You’ve seen the TikToks. You’ve scrolled through the grainy, sun-drenched Instagram dumps that look like they were taken in 2004, even though they were shot last Tuesday. There is a weird, almost obsessive nostalgia for CCD sensors and early CMOS compacts right now. Honestly, it makes sense. Our phones have become too good. They’re clinical. They sharpen everything until your skin looks like a topography map. That is exactly why people are scouring eBay for the Canon IXUS 115 HS. It hits that "Goldilocks" zone of being old enough to have "soul" but new enough to actually function without a headache.
Back in 2011, when this thing launched, it was just another face in the crowd. Canon was pumping out IXUS and ELPH models like they were printing money. But the 115 HS—known as the ELPH 100 HS in the States—was special. It wasn’t just a plastic toy. It felt dense. It had this matte metallic finish that didn't feel cheap. More importantly, it was one of the early adopters of the "HS System," which was Canon’s way of saying "this won't look like hot garbage when the sun goes down."
Most old digicams die the second you walk indoors. This one doesn't.
The Sensor Secret: Why CMOS Mattered
When you talk to die-hard vintage camera nerds, they usually worship CCD sensors. They love the CCD for its "film-like" color. But CCDs have a massive flaw: they are slow. They eat batteries. They struggle with noise the moment you lose direct sunlight. The Canon IXUS 115 HS uses a 12.1-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor.
In 2011, this was a big deal.
The "HS" stands for High Speed, and it’s paired with the DIGIC 4 processor. What does that mean for you today? It means the camera actually turns on fast. It means you can take a photo of your friends at a dimly lit bar and actually see their faces instead of a blurred mess of purple pixels. It’s got that specific "Early 2010s" color science—vibrant, a little warm, and very flattering on skin tones. It’s a look you can’t quite replicate with a filter because it’s baked into the way the hardware interprets light.
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Small Body, Big Glass (Sorta)
Look at the lens. It’s a 4x optical zoom, starting at a 28mm equivalent. That is wide enough for a group shot but tight enough that you aren't getting that weird fisheye distortion you get on iPhone wide-angle lenses.
The aperture starts at f/2.8.
That’s fast for a point-and-shoot. It allows a genuine, physical shallow depth of field. It’s not "Portrait Mode" where a computer guesses where your hair ends and the background begins. It’s real optics. When you zoom in to the 112mm equivalent end, the aperture drops to f/5.9, which is expected, but at that 28mm wide end, it’s a low-light champ.
I’ve seen people complain that 12.1 megapixels isn't enough. Respectfully, they’re wrong. Unless you are printing a billboard to hang over Times Square, 12 megapixels is plenty. It’s actually the sweet spot for a sensor this small (1/2.3-inch). If you cram 20 megapixels onto a tiny chip, the individual pixels have to be smaller. Smaller pixels catch less light. Less light means more noise. By sticking to 12, Canon ensured the Canon IXUS 115 HS stayed relatively clean even at ISO 800 or 1600.
That Specific "Canon Look"
There is a reason professional wedding photographers often carry an old IXUS in their pocket for the reception. It’s the flash.
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Phone flashes are LEDs. They’re basically flashlights. They produce a flat, sickly green or yellow hue. The IXUS 115 HS has a real xenon flash tube. It’s a burst of high-intensity white light that freezes motion instantly. It gives you that iconic "party aesthetic"—sharp subjects, dark backgrounds, and colors that pop. If you want those photos that look like they belong in a 2012 American Apparel ad, this is the tool.
It’s also surprisingly tough. You can find these with scratches all over the body, and they usually still kick over. The 3.0-inch PureColor II G LCD screen was actually quite advanced for its time. It has a tempered glass outer layer. It doesn't flex when you press on it. It’s readable in the sun. It feels like a piece of technology, not a disposable toy.
The Video Paradox
Surprisingly, this thing shoots 1080p Full HD.
Most cameras from this era were stuck at 720p or even standard definition. While you probably aren't going to film a Netflix documentary on it, the 24fps video mode has a very cinematic, lo-fi grit. It’s jittery in a way that feels intentional and nostalgic. There is even a dedicated movie button, so you don't have to menu-dive to start recording.
One quirk: you can't use the optical zoom while recording video. It locks the lens in place. Some people hate this. Personally, I think it forces you to move your feet and be more creative. It’s a limitation that feels like a feature in the world of "too many options."
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What to Look For Before You Buy
If you are hunting for a Canon IXUS 115 HS on the second-hand market, there are a few things that can go wrong. It’s a 15-year-old electronic device, after all.
First, check the lens barrel. These cameras are notorious for "Lens Error" messages if they’ve been dropped while the lens was extended. If the barrel looks lopsided or makes a grinding noise, walk away.
Second, the battery. The NB-4L battery is tiny. After a decade, most original Canon batteries are swollen or won't hold a charge for more than ten minutes. Budget an extra $15 to buy a couple of third-party replacements. They are still widely available because Canon used this battery in a dozen different models.
Third, the SD card. This camera uses SDHC cards. It might struggle with the massive 256GB or 512GB cards we use today. Stick to a 16GB or 32GB card. It’ll be more stable, and honestly, you’ll never fill a 32GB card with 12MP JPEGs in a single weekend anyway.
Why It Still Matters
We are living in an era of digital fatigue.
The Canon IXUS 115 HS represents a time when cameras were just cameras. They didn't try to be phones. They didn't have apps. They didn't interrupt your dinner with notifications. Taking it out of your pocket is a deliberate act. It changes the vibe of the room. People pose differently for a camera than they do for a phone. It feels like an event.
And the results? They have a texture. There’s a slight softness to the edges, a specific way the highlights bloom, and a grain that feels like a memory rather than a data point.
Actionable Steps for New Owners
- Dive into the "P" Mode: Don’t just stay in Auto. Switch to Program mode (the little 'P' on the screen). This lets you manually adjust the ISO and White Balance. Setting the White Balance to "Daylight" even when indoors can give you that warm, nostalgic glow.
- Enable the Grid Lines: Go into the menu and turn on the 3x3 grid. It helps you keep your horizons straight, which is tougher on a small camera than it is on a giant smartphone screen.
- Use the "Toy Camera" Effect: Canon included some built-in filters that are actually decent. The Toy Camera effect adds a subtle vignette that looks great for street photography.
- Keep the Flash On: Even in the daytime. Fill flash is the secret to getting that high-fashion, high-contrast look that defines the "digicam aesthetic."
- Get a Wrist Strap: These things are slippery. A simple paracord wrist strap will save you from the dreaded "Lens Error" caused by a sidewalk drop.