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Canon's PowerShot G9 digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Canon announces PowerShot G9 (UPDATED)
By
(Monday, August 20, 2007 - 00:01 EDT)

The Canon PowerShot G9, following on from last year's PowerShot G7 model, is visually very similar to its predecessor - the only obvious changes being a reprofiling of the handgrip and rear panel.

Under the skin, the Canon G9 offers a CCD sensor resolution of twelve megapixels (up from ten in the G7), coupled to the same Canon-branded 35 - 210mm equivalent 6x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization. Images are framed either via a real-image optical zoom viewfinder (an increasingly rare option these days), or on a 3.0" LCD display. Optical viewfinders can be rather nice to have, allowing you to save battery life, or get the shot when harsh sunlight makes it harder to see an image on many digicam displays; the LCD will be the better choice when shooting scenes that will be affected by parallax error, or when precise framing is necessary particularly if using the stabilizer.

As well as the slight boost in sensor resolution (which comes from a slightly larger 1/1.7" imager), there are some others changes in the PowerShot G9. It marks a welcome return to the G-series of a Raw file format, an option that had been removed in the previous model. The G9's LCD display is also half an inch larger, being a 3.0" type with 230,000 pixels. The maximum ISO sensitivity has now been raised to 3200, although this can only be accessed in a specific scene mode - otherwise the limit remains ISO 1600 as in the previous camera. Other features of the Canon Power-shot G9 include USB 2.0 connectivity, and SD/MMC card storage with support for the SDHC card format.

The Canon G9 goes on sale from October 2007, priced at $500 - fully $100 below the initial launch price of the G7 model a year ago.

Canon PowerShot G9
Canon's PowerShot G9 digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
General
Camera TypeMid-Sized
ManufacturerCanon
Model NumberG9
Dimensions4.2 x 2.8 x 1.7"
106.4 x 71.9 x 42.5mm
Weight320.0 g
11.2 oz
Planned Price$499.99
Planned AvailabilityOct 2007
Image Capture
Sensor Type1/1.7" CCD
12.10 megapixels (effective)
Filter TypeRGBG
Aspect Ratio4:3, 16:9
Image Dimensions4000 x 3000 (12.0 megapixels)
4000 x 2248 (9.0 megapixels)
3264 x 2448 (8.0 megapixels)
2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels)
1600 x 1200 (1.9 megapixels)
640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
Image Quality3 levels
Image Preview / Review
ViewfinderYes, Real-image optical zoom
LCD3.0", 230,000 pixels
Playback Zoom10.0x max
Lens
Lens TypeCanon Zoom Lens, 9 elements in 7 groups (including 1 aspherical element)
6x optical zoom
Image StabilizationYes
Focal Length7.4 - 44.4mm (actual)
35 - 210mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Rangef/2.8 (W) / f/4.8 (T) - f/8
Focusing SystemContrast Detect; 9-point AIAF, Face Detect AF, Single AF point, FlexiZone with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (0) steps
Focusing RangeNormal: 20" - infinity (50 cm - infinity)
Macro: 0.4" - 20" (1 cm - 50 cm)
Exposure
ISO SensitivityAuto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600. 3200 requires special scene mode
Shutter Speed< /td>15 - 1/2500 second
Exposure ModesAperture, Shutter, Manual
Metering ModesEvaluative, Center-weighted, Spot (center or linked to active AF point), Face Detect AE
Exposure Compensation+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White BalanceImage Sensor - Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom, Manual
Internal FlashModes: Auto, On, Off, Slow-sync (second-curtain sync available)
Range: 9.8 ft (W) / 6.6 ft (T); ISO set to Auto
Flash Exposure Compensation+/- 2.0EV in 0.3EV increments
Creative
Scene ModesPortrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Night Snapshot, Sports, Indoor,Kids & Pets, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium, ISO 3200, Underwater,Stitch Assist
Digital ZoomUp to 4x
Self TimerYes, 1 - 30 seconds
Movie FormatAVI (Motion JPEG) with audio
Max. clip length: 3,600 seconds ()
Storage
Recording MediumSD/MMC
File SystemFAT16, FAT32, complies with Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF)
File FormatCCD-RAW, RAW CR2, JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
Connectivity
VideoYes, NTSC / PAL switchable
ComputerUSB 2.0 High Speed
OtherDC Input
Power
Battery TypeLithium Ion rechargeable
Battery Form FactorProprietary NB-2LH
Product Bundle
SoftwareCanon software suite
Battery / Charger1 x Proprietary NB-2LH Lithium Ion rechargeable battery and charger
Flash Memory32.0MB 32MB MMC plus memory card
Other
Digital Print Order Format (DPOF) compliantYes
PictBridge CompliantYes
Internal MicrophoneYes
Internal SpeakerYes
Tripod MountYes
More Photos
Canon's PowerShot G9 digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
Canon's PowerShot G9 digital camera. Courtesy of Canon, with modifications by Michael R. Tomkins. Click for a bigger picture!
 

UPDATED 2007-08-26 03:40ET: Corrected an error in our spec table. Second curtain sync is indeed available on this camera. Thanks to IR reader Keith for the correction!
UPDATED 2007-08-31 14:38ET: Ack! Somehow we had a mental hiccup and listed the G9 as having sensor shift stabilization. It actually has lens-based stabilization, and this error has been corrected.

Original Source Press Release:

CANON U.S.A.�S NEW POWERSHOT G9 CAMERA COMBINES CREATIVE CONTROL WITH COMPACT CONVENIENCE

New G-Series Camera Gives Serious Photo Enthusiasts the Power of a Professional Digital SLR in a Point-and-Shoot Package

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 20, 2007 – Canon U.S.A., Inc. announced today that its acclaimed G-series has a new top-of-the line model – the PowerShot G9 digital camera. The PowerShot G9 digital camera offers serious shooters and value-minded professionals a feature-packed camera with many of the advanced photographic capabilities of a high-end Digital SLR camera, in a lightweight, compact package at an affordable price.

The PowerShot G9 digital camera features the same matte black, retro-hip design that G-series fans have come to appreciate, with a simplified control layout that is versatile yet easy to understand. This camera is loaded with Canon’s latest and most advanced technologies, while raising the bar with the addition of RAW Mode, usually reserved for larger and more expensive SLR cameras. Advanced photographers also have the option of using RAW+JPEG simultaneous capture functionality, giving photographers the best of both worlds – JPEGs for immediate use and RAW images for faithful image reproduction, and extensive, non-destructive image editing capability.

The PowerShot G9 digital camera features class-leading 12.1-megapixel resolution for stunning, deeply detailed images that allow enlargements up to poster size with cropping. A 6x optical zoom lens brings the photographer right into the action, and by incorporating Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), excellent-quality images are assured in situations prone to camera shake and image blurring. So, whether you are shooting outdoors at dusk or inside without a flash, camera shake is detected and effectively canceled. Photographers will find it quick and easy to review and compare photos for printing with Canon’s Image Inspection Tool. And, because Image Inspection is now linked with Advanced Face Detection technology, they can save considerable time while reviewing, because the main subject is automatically detected and enlarged, eliminating the need to zoom and scroll manually, while at the same time making it simple to determine if facial expressions are pleasing before moving on to the next photo.

“The PowerShot G9 digital camera brings our highest levels of performance and usability to the G-series,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “By combining RAW Mode with our other key technologies in this camera, we’re providing a high-performing and affordable option to advanced photo enthusiasts who want the creative power of a Digital SLR in a smaller body form.”

The PowerShot G9 digital camera comes equipped with 23 shooting modes, allowing for a myriad of different photo preferences and conditions including Automatic, Manual, Shutter-speed-Priority, Aperture-Priority, and two Custom modes as well as special scene modes such as Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Sports, Indoor, Beach and Snow, offering users Digital SLR-like capability in a compact digital camera. The PowerShot G9 also features Canon’s powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, delivering superior image quality, ultra-responsive performance, extended battery life and advanced Face Detection technology, so users can be confident that the face they want, is the face that they capture. And, with a new large, three-inch PureColor LCD II screen and easy-to-access ISO and manual mode dials, customized shooting, reviewing and menu adjustments are especially convenient. The PowerShot G9 digital camera is also compatible with optional high-quality Canon wide-angle, telephoto and macro supplementary lenses, as well as EOS Speedlite flashes and a waterproof case rated to a depth of 40 meters/130 feet, giving photographers more robust photographic capabilities that are in line with professional and expensive SLRs.

True to Canon’s industry leadership position, the PowerShot G9 digital camera gives consumers interested in the ease of a compact camera many of the technological advancements that are the result of Canon’s 70-year heritage as an imaging innovator, differentiating it from competitive products.

New Canon PowerShot Product Lines’ Standard Advanced Technologies

DIGIC III
The "brain" of this new PowerShot camera 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.

ADVANCED FACE DETECTION
With Canon’s new Genuine Face Detection technology, the camera can detect, lock-on and track up to nine forward-looking human faces in a scene. The Face Detection algorithm automatically prioritizes and selects faces and not simply the closest object (based on Canon’s Intelligent Scene Analysis/iSAPS technology). It will then optimize the focus, exposure and flash to ensure the best possible results. Using Canon’s Face Detection, photographers can keep up to nine faces in focus at any one time no matter where they are within the image. The PowerShot G9 camera also introduces an exclusive new function called Face Select and Track. With this feature, when multiple faces are detected, photographers can select any individual face they want the camera to specifically track and be a primary focus. This feature is ideal for many shooting situations such as birthday parties or graduation ceremonies, where many people are present, but the photographer is primarily interested in just one of them. Working in concert with Face Detection, the G9’s “Red-Eye Correction” feature helps to detect and correct red-eye during playback mode. Images can be corrected automatically or manually while viewing photos on the LCD screen. All in all, Canon’s new Face Detection Technology makes for even easier picture-taking moments, helping users ensure in-focus smiles, and assisting in the elimination of over-exposed faces.

OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION (OIS)
The extended zoom range of the PowerShot G9 camera 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. The OIS found in Canon PowerShot digital cameras is based on technology developed for Canon’s renowned high-end professional SLR cameras.

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.

PRINTING MADE EASY
All Canon PowerShot digital cameras work seamlessly with Canon’s compact photo printers to deliver stunning high-quality borderless prints. Consumers simply connect their PowerShot digital camera to a Canon compact photo printer, press the Print/Share button, and moments later a brilliant, borderless 4” x 6” print begins to emerge; it’s that simple. Canon’s compact photo printers are PictBridge compatible, so they work with PictBridge enabled digital cameras to provide users with excellent image quality and ease-of-use, especially when paired with a Canon digital camera.

HIGH-CAPACITY MEMORY CARD CAPABILITY
As an added convenience, Canon PowerShot digital cameras also accommodate MultiMedia MMC memory cards, as well as standard SD memory cards and the new, high-capacity SDHC memory cards. This way, consumers do not have to carry around multiple memory cards in order to be able to continue to save those special moments during extended vacations or high-photo-taking adventures. Canon PowerShot owners can travel in sleek style.

Powerful Software
The PowerShot G9 is bundled with the latest versions of Canon’s powerful digital imaging software, including ZoomBrowser EX 6.0 and ImageBrowser 6.0 for easy downloading, viewing and printing. RAW Image Task software is also supplied to facilitate high-quality processing of the PowerShot G9’s new RAW images.

In stores in October, the PowerShot G9 camera kit includes a lithium-ion rechargeable battery and battery charger, a 32MB MMC plus memory card, a USB interface cable, an AV cable, a neck strap, and Canon’s software suite at an estimated selling price of $499.99*.

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., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.

# # #

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 2007.

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