Canon PowerShot A480 review (Red)

Sample photos:
Canon PowerShot A480

Photo quality from the A480 was better than expected. Center sharpness and detail are very good for such an inexpensive camera; however, photos do soften up as you head off-center and noise/graininess is visible at full size, even at ISO 80. The A480 performs true to its class, delivering its best photos below ISO 200 and begins declining between ISO 200 and ISO 400. Though ISO 800 photos aren't great, they're usable at small sizes. ISO 1,600 is bad and only recommended for low-light emergencies where quality takes a backseat to getting a shot. Color is uniformly excellent and makes up for a lot of the camera's other photo issues. Unfortunately, lens distortion causes quite a bit of purple fringing; it's to be expected at its price, but that doesn't make it any better. If you plan to print photos larger than 8x10 or even 5x7, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed with the results. (See the slideshow for an example.) Overall, you're really not going to find better photos for the cost of the A480.

It's tough getting overly critical about a camera as inexpensive as the Canon PowerShot A480. It really is enough, at least to me, that it's small, attractive, and produces decent photos at this price point, and without any real skill or effort required on the part of the photographer. However, if you're expecting more than just snapshot photos, I'd save up for something else.

Shooting speed (in frames per second)
(Longer bars indicate better performance)

Time to first shot

Typical shot-to-shot time (flash)

Typical shot-to-shot time

Shutter lag (dim)

Shutter lag (typical)

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

1.4 

3.2 

2.1 

0.7 

0.5 

Kodak EasyShare M1093 IS

2.8 

1.4 

1.2 

1 

0.5 

Nikon Coolpix S230

3.5 

3.3 

3 

1 

0.5 

Canon PowerShot A480

1.8 

5.6 

2.7 

0.6 

0.6 

Pentax Optio E70

2.4 

4.2 

3.3 

1.2 

0.6 

Find out more about how we test digital cameras.