Canon IXUS 220 HS Black

Product Information

Hit your productivity targets with inkjet and laser printers that are a perfect fit for any workspace – including home offices. Large hands shouldn't have too much trouble, as the buttons are significantly larger than on the previous slimline IXUS cameras that we've seen. When the lighting conditions are good, pictures captured are great (usually in the open, during the daylight, or in really, really well lit indoors).

This unadulterated wide angle shot at 24mm equivalent setting and straight from the 220 HS reveals a good grasp of detail centre of the frame, getting progressively softer toward the corners. Canon announced the 220 HS in February 2011, adding to their range of premium IXUS digital compact cameras. The buttons are easy to press and fairly typical for a compact camera, there is a dedicated button for recording movies and also one which switches to Smart Auto mode. According to CIPA, the battery is capable of 220 shots, which is OK for a compact camera, although carrying a spare is recommended for a day of shooting.

I suspect there's something wrong with my camera in particular, as this doesn't seem to be a general problem with this model. The HS suffix stands for High Sensitivity and denotes the presence of a back illuminated CMOS sensor.

Take complete creative control of your images with PIXMA and imagePROGRAF PRO professional photo printers. Also, as I`m not a professional, I might miss a term here and there, so please feel free to correct me and my conclusions. The IXUS line of compacts has proved very successful for Canon, with the first iconic models appearing in the late 90s.Rather more of a surprise is that the camera captures full-HD video clips of 1920×1080 pixels at 24 frames per second with the benefit of stereo sound – the dual microphones are located on the top plate. In Program mode we obviously get all of the above, plus metering options (evaluative, centre weighted average and spot), comprehensive 'My Colors' modes (with 'Vivid' getting the most use during our test period, though leaving this turned off and utilising the camera's default settings produces good results too if plenty of light is available), white balance, ISO, plus the chance to switch from Program to one of the built-in effects filters.

But most of us will be looking dead centre at our subject, which is generally well-exposed and crisp. That's not the case here and even the three megapixel Low Light mode delivered a pleasingly sharp result when faced with our regular doll test subjects. Our mirrorless cameras are easy to carry and distil the best of Canon technologies into a compact body with interchangeable lenses. Nobody will be surprised, least of all us, that there is no actual handgrip or rest of any sort provided on the 220 HS for a firmer grip. It also has Full HD movie mode, program, scene and creative shooting modes and a high-speed burst rate that boasts eight frames per second.The visible distortion is actually much lower than the real one, caused by the wide lens, because the in-camera software tries to correct this known effect, but unfortunately the process is not perfect so distortion can still be noticeable in the final image. Alternatively get yourself a copy of my In Camera book, an official Cameralabs T-shirt or mug, or treat me to a coffee! You can also change the in-camera sharpening level to suit your tastes via the My Colors menu option. AF performance is very good for a compact of this class, locking on with ease and rarely hunting, if at all and the focus-tracking AF mode works well, though don’t expect too much from it.

Connect your camera to your Apple or Android device for firmware updates, remote shooting or to easily download your photos. It’s not revolutionary in any particular way, but the Canon IXUS 220 HS is a competent, consistent performer.The two ‘middle’ models in the IXUS range, the ELPH 300 HS / IXUS 220 HS and the ELPH 310 HS / IXUS 230 HS are, at first glance very similar, but hold them in your hand and there’s something about the ELPH 300 HS / IXUS 220 HS that makes it different, special even.