The A70 is an excellent mid-range camera with plenty of manual options to satisfy advanced users, and plenty of features to help novices understand digital photography.

The Canon A70 drops the small form factor of recent cameras, instead offering so many functions that even Canon's own Digital IXUS line looks simple in comparison. At a recommended retail price of AU$699, not many digital cameras even come close in the value-for-money stakes.

Keeping the same handsome boxy design of its predecessor, the A40, the A70 retains the same shape while decreasing its size markedly. It's quite similar in size to the Canon IXUS 330. The reduction offers a moderate improvement in weight, coming in at 320g when four AA batteries and a CompactFlash card are installed. With the same proven design, one-handed shooting on the A70 is pleasantly easy, although you'll need the use of your other hand when changing settings.

One slight disappointment is that Canon has neglected to increase the size of the 1.5-inch LCD monitor. However, this is compensated somewhat by the increased resolution of the existing display which allows very clear and sharp zooming of pictures in playback mode.

The A70 is compatible with a selected range of wide and telephoto lenses, allowing users to grow with the camera. To do so, you'll have to remove the cover that encircles the lens barrel and replace it with an optional adapter that includes threads to enable add-on lens mounting. For the more adventurous, there's also an optional waterproof case for underwater photography.

The worst parts of the A70's physical design are the tripod mount and plastic flap that covers the ports, both of which will not last long under heavy usage. The battery compartment is situated beside the tripod mount again, and may come as an annoyance to those who use tripod stands frequently.

Coming after the A40, this unit actually has pretty big shoes to fill. The former was hugely popular for its value and function. The A70 ups the ante by throwing in an additional megapixel and six shooting modes. This unit also incorporates the same DIGIC image processor found in higher-end Canon cameras such as the PowerShot G3.

The A70 in its most simple-to-use setting requires the user to press the shutter button only. For the avant garde, Canon has included no less than seven preset shooting modes, manual focusing and four creative control exposure modes (basically shutter speed 15-1/2000; lens aperture f2.8 to f8). With the plethora of manual options available on this unit, users will unquestionably have endless hours of fun and enjoyment learning and experimenting; something film cameras cannot offer without considerable costs.

The unit offers (+2.0/-2.0 EV) exposure compensation in one-third EV intervals and selectable white balance presets including a new custom white balance option. There are also four independent ISO speed options ranging from 50 to 400. Like previous Canon cameras, the A70 offers in-built photo effects algorithms, lessening the dependence users have on graphics software suites.

Though small, the flash unit on the A70 is rather powerful and we have no problems with objects within 4m. With the unit dialed in at "M" or manual, there is also the option to adjust the flash output in three settings, great for getting the right exposure for objects of close proximity.

The unit is able to save JPEGs at four resolutions and three compression settings. In movie mode, it can record 15fps clips up to 3 minutes in AVI format with sound at 320 x 240 resolution, or 30-second clips at 640 x 480 resolution. There is now a microphone at the front of the unit for capturing sound and speakers on the top for audio playback. The built-in speakers make sense since the A70 has a new "in-camera" editing feature.

Using the A70 is a delight. The unit fits comfortably in the hands and offers good grip. Frequently used controls can be accessed easily through clearly labeled multifunction buttons on the back of the camera. In terms of image capture performance, the unit had negligible shutter lag and an average shot-to-shot time of about 2 to 3 seconds with flash on. The camera powers up and is ready for use in just under 3 seconds; it isn't too fast but not a slouch, either.

We had no problems composing pictures on the monitor, which proved sharp and viewable even in bright light. The optical viewfinder is better than most, but like the others, shows only 80-90 percent of the actual image area. Unfortunately, there is a lack of exposure indication and the only way to gauge this is through the changing light level of the LCD monitor. The A70 could definitely have benefited from a histogram such as the one found on Casio's EX-S3.

The continuous shooting performance of the A70 proved adequate. With highest resolution and "fine" compression, the unit was able to take 18 consecutive frames before the buffer choked, halting operation of the camera.

On the whole we were pleased with the pictures taken by the A70. With the five-point autofocus and DIGIC processor, images turned out crisp, with colours that were vibrant. The adjustable flash settings also allowed us to produce well-exposed test shots with very little hot spots.

Similar to previous Canon units, the automatic white balance tends to be warm under tungsten lighting conditions. And like the past, this is corrected easily through the custom or preset white balance options. The manufacturer maintains its view on this, citing the results that it has obtained from its large database of photographic data (iSAPS) and numerous surveys with professional photographers.

For novice users, the surplus of manual options may seem daunting. However, you'll have to realise that this is a camera which you can grow with. With the A70, it won't be long before you'll be snapping photos in ways you never imagined. The more advanced users may even be able to obtain pictures matching their mind's eye. At a recommended AU$699, this unit is already good value for a 3-megapixel camera. Add in the other functions that most point-and-shoot models lack and you're looking at a seriously competitive offering.

Canon PowerShot A70
Company: Canon Australia
Price: AU$699
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1800 802 972

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