Canon PowerShot A510

The PowerShot A510 is a rectilinear-shaped point-and-shoot digital camera crafted by Canon with a (slightly) extended 4x optical zoom lens that leads back to its 1/2.5 inch 3.3 MP CCD. Internally, the camera includes a DIGIC image processor and a 9-point AiAF focusing system to improve image quality and help speed up performance and writing times. The camera packs a surprising number of manual control features for a camera under $200, including manual focus, white balance, ISO, EV compensation, shutter speed, aperture, and metering. For users less comfortable with manual control, the PowerShot A510 also provides an overwhelming number of highly specific Scene modes, spanning nearly every photographic occasion. A 1.8-inch LCD and real image zoom are included for viewing, though the finder is minuscule and awkwardly placed. The A510 is capable of recording both still and video images with monaural audio and can output the images to a computer or analogue A/V component, and it can print directly to a number of compliant printers. Additional flash and lens options are available, enabling users to tailor the A510 to their specific shooting needs. Priced for affordability, the versatile A510 is currently available online for under $165.00 (USD).