Product Reviews

A curved metal case might make Canon's IXUS 700 look and feel bulletproof, but don't be fooled; standing on its narrowed base, it totters around in an unstable fashion, so you'll have to be careful when connecting it to your computer. Even though it weighs a reassuringly chunky 195g, its rounded design makes it very comfortable, though it's a bit precarious to hold.

The IXUS 700's interface is a joy to use. All the buttons are well placed and responsive and the menu system is easy to navigate and immediately informative. You are never in any doubt as to which shooting mode or setting is selected.

Although an optical viewfinder is included, it doesn't cover the whole frame, lacks dioptre adjustment and is uncomfortably small. Much more useful is the bright and detailed 2" LCD screen, which is comfortably large enough to frame and review your photos.

Images are recorded by a 7-megapixel CCD, producing an output resolution of 3,072x2,304 at the maximum setting. This is large enough for an 8x10" print at 300ppi. At the front is a fully retracting 3x zoom lens. This is standard issue for compact digital cameras and provides just enough shot-framing flexibility to make the most of a CCD's capabilities.

In daylight

Photos taken with the IXUS 700 are generally well balanced with punchy colours that stop short of being oversaturated. Exposure was gauged correctly in most of our test shots, although there is exposure compensation if you hit a tricky scene. Most shots are free from unwanted image noise, but expect to find pronounced purple fringing in any areas of high contrast.

The IXUS 700 has some innovative colour modes, the most interesting of which are colour swap and colour accent. The former allows you to switch two colours in a composition, while the latter lets you record only one colour, rendering the rest of the photo in monochrome.

Although digital stills cameras are not the best tools for budding filmmakers, Canon has admirably kitted out the IXUS 700 with impressive film modes. At 640x480 resolution it captures 30fps, while at 320x240 it captures an incredible 60fps for completely smooth video recording. The above colour effects can also be applied to full-resolution video. To make any real use of the video mode and to get the best out of the camera, you will have to budget for a larger memory card, as the 32MB card supplied will hold only 12 seconds of movies or seven pictures at the lowest compression and highest resolution.

The IXUS 700 has much to recommend it. It handles superbly and takes sharp, high-resolution pictures, perfect for enlargement or cropping. Novel colour effects and an excellent movie mode are great extras. Given the competition, though, it's just a little overpriced.