Canon unveils EOS 6D DSLR and three new PowerShot compact cameras

17 Sep 2012

Canon EOS 6D

A new DSLR and three new PowerShot compact cameras are among the new products revealed by Canon ahead of Photokina, the world’s leading imaging expo, taking place in Cologne, Germany, from Tuesday, 18 September.

EOS 6D – the smallest DSLR with a full-frame sensor

The new EOS 6D is Canon’s smallest and lightest DSLR at 770g, similar in size to the 60D. Besides being compact for a DSLR, the 6D packs a full-frame sensor – a 20.2MP CMOS sensor, to be precise, offering superior performance in low light and capable of producing poster-sized prints.

The EOS 6D offers native ISO from 100 to 25,600, extendable to 50 to 102,400, plus powerful DIGIC 5+ image processing, plenty of automatic modes and creative shooting features for novice enthusiasts, and full manual controls for more experienced users. The 11-point autofocus system claims the strongest low-light performance of any Canon AF system to date, offering clear focusing even in moonlight (-3EV).

This DSLR is also Wi-Fi-enabled for ease of transferring files. Its wireless capability can also be used to connect with a smartphone so the user can remotely control the settings, focus and shutter. The 6D also features GPS for geotagging images.

The EOS 6D is compatible with the EOS range of wide-angle EF lenses ranging from 8mm to 800mm, and the high-resolution 3-inch Clear View LCD screen comes with enhanced anti-glare design. The new BG-E13 battery grip can provide additional power for extended shooting, offering double the number of shots when used with two LP-E6 batteries.

Small and fast: PowerShot G15

Canon also introduced three new additions to its PowerShot range of compact cameras today. The G15 is the latest in the G-series, 17pc smaller than the G12, and features the brightest lens at f1.8-2.8. The 28mm-140mm lens offers 5x optical zoom which can also be used when recording videos in full-HD (1080p) at 24fps.

Canon PowerShot G15

The PowerShot G15 features manual controls similar to those found on Canon’s EOS range of DSLRs, with adjustable settings for aperture, shutter speed, white balance and ISO sensitivity. It also comes with Canon’s HS System, which offers better performance in low light, as well as RAW file support.

Canon claims the G15 is its fastest compact camera yet and it’s designed for quick one-handed operation, with a 920k-dot resolution 3-inch PureColor II G Screen and an optical viewfinder.

Smart Auto offers automatic settings for up to 58 different scenes, while Face ID can recognise pre-registered faces and adjust settings accordingly to picture them at their best.

Zoom in 50x closer with the PowerShot SX50 HS

Another compact camera that Canon claims offers the feel of a DSLR is the PowerShot SX50 HS – which offers a whopping 50x optical zoom with its 24mm-1200mm lens, extendable to 100x digitally with ZoomPlus. This is the most powerful optical zoom in a Canon compact camera to date and comes with enhanced Zoom Framing Assist to make the most of its telephoto capabilities.

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Like the G15, the SX50 comes with HS System, optical image stabiliser, Smart Auto, Face ID, RAW format support, automatic adjustment for Multi-Area White Balance, and High-Speed Burst HQ, which captures high-quality full-resolution shots of fast-moving subjects at 13fps compared to the G15’s 10fps. Another difference with the G15 is the SX50’s 2.8-inch vari-angle LCD, which makes it easier to snap photos from any angle.

The PowerShot SX50 can also capture full-HD (1080p) videos at 24fps a with Dynamic Image Stabilisation to reduce camera shake when recording movies while in motion.

Wireless sharing with the PowerShot S110

Finally, the new 12MP Wi-Fi-enabled PowerShot S110 comes with a 3-inch PureColor II G capacitive-type touchscreen that lets users touch to focus whether shooting images or video, the latter coming in full-HD (1080p) at 24fps with stereo sound.

Canon PowerShot S110

The 24mm lens offers up to f2.0 aperture and 5x optical zoom extendable to 10x with ZoomPlus. As with the other PowerShots unveiled today, the S110 comes with HS System, Smart Auto, Face ID, and RAW format support. Intelligent image stabilisation identifies the scene and adapts the OIS accordingly, while Fine Detail Movie Processing uses the entire high-sensitivity Canon CMOS sensor when recording movies.

A HDMI port makes transferring video easy, while Wi-Fi capability means images can be shared over a wireless network or printed directly from the camera using PictBridge via Wireless LAN. Users can also send images via a smartphone or tablet data connection using the free Canon CameraWindow app, which also taps into a device’s GPS settings to enable geotagging.

Elaine Burke is the host of For Tech’s Sake, a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network. She was previously the editor of Silicon Republic.

editorial@siliconrepublic.com