Ergonomics

Touch AF. Metering methods available are Evaluative, Centre-weighted average, and Spot. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-2 EV in 1/3stop increments. Shutter speeds range from 15 to 1/4000 sec, while sensitivity ranges from ISO 100 to 3200 with an additional Auto option. White Balance options are Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, and Custom. The built-in flash has a range of 50cm to 2.5m at the wideangle end, and 1.0 to 1.5m at the telephoto end, but as usual, Canon’s specifications don’t specify at what ISO. Flash modes are Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro, and Flash Off and it has a recycling time of less than 10sec, when the battery voltage is 3.7V. The self-timer has delay options of 10 sec, 2 sec, and custom. The 510 HS’s maximum continuous speed is approximately 6.1 frames per second. Shooting modes of the IXUS 510 HS are Auto, P, Movie Digest, Portrait, Smooth Skin, Smart Shutter, HighSpeed Burst, Handheld Night Scene, Low Light, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Colour Accent, Colour Swap, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter, iFrame Movie, and Super SlowMotion Movie. The camera features photo effects such as My Colours Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin, Darker Skin, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, and Custom Colour. Still images are recorded in JPEG format with a maximum size of 3648 x 2736 pixels, while videos are recorded in MOV format with the best quality of 1920 x 1080 at 24 fps. The IXUS 510 uses a 3.2-inch, approximately 461,000-dot touchsensitive TFT colour LCD with a wide viewing angle. The camera uses a microSD/microSDHC/microSDXC memory card for storage. It is powered by an NB-9L battery pack. The device weighs 163g including battery and memory card, and has dimensions of 85.8 x 53.5 x 19.8mm ( WxHxD). The IXUS 510 HS features the usual uncluttered Canon interface, but with an additional touch screen control. Touch response is good, but not as smooth as the capacitive models. If you are not used to touch interface, you could find it cumbersome to operate this camera. The LCD occupies the entire back panel and as such you need to place your right hand thumb on the base plate. Also, the LCD is liable to scratches is the camera is placed on its back. Images on the LCD appeared crisp and clear.

Performance

The Canon IXUS 510 HS performed reasonably well in our tests. Autofocus was fast and precise even under lowlight conditions. The lens exhibited good control over darkening of corners. In fact, darkening was rarely seen. The camera produced sharp images and controlled distortion well. Though slight barrel distortion was observed throughout the zoom range, you will not observe it in day-to- day images unless you deliberately look for it. We observed prominent flare along with magenta-violet chromatic aberration. The metering modes performed as expected. The camera reproduced colours true to the original. Both auto and pre-set White Balance modes performed very well, except for the auto option under incandescent light. Native image size was 9.12 x 12.16 inches at 300 ppi. At 25 percent of this screen size, images were noise-free up to ISO 1600, but images were usable throughout the ISO range. Observed at 50 percent screen size, slight noise was observed from ISO 800 onwards, though not so much to be of concern. At 100 percent of the screen size, all images showed noise, but images were perfectly usable up to ISO 800.

Value for Money

The Canon IXUS 510 HS retails at an MRP of Rs.22,995. Considering that this is only a 10 MP model, we would consider the camera a little on the expensive side.

SPECIFICATIONS

Effective Pixels : 10.1 Million Sensor : 1/2.3-inch (6.16 x 4.62mm) CMOS Lens Focal Length : 28 – 336mm equivalent Focus : Normal: 5cm to infinity ( W) 1m to infinity ( T) Auto: 1cm to infinity ( W) 1m to infinity ( T) Macro: 1 to 50cm ( W) Image stabilisation : Lens-shift Autofocus System : TTL Autofocus Monitor : 3.2-inch TFT Touch Panel Colour

LCD with wide viewing angle LCD Resolution : Approx. 461,000 dots Maximum Aperture : f/3.4 ( W) - f/5.6 ( T) Shutter Speed : 15-1/4000 sec. Sensitivity : Auto, ISO 100/200/400/800/1600/3200 (in P mode) Metering Method : Evaluative, Centre weighted

average, Spot Exposure Comp. : +/-2 stops in 1/3-stop increments White Balance : Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Control Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom Built-in Flash Modes : Auto, Flash On, Slow Synchro,

Flash Off Flash Range : 50cm - 2.5m ( W), 1.0 - 1.5m ( T) Recycling Time : 10 sec. or less

( battery voltage: 3.7V) Shooting Modes : Auto, P, Movie Digest, Portrait, Smooth Skin, Smart Shutter, High Speed Burst, Handheld Night Scene, Low Light, Fisheye Effect, Miniature Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Soft Focus, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Colour Accent, Colour Swap, Snow, Fireworks, Long Shutter, iFrame Movie, Super Slow Motion Movie Photo Effects : My Colours Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin, Darker Skin, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Colour Self Timer : 10-sec or 2-sec. Delay, custom Continuous Shooting : Approx. 6.1 shots/sec.

(in High-Speed Burst mode) Storage Media : microSD, microSDHC,

microSDXC memory card File Format : Still: JPEG Video: MOV ( Image: H.264; Audio: Linear PCM Max. Recording Pixels : Still Images: 3648 x 2736

Video: 1920 x 1080 (24 fps) Computer Interface : Hi-Speed USB Power Source : Battery Pack NB-9L Dimensions : 85.8 x 53.5 x 19.8mm ( W x H x D) Weight : 163g

( With battery and memory card)