EXTREME CLOSE-UP 25/04/2005

The Canon PowerShot S2 IS digital camera (£469) with 12x optical zoom is a striking addition to the company’s refreshed prosumer line-up. For sharper pictures, the wide-to-telephoto lens is backed up with a 5-megapixel resolution and an image stabiliser. Multimedia buffs also get the best of both worlds with VGA resolution video at 15 or 30 fps, with Photo In Movie mode for taking digital stills while capturing the action.

At roughly 405g, it’s not the most compact camera on the market, but it does offer an impressive array of features. Shots can be previewed on the 1.5-inch LCD panel, with Night Display for low-light conditions, and the continuous shooting mode captures images at 2.4fps. Files are stored on an SD card, with a 16MB card included, and pictures can be sent directly to print using PictBridge. The Canon PowerShot S2 IS goes on sale in June.

Contact: www.canon.co.uk