equipped with many features, but not by far mature compact camera

Without question, the camera is very compact and has a relatively long battery life. The menu system is easy to understand and the symbols are very large, which makes it extremely easy to read. The buttons are big enough and have a precise pressure point, what usability benefits. It is integrated an optical viewfinder, which is now by no means self-evident.
Like all compact cameras has the Ixus 70 problems with motifs in twilight or poor lighting generally, but probably has more of a physical origin. If a tripod is used, night scenes can be (with low ISO setting to prevent noise) made with up to 15 seconds exposure time.
The "print" button can be assigned as a speed dial key with a function (eg, exposure compensation, white balance, overlay, Movie mode, etc.). Unfortunately, the available functions are fixed and thus not 100% freely selectable.
For Rear view a function is integrated, which adjusts images when turning the camera to the display format.
Otherwise, the camera offers, which also provides the competition in the section, plus some useless to my mind functions and modes, such. As color correction, etc., which, however, each x-any image editing program dominated at least as well.
The colors of the images are very colorful. But this is a matter of taste. For "fair weather recordings" color reproduction is good, as shots with cloud cover or under artificial light the colors are in my opinion too gaudy.
The white balance works well. But I prefer the manual adjustment.
The camera offers numerous scene modes. Whether one but really needs this diversity, everyone must decide for themselves.
The quality of the videos is pretty good for a digital camera (640x480, AVI format), also the sound.

I now come to the more negative things I would rather not be expected from a "modern" camera.
The "Digital Macro Mode" works very poorly and is often useless, therefore unnecessary. That would not be so bad if the camera would at least not delete the setting "macro" in manual and automatic mode at every power off again. The same applies to the exposure field setting. To this end, an extremely big minus!
The exposure field setting would already be the next point of criticism. When set to "Spot" refuses the camera in about 80% of cases, really adjust to the spot. There are persistent objects sighted in the area, especially when the subject is dark, the camera is looking brighter objects within. Here an exact exposure and focusing of the object to be photographed is indispensable especially when the subject is dark.
ISO settings above 200 are not recommended. After the images are disproportionately noisy. In addition, the camera images are not really sharp. Even with ISO 100 and setting "superfine" edges and intricate image elements in my opinion should be blurred. Very annoying this is when shooting, for example by trees and plants, especially in macro mode.
The phenomenon of chromatic aberration is well known from the compact camera segment and also observed for the Ixus 70. Unfortunately, this further enhances the overall impression of blurred photos.
Why Canon has built no pre-flash for red-eye reduction, is inexplicable to me, especially as the integrated "digital red-eye reduction" is practically ineffective.
Many competing models offer inszwischen a function for image stabilization to prevent blurry motifs. The Ixus 70 is not, however! Here one should rather do without some of the image processing functions.
One final point is the behavior when the battery runs out of breath: The camera this only about 1 minutes earlier indicating otherwise and no battery level indicator is present, has been criticized in other reviews. However, if a video recorded and the camera turns off due to empty battery while, this video is not stored correctly so that you have a corrupted ultimately AVI "memory corpse". Such a backup function was supposed to be standard.

All points mentioned to me on because my Sony P10 (now 4 years old) did not have these criticisms. I can not quite understand how a newly developed camera can have such a function and image quality defects. Apparently among the pure number of megapixels and functions as selling points in Canon compact cameras more than image quality and sophisticated ergonomics.

Conclusion: By me now gradually become known function and quality defects I would buy this camera a second time.