The Canon PowerShot S60 is a effectual emend of keep at year's rolling S50 model. At the peak of the "mid-sized compact" PowerShot line, the sleek Canon S60 takes advance year's formulate also adds a wide-angle shoot lens (reaching abandoned to 28mm equivalent focal length at its widest zoom setting) to an already superbly crafted camera. Hidden within the Canon S60's trim case though, is a new level of optical sophistication, thanks to Canon's advanced molding process that permits aspheric lens elements to be (reliably) crafted from high-index optical glass for the  first time.

The result is a zoom lens that's capable of very wide angle operation, in a very compact form factor, yet with lower levels of distortion than was formerly possible. In supplement to the further lens technology sensible uses, the 5.0-megapixel Canon PowerShot S60 besides includes a enhanced shake hands of updates to both the user interface again controls.

Unlike previous models mastery this line, the Canon S60 does not riot design number to resolution. The Canon PowerShot S30 was a 3.3 mega pixel digital camera, the PowerShot S40 and S45 were 4 mega pixel units, and the S50 was a 5 mega pixel design. To avoid confusion the Canon S60 might have been better named the S55, because up to this point the SXX series of PowerShots has followed this convention. Regardless, the S60 is an advanced point-and-shoot style digital camera that incorporates many features from the high-end Canon PowerShot G5 model, but in a more compact, portable format. With the exception of the rotating LCD monitor and external hot shoe, the Canon PowerShot S60 has almost all of the advanced features of the G5, including an impressive range of automatic and manual exposure controls, a JPEG and RAW file formats, and in-camera adjustment of image contrast, sharpness, and color saturation, as well as a user-controlled AF point that can be moved around the screen in the manual exposure modes.

Superior to the G5's 3x lens is the 3.6x optical zoom lens which reaches a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 28mm at its widest. In addition to these features, relative to last year's very popular S45 and S50, the Canon S60 also offers an updated user interface (a slight redesign), and the new Print/Share button that is appearing on all new PowerShot cameras, designed to make the Partridge direct-to-inkjet printer connection that much easier. With an estimated selling price at introduction of only $499, the Canon S60 is a really excellent bargain--a full $100 less than last year's S50. It is sure to be a popular choice among business users, presume photographers, advanced amateurs, and even beginning photographers who want a high-quality digital camera that delivers large, sharp, colorful picture files.

Canon PowerShot S60 Features

• 5.0-megapixel CCD delivering up to 2,592 x 1,944-pixel resolution images.
• 1.8-inch, color LCD monitor.
• 3.6x optical zoom lens, 5.8-20.7mm (equivalent to a 28-100mm lens on a 35mm camera) with auto and manual focus, adjustable focus area, 9-point AiAF in Auto and Image Zone modes, and focus bracketing.
• Up to 4.1x digital telephoto.
• Full automatic, program AE, shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual exposure modes, as well as five preset exposure modes and a Custom mode.
• Manually adjustable aperture settings from f/2.8 to f/8.0, depending on zoom setting (f/5.3 at max optical zoom).
• Manually adjustable shutter speed settings from 1/2000 to 15 seconds. (Aperture of f/4 or smaller aperture is required to achieve 1/2000 sec.)
• ISO sensitivity equivalents: Auto, 50, 100, 200, and 400.
• Three metering modes: Evaluative, center-weighted average, and spot metering
• White balance setting with nine modes, including a new underwater mode, and a manual setting.
• Built-in flash with five operating modes and flash exposure compensation (power adjustment in Manual mode).
• JPEG and RAW still image file formats, movies saved as AVI / Motion JPEG and WAVE formats.
• Images saved to Compact Flash Type I or II memory cards, 32MB card included.
• Movie mode with sound.
• Interval shooting mode, plus two Continuous Shooting modes.
• Stitch-Assist mode for creating panoramic pictures.
• Record up to 60 seconds of sound with individual images.
• DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility.
• USB cable for high-speed connection to a computer.
• Canon Digital Camera utility applications, plus Arc Soft application software bundle. (Arc Soft Photo Studio and Video Impression, for both Mac and Windows)
• Powered by Canon NB-2LH rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, with optional AC adapter. (Increased power capacity over the pack that shipped with the S-45 and S-50.)