Canon PowerShot A700 Review

Announced just before PMA in February, the A700 is the new flagship of the ever-growing 'A' series of affordable feature-laden PowerShot models. As well as sporting a 6x (35-210mm equiv) optical zoom and 2.5-inch screen the A700 is the first of many cameras launched this year to use the latest 1/2.5" 6MP CCD, and the first to feature an ISO 800 mode. Before we get started on the review let's have a look at the headline features:
- 6.0 megapixel sensor
- 35-210mm (equiv.) F2.8-4.8 6x zoom lens
- DIGIC II image processor and iSAPS technology
- Accurate focusing with FlexiZone AF/AE
- ISO 800 shooting
- Widescreen (16:9) stills recording
- 30fps VGA movie recording
- 1cm macro mode
- Full photographic control
- 2.5" LCD with Night Display and Grid Line Display
- Optional tele, wide and close up convertors
Canon PowerShot A700 Key specifications
Street price |
US: $316
UK: £280 |
Body Material |
Plastic and metal
|
Sensor |
• 1/2.5" Type CCD
• 6.0 million effective pixels |
Image processor |
DIGIC II with iSAPS technology |
Image sizes |
• 2816 x 2112
• 2816 x 1584
• 2272 x 1704
• 1600 x 1200
• 640 x480
|
Movie clips |
• 640 x 480, 15 or 30 fps, up to 1GB
• 320 x 240, 15 or 30 fps, up to 1GB
320 x 240, 60 fps, up to 1 min
• 160 x 120, 15 fps, up to 3 min
• Motion JPEG AVI (with WAVE audio)
|
Lens |
• 6x optical zoom
• 35 - 210mm equiv.
• F2.8 - F4.8 |
Focus |
TTL autofocus
AF illuminator
9-point AiAF or 1 point AF (any position or fixed center)
1cm macro mode |
Metering |
Evaluative
Center-weighted average
Spot (center or linked to focusing frame) |
Shooting mode |
• Auto
• Program AE
• Shutter priority AE
• Aperture priority AE
• Manual
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Night Scene
• Stitch Assist
• Movie
• Foliage
• Snow
• Beach
• Fireworks
• Indoor
• Kids & Pets
• Night Snapshot
• Color accent
Color swap
|
Shutter speeds |
15 - 1/2000 sec
Slow shutter speeds of 1.3 sec in Manual and Shutter Priority AE modes
|
Apertures |
F2.8 - 4.8 |
Exposure compensation |
+/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments |
Sensitivity |
Auto
High ISO Auto
ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 |
White Balance |
Auto
TTL
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Fluorescent H
• Custom |
Image parameters |
My Colors mode (Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B&W, Lighter/Darker skin tone, Positive film, Custom color) |
Continuous |
Continuous (2 fps) until card is full |
Flash |
• Built-in
• Modes: Auto, On, Off
• Slow Sync
• Red-Eye reduction
• Range (wide): 0.55- 3.5 m
• Range (tele): 0.55 - 2.5 m
• 2nd-curtain synch |
Storage |
SD / MMC compatible
16MB supplied |
Viewfinder |
Real-image zoom |
LCD monitor |
2.5" Low temperature P-Si TFT, 115,000 pixels |
Connectivity |
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
A/V out |
Power |
2 x AA batteries
NiMH recommended (alkaline supplied)
Optional AC adapter |
In the box* |
Canon PowerShot A700
2 x AA Alkaline batteries
16MB card
Wrist strap
AV cable
Interface cable
CD-ROM
|
Other features |
Up to 60 sec sound per image
Histogram
2 or 10 sec self timer
Optional Tele-converter 1.75x lens (TC-DC58N)
Optional Wide-converter 0.7x lens (WC-DC58N)
Optional Close-Up Lens 250D (58mm
Optional High Power Flash (HF-DC1)
|
Weight (inc batts) |
200 g approx |
Dimensions |
94.5 x 66.5 x 43.4 mm |
* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area
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Apr 11, 2006
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Feb 21, 2006
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Apr 6, 2009
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Mar 27, 2009
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