Canon Powershot A60 Review

By Movable Type Admin


Steve's Digicams

Canon Powershot A60

Review posted 8/13/03


Click to take a QuickTime VR tour of the Canon Powershot A60
Click to take a QTVR tour of the A60


The 2-megapixel PowerShot A60 (and the physically identical 3-megapixel Powershot A70) incorporates numerous high-end features including a 3x optical zoom lens, 5-point AiAF autofocus system, enhanced Movie Mode with Sound for clips up to 3-minutes, close focus to 2-inches and a full range of exposure modes including Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual and several pre-programmed Scene modes. The A70 (and A60) is compatible with the optional WP-DC700 Waterproof Housing good to depths of 130 feet, as well as supplementary wide-angle, telephoto and macro converters for added flexibility. Connect the Powershot A70 (or A60) directly to a Canon Card Photo Printer CP-100, CP-200, CP-300 or letter-size S820D, S830D, and S530D photo printers and make prints without the need of a computer.

Canon's proprietary image processor, called DIGIC, was developed specifically for use with its line of digital cameras and combines the jobs of image processing and camera function control into one chip. It handles nearly every digital camera function including JPEG compression/expansion; memory card control; LCD/Video control and processing; gain control (control of CCD signal amplification); Auto Exposure; Auto Focus; Auto White Balance control and most other functions of the camera. The result is a camera that offers faster and more powerful AF, faster image processing, longer battery life, and the ability to record up to 30 seconds of VGA resolution or up to 3 minutes of 320x240 resolution full motion video with sound.

Over the past 68 years, Canon has accumulated a vast amount of photographic data and know-how and used it to create some of the most innovative camera products in the marketplace. Now, using that same data and know-how, Canon has developed an exclusive technology called iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space) that can predict certain camera settings such as focusing distance, exposure and optimum white balance based on zoom focal length, overall light level and tonal distribution data. Canon refers to this collective data as "Photographic Space." By incorporating iSAPS technology into its PowerShot line, the cameras can analyze a scene just before the image is made and in doing so, increase the speed and precision of the camera's autofocus, auto exposure and auto white balance.


Powershot A60 Features

  • 2 Megapixel CCD imager for up to 1600x1200 pixel images
  • 3x optical 35-105mm f/2.8-4.8 zoom, 2.5x digital zoom
  • 1.5" color LCD with up to 10x playback zoom
  • Compact and durable body with an aluminum clad front
  • Advanced TTL AiAF five-point autofocus system
  • Program AE, Shutter-speed priority, Aperture priority and Manual modes
  • Movie mode w/sound, 320x240 to 3 minutes
  • 2.2fps Continuous exposure mode
  • Evaluative metering on focus point, Center-weighted or Spot
  • Stitch Assist mode for perfect panoramas
  • Exposure compensation: +/-2EV in 1/3-step increments
  • White Balance: Auto, 5 presets or Custom
  • Photo Effects: Low Sharpening, Vivid Color, Neutral, Sepia and B&W
  • Low-light focus assist illuminator
  • Shutter speeds of 15 seconds to 1/2000 second
  • Selectable ISO settings from 50 to 400
  • Voice memo (up to 60 secs) can be attached to images
  • Builtin microphone and speaker
  • Powered by standard AA type batteries
  • Direct print to Canon CP-100, S820D, S830D, and S530D photo printers
  • USB connectivity for PC and Mac
  • Optional WP-DC700 Waterproof Case




Physical Views



Canon Powershot A60

Canon Powershot A60

Canon Powershot A60

Canon Powershot A60

Canon Powershot A60

Canon Powershot A60





Canon Powershot A60

The A60 compared in size to an average CD disc.





Canon Powershot A70

The Powershot A70 and the super-compact S400 Digital ELPH







Continue on to
Page Two





Powershot A60 Specifications

Camera effective pixels : Approx. 2.0 million
Image sensor : 1/2.7 in. CCD (Total number of pixels: approx. 2.1 million)
Lens :

5.4 (W) - 16.2 (T) mm (35 mm film equivalent: 35 - 105 mm)
F 2.8 (W) - 4.8 (T)

Digital tele-converter : Maximum approx. 2.5x (Maximum approx. 7.5x with
optical zoom)
Optical viewfinder : Real-image zoom viewfinder
LCD monitor : 1.5-inch, low-temperature polycrystalline silicon TFT color LCD, approx. 78,000 pixels, picture
coverage=100%
Autofocus method : TTL Autofocus
5-point AiAF/1-point AF
1-point AF: center
Focusing Range :
Normal : 46 cm (1.5 ft.) - infinity
Macro : 5 - 46 cm (2.0 in. - 1.5 ft.) (W)/
26 - 46 cm (10 in. - 1.5 ft.) (T)
Shutter : Mechanical + electronic
Shutter speed : 15 - 1/2000 sec.
* 15 - 1.3 sec. in Shutter-priority AE mode or manual mode only
* Noise reduction processing on speeds slower than 1.3 sec.
Light metering system : Evaluative metering (linked to focusing point)/ Center-weighted average metering/ Spot metering
Exposure control : Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE or Manual exposure
Exposure compensation : ±2 stops in 1/3-stop increments
Sensitivity : AUTO/ISO 50/100/200/400 equivalent
White balance : TTL auto/preset (daylight, cloudy, tungsten, fluorescent, fluorescent H) or Custom white balance
Flash : Auto, On, Off
Red-eye reduction On: Red-eye reduction auto/Redeye
reduction On/Flash Off
Red-eye reduction Off: On/Off
Flash range :
Normal : 46 cm - 4.2 m (1.5 - 14 ft.) (W),
46 cm - 2.5 m (1.5 - 8.2 ft.) (T)
Macro : 26 - 46cm (10 in. - 1.5 ft.) (W/T)
Shooting modes : Auto

Creative zone: Program, Shutter Speed Priority,
Aperture Priority and Manual

Image zone: Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Fast
Shutter, Slow Shutter, Stitch Assist and Movie

Continuous shooting : Approx. 2.2 images/sec.
(Large/Fine mode, LCD monitor off)
Self-timer : Shoots after approx. 2 sec. or approx.10 sec.
PC-connected shooting : Available (USB connection only. Exclusive software program RemoteCapture is included in the camera kit.)
Recording media : CompactFlash Type I card (16MB included)
File format : Design rule for Camera File system, DPOF-compliant
Image recording format :
Still images : JPEG (Exif 2.2)*
Movies : AVI (Image data: Motion JPEG, Audio data: WAVE [monaural])
Compression : Superfine/ Fine/ Normal
Number of recording pixels :
Still images :
Large : 1600 x 1200 pixels
Medium : 1024 x 768 pixels
Small : 640 x 480 pixels
Movies** :
320 x 240 pixels (Approx. 3 min.)**
160 x 120 pixels (Approx. 3 min.)**
** Approx. 15 frames/second
** This is the maximum recording time per movie clip for the optional
Canon FC-256MH CF card (not sold in some regions).
** The data in parentheses refer to the maximum movie length per shooting
Replay modes : Single image replay/index replay (9 thumbnails)/ zoomed view (LCD monitor zooms images up to maximum of approx. 10x)/ auto play / sound memos (up to 60 sec.) / Image output to Card Photo Printer CP-100/CP-10 and Bubble Jet Printer with the direct print function
My Camera Settings (Customizing) : The Start-up Image, Start-up Sound, Shutter Sound, Operation Sound and Selftimer Sound can be customized using the following methods.
  1. Using the images and sounds recorded on the camera.
  2. Using downloaded data from your computer using the supplied software.
Interface : Universal Serial Bus (mini-B, PTP [Picture Transfer Protocol])
Audio/Video Output (NTSC or PAL selectable, monaural audio)
Power Source :
  1. Four AA alkaline batteries (included)
  2. Four AA rechargeable NiMH batteries (optional)
  3. AC Adapter Kit ACK600 (optional)
Operating temperatures : 0 - 40 degrees C (32 - 104 degrees F)
Operating humidity : 10 - 90 %
Dimensions (w x h x d) : 101.0 x 64.0 x 31.5 mm (4.0 x 2.5 x 1.2 in.)
excluding protrusions
Weight : Approx. 215 g (7.6 oz.)
(excluding batteries and CF card))

* This digital camera supports Exif 2.2 (also called "Exif Print"). Exif Print is a standard for enhancing the communication between digital cameras and printer. By connecting to an Exif Print-compliant printer, the camera's image data at the time of shooting is used and optimized, yielding extremely high quality prints.


Package Contents (U.S./N. America)

  • Digital Camera
  • Wrist Strap
  • 4-AA alkaline batteries
  • CompactFlash Card FC-16M
  • Case for CompactFlash Card
  • AV Cable AVC-DC100
  • USB Interface Cable IFC-300PCU
  • Digital Camera Solution Disk
  • ArcSoft Camera Suite Disk
  • User Guides






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