Unbiased digital camera reviews, advice, and prices
Note: this camera was first sold in Sep 2007. There may be newer versions available.
Canon Powershot A650 IS
Canon Powershot A650 IS
B-
HQ Grade: B-
A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras.
B means they are good, with some standout features.
C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth.
D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs.
  • 4 out of 5
"a"
  • 5 out of 5
"Great Camera"
See rating based on 318 user reviews
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Question Possibly Answered (2 points for the best answer)
Dan Coggins (dinosauraldan) 0 pts
September 16, 2008 2:04 PM

Canon A650 IS PowerShot - very happy with it, but is it possible to alter the MP's down from 12.1 to say 6MP for smaller files?

I'm otherwise very happy with it, but would like to alter the MP's down from 12.1 to say 6MP for smaller files- is that possible? What I want is 1/2 or even 1/4 size files (average pic is 2.5 - 3.0 MB right now, and I'd prefer say 1 or 1.5 MB) Can't see any obvious references on how to do this in the manual or even palying with the camera menu functions. Help, please!?
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Answers This question has replies but the author has not yet indicated whether it's answered after a long time. Can you answer the question, or post a clarifying follow-up?
Aditya D (Adhere) 7462 pts
September 17, 2008 1:27 AM
1 people rated this answer helpful, 0 people rated this answer not helpful
 
Basically there's two ways to do this, one in the camera before shooting the picture, one after shooting the picture. First, there should be an option in the camera that lets you choose the picture size (under the menu), choosing a smaller size will lower your megapixel count, and is probably the easiest way if you want the megapixels lowered on all of the pictures. The second is, after you transfer all of the pictures to your computer, find a batch image resizer (just search on google, there are tons), then download that and resize all of your images as small as you want them after that.
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by James DeRuvo (byjamesderuvo) 58445 pts
September 18, 2008 2:55 PM
1 people rated this answer helpful, 0 people rated this answer not helpful
 
Setting your camera to a lower setting doesn't help. Essentially, the image is reduced to the set quality after it has been processed by the CCD. As such, the light still goes through those pixels, only that after some basic processing steps pixels "thrown out" to make the image to the desired setting and size. This process is called "Choking" and that will cause Artifacting and noise. Additionlly, you'll also loose details of the recorded image.

Some cameras have written into their firmware a process called "binning," which merges the signals of multiple pixels to make larger pixels. Usually at a 4-1 ration. This will essentially turn a 12-megapixel camera into a 3-megapixel camera. And that gives you the opposite problem of too many pixels on the chip ... you now have too few and as such, will run into artifacting instead of noise.
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Larry (logcabiny) 4897 pts
March 22, 2009 2:12 AM
0 people rated this answer helpful, 0 people rated this answer not helpful
 
In camera -- press func. button, scroll to size, choose size (L, M1, M2, M3, S, Postcard), press func. button to set it.
In computer -- download Picasa3 FREE from Google and use to organize photos and resize as well as adjust exposure, etc.
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