Content:
- Ergonomics and design
- Completeness
- Screen
- Camera control
- Menu organization
- Matrix and lens
- Heart of the camera
- Food
- Photo quality
- Output
Ergonomics and design
Externally, the digital camera Canon PowerShot A480, due to the well-thought-out arrangement of buttons, looks simple, easy to use and ergonomic. The design is quite unusual in comparison with most "soap dishes", which look like "bricks" with smooth edges. In comparison, the Canon PowerShot A480 can be described as slightly "pot-bellied".
The camera body measures 92.1x62.0x31.1mm, asymmetrical, wider on the right than on the left. Protruding 5mm. the lens smooths out this disproportion. The body is rounded at the corners, so you won't find any sharp edges. The body is made of plastic. This camera model is available in several colors: red, silver, black and blue.
On the left side and on top of the PowerShot A480 camera there are plastic elements slightly different in color from the main body material. This additional element goes a little deeper into the body and this makes the camera unusual in comparison with similar models. The body material is pleasant to the touch, but in light colors (silver, blue) the slightest stains will be noticeable. the plastic is very easily soiled.
The weight of the camera is not small, for a camera of this level, and is 140 grams excluding the weight of the batteries. Holding it in hand, the mass of the device is quite palpable. It is convenient to hold the digicam, even if there are no elements in the design designed to ensure a secure grip. Like all cameras similar in size to the Canon PowerShot A480, you will have to hold two or three fingers. It is very convenient to operate the camera with one hand, all adjustment items are located on the right, closer to the edge of the body. Also on the right are the AV and miniUSB interfaces covered with a plastic cover. On the left is the lonely speaker.
There is also a tripod socket located at the bottom, as well as a compartment for the battery and memory card.
Completeness
In the box with a Canon PowerShot A480 digital camera, the user will find: a pair of batteries, a cable for connecting to a personal computer and an AV cable, a user's manual, a strap, software on a CD, as well as a 32 MB memory card.
Screen
On the back of the digital camera there is a 2.5-inch screen with a resolution of 115 thousand pixels. The resolution is certainly not high, but this is reflected in the price. The display is still very bright and contrasting with not small viewing angles. So, for the performance of the tasks assigned to it, it is quite suitable.
Camera control
The top of the Canon PowerShot A480 is occupied by a couple of buttons. A small, not protruding from the body, a power button and a rather large shutter key. Despite the short travel, pressing the shutter is very comfortable. Pressing a little - we focus the image, pressing to the limit - we shoot a frame.
The main camera controls are located on the rear panel. There are no differences from the standard control buttons for this level of devices. Buttons for calling up the menu and selecting shooting modes, a button for displaying captured frames, a four-way button with an OK button in the middle, a button for zooming. All keys are conveniently located and do not cause any complaints even after prolonged use.
Menu organization
On the whole, the camera's menu is logical and of high quality, the fonts do not strain the eyes, and no delays were noticed in the work. The menu, logically divided into segments, makes it possible to adjust all the nuances of the camera. There are several preset settings (landscape, indoor, animals and children, shooting at night).A separate word must be said about the localization of the menu, no shortcomings or incomprehensible abbreviations were noticed in the translation.
Matrix and lens
Canon PowerShot A480 digital lens has the following characteristics:
- focal length 37 - 122 mm.
- aperture f / 3 - f / 5.8
The size of the camera matrix is 1 / 2.3 inches with a maximum resolution of 10 megapixels. The lens itself consists of seven elements, which are combined into six groups. ISO sensitivity is pretty decent for a camera of this level: from 80 units to 1600. There is also a video recording function, while the maximum possible resolution is 640x480 pixels, and the maximum number of frames in this shooting mode is thirty. Video compression is performed using the Motion JPEG method, which means that each frame is compressed into JPEG format and combined into one AVI file, as, in general, in most cameras.
Heart of the camera
The "heart" of the camera is the DIGIC III processor, which performs the tasks of image processing with sufficient quality, as well as processes images quite quickly for a camera of this level, which also affects the shooting time. When testing the camera, it took about 0.4 seconds to create one shot, but when shooting with a flash, this process took up to 1.2 seconds. Accordingly, about two seconds elapsed between shooting a couple of frames with flash. It is also not bad, it turned out to be an indicator of the camera's ready time when turned on, the first picture can be taken about 3 seconds after pressing the power button.
Thanks to the use of a good processor in the Canon PowerShot A480, it became possible to implement popular face and motion detection functions. It should be noted that the recognition function can detect up to nine faces in the frame and adjust the camera settings for the best picture quality. Of course, there is no optical image stabilization in the camera, so image stability is achieved by automatically increasing the ISO value. Sometimes this negatively affects the quality of the image itself, especially in low light.
In general, the Canon PowerShot A480 camera is equipped with a wide range of shooting options. Among them are the elimination of red eyes, photographic effects, the choice of the metering mode. In addition, the camera also supports PictBridge technology for direct printing of images.
Food
The camera runs on simple batteries, which is still a plus for the camera; a camera intended for use on vacation should run on batteries that can be bought anywhere and not think about the battery charge.
The manufacturer in the specification indicates that a set of batteries should be enough for 200 shots. When tested using 2000 mAh batteries, the camera took 200 shots on a single charge, and there was not even a signal about low batteries. Perhaps, by indicating the number of 200 shots, the manufacturer was simply unnecessarily reinsured.
Photo quality
At low ISO values (80-100), the quality of the photos is very good, but when the ISO values are raised, noise is quite noticeable. In low light conditions, you can increase the sensitivity value up to 400 units. A further increase in this indicator does not make sense, due to a significant deterioration in the image quality. I was very pleased with the color rendition, the pictures are bright and contrasting.
Output
Comparing the Canon PowerShot A480 digital camera with its predecessors in this price range, it can be noted that the device has retained ease of use and, at the same time, we can also note the quality of the images. A lot has been said about the most unusual design and appearance of the device. This unit has made a significant step forward in relation to its predecessors.
Camera Canon PowerShot A480 can be recommended for beginners, as well as those who like simplicity and convenience as a device for everyday use.
