Canon PowerShot A1000 IS Review

#1 Ralph

Mark, thank you for the review, very informative.

I'm in the market for a camera, and I'll need to get one before I go to Brazil in the next few days. I've narrowed my choices between the Canon A590, and the Canon A1000.

There's only a little something that I need clarifying before I can make a sound decision. Its regarding how much tweaking I can do on this camera. On your review, you mentioned:

"Both the A1000 and more expensive A2000 models have completely dispensed with the key feature that attracted owners of DSLRs looking for a second pocket camera, or those who wanted control over what the camera was doing."

What are some of these key features that you are talking about?

I'm not an experienced photographer by any means, but I want to be able to have more control on my camera. I want it to have settings and controls that can at least somewhat resemble that of a DSLR.

The picture quality, especially for night (slow shutter), high ISOs, the handling of chromatic aberrations, and macro are all better on this camera. I was already ready to jump the boat and spend the extra $60.00 for the A1000 instead of the A590, but then I read your comment.

I only have a couple of days to make a purchase, but if you, or anyone else, could be a little more specific on what some of these key features that have been dispensed are... I would be ever so grateful.

Once again, thank you for the detailed review of this camera.

~ Ralph

1:48 am - Monday, September 22, 2008

#2 Mark Goldstein

Ralph, the A1000 no longer offers the A / S / M creative shooting modes that DSLRs and some compacts typically offer. So you can't directly set the aperture, shutter speed or a combination of the two in manual mode, and therefore have full control over the camera.

4:20 am - Monday, September 22, 2008

#3 Ralph

Thank you very much for the help and the quick reply.
Ah, ok. I'll probably be getting the A590 then, I've been reading really good reviews on it.
Do you know of any other similar cameras in that price range and with those shooting modes that might be worth looking into?
Once again, thank you very much for the top-notch review and for the quick reply to my question. :D

~ Ralph

3:38 am - Tuesday, September 23, 2008

#4 Cathy

Mark, I found your review of the A1000 very informative. Like Ralph, my choice is between the 590 and the 1000. I already bought the 590 as the store didn't shoe me the 1000, but I really wanted 10mp. Saw 1000 at dif.store really liked the size and it had the 10mp. Am complete novice. Have a 35mm AF-1(?)which is completely manual and I've always taken great pictures with it,before that had Canon 110, always had great pictures with that too. Other cameras didn't produce as well (could be the photographer..me) so I really like going back to Canon. Do you have any pros/cons specific on either the 590 or 1000?

2:52 am - Tuesday, December 2, 2008

#5 Mark Goldstein

Cathy, I think your key decision is whether you're happy with the point and shoot nature of the A1000, or if you want the manual control that the A590 offers.

1:46 pm - Tuesday, December 2, 2008

#6 ray

Help!!! Overall which one should I buy to take pictures of our precious grand babies.I understand the 590 is being phased out for the 1000.
Ray in Raleigh,NC

4:42 pm - Monday, July 13, 2009

#7 Chris

This camera is a `camera` even though it is digital. It has an optical viewfinder. No more point and hope! without having to go for digital slr. If optical viewfinders showed camera settings then the compact market would realy be on to something. Got mine for $280 NZ and am well happy as an ex 35mm man who had almost given up on digital...

8:20 am - Saturday, August 8, 2009

#8 hp laptop coupon code

I've had this camera for only a week, but I already love it! Takes amazing pictures, nice and small, and very user friendly! I didn't think I would use the red-eye fixing feature on the camera, but I do and it's cool and easy to do..works great. I really like how when you are viewing pictures - if you turn the camera vertically, it turns the photo..very cool. Too much to list that I do like and can't find any cons so far!

12:50 pm - Wednesday, February 24, 2010