Canon PowerShot A490 review

Canon surprises with this sub-£100 compact camera

canon powershot a490
The Canon PowerShot A490 is one of the cheapest Canon compacts yet released

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We tested the Canon PowerShot A490 at each ISO setting. Here are the results:

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Dave is a professional photographer whose work has appeared everywhere from National Geographic to the Guardian. Along the way he’s been commissioned to shoot zoo animals, luxury tech, the occasional car, countless headshots and the Northern Lights. As a videographer he’s filmed gorillas, talking heads, corporate events and the occasional penguin. He loves a good gadget but his favourite bit of kit (at the moment) is a Canon EOS T80 35mm film camera he picked up on eBay for £18.

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