Canon PowerShot A480

Discontinued

Reviewed

July 2009

Pros

Very easy to use
Plenty of preset shooting modes
Cheap price

Cons

No viewfinder
No image stabilization
Slow flash recovery speed
Noisy low-light shots

Where to Buy

for $149.00

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"It's tough getting overly critical about a camera as inexpensive as the Canon PowerShot A480," says CNET's Joshua Goldman. The unassuming 10-megapixel A480 wins over reviewers and users for what it does best: taking snapshots. The Canon PowerShot A480 is smaller than some other cameras in its price range, but sliding it into a pocket "might be a tight squeeze." Goldman finds the buttons to be "second-rate plastic," a setback also noted by Mark Goldstein of PhotographyBlog.com. Despite material quality, the buttons are clearly laid out and easy to figure out, according to Roman Loyola at Macworld. Also gracing the back of the camera is a standard-issue, 2.5-inch low-resolution LCD display, but no optical viewfinder. The Canon PowerShot A480 digital camera comes equipped with the Canon DIGIC III image processor (a generation behind the latest DIGIC 4), replete with the face and motion detection technology, along with red-eye correction. In CNET's tests, photo quality is "better than expected," but there is some lens distortion and some softening of the image around the edges. Macworld's Loyola finds image quality to be great -- comparable to the Canon A1100 IS -- but, since the PowerShot A480 lacks image stabilization, he doesn't recommend it for action shots.

We found the best reviews at technology publications and photography enthusiast sites, including CNET, PC World and PhotographyBlog.com. User reviews at Amazon.com and CanonUSA.com round out the coverage, where owners are mostly enthusiastic about the PowerShot A480.

Where To Buy

Canon PowerShot A480 10 MP Digital Camera with 3.3x Optical Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD (Blue)

(174 reviews)
Buy new: $209.99 $149.00 15 Used & new from $62.05

In Stock.

Our Sources

1. CNET

While the A480's chunky, plastic design and "leisurely" performance fall short of the mark, reviewer Joshua Goldman says the "no muss, no fuss" camera excels in its simplicity and better-than-expected snapshot photo quality.

Review: Canon PowerShot A480, Joshua Goldman, June 24, 2009

2. PhotographyBlog.com

For photography expert Mark Goldstein, the Canon PowerShot A480 is a "refreshingly simple, back-to-basics camera." He considers build quality to be better than other cameras in its class and appreciates the inclusion of features found on more expensive A-series models, like face and motion detection. On the other hand, the lack of optical image stabilization is a "regrettable omission."

Review: Canon PowerShot A480 Review, Mark Goldstein, March 17, 2009

3. StevesDigicams.com

The Canon PowerShot A480 is, according to the editors of Steves-Digicams.com, "an excellent choice for anyone looking to enter the digital camera market." In tests, the A480 receives high ratings for its commendable feature set, crisp image quality and incredible ease of use, even though the low-resolution LCD has sub-par playback detail.

Review: Canon PowerShot A480, Editors of Steves-Digicams.com, March 19, 2009

4. PC World Details/Subscribe

Reviewer Roman Loyola tests the Canon PowerShot A480 and likes what he sees. However, he's quick to point out that the camera works best as a casual snap shooter and isn't cut out for fast-action photography. Nevertheless, he praises the pocket-friendly A480 for its "no fuss" usability and uncomplicated controls. Image quality is "neck-in-neck" with the pricier Canon PowerShot A1100 IS.

Review: Canon PowerShot A480, Roman Loyola, May 26, 2009

5. Amazon.com

"This is a big camera in a little package," writes an owner of the Canon PowerShot A480. Users agree that the A480 is easy to use, with lots of features at an unbeatable price, but at least half of the reviews posted complain about the slow flash recycle time. A handful of others cite problems with the lens not retracting, grainy image quality and short-lived battery life.

Review: Canon PowerShot A480, Contributors to Amazon.com

6. CanonUSA.com

Nearly a dozen owners of the Canon PowerShot A480 offer feedback about this new addition to the Canon A-series family. The overwhelming majority concur that it's a great value, even with the absence of optical image stabilization. As one user says, it is "hard to believe that you can get a camera with these features at such a reasonable price."

Review: Product Reviews: PowerShot A480, Contributors to CanonUSA.com

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