Product Description

Easy-to-use and easy-to-hold, the PowerShot A550 gives you 7.1 Megapixels, a 4x optical zoom lens, an ISO 800 feature for expanded low-light shooting and a DIGIC II Image Processor with iSAPS technology for beautiful pictures and great performance. Plus, there's even a Fast Frame Rate Movie Mode. Power is never a problem, because the A550 uses standard "AA" batteries. Great features at a great price - it's what makes the A550 such an amazing camera.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2523 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 1775B001
• Released on: 2007-02-16
• Dimensions: 1.70" h x 2.50" w x 3.60" l, .35 pounds
• Display size: 2
• Included Software: Digital Camera Solution

Features

• 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• 4x optical zoom; 2.0-inch LCD display
• 16:9 Widescreen mode for full-screen viewing on widescreen TVs and computer monitors
• Three movie modes including 30 fps VGA and 60 fps Fast Frame Rate
• Stores images on SD, SDHC, or MMC memory cards (16MB MMC card included); powered by 2 AA-size batteries (2 alkaline batteries included)

From the Manufacturer
Easy-to-use and easy-to-hold, the PowerShot A550 gives you 7.1 megapixels, a 4x optical zoom lens, an ISO 800 feature for expanded low-light shooting, and a DIGIC II Image Processor with iSAPS technology for beautiful pictures and great performance. Plus, there's even a Fast Frame Rate Movie Mode. Power is never a problem, because the A550 uses standard "AA" batteries. Great features at a great price--it's what makes the A550 such an amazing camera.

Surprisingly affordable high-resolution digital camera
Treat yourself to a new standard of performance and simplicity. With 7.1 megapixels, the PowerShot A550 gives you the resolution you need to capture life's precious moments in radiant, real-life color and fully textured detail. Even when you enlarge, crop and print, every image is still breathtakingly beautiful. Better still, Canon's high-quality 4x optical zoom lens makes all your favorite subjects--portraits, landscapes, night scenes, even casual snapshots--crisp, sharp and bright.

DIGIC II Image Processor
Canon's DIGIC II Image Processor is designed to improve processing speed and image quality, so DIGIC II provides markedly fast startup, autofocus and playback, plus it assures that every image is more colorfully vibrant.

iSAPS Technology
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 II Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

See the image in big screen
The PowerShot A550 features a 2.0-inch LCD screen with 86,000 pixels of resolution. So whether you're setting up your shot or playing it back, everything is bright and clear. And with 9-point AiAF, you can count on exact focus no matter where your subject is in the frame. You also have Shooting modes that gives you breathtaking, exhilarating pictures even when shooting conditions are tough.

Shooting Modes
Advanced presets for the best possible photos under certain conditions.

Auto
The camera chooses all the settings so you can concentrate on your subject.

Manual
The ultimate in creative control, you set ISO speed, exposure compensation and white balance.

Portrait
The camera sets a large aperture, focusing the subject and artistically blurring the background to make your subject "pop."

Landscape
For front-to-back sharpness, the camera sets a small aperture.

Indoor
Reduce blur and improve color accuracy when shooting handheld indoors.

Kids & Pets
Reduced focusing time freezes fast-moving subjects, so you won't miss those special shots.

Night Snapshot
Get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.

Movie
Shoot in VGA (30 frames per second [fps]/15 fps) and QVGA (60 fps/30 fps/15 fps) or QQVGA (15 fps for up to 3 minutes).

Special Scene Modes
Night Scene
For impressive sunset or nightlife shots, the camera properly exposes the background and uses slow-sync flash for the subject.

Foliage
Capture brilliant shots of autumn foliage, greenery and blossoms.

Snow
Shoot clear snow scenes without darkened subjects or an unnatural bluish tint.

Beach
Get clear shots of people at a sunny beach without darkened faces.

Fireworks
Grab brilliant images of skyrocketing fireworks.

Enjoy wide-screen shooting
Now you can experience the full impact of every image you shoot. PowerShot A550 is equipped with a 16:9 widescreen option that lets you shoot still photos and movies in a format that's specially made for viewing on widescreen television sets or your computer monitor. Imagine the possibilities: you can entertain friends and family with shows of your own photography or host your own movie nights. It's a great way to give everyone a whole new perspective on your creativity.

A variety of movie-making options
With a highly flexible movie mode, you can create the movie that's perfect for any application. Fast Frame Rate Movie Mode allows you to record extremely smooth, full-motion movie clips for up to 1 minute long in QVGA at 60 fps (320 x 240 pixels). Select from VGA (640 x 480 pixels) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels), with frame rates of 30 fps or 15 fps for recording up to 1 hour or 1GB. Plus Compact Movie Mode (QQVGA; 160 x 120 pixels) records at 15 fps for up to 3 minutes. The PowerShot A550 also supports the USB 2.0 Hi-Speed standard, so you'll enjoy the fastest possible data transfer speeds when using a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed compatible computer.

Get new batteries anywhere
You don't need to worry about running out or recharging batteries. Since AA-size batteries can be purchased at any store, simply get new ones locally.

What's in the box
Canon PowerShot A550 body, AA-size alkaline battery (x 2), MultiMediaCard-16M, wrist strap WS-800, Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM, USB interface cable IFC-400PCU, AV cable AVC-DC300

Customer Reviews

NIce Canon
Nice camera. The only problem is that Canon won't back up their products. The zoom doesn't work all the time after less than a years use. Canon said send it back but we'll charge you to check it...not very impressive!

A great point and shoot camera
I have always owned Canon cameras. I own 4 cameras from the A series.
A520, A530, A540 and A550 and I am happy with all these cameras and here are the reasons why.

1. Value for Money, I bought all these under $200.
2. 4x Optical zoom is a plus and sufficient for a point and shoot camera.
3. Delivers fairly good quality pictures. I have printed poster size pictures and have been very happy with the results.
4. All these have better manual controls than most of the ELP series point and shoots canon has made.

Cons:
one thing to keep in mind is that these cameras are point and shoot and the lower end models that canon has made, so anyone buying these should not have high expectations with these cameras.

1. Delay between two shots when flash used. Again this is marginal and I really do not think of this as a major -ve point, at least not for the money spent on these.
2. The ELPHs have made them look bulkier :) again not a biggie. The ELPHs are really compact. So even though these are not as big, they look big in front of elphs.

I would not recommend A550 to anyone only because they are old models, not because they are not good. Instead I would recommend the latest A series models that Canon has come out with. A720 IS, A570IS, A590IS. These are all great cameras with Image Stabilization built into them.

GREAT CAMERA
OWNED 1 BEFORE. COULDN'T FIND IT FOR MY VACATION. SO I WANTED 1 JUST LIKE IT AND FOUND IT ON AMAZON.COM .
IT'S A GREAT CAMERA, TAKES GREAT PICTURES. MY FAMILY WAS AMAZED AT THE CLARITY. AND HAVING AN HP PORTABLE PRINTER BOTH COMBINED WAS THE DIFFERENCE IN MAKING GOOD PIXS.
I HAVE RECOMMEND THIS A550 TO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
I'M VERY HAPPY WITH IT.