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Performance
As I've come to expect from Canon IXUS cameras, I was very impressed with the performance from the IXUS 265. For those looking for a great all round camera without having to worry about manual controls and so on, this is an excellent option.
Colours are bright and punchy straight from the camera, displaying the pleasingly warm tones that Canon cameras have become known for. If you want to adjust how colours appear, and you're shooting in Program Auto, you can choose different settings from the MyColors menu – this is a good idea if you want to boost contrast, or shoot in something like monochrome.
Bear in mind however that as the camera doesn't have the ability to shoot in raw format, whichever colour you choose you won't be able to change it in post-production.
Detail is also impressive, especially in those shots taken at lower sensitivities, such as ISO 200. The overall impression of detail is excellent, and if you examine at 100%, while some image smoothing is visible at these low sensitivities, detail is rendered particularly well for a camera with a sensor of this size (1/2.3 inch).
Pushing the sensitivity up to higher levels reveals the introduction of image smoothing. At ISO 800, this isn't too bad, especially at normal or printing sizes. At ISO 1600, it's a fair bit worse, but this should only present a problem if you're photographing something which is extremely detailed in low light without the flash, in which case it is to be expected.
The camera's automatic white balance system copes well with several different kinds of light, including artificial and mixed lighting sources. Similarly, the camera's metering system generally does a good job of producing accurate exposures – I hardly needed to adjust exposure compensation at all.
Focusing is quick and generally accurate. If you're shooting in Program Auto mode, you can activate macro focusing, which is useful for getting close for frame-filling shots. If shooting in fully automatic mode, macro focusing should be activated automatically if you get close to a subject.
The IXUS 265 has a 12x optical zoom, which should be enough flexibility for the majority of shooting conditions. Images taken at the furthest reach of the optical zoom retain a good amount of detail, while even those taken at 24x Zoom Plus are decent, giving you that extra reach if you need it. I wouldn't personally use the 48x digital zoom unless absolutely necessary – but again it's nice to have it there if you need it.
Some of the digital filters which are available in the Creative Mode are good – it's just a shame that you can't select them individually. Instead, if you want more control, when shooting in Program Auto mode, you can choose from the Function menu a limited, and different, range of filters – some of which seem a little outdated now.
