Stack the Sigma BF and Canon IXY 3 to compare their metal bodies side by side.

Sigma BF vs Canon IXY 3: Two Metal Bricks Compared

A visual comparison of the 2025 Sigma BF and the 2012 Canon IXY 3, contrasting futuristic full-frame minimalism with retro pocket-zoom charm.

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━ 21 Sep, 2026
━ 5 comments

Two cameras, two totally different eras, but they're obsessed with the same thing—carved metal. The Sigma BF is 2025's take on minimalism with a futuristic edge, while the Canon IXY 3 feels like it walked straight out of 2012 with that retro charm intact. Both are 'metal bricks' that honestly just feel good in your hands.

Sigma BF: The Beautiful Idiot of 2025

So the Sigma BF dropped in February 2025—made in Japan, carved from a single block of aluminum over seven hours. It weighs 388g. The back is basically stripped down to the essentials: one dial, three buttons, haptic feedback that mimics real tactile controls. Inside? A 24.6MP full-frame sensor, 230GB of storage built in (no memory card needed), 6K/30p video with 120fps slow-mo, and 13 color modes you can use straight out of camera. It runs about 12,999 RMB in China.

Canon IXY 3: The 2012 Pocket Zoom

Show the Canon IXY 3's front face and lens ring to highlight its classic compact design. — Fig. 2. Classic compact design.

Get close to the IXY 3's lens and branding to see the 12x zoom inscription. — Fig. 3. 12x zoom lens.

Fig. 4. Slim profile, textured finish.

Flip the IXY 3 to show its top controls and mode dial layout. — Fig. 5. Top controls and mode dial.

The IXY 3 came out in 2012, also Japanese-made. In China it's called the IXUS 500 HS. It's got a 10.1MP CMOS sensor paired with the DIGIC 5 processor. The 12x optical zoom covers 28-336mm equivalent, and the 1cm macro mode is surprisingly good. The 3.0-inch screen has 461,000 dots and shoots 1080p Full HD. On the secondhand market? You're looking at over a thousand RMB to grab one these days.

Design Details and Handling

Look at the IXY 3's rear screen and button cluster for a sense of its interface. — Fig. 6. Rear screen and button layout.

Zoom in on the IXY 3's top plate to read the model name and Full HD badge. — Fig. 7. Model name and Full HD badge.

Examine the IXY 3's shutter button and power switch for tactile details. — Fig. 8. Shutter button and power switch.

Place the Sigma BF and Canon IXY 3 together to contrast their lens designs. — Fig. 9. Contrasting lens designs.

Attach a lens to the Sigma BF to show its full-frame capability and industrial look. — Fig. 10. Full-frame with attached lens.

Set the two cameras side by side to compare their overall proportions. — Fig. 11. Size comparison.

View both cameras from a low angle to emphasize their solid, blocky shapes. — Fig. 12. Solid, blocky shapes.

Arrange the Sigma BF and Canon IXY 3 to show their relative sizes and finishes. — Fig. 13. Sizes and finishes compared.

Focus on the IXY 3's lens barrel to appreciate its mechanical detailing. — Fig. 14. Lens barrel details.

Show the rear screens of both cameras to compare their minimalist and classic interfaces. — Fig. 15. Rear screens compared.

Close in on the IXY 3's lens markings to verify its 4.0-48.0mm focal range. — Fig. 16. Focal range markings.

Capture the IXY 3's lens assembly from above to see the concentric ring design. — Fig. 17. Concentric ring design.

Isolate the Sigma BF to highlight its unibody aluminum construction and clean lines. — Fig. 18. Unibody aluminum construction.

The BF's one-piece aluminum body looks sleek and futuristic, while the IXY 3's textured metal face and that lens ring? Pure nostalgic compact camera vibes. The BF keeps it minimal with basically no controls, whereas the IXY 3's got buttons, dials, and options everywhere. Both feel dense and metallic in your hands—really satisfying to hold—but honestly, people say the BF's grip isn't the most comfortable even though it looks incredible.

Editor's Notes & Summary

One's a full-frame statement about the future, the other's a pocketable zoom that's stuck in the best parts of 2012. Both are metal bricks that make you want to shoot. If you're into radical simplicity, the BF speaks your language. If you want something tactile with zoom range and real versatility, the IXY 3 delivers that. Either way, you're getting a camera with personality.

5 comments

Metal block.

DeskSignal
Very nice, but none of them have the wow factor I felt when I first saw it 21 years ago—cameras can be like this?

NovaCircuit
The IXY on secondhand sites is over a thousand.

MoonlitKeys
The BF is easy to get good shots with, the shooting logic is smart, but the grip feels really bad—though looking good is the truth.

SoftClick
That’s now, it got hyped up on Xiaohongshu.

QuietRunner