I purchased Canon A620 after searching and some intensive research on digital cameras. The most difficult part was to decide on the category of camera. I am not a professional photographer and do not intend to be one. So big SLR type cameras are out of question. The main reason is the price and the size. The P & S ended up in a P & S ( Point & Shoot) camera. Not exactly – A 620 is positioned between the actual P & S and Prosumer type.
Functionally I decided it would be better to buy one which I could carry any-were easily without being too conspicuous in a crowed which is having full manual functionality. Like any other equipment, it is very easy to outgrow the one we buy. Cameras are no different. Manual mode provides a lot to learn and be creative – a good hobby to cool off after a hectic business day.
Presently the digital cameras could be divided into 4 categories
(1) Fully automatic ultra slim compacts
(2) Compacts with manual mode and at least 3-5 X Zoom
(3) Prosumer models with huge zoom 10x – 12x
(4) DSLR with 18mm-55mm lens – You have to buy additional lens for tele-photo
Again these could be divide further into those that are best in day / normal light and night / low light. This is because some has got only ISO 400 maximum sensitivity and others go up to ISO 1600 (P & S category) or even ISO 3200 (DSLR category).
Higher ISO (sensitivity) results in better pictures at night. Usually cameras having lower sensitivity like max ISO 400 have greater noise even at ISO 200. But those that are having Higher ISO produce better pictures at the same sensitivity.
Further these could be categorized on those having Image Stabilization and those without. Canon A620 is their latest camera in the middle range having 7.1 Mega Pixels. The camera produces images with 17 inch to 12 inch at 180 dpi (the size could be reduced in the camera which is great help if you are short of space). Off course- the recommended max print size is only 13 X 10 inch. So far I have tried 8 X 10 Inch prints and they look excellent. From their looks I think I can print bigger images if I want. Now that is a relief. I can print a full size image and paste on the front page of the album.
Using a camera like this one is like taming a horse. But it is wonderful to know that you could get very good images even at full auto mode. My 12 year son has taken quite a few pictures of his friends in auto mode – that too looking at the LCD and shooting with one hand – a great feature LCD could be twisted in more ways than your body. I have seen photographers doing all sorts of Chinese circus play while taking photos. The twist LCD allows us to remain our self.
The 4x Zoom is not big but enough for most occasions in small circle and marginally better than 3x on most products in the same category. But if you plan to take photographs of objects / scenery half a kilometer away then you may want 12x Zoom.
Of course Nikon L1 has 5x and Panasonics has 6x zoom. BUT these are practically useless particularly at low light without image stabilization. (Panasonic offers stabilization), but most of reporters cry about noise even at Low sensitivity. Fuji has launched F11 with higher sensitivity and semi-manual mode operation. But it is not available here. This camera is reported to be better in low light but lacks in day lighting performance. I would have tried this one also before purchasing canon if it was available.
Sony – One could find a lot of negative reports on Sony camera practically littered all over the Internet. Considering the pathetic service conditions here I decide not to touch Sony. I was actually considering P200. And the images seem to be poorer than A620. with only 3x zoom.
Every camera has some advantages & disadvantages. The real competitor for this piece of jewel to my mind is Fuji F11 with ISO 1600 as far as night photography is concerned. Our country is a land of festivals and you could take great photographs at night. At present there no other way than buying two cameras one for day / indoor with full manual modes (if you want it so) and the other for outdoor night photography. Some day canon or others will introduce an all-purpose camera. I couldn’t wait till. My right hand was itching so hard to buy one and am I glad I bought canon A 620.
As for other accessories like adaptable macro lens or telephoto lens – they are very costly almost Rs 3500 each. Hence I do not thing it is worth buying. This also requires one to buy a lens adaptor. I dared not ask the price of this.
Night photos are good if you place the camera somewhere (or on a tripod). It will require you to reduce the speed of the shutter or otherwise increase the sensitivity to 200 and above which introduce noise. One can try using an external flash. I am told a sensor flash is available to around Rs 500/-. I haven’t tried it yet.
Overall the picture quality is excellent – a little soft like all canons to my knowledge. This could be corrected in the software provided or in Photoshop program.
The most dreaded drawbacks like Red-Eye, Chromatic aberration, Purple fringing common to digital cameras are very less on this one. Out of more than 500 images I had red-eye only in less than 5 images. These could be corrected in the software provide.
The problem of purple fringing (purple color appears on the edged when photos are taken in day light) is absent. This is a relief, as it requires special software to correct. It wont be apparent on 6 X 4 prints. But ugly on 8 X 10 or above prints.
Simply put chromatic aberration are patches of colors. These are also nil.
The camera wont fit your shirt pocket but trousers will be adequate. The 32MB memory card is not much. It will have only 9 images at full size and resolution. I purchased IGB card. The best part are the batteries. They are rechargeable Ni-MH AA size batteries. One can take almost 500 photos on single charge. If you go out on a tour and the battery finishes you can buy cheaper alkaline batteries also. This is big relief. The proprietary lithium batteries are costly and mostly difficult to get.
The camera is one that could be cherished, And if I were Mukesh Ambani I would dare to give it as a gift to my friends.