Product Description

The PowerShot A720 IS is the quintessential A Series camera in a popular line that matches high-end image quality with fun, easy-to-use features that deliver excellent cost performance. Top-notch specifications include 8.0 megapixel resolution and a long 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer technology for sharp images throughout the zoom range. Canon's DIGIC III Image Processor offers advanced Face Detection technology and Red-eye Correction for fantastic images. Even expand your creative possibilities with wide-angle and telephoto converter lenses.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #494 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Canon
• Model: A720IS
• Released on: 2007-09-11
• Dimensions: 1.60" h x 2.60" w x 3.80" l, .44 pounds
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 8-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 16 x 22-inch prints
• 6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 2.5-inch wide-viewing-angle LCD display
• Face Detection technology and in-camera red-eye fix
• 19 shooting modes, including 7 special scene modes; Print/Share button
• Powered by 2 AA-size batteries (2 alkaline batteries included); stores images on SD memory cards (16MB memory card included)

Manufacturer Description

The PowerShot A720 IS is the quintessential A Series camera in a popular line that matches high-end image quality with fun, easy-to-use features that deliver excellent cost performance. Top-notch specifications include 8.0-megapixel resolution and a long 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer Technology for sharp images throughout the zoom range. Canon's DIGIC III Image Processor offers advanced Face Detection technology and Red-eye Correction for fantastic images. Even expand your creative possibilities with wide-angle and telephoto converter lenses.

PowerShot A720IS Highlights

8.0-megapixel resolution, high-power 6x optical zoom with Optical Image Stabilizer Top-notch core specifications allow the PowerShot A720 IS to produce a level of image quality that’s fully competitive with that of much higher-end cameras. A full 8.0 megapixels of resolution ensure rich depth and detail, and let you enlarge and crop images freely.

1x zoom/6x zoom

The camera is equipped with a genuine Canon 6x optical zoom to get you up close when it counts. Canon’s sophisticated Optical Image Stabilizer Technology keeps your shots blur-free, even in low light and at the long end of the zoom range. Miniature gyroscopic sensors detect motion, then send a corrective signal, effectively reducing camera shake.

DIGIC III Image Processor with Genuine Canon Face Detection Technology With DIGIC III, your images boast superior quality, the camera operates at top efficiency and battery life is enhanced. What’s more, DIGIC III enables Canon’s Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the Shutter button halfway down, and the camera automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point. The camera controls exposure settings and flash to keep every face looking bright and natural. Red eyes can be corrected during playback.

DIGIC III features Face Detection technologies, giving the you best possible results in any shooting situation. Face Detection AF/AE sets the focus point and exposure for the faces of your subjects. Face Detection FE adjusts the flash to correctly illuminate your subject to provide the best balance between your subject and the overall scene, eliminating the common problems of over- and underexposed faces.

Face Detection in action

Red-eye correction detects and corrects red-eye during playback. In unusual cases where red-eye is not automatically detected, it can easily be corrected manually during playback mode.

iSAPS technology is an entirely original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC III Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

Easy-to-use Mode Dial with a wide range of shooting modes With a simple Mode Dial, the PowerShot A720 IS makes it easy to access the features of the camera you’ll use most. Select a scene mode, and the camera automatically sets shooting parameters to get you the best possible shot in that situation. You can also access Stitch Assist, Auto, Movie and Manual modes from the Mode Dial. And the convenience of using AA-size batteries, no special power adapters or chargers are needed wherever you go.

With 19 Shooting Modes including 7 Special Scene Modes, you’re ready for whatever shot comes your way.

Compatible with a wide range of accessories including wide-angle and telephoto lens converters The PowerShot A720 IS is compatible with many of shooting accessories such as wide and tele converter lenses, High-Power Flash designed for all of the PowerShot models. Also, a waterproof case is available for your underwater shooting.

Print/Share button for easy direct printing and downloading The PowerShot A720 IS's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the A720 IS to a Canon CP, Selphy or Pixma Photo Printer or any PictBridge compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button and print! Also use the Print/Share button to transfer images to a computer (Windows and Macintosh).

Print your own ID photos in 28 different sizes or use the Movie Print function to output multiple stills from a recorded movie on a single sheet with a Canon Selphy Compact Photo Printer.

Direct photo printers For desktop large-format printing, try one of the direct photo printers that allow you to print without a computer in one of two ways: plug your compatible PowerShot camera into the direct photo printer using the supplied USB interface cable, or simply insert a memory card into the supplied adapter. You can also connect the printer to your computer for more options. Print high-resolution, borderless images as postcards or 8.5 x 11-inch sheets within minutes.

Compact photo printers Compact photo printers let you produce versatile, fun 4 x 6-inch postcards, 4 x 8-inch wide greeting cards or credit card size prints in just two easy steps: connect and press/print. Control the printer right from your camera's LCD screen. You get durable, dye-sublimated prints quickly with or without borders. Assorted paper types let you create mini or credit card size labels. You can even take select compact photo printers to a party or an outdoor picnic using an optional rechargeable battery.

Customer Reviews

Great pictures, easy to use.
This is my first digital camera, so I had no idea which of the hundreds to buy. Consumer Reports listed this model as its "Best Buy" and that's why I purchased it. I am very happy with the quality of pictures, which are much sharper than I was getting with my 35mm film camera and I find it very easy to use, even for a digital beginner. The instruction book was a pleasant surprise as it was actually written by a native English speaker and was very step by step and easy to follow.
My computer would not accept the CD that came with the camera, and regardless of the dire warnings that you "must" download the CD before copying pictures from the camera to the computer, I took a chance and connected the camera to the computer and the pictures went to "My Pictures" in the computer without a hitch.
I seem to be getting about 50 shots, many with flash, with 2 AA batteries.

Canon Powershot A420IS
I have now had this camera for over 4 months. I use it primarily for nature photography. It is outstanding for so many reasons. My fellow photographers are so jealous that I can get within 1 cm for macro photography. I like that it has AA batteries; easily rechargeable. It's my first digital so I like that I can adjust the aperture and shutterspeed. I LOVE that I can underexpose and see it through the LCD. I often underexpose by a third of a stop for more contrast. For motion photography, I can see throught the view finder and accurately get the subject (Thunderbird planes!). The flash is quite weak but you can buy one as an accessory. You can also buy an accessory lens and even waterproofing to do underwater photography! I also like that with the digital and optimal zoom I can zoom in 24X Wow! That has helped a lot too! I feel I don't need to go to the DSLR because I get outstanding pictures with this. Well worth the price!

A great little camera and a Consumer Reports "best buy"!
I got this camera for Christmas. It is great for most types of photos. Consumer Reports recently listed this camera as a "best buy". Its predecessor, the A710, had also been a best buy. Canon seems to update their cameras every year, so my guess is that this camera's successor is due to be released within the next few months.

If you just want a point-and-shoot that does all the work for you, then keep this camera in "auto" mode and forget about all the other settings. If you are an experienced SLR photographer, go ahead and put it in manual mode for a near-SLR experience.

I have noticed that the lens does tend to slightly, but noticeably, curve straight vertical lines. Also, as with most point-and-shoot cameras, while the LCD screen is WYSIWYG, the viewfinder is not--especially when zoomed in.

Remember that for ALL auto-focus cameras, you should press the shutter button down half way so the camera can focus on the subject. Then press the shutter button down all the way to take the shot. This is no different than other point-and-shoot digital cameras.

One reviewer complained about getting blurry photos with this camera. I have not had any problems with blurry photos. If you have a broadband Internet connection, I have posted 433 photos online that I took with this camera during a recent vacation to Japan. As you will see, there are no blurry photos. To see the quality of the pictures that this camera takes, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/jparsons.net/

Recommended supplies: I bought the Tamrac 5290 Camera Bag for it, which holds the camera snugly and does a good job of protecting it from rain. If you would like to improve your photography skills, I recommend the book Understanding Exposure.