The latest IXUS 300 HS from Canon comes with a fast lens, a super-fast burst shooting speed and a slow motion mode of video capture.

Canon has chosen to announce the model on a day when much fanfare was being directed towards Sony's interchangeable lens NEX cameras.

The IXUS range is usually targeted towards photographers who go for a stylish point-and-shoot. Nonetheless, the 300 HS has got some extra interesting features.

The IXUS 300 HS comes with a 10 megapixel backside-illuminated CMOS sensor. The combination of the sensor and the Digic 4 image processor is denoted by the HS, which is supposed to enhance image quality in low light situations. The 300 HS has a superbly fast burst shooting rate at 8.4 frames per seconds.

The lens specifications are even more exhilarating. A maximum lens opening of f/2.0 is a cool feature for a compact camera. The IXUS 300 HS is capable of shooting in HD (720p) and has an additional feature of slow motion video capture mode. The video resolution can be reduced to 340x240 and shoots at 240 frames per seconds.

Canon's IXUS 300 HS also has a similar feature like its previous IXUS 980 IS, which is the manual exposure control. The regional pricing have not been announced hitherto and will be available by the end of May in colour varieties of silver, red and black.