Canon PowerShot A710 IS reviewed
Canon's newest flagship A-series model -- the A710 IS -- features numerous improvements over the A700, including a higher megapixel sensor, Canon's optical image stabilization, and the oh-so-coveted SDHC support. The crew over at DCResource took the camera deep within their testing labs, and it escaped with a good bit of praise overshadowing a few minor digs. They felt that image quality was "very good", especially considering the higher-than-desired amount of megapixels, and praised the IS system for reducing blur even at full zoom. Also noteworthy was the AF-assist lamp, which provided "excellent" low-light images, the above average VGA movie mode / continuous shooting results, and better than expected battery life. As expected, however, there were a few annoyances found; introducing redeye in nighttime shots (common in compacts), a lackluster LCD resolution, and a 1GB limit on video clips reminded reviewers they were indeed testing a "lower-end" model. Overall, the A710 IS had a lot to love, as the team described it as the "poor man's PowerShot G7," and recommended it "without hesitation." If you're looking for high-end features on a value-priced camera, the $400 A710 IS should fit the bill quite nicely.
