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Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490

Portability
92
Imaging
35
Features
20
Overall
29
Canon PowerShot A2100 IS front
 
Canon PowerShot A490 front
Portability
93
Imaging
33
Features
10
Overall
23

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Key Specs

Canon A2100 IS
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 36-216mm (F3.2-5.9) lens
  • 185g - 102 x 64 x 32mm
  • Released February 2009
Canon A490
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 37-122mm (F3.0-5.8) lens
  • 175g - 94 x 62 x 31mm
  • Announced January 2010
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Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Overview

Here is a complete review of the Canon A2100 IS and Canon A490, both Small Sensor Compact cameras and they are both offered by Canon. The sensor resolution of the A2100 IS (12MP) and the A490 (10MP) is relatively close and both cameras provide the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The A2100 IS was introduced 10 months before the A490 so they are both of a similar age. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before diving straight to a complete comparison, here is a short summation of how the A2100 IS scores vs the A490 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Canon A2100 IS over the Canon A490

 A2100 IS A490 
Screen size3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution230k115kCrisper screen (+115k dot)

Reasons to pick Canon A490 over the Canon A2100 IS

 A490 A2100 IS 
AnnouncedJanuary 2010February 2009Fresher by 10 months

Common features in the Canon A2100 IS and Canon A490

 A2100 IS A490 
Manual focus No manual focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen No selfie screen
Touch friendly screen No Touch friendly screen

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Physical Comparison

For those who are looking to carry your camera often, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Canon A2100 IS provides outside measurements of 102mm x 64mm x 32mm (4.0" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 185 grams (0.41 lbs) while the Canon A490 has specifications of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") along with a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon A2100 IS and Canon A490 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the A2100 IS against the A490.

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the A2100 IS and A490 is 92 and 93 respectively.

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 top view buttons comparison

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Sensor Comparison

Oftentimes, its tough to picture the contrast in sensor sizing just by researching specs. The graphic underneath might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the A2100 IS and A490.

All in all, the 2 cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different MP. You can count on the Canon A2100 IS to result in more detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The older A2100 IS will be behind in sensor innovation.

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 sensor size comparison

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon A2100 IS Portrait photography highlights
Canon A490 Portrait photography highlights
26
comes with face detection autofocus
focusing manually not possible
no manual control
cannot use external flash
resolution not great (12MP)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
19
manual focus not available
no manual mode
cannot use external flash
MP count low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Street Comparison

Canon A2100 IS Street photography details
Canon A490 Street photography details
55
built in image stabilization (Optical)
fixed screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
46
no articulating screen
no image stabilization
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Canon A2100 IS Sports photography details
Canon A490 Sports photography details
25
built in image stabilization (Optical)
slow frames per second (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect autofocus
16
max frames per second low (1.0 frames per second)
lack of shutter priority mode
no image stabilization
MP count low (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Canon A2100 IS Travel photography advice
Canon A490 Travel photography advice
50
built-in flash
missing Timelapse recording
resolution not great (12MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not great (36mm)
slow max aperture (f3.2)
50
has built in flash
does not have Timelapse recording
MP count low (10MP)
does not have a selfie friendly display
wide angle not fantastic (37mm)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon A2100 IS Landscape photography highlights
Canon A490 Landscape photography highlights
32
screen size is good (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not great (36mm)
slow max aperture (f3.2)
no manual control
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
lack of RAW support
missing Timelapse recording
22
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not fantastic (37mm)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
screen is small (2.5")
no manual mode
no image stabilization
MP count low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
does not have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon A2100 IS Vlogging details
Canon A490 Vlogging details
27
built in image stabilization (Optical)
comes with face detection autofocus
wide angle not great (36mm)
slow max aperture (f3.2)
display isn't selfie friendly
video quality not great (640 x 480 pixels)
missing external microphone port
21
wide angle not fantastic (37mm)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
does not have a selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
video res low (640 x 480 pixels)
does not have external microphone support
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Canon A2100 IS vs Canon A490 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon A2100 IS and Canon A490
 Canon PowerShot A2100 ISCanon PowerShot A490
General Information
Brand Name Canon Canon
Model type Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A490
Class Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Compact
Released 2009-02-18 2010-01-05
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 10MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4000 x 3000 3648 x 2736
Highest native ISO 1600 1600
Minimum native ISO 80 80
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
Continuous AF
AF single
Tracking AF
Selective AF
AF center weighted
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Total focus points 9 5
Lens
Lens mount type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 36-216mm (6.0x) 37-122mm (3.3x)
Maximal aperture f/3.2-5.9 f/3.0-5.8
Macro focusing range 1cm 1cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.8
Screen
Type of display Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display sizing 3" 2.5"
Resolution of display 230 thousand dots 115 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Min shutter speed 15s 15s
Max shutter speed 1/1600s 1/2000s
Continuous shutter rate 1.0fps 1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 3.50 m 3.00 m
Flash settings Auto, Fill-in, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Off Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Highest video resolution 640x480 640x480
Video format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 185 gr (0.41 lb) 175 gr (0.39 lb)
Physical dimensions 102 x 64 x 32mm (4.0" x 2.5" x 1.3") 94 x 62 x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery ID 2 x AA 2 x AA
Self timer Yes (2, 10, Custom, Face) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom, Face)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus/HD MMCplus SC/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus
Card slots One One
Pricing at release $220 $99