These images show many differences between the two cameras. Colors are obviously different, with the Canon A720 showing colors which are closer to reality. The F480, being more consumer-oriented, exaggerates the red channel to produce a more vivid but less realistic image. Exposure is very similar, with both cameras choosing the same shutter-speed and a nearly identical apertures (F4.4 vs F4.5). Although exposures are similar, the F480 produces a brighter image, which suggests that the F480 is more sensitive to light. In other words. In other words, these two cameras have different interpretation of ISO sensitivities.

With regards to ISO performance, we can clearly see that both the Fuji and the Canon have to balance noise and detail at each ISO setting. As expected, both cameras produced sharp an clean ISO 100 images. At ISO 200, noise is still very subtle but the images became a tad softer, showing that noise-reduction is already kicking in. As we get to ISO 400, images from both cameras become noticeably more noisy and softer. This trend continues into ISO 800, and into ISO 1600 for the A720. The main difference here is that Fuji appears to be applying stronger noise-reduction which produces less noisy but softer images. We would say that until ISO 400, both cameras can pull-off a good mid-size print (12"x9"). ISO 800 is noisy enough that noise is visible on all but small print sizes, say 4"x5 1/3".