Canon PowerShot A460 5.0MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom (Silver)

Canon PowerShot A560 7.1MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom ( I think this is the one) I returned it as I didn't like it at all. It seems very cheaply made & had AA Batteries, which I also didn't like.

This is my first digital camera. I've been hard pressed 2 give up my 35mm camera ways. This little camera is simple 2 use. Instructions are easy 2 follow. Picture quality is fairly sharp. The best part about it is that it is handy, easy 2 take along & lightweight...beats lugging all the 35mm stuff when all you want 2 do is snap a couple of quick pictures. The other thing I love which has less 2 do with the camera but more 2 do with the technology is the fact that I now don't have 2 print a bunch of photos that I don't want. I can print just the shots that I want & delete the rest.

The one downfall 2 the package is the memory card has very limited space so you'll need 2 upgrade that really quickly.

Overall 4 the first time users this is a good deal 4 a good camera.

I bought this camera at Christmas 4 my kids (12-year-old daughter likes 2 do "KidTV" videos with friends; 9-year-old son makes stop-motion & live videos of Lego etc. 4 YouTube). I got it partly because my Canon A95, which in all other respects I *love*, only does 30-second videos; & partly because I got tired of copying VHS-C tapes 4 them. :-) I picked this model 4 its combination of price & Canon quality. It has been very useful. Basic modes are very simple 2 use. The kids have not really explored many of the other options. Image quality is generally excellent. However, early on I did some testing & found that, in addition 2 the high noise at even low-ish light levels that others have reported, it has some trouble focusing when zoomed (*optical* zoom, not digital). Standing across the room & doing incremental zoom steps on some object, I found that the higher the zoom, the more blurred the image was - not always, but often. This should not happen. It is clearly a focusing issue, not a question of resolution. But the kids have not had any complaints. It appears 2 be just right 4 their level of use, & that's what I recommend it for.

This was my first digital camera & some of my main concerns were durability & cost. I was getting ready 2 go 2 Australia 4 4 months & didn't want 2 spend too much & chance losing or breaking an expensive camera. So far, one month into my travels, I am very pleased with my purchase. I have dropped the camera onto cement from about 2 feet & it shows no sign of trouble. I find the 5.0 MP plenty & I get good color & clarity. A viewfinder was a must 4 me, since I knew outdoor photos in the sun were going 2 be a large part of my collection. There are many times when the sun makes it impossible 2 see what you are shooting & having the optical viewfinder is great!
I haven't spent too much time experimenting with all the many features, & there are lots, but I have used the macro & taken some spectacular inches-away shots! I have also used the video feature which is fun.
I can't recall if the instructions say 2 use lithium batteries, but I went through 10 regular batteries before going 2 lithium & find it a must.
Overall, I love this little camera!

This is actually a replacement 4 one that I dropped in a river. I liked it enough 2 get an identical one. It is an inexpensive camera useful 4 activities (like river kayaking) that expose it 2 damage. A lot of cameras are leaving off the viewfinder. I find that with it, I can compose pictures better, especially in bright light, saves on battery power & is ready sooner after powering up (which also saves on batteries). If it were more water resistant, it would get the extra star.

The stylish PowerShot A460 offers the high-performance features & high-quality design that make great pictures possible. Equipped with 5.0-Megapixels of resolution, this is a camera designed 2 make digital photography simple, fun & rewarding. The PowerShot A460's 5.0-Megapixels of resolution give every shot added depth & dimension. You'll notice the fine details & ravishing colors. The sharpness & clarity of your enlargements will also astound you. Plus, the 4x Optical Zoom lens makes it simple 2 shoot close-ups, scenery & anything else with brilliance & flawless clarity. To make shooting & playback convenient & easy, there's a big, clear 2.0" LCD screen. Focal Length - 5.4-21.6mm f/2.8-5.8 (35mm film equivalent - 38-152mm) Normal Focusing Range - 1.5-feet/47cm-infinity Macro Focusing Range - 2.0-1.5 feet/5-47cm (WIDE), 9.8-1.5-feet/25-47cm (TELE) Super Macro Focusing Range - 0.39-2.0/1-5cm (WIDE) 15-1/2000 Seconds Shutter Speed Exposure Compensation - +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments White Balance Control - Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H), & Custom Built-in Flash - Auto, Auto w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Auto w/ Slow Synchro, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Flash On w/ Slow Synchro, & Flash Off Normal Flash Range - 1.5-9.8 feet/47cm-3.0m (W), 1.5-6.6 ft./47cm-2.0m (T) Macro Flash Range - 1.0-1.5 feet/30-47cm (W/T) Shooting Modes - Auto, Camera M, Special Scene (Portrait, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot), Super Macro, & Movie Photo Effects - Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Custom Self-Timer - Activates shutter after an approx. 2-sec./10-sec. delay, Custom Dimensions - Width 4.17 x Height 2.04 x Depth 1.58 (106.0x51.8x40.2mm) Weight - Approx. 5.82 ounces (165 grams)