Canon Unveils 10 PowerShots

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 2/7/2012

Lake Success, N.Y. - Canon U.S.A. introduced Tuesday 10 PowerShot digital cameras and three lenses.

Canon introduced 10 PowerShot cameras including the Elph-530HS ($350 suggested retail)with built-in Wi-Fi functionality.

Among the point-and-shoot highlights were two Elph series compacts, the Elph 530 HS (shipping in April at a $350 suggested retail) and Elph 320 HS (March, $280), as well as the PowerShot SX260 HS (March, $350) and D20 (May, $350).

The company also introduced six PowerShot A-series digital cameras with improved operability and a stylish redesign with a variety of fashionable color options in the A4000 IS (February, $200), A3400 IS (March, $180), A2400 IS and A2300 (March, $150), A1300 (April, $120) and A810 (April, $110) cameras.

The PowerShot Elph 530 HS and Elph 320 HS include embedded Wi-Fi capability to instantly share photos and videos over the Internet.

The pocket-sized PowerShot SX260 HS adds a 20x optical zoom (25mm to 500mm).

The PowerShot D20 sports a rugged design suited for backpackers, snowboarders or travelers, Canon said.

The Wi-Fi-enabled Elph models allow direct uploading of videos to the Canon iMage Gateway, an online service that lets registered users store images to an online album, and then post their content to social networks, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

In March, the Canon CameraWindow application is expected to be available on the Apple App Store for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch to help users transfer and save images and videos from the camera to compatible iOS devices. Photos and videos can also be shared on the spot with friends and family by transmitting to another current Wi-Fi-enabled Canon camera. A similar app is expected to be available in May for Android devices.

Other key features of the Elph 530 HS include a 0.78-inch-thick body design, 12x optical zoom lens, and HS System to enable the 10-megapixel high-sensitivity CMOS sensor to work in tandem with the camera's DIGIC 5 image processor to produce high-quality low-light images.

It also includes 1080p FullHD video recording, a 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen, Smart Auto scene selection with 58 scenes, Face ID for 12 registered subjects and the Intelligent Image Stabilization. It will be available in black or white.

The PowerShot Elph 320 HS features a 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5 image processor with low-light capability, FullHD 1080p video recording, a 5x-optical zoom, 24mm wide-angle lens, a 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen, Smart Auto with 58 scenes, Face ID and Intelligent IS. The camera will be available in black, silver, blue and red.

The PowerShot SX260 HS features a 20x optical zoom lens with a 25mm wide-angle, optical IS, 1.29-inch body thickness, HS System, 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5 image processor. It will capture FullHD 1080p video and includes 58-scene Smart Auto, Face ID, Intelligent IS and GPS photo tagging. A high-speed burst HQ system captures up to 10.3 high-resolution frames per second. The camera will be available in black, green and red.

The PowerShot D20 is a waterproof, shock-proof and freeze-proof camera with easy-to-access buttons. Key features include underwater macro-shooting mode for up-close shots underwater, FullHD 1080p video capture with wind noise reduction, HS System, a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 image processor, 5x optical zoom lens, 3-inch LCD screen, GPS-capabilities and Intelligent IS.

Meanwhile, three of the new PowerShot A-series cameras -- the A4000 IS, A3400 IS and A2400 IS -- will be the first in the value camera series to include image stabilization. Models include 16-megapixel CCD sensors, 720p HD video capture, and lenses starting at a 28mm wide-angle of view.

The PowerShot A-series models, the A4000 IS, A3400 IS and A2400 IS, will also feature Smart Auto feature with 32 shooting modes, and a Help button to provide an explanation of various shooting modes.

The A4000 IS features an 8x optical zoom lens with the A3400 IS camera features a 5x optical zoom. Both include 3-inch LCDs. The PowerShot A3400 features a touch panel with Touch Focus and Touch Shutter.

The A2400 IS and A2300 both feature 5x optical zoom lenses, and a 2.7-inch LCD.

The A1300 and A810 cameras both features 5x optical zoom lenses, 2.7-inch LCDs and use AA battery power. The A1300 includes an optical viewfinder.

Meanwhile, the company extended its assortment of d-SLR lenses with two new wide angle lenses and a 24-70mm standard zoom. The new EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM (April, $2,300), EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM lenses use a rear-focusing system, high-speed CPU, and a ring-type Ultra Sonic Motor (USM) with optimized AF algorithms for faster auto focusing.

The L-series EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM lens was designed for rigorous shooting conditions and incorporates one Super UD lens element and two UD lens elements for significantly reduced chromatic aberration. It is highly resistant to dust and water.

The two prime lenses, the EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM (June, $850) and EF 28mm f/2.8 IS USM (June, $800) offer wide-angle photographers improved optical performance, image stabilization technology and an Ultrasonic Motor-powered auto focus.

New aspherical lens elements improve the peripheral image quality and a seven-blade circular diaphragm enables soft backgrounds.