Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon Digital IXUS 85 IS Compact Camera - Black (10 MP, 3x Optical Zoom) 2.5 inch High Resolution PureColor LCD II

Forgive the short narrative, but this is a comparative review of the Ixus 85 IS and the Samsung NV24HD:

Purchased a Samsung NV24HD (£140), which represented good value for some unique features you do not ordinarily get in small compacts. These were: a wide angle lens, an AMOLED display, a great interface, and HD video recording. Its closest competitor was the feted Panasonic TZ5, but that was out of my budget (£200+).

But then...after a week's use, the Samsung developed a fault with its lens. The video in the first instance was not stellar quality anyway as it was overly compressed (into H.264). The photographs too, were not especially vibrant and exhibited a significant deal of barrel distortion.

I've now purchased this Canon (£141), which I had initially avoided as "under-spec" for the price. Technically, I've "lost" a wide angle lens, Amoled display, and HD video recording. But what I've gained actually adds far more value.

Let me explain.

The Canon's photographs are always excellent, and often downright superb. Even in low light, I am able to capture some terrific shots. In comparison, the Samsung's shots are far more noisy, and tend to blur at the edges. Low light shots are generally poor.

The Canon's video is perfectly good, and because it's recorded in MPEG4 (in AVI), I'm able to shoot nice looking movies for easy editing on my PC, and equally easy playback natively on my Cowon O2 PMP by switching out the SD Card. The Samsung's HD video selling point now seems somewhat misleading, as the difference in video quality is not especially vast.

Yet the major difference I have felt between the two cameras concerns build quality. Put simply, the Samsung is a Renault to Canon's Honda. That is, the difference is simply staggering. The Canon is beautifully constructed, and looks every bit like it is actually built in Japan. The Samsung on the other hand is lighter, slighter, and simply less well built.

In terms of build quality, value for money, and ability then, this Canon therefore thoroughly justifies the price tag. I say this because I was initially swayed by a "spec-sheet" - a mistake I think others might wish to avoid!

Thanks for reading this. Peace.

I used this cam for about a month now and I love it, there is a visible difference in quality of images from my peers and my old camera. Love it ... Love it... Love it.... I would give 9.95 out of 10. I bought this after doing a lot of research and I haven't been disappointed with the results.

No excuse now to wish you had your camera with you!This tiny machine can be carried at all times.I was very impressed with the quality of pictures it takes and for the price the range of settings are good.I never go anywhere without it.

Daylight:
-Outdoors: 10/10
-Indoors : 9/10
Night- Flash:
-Outdoors: dont know
-Indoors : 8/10
Night- No flash:
-Outdoors: dont know
-Indoors : 5/10

This camera does everything very nice and fast. you can turn it on and take the first picture very very fast. also the time between two pictures is tiny and even if you need flash the time delay is still short, about 2 or 3 secs. That is very important and it was one of the major reasons I wanted a new camera as my previous one needed so long to start, charge the flash and take-save a picture and that was really annoying. Believe me when you want to take some pictures the last thing you want is to wait for the flash or the camera to save the previous picture. You will definitely loose many important shoots.

You can take perfect pictures outside, but indoors pictures at full size (10mp) when you view them on the pc at 100% of their size look a bit blury. this blur gets worse in low light conditions and it is annoying in low light+no flash situations. For example when you want to take a lot of pictures somewere indoors, maybe a speech or a presentation and you are just a guest and nobody else takes pictures you dont want to use the flash as people will get annoyed with you and you will feel bad.

Something else I want to mention is that the battery last for ages. I have taken more that 700 pictures, more than half with flash until I purchased that camera and I charged it only when I bought it, and one more time, even thow it wasnt empty just to be sure that I will have enough battery.

So to conclude I suggest this camera to everybody. if you want a better than this maybe you should start thinking for a dslr camera. Dont think of the price as this is a camera that will last forever. The only thing I am not satisfied for is the no flash low light pictures that blur a bit when you see them at full size 3648x2736 and that really dissapointed me, as it is not "the perfect camera".

My best friend had an older version of this camera and it takes fantastic photos without any effort. So I cut down on research time by simply going for this more recent version. I normally research this kind of purchase to the 'nth' degree, so as soon as I'd ordered it I started to have a few post-purchase jitters.

However, the day after it arrived I took it on holiday to NYC... and the results are some of the best photos I have ever taken, even without learning how to use the settings properly! You don't even have to try. I took snapshots on maximum zoom that have come out really clearly, and have even snapped away whilst walking across busy streets (trying to get cool yellow cab shots!) with fantastic results.

This thing embodies the phrase 'point and click'!

Get it ordered... you won't regret it. My only tip is make sure you buy a decent sized memory card at the same time (the one that comes with it is tiny).