An Amateur Photographer's Take on the Canon A540

Purchasing a new digital camera can be intimidating. Because I had a generally positive four years with a Canon A80, I decided to stick with the brand. The gentleman at Best Buy was a major proponent of the Canon PowerShot A540 so I went with it. I’ve now gotten the chance to try out my wonderful camera at some family events, in six cities across the United States, indoors, and outdoors, and can safely say that I am thrilled with it.

The following is a total amateur photographer’s view on the Canon A540.

Physical Structure
The A540 looks very much like a typical Canon camera. It is silver and modern-looking. I picked this camera because it is large enough to feel sturdy, but much smaller and lighter than my previous camera. It fits nicely in the palm of my hand with its 3.6 x 2.5 x 1.7 inch measurements and weighs just 6.4 ounces. The camera comes with a very small attachable wrist strap which I instantly attached. It is just the right length to ensure I don’t drop the camera when taking pictures over the edge of something.

This camera had a major edge for me over other recent Canon models because of its large 2.5 inch LCD display. As you turn the camera, the screen automatically adjusts to show the picture right-side up. My only complaint about the physical structure is that there is no way to cover the screen like on my old camera, so I am constantly fearful that the screen will get scratched.

Components on the Camera
If you have used any of Canon’s recent digital cameras, the placement of controls will be very familiar to you. I had figured out where everything was within an hour of purchasing the camera. The shutter button is located to the top right of the camera. The zoom dial surrounds the shutter button and can be toggled back and forth to zoom in and out. The camera has an Optical Zoom feature which magnifies up to 4X and a digital zoom feature that goes another 4X. Also on the top of the camera are the on/off button and the shooting mode dial. The dial allows selection of camera settings. Leaving it on ‘Auto’ lets the camera select setting automatically. The other choices include portrait, landscape, night scene, fast shutter speed, slow shutter speed, stitch assist, and movie. These are represented by tiny pictures, and you will definitely need to read the instruction manual to have any idea what the symbols mean.

The back of the camera features the viewfinder as well as the mode switch, which allows the user to switch between taking and viewing photographs. There is also a toggle button which allows the user to choose between options on the menu screens and move around photos, and the up button doubles as the Flash Button. A little button with a trash can is used, of course, to bring up a screen asking to delete a given photo. Next to it is a button with a printer, which will send your photos directly to a printer if you have set your camera up that way. A display button brings up details about the setting and the number of photos taken. Finally, the menu button can be used to access advanced settings, set time, turn the volume off, etc. There are several other minor buttons, the use of which is detailed in the instruction manual.

Fancy Stuff
The Canon A540 has several special settings which are new to me, but I have enjoyed using. These can be accessed by setting the shooting mode dial on the “SCN” setting and toggling through the options. My very favorite is “color accent”. This setting allows me to highlight a specific color in my photo while the rest of the picture is black and white. It has made possible some very dramatic photos of monuments where trees are green or the American flag is red. Using this tool, even I can look like a professional photographer! “Color swap” works in a similar way, and can be used to switch one color for another, creating a psychadellic result. I also have used the “fireworks” setting several times not for fireworks, but for pretty fountains lit at night with colored lighting.

Other special settings I do not use as much. The “night”, “beach”, and “indoor” settings do not seem to give me any better results than auto, although they might if I were a professional photographer. I suppose the “underwater” setting is nice, but it isn’t very practical as one needs a special underwater case for the camera. If you are that into underwater photography I doubt this would be the camera of choice.

Software
The camera comes with a CD-Rom which allows you to store and manipulate your photos on a computer. You just have to install the software and then connect the camera to the computer using the cord provided. You can use the software to send email attachments, print a variety of layouts, or even operate the camera shutter from your computer. It is easy to manipulate the images in a variety of ways.

It is important to note that this CD is not typically critical in putting photos online. For a while I was too lazy to install mine, and Windows just guided me through the process as soon as I plugged the camera in.

What other stuff do I need?
The camera takes AA Alkaline Batteries, and, happily, requires only two of them. This was a wonderful change from my battery-guzzling A80, which required four. The A540 comes with two batteries to get you started. It seems to require a battery change about every two to three hundred photos. You will also need to purchase a memory card at the time you purchase this camera, because the piddly one it comes with will store very few photos. I got a 512 MB card at Best Buy for about $30, and it stores at least a couple hundred photos, depending on the setting. Also, seriously, get a camera case. I just gave in to getting one myself for the first time, and I come close to losing my camera much less frequently.

My Experience
I have been very impressed with the quality of pictures that I have viewed on my computer and in print format. Due to the larger than average LCD display, the photos even look good when viewed on the camera itself. The Canon A540 is very simple to use and performs very well in most settings. I have noticed major improvement from the A80 particularly in indoor photos. My pictures from museums and historical homes are surprisingly good, even where light levels were low. Photos produced using optical zoom are crisp and clear, and those shot using digital zoom are equally good when I am able to hold my hand still while shooting. My only complaint is that the camera takes a while to get ready to take a new picture after the previous one is shot – sometimes as much as two or three seconds. I was warned of this at the store, and have found it to definitely be true. This could be a problem if you want continuous clicking to capture your kid or pet doing something exciting, but it is only an issue in low-light settings.

The quality of movies shot with this camera is decent in a pinch. The A540 is certainly not a substitute for a good video camera for capturing life’s most precious moments. However, it is certainly sufficient for videotaping the cute panda at the zoo.

I think Canon is so popular because the cameras are very easy to use, and this model is no exception. Even if you have never owned a Canon camera before you should at least be able to take basic photos on the “auto” setting almost instantly. Zoom is easy to figure out, and the rest of the menu options are relatively friendly. To turn the sound off, you go to “sound” and toggle to “off” and so forth. Even my technologically challenged Mom has figured hers out.

Overall…
I paid $279.00 for my Canon A540, and consider the camera to be well worth the price. This is an easy-to-use camera that takes high quality pictures. Whether you are a complete digital camera novice or looking to upgrade, the A540 is a choice that will not disappoint.