Canon ELPH 510 HS and 310 HS Join PowerShot Lineup

Canon unveils today two new HS "High Sensitivity" PowerShots - the ELPH 510 HS and ELPH 310 HS. Both are equipped with a new intelligent IS system and a 12.1 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor.

As members of the HS class, the 510 and 310 couple a backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor with a DIGIC 4 processor. This design move gives each camera a better chance to fight the low light situations that typically challenge compact point-and-shoots.

New to this crop of PowerShots is an Intelligent IS image stabilization system. Like the Smart Auto feature that chooses an appropriate scene mode for the user, this IS feature will choose a stabilization mode (Normal, Macro, Panning Dynamic, Powered or Tripod) based on the shooting conditions it detects.

Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS
The ELPH 510 HS offers a 28mm wide angle lens, somewhat narrower than the 24mm wide angle the 500 HS provided. However, the 510 is equipped with a 12x optical zoom, propelling it into compact ultrazoom territory. Like its ELPH 500 HS predecessor, it will have a 3.2-inch touch LCD. Both the 510 HS and 310 will offer video recording in full 1080 HD resolution. It will be shooting in burst mode at up to 7.8 fps.

Canon PowerShot ELPH 310 HS
The 310 HS has a 28mm wide angle lens and an impressive 8x optical zoom. It will be equipped with merely a 3.0 inch traditional LCD - no touch capability included. Like the 500 HS it will offer Canon's Smart Auto shooting mode with 32 scene settings available in still image capture mode.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon PowerShot ELPH 510 HS and ELPH 310 HS are slated for early October availability. The 510 HS will retail for $349.99 and the 310 for $259.99.