The IXUS series of digital cameras have always been about great features and easily usable functionality in an ultra-compact form factor. One of their recently launched models (in India), the 6-megapixel Canon Digital IXUS 60 is aimed at the starter-level audience that's looking at great results with minimum fuss. But does it really live up to that expectation?
Build
Being a part of the IXUS series, the camera is tiny with its 86 x 54 x 22 mm dimensions. It weighs as little as 170 gms, making it easy to carry just about anywhere, be it a shirt pocket or a handbag. The size will definitely be an advantage when you're traveling on vacation, or even just carrying it around on a night out with friends.
The 2.5" LCD screen (173,000 pixels) takes up most of the camera's back side, along with some basic functionality buttons. The three-stop switch at the back puts the camera into shoot mode, video mode and viewer mode.
The overall camera ergonomics are great, with a build that allows the user to operate the camera entirely with just one hand. That's exactly what I look for in starter level ultra compacts — ease of use.
Features
A starter-level camera is not really expected to be too hot on extra features, besides some comfortable shooting modes and probably a whole bunch of scene modes that will make shooting under a particular condition easier for the user. Well, the camera is definitely easy to use and get into, but it doesn't really have many scene modes.
Most users will probably prefer using this in auto mode since its the easiest to access. It offers just a few scene modes namely Portrait, Night Scene and Kids & Pets. The good thing is that it does offer a good manual mode, where you can take some control over the camera's output by selecting the right white balance, ISO sensitivity level that ranges 80 to 800, and the capture distance (Macro and Infinity).
Taken using 3x optical zoom
IXUS 60 also offers 3x optical zoom, which is like an ultra-compact camera standard, and also offers 4x digital zoom. Of course as a photographer I would advise against using digital zoom, since all it does is digitally expand the image, making it lose its sharpness and quality.
excellent 
