Just as Nikon has its Coolpix, so the name IXUS has become synonymous with Canon’s range of pocket-able digital still cameras. And boy, have they come a long way! 8.0 megapixels, face detection, red eye correction and movement detection are par for the course for this little powerhouse alongside a 3x optical zoom, optical image stabiliser and an ISO rating up to 1600.

As is now the norm, there is no viewfinder, however the 2.5in LCD screen is sharp and clear, and while bright outside sunlight was no impediment, low light conditions such as a dim room made the LCD revert to a grainy black and white image. Under both conditions though, all of the on-screen indicators are still clearly visible.

The controls of the IXUS 80 are a doddle to deal with, logically laid out and it is obvious as to what each does, using my ‘no manual and I should be able to work it out’ test. I don't however like the tiny ring zoom rocker surrounding the Go button, it’s just too fiddly, especially if you have larger fingers.

The battery/SD card housing is plastic and feels a tad fragile. Certainly if it was open and was bent back a bit too far, I am certain it would snap off; at least the cover for the AV/USB ports is on a flexible hinge thus avoiding this potential problem. Battery charging is via a cradle, and Canon say the expected life with the supplied battery is 240 images.

The largest images that can be taken by the IXUS 80 is 3,264 x 2,448 pixels, making the picture suitable for up to A3 printing. A range of shooting modes are available including Macro, Portrait, Night Snapshot, Colour Accent, Colour Swap and Stitch, as well as ‘Special Scenes’ such as Kids and Pets, Foliage, Sunset, Aquarium, Underwater and Fireworks. PictBridge is supported.

The lens is well protected with an automatic lens cap mechanism folding across when the camera is powered down or when it goes to sleep itself. The outer casing comes in a variety of colours, but seems prone to scratching if the test model was any indication. It had clearly seen a tough life with much scratching of the chrome lens bezel, and chips out of the front of the main body.

One strange design feature is that all of the PR shots I had seen of the camera were taken showing the front of the IXUS in a ‘portrait’ mode, with the lens at the bottom and the Canon badge on the top. In reality, the camera is used in a landscape mode with the lens on the left. It’s no big deal, but an oddity nonetheless. It reminds me of a largish speaker manufacturer many years ago that refused to believe that there were left and right speakers and therefore had its logo badge on all speakers on the left as against the centre.

The design, feature set and comfort factor of a camera in many cases is personal; what one person might like another may hate. As such, the final proof is in the pudding – or the image taken in this case. Canon lenses are of course legendary so no problem there. Focus is auto; no problem there either although Focus lock can be set. Simply, as most of the functions are taken care of by the camera, it’s pretty much a no brainer to use, so if you cannot take a decent image with this IXUS 80, take up paper folding. If you want more control over your settings, buy a Powershot. But for $370-odd, you can’t go wrong. So maybe it’s just which colour camera you would like?