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Canon Ixus 200 IS review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £254
inc VAT

Image quality isn't the best, but the touchscreen, wide-angle lens, HD video mode and HDMI output justify the high price.

Specifications

1/2.3in 12.0-megapixel sensor, 5.0x zoom (24-120mm equivalent), 130g

http://www.lambda-tek.com/componentshop

The Ixus 200 IS is Canon’s first touchscreen camera, and it’s a joy to behold. The metal lozenge shell – available in purple, bronze, blue or silver – and contoured buttons bring to mind a luxury car.

It’s just as slick to use as it is to look at. Some touchscreen interfaces are unresponsive, but this 3in widescreen posed no such problems. It also facilitates a one-touch spot focus mode, which automatically tracks moving subjects. Buttons will always be better for some tasks, though, so we’re delighted that there’s a clutch of them to the right of the screen. They’re quite small and fiddly but the wheel that encircles the five-way pad is particularly useful for dialling in settings.

The touchscreen isn’t the only notable feature. The 5x zoom starts at an unusually wide-angle 24mm, a real boon for vistas and group photos. So too is the 720p HD video mode, which gave fantastic results in bright light and reasonable quality in gloomier conditions. Videos and photos looked superb on an HD TV via the HDMI socket.

In still-image tests, the autofocus and auto exposure proved outstandingly reliable, capturing attractive shots time after time. However, the 12-megapixel sensor captured no more detail than the two 10-megapixel cameras we reviewed this month. In fact, details were often a little softer, particularly in low light where noise reduction disguised noise but also discarded lots of detail. It’s a more aggressive approach than that of previous Canon compact cameras, but the results are arguably more appealing if you’re printing small pictures or scaling shots down to post on the web.

Fujifilm’s F200EXR has the same resolution and zoom range but takes significantly better pictures in challenging conditions. However, the Ixus 200 IS’s images are far from disappointing, and its HD video and HDMI socket are distinct advantages. If you don’t mind paying a premium for these features, it’s an excellent choice.

Basic Specifications

Rating ****
CCD effective megapixels 12.0 megapixels
CCD size 1/2.3in
Viewfinder none
LCD screen size 3.0in
LCD screen resolution 230,000 pixels
Optical zoom 5.0x
Zoom 35mm equivalent 24-120mm
Image stabilisation optical, sensor shift
Maximum image resolution 4,000×3,000
Maximum movie resolution 1280×720
Movie frame rate at max quality 30fps
File formats JPEG; QuickTime (AVC)

Physical

Memory slot SDHC
Mermory supplied none
Battery type 3.5V 1,000mAh Li-ion
Battery Life (tested) 240 shots
Connectivity USB, AV, mini HDMI
Body material aluminium
Accessories USB and AV cables
Weight 130g
Size 53x100x23mm

Buying Information

Price £254
Supplier http://www.lambda-tek.com/componentshop
Details www.canon.co.uk

Camera Controls

Exposure modes auto
Shutter speed auto
Aperture range auto
ISO range (at full resolution) 80 to 1600
Exposure compensation +/-2 EV
White balance auto, 5 presets, manual
Additional image controls dynamic range
Manual focus Yes
Closest macro focus 5cm
Auto-focus modes multi, centre, face detect
Metering modes multi, centre-weighted, centre, face detect
Flash auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, red-eye reduction
Drive modes single, continuous, self-timer