Canon PowerShot A590 IS

Focus:

• 9-Point Intelligent AF (Face Detection Technology)
• 1-point AF system (fixed centre or selected face)
• AF lock function
• AF assist beam
• Manual focus function

Flash:

• Flash modes:
  • Auto
  • Forced operation
  • Flash off
  
  
• Flash Exposure Compensation:
  • +/— 2 EV in 1/3-stop increments
  • Face recognition function
  • Safe Flash Exposure
• Red-eye removal function
• Manual flash output setting

Shooting modes:

• Auto, Programme AE, Shutter-Priority AE, Aperture-Priority AE, Manual, Simple, Portrait, Landscape, Night, Indoor, Children, Animals, Movie Clip Recording Mode, Special Scene (Night, Sunset, Foliage, Snow) , beach, fireworks, aquarium)
• My Colours: Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B&W, Custom Colours (Limited)
• Shooting methods:
  • Frame-by-frame
  • Continuous (Approx. 1.4 fps and until memory card is full)
  • Self-timer (with a delay of 2 or 10 seconds)

Battery life:

• Approximately 200 shots
• Approximately 540 minutes of playback

Menu languages

• Russian, English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, Greek, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Thai, Arabic, Ukrainian, Romanian

From the press release:

Motion detection technology
Intelligent motion detection technology, which operates at High ISO Auto, eliminates image blur caused by subject movement and camera shake. Under these conditions, the system sets ISO values to 80-800, preventing blur when shooting moving objects and when shooting at night, and in other cases does not change the ISO. Using face detection technology, optical image stabilizer and light adjustments, motion detection technology provides a one-stop solution to the problem of motion blur.

Advanced Face Recognition Technology
Face detection technology has recently been improved, with PowerShot cameras for the first time equipped with face detection white balance correction. This function determines the white balance for the face detection frame, not for the centre point. The result is a sharp, well-exposed portrait, and skin tones look natural in any light—artificial, natural, or mixed. The new PowerShot A590 IS also supports Face Select and Track technology. This intelligent feature follows the user-selected face as the composition of the shot is changed, allowing you to get the best results, no matter when you are shooting.
A new AF Point Zoom feature enlarges the AF frame when the shutter button is pressed halfway to check facial expressions before shooting. Autofocus now performs much better in low light conditions and allows you to shoot at shutter speeds 1 stop slower than normal.
The red-eye removal function allows you to remove this unpleasant artifact not only during playback (traditional mode), but when shooting. In auto mode, red-eye is detected and corrected as soon as the picture is taken. The accuracy of this function has improved due to the use of new correction algorithms.

Good to know:

DIGIC III processor
Canon's DIGIC III image processor manages all key camera functions for maximum efficiency. Advanced image processing algorithms ensure the reproduction of the finest details and shades, as well as accurate white balance. The result of the high processing speed is exceptional camera sensitivity, fast autofocus and long continuous shooting times. The DIGIC III processor also powers advanced noise reduction technology and face detection technology.

iSAPS Technology
iSAPS (Intelligent Scene Analysis Based on Photographic Space Data) automatically optimizes all camera settings before each shot is taken. Each scene is analyzed and correlated with photographic space data, the camera's vast library of photographic data. This allows the camera to optimize autoexposure, autofocus, and auto white balance before shooting.

Face recognition technology
This feature automatically detects up to nine human faces in the frame and then adjusts the focus, exposure, flash, and white balance for optimal results. The technology is able to highlight the faces that the photographer wants to capture, and if the photo is a group, AiAF 9-point intelligent autofocus is activated. Red-eye reduction technology and face detection technology help to eliminate red-eye while shooting or viewing images

Motion detection technologies
Canon's motion detection technology uses several methods to detect camera shake and subject movement to set the exposure accordingly. This takes into account the brightness of the subject and background, the movement of the subject (determined based on the analysis of several frames over a certain period of time), the parameters of the face detection function, as well as information about camera shake received from the gyroscopes of the optical image stabilizer (if available). When motion is detected, the camera automatically selects the appropriate ISO equivalent level (80 to 80) to capture images with minimal noise and no blur.

Optical Image Stabilizer
The PowerShot A590 IS's moving lens group image stabilizer effectively detects and compensates for camera shake that can cause image blur. Miniature gyro sensors detect lens shift caused by hand shake. These signals — up to 4,000 per second — are processed by an image stabilizer chip that distinguishes vibrations caused by hand shake from intentional camera movement. These signals are then sent to the image stabilizer unit, which shifts the lens elements accordingly to correct light rays and eliminate the effects caused by hand shake. To improve accuracy and sensitivity, the moving elements of the lens are supported by miniature ceramic spheres. In addition to reducing vibration, the use of ceramic spheres avoids the problems associated with metal elements, such as increased thermal conductivity and magnetic properties. The PowerShot A590 IS's optical stabilizer lets photographers shoot at shutter speeds up to three stops slower and capture better photos without camera-shake blur.