Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #86565 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Canon
• Model: A510
• Released on: 2005-02-09
• Dimensions: .44 pounds

Manufacturer's Description
Best of both worlds
Even though it contains a host of advanced technologies, the PowerShot A510 has been designed so first time users can switch on and start shooting for immediate, great results - straight out of the box. Yet for those that intuitively push technology boundaries, this 3.2 Megapixel camera comes packed with exciting manual features.

Go further
A powerful 4x optical zoom gets you right in close to the action, while an incredible 20 versatile shooting modes, including 8 special scene modes, are on board for you to experiment with. The special scene modes are stored shooting presets ideal in tricky shooting conditions when you don't want to use the manual controls. There is even an 'Underwater' mode for use with the exciting optional waterproof case.

Movie mode
Take up to 3 minute movie clips, complete with sound recording and playback on the large 1.8" LCD monitor. For high definition playback on TV, the camera even records 30 second VGA clips.

Advanced technologies
Every function on the PowerShot A510 works with you to get great photos. Canon Visionary Technology combines in the form of a superb quality lens, precision sensor and super fast processor to ensure accurate colours and high clarity images. To speed up focusing and optimise exposures, the camera analyses the scene and makes setting adjustments even before the shutter release is pressed. The 9-point AiAF helps ensure pictures are always perfectly focused, even with off-centre subjects.

Print and share
A Print/Share button makes direct printing to any Canon Direct Print or PictBridge compatible printer a breeze, and simplifies uploads to any Windows PC. When connected to a Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printer, the PowerShot A510 allows you to print a sequence of movie clip frames, and to produce your very own ID photos.

Software
With Canon's ZoomBrowser EX (for Windows) and ImageBrowser (for Macintosh) you can arrange photo albums, crop photographs and adjust contrast and brightness with ease. Online sharing is simple with 100 MB free storage on CANON iMAGE GATEWAY.

Accessories
The range of optional accessories includes a 40m depth waterproof case, large capacity rechargeable batteries and a High-Power Flash to extend night shooting range. Wide and tele converters broaden the focal range of your camera to give your images a whole new perspective.

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Worth moving up from the A60
I had a very similar Canon, the A60 and the 510 takes the same theme a little further. From 4 AA batteries to 2, from 3x zoom to 4, from 2MP to 3.2, plus some extra features. One of them, the magnified central section to make manual focus easier, may be useful but I'd have preferred a more powerful illumination lamp for the autofocus. Another new feature is the ability to set the camera to take a number of pics, up to 10, at intervals of up to 10 seconds, how's that for a self timer?

I've tried a number of digital cameras and the Canon A series are excellent. Don't be fooled by the "low" megapixel count, the sensors of digital cameras are still analogue, cranking up the pixels means increasing the gain which increases "noise". Think "speckles". The only way to truly boost the power is with a physically larger sensor, in which case you're moving into SLR territory.

A good 3MP will beat a lesser 6MP camera and the Canon proves this, producing better shots than my 5MP Nikon, though at almost half the size the Nikon is easier in the pocket. Auto shots are generally great, with excellent color balance and exposure (again with the Nikon I'm forever having to manually adjust the color balance under artificial light.) Skin tones are lovely, unlike some cameras it doesn't assume poor light means "crank it up so it looks like daylight" and as ever the Canon flash unit has excellent metering and can be used close up without bleaching everything white. If you DO need to adjust the color balance it's a cinch to do, allowing you to point at a white or grey surface and set it, as well as the usual presets.

Reducing down to 2 AA batteries and switching to a smaller type of card overcomes the main problem with the A60, sheer bulk. Lighter and slimmer it will find its way into a snug pocket much more often, which means more pics! It's real strength is usability, everything is quickly available. Switching ISO speed, exposure compensation, turning the flash or redeye on or off, all such things, including full manual control, simple.

Now add a large screen (not swivelling but as I've never swivelled I don't miss it) and swift/smooth zooming in and panning of pics, use anywhere batteries and an above average zoom and it's a serious pocket camera that's pleasant to use. If it had a hotshoe for an external flash I'd be in heaven.. oh and plenty of accessories available. There are smaller cameras but you lose all control, competent but never creative. If going larger you may as well get the G5/6 or a mini-SLR (the Nikon 8800 is recommended). As a fully controllable compact with clean natural pics the only models that come close are the other Canon A series. My only word of caution is that my old Canon died after 14 months, perhaps worth forking out a few quid for an extended warranty. I don't have space for all the good bits such as fast start/shutdown, let it suffice to say I've owned or used 11 digital cameras, this is my favorite. Does it beat my EOS10 35mm SLR with a full range of lenses? No but it's less than a tenth of the price and weighs less than my flashgun. Does it come with a small card and eat batteries? Of course! Should you buy one? Yes, unless you hanker for an ultra-compact but it's not much bigger than a cigarette packet.

excellent choice
This camera is a really good choice if you are looking for a simple to use camera, but is more than just a "point and shoot", with plenty of features and different modes to take pictures. this really helps because having only one setting can get annoying when taking photos in tricky situations!
i looked into it and many of the reviews all say that this camera is a great choice.
Remember to get rechargable AA Nimh batteries for it as well as a SD memory card.
Overall, it's a great choice and i have had no probs with it so far. For the average person, this camera is probably the best bet!

Nice Quality Camera (without being complicated)
I bought this for my wife who is none too technical about this sort of thing. She loves it's simplicity - point and click. She'll soon start using the preprogrammed settings and that will do it for her. She loves it's small size and the fact that it takes simple AA batteries you can buy anywhere (she runs them to flat - then looks for a shop). Batteries can be replaced in 5 seconds. Tough little, high quality camera and so we don't feel we need a case. Connects to the PC without even using any of the included software - that's how simple it is.