Product ReviewsCanon PowerShot A480 10.0MP Digital Camera - Black

Canon PowerShot A480 10 Megapixel

I'm a small point & shoot camera guy, preferring JPG file sizes below 1MB. I had worsening experience with a 10-yr-old Kodak EasyShare CX6200, in that it would not work with decent AA batteries - well, maybe it would work for a flash or two - it may have been the camera's old-age, I don't know. An old Pentax point & shoot was also so-so with batteries. So, I scoured the Internet for Battery Life, and concluded that the Canon A480 (no longer in production, superseded by other models, as far as I can tell) had the best Battery Life reviews, coupled with other common point & shoot features. Amazingly, the A480 takes an incredible number of flash photos on batteries that the other cameras wouldn't take any. The A480 is good with batteries.
Regarding other features, I've learned by experience that picture quality in the places I shoot (using a flash in dimly lit ballrooms & restaurants with people I'd like to see in the picture scattered in distance from 6 to 30 feet back) - picture quality is very dependent on lighting issues, like is someone in a white shirt close to the camera, or is there lighting in the back of the room. The A480 does a good job of getting pictures with people visible who are close and far. Well, "good" is relative. The A480 does better that the Kodak CX6200 in that feature, although I'm not sure why. And, in comparing 500KB (roughly) pictures from one dimly lit event between the A480 and an expensive ($1000 +) camera (Nikon?), I saw no difference between the A480's photos and the expensive camera's, when comparing focus (fuzziness) and visibility of people. However, I have seen excellent pictures in JPG format from dimly lit places that are less than 100KB file size, so maybe those pictures were taken with excellent skill & excellent cameras - me and the A480 are neither.
So, on the down-side: I'd like to have seen less fuzzy pictures with other conditions the same (e.g., same lighting, and same saved file size). And, the A480 (probably true of all point & shoots) needs better Users Manual, especially a more comprehensive Index. It took a lot of my time to figure out all the menus and how to do different functions. As a minor issue, both the A480 and Kodak CX6200 seem to require removal of their SD memory cards to transfer files to a computer (unless I go through the trouble of using their unique software). I liked the old Pentax's feature of having the memory card files accessible from a computer without having to remove the camera's memory card. With the A480 I remove the SD memory card and put it in a separate USB Memory Card Reader to transfer files.Read full review...

Canon PowerShot A480, Is It Only Mine?

This camera is very easy to use, once you learn how to get it focused properly. However, there is a problem, at least with the one that I have. The white balance seems to be off or unevenly distributed over the whole frame. When I take a panoramic shot, from one frame to the next, the right side of the frame is always darker than the left side of the frame. When you use the software to stitch the pictures together to get a panoramic picture, you can really notice the dark side to each frame as each frame attaches itself to the previous frame from left to right or from right to left. I wonder if this is something all A480's are this way? Fortunately, I didn't pay that much for it. I would pass on it if you're looking for a digital camera. One thing, it does take good individual snapshots, overall, and you don't notice the white balance problem in individual snapshots.Read full review...

how it is this item?

The slim, compact DSC-W55 model sports 7.2-megapixel imager and precision Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lenses. It combines traditional, eye-level viewfinder with large LCD screen for easy framing and viewing of photos. The W55 camera makes a splash with a 2.5-inch LCD screen wrapped in a metal body. This model features 3x optical zoom capability, blur-reduction technology (ISO), and substantial internal memory for shooting without a media card.Read full review...

Good lil' unit

Takes great pictures. Like most, goes through batteris rather quickly. I like the find face feature. It will use block to determine the focal point of each picture. It also features a picture in picture mode after the shot is taken, but this can be distracting. Small enough to fit in a purse or large pocket. Not as compact/flat as the slim line modles from Kodak, Casio, Sony and other brands.Read full review...

not too many buttons but all the features

I love the size of the display! the buttons are on the back instead of the top which makes it easier to take the pics using the screen. It is thin and light weight but not so light it feels cheap. There isn't much of a delay in the picture taking so I can get good action shots without missing the action. It was soooo easy to upload pics to my mini dell and get right to putting up e-bay auctions!!! I would recommend this camera to anyone who wants a good camera but doesn't want to spend a week reading the manual before putitng it to good use.Read full review...

easy little camera

easy to use i like the simple functions still takes great pictures! im sure someone else can do a lot more with this camera but for me it takes great pics without forcing me to use features i don'nt want but there still there if i need!Read full review...

Canon A480

I bought the New Canon PowerShot A480 couple weeks ago and was immediately impressed with the number of features available on this inexpensive camera. It has a 10M camera. The New Canon PowerShot size is perfect for carrying in a pocket and the battery has a pretty good lifespan of roughly 4 hours. My only complaint is that the menu system on the Canon PowerShot makes you unknow where to find the menu. Other camera I've owned have simpler menus and get you to important features easily. Overall, I'd recommend the camera if you're on a budget.Read full review...

Good Beginners Camera

Nice entry level digital camera. Canon always produces a great product, this is no exception. Takes good quality pictures and provides all your basic modes of shooting a user would like to have. The additional video option is a nice touch and works pretty well (its not HD but isnt advertised to be either).

Would purchase again if needed.Read full review...

Sharp pictures that are truly point and click.

I take pictures of products for online selling. They need to be sharp and clear. This camera is perfect. It takes good pictures and I don't have to focus or adjust for distance. It is automatic. It picks up whatever light is available and gives a well-lit picture whether I have a light on or not. I just point and click. I love it!Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: coretek10

Very impressed

I bought this to replace an older model (A470) for my son that we broke on vacation. I am pleasantly surprised that everything about the A480 seems much nicer than the A470, including the photos and very consistent exposure. The Refurb from Adorama is excellent. Please note: none of Canon's refurbished cameras come with a memory card. Their new cameras only have a 512MB card included, so you'd need to buy one anyway. Great camera.Read full review...