Last year Canon added two more commanders in its army of cameras with the introduction of the A630 and A640. While they still include many of the same options as found in their predecessors, the resolution has been increased along with many other new and exciting features.

We have for review the Power shot A630 that claims to combine a user-friendly design with advanced functionality that will appeal equally to novices and serious photo enthusiasts. Let's see how good it really is.

The 8.0-megapixel sensor allows for creative cropping while providing enough detail for large, high-quality prints. A new Safety Zoom takes advantage of the camera's high resolution to offer extra zoom magnification without affecting image quality--up to 16x zoom when shooting Small size images. Users can also activate the Digital Teleconverter to add extra telephoto reach on all shots, similar to adding a teleconverter lens to the camera.

The 4x optical zoom lens achieves a 35-140mm focal length (35mm equivalent) while allowing the camera to maintain a compact size. The lens construction incorporates 8 elements in 7 groupings, including two a spherical elements to maximize sharpness across the whole image. With a maximum aperture range of f2.8 (wide) to f4.1 (telephoto), the lens is remarkably bright at the telephoto end.

The Powers hot A630 offers users a range of versatile features for creative photography. A choice of 21 shooting modes includes Program, Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and full Manual modes for complete exposure control. A Second Curtain Sync function allows for creative flash exposures, such as light trails. Artistic photo effects can be applied in-camera during and after shooting with My Colors.

Designed with ease of use in mind, the Canon A630 offers both a range of features that make it approachable to beginners, as well as the ability to exert more control over the photographic process. For the former category of users, there's a fully automatic mode, and a generous selection of thirteen scene modes. For the latter, you'll find Manual, and Aperture Shutter Priority exposures possible, plus preset, or manual White Balance, and three Metering modes. A VGA-or-below Movie mode captures videos at a maximum of 30 frames per second, for up to one hour (or one gigabyte) per clip.

Overall this is a great camera for home use and for being on the go. It is bigger than many pocket cameras, but I have found that the swivel screen protects the screen when folded away. My wife and I also like being able to take photos of ourselves in case no one is around to help out. It is also just fun being able to rotate the screen so that people can see how they will look in the photo I am taking. The camera is still small enough to fit into a jacket pocket or a purse. It's got all the standard features and is very fast. The time to power on and take your first shot is fast so hopefully you won't miss that shot you wanted when your camera was off. You can flip the camera in a vertical or horizontal position and the photos in review mode rotate to accommodate the position the screen is in.

This camera has an automatic screen cap rather than having the old style caps that are tethered to the body of the camera. This helps when taking your first shot because it is one less thing you have to worry about when turning on the camera. It is also one less thing to lose. I believe this is the best camera in this price range. I paid about $250 from new egg. It was delivered the next day via standard shipping along with an inexpensive 1GB memory card. I recommend at least a 1GB card, which will allow you to take roughly 300 photos at a setting one step below best quality. This still allows you to print a nice 11" x 17" with no problem.

The Power Shot A630 packs a vast array of advanced features into a remarkably compact space:

* 8.0 mega pixels

* 2.5-inch vari-angle LCD screen and real-image optical viewfinder

* 4x optical zoom

* DIGIC II, iSAPS, 9-Point AiAF, FlexiZone AF/AE

* Digital teleconverter and Safety Zoom

* 21 shooting modes

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