I’m thinking about getting a Canon a70 digital camera but I would like to know if anyone has had any experience/opinions about this camera. If you could tell me what you like/dislike about it that would be great. I would also like to see some pictures taken with the a70 so if you have any I would love to see them. Thanks.
Could you tell me what you think about the Canon A70 camera?
- Thread starter Jeremy S
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Cannon Powershot A70.... I just bought one in April and LOVE it. I'm not a know-it-all camera person, but this camera does what it does well, and takes nice pictures. Like I said, I am not a techie, neither is my hubby (when it comes to cameras.) We went to Ritz Camera, and the only thing we knew what that we wanted to try to get a camera that used the same memory cards as the ones we already had. That narrowed our options down to a few different cameras. I went on a few websites and read reviews and picked the A70.
The only downside is that the software that comes with it sucks. I can't get it to load on my computer. But since I have windows XP, I don't need the software to get the pics off my camera (XP recognizes just about all external hardware you plug into it and helps you) so that's not a real CON for me... and since I had the XP, I didn't really take a ton of time to try to figure out the software... but that was a common complaint that I read on various internet sites.
It has a few different options for taking pictures, like an action option for stuff that's moving (can't wait to try this out on the parades in Disney, works well w/ the fish tank pics), and Auto, which is what I use for most pictures.
I also like that you can take a quick video (I think 45 seconds long)... that's a cool feature. The menu is pretty easy to navigate, and reviewing/deleting pictures is easy too. I sat down w/ the manual when I first got the camera and just played around with it for a couple of hours. Like I said, there are a ton of different picture options, but I only use action and auto.
The only real con for this camera is that it doesn't give you any type of warning that the batteries are running low (it is NOT a battery hog though, so that's good... our old digital was such a battery hog that we couldn't even use the screen when taking a lot of pictures, like at the zoo, we had to use the actual viewfinder). I went to Best Buy and got 2 new sets of rechargable batteries, and a quick charger (Energizer brand)... our old rechargables weren't very good anyway. SO that's the only real con... no warning, just beep beep beep, then shut down.
It takes really very nice pictures. Here are a few: (I always use action when taking pics of the tank)
Fishies:
I may have re-sized this one too... so if it's blurry, trust me, it's not the camera's fault
Action shot my son at the playground w/ my mother
This one may actually end up looking distorted... I can't remember if I resized it before downloading it to shutterfly... but it's not the camera's fault...
~Tara
the picture posting freak!
The only downside is that the software that comes with it sucks. I can't get it to load on my computer. But since I have windows XP, I don't need the software to get the pics off my camera (XP recognizes just about all external hardware you plug into it and helps you) so that's not a real CON for me... and since I had the XP, I didn't really take a ton of time to try to figure out the software... but that was a common complaint that I read on various internet sites.
It has a few different options for taking pictures, like an action option for stuff that's moving (can't wait to try this out on the parades in Disney, works well w/ the fish tank pics), and Auto, which is what I use for most pictures.
I also like that you can take a quick video (I think 45 seconds long)... that's a cool feature. The menu is pretty easy to navigate, and reviewing/deleting pictures is easy too. I sat down w/ the manual when I first got the camera and just played around with it for a couple of hours. Like I said, there are a ton of different picture options, but I only use action and auto.
The only real con for this camera is that it doesn't give you any type of warning that the batteries are running low (it is NOT a battery hog though, so that's good... our old digital was such a battery hog that we couldn't even use the screen when taking a lot of pictures, like at the zoo, we had to use the actual viewfinder). I went to Best Buy and got 2 new sets of rechargable batteries, and a quick charger (Energizer brand)... our old rechargables weren't very good anyway. SO that's the only real con... no warning, just beep beep beep, then shut down.
It takes really very nice pictures. Here are a few: (I always use action when taking pics of the tank)
Fishies:
I may have re-sized this one too... so if it's blurry, trust me, it's not the camera's fault
Action shot my son at the playground w/ my mother
This one may actually end up looking distorted... I can't remember if I resized it before downloading it to shutterfly... but it's not the camera's fault...
~Tara
the picture posting freak!
More pictures... (sorry Mods if I'm overloading the board or anything... feel free to delete some!!)
This shows how good it photographs in darkness, w/out a flash (took pics of fish, and then forgot to put it back on - I used the auto setting, but turned the flash off manually because of the aquarium glass):
Out of the window of the plane on the way to Vegas:
Lions at the zoo:
Sigfried and Roy's tiger (not the one who attacked him):
Signs on the Strip:
~Tara
This shows how good it photographs in darkness, w/out a flash (took pics of fish, and then forgot to put it back on - I used the auto setting, but turned the flash off manually because of the aquarium glass):
Out of the window of the plane on the way to Vegas:
Lions at the zoo:
Sigfried and Roy's tiger (not the one who attacked him):
Signs on the Strip:
~Tara
I also have the a70, however mine does have a visual low battery warning but I don't hear any beeping?
I tend to leave the camera in the on position by mistake for long periods of time and it would be nice if it had an auto power off option...
maybe it does, I didn't bother to read the manual since I don't use the camera that much most of the info would go in one ear and out the other.
I don't have much to complain about with it.
Although I would recommend you immediately buy a larger storage disc because the one that comes with the camera is pitifully small....
I bought mine on ebay with several accessories (camera bag, card usb adapeter (which I've since thrown away), rechargable batteries) and it all came to about 220$ish....
If I were to buy another one I'd go straight to whatever came up cheapest on ebay, new or used....under 180$
I tend to leave the camera in the on position by mistake for long periods of time and it would be nice if it had an auto power off option...
maybe it does, I didn't bother to read the manual since I don't use the camera that much most of the info would go in one ear and out the other.
I don't have much to complain about with it.
Although I would recommend you immediately buy a larger storage disc because the one that comes with the camera is pitifully small....
I bought mine on ebay with several accessories (camera bag, card usb adapeter (which I've since thrown away), rechargable batteries) and it all came to about 220$ish....
If I were to buy another one I'd go straight to whatever came up cheapest on ebay, new or used....under 180$
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Geoff... where is your battery indicator? The beep beep beep is all I hear... I'll have to scour the instruction manual again to see if it's listed in there...
~Tara
~Tara
i see a little icon on the display in the upper right area.
It only appears when the batteries are already very low and the camera only has maybe 5 more minutes of life.
So its not a great indicator. I think it looks like a battery? I dont remember, haven't had it come up in a while now
It only appears when the batteries are already very low and the camera only has maybe 5 more minutes of life.
So its not a great indicator. I think it looks like a battery? I dont remember, haven't had it come up in a while now
Thanks Geoff... I used my camera a ton this weekend, maybe when I get home I'll let the batteries run down and see if anything pops up.
5 minutes warning is better than nothing, espcially if you're taking picture of a parade or show (my biggest concern w/ our camera, since we go to Disney all the time). Our old camera had a battery icon like the one on cell phones, so you knew just how much battery power you had left all the time...
~Tara
5 minutes warning is better than nothing, espcially if you're taking picture of a parade or show (my biggest concern w/ our camera, since we go to Disney all the time). Our old camera had a battery icon like the one on cell phones, so you knew just how much battery power you had left all the time...
~Tara
