Canon A490
- 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
- Introduced January 2010
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
93 Imaging
33 Features
10 Overall
23
Canon A490 overview
Canon A490 is Canon's Small Sensor Compact digital camera first released on January of 2010. It features a 10 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a peak resolution of 3648 x 2736.
The A490 stands at #257 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras & all round #1260 out of 1465 for cameras in our collection. You can test our Smart camera finder to get camera listings based on your custom factors.
The following is a diagram of different criteria used in the scoring system.
Canon A490 history
The Canon A490 has a history of related cameras. Down below, you can check out all past and current models as well as main features.
F3.0-5.810MP1/2.3"2010
Canon A490 Gallery
You can look at the A490 from several angles in the gallery below.
Canon A490 Pros and Cons
Here is a shortlist of pros and cons of the Canon A490 based on features which are oftentimes seen as important in a digital camera.
Canon A490 Sensor specs
The sensor spec in the Canon A490 is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to resolve 3648 x 2736 pixels using aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9.
Apple Innovates by Creating Next-Level Optical Stabilization for iPhoneThe CCD sensor has 10MP and includes a standard ISO range of 80 - 1600. Unfortunately, RAW format is not saved so you have less room to maneuver in post.
The picture underneath illustrates the A490's sensor size in comparison to other popular sizes. The A490 sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is presented in green.
Sora from OpenAI releases its first ever music videoTo get an understanding of specific aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.
Canon A490 dimensions
Canon A490 has a weight of 0.39 lbs (175 gr or 6.17 ounces) & has external measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2"). The weight of general Small Sensor Compact camera is 174 gr so the Canon A490 is very similar when compared with other competitors.
Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next monthDown below is a shot of the Canon A490 next to a soda so you can get a feel for its size.
The top view underneath will show you the button design on the A490.
Canon A490 Lens details
The A490 has got a built-in lens offering a focal range of 37-122mm giving it a 3.3 x zoom which might not be very good however it may be invaluable in a few scenarios.
At it's widest 37mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.0 which is fairly sluggish and not the best for low light circumstances and you might find it difficult to get good bokeh. You could also have to up your ISO setting causing noisy shots. Towards the long end, 122mm comes to f5.8 making it really sluggish and you would have to set slower shutter speeds.
Canon A490 Connectivity
The A490 has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
Cameras that have NFC and / or Bluetooth connectivity are able to be used wirelessly by smartphones. You can easily send files and in some cases change settings with no need to connect physically with the camera.
Certain apps also allow a Liveview and press the shutter whenever you aren't close to the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI port, it can easily be hooked up to an external display. Virtually all cameras enable you to charge the battery using the USB port.
Canon A490 Video details
The highest video resolution in the Canon A490 is 640 x 480 and you can record in Motion JPEG file format. 480p is low for today's standards. You should really go for at least 1080p resolution for decent video. The body doesn't include a microphone and / or headphone socket so you have got absolutely no control over the audio. It is probably best to look at an alternative model in case you want good audio for your videos.
Canon A490 Weather Sealing
There is no weather proofing on the Canon A490 so you have to be cautious in wet or dusty situations.
Canon A490 Screen and Viewfinder
The Canon A490 features a 2.5" fixed screen having a resolution of 115k dots.
Please be aware that the screen has no touch support.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsThe View Finder details for Canon A490 are the following:
- ViewFinder None
For sunny outdoor situations that make the camera screens washed out and tough to see, viewfinders will be pretty valuable.
Canon A490 Shutter details
Canon A490 continuous shooting rate is 1.0 fps. The max shutter speed is 1/2000 seconds.
Canon A490 Flash and Hot shoe details
Canon A490 has just integrated flash with no external flash ability.
Canon A490 Autofocus details
Canon A490 has only Contrast Detect Auto Focus & does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more quicker and precise as compared to Contrast Detect autofocusing.
The Sensor features 5 focus points to select from. Canon A490 has no manual focus. Manual focus ability is good for low light occasions or you need to have more exact depth of field control.
Canon A490 Battery life
The typical Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 comes with the highest (470) battery life for this group of cameras.
Following is a list of Small Sensor Compact cameras with the strongest battery life:
Canon A490 for different forms of photography
The following chart gives a summation of the Canon A490 for different forms of photography. To understand more, check out the specific section underneath.
Canon A490 as a Portrait photography camera
The Canon A490 gets a points tally of 19 which is horrible, and means the camera is simply not acceptable to use for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimension, RAW support plus the ability to work with off-camera lighting.
Street photography with Canon A490
With a reasonable rating of 46, the Canon A490 is fairly appropriate to buy for street photography. A very good street photography camera gives a fine balance of picture quality plus portability.
Canon A490 as a Sports photography camera
A horrible sports photography rating of 16 means the Canon A490 is simply not acceptable for taking photos of sports. A camera really should have excellent autofocus plus shutter speeds for sports photography.
Canon A490 Travel photography info
Weight is very important when selecting a travel camera. On the whole, the Canon A490 gets a decent 50 as a travel camera which is fairly acceptable for your trips.
Canon A490 Landscape photography features
For anybody planning to choose a digital camera for landscape photography, the biggest factor will be image quality. The Canon A490 at it's horrible rating of 22 as a landscape camera is simply not acceptable among it's competitors.
Canon A490 Vlogging factors
A camera for vlogging really should offer a articulating display, mic input and if possible image stabilization. Considering all the details, the Canon A490 is simply not acceptable for vlogging as it gets a horrible score of 21.
Canon A490 Alternatives
If you want alternatives to the A490, below is a list of the highest ranked cameras that fall in to the family of Small Sensor Compact.
The chart down below shows you a bird's eye view of the A490 versus it's highest ranked competitors shown earlier.
These are some more cameras you may have a look at as alternatives. To review a thorough comparison, just click on the "compare" link.