Canon A480 Review

Name: Canon PowerShot A480
Brand: Canon

Select a Camera to Compare

Add a Camera for comparison

Main Features

10MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

37-122 mm F3.0-5.8 Zoom Lens

2.50" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

140g. 92 x 62 x 31 mm

CHECK PRICE

Canon A480 Overview

First introduced in January 2009 , Canon PowerShot A480 is a 10.0MP Ultracompact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and 3.3x zoom 37-122 mm F3.0-5.8 lens.

Canon A480 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Other Features
Lens
Photography Type Scores
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

Canon A480 is a member of Canon's Ultracompact class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

Canon Ultracompact Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Canon ELPH 360 HS Compare	2016	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	2.5 fps	100 x 58 x 23mm	147g
Canon ELPH 190 IS Compare	2016	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	0.8 fps	95 x 57 x 24mm	138g
Canon ELPH 180 Compare	2016	20.0MP - 1/2.3"	0.8 fps	95 x 54 x 22mm	126g
Canon ELPH 350 HS Compare	2015	20.0MP - 1/2.3"	2.5 fps	100 x 58 x 23mm	147g
Canon 170 IS Compare	2015	20.0MP - 1/2.3'	0.8 fps	100 x 58 x 23mm	141g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side by side:
Canon 360 HS vs 190 IS vs ELPH 180 vs 350 HS vs 170 IS

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Canon A480 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our Canon A480 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

140g Light Body

32 MB Internal Storage

Report a correction

Buy Canon A480 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No External Flash Shoe

No Full HD Video

No Touch Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No RAW Shooting

No Face Detection Focusing

Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP

Max Sensitivity only ISO 1.600

Only 5 Focus Points

Small LCD Screen ( 2.50")

Low Screen Resolution ( 115kdots )

Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps

No Manual Focusing

No Manual Exposure

No Environmental Sealing

37 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage

Optical Zoom only 3.3X

Slow Lens at Wide: f3.00

Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80

Report a correction

Canon A480 Physical Specs

Canon A480 weighs 140 g (0.31 lb / 4.94 oz) and has external dimensions of 92 x 62 x 31 mm (3.62 x 2.44 x 1.22″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Canon A480 is a remarkably light camera for its class. With a thickness of 31mm, it has an average thickness for its class.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon A480

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

Canon A480

Min

Average

Max

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Canon A480, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the Canon A480 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Canon A480 with its main competitors:

Canon A480 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs A480	Thickness	vs A480
Kodak Easyshare M5370 Compare	150g	10g heavier	19mm	12mm thinner
Canon ELPH 360 HS Compare	147g	7g heavier	23mm	8mm thinner
Olympus E-M10 IV Compare	383g	243g heavier	49mm	18mm thicker
Canon SX610 HS Compare	191g	51g heavier	27mm	4mm thinner
Nikon A100 Compare	119g	21g lighter	20mm	11mm thinner
Fujifilm A150 Compare	130g	10g lighter	22mm	9mm thinner
Canon ELPH 180 Compare	126g	14g lighter	22mm	9mm thinner
Canon A495 Compare	175g	35g heavier	31mm	equal thickness

Weather Sealing

Canon A480 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

Canon A480 Lens

Canon A480 features a 37-122 mm F3.0-5.8 3.3× zoom lens. With a focal length of only 37mm on the wide end, the camera doesn't have wide angle capability at all. However, 122mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

A480

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

A480

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

With a max aperture of f3.00 at 37mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end, and it is slow at the tele end with its max aperture of f5.80.

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

A480

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

A480

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Canon A480 Sensor and Photography Features

Canon A480 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. A480 has a native ISO range of 80 - 1600 but unfortunately, Canon A480 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7000 or Canon PowerShot S100 in the same price range.

Canon A480 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. GoPro Hero11 Black with its 27.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Canon A480 vs GoPro Hero11 Black or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the Canon A480's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of Canon A480 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

Canon A480 LCD

Canon A480 has a Fixed Type 2.50-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 115k dots. At only 2.50", the screen is on the smaller side and 115kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.

Unfortunately Canon PowerShot A480 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Compact Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

A480 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7800 (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Compact cameras with viewfinder..

Canon A480 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

Canon A480 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

Canon A480 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Kodak Easyshare M5370 Compare	1280 x 720	shots	No	No	No
Canon ELPH 360 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	180shots	Yes	No	Yes
Olympus E-M10 IV Compare	3840 x 2160	360shots	Yes	Yes	No
Canon SX610 HS Compare	1920 x 1080	270shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon A100 Compare	1280 x 720	250shots	No	No	No
Fujifilm A150 Compare	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No
Canon ELPH 180 Compare	1280 x 720	220shots	No	No	No
Canon A495 Compare	640 x 480	shots	No	No	No

Canon A480 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

Canon A480 can shoot continuously at max speed of 1 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately A480 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

Focusing

Canon A480 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 5 points to choose from.

What type of Photography is Canon A480 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Canon A480 in 5 different photography areas.

Canon A480 for Portrait Photography

Canon A480 has a score of 10 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theA480.

Read the details of how we scored Canon A480 for Portrait Photography

Canon A480 for Street Photography

Canon A480 has a score of 28 for Street Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Street We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list and consider these alternatives over theA480.

Live-view

Small Body

Read the details of how we scored Canon A480 for Street Photography

Canon A480 for Sports Photography

Canon A480 has a score of 14 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theA480.

Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s

122 mm Tele Lens

Read the details of how we scored Canon A480 for Sports Photography

Canon A480 for Daily Photography

Canon A480 has a score of 44 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Compact Body

140g

Read the details of how we scored Canon A480 for Daily Photography

Canon A480 for Landscape Photography

Canon A480 has a score of 13 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theA480.

Read the details of how we scored Canon A480 for Landscape Photography

Canon A480 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Canon A480 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of Canon A480 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Canon A480

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Canon A480 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Kodak Easyshare M5370

Compare

Compare

Compare

Compare

Compare

Compare

Compare

Compare

Canon A480 Alternatives in Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Canon A480 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Canon A480's price range.

Canon A480 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, Canon A480 has an Overall Score of 24/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. Canon PowerShot A480 is ranked #587 out of 631 in Compact cameras (Top 20 Compact), and ranked #1216 out of 1259 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#1216 out of 1259 in Top Ranking Cameras
#587 out of 631 in Top Ranking Compact Cameras
#136 out of 152 in Top Ranking Ultracompact Cameras
#700 out of 740 in Top Ranking Small Sensor Sensor Cameras
#149 out of 536 in Lightest Compact Cameras with Small Sensor sensor(140g)
#873 out of 918 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
Geek Score: 0

Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.

Frequently Asked Questions about Canon A480

Does the Canon A480 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Canon A480 have RAW support?
Does the Canon A480 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Canon A480 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Canon A480?
What is the Sensor Size of Canon A480?
is the Canon A480 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Canon A480 have Touch Screen?
Does the Canon A480 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Canon A480?
What is the Weight of Canon A480?
What are the Dimensions of Canon A480?

Canon PowerShot A480 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Canon
Model	Canon PowerShot A480
Announced	2009-01-15
Body Type	Ultracompact
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	37-122 mm (3.3×)
Max Aperture	F3.0-5.8
Macro Focus Range	1cm
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	2.50"
Screen Resolution	115k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	15s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/2000s
Max Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	n/a
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/500s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CCD
Sensor Size	1/2.3-inch
Sensor Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Sensor Area	28.07mm²
Sensor Resolution	10 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	3648 x 2736
Max Native ISO	1,600
Min Native ISO	80
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	5
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max Video Resolution	640 x 480
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	140g
Physical Dimensions	92 x 62 x 31mm
Battery Model	2 x AA
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec, custom)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SC/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus, internal
Storage Slots	1