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The Canon Digital IXUS 110 IS (also known as the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS) is a new compact 12 megapixel digital camera with a wide-angle zoom lens. Offering a focal range of 28-112mm, the IXUS 110’s 4x zoom lens comes complete with Optical Image Stabilization to help prevent camera shake. The The IXUS 110 IS joins a select band of Canon compacts that can shoot 720p HD video, and it also has an on-camera HDMI connector. A new Active Display and improved user interface, a wide aspect 2.8 inch LCD screen, Blink Detection and new Smart AUTO mode complete the IXUS 110 IS’ headline features. Retailing for $329.99 / £349.00 / €399.00, the Canon Digital IXUS 110 IS is available in silver, blue, pink and gold.
Ease of Use
Here we have another attractive looking addition to Canon's premium point-and-shoot range. Yet Canon's IXUS 110 IS has, initially at least, got to be one of the least intuitive (supposedly snapshot-operation) cameras I've used. Talk about a triumph of form over function: from the front the simple design recalls a clam shell mobile phone laid on its side – with curved edge to the left and beautifully smooth overall finish. But flip the camera around, try to get to grips with the functionality at its rear, and head scratching ensues.We'll come back later to the reasons why, but for now let's examine the specification that brought us here; first and foremost a 12.1 megapixel resolution, coupled with a 4x image stabilised, wide angle optical zoom (28-112mm equivalent). Feeling more plastic-y in the palm than the more compact 100 IS model we were testing in tandem, and coming in a choice of silver, gold, pink or blue, the manufacturer's suggested £349 UK asking price comes as something of a surprise. Set side by side and on looks and feel alone, the £50 cheaper 100 IS ironically appears the premium model.
Like that camera, the Canon Digital IXUS 110 IS features the ability to shoot HD movies at 1280x720 pixels, at a speed of 30 frames per second (fps). It also sports Canon's newly installed Smart Auto mode which, with shades of Panasonic's own intelligent auto technology, switches settings (choosing from 18 available options) to deliver optimum results dependant on the subject and conditions the camera is presented with. With the Digic 4 processor on board to keep things zipping along, operation of the 110 IS proves to be pretty much point and shoot all the way – or would be, if its rear functionality was less obtuse.
A brace of beginner friendly features do however lend a hand in the pursuit of picture taking. These are motion detection technology to reduce the risk of blur when shooting moving subjects, i-Contrast (if selected) to brighten dark shadows and even out exposures, face detection incorporating blink detection (again if selected), and a face self timer option that waits until it detects the user themselves entering the shot before firing the shutter. And yes, you need to manually select that too.
Press the 'function' button on the Canon Digital IXUS 110 IS' back and a left hand tool bar merely presents the user with the ability to set image recording size (therefore determining the number of pixels utilised) plus the compression level (Fine or Normal only). Should your thumb come to alight on the fiddly scroll wheel surrounding the function button, a virtual dial appears onscreen offering up the features normally surrounding a four-way control pad on rival models. These are the ability to adjust flash settings (auto or off), change the display (shooting icons on or off), select the self timer options (10 seconds, two seconds, the 'face timer' option, plus, unusually at this level, a custom option), while, in auto mode, the fourth option to swap focus distance between macro and infinity is disabled.
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Move the aforementioned top switch one notch along to program mode and, equally as expected, with a press of the rear function button the user has the choice of a wider range of manually selectable shooting options, including a range of pre-optimised scene modes – with an ISO 3200 option offered among the sunset and Canon-particular colour accent and swap settings. Also on the left hand tool bar is the ability to adjust regular ISO range (from ISO 80 through to ISO 1600), white balance, plus the selection of the 'My Colors' effects (including our preferred 'vivid' option and again the ability to add a custom setting), alongside evaluative, centre-weighted, or spot metering. Here too the user also gets to adjust exposure compensation in 1/3 increments from -/+ 2EV, select single shot or continuous capture, plus adjust the aforementioned pixel count and compression levels.
Push the top switch along a further notch to its third and final movie setting and there's the choice to adjust the capture quality from humble 320x240 pixels at 30fps, through the standard definition 640x480 pixels, and up to an HD 1280x720 pixels, at which points the black bands cropping each side of the view presented by the LCD screen (to provide a 4:3 ratio) drop away to present a 16:9 image. Some funky effects are also accessible in movie mode – namely colour accent and swap – plus the ability to adjust white balance and call up the same 'My Colors' options provided for stills capture.
