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Canon A490 vs Canon S100

Portability
93
Imaging
33
Features
10
Overall
23
Canon PowerShot A490 front
 
Canon PowerShot S100 front
Portability
93
Imaging
36
Features
48
Overall
40

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Key Specs

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
  • Launched January 2010
Canon S100
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.0-5.9) lens
  • 198g - 99 x 60 x 28mm
  • Introduced December 2011
  • Earlier Model is Canon S95
  • Later Model is Canon S110
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Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Overview

Let's take a closer look at the Canon A490 vs Canon S100, both Small Sensor Compact cameras and both of them are created by Canon. The sensor resolution of the A490 (10MP) and the S100 (12MP) is relatively comparable but the A490 (1/2.3") and S100 (1/1.7") possess different sensor measurements.

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The A490 was unveiled 23 months before the S100 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting through a full comparison, below is a simple overview of how the A490 scores versus the S100 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Canon A490 over the Canon S100

 A490 S100 

Reasons to pick Canon S100 over the Canon A490

 S100 A490 
IntroducedDecember 2011January 2010More recent by 23 months
Manually focus Dial exact focus
Screen sizing3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution461k115kClearer screen (+346k dot)

Common features in the Canon A490 and Canon S100

 A490 S100 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Neither comes with Touch screen

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Physical Comparison

In case you're intending to lug around your camera, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Canon A490 comes with outside measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) while the Canon S100 has measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Contrast the Canon A490 vs Canon S100 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have during that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the A490 vs the S100.

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A490 and S100 is 93 and 93 respectively.

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 top view buttons comparison

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Sensor Comparison

Typically, it's hard to picture the contrast in sensor measurements just by seeing specifications. The graphic below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the A490 and S100.

To sum up, both of these cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The A490 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Canon S100 will produce more detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The older A490 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 sensor size comparison

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon A490 Portrait photography advice
Canon S100 Portrait photography advice
19
lack of manual focus
no manual control
no external flash support
MP count low (10 megapixels)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
44
focusing manually
high flash sync (1/2,000 seconds)
provides face detect focus
supports RAW files
can't use external flash
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
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Street Comparison

Canon A490 as a Street photography camera
Canon S100 as a Street photography camera
46
fixed screen
no image stabilization
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
65
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW files
fixed screen
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
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Sports Comparison

Canon A490 Sports photography highlights
Canon S100 Sports photography highlights
16
max frames per second low (1.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority
no image stabilization
MP count low (10MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lack of phase detect auto focus
32
has image stabilization (Optical)
provides tracking focus
slow frames per second (2.0 frames per second)
sensor resolution not great (12 megapixels)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
terrible battery pack (200 per charge)
lacks phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Canon A490 Travel photography advice
Canon S100 Travel photography advice
50
built-in flash
does not have Timelapse function
MP count low (10 megapixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
wide angle not great (37mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
61
has built in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
does not have Timelapse recording
terrible battery pack (200 CIPA)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Canon A490 Landscape photography highlights
Canon S100 Landscape photography highlights
22
lack of manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not great (37mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
screen is small (2.5")
no manual control
no image stabilization
MP count low (10MP)
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lack of RAW files
does not have Timelapse function
50
focusing manually
pretty wide (24mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports RAW files
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
sensor resolution not great (12MP)
sensor size is small (1/1.7")
terrible battery pack (200 per charge)
does not have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon A490 Vlogging details
Canon S100 Vlogging details
21
wide angle not great (37mm)
sluggish max aperture (f3.0)
screen isn't selfie friendly
no image stabilization
low res video (640 x 480 pxls)
does not have microphone socket
36
pretty wide (24mm)
very good max aperture (f2.0)
has image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detect focus
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
does not have microphone port
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Canon A490 vs Canon S100 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon A490 and Canon S100
 Canon PowerShot A490Canon PowerShot S100
General Information
Company Canon Canon
Model Canon PowerShot A490 Canon PowerShot S100
Category Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Compact
Launched 2010-01-05 2011-12-22
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - Digic 5
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/1.7"
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 7.44 x 5.58mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 41.5mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 12MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 1:1, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Max native ISO 1600 6400
Minimum native ISO 80 80
RAW format
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points 5 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 37-122mm (3.3x) 24-120mm (5.0x)
Highest aperture f/3.0-5.8 f/2.0-5.9
Macro focus range 1cm 3cm
Crop factor 5.8 4.8
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 2.5 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 115k dot 461k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Min shutter speed 15 seconds 15 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/2000 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 1.0fps 2.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 3.00 m 7.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Max flash sync - 1/2000 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (24 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps) 640 x 480 (120, 30 fps), 320 x 240 (240, 30 fps)
Max video resolution 640x480 1920x1080
Video file format Motion JPEG H.264, Motion JPEG
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 175 gr (0.39 lbs) 198 gr (0.44 lbs)
Dimensions 94 x 62 x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") 99 x 60 x 28mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested 50
DXO Color Depth score not tested 20.7
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 11.6
DXO Low light score not tested 153
Other
Battery life - 200 images
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Battery model 2 x AA NB-5L
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom, Face) Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom)
Time lapse recording
Storage media SC/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots One One
Cost at release $99 $429