If you've seen a Canon IXUS before then the new IXUS 430 will be quite familiar to you. Externally similar to the previous models, Canon has added some new features and updated the specification, but at heart this is still the same old IXUS.
The design is starting to show its age a little so Canon has decided to cover its options with the 4.3-megapixel 430 and 5-Megapixel 500 models, and it has also introduced the tiny IXUS I to cater to customers who want the smallest possible camera.
The single most obvious sign of the age of the IXUS is its use of Compact Flash as storage medium, where most cameras use an SD card or media that is even smaller in size such as xD.
Most of the right-hand end of the IXUS 430 is filled with the battery and Compact Flash card, and it is tempting to think that if Canon used smaller internal parts then the four-way navigation pad could be moved to the right and that in turn would allow Canon to enlarge the LCD screen.
That LCD is a conventional 1.5-inch unit, and it is very clear to read as Canon has used white writing on a black background, with each option turning red as it is highlighted. It's incredibly clear and easy to use, but we find that a bigger screen makes it easier to frame the shot with a high-resolution camera, as there's so much information included in a 4-megapixel photo.
The IXUS 430 looks quite complicated, as there are so many buttons and switches all over the back. Most of these have quite limited functions so the rotary control, for instance, only has four positions where some manufacturers would cram in up to nine pre-set profiles, and you have to wonder if it is strictly necessary to have a dedicated switch to change from Camera to Transfer mode. Kodak, for example, uses an automatic system that detects when you plug in a USB cable with no need for a Transfer switch at all.
Canon includes a Direct Printing button as the IXUS 430 supports the latest PictBridge technology, so you can connect your camera directly to an appropriate printer and then use the LCD on the camera to navigate the printer controls. Naturally Canon hopes that you'll use a Canon printer, but we regard PictBridge as yet another reason for manufacturers to include the largest possible display on their cameras.
Despite all those minor quibbles we loved the IXUS 430. It feels solid and well made, and the menus and controls are quite intuitive to use. Picture quality is generally good, and close-up photos using the macro setting work particularly well both with and without the flash.
Portraits taken indoors were clear and displayed accurate colours and skin tones. Exterior shots also look good, but the IXUS only has a 3x optical zoom like so many compact digital cameras, so it helps to bring the subject closer to the camera, but can do little more than that.
The IXUS 430 is a good all-round performer and while it doesn't excel in any one area it won't disappoint you.
