Canon refreshed its lineup of shirt-pocket-sized compact digital cameras today, adding the scuba-friendly PowerShot D30, diminutive Canon Elph 135, 140 and 145, an the compact but long-zoom PowerShot SX700HS to its digital camera offerings.
Canon PowerShot D30 Goes Deeper Than The Rest
The world’s deepest waterproof camera, the Canon PowerShot D30 ($329, available by end of April at Adorama; can be pre-ordered now) can be submerged down to 82 feet—the deepest of any compact digital camera in the world—while also offering shockproof protection against drops to 6.5 feet, and a working temperature range of 14-104 degrees F. Other features include:
- 24-140mm 35mm equivalent zoom lens
- Focus as close as 1/2 inch
- 12MP CMOS sensor
- Digic 4 image processor
- 1080p HD Video at 24fps
- Apple iFrame video capture
- Built-in GPS
- Sunlight LCD Mode
- Smart Auto with 32 predefined shooting scenes
- Intelligent Image Stabilization
- Top ISO 3200
The D30 also has a 3-inch, 461k dot resolution LCD monitor, and the ability to set exposure manually as well as automatically.
Other features include:
Movie Digest, which automatically selects shooting settings for optimal quality and records a video clip every time you capture a still image. One day’s worth of clips are then combined into a single video.
Smart Shutter: The camera automatically takes the photo when people smile, wink, or get into frame.
Low Light: For high quality image capture in an amazing range of dimly lit situations.
Fisheye Effect: Emulates the classic photographic distortion you typically get with a fisheye lens.
Miniature Effect: Give images a miniature look with an effect that emphasizes perspective by blurring the top and bottom of the image.
Toy Camera Effect: Simulates photos taken with “toy” or pinhole cameras, darkening the image at the edges to create a vignette effect.
Monochrome: Choose from three single-tone effects: Black-and-White, Sepia, or Blue. Super Vivid
Super Vivid intensifies existing hues, saturating the scene with bright colors.
Three New Canon Digital Elphs
Canon today also introduced three new Elphs. The Elph line has been around since the film era, and consists of exceptionally small compact cameras geared towards snapshooters. The Canon Elph 135 and 140 are very similar and have the following features in common:
- 8x Optical Zoom lens (28-224mm 35mm equivalent)
- 16.0 Megapixel sensor combined with the DIGIC 4+ Image Processor for outstanding performance.
- Shoot 720p HD video with a dedicated movie button.
- Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper camera settings based on 32 predefined shooting situations.
- ECO Mode helps reduce power consumption for longer battery life.
- Help Button provides simple explanations and easy control of your settings.
- 32 predefined shooting scene modes.
The main difference between the two cameras is the 140’s Intelligent IS image stabilization, which, with four still and four video variations, is more advanced on the 140 than on the 135’s more standard Digital IS.
By contrast, the Elph 150 comes equipped a longer-range 10x optical zoom lens with a 24-240mm (35mm equivalent) range, and a 20MP sensor.
All three cameras offer the following Shooting Modes:
- SmartAuto
- Program
- Live View Control
- Portrait
- Face Self-Timer
- Low Light
- Fisheye Effect
- Miniature Effect
- Toy Camera Effect
- Monochrome
- Super Vivid
- Poster Effect
- Snow
- Fireworks
- Long Shutter
- Movie
The cameras also have an interesting Economy mode that saves battery life.
The Canon Elph 135 will be available from Adorama fro $119 by March, and can be pre-ordered now. It will come in Silver, Red, Purple, or Black.
The Canon Elph 140 wil be available from Adorama for $129 by March, and can be pre-ordered now. It will come in Red and Gray.
The Canon Elph 140 wil be available from Adorama for $149 by March, and can be pre-ordered now. It will come in Silver, Red, Blue, and Black.
Canon PowerShot SX 700 HS 30X Pocket Superzoom
Canon pulled out all the stops in its long-zoom yet compact PowerShot SX700HS ($349 at Adorama, available in April in Red or Black; can be pre-ordered now). Designed with snapshooters in mind, it has on-board Wi-Fi and NFC for wireless communications and connectivity, and a couple of neat new tricks.
Key features:
- 16MP CMOS sensor
- Digic 6 Processor
- 30x Optical Zoom Lens (25-750mm, 35mm equivalent)
- Zoom Framing Assist
- 1080p at full 60p HD video
- Creative Shot Mode with 46 filter options
- Connectivity to iOS and Android devices via Mobile Device Connect Button
- Hybrid Auto
- Smart Auto (see description, above)
- Intelligent IS
- Eco Mode
One of the SX70’s cool new features is Zoom Framing Assist. The PowerShot SX700 HS camera has the telephoto reach to capture subjects a long distance away using its powerful 30x Optical Zoom. At maximum telephoto, however, it can be challenging to track a moving subject. The Zoom Framing Assist seek function makes it much easier to use the camera’s powerful zoom lens. When you press and hold the Zoom Framing Assist function button, the camera will automatically zoom out to include a wider angle of view, enabling you to more easily locate your moving subject. Once you find it, releasing the button will cause the lens to return to its original zoom position, intelligently keeping the subject in focus until you’re ready to shoot and capture the perfect close-up moment. You can even make zoom adjustments while the button is pressed, with an animated assist frame that makes viewing easy. When the button is released, the lens will return to the adjusted zoom position.
You can also use Zoom Framing Assist to keep your subject’s face the same size in your frame no matter how they move. Tap the Zoom Framing Assist function button to detect your subject’s face. As your subject retreats and advances the camera automatically zooms in and out so their face remains the same size. It’s especially useful for capturing the expressions of fast-moving children. And, for even more convenience, the Zoom Framing Assist function is also available when shooting video
One-touch connection to your mobile device or computer is made possible on the PowerShot SX700 HS with the camera’s dedicated Mobile Device Connect Button. You can choose to transfer images to your smartphone or tablet for immediate sharing with the CameraWindow app. You can also control the camera remotely via your Smart Phone or tablet.
