Canon Revamps Digital Cameras With DIGIC 4 Image Chip

Canon has released its 2009 lineup of PowerShot point-and-shoot cameras that includes a wide range of prices and products the company hopes will appeal to beginners as well as more advanced users.

The 10 new cameras, which Canon plans to roll out between March and May, range in price from $130 to $600. Most include Canon's DIGIC 4 Image Processor, which the company says improves signal processing speed and produces higher image quality.

Select cameras also have automated adjustments for numerous settings, such as brightness and hue, during a variety of lighting situations. There's also "blink detection" technology that displays an icon after shooting with a warning that a subject's eyes were closed during shooting. The feature is meant as a faster way to notify the user whether there's a need to reshoot the image.

For advanced users, Canon has the SX1 IS and SX200 IS, which include a 20x and 12x wide-angle zoom lens and the ability to take 1080p and 720p high-definition video, respectively.

For consumers looking for an all-around waterproof and shockproof camera, Canon has the D10, which can withstand water depths up to 33 feet. People who need a less rugged all-around camera can check out Canon's SD970 IS, SD960 IS, SD780 IS and SD1200 IS Digital ELPH cameras, which are the manufacturer's most stylish products.

Canon's new A-Series includes the A480 and A1100, which are targeted at beginners and people on tight budgets. For more advanced users looking for a smaller design, Canon has the A2100.

Last month, Canon rival Panasonic introduced two digital cameras with face-recognition technology that lets a user set the camera's auto-focus and auto-exposure operations to a single person in a group. The Lumix DMC-FX580 and DMC-ZS3 are scheduled to be available in April for a suggested retail price of $400.