Digital Camera Comparison

 

Canon A50 vs. Fuji MX1700

Features

Canon A50

Fuji MX1700

Street Price (Cdn$)

$679

$779 - $100 mail-in rebate

Resolution

1280x960 (1.3 MegaPixel)

1280x1024 (1.5 MegaPixel)

Lens

2.5x Optical Zoom

28-70mm (35mm equivalent)

3x Optical + 4x Digital Zoom

38-114mm (35mm equivalent)

Power

NiMH Rechargable with AC adapter as a separate charger

Lithium Ion Recharagable with AC adapter (camera used as charger)

Storage Media

Compact Flash (8MB included)

SmartMedia (8MB included)

Download

Serial Port

Serial Port

Macro

Yes

Yes

LCD

2"

2"

Continuous shots

Yes

Yes

Self Timer

Yes

Yes

Slow Shutter Sync

Yes

Yes

Preview before save

No

Yes

Panoramic photo

Hardware/Software Assist:

Horizontal, Vertical, and 2x2 Matrix

N/A

TV video out

Yes

Yes

Auto Focus

With AE/AF Lock

With AE/AF Lock

Built-in Flash

Yes

Yes

White Balance Control

Auto and Manual

Auto and Manual

Exposure Compensation

Yes

Yes

Built-in Special Effects

N/A

B&W, Sepia, Silver Sparks, Rainbow Sparks

Weight

9oz

8oz

 

Canon A50

Pros

Cons

Look and work like a regular 35mm camera

Camera settings slower and more difficult to access

28mm wide angle lens

Resolution a bit low and image not very sharp

Panorama photo stitching mode makes creation of panorama/360degree photos easy

Color too red

Bright lens (F2.6 aperture at 28mm)

No preview before save

Rechargable battery lasts long and recharges fast

Buttons are not easy to use/press

LCD very bright and sharp

Lens hide and show everytime you choose a different mode… may easily wear out the mechanical parts soon.

 

Fuji MX1700

Pros

Cons

Higher resolution and sharper image

Odd Camera shape makes it awkward to handle

Buttons are easy to use and faster to access

Lens too dim

Allow preview before save

LCD very dim and color looks unnatural

Color more accurate though a bit fade

Battery drains fast for download and needs longer to recharge

Better zoom (3x Optical + 4x Digital)

No wide angle

Sharpness control

Built-in flash easy to be blocked by fingers

 

Verdicts:

Fuji MX1700 gives better image quality and user-friendly controls. However, the wide angle as well as the panorama photo feature make Canon A50 a better choice for fun and casual photo taking. My suggestions are:

If you tend to take professional photographs and need better image quality and control, get Fuji MX1700.

If you need a simple camera good for group pictures and trip pictures, get Canon A50 for its wide angle coverage and panorama photos.

 

14 May, 2000

Pius Lo