What’s new at CP+ 2014

SINGAPORE – The Computer and Imaging Show (CP+) 2014 kicked off in Tokyo yesterday (Feb 13), and while new offerings were few and far between, there were some notable new entries.

First up, Canon unveiled the second-generation of its flagship PowerShot camera, the G1 X Mark II. Like its predecessor this premium point-and-shoot uses a large 1.5-inch CMOS sensor, but there are also some significant changes.

Despite the G1 X Mark II’s larger sensor, the resolution has been reduced from 14.3 megapixels to 12.8MP.

The Mark II also features Canon’s new Digic 6 image processor, and the autofocus system has been improved from nine-points to 31-points.

The camera has a new 5x optical zoom lens with Dual Control Rings that offer DSLR-like zooming and focusing. The lens is also faster, with an aperture range of f/2-3.9.

The G1 X Mark II also supports both Wi-Fi and NFC (near-field communications), making it easier to pair the camera with a smartphone or tablet to enable the wireless transfer or sharing of pictures.

While the G1 X Mark II offers the advanced shooting modes of DSLRs, it also has some creative auto modes like a compact point-and-shoot. The camera has an Advanced Star Mode with four options that lets you capture the night sky including Star Portrait, Star Nightscape, Star Trails, and Star time Lapse Movie.

Fellow Japanese giants Sony unveiled their A6000 at CP+, the is touted to be the world’s fastest autofocus amongst interchangeable lens cameras at just 0.06 seconds.

This is because the AF system features 179 phase detection and 25 contrast detection points. The device is also paired with a new 24.3-megapixel CMOS APS-C sensor and the Bionz X processor. The camera is able to shoot up to 11fps in continuous mode with autofocus enabled.

Sony also unveiled two new compact cameras in Tokyo. The HX60 series features an impressive 30x optical zoom and Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS capabilities, while the WX350 is the world’s smallest and lightest camera with 20x optical zoom and 18.2MP resolution.

All three Sony models will be available in the second quarter of this year.

Nikon did not unveil anything new at CP+, but still offered visitors plenty to look at.

The Nikon stage played host to a variety of events, including lectures and talks by a number of speakers and guests, and a touch-and-try corner where visitors can try out the new D3300 DSLR camera announced last month,.

Earlier this month, Nikon unveiled the second range of its Spring 2014 Coolpix digital camera series (http://tdy.sg/1gVVKNb0), and the entire range was on display at CP+.