Canon announced US availability of four new PowerShot consumer point-and-shoot and super-zoom camera models, the PowerShot G16, PowerShot S120, PowerShot SX510 HS, and PowerShot SX170 IS. All four are incremental upgrades to 2011 thru 2012-launched predecessors.

　　The lineup begins with the PowerShot G16. This quasi-professional super-zoom point-and-shooter succeeds the PowerShot G15, with a chunkier body, a new Wi-Fi wireless networking support, which lets you instantly stream your image and video captures to a smartphone, tablet, or through the web to popular social networks like Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. It comes with iOS and Android apps that let you back-up contents of the camera to your device.

　　Its actual imaging chops aren't leaps and bounds over the G15. You still get a 12.1-megapixel HS CMOS sensor, a 28-140 mm wide-angle lens with f/1.8 - f/2.8 aperture range, the ability to shoot continuously at 9.3 frames per second, and record 1080p video at 60 frames per second. Slated for October, the PowerShot G16 is expected to be priced at $549.99.

　　Next up, is the PowerShot S120, a pocket-sized point-and-shooter that builds on the PowerShot S110 from last year. Much like the G16, it adds Wi-Fi wireless networking, native apps to upload your captures to four popular social networks, and apps that back your camera's contents up onto your smartphone or tablet. In the imaging department, you get a 12.1-megapixel sensor, a 24-120 mm wide-angle lens, with f/1.8-f/5.7 aperture range; and the ability to capture 1080p video at 60 frames per second. Also slated for October, the PowerShot S120 is expected to go for $449.99.

　　Moving on, the SX520 HS is the first of two new bulky super-zooms by Canon. It doesn't particularly succeed any previous camera by the company, but gives you the imaging prowess of a G16 with super-zoom optics, and the Wi-Fi paraphernalia. You get the same 12.1-megapixel HS CMOS sensor as the others, mated with a 30X optical zoom 24 mm lens. It lacks some of the HDR shooting modes of the G16 and S120. Slated for October, it's priced at $249.99.

　　Lastly, there's the SX170 IS, a more compact super-zoom that's the most affordable of the lot, with a slightly different mix of hardware than the SX520 HS. It features a higher-resolution 16-megapixel sensor, but one that isn't rated HS (high-sensitivity). The sensor is mated with a 16X optical zoom 28 mm lens with OIS. Sadly, there's none of the Wi-Fi paraphernalia as the others, and video is recorded only at 720p, and at 60 frames per second. 1080p with 30 FPS would have made us happy. Slated for October, it's priced at $179.99.