Overview
The Canon IXUS 100 IS is a 12 megapixel digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens. It is slim enough to fit into just about any pocket. It is one of the small number of digital cameras to have a viewfinder as well as an LCD screen. The IXUS 100 IS can capture High Definition movies.
Why Buy the Canon IXUS 100 IS
The IXUS 100 IS takes excellent photos, is stylish and has a few extra features thrown in compared to other pocket cameras.
Main Features
Megapixels:
Zoom:
LCD Screen:
Dimensions:
Weight:
12
3x
2.5 inches
87.0 x 54.5 x 18.4mm
115g
Macro:
HD Movies:
Manual Controls:
Batteries:
Memory Cards:
3cm
Yes
No
Lithium ion
SD/SDHC
Image Quality - See Sample Images Below
Outdoor Scenic Shots in Good Light
With punchy colours and plenty of brightness in the shot the IXUS 100 IS is off to a good start. I especially like the greens in the foliage. There are no problems with focusing and the camera produces high levels of edge to edge sharpness.
The IXUS 100 IS does well for such a small lens. Focusing is better than most cameras produce and there is plenty of colour in the shot. When the lens is zoomed all the way out some cameras can produce darker areas showing in the corner of a shot. It is hard to detect this problem to any significant levels in this picture.
Zooming in makes little difference to the sharpness of the shot. Pointers such as trees and roof tiles suggest this camera is one of the best bets for taking sharp photos with a pocket sized digital camera.
Taking all of my outdoor photos into account sharpness is some way above average. In this test individual bricks can be seen easily as you increase print size. The other plus point is that there is little taper of focusing as you move towards the edges of the shot.
Portraits
The colours in this shot are just how I like them. They have a natural look, plus a touch of warmth. As this picture was taken in the shade I boosted the colour a touch by using the white balance setting of cloudy.
This is a pleasingly crisp photo. I would like to have seen a touch of extra brightness in the shot. This would have helped to lift the picture.
Without the flash unit switched on the photo is brighter. There is a small amount of noise in the shot and this takes the edge off the definition. This will become more noticeable if you are planning to create large prints of photos taken when the light starts to dip.
Macro, Colours and Noise
The macro shot produced by the IXUS 100 IS is bright and sharp. There is not much more you can ask for with such a small camera. The camera can focus from 3cm away from the subject and you will find it harder to get much better results from any ultra compact model.
The combination of colours and brightness is one of the main attractions of this and other Canon digital cameras. I especially like the colours the camera produces for landscapes.
As ever boosting the ISO rating allows you to freeze action or produce photos in lowlight, but with the problem of noise being added to the shot. Even at higher ISOs there is not a great deal of breakdown in colours unless lighting is very poor.
Summary
The picture quality from this camera compares very well indeed with other pocket cameras.
Style
This is an attractive looking camera. It is very slim at just 18.4mm wide, so it will slip into more or less any pocket. It is available in black, red, silver and gold.
Shutter Lag Times
Single Shot
Five Shots
Single Shot With Flash
Five Shots With Flash
Turn on Time
0.34 seconds
11.6 seconds
1.65 seconds
18.07 seconds
2.58 seconds
Ease of Use
There are a few extra features over and above those found on the most basic point and shoot digital cameras. To make full use of these features will take a little longer to master.
Points I Like
Picture quality, style, build quality, features for a pocket camera, viewfinder
Where it Could Improve
A longer zoom could come in handy
Product Shots
Front View
Back View
Top View
Sample Menus
Top Rated Cameras in this Category
Canon IXUS 310 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon IXUS 310 HS is one of the best touch controlled digital cameras. It has 12 megapixels and a 4.4x wide angle lens. The screen is very responsive to touch. This is due partly to the larger screen size than many touch controlled digital cameras offer. Picture quality is excellent and the build quality is top quality. If you are looking for a touch controlled digital camera the IXUS 310 HS is worth a very close look.
Read Review: Canon IXUS 310 HS Review
Canon IXUS 220 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon IXUS 220 HS is a pocket sized digital camera. It looks good, is well made and can take an impressive snapshot in most situations. It may not have every in vogue feature, but it has an extra touch of all round quality about it
Read Review: Canon IXUS 220 HS Review
Canon IXUS 115 HS Rating 86/100
The Canon IXUS 115 HS is a classy looking, pocket digital camera. It can shoot Full HD movies and has a high quality 3 inch LCD screen. When it comes to picture quality the IXUS 115 HS outclasses many of its direct competitors.
Read Review: Canon IXUS 115 HS Review
Related Pages
Canon IXUS 100 IS Review Canon IXUS 100 IS Specification Canon IXUS 100 IS Sample Images Canon IXUS 100 IS Features Canon IXUS 100 IS vs Canon IXUS 110 IS Canon IXUS 100 IS vs Sony Cybershot DSC T90
Review Date
May 2009
