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Canon announces IXUS 500 HS compact

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Canon IXUS 500 HS
Canon IXUS 500 HS

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Canon has added a new model to its style-driven IXUS range in the shape of the IXUS 500 HS. Billed as the ‘world’s thinnest 12x zoom camera’, the new model sees a return to the more angular, boxy design of older IXUS cameras and measures 0.76 inches thick for easy portability. 

On the inside, the IXUS 500 HS is equipped with a 10.1MP CMOS sensor and Canon’s latest DIGIC 5 image processor. It’s very much offered as a point and shoot compact though, and as such only offers a Smart Auto mode (where the camera automatically selects from 58 stored scene presets) alongside a number of other fully-automatic shooting modes. There is, however, a Program mode, that allows a small degree of user control.

Despite this, there are some useful and fun features including a set of digital filter effects that offers all the usual crowd pleasers such as Miniature and Toy Camera effects for added creativity without the need for Photoshop. In addition, the 500 HS also offers Face ID technology that can be used to prioritise focus on the faces of selected family and friends.

Movie recording capabilities extend to 1080p Full HD movie capture at 24fps with stereo sound. There’s also the option to record high-speed movies that play back in slow motion. Alongside still images, movies can be reviewed on the 3inch, 460k-dot LCD PureColour II LCD screen found on the back of the camera.

Despite all this, we suspect that for many potential purchasers the main draw of the 500 HS will be the 12x optical zoom. This offers a focal range of between 28-336mm in 35mm terms, and further benefits from Canon’s lens stabilisation tech for blur-free images at slower shutter speeds and longer focal lengths than might otherwise be achieved.

Available in silver, red or black, the IXUS 500 HS is expected to be in UK shops from February. There’s no official word on prices yet, but in the US the new model has an estimated retail price of $299.99

 
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