Canon has bolstered its point-and-shoot camera lineup with three new PowerShot cameras and a small flash unit designed for use with compact cameras. The PowerShot SX150 IS will be available in September, and the PowerShot Elph 310 HS and 510 HS will be available in October. A wireless flash unit, the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash, will be available in December.
The SX150 IS is a 14.1-megapixel superzoom with a 12x optical zoom lens. Covering a field of view equivalent to 28-336mm in 35mm terms, the camera features a large 3-inch, rear LCD and a built-in pop-up flash. It supports manual shooting modes, aperture priority, and shutter priority for enthusiasts, as well as automatic operation for those who opt to simply point and shoot. Its CCD sensor is also capable of 720p video capture. The SX150 IS is set to retail for $249.99 and will be available in red and black finishes.
For those who would like the same 12x zoom range in a smaller camera, Canon also announced the PowerShot Elph 510 HS. It uses a 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor, which supports 1080p video recording. Its 3-inch LCD is a touch screen for fast navigation through menus and Touch Shutter capability. Available in red, silver, and black, it will retail for $349.99.
The PowerShot Elph 310 HS offers a lesser 8x (28-224mm equivalent) zoom range and lacks the touch-screen capabilities of the 510 HS. Otherwise, it is a very similar camera, sharing the same form factor, sensor, and video-recording capability. It will be available in a rainbow of colors, including pink, blue, purple, green, and silver, and is set to retail for $259.99.
Rounding out the announcements is the HF-DC2 High-Power Flash. This compact, wireless strobe is designed for use with PowerShot cameras. It can cover a 24mm angle of view with an illumination range of about 30 feet. It includes a mounting bracket to attach it to your camera, but can also be hand-held or attached to a tripod. It is set to retail for $149.99.