Canon Powershot A40 Review

The Main Record Program Screen is above. The line of info across the top denotes the exposure mode (Program), Exposure Compensation (0), The 1/4 circle represents Image Resolution (1600x1200), and light sensitivity represented in film speed equivalent (ISO 50).

The center screen three squares represent the multi-area focus mode is active and the camera will pick the largest - closest subject in one of these blocks to focus on.

The info across the bottom of the screen starts with the Flash Mode: Lightning Bolt icon with an "A" indicates Auto Flash Mode. The square box icon: single advance mode, and the "571" denotes the quantity of frames that can be recorded on the CF card in the camera presently at the image size and quality set on the camera.

The green "AUTO" record mode on the main Mode Dial brings up the above record screen that is about the same as Program record screen except it doesn't allow access to the ISO settings and leaves the ISO in AUTO.

The A40 does have a true manual mode unlike some of it's predecessors. The "+/- Set Exposure" icon comes up above the three focus blocks when the "M"anual Mode is first activated. By pressing the exposure compensation button the screen changes to the screen shown below.

Manual record mode allows the user to select a desired exposure Shutter Speed between 15 seconds and 1/1500 second and an Aperture of f/2.8 or f/8.0 in wide angle and a little less at telephoto. The left and right arrows either side of the shutter speed (1/10) indicate the method used to change the value. The aperture (F3.5) is toggled by pressing the "DISP"lay button.

The Exposure / WB / Photo Effects palette button allows you to set an exposure compensation value, change the White Balance setting or select a desired Photo Effect.

The exposure compensation values range from -2 to +2 can be selected in 0.3EV increments. The white balance settings are Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent or Fluorescent H (daylight lamps). The Photo Effect modes are Vivid (accentuates color and contrast), Neutral (tones down the color and contrast), Low Sharpening (softened outlines), Sepia or Black & White.

The menu options are the same whether you are in Auto or Manual.

Resolution - Sets the output image size (Large 1600x1200, Medium 1024x768, Small 640x480)
Compression - The level of JPEG quality - SuperFine(JPEG), Fine(JPEG) or Normal(JPEG)
Light Metering - Evaluative or spot.
ISO - 50, 100, 200, 400 or Auto.
Auto Focus Modes - If ON the three boxes appear and OFF the center box is used for spot A/F.
Digital Zoom - If ON digital zoom allows up to an additional 2.5x mag.
Self Timer - Set to either 2 or 10 second delay
Review - instant review of last image for 2 or 10 seconds or OFF
AF Assist Beam - ON / OFF (an illuminator to help camera focus in low light)
File No. Reset - If OFF then images will be sequentially numbered
Sub Menu: SET UP - Beep (ON / OFF), Auto Power Down (ON / OFF), Date/Time (setting of MM/DD/YY, HH:MM), Format (format CF Card - OK / Cancel), Menu Language (English and 10 others), Video Output (NTSC or PAL).

The Menu changes a little when the camera is in green "AUTO" mode and the control menu is accessed. It doesn't allow access to the options for: Light Metering, ISO, A/F Area.