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Introduction
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01.Product Tour
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02.Color
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03.Noise
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04.Resolution
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05.Video
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06.Sample Photos
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07.Playback
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08.Hardware
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09.Controls
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10.Design & Handling
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11.Casio EX-G1 Comparison
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12.Kodak Z950 Comparison
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13.Canon SD4000 Comparison
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14.Conclusion
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15.Photo Gallery
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16.Comments
Canon PowerShot A3000 IS
Previous: Page 2
ColorNext: Page 4
ResolutionNoise
Noise is low at low ISO settings, but becomes very visible at higher ISO settings.
Noise (8.21)
The A3000 is a little on the noisy side: we found that images shot in anything other than bright light (and thus at the lowest ISO settings) had significant noise in them. This noise became very significant at the higher ISO settings: images shot at 800 and 1600 ISO were very grainy. The bottom line is that this is not going to be a good camera for low light shooting; if you frequently shoot at night or in dim rooms without flash, go for one that has lower noise at high ISO levels. More on how we test noise.
In our first test, we look at how the camera deals with two different amounts of light: around 3000 lux (equivalent to a cloudy day) and 60 lux, which is about what you would get in a poorly lit room. The A3000 dealt well with the larger amount of light, but the lower light level caused it some serious issues, with the noise dramatically increasing at the highest ISO level of 1600. This means that images shot in low light will look rather noisy, as you can see later in this review in the sample photos section of this review.
| Noise Comparisons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 100 | ISO 400 | ISO 800 | ISO 1600 | |
| 60 Lux |  |
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| 3000 Lux |  |
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When we compare this with the noise in our comparison cameras, we see that the A3000 performs as well as the other cameras at the lower ISO settings, but that the noise level at ISO levels of 800 and 1600 is significantly higher than the other cameras.
ISO (5.50)
The A3000 IS has an ISO range of 100 to 1600 at the full resolution of the camera. The low light scene mode does boost the ISO range to a maximum of 3200, but at the cost of greatly reduced resolution: the camera shoots 2 megapixel images in this mode. Below are images of our still life shot at all of the full resolution ISO settings; click on any image to see the unedited original file.
| ISO Comparisons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
| ISO Low | |||
|
ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 100
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ISO 125
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
| ISO 200 | |||
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
| ISO 400 | |||
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
| ISO 800 | |||
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
| ISO 1600 | |||
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
| ISO 3200 | |||
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| Canon PowerShot A3000 IS | Casio Exilim EX-G1 | Kodak EasyShare Z950 | Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS |
NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.
Shop for the Canon A3000 IS
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