What It Is

Boasting a brand name in cameras, the 4- megapixel Canon PowerShot A520 is a nice little camera from all points of view. The new generation to descend from the PowerShot A85, the Canon A520 is smaller and lighter than its predecessor with a longer zoom lens and the addition of a few more scene modes.

The Canon PowerShot A520 still offers features for both novices and seasoned photographers. In the same lines as with the A85, the Canon PowerShot A520 is a great value-for-money purchase and without doubt one you should think about if you’re in the market for a camera.

In terms of design, the Canon PowerShot A520’s body resembles a compressed version of the A85, mostly because Canon opted to make this model run on two double-A batteries instead of four.

Other than the size, the only other noticeable design differences are that the AF assist lamp on the front has moved to the opposite side of the viewfinder and you may notice the microphone has shifted but only a small bit.

The LCD is still the same 1.8 inches diagonally but does have some differences. The LCD is now an f/2.6 to f/5.5, 5.8- to 23.2-mm (35- to 140-mm, 35-mm equivalent), 4X optical zoom lens.

Quality photos come easy due to the well thought out optical system of the Canon PowerShot A520. Along with the 4x optical zoom, there is a 4.2 megapixel resolution with this camera. It also boasts an impressive ISO range of 50 to 400 and a shutter speed range of 15 -1/2000 sec.

The Canon PowerShot A520 maintains the first-rate level of manual control of earlier A-series models, including Program, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, and Manual modes, accessible via the top-mounted mode dial. The dial provides five common shooting modes (Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Slow Shutter, and Fast Shutter), as well as Stitch Assist and Movie mode.

A combination of ease of use and plentiful options are still available from the unchanged menu system with the only suggestion being to illustrate the scene modes with on-screen help and sample images such as that found on Casio models like the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z55.

The Canon PowerShot A520’s battery life using the two included alkaline double-A batteries is admirable and the camera is rated for up to 300 shots according to the CIPA standard (using NiMH double-A batteries).

Pictures are stored in SD memory cards with the Canon PowerShot A520. Most cameras today come with at least a 512 MB memory card, some even a 1 GB card. You can also transfer pictures from the camera to the PC with ease using the USB 2.0 interface.

There have been confirmed reports that the Canon PowerShot A520 is generally quite slow. The controls are not responsive enough - frequently one had to press a button more than once to perform the desired operation.

Here’s hoping that if you are looking for a digital camera this review of the Canon PowerShot A520 has helped. Should you just starting into photography, the Canon A520 is a hard choice to beat. Make sure to do your homework on other models and compare to see which one best fits your needs and happy shopping.