Slim, stylish and more than capable (Canon Digital Ixus 100 IS)

Member Name: rabidbadger

Product:	Canon Digital Ixus 100 IS
Date:	02/09/09 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small, Stylish, Auto modes work well, Image Stabilization

Disadvantages: HD Video capability

The Canon Ixus 100 IS is the successor to the Ixus 85 IS model, now with 12.1 megapixels instead of the old 10. The 2.5" screen is retained, as is the optical viewfinder and the 3x zoom capability, but the Ixus 100 IS is packed with new features.

Video can now be recorded in HD (720p format) and an HDMI port has been added for viewing your pics on the latest HD televisions. The 100 IS also gets a new DIGIC 4 processor, Autofocus Tracking and Auto Scene Detection!

The dimensions have changed in proportion, being a whole millimetre wider than its predecessor, another millimetre taller, but 2mm slimmer with an incredible depth of only 18.4mm. The weight stays about the same at less than 130g and, being similar in size to an iPod, it is very easy to carry around in your shirt pocket/handbag. Indeed, the similarity with the iPod doesn't end at the size. They share the same round-shouldered design - no sharp edges here - and both come in a range of colours: silver, black, gold and red in this case.

For a small camera, it is surprisingly easy to hold and sits well in the hand, with all the controls seemingly in the best place. A well thought out design.

If we take a trip around the camera, there is a tripod mount on the bottom, along with the battery compartment (dedicated rechargeable battery) which also houses the SD memory card. The majority of the control buttons are on the right-hand side of the back, together with a rubber flap that hides the AV/HDMI output. Obviously the screen takes up a lot of the back and the lens takes up a lot of the front, with the shutter button/zoom bezel on the top.

The 3x zoom lens now has a range of 33-100mm and the action is stepped allowing seven settings - this feels solid and easy to control - and, unlike a lot of the modern compact cameras, has an optical viewfinder; always a plus in my book.

At this point, I wonder how much people are swayed by big numbers. Does everyone want the most megapixels and the biggest zoom for their money? The 3x zoom is perfectly adequate for taking holiday snaps, party photos, landscapes, and even the odd wildlife picture if you can get close enough to your subject. This is where you have to decide what you will primarily be using it for.

The LCD screen is clear and bright and the menus appear superimposed along the left side, with the options coming up along the bottom. This is easy to use with large icons. The screen incorporates a 3x3 composition grid but no histogram for the purists - but the purists won't be reading this anyway, they will be striding around with a light-meter in one hand and a roll of monochrome film in the other.

What the Ixus 100 IS lacks in manual usability, it more than makes up for with the quality of its automatic features. The Autofocus is fast and accurate. The Auto-exposure works well and is complemented by the iContrast feature, and the Face-Detection works supremely well and effortlessly.

Noise is always going to be a concern with a 12mp sensor so small (1/2.3 inches or 8.8mm x 6.6mm) but the Ixus 100 IS does make a good effort to eliminate this and I have seen much worse results from the same size sensor.

As with all the Ixus IS range, the Ixus 100 IS features Image Stabilization (hence the IS) and there are 18 preset scene modes to shoot in - although, curiously, Landscape seems to be missing while Underwater is present??

I am not at all keen on the Video capability. It is cited as one of the selling points with a 1280 x 720 HD resolution (30fps) but I found it to be a little jerky and washed-out.

Summary: An outstanding camera for the price and a stylish party accessory

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