Canon PowerShot A650 IS review

As the new high-end member of Canon's PowerShot A-series line of cameras, the 12-megapixel Canon PowerShot A650 IS comes packed with manual exposure controls and other photographer-friendly features.

Its bulky form won't win any beauty pageants, but the camera's substance more than makes up for its relative lack of style, and its sub-£300 price tag makes it look that much sweeter.

Design
At 386g with four AA batteries, the A650 IS weighs in as one of the heftiest 'point-and-shoot' cameras we've yet seen. While technically a compact camera -- smaller than a digital SLR -- the A650 IS measures over 56mm deep and fits much better in messenger bags and rucksacks than any sort of clothing pocket.

The A650 IS has a smaller flip-out LCD than the PowerShot G9, helping to distinguish it from the pricier camera

A camera this heavy and bulky really should include a neck strap, but the A650 IS unfortunately lacks that option. It includes only a single lanyard mount, so unless you plan to physically modify the camera, you have to choose between keeping it on the included relatively sturdy wrist strap or tucked in a bag.

All this heft and bulk adds up to a solid-feeling camera with plenty of room for its display and controls. The batteries that power the camera sit inside a prominent, deep grip that feels good even in large hands. Comfortably-sized dials, switches and buttons sit on the camera's back and top side, with all but the print button easily accessible to the thumb and forefinger.

The camera's large design also leaves enough space for the flip-out 64mm (2.5-inch) LCD screen. Like the screen found on the A640 and A630, this screen flips out and pivots 270 degrees, an invaluable boon when shooting over crowds or up from the chest or waist.

Features
With the same 12-megapixel and 35 by 210mm-equivalent f/2.8-4.8 image-stabilised lens as the higher-end PowerShot G9, the A650 IS sits securely at the very top of Canon's A-series line. In fact, were it not for a slightly different control scheme, a smaller flip-out LCD, and lack of raw file support, the A650 IS would be nearly identical to Canon's pricier midrange camera.

Like most of the A-series, the A650 IS comes packed with a full complement of manual exposure controls. You can access Program, Aperture, Shutter and Manual modes easily on the camera's mode dial, along with a selection of scene presets and a handy custom mode setting for keeping your preferred shot settings.

You can even use manual focus in any of the four modes and most of the scene presets. Obviously, you can get a higher level of control from the aperture, shutter and manual modes in an SLR but the A650 IS gives you a great platform with which to learn about photography or just a higher level of control than you'll get with a lot of compact cameras.