The Canon A550 and Canon A460 are two new entry-level additions to the Powershot range of digital cameras. The 7.1 megapixel PowerShot A550 replaces the PowerShot A530, whilst the 5 megapixel A460 replaces the PowerShot A430. Both models have 2 inch LCD screens and 4x zoom lenses, and both will be available from early February 2007, the Canon A460 priced at £119 / $149.99 / €179.99 and the Canon A550 at £169 / $199 / €249.99.

Canon UK Press Release

Canon emphasises ease with two new PowerShot models

United Kingdom, 18 January, 2007: Canon today updates its bestselling PowerShot range with two affordable new models – the PowerShot A460 and PowerShot A550. Replacing the PowerShot A430, the entry-level PowerShot A460 adds improved specifications while retaining the point-and-shoot simplicity of its predecessor. The 7.1 Megapixel PowerShot A550 replaces the PowerShot A530 and incorporates several new design features for enhanced ease of use. Remarkably compact and lightweight, both cameras offer the superb build quality found throughout the PowerShot range.

Pricing and availability
The PowerShot A460 will be available from early February 2007 priced at £119 inc.VAT (€179.99).
The PowerShot A550 will be available from early February 2007 priced at £169 inc.VAT(€249.99).

Features at a glance:

PowerShot A460
o 5.0 Megapixels
o 4x optical zoom
o DIGIC II, iSAPS and 5-point AiAF
o Wide range of shooting modes
o 2.0” LCD

PowerShot A550
o 7.1 Megapixels
o 4x optical zoom
o DIGIC II, iSAPS and 9-point AiAF
o Redesigned Shooting Mode dial
o 30fps VGA movies with sound
o 2.0” LCD with dedicated Playback button

With the appeal of digital expanding beyond the traditional age bracket, the three new PowerShot models are positioned to meet an increasing demand for no-fuss cameras that every member of the family can pick up and use – from kids to grandparents.

“For novice photographers and first time digital camera buyers, simplicity of use is a crucial factor,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. “These new additions to the PowerShot range illustrate that affordable, snapshot photography need not mean a compromise on quality.”

Ease of Use
Both cameras have been designed with ease of use firmly in mind. Key controls and buttons are intuitively positioned for fast, fingertip access. A selectable Grid Line Display on the LCDs helps with shot composition, while the 2.0” screen size makes it easy for family members to view photos together without connecting to a PC. Conveniently powered by AA batteries, the cameras offer impressive battery life with up to 11 hours playback on a single charge (with Canon NB-3AH batteries).

A wide range of shooting modes cover most family and social situations, allowing users to shoot without having to worry about camera settings. The PowerShot A550 simplifies shooting even further by bringing the most commonly used Special Scene modes – such as Night Snapshot and Kids & Pets – out of the menu system and onto the camera’s Shooting Mode dial. My Colors allows users to apply photo effects direct from the camera while shooting, with options including Sepia and Black & White.

Both cameras feature a Movie mode for VGA quality clips with audio of up to 60 minutes in length or 1GB file size (whichever is reached first).  Movies and photos can be viewed on a TV via the AV out connection.

Direct printing
Each camera is PictBridge compliant for instant direct printing to compatible printers. Users can also print ID photos and still images from movies when connected to a SELPHY CP series printer. The handy Print/Share button on each camera allows one-touch printing and hassle-free uploads to Windows or Macintosh systems.

The cameras’ menu systems now feature support for Ukrainian and Romanian, bringing the total number of supported languages to 25.

About Canon (UK) Limited
Canon is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for the home and office environments.

Canon has a global philosophy of Kyosei - living and working together for the common good, which clearly demonstrates commitment to customers, staff and the environment shared by all.

Canon (UK) Ltd is the UK marketing and sales operation for the US$32 billion global company based in Tokyo, Japan.  In the UK Canon employs around 2,000 people in various locations including Ireland and has achieved sales of £541m in 2005.

The main business focus for Canon (UK) Ltd is in two clearly defined market segments: Business Solutions covering both the office and professional printing environments (including: multifunctional printers, IT consultation, photocopiers, printers, large format printers, fax machines, document management hardware & software) and Consumer Imaging (input solutions: film and digital cameras, camcorders, binoculars and scanners; and output solutions: Ink Jet printers, fax machines, desktop multifunctionals and multimedia LCD projectors).

Software and CANON iMAGE GATEWAY
The PowerShot A460 and PowerShot A550 come bundled with the following Canon Software:
- ZoomBrowser EX 5.8 (Windows), ImageBrowser 5.8 (Macintosh): For organising and editing images, movies and slideshows, or creating and printing digital photo albums.
- PhotoStitch 3.1: For creating panoramic photos from multiple images (Windows and Macintosh).

The bundled software supports Windows 2000 (SP4), XP (SP1/2), Vista and Macintosh OS X v10.3-v10.4. The cameras support PTP for driverless transfer to Windows XP and Macintosh OS X, along with MTP for image and movie transfers to Windows Vista.
Purchasers of the cameras are eligible for membership of CANON iMAGE GATEWAY , 100MB of online ‘personal gallery’ space for sharing stills and video with family and friends.

Accessories
A complete range of optional accessories is available:
- High Power Flash (HF-DC1)
- Soft Case (PowerShot A460: DCC-400, PowerShot A550: DCC-80)
- Compact AC Power Adapter (ACK800)
- Battery Charger Kit (CBK4-300)
- NiMH Batteries (NB4-300)

The cameras are compatible with MMC/SD/SDHC cards, and come supplied with a 16MB Canon memory card.

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