Canon Introduces 5 Powershots

2016.01.11

Five new members of Canon Powershot fixed-lens cameras were just introduced at CES 2016. These new models offer refreshed sensor and features. All these new digital cameras feature a standard-sized 1/2.3" sensor with 20 megapixels of resolution which is the highest resolution currently possible with such sensor. This year, Canon opted for a mix of CMOS and CCD technologies, the former being faster but theoretically slightly noisier, despite reaching higher sensitivities.

The Canon Powershot ELPH 180 is the new entry-level ultra-compact. It packs an 8X optical zoom lens in a pocket-sized body for a low price. Despite covering 28-224mm, the lens is not stabilized and quite dim with a maximum F/3.2-6.9 aperture, so this one is for daytime shooters looking for a relatively powerful optical zoom to got beyond what a cellphone is capable of. Since the ELPH 180 is based around a CCD, it records HD video in 720p.

Next is the Canon Powershot ELPH 190 IS which is a version of the above with a longer stabilized lens, plus built-in WiFi and NFC. The ELPH 190 IS offers an ultra-wide 24-240mm focal-range with an F/3-6.9 maximum aperture. It offers the same basic features as most ELPH cameras with fully automatic exposure. Like its lower-cost sibling, the ELPH 190 IS features a 20 megapixels CCD which can record 720p HD video. This model offers easy sharing thanks to its comprehensive connectivity features.

The upper-range of ultra-compact is the Canon Powershot ELPH 360 HS. This digital camera is built around a 20 megapixels high-speed CMOS sensor and powerful wide 12X optical zoom lens with image stabilization, equivalent to 25-300mm which makes it less wide than the ELPH 190 yet with a longer reach. Its CMOS sensor allows it to capture full 1080p HD video at 30 FPS.

The ELPH 360 HS features fully automatic exposure and easy sharing with both WiFi and NFC connectivity built right in. It offers a large 3" LCD with 460K pixels, compared to 2.7" and 230K pixels on the previous models.

Among a pair of ultra-zooms which refine their predecessors, the Canon Powershot SX420 IS features a powerful 42X stabilized optical zoom lens paired with a 20 megapixels CCD. The sensor can record 720p HD video. Exposure is fully automatic on the SX420 IS. The rear display is a large 3" LCD with 230K pixels.

Lastly, the Canon Powershot SX540 IS features a whopping 50X optical zoom, covering a 24-1200mm range with F/3.4-6.5 maximum aperture. This model is built around a 20 megapixels high-speed CMOS sensor which can record full 1080p HD video at 60 FPS and shooting continuously at 5.9 FPS. As with all but one camera introduced here, the SX540 HS incorporates built-in WiFi and NFC to facilitate sharing.

All these new Powershot digital cameras are expected next month (February) except for the SX540 HS which arrives the month after. The ELPH 180 carries a suggested price of $119 USD or $159 CDN. The ELPH 190 IS, $159 USD or $209 CDN. The ELPH 360 HS, $209 USD or $269 CDN. The SX420 IS, $299 USD or $399 CDN and the SX540 HS, $399 USD or $529 CDN.

• CES
• Digital Camera