The photography forums are still buzzing over Sony’s NEX 3 cameras, but Canon today has unveiled the IXUS 300 HS that is much more affordable and compact. The lightweight digital camera only weighs 175 grams and is packed with features.
And functions you would expect from a premium point-and-shoot.The 10 megapixels IXUS 300 HS will be the first camera for Canon to be equipped its own HS system. Similar to.
The Nikon 100, the 300 HS will feature a backside-illuminated CMOS sensor, along with a Digic 4 image processor. What that means is that the camera will perform better in low light conditions and images will be enhanced.
If you were looking to shoot in very dark conditions without wanting to use the flash, the 300 HS allows you to crank up the ISO to 6400. The trade-off would be a decrease in resolution to only 2.5 megapixels. The wide angle 28mm lens on the IXUS 300 HS is also pretty impressive. It has a large aperture of f2.0, which will allow you to shoot at faster shutter speed without compromising quality and produce photos with more field of depth. Canon’s trying to be on par with the more advanced Panasonic Lumix LX3, without the weight or clutter.
The 300 HS will give the user more manual control as you’d be able to adjust shutter speed, aperture and ISO settings. This is great for beginner photographers who wish to start learning about exposures and have more control over those functions. For those who just want to quickly take a photo, there is a smart-auto function and a good range of scene modes to choose from.
For the video fanatics, you’d happy to know that the camera captures videos at 720p HD and even able to record in slow motion mode. Others features of the 300 HS include image stabilization, smile detection and you can even set it to take a photo by winking at the camera. Canon’s IXUS 300 HS will be available in black, silver or red. The camera will be initially released in Europe and the UK at the end of May, starting from £379 (US $562). No word yet on release dates for other countries.