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Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Canon Introduces the New Powershot S5 IS with 12x Optical Zoom and Optical Image Stabilization

Canon today introduced the new Powershot S5 IS, which will replace the Powershot S3 IS in Canon’s line-up.  The S5 IS offers a huge 12x (36-432mm equivalent) optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, DIGIC III processor which adds face detection technology, improved auto focus, auto exposure, and flash, a vari-angle 2.5” LCD screen, and a hot-shoe that will accept Canon’s EX Speedlite flashes.  The Powershot S5 IS will also feature an Ultra-Low Dispersion (UD) lens to reduce chromatic abberations at telephoto, and an Ultra-Sonic Motor (USM) for fast, silent zoom operation.  The Powershot S5 IS will be available in July with an estimated selling price of $499.99 (U.S.).

From soccer moms snapping still photos and movie clips of their kids from the sidelines with a single digital camera to party-goers wanting to capture important moments on the social scene with a discreet digital camera that can unobtrusively slip into a clutch purse or shirt pocket, Canon’s market-leading line of PowerShot cameras fits any lifestyle. Adding to the breadth of an already auspicious product portfolio, Canon U.S.A., Inc. is proud to announce the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera.

Along with a full complement of the trendsetting style elements featured in the current PowerShot lineup, the new Powershot S5 IS adds a dash of technical advancements including Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Face Detection technology, in-camera Red-eye Correction and 8.0-megapixel resolution. Users will now have all the features needed to assure that once-in-a-lifetime moments will be vibrantly and vividly saved for years to come.

“The PowerShot S5 IS digital camera meets the demands of active family photographers and discerning photo hobbyists looking for high-end features and maximum photo flexibility, while maintaining the light weight, trim profile and affordability of a point and shoot digital camera,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “With a broad range of features and a powerful ultra-zoom lens, it is no coincidence that the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera’s look and feel evokes the sense of a small, lightweight SLR.”

Brains...
The “brain” of these new PowerShot S5 IS is DIGIC III, the gold standard on all new Canon digital cameras. The DIGIC III image processor accounts for the camera’s higher performance levels, including faster start up, faster autofocus and quicker shutter response times that leave long-lag competitors in the dust. The DIGIC III chip design improves image quality and offers more efficient power consumption, resulting in extended battery life under typical shooting conditions.

...and Beautiful Faces
Canon’s enhanced Face Detection technology ensures that human faces – up to nine faces at once – take precedence in terms of focus, exposure and flash. Face Detection autofocus (AF) ensures sharp focus for portraits, while Face Detection auto exposure (AE) adjusts to ambient light conditions and Face Detection flash exposure (FE) determines the appropriate intensity of flash output to optimize face brightness without risking overexposure, even at close range. The result is more flattering photos where all subjects are in clearer focus and accurately exposed. Working in concert with Face Detection, “Red-eye Correction” helps to detect and correct red-eye during playback mode.

Vast, Fast and Steady
Taking a page out of Canon’s legendary lens technology book, the Canon PowerShot S5 IS digital camera’s 12x ultra-zoom lens features an extraordinary optical focal length range of 36 – 432 mm (35mm film equivalent) and rides that range quickly and quietly by using the same type of silent, ultrasonic motor (USM) drive found on Canon’s high-end autofocus SLR lenses.

The extended zoom range makes optical image stabilization (OIS) essential. Canon’s lens shift OIS provides an effective antidote to camera shake, particularly at longer zoom lengths or during long exposures when even the slightest hand-held shake is magnified to picture blurring proportions. Superior to electronic image stabilization systems that simply use software to mask movement, OIS actually shifts the lens proportionately to compensate for unwanted motion, making it easier to snap great images and smooth movies, even when the camera is hand-held or in low light conditions.

The steady effectiveness is further enhanced when paired with the new “Auto ISO Shift” feature which, at the touch of a button, can automatically increase the ISO speed setting as required to maintain fast shutter speeds when shooting in low light conditions without a flash.

Eye-Easy Displays
The Powershot S5 IS features a bright, high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD display that offer users a wide viewing angle, ideal for viewing and sharing. For extra flexibility to shoot self-portraits, aim over a crowd or go low for a new perspective, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera features a Vari-Angle LCD display that swing outs with two-level brightness control for easier viewing under different lighting conditions.  For conventional viewing, the camera features an eye-level viewfinder.

Flexible Photo Modes
The Powershot S5 IS also offers users a broad spectrum of creative options to customize their pictures, featuring 22 shooting modes from fully automatic to fully manual. Accessible at the turn of a dial, these modes include Full Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Super Macro, Portrait, Landscape, Night Snapshot, Sports, Stitch Assist and Movie. Users can also select from a variety of special scene settings including indoor night scene, foliage, snow, beach, fireworks, aquarium, color accent and color swap.

PowerShot S5 IS Digital Camera Features:

• 12x optical zoom lens with Ultrasonic Motor (USM) and UD lens
• Optical Image Stabilizer
• 8.0 Megapixel CCD
• DIGIC III with Advanced Noise Reduction technology
• Face Detection for stills and movies
• Red-Eye Correction in playback
• 2.5” High Resolution vari-angle LCD
• Long-play VGA movies with stereo sound and Photo in Movie
• 22 Shooting modes including full manual control and 0cn Super Macro
• High ISO 1600 and Auto ISO Shift
• Compatible with Wide, Tele, and Close-up converter lenses
• Compatible with Canon EX Speedlite flashes
• Movie Action and MovieSnap

The PowerShot S5 IS camera features four movie modes with Canon’s Face Detection AF and AE. Similar to its still mode role, Face Detection AF focuses on the faces in the movie scene while Face Detection AE measures and accounts for the brightness of the faces when it is evaluating the appropriate overall scene exposure. What’s more, the one-touch “modeless movie” feature makes the decision to capture movies virtually instantaneous by engaging the movie function at the press of a dedicated button, without first switching to a shooting mode.

For even greater flexibility, The S5 IS camera’s MovieSnap feature enables users to capture high-resolution eight-megapixel still images at any point during the movie. This “best of both worlds” solution transforms the family photographer into the family videographer, and preserves moving memories and milestones in their original action format while making key moments a snap to view in frames, photo albums and easy-to-share in emails.

Rugged, Reliable and Ready-To-Go
The feel is unmistakably one of reliability. Canon’s new PowerShot S5 IS digital camera ergonomic grip fits firmly into the hand and the ready-for-action rubberized grip cover offers a substantial sense of reassurance. From its fast shutter-speed capabilities – up to1/3200 sec. – to the new accessory Hot-Shoe that accommodates a variety of Canon EX-series Speedlite flashes, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera is a technological bridge between Canon’s advanced point and shoot compact digital cameras and its entry-level digital SLR cameras. For those seeking still greater optical capabilities, Canon offers an optional 1.5x teleconverter, a .75x wide converter and a close-up lens.

What’s in the Box?
Despite its rich repertoire of photo features, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera measures a mere 4.6 inches long, 3.15 inches high and 3.06 inches wide and tips the scales at less than 16 ounces. In stores beginning in early July 2007, the PowerShot S5 IS digital camera kit includes four AA alkaline batteries, a 32MB SD memory card, a USB interface cable, a stereo AV cable for audio/video output, and a full suite of Canon’s latest software applications. The PowerShot S5 IS digital camera carries an estimated selling price of $499.99.*

Windows Vista Ready
As one of Microsoft’s Premier Launch Partners, Canon is proud to announce that all PowerShot digital cameras announced in 2007 are Certified for Windows Vista according to Microsoft standards, without any extra downloads or upgrades. Additionally, all current models are fully compatible with other operating systems including Windows XP and Mac OS X (Versions 10.2 - 10.4).

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. The Company is listed as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2006 BusinessWeek list of “Top 100 Brands.” Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent holder of technology, ranking third overall in the U.S. in 2006†, with global revenues of $34.9 billion. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., Inc. sign up for the Company’s RSS feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com.