The
Canon 
PowerShot A430
Ease of Use:
Overall
Rating:
Reviewed
by Jamie Lendino 9/6/06
The PowerShot
A430 is a good value in a digital camera. Although it’s only 4
,
compared to many other cameras which start at 5
and go up these days, 4
is still plenty of resolution for prints as large as 8x10 inches.
The
camera’s body design is an exercise in simplicity. It’s
solidly constructed, the buttons click with a nice resistance, and it’s
very comfortable to hold even if the design isn’t overly thin.
Opening the A430’s and battery slot is a two step process, where you first
push down on the slider, and then push the cover left while continuing
to press down. We got the hang of it fairly quickly, but this could
have been easier.
We
called up the main
and were greeted with a series of tiny, unlabeled icons, split up into
separate Menu and Function sets. The camera has two modes: basic and
manual. In basic mode, only a smattering of options are available, with
the rest grayed out. Switching the camera dial to manual lights up all
the rest of the functions. Over/under exposing by one stop is easy once
you learn the icon system, but it will not be immediately obvious to
casual users. Fortunately, you can get at the basics of flash, close-up
mode, , and main camera modes (photo, video, etc.) without
touching the menus.
The
A430 takes quite good pictures overall. We found it easy to take shots;
it’s simple to adjust the zoom and focus while framing a photo.
The 4x is welcome over the typical 3x zoom mode. The camera
displays a box whenever you’re in mode, and requires a double press to get in there, which
prevents accidental engagement.
Outdoor
shots were nicely balanced, with slightly flat contrast but very good
detail. Please note that this example photo has been compressed for
the web site and does not show the full quality. Indoor shots were a
little soft focus, but sharpened up when we turned on the flash. You
have to slide the dial all the way to the end to get to the video mode.
Our recorded test videos were jerky at only 10
and had mediocre contrast, but they were otherwise clear and much better
than the comparably priced Fujifilm
FinePix A500.
The
PowerShot A430 is not the easiest camera to use on the market, but the
basic act of taking pictures is simple, and we like the overall design
and the great price. As long as you’re not looking for high-end
features or an ultra-thin camera body, the PowerShot A430 delivers.
Pros: good
value, fairly fast , comfortable to hold
Cons: confusing icons,
washes out in sunlight
Details:
Price: $149
Dimensions: 4.1 x 2.0 x 1.6 inches
Weight: 5.6 ounces (without battery)
Sensor resolution: 4
Movie recording: 640x480 at 10
: 4x
Screen Size: 1.8 inches
: none
Card slot:
Ease of Use Rating: 3 stars
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
TeachTech Inc. 
