Canon Cyber shot Digital Camera Digital SLR Camera FujiFilm Kodak NikonForbes magazine, just published a list of the top deals on digital cameras which included two of our own recommendations, the Fujifilm FinePix S700, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55, and the Nikon D40 as well as Canon’s A720 IS. In fact the Canon was their first pick with “above-average features like image stabilization and a long, 6x optical zoom.” Note that the Fujifilm FinePix S700 has a 10x optical zoom. The fact that the Canon A720 IS has faced detection is noted but that also doesn’t set the camera apart from the others.
About the Fujifilm FinePix S700 they said: “The S700 is a great camera for beginners keen to take their photography seriously. This model offers superior image quality from the get-go and doesn’t leave you in the lurch if you want to do something fancy.”
The digital SLR camera that they suggested was the Nikon D40: “Though it’s been updated slightly over the past year with the release of the D40x, the original model is still a fantastic camera with a remarkably low price. For around $500, consumers can have a robust, powerful digital camera that serves as an excellent bridge between casual picture-taking and true photography that you could hang in a gallery or see in a magazine. Furthermore, the D40’s body is relatively small, making it easy to carry and a pleasure to use.”
And finally the cameras they want you to avoid are the Kodak V803and V1003 ultra-compact models and Kodak’s point-and-shoot C743 none of which we’ve recommended either.
December 14th, 2007
Casio Digital Camera ExilimCasio’s 0.7 inch thin Exilim EX-S880 is at the top of Wired’s and many others’ list for ultraslim digital cameras this year.
Small frame and brushed metal design make for a solid camera that won’t get banged up in your pocket which is highly recommended for casual photographers and photographers in need of something small. The downside is that image quality suffers with soft pictures. Not necessarily an upgrade from the EX-S770.
“My EX-S880 never weighs me down.” That’s some marketing for you. You can take the camera anywhere and be prepared to capture some of those Kodak moments or rather YouTube moments. Casio make this even easier with a special YouTube Capture Mode which is exclusive to Casio Exilims. With this feature you record in a YouTube friendly format when recording video and after you set it up, once you connect the camera to your computer it will automatically upload your latest videos to your YouTube account. The YouTube feature is actually quite useful although the format doesn’t bring out the camera’s best qualities. Other features? The camera like other Exilims has automatic face detection and auto tracking AF but lacks continuous autofocus. The camera also features Movie Stabilizer technology and Anti-Shake DSP for making video and still images look better when the camera is moving around. And not only is there a YouTube feature there is also an eBay mode for taking better photos of your products to put online.
Another nice touch is the video record button which is separate from the regular snap button. No more switching from still picture to video mode.
Basics:
2.4 x 3.7 x 0.7 inches, 8 ounces
2.8 inch super bright LCD
8.1 Megapixel CCD
3x optical zoom
MPEG-4 H.264 16:9 format video
Estimated price of $249
Previous Casio Exilim reviews:
Casio Exilim EX Z1200 Review…
Casio EXILIM ZOOM EX-Z75 Review …
Casio Exilim EX-Z1050 Review…
Casio Exilim EX-V7 Review
December 12th, 2007
Digital Camera DXGA 10 megapixel digital camera for under $200? That’s what the DXG-110 has: 10 Megapixel CCD sensor (with up to 12 Megapixel image resolution), a 2.5″ high-resolution TFT screen, 3X optical/4X digital zoom, 30 FPS of VGA video with sound, digital voice recording function, and of 32MB of built-in internal flash memory which won’t store many of your 10 megapixel photos. The camera also features AutoFocus tracking, Focus Illuminator, and Face Detection. DXG proprietary technology, including Automatic Contrast Management, Advanced Flash Controls, ISO 1600/Antishake, and Dynamic Fill Light
All of this in a small palm-sized camera. Without actually seeing the camera I can’t comment on image quality. But I do know that DXG is not a high quality camera company and nobody expects this product to be any different (from the DXG-538 or DXG-711 digicam). The megapixels is a gimmick and by having more of these you are surely going to lose out on other aspects.
What good is any pixel that isn’t going to record an accurate color? What good is 10 megapixels of noise?
December 10th, 2007
Canon Cyber shot Digital Camera FujiFilm GE PowerShot SonyComparison between the GE A830, Sony CyberShot DSC-S700, Fujifilm Finepix Z10, and the Canon PowerShot A560:
These four entry-level, affordable, point-and-shoot cameras all have 3x zoom except for the Canon A560 which has 4x optical zoom and we will ignore digital zoom. They all have approximately 7 megapixels except for the GE A830 which has eight megapixels. They all have a 2.5 inch LCD screen except for the Sony S700 which is slightly smaller. And they all go for $149 except for the GE A830 which is currently on sale “exclusively” at Kmart for $129 although you can pick it up from a few other places for the same price such as Dell.
So first let’s talk about the cheapest of the lot, the GE A830. In this case it’s not necessarily a good deal unless you desperately need to spend slightly less even though if you shop around you can probably find one of the other three for the same price. The Washington Post’s hired lab found many problems with the quality of the output of the camera: “Our lab tests show the GE A830 has trouble with colors: yellows, greens, and blues look dull and sometimes half the picture is tinted a different shade than the other half.” They also found that performance was unreliable and inconsistent throughout. The resolution of the images and even of the LCD screen, the flash, and its face detection system.
Sony CyberShot DSC-S700 on the other hand has good build quality of full metal and design and images do come out well. An improvement on the S600. However, video recording is not one of its stronger points. And of course like all Sony products you’re stuck using Memory Stick which would raise the price of this entry-level camera if you don’t already have other Sony products. There is no manual exposure mode.
Fujifilm Finepix Z10 is another good camera in a long line of good Finepix cameras But like the Sony CyberShot it performs less well in over ISO 200 conditions with highly noticeable noise in low light may be worse overall than the Sony S700. The camera does have some good features and its face detection system can detect up to 10 faces. But it’s image stabilization is lacking. On the other hand it comes in colors like “wasabi green” and hot pink. Below is the camera in midnight black.
The Canon PowerShot A560 is a welcome step up from others in the A series like the A460, the A540, and the A550. It lacks the image stabilization of the A570 IS but it does have the Digic III processor, a face detection system, ISO 1600, and decent redeye removal.
“Although the line’s “A” designation stands for the convenient AA batteries it accepts, it could easily stand for “affordable” or simply reflect the consistently high marks that these feature-packed PowerShot digital cameras earn from camera users and digital camera advocates alike. These two newest A-Series digital cameras continue to deliver on Canon’s long-standing commitment to produce the highest quality cameras at the highest possible value to consumers. Indeed, Canon’s A-series of cameras have long been heralded as a top-featured, entry-level line of digital cameras and rewarded with considerable consumer loyalty.”
Overall a good camera and highly recommended especially if you can get it for much less than the estimated selling price of $229. You should be able to find it for $149.
December 10th, 2007
Canon Digital Camera PowerShotWired Magazine put it on their Christmas wish list at number four calling it a “pocket paparazzo”. The Canon PowerShot G9 is a serious camera without being a huge DSLR, and if you’re familiar with the other cameras in the PowerShot series (such as the PowerShot G7 from last year which this camera is but a slight improvement upon) you know about how small it is. Somehow it still has a 12.1 Megapixel sensor which should be much more than enough no matter how serious you are. Also comes with the face-detection, improved focus and handling, and the ability to shoot in RAW mode.
The PowerShot G9’s RAW mode lets you shoot images without JPEG compression. It gives you clearer images and complete creative control in editing. RAW images are transferred directly to the computer where they can then be edited using image adjustment software or a processing application to adjust your images as you please. The camera can also be set to allow the simultaneous recording of both RAW and JPEG images while shooting.
Also features 6x image-stabilized optical zoom; 3.0-inch LCD display (some accuracy issues); optical viewfinder.
Suggested that $500 you can get it for as little as $329.
December 6th, 2007
Digital Camera Olympus ReviewOlympus SP-560UZ Digital Camera comes with great components; 18x optical zoom lens; 8.1 megapixels, optical image stabilization; TruePic Turbo III image processor with face detection technology; can photograph large group portraits, faraway football goals, and everything in between; feature-laden; $499 price tag, about $100 more than its competitors; two other models have come out with nearly identical specs, but cost much less: the Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 ; pricey SP-560 didn’t fare well; doesn’t have much to offer compared to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18, the Canon S5, and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H7; suffers from inaccurate and undersaturated colors, disappointing resolution performance that shows obvious barrel distortion, very ugly blue noise that makes ISO speeds of 1600 and 3200 essentially unusable, and malfunctioning long exposures that make the right corners of the photos glow; has very low noise at ISO 50 and 100, as well as excellent dynamic range at those ISO speeds. Most telling, however, is the 560UZ didn’t even perform better than its predecessor, the Olympus SP-550UZ, in most image quality categories; high-quality components; 2.5-inch LCD screen with 230,000 pixels and very wide viewing angles, an electronic viewfinder with a smooth view, and a pop-up flash that hardly ever catches a red eye; long lens [unable] to function in Movie mode when the audio is turned on, only when the audio recording is off; recognized three faces at a time but didn’t track as well as similar technology on the Canon S5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18.
The Olympus SP-560UZ has a lot of great features, exposure modes, and components packed into a comfortable body, but its pictures don’t turn out as well as they should. The autofocus system is slow, so fleeting moments are missed. Many captured images are plagued with noise and have horrifically inaccurate colors. It’s not worth the $499 price, especially considering the less expensive competition outperforms it.
Washington Post
November 23rd, 2007
Digital Camera Digital SLR Camera Fuji FujiFilmBasic specifications: 8-megapixel 1/2.35-inch CCD (not SuperCCD), Fujinon 18x Optical zoom lens, F2.8 - F4.5, f=4.7mm - 84.2 mm, Equivalent to 27 - 486mm on a 35mm camera, AUTO / AUTO (ISO1600) / AUTO (ISO800) / AUTO (ISO400) / Equivalent to ISO64 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200 / 6400, 4sec. to 1/2000 sec. shutter speed. List price of £299.99
The Finepix S8000fd represents Fujifilm’s best attempt yet to fuse the advantages of compact and DSLR cameras together, rivaling the latest entry-level DSLRs. The likes of the Nikon D40x, Pentax K100D and Canon EOS 400D all offer faster performance and better image quality than the Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd, plus the advantage of RAW mode which is notably missing on the S8000fd. Crucially, slightly wider-angle than its main competitor, the excellent Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18. The difference in JPEG image quality at slower ISO speeds isn’t that pronounced, but the S8000fd suffers by comparison with its noisy ISO 800 and 1600 ISO settings. The electronic viewfinder is greatly improved, with better resolution and refresh rate, but it’s still ultimately less comfortable and accurate than a traditional optical viewfinder, especially for action photography. So the advantages of the compact digicam format (movie mode, live preview on the LCD screen, dust-free fixed lens) don’t quite out-weigh the disadvantages of this camera, until you factor in the 18x zoom lens. For the majority of photographers the Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd has almost every situation covered in terms of focal length, from wide-angle landscapes to close-up nature shots, all in a light and compact body. You would have to purchase and carry at least a couple of lenses to cover the same distance with a DSLR camera. Thankfully Fujifilm have at last seen sense and included an image stabilization system, an essential feature given the massive zoom range on offer, and one that works very well in practice. This also means that Fujifilm can finally compete on a level playing field with their main super-zoom competitors, most notably the 18x models from Panasonic and Olympus. We haven’t reviewed the Panasonic FZ18 yet, but we much preferred the S8000fd to the Olympus SP-550 UZ, which offers a less usable interface and much poorer image quality. The Fujifilm Finepix S8000fd is therefore both our current ultra-zoom camera of choice, and a viable alternative to a DSLR camera.
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November 23rd, 2007
Canon Digital Camera Digital SLR Camera PowerShotThe latest model in Canon’s popular line of image-stabilized superzoom cameras, the 8-megapixel Canon PowerShot S5 IS is similar to its predecessor, the 6-megapixel PowerShot S3 IS (there’s no S4). The Canon PowerShot S5 IS is more of an evolutionary update than a major upgrade in Canon’s megazoom PowerShot line. That’s okay, since the camera has been updated enough to keep it current but still maintains the attributes that made the S3 IS so popular. Of course I, and probably many other photographers, would welcome the ability to shoot RAW with the Canon S5 IS, but the camera has more than enough features to keep both control-obsessed enthusiasts and point-and-shooters happy. Like most superzooms, the solidly built Canon PowerShot S5 IS has the look and feel of a digital SLR. Thanks to its increased size (2.5-inch vs. the S3’s 2-inch monitor) and higher resolution (207,000 pixels vs. the S3’s 115,000 pixels), the Canon S5 IS’s LCD is a pleasure to use regardless of lighting conditions.Thanks to its increased size (2.5-inch vs. the S3’s 2-inch monitor) and higher resolution (207,000 pixels vs. the S3’s 115,000 pixels), the Canon S5 IS’s LCD is a pleasure to use regardless of lighting conditions. Overall, the Canon PowerShot S5 IS is fast enough for most shooting conditions. Canon’s Face Detection technology seems to be one of the better ones on the market and it works pretty well on the Canon S5 IS. Canon’s Face Detection technology seems to be one of the better ones on the market and it works pretty well on the Canon S5 IS. Despite some corner softness at both extremes (wide angle and full telephoto) and an average amount of barrel distortion at wide angle, the Canon S5 IS’s 12x zoom lens did a good job of producing sharp and nicely-detailed images in well-lit areas. Details became softer in shadows due to noise suppression, though. The Canon S5’s other major shortcoming is an unexpectedly high level of chromatic aberration.The Canon S5’s other major shortcoming is an unexpectedly high level of chromatic aberration.
The Canon PowerShot S5 IS has a lot to offer with its image-stabilized 12x optical zoom lens and well-rounded feature set that provides more than enough sophistication and manual options for advanced amateurs and prosumers, while providing less experienced photographers a solid set of familiar options like Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes. Image noise issues and the appearance of chromatic aberration mar the otherwise pleasing image quality and although the S5 IS benefits in many ways from the latest DIGIC III processor from Canon, its performance could be taken up a notch. The Canon PowerShot S5 IS, however, has so much to offer in terms of features and design that these attributes may be enough to compensate for the camera’s shortcomings. The S5 IS is one of the many megazoom cameras I’ve tested, the S5 IS is one of my favorites.
The latest model in Canon’s popular line of image-stabilized superzoom cameras, the 8-megapixel Canon PowerShot S5 IS is similar to its predecessor, the 6-megapixel PowerShot S3 IS (there’s no S4). The Canon PowerShot S5 IS is more of an evolutionary update than a major upgrade in Canon’s megazoom PowerShot line. That’s okay, since the camera has been updated enough to keep it current but still maintains the attributes that made the S3 IS so popular. Of course I, and probably many other photographers, would welcome the ability to shoot RAW with the Canon S5 IS, but the camera has more than enough features to keep both control-obsessed enthusiasts and point-and-shooters happy. Like most superzooms, the solidly built Canon PowerShot S5 IS has the look and feel of a digital SLR. Thanks to its increased size (2.5-inch vs. the S3’s 2-inch monitor) and higher resolution (207,000 pixels vs. the S3’s 115,000 pixels), the Canon S5 IS’s LCD is a pleasure to use regardless of lighting conditions.Thanks to its increased size (2.5-inch vs. the S3’s 2-inch monitor) and higher resolution (207,000 pixels vs. the S3’s 115,000 pixels), the Canon S5 IS’s LCD is a pleasure to use regardless of lighting conditions. Overall, the Canon PowerShot S5 IS is fast enough for most shooting conditions. Canon’s Face Detection technology seems to be one of the better ones on the market and it works pretty well on the Canon S5 IS. Canon’s Face Detection technology seems to be one of the better ones on the market and it works pretty well on the Canon S5 IS. Despite some corner softness at both extremes (wide angle and full telephoto) and an average amount of barrel distortion at wide angle, the Canon S5 IS’s 12x zoom lens did a good job of producing sharp and nicely-detailed images in well-lit areas. Details became softer in shadows due to noise suppression, though. The Canon S5’s other major shortcoming is an unexpectedly high level of chromatic aberration.The Canon S5’s other major shortcoming is an unexpectedly high level of chromatic aberration.
The Canon PowerShot S5 IS has a lot to offer with its image-stabilized 12x optical zoom lens and well-rounded feature set that provides more than enough sophistication and manual options for advanced amateurs and prosumers, while providing less experienced photographers a solid set of familiar options like Auto, Program AE, and Scene modes. Image noise issues and the appearance of chromatic aberration mar the otherwise pleasing image quality and although the S5 IS benefits in many ways from the latest DIGIC III processor from Canon, its performance could be taken up a notch. The Canon PowerShot S5 IS, however, has so much to offer in terms of features and design that these attributes may be enough to compensate for the camera’s shortcomings. The S5 IS is one of the many megazoom cameras I’ve tested, the S5 IS is one of my favorites.
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November 23rd, 2007
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