Review on Gray Canon PowerShot A470 Digital Camera - 7.1MP with 3.4x Optical Zoom by Justin Hines

This is an awesome little camera. I bought it for my wife about two months ago to replace an earlier Sony generation. It's also one of the Consumer Reports recommended cameras and is easy to use. turn on and click. With 7.1 megapixels and 3.4x zoom, it takes great photos. It works best in automatic mode, which I think this camera was designed for. The 38mm to 132mm camera equivalent offers a little more range than usual. The 2.5-inch screen is the only way to frame a shot and can be difficult to use on sunny days. Get a little scrub and put on a foldable hood for such occasions. You won't find many controls on the A470, but the adjustable ISO, exposure controls and manual white balance settings give you some flexibility when shooting. Anti shock works very well. Another nice feature is that it uses AA batteries. I use NIMH and keep a few extra kits charged and handy. There are now many more usable images than Sony. One thing I've learned is that once you get to a certain point, megapixels don't mean much other than the size of the end product. And for entry-level, it's unlikely that most of us will do too much 11X17 for Life magazine. Still, you can do it if you keep your ISO at 80. Another nice attribute is the ability to record videos. This little camera has been used in video mode a few times and I've been very happy with the result. In terms of size, it's not one of those thin, ultra-compact pocket cameras that's around 2 inches thick. It fits in a pocket with a slight bulge, but I really like this size better as it's more comfortable to hold and more stable when shooting. I used an ultra-compact and found it more difficult to handle and more shaking options. The included software is very easy to use and simplifies the downloading process by allowing you to only search for the most recent photos in memory. I put 4GB SDHC in the camera, which gives about 1000 pixels at the highest resolution, or a combination of enough video and a few hundred photos. If you're looking for an easy point and shoot and don't mind a heavier feel, then this is for you. If you need more control, more manual controls, longer zoom etc. spend another $300 and buy the SX10is which I also own and use for more serious photo trips or if I want to use a controlled synchro flash.