Product Description

The PowerShot A560 frees you to capture your precious moments as unforgettable images. Loaded with easy-to-use Canon features, the A560 is made for anyone who doesn't want complexity to get in the way of photography. The A560 has a 7.1 Megapixel CCD, 4x Optical Zoom Lens, DIGIC III Image Processor with Face Detection Technology and many other impressive features. It even lets you choose whether you want to take still pictures or movies. And everything is stored on an SD or MMC memory card (optional 1GB or higher is suggested for practical use) that can also be transferred to most computers. PowerShot A560's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the A560 Digital ELPH to a Canon CP, SELPHY or PIXMA Photo Printer or any PictBridge compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button and print! A560 is really easy to use though it can do so much. Macro Focusing Range - 2.0 in.-1.5 ft./5-45cm (WIDE), 1.1-1.5 ft./33-45cm (TELE) Shutter Speed - 15-1/2000 seconds ISO Sensitivity - Auto, High ISO Auto, ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 & 1600 equivalent (Standard Output Sensitivity. Recommended Exposure Index) White Balance Control - Auto, Preset (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H) and Custom Built-in Flash - Auto, Auto w/ Red-eye Reduction, Auto w/ Slow Synchro, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-eye Reduction, Flash On w/ Slow Synchro and Flash Off Shooting Modes - Auto, Camera M, Portrait, Landscape, Special Scene (Night Scene, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium) Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot and Movie Still Image - EXIF 2.2 (JPEG) Movie - AVI (Image - Motion JPEG, Audio - WAVE) Dimensions - Width 3.59 x Height 2.52 x Depth 1.70 inch (91.2 x 64.0 x 43.1mm) Weight - 5.82 ounces / 165 grams (camera body only)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2336 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Canon
• Model: A560
• Released on: 2007-03-27
• Dimensions: 1.70" h x 2.50" w x 3.60" l, .50 pounds
• Display size: 2.5

Features

• 7.1-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for photo-quality 15 x 20-inch prints
• DIGIC III Image Processor; Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction
• High-resolution 2.5-inch LCD for easy on-camera viewing
• 14 Shooting Modes, including 6 Special Scene Modes
• Four movie modes including 30 fps VGA and 60 fps Fast Frame Rate

Manufacturer Description
The PowerShot A560 gives you the freedom to shoot high resolution images you can enlarge, crop and print -- big. With its 7.1-megapixel CCD, the camera records every detail -- like a baby’s delicate curls -- in razor-sharp, astonishingly clear, natural color that will make every picture something to cherish. And the A560 is equipped with a high-quality Canon 4x optical zoom lens that brings you in close at the touch of a button. So you can capture special moments like a child’s first homerun with clarity and brilliance --even if you’re sitting in the bleachers.

PowerShot A560 Highlights

DIGIC III Image Processor With DIGIC III, you get images of superior quality, the camera functions at top efficiency and battery life is significantly enhanced. What’s more, DIGIC III enables Canon’s newly improved Face Detection Technology and Red-eye Correction to give you better, more true-to-life people shots. Simply press the Shutter button halfway down, and the PowerShot A560 automatically pinpoints the faces in the scene and chooses the ideal focus point. To keep every face looking bright and natural -- without scary red eyes -- the camera controls exposure settings and flash, so every shot is just what you were shooting for.

DIGIC III features Face Detection AF/AE, which finds multiple faces in the frame and sets the most suitable focus point, when the shutter button is pressed halfway. And an additional new feature, Face Detection FE adjusts the flash, based on a person’s face on the screen. Exposure and flash are controlled to ensure proper illumination of both the faces and the overall scene, eliminating the common problem of darkened or overexposed faces.

Red-eye Correction detects and automatically corrects red-eye during playback for both regular and flash photography. In unusual cases where red-eye is not automatically detected, it can easily be corrected manually during playback mode from the LCD screen.

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 III Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

Clear, high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD for easy on-camera viewing The camera’s 2.5-inch LCD screen gives you the big picture, whether you’re shooting, reviewing or showing off your images. This high-resolution screen offers a crisp, clear picture to make shooting, playback and using the camera’s menu functions especially convenient. Clear and bright, it also features Night Display for easy viewing in low light.

Shooting Modes With 14 Shooting Modes, including 6 Special Scene Modes, you’re ready for whatever shot comes your way.

• 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.
• Night Snapshot Get natural-looking pictures with brighter backgrounds and subjects lit by flash.
• 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.
• Movie Shoot in VGA and QVGA (30 fps/15 fps for up to 1 hour or 4GB), Fast Frame Rate (60 fps for up to 1 minute) or QQVGA (15 fps for up to 3 minutes).

• 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.
• Aquarium Achieve proper flash-free exposure and natural hues at indoor aquariums. A variety of movie-making options.

A variety of movie-making options Four movie modes including 30 fps VGA and 60 fps Fast Frame Rate. With a highly flexible movie mode, you can create the movie that’s perfect for any application. Select from VGA (640 x 480 pixels) and QVGA (320 x 240 pixels), with frame rates of 30 fps and 15 fps for recording up to 1 hour or 4GB. Also Fast Frame Rate (QVGA; 320 x 240 pixels) recording at 60 fps for up to 1 minute, and Compact Movie Mode (QQVGA; 160 x 120 pixels) recording at 15 fps for up to 3 minutes. The PowerShot A560 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 Power on the go with two AA-size batteries. 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.

The complete print solution The PowerShot A560's Print/Share button makes direct printing easier than ever. Simply connect the A560 Digital Elph to a Canon CP, Selphy or PIXMA Photo Printer or any PictBridge-compatible photo printer, press the lighted Print/Share button and print! Also use the Print/Share button to transfer images to a computer (Windows and Macintosh).

Print your own ID photos in 28 different sizes or use the Movie Print function to output multiple stills from a recorded movie on a single sheet with a Canon Selphy Compact Photo Printer.

For desktop large-format printing, try one of the Direct Photo Printers that allow you to print without a computer in one of two ways: plug your compatible PowerShot camera into the Direct Photo Printer using the supplied USB interface cable, or simply insert a memory card into the supplied adapter. You can also connect the printer to your computer for more options. Print high-resolution, borderless images as postcards or 8.5 x 11-inch sheets within minutes.

Compact Photo Printers let you produce versatile, fun 4 x 6-inch postcards, 4 x 8-inch wide greeting cards or credit card size prints in just two easy steps: connect and press/print. Control the printer right from your camera's LCD screen. You get durable, dye-sublimated prints quickly with or without borders.

Customer Reviews

Canon knows digital
Although my "big" camera is a Canon, I went through several cameras before finding this wonderful gem. I was very fond of my seriously outdated Nikon Coolpix, so I tried a new one - every shot was blurry, and I have a very steady hand (years of taking low-light and no-flash shots). I moved on to a Panasonic due to the many features, including awesome 6x zoom and a very handy "backlight" option. But the noise, even on as little as ISO 200, was unacceptable. Took a shot at the GE850 with even more features, but found a harsh flash and odd color.

Exasperated with the point-and-shoot market, I finally returned to Canon and decided on the 560. I couldn't be happier! It may not have the highest optical zoom, or the most formats (it makes up for the lack of 3:2 with an overlay that allows you to compose a shot within a 3:2 grid, excellent!), or the most modes (although several of the modes on other brands are so specialized - silly even - that they are worthless). But it has what counts - the most-used settings up front on the dial, excellent color representation, the least flash-fallout of any I tried, and exceptional quality even without image stabilization. And unlike the GE, the face recognition works on pets :) This camera does have a Manual setting that allows customized white balance, metering, color options, and exposure compensation.

I will not be trading this one in!

Excellent Point and Shoot
I've had various point and shoots over the last 5 years (mostly Canon and Olympus). After selling my old Olympus SP-350 - I purchased a Canon Rebel XT (DSLR). However, I do a lot of family shoots (birthdays, events, etc...) and didn't want to lug a DSLR around just to take some shots for the grandparents. So I got this little camera. So far, I am *VERY* impressed with it. The Canon A560 takes amazing photos and the number of features are crazy (compared to my past Point and Shoots). Like any other P&S it is a little slow when using the flash - but a LOT faster than my previous P&S. I have taken over 50 photos (about 4 hours worth) and I'm on the original AA batteries that came with the camera!!! My old P&S would suck up 4 AAs (The A560 uses 2 AAs) in less than an hour of shooting. The LCD screen is HUGE. This camera is definitely a keeper. Would recommend this to anyone.

My sister bought this exact camera and loves it.

Great pictures, okay battery life
I bought this camera as a birthday present for my wife. She wanted a point-and-shoot digital camera, and the A560 fit the bill.

The good: Big screen -- it's huge compared to many, and very clear. It's easy to use -- easy to use and understand controls, the zoom is in a great place, and the camera is shaped such that it was easy to hold and shoot. It takes 2 "AA" batteries, which is great since they're available everywhere in a pinch, and rechargeable batteries are cheap. Most importantly, the pictures look great.

The downsides: The camera's battery life is okay, but not outstanding, which is probably to be expected in AA batteries. The camera does not come with a case, though Amazon will sell you a Canon case (which I bought) for under $10 at the time of writing. It comes with a memory card, but it's so small that I think they shouldn't bother. In low light, it was pretty slow to autofocus. Once I learn more about the camera, I may be able to get around this. The only average battery life and included accessories (or lack thereof) kept it from getting 5 stars. Both are easy to remedy -- carry spare batteries if you're doing heavy shooting, and buy a case and card(s).

As an aside, while the camera comes with a CD for Windows and Mac, it's not necessary to install the software. I use Debian Linux at home, and even though it's not listed as supported in the manual, I had no trouble retrieving pictures from the camera.

I would definitely buy this again.