Canon developing new digital cameras

Canon on Friday announced a slew of new products targeting both ends of the digital-camera market.

At the low end is the PowerShot 100, an entry-level camera with resolution of 1.2 megapixels and a fixed lens. The more advanced PowerShot A30 and A40 models will offer resolutions of 1.2 and 2 megapixels, respectively, and both have zoom lenses.

The A40 and A30 are expected to be available in March, and the A100 in April, at prices to be announced.

At the other end of the camera spectrum, the EOS D60 is a single-lens reflex camera intended for professional photographers, with a resolution of 6.3 megapixels and support for interchangeable lenses. The camera is expected to arrive on the market in April at a price of $2,999.

The forthcoming cameras will bracket the "sweet spot" of the current digital-camera market, where models with zoom lenses and resolution of 2 to 3 megapixels are selling best, according to IDC analyst Chris Chute.

Canon also announced a new printer that allows users of certain Canon cameras to print directly from the camera, bypassing the need to send photos to a PC. The CP-100 will be able to make prints up to postcard size and is expected to go on sale in May at a price of $249.

Canon has struggled with the shift from film cameras to digital, with most market surveys putting the company in fifth or sixth place for worldwide market share.