Product ReviewsCanon PowerShot A650 IS 12.1MP Digital Camera - Silver & Black

Great little camera!

I just upgraded from the Canon Powershot A630 to this model, the A650. They're very similar; I loved my A630, and I now love my A650. The best features, in my opinion, are the rotating LCD screen (some the best angles are difficult to get without it) and the flexibility between manual and point-and-shoot functions. I can take it on an outing with friends and snap away, or I can take it to my art studio and take well-balanced photos with manual aperture and focus settings which turn out more than well enough to post online and sell pieces.

The shape of the camera is fantastic. I have smaller hands, but even when my friends take pictures, they remark on how easy it is to hold compared to normal P&S models.

I love that it takes AA batteries. I have rechargeables, and I keep an extra set of 4 regular batteries in my camera case in case those die before I can charge them again. If those die... well, I can run to a nearby drugstore and buy some more to last the trip. No need to be without a camera because Lithium-Ion batteries are so expensive to get a second one and hard to keep their charge after a few months.

The wrist strap is definitely useful. I was leaning over a bridge once to get a picture, sure enough it slipped out of my hand, but voila -- the thing was attached to my wrist, and no harm done. Someone tried to snatch the camera out of my hand once, too, and it prevented the theft. Much better than my previous cameras.

Less-good-things: Two of my favorite shooting modes from the A630 are gone! The Color Accent and Color Swap modes were so much fun to play with and created some very interesting photographs. Sure, I could make the pictures look the same on my computer with Photoshop, but it was fun to have instant results with a purple flower standing out from a black-and-white background, or see what a painting would look like if all the reds were blues. Not the most essential elements, but I'll miss them nonetheless.

It's not the best in low-light settings, and fairly close to terrible in low-light + high-shutter-speed situations. If you need that, get a digital SLR. This won't satisfy you at all, even with its high ISO capabilities.

Like a previous reviewer, I've noticed the flash is uneven sometimes. The top of the frame isn't as well-lit as the bottom. But it's not very noticeable except when the subject is a certain distance away. I, too, would have to test to figure out exactly what that distance is.

It's certainly bulkier than most fashionable cameras of today, but it still fits in my purse when I want it to, as long as it's not a tiny purse. The features are well worth the bulk, in my opinion.Read full review...

Canon PowerShot A650 IS 12.1 Megapixel w/ Printer

Camera takes excellent pictures. High enough resolution to enlarge most prints and not worry about it becoming grainy.
camera is easy to use and has a ton of extra features. (read manual to make sure you understand how to use them)

Printer prints text superb. Pictures are good as well. having the Memory card slots available for pictures makes printing easier.

Overall this package was a superb dealRead full review...

Compact or Professional?

If you're searching for a high quality, compact, point-and-shoot camera then look no further than the Canon A650 IS. This camera is so versatile that it blurs the line between point-and-shoot and professional grade photo equipment. It even gives the option of utilizing wide angle/telephoto lenses and/or filters through the use of an optional lens adapter tube.

Capturing a scene at over 12 mega-pixels, this camera delivers crisp, clean images that you can blow up to portrait size without degradation of the picture. The myriad of functions built into the A650 allow you to explore your more creative side, while at the same time, it is so simple to use that it lives up to the phrase 'point and shoot.'Read full review...

Excellent little 'Point and Shoot'

This is the last of the Canon PowerShot cameras with a fully articulated screen and a viewfinder. It's a terrific little camera with some good upgrades from the previous model. Image clarity is superb, very easy to use, has many modes to help get the best photos. Very versatile, small and lightweight.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: geraldsdigitalc...

Great camera; the lens seems to be the only hassle; read review.

I've had one for several years. It finally wore out.

The headaches I have had with this camera, is that:

The 'serial number' is only stenciled on, that the times I've had to turn the camera in for repair --- noted below --- the S/N had worn off, that the repair center decided that even though the camera was in for the SAME problem, they could not 'trace' the number so they charged the full 'repair' rate, after the second turn-in.

That problem: for some reason, there have been 'scratches' on the "INSIDE" of the lens, as if when zooming, the two sides slightly rub each other, causing a few scratches.

The repair center noted not 'scratches', just 'dirt' inside ... which should not happen anyway ... charging for the repairs once it was out of warranty. (As noted, not having a S/N after it wore out, they could not check history of the one I do have.) On occasion, the lens shutter did not close fully, as well.

EXCELLENT camera otherwise.Read full review...

Good Buy Canon Powershot A650 IS

As with my previous Canon Powershot A720 IS, which was stolen, I found the A650 to be an excellent camera with everything I desire in a camera and more. I had a tough time finding the A720 again at a reasonable price, so I decided I'd go up a notch and see if I couldn't find a used A650. And I found one in excellent shape with 2 year warranty. The camera has the very cool and large LCD screen that can fold out for recording films and flips forward and back enabling you to hide the LCD while in its case. Obviously having 12.1 megapixels is just awesome and like my A720 this A650 also has the 6X zoom which I really like to have. They also jumped this camera upto 4 batteries which is great as you don't need to change or recharge batteries nearly as often. The different modes are neat and the IS image stabilization is great. Face recognition is very helpful as well. And in taking picture of the guitars I'm building, the macro feature works very well. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this camera. Our family has been buying canons for a good long while and of all the last cameras have been in the A series and all have served us extremely well.Read full review...

Great camera for the value

This camera is great for the kind of money it can be had for. I feel that the A650IS has significant enough improvements over Canon's related value-driven lower models to make it worth while. Worthwhile mentions are it's high quality LCD screen with swivel and swing-out features, 4-battery capacity, and 6x optical zoom. The A650IS has great manual features that allow professional style photography in a compact package. The 12.1MP rating is more than enough for intermediate to advanced use. The body feels somewhat cheap for what the camera is capable of, but the image quality and features far outweigh the physical characteristics of this camera.Read full review...

Picture Quality and Ease of use

I love the camera. The picture quality has been great for both Day and Evening pictures. I've zoomed in on Animals and still been able to blow up the picture to 11x17 and have it be clear. I still need to test the lower quality shots but i perfer to take pictures uncompressed so they are large but i can always resave them to a lower qualityRead full review...

GREAT CAMERA

I had this camera before from e bay(different seller) but it was stolen.
It is a great camera with all the features of an SLR.
I use it as a back up camera to my dslr.
I like the fact that you can use it very much like a dslr. It is better to use this camera with a high speed digital card because in my opinion the high speed card lets you take clearer pictures and has a fast return time. However with a regular card you will do fine. Night shots are harder to get but not impossible.
This camera makes everything easier. Canon outdid themselves with this camera model. It is nice to know that you can still find it on ebay brand new.
I am very happy with this camera.
there is nothing to dislike about it in my opnion. It is a little on the bulky/heavy side but that is nothing compared to how it performs.
Great camera.!!! I would say this product outshines the other cameras in it's league.Read full review...

One of the most versatile P&S digital cameras

The Canon A650 IS digital camera is an excellent combination of features that makes it a very useable all-round camera. File quality at 12.1MP is actually a cut above most any other P&S including Canon's own G9 and G10, both of which I own and therefore can use as a comparison. Having an articulated LCD screen is icing on the cake and can, at times, allow you to take shots that are not possible without one. Most often people refer to how articulated LCDs are useful in crowd situations, which they are. But I enjoy taking wildflower shots and being able to angle the LCD means I don't have to be on my stomach in the dirt for many of my flower pictures. The A650 IS is not a pocket camera but does fit nicely in a small belt pouch. It is a lot heftier than newer small digital cameras which some may find to be not desireable. However even with some type of Image Stabilization, which the A650 IS has, many P&S cameras are used at arm's length and the extra heft of the A650 actually helps stabilize the photo taking process even more. Using AA batteries adds to the weight but also to the travel flexibility of the A650. All things considered, the Canon A650 IS would be an excellent choice for that travel backup camera or the main camera for travelling abroad. One of the best out there and I have tried many brands and models over the years.Read full review...