You may have seen Bryan's news post about the new PowerShot S100 and SX40 HS announced today. Of significance is the fact that those PowerShot models will debut the new Digic 5 processor, replacing the Digic 4 first seen in the 50D.


Canon claims that, "DIGIC 5 analyses four times more image information to create each pixel, recording more detail and colour from a scene than ever before. Processing speed is also six times faster compared to the previous processor." That has interesting implications for future dSLR releases, both in terms of potential increased dynamic range and increased frame rates.


The S100 itself also seems quite nice. Canon replaced the Sony-manufactured 10 MP CCD sensor with an in-house produced 12 MP CMOS sensor (same sensor size - 1/1.7"). Presumably the primary reason was to support the latest video 'fad' (1080p @ 24 fps) - but it will likely be less noisy, as well. Plus, the faster CMOS sensor combined Digic 5 now support a 2.3 fps continuous shooting mode, an impressive 2.5-fold increase from the 0.9 fps of the S95. The lens is also new - now a 24-120mm FF-equivalent zoom (vs. the previous 28-105mm), but still f/2 at the wide end. The S100 also features a built-in GPS with image tagging and logging.


All in all, some very nice improvments from the S95. So nice that those improvements, combined with the fact that when my wife shoots with the S95, she comments on how much better it is than her Olympus P&S (can we say, hand-me-down?), inspired me to pre-order the S100 from Amazon. For anyone else so inclined, here's the link.


Looking forward to some dSLR announcements featuring the new Digic 5!!