Canon has introduced two new PowerShot cameras to their local product lineup, the rugged PowerShot D30 and the more sedate (but tiny) PowerShot S200. As adventurous as the Stuff team usually are, we’re far more interested in the rugged shooter but the S200 also deserves a look-in.
The PowerShot D30 is a rugged camera (it bounces quite nicely) but it’s also completely waterproof at depths of up to 25 metres. It can survive temperatures of -10 °C and it’s also dustproof so if you happen to be heading to a frozen undersea desert where things fall off of shelves a lot, it have you covered. It’ll also do quite well in areas that only have one of the hazards listed above.
On a more technical front, the PowerShot D30 features a 12.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and a wide-angle Canon lens (28mm, 5x zoom). The S200 is a smaller unit, featuring only a 10.1 megapixel sensor and a 24mm lens (5x zoom, Intelligent IS). Even so, Canon says it delivers “…stunning image quality and easy access to manual settings in a modern, pocketable design”.
Both compact cameras share a set of features. Both use Canon’s HS and Intelligent IS systems, with OIS included. Each has a dedicated button for recording video , though only the D30 is capable of HD video recording. To make up for this, the S200 has built-in WiFi connectivity and both cameras are able to geo-tag images – the D30 via an embedded GPS and the S200 through a smartphone connection.
Canon hasn’t made the prices and exact availability dates for this pair of compact cameras known yet.
