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Feb 23
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You may be wondering why I decided to sit down and write this blog. Well, I was in the market for a compact camera a short while ago and discovered just how difficult it was to find the perfect camera for me. It took me hours of research. Figured someone else might benefit from my research as well, so here it is.
Note: this is a Canon Ixus 300 HS review, you can find the technical details by clicking here
As no product is perfect, and it’s important to be aware of that to make a well informed decision, I’ll also be writing about what I don’t like about the Ixus 300 HS.
So, on with the review…
Size Matters
When it comes to compact digital cameras, size definitely matters. You want your point and shoot to be easily pocketable after all. Whether you want to put it in your purse or pant pockets. The Ixus 300 isn’t the smallest camera around, but the size is certainly small enough to stow away.
Don’t forget that the truly tiny cameras can be a pain to use (difficult to keep steady, fingers are always in the way). This Canon camera has the best of both worlds. It’s about the size as my current cellphone, though it’s a little thicker, which I always carry around in my pocket.
A Lightweight Heavyweight
Yeah, that header doesn’t make much sense at first glance. What I’m trying to describe is how the camera feels. Thanks to the metal chassis, it feels very sturdy. It does make it about 10g heavier than the competition. But honestly, could you feel a weight difference that small?
The metal chassis is one of the reasons I prefer this line of Canon cameras. I don’t have to fear scratches and dents as much as with similar point and shoots from other brands that use a plastic chassis. My being a bit clumsy might have something to do with that preference …
Super Sleek Design
If you like lots of buttons and labels (raises hand), then the Ixus 300 HS might be a bit of a dissapointment.
The back of the camera only has 2 buttons and the scroll wheel D-pad. And no labels on said D-pad. So how do you know what you’re selecting? Simply place your finger on the D-pad and the function will show up on the screen. Personally, I prefer labels instead of having to look at the screen for everyday function selection.
Speaking of the screen, with 3″ it’s a good size. You can easily see what you’re shooting. And playback is more than big enough to delete any duds immediately to free up some memory.
Ixus screens have a reputation to live up to and this one doesn’t dissapoint; easy to see everything both indoors and outdoors. This is particularly important when shooting in bright sunlight as the camera doesn’t have a viewfinder.
Take Control
If you’re an enthusiast, you’ll probably swith from the auto setting to the manual setting. Here you can set shutter or aperture. Yes that’s OR, you cannot set both at the same time. White balance can also be adjusted in the manual setting.
The Need for Speed
Judging by my headlines so far, I may as well be reviewing a car… Anyway…
One of the most important things in a point and shoot camera in my opinion is speed. Or rather, how long it takes before you can take a picture after turning the camera on. This is really important when photographing kids and animals (cute and silly things usually happen fast). And it’s where the Ixus shines; less than 1,5 seconds from completely off to your first shot.
How many picutres you can take a second is also important depending on your subject. This compact is just as fast as my DSLR in that department, you can shoot 3 pictures per second.
A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
But I’ll try to keep it short and to the point.
Picture quality=great.
Short enough? Too short?
Okay then, when completely zoomed out, the pictures get a little soft. Unless you’re a pro this probably won’t bother you (assuming you’ll notice in the first place). But other than that the image quality is really excellent. Good colors, sharp and no noise at normal ISO speeds (meaning no dots on your image).
My Dislikes
One of the things a lot of Ixus cameras suffer from is a difficult to use power button. It’s the same height as the rest of the chassis, and small, which makes it difficult to press (and trust me, I have small hands with slim fingers). You do get better at it the more you use the camera, but I would prefer a more raised power button so I don’t miss any fun shots while fumbling to turn on the camera.
High speed video capture isn’t that great in bad lighting conditions. You will either have to turn on some extra lights when shooting indoors, or do some extra editing afterwards.
My Big Likes
What I love about this camera is how well it performs in low light conditions. Like at parties and such. This is thanks to a great F2.0 lens and a brand spanking new BSI CMOS sensor. No other brand point and shoot camera currently has these features. Taking snapshots without a flash got easier (avoiding closed or red eyes and strange colors). Another benefit of these two features is that night shots look a lot better.
Click here for more info and more Canon Ixus 300 HS reviews
I know I posted the high speed video in my dislikes, but that only had to do with the lighting problem. The function itself is really fun. Although I’m pretty sure the novelty will wear out after a while. Still, watching your ferret skid of a slippery coffee table will never grow old…BTW, no ferrets were harmed during this review.
Already mentioned early on in this Ixus 300 HS review, I like the metal chassis. No flimsy plastic for me thank you very much. If you’re not keen on the glossy finish, you can always choose the matte black one. Looks very classy in my opinion.
All in all, it looks like Canon has another winner on their hands.
