Canon PowerShot A520Canon PowerShot A520 ReviewSimon Joinson, March 2005

Review based on a production Canon PowerShot A520Announced just before PMA in February 2005, the PowerShot A520 is the replacement for the PowerShot A85, and continues the line of best-selling budget models that goes right back to early 2001 with the A10 and A20. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary; a reduction in size and weight (its 13% smaller and 20% lighter), the inclusion of a new four times optical zoom lens (the A85 had a three times), zoom-linked flash, a shift from CompactFlash to SD card for storage and a drop to two AA batteries from four.4.0 megapixel CCD4x (35-140mm equiv.) zoom lensManual, semi automatic and fully automatic exposure20 exposure modesNew hold functionZoom flash9-point AiAF focusOptional underwater housing, external flashgun and add-on lensesAA battery powerCanon PowerShot A520 vs A85 (main differences)  Canon PowerShot A520Canon PowerShot A85SensorLensStorageDimensionsWeight (inc batteries)Continuous ShootingMaximum Movie Size/Frame RateLCD screenPower Source

• 1/2.5-inch CCD• 4.0 million effective pixels	• 1/2.7-inch CCD• 4.0 million effective pixels
	35-105mm equiv. F2.8-F4.8
SD/MMC card	CompactFlash Type I
91 x 64 x 38 mm (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in)	101 x 64 x 32 mm (4 x 2.5 x 1.3 in)
230 g (8.1 oz)	300g (10.6 oz)
1.9 fps	1.5 fps
640 x 480, 30 secs, 320 x 240, 15 fps, max 3 mins	640 x 480, 10 fps, max 30 sec
• 1.8-inch• 115,000 pixels	• 1.8-inch• 118,000 pixels
2 x AA batteries	4 x AA batteries

Canon PowerShot A520 Key specifications Street priceBody MaterialSensorImage sizesMovie clipsLensFocusShooting modeShutter speedsAperturesSensitivityWhite BalanceImage parametersContinuousFlashStorageViewfinderLCD monitorConnectivityPower

Other featuresWeight (excl batt)Dimensions

• US: $270• UK: £175

Metal and plastic

• 1/2.5" Type CCD• 4.0 million effective pixelxels

• 2272 x 1704• 1600 x 1200• 1024 x 768• 640 x 480

• 640 x 480, max 30 sec• 320 x 240, max 3 mins• 160 x 120, max 3 mins• With audio

• TTL autofocus• AF illuminator • 9-point AiAF or - point AF (center) • Manual focus • 5cm macro mode (Wide), 30cm (Tele)

• Auto• Program AE• Shutter priority AE• Aperture priority AE• Manual exposure• Portrait• Landscape• Night Scene• Fast Shutter• Slow Shutter• Stitch Assist• Movie• Foliage• Snow• Beach• Fireworks• Underwater• Indoor• Kids & Pets• Night Snapshot• AE compensation -2.0EV to +2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps

• 15 - 1/2000 sec• Noise reduction for shutter speeds slower than 1.3 sec

• F2.6 / F3.2 / F3.5 / F4.0 / F4.5 / F5.0 / F5.6 / F6.3 / F7.1 / F8.0 (wide)• F5.5 / F6.3 / F7.1 / F8.0 (wide)

• Auto• ISO 50, 100, 200, 400

• Auto• Daylight• Cloudy• Tungsten• Fluorescent• Fluorescent H• Custom

• Picture adjust (Vivid, Neutral)• Sharpness (2 levels)• Color effects (Sepia, Black and White)

• Single• Continuous (1.9 fps, max 8 images) ** Large/Fine with LCD off

• Built-in• Modes: Auto, On, Off• Slow Sync: On/Off• Red-Eye reduction: On/Off• Range (wide): 0.45 - 3.5 m (Auto ISO)• Range (tele): 0.45 - 2.2 m (Auto ISO)• Zoom-linked

• SD / MMC card • 16MB SD supplied*

• Real Image Optical

• 1.8" TFT, 115,000 pixels

• USB 1.1 • A/V out• DC-IN

• 2 x AA batteries • NiMH recommended (alkaline supplied) • (Optional AC adapter)

91 x 64 x 38 mm (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) Excluding protrusions

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of the image, clicking on the image will display a larger (typically VGA) image in a new window.To navigate the review simply use the next / previous page buttons, to jump to a particular section either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the navigation bar at the top.DPReview calibrate their monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted) PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally A,B and C.

This article is Copyright 2004 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.

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