Canon today unintentionally betrayed its plans for the PMA imaging expo by posting a comparison page and since-pulled product entries for two new compacts. The 12-megapixel PowerShot SD780 IS is now shown to be the most unique of the two courtesy of a very thin design, which the company says is the thinnest ever for a compact PowerShot, as well as a unique single-tone design that colors the lens frame in the same hue as the rest of the body.

Zoom is limited to a modest 3X but will be backed by the DIGIC IV chipset and add 720p video recording, a rarity in most Canon cameras; the HD extends to an HDMI video output for previewing shots. The model name also confirms the existence of hardware image stabilization, and a 2.5-inch preview LCD is also mentioned in the early specifications.

The SD960 IS will be thicker but has an uncommon rounded design with a more unique but less cluttered rear interface. Extra space lets Canon give the camera a longer-ranged 4X lens as well as an expanded 2.8-inch LCD.

Canon doesn't include prices with the leaked cameras, but does acknowledge in the postings that it's targeting an April release date for both PowerShots. [via Canon Rumors]

SD780 IS



SD960 IS