The Canon PowerShot Elph 160 ($119.99) is one of the least expensive compact cameras on the market. It's actually a speedy performer in terms of startup and autofocus, and its 8x zoom lens covers a lot of range. But it doesn't include Wi-Fi, 1080p video capture, or other advanced features found on more expensive cameras, and its lens omits optical stabilization. If you can afford it, you're be better off spending a little bit more to upgrade to the stabilizedElph 170 IS($149.99 at Office Depot® & OfficeMax®)(Opens in a new window)or the full-featuredCanon PowerShot SX600 HS( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)。我们的Editors' Choice compact, theCanon PowerShot N100( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), is a lot more expensive, but it's also a lot more versatile.
Design and Features
The Elph 160($299.98 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)measures 2.1 by 3.7 by 0.9 inches (HWD) and weighs just 4.5 ounces. It's not the smallest compact you can get—that honor goes to theNikon Coolpix S02(2 by 3 by 0.7 inches, 3.5 ounces), but the S02 has a very limited 3x zoom range. Canon offers the Elph 160 in white, black, silver, and red.
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The 8x zoom lens covers a 28-224mm field of view with an aperture that starts at f/3.2 and narrows to f/6.9 when fully zoomed. It's not quite as wide or as long as the Elph 170 IS's 12x (25-300mm) zoom, and it omits optical image stabilization. There is some sort of digital stabilization going on, but it's not as effective at steadying long exposures as an optical system.
Controls are typical for a compact camera of this type. The zoom rocker, shutter release, and Power button are placed on the top plate, with the remainder of the buttons on the rear, to the right of the LCD. There you'll find Playback, Movie Record, Menu, and Help buttons, as well as a four-way control pad with a center Func./Set button. Directional presses toggle the shooting mode, control the flash, change the amount of information shown on the rear display, and activate the camera's power-saving Eco mode.
Out of the box, the Elph 160 is set to fully automatic operation. Pressing the green Auto button at the top of the directional pad switches to Program mode, and also gives you access to a number of Scene modes that are catered to shooting specific subjects. Some manual control over settings, including ISO, white balance, exposure compensation, and the metering pattern, are accessible when shooting in Program. If you're unsure of what these functions control, the on-screen Help menu (launched via the ? button) is there to guide you.
The Elph 160 feels very solid in the hand—more than you'd expect from a budget camera—but the rear LCD is certainly a low-rent affair. It's a 2.7-inch panel with a 230k-dot resolution, and it suffers from very poor viewing angles. It's best viewed straight on, as turning the camera washes it out and presents false colors to your eye. There are cameras out there with better LCDs for not much more money, including the Canon SX600 HS, which uses a 460k-dot LCD with better viewing angles.
You won't find advanced features like integrated Wi-Fi or Canon's Creative Shot mode (which adds artistic filters to images automatically) in the Elph 160. It's a very no-frills camera. You'll want move up to a current model with the HS designation, like the SX600 HS, if those features are important to you.
Performance and Conclusions
The Elph 160 starts and shoots in a very reasonable 1.4 seconds, focuses in just about 0.1-second, and shoots continuously at 0.7fps. You can gain some shot-to-shot speed by moving up to a more expensive camera—the N100 rattles off images at 3.6fps—but improvements in startup time and autofocus will be less dramatic.
I usedImatest(Opens in a new window)to check the sharpness of the 8x zoom lens. On our standard center-weighted test the Elph 160 scores 1,755 lines per picture height. That's just a little shy of the 1,800 lines we like to see in a photo. The Elph 170 IS is a bit sharper; it scores 2,215 lines on the same test.
See How We Test Digital Cameras
Imatest also checks photos for noise. We look for images that show less than 1.5 percent, but the Elph 160 shows 1.7 percent at its lowest sensitivity, ISO 100. I took a close look at images from our ISO test sequence on a calibratedNEC MultiSync PA271W($999.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)噪音会影响图像质量。在ISO100 it's a nonissue, but by the time you push the camera to ISO 400 there's a drop-off in image quality. A side-by-side examination shows that the Elph 170 IS shows a bit more detail there, although both are rough at ISO 800. The Elph 170 IS has an edge in low light due to its optically stabilized lens, which makes it possible to keep the ISO lower when shooting handheld by using a longer shutter speed.
Elph 160 720 p视频记录在QuickT 30 fpsime format. The footage has a grainy look, but the camera is quick to focus as the scene changes. The real issue is the stability, or lack thereof, of the footage. Handheld video has a shaky look; a compact camera with optical stabilization, like the Elph 170 IS, does a better job with handheld video. The only digital port is a mini USB connector, located under a flap on the right side. The SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slot is located in the battery compartment. Canon does include an external wall charger; in-camera charging is not supported.
If you're on a tight budget and in need of a digital camera, the Canon PowerShot Elph 160 is an appealing option at just $120. It has some bright spots, including relatively quick operation, an 8x zoom lens, and solid build quality. But there are some issues, including a low-res LCD and a lens that omits image stabilization. If you're not big on features like Wi-Fi, you can spend just $30 more and get the Elph 170 IS, which has a stabilized 12x zoom. There's also a model from last year, the SX600 HS, which has a longer zoom and is now selling for around $180. And, if you don't mind a limited zoom, the olderCanon PowerShot S110is still on sale for under $200. It's an advanced model, but can be set for automatic operation. Our favorite compact is another Canon camera, the N100, which is pricey but captures excellent images, includes a unique rear lens, and has integrated Wi-Fi.
The Canon PowerShot Elph 160 is one of the least expensive compact cameras you can buy, but you're better off spending just a little bit more on a point-and-shoot.
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