Introduction: The IXUS i5 at a Glance
Few cameras show the early digital compact era as neatly as the Canon Digital IXUS i5. Weighing roughly 100g without the card and battery pack, and measuring just 18.5mm thick, it is a true pocket camera. If you are browsing our digital compact cameras, this one is easy to spot by its slim shape.
Canon's own user guide gives the body size as 90.3 x 47.0 x 18.5mm. Inside sit a 5-megapixel CCD and a fixed lens. The model also travelled under other names: PowerShot SD20 Digital ELPH in North America and Digital IXY L2 in Japan.
Photographing with a fixed-lens compact is a different rhythm from using an interchangeable-lens body. You decide where to stand, you watch the light, and the camera stays out of the way.
Design Roots and Historical Background
A step up in resolution
The clearest way to place the IXUS i5 in Canon's range is through its sensor. It is the successor to the Digital IXUS i, and the jump from 4 to 5 megapixels is the headline change between the two.
The model reached the market in November 2004. Canon's manual describes an all-round pocket camera: ISO 50 to 400, a built-in flash and a self-timer that can wait either about 10 or about 2 seconds.
What came in the box
Canon's system map lists the original package: the WS-500 wrist strap, a CB-2LU or CB-2LUE battery charger, the NB-3L battery with its cover, a 32MB SD memory card, the IFC-400PCU interface cable, the AVC-DC300 AV cable, software discs and printed guides.
The AW-DC10 All Weather Case was a separate accessory. Canon describes it as a waterproof case for underwater shots down to 3 metres.
Key Technical Highlights
Lens and focusing
The user guide gives the lens as 6.4mm, which corresponds to 39mm on a 35mm film camera, with an f/2.8 aperture.
For close work, the standard range starts at 10cm from the lens, and macro mode lets you get to within 3cm. The focus frame can use nine areas or a single point in the centre, according to Canon.
Exposure, flash and image size
Exposure times stretch from 15 seconds down to 1/1500, which gives room for night scenes on a support and for bright daylight. Sensitivity can be left on Auto or set between ISO 50 and ISO 400.
The built-in flash reaches from 30cm to 2.0m when sensitivity is on Auto. At the largest setting, the 1/2.5-inch CCD produces pictures of 2592 x 1944 pixels.
Screen and connections
The monitor on the back is small: 1.5 inches with 78,000 pixels. Computers connect through a mini-B USB port using PTP, while the audio/video output supports NTSC or PAL with mono sound.
- Lens: 6.4mm, equal to 39mm on 35mm film, f/2.8
- Sensor: 5 megapixels, 1/2.5-inch CCD
- Shutter: 15 seconds to 1/1500
- Battery: NB-3L, about 120 pictures per CIPA test
- Ports: mini-B USB (PTP) and audio/video output
Modern-Day Use in 2026
Where the IXUS i5 excels
The i5 is a good match for anyone who wants a small, single-purpose camera that is separate from a phone. At 100g it goes everywhere, and the SD card workflow is simple.
Use it for:
- Travel snapshots when you want a camera that disappears into a jacket pocket
- Close-ups of small objects with macro mode
- Pictures with the distinctive look of a 2004 CCD sensor
- Showing photos on a television through the AV output
Practical shooting tips
- Choose daylight or a bright window; a small CCD has more to say there than in dim rooms.
- Stay beyond 10cm in normal mode and switch to macro for anything closer.
- Set the camera on a wall or a table for long exposures, and use the 2-second timer to avoid shake.
- Bring a spare charged battery; Canon rates a full charge at about 120 pictures.
Buying and Maintenance Guide
What to check before buying used
Pocket cameras of this size have usually lived in bags and coat pockets. Go through these points before you commit:
- Examine the lens for scratches, dust or haze, and listen to it extend and retract smoothly.
- Check the LCD for dead lines, dark patches or pressure marks.
- Look inside the battery compartment and at the contacts for corrosion.
- Put in an SD card, then record, review and delete a few pictures.
- Try the flash, macro mode and every button.
Battery and power
The IXUS i5 takes a rechargeable NB-3L lithium-ion battery. The original package came with a CB-2LU or CB-2LUE charger.
- Confirm that the battery holds a charge and that a charger is part of the deal.
- Consider buying a spare NB-3L from a reliable seller.
- Remove the battery when the camera sits unused for months.
Basic care and accessories
A few photography accessories keep a small compact in good shape:
- A soft pouch to protect the lens and screen
- A microfiber cloth for gentle cleaning of lens and LCD
- An SD card that you format in the camera before a trip
- A wrist strap, since Canon supplied the WS-500 with the camera
What to pay
On European marketplaces such as eBay, working examples are typically listed around €80-€135.
Conclusion: Small Camera, Clear Purpose
The Canon Digital IXUS i5 is a light, slim and uncomplicated camera. Its manual-confirmed 39mm-equivalent lens, 5-megapixel CCD, SD storage and simple USB link make it easy to understand and easy to carry.
It rewards buyers who inspect the lens, screen and battery. For a related model, see our guide to the Canon Digital IXUS 95 IS.
FAQs
Where can I find the IXUS i5 manual? The original instruction manual is available as a free PDF download on this page, under the first photo.
Which memory card fits the IXUS i5? It records to an SD memory card; Canon packed a 32MB card in the original box.
Which battery and charger go with it? The camera uses an NB-3L lithium-ion battery, and the original package included a CB-2LU or CB-2LUE charger.
Is the IXUS i5 the same as the PowerShot SD20? Yes. SD20 Digital ELPH is the North American name and Digital IXY L2 the Japanese one.
How do I get pictures onto a computer? Connect a cable to the mini-B USB port. The camera uses PTP for the transfer.
Ready to explore cameras like the IXUS i5? Browse our digital compact cameras, see more digital cameras, or shop the Canon collection at DutchThrift.com.
Sources: Canon Camera User Guide (PowerShot SD20 / Digital IXUS i5) and Canon's system map; Canon Digital IXUS i5 on camera-wiki.org, text licensed under GFDL 1.3; price range based on active eBay listings on European marketplaces.