Canon Ixus 300 HS: speed, sensitivity and a backlit sensor

Canon Ixus 300 HS MARCHANDS €     Batterie.fr  9.90  Aboutbatter...  41.00  Darty.com  99.00  Materiel.net  99.90  Pixmania.com  105.00  Amazon.fr m...  141.25  Compare prices

Canon has announced the forthcoming release of a new compact camera with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor. The backlit sensor seems to be the latest craze in camera technology, with the first cropping up almost a year ago in the Sony Exmor R. The Ixus 300 HS (RRP £379) is just as ambitious as its competitors too, with a full range of fashionable functions and the brightest lens (in wide-angle mode at least) found on a camera with this type of sensor.

The Canon Ixus 300 HS will be the brand's first compact camera to feature a backlit version of a 10-Megapixel 1/2.3" CMOS sensor.

The Ixus 300 HS has a 28-105 mm lens, and Canon is heavily promoting the maximum aperture of f/2, even though this only really applies in wide-angle mode. In fact, when you zoom to 105 mm the aperture is actually nearer f/5.3! This pretty much discredits the press release's claims that the wide aperture allows greater control over the depth of field, as at 28 mm, the depth of field would already be large, but at 105 mm, the aperture would no longer be sufficient to reduce it.

A classic design

The interface is similar to that of the Ixus 110 IS, with the same 3-inch, 16:9-format screen, which unfortunately has just 230,000 pixels. You'll also find the same two large buttons and scroll wheel.

The slightly bevelled design doesn't exactly help you keep hold of the camera, and the smoother models in white and silver could get a bit slippery in summer. The black model is easier to grip thanks to its lightly grained finish.

The Ixus 300 HS has all the latest must-have functions, including a fast burst mode (unlimited at 3.7 fps at full resolution or 8.4 fps in 2.5-Megapixel resolution), a 720p HD video mode with optical zoom, QVGA video at 240 fps, automatic scene detection, a Smart Flash Exposure function to automatically control flash levels, smile detection and even blink detection! That's right, all you have to do is bat your eyelashes and this camera automatically takes a picture. The only thing that's really missing is a Sony-style automatic panorama mode.

When we first handled the prototypes, the Ixus 300 HS felt similar to other high-end Ixus cameras, i.e. well-made, with a nice interface and responsive controls (although firmware TBC).

It just remains to be seen what Canon has managed to get out of the backlit CMOS sensor. Given that this new type of technology requires adapted image processing techniques, manufacturers have had varying degrees of success in actually getting the best out of back-illuminated sensors. Watch this space!


> Product Survey: Compact Digital Cameras

> Buyer's Guides: Our Pick of The Best Products