The Canon PowerShot A640

I came across this cam on a TV ad, and decided to check it out. Let's just look at what it boasts...



Lens and Image Quality

Megapixels	10 Megapixels
Optical Zoom	4 X
Digital Zoom	4 X
Image Sensor	CCD
Max Aperture	f/2.8
Min Aperture	f/4.1
Max Focal Length	29.2 mm
Min Focal Length	7.3 mm
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/2500 sec
Minimum Shutter Speed	15 sec
Image Format	JPEG
Focus Modes	Automatic, Manual
Exposure Settings	Program, Automatic, Manual, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority
ISO Equivalencies	100, 800, 400, 200, 80, auto
Metering Characteristics	Evaluative, Center-weighted, Spot
Macro Focusing Range	1 cm
Minimum Focusing Range	17.7 in
CCD Size	1/1.8"
Number Of CCD Pixels	10.4 Million

Features

LCD Screen Size	2.5 in
Viewfinder	Real-image zoom
Shooting Modes	Frame movie mode
Self Timer	Yes
Self Timer Delay	10 sec, 2 sec
White Balance	Custom, Automatic, Presets
Continuous Shooting Speed	1.5 fps

Memory

Flash Memory Type	32 MB flash
Recording Method	SDHC Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital (SD) Card

And the manufacturer's description...

The PowerShot A640 bursts with creative options. Use its 10.0 Megapixels to shoot poster size prints with fine detail. Discover new possibilities with the vari-angle LCD and optional accessories.

Print high quality poster size images with all the incredible detail of 10.0 Megapixels. Crop and trim to create new compositions while keeping your photos extra large and razor sharp.

A 4x optical zoom lens gives you the flexibility to frame shots up close or at a distance without sacrificing quality.

The large 2.5" Vari-angle LCD twists in all directions - ideal for self-portraits and creative shots at unusual angles. Night Display mode aids visibility in low light while a selectable Grid Line display helps with composition. A useful 3: 2 ratio overlay indicates the printable area for standard photo prints.

Canon's DIGIC II image processor manages all camera functions and processes images at high speed for excellent responsiveness and extended battery life. iSAPS is a built-in assistant that uses scene information to optimize camera settings before the shot is taken.

Rely on 9-point AiAF to keep even off-center subjects sharply in focus or use FlexiZone AF/AE to manually select a focus point.

21 shooting modes include a full creative zone for manual control and 10 Special Scene modes for tricky lighting conditions including Snow, Beach and Underwater. My Colors allows color effects to be applied to images and movies.

A high-speed ISO 800 setting allows you to shoot correctly exposed images in low light conditions without using a flash. ISO 800 also enables shooting at higher shutter speeds reducing the risk of image blur.

Safety Zoom offers extra zoom magnification without affecting image quality. Use the Digital Tele-Converter for extra reach on every shot - just like adding a teleconverter lens to the camera.

Focus as close as 1cm and capture all the intricate detail of tiny subjects.

Shoot extra long 30fps VGA quality movies with full audio. View them on the camera's LCD screen or connect to a TV or PC for full screen playback.

Overall speaking, this is just the right thing that I need most for my everyday job; a not-pro photographer. Easy to use, great features and good image quality.