Canon PowerShot A470

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Pros
Quality images for a rock-bottom price
Fast shutter speed
Cons
No image stabilization
Too thick to put in your pocket

Canon PowerShot A470 Review

by Donald Malouf

This bargain-priced, no-frills camera offers very good image quality.

My three-year-old son thinks he's Ansel Adams, so we need a camera that works for him as well as for me. The Canon PowerShot A470 fits the bill.

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The 7.1-megapixel A470 is very inexpensive ($130), so I don't have to worry about the damage a toddler might do to it. And I don't have to trade image quality for price; in our lab tests, it performed as well as several far more expensive cameras.

Still, there are some trade-offs to this bargain model. Its battery life was only fair in our lab tests, and it lacks image stabilization, which means you'll need a steady hand or a tripod to prevent photos from looking blurry.

The A470's optical zoom tops out at 3.4X, but even working with that limited range I managed to capture some great playground shots during my testing. The camera also lacks any manual focus settings, though you do get 14 shooting modes--plenty to keep a casual photographer entertained.

The 2.5-inch LCD screen on the PowerShot A470 satisfied me and my son; both of us could clearly see the images we captured. Unfortunately, there's no viewfinder, so you have to rely on the LCD screen, which tends to get washed out in outdoor light. And unlike other cameras in the same price range, this Canon is too big to fit into an adult's jeans pocket (to say nothing of a preschooler's).

On a more positive note, the A470's shutter speed is excellent--we never missed a shot while waiting for the camera to respond after clicking the button.

All in all, the A470 is a good no-frills camera at a rock-bottom price, with an easy learning curve. If a three-year-old can take good pictures with the Canon PowerShot A470, you can, too.

User Reviews for Canon PowerShot A470

Reviewed by:

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: 7.1 Megapixels, 3.4x optical zoom, great picture quality, feature rich, inexpensive, uses AA batteries (in terms of availability and cost effectiveness)

Weaknesses: no image stability, uses AA batteries (in terms of battery life), no internal memory of its own

Overall Evaluation: This camera overall is an excellent performer. It is also inexpensive especially coming from a trusted brand like canon. The image quality is jaw-dropping comparing to other similar priced cameras. This camera is a great bang for the buck for people who are in a budget.
Reviewed by: notiparts

Duration of ownership:

Strengths: Low-cost, Brand-Name, Above-Average Picture Quality for the $, Great Ergonomics, AA Battery Power

Weaknesses: Not Enough Shooting Modes, Largish, No In-Camera Charging

Overall Evaluation: It's my first digital camera, so I didn't want to spend too much and/or get too much camera. I was initially attracted to the Canon name in addition to wanting a 2008 model, since the industry updates models 1-2 times/year. I did some online research before making a decision and this model got pretty good reviews for a entry-level. It's on the chunky side (due to it's AA battery power), but with anything smaller I had trouble manipulating the controls, and besides, the controls were very intuitive for me on this one. At 129.99 MSRP some things had to left out, but it could use a few more shooting modes and some type of image stabilization, ect. Even though this is considered a basic camera there is still much to learn as a beginner, but I do think I made a good choice since it's a breeze to learn on and it's confidence building picture quality helps too.

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