Canon's latest PowerShot model, the A630, provides a lot of digital camera power for your dollar. You won't find many other digital cameras offering at least 8.0 megapixels of resolution for less than $300, which makes the PowerShot A630 a great value for a consumer-level digital camera.

The PowerShot A630's overall image quality ranges from very good to outstanding. Its images are among the best currently available in a sub-$300 model. As an added benefit, this unit offers a 4X optical zoom lens. Although the difference between 4X and 3X (which is the zoom lens found on most consumer-level digital cameras) seems minimal, you'll definitely notice the difference very quickly.

Response times for this model are very good. You can shoot your first photo less than 2 seconds after pressing the power button. Shutter lag is not noticeable, and shot-to-shot delays range from about 2-4 seconds.

The PowerShot A630 has a few drawbacks, but they're minimal. First, if you're looking for an ultra-thin model, you'll probably want to pass on this digital camera -- it measures nearly 2 inches in thickness. However, some photographers find a camera of this size to be easier to hold and use versus an ultra-thin digital camera, so it depends on what you like.

We also found some pluses and minuses with the LCD on the PowerShot A630. The 2.5-inch LCD is very bright, regardless of the exterior lighting. It also swivels and rotates to allow for odd-angle shots. However, the LCD isn't anywhere near as sharp as it should be for a digital camera with so many other top-end features.

The PowerShot A630 can run from four disposable AA batteries and last a long time on them, which is handy. You may want to run the PowerShot A630 from rechargeable batteries; in that case, you'll have to purchase the batteries and charger kit as an add-on accessory.

Finally, you'll appreciate how Canon has given the PowerShot A630 plenty of flexibility to allow it to meet your needs as you become a more experienced photographer. This unit works well as a simple point-and-shoot model, but it also provides a few manual-setting features for more experienced photographers. You can purchase a few add-on lenses to give this model wide-angle and zoom capabilities. The PowerShot A630 also can make use of an add-on flash unit.


Pros: Outstanding image quality, high resolution, great value, model has outstanding flexibility, LCD swivels for odd-angle shots
Cons: Camera body is too thick to fit in a pocket comfortably, LCD images could be sharper

Warranty
1 year, limited