A good entry-level camera with HD movie recording.
Very compact and lightweight; Easy to use; Ergonomic; HD movie capture; Decent image quality
No image stabilisation; Colours look a bit dull; Slow performance; No optical zoom in movie capture; Price could have been lower
INTRODUCTION
MRP: Rs 6,995
Affordable point-and-shoot cameras are the best selling products for any company, and this is the segment where they actually earn a lot. It is therefore not surprising that this market is extremely crowded, with each company having several models on offer. Recently, Canon had launched the 14.1 MP PowerShot A2200, which is part of the company'sA-Series range.
Bundle
* Canon PowerShot A2200
* Li-ion battery
* Battery charger with power cord
* Micro-USB data cable
* Utility disc
* User manual
* 4 GB SD memory card
You may have noticed that this camera comes with a slim rechargeable Lithium ion battery, rather than AA batteries commonly used in entry-level cameras. Also included is a 4 GB SD memory card, which allows you to start using the camera out of the box.
DESIGN AND FEATURES
The A2200 appears very attractive in its slim form factor, thanks in a big way to Canon's decision to go with the slim Li-ion. The front prominently features the lens with a 4x optical zoom at f/2.8 for wide angle (28 mm) to f/5.9 at the telephoto end. The AF Assist window is present near the centre at the top, while the Xenon flash is present on the side opposite to the shutter button. This is smart placement, because it reduces the possibility of it getting accidentally covered by your fingers. There is enough space to get a firm grip on the camera with the right hand, and it is light and comfortable enough for one-handed operation. You can hold it with both hands for better stability, especially because it lacks image stabilisation of any type. The build quality is very good and there is no sign of flimsiness anywhere.
A major part of the back of the camera is consumed by the 2.7" TFT LCD display, which produces a crisp and bright output. To the right of the LCD, there are buttons for Face Select, Playback, Display (to decide what is to be displayed on the LCD), and Menu (to control the advanced camera functions). A D-pad allows you to sift through captured photos or videos. It also lets you select different settings such as close-up or Macro mode, Flash, Delete, Electronic Exposure Values, and Delayed Shutter, which can be set at either 2 seconds or 10 seconds. You can choose other settings too by pressing the OK button at the centre, selecting the setting using the direction keys, and then pressing OK again.
The power button is present rather inconspicuously at the top of the camera. Just beside it lies the shutter button, encircled by a zoom ring with lever. The shutter button could have been made a little pronounced by either making it larger, or giving it a different colour. The zoom lever works smoothly and makes almost no noise when used.
Lastly, there is a mode dial, which lets you select different shooting modes. These include Programmable, Automatic,Movie, and also a Live View mode, which allows you to change brightness, vividness, and colour tone in real time. TheEasy mode leaves the user with just the flash control; this is for the novice who doesn't want to be bothered by the camera controls. Other scene modes include Fisheye, Miniature, Toy Camera, Monochrome, Super Vivid, and Poster Effect, with each one being fancier than the last. Also present is a Discreet mode, which turns off all sound effects, the flash, and even the AF Assist light, for silent operation. The rest of the common shooting modes, such as Portrait,Landscape, Fireworks, etc are available as always, but there is one extra mode called Blur Reduction, which shoots at 3.5 MP and reduces the blur due to camera shake. Movie mode captures movies at up to 720p HD (1280x720) video at 30 fps.
The battery compartment is present below the camera and the cover of this compartment also covers the SD memory card slot. There is a centrally located threaded tripod mount socket. Since this is made of plastic, it must be used with caution as it is not durable like those made of metal.
PERFORMANCE
The camera takes around 3 seconds to become fully operational once you press the power button. The average gap between two shots was found to be a slow 4 seconds. There is a noticeable shutter lag between the moment you press the shutter and the point at which the picture actually gets clicked; this was found to be just under a second. This makes it difficult to shoot fast-moving subjects, meaning that you might miss shooting an important moment, such as your kid blowing out the candles on his \ her birthday party.
Ergonomically, the camera can be easily used for an extended period. The buttons have excellent feedback. The overall user interface is easy, even for an inexperienced user. At full charge, the battery is supposed to work for about 280 shots as per official specifications.
Let us now take a look at the image quality.
The A2200 features a 4x optical zoom, which is nothing to write home about, but we can't expect too much from a point-and-shoot camera in this price range.
VERDICT
The Canon PowerShot A2200 is a good point-and-shoot camera for casual use. Since it is very slim and light, you can easily carry it in your pocket. With the Canon UI, any inexperienced user using it will feel right at home. It comes with a lot of features, a few of which are useful, including the 720p HD movie capture capability. The image definition is not bad, but it was found to be dull overall.
The A2200 is priced a bit on the higher side at an MRP of Rs 6,995. We'd rather suggest the A1200 from the same company. It has all the features found in this camera, except for a 12 MP image sensor in place of the former's 14.1, while being priced reasonably at Rs 5,995. It is still able to do everything that the A2200 does, including recording 720p HD movies, and the slightly lower sensor size actually works to its advantage because it results in lower noise in images.
Performance: 3.5
Design and Build Quality: 4
Features: 4
Value: 3
Mojo: 3.5
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
