A-DIGITAL-EYE (21ST CENTURY DIGITAL CAMERAS, PHOTO PRINTERS, PAPERS, CAMCORDERS, IMAGING SOFTWARE, DIGITAL EQUIPMENT, REVIEWS AND MORE!)
Canon PowerShot Pro 1 - This is Canon's entry into the 8 Megapixel Category (3264 by 2448) using a 2/3 inch CCD and a 7X f2.4-f3.5 Optical Zoom lens which ranges from 28 to 200mm and utilizes an Ultrasonic Motor for high-speed zooming operation which Canon indicates can be activated by a twist of a ring on the lens. The Pro 1 will be the first Canon Powershot fixed lens camera to feature the high quality Canon L-Series lens ("Canon reserves the "L-series" designation for the very best quality in terms of optical as well as mechanical design") with 14 elements in 10 groups (including 1 fluorite & 2 UD glass which Canon claims will reduce aberrations). The Pro 1 will come in an all black all Metal body and is about 1/2 the size of the Sony F828 according to Canon. It is described as a light weight and compact camera and it has a 2 inch, 235,00 pixel, 270 degree swivel LCD on the back for flexible shooting and viewing. The Pro1 has a eye level electronic viewfinder that is also 235,000 pixels and features a new power-saving "Display Off" mode that turns off the viewfinder or the monitor after a user-set time. The camera also features full manual control including a manual focus ring on the lens. It has a movie mode with sound that records up to 30 seconds of 640 by 480 video with sound at 15 frames per second and 3 min. at 320 by 240 at 15fps. The S1 will have shutter speeds of 15 to 1/4000 of a second and will use the DIGIC processor and a Primary color filter.
The PowerShot Pro 1 has a Hybrid autofocus (AF) system which combines TTL and external metering. The focus even has a movable "FlexiZone" AF/AE system. The Pro 1 also has and a 3.2 Digital Zoom and a regular Macro Mode allowing focus down to 3.9 of a inch as well as a 'Super Macro Mode" with a focus down to 1.2 inches at 5 megapixel resolution.The ISO Range is Auto, ISO 50/100/200/400. It has a built-in Pop-Up flash, and a hot-shoe for optional speedlights. The Pro 1 has Interval Shooting Increments from 1–60 min. up to 100 shots with this depending on the Compact Flash capacity. There is a burst mode which supports shooting images at 2.5 per second, up to 6. The camera can also take approximately 1 shot per second up to 18 shots. White Balance Modes Auto/ pre-set/ daylight/ Cloudy/ Tungsten/ Fluorescent/ Fluorescent H/Flash, and custom with 2 positions). The camera uses Compact Flash Type I & II and can capture RAW images with images up to 23MB. Playback includes 9 thumbnail display, Slide Show, Movie Replay with sound, Magnify up to 10X and Intelligent Orientation Sensor, along with a still histogram display. Sound Memos up to 60 seconds can be added to images. The Pro 1 supports both Direct Printing and PictBridge. Battery is the Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery BP-511A/514 (BP-511/512 are available.) The Pro1 accepts accessory converter lenses with optional lens adapters including a Tele Converter that extends the zoom out to 300mm and a 58mm 500D close up lens. Dimensions (W x D x H) 117.5 x 72 x 90.3mm (ex. viewfinder and protrusions) Weight Approx. 545g (camera body only). The Pro1 will begin shipping in March at an estimated street price of $999.
CANON'S LINE-LEADING EIGHT MEGAPIXEL POWERSHOT Pro1 DIGITAL CAMERA PREMIERES WITH A FAST 28 - 200mm L-SERIES LENS
LAS VEGAS (PMA, BOOTH # E11), Feb. 9, 2004 - Canon today unfurled the new top-of-the-line PowerShot digital camera, the new PowerShot Pro1 digital camera. Designed for discerning digital shooters, advanced amateurs and other photo enthusiasts seeking a versatile, high-resolution digital camera in a streamlined easy-to- use package, the PowerShot Pro1 digital camera offers the top-tier shooting options previously found only with digital SLRs and the optical excellence found only before with interchangeable SLR lenses.
"With the PowerShot Pro1 digital camera, we have successfully merged many of the most sought-after, high-quality SLR features into an all-in-one digital camera," said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer imaging group at Canon U.S.A., Inc, a subsidiary of Canon Inc. (NYSE: CAJ). "With the optical brilliance of its L-series 28-200mm lens, the eight megapixel CCD imaging sensor, and its compact size, the Canon PowerShot Pro1 model is feature-packed and provides the ultimate combination of professional features and simplicity in a digital camera."
Imaging Excellence
The eight megapixel, 2/3" size CCD imaging sensor provides
the highest resolution - 3264 x 2448 pixels - of any PowerShot
camera to date and is capable of generating file sizes of approximately
23MB when images are opened in image management programs such
as Canon's ZoomBrowser EX. The camera's L-series 28-200mm equivalent
f/2.4-3.5 7x zoom lens is among the fastest in its class and
utilizes an Ultrasonic Motor for high-speed zooming operation
(which can be activated at the twist of a ring on the lens).
Lens Leadership
As the world's leading lens manufacturer, Canon earns its legendary
reputation day in and day out among professional photographers
who depend on their EOS cameras and EF lenses to produce powerful
images with outstanding sharpness, contrast and color fidelity.
Within the EF lens line-up, Canon reserves the "L-series"
designation for the very best quality in terms of optical as
well as mechanical design.
The PowerShot Pro1 features the first
L-series lens ever incorporated into a compact digital camera:
a 28-200mm (35mm format equivalent) f/2.4-3.5, 7x optical zoom
that produces unsurpassed image quality to match the Pro1's high-resolution
eight megapixel CCD sensor. The 14-element lens features two
aspherical elements, two UD-glass elements and significantly,
one Fluorite crystal element (the first use of Fluorite in any
compact digital camera lens). Canon's addition of Fluorite crystal
and UD glass to the lens construction reduces the level of anomalous
dispersion - chromatic aberration in photo parlance -- compared
to conventional optical glass, while the aspherical elements
correct spherical aberration and allow the overall size and weight
of the lens to be reduced. In short, the Fluorite and UD elements
improve sharpness and color fidelity while the aspherical elements
improve image quality and allow the lens construction to be more
compact than comparable conventional zoom lenses.
The macro capabilities of the L-series 28-200mm lens allow for
close focusing to 3.9 inches at full resolution while the "super
macro mode" permits close-focus to 1.2 inches (at a moderately
reduced five megapixel resolution). In addition to its 7x optical
zoom, the PowerShot Pro1 digital camera also features a 3.2x
digital zoom. For those seeking added lens flexibility and range,
the camera accepts optional accessory converter lenses (attached
with an optional conversion lens adapter) including a Tele Converter
Lens that extends the range of the zoom to a maximum of 300mm,
and the 58mm 500D Close-up lens. The camera's intuitive design
features a menu-operated converter function that drives these
converter lenses to their appropriate settings.
Photo-To-Go…Anywhere
The PowerShot Pro1 digital camera's rugged metal body with its
professional black finish, large comfortable rubberized grip
and strategically placed controls clustered on the right hand
side contribute to its go-anywhere, shoot anything versatility.
What's more the camera features a sharp, clear, easy-to-read,
high-resolution 235,000 pixel 2.0-inch LCD monitor with full
tilt and 2700 swivel capability. Similarly, the camera's eye
level electronic viewfinder is also 235,000 pixels (the highest
resolution ever in any PowerShot viewfinder) and features a new
power-saving "Display Off" mode that turns off the
viewfinder or the monitor after a user-set time.
Fast Focus & Pro Features
Canon's new "hybrid" high-speed autofocus system for
the PowerShot Pro1 digital camera uses both TTL contrast-detection
AF (like other PowerShot cameras) and external "triangulation"
AF (like high-end 35mm SureShot cameras) for fast, accurate focus
assessments. The system also provides the option of Center-point
AF or a moveable "FlexiZone" AF/AE system.
The camera offers an array of other features similar to those found on EOS digital SLRs including a mode dial with settings of P, Tv, Av, M, as well as a pair of user-adjustable Custom modes and fully automatic modes for Portraits, Landscapes, Night Scenes, Stitch Assist (panoramas) and Movies. The shutter speeds range from 15 seconds to 1/4000, the fastest ever in a PowerShot camera. Users can opt for RAW or JPEG recording formats as well as standard sRGB or Adobe RGB color space depending on personal preference, and have the added flexibility of Image Quality Adjustment settings for contrast, sharpness and saturation. In addition to the on-board flash, the PowerShot Pro1 is compatible with all EX-series Canon Speedlites and Macro Lites and permits flash exposure compensation of up to +/- 2 stops. In addition to all of these options, the new camera contains a wealth of other useful features that are similar in concept and variety to those found on the current PowerShot G5 model.
High-Resolution Movie Mode and Sound
Memos
Adding to the PowerShot Pro1 digital camera's versatility is
a high-resolution movie mode that captures 640 x 480 movies with
sound at 15 frames per second for up to 30 seconds per clip.
Users can also opt for lower res movie capture with sound -
at either 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 - for movie clips of up to three
minutes. Still photos can be annotated with sound clips up to
60 seconds in duration. The PowerShot Pro1 has a single slot
for removable CompactFlash memory cards, Type I or II including
Microdrives, and features USB connectivity, as well as, an A/V
port for playback through a connected VCR or TV monitor.
The DIGICÔ Difference
Canon developed the proprietary DIGIC (Digital Imaging Integrated
Circuit) image processor specifically for use with its line of
digital cameras. The technology combines the jobs of image processing
and camera function control into one chip. Because it was specifically
designed for use in digital cameras, it is also capable of handling
JPEG compression/expansion; memory card control; LCD/Video control
and processing; gain control (control of CCD signal amplification);
Auto Exposure; Auto Focus; Auto White Balance control and most
other functions of the camera. The result is a product that offers
faster and more powerful auto focus than ever before, faster
image processing, better image quality and longer battery life.
Direct Printing Plus
Direct Printing significantly expands the appeal of the PowerShot
Pro1 digital camera by making it simple, quick and convenient
to produce high-quality photos without the need for a personal
computer. Beyond its Direct Print capability with Canon's Card
Photo Printers and acclaimed Canon Direct Photo Printers, the
camera is also compatible with PictBridge, an industry-standard
protocol that offers the flexibility of direct printing to other
brands of compatible printers.
The PowerShot Pro1 digital camera supports Exif Print, a worldwide standard that transfers important camera settings and data from the camera to the printer ensuring the photos you print will look true to life. Moreover, DPOF 1.1 (Digital Print Order Format) lets users specify the images to be printed or execute batch printing of selected images.
In stores April, the Canon PowerShot Pro1 kit includes two dedicated software CDs, a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack and charger, a wireless remote controller, a lens hood and 58mm filter adapter, a neckstrap, USB and AV cables and a 64MB CompactFlash card, as well as, printed manuals and a Canon USA limited warranty card. The estimated street price will be $999.00.
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 ranked #39 on the Business Week list of "Top 100 Brands." Its parent company Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ) is a top patent-holder of technology, ranking second overall in the U.S. in 2003, with global revenues of $24.5 billion. Canon U.S.A. employs more than 10,000 people at over 30 locations. For more information, visit www.usa.canon.com.
DIGIC is a trademark of Canon Inc.
PictBridge is a trademark.
All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks
of their respective owners.
* Estimated Selling Price: Actual prices set by dealer are subject
to change.
