The Canon PowerShot A720 IS features 8-Megapizel resolution, 6x optical zoom and optical image stabilization. Very similar to the last year¡¯s A710 IS (but with higher resolution), the A720 is a very good camera and here is why/
Although Canon makes virtually no mistakes and manages to produce cameras that are uniformly good (and charge a premium comparing to competition), I do dislike their cameras that use 4 AA batteries. Four batteries are heavy, bulky, inconvenient to replace. But I like cameras that use 2 AA batteries overall (and Canon A720 is one of them) with one caveat.
The Canon PowerShot A720 IS uses 2 AA batteries, features 8-Megapixel resolution, 6x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The camera is a very good one overall, but with the same issues that other 2 AA battery equipped cameras have.
What is Canon PowerShot A720 IS?
The Canon PowerShot A720 is a compact 8-Megapixel digital camera that features 6x optical zoom (35-210 mm equivalent, f/2.8-f/4.8) with optical image stabilization, a large 2.5-inch LCD screen and an optical viewfinder. The camera is powered by two AA batteries (alkaline batteries included) and stores images on compact Secure Digital cards (SD). A 16-Megabyte SD card is included (you obviously have to get a card of larger capacity; fortunately they are very cheap now).
The A720 has full automatic as well as manual modes, including Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. It has a built-in flash, a tripod mount and is compatible with lens adaptors. The ISO goes up to 1,600 (although 800 is the max you want to use if you intend to print your photos).
Getting Started
I used this camera with my 2300 mAh NiMH rechargeable batteries and a high-speed SD card. Loading the aforementioned items, I was ready to shoot in under a minute. You have to set the date and time first, since otherwise the camera will bother you asking for the date and time every time you power it on. Just as the A710 IS, the A720 has a conventional shape, but it is curvy and stylishly modern.
Major Features
This model is quite impressive when it comes to features. If has powerful 6x optical zoom (most compact cameras have 4x or less), coupled with optical image stabilization that prevents hand shake from making pictures blurry in dim light or at full zoom. The camera features a large 2.5-inch LCD screen, real aperture control, shutter speeds 15-1/2,000 sec and maximum apertures f/2.8 at wide angle, f/4.8 at telephoto. You set the mode of operation by rotating the mode selection dial on the top deck. Along with full Auto mode there are Program mode, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and even Full Manual mode.
In other words, you can set the camera to Auto mode and then just point and shoot. Easy to use and very good results. Or you can use more advanced modes to get the effect you want.
The camera lets you select some parameters (or just leave them in Auto/Default settings): ISO, White Balance, resolution, compression/quality, drive mode, color settings. There is a separate button for exposure compensation that lets you make your photos brighter or darker. There is a macro mode (available at a push of the arrow down button). The same button lets you engage manual focusing.
Controls
Just like the A710, the A720 IS is switched from shooting to review mode and back by the switch on the back panel (I prefer buttons). The zoom control and the shutter release button have well-calibrated feel. Buttons have good tactile response. The buttons are located logically and the ergonomics are great.
The menus are easy to use and appear fast. The LCD has large size and works well.
Performance
The camera takes less than 2 seconds to power up. Zooming is responsive and takes about 3-4 seconds from wide angle to full telephoto or back. Impressive, considering that the zoom is 6x.
The camera has a focus-assist light that helps it focus in low light. I was impressed by the focusing speed: the camera focused in under a second at either wide angle or telephoto, even in dim light. Even in dim light at full telephoto focusing on objects 12 feet away took less than a second, which is not something some other cameras can brag about.
The A720 shows you where it focused by displaying green rectangles over that area. Sometimes it fails to focus in dim light at telephoto, which is not a unique issue among compact cameras.
You can also use manual focusing, during which the center portion of the screen gets magnified to help you obtain better focus and the distance scale is displayed. The A720 is able to take photos at about one every two seconds without flash. There is a burst mode that lets you take photos at about two per second.
However, just as the case with other cameras that use 2 AA batteries, taking photos with flash is very slow. Once you take a photo with flash, it takes 7-12 seconds for the camera to recycle its flash. The photo you took appears on the LCD briefly, then the screen goes blank until the flash is charged. Which means you cannot frame the next shot or focus for 7-12 seconds. This is a result of using only 2 AA batteries instead of four (cameras that use 4 AA batteries, e.g. Canon A650 IS, recycle their flashes much faster). At least the battery life is decent.
Image Settings
You can select different combinations of resolution and quality/compression. I used full 8-Megapixel resolution. The Standard mode is definitely a good choice for prints up to 5x7, perhaps even 10x8, but with flash memory prices as low as they are now, why compromise? I suggest you leave the quality at SuperFine (lowest compression).
Flash
The flash takes a long time to recycle and also provides slightly uneven coverage at full wide angle. It is effective at up to 10-14 feet away, but slightly dim at that range.
LCD and Viewfinder
The camera has a large 2.5-inch LCD, which is fluid in good light, slightly less so in dim light. The LCD coverage is 100%. The viewfinder has a smaller coverage (80-90%). The viewfinder has decent (but not excellent) resolution.
Battery Life
Canon claims 140 shots with supplied alkaline batteries, 400 with high-capacity NiMH rechargeable batteries (all estimates are with LCD on; LCD off values are 500 and 900). I have no reason to doubt this claim. I shot more than 170 photos, some with flash, and my NiMH batteries still had power left.
6x Zoom
Usually, the 6x optical zoom is useful in bright light, at higher ISOs or indoors with flash. Or if you use a tripod. This camera uses optical image stabilization, which lets you use the camera handheld in dim light or at high magnification with no blur. Usually, when shooting handheld, you have to make sure that the shutter speed is faster than a reciprocal 35mm-equivalent focal length. Which means shooting at speeds faster than 1/200 sec at full telephoto, which is not always possible. The optical image stabilization of the A720 IS helps it be used handheld at slower shutter speeds with no blur.
Image Quality
I usually take photos that contain all primary colors at different focal lengths, apertures and compression ratios. Some photos are taken outdoors, some indoors with and without flash.
I try to take photos that features all colors: blue sky, green foliage, red curbs, yellow fire hydrants and cars of different colors.
Taking photos at different focal lengths and apertures reveals the camera's optical quality: corner sharpness, chromatic aberrations and overall sharpness.
Taking photos at different ISO settings shows how well a given camera can keep noise levels low in dim light. I mostly evaluate the image quality using my computer monitor, but I also print some photos at different sizes using either my printer or online services like Shutterfly, Snapfish and Costco's online photo center.
The Canon A720 IS can produce very impressive image quality. All photos were sharp, contrasty, had pleasing colors and saturation. The photos are sharp from corner to corner with only very minor amount of softening in the very corners, which are cut-off when printing anyway. There is some chromatic aberration (purple fringing) in areas of high contrast at wide angle. The lens is sharp even at its full telephoto setting of 210 mm (full 6x optical zoom). The macro photos were excellent (provided you use tripod and an external light source; the flash provides uneven coverage in macro mode).
The situation with noise is quite typical for a compact digital camera. The noise at ISO up to 100 is virtually invisible, increases slightly at ISO 200 and becomes worse at ISO 400 and higher. ISO up to 100 lets you print good-looking photos at up to 13x19, sharp at 11x17 or smaller. ISO 200 is good up to 10x8, whereas ISO 400-800 is suitable up to 5x7. The ISO 1,600 is OK if used when absolutely necessary, but I prefer not to.
Overall, the A720 IS provides excellent image quality for an advanced compact digital camera, especially the one with 6x optical zoom. The image stabilization is effective at suppressing blur from shooting handheld in dim light or at full zoom. I was consistently able to shoot 2 stops faster than I would be able without it. And 6x optical zoom is very versatile, but I wish it started at 28mm equivalent focal length. Too bad that not many cameras do that.
Alternatives
For optically-stabilized 6x zoom (but less manual control), see
Panasonic LZ6 and
Panasonic LZ5. They are much cheaper too, but have no optical viewfinder.
Conclusion
The Canon PowerShot A720 IS is an excellent camera with one exception. Its flash recycles slowly (up to 12 seconds at full power), meaning you cannot take photos with flash in sequence as fast as with some other cameras. If you mostly intend to use the camera indoors with flash, check out Canon A650 IS and Canon S5 IS.
They use 4 AA batteries, have articulated LCDs and their flash recycling time is much better. Otherwise, the A720 IS is an excellent, easy to use and inexpensive camera with great 6x optical zoom and lots of useful features, including optical image stabilization that works.
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