Canon Digital IXUS 240 HS - Fast, Clean Shots

Physique and Features

Subtle Elegance

The 240 HS is part of Canon’s current generation of compact cameras under the Digital IXUS label that uses the HS system. Combined with a 16.1-megapixel sensor and the new DIGIC 5 image processor, the HS system helps the 240 HS capture good images even under low-light conditions. The capability of the HS system has been proven since its introduction in 2010 through other Digital IXUS models like the 300 HS and the 1000 HS.

Clad in a matte-black casing, the 240 HS has a metallic feel. While the camera’s body does not easily attract unsightly fingerprints, its 3.2-inch touchscreen display does. Being a touchscreen camera, the 240 HS has a conservative set of buttons. On top, it has the power button together with the shutter button (surrounded by the zoom lever) and the switch for Auto and other shooting modes. The play button is located on the lower right side of the display. If black does not float your boat, the 240 HS is also available in other colors like blue, red, and silver.

The 240 HS is equipped with an HDMI and a mini USB that are hidden beneath a plastic flap. Physical connectors aside, the camera can connect through Wi-Fi that allows wireless transferring of images to a computer, smartphone, or a tablet. It can also upload images to Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube with the help of Canon Image Gateway, but the cloud-based service is available only in some countries, excluding the Philippines. The camera uses an SD card for storage and comes with a 680mAh battery module.

Considering that touch-enabled devices are common these days, we could not help but compare the 240 HS user interface (UI) to those of smartphones. We noticed that the camera has a slow UI which makes us think that the touchscreen display is of a resistive type.

In general, using Auto mode is adequate to capture good photos with the 240 HS. But for creativity, you may play around with the camera’s effects like Fish-eye, Miniature, Toy Camera, Soft Focus, Monochrome, and Super Vivid.