PowerShot A2100 IS, A1100 IS, and A480

Canon also announced three new entry-level A-series cameras for 2009, all of which can run on AA batteries.

The 12-megapixel A2100 IS offers optical image stabilization, Smart Auto mode, a 6X optical zoom (36mm to 216mm), and a 3-inch-diagonal LCD screen. It will be available in April for $250.

The 12-megapixel PowerShot A1100 IS also offers optical image stabilization and Smart Auto mode, but has a smaller, 2.5-inch LCD screen, plus an optical viewfinder. Available in gray, pink, blue, and green, it hits stores in March priced at $200.

At the extreme entry-level end is the PowerShot A480, a 10-megapixel camera with a 2.5-inch LCD, motion detection, face detection, and red-eye correction, but no image stabilization. It's also the only new Canon camera announced that has the company's Digic 3 image processor; all the other models listed here have the new Digic 4 processor. It's available in four colors--black, silver, blue, and red--in April for $130.