Canon PowerShot A460 Digital Camera Review

Likes

- Software is easy to use - Manual control options - Excellent white balance accuracy (auto and presets) - Well-designed locking mechanism on battery/memory card cover - In-camera digital effects via the My Colors mode - Sturdy and well-built

Dislikes

- Low resolution and slowly refreshing LCD monitor - Poor movie mode - Undersized and inaccurate viewfinder - Zoom is adjusted via the up and down arrows of the four-way control - Overall size limits portability for the on-the-go snapshot photographer - Plastic socket for tripod - External control layout on the back of the camera is cluttered and confusing

Conclusion
Eschewing the current trend of downsizing bulky point-and-shoot cameras, the sizeable Canon PowerShot A460 has some attractive features for both novice and more advanced snapshoters. The camera comes with a 1/3.0-inch 5 MP CCD, a 4x optical zoom lens, eight shooting modes, and manual control over ISO, metering, white balance, exposure compensation, and long shutter speeds. Unfortunately, there are a number of shortcomings that make this a less-than-gushing review. For one, the 2.0-inch LCD has just 86,000 pixels and the onscreen display is truly atrocious when in pre-capture mode. Along with the substandard LCD, Canon fixed a near-useless real image optical viewfinder to the back of the camera that bears little resemblance to the captured image. 

The Canon PowerShot A460's external design is minimal and clumsy, with poorly labeled and oddly placed controls and an internal menu structure that will confuse and overwhelm novices unfamiliar with the Canon system layout. All-in-all, the design of the camera eliminates any claim that this camera is user-friendly.

The A460 only extends its ISO up to 400, limiting its use indoors and in low light conditions; however, its image quality and performance characteristics in bright conditions are decent. The A460 won't be in the running for DCI Camera-of-the-Year, but it is a solid performer among near $100 models. Images from the A460 contained reasonably accurate colors, with acceptable dynamic range, and excellent white balance accuracy. We would have liked to see a stronger handling of noise at ISO 400, along with a wider sensitivity range, but it is after all, a $100-$150 camera. Among its direct competition, the A460 holds its own, though consumers willing to toss an extra $50-$100 in to the camera budget will find cameras of a different caliber.