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| The PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH offers 10-megapixel resolution packed in a Titanum body. |
Just in time to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Canon’s ELPH brand, Canon is adding three new members to the PowerShot Digital ELPH family. Featuring, petite profiles, curved bodies, smooth lines, and lustrous eye-catching allure that define the outer-design of Digital ELPH camera models, the 10.0 megapixel PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH and the 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD800 IS Digital ELPH and PowerShot SD40 Digital ELPH cameras are said to take the marriage of style and technology to a new level.
Hitting store shelves in October, these power-packed digital denizens of pocket or purse continue to champion the go anywhere, shoot anytime philosophy that keeps picture-taking fun and preserves memorable moments in a flash.
The key to these new digicams is DIGIC III, the newest iteration of Canon’s ultra-efficient (and proprietary) image processor. Shared thus far only with Canon’s new flagship PowerShot G7 Model– it is the DIGIC III chip that accounts for these cameras’ higher performance levels including faster start up, autofocus and shutter response times; improved maximum processing speed; and of course, enhanced image quality and more efficient power consumption; resulting in extended battery life under typical shooting conditions.
Because of the DIGIC III chip’s more aggressive noise reduction, these Digital ELPH cameras are able to shoot at ISO equivalent speed ratings from 80 to as high as 1600. This increased sensitivity at the top-end allows the use of faster shutter speeds, significantly reducing camera shake and subject blur during hand held low-light photography.
Offering Canon’s new Face Detection AF/AE technology (working in concert with Canon’s 9-point Autofocus system), all three of these Digital ELPH models can detect, lock on and track up to nine human faces in a scene simply by pressing the shutter button halfway. The face detection algorithm automatically prioritizes and selects the optimum subject and not simply the closest face (based on Canon’s Intelligent Scene Analysis/iSAPS technology). It will then optimize the focus and exposure to ensure the best possible results for easy picture taking moments.
The flagship of the Digital ELPH camera line, the 10-megapixel PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH takes the attractive and comfortable feel of the “perpetual curve design” and for the first time ever, renders that body in strong and durable yet lightweight Titanium. The result is a high-res digital camera with smooth lines, an elegant satin finish, and an impressive (though petite) package of top-tier photo features. About the size of a deck of playing cards, the SD900 Digital ELPH camera measures fractionally more than an inch thick with its 3x (37-111 mm equivalent) optical zoom lens retracted safely into the case; a mere 2.35 inches high and less than 3.6 inches long.
The successor to Canon’s SD550 Digital ELPH camera, the SD900 also features a brilliantly enhanced, 2.5- inch, 230,000-pixel, color TFT LCD screen with a wide viewing angle making images easier to preview and review, and camera menus easier to read in a wide range of lighting conditions. For still more flexible digital imaging power, the SD900 Digital ELPH camera also includes a new 1.4x/2.3x digital tele-converter for extended shooting capabilities. Finally, for those who wish to shoot dramatically higher resolution video sequences, the camera’s XGA 15fps movie mode is just the ticket. When combined with the new optionally available high capacity 4GB SDHC memory cards, this digital dynamo can capture action for up to 33 minutes per clip. The Canon PowerShot SD900 Digital ELPH carries an estimated selling price of $499.99.
The 7.1 megapixel SD800 IS Digital ELPH camera is the second and newest Optical Image Stabilized Digital ELPH model in the PowerShot line, and is now the top-of-the-line Digital ELPH IS entry. Canon based the optical image stabilization system on advancements made in the development of the company’s EF and video lenses, and then scaled it down to fit the diminutive Digital ELPH camera profile. Unlike electronic or “digital image stabilization systems” that typically degrade image quality, Canon’s lens shift-type stabilization system preserves maximum optical quality while providing up to three stops of shake correction in shutter speed equivalent.
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