In my endless peregrinations through the thickets of digicams, I ran
across something interesting that meets several criteria endlessly
mentioned here:
- IS
- Viewfinder
- AA battery powered
- RAW capability
- Av, Tv and full manual modes
- Manual focus with magnified center portion
- Live histogram
- Live flashing highlight/shadow clipping
It also has:
- A decent 6x, 35-210 mm eq. lens.
- Relatively low noise for a small sensor camera, and with a rather nice
balance between NR and detail retention.
- Good macro
- Dedicated EV button
- Decent movie capability with IS
- All the other stuff P&Ss have these days
- Low price, excellent value
The up-down sides:
- Plastic body, although good quality
- Two AA cells
Both mean light, which I happen to like, and battery life is still
supposed to be very good.
The down sides:
- Not Oly
- RAW, flashing clipping warning and some other useful features are not
native, but via add-on hacker developed firmware.
- No dedicated iso button, although the shooting menu makes adjustment
quick and easy.
- Not tiny, but still pretty pocketable.
So what is this paragon? Canon A710 IS.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona710is/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/a710_pg5.html
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_a710-review/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/A710/A710A.HTM
And what's that about RAW, Liveview histogram, etc? Some hacker(s) have
worked out details of operation of the Digic II processor and made
features built in to the chip, but not activated in some camera models,
available in many cameras using this processor.
The implementation is different than the 300D hack firmware, which had
to be installed in place of the existing firmware. This stuff is added
on temporarily and disappears when the camera is turned off. It can also
be made so it auto loads from the SD card whenever the camera is turned on.
http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK/HDK_firmware_usage
Does it work? So far. The live histogram and/or flashing high/low lights
work great. I've had it save RAW, but done little with RAW other than to
see that it works and can be accessed per the instructions for
conversion to DNG and loading into PS via ACRS.
As you know by now, I went out and bought one before my little vacation
and downloaded and installed on the SD card the hack firmware. Silly,
really, as I had the 5D with me most of the time and didn't take many
images with the A710. So what do I think so far?
- It's a capable camera and better for brightly lit daylight scenes
without any effort than the F30.
- Noise is worse than the F30, as is effective resolution.
- The LCD isn't as good as the F30. Less resolution and not as easy to
see in bright sun.
- The viewfinder is about what you would expect of a 6x, inexpensive
P&S. It shows where the camera is pointed and a small 80% view that's
useful to me when the LCD is hard to see. No diopter adjustment. But
hey, it's there.
- IS works well.
- I have lots to learn about it. Now that I've done what Mike J. says
not to do, actually spent time selecting a P&S, it's time to do what he
says to do, work my way through the manuals. Haven't cracked one yet,
but soon.
- I haven't done any comparison testing vs. the F30 for iso vs. IS yet.
Tests are boring and too much like work. ;-)
- I really like having a longer zoom that the F30. 35-210 is just like
the travel zoom I have used for my OMs.
- Better NR/noise solution than the Panny smear makers. I want a TZ-3
with the imaging system from the A710.
- I would likely be unhappy with a real superzoom, the A710 is right at
the upper limit of pocketable/carry everywhere for me.
- I've posted a rather eclectic set of shots that do show some IS
country. http://moosemystic.net/Gallery/MPhotos/A710IS/
Moose
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