Overview
Canon's IXUS range has long been synonymous with stylishly designed compact metal-bodied cameras, such as the IXUS 310 HS, IXUS 220 HS and IXUS 115 HS. The latest line of IXUS cameras, including this Canon IXUS 230 HS and the more expensive Canon IXUS 1100 HS, sport Canon's HS technology, which uses a high-sensitivity 12.1MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and the latest DIGIC 4 image processing engine to improve the quality achieved at high sensitivities.
This technology should enable pictures to be taken in low lighting conditions, retaining the original atmosphere of the scene, without bleaching the ambient light with flash.
The DIGIC 4 processor on the Canon IXUS 230 HS also has a feature called iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis based on Photographic Space), which analyses the scene to best set up the exposure and focusing, slightly in advance of the picture being taken. The idea with this technology is that it should provide a more responsive experience for the photographer.
The Smart Auto mode takes this further by automatically selecting the appropriate scene program for the conditions.
Fast action can be captured on the Canon IXUS 230 HS with either the high-speed Burst mode, which can take 3MP shots at a rate of up to 8.7fps, or the Super Slow Motion Movie feature. Videos can be recorded at frame rates up to 240fps and played back at 30fps, albeit at reduced resolution.
The main show-stopping feature is the 8x zoom lens with optical image stabilisation, which is an improvement over the 5x zoom lens fitted to this camera's predecessor, the Canon IXUS 220 HS.
The lens has an aperture range of f/3.0-5.9, which is quite respectable for a slim compact with a large zoom range. Its optical image stabilisation, which is useful for stills, also works continuously during video recording to help reduce the shakiness of handheld movies.
Video recording is possible in 720p high definition at 30fps. The movie files are saved in the popular iFrame format, which should make the camera as friendly for Apple computers as PC systems, because no conversion should be necessary to import the files into iMovie.
The current trend for creative effects in compact cameras hasn't passed Canon by. Several effects can be chosen, including ones that recreate the look of shooting with a toy camera, a fisheye lens or a tilt-shift lens. Other more conventional effects, including monochrome and super-vivid, are also available to choose from.
The Canon IXUS 230HS is available for around £230, which seems good value with all the specifications considered.
Build quality and handling
The slender metal body of the Canon IXUS 230 HS is typical of Canon's IXUS line. At only 22.1mm thick, it's very compact for a camera with a long zoom like this. The body feels durable and is easy to grip, thanks to the raised Canon logo on the front, which provides a good hold over the camera.
The design is stylish, with black accents providing contrast to the shiny metal exterior. Six colours are available to choose from, including silver, green, purple, pink, blue and black.
The control layout is slightly different from older IXUS cameras, with the shooting mode selection switch and menu buttons tucked away on the side. These can be a little fiddly to use, due to their placement. Because the camera is designed largely for point and shoot photographers, this doesn't hamper the overall ease of use.
The rest of the Canon IXUS 230 HS's controls are well laid out, with buttons large enough to be comfortable pressed by even the least dextrous of users. The zoom control, which is located on a bezel around the shutter button, is responsive, while not moving the zoom too fast for easy composition.
Menus are also clearly laid out, with the main function menu providing easy access to scene modes, picture effects and other commonly changed options. A dedicated movie record button provides one-touch access to video recording, and the image stabiliser works continuously during recording.
The three-inch PureColor II G LCD display is clear, sharp and easy enough to see, even in very bright lighting conditions, thanks to the high contrast and an excellent anti-reflective coating. The screen's resolution of 461,000 dots may not be the highest resolution available, but the screen still performs well when compared to other cameras at this price point.
In use, the Canon IXUS 230 HS feels very responsive. The camera starts up almost instantly when the power button is pressed, and there's very little delay in writing images to an SD card. Focusing is lightning quick in all but the darkest conditions. Even when the conditions are difficult, this camera is very responsive when compared to its direct competition.
Performance
The 12.1MP rear-illuminated CMOS sensor used in the Canon IXUS 230 HS does a superb job of retaining detail levels and low noise at high sensitivities.
Pictures taken between ISO 100 and ISO 400 are incredibly difficult to distinguish from each other, and the slight softening that occurs at ISO 800 is only noticeable on very close inspection.
Images taken at both ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 show signs of noise on close inspection and a slight drop in colour saturation, but the noise is fine grained with no obvious colour speckling and should still be suitable for prints up to 10x8 inches.
This is superb performance for a compact camera at this price point.
In its default settings the Canon IXUS 230 HS produces vibrant, but natural looking colours. Reds and warm tones tend to come across a little stronger than cooler tones, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If colours need a boost, then the Super-Vivid picture style bumps the colour saturation up to unnatural levels, and other effects such as the Toy Camera mode can result in a more subdued palette.
Evaluative metering strikes a good balance between retaining detail in highlights and shadows and is incredibly hard to fool, providing adequate exposures in very challenging conditions. The balance struck between flash and ambient exposures in low light conditions is also very good, resulting in natural looking images.
Whether Face Detection or normal focusing is enabled, autofocus is blisteringly fast, even in low-light conditions, which enables quick snapshots to be taken confidently. The built-in image stabilisation system also helps to tame camera shake at the telephoto end of the zoom, and in low light conditions.
Image quality and resolution
Our lab data shows that the Canon IXUS 230 HS handles noise well across the sensitivity range, with results that better both the Samsung PL170 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS22. As with the Canon IXUS 1100 HS dynamic range results are high, outperforming the Samsung PL170, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS22 and Nikon Coolpix S8200.
Resolution charts
As part of our image quality testing for the Canon IXUS 230 HS, we've shot our resolution chart.
If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Canon IXUS 230 HSis capable of resolving up to around 22 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files.
For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them please click here to read the full article.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
ISO 100, score: 22 (see full image)
ISO 200, score: 22 (see full image)
ISO 400, score: 20 (see full image)
ISO 800, score: 20 (see full image)
ISO 1600, score: 18 (see full image)
ISO 3200, score: 16 (see full image)
Noise and dynamic range
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using the DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to create these graphs.
Signal to noise ratio
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
JPEG images from the Canon IXUS 230 HS have a good consistent signal to noise ratio throughout the sensitivity range, with the results closely relating to the Nikon Coolpix S8200 upto ISO 1600.
Dynamic range
This chart indicates that the Canon IXUS 230 HS's JPEGs dynamic range results are consistently high beating the Samsung PL170, Nikon Coolpix S8200 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS22. This shows that the Canon IXUS 230 HS is capible of resolving a higher than average amount of shadow and highlight detail across the sensitivity range.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
Sample images
Plenty of detail is recorded in this macro shot taken in low light conditions (see full image)
Colours are reproduced accurately with default settings (see full image)
The 8x zoom lens is resistant to flare (see full image)
The 224mm equivalent telephoto is great for picking out distant subjects (see full image)
The 8x zoom lens is very high quality, producing images that are sharp from corner to corner (see full image)
There's plenty of detail here (see full image)
Close-up shots can be taken without switching to the macro mode (see full image)
The Canon IXUS 230 HS really excels in producing images with low noise and good dynamic range for a compact camera (see full image)
In good light, images are highly detailed and sharp (see full image)
Super Vivid picture style (see full image)
Toy Camera effect (see full image)
Fisheye effect (see full image)
Sensitivity (ISO) images
Full ISO 100 image
Cropped 100% image sections
ISO 100 (see full res image)
ISO 200 (see full res image)
ISO 400 (see full res image)
ISO 800 (see full res image)
ISO 1600 (see full res image)
ISO 3200 (see full res image)
Verdict
There's nothing much to find fault with on the Canon IXUS 230 HS. Image quality is excellent for a camera at this price point, the 8x zoom offers plenty of flexibility and it's all encased in a smart, robust metal body.
We liked
Excellent image quality, even at high ISOs, complement a good range of features including full HD video and a high quality 8x zoom lens with image stabilisation.
We disliked
There is little to dislike about this camera, although a little more manual control would be a nice addition.
Final verdict
Using the compact camera is so straightforward that users of any level should be able to get to grips with it. Although more manual controls beyond exposure compensation would've been good for more experienced users, that is rarely a feature you'd find at this price point.
The raft of features including a comprehensive list of scene modes, filter effects and full HD video make the Canon IXUS 230 HS a camera well worthy of consideration.
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