Canon IXUS (ELPH) 160/165/170

Canon has gone against the tide that supposedly swept away the possibility of new and exciting entrants in this camera category, and has done so with compact and very affordable units that provide what cameraphones lack: long range optical zoom and stunning image quality. For example, the IXUS 170 is an exceptionally slim camera (only 22.6mm thick) with a very long-range optical zoom: 12X (25-300mm equivalent). It has a 20MP sensor and Intelligent IS, Canon’s adaptive Optical Image Stabilizer that aids in capturing shake-free stills and 720p HD video. Users can rely on the Smart Auto Mode, which automatically chooses the best settings for the scene, or from a number of special effects modes. The IXUS 165 also comes with Intelligent IS, whilst both IXUS 165 and IXUS 160 house an 8x zoom and 20MP sensor.