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Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Digital Camera

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Just ordered this little chap :

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Digital Camera – Blue (16.0 MP, 5x Optical Zoom) 3.0 inch TFT LCD.

*16.0 Megapixel camera with metal body
*28mm wide-angle, 5x optical zoom Canon lens with optical Image Stabilizer
*Large 7.5 cm (3.0″) LCD with Hints & Tips for easy shooting
*HD Movies (720p) with Dynamic IS for steady video when walking
*People shots made easy with Face Detection, FaceSelf-Timer and Auto Red-Eye Correction

Easy point and shoot with 3″ LCD screen, 5x optical zoom, 28mm wide-angle lens and HD movie capability

The PowerShot A3300 IS combines ease of use with an IXUS inspired, new slim design. Compact enough to fit in your pocket, it also features a smart stylish metal exterior – perfect for you to take wherever you go. It’s also packed with a wide range of features making it the perfect choice for those that want the ideal combination of style and convenience. Features include:

*5x optical zoom
*Dynamic Optical Image Stabilizer for steady recordings
*28mm wide-angle lens
*HD movie recording
*3″ LCD screen
*16 Megapixels
*Smart Auto with new Advanced Scene Detection for great results in 32 different default situations
*Easy Mode which allows children to take great shots with the push of a single button
*Face Detection Technologies which can simultaneously detect the faces of up to 35 individuals in a single frame with high speed auto focusing
*Range of control and creative options which can take your photography skills to the next level
*Discreet Mode for use where flash photography is prohibited
*Live View Control Mode for optional manual setting controls
*Face Detection Self-Timer for those tricky to shoot self-portraits
*Automatic Red Eye Correction and Low Light mode and Canon’s i-Contrast correction offering improved contrast and even greater detail

Record fast-paced, full High Definition movies with stereo sound

For moments that are better caught on video, the PowerShot A3300 IS offers advanced video performance with the capability to record HD movies at 720p. Optical zoom is available during shooting, allowing speeds of up to 30 frames per second – and stereo sound guarantees clear, CD quality audio every time.

The lens’ quiet motor allows you to zoom during recording with minimum audio interference, while the intelligent Dynamic Optical Image Stabilizer is designed to reduce the effects of camera shake if you need to move with your scene. Using the various shooting modes in movie can add an interesting dynamic to your footage. Miniature Mode, for example, adds a completely new dimension to video – resulting in dramatic and compelling miniature-style, time-lapse videos.

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Digital Camera

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS Digital Camera

Effortless shooting – superb results

When you’re taking pictures, the only thing you want to think about is your subject so, the effortless PowerShot A3300 IS offers two simple shooting modes – Smart Auto and Easy mode.

Smart Auto mode allows the camera to intelligently select the appropriate settings so you can concentrate on your subject. Advanced Scene Detection Technology automatically analyses shooting conditions – detecting people, distance, brightness, colour and movement information – then selects the one that offers the perfect setting from 32 specially defined scenes. So whether you’re photographing flowers, a captivating sunset or friends in the park you can be confident you’re getting the perfect image. Smart Auto is also more than just scene detection. With moving subjects Servo Auto Focus/Auto Exposure (AF/AE) is in continuous operation so your subjects are always in focus and correctly exposed. For close-ups the camera automatically switches to Macro mode for sharp shots while Smart Flash Exposure optimises exposure and flash controls to ensure your subject is perfectly lit whilst dark and light areas are accurately reproduced.

In Easy mode the camera automatically selects all the camera settings deactivating all buttons except those used for shooting – ideal for beginners or children.

Choice of manual shooting modes

With the PowerShot A3300 IS, you have the option of selecting from a range of manual shooting modes that you can count on for exact focus no matter where your subject is in the frame. Simply select the mode you want and let the camera take care of everything else, ensuring breathtaking, exhilarating pictures even when shooting conditions are tough. There are also two photo effect modes: Super Vivid, which adds vibrant colours to photos for a dramatic result; and Poster Effect, which gives a retro feel to photos by creating a poster-like effect.


In addition, it offers a new mode, Live View Control Mode. As well as the automatic technology this camera offers, it also allows some basic manual control over visual effects with easy operations displayed onscreen.

The 5x optical zoom allows for a wide range of framing options and lets you get up close and personal with far away objects. Camera shake can be an issue with zoom lenses but Canon’s market-leading Dynamic Optical Image Stabilizer makes sure that you can capture steady shots throughout the zoom range.

The PowerShot A3300 IS features a new Discreet Mode function which is designed for you to quickly and easily shoot in locations where flash photography is prohibited like art galleries and museums.

Alternatively, it also features a Low-Light mode for use in places such as parties and candlelit restaurants where you don’t want to use a flash – automatically allowing you to capture atmospheric shots.

Meanwhile Canon’s i-Contrast feature offers improved contrast and greater detail in tricky lighting conditions. Available in either shooting or playback mode, i-Contrast analyses the exposure, dynamic range and other image characteristics of a shot then adaptively increases the contrast in dark areas to produce heightened detail in those regions. It does this without blowing out correctly exposed parts of the image, while the camera’s noise reduction technology ensures minimal noise in the adjusted areas.

The PowerShot A3300 IS runs off an intelligent rechargeable Li-ion battery that will give you hours of shooting pleasure and is quick and easy to recharge.

As well as taking fantastic still pictures the PowerShot A3300 IS allows you to capture smooth 30fps VGA video clips. For fast and easy uploading of your clips to sharing websites like YouTube™, Easy Web Upload software (PIXELA) is included free in the box. This displays your SD clips and can store your YouTube™ login details, so you can just select your clip and upload with one click.

With Face Detection, up to 35 faces can be detected in each shot whilst focus, exposure, flash setting and white balance are all automatically adjusted for optimal results with natural-looking skin tones. Face Select & Track allows a single face in a crowd to be selected and tracked as the main subject while a Face Detection Self-Timer also makes group photos and self-portraits easy. Once the shot is set up, the shutter pressed and the self-timer starts the camera records the number of faces detected in the frame. It then waits for an extra face to join the frame and adjusts focus and exposure before it takes the picture.

Motion Detection Technology uses changes in scene information and scene brightness to accurately identify subject motion. The optimal ISO level is then set automatically to minimise blur and maximise image quality.

Automatic Red-Eye Correction is available in both shooting and playback mode and accurately removes the red-eye effect caused by the flash.

The lens is the most important part of any imaging device and all Canon cameras incorporate lenses designed and manufactured by Canon to the most exacting standards – lenses based on over 70 years of experience.

The outstanding quality of Canon lenses is underscored by their use in most broadcast applications. For example programmes like Coronation Street, Casualty and X Factor, nature documentaries like The Blue Planet and Life, as well as the majority of outside broadcasts in the UK, are all recorded using Canon’s state-of-the-art broadcast lenses.

What is bowel cancer?

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What is bowel cancer?

Bowel cancer (also known as rectal, colorectal or colon cancer) affects the lower part of the digestive system – the large bowel and the rectum.

The condition is rare in people under 40 and almost 85 per cent of cases are diagnosed in over 65-year-olds. It affects men and women equally, and is the third most common type of cancer in men and the second most common in women. One in 20 people in the UK develops bowel cancer.

Bowel cancer isn’t easy to treat, mainly because it’s often detected once well-established – and possibly after it has spread beyond the bowel. However, estimates suggest that nine out of 10 cases can be successfully treated if detected early. Survival has doubled over the past 30 years because of early diagnosis.

Doctors urge the public to be more aware of the warning signs of bowel problems and to report them promptly.

Bowel cancer symptoms

The problem with bowel cancer symptoms is that they could easily be caused by less life-threatening complaints, such as haemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome.

However, doctors advise that if the following symptoms persist for longer than a couple of weeks, medical attention should be sought:

*Blood flecks in your stools, particularly if the blood is dark or plum-coloured – this is the most commonly noticed symptom and should never be ignored

* A change in your regular bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhoea, that’s severe or lasts for two weeks or more

* A feeling that you need to empty your bowels even when you’ve just been to the toilet

* Abdominal pain or discomfort that lasts for two weeks or more

* Unexplained weight loss

* Some people feel tired, dizzy or breathless because they’ve become anaemic from microscopic bleeding from the bowel

Bowel cancer causes

The exact cause of bowel cancer isn’t known, but there is believed to be a genetic link to a small number of cases, as those with a family history are more likely to develop it themselves.

Bowel cancer cell

Bowel cancer cell

If you have a first-degree relative (a member of your immediate family) diagnosed before the age of 45 or two immediate family members affected by the condition, you should talk to your GP about genetic screening to see if you’re at risk. Keep a record of your family health history.

Diet is also a key factor identified by scientists. Low-fibre, high-fat diets are thought to have increased the rates of bowel cancer.

Your risk of bowel cancer increases with age, as the average age of diagnosis is about 70. However, younger people can also be diagnosed with the disease. Previous problems with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, such as long standing ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, also appear to increase the risk.

Diagnosing bowel cancer

To diagnose bowel cancer, your GP may do a rectal examination to check for any abnormal changes. This involves putting a gloved finger in the rectum to feel for any lumps or swellings – this is usually only slightly uncomfortable.

The NHS bowel cancer screening programme was introduced in 2006. It offers routine screening every two years to all men and women aged 60 to 69 (50 to 74 in Scotland). People over 70 can request a free screening kit by calling 0800 707 6060.

To investigate bowel cancer symptoms, doctors and hospital specialists often ask patients to undergo sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Both involve gently pushing a long thin tube containing a tiny video camera through your back passage and into the rectum and colon to take a close look at the inside of the bowel. If polyps or abnormal areas of the lining of the bowel are seen, biopsies may be taken and sent to the laboratory for analysis. This can be uncomfortable, but is very seldom a painful experience.


A barium enema may also be done. This involves injecting a dye into the lower bowel via an enema, which shows up on x-rays to help doctors spot signs of cancers.

If the diagnosis is cancer, the tumour will then be staged. Doctors may order more complex tests such as CT or MRI scans to see if the cancer has spread to other organs, such as the liver. This helps doctors to work out what treatment is most appropriate and to provide an estimate of the chances of a cure.

Bowel cancer treatments

The main treatment option for bowel cancer is surgery – if the disease can be caught before it breaks through the bowel wall, chances of success are much higher.

Usually, the piece of bowel that contains the cancer is removed and the two open ends are joined back together. This operation is called a bowel resection.

If the two sections can’t be joined back together, often because the tumour is too low, the bowel can be brought out through the abdominal wall. This is called a stoma, which is connected to a colostomy bag. Although this procedure is more likely after removal of a tumour in the rectum, it isn’t always necessary and may only be temporary. In these cases, further treatment may not be necessary.

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are increasingly being used to treat bowel cancer in addition to surgery, especially in more advanced tumours. For example, a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be given before surgery for rectal cancer. This is known as neo-adjuvant therapy and may reduce the risk of recurrence and improve survival rates.

How well patients do after treatment depends on the stage the cancer has reached. Survival rates have improved in the past 30 years, but overall survival is still only about 50 per cent at five years. However, when bowel cancer is caught early – before it has spread to other organs such as the liver or the lungs – the chances of recovery are more than 80 per cent.

Preventing bowel cancer

People are encouraged to eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, as this appears to reduce the risk. A high-fibre diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and carbohydrates (pasta, bread, rice) is believed to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Moderate amounts of exercise may also protect against bowel cancer.

Eating a diet high in saturated fat and red meat, and low in fibre, smoking and being overweight, increases your risk as does drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day is thought to protect against this and many different cancers through the benefits of the antioxidant vitamins and minerals they contain.