With a full 6 megapixels of imaging power and a high-quality 4X optical zoom lens, the super-intuitive PowerShot A540 is ready to produce impressive results right from the start. This camera is packed with value from its high-end specs to its high-performance capabilities, yet easy enough for beginners to use. Features: Compact 6 Megapixel digital camera with high-quality Canon 4X Optical Zoom lens High-performance features include a large 2.5 LCD screen, 9-point AiAF and 21 Shooting Modes New ISO 800 reduces image blur and expands low-light shooting ability DIGIC II Image Processor and iSAPS Technology for superior image quality, faster operation and lower power consumption 16:9 Widescreen for full-screen viewing on widescreen TVs and computer monitors Record high-quality movies with sound up to 60 fps QVGA (320 x 240) Print/Share Button for easy direct printing and downloading, plus ID Photo Print and Movie Print with Canon CP and SELPHY Compact Photo Printers Canon includes: PowerShot A540 Body AA-size Alkaline Battery (x2) MultiMediaCard MMC-16M Wrist Strap WS-800 Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU AV Cable AVC-DC300

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #472 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 1118B007AA
• Released on: 2006-03-07
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 3.54" h x 1.69" w x 2.52" l, 2.87 pounds

Features

• PowerShot A540 offers a wide range of shooting modes and manual functions for exploring your creative side 2.5" LCD, viewing your images is as much fun as shooting them 6.0 MP and 4x optical zoom 20 shooting modes and My Colors High-speed ISO ...

Editorial Reviews

Manufacturer's Description
A 6.0 Megapixel CCD allows for superb quality photo prints with sharp definition. It provides more than enough detail for printing cropped images. A bright 4x optical zoom lens gives you the flexibility to shoot up close without sacrificing quality. It combines with the digital zoom for an impressive 16x magnification. Canon's DIGIC II image processor links all camera functions and processes images at high speed for excellent responsiveness and extended battery life. iSAPS technology uses scene information to optimise camera settings before the shot is taken. 9-point AiAF keeps your images sharply focused - even with off-centre subjects. A choice of 20 shooting modes includes Manual mode for full creative control. 10 Special Scene modes assist with tricky lighting conditions, including Snow, Underwater, and Beach. Further enhance your images with My Colors in-camera colour management tools. Shoot extra long¹ 30fps VGA quality movies with full audio, or record QVGA movies at 60fps and analyse in sharp slow motion. A high-speed ISO 800 setting 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. Shoot still images in Widescreen 16:9 mode for seamless playback on widescreen TV or printing on wide size paper to a SELPHY CP printer - perfect for displaying panoramas in all their glory. The large, 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. Connect to any PictBridge or Canon Direct Print compatible photo printer and push the Print/Share button for instant photolab quality prints.

Box Contents

• Canon Powershot A540
• Wrist strap
• 16mb memory card
• 2 x AA alkaline batteries
• AV Cable
• Interface cable
• User manual kit

Customer Reviews

Love my camera
Have been using now since Oct 07, the a540 takes great pictures and is easy to use.
The very first thing you will discover is the long recharge time after using the flash.
The second thing is that high capacity rechargable batteries are a must (but thats true for all digital cameras).
The large LCD has brought some admiring comments from friends and the camera is small enough to fit in my pocket.
On the downside
- I use a card reader to download images as the cover for the usb port looks a bit flimsy.
- The selector button for play/picture dropped off whilst the camera was in my pocket. Didn't loose it thankfully but gave me a scare.

All in all a nice little camera that all in the family love.

Finally switching over to digital...
A fortnight ago I finally took the plunge and bought a digital camera. I have been using a couple of old Canon SLRs up until now, and after shopping around on the net and poking round camera shops annoying the staff I decided on a Canon Powershot a540.

So far, it has been brilliant. The controls will be familliar to anyone who has used a Canon film SLR, with a few added digital modes, and the pictures are good- very little lens blurring and bright colours (you can have a look at examples on www.flickr.com/photos/mrleigh).

The a540 seems to go through a lot of batteries, and a charger is an essential purchase with this camera. Also the camera's screen resolution is a little grainy it is more than adequate to give you a good idea of what you just shot, and let's face it- this camera is pretty cheap. There is also a useful optical viewfinder for taking pictures in low light so you have an idea of what you're looking at instead of just a black screen.

The automatic modes seem to shy away from more extreme aperture and ISO settings, preferring to use slower shutter speeds, but if you are comfortable changing the settings yourself then the results are great. The camera also has a macro mode which will focus down to about 4cm, although you have to focus in manually.

This may not be the best camera for someone who wants to snap away without having to bother with settings etc... It is great, though, if you're not a first-timer and want to have a little more control over your camera.

Slightly technical, and good value for money. 4/5 stars

Great on everything
I bought this after (destroying) my previous camera. It is amazing and has perfect picture quality. The pictures are of a very high resolution. The software is some of the best on the market. It automatically scans for new photos every time you connect the camera to your PC. The zoom is bigger than average and is very useful, the extra zoom counts when you are a distance from something. It is not the simplest to use but in auto mode no expertise is needed. You can do many things with it and exposure, aperature, etc are all adjustable in Manuel Mode. The screen being bigger the most is very useful. Overall an amzing camera