Canon IXUS 100 IS

Full Review

Ultracompacts are costlier than their bigger mainstream cousins, and for good reason – building a compact camera without compromising on performance takes work. The 12.1MP IXUS 100 IS, as indicated by its name has image stabilization included in its 3x zoom lens. The camera is just 18.4mm thick and weighs a meager 125 grams, making it one of the most compact cameras you can buy at its price. Like many IXUS models, the IXUS 100 has  dedicated button cycles through full Auto mode, Program AE mode and video mode (there is no mode dial as much, unlike the PowerShot A series). In the Program mode, the Function button gives access to all the settings that can be changed. The display can be turned off to conserve power, thanks to the inclusion of an optical viewfinder, albeit a tiny one.

Image quality is better than the competing models across difference shooting scenes including lowlight. Details come out well and colors are just fine, without looking unnatural. Focus lock is both quick and accurate. Even in low light, the focus assist beam comes to help when the subject is close by. Video recording is a forte – with excellent quality rendered in the 720p HD resolution as well as in VGA mode. Borrowed from Nikon’s famed D-lighting is the ‘i-Contrast’ feature that brightens the dark areas of a photo without blowing out correctly-exposed areas.

Bottom Line

The IXUS 100 IS is about as thin as cameras come at this price point. Our tests prove that function has not been sacrificed for form. You should seriously consider this if you are looking for an ultracompact camera at the Rs.15,000 mark.