Canon PowerShot A710 IS, Digital Camera with Image Stabiliser (7.1MP, 6x optical zoom)
From Canon

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• Amazon Sales Rank: #12608 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 1286B008AA
• Released on: 2006-09-10

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Editorial Reviews

Manufacturer's Description
The compact PowerShot A710 IS features a 6x zoom so you can get closer to the action. Optical Image Stabilization ensures steady shots in low light, while showing off images is a joy on the 2.5" LCD.;Features;;7.1 Megapixels;The 7.1 Megapixel sensor produces sharp high quality photos, enabling large prints and detailed crops.;;6x optical zoom;The PowerShot A710 IS packs a powerful image stabilized 6x optical zoom lens into a remarkably compact space. A real-image optical viewfinder helps with quick composition and framing accuracy.;;Optical Image Stabilizer;Optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology counteracts camera shake at slower shutter speeds and full zoom. It also allows for flash-free shooting indoors and in low light.;;DIGIC II and iSAPS;Canon's DIGIC II image processor ensures fast, responsive camera performance and superior image processing. iSAPS technology uses scene information to optimize camera settings before the shot is taken.;;Flexible focusing;Rely on 9-point AiAF to keep even off-centre subjects sharply in focus, or use FlexiZone AF/AE to manually select a focus point.;;Shooting modes and My Colors;A choice of 20 shooting modes include a full creative zone for manual control and 10 Special Scene modes for tricky lighting conditions, including Snow, Beach and Underwater. My Colors allows dramatic colour effects to be applied to images and movies.;;Large 2.5" LCD screen;The bright 2.5" LCD features a wide viewing angle for easy group viewing. Night Display mode aids visibility in low light while a selectable Grid Line display helps with composition. A useful 3:2 ratio overlay indicates the printable area for standard photo prints.;;Safety Zoom and Digital Tele-Converter;Safety Zoom offers extra zoom magnification without affecting image quality. Use the Digital Tele-Converter feature for extra reach on every shot - just like adding a tele-converter lens to the camera.;;Great indoor and night shots;High-speed ISO 800 allows you to shoot correctly exposed images in low light conditions without using a flash. ISO 800 also enables shooting at higher shutter speeds, reducing the risk of image blur.;;High quality movies;Shoot extra long 30fps VGA quality movies with full audio, or record QVGA movies at 60fps and analyze in sharp slow motion.

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Customer Reviews

A great replacement for my old SLR
A bit of context...
Had a Canon Ixus 400 for the past few years with which was/is a great compact camera although always missed the manual control. Prior to that, had a film SLR with the 28-70, 70-210, flashgun and various bit'n'pieces. It took good pics but was a pain to lug around so ended up not bothering...
So my ideal camera would have the capabilities of the SLR with the compactness of a modern digital. The A710IS is such a beast. Looked at the Sony and Panasonic's with the 12x zoom but decided that they were still just that bit too bulky. Although not as slim as the new Ixus's, the 710 is definitely pocketable if you have reasonable pockets.
Spent the last 5 weeks overseas and taken about 700+ pics. Have been really pleased with the results. The image stabiliser works really well - you can get shots you would not otherwise be able to get e.g. without flash indoors or hand-holding at full zoom. It's fast to start up and use, the only exception being that the flash seems a little slow to re-charge after use. The Canon use interface is intuitive and easy to use. There are various point and shoot modes, semi auto or you can go to fully manual. I had thought that the max exposure time of 16 secs might be a problem (for night shots) but haven't found so in practice.
The supplied batteries last a matter of minutes so you'll need to add a recharger and 4 NiMeH batteries to your list (takes 2 at a time) - from about £14 although I spent £25 on a very compact and fast charger - worth the extra IMHO.
So, very happy with the camera and the pictures it takes.

Great camera
I believe that this is an outstanding camera for the money. I bought it for my daughter who is studying A-Level photography. Based on the first 100 shots or so, this camera produces images that are comparable in quality to my EOS 300D.
The format of this camera is standard-compact rather than super-compact; unlike many pocket sized cameras, this camera doesn't try to make a fashion statement. It's bag sized rather than pocket sized. The Canon A SureShot series look like cameras rather than gadgets, go for Canon IXUS if a pocket format is needed. The LCD screen is large and bright and the menu system is refined and intuitive. Image noise level is low even at ISO 800 and the image stabilisation works well - we were able to shoot outside in dark, gloomy conditions and achieve some sharp images. The 6X optical zoom is an excellent refinement and increases the flexibility of this camera over 3X zoom peer group. Battery life seems a little on the light side with approx. 80 images although some flash and lots of image-reviews - keeping these reviews to a minimum, I guess it would to be possible to take 150+ photos on a single charge, thus spares are essential. Use of standard AA batteries a great benefit and two batteries rather than four reduces weight significantly.
The SureShot has the usual "creative zone" programs as well as Automatic, Programmed, Manual, Shutter and Aperature priority modes.
In summary - a what you would expect from Canon - a refined, easy to use and quality camera; ideal for those seeking creative options rather than just a point and shoot solution.

V good but...
The bottomline is that the Canon powershot A710 IS takes quality pictures.
This camera is large enough to handle well with the battery compartment acting as a grip. It takes 2 AA batteries which is good insurance against running out of power - Alkaline ones are supplied.
What stands out is the 6x zoom lens, equivalent to 35-210mm in such a small camera. Fully Auto, Program, Aperture, shutter, manual & a host of other modes can be utilised. The controls are easy to access & zooming is fast with the contol being a ring under the shutter button. The optical finder is adequate, showing about 80%.
What stops me awarding 5 stars is the mediocre 2.5" LCD display. It's not that the pixel count is not high enough but the brightness varies too much with the angle of view.
The results are sharp with little sign of purple fringing. ISO settings range from Auto, 80 up to 800 with well controlled noise at 800. The user interface is well designed & allows exposure compensation to be easily adjusted for example. I would prefer to see the shutter speed selected by the lighting conditions in Aperture priority mode before the shutter button is half pressed but..
This model will take a closeup, Wideangle & telephoto lens accessories. There's no RAW but just jpg with various levels of compression. The flash's output can either be manual or auto with compensation available.
Despite only having the camera for 4 days, I'm pleased with my 1st Canon in 20 years. The Image Stabilisation seems transparent in use - a nice camera.
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