Canon Powershot A510 Review at Cameratown.com

Canon's A-series is a well-established camera line and the PowerShot A510, along with the A520, are its newest members. Both these new models offer a sleek design and a 4X optical zoom; the major difference between them being resolution. The A510 is a 3.2 megapixel, while the A520 is 4-megapixel.

The body of the A510 is a mix of metal and plastic: the front of the body is covered by a smooth metallic piece that has the Canon name in raised brushed metal letters, while the rest of the body is a mix of well-fitted silver and champagne coloured plastic.

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DPReview

9.00

04-04-05

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Announced just before PMA in February 2005, the PowerShot A510 is the replacement for the PowerShot A75, and continues the line of best-selling budget models that goes right back to early 2001 with the A10 and A20. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary; a reduction in size and weight (it's 13% smaller and 20% lighter), the inclusion of a new four times optical zoom lens (the A85 had a three times), zoom-linked flash, a shift from CompactFlash to SD card for storage and a drop to two AA batteries from four.

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Digital Camera Info

8.71

04-21-05

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The PowerShot A510 is a rectilinear-shaped point-and-shoot digital camera crafted by Canon with a (slightly) extended 4x optical zoom lens that leads back to its 1/2.5 inch 3.3 MP CCD. Internally, the camera includes a DIGIC image processor and a 9-point AiAF focusing system to help speed up performance and writing times as well as improve image quality. The camera packs a surprising number of manual control features for a camera under $200, including manual focus, white balance, ISO, EV compensation, shutter speed, aperture, and metering. For users less comfortable with manual reliability, the PowerShot A510 also provides an overwhelming number of highly specific Scene modes, spanning nearly every photographic occasion. The versatile A510 is currently available online for under $165.00 (USD).

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PC Magazine

8.71

04-27-05

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The 3.2-megapixel Canon PowerShot A510, which was released in tandem with the 4MP PowerShot A520, is a replacement for the PowerShot A75. It is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, and is identical to the A520 except for its smaller image sensor. Overall, the picture quality is good, but the camera suffers from some of the same flaws as its higher-resolution sibling, especially in the speed department. But the A510 offers excellent flexibility and control for a modest price, making it a good value for those who don't need a whole lot of extra pixels.

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DCResource

8.53

02-23-05

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Two of the hottest digital cameras of 2004 were the Canon PowerShot A75 and A85. Both were superior to the competition thanks to their picture quality, full manual controls, and expandability. For 2005 Canon has gone even further with their replacements, the A510 ($199) and A520 ($299). Instead of slapping new model numbers on the same old thing, Canon reinvented the A75 and A85 with some great new features, which include 4X optical zoom lens (versus 3X on the old models) , Smaller, more compact body, Built-in "zoom flash" (more on this later), Support for an external slave flash, Uses SD/MMC memory cards (versus CompactFlash), and uses two AA batteries (instead of four.)

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Trusted Reviews

8.50

05-03-05

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The reputation of Canon cameras is solidly founded on quality, reliability and outstanding performance, and with a camera like the A510 it's easy to see why. Even though this model is positioned second from bottom in Canon's extensive range, it is well-made, loaded with useful features and takes great pictures. Add to this an attractive design, simple operation and excellent value for money and it's clear why Canon has such a large share of the digital camera market.

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Imaging-Resource

8.00

03-24-05

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Hitting the digital camera scene with a familiar PowerShot A-series design, the Canon PowerShot A510 is indeed very similar to the preceding A75 model and features many of the same exposure options and features. The most obvious improvement relative to the A75 is the A510's 4x zoom lens, boosted from the 3x lens used in the A75. Another new feature on the A510 is the adjustable Timer mode, which lets you set the shutter delay anywhere from one to 10 seconds, and program anywhere from 1 to 10 shots to be taken once that time has elapsed. The A510 features a 3.2-megapixel CCD, which results in image resolutions as high as 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, and printing to 8x10 inches with excellent detail. (Prints at 11x14 from the Canon i9900 high-end inkjet printer in our studio looked pretty good at normal viewing distances, but a little soft when viewed up close. . . .

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CNET Reviews

7.50

06-24-05

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Sometimes less is more. Although priced $50 less and offering 800,000 fewer pixels, this junior version of the Canon PowerShot A520 produced better image quality and superior performance. A replacement for the popular PowerShot A75, it is smaller and lighter than its predecessor. It's also a veritable bargain, with plenty of automation for beginners and a full complement of manual controls for photo enthusiasts looking for a casual camera to supplement, say, their digital SLR.

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Canon Powershot A510 Review

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