These days everyone seems to be looking for good quality entry-level digital camera that comes crammed with features and shooting modes; problem is (or was) they all want it under the magic figure; Rs.10,000. Worry not, we've got the solution for this very query. Today, we review the Canon PowerShot A590 IS; an entry-level camera that has all the bells and whistles of it's more proficient (and expensive) siblings and is still priced below the 10K mark. The Camera

The Canon PowerShot A590 IS is an 8 MP digital camera that features a Canon branded 35-140mm lens that has 4x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). The IS sensors detect the tiny movements of your hands while clicking a picture (this movement is known as "camera shake"), and shifts a lens element to compensate for this motion, which results in a much sharper image at slower shutter speeds than one could get on a camera without IS. The back of the camera has a regular 2.5-inch LCD that has a resolution of 115,000 pixels as well as an optical viewfinder and buttons to access various features of the camera. Other features include PASM shooting modes, an ISO range of 80 to 1600, support for conversion lenses, and a 640 x 480 movie mode. Design The Canon PowerShot A590 IS measures 94.3 x 64.7 x 40.8 mm and has a run-of-the-mill boxy design and weighs about 175 grams. It isn't one of the smallest or the lightest cameras around but is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket comfortably (as long as you don't mind the bulge). The A590 IS is packed in a plastic shell that has a two tone paint job. Unfortunately, this gives the camera a very plasticky feel which is a big let down. Though you don't hear too many creaks and squeaks, it doesn't seem to project the typical sturdiness that one associates with Canon. With the 590 IS, Canon has chosen not to use their circular 5-way D-Pad that can be used to access various features of the camera. This time they have an extended D-Pad that stretches into a '+' sign with the FUNC button placed in the middle. Four more buttons placed around the D-Pad complete the entire set. All the buttons can be reached and used using just your thumb; even the Play/Shot switch that's placed towards the top-right of the camera. Bundle

Here's what you get in the box, The PowerShot A590 IS digital camera 32MB MMCplus memory card Two AA alkaline batteries Wrist strap USB cable A/V cable Canon Digital Camera Solution disc Camera manual (printed) <__PAGETITLE__Design & Bundle__/PAGETITLE__> Specifications

<__PAGETITLE__Specifications __/PAGETITLE__> Features

Even though the PowerShot A590 IS is an entry level camera, it has almost all the features that come as standard on other more expensive Canon cameras. It has a 1/2.5-inch 8 MP CCD with a 4x optical zoom lens that has 'lens shift' type optical image stabilization as well as a 4x digital zoom. The base around the lens can be removed to allow the attachment of a wide or telephoto lens. One thing to remember when talking about an OIS system is that it counters camera shake only to a certain extent. However, in large panoramic shots or ultra-zoomed-in close-ups, you would definitely need a tripod. The 2.5-inch LCD doesn't lag much, and gives you maximum detail without being obtrusive while shooting pictures. The optical viewfinder is pretty clear but doesn't show the full frame. The inbuilt flash has a range of about 11 ft at the wide end of the zoom and offers the usual range of modes like forced flash, and automatic flash. These modes can be easily switched on or off as per requirements. The AF illuminator is used as a focusing aid in low-light situations, and is fairly impressive. In addition to manual focusing, the A590 IS also makes use of focusing aids like Face Detect AF and AiAF (9-point).The A590 IS can capture movie clips at resolutions of 640x480 (20 fps), 320x240 (30 fps) and 160x120 (15 fps) respectively. Like all Canon cameras, this one does not have any on-board memory but has a SD/MMC card slot and uses two AA-sized batteries for power. <__PAGETITLE__Features __/PAGETITLE__> ISO Tests

Here, you'll see that all the images have only a marginal amount of image noise and chromatic abberation which, when the image is resized, is not even noticeable. Anyways, most users will have resize their images if they want to print or email their images. <__PAGETITLE__ISO Tests (1/2) __/PAGETITLE__>

Things start going downhill from here. Anything above ISO 200 and this is what you'll get. Definitely not suited well for action shots. <__PAGETITLE__ISO Tests (2/2) __/PAGETITLE__> Performance Handling the Canon A590 IS is like handling any other Canon camera, nice and easy. But what I absolutely didn't like here was the overall finish of the camera. It feels too plasticky. The overall usage and handling is pretty easy and simple. Even first time camera users will find the menus, modes and shooting options easy to select and use. Overall, the handling, operation, and usage is easy but the modes are job-specific and will take some time to master. On the image quality front, the A590 IS benefits largely from DIGIC III that produces good quality crisp pictures. The camera performs well right from the moment you press the power button. It springs to life and is ready to shoot in just under 2 seconds. Shot-to-shot times are average but increase a lot when you are using the flash on depleted batteries. At times, the delay can be more than 5 to 6 seconds between flashes, but that's the case with all cameras that are powered by AA batteries. Focus times are average with a little shutter lag. Low-light focusing works well too, thanks to the AF-assist beam. What I didn't like here was the 2.5-inch LCD screen. If you plan to venture outdoors on bright sunny days, don't forget to get your cap as well. Yeah saving yourself from going crazy in the heat is one reason but you'd also need to create some kind of shade to view what's on the LCD. Outdoor visibility was below average, while in low-light situations, the screen was easy to see, since it "gains up" automatically in those situations. The image quality of the A590 IS turned out to be better than most entry-level cameras. The digital zoom isn't of much help but the 4x optical zoom is a welcome addition, as most other entry level cameras have just a 3x optical zoom and, mostly, no Optical Image Stabilization as well. The photos we obtained were well-exposed with decent color reproduction and details. There was quite a noticeable amount of barrel distortion at the edges in all the pictures but that can be corrected by framing the object in the center as much as possible. OIS system works well to minimize camera shake to a great extent, especially when using the full 4x optical zoom. Noise levels are manageable till ISO 400; beyond that image noise grows exponentially. But I'd suggest not going beyond the ISO 200 settings if you want clean images that don't require a lot of post processing. The video and voice recording quality is average. Videos are stored in AVI format and voice clips in WAV format. Battery Life

As said, the Canon PowerShot A590 IS makes use of a pair of AA batteries for power. All tests on the A590IS were conducted using a pair of GP 2300 mAh rechargeable NiMH batteries. It was able to take about 165 images without using any flash while the numbers fell to about 135 pictures when flash was used fairly often. Word of advice: It's better to carry around at least 2 extra pairs rechargeable NiMH batteries, preferably ones with a 2600 mAh rating, rather than using standard alkaline batteries that won't last too long and will turn out to be more expensive in the long run. Conclusion The Canon Powershot A590 IS is an entry level camera that seems to be aimed at those who want to enjoy the unadulterated joy of a point-and-shoot experience with the camera. It is available for a street price of around Rs. 9,990 with a one-year warranty. For that price, what you get is a simple and easy to use camera that shoots pictures better than most others in the same price range or category. A great buy; especially if you haven't been acquainted to digital cameras yet. <__PAGETITLE__Performance, Battery Life & Conclusion __/PAGETITLE__> Sample Pictures Landscape Mode

<__PAGETITLE__Sample shots (1/2) __/PAGETITLE__> 4x Optical Zoom

Full Zoom

<__PAGETITLE__Sample shots (2/2) __/PAGETITLE__>

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