Canon PowerShot A2400 IS Digital Camera Sample Images, Review, Testing in NYC

The new Canon PowerShot A2400 IS is an impressive compact point-and-shoot camera especially if you'd like to keep your budget under $200. It has a 16 megapixel image sensor, a 5x optical zoom 28mm wide-angle lens, optical image stabilization, 720p HD video capture (with a dedicated movie button), intelligent IS (hence the IS after the A2400), a variety of special scene/shooting modes, a help button (came in handy for me) and Smart AUTO functionality.

The PowerShot A2400 IS also has a sleek and compact design. It is easy to hold while shooting and comes in your choice of 4 different colors - black, blue, pink and silver.

I say the A2400 IS is great for its price because compared to the features in many of the newest Canon point-and-shoot releases, the PowerShot A2400 IS isn't necessarily the cream of the crop but it still provides beginner photographers with many excellent features including superb image quality, clear and steady shots and wiggle room for creativity and fun.

The PowerShot A2400 IS provides Smart AUTO capability which is an advanced Canon technology that makes getting an excellent shot as simple as pressing the shutter button. The name of the function itself "Smart AUTO," truly describes what it does. This feature automatically detects scenes by assessing various factors in both the background and the subject. Scenes are analyzed using 32 predefined shooting situations. The camera then chooses optimal settings to ensure the best possible image when capturing stills. Smart AUTO also includes Advanced Subject Detection, which allows the camera to detect and track non-human moving subjects like animals and vehicles. With Smart AUTO, taking photos is easy, you really can just "point and shoot."

Smart AUTO Image 01

Smart AUTO Image 02

The 5x optical zoom (35mm equivalent: 28-140mm) in the PowerShot A2400 IS delivers outstanding optical performance and versatility. It gives you a great range of potential images from a single location, which is perfect for sporting events and other occasions when your shooting stance is fixed, or times when moving in too close might disrupt the action you're trying to capture. The lens's 28mm wide-angle perspective puts more image in every frame for dynamic, exciting shots. Although 5x optical zoom may not seem like very much, but after testing it for myself, I was pleasantly surprised at the results.

With the camera's 16.0 megapixels of resolution, your images are crisp and clear, with textures and tiny details faithfully reproduced even at the long end of the 5x Optical Zoom. This high level of resolution is ideal for creating the largest prints, and allows you the flexibility to blow up and crop any section of an image to express your creativity. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor powers the camera's advanced systems and features, ensuring fast, reliable performance with low battery consumption.

Smart AUTO Image 03

Scene Modes are fun and easy ways to give your shots a distinctly artistic feel without the need for any extra lenses, filters or expensive design programs like Adobe Photoshop. Below are descriptions of the various scene/shooting modes with sample images taken using several of these modes to give you a better idea of the results they can produce.

 
Smart AUTO: The camera automatically selects the best shooting settings for optimal quality based on subjects and environmental factors to provide point-and-shoot simplicity. 

Smart AUTO Image 01

 

Program: The camera automatically and intelligently selects the aperture/shutter speed combination based on the shooting conditions

Program Mode

Live View Control: Enables Brightness, Color, and Tone adjustments to your images using easy-to-understand controls

Portrait: Brings the subject into focus while beautifully blurring the background. 

Face Self-Timer: The camera waits for a face to enter the frame before releasing the shutter. 

Low-Light: For high quality image capture in an amazing range of dimly lit situations. 

Fisheye Effect: Now you can get the fisheye effect - a classic photographic distortion - without a fisheye lens.
 

Fisheye Effect Image 02

Fisheye Effect Image 01

Miniature Effect: Give images a miniature look with an effect that emphasizes perspective by blurring the top and bottom of the image. 

Miniature Effect

Toy Camera Effect: Simulates photos taken with "toy" or pinhole cameras, darkening the image at the edges to create a vignette effect.

Toy Camera Effect Image 01

Toy Camera Effect Image 02

Monochrome: Choose from three single-tone effects: Black-and-White, Sepia, or Blue.

Monochrome Effects

Monochrome - Sepia

Monochrome - B&W Image 01

Monochrome - B&W Image 02

Monochrome - Blue

Super Vivid: Super Vivid intensifies existing hues, saturating the scene with bright colors.

Super Vivid Effect

Poster Effect: Poster Effect combines several similar shades into one color, turning subtle gradations into eye-catching, scene-popping contrasts.

Poster Effect

Snow: Shoot clear snow scenes without darkened subjects or an unnatural bluish tint

Fireworks: Create brilliant images of skyrocketing fireworks

Long Shutter: Use to blur moving subjects for artistic effect, ideal for urban night photography

Discreet Mode: Disables flash, AF assist beam, and all camera sounds with one mode dial setting - so you can capture images in quiet areas

iFrame Movie: The Apple movie format, iFrame, makes it easier and quicker to import and upload videos while retaining high image quality

The latest advancement in Canon Optical Image Stabilization technology is the Intelligent IS. Intelligent IS analyzes camera movement and applies the best shake correction method for the shooting situation. For stills, the system automatically selects among Normal, Panning, Macro (Hybrid) and Tripod IS modes. When shooting video, the system automatically selects among Dynamic, Powered, Macro and Tripod IS modes. With Intelligent IS, you can concentrate on image capture, letting the camera make the most effective IS settings to assure the steadiest possible image. I provided several examples below.

Macro Mode Image 01

Macro Mode Image 02

Handheld shooting can often lead to camera shake, making photos and videos blurry. Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer is a sophisticated system that uses lens-shift technology to correct for unwanted camera movement. It makes handheld photography more practical, providing excellent image quality in many difficult shooting situations: outdoors at dusk, inside without a flash, and even at the telephoto end of the zoom range without a tripod. For photos, it enables shooting at slower shutter speeds, accommodating more low-light shooting situations than ever before without having to boost ISO sensitivity. With camera shake and vibration reduced, you get a sharper, steadier image.

Smart AUTO + Handheld Macro

Smart AUTO + Handheld 5x Optical Zoom

The Canon PowerShot A2400 IS comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and you can store your stills/videos by purchasing an SDHC memory card which as with most digital cameras is sold separately.   Overall, I found the Canon PowerShot A2400 IS to be an impressive point-and-shoot especially for its price. I recommend this camera to beginner photographers on a budget or perhaps as a gift to someone who is new to photography.

For pricing and availability, you can go to the Canon PowerShot A2400 IS product page, or you can visit H and B Digital at our storefront location in Midtown, Manhattan.