2 Responses to “Canon PowerShot A200 2MP Digital Camera”

  1. "yochin" says:
    102 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Faster/Cheaper/Better…, July 22, 2002
    By 
    “yochin” (Pasadena, CA USA) –
    This review is from: Canon PowerShot A200 2MP Digital Camera (Electronics)

    This camera is faster than most digital cameras out there; from opening it to it turning on and being ready to shoot it takes about three seconds; from pressing the shutter button down to it taking a picture it takes almost one second (even faster if you’ve already pressed the shutter down half-way to focus and meter); from it taking a full-size, best-quality 2 mega pixel shot to it being ready to take another it takes about three seconds (even faster with less quality or smaller sized pictures). The camera controls on the back allow you to easily change to close-up mode or change white balance or add exposure compensation or turn off the flash or use the stitch-assist mode or the self-timer with from one button push for close-up mode to around four to six button pushes for the more complicated added features. The lens is the equivalent of a 39mm f2.8 lens on a film-slr camera and it focuses very fast with an auto-focus mechanism that chooses the most likely subject among three focus squares in the middle of the viewfinder/lcd screen to focus on and it has an auto-focus assist beam that aids in focusing; speeding it up especially in scenes with slightly lower light levels.

    This camera is cheaper than many cameras out there. It costs around [$$$]right now which is cheaper than most 2 megapixel cameras right now. The material it’s made out of is a sticky plastic which feels grimy if you hold it too long while you’re out in the sun because the sweat on your hands tends to smear all over it and generally yucks it up (just wipe it off with your shirt; it’s no big deal). This camera takes compact flash type 1 cards which are very easy to find and fairly reasonably priced for a good-sized card (if you already have a more expensive Digital camera that uses compact flash cards then obviously; you’re in luck!). The batteries that it uses are two double A’s; rechargeable or alkalines (very-very easy to find; just go down to your local [store]to find the nickel metal hydride rechargeable kinds). If you don’t have a compact flash card reader but you do have a usb port then you can transfer the images right off of the camera and straight into your computer (Mac or PC). If you don’t have a computer then you can still use the camera; just buy one of Canon’s two available dye-sublimation printers and you can print pictures from 6X4inches to smaller than a postage stamp and almost every size in between to your heart’s content.

    Is this camera better than most cameras out there? One argument against it is it doesn’t have an optical zoom; but truthfully having a zoom lens doesn’t necessarily mean your pictures are automatically going to be better; for example instead of zooming in and taking a “stalker” picture of that cutey down the hall why don’t you just walk up to that cutey and say smile! and take that cutey’s picture from up close and then engage that cutey in an actual conversation; believe me your picture quality will improve dramatically! Another argument against this camera is that it only has two megapixels; but truthfully for snap-shot sized pictures or smaller including pictures that you’re going to be using on the web you don’t need that extra one or two megapixels over the first two megapixels; it’s just pixel overkill for a picture of your uncle holding up that trout he just wrestled into his net or extreme close-ups of your baby doing everything from sleeping peacefully in the crib to crying red-faced while you’re giving her another bath or changing her diaper for like the hundreth time. A third argument against it is that compared to a comparable camera such as the[$$$]it is made of cheaper materials and it’s much bulkier; but truthfully many people find those smaller elf-like cameras clunkier; they’re slower to turn on they’re slower to extend their lens; they’re heavier; they’re more expensive; they’re less responsive to the user when their shutter buttons are pushed; they use more expensive proprietary batteries; they give people with bigger hands or arthritis carpal tunnel syndrome and the list goes on…

    Is this camera better than any other camera out there I ask again? Well obviously the simple truth answer is no; you can always buy a more expensive camera and get more pixels or longer lenses or interchangeble lenses and flash-shoes and doodads to your heart’s content so a more appropriate question to ask would be is this camera better than any other camera out there for the intended task that I seek it to do as a prospective camera buyer on the market? Well; we’ll leave that question up to you!

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  2. N. A Wheeler says:
    50 of 50 people found the following review helpful:
    3.0 out of 5 stars
    Can’t beat the price but…, November 23, 2002
    By 
    N. A Wheeler (Bronx, NY United States) –
    (REAL NAME)
      

    This review is from: Canon PowerShot A200 2MP Digital Camera (Electronics)

    I recommend buying the Canon A40 instead. In fact, I just returned my A200 in order to do just that. Here’s why:
    * The A40 has a more solid feel in your hand. Instead of “perching” in your hand, it “fits” your hand. (Look at the nice curve that fits into your right hand as you hold the camera.)
    * The A40 has an optical zoom, as well as the digital zoom that most digital cameras have. The A200 only has a digital zoom; you lose some quality.
    * The controls on the A40 are easier to understand and better layed out. The A40 has what you call a thumb wheel. To switch between picture taking modes, or into photo review mode, you just spin the wheel. No pressing the same button over-and-over.
    * Finally, it’s easier to change the batteries on the A40!! Why did Canon make the battery compartment so hard to open on a piece of equipment that needs its batteries changed daily or weekly??

    If you just need a bare-bones camera that takes great pictures, buy the A200. I was very impressed with the quality of the photos.
    If you want a more comfortable and intuitive camera, get the A40.

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