We trial Canon’s latest
small-but-mighty premium compact
Perhaps slightly overshadowed by Canon’s
simultaneously-launched, headline-grabbing PowerShot G1 X, the new IXUS 500 HS
has its own fair share of noteworthy features to explore. At the time of its
official launch, the IXUS 500 HS was also released alongside the 125 HS a
slightly pared-down, lower-priced version of our more advance model. Sporting a
distinctive, angular design, the IXUS 500 HS marks a departure from the
propensity for sweeping curves and undulating decals that we’ve become
accustomed to seeing on many of the recently released digital compacts on the
market.
The metal-bodied camera, while a little
unconventional (compared to current trends) in terms of its aesthetics, is
nonetheless easy on the eye, as well as feeling reassuringly weighty and robust
in the hand. The lack of any sort of grip save for a few raised dots for your
thumb to rest on around the back does mean that you’d be well advised to make
good use of the wrist strap provided in the box.
The
Smart Auto feature that the new camera shares with its latest IXUS stable mates
is a real asset
Slimline design
At just 19.2mm thick, Canon is staking a
claim on the title of ‘slimline camera of its type in the World’. Its slender
dimensions and lack of any protrusions make it very easy to slip into a pocket
or bag, adding to this camera’s appeal as the ideal go-anywhere compact. Incredibly
in spite of its lean profile the IXUS 500 HS somehow houses a 12x optical zoom
lens inside its body when powered down. Turn the camera on and the lens spring
into action, only extending just over 1cm beyond the camera’s smooth front
panel.
The
Canon IXUS 500 HS is easy to use and a great travel camera
Covering a focal range that’s equivalent to
24-120mm on a 35mm camera, the IXUS 500 HS’ lens offers a good level of
flexibility when it comes to photographing both wide scenes and moderately
distant subjects. It also has some other key features to offer the budding
photographer; not least Full HS movie recording with stereo sound, Intelligent
IS, Face ID, Canon’s HS (High Sensitivity) technology and no less than 58
different scene modes to choose from, making it look like a very versatile
camera that’s equipped for just about any everyday situation at least on paper.
Taking a quick tour of the body, it’s clear
to see that the IXUS 500 HS is aimed at photographers who want a fuss-free
shooting experience without getting bogged down with too many of the technical
aspects of the photographic process. To that end, the user interface has been
kept very simple, with a minimal number of controls distributed across the
camera’s sleek surface.
The front of the camera is perfectly
smooth, with just a slightly raised and lightly textured Canon log, small
built-in flash, tiny stereo microphones for when you’re shooting movies and the
practically seamless lens housing. A small AF assist lamp is a useful feature
when shooting in low-light and the small flash unit packs enough power for
capturing close/mid-range subjects, although its placement does mean you have o
watch where you place your fingers to avoid obscuring it.
Mode options
Neatly arranged on the top panel is a
well-proportioned shutter button that’s surrounded by a sprung zoom lever.
Alongside, there’s a small power button, a sliding switch to toggle between
exposure modes and a playback button. Sticking to Auto means that the camera
takes charge of your settings (save for a few that are available for you to
tweak if you so wish), leaving you free to concentrate on composition and the
timing of your shots. If you want to take back some control, flicking the
exposure mode switch to he left allows you to work in Program mode, where
you’re able to alter settings such as ISO, white balance, the metering and
drive modes, among others.
The
rear of the camera houses the majority of the camera controls, as well as the
striking LCD screen
With the switch in this position, you can
also browse through the extensive range of scene modes on offer for manual
selection, including 24fps Super Slow Motion Movie, Long Shutter. Underwater,
Handheld NightScene and Smooth Skin to mention a few of the most interesting options.
There’s also a Smart Shutter feature for automatically taking portraits using
the camera’s Face Detection system, plus a High-Speed Burst Mode, although the
latter requires the resolution to drop to 2.5-megapixels in order to function.
In standard continuous mode, the IXUS 500 HS can shoot at a rate of 2.8fps.
Within this menu you’ll also find a few
creative filters; namely Fish-Eye, Miniature, Toy Camera, Soft Focus,
Monochrome, Super Vivid and Poster Effect all of which stamp their respective
unique characteristics on your shots in camera, to produce some interesting and
unusual results.
The back panel is largely taken up by the
camera’s 3-inch screen, with the remainder of the controls arranged on the
right. There’s a one-touch movie record button at the top, below which sits a
diamond shaped arrangement of four controls that access exposure compensation,
flash, display and AF options, at the same time as serving as your means of
navigation through menus and graphical on screen options. Directly below, the
Func./Set button lets you selection items and also calls up a graphical menu
that contains most of the key settings you’re likely to want to access quickly
while shooting, saving you from dipping into the main menu system accessed via
the dedicated button below too frequently.
In use, the IXUS 500 HS doesn’t disappoint.
Canon’s decision to bestow is latest-generation DIGIC processor upon this
camera means that it’s quick to start-up, with speedy shot-to-shot times and a
very is incredibly snappy too, doing well to find a positive lock under a
variety of lighting conditions. As we’ve come to expect from Canon’s premium
IXUS compacts, image quality is truly impressive, with faithful yet vibrant
colours and bags of fine detail when shooting at low ISOs. For a camera of this
type, noise is pretty well-controlled. It’s visible at ISO 400, but shots
remain perfectly printable up to ISO 1600 thanks to Canon’s superb pairing of
its BSI (back-illuminated) sensor design and powerful DIGIC 5 processor.
Star performer
Lens performance is also good, with a
decent level of sharpness across the frame and well-controlled distortion.
There is some evidence of chromatic aberration in between areas of high
contrast in some scenes; however it’s no unduly obtrusive, usually only being
noticeable when zooming in to review your shots.
The main drawback with this camera is the
price. With a launch price of $464, it’s a hefty investment for a compact
particularly in light of the fact it doesn’t offer much scope for
advanced/manual operation once your skills start to progress. This point aside
however, we struggle to come up with any further criticisms worth mentioning.
Once again, Canon has raised the bar, making yet another excellent addition to
its superb IXUS range.
Verdict
The Smart Auto feature that the new camera
shares with its latest IXUS stable mates is a real asset for beginners, with
the camera quickly analyzing your subject and swiftly selecting from one of its
58 stored scene modes: with excellent results. The raft of other advanced
technologies – including Face ID (which faces), blink detection, red-eye
removal, self-adjusting Smart Flash Exposure and Intelligent IS all contribute
to the effortless shooting experience that the IXUS 500 HS delivers from the
moment you take it out of the box. If you’re after a slim, well-made compact
that’s packed with the latest automated functions, offers high-spec features
like Full HD shooting, plus a simple, pleasurable shooting experience, this
camera will not disappoint.
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Specification
·
Price: $465
·
Megapixels: 10.1
·
Sensor: 1/2.3 type back-illuminated CMOS
·
LCD: 3-inch, 461,000-dots
·
ISO: Auto, ISO 100-3200
·
Video: Full HD, 1920 x 1080 (24fps)
·
Memory cards: microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC
·
Weight: 155g (inc. batt & card)
·
Dimensions: 87.1 x 53.9 x 19.2 mm
·
Web: www.canon.com
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Total: 8/10
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