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Canon's PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Canon: Two new PowerShot digicams
By
(Monday, May 7, 2007 - 07:58 EDT)

Canon U.S.A. Inc. has today announced the upcoming release of two new PowerShot digital cameras, both updates of existing models.

The Canon PowerShot S5 IS and SD850 IS are updates of the S3 IS and SD700 IS respectively. The two new cameras share some upgrades - for example, both being eight megapixel models in place of their older six megapixel siblings. The S5IS and SD850IS are also both equipped with the company's current DIGIC III processor in place of the older DIGIC II type. The new DIGIC offers the latest got-to-have feature: face detection autofocus, and yields a step up to a maximum ISO sensitivity of 1600 (versus 800 in the older cameras), thanks to improved noise reduction. There's also a new "Aquarium" scene mode in both cameras. Finally, one last shared change is that both the Canon S5 IS and SD850 IS can now record movie clips to a maximum of 4GB, where the previous cameras were limited to 1GB. It should be noted, however, that the one hour clip length limitation of the S3 and SD700 has been carried over to the new models, so you'll only be able to take advantage of the increased clip size if you don't hit the one hour limit first.

Other changes are specific to the individual cameras. Most significantly for the Canon PowerShot S5IS, slated to ship in early July priced at around $500, there's now an external flash hot shoe - something that could serve to make the S5 IS much more versatile. The camera's LCD display also steps up from 2" to 2.5" diagonal, with resolution almost doubling from 115,000 to 207,000 pixels. Likely due to the higher-resolution imager (and the extra bandwidth and buffering demands it brings), the S5 IS' continuous shooting performance in large / fine resolution isn't quite as good as its predecessor - just 1.5 frames per second instead of the 2.3 fps of the S3. Other changes from the older model include one more choice of image resolution, an increase of 40 grams in weight and a few millimeters of size in each direction, and a restyled body design. The spec sheet we received from Canon also doesn't list any 15fps movie modes, which were available on the previous camera.

Changes specific to the SD850 IS include a higher-resolution LCD display with 230,000 pixels in place of the previous 173kpixel display, as well as support for the newer SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) card format on top of the existing SD / MMC card support. A new time-lapse movie mode allows you to capture frames at 0.5 or one frame per second for up to two hours - the one time you'll be able to shoot a movie clip longer than an hour - with the resulting clip tagged as 15 frames per second (and hence playing at either 15 or 30 times real speed). As with the S5 IS, the SD850 IS is rather slower in continuous mode than its predecessor, managing just 1.3 frames per second in large / fine mode where the SD700 IS was capable of 2.1 frames per second. One final change of note is that where the SD700 IS offered a small (15cm) overlap between the regular and macro AF modes, the SD850 IS now has a clear cutoff - regular focusing stops at 50cm, and the macro focusing range extends up to exactly that same point. The Canon PowerShot SD850 IS will ship from mid June priced at $399.99.

Sample images from both cameras can be found on the Canon BeBit website, on the pages for the Canon PowerShot S5 IS and Canon PowerShot SD850 IS respectively.

Canon PowerShot S5 IS
Canon's PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera TypeSLR-style
ManufacturerCanon
Model NumberS5 IS
Dimensions4.6 x 3.1 x 3.1"
117.0 x 80.0 x 77.7mm
Weight450.0 g
15.7 oz
Planned Price$499.99
Planned Availability July 2007
Image Capture
Sensor Type1/2.5" CCD
8.30 megapixels (total)
8.00 megapixels (effective)
Aspect Ratio4:3, 16:9
Image Dimensions3264 x 2448 (8.0 megapixels)
3264 x 1832 (6.0 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1600 x 1200 (1.9 megapixels)
640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
Image Quality3 levels
Image Preview / Review
ViewfinderYes, Color LCD
100% field of view
LCD2.5", 207,000 pixels
100% field of view
Playback Zoom10.0x max
Lens
Lens TypeCanon Zoom Lens
12x optical zoom
Image StabilizationYes
Focal Length6.0 - 72.0mm (actual)
36 - 432mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Rangef/2.7 (wide) / f/3.5 (tele) - ???
Focusing Systemcontrast detection, center / face detection modes with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (0) steps
Focusing RangeNormal: 20" - infinity (50 cm - infinity)
Macro: 0.0" - 20" (0 cm - 50 cm)
Exposure
ISO SensitivityAuto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Shutter Speed15 - 1/3200 second
Exposure ModesAperture, Shutter, Manual
Metering ModesEvaluative, Center-weighted average, Spot
Exposure Compensation+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White BalanceImage Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Custom
Internal FlashModes: Auto, On, Off (red-eye reduction available)
Range: 0.7 - 5.2 m (2.3 - 17.1 ft.) (W), 0.7 - 4.0 m (2.3 - 13.1 ft.) (T)
Flash Exposure Compensation+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
Creative
Scene ModesPortrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sports, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, Indoor, Night Snapshot, Color Accent, Color Swap
Digital Zoom4.0x
Self TimerYes, 2 or 10 seconds
Movie FormatAVI (MotionJPEG / Stereo WAV) with audio
Max. clip length: 3,600 seconds () / 3,600 seconds ()
Storage
Recording MediumSD/MMC
File SystemComplies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File FormatJPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Connectivity
VideoYes, NTSC / PAL switchable
ComputerUSB 2.0 High Speed
OtherDC input
Power
Battery TypeAlkaline disposable or NiMH rechargeable
Battery Form Factor4 x AA
Product Bundle
Battery / Charger4 x AA alkaline disposable battery
Flash Memory0.0MB
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliantYes
PictBridge CompliantYes
Internal MicrophoneYes
Internal SpeakerYes
Tripod MountYes
Remote ControlNo
More Photos
Canon's PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
Canon's PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
Canon's PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Canon's PowerShot SD850 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera TypeCompact
ManufacturerCanon
Model NumberSD850 IS
Dimensions3.6 x 2.2 x 1.0"
90.4 x 56.5 x 26.4mm
Weight165.0 g
5.8 oz
Planned Price$399.99
Planned Availability June 2007
Image Capture
Sensor Type1/2.5" CCD
8.30 megapixels (total)
8.00 megapixels (effective)
Aspect Ratio4:3, 16:9
Image Dimensions3264 x 2448 (8.0 megapixels)
3264 x 1832 (6.0 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels)
1600 x 1200 (1.9 megapixels)
640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
Image Quality3 levels
Image Preview / Review
ViewfinderYes, Real-image zoom
LCD2.5", 230,000 pixels
100% field of view
Playback Zoom10.0x max
Lens
Lens TypeCanon Zoom Lens
4x optical zoom
None, thread size unknown
Image StabilizationYes
Focal Length5.8 - 23.2mm (actual)
35 - 140mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Rangef/2.8 (wide) / f/5.5 (tele) - ???
Focusing SystemAiAF (Face Detect / 9-point / 1-point)
Focusing RangeNormal: 20" - infinity (50 cm - infinity)
Macro: 0.8" - 20" (2 cm - 50 cm)
Exposure
ISO SensitivityAuto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Shutter Speed15 - 1/1600 second
Metering ModesEvaluative, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Compensation+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White BalanceImage Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Custom, Manual
Internal FlashModes: Auto, Auto w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Flash Off, Slow Synchro
Range: Normal: 1.6-11.5 ft./50cm - 3.5m (W), 1.6-6.6 ft./50cm - 2.0m (T) (when sensitivity is set to ISO Auto)
Creative
Scene ModesPortrait, Foliage, Beach, Underwater, Fireworks, Night Snapshot, Kids & Pets, Indoor, Snow
Digital Zoom4x
Self TimerYes, 2 or 10 seconds
Time LapseNo
Movie FormatAVI (Motion JPEG w/ mono WAVE) with audio
Storage
Recording MediumSD/MMC
File SystemComplies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File FormatJPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Connectivity
VideoYes, NTSC / PAL switchable
ComputerUSB 2.0 High Speed
OtherDC input
Power
Battery TypeLithium Ion rechargeable
Battery Form FactorProprietary NB-5L
Product Bundle
SoftwareDigital Camera Solution CD-ROM
Flash Memory0.0MB
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliantYes
PictBridge CompliantYes
Internal MicrophoneYes
Tripod MountYes
Remote ControlNo
More Photos
Canon's PowerShot SD850 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
Canon's PowerShot SD850 IS digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

Original Source Press Release:

Canon U.S.A.�s New Powershot S5 IS And SD850 IS Digital Elph Cameras Set New Standards With An Arsenal Of Top-Tier Technical Advancements

LAKE SUCCESS, NY., May 7, 2007 – From soccer moms snapping still photos and movie clips of their kids from the sidelines with a single digital camera to party-goers wanting to capture important moments on the social scene with a discreet digital camera that can unobtrusively slip into a clutch purse or shirt pocket, Canon’s market-leading line of PowerShot cameras fits any lifestyle. Adding to the breadth of an already auspicious product portfolio, Canon U.S.A., Inc. is proud to announce the PowerShot S5 IS and PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH cameras.

Along with a full complement of the trendsetting style elements featured in the current PowerShot lineup, the new models add a dash of technical advancements including Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Face Detection technology, in-camera Red-eye Correction and 8.0-megapixel resolution. Users will now have all the features needed to assure that once-in-a-lifetime moments will be vibrantly and vividly saved for years to come.

“The PowerShot S5 IS digital camera meets the demands of active family photographers and discerning photo hobbyists looking for high-end features and maximum photo flexibility, while maintaining the light weight, trim profile and affordability of a point and shoot digital camera,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “With a broad range of features and a powerful ultra-zoom lens, it is no coincidence that the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera’s look and feel evokes the sense of a small, lightweight SLR.”

The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera also has an impressive array of top-tier photo features including an advanced ultra-compact zoom lens and optical viewfinder to easily capture, record and share brilliant images under a full range of shooting conditions, all within a curvaceous, eye-catching compact design.

“The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera continues the strong tradition of Digital ELPH imaging excellence and eye-catching style. Created out of Canon’s intimate understanding of the camera user’s needs and wants, the PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera delivers the most up-to-date innovations in camera engineering and design. Our new product lineup provides an unmatched scope of offerings for consumers needing a digital camera with superior functions and style, backed by the Canon legacy of superior quality,” added Mr. Ishizuka.

PowerShot Product Line’s Shared Technological Advancements:

Brains…
The "brain" of these new PowerShot cameras is DIGIC III, the gold standard on all new Canon digital cameras. The DIGIC III image processor accounts for the camera's higher performance levels, including faster start up, faster autofocus and quicker shutter response times that leave long-lag competitors in the dust. The DIGIC III chip design improves image quality and offers more efficient power consumption, resulting in extended battery life under typical shooting conditions.

…and Beautiful Faces
Canon’s enhanced Face Detection technology ensures that human faces – up to nine faces at once – take precedence in terms of focus, exposure and flash. Face Detection autofocus (AF) ensures sharp focus for portraits, while Face Detection auto exposure (AE) adjusts to ambient light conditions and Face Detection flash exposure (FE) determines the appropriate intensity of flash output to optimize face brightness without risking overexposure, even at close range. The result is more flattering photos where all subjects are in clearer focus and accurately exposed. Working in concert with Face Detection, “Red-eye Correction” helps to detect and correct red-eye during playback mode.

Vast, Fast and Steady
Taking a page out of Canon’s legendary lens technology book, the Canon PowerShot S5 IS digital camera’s 12x ultra-zoom lens features an extraordinary optical focal length range of 36 – 432 mm (35mm film equivalent) and rides that range quickly and quietly by using the same type of silent, ultrasonic motor (USM) drive found on Canon’s high-end autofocus SLR lenses. The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera boasts a fast, ultra-compact 4x (35-140mm equivalent) optical zoom lens.

The extended zoom range of both cameras makes optical image stabilization (OIS) essential. Canon’s lens shift OIS provides an effective antidote to camera shake, particularly at longer zoom lengths or during long exposures when even the slightest hand-held shake is magnified to picture blurring proportions. Superior to electronic image stabilization systems that simply use software to mask movement, OIS actually shifts the lens proportionately to compensate for unwanted motion, making it easier to snap great images and smooth movies, even when the camera is hand-held or in low light conditions.

The steady effectiveness is further enhanced when paired with the new “Auto ISO Shift” feature which, at the touch of a button, can automatically increase the ISO speed setting as required to maintain fast shutter speeds when shooting in low light conditions without a flash.

Eye-Easy Displays
Both cameras feature bright, high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD displays that offer users a wide viewing angle, ideal for viewing and sharing. For extra flexibility to shoot self-portraits, aim over a crowd or go low for a new perspective, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera features a Vari-Angle LCD display that swing outs with two-level brightness control for easier viewing under different lighting conditions while the PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH features the new PureColor LCD that offers superior color accuracy and brightness and a multi-coated screen finish that provides enhanced resistance to glare, scratches and fingerprints. For conventional viewing, both cameras feature eye-level viewfinders.

Flexible Photo Modes
Both cameras also offer users a broad spectrum of creative options to customize their pictures. The PowerShot S5 IS digital camera features 22 shooting modes from fully automatic to fully manual. Accessible at the turn of a dial, these modes include Full Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Super Macro, Portrait, Landscape, Night Snapshot, Sports, Stitch Assist and Movie. Users can also select from a variety of special scene settings including indoor night scene, foliage, snow, beach, fireworks, aquarium, color accent and color swap.

The Canon PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera is equipped with a new Creative Light Effect special scene mode that can alter the shape of background bright spots - into hearts, stars and the like - when shooting a night scene. The Creative Light Effect is but one of 18 shooting modes accessible to PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH users at the mere touch of a control dial.

PowerShot S5 IS Digital Camera Features:

Movie Action and MovieSnap
The PowerShot S5 IS camera features four movie modes with Canon’s Face Detection AF and AE. Similar to its still mode role, Face Detection AF focuses on the faces in the movie scene while Face Detection AE measures and accounts for the brightness of the faces when it is evaluating the appropriate overall scene exposure. What’s more, the one-touch "modeless movie" feature makes the decision to capture movies virtually instantaneous by engaging the movie function at the press of a dedicated button, without first switching to a shooting mode. 

For even greater flexibility, The S5 IS camera’s MovieSnap feature enables users to capture high-resolution eight-megapixel still images at any point during the movie. This “best of both worlds” solution transforms the family photographer into the family videographer, and preserves moving memories and milestones in their original action format while making key moments a snap to view in frames, photo albums and easy-to-share in emails.

Rugged, Reliable and Ready-To-Go
The feel is unmistakably one of reliability. Canon’s new PowerShot S5 IS digital camera ergonomic grip fits firmly into the hand and the ready-for-action rubberized grip cover offers a substantial sense of reassurance. From its fast shutter-speed capabilities – up to1/3200 sec. – to the new accessory Hot-Shoe that accommodates a variety of Canon EX-series Speedlite flashes, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera is a technological bridge between Canon’s advanced point and shoot compact digital cameras and its entry-level digital SLR cameras. For those seeking still greater optical capabilities, Canon offers an optional 1.5x teleconverter, a .75x wide converter and a close-up lens.

What’s in the Box?
Despite its rich repertoire of photo features, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera measures a mere 4.6 inches long, 3.15 inches high and 3.06 inches wide and tips the scales at less than 16 ounces. In stores beginning in early July 2007, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera kit includes four AA alkaline batteries, a 32MB SD memory card, a USB interface cable, a stereo AV cable for audio/video output, and a full suite of Canon’s latest software applications. The PowerShot S5 IS digital camera carries an estimated selling price of $499.99.*

PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH Camera Features:

Dazzling Stills or Movies in the Palm of Your Hand
In addition to its multiple still photo shooting modes, the PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera features six movie modes, including normal and fast frame rates as well as a new Time Lapse movie setting that permits a movie recorded at intervals – the opening of a flower for example – to be condensed into a
brief time frame when viewed at the normal 30 frames per second (fps) frame rate. Additionally, the camera’s sound recorder can capture audio clips of up to two hours each.

Height, Weight and Compact Design
True to the continual design innovations of Canon’s ELPH line of cameras, the PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH is barely big enough to cause a bulge in a breast-pocket, measuring a mere 3.56-inches long, 2.22-inches high and 1.04-inches wide, and weighing in at only 5.82 ounces. In stores beginning in mid-June 2007, the camera kit includes a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery and battery charger, a 32MB SD memory card, a USB interface cable, an AV cable for audio/video output and a full suite of Canon’s latest software applications. The PowerShot SD850 IS Digital ELPH camera carries an estimated selling price of $399.99*.

Windows Vista Ready
As one of Microsoft's Premier Launch Partners, Canon is proud to announce that all PowerShot digital cameras announced in 2007 are Certified for Windows Vista according to Microsoft standards, without any extra downloads or upgrades. Additionally, all current models are fully compatible with other operating systems including Windows XP and Mac OS X (Versions 10.2 - 10.4).

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2006 BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands.” Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2006†, with global revenues of $34.9 billion. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., Inc. sign up for the Company’s RSS feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com.

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All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.
Specifications and availability are subject to change without notice.
*Pricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary.
† IFI Patent Intelligence, January 11, 2007

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