Canon PowerShot A
Encyclopedia
The Canon PowerShot
A is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The A-series is Canon's budget line of cameras, although its feature set has varied as cameras have ranged from low-end point-and-shoot cameras to high-end prosumer
cameras capable of rivaling Canon's flagship G-series
.
Many models from the A450 to the A720 can run the CHDK firmware add-on adding features such as recording raw image files
and remotely triggering the camera shutter using a USB cable.
Canon PowerShot
The PowerShot products are a line of consumer and prosumer grade digital cameras, launched by Canon in 1996. The PowerShot line has been successful for Canon, and is one of the best-selling digital camera lines worldwide....
A is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The A-series is Canon's budget line of cameras, although its feature set has varied as cameras have ranged from low-end point-and-shoot cameras to high-end prosumer
Prosumer
Prosumer is a portmanteau formed by contracting either the word professional or less often, producer with the word consumer. For example, a prosumer grade digital camera is a "cross" between consumer grade and professional grade...
cameras capable of rivaling Canon's flagship G-series
Canon PowerShot G
The Canon PowerShot G is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The G series cameras are Canon's flagship 'compact' models aimed at prosumer photography enthusiasts desiring more flexibility than a point-and-shoot without the bulk of a digital single-lens reflex camera.The G series offers...
.
Models
The series began with the A5 series, which was a very basic point-and-shoot camera line. The Axx series that followed offered full manual control (on most models) in a fairly bulky body. The A100/200/3xx/4xx series cameras are stripped-down with very little manual controls. The Axx series has branched off into the A5xx (replaced by the A1xxx series), A6xx, and A7xx series (the latter replaced by the A2xxx series).| Model | Release date |
Sensor Image sensor An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices... resolution, size Image sensor format In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera... , type |
Lens (35 mm equiv) zoom, aperture Aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,... |
Image processor | LCD screen size, pixels |
Memory | Size W×H×D (mm) |
Weight (body, g) |
Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A5 series | ||||||||||
| A5 | April 1998 | 1 MP 1024 × 768 1/3" CCD Charge-coupled device A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time... |
35 mm | 2" fixed | CF | 105 × 68 × 33 | 240 | |||
| A5 zoom | October 1998 | 28–70 mm (2.5×) f/2.6–4.0 |
103 × 68 × 37 | 260 | Zoom capability | |||||
| A50 | April 1999 | 1 MP 1280 × 960 1/2.7" CCD |
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| Axx series | ||||||||||
| A10 | May 2001 | 1.3 MP 1/2.7" |
35–105 mm (3×) | 1.5" fixed | CF | 110.3 × 71.0 × 37.6 | 250 | All-new body design | ||
| A20 | 2.0 MP 1/2.7" |
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| A30 | March 2002 | 1.3 MP 1/2.7" |
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| A40 | 2.0 MP 1/2.7" |
 |
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| A60 | March 2003 | 101.0 × 64.0 × 31.5 | 215 | Smaller and lighter. The Canon PowerShot A60 and A70 cameras were the first digital camera models in their class to feature aperture and shutter priority, and full manual modes. | ||||||
| A70 | 3.2 MP 1/2.7" |
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| A80 | October 2003 | 4.0 MP 1/1.8" |
38–114 mm (3×) | 1.5" vari-angle | 103.1 × 64.4 × 34.7 | 250 | Added vari-angle LCD | |||
| A75 | March 2004 | 3.2 MP 1/2.7" |
35–105 mm (3×) | 1.8" fixed | 101.0 × 64.0 × 31.5 | 200 | Print/Share button, redesigned grip | |||
| A85 | September 2004 | 4.0 MP 1/2.7" |
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| A95 | 5.0 MP 1/1.8" |
38–114 mm (3×) | 1.8" vari-angle | 103.1 × 64.4 × 34.7 | 250 |  |
Update of A80 | |||
| Model | Release date |
Sensor Image sensor An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices... resolution, size Image sensor format In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera... , type |
Lens (35 mm equiv) zoom, aperture Aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,... |
Image processor | LCD screen size, pixels |
Memory | Size W×H×D (mm) |
Weight (body, g) |
Photo | Notes |
| A100/200/3xx/4xx Series | ||||||||||
| A100 | April 2002 | 1.2 MP 1280 × 960 1/2.7" |
39 mm f/2.8 |
1.5" | CF | 110 × 58 × 36.6 | 175 | New low-end series with different body shape, no optical zoom, | ||
| A200 | June 2002 | 2.0 MP 1600 × 1200 1/3.2" |
1.5" | |||||||
| A300 | April 2003 | 3 2 MP 2048 × 1536 1/2.7" |
33 mm f/3.6 |
New sliding lens cover, | ||||||
| A310 | March 2004 | Print/Share button, | ||||||||
| A400 | September 2004 | 3.2 MP 1/3.2" |
45–100 mm (2.2×) | SD Secure Digital Secure Digital is a non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Card Association for use in portable devices. The SD technology is used by more than 400 brands across dozens of product categories and more than 8,000 models, and is considered the de-facto industry standard.Secure Digital... |
107.0 × 53.4 × 36.8 | 165 | Optical zoom | |||
| A410 | September 2005 | 41–131 mm (3.2×) | DIGIC II | 103 × 51.8 × 40.3 | 150 | First A4xx with DIGIC II | ||||
| A420 | February 2006 | 4.0 MP 1/3" |
39–125 mm (3.2×) | 1.8" | Mostly sold in Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... , not in the U.S. |
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| A430 | 38–152 mm (4.0×) | Mostly sold in the U.S.; first A4xx with microphone Microphone A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter... . |
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| A450 | February 2007 | 5.0 MP 2592 × 1944 1/3" CCD |
38–122 mm (3.2×) f/2.8–5.1 |
2.0" 86,000 |
SD, SDHC, MMC MultiMediaCard The MultiMediaCard is a flash memory memory card standard. Unveiled in 1997 by Siemens AG and SanDisk, it is based on Toshiba's NAND-based flash memory, and is therefore much smaller than earlier systems based on Intel NOR-based memory such as CompactFlash. MMC is about the size of a postage... |
106 × 52 × 40 | 165 | |||
| A460 | March 2007 | 38–152 mm (4.0×) f/2.8–5.8 |
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| A470 | January 2008 | 7.1 MP 3072 × 2304 1/2.5" CCD |
38–132 mm (3.4×) f/3.0–5.8 |
DIGIC III | 2.5" 115,000 |
SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 105 × 55 × 41 | 165 | ||
| A480 | March 2009 | 10.0 MP 3648 × 2736 1/2.3" CCD |
37–122 mm (3.3×) f/3.0–5.8 |
92 × 62 × 31 | 140 | |||||
| A490 | February 2010 | 10.0 MP 3648 × 2736 1/2.3" CCD |
SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 94 × 62 × 31 | 135 | |||||
| A495 | ||||||||||
| A5xx series | ||||||||||
| A510 | March 2005 | 3.2 MP 2048 × 1536 1/2.5" CCD |
35–140 mm (4×) f/2.6–5.5 |
1.8" 115,000 |
SD | 91 × 64 × 38 | 180 | New smaller, lighter body; replaced A75 | ||
| A520 | 4.0 MP 2272 × 1704 1/2.5" CCD |
New smaller, lighter body; replaced A75 | ||||||||
| A530 | February 2006 | 5.0 MP 2592 × 1944 1/2.5" CCD |
DIGIC II | 1,8" 77,000 |
90 × 64 × 43 | 170 | Began trend of lower-end A5xx dropping conversion lenses and reducing manual modes, higher-end A5xx model still had conversion lens support and full manual modes DIGIC II |
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| A540 | 6.0 MP 2816 × 2112 1/2.5" CCD |
2.5" 85,000 |
90 × 64 × 43 | 180 | Began trend of lower-end A5xx dropping conversion lenses and reducing manual modes, higher-end A5xx model still had conversion lens support and full manual modes DIGIC II |
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| A550 | March 2007 | 7.1 MP 3072 × 2304 1/2.5" CCD |
2.0" 86,000 |
SD, SDHC, MMC | 91 × 64 × 43 | 160 | Low-end model | |||
| A560 | DIGIC III | 2.5" 115,000 |
91 × 64 × 43 | 165 | Mid-range model, also lacks conversion lens support and full manual modes | |||||
| A570 IS | 90 × 64 × 43 | 175 | Optical Image Stabilization added | |||||||
| A580 | January 2008 | 8.0 MP 3264 × 2448 1/2.5" CCD |
SD,SDHC, MMC,MMC+, HC MMC+ |
94 × 65 × 41 | 175 | Low-end model, lacks conversion lens support and full manual modes | ||||
| A590 IS | Added Motion Detection Technology, Automatic Red-Eye Correction, has full manual mode. | |||||||||
| Model | Release date |
Sensor Image sensor An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices... resolution, size Image sensor format In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera... , type |
Lens (35 mm equiv) zoom, aperture Aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,... |
Image processor | LCD screen size, pixels |
Memory | Size W×H×D (mm) |
Weight (body, g) |
Photo | Notes |
| A6xx series | ||||||||||
| A610 | October 2005 | 5.0 MP 2592 × 1944 1/1.8" CCD |
35–140 mm (4×) f/2.8–4.1 |
DIGIC II | 2.0" vari-angle 115,000 |
SD, MMC | 105 × 66 × 49 | 235 | Replaced A95 | |
| A620 | 7.1 MP 3072 × 2304 1/1.8" CCD |
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| A630 | September 2006 | 8.0 MP 3264 × 2448 1/1.8" CCD |
2.5" vari-angle 115,000 |
SD, SDHC, MMC | 109 × 66 × 49 | 245 | Silver body color | |||
| A640 | 10.0 MP 3648 × 2736 1/1.8" CCD |
Black body color | ||||||||
| A650 IS | August 2007 | 12.1 MP 4000 × 3000 1/1.7" CCD |
35–210 mm (6×) f/2.8–4.8 |
DIGIC III | SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 112 × 68 × 56 | 200 | Added Image Stabilization, increased maximum CCD sensitivity to ISO 1600 and DIGIC III. | ||
| A7xx series | ||||||||||
| A700 | April 2006 | 6.0 MP 2816 × 2112 1/2.5" CCD |
35–210 mm (6×) f/2.8–4.8 |
DIGIC II | 2.5" 115,000 |
SD, MMC | 95 × 67 × 43 | 200 | Smaller, lighter body; Replaced A85 | |
| A710 IS | September 2006 | 7.1 MP 3072 × 2304 1/2.5" CCD |
SD, SDHC, MMC | 98 × 67 × 41 | 210 | Added Image Stabilization | ||||
| A720 IS | August 2007 | 8.0 MP 3264 × 2448 1/2.5" CCD |
DIGIC III | SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 97 × 67 × 42 | 200 |  |
Increased maximum CCD sensitivity to ISO 1600 and DIGIC III. | ||
| Model | Release date |
Sensor Image sensor An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices... resolution, size Image sensor format In digital photography, the image sensor format is the shape and size of the image sensor.The image sensor format of a digital camera determines the angle of view of a particular lens when used with a particular camera... , type |
Lens (35 mm equiv) zoom, aperture Aperture In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,... |
Image processor | LCD screen size, pixels |
Memory | Size W×H×D (mm) |
Weight (body, g) |
Photo | Notes |
| A1xxx Series | ||||||||||
| A1000 IS | August 2008 | 10.0 MP 3648 × 2736 1/2.3" CCD |
35–140 mm (4×) f/2.7–5.6 |
DIGIC III | 2.5" 115,000 |
SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 96 × 63 × 31 | 155 | Replaces A590 IS, new slimmer body design, no manual controls | |
| A1100 IS | March 2009 | 12.1 MP 4000 × 3000 1/2.3" CCD |
DIGIC 4 | |||||||
| A1200 | March 2011 | 12.1 MP 4000 × 3000 1/2.3" CCD |
28–112 mm (4×) f/2.8–5.9 |
2.7” 230,000 |
SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 97.5 x 62.5 x 30.7 | 185 | Limited PTP Control, no UV Filter, no manual controls, can't refocus while recording video | ||
| A2xxx Series | ||||||||||
| A2000 IS | August 2008 | 10.0 MP 3648 × 2736 1/2.3" CCD |
36–216 mm (6×) f/3.2–5.9 |
DIGIC III | 3.0" 230,000 |
SD, SDHC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 102 × 64 × 32 | 185 | Replaces A720 IS, new slimmer body design, no viewfinder or manual controls | |
| A2100 IS | April 2009 | 12.1 MP 4000 × 3000 1/2.3" CCD |
DIGIC 4 | |||||||
| A3xxx Series | ||||||||||
| A3000 IS | February 2010 | 10.0 MP 3648 × 2736 1/2.3" CCD |
35–140 mm (4×) f/2.7–5.6 |
DIGIC III | 2.7" 230,000 |
SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, MMC+, HC MMC+ | 97 × 58 × 28 | 125 | First A series model to use Lithium-ion battery | |
| A3100 IS | 12.1 MP 4000 × 3000 1/2.3" CCD |
First A series model to use Lithium-ion battery | ||||||||
| A3200 IS | 2011 | 14.1 MP 4320 × 3240 1/2.3" CCD |
28–140 mm (5×) f/2.8–5.9 |
DIGIC 4 | 95.1 × 56.7 × 24.3 | 149 | ||||
| A3300 IS | 2011 | 16.0 MP 4608 × 3456 1/2.3" CCD |
3.0" 230,400 |
95.1 × 56.7 × 23.9 | 149 | Advanced Smart AUTO feature- | ||||
Features
Software by Breezesys adds remote capture capability from a computer over the USB interface on early Canon PowerShot A models until around 2006. More recent models generally do not support remote capture.Many models from the A450 to the A720 can run the CHDK firmware add-on adding features such as recording raw image files
RAW image format
A camera raw image file contains minimally processed data from the image sensor of either a digital camera, image scanner, or motion picture film scanner. Raw files are so named because they are not yet processed and therefore are not ready to be printed or edited with a bitmap graphics editor...
and remotely triggering the camera shutter using a USB cable.
See also
- Canon PowerShotCanon PowerShotThe PowerShot products are a line of consumer and prosumer grade digital cameras, launched by Canon in 1996. The PowerShot line has been successful for Canon, and is one of the best-selling digital camera lines worldwide....
- Canon PowerShot GCanon PowerShot GThe Canon PowerShot G is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The G series cameras are Canon's flagship 'compact' models aimed at prosumer photography enthusiasts desiring more flexibility than a point-and-shoot without the bulk of a digital single-lens reflex camera.The G series offers...
- Canon PowerShot SCanon PowerShot SThe Canon PowerShot S is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The S-series was originally a line of compact point-and-shoot cameras, slowly evolving into a prosumer line of cameras slotting right beneath the G series cameras. The line later branched off into Canon's line of super-zoom...
- Canon PowerShot SD or Digital ElphCanon Digital IXUSThe Digital IXUS is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. It is a line of ultracompact cameras, originally based on the design of Canon's IXUS/IXY/ELPH line of APS cameras....