5. Power Supply And Connectivity

Canon has opted for four standard or rechargeable LR6/AA batteries, with none supplied in the basic package. Naturally, purchasers of an A620 will want to buy one or two sets of NiMH batteries and a good charger; this is the only way to keep your cost of use down, unless you'll be using the camera only infrequently or in special situations. The battery life as announced is 500 shots with NiMH batteries, using the display screen as a viewfinder. You should consider that claim in light of the actual capacity of the batteries you use, and your own shooting habits. The number of shots possible on a set of batteries will vary a lot depending on usage patterns; people who shoot rapid sequences will use the batteries faster than those who take a long time to compose each shot on the screen. The degree that the flash is used is also a factor. Still, overall the battery life is very good.

Connectivity includes a USB 2.0 port, a jack for AC power, and video/sound output using a 1/8" (3.5 mm) jack. This is very complete for the A602's category!

In Practice

Once the novelty wears off, using a compact camera is often disappointing for experienced photographers. They quickly discover that they can't make all of the adjustments that would result in the ideal shot in many situations. From that point of view, the A620 is a true wonder, because all - or at least, almost all - settings are available, if you know how to use them. Despite that, it is also a very usable camera for beginners, since all levels of automation are available as well, starting with the "green" mode, which makes the camera more or less point-and-shoot.

Obviously, anyone who wants to stay with full-auto operation would do better to choose a simpler model that will also be smaller and lighter. The A620 is better suited to photographers who know how to take very good pictures - or who want to learn!

When shooting (here in aperture priority mode), the screen can display all the information you might need, and provides a grid for composing your shot.

The function button gives you quick access to essential settings.