Canon Unveils New PowerShot S95 and SX130 IS

Canon today announced two new cameras to replace its S90 and SX120 IS models. The PowerShot S95 (£399) and SX130 IS (£199) don't bring any major changes to the original models, but that doesn't mean they're not worth the investment.

Canon PowerShot S95

This new expert compact updates one of the brand's star products of 2009—the S90. At Canon's presentation event yesterday, we managed to handle an S95 very briefly, and we can tell you that the design has actually changed very little. This means that anyone who's used to the previous model will find their way around in no time. It also has the same 10-Megapixel sensor and 28-105 mm lens with the same impressive aperture of f/2 in wide angle that drops to f/4.9 in telephoto mode.

Canon was, however, keen to point out the host of new features in the S95, such as a new hybrid stabilisation system for compensating both rotational and horizontal movements (a system until now only seen in the 100 mm macro SLR lens). Autofocus with subject tracking is another noteworthy addition.

Perhaps the most important change in this updated version is that the video mode is now 720p HD, something Canon was widely criticised for leaving out of the S90 and G11. Sound is recorded in stereo but the zoom isn't operational.

In our opinion, one of the most interesting features in this camera is the fact that the S95 offers customisable settings, making it a genuine expert compact. Whereas in the S90, you assigned a function for the front control ring on an ad hoc basis, you can now save your preferred setting to a given mode. For example, you could set it to control aperture in Av mode, speed in Tv and M modes, or exposure compensation in Av mode (relegating aperture to the thumb wheel) and ISO sensitivity in P mode. Only a few settings can be switched around in this way and preferences can only be saved in P, Tv, Av and M modes. However, experienced photographers will certainly appreciate being able to fine-tune the camera in relation to their needs.

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS

While the SX120 IS was practically a clone of the SX110 IS, the SX130 IS looks like a more genuine upgrade.

As expected, the sensor has been upped to 12 Megapixels (CCD), and there's a new 12x zoom lens pushing up the wide angle for an equivalent of 28-336 mm. A bit of speed is lost, however, as the aperture of f/3.4-5.6 is 2/3 EV increments lower than in the previous model.

The SX130 IS now features a 720p HD video mode, which can be used with a selection of creative filters including an amusing Miniature Effect.

There are no other major changes to report, and in spite of its deeper handle, the SX130 still feels a bit clumsy. One major downside is that the screen hasn't been updated, and is still the same 3-inch display with 230,000 (often visible) dots and with quite tight viewing angles.

> Digital Camera Reviews: Choose the Best Compact Camera

> Buyer's Guides: Our Pick of The Best Products