Camera Tests: Canon Ixus 200 IS, Samsung ST500, Sony TX1

Three different challengers are taking on our photo tests today.  The Canon Ixus 200 IS, Samsung ST550 and Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX1 are three new compact cameras with touchscreen interfaces.  The similarities don't end there though, as all three film in 720p HD and have either a 4x or 5x zoom.  That doesn't make them clones, as each member of our trio has its own unique personality.

The Canon Ixus 200 IS is rather unusual for a touchscreen camera, as it still has a complete set of physical controls as well.  This is Canon's first foray into the world of touch-based interfaces, so has it found a way of offering more than those that opt for a single, large touchscreen?  The other distinguishing feature of this camera is its 5x zoom, with an 24 mm wide-angle lens--but these two features also leave it as the biggest of the three.

The Samsung ST550 makes a name for itself with its screens.  Yes: there are two of them.  The screen on the back is the largest and has the highest resolution at 1 152 000 pixels--or five times as many as some of its competitors.  Then there's a second screen on the front, which you can either use for self-portraits or for giving info to your subjects.  Samsung has a long tradition of excellent touchscreen interfaces, so will it repeat the success here?

The Sony Cyber-Shot TX1 manages to be the thinnest of our three cameras thanks to its periscopic lens system.  It's finished entirely in metal, and looks a more like a stylish cigarette case than a digital camera.  It doesn't have a wide-angle lens, but uses a 10 Megapixel of Sony's new Exmor R sensor, which is, in theory, sharper than the 12 Megapixel CCD sensors offered by the competition.

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