Canon Digital IXUS 400 reviewed
by Volker Weber
DPReview has an excellent review of the new Canon Digital IXUS 400. This is it, if you want to buy your next camera.
Comments
If one is looking for a very small camera, I agree. But having (as you know) recently augmented my small (though not teensy) Canon Powershot S20 with a Minolta DiMage 7i, you get a lot more in the bigger package. E.g., 7x optical zoom, much lower f-stop, much better color quality, a better sampling algorithm, many fewer Jpeg artifacts, etc. So I think it's a matter of horses for courses. By the way, the DiImage 7i reatais in the US for $999.99. I got it delivered in the US and in a US box for $640.00. There are cheaper offers out there, but they are grey market and lack a warrantee, battery charger, NiMH batteries, etc.
Sure, Nick, that was only for the tiny camera category. And there are even smaller ones now with 3x optical zoom like the Exilim and the Optio.
These are cameras that I just drop in my briefcase and carry them with me everywhere. For the bigger cameras I would probably be looking at a standard SLR body. I have quite a few cameras but I only carry the smaller ones.
I recently bought the Canon A70, basically the same camera as the Ixus with 3 MegaPixels and slightly bigger in size, nice weight, but still very compact. Main advantages: 4 classic AA batteries (I have rechargeable NiMHs)and much cheaper, streetprice around 350 $ or ?.
I am always "carrying" and having lot's of fun with the endless possibilities of automatic, semi automatic and manual settings
Ma favourite feature of the Canons is the panorama stitch function, whereby the camera shows the 20% of the previous picture which allows to overlay the picures from left to right (or the other way round). The software on the computer (PC or Mac) then stitches the series of photos to one big panoramic picture with an astonishing quality.
In comparison to the Canons, the Exilim's video is restricted to 30 seconds (Canons: 3 Min)and it does not have the enourmous number of manual controls.
But then, what makes the difference between the Exilim, Ixus 400 or A70? Our individual preferences of look & feel and maybe some features. Each one of them is a great choice.
feine Zweitkamera, aber wie soll das den gehen, dass ich mir alle 6 Monate ein neues Teil kaufe? Gehaltüberweisung direkt an Canon?
