Canon PowerShot A650 IS 12.1-megapixel digital camera with optical image stabilization

Features
Input and Output Notes
Supplied Software
Specifications

Features

LCD Monitor: The Canon PowerShot A650is uses a 2.5 inch Vari-Angle LCD monitor with wide viewing angle for easier on-camera viewing. The high resolution screen offers a crisp and clear picture to make shooting, playback and menu functions especially convenient. The vari-angle design lets you swivel the LCD monitor up to 180? forward or up to 90? backward so you can shoot from just about any position. When in the 180? forward position the image is inverted. The LCD monitor also features a Night Display function for easy viewing in low light.

Optical Viewfinder: In addition to the LCD monitor, the camera has a "real image" optical zoom viewfinder. The viewfinder can be used to conserve the power by turning the LCD monitor off while shooting.

Recording Media: The PowerShot A650is records images on SD (Secure Digital), SDHC (High Capacity), MMC (MultiMedia Card), MMCplus, and HD MMCplus memory cards. A 32 MB SD card is included.

Image Recording Format: The camera records still images or moving images. The Still images are recorded in JPEG format and movies are recorded in AVI format (Motion JPEG/WAV).

Image Stabilizer: Canon's advanced Optical Image Stabilizer Technology corrects camera shake (common at long focal lengths and in low light) to keep your shots blur-free in any situation. The Optical Image Stabilizer uses gyroscopic sensors to detect motion and generate a corrective signal, effectively reducing camera shake.

DIGIC III Image Processor: The PowerShot A650is features the new DIGIC III Image Processor. The DIGIC III chip gives you superior image quality, faster image writing to the SD card, more efficiency to extend battery life, and higher definition for the LCD monitor.

Face Detection Technology: The DIGIC III chip includes the new Face Detection Auto Focus/Auto Exposure technology. Face Detection finds all the faces in the frame and sets the most suitable focus point. Exposure and flash are controlled to ensure proper illumination of both the faces and the overall scene, eliminating the common problem of overexposed faces.

iSAPS: iSAPS Technology is an original scene-recognition technology developed for digital cameras by Canon. Using an internal database of thousands of different photos, iSAPS works with the fast DIGIC III Image Processor to improve focus speed and accuracy, as well as exposure and white balance.

Image Sensor: For optimal image quality, the camera uses a 1/1.7" CCD image sensor with approximately 12.4-million total pixels and 12.1-million effective pixels.

Image Resolution/Compression: You can change the resolution and compression settings to suit the purpose of the image you're about to shoot. Choose from the following resolutions: Large (4000 x 3000 pixels), Medium 1 (3264 x 2448 pixels), Medium 2 (2592 x 1944 pixels), Medium 3 (1600 x 1200 pixels), Small (640 x 480 pixels), Postcard (1600 x 1200 pixels), and Widescreen (4000 x 2248 pixels). For each resolution (except Postcard which is fixed at Fine), you can set the compression to Superfine, Fine, or Normal. Movies can be shot with the following resolutions: 640 x 480/30 frames/sec (standard or LP mode), 320 x 240 pixels/30 frames/sec, or 160 x 120 pixels/15 frames/sec.

Digital Zoom: The PowerShot A650is features a 6x optical zoom and a 4x digital zoom when shooting still images or video-clips. The digital camera allows you to adjust the digital zoom between 4 settings:

• Standard: enables shooting at combined optical and digital zoom factors of up to 24x, offering a focal length of 35mm to 840mm
• Off: turns the digital zoom off, leaving the optical focal length of 35mm to 210mm
• 1.5x: digital zoom is fixed at 1.5x for a focal length of 52.5mm to 315mm enabling faster shutter speed and less chance of camera shake
• 2.0x: digital zoom is fixed at the select zoom factor of 2x for a focal length of 70mm to 420mm enabling faster shutter speed and less chance of camera shake

Lens Cap: The lens cap is built-in, it opens when you turn the camera on and closes when the camera is turned off.

Auto Focusing: The PowerShot A650is offers four auto focus modes:

• AiAF: utilizes nine frames to optimize focus according to shooting conditions
• Face Detect: camera automatically detects a face (or faces) and sets focus and exposure to that location; if no face is recognized, AiAF is used
• Center: the auto focus frame is fixed in the center
• FlexiZone: you specify the location of the auto focus frame

ISO 3200: The PowerShot A650is features a new ISO 3200 setting that reduces the effects of camera shake and sharpen subjects in low-light situations with high shutter speeds, giving you greater flexibility for shooting. When the ISO 3200 speed is used the resolution is fixed at 1600 x 1200.

Focus Lock: If it becomes difficult to focus on the subject due to low contrast to the surroundings, close up and far away subjects in the same shot, or quickly moving subjects, you can choose to lock the focus on an object at a similar distance, then shoot the picture after recomposing the shot.

AF-assist Beam: The AF-assist beam will sometimes emit when the shutter button is pressed halfway to assist focusing in certain conditions, i.e. dark conditions. The AF-assist beam can be turned off. If animals are your subject, turn off the beam when shooting in the dark to avoid startling them.

Focusing Range: The camera features the following focus ranges:

• Normal AF: 1.6' to infinity
• Macro AF: 0.4" to 1.6' (wide)
• Manual Focus: 0.4" to infinity (wide), 1.6' to infinity (telephoto)
• Kids & Pets: 3.3' to infinity (wide & telephoto)

Auto Rotate Function: The PowerShot A650is's Auto Rotate function uses an Intelligent Orientation Sensor to sense whether your images were shot horizontally or vertically. It then adjusts AF, AE, and white balance accordingly and your images will be automatically rotated to the right position for viewing during playback.

Power Saving Function: In Shooting Mode the power will automatically turn off approximately 3 minutes after the last function is accessed (1 minute for the LCD). In Playback Mode the power will automatically turn off approximately 5 minutes after the last function is accessed. While connected to a printer, the power will automatically turn off approximately 5 minutes after the last camera function is accessed.

Shooting Modes: In addition to the automatic setting, the PowerShot A650is offers several different shooting modes arranged in the following zones:

• Image Zone:

  • Portrait: Subject appears sharp and the background blurs

  • Landscape: Shoot spacious landscape scenes

  • Night Snapshot: Capture subject against the backdrop of an evening sky or night scene

  • Kids & Pets: Capture subjects that move around

  • Special Scene: Choose one of the following scene settings:

    • Night Scene: Shooting subjects against the backdrop of an evening sky or night scene without using a tripod to reduce camera shake

    • Indoor: Prevents camera shake and maintains the subject's true color when shooting under fluorescent or tungsten lighting

    • Foliage: Shooting beautiful images with flowers, leaves, or trees

    • Snow: Shooting scenes such as snowy mountains, while preventing dark subjects and bluish backgrounds

    • Beach: For scenes by the sea, prevents dark subjects and enhances the blue of the sea

    • Fireworks: Shooting fireworks

    • Aquarium: Optimizes ISO speed, white balance, and color balance to capture sea life in an indoor aquarium

    • Underwater: Shoot underwater using the optional WP-DC18 waterproof case (sold separately)

    • ISO 3200: ISO speed fixed at 3200 to reduce subject blurring

  • Stitch Assist: Shoot a series of overlapping frames for merging (stitching) into a large panoramic image using a computer

  • Movie: Shoot motion video

    • Standard: Max recording time 1 hour or 1 GB

    • Compact: Small file size for e-mail, max clip length 3 minutes

• Creative Zone:

  • Program AE: The camera automatically sets the shutter speed and aperture value to match the brightness of the subject

  • Shutter Speed-Priority AE: You set the shutter speed and the camera automatically selects an aperture value to match the brightness of the subject

  • Aperture-Priority AE: You set the aperture and the camera automatically selects a shutter speed to match the brightness

  • Manual: You can manually set the shutter speed and aperture to achieve a particular effect

  • Custom: Store regularly used modes and settings

Flash Modes: You can choose from the following flash modes:

• Auto: flash fires automatically as required by the light level

• Flash On: flash fires with every shot

• Flash Off: flash will not fire

• Red-Eye Reduction: the camera automatically fires the red-eye reduction lamp when the flash fires

Flash Output Adjustment: You can adjust the flash output in three steps. If full flash washes out the subject, you can reduce the amount of flash output for better results.

Flash Compensation: The flash compensation ranges from -2 to +2 stops in 1/3 stop increments. You can link flash compensation to exposure compensation, or it can be adjusted independently.

My Colors: Using My Colors you can easily change the look of an image when it's taken. My Colors offers several options:

• Vivid: Emphasizes contrast and color saturation to record bold colors
• Neutral: Tones down contrast and color saturation to record neutral hues
• Sepia: Brownish tint
• B/W: Black and white
• Custom Color: Adjust contrast, sharpness, and saturation before shooting

Continuous Shooting Mode: You can use this mode to shoot successive frames while the shutter button is fully depressed. The interval depends upon shooting conditions and settings.

Metering Modes: You can select from the following metering modes:

• Evaluative Metering: Used for standard conditions, The area within the frame is divided into several zones and light is measured based on subject position, brightness, direct light, and backlighting

• Center-Weighted Averaging: Averages the exposure from the entire frame but places more weight on the subject at the center

• Spot AE Point: Light measured in one spot, selectable between the center and the auto focus point

Exposure Compensation: If you are shooting against a bright background or strong backlight, you may need to correct the exposure so that the subject doesn't come out too dark. You can set the adjustments from -2 to +2 in 1/3-stop increments.

Histogram: You can display a histogram to show how bright your subject is, helping determine whether exposure compensation is necessary.

White Balance: You can choose from the following white balance settings:

• Auto: Camera sets the white balance automatically according to shooting conditions

• Daylight: Outdoors on a bright day

• Cloudy: Overcast, shady, or twilight skies

• Tungsten: Tungsten and bulb-type 3-wavelength fluorescent lighting

• Fluorescent: Warm-white, cool-white or warm-white (3-wavelength) fluorescent lighting

• Fluorescent H: Daylight fluorescent, or daylight fluorescent-type (3-wavelength) fluorescent lighting

• Underwater: Renders natural color by reducing the bluish tone

• Custom: Allows you to manually set the white balance and store the settings

ISO Speed: Raise the ISO speed to reduce the effect of camera shake, setting options are Auto, Hi ISO Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, and 3200. (ISO 3200 is only available in the Special Scene mode)

Review: After an image is recorded, it will appear in the LCD monitor for a preset number of seconds for reviewing. You can select the review time from 2 to 10 seconds. It will also display as long as you hold the shutter button down.

Self-Timer: The self-timer starts when the shutter button is pressed. The delay time can be set to 10 seconds, 2 seconds, or custom. In the custom mode the timer options are 0-10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, and 30 seconds, and you can choose to take from 1 to 10 shots.

Postcard: You can take pictures optimal for printing postcards, a 3:2 aspect ratio is used in the Postcard mode to ensure the entire frame is printed. The default resolution is 1600 x 1200 and the compression setting is Fine. You can also imbed the date in the image if you like.

Sound Memos: In playback mode you can attach a sound memo to an image, up to 60 seconds. The sound data is saved in WAV format.

Auto Play: You can view all images on the memory card one-by-one with the Auto Play function. Each image is displayed in the LCD monitor for approximately 3 seconds.

Index Playback: This feature allows you to view nine images at once on the LCD monitor so that you can search for an image quickly.

Jump Search: This is a handy function that allows you to jump over images to find the object of your search when you have a lot of recorded images on your memory card. There are five Jump search settings.

• Jump 10 images at a time
• Jump 100 images at a time
• Jump to the first image of each shooting date
• Jump to a movie
• Jump to the first image of each folder

Image Magnification: When viewing a still picture in Single Image Playback mode, you can magnify the image up to 10x.

Rotating Images: You can rotate an image 90? or 270? clockwise in the LCD monitor.

Protecting Images: The protect feature allows you to protect important images from accidental erasure.

Power Requirements: The PowerShot A650is comes with 4 "AA" alkaline batteries. You can also use Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries. For long periods of continuous use, or when connected to a computer, it is recommended that the camera be connected to the optional ACK600 AC Adapter kit. While "AA"-sized Nickel-Cadmium batteries may be used, Canon doesn't recommend them.

Print & Share Button: A new dedicated Print & Share button right on the camera makes direct printing on a Canon Card Photo or Direct Photo Printer easier than ever.

PictBridge Printing Capability: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer. PictBridge is a new standard that allows you to connect a PictBridge compliant camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer and make prints, regardless of brand.

Direct Print Function: Using the supplied USB cable, you can connect this camera directly to a CP-series printer that supports the Direct Print function. You can also connect the camera directly to certain Canon Bubble Jet printers. In this way, you can make prints directly from the camera without ever having to hook it up to a computer.

Exif Print (Exif 2.2): The Canon PowerShot A650is conforms to "Exif Print", a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos that can be even better than the originals.

DPOF Print Settings: On your memory card, you can select which image or images you want to print and how many copies you want. This is convenient for printing images all at once, on optional Canon direct print function compliant printers or at participating photo labs.

DPOF Transfer Order: You can use the camera to specify settings for images before transferring them to a computer. The settings used on the camera comply with the Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) standards. A maximum of 998 images can be selected per memory card, and are transferred in order from oldest to newest by shooting date.

Optional Lens Compatibility: The camera supports use of the Wide Converter WC-DC58B and the Tele-converter TC-DC58C. Both are sold separately and require the Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58J.

Input and Output Notes

Digital Terminal: The PowerShot A650is has a USB 2.0 High Speed terminal to allow you to connect the camera to a compatible computer or compatible printer via the supplied USB cable.

AV Output: The camera's mini-jack output allows you to connect the camera to a TV or video monitor with RCA audio and composite video input jacks using the supplied audio/video cable. You can set the video output to NTSC or PAL.

DC IN: This 4.3 volt input is used with an optional AC adapter kit, ACK600.

Supplied Software

Minimum System Requirements:

Specifications

Estimated Image Capacity of memory cards:

Approximate Battery Performance: