Canon Digital IXUS i Zoom

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The Digital IXUS i Zoom comes in four stylish colors: Jet black, cranberry red, sahara blonde and ultra violet. Its slim, slick and stylish design successfully fits into our ultracompact category of shooters. This camera, which was announced recently, is currently available in stores at a recommended retail price of S$649 (US$465.40)--which we think may break the bank for some users.

Design

	The i Zoom comes with a dock that looks just as good as the camera.

Measuring 96.1 x 45.1 x 23.9mm and weighing 120g, the IXUS i Zoom will fit comfortably into most pockets. Ergonomically designed buttons and keys are situated on the back of the camera right next to the 1.8-inch LCD screen. Even for its size, the i Zoom didn't feel like it was made for tiny digits for the layout on the camera was just comfortable.

We cannot expect a 3-inch display screen much like we cannot fit a small size shirt on someone who weighs 150kg--it's just not right. So for its ultracompact size, the LCD screen is reasonably sized for you to play back your pictures.

There is a mode switch that allows the user to toggle between Playback, Video and Record modes. Below these are the Print/Share, Function set and Menu buttons. You will probably use the latter two more often to access most of the camera functions. The simple design and minimalist approach contribute to the slick interface as well as the general user-friendliness of this device.

In addition, the four-way controller on the back of the camera enables the user to navigate between the menu options. When digital zoom is enabled, the Up and Down keys on this pad double as the zoom controls--atypical of most digital cameras which usually assign a separate zoom latch.

Features

	Yes, now you can sit comfortably on your couch and remote control your camera--for playback purposes that is.

The Digital IXUS i Zoom is built based on the successful formula behind the Digital IXUS i5. It is powered by Canon's DIGIC II processor, well known for its fast and responsive camera performances and high-quality images.

Though tiny, the i Zoom offers a 5-megapixel CCD sensor combined with a 2.4x optical zoom lens. It achieves a total of 10x magnification with the camera's built-in digital zoom.

The IXUS i Zoom comes with a camera station that resembles a docking device. Initially, the camera station did look like an extra and unnecessary accessory to carry around, but after taking into account the number of functions it serves, it's really not too bad. Besides, the camera station comes in a white color that matches the stylish design of the i Zoom itself.

This camera station allows you to charge your battery, upload pictures, is PictBridge compatible and has an A/V outlet for you to connect to your plasma TV so you can show off the pictures you just took at a friend's birthday party. In a nutshell, the operation is both simple and user-friendly.

We all get lazy once in a while, and for that, the camera station comes with a wireless remote controller that allows you to scan through your pictures and videos, much like how you watch a normal television program. The remote controller works on a Lithium-ion battery and it's easily connectable. However, we did encounter slight difficulty in removing the battery holder. You will need your fingernails to unlatch the holder and simultaneously pull it out. Now if you have digits like Hulk Hogen, you'd better ask someone else to help you out.

There are 16 shooting modes to choose from, seven of which are special select modes that help users deal with tricky scenes. Custom color effects can be applied using My Colors and the movie mode allows users to record VGA-quality movies with sound.

Canon's Zoom browser for Windows and Image browser for Macintosh are included in the package to help users organize and edit their images and videos.

Performance
Everyone appreciates a good battery lifespan. In our tests, the IXUS i Zoom lasted approximately 250 photos on a single charge--not bad at all for a camera that size since we would expect a smaller battery to go with it.

The shutter response time to taking images was good, averaging less than 1 second. Not so impressive was its time-to-first shot at about 3 seconds. Shutdown, on the other hand, was almost instantaneous.

Image Quality
The images taken in the day and outdoor light generally turned out well. Though the LCD screen isn't very big to begin with, it was adequate enough to preview most pictures with enough clarity. Our night photos weren't something we would boast about, but were just about manageable.

Due to its design, the microphone that's right beside the shutter button meant that there was a higher tendency to partially cover the microphone when shooting movies. Unless you are using a tripod, blurred clips can be expected. For both image and video, best shots were taken with the camera attached to a tripod to minimize any movement of the camera.