Canon Digital IXUS 85 IS and 90 IS: Ten-Megapixel Designer Cameras

Like its “little sister,” the IXUS 70 IS, the IXUS 85 IS is available either entirely in silver or in a silver-and-black combination. The IXUS 90 IS is offered exclusively in an elegant silver finish. The new cameras’ lens features a 3x optical zoom covering 35 to 105 millimeters and an optical image stabilizer (IS) with lens-shift technology to counteract camera shake.

The IXUS 85 IS has a 2.5-inch PureColor LCD II display. The IXUS 90 IS features a 3.0-inch PureColor LCD II display and a flat control panel. Despite their individual design language, all the models are unmistakably IXUS cameras.

The 3x optical zoom lens makes the cameras suitable for a wide variety of applications, from landscapes and close-ups to shots at medium telephoto settings.

Integrated Canon UA lenses are designed to deliver exceptional image quality while enabling particularly compact lens dimensions. The optical image stabilizer uses lens shift to compensate for camera shake and is intended to permit exposures up to four stops longer.

Autofocus now operates with particular precision even in very poor lighting, thanks to improvements made for such conditions.

Motion Detection Technology also benefits from the stabilizer’s performance. It reduces blur caused either by a moving subject or unsteady handling. Using background brightness, subject movement, Face Detection information, and optical-image-stabilizer activity, the cameras automatically determine an appropriate sensitivity between ISO 80 and 800. The intelligent system raises ISO sensitivity only when necessary, thereby reducing unwanted image noise.

Class-Leading Portraits

Canon Face Detection Technology adjusts shooting parameters to the facial area of the image. Face Select and Track allows face detection to follow a selected person for as long as they remain in the frame.

Face Detection autofocus is now one stop more effective than before, allowing the camera to recognize faces under poorer lighting conditions.

Face Detection AF/AE/FE for focus, exposure, and flash is joined by Face Detection WB: white balance takes skin-tone coloration into account, supporting natural-looking color.

Red-eye correction can now correct affected areas not only in playback mode but also automatically at the time of capture. Also new is the option to enlarge the AF-frame area on the display when the shutter button is pressed halfway, making it easier to check the targeted subject in advance.

Both cameras feature a PureColor LCD II display with 230,000 pixels for convenient composition and navigation through the straightforward menus. Increased color contrast, a wider viewing angle, a special anti-reflective coating, and improved scratch protection are further advantages. The IXUS 85 IS has a 2.5-inch display. An optical viewfinder provides additional composition options, which is ideal in very bright conditions.

The IXUS 90 IS offers an even larger view with its three-inch display.

The extensive feature set also broadens the shooting options. Eighteen shooting modes are available, including Special Scene modes that automatically optimize camera settings for typical situations. Sunset is a new Special Scene mode designed to capture this challenging subject accurately. My Colors provides in-camera color effects. Video functions are also included: depending on the memory card, the cameras record VGA footage at up to 30 frames per second. Long Play mode extends recording time, while a time-lapse function supports the creation of video clips.

The cameras are PictBridge-compatible and can therefore print directly from any compatible printer without a computer. Print settings can be selected quickly using the Print/Share button in playback mode. In addition to SD, SDHC, and MMC, the IXUS 85 IS and IXUS 90 IS support MMCplus and HC MMCplus memory cards. Each camera includes a 32 MB memory card, ZoomBrowser EX 6.1 for Windows, ImageBrowser 6.1 for Mac OS, PhotoStitch 3.1 for Windows, and PhotoStitch 3.2 for Mac OS. A wide range of optional accessories is available for both cameras, including the Canon High Power Flash HF-DC1, DCC-60 camera case, WP-DC23 underwater housing for the IXUS 85 IS or WP-DC24 for the IXUS 90 IS, and the ACK-DC40 mains adapter for the IXUS 85 IS or ACK-DC30 for the Digital IXUS 90 IS.