Canon PowerShot G15

Review based on a production

Canon's PowerShot G-series is one of the most iconic lines of digital compact cameras, with the original G1 having debuted right back in September 2000. The original models sported fast lenses, articulated LCDs, optical viewfinders, Raw data recording and lots of external control, and were aimed at tempting enthusiasts who usually shot with 35mm SLRs to dip a toe into the brave new waters of digital photography.

The line took a hiatus for a couple of years between 2004-6 when affordable APS-C SLRs started to appear, before being reinvented with the smaller, slimmer G7 - redesigned as a compact camera for SLR-owning enthusiasts. To the dismay of many G-series fans, the G7had a slower lens, fixed screen and didn't record Raw. Since then the G7's design has provided the basis for a number of subsequent models, adding back Raw and the swivel screen along the way, right up to the G12 that's been on the market for two years. In the meantime Canon created the G1 X - a variant on the same basic design with a much-larger sensor, and at a correspondingly higher price-point.

Now, with the launch of the G15, Canon has added back one of the original selling points of the G-series; a genuinely fast zoom lens. This covers the same 28-140mm equivalent focal length range as the G12's, but is a stop and a third faster, at F1.8-2.8 rather than F2.8-4.5. This gives the G15 a distinct advantage over its predecessor not only in low light, but also in the ability to blur backgrounds a bit more when shooting at the long end of the zoom.

But while Canon gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. The G15's rear screen is fixed, rather than articulated, a move that Canon says was necessary to make the camera smaller and more pocketable. The G15 is indeed significantly slimmer than its predecessor - by about 15% with the lens retracted - but we can't help but feel that as many potential buyers will be dismayed by the loss of this useful feature as there will be enthusiasts who are delighted by the camera's portability. The G15's screen itself is a large, high-resolution 3" 920k dot unit with a tempered glass cover and a wide viewing angle.

key features 12MP 1/1.7" Canon CMOS sensor 28-140mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens, 4-stop 'Intelligent IS'. DIGIC 5 processor ISO 80-12800 Fixed 3" 920k dot PureColor II G screen Optical viewfinder Raw format recording Dual-axis electronic level

The G15 uses a Canon-made 12.1MP 1/1.7"-type CMOS sensor, the same as that found in the co-announced S110 (and similar to the one used on the S100), which offers an ISO range from 80 to 12,800 in concert with the DIGIC 5 processor. As we'd expect, Full HD movie recording is available, at a framerate of 24 fps and stereo sound from the built-in microphones. The G15 also (finally) gains a dedicated movie record button, for the first time on a small-sensor G, and the lens can zoom and focus during recording.

One notable improvement from the G12 is distinctly quicker autofocus - 53% faster, according to Canon - which if true, would make the G15 the fastest-focusing compact the company has made. The G15's CMOS sensor also enables rapid continuous shooting at 10 frames per seconds, although only in the somewhat-restrictive High Speed burst HQ mode. In other modes the G15 will shoot at 2.1 fps.

View the Original article

Canon PowerShot S110

Preview based on a pre-production

When Canon announced the Powershot S90 just over three years ago, it almost single-handedly defined a new class of camera - a genuinely pocketable compact for serious photographers, with RAW format recording, lots of manual control, a larger-than-average 1/1.7" sensor and a fast lens (at least at wideangle). For a couple of years the S90 and its successors - the S95 and S100 - were near-undisputed leaders of the class, and the camera of choice for enthusiasts looking for the ultimate in portability, without sacrificing too much in the way of image quality or manual control.

This all changed with the appearance of the Sony Cyber-shot RX100, a camera whose substantially bigger 20MP 1" sensor in a barely-larger body places it as new king of the hill. Fujifilm has got into the act, too, with today's announcement of the XF1, a beautifully designed compact that uses Fujifilm's clever EXR-CMOS sensor. The upshot of all this is that Canon's latest offering, the S110, enters a considerably more-competitive marketplace than that faced by its predecessors.

An updated S100, with WiFi and Touchscreen

The S110 is a relatively gentle update of the S100, with the guts of the camera - the lens, sensor and image processor - staying essentially the same. So it still uses a 12MP 1/1.7" Canon-made 'High Sensitivity CMOS' sensor, DIGIC 5 image processor, and 24-120mm equivalent lens offering a usefully-fast F2.0 aperture at wideangle, but distinctly slow F5.9 at telephoto. The camera's control layout is identical too, including the excellent and much-copied programmable control dial around the lens.

The main additions are a smartphone-like multi-touch capacitative touchscreen, along with this year's must-have feature, integrated WiFi connectivity. The latter comes at the expense of the S100's built-in GPS module, but the camera can still geo-tag your images by syncing with your smartphone's GPS - assuming you've got one, of course.

The touchscreen offers the usual features we'd expect, including the extremely useful touch-focus that allows you to specify your subject by tapping the screen. A particularly neat addition is the ability to temporarily change the function of the lens control dial by pressing on a 'virtual dial' on the right edge of the screen. For example, in aperture priority mode this means you can quickly switch the dial from controlling the aperture to exposure compensation, a thoughtful addition to the S100's already excellent control system.

The S110's WiFi offers a fairly standard feature set too. You can transfer images to a smartphone or tablet, and upload stills and movies directly to social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube. If you're out of range of a WiFi network, you can still upload via your tablet or phone using Canon's CameraWindow app. It's also possible to print wirelessly to WiFi-enabled printers, such as Canon's Selphy CP900 or Pixma models announced alongside the S110.

The S110 also gets what Canon is calling 'ZoomPlus', an enhanced digital zoom that attempts to use content-aware upsampling for better image quality. If this sounds somewhat familiar, that's probably because Sony offers similar-sounding technology called 'Clear Image Zoom' on its recent cameras, including the RX100. Canon's implementation, like Sony's, essentially doubles the camera's zoom range for JPEG shooters, while in principle offering better quality than a standard digital zoom.

View the Original article

Canon PowerShot G15

Preview based on a pre-production

Canon's PowerShot G-series is one of the most iconic lines of digital compact cameras, with the original G1 having debuted right back in September 2000. The original models sported fast lenses, articulated LCDs, optical viewfinders, Raw data recording and lots of external control, and were aimed at tempting enthusiasts who usually shot with 35mm SLRs to dip a toe into the brave new waters of digital photography.

The line took a hiatus when affordable APS-C SLRs started to appear, before being reinvented with the smaller, slimmer G7 in 2006 - now redesigned as a compact camera for SLR-owning enthusiasts. To the dismay of fans, this had a slower lens, fixed screen and didn't record Raw. Since then the same basic design been progressively upgraded, adding back Raw and the swivel screen along the way, right up to the G12 that's been on the market for two years - unusual in this day and age. In the meantime Canon has made the G1 X - a variant on the same basic design with a much-larger sensor.

Now, with the launch of the G15, Canon has added-back one of the original characteristics of the G-series; a fast zoom lens. This covers the same 28-140mm equivalent focal length range as the G12's, but is a stop and a third faster, at F1.8-2.8 rather than F2.8-4.5. This should give the G15 a distinct advantage over its predecessor not only in low light, but also in the ability to blur backgrounds a bit more when shooting portraits. The lens also includes Canon's 'Intelligent IS' optical image stabilization.

But while Canon gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. The G15's rear screen is fixed, rather than articulated, a move that Canon says is designed to make the camera smaller and more pocketable. The G15 is indeed significantly slimmer than its predecessor - by about 15% with the lens retracted - but we can't help but feel that as many potential buyers will be dismayed by the loss of this useful feature as will be delighted by the camera's increased portability. The screen itself is a large, high-resolution 3" 920k dot unit with a tempered glass cover and wide viewing angles.

The G15 uses a Canon-made 12.1MP 1/1.7"-type CMOS sensor, the same as that found in the co-announced S110 (and similar to the one used on the S100), which offers an ISO range from 80 to 12,800 in concert with the DIGIC 5 processor. As we'd expect, Full HD movie recording is available, at a framerate of 24 fps and with stereo sound from the built-in microphones. The G15 also finally gains a dedicated movie record button, for the first time on a small-sensor G, and the lens can zoom and focus during recording.

One notable improvement is distinctly quicker autofocus - according to Canon 53% faster than the G12, making the G15 the fastest-focusing compact the company has made. The CMOS sensor also enables rapid continuous shooting at 10 frames per seconds, although only in the somewhat-restrictive High Speed burst HQ mode. In other modes the G15 will shoot at 2.1 fps.

key features 12MP 1/1.7" Canon CMOS sensor 28-140mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens, 4-stop 'Intelligent IS'. DIGIC 5 processor ISO 80-12800 Fixed 3" 920k dot PureColor II G screen Optical viewfinder Raw format recording Dual-axis electronic levelSensor sizes compared

The diagram below compares the size of the G15's 1/1.7" sensor with a range of other enthusiast compacts.

View the Original article

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS

$249/£199

The 14.1 megapixel Canon SX150 IS is a superzoom camera with a wide-ranging 12x image-stabilized optical zoom, providing an equivalent focal length range of 28-336mm. Like other advanced Canon compacts, the SX150 is outfitted with a well-rounded feature set that includes manual and semi-manual exposure modes as well as easy-to-use automatic options. Special creative and color effects, including fisheye, toy camera, selective color, black and white or sepia, are among some of the extras offered by this rather chunky little camera.

Unlike many of its more recent rivals, the SX150 IS is based around a CCD, rather than CMOS sensor. This means it's missing high-speed features that such a sensor would allow, so video is limited to 1280 x 720 pixels (rather than 1920 x 1080 resolution), and continuous shooting is just 0.9 frames per second (0.6 fps if you want autofocus and live view).

View the Original article

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS

The PowerShot SX260 HS ($349) is the latest compact travel zoom from Canon. The SX260 replaces the SX230 (one of my favorite travel zooms from last year) and its biggest feature is its wider, more powerful zoom lens. Other things that have been improved include its image processor, image stabilization system, Smart Auto mode, and burst mode performance. The SX260 retains the same 12.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor, 3-inch LCD, GPS receiver, and Full HD movie mode of its predecessor.A non-GPS model known as the PowerShot SX240 HS is available in certain countries.

What's in the Box?

The PowerShot SX260 HS has a standard Canon bundle. Inside the box, you'll find:

The 12.1 effective Megapixel PowerShot SX260 HS digital camera NB-6L lithium-ion rechargeable battery Battery charger Wrist strap USB cable CD-ROM featuring Canon Digital Camera Solution 34 page Quick Start Guide (printed)

View the Original article

Canon PowerShot G15

Preview based on a pre-production

Canon's PowerShot G-series is one of the most iconic lines of digital compact cameras, with the original G1 having debuted right back in September 2000. The original models sported fast lenses, articulated LCDs, optical viewfinders, Raw data recording and lots of external control, and were aimed at tempting enthusiasts who usually shot with 35mm SLRs to dip a toe into the brave new waters of digital photography.

The line took a hiatus when affordable APS-C SLRs started to appear, before being reinvented with the smaller, slimmer G7 in 2006 - now redesigned as a compact camera for SLR-owning enthusiasts. To the dismay of fans, this had a slower lens, fixed screen and didn't record Raw. Since then the same basic design been progressively upgraded, adding back Raw and the swivel screen along the way, right up to the G12 that's been on the market for two years - unusual in this day and age. In the meantime Canon has made the G1 X - a variant on the same basic design with a much-larger sensor.

Now, with the launch of the G15, Canon has added-back one of the original characteristics of the G-series; a fast zoom lens. This covers the same 28-140mm equivalent focal length range as the G12's, but is a stop and a third faster, at F1.8-2.8 rather than F2.8-4.5. This should give the G15 a distinct advantage over its predecessor not only in low light, but also in the ability to blur backgrounds a bit more when shooting portraits. The lens also includes Canon's 'Intelligent IS' optical image stabilization.

But while Canon gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. The G15's rear screen is fixed, rather than articulated, a move that Canon says is designed to make the camera smaller and more pocketable. The G15 is indeed significantly slimmer than its predecessor - by about 15% with the lens retracted - but we can't help but feel that as many potential buyers will be dismayed by the loss of this useful feature as will be delighted by the camera's increased portability. The screen itself is a large, high-resolution 3" 920k dot unit with a tempered glass cover and wide viewing angles.

The G15 uses a Canon-made 12.1MP 1/1.7"-type CMOS sensor, the same as that found in the co-announced S110 (and similar to the one used on the S100), which offers an ISO range from 80 to 12,800 in concert with the DIGIC 5 processor. As we'd expect, Full HD movie recording is available, at a framerate of 24 fps and with stereo sound from the built-in microphones. The G15 also finally gains a dedicated movie record button, for the first time on a small-sensor G, and the lens can zoom and focus during recording.

One notable improvement is distinctly quicker autofocus - according to Canon 53% faster than the G12, making the G15 the fastest-focusing compact the company has made. The CMOS sensor also enables rapid continuous shooting at 10 frames per seconds, although only in the somewhat-restrictive High Speed burst HQ mode. In other modes the G15 will shoot at 2.1 fps.

key features 12MP 1/1.7" Canon CMOS sensor 28-140mm equivalent F1.8-2.8 lens, 4-stop 'Intelligent IS'. DIGIC 5 processor ISO 80-12800 Fixed 3" 920k dot PureColor II G screen Optical viewfinder Raw format recording Dual-axis electronic levelSensor sizes compared

The diagram below compares the size of the G15's 1/1.7" sensor with a range of other enthusiast compacts.

View the Original article