The Canon Digital IXUS 860 IS offers a 28mm 3.8x wide-angle zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer. Other standout features include a 3.0” PureColor LCD, improved Face Detection Technology and 8 megapixel sensor. The Canon Digital IXUS 860 IS will be available from September 2007, priced at £299 / €449 RRP inc. VAT.

Canon UK Press Release

Wide-angle Digital IXUS 860 IS: the photographer’s IXUS

United Kingdom / Republic of Ireland 20 August, 2007: Canon today introduces the latest evolution of the IXUS range of digital cameras for style-conscious photographers: the Digital IXUS 860 IS. Equipped with a 28mm (35mm equivalent) 3.8x wide-angle zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer, the 8.0 Megapixel Digital IXUS 860 IS is the successor to the hugely popular Digital IXUS 850 IS.

The Digital IXUS 860 IS offers a range of enhancements over its acclaimed predecessor. These include a 3.0” PureColor LCD and improved Face Detection Technology.  The camera’s high ISO capabilities work in tandem with an optical Image Stabilizer lens1 to significantly reduce the risk of image blur.

“A winning combination of style, compactness and wide-angle capabilities made the Digital IXUS 850 IS one of our most popular models of the last two years,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “With extensive improvements introduced in this upgrade, we are confident that the
Digital IXUS 860 IS will follow on from its predecessor as the designer compact of choice for photographers everywhere.”

Availability and pricing
The Digital IXUS 860 IS will be available from September 2007, priced at £299 / €449 RRP inc. VAT.

Features
- 3.8x (28mm) wide-angle lens with optical Image Stabilizer
- 8.0 Megapixels
- High ISO 1600 and Auto ISO Shift
- DIGIC III1 with Noise Reduction technology and Face Detection AF/AE/FE
- Improved Red-Eye Correction in playback
- 3.0” PureColor LCD
- Digital Tele-Converter and Safety Zoom1 for extra telephoto reach
- 17 shooting modes and My Colors photo effects
- Extensive movie options including VGA 30fps, Long Play and Time Lapse movie modes

Wider views, better results
Helping the photographer capture more from group shots, landmarks and landscapes, the 3.8x wide-angle lens of the Digital IXUS 860 IS has a focal length of 28-105mm (35mm equivalent). The lens system incorporates Canon’s lens-shift type optical Image Stabilizer (IS) – first developed in EF lenses for Canon’s market leading EOS system of professional D-SLR cameras and lenses – to counteract camera shake. The lens also incorporates Canon’s aspherical lens technology (UA)¹ for maximum sharpness and clarity.

The Digital IXUS 860 IS features a range of ISO features that work in combination with optical IS to virtually eliminate the risk of image blur. A second line of defence against camera shake is Auto ISO Shift, which can be selected by the user to boost the ISO setting just enough to reduce blur. Two further ISO features – manually selected high ISO settings up to ISO 1600 and High ISO Auto – combat the blur caused by typical subject movement, as well as camera shake when poor light would normally require a longer exposure.

Classic curves
The Digital IXUS 860 IS combines enhanced photographic capabilities with luxurious style. The classically curved Digital IXUS 860 IS has a two-tone body that contrasts simple silver lines with bold black elements. The inward curve of the top surface allows a comfortable grip and easy access to the new square button controls. A newly developed 3.0” PureColor LCD screen provides a crisp 230,000 pixel display, with enhanced colour reproduction and a new coating for protection against knocks and scrapes. Offering an increased viewing angle, the PureColor LCD enables easy group viewing and retains visibility when taking shots from unusual angles.

Enhanced Face Detection Technology with DIGIC III
The DIGIC III image processor powers Face Detection AF/AE/FE for significantly better results when photographing people. Using data from the iSAPS image database and advanced face detection algorithms, Face Detection AF/AE/FE detects up to 9 faces in the frame and optimises focus, exposure and flash settings to achieve in focus, well-exposed faces. Face Detection Technology is also key to the accuracy of Canon’s improved Red-Eye Correction in playback, which automatically identifies and corrects red-eye in captured images. Unlike other red-eye removal systems which can sometimes alter non-facial areas of the picture, Canon’s system uses Face Detection Technology to ensure that only red-eye is corrected. Users also have the option of manually adding or removing Red-Eye Correction frames.

Creative options
Adaptable to almost any situation, the camera’s 17 shooting modes include a manual mode for selection of exposure settings such as White Balance and ISO. Along with a dedicated ISO button, the camera’s customisable Shortcut button can be configured for one-touch access to settings such white balance and exposure compensation.

The Digital IXUS 860 IS also offers a range of movie options with sound at VGA (30 fps) and QVGA (30 fps). The new VGA LP (Long Play) mode allows users to record movies at half the file size but with the same resolution and frame rate, using less memory and enabling quicker downloads. The camera also features Time Lapse Movie mode, for capturing changing scenes – such as drifting clouds, a blooming flower or a bustling city street – for accelerated playback. The mode takes 1 frame of footage per 1 or 2 seconds for up to 2 hours, and replays them as a smooth VGA movie at 15 fps.

Ease of use enhancements
The Digital IXUS 860 IS introduces a range of enhancements designed to improve the user experience. A new three level battery indicator gives users improved awareness of how long they can shoot. For greater flexibility, two different auto focus frame sizes can now be selected: ‘normal’ and ‘small.’ The small size AF frame makes it possible to identify particularly small details as the focal point of the image – particularly useful for close-up shots. The convenient Image Resize function gives users the option to save a smaller version of the file, ready for uploading to a personal blog, auction site or online photo gallery.

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