Canon PowerShot A650 IS

The Canon PowerShot A650 IS is based around a 6x optical zoom lens -- the 35mm equivalent of a 35 to 210mm zoom, an excellent range for all-purpose photography. It also includes a high resolution 12-megapixel sensor, more than enough for tack-sharp 13x19-inch prints. Despite its high resolution, the Canon A650 IS offers an ISO range that's been extended at the top end for an equivalent of ISO 80 to 1,600 (with the ability to extend this to ISO 3,200 in one of the Scene modes, albeit at a lower resolution).

The Canon A650 IS sports an articulating 2.5" rear-panel LCD and a real-image optical viewfinder. In addition to fully automatic shooting, it features aperture-priority and shutter-priority exposure modes and even fully manual shooting, welcome options for more sophisticated users. There's also a wide range of 14 scene modes, including an Underwater scene mode that adjusts color balance and exposure for use with an optional underwater housing. The Canon PowerShot A650 also offers a range of metering modes, including evaluative, center-weighted, spot, and face detection-linked metering.

The Canon PowerShot A650 IS stores its images on SD/SDHC memory cards, with a 32MB card included in the product bundle. A USB 2.0 High-Speed computer connection provides for speedy downloads, fast enough that most users will find no need for a separate card reader. There's also NTSC/PAL video connectivity. Power comes from four AA batteries, with disposable alkalines in the product bundle. The A650 IS is available now and lists for $400. It is widely available both at retail and on-line. For more information about the Canon A650 check out our friends at Imaging Resource (www.imaging-resource.com) for a comprehensive and detailed review.