Canon SX30 IS packs 35X lens and 14 megapixels

Canon claimed ownership of the longest-ranged point-and-shoot camera tonight through the debut of the PowerShot SX30 IS. The camera thrives on a new 35X, 24-840mm equivalent lens and has extra hardware to compensate for the exaggerated shake. Its image stabilization can compensate to the equivalent of four to five stop, and it includes both a regular ultra-low dispersion lens element as well as a second with a high refractive index to minimize chromatic aberration at the far end of the zoom range.

The sensor has been made denser, at 14.1 megapixels, and it now uses a slightly larger (but still 230,000-pixel) 2.7-inch swivelling LCD. Canon still caps the video shooting to 720p, but the ultrazoom camera now takes SDXC cards for those who need 64GB or more of space. An electronic viewfinder and a hot shoe for a flash put it into advanced hobbyist territory.

SX30 IS units should reach stores in late September for $430.

By Electronista Staff