Canon IXUS i5 review

Gallery

Verdict:

Review Date: 20 Jan 2005

Price when reviewed: inc VAT

Reviewed By: David McKinnon

Our Rating 4 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

Canon's ultra-compact IXUS i5 is one of the smallest 5-megapixel cameras around.

Available in a range of colours, its chic understated styling makes it as much a fashion accessory as digital camera. Although the front panel is plastic, the metal body feels reassuringly solid. There is no viewfinder, so shots have to be framed using the bright 1.5" LCD.

With a fixed focus lens, the only way to zoom without resorting to the digital zoom is to get closer to your target. This makes framing a picture harder, but the inclusion of a zoom lens would result in a more cumbersome body.

Functionally the IXUS i5 is a point-and-shoot camera designed to take great pictures with little user input and it does a good job. Colours are recorded accurately even with flash, so there isn't much call for the manual white balance tool.

Exposure is also well managed. Most shots are well metered with subtle contrast maintained within bright areas, although there is clear evidence of purple fringing on the border of very bright areas. Overall though, it is very easy to achieve excellent results with this camera.

A slider switch makes easy work of changing between playback, still and movie modes, and the menu system is clear and simple to navigate. Five still shooting modes are available, including a macro mode for close-up and a stitch assist mode to aid with panorama photos. Most of the time this camera should be left in Automatic mode, however, as it performs perfectly well for 90 per cent of situations.

The IXUS i5 looks great and produces sharp, well-balanced pictures. Designer styling attracts a premium price, but with no zoom lens, £226 seems just a bit too much for an otherwise superb camera.

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