Announced just before PMA in February 2005, the PowerShot A510 is the replacement for the PowerShot A75, and continues the line of best-selling budget models that goes right back to early 2001 with the A10 and A20. The changes are evolutionary rather than revolutionary; a reduction in size and weight (it's 13% smaller and 20% lighter), the inclusion of a new four times optical zoom lens (the A85 had a three times), zoom-linked flash, a shift from CompactFlash to SD card for storage and a drop to two AA batteries from four.

Note: Aside from the CCD itself, the PowerShot A510 is functionally identical to the 4.0 MP PowerShot A520, portions of this review are taken directly from the A520 review.

  • 3.2 megapixel CCD
  • 4x (35-140mm equiv.) zoom lens
  • Manual, semi automatic and fully automatic exposure
  • 20 exposure modes
  • New 'hold' function
  • Zoom flash
  • 9-point AiAF focus
  • Optional underwater housing, external flashgun and add-on lenses
  • AA battery power

Canon PowerShot A510 vs A75 (main differences)

 

Canon PowerShot A510

Canon PowerShot A75
Sensor • 1/2.5-inch CCD
• 3.2 million effective pixels
• 1/2.7-inch CCD
• 3.1 million effective pixels
Lens 35-140mm equiv. F2.6-F5.5 35-105mm equiv. F2.8-F4.8
Storage SD/MMC card CompactFlash Type I
Dimensions 91 x 64 x 38 mm (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) 101 x 64 x 32 mm (4 x 2.5 x 1.3 in)
Weight (inc batteries) 230 g (8.1 oz) 315g (10.6 oz)
Continuous Shooting 2.3 fps 2.2 fps
White balance 6 presets plus manual 5 presets plus manual
Maximum Movie Size/Frame Rate

• 640 x 480, 30 secs
• 320 x 240, 15 fps
• max 3 mins

• 640 x 480, 30 secs
• 320 x 240, 160 x 120, 15 fps, max 3 mins, with audio
LCD screen • 1.8-inch
• 115,000 pixels
• 1.8-inch
• 118,000 pixels
Power Source 2 x AA batteries 4 x AA batteries

Canon PowerShot A510 Key specifications

Street price

• US: $190
• UK: £150

Body Material Metal and plastic
Sensor • 1/2.5" Type CCD, 3.3 million pixels total
• 3.2 million effective pixelxels
Image sizes

• 2048 x 1536
• 1600 x 1200
• 1024 x 768
• 640 x 480

Movie clips • 640 x 480, max 30 sec
• 320 x 240, max 3 mins
• 160 x 120, max 3 mins
• With audio
Lens

• 4x optical zoom
• 35 - 140 mm equiv.
• F2.6 - F5.5

Focus • TTL autofocus
• AF illuminator
• 9-point AiAF or - point AF (center)
• Manual focus
• 5cm macro mode (Wide), 30cm (Tele)
Shooting mode

• Auto
• Program AE
• Shutter priority AE
• Aperture priority AE
• Manual exposure
• Portrait
• Landscape
• Night Scene
• Fast Shutter
• Slow Shutter
• Stitch Assist
• Movie
• Foliage
• Snow
• Beach
• Fireworks
• Underwater
• Indoor
• Kids & Pets
• Night Snapshot
• AE compensation -2.0EV to +2.0 EV in 1/3EV steps

Shutter speeds • 15 - 1/2000 sec
• Noise reduction for shutter speeds slower than 1.3 sec
Apertures • F2.6 / F3.2 / F3.5 / F4.0 / F4.5 / F5.0 / F5.6 / F6.3 / F7.1 / F8.0 (wide)
• F5.5 / F6.3 / F7.1 / F8.0 (wide)
Sensitivity • Auto
• ISO 50, 100, 200, 400
White Balance • Auto
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Fluorescent H
• Custom
Image parameters • Picture adjust (Vivid, Neutral)
• Sharpness (2 levels)
• Color effects (Sepia, Black and White)
Continuous • Continuous (2.3 fps*)
* Large/Fine with LCD off
Flash • Built-in
• Modes: Auto, On, Off
• Slow Sync: On/Off
• Red-Eye reduction: On/Off
• Range (wide): 0.45 - 3.5 m (Auto ISO)
• Range (tele): 0.45 - 2.2 m (Auto ISO)
• Zoom-linked
Storage • SD / MMC card
• 16MB SD supplied*
Viewfinder • Real Image Optical
LCD monitor • 1.8" TFT, 115,000 pixels
Connectivity • USB 1.1
• A/V out
• DC-IN
Power • 2 x AA batteries
• NiMH recommended (alkaline supplied)
• (Optional AC adapter)
In the box*

Canon PowerShot A510
Wrist strap
2x AA Alkaline batteries
AV cable
USB cable
16MB SD card
Software CD ROM (Canon Digital Camera Solutions & ArcSoft Camera Suite)

Other features

Spot, Center-weighted & Evaluative metering
• Sound memo (up to 60 sec)
PictBridge, Exif Print and DPOF compatible
Playback Histogram
Built-in speaker and microphone
• Orientation sensor
• Autofocus Illuminator
Optional 0.7x Wide (WC-D52),1.75x Tele (TC-DC52A) & close up (250D) converters
Optional 52mm filter adapter
Optional waterproof case (WP-DC50)
• Optional High Power Flash (slave)

Weight (excl batt) 180 g (6.3 oz)
Dimensions 91 x 64 x 38 mm (3.6 x 2.5 x 1.5 in) Excluding protrusions

* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area