Reviews : Hardware : Digital Cameras : Compact Digital Cameras

Digital Cameras Buying Guide: There are many makes and models of digital cameras on the market. Read on to determine the right digital camera for you. Read more...

Compact Digital Cameras

Canon PowerShot A550

Print review and specs for shopping

Click to open full size image in new window

Click images to select and enlarge

Canon PowerShot A550 4.00

Explain star rating

RRP

$279.00 $219.00

Price range

$265

Review Date

Wednesday, 6th of June, 2007

Features

Camera Resolution : 7.1 MP

Digital Zoom : 4x

ISO Speeds : 100

ISO Speeds : 200

ISO Speeds : 400

ISO Speeds : 800

ISO Speeds : Auto

Optical Zoom : 4x

What's Hot

Great colour capture, Low price tag, 4x zoom, Fast operation, Sturdy design

What's Not

Pictures perhaps not quite as sharp as they could have been

The Final Word

Another great compact camera from Canon, the PowerShot A550 won't compare to some more high-end units, but considering the price tag and the features on offer, it's an excellent value-for-money product.

Notes

# This product is no longer available directly from the manufacturer. It may be available in retail and distribution channels, or second hand. The price displayed is the price at review time and the last available recommended retail price.

View test results ...

Imatest

All of our cameras are tested using Imatest, which provides standardised benchmarks that can be directly compared across models. By generating a specific score we can give you hard facts to support our reviews and make sure you make the best decision possible.

SFR Test for Sharpness and Chromatic Aberration StepChart for Image Noise ColourCheck

Sharpness

Sharpness is potentially the most important element of a picture. The sharper a shot, the more depth and clarity it will appear to have. Sharpness is a term used to describe the boundary between one section of colour and another. The more defined this border is, the sharper the shot. It is measured by comparing the distance it takes a pixel to change from one colour value to the other. All cameras will blur to some extent, but in good models it won't be noticeable until you really zoom in to extreme levels. The higher the value, the better the camera; anything over 1300 should be considered excellent.

Chromatic Aberration

Cameras with Chromatic Aberration are often attributed as having poor sharpness, but this is not the case at all. Chromatic Aberration is caused by light refracting at incorrect angles as it passes through the lens. It occurs around the edge of a shot and presents itself as colour fringing, which can destroy the clarity in those areas. Chromatic Aberration is measured in terms of its distance from the centre. A lower percentage is good. Anything below .05 should be considered fairly good.