Canon releases Ixus 300HS

The Ixus 300 HS embodies the latest in luxurious, high-performance, pocketable imaging technology from Canon. The new HS System provides excellent performance in low light, making the most of the camera’s back-illuminated CMOS imaging sensor and DIGIC 4 processor, supporting a maximum ISO of 3200 at full resolution and reducing noise levels at all ISO speeds.

Using Low Light mode, the camera can also achieve an extended maximum speed of ISO 6400, capturing images at 2.5MP resolution and providing the ideal tools for shooting at evening events and on nights out.

The camera’s low light performance is further enhanced by a bright, f/2.0, 28mm wide-angle lens with 3.8x optical zoom, helping users to get closer to the action while allowing more light to reach the sensor. Canon’s acclaimed optical Image Stabilizer (IS) minimises the blur associated with longer exposures when shooting in low light and when zooming in to get closer to subjects.

Using advanced lens-shift technology, the IS allows users to shoot sharp images even with up to 1/8th of the light that would normally be required from cameras without stabilisation – equivalent to a 3-stop advantage.

The lens’ wide maximum aperture and its manually-controlled iris also provide users with greater control over depth of field, enabling the capture of impressive portraits and striking macro shots. This level of optical performance has been achieved using the same processes and quality standards used to manufacture Canon’s series of EF professional lenses, which are used and trusted by millions of users the world over.

The HS System also enables the CMOS sensor to capture high-speed action with up to 3.7 shots per second continuous shooting at full 10.0MP resolution, or up to 8.4 shots per second at 2.5MP resolution using the High Speed Burst mode. Both high-speed shooting modes have no limit on the number of shots taken and can be used non-stop right up to card capacity, ensuring that no critical moment will ever be missed.

Extreme, fast-paced action can also be recorded using Super Slow Motion Movie mode, which captures at 240 frames per second (fps) and plays back at a much slower 30fps, providing a dramatic and spectacular record of fast-moving subjects.