January 30, 2013 Canon announced the entry-level compact digital camera line Canon PowerShot A2500 Black. A simple and easy-to-use camera provides excellent image quality and at the same time has an attractively low price. Its cost in online stores in Ukraine ranges from 800 to 1400 hryvnia, in Russia the average price is 3500 rubles.
Product Specifications
Design
The new Canon PowerShot A2500 Black externally and functionally does not differ much from its predecessor in the presented Canon PowerShot A2400 IS line.
This camera is equipped with a miniature case made of quality materials and has a robust assembly. She is quite comfortable to use even with one hand.
On the front panel is a lens, flash and a lamp for highlighting autofocus.
On the top face are the microphone and speaker openings, the power key, shutter release, combined with the zoom control ring.
On the back is a 2.7-inch display. It has excellent horizontal viewing angles, but not so high-quality vertical. To the right of the screen are the keys to control the functions of the device. There are also buttons for viewing pictures and menus, as well as keys for recording videos and calling for help.
On the right side there is a plug under which the USB input is hidden, and ears for attaching the strap.
On the bottom panel there is a metal socket for mounting a tripod, compartments for memory cards and a battery with a capacity of 680 mA * h.
Functions and Management
Like many entry-level cameras, the presented novelty frees the user from detailed control over the exposure. The aperture position in the range from f / 2.8 to f / 6.9 and the shutter speed, from 15 to 1/2000 sec, are set by the camera automatically depending on the lighting conditions and the choice of scene mode.
A menu call provides access to basic options such as autofocus, digital zoom, flash, etc. Automatic settings of the device are activated using the AUTO button. But also with its help, when you press the function key, access to other modes is opened:
- Program - provides the use of the greatest number of functions, such as setting frame-by-frame shooting and video shooting parameters, timer, image printing.
- Live view Performs a simple image adjustment to create the necessary effects. With it, you can adjust the brightness and contrast, as well as color saturation.
- Digital stabilization mode delivers crisp and sharp shots. It uses sophisticated stabilization technology, which tracks the movement of the camera when shooting handheld, to automatically receive the highest quality image.
- Low light mode (4MP) allows you to get clear pictures in low light conditions.
- Stage mode provides photography in accordance with the scene: “portrait”, “landscape”, “children”, “fireworks”, “beach”, “greenery”, “snow”, “animals”. Creative effects are also presented in this mode for ease of use. Among them are available such artistic settings as: “fisheye”, “miniature”, “toy camera”, “black and white”, “super-bright”, “poster effect”, “slow shutter speed.” The function for recalling reference material is placed on a separate button . This solution is very convenient to facilitate the work of novice amateur enthusiasts. It provides quick access to the instructions for using the camera. To view the received images, you must press the play key on the rear panel. Then, using the cursor button, go to the left to view all the photos.
Enabling Eco mode allows you to turn off the display to save battery power. This function is activated automatically if the device is in standby mode for more than 10 seconds.The shutter button is touch sensitive. Therefore, a light click will be enough to create a picture. The zoom feature is also easy to use. It is performed by turning the zoom control ring located on the top panel of the camera.
The Canon PowerShot A2500 Black has a built-in flash. It can work in several modes: auto, on, off, slow synchronization, red-eye removal. In addition, there are functions for detecting faces, fixing and intelligent flash exposure correction. The flash range at short focus is from 50 cm to 3.0 m, at long focus from 1.0 m to 2.0 m.
The presented novelty provides excellent quality of pictures both during macro shooting, there and when shooting close-ups. The minimum shooting distance is 3 cm from the subject. At the same time, macro photography gives excellent results: clear details, vibrant colors and good background blur.
A 680 mAh lithium-ion battery provides the camera with up to 220 shots in normal mode and up to 300 shots in economy mode.
Lens
The lens has a range of focal lengths from 28 to 140 mm. In the wide-angle position, the minimum aperture value of f2.8 is an excellent indicator for the budget version of compact cameras. In good light conditions, the images obtained have excellent color reproduction and detail. Wide-angle lens allows you to increase the coverage of the frame and provides the creation of excellent group shots and panoramic landscapes. It also has 5x optical zoom. For a closer approximation, you can use a 10-fold digital zoom with Zoom Plus. It ensures the clarity of the scalable image and its detail.
One of the disadvantages of the presented model is the lack of optical stabilization. True, it is compensated by the presence of digital stabilization, which ensures its automatic tuning. When photographing in good conditions, even at a maximum of 5x magnification, the presence of optical stabilization is not an absolute necessity. But in low light conditions, its absence adversely affects the quality of images.
Photosensitivity
The novelty is equipped with a 16MP CCD sensor with a sensitivity range from 100 to 1600 ISO units.
Noise is well controlled at values up to ISO 200. ISO 400 is great for shooting in good light conditions. Color reproduction and reproduction of the smallest details in this case are excellent. There are not many artifacts of compression and grain even when viewing a photo at 100 percent magnification. But with an increase in ISO in low light conditions, there is a big loss in picture detail and the presence of color noise. Most of all, they are noticeable in the dark areas of the frame.
Benefits
Disadvantages
Convenient menu and ease of management of shooting modes. Low battery capacity. Image quality is characterized by excellent color reproduction and sharpness. The lack of optical zoom and focus when shooting movies. Possibility of artistic processing of the resulting images thanks to a variety of creative modes. The presence of digital stabilization, providing excellent quality and sharpness of photos. Conclusions
Canon PowerShot A2500 Black is an excellent budget option for a compact camera for amateur photography. It is simple and ergonomic to use. A convenient and intuitive menu provides easy navigation and configuration of device functions.
The device is equipped with a wide range of automatic modes and art filters. They provide optimal device settings without the need for manual adjustments. Thus, the user gets complete freedom of creativity when performing photo and video shooting.
Wide-angle lens allows you to take panoramic and group photos. The images are characterized by excellent quality, color reproduction and detail. The lack of optical zoom and focus when recording video can be a significant drawback for demanding users. But in general, the camera for such a low price performs the functions of autofocus and digital zoom at a sufficient level.
We can safely say that in terms of price-quality ratio this new product is a worthy representative of the Canon family.
Enabling Eco mode allows you to turn off the display to save battery power. This function is activated automatically if the device is in standby mode for more than 10 seconds.
