eye reduction: On/Off • Range (wide): 0.45 - 3.5 m (Auto ISO) • Range (tele): 0.45 - 2.2 m (Auto ISO) • Zoom-linked
Storage	• SD / MMC card • 16MB SD supplied*
Viewfinder	• Real Image Optical
LCD monitor	• 1.8" TFT, 115,000 pixels
Connectivity	• USB 1.1 • A/V out • DC-IN
Power	• 2 x AA batteries • NiMH recommended (alkaline supplied) • (Optional AC adapter)
In the box*	• Canon PowerShot A520 • Wrist strap • 2x AA Alkaline batteries • AV cable • USB cable • 16MB SD card • Software CD ROM (Canon Digital Camera Solutions & ArcSoft Camera Suite)
Other features	• Spot, Center-weighted & Evaluative metering • Sound memo (up to 60 sec) • PictBridge, Exif Print and DPOF compatible • Playback Histogram • Built-in speaker and microphone • Orientation sensor • Autofocus Illuminator • Optional 0.7x Wide (WC-D52),1.75x Tele (TC-DC52A) & close up (250D) converters • Optional 52mm filter adapter • Optional waterproof case (WP-DC50) • Optional High Power Flash (slave)
Weight (excl batt)	180 g (6.3 oz)
Dimensions	91 x 64 x 38 mm (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) Excluding protrusions

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area

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