Should I buy an IXUS or a PowerShot A?

Choose IXUS for a slim, simple, pocketable camera with great colour. Choose PowerShot A if you want AA batteries and manual control. AA power is a big practical win because old proprietary packs often fail.

Do Canon CCD cameras still get good colour today?

Yes. Canon's warm, forgiving JPEG rendering is a large part of why these compacts are popular. In good light the files often look great straight from the card with little or no editing.

Canon PowerShot / IXUS CCD Cameras

Canon's CCD compacts are the friendliest way into the digicam look. Here is how the PowerShot and IXUS lines differ, and which models to hunt for.

If someone asks which brand to start with for the CCD look, the honest answer is usually Canon. The PowerShot and IXUS compacts are plentiful, dependable, and produce the warm, easy colour that made Canon a household name. This guide walks through the two families, the standout models, and the practical details that decide whether a used one is worth buying.

IXUS versus PowerShot: what is the difference?

Both are Canon CCD compacts, but they target different users. The IXUS line (branded PowerShot ELPH or Digital IXUS in some regions) is the style-focused range: slim metal bodies, pocketable, minimal controls, designed to look good and just work. The broader PowerShot name covers everything from tiny compacts to larger enthusiast models with more manual control, longer zooms and, crucially, some AA-battery bodies. If you want fashion-object simplicity, look at IXUS. If you want control and battery convenience, look at the PowerShot A series.

The IXUS models worth hunting

Classic favourites include the IXUS 70 and IXUS 80 IS, both compact, reliable and rich in that signature Canon colour. Slightly older CCD units like the IXUS 500 and IXUS 750 are also loved for their rendering. The appeal is consistency: point, shoot, and the JPEG usually looks good straight off the card, with pleasant skin tones and controlled contrast. These are the cameras people photograph nights out with.

The PowerShot A series and the AA advantage

The PowerShot A series deserves special mention because many models run on AA batteries. Cameras such as the A620, A630, A710 IS and A720 IS avoid the single biggest headache of old digicams: dead, unreplaceable proprietary lithium packs. You can drop in fresh rechargeables anywhere in the world. These bodies are chunkier, but they add manual exposure control, a proper grip and, on some, a flip screen. For anyone who wants to actually learn exposure, the A series is a gift.

Why Canon colour is loved

Canon's image processing of this era leaned warm and forgiving. Skin looks healthy rather than clinical, blues stay believable, and highlights roll off in a way that flatters snapshots. Combined with the CCD sensor's grain-like shadow noise, the result is a look that feels nostalgic without much effort. It is the least fiddly colour in the CCD world, which is exactly why beginners are steered here.

Strengths: warm, flattering colour; reliable bodies; huge supply of used units.
IXUS: slim, stylish, simple, pocket-friendly.
PowerShot A: AA power, manual control, better grip.
Watch for: tired lithium packs on IXUS, worn zoom mechanisms, scratched screens.

What to check before buying a Canon CCD compact

Confirm the lens extends and retracts smoothly and is free of fungus and haze. Test the screen for dead lines. On IXUS models, verify the proprietary battery still holds a charge, since replacements vary in quality. On A-series bodies, bring AA cells and shoot a few frames. Check the card slot reads and writes, and ask for sample images to rule out sensor faults. As always, a clean common model beats a beaten-up rare one.

Settings that make Canon CCD files sing

You do not need to fight these cameras, but a few choices help. Keep ISO as low as the light allows, because Canon's higher-ISO noise is less pretty than its base-ISO grain. Leave the JPEG on a standard or neutral colour setting and let the camera's warmth do the work rather than piling on saturation. In tricky light, a slight negative exposure compensation protects highlights, which these small sensors clip readily. And at night, raise the flash and lean into the direct snapshot look instead of pushing ISO into mush. On PowerShot A bodies with manual modes, aperture priority is a gentle way to start learning control without losing the point-and-shoot ease.

Common problems and how to spot them

Age brings predictable faults. A stuck or grinding zoom usually means a worn lens motor or trapped grit, and it rarely gets better. Lens error messages on startup are a red flag on any Canon compact. Faded or lined screens are common but do not always affect the images, so judge by test shots. Corroded battery contacts and a lithium pack that drains overnight both point to a hard life. On IXUS models especially, a battery that charges but empties fast is the single most common disappointment, which is why AA-powered A-series bodies remain such a safe recommendation for beginners.

Green flags: smooth zoom, clean lens, bright even screen, battery that holds overnight.
Red flags: lens error, grinding zoom, purple bands in test shots, contacts with corrosion.

Who should buy Canon?

Almost everyone starting out. If you want a camera that delivers the digicam aesthetic with minimal fuss, an IXUS is ideal. If you want to grow into manual shooting and never worry about batteries, choose a PowerShot A. Either way you get Canon's trademark colour at a sensible entry point. Because the used supply of these cameras is still large, you can afford to be patient and picky: wait for a clean example with a healthy battery and a lens free of haze rather than jumping on the first listing you see. A well-chosen Canon compact will keep making that warm, nostalgic colour for years of casual shooting, and it asks almost nothing of you in return beyond good light and a charged battery. Boston Camera keeps tested, working Canon PowerShot and IXUS CCD compacts in stock so you can try the colour before you buy.