Canon Powershot A80 Digital Camera

Product Report for the Canon Powershot A80 Digital Camera

Rating:

Price*: Used and new from $88.00

Introduction: The Canon Powershot a80 Digital Camera has a nice four megapixel resolution and is a great choice for both experienced and beginner digital photographers. It has point and shoot functionality plus an easy to use mode dial so that you can choose from 12 shooting modes including auto, portrait, movie, and 2 custom settings.

This canon model also has a 3x optical zoom which gets you close to your subjects. When you combine this 3x zoom with the a80's digital zoom facility, it gives you almost 11x zoom functionality. Comes with a vari-angle lcd screen so that it can be twisted and rotated to different angles. Very helpful in getting the photo you want regardless of the angle.

Product Features

4.0 Megapixel CCD
3x optical zoom (11x combined zoom)
12 shooting modes plus 2 custom settings
DIGIC processor with iSAPS technology
9-point AiAF
Vari-angle LCD
Complete accessory range
PictBridge and Canon Direct Print compatible

Main Specifications:

Product Description: Canon PowerShot A80 - digital camera
Product Type: Digital camera
Dimensions (WxDxH): 10.3 cm x 3.5 cm x 6.5 cm
Weight: 0.3 kg
Flash Memory: 32 MB
Sensor Resolution: 4.0 Megapixel
Shooting Modes: Frame movie mode
Lens Aperture: F/2.8-4.9
Focus Adjustment: Automatic, manual
Min Focus Range: 45 cm
Focal Length: 7.8 mm - 23.4 mm
Optical Zoom: 3 x
Digital Zoom: 3.6 x
Camera Flash: Built-in flash
Red Eye Reduction: Built-in
Microphone: Microphone - built-in - mono
Viewfinder: Optical - real-image zoom
Display: LCD display - TFT active matrix - 1.5" - colour
Supported Battery: 4 x AA alkaline battery ( included )

Technical Details:

Type of Camera: Compact digital still camera with built-in flash and 3x Optical / 3.6x Digital /11x Combined Zoom
Image Capture Device Type: 1/1.8 inch Charge-Coupled Device (CCD)
Effective Pixels: Approx. 4.0 million
Lens Focal Length: 7.8- 23.4mm, f/2.8- 4.9 zoom Lens (35mm film equivalent: 38- 114mm)
Digital Zoom: 3.6x
Focusing Range: Normal AF: 1.5 ft. - infinity/45cm - infinity; Macro AF: 2 in. - 1.5 ft./5cm - 45cm (WIDE), 9.8 in. - 1.5 ft./25cm - 45cm (TELE)
Autofocus: 9-point AiAF/ 1-point AF (Fixed to center)
Optical Viewfinder: Real-image optical zoom viewfinder
LCD Monitor: 1.5 inches amorphous sillicon TFT color LCD With variable-angle function
LCD Pixels: Approx. 67,000 pixels [521 (H) x 218 (V)]
LCD Coverage: 100 percent
Maximum Aperture: f/2.8/ 8.0 (W), f/4.9/ 8.0 (T)
Shutter Speed: 15 - 1/2,000 seconds, Slow shutter of 1.3 sec. and more operates with noise reduction
Exposure Control Sensitivity: AUTO/ ISO 50/ 100/ 200/ 400 (Equivalent to ISO)
Light Metering Method: Evaluative/ Center-weighted average/ Spot
Exposure Control Method: Program AE/Aperture or Shutter-priority AE/Manual
White Balance Control: Auto, Pre-set (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent or Fluorescent H) or Custom
Built-in Flash: Operation Modes: Auto, Red-eye Reduction On/ Off, Slow-Sync
Flash Range: WIDE: 1.5 ft. - 14 ft. (45cm - 4.4m), TELE: 1.5 ft.- 8.2 ft. (45cm - 2.5m), Macro: 9.8 in. - 1.5 ft./25cm - 45cm, (When sensitivity is set to ISO 100 equivalent)
Recycling Time: Approx. 10 seconds or shorter
Shooting Modes: Auto, Creative (P, Av, Tv, M, Custom 1, Custom 2), Programmed Image Control Zone, Image (Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Stitch Assist, Movie)
Self-Timer: Operates with approx. 2 sec. or approx 10 sec. count-down
Wireless Control: Not Available
Continuous Shooting: Approx. 2.4 shots/ sec. (Large/ Fine Mode and LCD monitor is Off)
Photo Effects: Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Sepia and Black and White
Storage Media: CompactFlash (CF) Card Type I
Print Order Format: Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) Version 1.1
Image Recording Format: Still Image: JPEG (Exif 2.2 compliant)
JPEG Compression Mode: SuperFine, Fine or Normal
Number of Recording Pixels: Still image: Large: 2,272 x 1,704, Medium 1: 1,600 x 1,200, Medium 2: 1,024 x 768, Small: 640 x 480, Movie: 320 x 240 or 160 x 120
Number of Recordable Images (Quality, File Size(KB), Resolution(pixels), 32MB Card, 64MB Card, 256 MB Card): Large / SuperFine - 2,002, 2,272 x 1,704, 14, 30, 123; Large / Fine - 1,116, 2,272 x 1,704, 27, 54, 222; Large / Normal - 556, 2,272 x 1,704,54, 110, 443; Medium 1/ SuperFine - 1,002, 1,600 x 1,200, 30, 61, 246; Medium 1/ Fine - 558, 1,600 x 1,200, 54, 109, 440; Medium 1/ Normal - 278, 1,600 x 1,200, 108, 217, 868; Medium 2/ SuperFine - 570, 1,024 x 768, 53, 107, 431; Medium 2/ Fine - 320, 1,024 x 768, 94, 189, 762; Medium 2/ Normal - 170, 1,024 x 768, 174, 349, 1,390; Small / SuperFine - 249, 640 x 480, 120, 241, 962; Small / Fine - 150, 640 x 480, 196, 393, 1,563; Small / Normal - 84, 640 x 480, 337, 676, 2,720
Time of Recordable Movie(Quality, Resolution(pixels), 32MB Card, 64MB Card, 128MB Card, 250MB Card): Movie / High - 320 x 240, 91 seconds, 183 seconds, 386 seconds, 735 seconds; Movie / Low - 160 x 120, 242 seconds, 486 seconds, 973 seconds, 1,954 seconds
Playback Modes File: Single, Index (9 thumbnail images), Magnification (approx. 2.0x to 10x), Slide Show or Movie
Erase Modes: Still images: Single Image, All Images; Movie: Part of movie, All of movie
Computer Interface: Universal Serial Bus (USB) (mini-B jack)
Video Out: NTSC or PAL
Audio Out: Monaural
Power Source: AA-size Batteries (Alkaline, Rechargeable NiMH)(x4); Compact Power Adapter (CA-PS500) -- NOTE: adapter not included
Power Supply Shooting Capacity(Battery Type, Number of Shots LCD on, Number of Shots LCD off): AA ALKALINE - Approx. 250, Approx. 800; AA NIMH - Approx. 350, Approx. 1000
Playback Time: Approx. 280 minutes (under Canon's standard conditions*2 with full-charged battery)
Operating Temperature: 32 - 104 degrees F (0 - 40 degrees C)
Operating Humidity: 10 - 90 percent
Dimensions (W x H x D): 4.1 x 2.5 x 1.4 inches / 103.1 x 64.4 x 34.7 mm (Excluding protrusions)
Weight: Approx. 8.8 ounces / 250 g (camera body only)
Windows System Requirements: Computer Model: IBM PC/AT compatible, OS: Microsoft Windows 98 (including Second Edition)/ Me/ 2000/ XP, CPU: Pentium 150MHz or higher processor (Windows 98/ Me/ 2000), Pentium 300MHz or higher processor (Windows XP), Interface: USB (Windows 98/ Me/ 2000/ XP pre-install model only).
Macintosh System Requirements: Computer Model: Power Macintosh, PowerBook, iMac, eMac or iBook, OS: OS 9.0 - 9.2 or OSX 10.1 - 10.2, CPU: PowerPC, Interface: USB (Models with Apple genuine USB interface only).

Return Policy: The Powershot a80 is warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the date of original purchase.

Overview:

I would say the most impressive feature of the A80 is it's tilt screen and the flexibility it provides. Two examples of this feature's usefulness is when I took photos above crowds of people and when taking a time-delay shot that has me in the photo. You can set the a80 up with the LCD facing forward so you can compose a better shot if you want to be in it. The canon A80 is bigger, heavier and bulkier than the neat little ixus models but I think the extra functionality is worth it. It might be a little too bulky for the pocket, but for me personally, the size and feel of the camera along with the controls was just right.

Customer Comments:

I have taken countless pictures of 6 grandchildren for over 3 years without a single problem! 6 yr old granddaughter loves to run around taking lots of pictures with it and have to say this is NOT a fragile camera. Want to find another to give to an 8 year old for Christmas. LOVE this camera... especially like the vari-angle LCD monitor. It really helps to keep the monitor from being damaged. Carol Blacklidge

This camera takes terrific shots and is easy to operate. The memory cards are affordable and the feature set is robust enough even for advanced photographers. The swivel screen is a nice addition and I have used it more than I thought I would. The only thing I would change would be to increase the display size to that of the competition (this kept me from giving it 5 stars). B. Hair

Website: Canon Powershot A80 Digital Camera

*Electronic products do have occasional price fluctuations so the above price may have changed slightly since this product report was created.

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