The Ixus 40 - Getting old, but still able to delight. (Canon Digital Ixus 40)

Member Name: boboshady

Product:	Canon Digital Ixus 40
Date:	07/10/07 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap on the second hand market, great quality in build and picture

Disadvantages: only 4MP - but does this really matter on a Point and Shoot?

Canon have always been at the forefront of the Point and Shoot digital camera market, and the Ixus 40 is another example of how to do this kind of thing just right.

The camera it'self is extremely small - it's shorter than an average mobile phone, although slightly wider and thicker.

It's definitely small and light enough to sit comfortably in your trouser pocket all day (as mine often does!). The weight is just enough that you don't feel it will break the first time you drop it.

As well as the basic job of taking pictures, you also get the usual additional features such as movies (in numerous formats), different types of settings for sports, lowlight, portrait etc, and you can also flick the thing onto manual and change the settings yourself.

All the oft-used features, such as picture browsing, deleting and zoom etc are located on dedicated buttons on the camera, easily accessible with your right hand.

I've always loved the Ixus range of cameras (this is my second) for several reasons:

1. Build Quality - Utterly, utterly rock solid cameras. I've dropped mine many times, and all that normally happens is the battery will go flying. Just put it back together and all is well.

The last time I dropped it onto a stone floor, the focus and zoom stopped working - I thought I'd finally killed it. However, I *literally* banged it against the table a couple of times and it works perfectly again. Priceless.

2. Picture Quality - For such a small camera, the lens it has is wonderful, and really lets you sap every one of those 4MP onto the picture. The camera is also very good at shooting in the dark, without flash.

Generally, the pictures from the camera are clean and crisp, with good colour definition.

3. Battery Life - Again, amazing. This camera spends most of it's life in my bag just so I always have a camera with me, and it's rare I'd dragged it out after not using it for a couple of weeks to find it needing a charge. In daily use, I regularily get a weekend's worth of partying / picture taking from it (a couple of hundred shots, most with flash). Plus, Canon kindly give you two batteries in the box, so you're always ready to shoot!

But you're still reeling at the lowly 4MP, right? Well, you realy needn't. Firstly, remember you'll be getting this camera at a fraction of the cost of a new, 'higher resolution' camera.

Secondly, especially with Point and Shoot cameras, your picture quality will be affected more by the quality of the lens and processing hardware than it will by the actual MegaPixel rating - don't assume that a higher MP will give you a better picture.

Thirdly, think about where you'll ultimately be using these pictures. Whilst it's nice to think you've got the best quality picture you could, chances are for the most part you'll be sharing them on a website, or via email, or on your ipod, or even just on the camera it'self...all of which are not ideal medium's for blastingly high quality pictures. If you're looking for using the pictures professionally, then you'd not be looking at a point and shoot anyway.

Although this camera is now several revisions out of date, and it's lowly 4MP resolution seems pitifully small with the latest offerings, this camera delivers great results and what are now bargain secondhand prices. Well worth buying and leaving in your bag just so you're never caught without a camera.

Summary: Get on eBay, get one of these cheap, and spend the rest of your life loving it!

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