Canon debuts powershoot GX1 point and shoot digital camera

Canon’s new PowerShot GX1 is the company’s most powerful fixed-lens point-and-shoot digital camera yet, touting a gigantic and powerful 14.3-megapixel 1.5-inch CMOS sensor. It’s the largest sensor that’s been placed inside one of Canon’s Powershot models and is the largest of its class (it’s almost as big as an APS-C sized sensor found in Canon 60D and Nikon D7000 DSLRs). The ginormous sensor allows for nine times more light than the previous 1/1.7-inch chip and 1.5-inch CMOS chip increases depth-of-field dramatically and is supposed have a significant boost to lowlight sensitivity.

Complementing the new sensor is Digic 5 processing and HS system technology that increases sensitivity in dark conditions thanks to its backside illumination, as well as aids its full resolution High-Speed Burst HQ capabilities. Other specs include: a top ISO of 12,800; aperture range of f/2.8 – f/16; 4x optical zoom lens with 28mm wide-angle equivalent; 1080p Full HD capability; RAW shooting capability; and a advanced Smart Auto mode that now recognizes up to 58 scenes. It’s pretty pricy for a point-and-shoot since it’s said to have a $799.99 price tag, but the new G1 X will be setting a new standard for the segment.