Auto Mode (7.5)
The A640’s auto mode is simple to find with the green label on the large mode dial. All other modes are printed in black on the dial, so the auto mode is distinctive. In the auto mode, users can make a few selections in the Func./Set menu: Auto or Hi ISO, all three self-timer options, and the image size and compression options. The recording menu is also available, but it is shortened so that it doesn’t include complicated features like the AF Frame and Flash Sync. Flash and macro options can be activated with the multi-selector too. This makes the Canon A640’s auto mode sound overly complicated, but it really isn’t. Beginners and those who like to avoid hassle will appreciate the auto mode, as it does a great job most of the time anyway.
Movie Mode (7.25)
The A640 has a movie mode available straight from the mode dial, and that is helpful when it is needed on the fly. Like many of its Canon siblings, this PowerShot has good-looking video. It records at television-quality 640 x 480 pixels at a frame rate of 30 per second. That frame rate can be slowed down to 15 per second too. The same frame rates are available at a smaller resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. Photographers can shoot up to an hour or 1 GB at a time. There is also a video mail option that records 160 x 120 pixels at 15 fps for up to three minutes. Previous Canon digital cameras had a “fast frame rate” setting that allowed users to shoot video at 320 x 240 pixels at 60 fps for one minute; however, the A640 does not have this mode. While it was neat to watch the smooth movements in the LCD screen, this mode was still pixilated on the television screen and so it will not be missed much on the A640.
There is a lot of flexibility within the movie mode. Users can select Standard, Compact, Color Swap, and Color Accent movie modes by pushing right and left with the multi-selector. White balance, self-timer, and My Colors settings can be chosen from the Func./Set menu. When the A640 is recording, the optical zoom freezes, but the 4x digital zoom is available. It degrades the image quality, so is not recommended for extensive use. The A640 records monaural audio, and it sounds good for the most part. However, if there is loud noise within close proximity – i.e. ripping Velcro, clapping, singing – while there is also background noise, the recorded audio sounds like it misses a few beats here and there. It does fine recording voices and even sounds, but it goes haywire when the volume changes suddenly. Movies can be played back on the camera normally or in slow motion (with a 5-step adjustment to show just how slow you want it). Movies can also be divided into two clips in the playback mode, so users can delete unwanted footage – or they can save both pieces of the clip. Overall, the Canon PowerShot A640’s movie mode is impressive and offers a lot of features for its price range.
Drive / Burst Mode (6.0)
From the Func./Set menu, self-timer and burst modes are available. There is the standard Single mode, of course, followed by the Continuous mode. The latter shoots 1.5 fps which is very slow and can hardly be called a burst mode at all. However, it still has some redeeming qualities. The files are incredibly large (10 megapixels), and the camera can snap pictures to the capacity of the memory card. Surprisingly, the flash isn’t disabled in the burst mode – unless manually disabled. The A640 still shoots with the flash at a decent clip. There are three self-timer modes: 2 and 10-second delays, and a custom self-timer that lets users select a delay of 0-30 seconds with a burst of 1-10 shots at the end. This is handy for group portraits where you want several copies of the same shot just to make sure everyone’s eyes are open.
Playback Mode (7.0)
The playback mode is accessed by a small switch on the back of the camera. The switch has grooves which make it easier to push, but the grooves aren’t deep and are very small. This means to access the playback mode, you might have to sacrifice a fingernail or two. Once there, however, there are plenty of things to do: view, organize, and edit.
Viewing can be done file by file or by index screens with 9 pictures on them at a time via the wide end of the zoom lever. Pushing the zoom lever toward the telephoto side zooms in on individual pictures from 2-10x. Viewing is made simple with the automatic rotation function; this is especially great for slide shows. There is an on-camera button for erasing photos, but if users want to delete more than one at a time they will have to enter the playback menu.
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Auto Play
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(begins slide show)
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My Colors
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Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red
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Voice Memo
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Record, Stop, Play, Delete
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Protect
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OK, Cancel
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Rotate
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OK, Cancel
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Erase All
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OK, Cancel
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Transfer Order
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Order, Mark All, Reset
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Erasing photos by entering the menu isn’t very streamlined. It’s good if you want to delete all the photos, but if you want to delete only half of them, you’ll get a good thumb workout. Pictures and videos can be shown without file info, with basic file info, with a full set of parameters, and even a histogram (although viewing the histogram and file info shrinks the actual image to about a quarter of the size of the screen). A very basic slide show feature is also available.
 Movies can be viewed normally or in 5 levels of slow motion forwards or backwards; this is an interesting and fun feature. Movies can also be primitively edited, or they can be divided into two clips. This makes it easy to get rid of boring or unusable footage.
There are also editing features for still pictures, outlined in the playback menu a few paragraphs above. The My Colors effects can be applied to still pictures but not to movies. The voice memo function records up to 60 seconds of audio with each image.
As far as organization goes, the A640 doesn’t categorize photos the way newer PowerShot cameras do. Still, it has a “jump” feature that lets users move through lots of pictures 10 at a time, 100 at a time, or it can move to the shot date, movies, and folders on the memory card. The “jump” feature is accessible from the top of the multi-selector. The playback mode is an overall success.
Custom Image Presets (7.5)
This digital camera has a healthy selection of scene modes. It keeps three of the custom image presets directly on the mode dial: Portrait, Landscape, and Night Scene. The other scenes are grouped together under the “SCN” position on the mode dial: Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Underwater, Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, Color Accent, and Color Swap. Users can change between scenes by scrolling right and left on the multi-selector. Most of the Func./Set menu is disabled, but the image size, compression, and self-timer options are still up for grabs. Exposure compensation can also be adjusted from the on-camera button. Many of these scene modes are seen on other cameras, but the Color Swap and Color Accent presets are unique to Canon PowerShot digital cameras made in 2006 and onward. The Color Swap preset lets users select two colors within the frame to trade. I chose to swap the color of my red couch with the glossy yellow of my son’s toy box. The result was an image of a yellow couch and red toy box – but the couch also had dark red shadows in spots and looked very ugly. Color Swap isn’t the most usable mode, but it is unique and fun to play with. It just shouldn’t be taken seriously. The Color Accent mode highlights one color and dims all else to blacks, whites, and grays. This is cute for accenting lips or the metallic green of your new car.
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