Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom: Customer Reviews & Product Details

I am not professional photographer, but I always like simple functionality for great output. This camera has suited in every aspect to my expectation. I got this camera from Target about 5 months ago, and now I just cannot live without it.

This camera allows you to brandish great control over photographs. I recommend it to the person interested in photography who can't afford a DSLR but also doesn't want a point-and-shoot that offers sleekness in exchange for quality.Straight to it(I will be referring to manual mode): There is a convenient light-meter, so you can easily adjust aperture and shutter speed according to this. You have control over ISOs. A downside, at least when it comes to ISOs, is that starting at 800 the amount of noise is unbearable. However, in terms of the pricing-level, I would expect this to be commonplace. In focusing there is macro and manual (and of course the standard normal focus). The macro is quite good, but what is better in certain situations is the manual focus, which gives you a horizontal bar graph with plotted distances, so that you can control it according to how far the lens is from your subject. Quite sweet. I often use the manual focus instead of the macro when I want "macro" photography. With a macro focus here YOU have to adjust to the camera, instead of the camera working for your needs. Cases as such are usually horrible. Another great feature is customized white balanced, where the camera uses white as a reference for the lighting scheme. However, this feature should be used in cases where you and your subject are in the same lighting (which is often not the case), however when the circumstance is auspicious, this setting is worthy (otherwise just use Automatic White Balance or another pre-set setting). As for the pre-set white balances, when I am indoors I like to try each of the 3 indoor lighting schemes while looking at the lcd with the shutter half down, so that by trial-and-error I can find which white balance is best. You also have exposure control, so that you can either have a complex medley of exposure (the one I use most, and the easiest) or one more mathematically-driven, but, I suppose, when used by a keen mind, births a persuasive photo.
Buy this camera with this caveat in mind: it will tempt you into getting a DSLR. It gives you so much creative control that you will want a camera that gives you better image quality for all your good work. ;) DSLRs also have a wide variety of quality lenses. This camera has optional lenses, but I don't see them being worth the money. Image quality is first in my mind, but if you have the money why not, and of course lenses can lend to image quality but the effects won't be nearly as enhancing as with a DSLR. I have only once touched a DSLR, in B&H, and that was for a fleeting moment. But from watching plenty of videos, it seems that this camera has many of the same user settings as entry level DSLRs, such as the 450d from Canon. Of course the differences are within the workings of the camera body, and of that, very importantly, the image SENSOR, which is larger in DSLRs and translates to greater image quality.

this camera has been out of production for over a year.i sold this camera at my job for 179.95.we closed them out at 119.95.it is a great camera with a lag time of .5 of a second.very good for a aa powered camera.

Had I owned this camera before I owned the A720IS I might be giving it five stars, but when comparing the two this one loses both in build quality and feel. Back in June I was traveling across Louisiana on my way from Brownsville, TX to Clarksville, TN when my A720IS managed to drop from my truck unnoticed. I had owned it for more than a year, was thoroughly satisfied with it and am still furious with myself for losing it! The A720 felt very good in my hands and had a very nice fit. The A590 is a bit smaller and doesn't feel quite as good, but this is purely subjective on my part and will not be the case for everyone. Build quality is not subjective: the zoom mechanism is disappointingly sloppy. The zoom lever doesn't have the same substantial feel as the one on the A720 and the whole zoom operation is considerably less precise. With the A720 the lens would 'stop on a dime' when the lever was released while on the A590 the lens continues to drive for a millisecond or so, just long enough to position the lens at an undesired zoom level and making readjustments quite necessary. The 4x optical zoom is adequate for most purposes but comes up short compared to the 6x of the A720. None of these things is a deal-breaker and wouldn't matter on their own. It is only when comparing this camera with the A720 that one notices the difference. In my opinion Canon took a step back with this camera, albeit a small step, and if you are able to find the 720 for a reasonable price I would recommend it over the 590; however, both are capable cameras that take good quality pictures and both will serve you well. There are still a few 590's for sale off the shelf in stores and the clearance prices make them very attractive buys, especially now that both they and the A720 have been priced way out of reason in on-line stores.

This is my second Canon digicam, and I agree with the other reviewers that you get a lot of bang for your buck with this camera. HOWEVER, if I had to do it over again, I wouldn't buy this camera. This model (unlike my previous, older model) uses only 2 batteries instead of 4. I am constantly changing them out which is a big enough pain here at home, and I can only imagine what it would be like if I was traveling. Also, there is a huge delay between shots...even longer than my older Canon which I can only put down to it having two batteries. Those two problems outweigh everything else that I like about this camera.

I know the trend is for ever smaller profiles, but when you sacrifice usefulness for size, it's not worth it.