The PowerShot A570 IS ($279) finds itself in the middle of Canon's
entry-level A-series of digital cameras. It features
a 4X optical zoom lens, 7.1 Megapixel CCD, full manual controls, a 2.5" LCD
display, and a VGA movie mode. The A570 is
also the cheapest Canon camera to offer optical image stabilization, which
makes it a smart step up from the PowerShot A550 and A560 below it.
So what's the difference between all the A-series models?
This chart should help:
Feature |
PS
A550 |
PS A560 |
PS A570 IS |
PS A630 |
PS A640 |
PS A710 IS |
Street price
(at time of posting) |
$179 |
$205 |
$252 |
$214 |
$316 |
$271 |
Resolution |
7.1 MP |
7.1 MP |
7.1 MP |
8.0 MP |
10.0 MP |
7.1 MP |
Optical zoom |
4X |
4X |
4X |
4X |
4X |
6X |
Lens max. aperture |
F2.6 - F5.5 |
F2.6 - F5.5 |
F2.6 - F5.5 |
F2.8 - F4.1 |
F2.8 - F4.1 |
F2.8 - F4.8 |
Focal length (35 mm equiv.) |
35 - 140 mm |
35 - 140 mm |
35 - 140 mm |
35 - 140 mm |
35 - 140 mm |
35 - 210 mm |
Image stabilization |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Image processor |
DIGIC II |
DIGIC III |
DIGIC III |
DIGIC II |
DIGIC II |
DIGIC II |
LCD size |
2.0" |
2.5" |
2.5" |
2.5" |
2.5" |
2.5" |
LCD resolution |
86,000 |
115,000 |
115,000 |
115,000 |
115,000 |
115,000 |
Rotating LCD |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Manual controls |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Face detection |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Movie mode file size limit |
1GB |
4GB |
4GB |
1GB |
1GB |
1GB |
Supports conversion lenses |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Supports underwater case |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Supports Remote Capture |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Battery used |
AA (2) |
AA (2) |
AA (2) |
AA (4) |
AA (4) |
AA (2) |
Battery life with 2500 mAh batteries (CIPA standard) |
550 shots |
500 shots |
400 shots |
500 shots |
500 shots |
360 shots |
|
The A570 looks pretty compelling next to the
more expensive A710. About the only thing in the A710's favor is a bit more
zoom power.
Ready to learn more about the A570? Then keep reading, our
review starts right now!
Since the cameras share so much in common, I will be reusing
portions of the PowerShot A550 review here.
What's in the Box?
The PowerShot A570 has an average bundle. Inside the
box, you'll find:
- The 7.1 effective Megapixel PowerShot A570 IS digital
camera
- 16MB Secure Digital memory card
- Two AA alkaline batteries
- Wrist strap
- USB cable
- A/V cable
- CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solution
- 30 page basic manual + 129 page advanced manual (both printed)
Canon includes a 16MB memory card along
with the A570, which is quite small for a 7MP camera, holding just
four photos at the highest quality setting. So, unless you already have one
sitting around, you'll need to buy yourself a larger memory card. The A570
supports Secure Digital, MultiMedia, and the new SDHC memory card formats,
and I'd recommend picking up a 512MB or 1GB card along with the camera. Buying
a high speed card (50X or higher) is a good idea, as it does improve camera
performance.
Like most of the cameras in the A-series, the PowerShot A570
uses two AA batteries for power. The alkalines that come in the box will quickly
find their way into the trash, so you'll want to pick up a four pack of NiMH
rechargeables and a fast charger right away. Once you've got those installed,
here's what kind of battery life you'll get out of the camera:
Camera |
Battery life, LCD on
(CIPA standard) |
Battery used |
Canon PowerShot A560 |
500
shots |
2 x
2500 mAh NiMH |
Canon PowerShot
A570 IS * |
400
shots |
2 x
2500 mAh NiMH |
Canon PowerShot A710
IS * |
360
shots |
2 x
2500 mAh NiMH |
GE A730 |
400
shots |
2 x
2500 mAh NiMH |
Kodak EasyShare Z885 |
300
shots |
2 x
2100 mAh NiMH |
Nikon Coolpix L12
* |
370
shots |
2 x 2000
mAh NiMH |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ7
* |
460
shots |
2 x
Unknown NiMH |
Pentax Optio A30 * |
150
shots |
D-LI8 |
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80 |
340
shots |
NP-BG1 |
* Has
image stabilization
Battery life numbers
are provided by the manufacturer |
|
Well, there were a bunch of other cameras I wanted to
list up there (Fuji FinePix A820, Olympus FE-240, Samsung S850), but their
respective manufacturers don't provide this information. Anyhow, for the group
that I do have listed, the A570's battery life is above average.
As you may know, I'm a big fan of cameras that use AA batteries.
They're cheaper than their proprietary counterparts, and you can use off-the-shelf
alkaline batteries when your rechargeables die.

As with all of the A-series cameras, the A570 has a built-in
lens cover, so there's no lens cap to fumble with.
The PowerShot A570 supports a number of interesting accessories,
many of which are rarities on entry-level cameras like this. Here's the full
list:
Accessory |
Model # |
Price |
Why you want it |
Wide-angle lens |
WC-DC52 |
From
$71 |
Brings the wide end of the lens down by 0.7X
to 24.5 mm; requires conversion lens adapter |
Telephoto lens |
TC-DC52A |
From
$99 |
Boosts focal range by 1.75X to a whopping 245
mm; requires conversion lens adapter |
Close-up lens |
250D (52 mm) |
From
$71 |
Reduces the minimum focus distance when you're
not at the wide end of the lens; requires conversion lens adapter |
Conversion lens adapter |
LA-DC52G |
$23 |
Required for conversion lenses; threaded for
52 mm accessories as well |
External slave flash |
HF-DC1 |
From
$91 |
Boosts flash range and reduces redeye |
Waterproof case |
WP-DC12 |
$170 |
Take your camera up to 40 meters underwater |
AC adapter |
ACK800 |
From
$33 |
Power the camera without wasting your batteries |
Rechargeable battery kit |
CBK4-300 |
From
$38 |
Includes four 2500 mAh batteries and a charger |
|
|
Not bad, eh? The only thing I want to mention before we continue
is a note about that external flash. Being a slave flash, it's not connected
in any way to the camera -- it fires when the onboard flash does.

ImageBrowser (Mac OS X)
Canon includes version 30 of their Digital Camera Solution software package with the PowerShot A570. The main applications are the ImageBrowser/ZoomBrowser "twins" that come with all PowerShot models. ImageBrowser is for the Mac, while ZoomBrowser is for Windows PCs. The Mac version is not Universal, so it doesn't run as fast as it could on Intel-based Macs.
After you download photos via the CameraWindow application, you'll end up with the screen above, which has a standard-issue thumbnail view. Photos can be organized, printed, and e-mailed from this screen.
Double-click on a thumbnail and you'll bring up the edit window. Editing functions include trimming, redeye removal, and the ability to adjust levels, color, brightness, sharpness, and the tone curve.

ImageBrowser - MovieEdit Task (Mac OS X)
The MovieEdit task lets you take your movie clips, add effects and transitions, and then save the results as a single movie.

PhotoStitch (Mac OS X)
A separate program called PhotoStitch can, well, stitch together separate photos into one giant panorama.The interface is simple, the process takes minutes, and the results are impressive, as you can see. You can use the camera's Stitch Assist feature to help line up the photos side-by-side.
The A570's documentation comes in several parts. You get a
basic manual to get you up and running, and an advanced manual for more complex
camera features. There's also separate manuals for the bundled software and
direct printing via PictBridge. While the manuals aren't what I'd call pleasure
reading, they will definitively answer any question that you may have about
the camera.
Look and Feel
The PowerShot A570 IS looks a whole lot like its lower cost
siblings, the A550 and A560. That means that it's a compact (but not jeans
pocket compact) camera mad almost entirely of plastic. The plastic is pretty
high quality though, giving the A570 a solid feel in your hands. The right
hand grip is just the right size, and the important controls are all within
easy reach of your fingers.
Now, here's a look at how the A570 compares with some of
the competition in terms of size and weight:
Camera |
Dimensions
(W x H x D, excluding protrusions) |
Volume
(bulk) |
Mass
(empty) |
Canon PowerShot A560 |
3.6 x 2.5 x 1.7 in. |
15.3 cu in. |
165 g |
Canon PowerShot A570 IS |
3.5 x 2.5 x 1.7 in. |
14.9 cu in. |
175 g |
Canon PowerShot A710 IS |
3.8 x 2.6 x 1.6 in. |
15.8 cu in. |
210 g |
Fujifilm FinePix A820 |
3.8 x 2.4 x 1.3 in. |
11.9 cu in. |
155 g |
GE A730 |
3.7 x 2.4 x 1.1 in. |
9.8 cu in. |
120 g |
Kodak EasyShare Z885 |
3.5 x 2.5 x 1.2 in. |
10.5 cu in. |
161 g |
Nikon Coolpix L12 |
3.6 x 2.4 x 1.0 in. |
8.6 cu in. |
125 g |
Olympus FE-240 |
3.7 x 2.2 x 0.8 in. |
6.5 cu in. |
115 g |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ7 |
3.9 x 2.5 x 1.3 in. |
12.7 cu in. |
184 g |
Pentax Optio A30 |
3.5 x 2.3 x 0.9 in. |
7.2 cu in. |
130 g |
Samsung S850 |
4.1 x 2.5 x 1.0 in. |
10.3 cu in. |
172 g |
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W80 |
3.6 x 2.3 x 0.9 in. |
7.5 cu in. |
124 g |
|
|