Canon PowerShot A75 3.2MP Digital Camera with 3X Optical Zoom
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The successor to Canon's popular A70, the entry-level PowerShot A75 is a surprisingly advanced model with a 3.2-megapixel resolution, 3x optical zoom, and more manual features than you'll find on most digital point-and-shoots. Featuring a high-tech design with aluminum front cover and metallic handgrip, the PowerShot A75 combines a sense of both the modern and the traditional.

Optics and Resolution
The PowerShot A75 has a maximum 3.2-megapixel resolution for images up to 2048 x 1536 pixels. You'll have the depth and detail you need to create beautiful prints and impressive online results. It also has 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, and 640 x 480 resolution modes.

It's is equipped with a 5.4-16.2mm zoom lens (35mm film equivalent: 35-105mm) for a 3x optical zoom. It also featuresa smooth 3.2x digital zoom, for a 9.6x total zoom. The 9-point AiAF is capable of focusing the 3x optical zoom quickly even when the subject is off-center and can be switched to single point (center) AF. An auto-assist beam helps to focus in low light conditions and the camera has a 5cm closest focusing distance.

Movie Mode
In addition to still images, the PowerShot A75 can also capture video with audio (and even edit within the camera). Individual movie clips are limited to 3 minutes maximum per clip, and you have three resolution options: 640 x 480 (VGA), 320 x 240, or 160 x 120.

More Camera Features
The PowerShot A75 has 12 shooting modes that not only let you take as much or as little creative control as you want, but offer perfect preset parameters for common shooting situations including portraits, landscapes, night scenes and sports. In addition, the camera has a new Special Scene Mode that delivers even under the most challenging conditions.

Offering a wider scope for photographic experimentation, Canon has also included manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority exposure modes. These modes are supported by a metering system that boasts evaluative, center-weighted average and spot options. Other features include:

Canon Technology Features

Direct Printing/Sharing
The PowerShot A75 introduces a new Print/Share button that speeds and simplifies printing to compatible Canon and PictBridge enabled printers and one-touch image transfer to Windows XP, Me, 2000, and 98 computers for use with image processing programs, uploading to the Internet, or placement in e-mail. When connected to a Canon Compact Photo printer, a Movie Print mode divides the selected clip into equal parts and prints thumbnails of a maximum 63 equally spaced frames onto a single sheet of Postcard Size Paper.

Storage and Transfer
Images and video are stored on CompactFlash memory cards (Type I only) and the included 32 MB card holds approximately 33 images at the Large/Fine setting. Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB 1.1 connectivity, which means the camera can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.

Power and Size
The camera is powered by four AA batteries (alkalines included; rechargeable NiMH batteries recommended). With the LCD on, you will get approximately 250 shots on when using alkalines, or 550 shots when using NiMH batteries. It measures 3.98 by 2.52 by 1.24 inches and weighs 7.06 ounces (without batteries).

What's in the Box
This package contains the PowerShot A75 digital camera, 32 MB CompactFlash card, wrist strap (WS-200), USB and A/V cables, and 4 AA alkaline batteries. The supplied software on the CD-ROM includes browsing and printing software ZoomBrowser EX (Windows) and ImageBrowser (Mac). Other software includes PhotoStitch, plus photo and movie manipulation software ArcSoft PhotoStudio and VideoImpression.

1 Great features and Price
Pros:
- Features: does everything automatically for you with pretty good results and lets you do anything you want manually (ISO, F-Stop, Exposure, Focus, Flash Power, etc.)
- Good feel: most smaller cameras feel flimsy and don't fit well with a grip, but its big enough to feel like a camera.
- Great picture quality. 3.2 Megapixel is plenty for any home photography, including being able to crop.
- 3x Optical zoom works great
- Uses CompactFlash, which is really cheap to upgrade.
- Uses 4AA's, so you don't have to switch batteries nearly as often, and has pretty good battery life.
- great panoramic software that's easy, and produces good results, even without using a tripod (though they reccomend using one)
Cons:
- A little large to put in a pants pocket.
- no swivel screen. Consider the higher models if you want to do more artistic photography that involve holding camera at ground level or above head that have a swivel screen if you want to use the camera for these things.


Overall, a great camera. I have had mine for close to a year now, and my dad has two, one for work and one for home use. We love this camera, and have had excellent results from it. Great for someone who wants good quality photos from a camera that is easy enough for your wife to use, but has enough features to appease your desire to tweak with the pictures.
2 Digital Rebel Backup
As a Defense Contractor, and the owner of a Canon Digital Rebel, I wanted a backup camera that would not cause much attention to be paid to me or my camera - here or in some parts of the world. Looking at price point and sharing of compact flash memory cards were two prime considerations in camera choice.

I'm partial to Canon digital products. Fit, finish and performance at every level of purchase price make them dependable buys. I've not been disappointed in any of my 3 cameras, printers or 3 lenses purchased from Canon.

The A75 camera takes marvelous daylight pictures - and pretty good flash pictures. It has enough control features to satisfy even advanced photographers like myself. With a Canon made underwater housing (purchased while scuba diving in Aruba) it allows me to go places no other camera I own will take me.

Movie mode is limited. Although good for some - the picture quality and lack of zoom features says - get a camcorder! Redeye is a distinct problem in lowlight and all flash modes. The lens/flash position allows only a narrow angle of satisfactory picture taking. Redeye reduction might be effective -but I haven't seen it work acceptably. Plan to spend time in Photoshop or other software products to remove what the camera has created.

Shutter and auto-focus lag time. Most disconcerting. Sometimes the camera hunts forever. Even in controlled circumstances - the processor speed (or lack thereof) becomes annoying. Most disappointing feature of this camera.

Plan on purchasing Ni-Mh recharable AA batteries. This camera - while not a battery hog - will drain your wallet with non-rechargables. A spare (2nd) set is a good bet - if this is your only camera - and you take a lot of pictures.

Case and lens ring wear is evident after 18 months of use. Dirt and grit can get into the zoom lens mechanism in high dirt/dust environments. A mini-vac or air blower bottle has become a permanent fixture in my camera kit.

Buy a camera pouch that firmly holds the A75, and has a separate compartment for a spare set of 4 AA batteries. I share compact flash memory with my Digital Rebel. A 512mb high speed card - any you can shoot forever. 250-300 pictures in full quality on a 512mb card is possible.

After 18 months of use - I'm more than satisfied. The camera is starting to be phased out by many retailers. A reconditioned A75 would make a great entry level camera at a great price.

As critical as I've been - I LIKE this camera. Many 8x10's of grandchildren adorn our walls and those of our kids. Great pictures - sharp (enough) - if somewhat oversaturated color (makes snapshots look great) and a perfect camera to create and send e-mail photos. While still a great fan of my Digital Rebel, this camera has it's place in my equipment bag wherever I go.
3 Excellent Camera!
I've had this camera for nearly a year now, and I couldn't be more pleased. Unlike some of the smaller cameras, it feels like a "real" camera in the hand. It takes beautiful pictures and is very easy to use. I couldn't be more happy with it!
4 Impressive Little Camera
I've used Canon SLRs quite a bit and I was pleased to find out how much this little point and shoot has in common with its big brothers.

Thirteen different shooting modes are easily accessed by the dial on top, giving the user total control. Naturally you would expect this camera to have a fully automatic modes, and it does. But, unlike many other point and shoot digitals, this Canon allows you to control the shutter, aperture, and focus manually.

I am pleased with the lens on this camera, but it is not a stand-out feature. The zoom is adequate most of the time. Just don't expect it to catch any real macro or telephoto shots.

Overall picture quality is excellent and colors are bright and accurate. You can now buy consumer digital cameras with 8 or more megapixel CCDs, but save your money. This camera's 3.2MP will be enough for 90% of consumers. Unless you do a lot of cropping or want to make prints bigger than 8x10, a camera like this one will do quite nicely.

Some cost cutting on this camera led to a couple disappointments, but they were easily fixed. The included alkaline AA batteries lasted less than two days. I purchased a set of rechargeable NiMH batteries and they have lasted much longer and can be recharged in 30 minutes. Also, the included Compactflash card is only 32MB. This means you can only take 22 high-resolution photos before the card is full. I purchased a 256MB CF card which allows me two take 242 high-resolution photos.

Overall I am very pleased with this camera. If you are looking for an inexpensive point and shoot digital, this one has a lot of good features and is made very well.
5 Don't buy this camera and don't buy from Amazon
I received the A75 as a Christmas gift from my daughter who had purchased it from Amazon.com. When I went to use it for the first time, it didn't work! Message says "no memory." When I called Canon I was advised to send it to Elk Grove, IL for repairs and I'd be advised about the cost of repairs! What about the warranty? When my daughter contacted Amazon to see about a return she was advised that I'd had the camera too long. So, Canon sells a defective product to Amazon who in turn sells it to my daughter who gives it to me as a gift. Never used, never out of the box and it won't work and neither Canon nor Amazon is willing to assume any responsibility. Some support! I've been a customer of Amazon's for some time, but I see no sense in buying anything more from them!
6 don't bother
This is the second canon camera I've had. I replaced the first one because the LCD screen broke. Never dropped it or anything, but found out it would have been over a hundred bucks to fix it. Got the A75 and after only 5 months the LCD broke on this one too. The camera mostly sat on my desk for the last two months, but then I pick it up and it's broken. They say it's not covered under warrenty, so there goes more money downt the drain. Takes great pictures, but save yourself the hassle and don't buy Canon, I know I won't buy one again.
7 great first digital camera!
The digital camera market is very vast these days, and after researching and reading the rave reviews of the A75 on amazon, my decision was an easy one. The Canon Powershot A75 is a GREAT camera. This was my first digital camera buying experience, and I am very impressed with the results. It is very easy to figure out how to take the pictures and movies, and I am excited to figure out the different picture effects. The best part about this camera is that I can upload the pictures and movies onto my computer easily with the USB cable and CD-ROM provided, so I can share them easily. I also love the size; it's small, but it has a gripping area where the batteries go in so you can hold it easily. Overall, I love this camera and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to buy a Canon.
8 Super Camera
I got this camera for Christmas and am totally thrilled with it. It takes supurb picutres, has the ability to do manual settings and it really tough. One of my kids knocked it from the top of an old upright piano and it bounced off the leg of the piano and hit the floor. Nothing wrong at all, it just kept on working. I would recommmend the A75, A85, or A95 to anyone!
9 LOVE IT
I just bought this camera because the cheaper Fuji I wanted was sold out. It is my first digital camera. Well am I ever glad I spent the extra $50, this camera is amazing. Upholding the good Canon name with flying colors. The first time I used it I got 75% amazing pics and 25% of not so good ones but I believe that was more operator error. Also I was photographing action so there are always a few that don't turn out. This camera takes pics that are better quality than some more expensive cameras. I would suggest it to anyone who is a 1st time digital user, its easy to use & takes great pictures.
10 I didn't take the warnings...
Got this camera for Christmas. I loved it, the quality of pictures was way better than my old Sony Cybershot. It's been less than a month and it got the infamous E18 error. I didn't have a clue what it was...I thought I accidently swung it into a wall or something...Apparently not... I went to Wal-Mart photo center...The guy knew right away what it was and gave me the number to call. I sent it in today for fixing. I have the warranty...So hopefully all I have to pay is that 3 bucks for shipping.

I also heard though that even though they fix it under warranty...The problem still has a good chance of coming back. *sigh*...200 bucks down the drain (possibly)...I'm back to using my Sony camera...I've had it for a year...And hey the pictures aren't awesome but at least it still freaking works.
11 What an awesome little camera!
There is so much to like about this camera that I don't know where to begin! According to Consumer Reports, it has the best battery life on the market and the image quality is top-notch. It's compact enough to fit in a shirt pocket, is loaded with extra functions and features, and for the price will not let you down!
12 Great Camera!
I got my Canon A75 for Christmas and LOVE it. It's very easy to use, attractive, small, and takes great pictures. It's a great value, but I'd reccomend buying a bigger memory card with it!
13 Great great buy
I am a beginner in digital photography. Plus I had never bought a camera online before- after doing extensive research I finally decided to buy the PowerShot- and have not regretted it. All I did was follow the super easy instructions. Nothing to it-just follow the instructions and you will have no problems. You will not regret it.
14 Great introduction to digital photography
I've owned this camera for 6 months and taken it on a trip round the world, so I've got to know it quite well. Here are the pro's and con's:


Good points:
------------

+ Picture quality is excellent for the price.

+ Flexiblility. This is the main thing that appealed to me about this camera (and still does). It has all the settings of my old SLR Canon A1 (i.e. shutter speed or aperture priority, manual mode) plus a load of new digital ones (e.g. black and white, sepia, vivid etc...).

+ Battery life is very good if you get some decent rechargeables.

+ Nice big, crystal clear screen.

+ Uses flash memory, which seems cheaper than the other formats.

+ Movie mode is good fun and surprisingly good quality on the high setting.


Bad Points:
-----------

- A little bit bulky.

- I've noticed that the image through the viewfinder and the screen don't always match. The one on the screen is the accurate one, which is annoying as in bright conditions it's not always easy to see.

- Works best in light conditions. I find it sometimes struggle to get the exposure right when using the flash. So use a tripd where you can.


Summary
-------
A very versatile (and quite tough) camera that with a little effort gets great results. I would'nt recommend it for people just looking for a point and click, there are plenty of smaller, lighter cameras that will take just as good pictures. This camera is perfect, however, for people who like using SLR's and want a digital camera that lets you experiment a little whilst still producing excellent pictures.
15 Problems with the wide angle lens attachment
The Cannon A75 is a great little camera, but the zoom lens at its widest is about equivalent to a normal 55mm lens on a 35mm camera. If you're planning on using the wide angle lens attachment you may be in for a disappointment: The add-on lens blocks part of the optical viewfinder, so you have to rely on the lcd screen. The screen is fixed and sometimes impossible to see in bright light. On the other hand, when using the lens attachment in low-light situations you'll find that the lens blocks the built-in flash. If you need a digital camera with wide angle capabilities, this is not the one for you.
16 E18 Error - Do not buy!!
I have a Powershot A70 that stopped working within a year because of the E18 error. Because it arrived at the Factory Service Center just after 1yr, the repair was not covered by warranty. The charge is ~$115 for repair but the repair work only has a 3month warranty. This is obviously a design flaw which has been carried over to the A75 and several other models. Search the internet and you'll find out how common it is. Instead of fixing the problem, they are using it as an opportunity to make even more money off their customers. DO NOT BUY A CANON CAMERA WITH E18 PROBLEMS!
17 Best Bang for the Buck digi cam
I bought the A75 because I wanted to upgrade to a digital camera that had some control over the manual settings, but didn't want to spend a mountain of cash. This camera is everything I hoped it would be, and more. It's small and comfortable to hold, and it packs a big punch of features. I was previously a point and shooter all the way, so I'm new to manual settings, but I haven't shot anything in auto mode since I bought this camera a month ago.
Set up properly, it takes awesome shots in almost every scenario you can throw at it. If you are interested in learning manual controls, there is no better camera out there for the money that can do what this one can.
If you're someone who just wants to strictly point and shoot, it's still a great choice because the image quality is right up there. When you feel comfortable with the camera, you can then experiment with the manual controls and I guarantee you will want to keep learning more. Oh and the movie mode rocks too. I'd hook up with at least a 128MB or better memory card though because it only comes with a 32MB card and if you take shots at the superfine rez, you won't have alot of room for images on the 32 meg card. I'd also recommend at least one set of 2300 mah batteries. I got two sets plus a 3 hr. Maha charger that works like a champ.
You definitely won't be disappointed with this camera, and CF memory is reasonably priced, so a larger card won't cost you a mint. I put 4 pages of images online from this camera. You can view them at http://www.pbase.com/sporty04/canon_ps_a75&page=1

Bottom line is, the Canon A75 will not disappoint if you just take the time to LEARN how to use it...start by reading the manual. These people who are saying they've got fuzzy images are not setting up the camera properly, and probably have the digital zoom engaged, which will produce fuzzy looking photos. As you may know from research, digital zoom is just hype and pretty useless. It's not rocket science folks, rtfm and you'll get great shots from this canon. You do have to hold these cameras still, or again, you'll get crappy looking images. As I said, check out my gallery at the link included above and see for yourself what awesome images this thing produces. You can't get a better digital for this price!
18 Didn't Like It
Hi, I previous owned a Canon A40, and I was very satisfy with that camera, I really liked it. Later I upgraded to this one (A75): More pixels (from 2 to 3.2), Large viefinder (1.8"), more video capacity (up 3 min) and extra stuffs. But I was very surprised not to see what I was expecting ... The pictures were fussy, a lot of Red Eyes (even with the red eye reduction On), quality not so good in some cases.

I'm a snapshooter and all I want is to put in Auto (Large and Superfine) and take pics, But i didn't like how they looked like, specially in dark situations it was very dissapointing to me.

The movie option is very good, up to 30 sec in Large (640x480) .. up 3 min. in smaller format. You can edit them directly in the camera and hear them. Nice!

I sold it, I'm going to continue with Canon beacause i think they're the best, now i'm going to buy the A400 and see.
19 Great point-and-shoot camera with the extras!
This canon is a decent point-and-shoot digital camera. Its size is great you can pretty easily, stuff it in a pocket. One thing to note the soft case is only five dollars bonus!

The camera also has all the extras that make a little more powerful than your standard point-and-shoot. It is aperture priority and shutter priority selection, which is great. If you're new to cameras, shutter speed allows you to control how long the shutter stays open. So the picture you took his dark too dark to use. Just drop your shutter speed from 1/250 of a second to 1/125 of a second this will let in more light. And maybe salvage the picture.

That's what makes these cannons so powerful and great if you want to go beyond the basics of point-and-shoot, but it still will be a great point-and-shoot camera. And the price in these cameras just can't be beat. Between 150 and $200.

you can't go wrong, one last bonus to note is that this uses four AA batteries and not a battery pack, which is totally important. If you're on the go and out of juice. No matter what camera you got your not taken pictures. You can buy AA batteries anywhere bonus!
20 nice digital camera
it's not the best digital camera but with decent price it has so much features and great for snap shots with your friends
21 Great lil cam!! :)
I bought this camera online from Target about 2 months ago and I love it! It has many differant features that make it great to work with. There are a few drawbacks but they are minor... It takes regular AA batteries and can suck the life out of those quite fast, so I would reccomend you buy rechargeables for this bad boy; The auto focus isn't that great so sometimes you end up with a blurry picture. Also when you take video in dim light it shows up kind of dark since there is no light on the camera... But it is an otherwise great camera. This is the first Digital camera I have purchased for myself, I have used many I just didn't own one... LoL It has been wonderful for catching all the special moments I have with my son. Two thumbs WAY WAY up!! :)
22 OMG
this thing is awesome. i got it for christmas, good quality and interchangeable lenses. this thing is sweet mainly for beginers. personally i prefer a nikon d100 or 1d mark II, but its great for snapshots.
23 My first digital camera.
I didn't know if I was going to be overwhelmed with all of the options and modes on this camera, but within a few days I had nearly everything figured out (without opening the manual).

From what I've seen from other digital cameras, this one has very good all-around picture quality. On other digital cameras that I've borrowed from friends, they would have great outdoor pics but terrible indoor or night pics, or visa versa depending on the camera. The A75 has (from what I've been able to tell) the best overall picture quality for a camera under $300.
Also, shutter lag is pretty good with this camera, although some of the newer cameras in this price range are better.
Overall, I couldn't be happier.
24 Check the Internet First
You do NOT want to buy this camera. It does take great pictures and it is one of the lowest priced considering all of the features you get, but it is very unreliable. My first one (the A70 model) worked great for a year and then died. The second (A75) worked for a week and then got the E18 error which has something to do with a design flaw in the lens movement motors. Just do a web search for "powershot A75 error" and see what you find.

I am going to try to get my money back.
25 this camera is the bomb
love this camera! does everything u need and then some. lcd screen is beautiful. a microphone to record audio when youre filming a video! awesome camera. if i had to complain, it would be that it is a little heavy, but thats cuz it takes 4 AAs. otherwise, great camera all around. great looking pics. tons of features. i love my new canon a75!
26 Poor Picture Quality
My mom recently recieved this camera as a gift, well to say the least the picture quality is so poor. They usually all come out blurry or disfigured. I would not recommend this camera.
27 Great point and shoot digital
I purchased this camera for my wife for Christmas after doing a heck of a lot of research. Let me share with you the reasons I chose the A75:

1) Resolution: With digital cameras getter "better" all the time 3.2 mp does not seem like a real high quality photo anymore. This is not true for the average camera user. I have a 2.1 mp Olympus that I blow up to 8X10 with no noticable loss of clarity. I am sure that the 3.2 will follow suit and is sufficient for the use of the wife. The main thing to remember is that the higher the pixel resolution, the larger the file size as a trade-off.

2) Batteries - I am a firm believer of the AA NiMH batteries and thier associated chargers. I was able to get the wife an Engrgizer charger with eight batteries for about $20, which will last forever. The other nice thing is that in a pinch any set of AA batteries, available literally anywhere, will keep you shooting.

3) Storage media - I prefer the compact flash media for one main reason, durability. The hard case with no external contacts make for a long lasting memory card. I personnaly like the size as well since some of the newer cards are so small they would be easily misplaced. The second reason I like compact flash is cost. [...]

4) Size - The wife loves the way the A75 fits in her hand, unlike my Olympus. The battery area forms a nice handle on the right side of the camera which fits her small hands just right. The over all compactness of the camera is great too. I figure the smaller the camera, the more likely we will actually have it with us to take pictures.

4) Brand - It's a Canon, after all. Nuff said about that...

5) Features - I have barely explored half of what the camera is capable of, but I am surprised at the depth it offers. Yet, the automatic mode is simple enough for the wife to "point and shoot" with exellent results.

That's about it, I recommend this camera, from Amazon.com, to anyone looking to buy today!
28 really good camera
Canon A75 stands out for its performance and cost. It is the best entry level digital camera out there in the market. The pictures come out clean and crisp if you use it outdoor. Sometimes, I get blurred images when the lighting is not too good. But that does not happen always. The camera looks sleek and stylish. The user interface is easy to understand without reading the manual. Btaerry life is very very good. I was able to take aroun 200 pictures with LCD turned on always. It uses Compact Flash -Type I cards which are cheap as dirt. Optical zooom is good, but images get blurred if you use digital zoom(which is understandable).
Overall a must buy if you are looking to get an entry level digital camera that is worth having for 3 years and only wish to spend $200.
29 A perfect camera in my opinion
This is my first digital camera, so I can't really make any expert comparisons to other cameras. However there are a few things worth noting.
The image quality is definitely fantastic, especially for a 3 megapixel camera, and for anyone who does casual shooting (not for professional purposes) its more than adequate.
Some people claim the video mode is weak, but in my opinion its very good. Good capture quality, sound and enough features. It would be nice if you could capture as much video as the memory card could hold however.
I have heard one of the main cons of the camera is how long it takes after pressing the button to actually take the picture. I thought this was going to be a problem for me, but after trying it, I hardly noticed. It actually comes as an advantage, because when pressing the button, you exert force on the camera, and this can cause motion, so by the time camera is back in perfect position it takes the picture and it comes out fine. It may sound like a long time, but really its only about 1 second or less.
The camera build quality is very good, it feels strong and somewhat heavy, which may be a problem for shirt pockets, but it feels good.
In comparison to another camera I have used within the same price range and also 3.2 megapixels (I will not name the brand), it is like 10x better. This is a very basic and simple review, so for those of you who just need a good midrange digital camera and welcome the extra features and obviously the great overall quality, this is a must buy.
30 Waste of a warrante
Almost exactly a year after I bought this camera the LCD screen broke and Canon refused to cover the warranty. The cost is almost $150 to get it fixed. I didn't drop the camera but it had scratches due to normal use. Heaven forbid you spend $400 on a camera (including additional memory and extended warranty) Canon give you a case to carry the camera in so it won't get scratches on it. This is probably so they can use the excuse not to cover the warranty. I wouldn't recommend this camera to anyone. It's not nearly as durable and easy to use as Canon claims.
31 Search no More!!! This is THE one !!!!!
Bought this camera 2 weeks back. But used another one for a month. This camera rocks. For [...](on Amazon) you can't beat it with any other in its class or even till 5 megapixel (unless you want larger then 8x10 prints).
I,like most of you reading this review, agonised over which one to buy. It is just frustrating. There are so many options out there and after a while brain just gives up. My shortlist looked something like this : A75,A95,Fuji E550(6.3 mp , $250 after rebate at buydig.com)
A95, IMO, has more noise than A75. Also its bulky and it always shakes while pushing bit too hard snap button. Only great thing with this one is its swivel LCD. Resolution on LCD is extremely good. I liked images more on it than my flat panel PC monitor.

E550, seems to be excellent price as well, for 250 after rebate, this one is too tempting. But I thought Canon powershot is safer buy. Just because so many people have bought it and have given good reviews.

A75 is loaded with features, for the price it just offers unbelievably rich feature set. It has Aperture,shutter,manual mode, exposure compensation, white balance compensation, 3 metering modes, tons of special situation modes, addictive photostitching mode.

Image quality is excellent. I could not believe how crisp images it produces. Color are vivid, shadow details are great. In fact I think, colors are little more satuaated than they are. You dont need polariser to get a dark blue sky.

Battery life is amazing, around 400 images with LCD on and moderate use of review mode.

This review caan go on and on, just because I am impresses a lot with this camera. I just hope this lasts good. Body is plastic and I am scared of this E14... error people keep mentioning.

To summarize, I would say , if you are looking for a digital camera that you can comfortably carry anywhere and take good quality pictures then search no further. Just buy this one you will not regret.

PS. Buy lens adapter and Tiffen 3 filter set to save shipping, also a canon case ($5)
32 Broken like others....
Unforutnately we did not heed the warnings; the compact flash slot on these cameras is NOT good. Brand new out of the box it was defective, which is a common complaint. Canon must do something about this, because it is otherwise a fantastic camera, for a great, great price. We will likely buy another Canon (they make good digital), or try again.
33 Amazing pictures!
This review will be short and sweet. There are a lot of great detailed reviews here about every feature . . . I'm going to just talk about what I think matters with this camera.

#1 - Picture Quality. I have a HP 2.1 MP camera that I just used to take a picture of my sons under the Christmas tree, then printed it out on photo paper. When I got my Canon A75 camera, I took the same picture of them, then printed it out. The difference was stunning! The color and quality of the Canon printed picture was 10x better than the HP. It looked like a photo center picture.

#2 - Software. It's okay, but not the best. For organizing and viewing after downloading, it's fine. I wanted to print a picture, and all I could find was Album printing and "contact sheet". It didn't give me size option (4x6, 5x7, etc.) I ended up using my HP Printer software.

#3 - Fun Stuff. There are some fun things - like sounds. When you are in the Canon software, you can go to "My camera options" and change the sounds and opening screen picture (while your camera is connected). I have a nice Christmas scene for the opening picture and some cute Christmas sound effects. They have other themes like baseball, cats/dogs, wedding, etc.

#4 - My biggest problem with this camera is shutter speed. It takes a few seconds to actually take a picture. By the time my kids are done saying "CHEESE" the picture snaps. So I've learned to tell them to say cheese a second after I push the button. I have a feeling I'm going to miss some good shots because of this issue.

#5 - Batteries. Sure, it eats batteries, but all digital cameras do. But comparing it to my HP, the Canon A75 lasts twice as long. And does even better with a good set of rechargable batteries.

I would surely recommend this camera. It has amazing quality and a ton of features for the price.
34 Do NOTrecommend CANNON cameras
I have had two Cannon digital cameras. Both have suddenly stopped working after a few months with an E18 error. This error seems to be common among Cannon cameras. It appears the lens motor stops working. Nothing you can do about it.
35 Wow! What a great little camera.
I just got my A75, and I must say I'm thoroughly impressed. I've been taking pictures ever since I was 10 (my first camera was a Kodak 126 cartridge model with the flip flash). We have a Canon EOS digital Rebel, which is awesome. That said, I wanted something smaller to tote around, and the A75 fills the bill nicely.

Initial Impressions
This baby is ready to use right out of the box. Although reading the manual is advisable prior to using any new gear, I found the camera's controls to be quite intuitive (perhaps owing to my experience with the EOS). Once you install the included batteries and 32mb CF card, you're ready to start taking pictures. There are many options for various shooting situations (sport mode, portrait, etc.), as well as a "scene" mode for more specialized scenarios such as "snow", "fireworks", and "foliage". The creative zone settings enable the most control I've ever seen in a camera of this class, all the way down to full manual exposure and focus control. Using manual controls can make the camera work faster. For example, go into manual mode, set the focus around 2 feet and f2.8. Everything from 2 feet to infinity will be in focus, and you can zing off hip shots quickly. Although there is no metering in manual mode, the LCD will preview your shot (if your settings are wrong the preview will look too dark, too light, or too blurry). Exposure compensation controls are quickly accessible in most modes. There are three different metering modes, you can adjust the ISO rating of the sensor, and choose from one of several color balance presets (tungsten, fluorescent, etc.), and even define your own. It's got a rapid-fire mode, and can even take short videos with sound. The more you read the manual and play with this camera, the deeper you can get into the feature set, and it's pretty dang deep. Quite a lot of bang for the buck.

PROS
1. Excellent image quality.
2. Ease of use.
3. Lots of features in a relatively small package.
4. High overall quality, good solid feel.
5. Uses standard AA batteries.

CONS
1. Size and weight not quite suitable for shirt pocket. Jacket pocket or purse will be fine.
2. Some shutter lag, which varies depending on selected mode. Not bad for a camera of this type, but certainly not on a par with, say, an SLR.

Although the A75 comes with software, I must recommend Adobe Photoshop Elements. It has a very nice capture feature and photo-organizer that makes managing your image library a pleasure. The editing features are quite extensive, and easy to use with many tutorials and liberal assistance. It's even got a feature that can stitch together the "photo stitch" panoramas from the A75. All in all, PS Elements works a treat with the A75 (and the EOS, for which it offers RAW file support).
36 My 3rd Powershot
I got lucky with my very first digital camera; I bought the Canon Powershot A40 and haven't looked back. Now I'm upgrading for the 3rd time to the A75 (the A85 is just too much). Here's the amazing thing: with the last two PowerShots (A40 and A60), I took *over 5500* pictures and neither one coughed once. I sold the A40 6 months ago (after 4000 pics) and the current owner says it's still running like a champ. This line of digital cameras is the best thing going for the price. My Dad and brother both seem to insist on buying Nikon cameras. Then, every time we get together for the holidays, all I hear is "I wish my camera did that" or "Can I get a copy of your picture? It looks better." This camera sports features that even $400 cameras don't (I know, because I gave the other manufacturers an honest chance to get me to leave Canon this time, but they just couldn't offer anything comparable).

Now, I'm no dummy when it comes to photography. I've been an SLR user for many, many years (currently, I have a Canon EOS Rebel). Unfortunately, digital SLR's are still too expensive. I bought the Powershot because of the full manual mode (I do a lot of astrophotography and this is perfect for it). I have total control over the settings. Combined with a 52mm lens adapter, this camera satisfies 90% of my SLR cravings. The pictures are consistently crisp and well exposed. I rarely encounter a situation where the PowerShot isn't able to rock and roll. Battery life is stunning. I routinely get 500 pictures with the LCD on and maybe 30% flash (I have 2100 mAh NiMHs). Added features such as 600x480 movies, a really sharp panoramic mode (photos are "stitched" together on the computer), manual white-balancing option, histograms, manual focus, aperture/shutter priority modes and PictBridge printing are icing on the cake.

The one con I've found is that the Powershot line seems to perform a bit sluggishly in low-light conditions, often requiring a few seconds to get a decent reading.

This really is THE best camera in its class(IMO and that of many "professional" reviewers). If you search for a certain price or megapixel resolution and a Powershot "A" line is included in the results, buy it. You won't be sorry at all. If you buy one of the others, you'll honestly pay too much.
37 Good camera when it works...
For the price, this is a very good camera. Image quality is great but can be improved by manually tweaking the settings. The shutter lag is about average, but I had hoped that it could have been a tad faster. Burns through 4 AA's batteries very quickly (lasted one day when using flash) so the other reviewers' recommendations to use rechargeable NiMH are right on. Be aware that Canon cameras sometimes have a problem with the lens mechanism which results in the dreaded E18 error. If the warranty has ended, the cost to fix is very expensive. Since this is an old problem, I can only blame Canon for not addressing this issue in the later models.
38 Complements the Digital Rebel
To preface this, I own a Digital Rebel (or, in some locales, the 300D). I love my rebel. It loves me. That said, the Rebel is hardly portable or handy.

I originally picked up the A75 for my 9 year old son. I figured, the user interface is vaguely like my camera, it uses the same memory, and uses standard AA batteries (something we have in abundance at this house). And, it was fairly simple to use - a great intro camera, to get him started.

As it turns out, I liked it so much, that I ended up buying a second one for myself.

Things I like:

- User interface is not far off from my Rebel
- Completely operable by my 9 year old
- Manual controls for exposure, aperature, iso speed, focus all available (!)
- Video clip recording is not half bad!
- White balance OK at automatic - and easy to set a custom value
- Flash exposure is decent for being a P&S camera - especially for a Canon

Things that could be improved:

- The grip is big; a bit awkward to stick in your pocket. If this bugs you, look at the Elph.
- Response times to focus and snap are slightly slower than average, but not bad.
- The bundled memory is too small. Buy at least 512 megs.
39 Great Camera!
This is a great little camera with lots of features for the price.
It is easy to use and handle. I love that it can take regular AA batteries, that can be very convenient! Canon is a reputable company and once again they've made me happy!
40 Look (search) no further
Canon Powershot A75 made my day. I was planning on buying a digital camera for myself for sometime. After long search and frustrating analysis, I decided on Powershot A95. Got one through Amazon. I returned it the very next day.. I was not satisfied with the pictures. Probably it's my fault. But still..I was not impressed.

My wife and I are planning to gift two digital cameras for our parents.. and not to buy similar ones for apparent reasons.. budget is about $200. So I went for Powershot A75 (canons are always my favorite) and she picked Kodak 4530. (mind that Kodak 4530 is a 5 MP camera). After comparing the pictures and various other things, she returned her Kodak 4530 and got A75. The picture quality is crisp. I am still wondering on why A95 disappointed me.

Bottomline is if you are looking for a affordable ($200 range) but good camera.. Go for this one. Oh! another point to add.. I compared Nikon 4200.. I tested this NIkon piece in Circuit city and figured that it takes few seconds in recording a picture. That is there is a wait period between when you take a picture and you can go for the next one. [..]

Go for it and you wont be disappointed.

41 Great Camera for the Price
I gave my Nikon Coolpix 2000 to a friend and started shopping for another 3Mp point-and-shoot in the $200 price range. I use a Minolta DiMage 7Hi for my serious picture taking. After looking at the Olympus D540 zoom, and Nikon Coolpix 3200, I settled on the Canon PowerShot A75.

All of the other reviewers are correct in assessing the pros and cons for this camera. The 3X Optical Zoom is great, but the zoom ring is located on top of the camera around the shutter release. Takes some getting used to since the Coolpix 2000 zoom lever is on the back within easy thumb range. Another plus is the camera has both an LCD screen and a more conventional conventional viewfinder. After 25 years of composing through a viewfinder, I'm used to it, and use the LCD screen to review my pics and check and adjust the camera settings. Even though I plan to use it primarily as a point-and-shoot, there are lots of options for manual adjustments, more than you would expect for a camera at this size and price.

What finally sold me on this camera, was that it takes CF memory cards, and I already have several that I use with the Minolta and the Nikon. Therein lies the only problem so far, since my memory card reader, built into my PC, will not read the 32Mb card that came with the camera. But, the cards I already own work just fine.

This is a great second camera for the enthusiast, and a great entry level camera for someone making the switch to digital photography and is used to having more control over the camera settings. Beware the learning curve, though.

Highly recommended.
42 Canon is the best
I was just looking for the right camera and I found it!
when I first took photos with this camera I was not a
person who love to take pictures but this baby made me
see that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Now i cannot
stop shooting on my days off. The pros images are great
and you can purchase a LA-DC52C to use teleconverter, Wide Angle
or UV Filters which gives you room to grow with your A75.
43 Great Camera But...
Canon made a great camera and I had only used this for a day however in 1 day I went through the batteries. But this seems to be very comon in digital cameras I know a few more people who have HP's and Kodak's who's cameras both do the same thing. So I'm not that upset. This camera is easy to use and takes great pictures. I didn't even have to look at the manual except for looking at the correct way to put the batteries in. I then plugged the camera into the computer with the USB and it worked with the current software I had on my computer. So I din't even have to add more.

Thanks Canon,
for making a great digital camera!
44 Sorry Mom
I just purchased this camera for my mom for Christmas, and I decided to try it out before I gave it to her. I LOVE this camera, it is definately the best buy for the money. The color is great, and it is light, easy to use, and the batteries last fairly long. My 7 year old son took some awesome pictures on the Auto setting. It is a great camera for non-professionals that want great famliy pictures and more. Sorry mom I might have to keep this one!
45 Nice Camera
handy, nice picture quality but batteries don't last long...
I would suggest rechargeable batteries with it
46 You can't go wrong with this camera
If you're like me, you live for those rare moments when you just know you've spent your money wisely. I must tell you that from the moment I purchased this camera and began using it, I have had a perpetual grin. You quite simply cannot do better on a camera in this price range. It kicks [...]! I'll leave the technical stuff to others but suffice to say this takes great pictures, is intuitively designed, and the software included is incredibly easy to use and packed with features. I love this thing!
47 Great Camera when Batteries Work
I really like my camera. It takes great pictures. The only problem that I have is the batteries. I purchase new batteries and they don't seem to work. I usually have to go thru several AA batteries before the camera actually turns on. It's quite fustrating when you put new batteries and nothing works. I suggest getting the battery charger although I do not have one myself but am considering it.
48 AMAZING!!!
WOw this is a great camera.It is fairly cheap, and for the money you pay, you get a great camera that is perfect for novice and intermediate photographers.you can buy many upgrade for this camera, like zoom lenses, wide angle lenses, underwater cases, tripods, and printers.I would highly reccomend this camera to anyone who needs a digital camera thats not a billion dollars.
49 Quality of printed pictures are Poor
When I ordered prints (from Sony ImageStation) of pictures I took with my A75 I was surprised with the poor quality of the prints. On a video screen the pictures look sharp but on photographic paper the pictures are awful. I wish I was exagerrating but every print had heavy pixelation and a lack of fine detail. There are jagged lines in the pictures when the lines should be smooth - a result of not using high enough resolution. The shades of color also don't transition smoothly - pixelation is evident when one color transitions to another (especially noticeable when there's shading).

The film cameras I've owned (and I've owned some cheap ones) all took better quality photographs than my A75.

If you plan on taking pictures and want to view them mainly on your computer monitor and don't have a need to print them out. Get the A75.

If you plan on printing your pictures and expect decent quality prints I'd skip this product.

From what I've read virtually every other digital camera in this megapixel range will produce similar poor results.
50 You can do better
I have had a few digital cameras, and this one is the worst I have come accorss. It looks nice and it is nice that it runs off of AA batteries, but you can do better for the same price.
The one feature that caused me to return this camera was the extremely slow shutter speed and the time it takes to actually take the picture after you have pressed the button.
I had it for a few days and I noticed that all my pictures were blurred and just never turned out right. It takes about 4-5 seconds after you push the button to take the picture. This presents a huge problem when you are asking someone else to take a picture with your camera because they always think it isn't working and then POOF 5 seconds later the flash goes off and you get a horrible picture.

DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA.

Get a Nikon CoolPix 3200 instead. It is smaller and also runs on AA batteries (2 instead of 4) It don't have one single complaint about it yet.
51 Way to go Canon!
My first digital camera was a Kodak DC3200 that was purchased two years ago that I am very pleased with and still works to this day. However, the door to the battery compartment no longer closes so I have to use rubber bands tied around the camera to keep the batteries in place (annoying); the batteries are always falling out! The other problem was the lag time between when you actually press the button and the seconds that pass before the image is actually recorded. This is problematic because I mostly take pictures of my toddler who is always in motion.

This is where the Canon A75 enters the picture. I did not want to spend a fortune. I do not have to have the biggest and the best. My list of requirements in a digital camera is as follows: minimal lag time, built-in zoom, point-and-shoot capability, crisp photographs, and affordable price. The Canon A75 fit the bill perfectly!

I've only had my Canon for a few weeks now, so I cannot comment on its durability. So far I've only taken pictures using the "Auto" setting and I've gotten some great shots! This camera is super-easy to use. I immediately changed the resolution to the lowest setting (640x480 pixels) and the pictures come out the perfect size for emailing with no re-sizing required.

If, like me, you are simply looking for a great little camera to take shots of your kids, pets, holidays, etc, I don't think you can go wrong with the Canon A75! Sure, you can pay more and get 5 megapixels and whatnot, but why, when this camera does the trick?!!
52 Best in class
If you're looking for a moderately priced digicam with manual features to flex your artistic side I don't think you can go wrong with Canon's A75. With a sub $200 retail price this go any where camera beats larger megapixel competitors with better color fidelity and expansive manual controls. However there are a few flaws in the design. Although you get a low battery indicator a battery meter is missing. This kind of makes you guess how much juice you have left before the low battery warning comes on. Not a deal breaker but a weird design flaw that should be remedied. The plastic door for the memory slot is a bit flimsy in design but does its job well. As a matter of fact the whole camera is made of plastic. I don't think this is a design flaw since it is high quality plastic and does reduce it's overall weight but does have a bit of a cheap feel to it. For anyone getting this camera as a first digital you NEED to buy 2 things. A larger CF memory card. Don't waste your money on ultra speed products. There's only a hand full of prosumer digicams that can take advantage of the extra speed, save your money and buy more megabytes. A 512MB CF card is nice but a 1GB card is better. Some people might think this is over kill but when you're not limited in the number of pictures you can take you can really start having fun and sort out the true winners out of them all. Another must is a couple of sets (pair of 4 AAs) of rechargeable NiMH AA batteries and a good charger. Don't get cheap here as there is a real difference in the amount of pictures you can take between an 1850mAh and 2300mAh batteries. Maha and energizer make dependable batteries. As for chargers the best is made by Maha. One last note about the Canon A75. As with any digital camera check for "dead", "stuck" or "hot" pixels in the CCD. You know you have it if you see any red or white pixels that show up in most or all of your shots. If you see this send it back for an exchange. Happy shooting.

Sam
53 The Best
One of the reason I give this five stars is because this camera is cheap for all of its features. I just bought this recently and the you can be as creative as you like! If you are beginning then just switch it to auto and snap away, but if you want to be creative, go ahead and mess around with it! The photo stitch mode is awsome and makes cool pics! The battery life is another great thing about this camera, it last the whole day, literally! But when you buy your memory card make sure to by at least a 128mb so you don't have to worry about erasing cute pics. But the 32mb card it comes with is a special bonus! I took 27 pics and a 30 second movie all on that one little card. One more thing is the movies. They're nearly as good as my $800 mini video camera. Anyway I really recommend this camera for anybody! Good Luck!
54 Canon's lil' gem
This is my first digital camera. The 4 & 5MP models are nice and some feature long zooms, however you are going to spend 2-3X+ the price of this one. I bought the A75 due to it's review in Consumer Reports and also due to it's price drop. Canon got great marks for fewer repairs, which is very important. When I first saw it in the store I was impressed w/ it's small size. I bought a small case for it also. Buy yourself a good set of rechargeable NimH batteries w/ a fast charger and for the fastest transport to your PC consider a USB 2.0 memory card reader. It's "pict bridge" compatible, so it plugs directly into my printer & the USB cable's in the box! Talk about easy prints. The 3.2 is perfect for 4x6 & 5x7s. Some of it's features include: 3x optical zoom, real image viewfinder, 1.8" LCD, great battery life, compact flash type I memory, manual controls, and AA batteries. My sole complaint is a minor design issue, I wish there was a removable hard plastic cover for the lens (for better protection). I'm disappointed Canon doesn't give you the a/c adapter also. Another way to make more money I guess. In closing, I'm confident I got a great camera at a great price. Thanks Canon! The A75 rocks!
55 What a great little camera!
I just entered the world of digital cameras and I am NOT disappointed that I purchased this Canon A75. It is a great little point and shoot camera. With the "Auto" focus to help those who just want a great shot or the manual focus for more custom pictures, this A75 is the one. Lots of modes to choose from and it also has 6 special modes (even one for fireworks & underwater shots). It can hook up with just a printer, your PC or TV to veiw your perfect picture.
Consumer Report Magazine has also rated this 3.2 meg in the top 5 for performance, battery life, features & repair history in it's class.
I originally was going to purchase another brand. I'm glad I took the time to review and shop around for this camera. I know it'll be one of my best purchases.
56 A-75 Good Starter Camera
I bought this camera 5 weeks ago and so far had lots of fun and taken good pictures. I am very happy with the software & the features that it offers. I have been able to take pictures manually and I was amazed at the results. The photostich capability is also very cool ,because I was truly able to take 180 & 240 degree pictures.

I would strongly recommend this for anyone, who does not want to spend a lot of money and takes a lot of pictures for on-line albums.
57 Good Camera, poor customer service
I bought my A75 to replace my aging Espon PhotoPC650, which has served me well for the last four years. The camera's pretty good, but...

Six weeks later, halfway through our family vacation, the A75 died with the e18 error. I changed the CF card in our hotel room, turned it on to check how many photos were available, turned the camera off. Ten minutes later at the restaurant, the camera wouldn't turn on. E18 on the display.

Returned from vacation, sent it back. First warning sign - be suspicious of any company that doesn't have a Return Number Policy. When I called the factory service center to check on my status five days after they received it (according to FedEx), it wasn't checked in. I asked to speak to a supervisor, was told she was busy and would call me back. Three hours later, no call back, so I tried again. Not only was my unit not checked in yet, I was told that they had 24 hours to call me back. Now that they've finally checked it in, it's going to be up to 14 business days before they send it back to me.

As someone who used to run a warranty service center for a national company, I find Canon's repair and return policies disturbing, and their turn-around time laughable. Returns should be checked in same day they are received, customers should have their calls returned the same day, and barring unusual circumstances, no repair should be in house for more than 10 days.


This was my first, and now probably my last Canon product.
58 The best under 200 bucks
I got this camera as a replacement for my Kodak DC 280, which is a very good and reliable camera.
I am really pleased with it, although you have to get familiarized with the buttons and setting up the features.

Things I like:

Different resolutions that fit to your needs, whether it's quality or memory space.
It includes a 1024X768 resolution enabling you to display your pictures in full size as your wall papers.
Flash modes include elimination of red eye.
Self Timer 2 or 10 secs. The second option is best if you want to be in the picture.
Can connect to your TV so you can share the pictures with friends who don't have a computer and with out the need of printing them.
You can record video clips, but I rather use my camcorder for that.
Up to 3.2 megapixels
Optical Zoom, beacuse digital zooms affect the image.
Includes USB for computer and AV cables for TV or VCR to record your picture slideshows on videotape.
PRICE: NOW IT IS UNDER 200 DOLLARS
Compact Flash Cards are the cheaper memory cards in the market, and also my fomer camera uses this media so I save in getting more flash memory.
32 MB COMPACT FLASH CARD INCLUDED other cameras include only 16 MB media cards


Recommendations:

Battery Charger and rechargable Batteries. It is better to use rechargable batteries with this cameras, they last longer and don't need to be buying often. You should have two sets for when one runs dry you change them.

Card Reader. Nowadays computers include them. If you can buy a Compact Flash Reader or Universal one. It will help you save battery life and time,because you don't have to set up camera drivers to connect the camera to your computer or install the software included with the camera.

This is definitely a great deal, considering you can only get 3.2 MP cameras under 200 dollars if the have a digital zooom instead of an optical one, and use more expensive memory cards, and by the way you also get a 32 MB card instead of the usual 16 MB included in the box. And I have forgotten to mention is not any camera is a Canon, a leader in the market. Whether you are starting in the digital camera world or have more experience this is a great deal.
59 Beware the Dreaded E18 Failure on Canon Cameras!
Two years ago I bought my wife a Canon Powershot A40 digital camera for around $250. It worked well for 18 months but then died suddenly with an E18 error on the display. For her birthday this year I wanted to replace the camera and bought another Canon, an A75 this time, for around the same price. It had good reviews and I figured the first failure was a fluke. Wrong! Barely six weeks old, with less than 200 shots taken, the A75 has failed in manner similar to the A40. I sometimes get the E18 on the display but always the camera fails to zoom or focus properly. A quick Google search revealed hundreds of other people with the dreaded E18 problem. Sure, I will get the camera fixed under warranty, but from the tales of woe I've read it will probably fail again. We'll see if Canon makes good but until then I wouldn't recommend any of their products to anyone.
60 Buy it now - the best value you can get for this price!
I owned an A70 in the past and now I have an A80 and I just bought an A75 as a gift from Amazon and took many shots from it just for comparison.

When I first started checking prices I found that the A75 was not the cheapest on Amazon, so I used the feature Amazon provides to let them know about a lower price at another online retailer (with shipping). And lo and behold, Amazon dropped the price of A75 by a whopping 40 dollars to make it the best deal available on the net.(Hats off Amazon!) Of course, I bought the camera at Amazon with the super saver FREE shipping it reached me 4-5 days later!

I had loved my A70 and now A75 offers all that and more:
- A larger 1.8 inch LCD screen, what a difference it makes when you don't have to squint to see the image and it works better in low light situations too
- New SCN modes for quick shots of special scenes - Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Underwater (with the waterproof case), Foliage and Indoors. Now even amateurs can use Canon experience to get the best shot quickly before they miss the photo opportunity. I haven't had the opportunity to test out all the modes, but will report back with an update soon.
- Print share button to directly download/print from camera, though I don't think I will ever print the images directly from my camera

I LOVE the new control buttons at the back, the way the SET button is now in the center of the up-down/forward-backward navigator buttons. Now, the navigator buttons are also clearly marked with arrows to avoid confusion. The overall feel is more ergonomic than the A70, which is great. A small gripe is that the rubber flap that covers the A/V out and Digital port is slightly larger than on my A80, but it is not very noticeable.

What is great about the CANON A75 (which hasn't changed since the A70):
--A75 also offers 3 resolution settings for video including 640X480 (VGA max 30 sec). With yahoo/gmail etc. now allowing larger attachments, it is fun to send small clips of video to people.

--Complete Manual functions available - shutter priority, Aperture priority, White balancing, Manual focusing etc.

--Photostitch - For stitching together panoramic views. I have shot countless seascapes, 'bridge'scapes, landscapes etc using this function and stitching togehter 6-10 shots in one. It is really easy too with the software provided which does it intuitively!

-- Tone settings (Tungsten, Sunlight, Cloudy etc.) which help correct the White balance

--Special effects (B/W, Sepia, Vivid, Nuetral etc.) I have used sepia a lot when taking potraits giving them an 'old world' feel. Vivid has been helpful in special situations like a red kite against a blue sky to bring out the colors.

--Free Canon software, which works well and allows you to edit images, photo-stitch images, make fun photos, maintain an album, change camera settings from your computer, subtitle and edit videos, upload images back to camera to transfer to another computer etc.

--It uses AA batteries which are available anywhere in the world.
NOTE: A Sony Super Quick Charger (5 hours) with 4 rechargeable 2300mAH NiMH batteries is available for under $19 on Amazon! Charge these batteries upto 1000 times. I keep the LCD on for all my shots and usually I get 300-360 shots from each charge from the A75 including the battery power used to download these images to my computer with the USB cable and playing back these images for friends! That is quite a feat by Canon.

--Macro mode - Great for close ups of children or product shots

At the current price on Amazon it is quite simply one of the best cameras you can buy. First time digital camera buyers will find it very easy to use as will those who want to experiment a bit with the manual features available on the AXX range of Canon cameras. If you want a decent, reasonably priced camera that is versatile enough for photography buffs and gives you crystal clear 5X7 prints - go for this camera.

About the complaints on this camera from other reviers-
E18 - I have had an A70 where I did get an E18 error once in a while but I just turned the camera on and off and it went away. I never had this problem on the A80 in 2 years and nor on the A75. So maybe Canon has taken care of it now.

Quality of prints - I have had crystal clear prints from Canon, yes the pics look the same on the computer even if they are low resolution. So make sure you are using the larger modes like L /M1 when you want to print the pictures.

Delayed response to pressing the 'take picture' button - ALL Canon Cameras have this as they send out an infra red beam to evaluate the light conditions, so you must hold the camera still 2-3 seconds after depressing the button. This feature gives perfect pictures each time but if you give your camera to strangers just tell them to hold it still 5 secs after they have pressed the button. After all the pic quality is worth the effort.

So go on - get it NOW before it sells out around Christmas!
61 Love this camera!
This is my first digital camera, bought after reading all the reviews on this site. I couldn't be happier with it.

It's easy to use. The color rendition is excellent. The auto-focus isn't easily fooled. Battery life appears to be excellent, and it uses AAs, which are far better than the proprietary batteries used by some others (e.g., Kodak). I do use high-milliampere rechargeables and carry spares on a trip.

It's small and light enough to take everywhere. The manual settings seem usable, though I doubt I'll ever take advantage of them, as the auto settings seem perfectly adequate.

Once the software is installed on your PC, the images download automatically as soon as the USB cord is plugged into the camera. It's dirt simple and hasn't failed yet.

I haven't seen all the other cameras on the market, but owning this one, I won't bother to look--it is great. If I find anything that makes me change my mind (I've owned it for about a month now), I'll post again.
62 WOW!!!
After going through 5 digital cameras in about a month (this was my 6th), I am really thrilled! A fantastic camera, with awesome features. This is one camera which can satisfy both the novice as well as the advanced photographer. You can make the camera automatically adjust all the settings if you want to, or you can manually adjust all the settings. The LCD screen is 1.8" big, and is cool. The best part is the batteries. It requires 4 AA batteries. With the 4 supplied by Canon, I took about 160 pictures, using the LCD a lot of the time. This was in addition to using it for playback, etc. This time, I am using the NiMH rechargables, and I have already taken about 200 pictures, again, using the LCD most of the time. Great job, Canon!!!!
63 A75 and A85: you can't get a better camera at this price!!
The A75 and A85 are Excellent follow-ups of the A70, and offer some very nice improvements. The most noticeable is the larger LCD, scene modes for those who don't like to tinker with the settings, "C" dial position to save your custom settings, and the print/share button to make things easier. For those who don't know, scene modes are easy-to-access presets of a combination of manual adjustments, optimized for shooting in different situations such as when you are indoors, at the beach, taking shots of kids, shooting at night, or shooting fireworks, etc. The camera features full manual controls over shutter speed and aperture, manual focus, saturation, exposure compensation, custom white balance, ISO, metering, and a histogram in playback mode. I know most people think they won't ever use some of these, but when you have an important shot that just isn't coming out, you'll be really glad you have it (or wish you did). For those who don't know, control over shutter speed means you can use a fast shutter speed to capture fast action or you can use a slow shutter to avoid using a flash or for taking shots of night scenery.

The areas where the Canon A75, A85, and A95 really excel at are:

Being fairly small(small price tag too!) for a camera with this many features and having picture quality this good.

Creative shooting: this is a great camera for those who want to do creative shooting but can't afford to plop down $600+ for a Canon G6 or more for a Digital SLR. It's got all of the most important controls, and with your memory card, you can do all the creative shooting and experimenting you want virtually free compared to using film. It's even expandable with telephoto, wide angle, or close up conversion lenses and there's also the waterproof casing.

All Canon cameras also come with an excellent software package that lets you stitch panoramic photos, retouch photos or rescue those that came out wrong, add special effect, and view thumbnails of pictures so you don't have to open them up to see what the picture looks like (good for those who are using an older version of windows, I know there are still a lot of you out there). The best part is that it's free! It does more than Kodak's software(which is pretty decent), you have to pay $20 to get the better version of Olympus's software, and Sony's editing software is pretty much non-existent. Those who already have Photoshop won't be excited.

For those of you who are concerned that the camera doesn't come with rechargeable batteries, don't worry, it's really not a big deal. Good rechargeable AA's, type NiMH are super cheap at around $10-$15 for 4, compared to $50 for Lithium Ion battery packs, and at that price, everyone can afford a spare set, which is really important to have. I've seen people who bought much crappier cameras at the same price, just because they came with rechargeable batteries - not a smart choice in my opinion.

Yes, there is the problem with purple fringing, but it's not a very common problem and most people either don't know what it is or don't even know think it's much of a problem when they see it. Some people think it looks cool. With full control over aperture, you have the ability to get rid of it or at least reduce it. Compared to the problems that other manufacturers have with their cameras, I'd take a bit of purple fringing over noise, soft/fuzzy images, and over-sharpening any day!

If you want 5 megapixels of resolution, a very useful rotating LCD screen, and Flexi-Zone (lets you choose an area that is off-center to focus on), then look at the A95.

Remember, Higher Megapixels do not always equal better picture quality, or better cameras. The Canon A-series is a fine example of cameras that offer superior performance and picture quality over the competition and other higher price cameras.
64 Careful - zoom lens mechanism is VERY breakable - E18 error
Read reviews of the A70. The E18 error is alive and well still in the A75!

What this means is that the gears that move the zoom lens are exposed to the elements by means of the gap between the lens and the body. All it takes is a piece of dust or sand to blow in there and the lens will freeze up and you will get an E18 error. Then you have to mail your camera to Illinois and wait several weeks. If it happens after a year has passed and the warranty is void, your camera is a paperweight. If you have scuffs on your camera, Canon might even choose to void the warrenty due to neglect.

This happens to alot of people, google "Canon" and "E18".I had my A75 for only 4 days before the E18 error happened.

If you get this camera, keep it in an airtight dust free case at all times!

65 Awesome!
I just made the switch to digital format photography. I've had this camera for about two weeks and love it! I always thought that high megapixels was the key to a good digitial camera, but there is really more to it than that. After looking at many cameras, I think the A-75 takes better quality photos than many higher megapixel cameras.

The camera is easy to operate right out of the box. My wife, who doesn't quickly take to electronic devices, is taking photos and video without any problems. She is even doing some more creative manual shots now (black and white feature is pretty cool). I was suprised by the quality of photos and video and how easy it is to capture both types of media. We looked at the A-80, but the price, video quality, and lcd size of the A-75 won out in the end.

Despite some other reviews, I think the shutter delay is pretty short compared to other digicams. We have a 2 year old and we are able to take photos quickly without loosing the shot. The key is focus-locking (push the button half way down) before you shoot.

We are taking many more good quality photos and video than we ever did with the old 35 mm and camcorder set-up. The size allows you to take it anywhere. I don't think you will be sorry buying this. Get rechargeable batteries and a larger memory card and you are ready to do some real cool things with the A-75.
66 Good but not perfect
Been using the Canon powershot a75 for almost a month now and my feelings are mixed. The camera is very simple to use and it's very easy to navigate from one setting to another using the mode dial on top of the camera. It is also very simple to quickly transfer images from the camera to your computer - just attach the usb cable to the camera and pc and the camera does the rest. When using the automode, the image quality is very good to excellent when taking photos outside on a bright sunny day. Subjects come out in-focus and the automatic exposure does a great job of getting the colors just right. Pictures taken indoors are also very good if the camera is close to the subject(within the range of the flash) although some of the shots come out slightly overexposed which is not a problem and can be easily fixed with minor tweaking and the camera set to program mode. Now for the bad. The auto-mode is practically useless when taking night shots or even some shots taken on very cloudy days or in areas where there tend to be lots of shadows. The pictures come out very noisy. Apparently the camera increases the ISO value to compensate for the low-light condition and the larger the ISO value the greater the amount of noise in the picture. As mentioned above, it seems to increase the ISO value even on cloudy days or in shadowy areas leading to noisy pictures. I have minimized the affect of noise in low-light conditions by using the cameras program mode and setting the ISO value to its lowest setting which is 50 on this camera. This dramatically reduces the noise. The problem of noise seems to be a problem on all digital cameras in this category and price not just the canon a75. If your searching for a camera that will give you less noise look for one that has a bigger sensor (1/1.8" instead of 1/2.7") although that will cost more. I've been looking at the canon a80 which has a bigger sensor and the pictures seem to come out not as noisy. Another bad part of the camera is that it is impossible to see the LCD screen when the sun is very bright. The folks at Canon should've coated the LCD with an anti-reflection coating to minimize the glare. But anyway what matters most is the picture quality which is good but not great. So to summarize although I really like this camera, the noisy pictures in dark conditions (in auto mode) led me to give it 4 stars. Can someone recommend a good digital camera that is noise free? For sample pictures from all these digital cameras check out the following web site -http://www.pbase.com/cameras
67 Customer Service
My Cannon A75 view finder in the back was fuzzy and not working properly. I sent it to their Customer service center and it was fixed free of charge and returned to me via Fed EX next day air in 8 days. That alone will keep me buying their products and spreading the good word on them.
68 Excellent Camera
Easy menu's, great pictures.
I can see the LCD and menu's very easy. But most important Canon stands behind the camera, After having 2 months my camera was dropped on carpet less than 2 feet with the lens open. To my horror lens did not operate! Sent in to Canon repair they replaced lens under waranty, NO charge working great! I will stick with canon from now on.
69 Terrible Auto-Focus
Over the past several years, I've gone through a lot of Digital Cameras...Kodak DC3400 (great for its time), Minolta Dimage 7hi (good for its time), Sony DSC-F828 (terrible -- very high noise level), Canon A70 (great), Canon A75 (see below), and Nikon D70 (love the D70). For the high-end, the Nikon is incredible. For the low-end, my all-time favorite has been the Canon A70.

I liked it so much, that when my first one was stolen on vacation, I purchased another one. It has the best feature set of any digital camera under $300.

Unfortunately, my second Canon A70 took a swim at a water park...and was never quite the same. So I replaced my A70 with the A75 this month.

Almost everything appeared equal between the A75 and A70. And the Picture quality continued to be very good for both. However, this camera has one show-stopping problem that I cannot live with. It has the worst auto-focus mechanism of any digicam I've owned. I take lots of pictures of my kids, and the A75 cannot keep up with them. What I can't understand is how did Canon make the auto-focus worse in the A75 than the A70?

I compared my A75 with floor models at a local electronics chain, and discovered they were all equally poor. I've since returned the camera and am now searching for a suitable $300 replacement.

70 Cool Camera
I am very happy with this camera, The A75 has excellent image quality, Canon's new DIGIC processor does its job very well, The Canon AiAF autofocus system is more or less a joke, But this camera has plenty of manual controls to get excellent results, The macro mode is cool, Get the accessories and lens adapters and you are into a new world of Marco Photography, Many other cameras use a proprietary lithium-ion battery pack. It's nice to be able to use rechargeable or "off the shelf" batteries in this camera, Battery life with NiMH 2200mah or better is excellent, This camera is a great combination of well balanced performance, Excellent image quality and ease of use, all at a very affordable price. Go get it..!!
71 Simple & Easy To Use
I just received my Canon A75 Camera yesterday, And I have already been using it on a regular basis. I have viewed my pictures on th TV sreen, downloaded them to my computer, made a slide show & more.The manual is very good with describing how do do things. I have yet to get into the camera's more advanced features, but I have looked into a few of them, and it was very simple and straight forward. The quality of the pictures are great, I even did a quick film, complete with sound. I looked into Digital Cameras for a while, and for the money, this is a can't miss camera.
72 WAY better than I expected!
I've had this camera for a while now, hacve never experienced any problems with it, and LOVE IT! Since I've read so many reviews with PRO and CON layouts that helped me, Im going to try that PROS: -Nice large, bright LCD screen -3 optical and 10 combined zoom -MANY scene settings -Fun photo effects -Quality video -Sleek design -Good Flash -Great Photo Quality -Good Macro, close-ups -Simple controls and software CONS: -With batteries its heavy -Occasionally a blurred photo (Rarley) -Average battery life Overall, i would definetly recommend this camera. Canon will never let you down! I wasn't expecting to buy this camera, actually it was mostly an impulse -spur of the moment- kind of thing, but i couldn't be happier with what I got! If there were decimals in the ratings, this camera would receive a 4.7 from me, the .3 points dropped because of its weight and average battery life.
73 More than Point-and-Shoot
Don't be fooled by the "Point-and-Shoot" classification given to this camera. The camera is very easy to use for those who are new or not-so-new users, yet it offers the flexibility to let seasoned users and enthusiasts take control and unleash the power of this artifact. With 13 shoot-modes, fully manual controls (or fully automatic, if you so choose), and a variety of powerful firmware software (inside the camera) makes this camera a very solid runner-up.
The manuals are great and very explicative and instructive (which most manuals lack). The layout of the camera has a functional no-nonsense approach, which makes it accessible for those of us who have adult-sized fingers. The LCD is very good and its brightness and sharpness is definitely a plus. The "feel" of the camera is absolutely great. In spite that it's a bit on the heavy side (as compared to other digital cameras), the camera design allows for a very comfortable and secure grip.
The battery life is great with rechargeable batteries, the internal buffer of the camera makes for easy continuous shooting a breeze. The "creative" settings are very good and it makes life easier when the one is trying to accomplish a task to which one needs some priority (Aperture, Shutter Speed, Exposure, etc.). The picture quality and compression are superb.
This is my 5th digital camera and I'm convinced this is among the best, if not the best, of all the cameras I've owned and used. At this price range ($200-250) it's practically a gift.
74 Strong competitor
Bought this a few months ago since the A80 is now the in cannon camera, so the price point on the A75 has dropped. It seems that you can get a 3.2MP at a good price these days if you shop around. I have been happy with my A75. I dont think you get a better bang for your buck unless you move up to the SLR digital camers with their shorter shutter speed. But for the $200-$300 range this is a great buy.
75 The best digicam in its class.
I've been holding out on buying a digital camera for quite a while. One thing I did know while doing research was that I wanted a Canon. I decided that I wanted a digital SLR for my artsy "pro" shots and a point-and-shoot for "everyday" use. For the SLR my decision was easy, a 10D (or whatever its successor is, I haven't purchased it yet). Deciding on a point-and-shoot was a bit more challenging. I didn't want to buy a point-and-shoot that was too high-end as I would soon be investing in an expensive SLR set-up. I was considering the higher-end G5 or the S1 IS. Honestly, the A75 wasn't even on my radar. Then one day the decision was made for me. I learned of an awesome deal for the A75 and it required that I act fast. I picked one up and immediately dove right into the user manual to learn all the capabilities that this digicam had in store for me. I was instantly impressed by all the features they crammed into this little 3.2 MP wonder, like the 13 shooting modes, which are much like presets for certain subject/scene situations. It has a large clear 1.8" LCD to frame and preview your shots. The 9-point AI Auto Focus will ensure that your pictures are clear and sharp. I especially liked the fact that this camera could also be used in a fully manual mode. I enjoy tinkering with settings to get the optimal shot of a subject or scene. I'm one of those who don't mind setting a custom white balance (BTW, there are presets for that too!). Overall, I am VERY pleased with this product and would definitely recommend this camera for users new to digital photography or the seasoned veteran looking for a good point-and-shoot for those family gatherings.

If you plan on purchasing the A75 I highly recommend getting rechargeable NiMH batteries. I own the Rayovac PS6 15 minute charger for use with their I-C3 15 minute rechargeable AA batteries. The ability to charge these batteries in 15 minutes has proven to be an indispensable feature for me.

I would also recommend purchasing an extra compact flash card with a minimum of 128 MB.

76 Nice Buy!
I bought this camera after returning my other one... I really the zoom (3x) and the quality of the pictures. Although it took me 2 days to learn ALL the buttons I figured it out by reading the manual. The movie mode- with sound- works well. I was able to by RECHARGABLE batteries which will last long. The Memeory card that it comes with is also a plus. Its larger than the other camera I had and returned, mine help 15 pictures and 1.05 minutes of video. NICE! I also like the size- not to big not to small.
77 Fantastic Video Quality ! Great Pics !, Which canon to buy ?
I wanted only canon after owning Panasonic, Sony & Fuji Cameras, Canon Simply does it great ! Menus are awesome & software is even better.

A lot of people didn't note this ! Canon has great video quality, with A75 you can zoom before starting to record the video. It beats my $1000 DV Camcorder !!!!!!!!!!!

Canon Pic quality requires no further explanation. Esp with Canon i960 printer, it is fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!!

1. I picked A75 over A 70 becos of bigger LCD, 9-point AF, nice very useful pre-set pic modes like indoor, beach, foliage etc.
2. I picked A75 over A80 becos of better video mode (640), less heavy, brighter/bigger LCD screen, cheaper.
3. I picked A75 over S1 IS becos of AF Assist Lamp & less purple fringing.
4. A75 uses AA batteries as opposed to S50/S60. Also, S50/60 doesn't support lens attachments easily. A75 costs half of S50/60 & produces equally good pics.
5. My next replacement will be New model that replaces S1 IS with 5MP, AF Assist-lamp & cheaper Memory card of 2-4GB capacity, for now i am very happy with A75.

78 Absolutely outstanding camera - amazing for its class
I've had a Kodak DX3400 for about 3 years now, and it came time to upgrade...I wanted a compact point and shoot that had some extra options to take creative photos. As a hobbyist photographer, I managed to get some fantastic photos out of my old Kodak, but it took horrible photos in low light and took poor action shots. After much research and comparison at some fantasic review sites, I decided on the PowerShot A75. I am NOT disappointed.

The Canon Powershot A75 is everything I wanted in a point and shoot. It's small (but comfortable in your hands), has plenty of resolution for point and shoot abilities (great prints up to 8x10) and has enough manual options to take nearly every type of shot. I did some serious experimentation, and found that even in very low light situations, the camera can either capture what it really looks like, or, by using the shutter priority, you can get vibrant, full color shots that look like they were captured in bright daylight. (I photographed my entryway at 9:45 PM, with dusk filtering in through windows 18 feet away, and got a vibrant, perfectly exposed photo...amazing)

The auto mode is good, but should really only be used by inexperienced users...the best shots come from taking advantage of the Scene modes (the indoor scene setting takes PERFECT indoor shots, with perfect exposure, white balance, and color saturation). The portrait mode opens the aperture way up to capture the subject in crisp detail while blurring the background, and it goes on and on. In addition to the Scene modes, there's also a 'fast shutter' and 'slow shutter' mode which are fantastic for taking action shots or blurring moving water, respectively, without having to worry about setting the shutter speed and aperture.

There's also a movie mode and a PhotoStitch mode. The movies are good quality for a still camera, though nowhere near the quality of a digital camcorder. The PhotoStich mode assists you in taking panoramic photos, by showing your last photo and letting you line up the next shot with the first one, so the included PhotoStitch software can automatically merge them on the computer. The panoramas work quite well, and preserve the exposure of the first shot, which limits color variation. The photo stitch software took about 10 seconds to stitch 9 photos together and create the single panorama.

The manual controls are fantastic. Custom white balance for oddly lit areas is extremely easy to use (though the preset white balances and the auto do quite well). Manual focus is outstanding, and can be used in conjunction with any other mode, except full auto. I used it to take great clear photos of my darkened treeline in the moonlight, and got a crisp, beautiful photo. Full manual is tricky if you aren't used to adjusting shutter speed and aperture together, but it will let you know if the camera settings will over or under expose the image (though you can still take the shot).

At the slower shutter speeds, you do need to be steady, so a tripod or setting the camera down helps enormously for night or time exposure shots, but that's the case with any camera. To aid in steadying the camera for these long exposures, the camera has a 2 second self timer in addition to the standard 10 second...so you can take photos without having the jitter from pressing the shutter. That said, in good lighting, the camera is fine to treat like any other point and shoot, and with a fast shutter, you can get crisp images with the camera bouncing all over the place. Shots taken while riding in a car are very crisp and clear while using the 'fast shutter' mode.

Overall, I am extremely impressed. For the price, this camera is just outstanding. In my opinion, you don't need more than 3MP for a point and shoot, so this is a great buy. One thing that I would do, though, is buy a mini tripod to put in your pocket so you can get great photos at night. A larger memory card would be nice too, but I already had a 128MB from my old camera, so I didn't need to worry about it. I'd say this is the best point and shoot for the money.

79 A75 Seasonal Review
Best $ I've spent on a Digi-Camera. Outdoor pics are incredible, colors are 98% as accurate as my expensive 35mm lens Cameras. Motion pics are not blurry, still pics are crisp, indoor pics tent to be a little dark for subjects around the focused item but much better than other digitals out there. The zoom and activation responce times are fast, ease of use is great. Digital 10x zoom is crisp and comes out as good as 3x Optical when on print. Upload times are fast, software which comes with it is easy to use. 4AA Batteries last about 200+ shots on the 1200 x 1600 high res mode (4x6 print mode), including playback view time and all the zooming in/out time. Overall I am very happy with this Camera!
80 Great Camera for $249.00
This is my first digital camera. I researched for months on cameras and decided that I didnt really need to spend $500 on a 5MP camera to get the quality shots I was looking for. My only quirk with this camera was the 1st one I bought had a problem within 30 minutes of buying it, it got an E18 error message which the shutter had a problem. That is why I only gave it 4 stars. I took it back to Target and the replaced it, no questions asked. Since the defective camera went back the new one has been supurb. I have enjoyed every photo I have taken. I would recommend this camera to anyone that doesnt want to spend the big money on a camera they dont need.
81 Great Camera for $249.00
This is my first digital camera. I researched for months on cameras and decided that I didnt really need to spend $500 on a 5MP camera to get the quality shots I was looking for. My only quirk with this camera was the 1st one I bought had a problem within 30 minutes of buying it, it got an E18 error message which the shutter had a problem. That is why I only gave it 4 stars. I took it back to Target and the replaced it, no questions asked. Since the defective camera went back the new one has been supurb. I have enjoyed every photo I have taken. I would recommend this camera to anyone that doesnt want to spend the big money on a camera they dont need.
82 Really Great for a first-time buyer, or even an upgrade!
This is a great camera...compact, takes great pictures, the options are amazing at this price point, the feel in your hand is perfect, have not had any problems whatsoever with the functioning...

only beef is that you need to have a super steady hand in order to take clear pictures. Even if your hand is moving a little tad, the picture wont be perfectly clear. It can be hard to take a perfect picture. But...if you fool around with the settings, the pictures come out nearly perfectly most of the time, with complete gems thrown in every now and then..

83 I bought this and a S410 for my ~75 y.o. parents
My mother wanted something more compact (and "cute") so I sprung for a S410 for her. For my step-dad, who has Parkinson's, the A75 has turned out to be PERFECT.

The human engineering on small cameras is a feature people often overlook. I own a large Sony digicam, but I can't handle any of their compacts or their V1 without having to concentrate on where my large-ish fingers are resting. Another thing people sometimes fail to consider is how SECURE the camera is in your hands. A child could grab the S410 from my hands, but no one on Earth could get the A75 loose. My parents are in France with their cameras now and I'm sure that no jarring in a museum or crowded street will dislodge the A75 from my step-dad's weak hands.

One reason for the nice grip is because that's where the four AA batteries go. For some people (me included), this seemed like a weakness of the camera versus the custome Li-ion batteries of the competition. However, once you spring about $25 for four 1850 mAH (or stonger) rechargable batteries, you will find yourself getting double or more the bttery life of a S410 (which with it's 850 mAH battery does surprisingly well). The well-respected dpreview website has tested the A75's predecessor (the A70) in comparison with a slew of other small-format digicams and found it to have the best battery life by a wide margin. WARNING: the AAs that come with the camera only lasted one day of intermittent "training" use...so don't be disappointed.

The A75 takes great pictures. We set up a scene with lots of detail to compare all possible size and resolution settings ("L", "M1" which is 1600x1200, "M2" which is 1024x780, and "S" which is 640x480 (for e-mails)) and took a shot at each of those sizes with the three resolution settings ("Superfine", "Fine", and "Normal"). We printed them at 6"x4" at a local Kodak digital picture kiosk (recently deemed better and cheaper than Fuji's by a consumer group...Consumer Reports IIRC) and compared them with a magnifying glass. There were no easily discernable differences in quality until we got to the M1/Normal setting. Even then it was just a tiny difference in some detail in the pine needles of a distant tree. In other words, if you're starved for storage card space, don't panic -- you should be able to get fantastic prints with this camera even with the lower settings. (Another indication that there's rarely a reason to go beyong 3.2-4.0 megapixels in a pocket cam -- don't waste your money on ANY compact 5.0 cam, Canon or otherwise (ex. S500 -- forget it!).

The A75 uses the ubiquitous Compact Flash Type I cards. That's not as important as it used to be (all cards, SD included, are rapidly getting cheaper). However, you can get these anywhere for cheap in a pinch, and Amazon has GREAT deals on CF cards. I got each of my parents a SanDisk 512 card for ~80 each -- that was six weeks ago and they've dropped since. My step-dad's A75 on max size/max-resolution ("L"/"Superfine") will take just over 300 pictures on that card! (My mom's S410 will handle a bit less -- 280 IIRC).

The picture quality on auto is great, the "panorama" feature is addicting as heck (I'm looking forward to their France panoramas -- a feature offered on the A75 and the S410).

The included software is fine -- nothing special, but all you need, and it worked on my parent's old PIII running Microsoft Windows 98 (not even "SE"!). If you have a newer computer, you will have a hard time beating the Adobe Elements/Album combo that Amazon offers -- well-worth it!

We originally considered paying list price at Be$t Buy in order to get an extended warranty, but we realized that if they go bad in France it won't help, so Amazon saved me a bundle. THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE AFAIC TO BUY DIGI-CAMS AT THIS LEVEL THAN AMAZON. MEMORY CARDS, TOO.

Me, I'm waiting to see how Sony's new W1 looks (I like the huge movie resoultion it offers, perhaps Canon's only weak area compared to the compettion). If the Sony doesn't do anything for me, then I'll probably go with an A75 for myself -- the S410 is an awesome little cam, but it's a bit uncomfortable in my hands and the screen is only 1.5" which is another weakness compared to the competition. If they had a 1.8" LCD on the S410 I'd go with it so I could have a great (but not as versatile) cam I could keep in my pocket -- heavy though it is.

I hope this helped. The world of digicams is tough, and changing fast. With that said, I don't think you can go wrong with the A75. The S410 is also great (weaknesses noted) but you can get something similar from the competion for $100 less (alhtough you'll sacrifice a bit in picture quality).

Good luck! (And search Amazon on weekends for CF deals -- go with a 512!!)

84 Compact, nice camera
This is my third digital camera and I just love it. It is easy to use, the LCD monitor is crystal clear and the pictures are just beautiful when printed.(I use an online photo processor.) The software is really easy to use. I highly recommend the A75.
85 Great Camera - Highly Recommend It
Awesome Camera!!! I had researched for weeks trying to figure out which camera to go with and each one had little "problems" or "quarks" with them so I finally decided to go talk to a salesman and actually see the cameras. Found a great salesman (non-commission) who first asked me what I was going to take pictures of mostly and then took the time to explain the different cameras and features. I went with the Canon A75 (which was not on my list when I walked into the store) and I have had it for about a month now. We have a 10-month old son and we just got back from vacation and I just have to say this camera is AWESOME!!! I did purchase the 256 mb card and the Canon Powershot Package (with battery charger, set of rechargeable batteries and case). Highly recommend these items. For ease of transfer to computer, I bought a card reader (like $16) and it is so simple. You just pop the card out of the camera, into the reader and your "album" opens up. Download and erase all in one shot and ready to go again. Battery life is great; having the digital video with sound is also a very nice feature and I had a couple of prints done at the local store and crystal clear pictures. Looks even better than my old point and shoot 35mm. Guess I am heading next to e-bay to try to sell those. No more film developing and "wasted" pictures for me! Happy shooting!!
86 Better than expected
I've wanted a digital camera for years, but being of the older generation I am somewhat put off by technical gadgets. Besides, my 22-year-old 35mm Canon Program AE seemed sufficient for me. After a lot of online and instore research, I finally broke down and bought the Canon Powershot A75. Suffice it to say, it's a breeze to use and the picture quality is out of this world. Great product for the money.
87 Easy to use digital camera
This is our first digital camera and we are taking pictures like crazy! It is so easy to take photos (without even figuring out what all of the little icons mean) and download to your computer. The software makes it easy to put photos on your computer or dvd and the printed picture quality is great!
88 Great Buy
First digi cam and I love it. Picture quality is top notch and delay between pictures is bearable. Lots of extra features for the advanced users as well. Be sure to get your rechargeable batteries and bigger CF card though. Would recommend for the beginner and advanced user.
89 Great all-in-one camera with manual and auto modes - cool!
Just got this camera couple of days ago and I am very impressed. Comfortable grip, controls and picture quality looks great. It's a good idea to buy an additional (larger capacity) compact flash memory card since the stock 32meg doesn't hold that many hi-res photos. If you only want shots for email / web, the 32meg will probably suit you fine, but if you want good quality prints, you'll need more storage. Pet peave is lack of case and accessories in one bundle with camera. I had to fork over additional $45 for a soft case and charger(inc 4 AA batteries). The charger says to use Canon AA's only - not sure why. Overall great little camera - just could use better product bundle (charger, case, extra flash card).
90 Canon has out-done themselves...
A camera worth a thousand words. In the past, i have owned two digital cameras; a Fuji 2600 and a Kodak DX4330. The Canon A75 has far surpasses both of these cameras COMBINED. The camera is very easy to use, and the image quality is GREAT. It comes with a 32mb card which can hold 50+ pictures at the highest quality, and over 300 pictures in the absolute lowest. Then there are several size and quality intervals giving varing numbers of pictures. Not only are the pictures great but the batteries last FOREVER!! I purchases a set of Monster Power cells (NIMH batteries 2100mah), and put them in my camera. I then took my camera with me on a trip to new york, and they lasted from 5 AM all the way to 11:30 at night with the LCD and Redeye Flash on for every picture. Even at 11:30 when i got home again, the camera was still going strong. The best part is, that i NEVER had to change the batteries once the entire time. I got over 125 pictures, plus the added minutes of scrolling through the pictures. At first, i was sceptical that a camera with a 1.8" LCD and powerful flash could last this long but I took a chance, based on Canon's reputation. And a great payoff it was. The Canon A75 is a terrific camera, and I would recomend it to anyone who is in the market for a digital camera.
91 Just Got It...Will Update Review Later
So far, so good. Ive heard tons of complaints about the A70 (E18 Error), but im hoping the updated version got rid of most of the problems. I havent developed any pics yet, but i will very soon. Seems like a good idea to extend your warranty with the company that you buy it from, because the horror stories about Canon's support service are many.

But yeah...ive taken some pics, used the video mode, played around with the features. Everything has been working just fine. The pictures that show up in the LCD display are pretty great. I hope this translates well into a developed product.

Anyways...i just wanted a point and shoot camera that had extra features in case i decided to get creative. If youre looking for something more, look elsewhere. If youre like me, just trying to find your way through this new digital world --- go with this camera. It fits into the hand perfectly, it's fairly simple and easy to use...and seems, so far, to take great pics.

92 Capturing life made easy
My wife and I looked at many cameras before deciding on the Canon A75. It's got the perfect blend of quality images, not too many features or un-needed features for that matter. This camera was very easy to take out of the box and get snapping away. The size and weight of it seem perfect as well. A very good camera at a reasonable price for digital imagery.
93 Awesome features can't make up for poor image quality
I bought this camera a week ago and am returning it tomorrow. It is packed with great features that most cameras in this price range do not offer. The camera was fun and easy to use. It was extremely easy to switch between scene settings and to change the white balance, photo effects, and other settings. The VGA video mode was outstanding, as was the ability to accept wide angle and telephoto lenses.

Unfortunately, the image quality on the unit I received is worse than my 2 year old 2 megapixel Fuji 2600. The images are not very sharp and seem slightly out of focus and noisy. What bothers me the most is that there have been numerous complaints on the internet concerning the less that stellar image quality of the A70 (the A75 is the replacement to the A70). I would have thought that Canon would take steps to correct the design issues with the A70 but they apparently didn't see the need. My other 2 complaints with the camera I received are that the LCD flickers and occasionally displays vertical purple lines (problems reported about the A70) and the amount of noise the zoom and auto-focus make (another common A70 complaint). Lastly, the 9 point AiAf is pretty much worthless. It seldom locked onto the subject I wanted to photograph.

In conclusion, this would have been a great camera to own if Canon had taken the steps to correct the design flaws of the A70. They didn't, and I will be buying a Kodak.

94 Great digital camera....for anyone!
ok...this ISN'T my first digital camera...In fact I have five counting this one. I can say without a doubt this is the best of the lot when it comes to a point-n-shoot digital camera. In fact, it has tremendous features that make this a great camera for an intermediate photographer. You have full auto modes as you would expect but you also have full manual modes...even manual focus. You really have the features necessary to be very creative with this camera.

The software that comes with this camera is great. Has all you'd expect. The instructions are pretty clear and everything works as described.

Resolution isn't 4 or 5 megapixels like some of the competitors but I have those as well and I always shoot with a lower resolution anyway. 3.2MP is plenty for a 8x10 and fact is rarely will you need more than an 8x10 from a point and shoot digital camera.

Great camera...I'd highly recommend it.


Monday, 06-Oct-2008 18:14:14 CDT
Quote of the Day:


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		-- Martin Luther






The universe does not have laws -- it has habits, and habits can be broken.