Canon PowerShot A1300 Review

A remarkable amount of power and functionality is packed into a tiny and simple-to-use container with the Canon PowerShot A1300 Digital Camera, making it a fantastic all-around camera.

Although it is less than 2.5″ tall, the A1300 can shoot images with a 16-megapixel resolution, which is the 35mm equivalent of a 28 – 140mm lens. This means you can catch the entire family in a group shot or zoom in on your child’s beaming face from across the room with relative ease.

With its 16-megapixel picture sensor, this little camera can capture photos as large as a poster at a maximum resolution of 4608 by 3456 pixels. This allows you to expand or crop any area of your photograph for printing or sharing on the internet without losing quality.

With Digital Image Stabilization, you can guarantee that your photographs are as straightforward as possible and not blurred by low lighting, holding the camera away from you, or shooting at a moving subject.

In addition to powering the camera’s sophisticated systems and functions, the DIGIC 4 Image Processor also ensures quick, dependable performance with little battery use.

The A1300 can benefit from its improved image quality and capabilities, such as HD video, high-speed continuous shooting, and a Face-Detection Self-Timer, while using this lens.

With its 720p HD video resolution, the A1300 may also be a high-definition camera that can be carried in your pocket. Capture more than just a picture of your memories by capturing them all in stunning high-definition (HD) resolution.

The A1300 is a feature-packed camera that takes up about the same space as your mobile phone, thanks to its video capabilities and hundreds of photographic options.

More: Best Canon Point and Shoot Camera | Best Point and Shoot Camera | Best Point and Shoot Camera for Travel | Best Point and Shoot Camera under 300

Ease of Operation

The Canon PowerShot A1300 is one of the most interesting happy snappers compacts we’ve seen recently, even though it has a pretty ordinary design. It contains all of the standard features you would expect on a camera that costs less than one hundred pounds, including an intuitive design, large buttons, a help guide, and compatibility with AA batteries.

On the other hand, the A1300 features an optical viewfinder that may be used for taking photographs. You can hold the camera up to your eye, similar to how older models were used, as if you were some ancient caveman. Perhaps you believe that we are exaggerating the situation.

After all, even modern cameras like the Canon PowerShot G15 come with a traditional optical viewfinder. The main idea is that low-cost cameras no longer have this feature, but here’s one that’s still available. This is a fascinating throwback to photography’s glory days, making it appealing to photographers.

However, our excitement did not last for very long. When we use the viewfinder, it brings us to recall the reasons why they became extinct. Because of the microscopic size of the camera, the hole is tiny, so there is not much that can be seen through it. Additionally, when snapping shots, we noticed that our hands began to obscure the viewfinder.

But before you rip it to shreds and dismiss it as just another throwback to the past, you should know that it does make it possible to get crisper photographs. This is because while using an optical viewfinder, the camera and its arms must be tucked within the camera’s body. This results in a sturdy trunk, resulting in a more stable camera.

When you zoom all the way out to full telephoto or when the light is dim, and the camera needs to utilize a slower shutter speed, holding the camera at arm’s length makes it more unsteady and prone to camera shake. Having the camera at arm’s length also increases the risk of dropping the camera.

The optical lens with a 5x magnification is a typical Canon zoom type. Even if you purchase the Canon PowerShot A1300 in silver, the lens will still be black because it is black. The power button and the button that releases the shutter are on the top of the device. Everything is relatively conventional, with the notable difference being that the buttons on the A1300 are far more significant than those seen on other devices.

It is helpful if you have large hands or are an older person, and you cannot fiddle around with buttons and switches that are too small. At least three-quarters of the available space on the back has been taken up by the navigation pad and the controls surrounding it. This design motif has been carried over from the front.

The icon to record videos is located at the top, right next to the Help guide. This helpful tutorial section will walk you through the meaning of the camera’s modes and programs and the locations on the camera where you can access each one.

When the function button in the middle of the pad is labeled FUNC, Is pressed, a compact menu with various shooting modes, including ISO, white balance, continuous shooting, self-timer, and resolution, is displayed. These are the most common settings you’ll want to switch between, whether only for a little while or regularly.

Quality of the Image

The Fine JPEG setting at 16 megapixels was used to capture each sample photograph included in this review. This setting results in an image that is around 4 megabytes in size on average.

Noise

At low ISO, the image quality is excellent, with clean and smooth edges and no noticeable symptoms of color invasion in dark areas. These problems typically manifest themselves first. Unfortunately, while examining the images at the highest possible magnification, there is evidence of color noise entering into the photographs, particularly in the portions of the ideas that are dark and shadowy.

The edge definition seems to have been preserved well, and the noise does not affect any other aspect of the picture. However, the problem worsens as we move through the subsequent steps, reaching ISO 800 with artifacts and salt-and-pepper noise in the mid-tones. Canon decided to stop the sensitivity at ISO 1600.

If you genuinely don’t want to utilize the flash, then the only time you should use this setting is when there is very little light. The moment on the A1300 is quite sophisticated, and unless the subject is extremely close, it won’t cause them to appear white. Therefore, then the moment with a low ISO setting will be your best choice while taking pictures during regular hours.

Canon PowerShot A1300 Specs

Body type	Compact
Max resolution	4608 x 3456
Other resolutions	4608 x 2592, 3264 x 2448, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480
Image ratio w:h	4:3, 16:9
Effective pixels	16 megapixels
Sensor size	1/2.3″ (6.17 x 4.55 mm)
Sensor type	CCD
ISO	Auto 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
White balance presets	6
Custom white balance	Yes (1)
Image stabilization	No
Uncompressed format	No
Focal length (equiv.)	28–140 mm
Optical zoom	5×
Maximum aperture	F2.8–6.9
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Multi-areaCenterTrackingSingleContinuousFace Detection.
Digital zoom	Yes (5x)
Manual focus	No
Macro focus range	3 cm (1.18″)
Number of focus points	9
Articulated LCD	Fixed
Screen size	2.7″
Screen dots	230,000
Touch screen	No
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Optical (tunnel)
Minimum shutter speed	15 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/2000 sec
Aperture priority	No
Shutter priority	No
Manual exposure mode	No
Subject/scene modes	Yes
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash Range	3.00 m
External flash	No
Flash modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
Continuous drive	0.8 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Metering modes	MultiCenter-weighted spot
Exposure compensation	±2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	No
Resolutions	1280 x 720 (25 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps)
Format	H.264
Videography notes	Miniature Effect (HD (5, 2.5, 1.25 fps) or L (6, 3, 1.5 fps))
Microphone	Mono
Speaker	Mono
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	No
Remote control	No
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	AA
Battery description	2 x AA batteries
Battery Life (CIPA)	220
Weight (inc. batteries)	174 g (0.38 lb / 6.14 oz)
Dimensions	95 x 62 x 30 mm (3.74 x 2.44 x 1.18″)
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	No
GPS	None

Conclusion

The Canon PowerShot A1300 was created with the sole intention of being a straightforward camera. From the vast controls to the simplicity of “point and shoot,” this camera has it all. Considering that this camera has an optical viewfinder, it’s not hard to imagine that it was created with people of a more mature age in mind. This may be the last digital nail that Canon drives into the film coffin.

If this is the case, and if they aim to imitate a film camera to make the Passover as simple as possible, they have succeeded – for lack of a more appropriate expression. On the other hand, if we believe incorrect, the A1300 is a direct point-and-shoot camera designed for folks with large hands and a subpar optical viewfinder.

Price

Canon PowerShot A1300 FAQs