[ Japan : IXY DIGITAL 400, Americas : PowerShot S400 DIGITAL ELPH,
Europe/Asia/Oceania : DIGITAL IXUS 400 ]
[ Japan : IXY DIGITAL 30, Americas : PowerShot SD100 DIGITAL ELPH, Europe/Asia/Oceania : DIGITAL IXUS II ]
This month's Technical Report introduces a high-quality compact digital camera, the IXY DIGITAL 400 with 4.0-megapixel CCD and a 3x optical zoom lens released in March 2003, and an ultracompact digital camera, the IXY DIGITAL 30 with 3.2-megapixel CCD and a 2x optical zoom lens, released in May 2003.
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| Photo 1-a IXY DIGITAL 400 | Photo 1-b IXY DIGITAL 30 |
The IXY DIGITAL, which was released in May 2000, has been continuously evolving in both image quality and functionality (see Fig. 1). IXY DIGITAL-series compact digital cameras have won great popularity among a wide spectrum of the digital camera users irrespective of age or sex, and have been the best-selling models for three years.
IXY DIGITAL 400 (Photo 1-a) is the new top-of-the-line model in the IXY DIGITAL series, and the new IXY DIGITAL 30 (Photo 1-b) is the smallest and lightest body in the IXY DIGITAL series. The development concepts of these products are as follows:
IXY DIGITAL 400:
A more refined digital camera with higher image quality and advanced features while retaining the concept of the IXY DIGITAL series
IXY DIGITAL 30:
The smallest and lightest digital camera in the IXY DIGITAL series, packed with advanced features
Fig. 1 IXY DIGITAL Series Genealogy
Feature 1: High grade design and ultracompact body
• Refined, stylish design
While inheriting the well-received "Box & Circle" design motif of the IXY series, the IXY DIGITAL 400 adopts a new surface finishing method called "Super Hard Cerabrite Finish", and two-tone silver coloring, rendering a sophisticated exterior.
Meanwhile, the IXY DIGITAL 30 employs a newly developed Platinum White Finish surface process that produces a shiny white stainless body.
• Ultrahigh-density packaging technology realizes more compact body
By reexamining the parts configuration and redesigning the circuit board structure, the IXY DIGITAL 400 drastically reduces the circuit board size. As a result, the IXY DIGITAL 400's compact body is as small as the first-generation IXY DIGITAL, despite incorporating a 4.0-megapixel CCD and 3x optical zoom lens.
The IXY DIGITAL 30 also succeeds in further reducing the circuit board size with a three-dimensional board structure.
| • Supports SD Memory
Card (IXY DIGITAL 30) The IXY DIGITAL 30 is the first Canon digital camera to use the SD Memory Card (Photo 2). Thanks to SD Memory Card’s compact, postage stamp size (24mm (W) x 32mm (H) x 2.1mm (T)), it significantly contributes to the compactness of the camera. |
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| • | Newly designed compact Li-ion battery and dedicated battery charger (IXY DIGITAL 30) |
To further promote compactness, Canon developed a new compact
battery pack (NB-3L) which is about 24% smaller than the previous battery pack
(NB-1LH), but the capacity is only about 6% lower . This, together with the camera’s
power-saving design, makes the IXY DIGITAL 30 capable of capturing more shots
than previous IXY-series cameras.
The battery charger is also about 33% more compact than its predecessor. Despite
its smaller size, the charging time is greatly reduced.
• Ultra-compact, highly-efficient and reliable built-in light guide
flash
The flash is newly designed as well. Through further optimization of reflector
shape and the adoption of a new type of flash tube, the flash unit is ultra compact,
highly efficient and reliable.
| • | 1.5" low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD monitor (100% image coverage) with thin, low power consumption backlight |
Feature 2: High image quality
| • | High-quality image processing with the newly developed DIGIC, Digital Imaging Processor |
With an improvement of algorithm, DIGIC achieves higher image quality, more precise autofocus (AF) and faster processing speed as well as less power consumption.
• High-speed AF and precise AE/AWB based on iSAPS technology
Canon conducted statistical analysis on user's shooting conditions using the vast amount of photographic data it had accumulated over the years of camera development, and created the "Photographic Space" (see Fig. 2) that relates the peripheral brightness and the distance between camera and subject to the zoom focal length and zoom position of the lens when taking a picture.
Both cameras utilize this Photographic Space information. By estimating the distance between camera and subject from camera settings such as the zoom focal length (the zoom position of the lens) and peripheral brightness, and referring to the shooting parameters acquired from the previous image, the camera analyzes and predicts the scene just before the image is made.
As a result, the camera has faster, more precise AF, AE and Auto White Balance (AWB) than ever before.
| • | High-resolution 3x zoom lens (IXY DIGITAL 400), 2x zoom lens (IXY DIGITAL 30) |
The power distribution of the lens groups has been optimized and the lens shape revised to shorten the overall optical and retracting length. This allows a 3x optical zoom lens to be incorporated in the same space as the original IXY DIGITAL camera with a 2x zoom lens.
The closest shooting distance of the IXY DIGITAL 400, from the front of the barrel in macro mode, is 5cm at wide-angle (58mm x 43mm image field) and 30cm at telephoto (107mm x 80mm image field).
The IXY DIGITAL 30 employs a 35 - 70mm (in 35mm film format) 2x zoom lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 - f/3.9. The lens's configuration of a six air-spaced elements uses three aspherical lenses, realizing an ultracompact optical system with a cross-sectional diameter of only 17.9mm when retracted.
| • | CCD sensors with approximately 4.0 million effective pixels (IXY DIGITAL 400) |
The IXY DIGITAL 30 incorporates a CCD with approximately 3.2 million effective pixels.
• Precise white balance with five preset positions and manual adjustment
| • | Wide range of ISO equivalent speed settings including the high image quality ISO 50 |
• Compatible with the Exif 2.2 (Exif Print) standard
Feature 3: Advanced functions and comfortable operation
• 9-point AiAF with selectable 1-point AF
The AF system used in both cameras is a 9-point AiAF (an improvement over the previous 3-point AiAF) which adjusts focus precisely depending on shooting conditions. The new 9-point AiAF system ensures crisp focus no matter where the subject appears in the image frame or whether it is shot horizontally or vertically. AF can also be set to a single central AF point if desired.
• Three light metering modes
There are three light metering modes: evaluative metering, center-weighted average metering and spot metering to suit all conditions
• Comfortable operation with Shooting Mode Dial and Function Button
| The Shooting Mode Dial,
on both models enables the user to switch shooting modes with ease. The new Function Button also permits the user to easily define the settings of the frequently used functions while looking at the LCD monitor (see Fig. 3). |
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The IXY DIGITAL 30 can record movies at 15fps along with audio in 3 formats, VGA (640 x 480 pixels), QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) and QQVGA (160 x 120 pixels) for as long as 3 minutes. (VGA format is not available with the IXY DIGITAL 400)
The image quality in VGA format, in particular, is impressively improved over the IXY DIGITAL 200a/300a thanks to a new readout method.
In playback, single-frame forward, fast forward, and fast reverse operations are provided, as well as instantaneous jump to start or end of a movie clip. It is also possible to cut unwanted portions.
| • | Super Intelligent (SI) sensor for automatic detection
of vertical/horizontal photography |
| • | Color effect modes |
| • | Shutter speed of 15 to 1/2000 seconds (IXY DIGITAL 400)
with noise reduction |
• Histogram display of playback image
• Enlarged display of image for easy confirmation
• Digital zoom with continuous variation of angle of view
• Twelve image quality modes
• AE, AF, and FE lock feature enabling fixing focus and exposure
• Real-image optical zoom viewfinder
• ON/OFF selection of AF-assist Beam
• Self timer (2 or 10 seconds)
• International user interface (UI) supporting twelve languages
Feature 4: Digital communication
• Direct prints with dedicated printers
Both the IXY DIGITAL 400 and IXY DIGITAL 30 support direct printing, enabling the user to print out high-quality images by simply connecting the cameras to the CP-300/200/100/10 Card Photo Printers or direct printing compatible Bubble Jet printers using the dedicated cable. Operation is easily controlled from the camera.
• "My Camera" function with on-camera content creation function
This function allows the user to customize various settings such as start-up screen image, start-up sound, operation sound, self-timer sound and shutter sound. Moreover, the images and sounds captured with the camera itself can also be used as camera settings item.
• Bundled with a comprehensive package of software applications
• Access to "Canon Image Gateway (CIG)" on the Web
• Compatible with USB Interface
Feature 5: System accessories
• Waterproof case submersible to 40 meters
As an option, waterproof cases are available (Photo 3). The waterproof case has been strengthened so that it can now withstand water pressure to 40m (previously 30m) for stable and reliable use, such as in scuba diving. In addition, the implementation of a diffusing plate ensures near-flat light distribution for macro flash photography.
| • | Car battery charger for use with NB-1L (H) convenient for outdoor use (optional) |
This issue of the Technical Report introduces the IXY DIGITAL 400/30. Table 1
compares major specifications of the IXY DIGITAL 400 and IXY DIGITAL 30, while
Fig. 4 shows the names of exterior parts of the IXY DIGITAL 400.
Both models come with a Kit as shown in Photo 4 (IXY DIGITAL 400). There is no
recommended retail price.
Table 1 Comparison of Major Specifications Between IXY DIGITAL 400 and IXY DIGITAL 30