Last update 14 July’09 – Review and Sample Photos @ PCMag
Canon Poweshot A1100 IS announced on February 18, 2009 is an images stabilized 12.1 megapixel compact camera that features 4x optical zoom (35mm film equivalent: 35-140mm), motion detection, face detection, face tracking, intelligent contrast correction, 2.5 inch LCD, ISO range from 80 to 1600, and the camera dimensions are (WxHxD) 3.76 x 2.46 x 1.22 in./95.4 x 62.4 x 31.0mm.
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Review Index – (updated 14 July’09)
PCMag
“Given its speed and performance, the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS isn’t a very solid choice for the price. But because it offers so little improvement over the A1000, if you can find last year’s A1000, you should grab it save yourself $50. The A1100 certainly won’t disappoint, but for the extra cash I’d like to see greater evolution in terms of capabilities, features, design—even better, all of them.”
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CNET
“For a low-cost point-and-shoot pocket camera, the Canon PowerShot A1100 IS gets the job done. It delivers better photo quality than other cameras at its price point and if you like the convenience of AA batteries and the availability of a viewfinder, it’s a smart choice.”
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CNET UK
“The Canon PowerShot A1100 IS is down-to earth, functional and easy to use. It’s big enough to grip, the controls are clear and it gets its power from easily obtainable disposable batteries. Canon even throws in a 128MB SD card. But it’s slightly too expensive when you look at what else you can get for the money.”
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Cameras.co.uk
“This camera is all about picture quality. It is not small enough to fit into a pocket and it does not have a sleek, stylish design, but it takes a very good picture. It offers a clear step up from more basic entry level digital cameras.”
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MacWorld
“The PowerShot A1100 IS provides a very good price/performance ratio, and it’s even available in four fashionable colors (blue, green, grey, and pink). If you’re looking for a good entry-level camera, you should consider the A1100.”
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PCWorld
“While I used the A1100, I couldn’t find any discernible distortion, vignetting, or chromatic aberration. One of the nicest things about the A1100 is its low noise. Shooting at up to ISO 400 is surprisingly clean–and even at ISO 800 and 1600 in low light, results remain very usable.”
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DPInterface
“The Canon PowerShot A1100 IS is a camera that I can recommend but not with a whole lot of enthusiasm. The camera takes good quality photos, has good performance and point-and-shoot feature set, but I don’t think the extra 2 megapixels justify the battery life and slight performance drop versus the old model. After all, 10 megapixels is already enough to make fairly large prints. The 12 megapixels here doesn’t bring a significant in detail or total resolution anyway.”
TechRadar
“Unfortunately, the A1100 IS features the same uninspiring 2.5-inch, low-res LCD as the A480 but, uniquely in the group, this is complemented by an optical viewfinder, which will please old-school photographers who like to lock the camera against their face to reduce camera shake.”
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Steves Digicams
“This easy-to-use compact camera offers many high-end features, like the 12.1-Megapixel imaging sensor and Canons new DIGIC 4 processor, which combined help it provide good performance and capture beautiful images. We fell this camera will make an excellent choice for the home or office user.”
PhotographyBlog
“At first glance the new Canon Powershot A1100 IS looks very similar to its bigger brother, the A2100. I reviewed both cameras at the same time and actually preferred the slightly cheaper A1100 model in many ways.”
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InfoSync
“The PowerShot A1100 IS handled most bright light environments extremely well, and color was beautiful. Detail and sharpness were not a problem, and noise levels were significantly low for a point-and-shoot. We only had a few gripes, and they were based on typical entry-level hang-ups, such as limited dynamic range and inconsistent low light shooting.”
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]Sample Photos
[Sample Photos @ CNET]
[Sample Photos @ CNET UK]
[Image Quality Samples @ Cameras.co.uk]
[Image Quality Samples @ DPInterface]
[Sample Photos @ Steves Digicams]
[Image Quality Samples @ PhotographyBlog]
Press Release
Amstelveen, The Netherlands, 18 February 2009: Canon today gives everyone the power to take great photos, with the launch of the 12.1 Megapixel PowerShot A1100 IS and PowerShot A2100 IS. For the ultimate in easy picture-taking, both models incorporate Canon’s new Scene Detection Technology – available via an improved Easy mode and new Smart Auto mode – for excellent results without effort.
Featuring optical zoom lenses of 4x and 6x respectively, the PowerShot A1100 IS and PowerShot A2100 IS are powered by Canon’s latest DIGIC 4 image processor. This allows both models to deliver fast, responsive operation and outstanding, rich, detailed images. Replacing the A1000 and A2000 respectively, the PowerShot A1100 IS is available in blue, pink or silver, while the PowerShot A2100 IS features a classic black design.
High resolution, high quality lens
Both cameras are capable of capturing incredible levels of detail by combining a 12.1 Megapixel sensor with a high quality zoom lens – allowing you to enlarge or creatively crop images while retaining outstanding image detail. With a 4x optical zoom, the PowerShot A1100 IS delivers a range of flexible framing options, while the PowerShot A2100 IS delivers extra telephoto reach via a 6x optical zoom. Canon’s optical Image Stabilizer technology helps guard photos against the blurring effects of camera shake.
Intelligent and easy to use
Both cameras incorporate two fully automatic modes: new Smart Auto mode and an improved Easy mode. These use Canon’s Scene Detection Technology, which analyses the shooting scene in detail – assessing subject brightness, contrast, distance and overall hue – and selecting from a choice of 18 possible modes to ensure optimal results for any scene.
Also featured are Motion Detection and Face Detection Technology, both of which offer improved performance thanks to DIGIC 4 processing.
Motion Detection Technology prevents blur by registering camera or subject movement and adjusting settings to compensate; Face Detection Technology detects up to 35 faces in a frame and automatically adjusts key focus and exposure settings so everyone looks their best. Canon’s i-Contrast allows users to bring out hidden detail – for example, in areas of shadow – by brightening dark areas in an image without blowing out lighter areas.
A wide range of shooting modes are available in each model, including dedicated Indoor and Kids & Pets modes. These take care of all the technical aspects of shooting in a host of common shooting situations. Users can choose to simply point-and-shoot for terrific results.
Designed for convenience
Both models feature high quality movies, capturing 30 frames per second for smooth results. Frame and review images and movies on the large LCDs – the PowerShot A2100 IS features a 3.0” high resolution screen with five levels of brightness adjustment, and the PowerShot A1100 IS has a 2.5” LCD plus the convenience of an optical viewfinder.
“Canon has raised the IQ of the PowerShot A-Series with the introduction of increasingly clever new technologies,” remarked Rainer Fuehres, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. “The PowerShot A1100 IS and PowerShot A2100 IS are practical, easy-to-use models designed to give anyone outstanding results.”
Printing
The PowerShot A1100 IS and PowerShot A2100 IS feature a dedicated Print menu for quick access to direct print options. Full PictBridge support means users can print directly to any PictBridge compatible printer without the need for a PC. A Print/Share button allows one-touch printing and easy uploads to Windows or Mac systems.
Language
The PowerShot A1100 IS and PowerShot A2100 IS feature a user interface that supports 26 languages: English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Romanian, Ukrainian and Farsi.
Memory Card Support
In addition to SD, SDHC and MMC memory cards, the PowerShot A1100 IS and PowerShot A2100 IS support MMCplus and HC MMCplus card formats. Both cameras are supplied with a memory card.
