The Canon Digital IXUS 210 (also known as the PowerShot SD3500 IS) is Canon’s second touchscreen compact camera, replacing last year’s IXUS 200 / SD980 model. You can focus on a subject by simply pointing at their face, review your images and change the camera settings, all by interacting with the larger 3.5 inch LCD screen. The Active Display also allows you to browse through your images by tapping the sides of the camera. The 14 megapixel Canon 210 IS additionally offers a 5x optical zoom lens with an ultra-wide 24mm setting and Optical Image Stabilization, 720p HD video with an HDMI output connection, Smart Auto mode with Scene Detection Technology, and a useful Hints & Tips feature for beginners. Available in four colours - black, silver, gold and pink - the Canon Digital IXUS 210 IS is available now for £349.00 / $329 / €379.00.

Ease of Use
The Canon Digital IXUS 210 is stylishly designed with rounded edges, elongated shape and a smooth-to-the-touch finish. The IXUS 210's faceplate is an exercise in cool minimalism, its smooth surface broken only by the mirrored circular detailing of the lens surround, a window for the AF assist/self timer lamp top right of the lens, and above this again a very narrow sliver of a window for the on-board flash. As this is positioned at the far right edge of the faceplate, it tends to fall prey to being obscured by fingertips when gripping the camera with both hands to take a shot.

Weighing 130g without battery or card, the camera's curved edges mean that the unit slots comfortably into the palm, albeit not as readily as the even smaller and lighter 130 IS model. As its lens is internally stacked, it only protrudes from the body when the camera is in use, thus the device can be stored in a pocket between shots. Build quality is good; the usual mix of mainly metal body with plastic buttons, controls and port covers. Like its other IXUS siblings, there's very little on the 210 to get a firm grip on, except a raised vertical lip on the right of the camera back that provides a degree of purchase for the thumb. That's the price you pay for near credit card sized dimensions but a large rear LCD into the bargain.

Unlike its predecessor, which used a hybrid system of touch operation and a smattering of buttons, the new IXUS 210 does away completely with any rear controls other than the massive 3.5 inch touch-screen LCD. This is in the widescreen format, meaning that regular 4:3 format still images appear with bands left and right, as when watching an analogue-era TV programme on a new digital HD set. It's perhaps no surprise that if you turn the IXUS 210 through 90° to shoot portrait fashion, the backplate recalls the look of a camera phone. The resolution of the LCD has been increased to 460k dots, a sensible move by Canon which prevents such a large display from appearing grainy. Check the Latest US Prices on Amazon.com