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I have a 170 IS and it's bad for most situations. You can get some clean detailed shots during golden hour or using long exposure on a tripod, but the lens distortion near the edges is noticeable and images generally have a smudgy noise to them in moderate light. The zoom is nice though. I'm too poor for a smartphone so I'll still sometimes use it over my cheapo flip phone. I think a PowerShot would leave you disappointed and you should just put that money towards a lens, or other fun things like LED displays, flashes, backpacks, etc. You would at least want something like a 360 HS if you're really wanting a pocket PowerShot. I was looking at their website and never knew they made the Ivy line of cameras. The CLIQ+ looks neat. If you're going for just for fun, an instant print camera can let you share the moment with others in a fun way. This thing is only $90 too.
