Canon IXUS 125 HS Review

Early this year, Canon launched a range of cameras in India that targeted different audiences. The brand showcased models from their Powershot line-up as well as from their IXUS range. At the event, Canon took the wraps off the IXUS 125 HS, a 16.1MP stylish compact camera that boasts of Canon’s latest image processing engine as well as a 5x optical zoom.

Canon IXUS 125 HS Video Review

Design and Build Quality
When it comes to the design, Canon’s IXUS models can probably be considered to be one of the best looking cameras available in the market these days. The Canon IXUS 125 HS is no different and its stylish design can be the main reason you would consider opting for this model. The camera is available in a range of six trendy colours that can definitely appeal to a wide audience that does not only comprise the youth, but older generations as well. The colours that are available for the IXUS 125 HS, include black, pink, red, silver, green and blue. For the purpose of the review, we received the silver model and we were impressed by the design at first glance. Though the camera is dressed fully in silver, it does have black highlights, which are featured on some of the buttons. Covered in a matte finish, this model can repel fingerprints to quite an extent, thus retaining its ‘new’ look for a significant amount of time.

Canon's taken the minimalistic approach with this model and kept the face of the 125 HS quite bare. The only traits found here, apart from the branding is the lens, which flushes along the body of the camera, an LED flash and an AF assist. Canon's done well with the looks of the camera and instead of using sharp edges, they have gone with slightly rounded corners here. This tends to give the camera a fair amount of style.

A 5X optical zoom featured here

The large 3-inch screen at the back sports a resolution of approximately 461,000 dots, which would mean that there will be quite a fair amount of detail visible on the camera’s display, while viewing content onscreen. Buttons, such as playback, menu, video recording, a four way navigational pad and a set button along with the screen round up the features found at the back of this compact camera. The top of the camera features controls, such as a toggle switch for accessing either the program auto mode and the fully auto mode as well as controls for powering on the camera and a shutter release button that is located alongside the zoom rocker. The build quality of the buttons is good, except for the fact that the menu button is on the smaller side, which means people with larger hands may find accessing it a bit difficult.

Connectivity options for the camera comprise a mini USB port and an HDMI port that can be used to connect the camera to an HDTV. Keeping up with the stylishness of this model, these ports are housed in a bay located at the side and the flap for this area flushes against the body. Like most compact cameras available nowadays, Canon has added the memory card slot in the battery bay and the flap for this bay feels solid. The overall build quality of this camera is good and though it looks really stylish, it has a sturdy feel when placed in your hand as it features a metallic body. Rounding up this section of the review, the camera does really well and no points can be deducted from it, except for the small menu button, which most people may not have a problem with.

Available in trendy colours

Features
When it comes to the features of the Canon IXUS 125 HS, the main feature is undoubtedly its stylish looks. This camera can definitely stand out in a crowd and this is all due to its slim form factor. The camera can fit easily in one’s trouser pocket or even in a purse, allowing one to have the camera on them at all times and use it for better photography, as opposed to shooting with a camera phone.

The other highlighted feature of the IXUS 125 HS is that Canon has equipped it with a 16.1MP CMOS sensor measuring 1/2.3-inches. The sensor size found here is the same as the ones found on most compact point and shoot cameras present in the market, but it is the CMOS sensor that is included here that makes a difference over a range of other compact cameras. CMOS sensors offer better image quality in low-light conditions, as compared to CCD sensors where the noise levels are noticeably higher. By adding a CMOS sensor, Canon has kept this camera on par with some of the other cameras found in this price range. The camera uses a DIGIC 5 image processor, which offers faster capturing of images as well as lesser image noise.

The large 3-inch display at the back does well in sunlight

If you are looking for a compact camera that can shoot images in manual modes, then this one may not be the option for you as the only modes found here are a full auto mode and a program auto mode. In the full auto mode, most of the settings are locked giving you the option to merely point and shoot, the camera will then do the rest. This is great for those just looking to capture images without wanting to adjust settings. The program auto mode is tweakable to an extent as it gives you the option to adjust the camera’s white balance, exposure, ISO range and other minor settings. There is no way one can adjust the aperture priority or shutter priority of the camera and this camera is not designed for those who want the ability to control those settings.

Canon's done a great job of adding a 5x optical zoom lens in the slim body of the camera. The focal length of the camera spans from a wide angle of 24mm to 120mm at its telephoto end in respect to a 35mm film camera. The camera also features the brand’s image stabilization system allowing you to capture blur-free images. This feature can come in good use, while wanting to capture impromptu scenes. The brand has also added Full HD 1080p video recording capabilities on to the camera, which can record videos at a speed of 24fps. This capability of the camera puts it on par with other high-end compact cameras in the market.