Canon Recalls 14,000 Powershot SX50 Cameras

Following the product advisory of last year, Canon recalled around 14,000 Powershot SX50 HS (price & specs) units. The issue has to do with

a chemical used in the rubber part of the viewfinders on the camera [that] can cause skin or eye irritation or an allergic reaction to the user.

[via DPreview]

Recall Details

Units

About 14,000

Description

The PowerShot SX50 HS is a black compact digital camera. The words “PowerShot SX50 HS” are printed on the top of the camera.  The affected cameras have serial numbers beginning with “69”, “70” or “71” and have “1” as the sixth digit of the serial number.  The serial number is on the side or bottom of the camera housing.

Incidents/Injuries

Canon has received one report of itching and two reports of eye redness and pain.  

Remedy

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cameras and contact Canon to arrange a free repair.

Click here to open the rest of the article

Canon Powershot SX60 HS HS Due In Summer 2014?

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

 

A somewhat vague rumor surfaced on the web stating that the successor of the Powershot SX50 HS may be announced sometime in spring and be available for shipping in the summer 2014. The camera will most probably be named SX60 HS. No specs or other information. Speculation goes to the point that the SX60 HS could feature a 100x zoom. A pertinent patent appeared some time ago, though I do not think the SX60 HS will have such a crazy zoom range.

The Powershot SX50 HS is a popular bridge camera, and indeed it is due for replacement.

[via CR]

RAW Compatibility Update For Microsoft Windows Vista, Win 7 and Win 8

Microsoft released a Raw compatibility update for Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8, adding support for the following Canon Cameras:

Canon EOS 650D, Canon EOS1100D, Canon EOS 6D, Canon Rebel T3i (EOS 600D/Kiss X5), Canon Rebel T4i (Kiss X6i/EOS 650D), Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

Windows 8 users will get the update via the Windows Update system (KB2836187). Windows Vista and Windows 7 users need to go to the Microsoft Download Center.

[via dpreview]

 

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Review (Imaging Resource)

PowerShot SX50

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Imaging resource reviewed the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. The cam features a whooping 50x zoom, equivalent to 24-1200mm, and Canon’s Intelligent IS optical image stabilization technology. The reviewer

was extremely happy with the quality of the 12-megapixel images I took with the Canon SX50 HS, especially those I captured at ISO 400 and below. For the most part, the photos — even at full 50x zoom — were pretty sharp and dynamic.

In the conclusion they write:

In most ways the Canon SX50 HS proved to be the long-reaching camera I had longed to use for capturing images of Spring Training baseball. And I strongly suspect it would be as perfect for shooting daytime travel, street, architecture, landscape and wildlife photography as it was for capturing the sights and action of a sunny ballgame.

It was also an equally impressive travel companion in terms of its size, simplicity to use and shooting flexibility. […] The Canon SX50 HS proved to have ample image quality and advanced features to make it a great second or travel camera for serious shooters, and plenty of flexibility to make it a great primary camera for beginning and casual photographers.

The review comes with many sample shots, test charts etc. Specifications (taken from Adorama’s product page):

  • World’s first 50x Optical Zoom (24-1200mm) and 24mm Wide-Angle lens with Optical Image Stabilizer delivers magnificent images whether you are up close or far away
  • 12.1 Megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor combined with a DIGIC 5 Image Processor creates the Canon HS SYSTEM for improved low-light performance up to ISO 6400 and enhanced image quality
  • Capture stunning 1080p Full HD video in stereo sound with a dedicated movie button; zoom while shooting and play back videos on an HDTV via the HDMI output
  • High Speed AF greatly improves focus speed and High-Speed Burst HQ allows for continuous capture at a maximum of 10 frames while maintaining superb image quality
  • Intelligent IS automatically chooses from six different modes to optimize image stabilization for the shooting condition
  • Bright 2.8-inch Vari-angle LCD with 461,000 dots for shooting at a variety of angles, plus an Electronic Viewfinder
  • Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper camera settings based on 58 predefined shooting situations and the Face ID function adjusts focus and exposure priority based on pre-registered faces
  • Full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW+JPEG for the ultimate creative control
  • Built-in hot shoe allows compatibility with optional Speedlite flashes for additional lighting options