Model Design / Appearance (7.0)
The Canon PowerShot A510 follows the conventional A-series styling, offering a standard, rectangular form with clean lines and no excessive or obtrusive features other than the strong right hand grip below the shutter. The 2-tier zoom lens retracts into the front face of the camera and is secured by a lens cover.
The back of the camera features an appropriately proportioned 1.8 inch LCD screen and an extraordinarily small and poorly situated real image viewfinder (placed directly above the LCD screen). The right side of the camera is formed with a strong grip extending out from the camera body. While this will hinder portability to some extent, the gripping protrusion is sure to offer far more support and stability than the right sides of most compact point-and-shoot models currently available. This is the general tradeoff with the A510 - users will sacrifice some pocket portability and stylistic integrity for added handling and control. For a point-and-shoot model, the A510 offers a relatively unique blend of portability and shooting ease along with an affordable price, governed by the limited resolution and lack of fashion appeal.
Size / Portability (6.5)
The Canon PowerShot A510 is designed to fit comfortably within the user's hand during use. To aid in portability, the camera also sports a wrist strap on the side. Without protrusions, the A510 spans 3.57 x 2.52 x 1.51 inches (13.58 inches cubed) in its entirety. This is relatively thin given the camera's substantial right hand grip and usable form. When the lens retracts, the front face of the camera becomes flat and will slide easily into a large pocket or bag for transport. While the A510 is not the smallest point-and-shoot digital camera out there, Canon has molded the form to be compact and portable as well as easily controllable when in use.
Handling Ability (7.0)
The main controls on the back of the Canon PowerShot A510 are all smoothly accessible with the thumbs of either hand. Pictures can easily be shot with one hand due to the small body size and light weight along with the additional right hand gripping protrusion. The LCD screen is pronounced and easily visible, but unfortunately, Canon kept the viewfinder on the body and did not modify the window to make it more usable. The size of the camera body seems to be ideal - small enough for transport and large enough for use, but unfortunately the body is void of texture, making it somewhat difficult to get a secure hold of the frame. The large right hand grip will help with one handed shooting, but nothing comparable is offered for the left hand. The lack of texture will also become problematic in rainy shooting conditions or if trying to shoot with sweaty palms.
Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.0)
Overall the controls are well placed and appropriately sized on the Canon PowerShot A510. The 1.8 inch LCD screen allows for easy viewing and the buttons surrounding it are clearly separated and labeled. The mode dial is easy to control using the right thumb and the microphone is thankfully placed on the front of the camera, far away from the pillaging fingers of less astute users. In line with an increasing trend, the zoom ring is formed around the shutter button; some users may be opposed to this, but it's not too difficult to get used to. Canon also diverges from compact digital camera convention in their A-series design with the continuous form of the navigational dial. Unlike many other digital cameras, this four-way controller connects the cardinal directions in a continuous ring around the selection button, making accurate selection far more difficult for large-fingered or arthritic users.
Menu (7.0)
The menus for the Canon PowerShot A510 are clearly accessed by depressing the Menu button, located beneath the center of the LCD screen on the back of the camera body. This menu set-up utilized by Canon unfortunately does not allow for a live image to appear in the background and demonstrate the effect of alterations to the image. The menu structure is vertically aligned with three menu subsections available. There are three general headings within the main menu: Rec./Play, Set-up, and the My Camera sub-set. The Rec. menu allows the user to alter control options that affect the image size/quality and image construct. The Set-up menu controls the camera functions such as volume levels, power source, and date. Finally, the My Camera Menu enables the user to customize the camera in terms of sounds, start-up, and other extraneous settings. The menu structure is list-based and fairly logical with intuitive subsections that are easily entered, though the repetition of text takes its toll on the eyes, particularly following utilization of the viewfinder.
Ease of Use (7.0)
The controls on this camera are all easy to access and the 1.8 inch LCD screen is large enough to allow for clear viewing. The four-way controller is a bit more complicated than need be and it would be nice if there had been some separation between main directional controls. The vertical menu structure is intuitive and easy to navigate with the controller, enabling quick scrolling through options, though it unfortunately does not display the live image in the background. The direct print options provide an easy way to export images and complete the photo process.
