But when it comes down to it, what users want from a camera are good pictures, and with the Ixus 95 IS, this is something of a hit-and-miss affair. Noise wasn’t an issue until ISO 400 and even then, it wasn’t that noticeable. However, noise levels jump significantly when you reach ISO 800. We noticed a tendency to overexposure and the colours were somewhat muted. Chromatic aberration wasn’t a huge issue, but it was noticeable on some shots.

Colourful options for the summer season

As you'd expect, the VGA movies looked fine in a small window, but pretty ropey when expanded a bit. That said, the motion was smooth and you can zoom whilst shooting. However, if you really want to capture video with your compact, we’d suggest forking out the extra for the Ixus 100 IS, which offers HD movie recording at 1280 x 720, 30f/s.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a camera you can take anywhere, which is easy to use and looks smart, then the Ixus 95 IS is a strong candidate. However, you can find better specified compacts for less, offering superior performance, although, admittedly, you’d be hard pressed to find a more compact model. Still, with that £219 price tag, the Ixus 95 IS faces some pretty stiff competition, which you should keep in mind before you flash the cash for this model. ®

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