The PowerShot G7 ($599) is the latest model in Canon’s flagship series of fixed-lens cameras. A year ago I was told that the PowerShot G6 would be the last in the series, which was sad, as I’ve been a fan of the G-series cameras. Then, earlier this summer, I was in for a surprise: the “G” was back, in the form of the G7.

When its specification was released it surprised a lot of people, because in many ways it is a step backwards from the specification of the G6. That excellent f/2.0-3.0 lens has been replaced with a slower f/2.8-4.8 6x zoom, the 2in flip & twist monitor is replaced with a fixed 2.5in screen, and the RAW mode recording, crucial for top-quality professional results, has been lost altogether. Inevitably the 1/1.8in sensor has been upgraded to 10-megapixels, and it features image stabilisation and face-detection technology. Instead of a semi-pro enthusiast’s camera, it seems that Canon has decided to turn the G7 into something closer to the top end of its mid-range A-series compacts.

Two years is a very long time in the digital camera world, and it comes as no surprise that the G7 is a significantly different beast to the model it replaces both externally (there’s no grip, making the body a lot slimmer) and internally. What is slightly surprising is how many of the changes are ‘steps down’ rather than ‘steps up’; some of the key qualities and features that made the G series so different from Canon’s other compact camera ranges have been removed or ‘downgraded’. Of course there are some areas where the specification has been ‘beefed up’ over the G6, but not all these changes will be welcome to potential upgraders.

The Canon IXUS 300 HS (also known as the SD4000 IS Digital ELPH) is a premium compact camera with some advanced features that grab the attention of any discerning photographer. These include a back-illuminated 10 megapixel CMOS sensor, a 3.8x, 28-106mm lens with a fastest aperture of f/2.0 and optical image stabiliser, 3.7 frames per second burst mode at full resolution, 720p HD movie recording with stereo sound and a HDMI port, 240fps movies, a 3 inch LCD screen, and Aperture and Shutter Priority exposure modes. Available in blasted steel silver, matt black, glossy white or high gloss red, the Canon IXUS 300 HS costs £379 / $350 / €419.

Weighing 175g with the battery and memory card fitted, the IXUS 300 HS’s curved edges mean that the unit slots comfortably into the palm of your hand. As its lens is internally stacked, it only protrudes from the body when the camera is in use, thus the device can be easily stored in a trouser pocket between shots. Build quality is good, with the usual mix of mainly metal body and plastic buttons, controls and port covers. Like its other IXUS siblings, there’s very little on the 300 HS to get a firm grip on, except a slightly raised vertical lip on the right of the camera back that provides a small degree of purchase for your thumb.

The IXUS 300 HS’  ‘modest’ back-illuminated 10-megapixel sensor indicates that Canon is continuing to call a halt to the race for more megapixels in preference to improving said sensor’s ability to perform better at higher ISO settings. Canon also suggests that its f/2.0 lens has been fitted to allow in twice as much light as a more standard issue f/2.8 aperture optic, allowing for faster shutter speeds and shallower depth of field. The 28mm wide-angle setting is very welcome if not quite as wide as some rivals, with the optically stabilized 3.8x zoom providing a four stop advantage.

The Canon EOS 550D is a difficult product to categorize. Ostensibly designed to appeal to first-time DSLR buyers and enthusiasts, it offers a lot more technology, and at a higher price, than we might expect for a camera aimed squarely at this sector. Although it might seem logical for the 550D to replace the EOS 500D, the older camera is set to continue in Canon’s lineup, which leaves the 550D pinched between its entry-level (represented by the still-current EOS 1000D and the 500D) and nominally enthusiast (the EOS 50D) peers. Confusingly however, apart from build quality (which is all but identical to the EOS 500D), the 550D has more in common with the prosumer EOS 7D, and – perhaps even more confusingly – it out-specifies the EOS 50D in many areas.

Central to the impressive specification of the EOS 550D is a high-spec movie mode which offers full HD capture at up to 30 fps, manual control over exposure, and the option to use an external stereo microphone. The new camera also inherits the EOS 7D’s sophisticated metering system (which brings it a lot closer to similarly positioned Nikon SLRs).

The 550D lacks the 7D’s bullet-proof alloy construction and lags behind in the speed stakes. While the EOS 550D can shoot at 3.7 frames per second in Continuous Shooting Mode, it’s restricted to 34 JPEG images, or six RAW files – so sports and action photographers might want to look elsewhere.

But don’t get us wrong; while the EOS 550D is not a professional-spec SLR, the keen photographer will still get a lot of bang for their buck.

Canon’s response has been to expand its range of consumer cameras especially in the mid-range area, launching the 15-megapixel EOS 500D  towards the end of last year, and now following it up with a new mid-range model, the EOS 550D. With a newly designed 18.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, 1080p HD video recording and the sharpest monitor of any current DSLR it has an impressive specification, handily trumping the D5000 and Alpha A550 in all the crucial areas except price. The Nikon D5000 is currently selling for around £500 body-only, while the Sony A550 is around £550. The EOS 550D is available for just under £700 body only, or around £750 with the kit 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 EF-S image-stabilised lens

The Canon Color imageCLASS MF8350Cdn is tailored with sophisticated features and high-quality imaging to meet your small business needs. In today’s office environment, keeping your costs low is essential for a successful business. The MF8350Cdn delivers fast and accurate printing with Canon’s Quick First Print technology. Multi-page documents are ready in a short amount of time with print speeds of up to 21 pages-per-minute (ppm) in full color and black and white.

Designed for ease-of-use, the MF8350Cdn features an Auto-Duplex function with the ability to print, copy, and fax two-sided documents from single-sided originals. It is outfitted with a front-loading design that provides easy access to the control panel and paper sources. In-line cartridges can also be retrieved from the front of the machine for hassle-free replacement. A large LCD with graphic display provides guided user animation within the display that simplifies once complex tasks with illustrated on-screen instructions. Carry your important information with you by saving scanned documents to a USB removable media. Connect the USB removable media to the USB port located conveniently in the front of the machine to scan your letter, statement, or legal-sized documents. The Superior Color Imaging technology featured in the MF8350Cdn captures fine details with remarkable tone-on-tone clarity, helping images stay true to the original.

Canon Pure Black Technology ensures the richest blacks by utilizing only the black toner instead of traditional methods of combining toner colors. Running a successful business requires you to spend your time doing more important tasks than constantly refilling your printer with paper. The smart paper handling of the MF8350Cdn includes a 250-sheet cassette, 50-sheet multipurpose tray, and an optional 250-sheet cassette for your convenience. For added flexibility and user-convenience, the Color imageCLASS MF8350Cdn is equipped with unique features, such as: ID card copy, auto fax forwarding, and searchable PDF. The MF8350Cdn uses approximately 3 watts of energy during Energy Saving Mode and meets Energy Star guidelines, saving you money on energy costs. And like many imageCLASS products, the MF8350Cdn is part of the generation green program, Canon’s initiative to reduce environmental burdens in all stages of a product’s life-cycle.

Designed for ease-of-use, the MF8350Cdn features an Auto-Duplex function with the ability to print, copy, and fax two-sided documents from single-sided originals**. It is outfitted with a front-loading design that provides easy access to the control panel and paper sources. In-line cartridges can also be retrieved from the front of the machine for hassle-free replacement. A large LCD with graphic display provides guided user animation within the display that simplifies once complex tasks with illustrated on-screen instructions. Carry your important information with you by saving scanned documents to a USB removable media. Connect the USB removable media to the USB port located conveniently in the front of the machine to scan your letter, statement, or legal-sized documents.

The Superior Color Imaging Technology featured in the MF8350Cdn captures fine details with remarkable tone-on-tone clarity, helping images stay true to the original. Canon Pure Black Technology ensures the richest blacks by utilizing only the black toner instead of traditional methods of combining toner colors.

The Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS (also known as the PowerShot SD990 IS Digital ELPH in North America) is the first-ever Digital IXUS / ELPH camera to offer a true manual mode, instantly appealing to all those DSLR owners looking for a pocketable second camera. Other highlights include a 14.7 megapixel sensor, a stabilised, 36-133mm equivalent, 3.7x optical zoom lens, a 2.5-inch, 230,000-dot LCD, a zoom-coupled optical viewfinder, a QuickShot mode, a live histogram, Servo AF, i-Contrast, Face Detection and a Face Self-Timer function. The Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS is available in silver, black and, in some markets, red as well, for a recommended price of £349.99 / $399.99 / €459.99. Zoltan Arva-Toth discovers if the range-topping Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS is the best-ever IXUS / ELPH.

The menu system is logical and fairly straightforward. Once you get used to the way Canon menus work then you can use any Canon camera. The camera lets you choose the image size (14.7m, 9m, 5m, 2m, VGA, Widescreen 4416 x 2480), aspect ratio (4:3, or Widescreen), and how much compression is applied to the images (Superfine, Fine, Normal). Higher quality images take a large amount of memory, so a high capacity memory card is definitely recommended, unless you’re prepared to sacrifice image size or compression to fit more pictures in memory. Battery life is rated at approx. 280 shots according to CIPA standards. I was able to take over 320 shots before the battery went flat. Battery life will be dependent on the kind of use you make of the camera. A large memory card is relatively cheap, and highly recommended, I would recommend at a bare minimum a 2gb memory card, if you intend to take fine JPEG images, and preferably a 4gb memory card, or larger.

One thing that hasn’t changed from the 960 IS is the stabilised, 36-133mm equivalent, 3.7x zoom lens that sits fully retracted into the body when the camera is switched off, but extends very rapidly upon power up. The maximum aperture is a fast f/2.8 at the wide end but a slow f/5.8 at the other extreme of the zoom range. In Manual mode – which of course was missing from the 960 IS – you have a choice of using the lens at full aperture or dialing in an f-stop that’s approximately 3 stops slower. You don’t get anything in between the two values, and the reason, I believe, is that there is probably no iris diaphragm built into the lens. So whenever choosing the ‘smaller aperture’, what you do is simply engage a built-in neutral density filter. To test my theory, I took two shots at the telephoto end, one at the maximum aperture of f/5.8, and another one at the other selectable f-stop of f/16. The depth of field in the two photographs turned out to be identical, suggesting that stopping down did not affect the physical size of the aperture. Using an internal ND filter instead of a diaphragm actually makes some sense in a camera that has a small sensor – diffraction would eat away at details if you used ‘real’ f/16 anyway. The downside is that it limits manual control over exposure – fortunately, you still have two other variables (shutter speed and sensitivity) to play with.