Thumbs Up:

Good manual and semimanual controls, photo quality is great, flexible lens is housed in a compact body.

Thumbs Down:

Shooting performance is slow, design is awkward, LCD is unimpressive.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS is 4.2 inches wide, 1.3 inches deep, 2.3 inches high and weighs 7.8 oz. Resolution is 14.1 megapixels. Light sensitivity options include ISO auto, ISO 1600, ISO 800, ISO 400, ISO 200, ISO 100, and ISO 80. The camera has 4x digital zoom, shooting programs include Night snapshot, Stitch assist, Portrait mode, Kids & pets, Low light, Landscape, Fireworks, Foliage, Indoor, Beach, Snow. Special Effects include Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Positive Film, Custom Effect, Black & White, Color Accent, Vivid Green, Vivid Blue, Color Swap, Vivid Red, Miniature, Neutral, Fisheye, Vivid, Sepia. Maximum Shutter Speed is 1/3200 sec, minimum shutter speed is 15 seconds.

Exposure Modes include Aperture-Priority, Shutter-Priority, Automatic, Program, and Manual. White Balance Presets options include Fluorescent light (cool white), Fluorescent light (daylight), Tungsten light, Daylight, Cloudy. Video Capture resolution options are H.264 – 1280 x 720, H.264 – 320 x 240, H.264 – 640 x 480. Image Storage options include JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 1600 x 1200, JPEG 2592 x 1944, JPEG 3456 x 2592, JPEG 4320 x 2432, JPEG 4320 x 3240.

Flash Modes include Red-eye reduction, Flash OFF mode, Slow synchro, Fill-in mode, Auto mode. The camera has Zoom lens – 5 mm – 70 mm – F/3.1-5.9 with focal length is 5 mm – 70 mm. Minimum Focus Range is 2 inches, optical zoom is 14x, lens aperture is F/3.1-5.9, Macro focus range is 5-50cm. Additional Features include I-Contrast (Intelligent Contrast Correction) system, Smile Detection Auto Shutter, Camera orientation detection, Motion Detection Technology, Scene Detection Technology, Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB, Blink Detection technology, Face Detection Self-timer, RGB primary color filter, Digital noise reduction, 720p HD movie recording, Digital tele-converter, Digital image rotation, USB 2.0 compatibility, In-camera red-eye fix, Smart Flash Exposure, PictBridge support, Exif Print support, Resizing an image, Histogram display, Cropping an image, Built-in speaker, Wink Self-timer, AF/AE tracking, Direct print, DPOF support, Safety zoom, AF lock, AE lock.

The display of the camera is three inches big. Connector Types are HDMI, Composite video/audio output, and USB. Bundled software includes Canon ZoomBrowser EX, Drivers & Utilities, Canon ImageBrowser, Canon PhotoStitch.

Razzle Dazzle:

Color options for the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS are gold, purple and black and the device looks like a bit Digital Elph. This would have fit easily in a tight pocket had it not been for the 14x zoom lens on the front. But carrying this camera in a coat pocket or handbag will be quite easy. We will recommend you to get a protective case for this camera since the body is prone to scratches.

Inside Dope:

The new ‘in’ thing for camera manufacturers these days seem to be putting a long zoom in a compact body. Canon PowerShot SX210 IS has a 14 megapixel resolution lens and it the quite compact with 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens. This is the successor to the SX200 IS which we got in 2009, both the zoom range and resolution are upped the body is trimmed down so that it fits in the pocket easily. Controls are improved, as compared to its predecessor but there are a few quirks in the design which frustrated us on some occasions. The shooting speed is disappointing too. We will recommend you this camera if you don’t care much about the design or shooting speeds.

Just like its predecessor, this camera too pops up the flash everytime you turn the camera on but this time, you can push it down if not needed. It is quite awkward to hold the camera if the flash is up because there is no place to put your fingers. The screen is bright enough but the resolution could have been better. The screen size is three inches but you get to use all the real estate only in the wide screen resolution. For all other resolutions, you get just two and half inches on the screen.

Controls of the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS are a mixed bag. Larger hands will find it cramped. On the top, there is the shutter release, zoom control nubbin, and a small power button which is quite flush with the body and it difficult to tell by feel. Your thumb will rest on the shooting mode dial when you grip the device. You might change the modes through your thumb accidentally.

There is a record button beneath the dial for shooting movies but you can program it for other tasks like white balance settings or ISO changing. The playback button is also located close to the record button. Underneath these two, there is the Control dial/directional pad. Touching the dial gives you access to focus settings, self timer, exposure and flash. Our only problem was that it popped up with the slightest of touch and disturbed us while shooting. Navigation is fast because of the dial and we found changing the shutter speed and aperture very easy. The movement is free but you will feel the stops when you rotate it.

In the dial’s center, there is the standard Func. Under this dial, there is the Display button which lets you change the playback and shooting options which show up on the screen. The Menu button takes care of basic settings of operation. Mini HDMI and Mini USB ports on the camera’s right lets you connect the device to a HDTV, monitor or computer. The memory card and battery compartment are located on the bottom.

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS’s shooting options range from simple point and shoot options to the full manual controls. As compared to most megazooms, the options for manual shooting are much better. You get full manual and semimanual control over the aperture and shutter speed and also for manual focus. Apertures include f8, f7.1, f6.3, f5.9, f5.6, f5, f4.5, f4, f3.5, and f3.1. You get only 3 of these when the lens is extended fully. You get options for setting contrast, sharpness, color saturation and strength of flash too can be adjusted. Output of flash is adjusted through flash exposure lock and it keeps the flash away from subject blow out.

If you are a newbie and get easily intimidated by advanced controls, there is the Canon Smart Auto which automatically determines the settings after detecting the shooting environment. The Easy mode too works in a similar way but the settings are heavily limited. You get 5 popular scene selections on the mode dial: Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, Landscape and Portrait. There is also a SCN choice to access the scene settings which are not often used like Fireworks, Snow, Foliage, Beach, Indoor and Low Light.

Nitty Gritty:

We will recommend you this device if you are looking for compact camera along with good quality and manual controls.

Good picture quality as per its price; easy-to-use design; good looking

Thumbs Down:

Basic feature set as per its cost.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

The Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS is a 12.1-megapixel camera. It has 12,70,000 pixels CCD optical sensor. It features DIGIC IV image processor, frame movie shooting mode, Optical image stabilizer, and face detection. The minimum shutter speed is 15sec and maximum is 1/1500sec. The memory card reader slot accepts SD Memory Card and MultiMedia Card for external storage.

The light sensitivity levels are ISO Auto, ISO 1600, ISO 800, ISO 400, ISO 200, ISO 100, and ISO 80. The shooting programs are Portrait mode, Slow shutter, Kids & Pets, Underwater, Night mode, Snapshot, Low light, Fireworks, Foliage, Indoor, Beach, and Snow.

The exposure compensation is ±2 EV range in 1/3 EV steps. The white balance options are Automatic, Custom, and Presets. Its presets are Fluorescent light (cool white), Fluorescent light (daylight), Tungsten light, daylight, and Cloudy.

The PowerShot SD1300 IS supports JPEG still image format and video formats of AVI and MJPEG. The still image storage resolution options are Normal, Fine JPEG 4000×3000, JPEG 3264×2448, JPEG 2592×1944, JPEG 1600×1200, JPEG 640×480, and JPEG 4000×2248. The video capture resolutions are AVI 640×480, and AVI 320×240.

The inbuilt 2.7 inches LCD screen has display format of 230,000 pixels. The PowerShot SD1300 IS has inbuilt mono microphone and lens shield. The built-in flash features 1-13 ft flash range and AF illuminator. The flash modes are Red-eye reduction, Flash OFF mode, Slow synchro, Fill-in mode, and Auto mode.

The UA lens is aspherical in nature and features 4x optical zoom. It has 5-20mm focal length with F/2.8-5.9 aperture. The SD1300 IS has TTL contrast detection auto-focus. Its minimum focus range is 1.2 inches and macro is 3-50cm. The zoom adjustment is motorized drive and focus adjustment is automatic.

The digital camera has self timer delay function of 2 and 10 seconds. The additional features are AF/AE Lock, Direct Print, DPOF Support, Safety zoom, Resizing an image, Inbuilt speaker, Histogram Display, Smart Flash Exposure, Exif Print Support, YouTube capture mode, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility, In-camera red-eye fix, Digital tele-converter, Face Detection Self timer, Digital Image rotation, RGB primary color filter, Scene Detection Technology, Display brightness control, Face Detection Self-timer, Smile Detection Technology, Face Detection AF/FE/AE/WB, Motion Detection Technology, Intelligent Contrast Correction (i-Contrast) system, and Camera orientation detection.

The connector set includes 1×composite audio/video output, and 1×USB. The software provided inside the disc are Canon ZoomBrowser EX, Canon ImageBrowser, and Canon PhotoStitch. The supported operating systems are Windows XP SP2/Vista/7 and Apple Mac OS X 10.4 – 10.6.

The maximum operating temperature is 104°F and minimum is 32°F. Accessories supplied inside the package are USB cable, one A/V, cable, power charger, battery, drivers & software disc, and user manual.

Razzle Dazzle:

The Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS comes in blue, brown, pink, green, and silver colors. It is 2.2 inches tall, 3.6 inches wide and 0.8 inch deep and weighs 4.9 ounces.

Inside Dope:

$199.99 priced the Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS is a basic digital camera. It continues to have the traditional design of its predecessors – Digital Elph series, but lacks optical viewfinder. Its main key selling point is its availability in numerous color choices. The SD1300 IS is a perfect mid-range camera with 28mm equivalent wide-angle lens, especially for those who do not care about advanced shooting options, HD quality and just want to remain in Auto mode. However, its picture quality and the shooting performance does not are not better than its competitors from Sony and Panasonic. On the bright side, it has a larger LCD display of 2.7 inches. The SD1300 IS has Canon-standard controls.

The back switch lets you moving between shooting modes. You will find the four-way directional pad with center Function button on the switch’s right side. The Play button sits above the pad, while Display and Menu buttons are located beneath it. You can use the display button to change the information on LCD screen. The power button and shutter release with zoom ring are located on the top. All these buttons are flat inside the surface and need a firm press.

The Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS has straightforward and simple menu navigation. The Function Set button displays context-sensitive shooting panel, whereas Menu button shows operational and general shooting controls. We are disappointed that you can only see common scene selections at first and then have to press Disp button to view secondary scene options. We do not like that there is in-camera settings and shooting assistance. The mini-USB/AV pot is located beneath a flip-down door on the right side. The memory card and battery are located behind a slide-open door on the bottom.

The Canon only provides basic shooting options for the PowerShot SD1300 IS, which are only good as per its cost. The shooting mode switch has three options: camera mode, standard-def Movie mode, and Auto mode. The camera mode lets you to access a Program Auto Mode that allows settings such as ISO levels and white-balance. At here, you can also access the scene options like Long Shutter, Fireworks, Snow, Foliage, Underwater, Beach, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, and Portrait. The Face Self Timer option allows capturing a shot on detecting a fresh face in front of camera. The Low Light Mode captures 2-megapixel picture from ISO 400 to 6400.

The shooting performance is average for the Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS. The time from power on to first shot is 1.4 seconds. The average shot to shot time is 2.7 seconds and 4.9sec with flash. The shutter lag is 0.7 second in dim lighting and 0.5 second in bright light. The continuous shooting speed is 0.6fps.

In contrast, the time from power on to first shot is 1.7sec for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8, 1sec for the Nikon Coolpix S640 and 1.9sec for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W350. The average shot-to-shot time with flash is 2.4sec for the Panasonic, 2.7sec for the Nikon, and 3.9sec for the Sony model. In dim lighting, the shutter lag is 0.6sec for Panasonic, 0.8sec for Nikon and 0.7sec for the Sony model.

The picture quality for the Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS remains only good for its cheap price tag and small size. The subjects look soft due to noise reduction above ISO 200. The SD1300 IS needs enough light for good quality even in outdoor shots. The pictures exhibit more noise and softer details in dim light, especially in indoor shots. The color consistency remains good up to ISO 800. The yellow blotching and color shifting appears above ISO 800. The details become much softer at higher ISO levels.

The minimal barrel distortion is visible at the widest lens position, but there is no pincushion distortion even at fully extended lens. The sharpness remains excellent in the center and retains its consistency from edge to edge. You can notice more amount of purple fringe in the high-contrast areas than other cameras in its class.

The video quality is better than a standard-def compact camcorder and remains good for Web usage only. As expected, you cannot use the optical zoom for video capturing.

The SD1300 IS has Canon NB-6L standard lithium ion rechargeable battery that has a life of 240 shots. However, the battery cannot be charged inside the camera. It is annoying that you have to plug it out for charging and then install it again.

Nitty Gritty:

The Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS is a well-built digital camera that offers average shooting performance, fine picture quality, and basic feature as per its price tag.

If you do not care about high-definition quality, advanced shooting options and need just a basic point-and-shot camera with affordable price tag, then the SD1300 IS remains a good choice.

Excellent picture quality in its class; optical image stabilization

Thumbs Down:

Cheap feel as per its price tag; weak feature set.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS is a 12.1-megapixel digital camera that has CCD optical sensor. It features DIGIC III image processor, 4x digital zoom, frame movie shooting mode, Optical image stabilization, and face detection. The minimum shutter speed is 15 second and maximum is 1/1600 second. The memory card slot accepts SD memory card and MultiMediaCard.

The asperhical lens has 6.2-24.8mm focal length and F/2.7-5.6 aperture that features 4x optical zoom. The focal length equivalent to 35mm camera is 35-140mm. The PowerShot A3100 IS has TTL contrast detection auto-focus and nine zones. The minimum focus range is 1.2-inch and macro is 3-60cm. The zoom adjustment is motorized drive and focus adjustment is Automatic.

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS has 2.7 inches LCD display of 230,000 pixels format. It has inbuilt lens shield, and mono microphone. The built-in flash has effective range of 1-13ft. and features AF illuminator. The flash modes are Red-eye reduction, Flash OFF mode, Slow synchro, Fill-in mode, and Auto-mode.

The exposure compensation is ±2 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps. The exposure modes are: Automatic and Program; while the exposure metering are Center-weighted, Evaluative, and Spot. The White-balance options are Automatic, Custom, and Presets. Its presets include Tungsten light, Fluorescent, Daylight, and Cloudy.

The shooting programs are Snow, Beach, Indoor, Foliage, Fireworks, Landscape, Low light, Kids & pets, Super vivid, Slow shutter, Portrait mode, Poster effect, and Night snapshot. The special effect includes Sepia, Vivid, Neutral, Black & White, and Custom Effect.

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS has self time delay function of 2 and 10 seconds. The additional highlights are AE lock, DPOF support, Direct print, Exif Print support, Built-in speaker, Cropping an image, Resizing an image, Histogram display, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility, Digital image rotation, RGB primary color filter, Scene Detection Technology, Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB, Face Detection Self-timer, Camera orientation detection, Motion Detection Technology, and I-Contrast system

The A3100 IS supports MJPEG and AVI video formats; while supported image format is JPEG. The video capture resolution options are AVI – 640×480, and AVI – 320×240. The image storage resolution options are Large 307, Fine JPEG 4000×3000, JPEG 3264×2448, JPEG 2592×1944, JPEG 1600×1200, JPEG 640×480, and JPEG 4000×2248.

The connector set includes 1×USB, and 1×Composite video/audio output. The software inside the disc are Canon ZoomBrowser EX, drivers & utilities, Canon PhotoStitch, and Canon ImageBrowser. The supported operating systems are Microsoft XP SP2/Vista/7 and Apple Mac OS X 10.4-10.6.

The maximum operating temperature is 104°F and minimum is 32°F. Accessories supplied inside the package are A/V cable, USB cable, drivers & software disc, wrist strap, user manual, power charger, and battery.

Razzle Dazzle:

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS is 3.8 inches wide, 2.3 inches tall and 1.1 inches deep. It weighs 5.5 ounces with media and battery. Its body is made up of plastic and available in three colors: red, blue, and silver. The digital camera fits easily in small handbag or pants pocket. On the dark side, the A3100 IS feels cheap while holding in hands due to plastic body.

Inside Dope:

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS continues to have traditional “easy and fun” photography picture like its AA-sized siblings. $179 priced the A3100 IS has 12-megapixel sensor. It provides higher resolution and better picture quality than its $30 less priced A3000 IS sibling. The higher resolution is always better if you want to crop and print the images. The PowerShot A3100 IS looks better than its price tag. It has wider aperture lens and bigger display as compared to other digital cameras in its price range. In addition, the addition of optical image stabilization is also its key selling point.

2.7 inches LCD display of the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS is bright enough to retain the visibility even in direct sunlight. The A3100 IS has basic controls including mode dial, shutter release button, and power button on the top. All these buttons are well-spaced, but flush inside the surface. The Mode dial is a bit stuff that makes it a bit difficult to move. The controls and their marking on the back are similar to that of a Digital Elph camera. You will find the Face Select buttons for face detection; playback button, four-way toggle with middle select switch, Display key and Menu button are located beneath the zoom rocker at the back. You can use the Face Select button to focus on a person even in crowd or a group. The Menu button will display the screen with two tabs of settings, whereas the Select button shows mode-specific shooting options. The PowerShot A3100 IS has well-designed and easy controls that are enough for entry-level and casual users.

The mini-USB/AV port is located behind a small door at the right side below the shooting Mode dial. The batteries cannot be charged inside the camera and there is no locking mechanism to close the battery compartment securely. Therefore, you may have to take care that battery cover does not snap off while shooting.

The Mode dial has these shooting modes: Program (P) that gives the most controls on results; Auto that analyzes and detects the scene automatically; and Movie mode that captures the 640×480 pixels video at 30fps (frames per second). The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS has five scene choices a: Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night, Landscape, and Portrait with a SCN option to select less used choices such as Fireworks, Long Shutter, and Beach. The Low Light mode captures 2-megapixel shots from ISO 500 to 3200. The additional highlights are Poster Effect and Super Vivid modes.

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS has average shooting performance. The time from power on to first shot is 1.8 seconds, which is better than 2 seconds for Nikon CoolPix S570 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15. The average shot-to-shot time is 2.3 seconds and 3.9 seconds with flash. On the other hand, it is 3.3 seconds for Lumix DMC-FS15 and 3.8 seconds for the CoolPix S570 without flash. For the PowerShot A3100IS, the shutter lag is 0.7 second in dim lighting and 0.5 second in bright light. Its continuous shooting speed is 0.8fps (frames per second). In contrast, the Lumix DMC-FS15 shoots continuously at 1.8fps and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W330 shoots at 1.1fps.

The picture quality for the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS is excellent as per its price tag only. The quality is the best below ISO 400 and remains good even at ISO 400. In contrast, the other digital cameras provide less quality at this level. As compared to the A3000 IS, the PowerShot A3100 IS shows less noise even viewing the pictures at full size. As already mentioned, you will get the freedom to crop the images and print at large size. The pictures at high ISO levels look noisier and soft due to noise suppression; but still they are good for Web use and small prints

The sharpness remains good for lens from edge to edge, but a bit barrel distortion at the widest position. However, there is no pin-cushioning even at fully extended lens. The purple fringe is visible at high-contrast areas while viewing at 100 percent, but it is not at image destroying levels unlike other cameras. The colors are not accurate always; still they look great with vibrant and bright subjects. The exposure is good, though highlights tend to blow out. It is important to mention here that color and exposure for the PowerShot A3100 IS are good as per its price.

The video quality is satisfactory for Web use and on par as compared to standard-definition camcorders. As expected, you cannot use the optical zoom while video recording.

The standard lithium ion battery has a life of 240 shots, but it cannot be charged inside the camera.

Nitty Gritty:

The Canon PowerShot A3100 IS is an excellent entry-level point-and-shot camera for its price. It worth its price tag by including optical image stabilization, maintained shooting performance, and good quality.

If you need a basic digital camera for casual usage, then the PowerShot A3100 IS is a good choice.

Good Auto Mode; excellent picture quality as per cost.

Thumbs Down:

Low resolution display; slow shooting performance; very short battery life.

The Whiz Kid Speaks:

Canon PowerShot A490 is 10-megapixel point-and-shot camera that runs on AA batteries. Light sensitivity levels are ISO 80, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600 and ISO auto. The A490 features frame movie shooting mode, 4x digital zoom, and DIGIC III processor.

The PowerShot A490 has inbuilt 2.5 LCD display, mono microphone, lens shield and flash. Video capture resolutions are AVI 640 x 480 and AVI 320 x 240. Image storage resolutions are Large 367, Fine JPEG 3648 x 2736, JPEG 2816 x 2112, JPEG 2272 x 1704, JPEG 1600 x 1200, JPEG 640 x 480, and JPEG 3648 x 2048.

Shooting programs are Snow, Beach, Indoor, Foliage, Fireworks, Landscape, Low light, Kids & pets, Slow shutter, Portrait mode, and Night snapshot. The special effects include Sepia, Vivid, Neutral, Black & White, and Custom Effect. White-balance presets are Cloudy, Daylight, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light (daylight), and Fluorescent light (cool white).

There are two connectors: 1 x USB and 1 x Composite video/audio output. Maximum operating temperature is 104°F and minimum is 32°F.

Razzle Dazzle:

Canon PowerShot A490 is 3.7 inches wide, 2.4 inches tall, and 1.2 inches thick and weighs 6.7 ounces. It looks stylish with rounded corners. All the buttons are clearly marked in white over black background.

Inside Dope:

You may know that Canon has launched two digital cameras – A495 and A490 after splitting the previous A480 model into different categories. Canon PowerShot A490 costs $109.99 and offers 5-point Face AiAF auto-focus system and 13 scene settings for Smart Auto Mode. However, it runs on two AA batteries and delivers the same quality like its sibling – the A495. The PowerShot A495 has two newly added shooting modes, Face Self Timer and uses 18 settings for Auto mode. On the contrary, the PowerShot A490 does not have these features. Noteworthy that both A490 and A495 are not fast and has long shutter lags. However, the budget-conscious users will be attracted towards the PowerShot A490.

Like the A495, Canon has put the straightforward controls on its PowerShot A490. Power button and shutter release button along with other controls are located at right side of LCD display on the back. You will find Menu button, four-way directional pad with middle select button, shooting mode switch, playback button and zoom rocker on the top.

Narrow lens of Canon PowerShot A490 has 3.3x optical zoom. Low resolution LCD looks washed out in direct sunlight. The shooting options of the A490 and the A495 are similar. Program mode allows adjusting color effects, metering, white balance, and focus. Smart Auto mode disables all the settings and picks the appropriate setting based on available 13 scene types. It also allows selecting one out of 11 scene modes. Low Light mode captures 2 megapixels shot at ISO 500-3200. Like the A495, the PowerShot A490 is the best one for macro shots and close-up focus down to 0.4 inch. Movie mode allows recording VGA mode without optical zoom. The video quality is only good for small size print and online sharing.

The time from power-on to first shot is 2 seconds. Shot-to-shot time is 2.9sec and 7.1 sec with flash. The shutter lag is 0.6sec in bright light and 1sec in dim lighting. Continuous shooting speed is 0.6fps.

Canon PowerShot A490 delivers good photo quality as per its price tag. The photo quality is the best below ISO 200. The photos remain good up to ISO 800 with well balanced noise and its suppression. Noise is only visible on seeing the pictures are full screen.

There is little barrel distortion at widest position and no pin-cushioning even at fully extended lens. The PowerShot A490 delivers good central sharpness, but with little softness at extreme corners. Little purple fringing is noticeable in high-end contrast areas. The A490 reproduces good colors except light shade for some blues. The exposure remains good, but shows clipped highlights.

Canon PowerShot A490 runs on AA batteries and has short life of 150 shots.

Nitty Gritty:

Canon PowerShot A490 delivers good picture quality as per its low cost. If you have a limited budget then you can go for this A490.

If you are looking for better image quality, faster shooting performance, and rechargeable battery, then you can go for $40 more priced Canon PowerShot 3000 IS.