Canon Digital IXUS

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The original Canon Digital Ixus.

Digital IXUS is the name in Europe and Southeast Asia for a series of ultra-compact digital cameras by Canon. In the U.S., it is called PowerShot Digital ELPH and in Japan, IXY Digital.

It is very similar in design to the once very popular Canon IXUS/IXY/ELPH line of Advanced Photo System (APS) film cameras.

1 History
2 Digital IXUS models
3 Accessories
4 Sample shots
5 Known problems
6 References
7 External links
- 7.1 Sample galleries

[edit] History

Predecessors of the Digital IXUS include the PowerShot S10 (March 1999). The PowerShot A and S line of the time were being made as small as contemporary technology allowed [1], and demonstrated the demand for a small digital camera of good quality. Canon leveraged its expertise in quality small film cameras, particularly the old APS IXUS, to make good consumer cameras smaller than anyone else had managed up to the time (the first Digital IXUS was the smallest 2MP then available [2]) and reused the popular IXUS/IXY/ELPH brand name: "The DIGITAL IXUS blends Canon's award-winning IXUS design with PowerShot digital technology." [3]

The first IXY Digital (June 2000) had standard Canon digital technology of the time in a similar body to the IXY 320 APS camera.

The thinner models starting 2003 and 2004, and the move from CompactFlash (PowerShot S models) to the much smaller SD card (PowerShot SD models), were in response to the Casio Exilim line of ultra-thin compacts. Many manufacturers started making thinner compacts around this time.

The current flagship models of the Digital IXUS series are the SD800 IS/Ixus 850 IS (7.1MP, 3.8× zoom, DIGIC III, image stabilisation) [4] and the SD900/Ixus 900 Ti (10MP, 3× zoom, DIGIC III) [5], both introduced in September 2006.

[edit] Digital IXUS models

The same camera models are released in Europe, the US and Japan under different names. The cameras themselves are identical apart from the front fascia, according to the parts lists. The Canon model number on the bottom is consistent between marketing names.

All models use lithium ion batteries of Canon proprietary design, though third-party equivalents are readily available.

All models use RGBG Bayer filter (except the original Digital IXUS, which uses a CYGM filter [6]) CCD sensors made by Sony. Images are recorded as JPEGs. Raw image files are not accessible.

Digital IXUS PowerShot Digital ELPH IXY Digital Canon model	Release date	Sensor	Lens (35mm equiv), zoom, aperture	Card	Battery	Size (mm), weight (inc batt)	Photo	Notes
Digital IXUS(1) S100 IXY Digital PC1001	June 2000	2MP (1600×1200), 1/2.7"	35-70 mm (2×)	CF	NB-1L	87 × 57 × 26.9, 210g		[7] Only Ixus with a CYGM CCD (all others are RGBG)
300 S300 300 -	December 2000	2MP (1600×1200), 1/2.7"	35-105mm (3×), f/2.7-4.7	CF	NB-1L	94.8 × 62.5 × 29.9, 275g		Video [8]
v S110 200 PC1012	April 2001	2MP (1600×1200), 1/2.7"	35-70 mm (2×)	CF	NB-1L	87 × 57 × 26.9, 225g		Video [9]
v² S200 200a PC1022	13 March 2002	2MP (1600×1200), 1/2.7"	35-70 mm (2×)	CF	NB-1L	87 × 57 × 26.9		S110 with improved interface
330 S330 300a PC1026	13 March 2002	2MP (1600×1200), 1/2.7"	35-105 mm (3×)	CF	NB-1L	94.8 × 62.5 × 31.5, 274g		300 with more software features [10]
v³ S230 320 -	16 August 2002	3MP, 1/2.7"	35-70 mm (2×)	CF	NB-1L	87 × 57 × 26.7
400 S400 400 PC1038	28 February 2003	4MP (2272×1704), 1/1.8"	36-108mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	CF	NB-1L	87.0 × 57.0 × 27.8, 222g, f/2.8-4.9		[11]
II SD100 30 -	2 May 2003	3MP (2048×1536), 1/2.7"	35-70 mm (2×)	SD	NB-3L	85.0 × 56.0 × 23.9, 185g		First to use SD card [12]
i SD10 L PC1060	12 September 2003	4MP (2272×1704), 1/2.5"	39 mm, f/2.8	SD	NB-3L	90.3 × 47.0 × 18.5, 100g (-batt)		Several colours of body [13]
IIs SD110 30a PC1085	9 February 2004	3MP (2048×1536), 1/2.7"	35-70 mm (2×)	SD	NB-3L	85.0 × 56.0 × 23.9		II with added features and faster software
430 S410 450 PC1086	9 February 2004	4MP (2272×1704)	36-108 mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	CF	NB-1L	87.0 × 57.0 × 27.8, 215g		400 with added features and faster software. USB 1.1.
500 S500 500 PC1084	9 February 2004	5MP (2592×1944), 1/1.8"	36-108 mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	CF	NB-1L	87.0 × 57.0 × 27.8, 215g		430 with 5MP sensor [14] [15] [16]. USB 1.1. IXY Digital 500 White Limited: 10,000 units in Japan, June 2004 [17]
30 SD200 40 PC1102	21 September 2004	3MP	35-105 mm (3×)	SD	NB-4L	85.8 × 53.4 × 21.1		First with DIGIC II OS
40 SD300 50 PC1101	21 September 2004	4MP (2272×1704)	35-105 mm (3×)	SD	NB-4L	86 × 53 × 20.7, 147g		[18]
i⁵ SD20 L² PC1108	September 2004	5MP, 1/2.5"	39 mm	SD	NB-3L	90 × 47 × 19
700 SD500 600 PC1114	17 February 2005	7.1MP (3072×2304), 1/1.8"	37-111 mm (3×)	SD	NB-3L	89.5 × 57.0 × 26.5, 192g		USB 2.0 [19]
50 SD400 55 PC1150	17 February 2005	5MP (2592×1944), 1/2.5"	35-105 mm (3×)	SD	NB-4L	86 × 53 × 20.7, 130g		[20] [21]
55 SD450 60 -	August 2005	5MP (2592×1944), 1/2.5"	35-105 mm (3×)	SD	NB-4L	86 × 53.5 × 21.6, 157g		Ixus 50 with larger LCD, no viewfinder and software updates [22]
750 SD550 700 PC1169	August 2005	7.1MP (3072×2304), 1/1.8"	37-111 mm (3×)	SD	NB-3L	89.5 × 57.0 × 26.5, 192g		SD500 with larger LCD, no viewfinder and software updates [23] [24]
i Zoom SD30 L³ -	September 2005	5MP	38-90 mm (2.4×)	SD	NB-4L	96 × 45 × 24
Wireless SD430 Wireless Wireless -	October 2005	5MP	35-105 mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	SD	NB-4L	99 × 54.4 × 21.7, 130g (-batt)		11b Wi-Fi upload
60 SD600 70 PC1193	March 2006	6MP	35-105 mm (3×)	SD	NB-4L	86.0 × 53.5 × 21.7, 170g		ISO 800 [25]
65 SD630 80 PC1147	April 2006	6MP	35-105 mm (3×)	SD	NB-4L	90.3 × 56.8 × 20.2, 175g		IXUS 60 with larger LCD and no viewfinder [26]
800 IS SD700 IS 800 IS PC1176	April 2006	6MP (2816×2112), 1/2.5"	35-140 mm (4×), f/2.8-5.5	SD, MMC	NB-5L	90.4 × 56.5 × 26.4, 192g	‎	Image Stabilisation, ISO 800 [27]
i⁷ Zoom SD40 L⁴ -	September 2006	7.1MP (3072×2304), 1/2.5"	38-90mm (2.4×), f/3.2-5.4	SD, SDHC, MMC	NB-4L	96.1 × 45.1 × 23.9, 105g (-batt)		ISO 1600, titanium case, face detection, first to use DIGIC III OS, Denim Blue, Steel Grey, Sepia, Pink [28]
850 IS SD800 IS 900 IS -	September 2006	7.1MP (3072×2304), 1/2.5"	28-105mm (3.8×), f/2.8-5.8	SD, SDHC, MMC	NB-5L	89.5 × 58 × 25.1, 150g (-batt)		ISO 1600, face detection, DIGIC III OS [29]
900 Ti SD900 1000 -	September 2006	10MP (3648×2736), 1/1.8"	37-111mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	SD, SDHC, MMC	NB-5L	91.2 × 59.6 × 28.2, 194g [30]		ISO 1600, ISO 3200 at 2MP, 1024×768 video, titanium case, face detection, DIGIC III OS [31]
75 SD750 90 -	February 2007	7.1MP (3072×2304), 1/2.5"	35-105mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	SD, SDHC, MMC	NB-4L	91.6 × 56.8 × 19.6 mm, 130g (-batt)		3" LCD, no viewfinder, ISO 1600, red eye correction [32]
70 SD1000 10 -	February 2007	7.1MP (3072×2304), 1/2.5"	35-105mm (3×), f/2.8-4.9	SD, SDHC, MMC	NB-4L	85.9 × 53.5 × 19.4 mm, 125g (-batt)		2.5" LCD, ISO 1600, red eye correction [33]
Digital IXUS PowerShot Digital ELPH IXY Digital Canon model	Release date	Sensor	Lens (35mm equiv), zoom, aperture	Card	Battery	Size (mm), weight (inc batt)	Photo	Notes

The PC1001 was marketed as "Digital IXUS," "IXY Digital" and "PowerShot S100 Digital ELPH."

[edit] Accessories

Ixus: AW-PS200 all-weather enclosure [34]
Ixus 330: WP-DC500 waterproof enclosure
Ixus 400/430/500: WP-DC800 waterproof enclosure
Ixus i: AW-DC10 all-weather enclosure
Ixus 50: AW-DC30 all-weather enclosure
SD700 IS: WP-DC5 waterproof enclosure

[edit] Sample shots

All images here are the original camera JPEG with original Exif information, unmodified except for lossless rotation.

Ball-jointed doll (PowerShot S100)	Face close-up with zoom (PowerShot S110)	Cleaning a camera LCD (Ixus 330)	Face, maximum zoom from longer distance, flash (Ixus 400)
Casio Exilim EX-S1 and EX-S600, no flash (Ixus 430)	Daffodils at Bank station, London in low light (Ixus 40)	Batu Caves, Malaysia (PowerShot SD400)	William Morris Gallery, Walthamstow (Ixus 50)
2.5 second exposure of the Menai Suspension Bridge in Wales (Ixus 55)	Singapore River, Singapore (Ixus 750)	Whale Sushi, Tobu Department Store, Ikebukuro, Tokyo (Ixy 1000)	Byodo-In Temple, Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA (Ixus 50)

[edit] Known problems

Canon considers the following problems design faults and will often repair devices with these particular faults free after the warranty period. You must however ascertain whether a particular service centre will perform a repair for you.

There is a bug in the firmware that can cause the IXUS 400 (and possibly other cameras with the same firmware) to display the message 'Memory card error' after the camera has been in use for some time. Contrary to the message there may not necessarily be anything wrong with the memory card. There are descriptions of the fix available which pretty much amounts to taking the internal and external battery out at the same time in order to reset the camera.
A number of camera models across several manufacturers used a Sony CCD that was prone to failure. Canon put out a general recall in late 2005 [35] on affected models and serial numbers. Models from the Ixus range are the v³, II and IIs.
A camera related incident was also experienced with IXUS 500 after using the camera for some two years, the camera keyboard stopped responding. Could take pictures and zoom while taking pictures but not browse the pictures within the camera. The menus could not be accessed. "Restore settings" or alike screen popped to screen for couple of times but user ignored. Resetting the camera by opening it and taking the internal battery out and putting the battery back helped. (The document on resetting IXUS 400 seems to apply also with IXUS 500)

Like all compacts with a zoom lens, the Ixus range are susceptible to lens errors if the lens is unable to zoom in or out. On Canon cameras, this manifests as the E18 error.