Overview
The Canon Powershot A2100 IS is a 12 megapixel digital camera with a 6x optical zoom lens. Other features include image stabilisation, a 3 inch LCD screen and a macro mode that allows you to focus from 1cm. The Powershot A2100 IS also offers red eye correction.
Why Buy The Canon Powershot A2100 IS
The Powershot A2100 IS takes a good picture in most circumstances. It also has a slightly longer lens than more basic, entry level models.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
10
6x
3 inches
101.9 x 63.5 x 31.9mm
190g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
3cm
No
No
AA
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
I am immediately impressed by the way this photo looks. The contrasting blues, greens and white look good and the lighting is spot on. Cameras I tested at the same time had issues with the glare of the sun, but the Powershot A2100 IS copes well and produces a sharp photo with plenty of detail.
Compared to a lot of other digital cameras this is a good effort when it come to sharpness. If you blow the photo up to fall size you may notice a small amount of purple fringing and also some noise in the more distant parts of the shot. Neither of these problems is noticeable with more standard sized prints.
As with other Canon digital cameras sharpness levels are above average. I also like the colours in the shot, especially the greens in the foliage. As in the previous shot there is just a hint of purple fringing with super sized prints.
This photo confirms that the Powershot A2100 IS is capable of taking plenty of sharply focused photos. There is a good, crisp feel to this photo.
Portraits
The Powershot A2100 IS has no problem with this type of photo. Moving in close has no impact on sharpness and this is another highly focused photo.
Flash lights the photo very well. The lighting is also evenly distributed. Focusing is sharp and colour is retained well too.
The colours in this shot may have a more natural look to them than the one with flash, but noise starts to creep in. This takes the edge off the definition. You will need to use flash whenever possible once the available light starts to fall.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The Powershot A2100 IS is a good choice if you are looking for a more basic digital camera that is able to take a good close up shot. The level of detail showing in my macro shot is impressive. The only problem is if you get very close in you can find the lens reflects back from the subject.
Overall I like the colours this camera produces. They give the photos a vibrant feel and the balance is about right too.
Noise levels in my shots are inline with what I would expect them to be. If you need to take photos without flash when the light is not perfect your photos are likely to have noise showing here and there.
Summary
The Powershot A2100 IS performed well in my tests and there are few problems with the camera.
Style
The lens takes up a lot of room on the front of the camera. It has fairly plain looks and is relatively compact without being pocket sized.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.35 seconds
9.82 seconds
1.05 seconds
24.59 seconds
2.2 seconds
Ease of Use
Compared to other brands Canon seems to add a few extra menu and setup items for you to fine tune your camera. It can take a little more time to gat to know them all.
Points I Like
Picture quality - start up time
Where it Could Improve
Shutter delay with flash
Verdict
The Canon Powershot A2100 IS is a functional digital camera. It is unlikely to win any awards for looks, but it takes a good picture. You might find the modest increase in zoom useful too.
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Panasonic DMC FS18 Rating 84/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC FS18 is a great little camera. If you are looking for a reasonably priced, pocket sized camera that can take a good quality snapshot then this is one of the best cameras around. In terms of value for money this camera is hard to beat. Recommended.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC FS18 Review
Canon Powershot A1200 Rating 84/100
The Canon Powershot A1200 is a straightforward, inexpensive digital camera. It takes a very good snapshot and offers fantastic value for money. It is one of the few digital cameras to offer a viewfinder. It has 12 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom lens.
Read Review: Canon Powershot A1200 Review
Panasonic DMC S3 Rating 84/100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC S3 is an excellent value for money pocket camera. It is very hard to beat when compared alongside its direct rivals. Picture quality and features have an edge over many of its competitors while the rapid response times are also a big plus point. If you are looking for a cheaper compact digital camera then you can’t go far wrong with the Lumix DMC S3.
Read Review: Panasonic DMC S3 Review
Related Pages
Canon Powershot A2100 IS Review Canon Powershot A2100 IS Specification Canon Powershot A2100 IS Sample Images Canon Powershot A2100 IS Features
Review Date
July 2009
