Posted on Friday, January 25 2008 @ 1:00 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Canon has released three new entry-level digital cameras in its A-series: the PowerShot A590 IS, A580 and A470. They are priced between $129 and $179 and feature the usual new technologies like blur reduction and face detection.
PowerShot A590 IS
Ruggedly crafted yet lightweight, the dark silver body of the 8.0 megapixel PowerShot A590 IS camera fits firmly and comfortably into a user's hand. Featuring an impressive 4x (35mm-140mm equivalent) zoom lens, the PowerShot A590 IS model offers a richer feature set than other entry-level PowerShot cameras.
Staking out the upper-middle tier of the PowerShot A-series, the new camera offers users the option of 19 shooting modes, from fully automatic to fully manual operation for greater creative control. The A590 IS camera also features Canon’s advanced Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). OIS significantly reduces the effects of camera shake (and the blurry pictures they cause) by actually allowing the lens to shift to compensate for camera movement or shake. Unlike electronic image stabilization systems that essentially mask the movement rather than actually compensating for it, Canon’s Optical “lens shift” system preserves the inherent quality of the stabilized image without covering up parts of the image. This OIS technology is even effective when the movement being stabilized is caused by extended telephoto or low-light shooting conditions.
The camera's range can be expanded even further with the use of any one of three optional converter lenses: a 1.75X tele-converter, a 0.7X wide converter and a 52mm close-up lens for eye-catching and frame-filling macro photography. The converter lenses attach over the camera's zoom lens by means of an optional conversion lens adapter.
PowerShot A580
Sharing most of the features and visual virtues of its image stabilized sibling, the PowerShot A590 IS, including a fast 4X (35mm-140mm equivalent) optical zoom lens, the PowerShot A580 camera features an 8.0 megapixel CCD-type image sensor, the option of fully automatic or semi-automatic settings and 16 easily selectable shooting modes. Incorporating a virtually identical body design as its slightly more feature-rich A-series family member, the PowerShot A580 camera is easily distinguished thanks to the pearlescent silver patina of its equally durable shell and easy to hold grip.
PowerShot A470
The successor to last year’s successful entry level PowerShot A460 camera, the new 7.1 megapixel A470 model has undergone a striking external makeover, matched dramatically by a number of key internal enhancements and advancements. The immediate eye-impact created by the PowerShot A470 camera stems from its availability in four different color accents -- blue, red, orange and gray – over a contoured metallic finish body that highlights the camera’s new design and reflects the camera-user’s individuality, personality and taste.
This camera’s technological features compliment its expressive style. Ideal for first time camera-users, the PowerShot A470 camera features a 3.4X (38mm – 132mm equivalent) optical zoom lens that opens up at a responsive f/3.0 at wide-angle and f/5.8 at the telephoto settings. Despite its positioning as an entry-level camera with style, PowerShot A470 camera offers users the option of exploring their creative sides with manual overrides for ISO speed, exposure compensation and white balance, while enjoying the absolute ease of the automatic setting and taking advantage of the camera’s 14 shooting modes.
