Auto Mode (7.5)
The Canon PowerShot A720 IS has one Automatic mode, marked by the green “Auto” icon on the mode dial. Auto mode limits most manual controls, but does offer some flexibility in flash (on or off) and Focus (Normal or Macro) via the four-way controller.
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Auto Mode
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ISO
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Auto, High ISO Auto
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Drive
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Drive, 10 sec., 2 sec., Drive Mode Disp
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Compression
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Superfine, Fine, Normal
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Resolution
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L (8M), M1 (5M), M2 (3M), M3 (2M), S (0.3M), Postcard, Widescreen
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Images in Auto mode are focused, but flash tends to be too powerful for close-range subjects, and white balance is hit or miss, such as a subject indoors next to a window. White balance defaults to Auto white balance, so users can’t change that setting in Auto mode.
Movie Mode (7.0)
The Movie mode is accessed by turning the mode dial to the camera icon. Users can select from two Movie modes, Standard and Compact in AVI format with Motion JPEG image and WAV audio.
In Standard mode, users can select from three resolutions: 640 x 480 at 30 fps at normal recording or LP, or 320 x 240 at 30 fps for a maximum of 4 GB or one hour, whichever comes first. Compact shooting mode is for e-mailing or posting to the Web, with a resolution of 160 x 120 pixels at 15 fps for up to three minutes.
In either mode, users can change white balance, set the self-timer, and colors with a live preview overlay so effects can be seen before being applied to the video.
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Movie Mode
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White Balance
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Auto, Day light, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Underwater, Custom
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Drive Mode
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Off, 10 sec., 2 sec.
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My Colors
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Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B/W, Custom Color
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Resolution / Frame Rate
(only in Standard Movie)
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640 x 480 30 fps, 640 x 480 30 fps LP, 320 x 240 at 30 fps
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In Movie mode, exposure and AiAF focus are automatically set. Image stabilization defaults to continuous. Users can zoom in and out during capture with digital zoom, which degrades image quality.
During playback, users can watch the video clip in real-time or slow motion with time stamp information. Users can also selectively erase portions of a movie clip.
Overall, there are a good amount of controls with the Canon Movie mode, including white balance, but it could be improved by enabling optical zoom. The built-in editing functions are limited, but users can edit post-capture with the included ZoomBrowser software.
UPDATE: Our original review stated that the optical zoom was enabled in Movie mode, but we have subsequently discovered that it it not. Our apologies for this error; this review and score has been updated to reflect the correct features it offers.
Drive / Burst Mode (6.0)
The Canon PowerShot A720 IS only has one actual Drive mode, although several similar functions are clumped together in a single “Drive” listing. These functions, accessed via the func./set button, include Single Shot, Continuous, Self-Timer in 2 or 10 seconds, and Custom Timer.
Users can choose to continuously shoot at approximately 1.3 fps at full resolution in all modes except Auto. That’s not much of a burst rate. Most of the frame delay in Drive mode is attributed to the flash recharge time. Users should consider suppressing the flash to speed up the burst, if possible. Without the flash, though, the shutter will compensate by slowing down, which can result in blurry photos. It’s a catch-22 — a slow burst rate with flash or a slightly faster burst rate with the occasional blur.
Playback Mode (7.25)
In terms of playback, the Canon A720 IS camera is geared toward on-the-spot reviewing; the camera isn’t meant to be a photo editor. Users can jump through all their images with a nine-thumbnail index or flip through them individually. The Auto Play option plays images back in a slideshow, with a fade or no transition in between images. Users can magnify up to 10x and view histogram and EXIF data.
Editing functions are limited to red-eye correction, rotating, resizing, or adding sound. Further edits require using computer software or a printer’s built-in editing functions.
Unfortunately, users who want to make changes during playback must switch the Record switch to Playback. Most cameras simply have a dedicated playback button. That extra step to switch the modes is minor, but can still be annoying.
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Playback Mode
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Auto Play
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Set (Pause, Play), Menu
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Red-Eye Correction
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Set, Menu
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Resize
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Set, Menu
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Sound Memo
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Set, Menu
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Protect
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Set, Menu
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Rotate
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Set, Menu
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Erase all
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Cancel, OK
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Transfer Order
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Order, Mark all, Reset, Menu
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Transition
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No transition effect, Brightening transition, Side transition (icons)
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Custom Image Presets (6.5)
In addition to Auto mode, the Canon PowerShot A720 IS offers six preset shooting modes: Portrait, Landscape, Night Snapshot, Kids & Pets, Indoor, and Night Scene. Some manufacturers offer 30 or more presets, such as Casio, but the Canon PowerShot A720 IS limits presets in favor of more manual control.
For newbies, any one of the six shooting modes can easily be accessed using the mode dial. Each are labeled with graphic icons that should make them visible and accessible, although the modes lack a text-based explanation other cameras sometimes use to spell out modes for new users.
These six traditional presets limit the user to Drive, Resolution, and Compression options, while offering them some control of Flash (Auto, On, Off) and Focus (Manual, Normal).
There is also a separate Stitch Assist that makes wide panoramic shots for up to 26 images. That’s enough for a full 360 degree composite. Users take one photo, then line up the photo (in a split screen) to the next photo. Playback only displays two combined photos in one image composite. To stitch all the images together, users must use the included software, Photo Stitch, which matches the frames surprisingly well.
