PowerShot PICK, a smart camera

PowerShot PICK. © Canon Marketing Japan.

The automatic PowerShot PICK camera can stand on a table, turn on several axes and analyze a scene. Thanks to artificial intelligence, it can identify people, track their faces and then determine the ideal moment to capture a photo. Launched on the Japanese crowdfunding site Makuake, the PowerShot PICK has proven to be highly successful, attracting nearly ¥100,000,000 (CAD1.215 million) against a goal of just ¥1,000,000. It uses a 12MP CMOS image sensor, which is paired with a 19-57mm equivalent zoom lens with a maximum aperture of F2.8, and includes built-in image stabilization. The PICK pans 170° in both directions, records to a microSD card, stands 3.5” (90mm) tall and weighs a mere 170g. The PowerShot PICK can also be vocally controlled using keywords: a user says, “Hello PICK,” then follows up with commands to take a photo, record video, change subjects and stop capturing. It comes with a dedicated smartphone app, allowing you to view and share photos and videos captured by PICK. The app automatically recommends the best photos, although you can view all images. The Canon PowerShot PICK is currently available only to backers on Makuake, for ¥40,900 (about CAD500), with shipping in July. Canon hasn’t announced global release plans, but Pick’s success in Japan certainly pleads in favour of an international launch.

⇨ YouTube, “PowerShot PICK 機能紹介.”

⇨ Digital Photography Review, Jeremy Gray, “Canon unveils AI-powered automatic camera, the PowerShot PICK.”

2021-02-01