Canon IXUS 230 HS Review | 108 Data compared

The Canon IXUS 230HS is an ultra-compact, pocket-sized 12.1-megapixel point-and-shoot camera that delivers an exceptional technical performance despite its small size. Operating primarily in an intelligent auto mode, it automatically detects shooting contexts to deliver incredibly sharp macro shots with rich colors, balanced shadow details, and minimal highlight clipping in bright conditions. The camera features an 8x zoom lens (equivalent to 28-224mm) with built-in stability controls that effectively smooth out camera shake during long zooms and movie recording. Images shot at lower sensitivities are smooth, and even ambient-light shots at ISO 800 remain highly usable with well-controlled noise.

The Canon IXUS 230 HS is a compact 12.1-megapixel camera featuring an 8x optical zoom lens, a sturdy metal body, and a highly visible 3-inch LCD screen. It is praised for fast focusing speeds, quick startup times, and a 6.9 fps high-speed burst mode, though this mode is limited to 3-megapixel resolution. However, the camera's high-speed burst mode drops resolution to 3-megapixels, and full-resolution continuous shooting is limited to 2.3 fps. Other downsides include an unusual, inconvenient button placement for the menu and auto-mode toggle. ePHOTOzine

The TechRadar review of the Canon IXUS 230 HS highlights it as a stylish, slim, metal-bodied compact camera that offers excellent value for money. Equipped with Canon's HS technology, it utilizes a 12.1MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor alongside a DIGIC 4 image processor to deliver exceptional image quality, particularly when shooting at high ISO sensitivities. A major highlight is its high-quality 8x optical zoom lens featuring continuous image stabilization for both stills and 720p HD video recording. Performance is further enhanced by blisteringly fast, responsive autofocus and smart features like the iSAPS Intelligent Scene Analysis, which automatically optimizes exposure and focusing settings before a shot is taken. However, the reviewer identifies several physical and technical drawbacks to the device. The camera's menu button is noted to be oddly positioned, which compromises the handling experience. Furthermore, enthusiast photographers may find it restrictive due to limited manual exposure control. Lastly, while the camera boasts a fast burst mode capable of capturing action at up to 8.7fps, this high-speed shooting is significantly limited by a drop in resolution to just 3MP.

The Canon Ixus 230 HS is an ultra-compact, stylish point-and-shoot camera featuring a svelte metal shell, a sharp 3-inch screen, and a powerful 8x zoom lens (28-224mm). It delivers excellent performance by producing crisp, smooth 12-megapixel images with rich colours and minimal digital noise, even in indoor low-light settings. Additionally, its 1080p video recording mode captures sharp, high-bitrate details, while its continuous shooting mode operates at a swift 2.5fps to 3.6fps. However, the camera has notable limitations, including flush buttons that are difficult for large thumbs to press, an unorthodox layout that repositions the menu and mode switches to the side, and slow autofocus speed. Video clips are strictly limited to 10 minutes, the screen lacks a remaining-time countdown, and the slow video autofocus picks up lens motor noise on the microphone. Furthermore, low-light photos can suffer from soft detailing due to heavy noise reduction. Despite these minor flaws, it remains highly praised for its superior zoom capacity, price point, and overall image quality compared to cheaper alternatives.

The Canon IXUS 230HS is rated 88% by What Digital Camera for offering a slim design, an 8x optical zoom, and 1080p video in a high-value package. Key strengths include a 3-inch LCD screen, 8.7fps high-speed shooting, and excellent low-light performance with minimal distortion. Conversely, the review notes a lack of manual controls for users desiring creative freedom, limiting it mostly to automatic shooting. Some construction elements feel plasticky, leading to the conclusion that while excellent for beginners, it falls short for enthusiasts requiring advanced functionality.

Review Overview The Canon Ixus 230 HS is a high-end compact camera that takes excellent pictures and fits easily into a bag. It features a 12-megapixel camera, an 8x optical zoom lens, and a bright three-inch screen. The camera works fast with no starting delay, and its high-speed burst mode can snap 8.7 shots per second. It also captures high-quality full HD 1080p video with smooth zooming. The rechargeable battery lasts for about 210 shots, which is enough to keep you snapping photos for a full day and night. Pros and Cons This camera shines brightest when taking photos in low-light settings and capturing speedy shots. Its comprehensive features include fun creative modes like Toy Camera, Fish Eye, and a fireworks mode. However, the camera does have a few downsides. It is relatively expensive at £200 and has minimalist menus that can be complex to use. You also have to dig deep into the menu wheels to adjust specific settings. Lastly, zooming all the way into a subject causes image blur, making a tripod necessary for far-away shots.

Overview The Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS (IXUS 230 HS) is a 12.1-megapixel, ultra-slim point-and-shoot camera featuring a back-illuminated CMOS sensor and an 8x optical zoom lens with a 28–224mm equivalent range. Designed for maximum portability, it handles like a smartphone while offering advanced automated features such as "Intelligent IS" optical stabilisation, which automatically adjusts across seven modes to counteract camera shake. It supports 1080p video at 24fps, high-speed burst options, and creative filters like the Miniature effect, making it highly versatile for general casual shooting. However, it completely lacks manual or semi-automatic exposure controls, limiting its appeal to purely point-and-shoot users. Pros and Cons If you need more details about this camera, let me know

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS is a highly compact, pocket-sized camera that stands out by offering a versatile 8x optical zoom lens (28-224mm equivalent) equipped with effective optical image stabilization. It features a 3-inch, 461k-dot LCD screen and a wealth of creative shooting options, including Handheld Night Scene, Macro mode (focusing down to 0.4 inches), and various filter effects like Monochrome and Miniature. The camera excels in performance with a quick 1.9-second startup time, fast autofocus shutter lag (0.38 seconds at wide angle), and 1080p Full HD video recording with supported optical zoom. Image quality tests show great resolution up to 1,800 lines and excellent color fidelity, making it highly capable of printing clear 16 x 20-inch photos at ISO 100. However, the camera has notable physical design flaws, particularly the awkward placement of the Menu button and Mode switch on the narrow right-side panel. From an optical standpoint, users will notice significant blurring and softness in the corners of the frame (especially the upper right), some center softness at full telephoto zoom, and bright chromatic aberration. Additionally, macro...

The Canon PowerShot Elph 310 HS is a highly compact, 12-megapixel point-and-shoot camera that earned an "Excellent" 4.0 rating and an Editors' Choice award for its impressive midrange performance. Its standout feature is an 8x optically stabilized zoom lens (28-224mm equivalent) packed into a slim, sturdy metal body designed to fit easily into a shirt pocket. The camera boasts a sharp 3-inch, 460k-dot LCD screen, fast operational speeds—including a 2-second boot time and a 0.3-second shutter lag—and excellent image clarity that surpasses standard sharpness requirements. Additionally, it keeps image grain low through ISO 800, making it reliable for shooting in modest low-light conditions. Despite these strengths, the review notes a few notable drawbacks, primarily regarding its video capabilities and retail availability. While it captures full 1080p HD video, recordings are limited to 24 frames per second, which can cause jittery playback and a "rubber pencil" rolling shutter effect during fast pans, making it less than ideal for sports or fast action. While the physical control buttons are highly intuitive, anyone looking for a touch screen or built-in GPS will find...

The Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS (also known as the IXUS 230 HS or IXY 600F) is a highly pocketable and lightweight 12-megapixel digital camera featuring a backlit CMOS sensor and a versatile 8x optical zoom lens (28–224mm equivalent) equipped with optical image stabilization. Priced as an affordable all-rounder, it delivers snappy performance with fast startup and focus times, and features a clear, non-touch 3-inch LCD screen. The camera excels in its video functionality, offering a dedicated Full HD 1080p recording mode at 24 FPS with stereo sound, during which users can fully utilize the continuous autofocus and optical zoom. Additional pros include clean image quality with good saturation at lower ISO levels (up to ISO 400), an extensive selection of automatic scene modes, a 1cm macro focus distance, and robust playback tools. However, the camera has notable limitations, particularly regarding its 8x zoom lens, which exhibits visible edge softness, slight lens distortion, and permanent chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes. It also trades away the ultra-wide 24mm starting point found on its predecessor. From a software standpoint, it lacks manual...

The Canon PowerShot Elph 310 HS is a compact digital camera positioned as an incremental upgrade over older models like the 300 HS, offering an 8x zoom lens and a larger, higher-resolution screen for a slight price premium. It is designed primarily as a budget-friendly option for casual snapshooters who want better image quality than a smartphone without needing premium modern additions like Wi-Fi connectivity or touch-screen functionality. In CNET's performance evaluation, the camera earned an overall score of 7.6 out of 10, scoring an 8 in both design and image quality, and a 7 in features and performance. The review highlights several specific pros and cons for prospective buyers to consider. On the positive side, the camera delivers excellent photo quality for its class and features a highly portable, tiny package paired with a good assortment of shooting options. However, it falls short with a relatively short battery life and hit-or-miss autofocus performance when using the Smart Auto mode. Additionally, the lens' maximum aperture and wide-angle capabilities are not robust enough to satisfy advanced photographers, making it strictly suited...