Canon's first image-stabilised IXUS — 2006 compact with 6MP CCD, 35-140mm 4x zoom, US name PowerShot SD700 IS
The Digital IXUS 800 IS, announced in February 2006, was the model that brought optical image stabilisation to Canon's IXUS compact line. It sat at the top of the range that year and was sold as the PowerShot SD700 IS Digital ELPH in North America and the IXY Digital 800 IS in Japan.
It used a 6.0-megapixel 1/2.5-inch CCD behind a stabilised 35-140mm-equivalent f/2.8-5.5 4x optical zoom, a longer reach than the 3x lenses of contemporary IXUS models. A 2.5-inch 173,000-pixel LCD handled framing, 640x480 movie recording was included, storage was SD or MMC, and power came from the NB-5L lithium-ion battery.
The stabilised 4x lens made it one of the more capable IXUS compacts of the mid-2000s for travel and low-shutter-speed snaps, while keeping the line's compact metal body. Controls remain point-and-shoot oriented, so it suits casual shooters and CCD-compact collectors rather than anyone wanting manual exposure.
Used examples should be checked for a clean, rattle-free zoom action and working stabiliser, plus the usual LCD and battery-door checks. NB-5L batteries and chargers are still plentiful since the cell served many PowerShot models. The camera predates SDHC support, so pair it with standard SD cards.