Canon PowerShot A400 Digital Camera Review

Color (8.88)
To test the Canon PowerShot A400’s color accuracy, we recorded a series of exposures of our GretagMacbeth color chart and analyzed the images with Imatest Imaging Software. The software reads each tone and determines the degree of variance from the ideal. The results are depicted in the graph below, with the outer square representing the actual hue produced by the camera, while the inner square is the camera’s produced tone corrected by the software, and the small vertical rectangle represents the ideal.

The graphic below depicts the 24 tones produced by the Canon PowerShot A400 and the amount in which they deviate from the ideal. The circles are the camera’s produced colors, while the corresponding squares are the ideal. The line linking the two is the degree of error; the longer the line, the greater the error.

The Canon PowerShot A400 received a mean color saturation score of 103.5%. This is a moderate level of saturation, as many portable point-and-shoot digital cameras increase saturation levels to attain more vivid, lively images. The A400 maintains a reasonable level of vibrancy without over-saturating any tone too profusely. In terms of color accuracy, the A400 is as precise as point-and-shoot imagers get; with the exception of colors #16, #15, #9, #17, #10, and #18, nearly every tone is “spot on.” The tones that do stray remain fairly close to the ideal, creating a slight modification to the natural color scale. This is likely a design tactic by Canon to accentuate those hues that impact skin tones, opting to create images that are more pleasing to the user rather then a direct, accurate reproduction. All around, the A400 is an impressive color producer, handling variation in tones exceptionally well and blending natural precision with added vibrancy.

Still Life Scene
Below is a shot of our superfy still life scene taken with the Canon PowerShot A400.

Click on the above image to view a full resolution version (CAUTION: The linked file is very large!)

Resolution / Sharpness (2.30)
The term “resolution” has become overused, having been appropriated to imply a variety of different meanings and applications within the field of digital photography. While resolution does to some extent reflect the sharpness of an image, it primarily speaks about image size and pixel composition. Sharpness in terms of megapixels will become more evident as print size is increased; however, pixels are what visually formulate the image and the more abundant they are in total numbers, the less visible they are individually, and thus the cleaner and sharper the image will appear. While any camera exceeding 3.0 megapixels should produce a sharp, precise 4 x 6 print, often imperfections in image quality appear because the camera does not put out the resolution it advertises. There will always be some degree of variance between the marketed megapixel count on the camera’s box and the pixels contained within an actual, produced image. Therefore, we test for the camera’s “actual resolution,” determining the number of pixels used to compose the image as contrasted with the total image size. This is reported in a percentage of the actual pixels used within the camera's largest available image. In general, any camera that scores 70-79% of its advertised resolution is considered to have a “good” score, while 80-89% is “very good” and anything exceeding 90% is “excellent.”

The Canon PowerShot A400 produced images that contain 2.30 utilized megapixels. This is just over 72% of its advertised resolution. This is a respectable score, placing the A400 in a select group of point-and-shoot cameras in terms of performance. The only other compact point-and-shoot cameras to rival this are some of the Sony Cyber-shot models. The Sony P100, DSC-W1 and DSC-T1 all exceed 80% of their advertised resolution and establish a high standard for other compact imagers to strive for. The PowerShot A400 is one of the few that qualifies and brings Canon up into this realm.

Noise — Auto ISO (5.28)
The PowerShot A400’s noise performance in Auto ISO mode was adequate at best. While many point-and-shoot cameras do not reach this level, for a camera that aims for the top, this will not do. I was impressed with the A400’s handling of color and its resolution performance, but I feel that the camera is held back because of its handling of noise. Noise is generally quite distracting and deteriorates the quality of an image, regardless of the camera's resolution. For this reason, I feel the 5.28 overall score holds the A400 from reaching elite point-and-shoot status and will hinder those users who rely on automatic ISO settings. There are manual settings included on the PowerShot A400 that can be learned and maximized. Unfortunately, the A400 fared even worse in manual ISO mode.

Noise — Manual ISO (3.73)
There are four manual ISO ratings available on the Canon PowerShot A400. We tested the camera’s noise production at each ISO setting and now display the results in the graph below. The X-axis corresponds to the ISO settings, while the Y-axis represents the noise levels produced.

It is always nice to see manual ISO options included on a point-and-shoot camera. It provides added flexibility to any user, regardless of their manual control urges. Unfortunately for the PowerShot A400 user, this control will not do them much good, as there are really only two usable settings. The camera features four manual settings in total: ISO 50, 100, 200, and 400. However, the ISO ratings beyond 100 are utterly distorted and filled with noise. These higher settings are barely usable and should only be utilized when absolutely necessary. The ISO 100 setting is decent, and the ISO 50 rating is the camera’s saving grace. While an ISO 50 setting is somewhat rare, for this camera, it is an utter necessity. The A400 will still provide impressive images, but requires optimal lighting or a constant flash.

Speed / Timing
Start-up to First Shot (7.03)
From the off position, the PowerShot A400 is reliable; while it is not an instantaneous shooter, it is far faster then many point-and-shoot cameras that boot up like a PC. The A400 takes just under 3 seconds (2.97 sec) to turn on, focus and record an image.

Shot-Shot (6.92)
Shot-to-shot time is a bit slower on the A400. Having some to do with auto focusing lag, rapid exposures are not available with this PowerShot camera. The eager user will have to wait well over 2 seconds between images.

Shutter-Shot (7.06)
It takes just under a second (.97 sec) from the moment the user presses the shutter release button to the time a shot is recorded by the A400’s imager. This is a decent speed, particularly from a camera that takes almost 3 full seconds from one shot to the next.