Canon IXUS 870 IS / PowerShot SD880 IS / IXY 920 IS

Great point-and-shoot; nice wide-angle zoom; attractive design and feel; optical image stabilization

Few manual adjustments; noisy above ISO 400; pokey frame rates

If you're looking for a very good point-and-shoot for under $300 buy the Canon PowerShot SD880 IS Digital ELPH.

The newly upgraded DIGIC 4 image processor, accounts for the camera's higher performance levels, including significantly improved signal processing speed and higher image quality. One of the most important new features made possible by the DIGIC 4...

- Small and attractive - Large 3-inch LCD - Easy to use

- Expensive - No manual shutter speed or aperture

The Canon PowerShot SD880 IS is an attractive compact point-and-shoot. We like the large three-inch LCD on the back and the easy-to-press buttons. With only three stops on the mode dial this should be a simple camera for beginners to pick up and shoot.

4x optical zoom3.0 inch PureColor II LCD screenFace detection with self timerImage Stabilization

No manual options

If you are looking for a go anywhere point and shoot camera that can...

Good photo quality ; Stylish, compact metal body; comes in silver and gold ; 4X, wide-angle lens ; Optical image stabilization ; Fast startup time; snappy performance overall ; Nice 3-inch LCD display; great outdoor and low light visibility ; Face...

More noise reduction than older Powershots, especially in low light (though this won't affect most people) ; Images are soft around the edges ; Flash recharging could be faster ; Current zoom setting not shown on LCD ; No optical viewfinder ; More...

If I was ignoring Sony cameras, the PowerShot SD880 would have the best battery life in its class. Unfortunately for the SD880, I'm not, so it will have to take second place instead. In the group as a whole, the SD880's numbers are above average

Good shutter lag and AF performance ; Good color rendition ; Excellent lens performance

No viewfinder ; Sharpening images requires post processing outside of camera

One of the best lenses in this class of camera that I've come across, good shutter lag and focus acquisition times, good image quality and color rendition - the SD880 has a lot going for it. The lack of manual controls points this camera directly at...

Great image quality; fast startup time; easy to use

Slightly heavy; slow shot-to-shot time; noisy images when shooting in high ISO

Despite its hefty weight and slow shot-to-shot time, the SD880 is a winner for casual photographers looking for an easy-to-use model. That it's easy to hold, attractive, and speedy don't hurt, either

The Canon Powershot SD880 IS is a digital camera that gets a lot of things right. Speed of operation is great and so are ergonomics with one minor exception, the lack of a hand-gripping surface on the front.