Focus is quick and accurate. Exposure is good with judicious use of exposure compensation. Resolution is outstanding. Images straight from the camera are sharp and well saturated. Low sharpening and neutral saturation are selectable through the Picture Effect section of the Function set.

There is a very small optical viewfinder which is needed in bright light. Adjusting the LCD brightness required some fiddling to get a realistic representation of the image on the 50mm screen.

Like this: The IXUS700, like its competitors in this price range, seems to be so fast in its responses that we may be able to say that shutter lag is now just a bad memory. We had no trouble capturing the decisive moment.

The camera is small enough to easily fit in a pocket. Face area is almost exactly the same as a credit card and it is 25mm thick. It feels quite heavy, but in the best and most reassuring way.

Results from this camera were consistently good, requiring little or no post processing in the computer.

Dislike that: Picture noise is obvious at ISO400. This is no doubt a consequence of squeezing 7 million light receptors onto a small area sensor. The noise effect can be tamed with noise reduction software, but it is still a nuisance. ISO400 is not particularly fast nor is it demanding too much of any camera.

Flash is harsh with a tendency to over-expose and to produce unacceptably high contrast. The Kodak V550 produces much better flash output, so it would seem that this is one area where Canon can improve its cameras.

Parting shot: Once again dpexpert is impressed with the construction quality and picture taking ability of a small, highly automated camera. The IXUS700 is the sort of camera that can be easily carried everywhere and be ready in a second to snap the once-in-a-lifetime picture. Highly recommended.

[See sample images from the Canon IXUS700 camera in the Gallery]