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| Canon PowerShot SD950 IS will be available in September with a suggested retail price of $449.99. Click photo for larger images. |
Canon has added two new ultracompact point-and-shoot cameras to its PowerShot SD Digital Elph series, the 8-megapixel SD870 IS and 12.1-megapixel SD950 IS.
The SD870 IS is nearly identical to the existing SD800 IS, but adds updated face-detection and optical image stabilization features, a small increase in resolution, and a 230,000 3-inch LCD. The SD870 IS makes room for the large screen by eliminating the earlier model’s optical viewfinder and using a slightly different control layout. Like the SD800 IS, the SD870 IS sports a wide f/2.8-f/5.8 28mm-105mm (35mm camera equivalent) 3.8x zoom lens. However, the new model offers three OIS modes, including a panning option.
The SD950 IS is similar in design and features to the existing SD 900, with the same 230,000-pixel, 2.5-inch LCD and optical viewfinder. However, it offers an increase in both resolution and optical zoom range, sporting an f/2.8-5.8, 35mm-133mm (35mm camera equivalent) 3.7x zoom lens with three OIS modes. It also provides the same enhanced face-detection technology as the SD870 IS.
Among the face-detection features offered by both of the new Elph models are face-detection autofocus and autoexposure modes, a flash exposure mode optimized for photographing people, and a setting that automatically corrects redeye in detected faces in playback mode.
Both cameras provide numerous automatic photo shooting modes, including an underwater mode for use with Canon’s compatible housings. The Elphs offer a shutter-speed range of 1/1600 to 15 seconds, spot and center-weighted metering modes, and a top light-sensitivity setting is ISO 1600. The SD950 IS also provides an ISO 3200 shooting mode. Numerous color modes are available, including options for bringing out a particular color in a scene and for optimizing light or dark skin tones. Other notable features include selectable nine-point autofocus, custom white balance, and a custom self-timer that allows users to set the delay time and the number of shots up to 10.
The SD870 IS and SD950 IS capture smooth VGA-resolution video with sound. The SD950 IS also offers a higher-resolution 1024x768 mode that captures at a somewhat choppy 15fps. The cameras adjust exposure and white balance continuously during video capture to compensate for changing conditions, which is not a given in cameras that are not made primarily for video capture. New in these models is a VGA long play mode, which increases the compression level to fit more footage on a memory card -- at the expense of image quality, of course. Both cameras also offer a voice-recording mode, as well as voice annotation of photos.
The $399.99 SD870 IS and $449.99 SD950 IS will be available in September 2007. Both metal-body cameras have silver finishes; the SD870 IS is available with or without black detailing.
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