After getting an iPhone with a decent built-in camera, I was under the impression that point-and-shoot cameras, like the Canon IXUS 55 (aka PowerShot SD450) I own, are all but dead. In an unusually interesting story, CNET’s Leonard Goh reports about an unofficial “expansion pack” for Canon cameras. The expansion pack’s purpose is to workaround the fact that the camera’s firmware – not necessarily its hardware – is what limits what the camera can and cannot do.
I installed the CHDK (Canon Hacker’s Development Kit) version that fits my camera model, and was amazed to see it in action. It provides, for instance, improved control over shutter speed, enabling one to take these fabulous photos using a relatively cheap camera.