Canon shoots, unleashes still cams
It's out with the old, in with shiny new compacts and subtle tweaks over at Canon HQ. Read on for our first impressions of the 8MP PowerShot and three new IXUS snappers
Canon’s gone update crazy and announced an entire new range of compact cameras – including one with the best movie mode we’ve ever seen.
The Powershot S80 (above) looks like a good straightforward wide-angle 8MP shooter, but it also boasts the first ever XGA quality movie mode. That’s a monitor-filling 1024 x 768 pixels, twice as good as the VHS-quality movies we’ve seen on compact cameras. The only hitch is that this hi-res mode only records 15 frames per second.
The other newbies from Canon’s stable are three new IXUS cams.
The IXUS i Zoom (above left) has received the biggest boost by getting a 2.4x zoom. This is the first time the i series has touted an optical zoom. Specs are nowt amazing – 5MP, 1.8in LCD and below-par movie mode – but our hopes are high because the i series has such a fine pedigree. It’ll cost £320.
Second up is the IXUS 55 (above right), a solid mid-range 5MP shooter with a 2.5in LCD and standard 3x optical zoom. Pricing’s set at £330.
Coming in at the top – well, the centre in our photo – is the £480 IXUS 750. It’s basically a pumped-up 7MP version of the 55, complete with an optional waterproof case and several cool new in-camera editing features.
All the models are due in shops between September and October.
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
