By Patrick Avenell

Overnight at CES in Las Vegas, Canon announced the release of three new Legria video cameras, two new IXUS fixed lens compact cameras and one new PowerShot fixed lens G-Series camera. All new models will be released in Australia by the end of March 2012.

The standout feature of the new Legria Full HD video cameras is built-in Wi-Fi, which enables recorded footage to be sent wirelessly to a computer or compatible television for playback. Uploading to social media sites is also streamlined via an iPhone app called ‘Movie Uploader’.

UPDATE: Canon has confirmed that the Wi-Fi standards supported are 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz band) and that the Movie Uploader app will only be available at launch for iOS (Apple).

Other features include direct back up to an external hard drive from the video camera (that is, without the need to use a PC in the middle of the process), improved Intelligent Image Stabiliser and MP4 recording support.

Canon's new Legria HFR38, which has 51x zoom.

The three new Legria models are the HFM52, which has Canon’s HD CMOS PRO sensor and Audio Scene Select, 32GB of built-in flash memory and an SD Card slot; the HFR36, which has 8GB of internal memory and 32x optical zoom; and the HFR38, which has 32GB of flash memory and 51x advanced zoom.

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In digital cameras, Canon has announced the IXUS 500 HS and the IXUS 125 HS. These two models both feature a slim design (both less than 20 millimetres thick), Canon’s DiG!C 5 Image Processor, Intelligent Auto Mode and Full HD video recording.

The 500 HS has a 10.1 megapixel High Sensitivity CMOS sensor and 12x optical zoom, while the 125 HS has a 16.1 megapixel High Sensitivity CMOS sensor and 5x optical zoom.

The new Canon IXUS 500 S in red and silver.

Finally, in Canon’s PowerShot range of high-end fixed lens cameras, there’s the new G1X. This camera has a 14.3 megapixel High Sensitivity CMOS sensor, 4x optical zoom, a 28-millimetre wide angle lens and 32 Intelligent Auto scenes. The G1X also has a 3-inch Vari-Angle LCD screen, which is great self portraits and taking photos at otherwise inconvenient angles and Full HD movie recording.

Canon PowerShot G1X.

Canon Australia reports that more information on pricing and availability will be known closer to the local release date.