Canon IXUS 50 Digital Camera
The best digital camera for everyday users

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Choosing a digital camera for personal or professional purposes is often a task filled with trepidation. There are so many brands, models, and options to choose from that finding the right one for your needs often gets lost in all the specifics of the camera. Is a digital camera or a single lens reflex camera preferred for optimal use? The answer will be based on the needs of the consumer, but there are a few specifics that distinguish the good cameras from the best.

The Canon IXUS 50 ELPH Digital Camera is a popular choice for photographers of all skill levels, from novice to advanced users. The Canon IXUS 50 has an effective 5.0 mega pixels CCD resolution with a 2 inch colour LCD monitor, and a built-in flash with up to six various modes. In addition, the Canon IXUS 50 has a maximum digital zoom of 4x, utilises standard SD memory cards, and is powered by a lithium-ion rechargeable battery.

On the other hand, the Sony DSC-T30 remains a highly sought-after digital camera, boasting an impressive 7.2 mega pixels resolution with a 3 inch colour LCD monitor, and a built-in flash with an auto adjuster. In addition, the Sony T30 has a maximum digital zoom of 3x, utilised both the Memory Stick Duo and Pro Duo storage devices as well as a built-in 58MB memory chip. Finally, the Sony T30 is powered by a custom LiIon battery that guarantees double the life of the battery.

When taking into consideration the aesthetic value of the Sony T30 and the Canon IXUS 50, size, colour, and weight specifics need to be considered. The Sony T30 is 3.7 by 2.2 by .9 inches or 95 by 57 by 23 millimetres, has the standard silver colour, and weighs in at a comparatively hefty 5.9 ounces or 169 grams. The Canon IXUS 50 is 3.39 by 2.09 by .82 inches or 86 by 53 by 21 millimetres, has the standard silver colour, and weighs in at 5.3 ounces or 151 grams.

A person preferring a lighter, sleeker digital camera will find the Canon IXUS suits more both in terms of size and weight, but the additional benefits gained by the added weight of the Sony T30 may well be worth the extra bit of weight. However: the Canon IXUS 50 also has a lot of user interface features that are not only unique, but offer a better picture in the long-run for the average user.

One feature many users enjoy is the movie mode that many digital cameras are capable of. The Sony T30 sports an impressive movie mode with varying frames per second. If the Pro Memory Stick is used, the Sony T30 is capable of 30 frames per second, but if the Non-Pro Memory Stick is used, the frame rate decreases to 16.6 frames per second.

When taking a look at the Canon IXUS 50 movie mode, the digital camera is limited to 30 frames per second with a maximum time of 60 seconds. However, it must be realised that the maximum time is limited to the size of the SD card provided for memory. Another popular feature of the Canon IXUS 50 is that the movie mode can be set on a timer in 10 second intervals. In addition, the Canon IXUS 50 has settings for various environmental conditions that help create not only a better movie but a better image wherever and whenever you need it.

Deciding upon the best digital camera for a consumer's needs will be based mainly on that consumer's intended usage. The Sony T30 is more expensive, offers less user friendly options, has a better resolution, and a larger LCD monitor. The Canon IXUS 50 is more cost effective, offers numerous user-friendly options, has sufficient resolution for most users, and is lighter and easier to handle.

The deciding factor for me was the ease of purchasing inexpensive memory sticks.  The Canon IXUS 50 uses inexpensive, common SD Memory Sticks, capable of being used with numerous other devices needing SD memory. The Sony T30 on the other hand requires proprietary memory sticks to be purchased either directly from Sony or a specialist store. When the consumer is looking for a friendly, cost-effective solution to their digital camera needs, the Canon IXUS 50 is one step ahead of the competition.