Canon has also announced today the expansion of the PowerShot A series with three new cameras: A410, A620 and A610.

Replacing the popular PowerShot A400, the PowerShot A410 has a new design and incorporates improved operability and performance through DIGIC II processing, and a 3.2x optical zoom with maximum aperture of f/2.8 - f/5.1. It is housed in a smaller, more compact and robust body.

Featuring 5 point AiAF auto focus and a range of shooting modes, the A410's ease of use makes it the ideal camera for those making the change to digital.

The DIGIC II processor integrates all image processing algorithms onto a single chip to deliver fast write times, minimal shutter lag, optimal image definition and consistently precise and natural colour reproduction. Camera start up and response times for image review are significantly improved. Introduction of DIGIC II also accounts for an up to 40% improvement in auto focus times, and smooth continuous shooting at a highly impressive 2.5fps.

While being smaller and more robust, the A410 has a longer optical zoom of 3.2 x (41 mm - 131 mm equivalent) allowing the user extra reach. The increased maximum aperture provides more options when shooting in low light.

Users can take photographs using the optical viewfinder or the 1.5" LCD monitor. The monitor is adjustable up to 15 levels of brightness, and the user interface has been improved to make the camera even more simple to use. 22 language settings can be displayed.

The A410 also allows users to capture high quality movie clips. It supports VGA (640 x 480) and QVGA (320 x 240) quality at 10 and 20 frames per second respectively. Up to 3 minutes of footage can be captured. A Compact Mode is provided for producing clips suitable for email without the problem of unwieldy file sizes.

The A410 comes complete with a 16 MB MultiMediaCard for image storage and is also compatible with SD cards. It is supplied with 2 x AA Alkaline Batteries and can be used with Canon rechargeable NiMH Batteries; an optional charger kit, CBK4-200, is available consisting of 4 x AA rechargeable NiMH batteries and a charger. Other optional extras include an AC Adapter kit for power from mains electricity (ACK800), a High-Power flash (HF-DC1) as well as the DCC-400 soft case.
The price for this camera will be around $150.


The other new A series cameras, PowerShot A620 and PowerShot A610, with 7.1 and 5.0 Megapixels, cameras incorporate a host of high-end features normally reserved for G-series PowerShots. DIGIC II processors drive a fast, responsive performance, and - in combination with the cameras' 4x optical zoom lenses - deliver superior image quality. A wide range of manual, automatic and special scene modes offer flexibility, creative control, and simplicity when required.

The cameras also feature a 2.0" vari-angle LCD, My Colors, and a macro mode that allows photographers to get as close as 1 cm. VGA movies at 30 fps can be created with both models. A complete range of optional accessories, including wide and tele-converters and waterproof case, extends shooting flexibility. A comprehensive software suite is provided as standard.

The upgrade to a 4x optical zoom provides a 35-140 mm focal length (35 mm equivalent). With a maximum aperture range of f/2.8 (W) to f/4.1 (T), the lenses are impressively bright at the telephoto end. In addition, focusing performance in low light has improved by up to 2-stops, resulting in greater freedom when shooting in dim conditions.

A complete range of optional accessories is available to extend the capabilities of the cameras. The new Conversion Lens Adapter LA-DC58F, has been designed to fit these models. Both the Wide Converter Lens WC-DC58N (0.7x) and Tele-converter lens TC-DC58N (1.75x) increase framing options and extend the camera's effective focal length range.

The dedicated Waterproof Case WP-DC90 - submersible to 40 m - is constructed with anti-fog double glass and a flash light diffusion plate. Separate Waterproof Case Weights WW-DC1 are available for controlling buoyancy. Other accessories include the AC Adapter Kit ACK600, the Battery Charger Kit CBK4-200 with four NiMH batteries, and the Soft Case DCC-300.

Purchasers of the cameras are eligible for membership of CANON iMAGE GATEWAY , which offers 100MB of online space for uploading and sharing images, and supports My Camera, which allows users to further customise their camera settings.

Supported operating systems are Windows 98 (SE), Me, 2000 (SP4), XP (SP1/2) and Mac OS X v10.2-v10.3. The cameras support PTP for driverless transfer to supported Windows XP or Mac OS X.

A610 and A620 are priced at $299 and $399 respectively