Canon bolsters IXUS and PowerShot camera line-ups

There are six new Canon compact cameras landing here in September and October. The big news is that they all feature optical image stabilisation and face detect.

Canon has updated its range of IXUS and PowerShot compact cameras. All the new models gain extra megapixels -- half the new models feature 12.1-megapixel sensors, the other half are 8-megapixel units.

There are two new IXUS models, the 960 IS and the 860 IS. The 960 IS looks little different from the 900 Ti that it replaces but importantly gains optical image stabilisation. Like the 850 IS it replaces, the 860 IS offers a wide-angle 28-to-106mm lens but now also boasts a larger three-inch LCD -- up half-an-inch.

At the apex of the revised PowerShot line-up is the retro-style prosumer G9 which, after an outcry from Canon fanboys and fangirls, regains the RAW shooting mode that was lost in the G7 generation. There's also a new "super zoom" SX100 IS model, featuring 10x optical zoom, optical image stabilisation and 2.5-inch LCD. Both the new A650 IS and A720 IS each replace two older models. The A650 IS gains between two to four megapixels over its predecessors, as well as more zoom and optical image stabilisation, while the A720 IS gains Canon's face detection technology. Although already available, and the only model here to miss out on image stabilisation and face detect, we've included the recently released entry-level PowerShot A460 for completeness.

Prices have yet to be released for Canon's September and October debutantes.

IXUS
IXUS 960 IS	Price: TBA Available: September 2007 Sensor: 12.1-megapixel 3.7x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation 2.5-inch LCD Face detection Replaces: IXUS 900 Ti
IXUS 860 IS	Price: TBA Available: September 2007 Sensor: 8-megapixel 3.8x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation 3-inch LCD Face detection Replaces: IXUS 850 IS Read our review here
PowerShot
PowerShot G9	Price: TBA Available: September 2007 Sensor: 12.1-megapixel 6x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation 3-inch LCD Face detection RAW shooting Replaces: PowerShot G7
PowerShot SX100 IS	Price: TBA Available: October 2007 Sensor: 8-megapixel 10x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation 2.5-inch LCD Replaces: new model
PowerShot A650 IS	Price: TBA Available: September 2007 Sensor: 12.1-megapixel 6x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation 2.5-inch flip-out LCD Face detection Replaces: PowerShot A630 and A640
PowerShot A720 IS	Price: TBA Available: September 2007 Sensor: 8-megapixel 6x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilisation 2.5-inch LCD Face detection Replaces: PowerShot A710 IS and A570 IS
PowerShot A460	Price: AU$169 Available: Now Sensor: 5-megapixel 4x optical zoom lens Replaces: PowerShot A450 Read our review here