Story of the

PowerShot S100
Development

Story of the PowerShot S100s development

Seven men with a mission to develop

outstanding image quality
Product

Lens

Digic

Sensor

We used to live in an era when people believed better image

quality was just a question of more pixels.

Product
We pursued outstanding image
quality driven by our pride in Canons
worldbeating optical technology.
The S series made a quantum leap
with the launch of the S90 in 2009.
Can you describe the background
and reasons for this?
The S90 represented a revival for the S series,
as it was the first new model in two years.
Around 2008, when the S90 project first
got off the ground, we lived in an era when
people believed better image quality was
just a question of more pixels.
Despite this, there was a growing movement,
not just in Canon, but among our customers
too, to rethink what good image quality really
meant. So we decided on an alternative
approach, rather that just upping the pixel
count. So, the new S series project moved
ahead based on the idea of creating a camera
with a high-quality build and spec but also
one that was easier to carry. This marked a
clear departure from Canons flagship models
in the G series.

What kind of user did you create the

S series for?

How do you feel about the execution

of the new S series?

The key features of the new S series concept

were the bright f/2.0 lens, the HS System
for superb low-light performance, and
the analogue feel of the control ring.

For this project, we completely revamped the

optics, sensor and processor the nucleus
of the camera whilst continuing to evolve
the S Series DNA. This is best exemplified by
features such as the control ring. However, we
also loaded the new camera with cuttingedge
functions like highspeed continuous
shooting, full HD quality movies, and even
GPS. We also responded directly to the users
feedback with such features as manual
AF frame selection, 3 stops of exposure
compensation, and selectable noise
reduction strengths at high ISO.

We originally assumed the core target

would be men in their 40s, or older, with
a passion for photography. However when
people started buying the cameras, we
found that the audience was younger than
before. This showed that the S Series was
being taken up by a new demographic
one that was different from the G series.
This gave us lots of encouragement.
We were particularly happy to see a
very positive reaction from female users.
We never imagined that this black-body,
functional camera would resonate this
well with women. We also think one
of the reasons the camera has done so
well is because it fitted with the needs
of IXUS users. They just wanted to take
better photographs without too much
additional effort.
Obviously, the S series has also appealed
to users who want the advanced G series
features in a more portable format too.
Just after the S90 went on sale, I saw how
many of the press covering the Vancouver
Winter Olympics had S cameras dangling
from their necks. It was then that it hit
home how large the S series potential
audience really was.

But how do I feel? As a project leader,

I dont think Ive ever experienced such
superb execution.

Goshi Nakamura
Product Planner
Digital Imaging Business Group, Image Communication
Products Operations
Originally from a PR and IR background, Nakamura has
one of the most unusual resums in Canon. He has led
numerous compact digital camera projects, but he has
been more hands on with the S series development
than anyone else.

We overcame some very complex technical hurdles to keep the

camera body flat.

The S series originality lies

in its simple yet iconic style.
In a word, purity.
How would you define the
S series originality compared
with its rivals?

What were the challenges in

maintaining the design simplicity
and size?

Simply put: Purity. This is the concept we

want to go forward with. A lot of attention is
being focused on cameras at the top end of the
market at the moment. Other companies are
going over the top to make their cameras with
manual controls or features such as accessory
shoes and all kinds of extra function buttons.

It was technically very difficult to pack the

GPS unit into the compact body without
compromising the simplicity of the exterior.
Most GPS-enabled models on the market
have an uncomfortable bulge for the GPS unit.
After a lot of hard work we overcame some
very complex technical hurdles to keep the
camera body flat and compact, whilst also
enabling the GPS to be sufficiently accurate.
And even though the GPS is one of the main
features of the design, we made only a quiet
note of this on the top panel. To sum up; we

The S, on the other hand, looks deceptively

simple. But when you try it, youll find its
loaded with cutting-edge features but still
has the feel of shooting with a manual SLR.
I think the S series originality is in its simple
unassertive style combined with feature-rich
functionality.

Kazuto Ariga
Chief Developer
Manager, Digital Consumer Products Development
Center 1, Image Communication Products Operations
Developer of many cameras including the massive hit
model DIGITAL IXUS 70, which sold a record-breaking
4.5 million units. Ariga has produced a number of novel
technologies, such as the touch control dial, a cross-key
controller used on the IXUS.

Purity was a major theme of the design concept

too. Because we already have the G series, we
conceived the S to have entirely different appeal
from the G series. For example, these days its
almost obligatory to emboss the pixel count
or zoom magnification on the cameras front
panel. But we deliberately avoided printing any
specs on the S. This was a radical decision and
I thought I would have a hard time convincing
my bosses. However, I was surprised by how
quickly people accepted the idea. This just
furthered my conviction that at a fundamental
level people sought purity.

improved overall functionality over the S95,

but managed to maintain the size or even
reduce it in some instances. This wasnt our
main goal, but everything we wanted to put
in the camera is in the camera. I hope all
types of users will try the S series.

Canon was the first to introduce a control ring with the

S90, and recently other companies have followed suit.

I want people to appreciate that the feeling

you get from using this luxury compact
cant be found by reading the spec sheet.
How much study went into the design?
In the initial stage, we had a number of our in-house designers come up with several dozen
sketches. We eventually narrowed these down to two. But even before we started drawing, we
had a photo-shoot event for our designer team to test out both Canon and other rivals cameras
to discover the common operability issues. After all, design requires a deep knowledge and
understanding of the functionality of a product as well as styling. After shortlisting two final
drawings, we produced a mock up to help finalize the design.

Is there any particular aspect of the design youd like people to notice?
It would have to be the control ring. Canon was the first to introduce a control ring with the
S90, and recently other companies have followed. A control ring is standard now on most
high-end models. We tested many sizes, shapes and surface treatments for our control ring.
In this testing stage, what we cant verify with CAD* we always experiment with prototypes
to check the appearance, feel and movement. Its because of these repeated trials that users
can now enjoy holding and using this luxury compact camera. Its a sensation that cant be
experienced by just reading the spec sheet. Its my hope that S series users will really enjoy
the manual SLR feel of the control ring.

Rough sketches

Whats the story behind the addition of the silver model?

Masato Hasegawa
Designer
Design Center
Inventor of the control ring, one of the key identities of
the S series. Hasegawa has led the designs of several
generations of PowerShot G series and S series models.

From the early development stage, we knew there was demand for a silver S model.
Silver presented us with the problem of separating the S series from the IXUS series.
So we sourced a titanium colour specifically for the S series to give the camera a sense
of authority and quality. Whereas the black model has a slightly improved grip because
of its sharkskin-like coating the silver model has no such coating, because we wanted
the users to enjoy the cool metallic feel. But we felt the silver model needed some grip.
So, the development and design departments spent many hours improving the grip without
compromising the design. Youll be surprised when you pick up the camera, because the
grip is much better than youd think.

Prototypes of the control ring

*CAD: Computer Aided Design

Our quality standards will never allow any compromise

in the image quality expected from a Canon.

Lens
Continuing the brand image and
tackling the downsizing challenge.
How did you create a coinsized lens
that still performed?
The S series had helped Canon become a
premium-compact brand. However this
presented us with the important problem
of developing a camera that would beat
the S95 in wideangle performance, zoom
magnification and compactness. As a rule,
lens diameter tends to get larger and the
number of lens elements tends to increase
when you want a lens with a greater
wideangle and higher zoom magnification.
Of course, this naturally adds bulk to
the camera.

How is the lens

constructed?
So we examined each component from
every possible angle and searched for the
most advanced technologies available. This
enabled us to engineer the lens assembly
down to the size of a coin when retracted,
without compromising wide-angle and
zoom performance. This was achieved
because of our quality-assurance DNA from
our EF lenses. Our quality standards will
never allow any compromise in the image
quality expected from a Canon.

The S100 has a three-group lens

construction. The first lens group bends
the light rays sharply over the wide 24-mm
angle of view to keep the front lens diameter
as small as possible. This required Canons
proprietary UA lens element with a high
refractive index. The second lens group
directs the light to the sensor, but bends the
light rays at a much lesser angle. Aberrations
occur when a lens bends light rays, thus
bending the light at acute angles causes
larger amounts of aberration. We were able
to circumvent this issue by using a number
of lens elements; each gradually bending
the light rays to minimize the occurrence of
aberrations. Finally, the third lens group is
used to focus the image on the sensor.

Diagram of the
lens construction

Compact retractable
lens design - the size
of a single coin

22.1mm

10 coin
23.5mm

10

Quarter
24.26mm

1
23.25mm

11

The only way we could advance was to determine

the best balance between brightness and size.

11 years after the firstgeneration digital

IXUS, the S series inherits the technology
and improves on it.
What hurdles did you have
to overcome to make the lens
more compact?

What improvements did the sensors

enhanced performance demand from
the lens?

We made the overall lens smaller by trying

to make each lens element slightly thinner
than previous elements, whilst keeping the
basic construction the same. However if you
make lens elements too thin, they can deform
during the manufacturing process. Thats why
we developed a precise polishing technology.
Another obvious requirement is that the lens
must always maintain its performance for the
life of the camera.

In terms of lens performance, the f-number

determines the theoretical limit of a lens
resolving power. For example, at dark
f-numbers like f/8 or f/16, the optical
resolution limit is a rather low frequency,
so it is difficult to obtain high contrast at
high frequencies. In other words, high contrast
pictures require a bright lens with an fnumber
that has sufficient potential resolution.
Thus, we needed to have an f/2.0 lens to
get the full resolution from the PowerShot
S100s 12-megapixel sensor. You might say,
Why not make the lens as bright as possible?
but that requires an enormous lens diameter
that would never fit in the Ss compact body.
When the S90 came out, there was no other
camera in existence that reached f/2.0 with
that thinness of construction. The only way
we could advance was countless technical
experiments to determine the best balance
between brightness and size. Im pleased to
say we succeeded.

A folding lens construction is one option to

make a lens more compact, but whilst a folding
lens can help make the body thinner, it actually
requires more volume. Furthermore, bright
lenses, those at around f/2 and especially
lens elements near the aperture, tend to get
bigger. So, as we needed f/2.0 performance
we decided that a folding lens configuration
wouldnt work for the S100 and thus only
considered a retracting lens.

Makoto Sekita
Lens Designer
Manager, Lens Products Development Center,
Image Communication Products Operations
Sekita is a lens design specialist who made a major
contribution to the development of the first-generation
DIGITAL IXUS and its legendary one-yen-coin lens.
His craftsmanship is at the root of the S100 development.

First-generation
DIGITAL IXUS

12

13

The S100 has a greater wide-angle and a more powerful

zoom while keeping the same fully open f-number.

The ideal lens were aiming for perfectly

maps each point with as few aberrations
as possible.

Daisuke Ito
Lens Designer
Lens Products Development Center,
Image Communication Products Operations
Ito has been involved in the lens design of all
Canons compact digital cameras. Some of his most
representative works include the DIGITAL IXUS i,
the PowerShot S90 and the SX30 IS.

14

What difficulties did you have to

overcome in the lens development?

What is the lens role in the

HS System?

The biggest issue with lens development was

improving the specification while making the
lens barrel thinner. With the S100, the zoom
magnification was boosted from 3.8 times to
5 times and the wide-angle extended from
28 mm to 24 mm. Qualitatively speaking, the
wider the wide-angle, the larger the lens, and
the greater the zoom magnification, the longer
the lens. From the outset of the S100s design,
we worked closely with both the lens barrel
design department and the glass fabrication
department to design the optimal lens whilst
keeping the size we wanted. That was a
particularly tough task, but we were successful.

The lens must capture as much light as

possible in a fraction of a second. In other
words, the lens f-number must be as bright as
possible. The specific theme of the S100 was to
develop a lens that could take beautiful shots in
dark locations. Of course, given enough time,
any lens will capture enough light. Thats fine
for landscapes, but people in front of a camera
will move and appear blurred. Another quality
of the ideal lens is one that perfectly maps
points to points with as few aberrations as
possible. (Although it is more difficult to correct
aberrations in a bright lens). When we were
developing the S90 we used to call it the pub
camera, because our mission was to develop
a camera that could take clear shots without a
flash in a pub or other dark place. The aim of
the S100 was to improve on the S90s low-light
shooting capabilities with an even wider lens
with a more powerful zoom. Because the lens
is the key device in the process of capturing
light, its design must be completed before the
CMOS sensor, DIGIC processor, or any other
component. The lens power greatly impacts on
the overall image quality, so developers from
other departments co-operated with the
lens development.

How is the S100 different from

the S90/95 which has the same
f/2.0 aperture?
The S100 has a greater wide-angle and a
more powerful zoom while keeping the same
fully-open f-number. If it were a question of just
improving specs, we could build anything.
But the lens would just get bigger and bigger.
So, with the S100 the areas that would
normally get bigger or thicker, we actually
made smaller. Thats the most amazing thing
about this lens. And of course, without a
smaller lens, the S100 would never sell.

15

The brief for the HS System was to expand

the range of shooting possibilities.

Sensor
With the allCanon HS System, we want
to achieve a higher grade of image quality
than anything before.
How did the HS System come about?
The brief for the HS System was to expand
the range of shooting possibilities. We were
satisfied with the image quality from shots
taken in bright locations, but noise issues were
still plaguing high-ISO shots in dark locations.
So our goal for this digital cameras evolution
was to enable users to shoot in situations
where previously the results were unusable or
less than satisfactory. The HS System was born
out of this goal. Bright, crisp, attractive shots
taken in dark scenes and at sports venues.
How the sensor and image processor work
together is essentially what makes the
HS System. One component alone, no matter
how good, cannot deliver high image quality.
Its a system where one plus one equals three,
or maybe four. The benefits of the HS System
are particularly apt in this model because we
used a Canon developed sensor.

What are the benefits of using a sensor

that was developed in-house?
The key benefit is the optimal matching
between the sensor characteristics with the
DIGIC processor and optical system. So we
developed it inhouse because the different
design departments could bounce ideas off
each other. The system is designed so the

Sensor
16

constituent components compliment each

other. For example, the DIGIC processor can
eliminate some types of noise but not others.
So, the DIGIC processor takes care of noise
that the sensor cant handle, and the sensor
takes care of noise that the DIGIC processor
has problems with. Simple. For the S100,
every component; the lens, sensor, and DIGIC
processor was designed and developed
in-house. This enabled us to do more than
just simply fit the parts from different sources
together. We were able to achieve a much
better matching of all technologies, because
information was a twoway street. Everyone
provided feedback to everyone else. This is why
the S100 delivers an image quality a grade or
two higher than any camera before.

Why did you switch from a CCD sensor

to a CMOS sensor?
We discovered we could get lower noise
levels and greater sensitivity with the CMOS
technology we have already stockpiled
from our EOS camera experience. Another
reason is that CMOS performs much faster for
continuous shooting and movies. Today, our
cameras have photograph and movie capacity
and the ability to shoot Full HD movie.
By switching to a CMOS sensor, we were able
to make an enormous leap in image quality
for both still and moving images.

Kenji Takahashi
DIGIC Designer
Manager, Digital Consumer Products Development
Center 1, Image Communication Products Operations
Takahashi has led the image design and image
processing development for digital cameras and
compact photo printers. His recent endeavors include
Smart Auto, Smart Flash, and other new features that
improve image quality.

17

Canons original high-image quality sensor

carries the DNA of our EOS sensors.

Amount of light

Our highsensitivity sensor

borrows extensively from
our EOS sensor technology.
The 1/1.7-type sensor has about 44 percent
more surface area. A larger light-sensitive
area captures more light, which makes a large
contribution to higher sensitivity. However, a
more sensitive sensor tends to require a larger
sensor package, and thus a larger camera
body. For the S100, however, we successfully
made the body of the S series the slimmest
ever because all key devices; lens, sensor, and
processor, were all developed and designed
inhouse.

Canons original high-image quality sensor

carries the DNA of our EOS sensors.
Our on-chip micro lens technology ensures
that the beauty of light is effectively captured
without any loss. This technology gives the
sensor larger pixels and higher sensitivity.
Noise is effectively eliminated with our
noise-cancellation technology on the chip and
Canons own all-electronic transfer technology.
These technologies for better image quality
are direct descendants of the technology we
developed for EOS sensors.

1/1.7 type

5.58mm

What are the features of the

Canondesigned sensor?

New CMOS sensor

4.65mm

What are the pros and cons of 1/2.3

and 1/1.7?

1.44 times

7.44mm

Previoius CMOS sensor

1/2.3 type

6.20mm

Previoius CMOS sensor

New CMOS sensor

1/2.3 inch type

1/1.7 inch type

Expanded light-sensitive area

Comparison of sensor sizes

Microlens coverage ratio: small

Microlens coverage ratio: large

Microlens
Dead space
Pixel size

Pixel size: expanded

Photodiode (PD)
Silicon substrate
PD area: expanded

PD area
Previoius CMOS sensor (1/2.3 inch type)

New CMOS sensor (1/1.7 inch type)

Pixel size: 1.7 x 1.7m

Pixel size: 1.86 x 1.86m

On-chip microlens technology

18

19

I think this is a tremendous upgrade, a historical moment

and a masterpiece, with dynastic implications.

The S series excels at all 3 aspects of

noise reduction: Detection, analysis
and signal processing.
Can you give an example of what noise
reduction is similar to?
If you imagine that noise is like dust, then
noise reduction is like a vacuum cleaner.
To make full use of this cleaner, however, you
have to have the best detection, analysis and
processing capabilities to determine what
exactly is noise and what isnt. You cant just
simply erase everything that looks like noise
because we have to make sure to preserve
the details and texture of the subject. If we
dont preserve the details, the end result
could be a picture with eyes, skin texture
and strands of hair removed as well as noise.
DIGIC, one of Canons key features, excels at
all three of these technologies. Detection,
analysis and processing.

How much of an evolution is the

DIGIC 5 over the DIGIC 4?
Personally, I think this is a tremendous
upgrade, a historical moment and a
masterpiece, with dynastic implications.
The DIGIC 5 processes about four times
the amount of noisereduction data of the
DIGIC 4. But because its processing speed is
about six times faster, it realizes a throughput
performance gain of about 150 percent.

Digic
20

The DIGIC 4, in fact, processed an extraordinary

amount of data, but this image processor
handles above and beyond that signal data.
More data means more information; to decide
whether to delete something as noise or
to preserve something as a detail. To make
this image processor a reality, we had to go
back to the drawing board to revamp all the
signal processing, upgrade the algorithm
and improve each module. Through this very
thorough overhaul, we successfully boosted
the noise reduction performance and even
improved the efficiency of the entire
processing block.

By how much does the new noise

reduction process cut high ISO noise?
Noise at ISO 1600 on the S series is about two
magnitudes lower and is equivalent to the
noise at ISO 400 on the previous camera.
The reduction of low-frequency noise has a
huge visual effect. Low-frequency noise is
relatively grainy and is particularly noticeable
on flat surfaces or in shadows that fall on
skin areas, such as under the chin. Its not
mentioned very much, but the new noise
reduction process is also very effective
at combating noise at lower ISOs with
low-to-middle sensitivities.

Yoshiro Udagawa
Sensor Designer
General Manager, Digital Consumer Products
Development Center 1, Image Communication
Products Operations
Udagawa has worked on image quality for the
PowerShot Pro 70, the initial G and S series models,
and others. Currently he is in charge of overall image
quality in all compact digital camera products.

21

Canons aim is a photograph that helps people

re-live the emotions and feelings of the moment.

The aim of Canons image

processing is a photograph with
beautiful colour an image that
evokes an emotional response.
What are the features of multi-area
white balance?

What are the recommended shooting

situations for HS?

The S100s development concentrated on a

whitebalance adjustment function for flash
photography. It does this by taking advantage
of the performance of the DIGIC 5, which
processes four times the signal information of
the DIGIC 4. Multi-area white balance also uses
Smart Auto technology to analyze the scene
being shot. For example, in the past, shooting
a flash photograph in dim interiors would have
shown the people within the flash range in
natural-looking colours. But the uncorrected
colour of the background outside of the flashs
range would remain, creating a different
impression from the actual scene. Multi-area
white balance instantly detects separate scenes
for the main subject and the background
and adjusts for optimum colour in both.
Now the resultant image gives almost the
same impression as the naked eye.

The HS System is most effective in lowlight

situations and in night snaps. Users can also
experience its benefits when using daytime
fill-flash photography in backlit scenes.
The HS System dramatically expands the
number of shooting situations where users
will get satisfying results.

Multiarea white balance is also effective

in night shots taken under mercury lamps.
To the naked eye, mercury lamps do not appear
so green, but it is extremely difficult to get a
pleasing colour balance with this light source in
a camera. Multi-area white balance separately
controls the colour for optimal results in areas
lit by the mercury lamps and in unlit areas.
Once again, the final photo gives the same
impression as the naked eye.

22

What is Canons definition

of a good photograph?
Canons strength is the ability to deliver
beautiful colours no matter the shooting
situation. Whatever Canon compact digital
camera you use, you can take photos with
the same stable colours. Canons aim is a
photograph with attractive colours and an
image quality that helps people re-live the
emotions and feelings of the moment the
photograph was taken. To Canon, this is
a beautiful photograph. Thats why we
created the HS System to break free from
the pixel-count wars and return to the origins
of photographic beauty. And to fully realise the
potential the HS System, we built the DIGIC 5.
So to sum up: with the full power of DIGIC 5 the
PowerShot S100 is the camera that delivers the
emotional image quality Canon always seeks.

23

Specifications:


IMAGE SENSOR

SHOOTING

Type 1/1.7 type Canon high-sensitivity CMOS

Effective Pixels Approx. 12.1M
Colour Filter Type Primary Colour

I MAGE PROCESSOR

Type DIGIC 5 with iSAPS technology

Lens

Focal Length 5.2 26.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 24

120 mm)

Zoom Optical 5x. Digital Approx. 4x (with Digital
Tele-Converter Approx. 1.5x or 2.0x and
Safety Zoom). Combined Approx. 20x
Maximum f/number f/2.0-f/5.9

Construction 7 elements in 6 groups (1 double-sided
aspherical lens, 1 double-sided aspherical
UA lens and 1 single-sided aspherical lens)
Image Stabilization Yes (lens shift-type), 4-stop. Intelligent IS

FOCUSING

Type TTL
AF System/ Points AiAF (Face Detection / 9-point), 1-point AF
(Any position is available, fixed centre or
Face Select and Track)

AF Modes Single, Continuous (only available in Smart
Auto mode), Servo AF/AE, Tracking AF
AF Point Selection Manual selection using FlexiZone AF/AE,
Size (Normal, Small)

AF Lock On/Off Selectable

AF Assist Beam Yes

Manual Focus Yes
Focus Bracketing Yes

Closest Focusing 3 cm (W) from front of lens in macro
Distance

EXPOSURE
CONTROL

Metering Modes Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF

frame), Centre-weighted average, Spot
(centre or linked to Face Detection AF or
FlexiZone AF frame)

AE Lock Yes

Exposure +/- 3 EV in 1/3 stop increments

Compensation  Enhanced i-Contrast for automatic dynamic
range correction
ND Filter (3 stop)

AEB 1/3 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments

ISO sensitivity* AUTO, 80, 100, 125, 160, 200, 250, 320,
400, 500, 640, 800, 1000, 1250, 1600,
2000, 2500, 3200, 4000, 5000, 6400
SHUTTER

Speed 1 1/2000 sec. (factory default)
15 1/2000 sec. (total range varies by
shooting mode)

RECORDING

PIXELS /
COMPRESSION

Image Size 4:3 - (L) 4000 x 3000, (M1) 2816 x 2112,

(M2) 1600 x 1200, (S) 640 x 480
16:9 - (L) 4000 x 2248, (M1) 2816 x 1584,
(M2) 1920 x 1080, (S) 640 x 360
3:2 - (L) 4000 x 2664, (M1) 2816 x 1880,
(M2) 1600 x 1064, (S) 640 x 424
1:1 - (L) 2992 x 2992, (M1) 2112 x 2112,
(M2) 1200 x 1200, (S) 480 x 480
4:5 - (L) 2400 x 3000, (M1) 1696 x 2112,
(M2) 960 x 1200, (S) 384 x 480
Resize in playback (M2, S, XS)
*XS is half the length and width of S

Compression Fine, Normal

Movies (Full HD) 1920 x 1080, 24 fps, (HD) 1280 x
720, 30 fps, (L) 640 x 480, 30 fps
Super Slow Motion Movie (L) 640 x 480,
120fps, (M) 320 x 240, 240fps
Miniature Effect (HD, L) 6fps, 3fps, 1.5 fps
iFrame Movie (HD)

Movie Length (Full HD & HD) Up to 4 GB or 29 min. 59 sec.
(L and M) Up to 4 GB or 1 hour
(Super Slow Motion Movie) 30 sec.

FILE TYPES

WHITE BALANCE

Modes Smart Auto (32 scenes detected), Program

AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority
AE, Manual, Custom, SCN (Movie Digest,
Portrait, Landscape, Kids & Pets, Smart
Shutter(Smile, Wink Self-Timer, FaceSelfTimer), High-speed Burst HQ, Handheld
Night Scene, Beach, Underwater, Foliage,
Snow, Fireworks, Stitch Assist, High Dynamic
Range, Nostalgic, Fish-eye Effect, Miniature
Effect, Toy Camera Effect, Monochrome,
Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Color Accent, Color
Swap), Movie
Modes in Movie Smart Auto (21 scenes detected), Standard,
Program AE, Portrait, Landscape, Miniature
Effect, Monochrome, Super Vivid, Poster
Effect, Color Accent, Color Swap, Beach,
Underwater, Foliage, Snow, Fireworks,
Nostalgic, iFrame Movie, Super Slow Motion
Movie
Photo Effects My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral,
Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter
Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid
Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color)
Drive Modes Single, Continuous, Continuous with AF,
Self-Timer
Continuous Approx. 2.3 shots/sec., AF: Approx. 0.8
Shooting shots/sec., LV: Approx. 0.8 shots/sec., Highspeed Burst HQ: Approx. 9.6 shots/sec., up
to 8 shots

Type TTL
Settings Auto (including Face Detection WB),
Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent,
Fluorescent H, Flash, Underwater, Custom.
Multi-area WB correction available in
Smart Auto

Still Image Type JPEG compression, (Exif 2.3 [Exif Print]

compliant) / Design rule for Camera File
system, RAW, Digital Print Order Format
[DPOF] Version 1.1 compliant

Movies MOV [H.264 + Linear PCM (stereo)]
iFrame

GPS Log LOG [NMEA 0183 message format
compliant]

COLOUR MATRIX

DIRECT PRINT

Canon Printers Canon SELPHY Compact Photo Printers and

Canon Inkjet Printers supporting PictBridge
(ID Photo Print, Fixed Size Print and Movie Print
supported on SELPHY CP & ES printers only)
PictBridge Yes

Type sRGB
LCD MONITOR
Monitor 7.5 cm (3.0) PureColor II G (TFT), Approx.
461,000 dots
Coverage Approx. 100%
Brightness Adjustable to one of five levels. Quick-bright
LCD

FLASH

Modes

Slow Sync Speed
Red-Eye Reduction

Flash Exposure

Compensation
Flash Exposure Lock

Manual Power
Adjustment

Second Curtain
Synchronisation
Built-in Flash Range

External Flash

Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow Synchro

Yes. Fastest speed 1/2000 sec.
Yes
+/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments.
Face Detection FE. Safety FE.
Yes
3 levels with internal flash
Yes
50 cm 7.0 m (W) / 2.3 m (T)
Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2

INTERFACE

Computer Hi-Speed USB (MTP, PTP) dedicated

connector (Mini-B compatible)

Other HDMI Mini Connector (HDMI-CEC
compatible) A/V output (PAL/NTSC)

MEMORY CARD

Type SD, SDHC, SDXC

SUPPORTED
OPERATING
SYSTEM

PC & Macintosh Windows 7 / 7 SP1 / Vista SP2 / XP SP3
Mac OS X v10.5 10.6

SOFTWARE

Browsing & Printing ZoomBrowser EX / ImageBrowser

Other PhotoStitch, Map Utility
Image Manipulation Digital Photo Professional for RAW
development

POWER SOURCE

Batteries Rechargeable Li-ion Battery NB-5L (NB-5L

battery and charger supplied)

Battery Life Approx. 200 shots
Approx. 240 min. playback
A/C Power Supply Optional, AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC30

ACCESSORIES

Cases / Straps Soft Case DCC-1450

Waterproof / Waterproof Case (40m) WP-DC43,
Weatherproof Case Waterproof Case Weight WW-DC1

Flash Canon High Power Flash HF-DC2

Power Supply AC Adapter Kit ACK-DC30,
& Battery Chargers Battery Charger CB-2LXE

Other Canon HDMI Cable HTC-100

PHYSICAL
SPECIFICATIONS

Operating 0 40 C, 10 90% humidity
Environment

Dimensions 98.9 x 59.8 x 26.7 mm
(WxHxD)

Weight Approx. 198 g (including battery/batteries
and memory card)
Zoom

Depending on the image size selected.

AF Modes

Some settings limit availability.

Continuous
Depending on memory card speed /
Shooting capacity / compression setting.

Using the batteries and memory card
format supplied with the camera
(where included), except where
indicated.
Movie Length

GPS Log

Complies with the NMEA (National

Marine Electronics Association of
the U.S.) 0183

GPS

GPS use may be restricted in certain

countries or regions. Use of GPS should
comply with the laws and regulations of
the country and area in which it is being
operated including any restriction on the
use of electronics.

Battery life

Using the batteries and memory card

format supplied with the camera (where
included), except where indicated.

OTHER FEATURES

GPS Yes, GPS tagging, GPS Logger
Red-Eye Correction Yes, during shooting and playback

My Camera / Start-up image and camera sounds

My Menu customisation. Menu customisation

My Category Image tagging feature

Intelligent Yes
Orientation Sensor

Histogram Yes, live histogram

Playback zoom Approx. 2x 10x

Self Timer Approx. 2 or 10 sec., Custom
Menu Languages English, German, French, Dutch, Danish,
Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish,
Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Chinese
(traditional), Japanese, Russian, Portuguese,
Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian,
Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Ukrainian, Romanian,
Farsi, Hindi

Canon Inc.

Canon Europe Ltd

canon.com

3 The Square, Stockley Park

Uxbridge, Middlesex
UB11 1ET UK

Canon Europe
canon-europe.com
English Edition
Canon Europa N.V. 2012

The following Speed Class memory

cards are required for maximum record
time: (HD) 1280 x 720 Speed Class 4
or above. (Full HD) 1920 x 1080 Speed
Class 6 or above. (iFrame) 1280 x 720
Speed Class 6 or above.
Depending on memory card speed /
capacity / compression setting.

*Standard Output Sensitivity / Recommended Exposure Index.

According to ISO 12232:2006 (20th April 2006) which
specifies the method for assigning and reporting ISO speed
ratings for digital still cameras.
All data is based on Canon standard testing methods
(according to CIPA Standards) except where indicated.
Subject to change without notice.