BenQ intros C840 digicam

BenQ rounded out its week today by releasing the C840, an upgrade to its C740i introduced earlier this year. The updated compact point-and-shoot jumps from seven to eight megapixels and adds new support for SDHC cards, allowing the camera to store at least 4GB of photos or Motion JPEG video. Like its predecessor, the camera emphasizes widescreen shooting and optionally takes images in a 16:9 ratio that makes a better fit for HDTVs. Videos approach DVD resolution at 720x400 with 30 frames per second, BenQ says.

All the other traits of the upgraded C740i have been brought over to the C840. An ISO 1600 portrait mode is standard for taking photos in low light; the camera also builds in face detection, 15 different shooting modes, and BenQ's characteristic attention to manual shooting with near complete control as well as aperture and shutter priority modes. The company has yet to divulge a specific release date or a price but ships its cameras internationally.