Compared to the Nikon Coolpix 2500

For a like-for-like comparison I chose Nikon's new Coolpix 2500. Both cameras are two megapixel, three times optical zoom ultra-compact digital cameras. The primary differences are that the IXUS 330 provides a little more manual control than the 2500.

Based on what we discovered in the ISO test the IXUS 330 shot was taken at "ISO 50", which you will note has almost the same shutter speed as the Nikon Coolpix 2500 shot taken at "ISO 100".

Lighting - 2 x 800W studio lights with dichroic daylight filters bounced off a white ceiling reflector. Manual white balance taken from grey patches on the Kodak colour patches in the scene. Crops below are 'blown up' 200%.

Canon DIGITAL IXUS 330 (S300)	Nikon Coolpix 2500
ISO 50, 1/6 sec, F3.5	ISO 100, 1/7 sec, F3.4

As you can see it's a close run thing, both cameras do a good job of capturing the scene as it was set up, both cameras exhibited good vivid, yet not over-saturated colour. Other observations:

• Resolution - IXUS 330 has the edge on sharpness, details are little easier to make out and appear "sharper" than the Coolpix 2500.
   
• Moiré - some slight moiré is visible in the IXUS 330's second crop, this doesn't show up in the Coolpix 2500 image.
   
• Noise - noise levels between both cameras is very low (very similar).
   
• Highlight clipping - as noted in its own review the Coolpix 2500 still has the clipped highlights which have now become associated with Coolpix cameras.
   
• Bayer jaggies - again, as we noted in the Coolpix 2500 review certain colours produced a half resolution jagged effect (see the yellow crayon in the last crop), these were not visible in the IXUS 330 image.