Digital Home Thoughts - News & Reviews for the Digital Home

Be sure to register in our forums and post your comments - we want to hear from you!


Zune Thoughts

Loading feed...

Apple Thoughts

Loading feed...

Laptop Thoughts

Loading feed...





All posts tagged "ixus"


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Canon Announces Ten New Compacts

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

So the parade of compacts continues. Canon yesterday announced a bunch, and I will start with the more interesting ones. The Powershot ELPH 320 HS and ELPH 530 HS (IXUS 240 HS and IXUS 510 HS respectively outside of North America) are the latest additions to the ELPH/IXUS line up. The 320 HS features a 16 megapixel sensor with a 5x optically stabilised 24-120mm equivalent f/2.7-5.9 zoom lens, while the 530 HS features a 10 megapixel sensor with a 12x optically stabilised 28-336mm equivalent f/3.4-5.6 zoom lens. This uses folded optics to get fit into the small body. The two ELPHs share a lot of features otherwise, with a 3.2" HVGA touchscreen LCD and very little physical controls, 1080p video at 24 FPS, still shooting at up to 5.2 FPS, and new here, built-in wifi that in addition to uploading to various services, also allows transferring files to a smartphone, with an app coming for iOS and Android. The 530 HS also uses microSD cards instead of the usual SD cards for storing its photos. I sense many cameras will switch to the smaller form factor as time goes by; this is the third camera announced in 2012 utilising the smaller format. The two cameras will ship in late March, with the 530 HS going for US$350, and the 320 HS going for US$280. More cameras after the break!

DCResource: Powershot ELPH 320 HS / ELPH 530 HS

Read more...


Monday, January 9, 2012

Canon Announces Powershot ELPH 520HS and 110 HS Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:18 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/news/news...tem.php?id=4430

Phew. Compared to Fuji's product diarrhoea, Canon has released just two more cameras from its popular ELPH/IXUS line. The one above, is the Powershot ELPH 520 HS, or IXUS 500 HS in Europe and parts of Asia. The camera boasts a 10 megapixel CMOS sensor, an optically stabilised lens with a huge (for a compact) 12x 28-336mm equivalent f/3.4-5.6 zoom lens, a 3" HVGA LCD, and 1080p videos at 24 FPS. Like all HS cameras, it is capable of some high speed stuff, which in this case results in a 6.8 FPS frame rate in continuous shooting mode at a reduced resolution, and the requisite 240 FPS videos at QVGA resolution. The camera is really tiny; it is a fraction larger than the very small Pentax Optio S5n I had in 2005, and that only had a 3x zoom lens. Something had to give, and the result is a compact camera that uses microSDHC cards instead of the usual SDHC cards. The camera will ship in March 2012 at US$300.

The Powershot ELPH 110 HS, or IXUS 125 HS, has a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor. an optically stabilised 5x 24-120mm equivalent f/2.7-5.8 zoom lens, a 3" HVGA LCD, and 1080p vidoes at 24 FPS. Similar to its sibling, it offers a continuous mode of 5.8 frames per second at a reduced resolution, and the same 240 FPS videos at QVGA resolution. The camera will ship in February for US$250. Both cameras have some new automated features for casual shooters, so check out the source link for more, along with more photos of both cameras!


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Canon Announces ELPH 510 HS, ELPH 310 HS and Powershot SX150 IS

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 06:40 AM

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/about...01e024803780ca#

We start off a week of camera announcements with... three compacts from Canon. First up are two additions to the ELPH/IXUS line, the ELPH 510 HS and the ELPH 310 HS (also known as the IXUS 1100 HS and IXUS 230 HS respectively). The ELPH 510 HS features the same 12 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor found in many recent Canon compacts, a 12x 28-336mm equivalent f/3.4.-5.9 stabilised optical zoom lens, which is pretty impressive on a camera less than an inch thick. Canon also claims improved stabilisation for the new cameras. There is 1080p video at 24 FPS, as well as a number of other video modes, including the high speed modes at up to 240 FPS. All this is handled through a 3.2" HVGA touchscreen LCD, which given the size of the screen and the camera, means there're practically no buttons on the rear of the camera. Hope you like touchscreens in your cameras. The ELPH 310 HS is similar, but drops the zoom down to 8x, giving a 28-224mm f/3.0-5.9, and drops the screen down to a non-touchscreen 3" HVGA LCD, but this means the buttons are back. Both cameras will be available in October, with the ELPH 510 HS going for US$350, and the ELPH 310 HS for US$260.

Next up is the Powershot SX150 IS, a budget superzoom replacing the SX120 IS. The camera offers a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, a 12x 28-336mm f/3.4-5.6 stabilised lens, 3" QVGA LCD screen, and 720p videos at 30 FPS. Pretty much the same as the SX120 IS save for the 14 megapixel sensor. It does offer some manual controls, which is not saying much on a small sensor compact. Available in September for US$250.

More photos after the break.

Read more...


Monday, July 18, 2011

Lifehacker's Guide to Choosing Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

http://lifehacker.com/5822098/how-t...-for-your-needs

"Choosing a digital camera used to be a simple process that was heavily dictated by the amount of money in your pocket. Now the same money can buy you different benefits and compromises, making the decision much more complex. Here's a look at your camera-buying options, the pros and cons of each, and some specific suggestions to help you pick the perfect camera for your needs."

Lifehacker has a long article on how to choose a camera (and it even includes a guide on cameras in phones), but I recommended not going through the recommended picks just because they are there. Seriously, a Sony NEX-3?


Monday, February 7, 2011

Canon Announces Four New Powershots with HS (High Speed) Sensors

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

The final Canon headline today is some ice news. Canon for once is not joining in upping the megapixel stakes today by announcing a bunch of compacts using the same 12 megapixel CMOS sensor with the ability to shoot 1080p videos at 24 FPS, as well as some neat tricks like QVGA video at 240 FPS. If the previous incarnation of the sensor in the IXUS 300 HS is anything to go by, these will be quite good pocket shooters. All feature the new Canon software, which allows for auto scene mode selection, along with all the colour swap/faux tilt/whatever options currently present in Canon's compact lineup.

First on the list is the Powershot SX230 HS compact superzoom, which features its predecessor's 14x optically stabilised 28-392mm equivalent f/3.1-5.9 lens and 3" HVGA LCD. What's new is the above mentioned sensor and the inclusion of a GPS system for geotagging photos. Expect the camera to appear in March for US$350. There is also a Europe (Asia too?) version called the SX220 HS, which just drops the GPS receiver.

Next up are the ELPH/IXUS cameras. Leading the pack is the ELPH 500 HS/IXUS 310 HS, an update of the SD 4000 IS/IXUS 300 HS. It features a new 4.4x optically stabilised 24-105mm equivalent f/2.0-5.8 lens with a 3.2" HVGA touchscreen LCD, and loses the option of having the camera come in black. I really liked the matte black version of the IXUS 300 HS, and that camera's red option was something to talk about. The current options of pastel pink, brown (the horror) and silver are just not very interesting. Ships in March for US$300.

Following that is my favourite of the bunch, the ELPH 300 HS/IXUS 220 HS, which is an update of the very slim and compact SD 1400 IS/IXUS 130 IS. The new lens now starts at a 24mm equivalent, giving a 5x optically stabilised 24-120mm equivalent f/2.7-5.9 lens. Nice! The rest of the camera is pretty much unchanged, with a 2.7" QVGA LCD screen and very good looks. Did I mention it is very slim and compact? Ships in March for US$250.

Finally, the ELPH 100 HS/IXUS 115 HS. It's main advantage is price, at US$200 (an IXUS for US$200, who'd have thought?), but the features are still pretty decent. Mated with the HS sensor is a 4x optically stabilised 28-112mm equivalent, and the camera features a 3" QVGA LCD screen. Not bad for US$200. Ships in March.

Commentary: I have to say, Canon's compacts are now pretty good. After a period where they were churning out cameras with 3x/4x 35-105/140mm equivalent lenses for the longest time, Panasonic and their cameras pushing for HD videos, easy-to-use auto scene modes, and lenses that start wider (28mm and wider is not uncommon) just looked way more interesting. Looking good did not hurt either, and unlike most manufacturers, Panasonic did not restrict good looks to the top end of the range. Canon using the "HS" sensors is a good move. Now the only thing left is, will consumers be interested in the better quality of images over camera phones?

Images of the other cameras after the break.

Canon Powershot SX230 HS

Canon Powershot ELPH 500 HS/IXUS 310 HS

Canon Powershot ELPH 300 HS/IXUS 220 HS

Canon Powershot ELPH 100 HS/IXUS 115 HS

Read more...


Friday, August 20, 2010

Canon Launches a Trio of Powershots

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 04:30 PM

http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/newsroom...tPress&pid=1021

"MISSISSAUGA, ON, August 19, 2010 - Furtherelevating the “Power” in PowerShot, Canon Canada, a leader in digital imaging, today announced three new high-performance PowerShot cameras - the PowerShot S95, the SD4500 IS and the SX130 IS Digital cameras. These cameras achieve photographic brilliance with Canon’s HS (High Sensitivity) SYSTEM for improved low-light shooting in the S95 and SD4500 IS cameras, High Definition (HD) video recording, High Dynamic Range (HDR) in the S95 camera and a more intelligent Smart AUTO mode, among a range of others."

Canon has announced a trio of new compacts, led by the Powershot S95. The update to the year old S90 does not add much. The main feature is the ability to shoot videos in 720p at 24 FPS. The other main addition is the ability to do in-camera HDR, not too dissimilar to what Sony compacts have been doing lately. The S95 retains the S90's 10 megapixel resolution, fast f/2.0 to not-so-fast f/4.9 28-105mm equivalent lens with improved image stabilisation. It's not much of an update, so if you have a S90, don't worry about your camera being obsolete. The other two cameras are featured after the break.

Read more...


Monday, June 28, 2010

Budget Camera Shootout - Eight Cameras Tested at Digital Camera Resource Page

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 06:43 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/2...camera-shootout

"For many years now, the trend on this website has been to review the more expensive, cutting-edge cameras. Not only do those cameras capture my interest -- they are what the majority of DCRP readers are curious about, as well. Recently, I was reminded by a reader that I wasn't giving enough attention to entry-level cameras. These cameras may be boring to tech enthusiasts, but let's face it, millions of them are sold every year to regular folks who want something easy-to-use that takes decent photos."

Jeff Keller of the Digital Camera Resource Page has done a nice roundup of eight budget digital cameras. As digital cameras becomes more commoditised, reviews tend to become fewer and fewer, especially in the budget section, where unfortunately it is an area where it's likely to be a big segment of consumers who will likely need some help in making their choices. So if you know of anyone who's just looking for a cheap, no-frills camera that won't let them down, send them over to this roundup.


Featured Product

The Canon PowerShot S100 - The incredibly fun and small camera that offers you 12.1 megapixels with a bright f/2.0 lens and full 1080p video recording . MORE INFO

News Tip or Feedback?

Contact us

Thoughts Media Sites

Windows Phone Thoughts

Digital Home Thoughts

Zune Thoughts

Apple Thoughts

Laptop Thoughts

Android Thoughts

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...

Reviews & Articles

Loading feed...

News

Loading feed...