Point and Shoot SDK

I hope you can point me in the right direction. I have talked to just about every major digital camera manufacture and have not come up with a solution to my problem. Canon was where I started because up until now, they actually had a solution I could use. Please let me explain what I am trying to do in general terms:

I work for a very large retail company that visualize a product on a computer. This product is flat, and comes in many different sizes. The customer would bring this product in and place on a worktop area. A camera, or video capture device, would be mounted above the worktop about 8' from the ground (So it is impossible for the employee to manipulate the device). The employee would go a computer, and through the computer be able to zoom, adjust the lighting, focus, capture and save the image of the product. Once taken, the employee would make changes to display a final form of the end product.

Canon had a SDK that worked on their S5is model, which would have been perfect. However, they are "end-of-life"ing this camera, and the decision from Japan is the SDK will no longer work in Point and Shoot camera's in the future. A regular SLR won't work for us, as I can't control the zoom, and the cost would be to great (we are talking about
2,000 image capture devices in total). The resolution would have to be greater than a web camera, camcorder or security camera would currently allow, so a digital camera is ideal. The specifications for a camera would be as follows, I think:

At least 6 MP

A/C Adaptor

Point and Click type camera

Tethered to a PC through USB or Firewire

Zoom-able

Adjustable White Balance

Shutter release

Image transfer

And of course, affordable (under $500 per device)

Do you have any ideas for me? If you need more information I would more than glad to discuss with you.

Thank You for your time,

Stephen Britz