Canon's 2004 Axx refresh — 3.2MP CCD, 3x 35-105mm f/2.8-4.8 zoom, manual modes, CompactFlash, AA power.
The PowerShot A75 was a March 2004 refresh of Canon's popular Axx budget line, updating the A70 with a redesigned grip, a larger screen and a Print/Share button for direct printing. It was later replaced by the PowerShot A510 when Canon moved the range to the smaller A5xx body.
It kept the 3.2-megapixel 1/2.7-inch CCD and 3x optical zoom covering 35-105mm equivalent at f/2.8-4.8, with DIGIC processing and 640x480 15fps video. The LCD grew to 1.8 inches, an optical viewfinder remained, images were stored on CompactFlash cards and the 200g body ran on AA batteries with the series' usual full manual control.
Like the A70 before it, the A75 works as a cheap hands-on introduction to manual exposure with the pleasant colour of mid-2000s CCDs, and the improved grip makes it the nicer of the two to hold. Its limits are the modest resolution, small-sensor noise above base ISO and short zoom.
Buyers should budget for a small CompactFlash card and reader, since a 2004 body may refuse large modern cards. AA power means it can be revived with cells from any shop; check the battery door and contacts, that the flash charges promptly, and run test shots to rule out CCD streaking seen on some compacts of this generation.