Pocket digital cameras, represented by the Canon IXUS 130, look like two drops of water. Does this model differ in anything? Firstly, it looks as stylish as the entire IXUS compact line. Also very attractive is the price. With a colossal drop in value from the initial 279 to 120 pounds, the camera will not greatly facilitate the wallet, even if its width and height practically coincide with the size of a credit card. In this respect, it compares favorably with the Nikon Coolpix S5100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T99.
Canon IXUS 130: specifications
With a weight of only 133 g with installed batteries and a memory card, the model will remain invisible in the jeans pocket. As expected from the IXUS line, which is distinguished by style and great functionality, the build quality is high in several colors: silver, black, orange and pink. The camera is small, but, according to the reviews of the owners, it lies securely in the palm of your hand. The metal case gives the impression that the model can easily withstand daily use, while most cameras costing up to 100 pounds are made of plastic. Fans of underwater photography can purchase a WP-DC37 case, although at a price of just under £ 200 it is better to buy a specialized camera.
With the exception of the lack of a touch screen and 3D shooting, the camera has most of the required functionality. 14.1 megapixels provide a relatively small 1 / 2.3-inch image sensor, and the Canon IXUS 130 4x optical lens is unlikely to be classified as a super zoom model, although it offers a very popular range of focal lengths needed for everyday shooting, equivalent in the equivalent of 28-112 mm.
Another feature of Canon is the presence of a fast DIGIC 4 processor with anti-blur optical image stabilization and Smart Auto scene detection. The Canon Digital IXUS 130 camera selects one of 22 presets, which allows you to take a picture with minimal effort. The iContrast option can also be used for more detail in contrasting frames, although in practice its results are not so pronounced.
Functionality
Subject tracking, now the usual function of digital compacts, additionally includes support for proper focus and exposure. An optical image stabilizer helps withstand any external vibrations and resulting camera shake, while motion detection technology automatically adjusts ISO to further prevent blur. In addition, features include face recognition and automatic detection and correction of red eyes. This ensures the simultaneous identification of up to 35 faces in one frame, as well as the shutter release with a smile or a wink, which is useful when shooting a selfie.
In the small body of the camera, much more is hidden than it might seem. The only drawback of the Canon IXUS 130 is the owners' reviews as the lack of full manual control. Regardless of the size and intended circle of camera users, having such an opportunity is always a pleasure.
Design
The rounded edges, a small 17.8 mm depth, due to which the Canon IXUS 130 is one of the thinnest models in the line, plus a stylish matte body suggest something special, although in combination these elements make it difficult to securely capture the camera. The camera is as smooth as river pebbles.
The model was presented simultaneously with the IXUS 105 camera and is much similar to it. The controls are simple but unobtrusive. Photos and video clips can be viewed on a 2.7 ”screen with a resolution of 270 thousand pixels, which also replaces the missing optical viewfinder. The display works quite adequately in various conditions of external lighting.
To maintain a minimalist appearance, the function buttons are located on the same level as the body surface, with the exception of the narrow zoom swing on the top surface of the camera, which protrudes enough to control it with your fingertip. Also, the slider switch of the three shooting modes on the rear panel is slightly raised: automatic, program or video recording. The latter allows you to shoot in resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels with stereo recording through the built-in microphone. External, unfortunately, can not be connected. This is not much, but better than 640 x 480 pixels of the 105th model.
Settings menu
Pressing the Func set button gives you access to many image settings presented on the toolbar on the left side of the screen. In automatic mode, the user is limited by changing the frame size and the degree of compression. The expanded toolbar includes manual adjustment of white balance, photosensitivity (up to modest ISO 1600), color settings (bright, neutral and advanced options), number of shots (single or series) and metering options (estimated, center-weighted or spot). In addition, you can go to alternative shooting options, such as optimized scene settings for portraits, children and pets, etc., as well as a dedicated low-light mode (with a resolution reduction of up to 3 megapixels to limit image noise), various color accent options and digital filters.
Connectivity and Options
According to the owners, it would be nice to have a special button that would allow you to start recording video regardless of the currently selected mode. But the presence of an HDMI port hidden under a plastic plug in the upper right corner of the rear panel, designed to connect the camera to a TV, was a surprise. Cables for the standard AV output and USB 2.0 port are included with the camera. A strap is also provided to carry the camera on your wrist, AC adapter and AC adapter.
Performance
After pressing a tiny switch on the top panel of the Canon IXUS 130, the camera activates for about 1 second, which is not inferior to the characteristics of its analogues. The lens comes out of a folded state flush with the body to the position of the maximum wide angle and the rear screen lights up with a nice beep.
Pressing the shutter button halfway provides almost instant focus. AF points are highlighted in green and a confirmation tone is ready to take a picture. After fully pressing, the camera takes 2-3 seconds to record a JPEG image on a memory card. At the same time, the screen goes blank for a short time, and then comes to life again, showing the captured frame for 1–2 s. Although the result is not the fastest, it is average for cameras of this class.
Data storage
With no internal memory, the Canon IXUS 130 allows you to record images on an SD media and is compatible with all modern formats, including SDXC. Access to the slot opens through the lid at the base of the camera, which also houses a thin lithium-ion battery. You can open and close the compartment by sliding the thumb.
Creative potential
According to user reviews, they are pleased that the manufacturer has found the opportunity to provide the camera with several digital filters, including a miniature mode that narrows the focus range, creating the illusion that large objects look like toys. This effect also increases the color saturation to almost the level of pop art, which makes objects even more toy-like. Fisheye is also useful for those who want to creatively distort the shape of the subject.
Photosensitivity
In low light conditions, with the built-in flash turned off and using only available light, the camera pleasantly surprises with the camera's performance at sensitivity higher than ISO 400, since there is no noise up to ISO 800, and then it becomes hardly noticeable. At ISO 1600, the clarity of the image begins to fall, but unlike cheaper models, the result still resembles a photograph, not a watercolor, so in critical conditions this setting can still be used.
Compact cameras shoot well when there is a lot of light. But even in the gray winter sky, the Canon Digital IXUS 130 allows you to save a sufficient amount of detail. The quality of wide-angle shooting is higher than with 4x optical zoom, but this should be considered in context. The model is stylish and the quality of images, while the latter is given more attention. A little disappointing is the inaccessibility of optical zoom during video recording, which is probably done in order not to record the mechanical noise of the lens. In this case, the increase is made programmatically.
Conclusion
The build quality and finish of the model belong to a higher price category than the Canon IXUS 130 itself, which makes the camera a profitable acquisition. Its compact size, users with big hands may find it too small for easy shooting, but in any case this is an impressive achievement of engineering. The basic level camera is not designed for professionals. Nevertheless, it allows you to get more than acceptable results, and is universal enough for most everyday everyday shots. The camera serves as a good example of what telephone cameras should be like in order to present a truly viable alternative.