Canon IXUS 220 HS

IXUS 220 HS is a premium ultra-compact camera with back-lit CMOS sensor. Measuring just 19.5mm at its thinnest point, it sports a 12.1-mega pixel sensor, 2.7" LCD and 5x zoom lens. It records Full HD 1080p 24fps movies with stereo sound, and can also shoot Super Slow movies. It is available in there colors, silver, red and black.

Its low-light shooting credentials are suggested by the “HS” suffix, standing for “high sensitivity”, delivered here by a back-lit sensor and Digic 4 image processor. It supplies 60% lower noise levels at high ISO speeds, according to Canon - a claim that they will test in due course. It has a slim, stainless steel body. The buttons are easy to press and fairly typical for a compact camera. There is a dedicated button for recording movies and also one which switches to Smart Auto mode. The menus are logical and easy to navigate.

The 2.7-inch screen on the rear is bright and clear to see in all lighting conditions and from all angles. According to CIPA, the battery is capable of 220 shots, which is OK for a compact camera, although carrying a spare is recommended for a day of shooting. The camera is ready to take pictures within a couple of seconds of switching on and there is no significant lag from shot-to-shot. Using continuous shooting, the camera is capable of 2.2fps without flash and 0.7fps with the flash. Switching to high-speed Burst gives 6.3fps at 3-mega pixel, although Canon claims it is capable of up to 8fps.

A new Movie Digest mode also provides users with a new, interesting way to capture a day's events. When set to Movie Digest mode, the IXUS 220 HS will record up to four seconds prior to every still image taken, before joining all clips captured in the same day into a single movie. Offering an alternative method for users to record their experiences, Movie Digest mode is a fun, easy way to capture the story behind still images in a movie format.

For users who want to try out different effects, six creative shooting modes are available to add a different perspective to images. In addition to Miniature Effect, Fish-eye Effect, Super Vivid and Poster Effect, a new Toy Camera Effect gives images the retro feel of pinhole camera photos, while Monochrome creates atmospheric shots with sepia, black & white or other monochromatic tones. Miniature effect can be applied to movies as well as still images, recording 1.5, 3 or 6fps in movie mode to create the impression of a time-lapse video of a small-scale model.

Target customer is the youths who are amateur photographers and want to try their hands at photography. Its sleek design makes it attractive to females especially.