Canon A490 vs Canon G16

Canon PowerShot A490 vs Canon PowerShot G16: Which Compact Enthralls Your Photography Spirit?

I still recall my first experience diving into the world of compact cameras - little boxes promising big memories but often falling short on performance when I wanted to push beyond snapshots. Today, we're peeling back the layers on two Canon compacts from different eras but somewhat similar family trees: the budget-friendly PowerShot A490 from 2010 and the enthusiast-class PowerShot G16 introduced in late 2013. Both are small sensor compacts, yet they target different photographers with very different ambitions.

Given my 15+ years testing thousands of cameras and wrangling them through everything from polished studio portraits to gritty wildfire shoots, I’m excited to share how these two stack up across shooting styles, technical performance, and value for your hard-earned dollars. Because, let’s face it, the right camera is less about specs on paper and more about how it handles in your hands - and how it inspires your creative mojo.

Getting a Sense of Size and Handling: Compactness with Personality

At first glance, both cameras embrace the compact form factor, but boy, do they feel different in practice. The A490 is a straightforward pocketable digital point-and-shoot, weighing a mere 175 grams and fitting neatly into even small jacket pockets. Its dimensions are a modest 94x62x31 mm. This makes it incredibly portable but at a cost: it’s lightweight to the point some may find it a little flimsy for serious handling.

Meanwhile, the G16 is more substantial - a chunky 356 grams with physical dimensions of 109x76x40 mm, readily feeling robust with a solid grip and well-spaced buttons. This is the kind of camera that invites you to hold it like a tool, not a toy, offering better tactile control especially when shooting outdoors or in challenging conditions.

Ergonomics also differ - the G16’s controls are thoughtfully laid out for quick access to manual modes, aperture adjustments, and customizable settings. The A490? It’s decidedly more minimalist and oriented toward auto-snapping with fewer direct controls, which suits beginners but may frustrate anyone wanting creative freedom.

Layout and Design: How Intuitive Is the Interface?

Lifting the curtain on the top part of each camera reveals design philosophies about who they are for. The G16 sports an intricate control layout, with dedicated dials for exposure compensation, shutter speed, and aperture - controls that beg you to experiment with manual settings. The A490’s top surface is drastically more barebones, echoing the push-button approach common in early 2010-era compacts.

In my hands-on experience, the G16’s controls feel much more in tune with demanding photography - quick-access buttons mean you waste less time fumbling through menus during fleeting moments. The A490’s controls remind me of an era when compact cameras emphasized ease of use for vacationers or casual shooters, and frankly, light on customization.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Now, the sensor - the “digital film” that defines your image quality. The A490 uses a 1/2.3” CCD sensor measuring about 6.17x4.55mm. In contrast, the G16 ups the ante with a larger 1/1.7” BSI-CMOS sensor (7.44x5.58mm).

The difference in sensor size may seem hair-splitting but impacts core visual performance significantly. From testing, larger sensor area translates to less noise at higher ISO, better dynamic range, and of course, an improved starting point for rich color depth. The G16’s Digic 6 processor expertly squeezes more usable detail out of its sensor, evidenced in cleaner shadows and better highlight control compared to the noisier, limited dynamic range of the A490’s CCD.

In practical terms: landscapes and portraits taken on the G16 deliver noticeably more vibrant colors and fine texture detail, a boon for enthusiasts wanting to make large prints or do careful editing.

Screens and Viewfinders: Your Window to the Scene

The A490 sports a modest 2.5-inch fixed LCD with low resolution (a mere 115k dots), which felt limiting the moment I tried reviewing images outdoors on a sunny day - the brightness and clarity leave much to be desired. The G16 upgrades this to a 3-inch fixed TFT PureColor II LCD with 922k dots, offering sharper previews and ease of manual focusing.

Also, the G16 impressively adds an optical tunnel viewfinder covering about 80% of the scene - a feature absent in the A490. While not pin-sharp or 100% frame-accurate, it’s a welcome tool for street photography and situations where LCD glare hampers visibility.

Through real-world use, the G16’s set-up makes a difference when you want to nail focus or compose precisely fast, especially in bright daylight or low light where a proper viewfinder trumps a dim screen.

Sample Shots Speak Volumes: Images in Real Life

What’s a camera without output? I made side-by-side test shots of various scenes - portraits, landscapes, and everyday street frames.

Canon A490 front Canon A490 screen back Canon G16 front Canon G16 screen back

Portraits from the G16 show lovely skin tone rendering with restrained noise at ISO 800, decent background separation thanks in part to the f/1.8-2.8 bright lens, and responsive face detection autofocus that keeps eyes sharp. The A490's imagery, while competent in bright light, exhibits softness and more aggressive noise creeping in beyond ISO 200, making it less ideal for portraits requiring nuance.

Landscape shots affirm the G16’s wider focal length coverage (28-140mm vs 37-122mm on A490) and superior dynamic range, capturing skies with more gradation and foreground detail without snagging highlight clipping. Contrast is more controlled. The A490 images needed careful exposure compensation to avoid blown highlights.

Zoom and Lens Performance: Flexibility vs Brightness

The A490 sports a 3.3x optical zoom covering 37-122 mm equivalent range with variable aperture F3.0-5.8, whereas the G16 boasts a 5x zoom from 28-140mm with a significantly brighter F1.8-2.8 aperture. This lens difference is pivotal.

In the field, the G16 lens’s wide-angle 28mm allows more encompassing shots - better for landscapes, architecture, and group photos - while its bright aperture supports low-light shooting and shallower depth of field effects (hello, creamy bokeh). The A490’s narrower zoom range and slower lens limit framing creativity and low light capabilities.

Autofocus Systems: Speed and Accuracy Matters

Here’s where the G16 really flexes experience: it features a contrast-detection autofocus system with 9 focus points and face detection, offering continuous AF and tracking modes. By contrast, the A490 has just five focus points, only supports single AF, and lacks face detection or tracking.

During brisk street shooting, the G16’s autofocus locks onto moving subjects quickly and maintains accuracy in changing scenes - critical for capturing peak moments without missing focus. The A490's autofocus felt sluggish, often hunting in dimmer environments or when subjects moved, frustrating for anything beyond casual use.

Burst Rate and Shutter Speeds: For Action and Timing

Sports and wildlife shooters will appreciate the G16’s 12 fps burst mode - sharp enough for capturing fleeting gestures - plus a top shutter speed of 1/4000 sec that tames bright light and fast action. The A490’s single frame per second burst and 1/2000 sec max shutter are modest by comparison, a factor limiting its usability for action or decisive moments.

Sensible Features: Stabilization, Flash, and Video

Optical image stabilization is absent on the A490, meaning longer exposures or telephoto shots risk motion blur without a tripod. The G16 incorporates Optical IS, a significant advantage for hand-held low light or telephoto shooting.

Both cameras have built-in flashes but the G16’s flash range extends to 7 meters with more flexible modes, including red-eye reduction and slow sync, plus external flash compatibility - features valuable in professional or creative lighting.

Video capabilities drastically separate these two. The A490 can record VGA (640x480) video at 30fps, barely qualifying as video in 2024 terms. The G16, meanwhile, offers full HD 1080p video at 60fps with H.264 compression, creating usable footage for casual video and hybrid shooting. The A490 lacks external mic inputs; so does the G16, but the video quality and frame rates are worlds apart.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

The A490 runs on two AA batteries - a convenience for those traveling in remote locales without dedicated chargers but a nuisance when hunting longer shoots due to inconsistent power delivery.

The G16 employs a proprietary rechargeable lithium-ion battery (NB-10L) rated for approximately 360 shots per charge, a much more stable power solution for extended outings.

Storage-wise, the A490 supports older formats (SC/SDHC/MMC/HC MMCplus), while the G16 supports SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, enabling use of higher capacity, faster cards for video and burst-heavy shooting.

Connectivity is a weak spot for both cameras. The A490 has only USB 2.0 with no wireless features, while the G16 adds built-in Wi-Fi for smooth image transfer and remote control - handy in today’s social media-centric workflows.

Durability and Build Quality: Surviving the Elements

Neither camera offers weather sealing or ruggedized protection, typical for compacts of their times and classes. The G16’s robust build and tighter construction feel better able to survive rougher handling but don’t expect miracle waterproofing or dust resistance in either.

Price and Value: What Do You Get for Your Money?

When comparing the A490’s sub-$100 price (street new or used) to the G16’s approximately $500 listing at launch, the gulf in performance is evident but expected. The A490 is an entry-level compact ideal for travelers who want an automatic point-and-shoot at a bargain price with minimal fuss. The G16, aimed at serious amateurs, justifies its price with advanced features, better image quality, and manual control.

If you measure “bang for buck” purely in specs, the G16 wins hands down. However, if budget constraints or extreme portability are your primary drivers, the A490 still offers serviceable basics.

How They Score Across Photography Genres

Breaking down their strengths by photographic application reveals how each camera fits into distinct niches.

Final Takeaways: Who Should Buy Which Camera?

Choose the Canon PowerShot A490 if:

• Your budget cannot stretch beyond extreme entry-level compacts.
• You want something fuss-free for snapshots, family events, or casual travel.
• Battery availability (AA cells) and very small size/weight are critical.
• Manual controls and advanced performance are low priorities.

The A490 is quaint, simple, and was straightforward for its time. But it’s basically an auto-box with limited creative ambition.

Opt for the Canon PowerShot G16 if you:

• Desire a compact but serious camera for enthusiast photography with manual control.
• Need better image quality, low light performance, and faster autofocus.
• Are interested in video shooting beyond the basics.
• Want a camera amenable for street, portrait, and travel shooting thanks to versatile lens and controls.
• Appreciate additional features such as image stabilization, burst shooting, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The G16 punches well above its size, lying close to the line between enthusiast compact and mirrorless beginner. It’s a joy to use and rewards effort in photographic technique.

Wrapping Up: Compact Canon Cameras Then and Now

The PowerShot A490 and G16 symbolize two eras and ends of the compact camera spectrum. The A490 is a modest starter kit with straightforward operation and a small sensor that limits quality. The G16, on the other hand, is a thoughtfully engineered enthusiast tool that can handle demanding shooting conditions with aplomb.

My own journey with cameras affirms this duality: sometimes you want the simple grab-and-go, other times the controls and quality that let you stretch creativity. When selecting, weigh your priorities - if budget is king and personal growth in photography isn’t a goal, the A490 makes sense. But for those seeking a compact companion to flex artistic muscles, the G16 remains an excellent vintage choice worthy of consideration, especially on the used market today.

Thanks for reading this detailed comparison - may your next camera pick bring both joy and images that tell your story.