| The Digital IXUS uses a narrow-pitch
CSP (Chip Size Package), which allows Canon engineers to integrate three circuit
boards typically found in other digital cameras, into one main circuit board. The
camera's lens was completely reconfigured to provide the high-resolution, low distortion
optics needed for a 2.11-megapixel CCD. Despite the camera's 2x zoom lens, the retractable
lens design keeps the size of the optics within a coin-size, 20mm diameter. Additionally,
the retractable lens enables the LCD monitor and lens to be positioned back-to-back
at the center without making the body too thick. The Digital IXUS uses a light guide flash, which has a proven record in film cameras for its compactness, high efficiency, and uniform light distribution. The new flash unit is compact because it does not need a fresnel lens or a large reflector, shortening the overall depth of the unit. The light guide flash also provides a more focused and uniform illumination to match the desired area.
In addition, the camera is equipped with a three-point AiAF autofocus system that permits the camera to automatically select the primary subject, even if the subject is off-center. The above photos of the F1 cars, including the one shot using fill-in flash, and that of the LRT train, are examples of the Digital IXUS' AiAF and light guide flash system. However, fill-in flash does not work very well for indoor situations if the subject is very close to the camera, like close-up portraits, where dark backgrounds are likely to occur instead. The Digital IXUS features a 1.27-inch, 2.11-megapixel CCD sensor that creates full color or black-and-white images up to 1,600x1,200 pixels when set to the camera's Large resolution mode. The camera also offers an additional resolution setting of 640x480 when set in the Small mode, which is ideal for on-screen applications, such as Web sites and CD-ROMs and allows more images to be recorded on a single CompactFlash memory card. The new camera is compatible with Type I CompactFlash Cards and will be shipped with a 8MB CF card. In order to maximize the capabilities of the 2.11-megapixel CCD, the Digital IXUS is equipped with a dedicated digital signal processing integrated circuit (IC) to achieve high-speed and complete processing of image details. All images are recorded as JPEG files and a built-in buffer memory allows continuous burst-mode shooting of up to 2 frames per second when set to its maximum resolution of 1600x1200. The interval between shots in single frame mode is only 1.7 seconds. In addition, basic operations such as camera start-up, high-speed search mode during playback, image enlargement and image scrolling can now be executed swiftly, due to the digital signal processing IC's high-speed compression and decompression operations. << Back to Main . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . |
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