Released in 2006, the Canon Digital IXUS 65 was a slim mid-range compact in Canon's IXUS series, sold in North America as the PowerShot SD630 Digital ELPH and in Japan as the IXY Digital 80, positioned for style-conscious everyday use.
It carries a 6-megapixel 1/2.5-inch CCD sensor and a 3x optical zoom lens equivalent to 35-105mm at f/2.8-4.9, powered by Canon's DIGIC III processor with Face Detection autofocus and exposure. The 2.5-inch LCD is joined by a small optical viewfinder, images save to SD/MMC cards, and a proprietary lithium-ion battery provides power.
DIGIC III's face-detection system was a genuine step forward for casual portrait shooting at the time, biasing focus and exposure toward faces automatically, while the slim brushed-metal body kept it easy to carry compared with bulkier zoom compacts of the era.
Used examples are inexpensive and plentiful, appealing to buyers wanting a compact 2000s digital camera with an optical viewfinder. Check for the pink-tinge CCD fault affecting some Canon compacts of this generation, test the zoom for smooth travel, and confirm the battery still holds charge.