Canon Powershot A610 Review

When you select Playback mode the last picture taken is displayed full screen. You can move backward or forward through the images using the LEFT and RIGHT buttons. The amount of overlay information displayed is controlled by pressing the DISPlay button. Information across the bottom is 1/14 which means image 1 of 14 total, SuperFine/Large image quality and the time and date it was captured. A "key" icon means the image is protected, while a "musical note" icon indicates that a voice memo has been attached.

Pressing the DISPlay button again displays the histogram and extended exposure information. Here you can see that the image was taken using Program mode, ISO 50, shutter speed was 1/800 of a second, an aperture F4.0, Evaluative metering, Auto white balance, and Flash intensity and EV compensation is at ±0.

If you press the DISP button again all of the overlay information is removed. This is good for when you are showing the pictures on the TV.

You can quickly search through stored images using the Index playback function which is actuated by pressing the Wide zoom control button. Nine thumbnail size images will be displayed and you can select one using the LEFT or RIGHT buttons and then pressing the Telephoto zoom button. Pressing the Wide button again will put you in jump mode where you can backward or forward a page at a time.

The image can be magnified up to 10x in ten steps by pressing the telephoto zoom button. Once the image is enlarged at any step, you can move around inside of it using the 4-way selector buttons.

Movie clips are played back full screen in the camera with audio thanks to the built-in speaker. You can also watch movies on a TV set thanks to the included Audio/Video cables.

You get "VCR-like" buttons to control the playback of movie clips.

You can also edit the length of a movie clip using the Edit option in the Playback menu.

Pressing the MENU button brings up this page of options. Protect or unprotect image(s), rotate portrait mode image for display on TV, Sound Memo will let you attach up to a 60 sec voice "note" with an image, Erase all will delete ALL the images, Auto Play is for automated playback on a TV, Print Order lets you set the DPOF printing information, and Transfer Order (Not Shown) lets you select the order from which the images are transferred to your computer.

For proper display on a TV screen you use the Rotate option on any pictures that you have taken in portrait (vertical) mode.

The Sound Memo options lets you record memos or notes up to 60 seconds in length which are attached to still images. You can overwrite or delete previous memos.

The Setup sub-menu lets you turn the Mute camera sounds, adjust the volume of several functions, adjust Power Saving options, set the time and date of the internal clock, format the SD card, reset the file numbering, set auto rotate (on or off), set the distance unit (m/cm or ft/in), set the menu language, and specify the video out format (NTSC or PAL) and reset all options to the default factory setting.

The MyCamera sub-menu lets you customize the camera's theme, startup and shutdown screens as well as the camera's sound effects. When you install the included software you will find a wealth of themes, startup screens and sounds to choose from or custom build your own.