The Canon A570 IS is an affordable camera that doesn’t compromise on quality – it takes excellent pictures and has many of the same features of more pricey cameras. It is also durable and easy to hold. That last feature might not seem important, but having that hand grip to hang on to while chasing after your kids can make all the difference.

This camera’s zoom is a useful 4x, which is more than usual for small cameras, and is especially notable in a budget camera. The A570 IS also has many features usually reserved for higher end models, like face recognition and Canon’s Digic III processor, so you won’t be waiting for the camera and miss that perfect shot. The image stabilizer is being implemented by Canon and other companies across their ranges, and that is just great for us consumers. Small cameras like this one, especially when zoomed, benefit from all the anti-shake/blur help they can get.

As with many similar cameras, the A570 IS uses AA batteries for its power rather than a camera-specific battery. This lowers the cost of the camera and also provides a nice side benefit, which is that in case you run out, batteries are probably available everywhere.