Canon PowerShot A800

Overview

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 21 expert reviews

Excellent:

1
Good:

10
Average:

1
Bad:

9

Pros:

Extremely low price tag, good performance, impressive image quality
Inexpensive camera, Completely automatic, very easy to use, Uses AA batteries, which is handy when traveling, Autofocus is sharp most of the time
Inexpensive under$100 price. Sharp photos. Simple to operate.

Cons:

Substandard LCD screen, slightly limited specification
A800 has slow response times, even for a budgetpriced camera, Colors seem to be dull, especially with indoor photos, Camera body seems a bit chunky, Zoom lens creates some noise and moves in a jerky motion, Autofocus is slow, especially in low light, so y

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Last revision on February 22, 2013

Reviewers Liked

Extremely low price tag, good performance, impressive image quality
Inexpensive camera, Completely automatic, very easy to use, Uses AA batteries, which is handy when traveling, Autofocus is sharp most of the time
Inexpensive under$100 price. Sharp photos. Simple to operate
Inexpensive under-$100 price. Sharp photos. Simple to operate
The Canon PowerShot A3300 IS has a nice feature set for the money as well as excellent photo quality
Excellent image quality, Sturdy build quality, Long life from 2 x AA batteries, Blur Reduction Scene mode
Good macro performance, AA battery powered, Acceptable image quality, Easy to use

Reviewers Didn't Like

Substandard LCD screen, slightly limited specification
A800 has slow response times, even for a budgetpriced camera, Colors seem to be dull, especially with indoor photos, Camera body seems a bit chunky, Zoom lens creates some noise and moves in a jerky motion, Autofocus is slow, especially in low light, so y
Lacks optical image stabilization. No highdef video capture. Lowresolution LCD
Lacks optical image stabilization. No high-def video capture. Low-resolution LCD
The camera has long shot-to-shot times and its flat buttons can be tricky to press
No image stabilisation, Limited 37mm wide angle, No menu Hints and Tips, No AV cable for TV viewing
Lots of purple fringing and chromatic aberration in bright conditions, Occasional underexposure

Expert reviews and ratings

With such a low price tag you could forgive the A800 for scrimping on features, although at first glance this isn't necessarily the case. The model features a 3.3x optical zoom, covering a focal range of 37-122mm, as well as a 10MP CCD sensor....

By What Digital Camera on January 09, 2012

With decent performance at a rock-bottom price, the A800 is several notches above most other similarly priced cameras...

By Computeractive on August 24, 2011

For those with between £60 and £80 to spend on a snapshot camera for the kids or the mother-in-law, the A800 offers fair value for money, an easy to use feature set and fair results. For what’s being asked here it’s hard to grumble...

By Pocket-lint on August 17, 2011

Although the A800's list price is a touch optimistic - we're sure it will be hugely discounted soon - Canon's latest will be a welcome addition to the shortlist for those on a budget. An increasingly rare thing even in the budget market,...

By itreviews.com on July 17, 2011

For Canon, the PowerShot A800 is as basic as it gets. The A800 is Canon's entry-level compact camera, and as you'd expect for 60 quid, it's a no-frills affair. No-frills doesn't necessarily mean dumbed-down, however, and there's...

By TechRadar on July 11, 2011

With sub-$100 cameras, you expect some drawbacks. That's why they are priced where they are. The Canon PowerShot A800 definitely has some drawbacks, primarily that its autofocus and response times are very slow. Shot to shot delays are especially...

By About.com on May 24, 2011

If you're on a budget, the Canon PowerShot A800 should be among the first compact cameras you consider. It's very straightforward, takes a decent photo and represents extremely good value for...

By CNET UK on May 23, 2011

3.00 At $89.99 (list) the 10-megapixel PowerShot A800 is the least-expensive Canon sells. Unsurprisingly, this pocket shooter lacks in features, but it covers the basics, and there's something to be said for its simple experience. It also...

By TechReviewSource on May 20, 2011

This is another from the range of small pocket cameras produced by Canon. The Ixus range normally has solid batteries and the PowerShot range – as with this – normally are controlled by ‘AA’ batteries to power the...

By GadgetSpeak on May 20, 2011

This pocket camera comes with compromises, but a $90 price tag and dead-simple operation help balance the Canon PowerShot A800's lack of optical image stabilization and HD-video capture. Buy it...

By PC Mag on May 18, 2011

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