June 25, 2004: DIWA Awards have recently been awarded to Canon Inc. for three of their high performance digital cameras. The PowerShot Pro 1 was awarded with a gold medal, in recognition of its overall qualities, performance and value. Two other Canon models, PowerShot S1 IS and EOS 300D, were both honoured with silver medals for outstanding performance. The awards are the results of comprehensive, independent reviews of different samples, made by a number of DIWA camera testing experts from Europe and USA.

The PowerShot Pro 1 qualified for the prestigious DIWA gold medal in the Advanced Digital Camera category, thanks to 8 Megapixel resolution, a powerful and high performance L-Series 7x zoom lens, hybrid auto focus, super macro and a multitude of user friendly, yet sophisticated features. The image quality proved to be among the best available, which makes the camera suitable for demanding amateurs and professionals alike.

Also the more affordable, yet rich featured PowerShot S1 IS reached a high average score with DIWA?s unique evaluation scoreboard, and qualified for a silver medal. The 10x optical zoom with optical stabilizer and high f/2.8-3.1 lens speed puts the S1 IS in a class of its own. Add to this the same signal control functions as in more expensive Canon models, an advanced AF system, a flip-out LCD screen, numerous automatic and manual control options and fine 3 Megapixel image quality. Together this makes the S1 IS worthy of an honourable silver medal.

The DIWA group of testers concluded that Canon EOS 300D, the price breaking D-SLR camera, also qualified for a DIWA award. The high combined scores were only just short of a gold medal, but well above the limit for silver. The EOS 300D was the first D-SLR camera to combine compatibility to a full range of interchangeable lenses, with a price tag that even budget-minded photographers could afford. Despite its low price, the Canon EOS 300D delivers professional quality images from a 6 Megapixel low-noise CMOS image sensor. Thanks to its traditional EOS layout, the Canon EOS 300D is just as suitable for professionals as for its targeted users, the serious amateurs.

Kai Thon, DIWA’s test manager, said: “Canon has yet again proved their reputation as a leading manufacturer of digital cameras. The PowerShot Pro 1 is the first compact camera ever to feature a Canon professional L-Series lens. Together with 8 Megapixel resolution and professional features, the camera performs like a full-fledged professional camera, packed in a user friendly and compact housing, providing digital images of professional quality.?

?As for the PowerShot S1 IS, the bright 10x Mega zoom lens with the optical stabilizer, adds extraordinary value to this compact 3 Megapixel camera. Still, the camera offers many of the same features and functions found in more advanced Canon models, such as a flip-out and rotating LCD screen and an electronic viewfinder.”

“If value for money would be the most important part of the DIWA scoring system, the EOS 300D most certainly would have been honoured with a gold medal. Nevertheless, silver is not defeat in the DIWA world. On the contrary, it is a proof that the EOS 300D is among the best digital SLR cameras available, guaranteed to give the owner professional quality images and creative challenges, all at a very reasonable cost.”, Thon concluded.

About DIWA
A growing independent, authoritative, industry organization
The Digital Imaging Websites Association (DIWA) is a growing group of independent Web-based specialist publications dedicated to digital imaging. DIWA harnesses the collective talent and expertise of its members, resulting in industry awards that command unparalleled confidence and value, both for consumers and the industry, alike. DIWA awards come in the form of bronze, silver and gold medals.

Unique bullet-proof test scoring procedure
DIWA product test awards are exclusively decided through the analysis of multiple test scores from different DIWA testers, testing different samples of the same product. A very detailed and comprehensive standardized scoring procedure is employed, tailored carefully for each category of product. Multiple testing eliminates the chance of an, isolated, unrepresentative product sample or test error, or even hidden bias, from affecting the trustworthiness of the overall result.

Awards throughout the year
DIWA is also unique in its policy in issuing awards for deserving products throughout the year, culminating in annual best of the year Platinum medal awards.

The DIWA multi-lingual Web site
At the heart of the DIWA organisation is its multi-lingual Web site, www.diwa-awards.com, where you can find links to the latest reviews published by DIWA member publications. The site also archives DIWA awards and is designed to aid consumers in their choice of imaging products.

For further information about DIWA, please visit our Web site or email us at [email protected].