PowerShot Advantages

Image Quality

Canon Advantage - PowerShot Image Quality
Accessories Performance Ease-of-Use HD Video
Optical Technology HS SYSTEM CMOS Sensor
DIGIC Image Processor RAW Mode    

All images and effects are simulated.
Note that the features that follow
depend on the camera model.
Every PowerShot camera has one – a Genuine Canon Lens. Over 70 years of innovation in Canon optics technology has secured the loyality of professional photographers worldwide and inspired generations of remarkable images. A great lens is at the heart of every great image.

Camera shake often blurs images in low light and at long focal lengths. Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer technology corrects camera shake so you can achieve incredibly steady blur-free images in many difficult situations: outdoors at dusk, inside without the flash, even at the end of the zoom range without a tripod. The sophisticated system detects camera shake and optically counters the movement, effectively reducing unwanted lens movement and vibration. Because it is an optical system, there is none of the image degradation typical with electronic image stabilizers.
G1 X G15 S110 SX50 HS SX500 IS
SX280 HS SX160 IS D20 N ELPH 330 HS
ELPH 130 IS ELPH 115 IS      
Current model(s) listed only.

Intelligent IS makes achieving steady pictures even easier during handheld shooting. It analyzes camera movement and applies the best shake correction method for the shooting situation to keep your HD video smooth and steady. When recording video, the system automatically selects among Dynamic, Powered, Macro and Tripod IS modes. Dynamic mode is effective for video recording at wide-angle focal lengths, suppressing the unwanted camera shake that typically occurs when shooting while walking. Powered mode compensates for hand movement when recording video at the telephoto end of the zoom range, where camera shake is magnified. Macro (Hybrid) mode corrects for shift-type camera shake that typically occurs in close-up shooting. When Tripod mode is selected, the image stabilizer is stopped because it is unnecessary.

 

G1 X G15 S110 SX50 HS SX500 IS
SX280 HS SX160 IS D20 N ELPH 330 HS
ELPH 130 IS ELPH 115 IS      
Current model(s) listed only.
Macro (Hybrid IS)
In macro photography, even the slightest movement can blur your image. Hybrid IS helps Optical Image Stabilizer counter the tipping and tilting movement common in handheld photography.
Improved Dynamic IS
Optimized to keep video clear and shake-free, especially while walking and with the subject nearby, the improved Dynamic IS on the PowerShot SX50 HS compensates for horizontal tilt, vertical pitch and rotational movement centered on the optical axis. And on the PowerShot SX280 HS, Dynamic IS has been advanced to keep video crisp and steady when shooting while walking or shooting from a vehicle. The advanced Dynamic IS on the PowerShot SX280 HS uses a combination of optical and digital correction for five-axis image stabilization, providing greater compensation for roll blurring, tilt distortion and shift blur. The result is beautifully clear and steady video.

The UA lens is a Canon exclusive: a glass-molded aspherical lens with an ultra-high refractive index that delivers incredibly bright, clear shots. Its amazingly small size is a major factor in keeping the PowerShot cameras so compact.
G1 X S110 A2600 A2500 A1400
Current model(s) listed only.

With innovative Canon optical technology, a slim and compact PowerShot camera can be equipped with a wide-angle lens to deliver all the expansiveness and sense of distance you can only achieve with wide-angle shots.
28mm Wide G1 X G15 SX160 IS D20
  N ELPH 130 IS ELPH 115 IS A2600
  A2500 A1400    
25mm Wide SX280 HS      
24mm Wide S110 SX50 HS SX500 IS ELPH 330 HS
Current model(s) listed only.
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The Canon HS SYSTEM combines a High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor with the powerful DIGIC 6, DIGIC 5 or DIGIC 4 Image Processor to create a revolutionary way of taking photos. It dramatically enhances image quality in numerous shooting situations, even in unforgiving lighting environments with a high ISO speed. Images will have less noise, resulting in sharper and clearer photos than ever before.
G1 X G15 S110 SX50 HS SX280 HS
D20 N ELPH 330 HS    
Current model(s) listed only.
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Canon engineers have developed a new sensor for PowerShot digital cameras. Found on the PowerShot G1 X digital camera, it is nearly the size of an EOS DSLR camera's APS-C sized sensor, and built with a similar pixel structure – each pixel site is larger, allowing more light to be captured – giving the PowerShot G1 X a completely different level of image quality than compact cameras that have come before it. At 1.5 inches, the sensor is approximately 6.3 times larger than that of the PowerShot G15 digital camera. This heightened degree of sensitivity, along with 14.3 Megapixels, delivers several distinct advantages. Noise is dramatically reduced at high ISO speeds for clear low-light and nighttime shooting. Resolution at low ISO speeds is incredibly rich and precise. And, most atypically for a compact camera, the PowerShot G1 X digital camera allows you to create the intensely beautiful background blur that is the hallmark of DSLR cameras.
G1 X
Current model(s) listed only.
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Renowned for their superb picture quality, responsive handling, extended battery life and fast processing speeds, DIGIC Image Processors have set the standard for functionality and performance since their ground-breaking introduction in 1999. With the latest-generation Canon DIGIC 6 Image Processor, image quality has been improved to bring exceptional clarity to low-light shooting. Advanced noise reduction helps produce expressive images with beautiful contrast and crisper detail than ever before when shooting in low light at high ISO speeds. The new DIGIC 6 Image Processor also enables significantly advanced video capture with enhanced Dynamic IS for reduced camera shake, and MP4 video recording for improved playback on mobile devices.
 
SX280 HS        
Current model(s) listed only.
Movies can now be recorded at a frame rate of 60 fps as a result of the improved processing power of the new DIGIC 6 Image Processor. Recording at 60p means recording twice the number of frames as 30p, so fast moving subjects are captured crisply and clearly, and transitions are smoother and richer. Even at 1080p Full HD resolution, playback is natural and fluid.

Easily achieve stunning images with incredible detail and clarity even at high ISO speeds; with the new DIGIC 6 Image Processor's improved noise reduction performance, video image quality is better than ever. Processing more noise information than the DIGIC 5 Image Processor, the new DIGIC 6 Image Processor quickly removes noise to achieve beautiful images even in low light – images shot at ISO 6400 appear as if they were shot at ISO 1600. The improved performance of the DIGIC 6 Image Processor ensures that detail and contrast are not lost, even at high ISO speeds.



   
The Canon DIGIC 5 Image Processor brings phenomenal increases in processing speed and power. Improved chip architecture and algorithms deliver greatly expanded functionality with further refinement in image quality. Improved noise reduction produces clearer images when shooting in low light at high ISO speeds, while enhanced i-Contrast performance achieves even more natural-looking results in high-contrast scenes. The faster processing speed also results in faster continuous shooting capability and a new, advanced automatic white balance system.
 
G1 X G15 S110 SX50 HS N
ELPH 330 HS      
Current model(s) listed only.
Experienced photographers know that high ISO speeds can result in increased levels of noise – aberrant signals often compared to film graininess that degrade image quality. One of the major functions of the Canon DIGIC Image Processor is noise reduction. The DIGIC Image Processor excels at this task as it effectively removes noise with minimal apparent effect on image detail. The newest DIGIC 5 Image Processor further boosts noise reduction performance, making it possible to achieve outstanding image quality at even higher ISO settings. Select models incorporating the DIGIC 5 Image Processor also let you choose different levels of noise reduction, giving you more control over the final image.
The DIGIC 5 Image Processor makes it possible to achieve even more natural-looking photos than ever before with a new, highly advanced automatic white balance system. Unlike a conventional white balance that would make an overall adjustment based on a single type of light source, the new Canon Multi-Area White Balance analyzes several different areas of an image to determine whether different adjustments are needed, for example, for the main subject and the background. This is especially helpful when taking a picture of a subject lit by mercury vapor lamps or using the camera's built-in flash.
The Canon DIGIC 4 Image Processor ensures brilliant color, smooth gradations, and fast and responsive camera performance. Its highly efficient design extends battery life. The advanced algorithms combined with accelerated processing speeds not only enhance image quality but also extend functionality. The DIGIC 4 Image Processor makes possible high-speed continuous shooting, Full HD video capability and even more sophisticated Face Detection features, such as the Face Detection Self-timer.
SX500 IS SX160 IS D20 ELPH 130 IS ELPH 115 IS
A2600 A2500 A1400  
Current model(s) listed only.
Low Light mode gives you considerable shooting flexibility. The camera automatically adjusts the ISO speed setting range based on surrounding brightness, subject movement and camera shake to give you clear, steady shots even when lighting is not optimal.
Intelligent Contrast Correction controls the compensation level in pixel units to brighten dark areas while leaving bright areas unchanged. This produces better images where the main subject is dark, as well as more natural transitions. You can also set Intelligent Contrast Correction in playback mode to adjust images that were shot without the setting activated.
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Best described as "digital negatives," RAW images contain pre-processed image data as captured by the sensor and, with post-processing, they yield the highest image quality possible. Available on all EOS DSLR cameras, select PowerShot cameras offer the same 14-bit RAW signal processing, giving photographers exceptional creative control over their images. Compared with 12-bit processing, 14-bit offers a 4x increase in RAW data, which makes a visible impact, giving images rich detail in both highlights and shadows as well as smoother, more natural tonal gradation for outstanding image quality. Utilizing Canon's own Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, RAW files can be edited, browsed or printed. Select PowerShot cameras now offer a choice of multiple aspect ratios, including 16:9, 3:2, 4:3, 1:1 and 4:5, for outstanding flexibility and creativity.
G1 X G15 S110 SX50 HS
Current model(s) listed only.
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