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The 4-megapixel Canon PowerShot A520 is a nice little camera from the brand name manufacturer. It is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, the PowerShot A85, and it adds a longer zoom lens and a couple of new 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.

Outside of size, the only other obvious differences are that the AF assist lamp on the front has been relocated to the opposite side of the optical viewfinder and if you look close, you will notice the microphone is slightly shifted.

The LCD remains at 1.8 inches diagonally, but the lens has been modified to a f/2.6 to f/5.5, 5.8- to 23.2 mm (35- to 140-mm, 35-mm equivalent), 4X optical zoom lens.

It is clear that the optical system of the Canon PowerShot A520 has been thoroughly thought out to make great photos simple. A 4.2 megapixel resolution along with the 4X optical zoom is provided and the Canon PowerShot A520 also features an ISO range of 50 to 400 and a shutter speed range of 15 - 1/2000 sec. making it an impressive choice.

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 comfortable ease of use with many options is still found in the unchanged menu system. The only improvement to be found here is perhaps to illustrate the scene modes with some on-screen help and sample images along the same lines as what you would find on the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z55 for example.

Battery life using the two included alkaline double-A batteries is quite good in the Canon PowerShot A520, 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 A520. It is considered standard in digital cameras today to be equipped with at least a 512 MB memory card and may are supporting a 1GB card. With the USB 2.0 interface, transferring pictures from the camera to the PC is simple.

As with almost anything, there is at least one notable issue with the Canon PowerShot A520. Confirmed reports have stated the A520 controls are not responsive enough leading to the camera to being quite slow. A button frequently had to pressed more than once to perform the chosen function.

Hopefully you have found this overview of the Canon PowerShot A520 to be helpful. Should you be looking for a reasonably priced yet nicely equipped digital camera, you may very well find it in the Canon A520. Make sure to check out not only this camera but other comparable cameras to find the best suit for you.

Tags: Photography