Canon Digital IXUS 430

...photographer (currently using a £3000 Canon 1D Mk 2 Digital SLR for work), maybe I come at this subject a different way to most people. Of course, 'Joe Public' is looking for something that is great, cheap and looks good - largely. If it takes decent pics and they can be printed out on the home or office inkjet, that will be fine.

Or am I rather belittling 'Joe P' ??

Just as technology has come on a pace, so has the ...
...foolproof. But generally speak, the Canon cameras are pretty accurate, but can be fooled, so dont be too disheartened if you get a few pictures not quite up to what you'd hoped. There is no such thing as THE PERFECT CAMERA. If there was - we'd all be going out to buy one.

But to sum up without boring you all with jargon and too much tech-speak. The Canon Ixus 430 (or its predecessor the 400) is small in your hand and small on your ... more

Once upon a time, in the dark, dark days of digital photography, finding a good quality, pocketable camera was tough. It made finding the proverbiable 'needle in a haystack' seem like a doddle, in fact.

But things have moved on quite a pace. 3, 4 and 5 megapixel resolution for either side of £200 is the norm with all the major camera marques often producing a bewildering range of constantly updated models. And then there are just the basic rubbish ones...but thats another story.

As a Professonal photographer (currently using a £3000 Canon 1D Mk 2 Digital SLR for work), maybe I come at this subject a different way to most people. Of course, 'Joe Public' is looking for something that is great, cheap and looks good - largely. If it takes decent pics and they can be printed out on the home or office inkjet, that will be fine.

Or am I rather belittling 'Joe P' ??

Just as technology has come on a pace, so has the average consumer's expectations. Now after parting with a couple of hundred quid, 'Joe Public' thinks he can become 'Joe Paparazzi'.

Well with video cameras offering quite good quality, 'digital stills' and mobile phones now mostly coming in 'camera' mode, this tiny Ixus 430 might be just the ideal thing for anyone to carry with them in pocket, handbag or car. To capture maybe that 'once in a lifetime shot' where you bump into Robbie Williams doing his shopping at Sainsburys!

Like I said, I'm a Professional covering everything from Sports, PR Work, General Press, the occasional Wedding as well as my new found niche - Movie Premieres and Celebrity signings. No, this little Ixus is not something I could use in any of those 'professional' arenas. However as a small, robust, versatile camera, it goes with me wherever I go (just in case I'm bent over the frozen food cabinet and Madonna asks me to pass her over a small bag of Birds Eye's best). It is also taken with me on holiday as there is no way I'm taking all my gear away with me - its a HOLIDAY , after all!

I've maybe not told you all about this camera - but really how much do you need to know. Blimey I'm a Pro and I'm giving it the thumbs up. It is a 4 megapixel digital camera which in complete layman's terms it means you can quite easily take a picture and get a good 10" x 8" photo print done at your nearest and favourite photo printers (Jessops and Boots - highly recommended). You can also, with any freely available or cheap photo imaging software, crop your photo down and still get excellent quality prints up to 8" x 6".

Its size is no drawback. Easily pocketable, the size of a packet of playing cards and hardly any heavier. But weighty enough so that you know you have some technology in your hands.

It is easy to use both in camera mode and 'playback' mode. Just press the 'on' button and you are ready to go into action. You have 'idiot proof' photo modes where you can shoot in 'auto' which basically means the camera selects everything all you do is look thru the viewfinder (or use the viewer on the back of the camera) and press the shutter. Alternatively you can add a modicum of control, by shooting 'program', which means the camera still sets the shutter and aperture to achieve the correct exposure, but you can alter various parameters like Film speed and whether you want flash on or off.

There are a number of icons that you can select to give you ready programmed shooting modes. Like a 'portrait' mode, 'landscape', 'sports' etc which all select the best settings for the type of picture you are taking. EASY really.

In fact so easy that my wife can use it. And that it not meant in a disparaging way about women. Its just that my wife is virtually 'camera-phobic'. She is walking and living proof that if you put and expensive camera in someone's hands it does NOT make them a Photographer. But the simplicity of this camera has given her confidence to actually pick it up and take pictures rather than worrying that "they'll all be rubbish". And of course we all know that the beauty of digital is that if the photo is rubbish, you just delete is, no cost, no worries - just try again.

Like most cameras these days the Ixus is Autofocus. Literally just point and shoot. But Autofocus - even on my £3000 camera with a £2000 lens attached - is not foolproof. But generally speak, the Canon cameras are pretty accurate, but can be fooled, so dont be too disheartened if you get a few pictures not quite up to what you'd hoped. There is no such thing as THE PERFECT CAMERA. If there was - we'd all be going out to buy one.

But to sum up without boring you all with jargon and too much tech-speak. The Canon Ixus 430 (or its predecessor the 400) is small in your hand and small on your wallet. Can be bought for under £200 (do a search on www.dealtime.co.uk - or you favourite site). Will give you very good quality images which you can upload onto your PC And display or make prints from. You can take your Compact Flash card into the likes of Boots and just put it into their Fuji 'kiosk' machine or the new Kodak picturemaker and within minutes walk away with some quality photos. No need even for a PC.

** You can also buy a range of Canon Printers which will print direct from your camera via a lead.

So, take your time, look around the mesmerising minefield of Digital cameras in your local store. But remember, Canon Ixus - great value, nice to look at, easy to use and a snip (or should it be a 'snap'?) at a couple of hundred quid.

SPECIFICATION

Canon Digital IXUS 430
Max resolution 2272 x 1704
Low resolution 1600 x 1200,
1024 x 768, 640 x 480
Image ratio w:h 4:3
Effective pixels 3.9 million
Sensor photo detectors 4.1 million
Sensor size 1/1.8 " (7.18 x 5.32 mm)
Sensor type CCD
Colour filter array RGB
Sensor manufacturer Unknown
ISO rating Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400
Zoom wide (W) 36 mm
Zoom tele (T) 108 mm (3 x)
Digital zoom Yes, 3.6 x
Image stabilization No
Auto Focus Yes
Manual Focus No
Auto focus type Ai AF TTL 9-point
Normal focus range Unknown
Macro focus range 5 cm
White balance override Yes - 5 positions plus manual
Aperture range F2.8 - F4.9
Min shutter 15 sec
Max shutter 1/2000 sec
Built-in Flash Yes
Flash guide no. 3.5 m (11.4 ft) 5 m
External flash No
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Manual (Red Eye On/Off)
Exposure compensation -2 EV to +2 EV in 1/3 EV steps
Metering Evaluative, Center Weighted, Spot
Aperture priority No
Shutter priority No
Focal length multiplier
Lens thread None
Continuous Drive Yes, 1.5 fps, 2.5 fps, max 5 images
Movie Clips Yes, 320 x 240, 15 fps, max 3 mins
Remote control No
Tripod mount Yes
Self-timer 2 or 10 sec
Time-lapse recording No
Orientation sensor Yes
Storage types Compact Flash (Type I)
Storage included 32 MB CompactFlash
Uncompressed format No
Compressed format JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Quality Levels Super-Fine, Fine, Normal
Viewfinder Optical
LCD 1.5 "
LCD Pixels 118,000
Playback zoom Yes
Video out Yes
USB Yes
Firewire (IEEE 1394) No
Serial No
Battery / Charger Yes
Battery Lithium-Ion NB-1LH Battery & charger
Weight (inc. batteries) 215 g (7.6 oz)
Dimensions 87 x 57 x 28 mm (3.4 x 2.2 x 1.1 in)

REFERENCE SITES

www.jessops.com
www.digital-depot.co.uk
www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_s410.asp

 

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