Canon PowerShot A640 Digital Camera Review

Canon PowerShot A640

Digital Camera Review

Feb 16, 2007 - By Emily Raymond
2.1 The Canon PowerShot A640 was introduced this fall as a 10-megapixel prospect for the holiday season. It replaces the 7.1-megapixel Canon A620 and is the first A-series camera to include a whopping 10 megapixels. The PowerShot A640 has a Digic II image processor, a 4x optical zoom lens, and 21 shooting modes with a range of manual and automatic modes. The A640 also has a 2.5-inch LCD screen that flips out from the camera body and rotates. It adds interesting features like a digital tele-converter and tethered remote shooting – items that are fairly new to the PowerShot line. The Canon A640 retails for $399 and can be easily found for about fifty dollars less online.
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Canon Powershot A640 Digita...


Likes
- Flip out LCD monitor with wide view
- Flash exposure compensation
- Only 10 MP compact cam with manual controls
- 4x optical zoom lens
- Manual controls
- Great movie mode
Dislikes
- High noise levels
- Slow start-up and operation
- Inaccurate viewfinder
- Only 115k on LCD
- Barrel distortion
- Heavy and clumsy camera body
- Expensive $399 price


Conclusion
The PowerShot A640 has more pros than cons. It has a lot of resolution at 10 megapixels, but that won’t be necessary for most users of this camera. Point-and-shooters won’t need to create life-size prints since most will make small prints with an occasional enlargement. Believe it or not, the resolution isn’t what makes the A640 great; in fact, the resolution significantly hurts the camera's performance.

What makes the A640 a solid camera is that it allows beginners to develop their photography skills by graduating from the scene modes to the manual mode without needing to buy different cameras. A few of the A640’s highlights include a rotating 2.5-inch LCD screen that has a wide view, a built-in flash with adjustable power, easy to use control and mode dial interface, and in-camera editing for simple direct printing. The Canon A640 is a bit pricey with its $399 retail. Bargain hunters can go for its PowerShot companion, the A630, though. It has 8 megapixels with the same modes and many of the same features – for about fifty to a hundred dollars less. Considering that most point-and-shooters won’t create huge prints, the A630 may be a better buy. The Canon PowerShot A640 is still a good digital camera though – if you’ve got the cash.

Overall Impressions Page 11 of 13 Specs / Ratings
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