The Canon Digital Ixus 860IS – or PowerShot SD870 IS Digital Elph as it’s known in North America – is an 8 Megapixel compact with a 3.8x optically-stabilised zoom lens and a large 3in screen. Announced in August 2007, it’s the successor to the popular Ixus 850IS / SD800 IS.

The new 860IS / SD870 IS keeps the 28-105mm equivalent range of its predecessor, adds the inevitable extra Megapixel of resolution and dumps the optical viewfinder in favour of a bigger 3in screen. From the rear it resembles the earlier Ixus 75 / SD750 with the 3in screen and similarly-positioned controls running down the right side. The new 860IS / SD870 IS also features a touch-sensitive wheel on the rear which can be used for adjusting the shooting mode by running your finger around its edge.
               

Like its predecessor, the 860IS / SD870 IS is pretty much an automatic affair with no manual control over the aperture or shutter. Ten presets allow a fair degree of creativity though, while Canon’s Function menu allows you to quickly and easily adjust the most common settings.

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