YOKOHAMA, JAPAN —
Japanese digital camera
makers held back some of their spring pointand-
shoot offerings from International CES so
they could make a splash at the recent CP+ 2012
Show held here, but the trends were all the same.
Virtually all of the major manufacturers showed
models with integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, ultralong
zoom lenses and advanced CMOS image
sensors that enhanced both still and video shooting
capability.
The following were some of the new models to
emerge:
Canon U.S.A.
introduced 10 PowerShot digital
cameras including the Elph-530HS ($350 suggested
retail) with built-in Wi-Fi functionality.
Other highlights included 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 Elph 530 HS includes a 0.78-inch-thick
body design, 12x optical zoom lens, 1080p Full-
HD video recording, a 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen,
Smart Auto scene selection with 58 scenes, Face
ID for 12 registered subjects and Intelligent Image
Stabilization.
The Elph 320 HS features a 16.1-megapixel
CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 image processor, FullHD 1080p video recording, 5x-optical zoom, 24mm wide-angle
lens, 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen, and Smart Auto with
58 scenes, Face ID and Intelligent IS.
The pocket-sized PowerShot SX260 HS adds a 20x optical
zoom (25mm to 500mm), 20x optical zoom lens with
a 25mm wide-angle, optical IS, 1.29-inch body thickness,
1080p HD video capture, HS System, 12.1-megapixel
CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5 processor. It will shoot up to
10.3 high-resolution frames per second.
The PowerShot D20 is a waterproof, shock-proof and
freeze-proof camera with easy-to-access buttons. Features
include underwater macro-shooting mode, 1080p
video capture with wind noise reduction, 12.1-megapixel
CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 processor, 5x optical zoom lens,
3-inch LCD screen and GPS capabilities.
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.
Nikon
unveiled nine Coolpix models highlighted by the
P510 (shipping in February at a $430 suggested retail),
which features a 42x Nikkor optical wide-angle zoom lens
(24-1,000mm) and advanced optical vibration reduction
image stabilization. It incorporates a 16.1-megapixel backside
illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor, 3-inch tilting variangle
LCD screen, GPS, 5 fps burst shooting and FullHD
(1080p) video capture with stereo sound.
The Coolpix S30 (February, $120 suggested retail) offers
a shockproof (to 2.6 feet) and waterproof (to 9.8 feet)
body, 10.1-megapixel resolution and 3x wide-angle Nikkor
optical zoom lens, and it shoots up to 720p HD video.
The Coolpix P310 (February, $330) offers a 16.1-megapixel
BSI CMOS sensor, a fast 4.2x Nikkor wide-angle f/1.8
zoom lens, advanced optical vibration reduction, a new
zoom memory function and 1080/30p HD video recording.
Other models include: the S9300 (February, $350)
16-megapixel, 18x optical zoom model; the S6300 (February,
$200) 16-megapixel, 10x optical zoom; the S4300
(February, $170) 16-megapixel, 3-inch touchscreen
LCD, with 720p HD video; the S3300 (February, $140)
16-megapixel, 6x optical zoom; the L810 (February, $280)
26x ultra-zoom; and the L26 (February, $120) 5x optical
zoom model.
Pentax
unveiled two weatherproof WG series cameras
in the Pentax Optio WG-2 and Optio WG-2 GPS digital
compacts. The two are waterproof to 40 feet, dust-proof,
freeze-proof to 14 degrees F and shock-resistant from 5
feet. Each will record FullHD 1080/30p (H.264) video
and include a 16-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor.
They each have a wide-angle 5x (28-140mm 35mm
equivalent) internal optical zoom lens; 3-inch LCD; an
HDMI port (Micro, Type-D); digital movie shake reduction;
fast face detection; and extended dynamic range, smile
capture and blink detection.
The WG-2 GPS offers GPS geo-tagging using a GPS
module that was engineered for shorter time lag and longer
battery life.
The Optio WG-2 (shipping in March at a $350 suggested
retail) is offered in black or vermillion red, and the
Optio WG-2 GPS (March, $400) is offered in a choice of
shiny orange or gloss white.
Sigma
introduced the new Merrill line of
digital cameras highlighted by the re-launch
of the SD1 d-SLR as the SD1 Merrill, in honor
of Richard “Dick” Merrill, the late inventor
of the technology used in the camera’s Foveon
X3 image sensor.
In addition the new Merrill line also includes
the DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill
point-and-shoot models, each carrying the
same 46-megapixel Foveon X3 imager.
Both fixed-lens, compact cameras incorporate
three-layer True II image processing;
RAW and JPEG format recording; manual
focus capability; a 3-inch, 920,000-dot
LCD; a hot shoe; and 30 fps VGA (640 by
480) movie mode.
The DP1 Merrill features a 19mm F2.8
fixed lens, and the DP2 Merrill features a
30mm F2.8 fixed lens.
