Olympus SP-570 UZ digital camera

How does this super zoom perform?



Some super zooms look a little uncomfortable in their shells – a fusion of huge lens body stuck on an otherwise fairly compact camera. The Olympus takes a slightly more macho approach, looking more like a compact SLR than some of its competitors, see for example, the Nikon P80 or Fujifilm’s FinePix S8100fd, both recently reviewed here on Pocket-lint. The Olympus SP-570 UZ, however, brings a mite more zoom to the party.

The camera is fairly well laid-out, giving you access to a huge number of options, both via hard buttons and through the menus. The back is dominated by a very good, crisp, 2.7in LCD screen, the normal round four-way and enter buttons, plus options for reviewing images, shadow adjustment, display and menus, and an AE and AF lock option, hinting at some of the more advanced features on offer.

Main mode controls, however, are handled by one of the dials on the top, which sits atop the main power switch. There is also a second dial on the top (which we will come back to later) and a conveniently placed exposure compensation button. Main modes accessed through the dial include a full auto mode; programme which handles aperture and shutter speed for you (P); aperture priority (A); shutter priority (S); full manual (M); My Mode, scene, guide, video capture and image review – a fair number of options.

The Guide is somewhat strange is it gives you basic operation guidelines, but does allow you to activate some of those options directly, which is great for novices. However, it might be a little difficult to get stuck as there are a huge number of scene modes you can select, from the normal landscape and portrait modes, right through to auction, behind glass, snow, beach and so on. All these scenes might make the SP-570 UZ appeal to the less experienced photographer.

Of course, those who know what they want to achieve, or more advanced users, can opt for the other modes, P, A, S, M and My Mode. These advanced modes begin to make use of the additional dial on the top, which will flick through settings without having to move your thumb down to the back controls, which makes it comfortable to use.

My Mode allows users to define their own settings and store four original modes of their own, which will be handy for those who want to take shots of a particular type which are not already catered for; the process is simple too and can include things like flash settings as well.

The flash is a manual pop-up option, and although you’ll be alerted to the need for flash on the display, you’ll have to press the button yourself. There are a range of flash options, including various types of red-eye prevention. For those looking to get more from a flash, there is a standard hot shoe plate on the top.

Besides the LCD on the rear there is an electronic viewfinder, with a dioptre adjuster. Switching to the EVF is via another button on the back of the camera, which switches off the LCD (except for image preview). As is often the case, the EVF doesn’t really give you a very good image and suffers when compared to the sort of image you’d get from a TTL SLR.

So moving to the 20x optical zoom: this is motor driven and controlled via the ring around the lens. It can be a little slow to respond whilst moving from the wider angle and into the zoom as the hardware moves around inside. You get a 26-520mm (equiv.), so not terrifically wide-angle, but an impressive range none the less. There is an additional digital zoom, which you’d hope would be unnecessary, and unless you have a tripod, a stationary subject and perfect conditions, is not worth enabling.

Of course, even at the far end of the optical zoom, camera shake is an issue, so it needs to be very well supported. The camera does feature dual image stabilisation, which will aid in reducing blur, but the more you zoom, the greater the effect it is trying to counter: the image stabilisation is better put to task capturing images with lower ISOs.

ISO seems to be something of a yoyo factor and you’ll often find that the ISO is boosted to capture the image you want, which may result in the quality dropping off as noise becomes more apparent. At higher ISOs the sensor drops down to less pixels too to try to keep things under control, but noise is still apparent, so controlling the ISO through the settings is preferable to accepting that which the scene selection might give you.

Back to the lens and we found performance reasonable across a range of situations, if you control the shake then you’ll get good images towards the far end of the zoom, although dark corners do start to appear in brighter conditions. At the wide angle there is noticeable barrel distortion which can be seen on the LCD viewfinder, but you’d expect to find these things on this type of set-up.

Certainly, the zoom offers you a range of options that you simply don’t get on other types of camera, not from your compact and not without investing in more lenses for your SLR.

At times, bright conditions can be a little overwhelming resulting in a lack of detail in highlights or a leaching of colours. There is also evidence of chromatic aberration resulting in softer images which don’t have the sharp detail you might be looking for. Colours can be well represented, but we found as the light dropped, the colours tended to become too vivid, out of balance with surroundings.

But there is also a whole host of technology packed into the SP-570 UZ, such as face detection and a smile shot option. You can also capture images at 13fps (but only at 3MP) and there are some neat multi-shot options so you can get the exact frame of action you want. The latter of these options becomes something of a necessity because the shooting cycle can feel a little slow, especially compared to an SLR, but are also great fun to play back, watching changing expressions and so on.

There is also an intelligent panoramic option which is a breeze to use, but you do need an Olympus xD-Picture Card to take advantage of this. Arguably this is also one of the shortcomings of this camera – the reliance of the xD-Picture Card over the dominant SD/SDHC format (although this looks set to change in their cameras for the future). Olympus do themselves no favours by not supplying a card in the box either.

Battery life is also something of an issue. The camera takes four AA batteries, housed in the right-hand grip, and we found that we only got around 200 shots from full rechargables (2500mAh) and this was almost all without flash. This is an obvious disadvantage of a powered zoom so access to rechargables is a must – at least AA batteries are easy to get hold of.

Verdict

With so many features on offer, it is impossible to cover all of them without rewriting the manual. The Olympus SP-570 UZ looks good, feels good in the hand and build quality is impressive. But with every super zoom camera compromises have to be made. This arrangement will let you capture images that you might otherwise miss and with good light in the middle-zoom ranges you can get some great shots. However, at the price being asked for, you can find cheaper alternatives in the super zoom category.

Super zooms often appeal to those who want to get close to the action for holiday photos, on safari, for example, but if yourself wanting a zoom on a regular basis, then stepping up to a DSLR model will get you better results, albeit at additional cost.

-pocket-lint

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS, Holiday Gift Guide 2008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008: The best digital cameras under $200


Okay, let’s get real. A lot of us are just not going to be ready, willing or able to plunk down $500 on a digital camera this holiday season, no matter how much we adore our gift recipients. So for the rest of us, here’s a list of my favorite digital cameras for under $200.

Canon PowerShot SD1100 ISCanon PowerShot SD1100 IS
I’ve always been a big fan of Canon’s Digital Elph point-and-shoots and though this isn’t my favorite of the Canon models, it’s hard to beat the SD1100 IS’s image quality at this price. It’s an 8.3-megapixel model and serves up a 3x optical zoom lens (38-114mm equivalent f/2.8-4.9), optical image stabilization (as with all the Canons that include IS in their names), face detection, an optical viewfinder, and a 2.5-inch LCD.

The SD 1100 IS can detect up to nine faces in a scene and use them to set exposure and focus. It uses face detection to remove red-eye automatically as you’re shooting and to calculate white balance for better skin tones. It can even let you choose a specific face in a scene to track as it moves around the scene you’re shooting. Canon’s Motion Detection Technology also uses face detection to determine if your subject is moving and adjusts settings to prevent motion blur.

Top that with relatively fast performance and minimal shutter lag (not to mention five metallic colors to choose from) and you’ve got a super deal that anyone would be pleased to find under the tree.

Janice Chen Zdnet

Samsung reveals NV24HD digital camera

What do you call a digital camera that's neither an SLR nor a superzoom nor an "ultraslim" compact? For lack of a sexier term, we've settled on standard compact. That makes these cameras sound like photography's version of the sensible sedan, but in fact this is the biggest category in cameras, spanning everything from $50 bubble-pack specials to the sophisticated models here, this year's top choices.

Smaller than superzoom compacts, standard compacts accommodate more features and overall imaging power than their ultraslim cousins. Some even accept accessories from their makers' D-SLR systems, such as hotshoe-mount flashes and off-camera TTL cords. Standard compacts are also usually more comfortable to hold than ultraslims, and unlike the latter they often still have optical finders -- allowing eye-level viewing for steadier shooting than is possible with now-familiar arms-length LCD-screen composition. Last but not least, because they aren't trying so hard to stay small or achieve superzoom-level magnification, standard compacts are often less expensive than other kinds of point-and-shoots with otherwise comparable features.

If there's anything more useful in a compact camera than having a 28mm-equivalent focal length, it's having a 24mm-equivalent focal length -- at least if you're photographing the city, a wide-open landscape, or in a small interior. Twenty-four millimeters is where the Samsung NV24's lens starts zooming, ending up at the equivalent of 86.5mm -- a moderate tele focal length long enough to minimize apparent distortion in tight portraits.

If that snug interior you're shooting is dimly lit, you're also in good shape. At 24mm, the NV24's zoom has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, which along with the NV24's lens-based image stabilization and top sensitivity of ISO 3200 helps minimize blur. (The lens slows to a not-so-bright f/5.7 at the long end.) For videos of spaces wide or claustrophobic you have the option of 1,280 x 720 pixels at 30fps, with high-definition 720p HDMI output to an HDTV through an accessory cradle (about $50). And if your HDTV happens to be a new Samsung model, you can navigate through the camera menus using the television's remote control.

The Samsung NV24's viewing screen is probably the first on your block -- an active-matrix organic LED (AM-OLED) rather than a conventional LCD. AM-OLEDs have a wider color gamut and faster "redraw" (the speed at which image-forming elements actually change), and can be made thinner too. The buzz among videophiles is that the flat-screen TVs of the future will be OLEDs. (Samsung is already showing some OLED TV prototypes.) Adding to the multimedia savvy of the NV24 is a Multi-Slide Show mode that lets you create transitions in-camera.

The array of buttons along two sides of the NV24's screen may seem intimidating at first, but they actually make settings simpler and faster by reducing the amount of menu-scrolling you have to do. One pushbutton mode is Self Portrait, in which the shutter won't fire unless a subject is in the center of the frame. That may not be the best composition, but at least you won't crop off your own head.

-infibeam

The toughest digital camera on the market?

I've seen many a digital camera die a slow and painful death while on the road. Sand that got caught in the lens mechanism. LCD screens cracked by bumper-car-joyrides. Accidental drops on unforgiving pavement. Not to mention those of us who abuse our cameras in adverse situations involving water, dust and extremes of temperature.

For anyone who's ever risked their digital to get a great shot but lost a nice camera in the process, I recommend checking out the Olympus Stylus 1030SW. According to the reviews I've found at Travel Gear Blog, as well as on CNET, the 1030W is one of the sturdiest cameras on the market. In addition to being waterproof and dustproof, the Olympus is also shockproof, crushproof and freezeproof down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

How durable is that exactly? According to specs, you can drop it from up to 6.6 feet and crush it with up to 220 pounds of pressure. While the 1030 SW can't match the optics of some of the top-of-the-line point-and-shoots out there, it does offer a solid 10.1 megapixels and the standard digital camera features like panorama stitching and image stabilization we've come to expect from most consumer point-and-shoots these days.

All you skiiers, snorkelers and adventure-travelers take note. Although there are better cameras on the market for image quality, this Olympus packs some great features into a highly durable package. Sometimes avoiding the aggravation of a ruined camera is worth that small sacrifice in functionality.


-Jeremy Kressmann

Best Middle Size Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Middle Size Digital Camera


Canon PowerShot G9
12.1 megapixels, 6.00x zoom
$474.36



Canon updates a classic "enthusiast" model, delivers a real winner! Sometimes, you just don't have the space or patience to lug along your SLR and several lenses, but still want good image quality, and plenty of manual control and flexibility to let your creativity express itself. That's where a camera like the Canon G9 comes in. The Canon G9 is the latest in one of the most famous product lines in the digicam industry, stretching all the way back to the original G1 first introduced in the Fall of 2000. The most recent G7 model drifted from its enthusiast-oriented roots a little bit, dropping RAW file capability, but that's been restored in the new G9. Old G-series fans will miss the original swivel-screen, but the big, bright 3" LCD on the G9 may console them a little. What most impressed us about the Canon PowerShot G9 though, was its image quality: Great color with loads of resolution. Like many high-megapixel cameras these days, it suffers a little from image noise at low ISO settings, but its important to keep in perspective just how fine-grained that noise will be at any reasonable print size. We found that even ISO 400 & 800 shots made surprisingly decent-looking 8x10 inch prints. Talk about detail: Who'd have imagined being able to make great-looking 16x20 prints from a "pocket" digital camera even a few years ago?


Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2
10.2 megapixels, 4.00x zoom
$388.11



A widescreen digicam with broad appeal. The Panasonic Lumix LX2, like its predecessor the LX1, is clearly inspired by the surging popularity of widescreen (16:9) televisions. Employing a unique set of "triple-wide" features, the Lumix LX2 combines a 28mm wide-angle Leica lens, a 16:9 wide CCD, and a 16:9 wide LCD. If you're the type who likes to count pixels, the DMC-LX2 has a 10 megapixel CCD that uses the full resolution of the sensor when shooting at 16:9. The Panasonic LX2 now has a 2.8-inch LCD that lets you see the entire wide-angle shot on the screen without letterboxing. (The LX1 had a 2.5-inch display which letterboxed 16:9 shots.) Other improvements include Panasonic's new LSI Venus Engine III image processor which is designed to lower noise at higher ISOs, and a new Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) system which detects subject movement and automatically adjusts ISO and shutter speed to suit the lighting conditions. Even without these changes, there a lot to talk about with the Lumix LX2 including many impressive manual options and Panasonic's tried-and-true MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)


Canon PowerShot A720 IS
8.0 megapixels, 6.00x zoom
$197.06



A capable all-around digital camera with high-end features at a great price Canon seems to offer a digital camera for every kind of customer, and the Canon A720 IS was made for those who want all the performance at a low price. With an 8-megapixel sensor, a 6x zoom, optical image stabilization, face detection, high ISO, and both a 2.5-inch LCD and an optical viewfinder, the Canon A720 IS has just about everything. Minor compromises are the low-resolution LCD and a slow flash-recharge cycle. The Canon A720's excellence is in the lens: While it's a 6x zoom, it is impressively sharp in the corners, and chromatic aberration is kept relatively low. As a result low ISO images from the Canon A720 print well at 13x19 inches, and even ISO 1,600 shots are usable at 4x6. Good shot-to-shot times and good shutter lag numbers mean that the Canon A720 will be a good no-nonsense digital camera for kids and pets, one that will double as a good video camera with 640x480 recording at 30fps.

Best Consumer SLR Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Consumer SLR Digital Camera


Nikon D40
6.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$494.78



A surprisingly excellent SLR that will take the market by storm We've been pleasantly surprised with the Nikon D40's excellent performance in low light and its simple grace as a day-to-day shooter. The Nikon D40 is a natural fit in most hands. Its controls are where they should be for easy use, and the D40 is a well-behaved guest at parties with its soft shutter sound. A big, bright LCD is great for reviewing photos from a wide variety of angles. The Nikon D40's low light performance at ISO 1,600 is startling, even without noise reduction turned on. It's so good that we don't really feel like we're pushing the D40 until we jump into ISO 3,200. The Nikon D40 stands up well against the competition -- even those with higher resolution -- with great image quality at all speeds, and near-perfect utility as a family camera. It's tough to ask for more. The Nikon D40 lives up to our expectations, and even exceeds them.


Canon EOS 400D Rebel XTi
10.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$620.64



Seriously excellent digital SLR with improved autofocus and a three-stage anti-dust system My first experience with the Canon Digital Rebel XTi was positive. It offers more of what you'd seek from a higher-end camera like the Canon EOS 30D at a much lower price. It's also smaller and easier to bring along, which is no small consideration when you want quality pictures on vacation. It can't quite reach to the EOS 30D's ISO 3,200 mode (it's limited to ISO 1600), nor does it have the benefit of 1/8,000 second shutter speed (it's limited to 1/4,000). But the Rebel XTi has something no other EOS has: automatic dust removal and abatement technology, plus a way to digitally subtract dust when a more thorough manual cleaning isn't possible. This important technology will doubtless make it into other EOS cameras, but for now the Canon Rebel XTi is the only self-dusting digital SLR available from Canon. From what I've seen the Canon Digital Rebel XTi will be an excellent take-anywhere all-purpose digital SLR, and will now better serve as a second camera for owners of Rebel XT, 20D, 30D, and 5D cameras who want to keep a second body with a different focal length strapped around their neck. More pixels, a bigger LCD, and dust reduction are great, but faster AF is the true benefit to the Rebel XTi


Olympus EVOLT E-510
10.0 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$656.53



The E-510 is a well-rounded SLR with more than a few tricks up its sleeve With just the right combination of features and a mature set of lenses, the Olympus E-510 gives the Four-Thirds system a strong contender in the ongoing battle of the digital SLRs. No longer trying to forge new body shapes, Olympus has crafted the E-510 to fit the hand well and lead the pack with innovative features. While matching the competition's standard specs of a 10 megapixel sensor, 2.5 inch LCD, and 3.1 frames per second, they've included their second generation Live View technology and sweetened the deal with sensor-shift image stabilization. As the Olympus E-410 wooed us with is svelte figure, the E-510 set about making better quality images and proving itself a fit rival for a place in your bag. As with all cameras, there are a few issues, but we were most impressed with the Olympus E-510's edge-to-edge image sharpness, thanks to the good quality kit lens; and its high ISO shots fared well against larger sensor designs. Live View, for its part, can easily be misunderstood, but its virtues are worth discovering, and make the E-510 a compelling choice for the creative photographer

Best Family Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Family Digital Camera

Canon PowerShot S3 IS
6.0 megapixels, 12.00x zoom
$307.01



Canon's flagship long zoom digicam gets better and better Offering a complete range of auto and manual exposure controls, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS is equally suited for novice users and experienced amateurs alike, with a big image-stabilized zoom for getting the shot no matter the situation. The Canon S3 IS's Auto mode keeps things simple for novices, while the manual settings offer the opportunity to take more control when you need it. Its 6.0-megapixel CCD captures high quality images, quite suitable for printing as large as 8x10-inches with good detail, and the increased sensitivity to ISO 800 with image stabilization is a better attack on red-eye than using the flash in red-eye reduction mode. The design is reasonably compact given the increased magnifying power of the 12x optical zoom lens, and the camera should fit in a larger coat pocket or be comfortable when using the neckstrap. The Canon S3 IS reaches beyond the normal limits by offering not only a long-ratio zoom lens, but a very effective image-stabilization system as well, that makes the long lens much more usable than it would be otherwise. Even at wide angle, image stabilization can help capture available light images without blur as low as 1/4 second shutter speeds. The Canon S3 IS also offers a movie mode capable of nonstop recording to the limits of the memory card's capacity, even at 640x480 resolution and a 30 frame/second frame rate. The PowerShot S3 IS is priced competitively, but its features and capabilities set it apart from the myriad camera choices in its price range, so the price will drop only slowly. If you're looking for a long-zoom camera with image stabilization that captures excellent photos and videos, the PowerShot S3 IS looks like a great choce.


Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3
8.0 megapixels, 10.00x zoom
$271.51



Packed with features, the Sony H3 has a fast shutter, a long zoom, and turns out great 13x19-inch prints Sony has developed a knack for packing a lot of high-end value in the entry-level model of each of their digital camera lines. In the long-zoom H-Series, the Sony H3 continues that trend with a 10x optical zoom, Advanced Sports mode, a Bionz processor, face detection technology, High ISO, Super SteadyShot, in-camera editing, and HD output signal. Gone is the electronic viewfinder found on the other H-series digital cameras, and the Sony H3's LCD has shrunk from 3.0 to 2.5 inches. That, along with a move to lithium-ion power from AA power, makes the Sony Cyber-shot H3 a much smaller camera. The real appeal of the Sony H3, though, is its image output quality: ISO 100 shots look great at 13x19, and even ISO 400 shots look good at 11x14. A good candidate as the enthusiast's second camera, the Sony H3's fast shutter, 10x zoom, and image stabilization make it a great digital camera for anyone looking for a little more quality in a small, long zoom package

Best Enthusiast Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Enthusiast Digital Camera


Canon PowerShot G9
12.1 megapixels, 6.00x zoom
$474.36



Canon updates a classic "enthusiast" model, delivers a real winner! Sometimes, you just don't have the space or patience to lug along your SLR and several lenses, but still want good image quality, and plenty of manual control and flexibility to let your creativity express itself. That's where a camera like the Canon G9 comes in. The Canon G9 is the latest in one of the most famous product lines in the digicam industry, stretching all the way back to the original G1 first introduced in the Fall of 2000. The most recent G7 model drifted from its enthusiast-oriented roots a little bit, dropping RAW file capability, but that's been restored in the new G9. Old G-series fans will miss the original swivel-screen, but the big, bright 3" LCD on the G9 may console them a little. What most impressed us about the Canon PowerShot G9 though, was its image quality: Great color with loads of resolution. Like many high-megapixel cameras these days, it suffers a little from image noise at low ISO settings, but its important to keep in perspective just how fine-grained that noise will be at any reasonable print size. We found that even ISO 400 & 800 shots made surprisingly decent-looking 8x10 inch prints. Talk about detail: Who'd have imagined being able to make great-looking 16x20 prints from a "pocket" digital camera even a few years ago?


Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
10.1 megapixels, 12.00x zoom
$481.11



Long zoom, high res digicam delivers great prints Panasonic's Lumix FZ50 takes the company into new territory in terms of resolution, matching the resolution of many popular SLRs, and exceeding their zoom abilities with one very long 12x, 35-420mm Leica zoom. Though the Panasonic FZ50 is as big as an SLR, there are a few tradeoffs in terms of image quality. The sensor's smaller size means that the noise suppression systems have to work harder to erase the considerable noise that occurs even at the Lumix FZ50's lowest ISO setting. That's the story for all 10-megapixel sensors in digicams, though. The good news is that the Panasonic FZ50's print performance is quite good, producing nice 13x19 inch prints. Our favorite feature is the FZ50's mechanical zoom mechanism, which does more to equal the framing control offered by an SLR. It also allows quiet zooming while capturing video, a little-noted problem for most long zoom digicams. It's all wrapped up with a refined Panasonic menu system with enough automatic and manual exposure modes to please all types of shooters. For those looking for a great all-purpose digicam and don't mind the extra heft and size, the Panasonic FZ50 is a great choice.

Best Professional SLR Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Professional SLR Digital Camera


Nikon D300
12.3 megapixels
$1,770.78



A digital SLR for people who are serious about photography. Nikon's D300 is easily one of the finest digital SLR cameras on the market. Its 12.3-megapixel sensor delivers stunning images up to ISO 6,400, and its 14-bit A/D conversion means you can get better quality in your JPEG and RAW images with the Nikon D300. Out-of-the-box, the Nikon D300 will shoot six frames-per-second, and track a moving subject by combining data from its AF system with information from its metering system. The Nikon D300's big, bright viewfinder is easy to use and its LCD is gorgeous for both menu and photo viewing. Its Live View modes leave something to be desired, but they're nice to have nonetheless. The Nikon D300 feels solid, and is designed with the serious photographer in mind. In fact, being a serious photographer is a requirement with the D300, because there's a lot to learn, and no hand-holding mode to just let you shoot it like an instamatic. You have to think, you have to pay attention; and if you do, the D300 will reward you with terrific pictures.


Canon EOS 40D
10.1 megapixels
$1,211.28




The great just gets better: the 40D is a rock-solid choice among digital SLR cameras. In many ways the Canon EOS 40D seems a bit behind the market, coming late to the 10-megapixel game. But the image quality speaks for itself: Canon was right to wait until they could do it very well. Images captured from ISO 100 to 800 are essentially no-compromise when printed at 13x19 inches. Canon added a lot of new technology along the way, making the Canon 40D's spec sheet seem pretty flashy. But the camera itself is more about capturing great images for its owner than being the latest bit of bling around someone's neck. Its Live View mode doesn't just provide "gee whiz" flash, it actually helps you focus on that 3.0-inch LCD, and the 40D's new electronic first curtain cuts the noise of capture in Live View to half, great for low-impact wildlife photography. From its 6.5-frame-per-second continuous mode speed to its larger buffer and long list of custom functions, the Canon 40D is built with the intermediate to professional photographer in mind. Of course, it'll serve anyone who wants a reliable, well-built camera that will bring home great shots time after time.

Best Pocket Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Pocket Digital Camera

Canon PowerShot SD950 IS Digital ELPH
12.1 megapixels, 3.70x zoom
$366.56



A versatile take-anywhere camera with excellent print quality Canon's PowerShot SD950 IS is blessed with image stabilization, a longer zoom lens, and a stunning 12.1-megapixel sensor. We're not usually impressed with increased pixel counts, but Canon tweaked both optical and image quality to handle the higher resolution and output impressive 16x20-inch images from the Canon SD950 IS that frankly blew us away. A new 3.7x lens graces the Canon SD950 IS, offering just a little extra reach; the bright 2.5-inch color LCD monitor is excellent for framing and reviewing shots; and the overall design and layout of the Canon SD950 is user-friendly and hassle-free. If you're looking for a good, take-anywhere camera with great versatility, good color and tonality, and striking printed output, the Canon SD950 IS deserves a very close look.


Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W200
12.0 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$284.51




A capable digital camera that's also small and pocket-friendly Sony's Cyber-shot W200 is among the few 12-megapixel pocket digital cameras on the market, and is of surprisingly good quality, consistent with the W-series. Though not as slim as the T-series, the Sony W200 is still quite small and pocket-friendly. The Sony W200's 2.5-inch LCD, 3x zoom, and lithium-ion battery are standard fare, but its Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization and face detection make it a good contender in the digital camera market regardless of size. Image quality was good, though the highest ISO of 3,200 was really not that usable except as a small Web image. Noise suppression prevents the Sony W200's ISO 100 output from achieving 13x19-inch prints, but 11x14's are good. For the size, the Sony W200 turns in a good performance.

Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH
7.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$177.25



The SD1000 is wonderfully simple, gorgeous to behold, and produces great images Canon's new PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH has a futuristic, yet retro look that is almost identical to the original, film-based ELPH, introduced back in May 1996. In addition to its compact size and eye-catching design, the 7-megapixel SD1000 has a standard 3x optical zoom with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 35-105mm, a 2.5-inch LCD, and an optical viewfinder. Exposure is automatic, and a new on-demand Auto ISO Shift feature bumps the light sensitivity up to a maximum of 800 with the push of a button. White balance options include auto, several presets, and custom (manual). The SD1000 utilizes Canon's DIGIC III processor and offers new face detection technology and in-camera red-eye correction. The Canon PowerShot SD1000 will instantly be usable for anyone already familiar with Canon compacts, and will only take a few minutes for everyone else to become quite comfortable.

Best Mom Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Mom Digital Camera


Nikon D40
6.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$494.78




A surprisingly excellent SLR that will take the market by storm We've been pleasantly surprised with the Nikon D40's excellent performance in low light and its simple grace as a day-to-day shooter. The Nikon D40 is a natural fit in most hands. Its controls are where they should be for easy use, and the D40 is a well-behaved guest at parties with its soft shutter sound. A big, bright LCD is great for reviewing photos from a wide variety of angles. The Nikon D40's low light performance at ISO 1,600 is startling, even without noise reduction turned on. It's so good that we don't really feel like we're pushing the D40 until we jump into ISO 3,200. The Nikon D40 stands up well against the competition -- even those with higher resolution -- with great image quality at all speeds, and near-perfect utility as a family camera. It's tough to ask for more. The Nikon D40 lives up to our expectations, and even exceeds them. See the full review for more on the superb Nikon D40. The Nikon D40 is one great camera!


Canon PowerShot SD950 IS Digital ELPH
12.1 megapixels, 3.70x zoom
$366.56



A versatile take-anywhere camera with excellent print quality Canon's PowerShot SD950 IS is blessed with image stabilization, a longer zoom lens, and a stunning 12.1-megapixel sensor. We're not usually impressed with increased pixel counts, but Canon tweaked both optical and image quality to handle the higher resolution and output impressive 16x20-inch images from the Canon SD950 IS that frankly blew us away. A new 3.7x lens graces the Canon SD950 IS, offering just a little extra reach; the bright 2.5-inch color LCD monitor is excellent for framing and reviewing shots; and the overall design and layout of the Canon SD950 is user-friendly and hassle-free. If you're looking for a good, take-anywhere camera with great versatility, good color and tonality, and striking printed output, the Canon SD950 IS deserves a very close look.


Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH
7.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$177.25



The SD1000 is wonderfully simple, gorgeous to behold, and produces great images Canon's new PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH has a futuristic, yet retro look that is almost identical to the original, film-based ELPH, introduced back in May 1996. In addition to its compact size and eye-catching design, the 7-megapixel SD1000 has a standard 3x optical zoom with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 35-105mm, a 2.5-inch LCD, and an optical viewfinder. Exposure is automatic, and a new on-demand Auto ISO Shift feature bumps the light sensitivity up to a maximum of 800 with the push of a button. White balance options include auto, several presets, and custom (manual). The SD1000 utilizes Canon's DIGIC III processor and offers new face detection technology and in-camera red-eye correction. The Canon PowerShot SD1000 will instantly be usable for anyone already familiar with Canon compacts, and will only take a few minutes for everyone else to become quite comfortable.

Best Budget Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Budget Digital Camera


Canon PowerShot A570 IS
7.1 megapixels, 4.00x zoom
$152.67



Canon's A570IS: Affordable Image Stabilization and great pictures! The Canon A570 IS stands out for its usable ISO as high as 1600 and excellent image stabilization so useful you'll always want it active. Considering you get that for just $50 over the price of the quite similar A560, it's a bargain, too. Digital zoom was a bit of a disappointment on this 7.1-megapixel digital camera, but otherwise the DIGIC III image processor provided above average performance yielding some wonderfully natural shots in a variety of settings. From the optical viewfinder to the manual modes, whenever we looked for a feature a photographer would appreciate, we found it on the Canon A570 IS. There isn't the huge LCD (with no room for a viewfinder) or extravagant zoom range (with big compromises in optical quality) or any of the frills (frames, in-camera presentations) of many less capable digicams. But if you want a compact digicam that can take pictures like a real camera, you won't go wrong with this solid player


Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd
6.3 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$138.98



The Fuji Z5fd looks great at a party and brings the best moments home The Fujifilm FinePix Z5fd is an ultracompact digital camera with style, one that brings some unique features to the table. Including fast face detection that works before and after capture, intelligent flash that considers focus distance, and natural light shooting with a flash backup, the Fuji Z5fd has just what you need from a small, take-everywhere snapshooter. And it looks good at a party. Even better, the Fuji Z5fd is a lot of fun to shoot with. Part of the fun is that those unique features are not just useful, but easy to use; and the sliding lens cover makes powering the Fujifilm Z5fd on as easy as turning it off, protecting it well enough to slide back into a pocket or bag. The Fuji Z5 has the usual problems of chromatic aberration at wide angle, as well as trouble at high ISO, but those are standard fare with a camera of this size. Overall, the lens test results for the Fuji Z5fd are quite good, as are the printed results.


Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH
7.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$177.25




The SD1000 is wonderfully simple, gorgeous to behold, and produces great images Canon's new PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH has a futuristic, yet retro look that is almost identical to the original, film-based ELPH, introduced back in May 1996. In addition to its compact size and eye-catching design, the 7-megapixel SD1000 has a standard 3x optical zoom with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 35-105mm, a 2.5-inch LCD, and an optical viewfinder. Exposure is automatic, and a new on-demand Auto ISO Shift feature bumps the light sensitivity up to a maximum of 800 with the push of a button. White balance options include auto, several presets, and custom (manual). The SD1000 utilizes Canon's DIGIC III processor and offers new face detection technology and in-camera red-eye correction. The Canon PowerShot SD1000 will instantly be usable for anyone already familiar with Canon compacts, and will only take a few minutes for everyone else to become quite comfortable.

Best Beginner's Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best Beginner's Digital Camera


Canon PowerShot A570 IS
7.1 megapixels, 4.00x zoom
$152.67




Canon's A570IS: Affordable Image Stabilization and great pictures! The Canon A570 IS stands out for its usable ISO as high as 1600 and excellent image stabilization so useful you'll always want it active. Considering you get that for just $50 over the price of the quite similar A560, it's a bargain, too. Digital zoom was a bit of a disappointment on this 7.1-megapixel digital camera, but otherwise the DIGIC III image processor provided above average performance yielding some wonderfully natural shots in a variety of settings. From the optical viewfinder to the manual modes, whenever we looked for a feature a photographer would appreciate, we found it on the Canon A570 IS. There isn't the huge LCD (with no room for a viewfinder) or extravagant zoom range (with big compromises in optical quality) or any of the frills (frames, in-camera presentations) of many less capable digicams. But if you want a compact digicam that can take pictures like a real camera, you won't go wrong with this solid player


Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8
7.2 megapixels, 12.00x zoom
$257.24



Compact long zoom has quality where it counts The 7.2 megapixel Panasonic DMC-FZ8 may not have the longest zoom on the block, but its 12x image-stabilized optical zoom has more than enough range to meet most photographers' needs. And while the telephoto lens may be the driving force behind your interest in this digital camera, the FZ8 has a long list of features that are equally as enticing. Full manual controls and fine-tuning options will please advanced shooters while an easy-to-use Simple mode and 21 Scene modes allow snapshooters to start taking pictures right out of the box. It's the prints that really turned our heads. Logical and convenient controls, intuitive user interface and good performance combine to prove that, unlike a blind date that looks good on paper but disappoints over dinner, the FZ8 is a contender in the superzoom category


Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH
7.1 megapixels, 3.00x zoom
$177.25



The SD1000 is wonderfully simple, gorgeous to behold, and produces great images Canon's new PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH has a futuristic, yet retro look that is almost identical to the original, film-based ELPH, introduced back in May 1996. In addition to its compact size and eye-catching design, the 7-megapixel SD1000 has a standard 3x optical zoom with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 35-105mm, a 2.5-inch LCD, and an optical viewfinder. Exposure is automatic, and a new on-demand Auto ISO Shift feature bumps the light sensitivity up to a maximum of 800 with the push of a button. White balance options include auto, several presets, and custom (manual). The SD1000 utilizes Canon's DIGIC III processor and offers new face detection technology and in-camera red-eye correction. The Canon PowerShot SD1000 will instantly be usable for anyone already familiar with Canon compacts, and will only take a few minutes for everyone else to become quite comfortable

Best All Long Zoom Digital Camera

Imaging Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best All Long Zoom Digital Camera

Canon PowerShot S5 IS
8.0 megapixels, 12.00x zoom
$323.30




One of the best long zoom digital cameras on the market converts instantly to a digital camcorder The 8-megapixel Canon PowerShot S5 IS digital camera is a moderate update to its very popular predecessor, the Canon S3 IS. The Canon S5 IS maintains many of the S3's strong points, including an image-stabilized 12x optical zoom lens (36mm-432mm/35mm equivalent), a wide range of sophisticated features and a solid, digital-SLR-like design. The Canon S5 IS is slightly larger and heavier than the S3, and has been upgraded to include a high resolution, articulated 2.5-inch LCD, a hot shoe for adding an external flash, Face Detection, and a maximum ISO of 1,600. The Canon S5 IS can also serve as a camcorder with a single press of the Movie button. Technically a hybrid digital camera, the Canon S5 IS is capable of recording a movie of up to 4GB in size. There's still no RAW mode and the camera no longer features High Speed continuous shooting mode or an Intervalometer; but the more important questions revolve around the Canon S5's performance and image quality.


Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18
8.1 megapixels, 18.00x zoom
$320.73





It's the Leica optics that push this long zoom digital camera to the top of the heap With its fine Leica lens, the Panasonic FZ18 digital camera really shines in the long zoom category, delivering amazing corner sharpness across its 28-504mm zoom range. Though the Panasonic FZ18 feels a little too light at first, you quickly come to appreciate its small, lightweight form for all the zoom value it offers in such a small package. We were disappointed in the high ISO performance, especially in tungsten lighting, but for daylight shooting the Panasonic FZ18 is the long zoom you want to have along. The Panasonic FZ18's optical image stabilization helps make up for the loss of high ISO quality, and face detect autofocus will help ensure you're locked onto the right target


Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
7.2 megapixels, 10.00x zoom
$227.57




A wide angle, stabilized long zoom lens makes the TZ3 shine With beauty from almost all angles, the most beautiful quality of the Panasonic TZ3 is the quality of its lens, and thus its images. We found the TZ3's controls to be a little less impressive, at least in terms of their look and feel; the good news is that they serve quite well, and the camera's menu and interface are easy to read and use in most lighting conditions. The Panasonic TZ3's optical image stabilization is handy to have, especially with its 10x zoom. Our favorite part of the TZ3's zoom, though, is its 28mm wide angle setting, essential for indoor, vacation, or landscape photography. The Panasonic TZ3's low barrel distortion lets you capture buildings and skylines without the significant bending of straight lines that we're used to seeing from most wide angle digital cameras. The Panasonic DMC-TZ3 is an impressive little long zoom digital camera

Best All Around Camera

Imaging-Resource Picks section. They're well known for their exhaustive testing of digital cameras. They investigate various aspects of each digital camera to help you pick the best one for your needs. But they know that sometimes you just want someone with experience to tell you which digital camera to buy. To serve that need, they've revamped their Picks to get straight to the point, listing your top digital camera choices by category.


Best All Around Camera


Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2
10.2 megapixels, 4.00x zoom
$388.11




A widescreen digicam with broad appeal. The Panasonic Lumix LX2, like its predecessor the LX1, is clearly inspired by the surging popularity of widescreen (16:9) televisions. Employing a unique set of "triple-wide" features, the Lumix LX2 combines a 28mm wide-angle Leica lens, a 16:9 wide CCD, and a 16:9 wide LCD. If you're the type who likes to count pixels, the DMC-LX2 has a 10 megapixel CCD that uses the full resolution of the sensor when shooting at 16:9. The Panasonic LX2 now has a 2.8-inch LCD that lets you see the entire wide-angle shot on the screen without letterboxing. (The LX1 had a 2.5-inch display which letterboxed 16:9 shots.) Other improvements include Panasonic's new LSI Venus Engine III image processor which is designed to lower noise at higher ISOs, and a new Intelligent ISO Control (I.I.C.) system which detects subject movement and automatically adjusts ISO and shutter speed to suit the lighting conditions. Even without these changes, there a lot to talk about with the Lumix LX2 including many impressive manual options and Panasonic's tried-and-true MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)



Canon PowerShot SD870 IS Digital ELPH
8.0 megapixels, 3.80x zoom
$290.18



With its 28mm lens, the Canon SD870 IS would be a dream camera even without all its other impressive features For those who love photography, it's the Canon SD870 IS in particular that stands out among Canon's current digital ELPH pocket cameras. Sure, the Canon SD870 has a big 3-inch LCD screen, optical image stabilization, face detection, and high ISO; all the current "must-have" features are there. But the Canon SD870 IS is most appealing for its 28 - 105mm lens. Finding any digital camera with a wide angle view of the world is rare no matter what size camera you choose, but finding one that you can slip into your pocket: now that's a rare gem. Though the Canon SD870 IS exhibits a little more distortion than normal at wide angle than the 35mm lenses on most pocket digital cameras, it's more surprising how little corner softening there is. It seems to be pushed out to where it affects only the far corners, with the rest of the Canon SD870's image relatively sharp. To sweeten the deal the Canon SD870 IS's 8-megapixel sensor serves up images that print well at 11x14 inches from ISO 80 to 400; and even the ISO 1,600 images make a good 4x6. You'll find more of what you want from a digital camera in the Canon SD870 IS, a great pocket digital camera for people who know the value of a wide-angle lens, and don't mind a 3-inch LCD and image stabilization thrown into the mix.


Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3
8.0 megapixels, 10.00x zoom
$271.51





Packed with features, the Sony H3 has a fast shutter, a long zoom, and turns out great 13x19-inch prints Sony has developed a knack for packing a lot of high-end value in the entry-level model of each of their digital camera lines. In the long-zoom H-Series, the Sony H3 continues that trend with a 10x optical zoom, Advanced Sports mode, a Bionz processor, face detection technology, High ISO, Super SteadyShot, in-camera editing, and HD output signal. Gone is the electronic viewfinder found on the other H-series digital cameras, and the Sony H3's LCD has shrunk from 3.0 to 2.5 inches. That, along with a move to lithium-ion power from AA power, makes the Sony Cyber-shot H3 a much smaller camera. The real appeal of the Sony H3, though, is its image output quality: ISO 100 shots look great at 13x19, and even ISO 400 shots look good at 11x14. A good candidate as the enthusiast's second camera, the Sony H3's fast shutter, 10x zoom, and image stabilization make it a great digital camera for anyone looking for a little more quality in a small, long zoom package.

Cons:

Tends towards overexposure, narrow f-stop range.

Conclusion:

Pentax has given their Optio M50 a few nifty abilities, but the image-quality isn't as spectacular, and the camera is hampered by consistently shallow depth-of-field. Gadget-lovers may love the M50's innovative features, but those who just want to take pictures could easily find a more dependable camera.

SCOREBOARD:

Design 2.7/5
Display & Interface 2.6/5
Features 3.6/5
- Shooting 3.6/5
- Formats 3/5
Image quality 3/5
- Sensor 3.5/5
- Lens 3/5
- Aperture and Shutter 1.5/5
- Exposure control 3.8/5
- Flash 3/5
Transfer & Storage 3.7/5
Accessories 2.5/5
Value 2.6/5

-infosync

Fujifilm’s FinePix Z100fd

Fujifilm has slimmed down its FinePix camera even more—now it's just 19.8 mm thick—but the redesigned FinePix Z100fd still manages to cram 8 megapixels of imaging goodness into its slim form factor.

Fujifilm’s FinePix Z100fd is stylish, has a cool on/off mechanism, and packs a collection of innovative features, but if you tend to change settings often, its interface just might make you tear your hair out. Unfortunately, the soft and chromatically inaccurate image-quality fails to make up for the camera’s aggravating interface, so for most users there are better point-and-shoots to be found. Release: February 2008

Pros: Engaging design, optical image-stabilization, interesting shooting-aides.

Cons: Troublesome interface, no manual-mode, soft image-quality, consistently high color-temperature.

Interface and software - Mediocre

At first glance the Z100fd's interface seems intuitive enough: using a typical wheel-controlled GUI, a user can quickly scroll through the camera's modes, settings, and system settings. The camera also has shortcuts for face-detection, image stabilization, macro, flash, and timed-shutter toggling.

Alas, for some baffling reason the camera dumps you completely out of the menu after each selection. Therefore, if you want to set the ISO to 400 and then change the white-balance mode, you have to push the menu button, select the appropriate sub-menu, select the ISO-sensitivity setting, and then select the desired ISO rating. The camera then exits the menu altogether, so to set the white-balance (which is literally one step away from the ISO setting), you have to repeat the entire process. This increases the amount of button-pushing and wheel-wrangling by 2 to 10 times over what it should be, a frustration compounded by the fact that there's no conceivable reason as to why the camera behaves this way. Those who setup their cameras once, keep them on automatic, and never change settings again shouldn't be terribly affected by this, but the vast majority of users who change settings more frequently might soon be chucking the Z100fd against a nearby wall.

Fujifilm's software fared a little better. It includes an easy to use mechanism for automatically downloading software to a host computer, it has built-in connectivity to their online repository, which is similar to Flickr, and it has both editing functionality and automated printing (for both local and online printers). Unfortunately, this software too has a niggling annoyance that seriously cripples its usefulness: to wit, it continually refreshes its ‘focus' (i.e., brings its window to the foreground) while performing any operation, thus effectively taking your computer hostage while transferring images. It's not so annoying, but seems to lack polish. --infosync


Manufacturer Description

Despite being only 19.8 millimeters thick, the 8-megapixel FinePix Z100fd is packed with state-of-the-art technologies and features. These include a mid-range Fujinon 5x optical zoom lens--the equivalent of a 36mm-180mm camera--a high-resolution 2.7-inch LCD with a reinforced glass coating for scratch-free durability, and sensitivity settings of up to ISO 1600 that allow natural images that retain the atmosphere of evening events taken without the use of a flash.

Fuji FinePix Z100fd features and highlights
Designed for the most style-conscious user, the FinePix Z100fd sports a totally redesigned metal body that is guaranteed to turn heads wherever you take it. From its unique 'diagonal slide' lens cover and illuminated 'Z' logo to its eye-catching color combinations, the FinePix Z100fd sets a new standard in sophistication.


Product Description

The high resolution of the sleekly designed FinePix Z100fd 8-Megapixel Digital Camera lets you crop and enlarge faces and parts of scenes, while still enjoying smooth tones and images. The amazing power of 5x optical zoom lets you use a wide angle to capture the entire scene or take great close-ups from far away. Innovative Face Detection instantly identifies faces in the scene and automatically adjusts focus and exposure to ensure beautiful people pictures. The FinePix Z100fd features a red-eye removal function that automatically detects and corrects unsightly red-eye reflections that often spoil flash photos of people. High sensitivity lets you use a fast shutter to freeze the action in sharp bright detail, while built-in CCD shift image stabilization automatically compensates for camera shake. Take vivid, clear and bright photos indoors, at night, or when shooting fast moving subjects. ISO1600 high sensitivity and versatile functions make it easy to capture more scenes with exceptional results. By automatically setting the ideal balance of flash output and sensitivity, Intelligent Flash captures both the subject and the background with natural brightness and in beautiful detail. Composing and viewing photos and slideshows on the spacious 2.7" LCD is a real pleasure. With a 230K-pixel canvas, it is easy to see photo detail and read the intuitive GUI menus. Lens focal length - f=5.9mm - 29.5mm, Equivalent to 36-180mm on a 35mm camera 1/2.5 CCD sensor File format - JPEG (EXIF Ver 2.2) IrSimple for Wireless Communication Shooting modes - Natural Light, Natural Light & with Flash, Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Underwater, Museum, Party, Flower, Text, and Auction Shutter Speed - 4 second to 1/1000 second Self-timer - 10 seconds and 2 seconds delay Dimensions - Width 3.6 x Height 2.2 x Depth 0.8 (92.0x55.7x19.8mm) Weight - 4.9 ounces (138 grams)

Olympus Stylus 720 SW

Olympus Stylus 720 SW
by Shawn Barnett


As with the rest of the Stylus line, the Olympus 720 SW design is based around a weatherproof body that ensures wherever you go, your camera will go right along with you, unhindered by rain, sleet, or snow that would see most digicams left at home or in a sealed case, unable to get that chance-of-a-lifetime photo. The "SW" in the model name hints at two more unusual features though: the 720 SW is shock-proof to the MIL-STD-810F standard (which means it can withstand a drop from 5 feet), and it's waterproof to a depth of three meters.

Despite its array of waterproof seals and shock absorption technology, the 720 SW remains pocket-friendly and relatively lightweight. It includes an Olympus-branded 3x optical zoom with a 38 - 114mm equivalent focal length range and F3.5 - 5.0 maximum aperture, folded by a prism to allow the lens to be mounted at right angles to the front of the camera. This allowed the camera's designers to protect the delicate lens components, as well as to completely seal the camera body with no need for a lens to extend out of the camera body when powered on. The lens is coupled with a 7.1 megapixel imager and 2.5" LCD display that has 115,000 pixels. As is common on many digicams these days, this LCD is the sole method of framing images, as the Stylus 720 SW forgoes any form of optical viewfinder.

I'm disappointed that I have to make excuses for the Olympus Stylus 720 SW. I'd like to say the images are as stunning as the camera. But this is a case where the camera is an excellent hardware design with somewhat mediocre image quality. But our printer tests show clearly that what I see onscreen doesn't really make a huge difference in printed output. Honestly, if you're like most shooters, you'll be happy to have this rugged beauty along for all your activities, getting images where you'd normally not risk having a camera of any kind. And a good majority of shooters are hardly using all those megapixels when they output their stack of 4x6 images (you only need 2 megapixels for a decent 4x6, people), so maybe Olympus is right with their strategy of building the camera not only for the rigors of the real world, but for how the resulting images will be used in the real world.


I don't get it. Olympus is capable of making excellent digital cameras. But the image quality coming from the 720 SW doesn't meet the standard. When I look at the resolution test chart, however, I see a whole different story, with the 720 SW pulling an impressive 1,400 lines per picture height, while the Verve and A520 manage only a conservative 1,000 and 900 lines respectively. So the camera excels at black and white detail, just not color. I don't know what's happening in the Olympus models, but the mush looks as bad on the Macbeth chart as it does in a vibrant shirt.

Review summary of the Olympus Stylus 1200:

Olympus Stylus 1200.

Love the all-weather Stylus 1200's case, which prevents normal everyday spills and accidents from killing the camera. Olympus' software is great, and the interface was manageable, even including a few key features like Smile Shot and the guide mode. We'd still like to see some flexibility from Olympus on storage card formats, as xD isn't as commonplace as SD, and requiring an Olympus-branded card to unlock features is downright bullying. For the top of the line, the images didn't come out as great as we'd like. Release: November 2007. Price: $350.

Pros: Smile shot mode, shooting guide, all-weather case

Cons: Cheap-looking buttons, xD cards only, panorama requires Olympus-branded card

-infosyncworld

Pentax Optio E10

And another:

Pentax Optio E10

It may be because it's a more recent camera than the others, but I'm tempted to officially name the Pentax Optio E10 the worst digital camera ever. It debuted in January of 2006 with claims of how easy to use it was and how affordable it was, and for a while it looked like the E10 might be a decent, economical 6-megapixel ultracompact for simple use. Since then, an unmitigated stream of vitriolic, hate-filled user reviews have deluged the Pentax E10's product page. "It says 6mp but it looks like a 2mp image stretched and interpolated," says Eli, "I have seen $20 cameras outperform this piece." Greg offers a familiar refrain, saying "I'll NEVER buy Pentax again, and will actively discourage anyone I know from buying one as well!" Perhaps the most succinct summation of how people feel about this camera comes from Jon, who explains that the Optio line is really an acronym for "Oh, please turn it off!"

Polaroid PDC-5080

Here's one more:

Polaroid PDC-5080

A lot of readers write to us asking why we don't cover certain brands. In the case of Polaroid, it's because they are so terrible at making digital cameras, they're not worth writing about (unless we're specifically talking about terrible cameras). It's a true shame to see the once king of instant photos fall by the wayside and be completely shattered by digital photography, but it's their own fault for clinging to an outmoded style and technology for too long. Plenty of people were suckered into buying Polaroid digital cameras, with happy memories of their film models, and were completely and utterly disappointed by the shoddy designs and poor performance.

Something didn't seem right about the Polaroid PDC-5080. How could they sell a 5.1 megapixel camera for $90 when similar models from other brands cost 4 or 5 times as much? The answer is: it's a cheap, horrible camera that can't really take 5.1 megapixel photos. The PDC-5080 earns a place on this list for sheer audacity. It's the kind of marketing boondoggle that makes the increasing marginalization of Polaroid a lot less upsetting. At the time of this publication, the Polaroid PDC-5080 is a high ranking Google result for the phrase "worst digital camera ever," closely followed by our next entry.

Kodak EasyShare One

And another one:

Kodak EasyShare One

Nobody should feel bad about falling into this trap. Two years ago, when the first edition of the Kodak EasyShare One debuted, it looked like it was going to be an absolute blockbuster. 4 megapixels was adequate back then, and when combined with the slim design and huge 3.0-inch touch-screen LCD screen, it was hard to resist. On top of all that, the Kodak One was the first digital camera to feature support for Wi-Fi image transfers, another feature that surely lured in a fair share of early adopters.

In the end, it seems that Kodak cared more about superficialities than substance, and the EasyShare One turned out to be aptly named. It received quite a few one-star reviews from our users. All the potentially positive aspects of this camera are buried beneath layers of annoying interface, and even if they weren't, the sub-standard photo quality it provides completely invalidates the camera. "Very poor quality product overall," says user Michael, "we've had problems with lens extend/retract, lens cover sticking." Stuck lenses, broken battery doors, and other issues with the camera's housing seem to be common.

The Kodak EasyShare One was a failure because it tried to get by on looks and flashy gimmicks while completely ignoring the basics of what makes a good digital camera: an attention to photo quality and the ease-of-use typified by the EasyShare line. In the years since, Kodak has cleaned up their act, and the wireless Kodak V610 is now one of our best reviewed cameras on Digital Camera HQ.

Sea Life DC500

Another one:

Sea Life DC500

Had Martha not used the DC500, she may have been able to capture an image of the majestic and elusive Lionfish (NOAA) - Enlarge.The Sea Life DC500 is a testament to what some really good PR work can do for an otherwise abysmal digital camera. We first took notice of this camera about a year ago, when Time Magazine named it one of the "The Most Amazing Inventions Of 2005." It seemed a tad suspicious. For one, there wasn't anything about the camera that we felt truly qualified as an "invention." It was a digital camera with some underwater housing. Sure, it was pretty small, and relatively affordable, but it seemed like a rather strange choice for the Time feature.

Nevertheless, there was buzz, and we gave users an opportunity to let us know what they thought of the DC500. Our suspicions were more than confirmed. The Sea Life DC500 had made some very grand claims, and by presenting itself as a good camera for the high-pressure (no pun intended) arena of underwater photography, there was a lot more at stake than with the typical mainstream camera. The disappointment is palpable in this review from user Martha Pearson. "I just spent a week in the Bahamas, and saw my first Lionfish ever. Unfortunately; only two of 10 shots I took are "in color" because the flash didn't work. I didn't expect to see Lionfish, and I doubt I ever will again because I normally dive in the Caribbean, so thanks to Sea Life for ruining my big opportunity." Martha also notes that the camera "locks up every other dive and can't be "unlocked" under water." Not exactly a well thought out design by Sea Life.

Were it not for the gargantuan amount of hype generated by the story in Time, the Sea Life DC500 would have been just another terrible, no-name camera. Instead, many users were swayed by the opinion of what they thought was a reputable publication, and wound up with a frustrating piece of jetsam.

The Canon PowerShot A70

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The Canon PowerShot A70

Yes, it may be hard to believe for users of the Canon A620 or SD700 IS, but Canon made a really bad camera. The Canon A70 had a very auspicious start, garnering 4 and 5 star reviews from eminent professionals like CNET and Imaging Resource. At the end of an exhaustive and comprehensive technical review, Steve's Digicams called it "a great camera for the point-and-shoot crowd." On the strength of these early reports, and the general strength of Canon cameras in general, consumers flocked to buy the A70, and it became a very successful and widely-used model.

What nobody knew at the time was that there was a little gremlin lurking deep within the A70 that would result in one of the biggest digital camera disasters we've ever seen. Like clockwork, after about a year of picture perfect operation, users began experiencing problems with their cameras. Strange purple lines began appearing across the LCD screen, obscuring the display. Photos became fuzzy and blurred, and often distorted with unusual colors. Then the dreaded "E18 error" made itself known, causing the camera's lens to become stuck while extending. User A. Meza gives a good timeline in their review, saying "This camera was great for about 1 year. For the 2nd year it had the purple lines across the screen which were recorded with each picture rendering it useless. It stopped working altogether with the e18 error after a year and a half."

Eventually, the noise being made by angry users grew so loud, that Canon was forced to do the right thing, and offered a free repair for the A70. Note however, that their service notice seems to only address the malfunctioning CCD sensor, and not the E18 error. The number of reviews we have received regarding this camera and its problems is tremendous, and the volume is so great that we've had to choose only a select few to display so as not to clog up the page. Much of what isn't visible, however, can be easily summed up by user Lionel, who said, "You can bet that I will never purchase another Canon product."

The Worst Digital Cameras Ever

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The Worst Digital Cameras Ever
An unbiased look at the worst digital cameras ever made, where they went wrong, and how consumers can avoid such products in the future.

By Michael Brady,

Sometimes, they're pleasing, when it's clear that a person has found the perfect camera for them, and is happy enough to contribute a five-star review and recommend it to others. Occasionally, they're extremely entertaining, like the first-person narrative of how a faulty camcorder spoiled the documentation of a user's vasectomy . Every once in a while, they are loaded with colorful expletives that, no matter how justified they may be, I am unfortunately forced to censor. This is a family site, people!

In the midst of all these different types of reviews, however, there's one that I always make a special note of: "I will never buy from this manufacturer again." Zelda, who had a bad experience with a Nikon 3200 will never buy from Nikon again. William, whose Sony M1 wouldn't recognize his memory card will never buy Sony again. A busted LCD convinced Patrick never to trust Fuji, while the Kodak LS443 was so terrible it not only convinced Van to avoid Kodak, but to "spread the word about their poor products and customer support." I could go on, but the gist of it is, every single manufacturer, from the vaunted Canon to the lowly Pentax, has created a camera that completely disillusions consumers to the point of swearing off the entire brand. There are literally hundreds of these reviews, and sometimes I wonder if eventually, enough people will have sworn off enough brands to completely undermine the digital camera market.

This drastic methodology is flawed, however. Because of his solitary bad experience, William is missing out on the Sony H5, a camera that has inspired so much gushing praise, it's almost embarrassing. Van's vow of avoidance is keeping him from discovering the Kodak V610, one of the last year's most interesting and highly reviewed cameras. If you were to read through every negative, "never buy from this manufacturer" review, you'd get the impression that there weren't any digital cameras worth picking up at all. We know that's not the case, and so do plenty of users, but some people are still stumbling on land mines in their search for a good camera. While it's easy to get upset, we urge spurned users not to write off an entire brand. Make a fuss to customer service and by all means, voice your extreme displeasure, but realize that sometimes a camera is just a dud. If you really want to find the right one for you, you'll examine them carefully on a camera by camera basis.

Now, we understand that we're leaving out legions of low-quality no-name cameras that are, almost certainly, extremely terrible cameras. There's no sense in beating up on obviously bad cameras like the Saitek Credit Card Digital Camera or a Concord Eye-Q. The cameras you'll find are all from manufacturers who should have known better, and from whom a higher standard of quality is expected. At best, they are examples of neglect and a lack of thoughtfulness. At worst, they are mendacious con-jobs taking advantage of trusting consumers. We at Digital Camera HQ hope that readers are able to see where these cameras went so horribly wrong and how those who bought them were mislead or confused, so as to avoid the same fate.

to be continued...

What Wrong with Kodak

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Please read below.

What's Wrong With Kodak?

Long respected for their easy-to-use cameras, Kodak has faltered in recent years, putting out an array of disappointing products that have angered customers and damaged their reputation. What happened?

"You press the button, we do the rest" was the phrase that George Eastman used to convey the simplicity of Kodak cameras when he founded his company way back in the 1880s. For over a hundred years, that mantra has always been indicative of the brand's goals: to provide easy-to-use cameras for everyday people.

Recently, however, that long-standing Kodak reputation has come under fire. While the company still presents itself as user friendly and focused on the consumer, their EasyShare digital cameras, particularly the "C" and "V" series, have been rife with failures and other irritating shortcomings that have sent owners to DigitalCamera-HQ in droves, looking to vent their frustrations on our review pages.

Some of the earliest indications of trouble came with the aforementioned "C" series cameras. The "C" series cameras were intended to be very affordable, very approachable models that anyone could use. The idea was that you could buy it as a gift for an elderly family member, young child, or any digital camera novice, and they wouldn't feel overwhelmed by the technology. With prices in the $100-175 range, they were a significant bargain over the competition and with the Kodak name attached, they sold quite a few of these point-and-shoot cameras.

Bad reviews began to roll in almost immediately. The Kodak EasyShare C743 in particular was singled out for a lot of abuse. Many consumers who had thought they were getting a great deal on a 7-megapixel camera wrote in to complain that the camera would spontaneously shut itself off, if they could even get it to turn on at all. Other users reported significant battery drainage and cracking LCDs as well. Similar power problems plagued the C875, while the C643 had a notoriously fragile LCD display. The dissatisfaction with the "C" series was widespread.
The "V" series cameras, meant to be stylish and provocative with intriguing features like ultracompact zoom and dual-lens configurations, were also the subject of much discussion among our users. The V610 and V705 won high marks for their innovative concepts, but unfortunately, they couldn't really follow through with good performance. Our hands-on review of these two cameras highlights the major issues. The Kodak V803 and V1003 were big bombs, with extremely fragile LCDs that would crack at the slightest disturbance. The general consensus among those who wrote in to DCHQ was that these two cameras were "wastes of money."
Kodak clearly was aware that they had soured consumers on their existing product lines, and when they announced this past May that they were abandoning the "low-end" market (meaning as the "C" series), there was some hope that maybe they'd learn from their mistakes. However, this fall, Kodak introduced the "M" series, which eventually proved to be as shoddy and disappointing as its predecessors.

Owner Nick declares that the $99 Kodak M753 is "cheap for a reason." He reports: "Out of the 68 photos i took, about 5 came out sort of nice, the other ones were gritty and blurry. And no picture looked good enough to print bigger than 2" X 3" let alone the 20" x 30" which it claims to be capable of doing." Discussing the Kodak M853, owner Adi says "It's a shame that a camera from Kodak would be so feature rich doing almost everything else better than it's true intention: to take great pictures."

Of all the Kodak cameras released in 2007, only the Kodak Z712 IS seemed to actually satisfy consumers by performing well and giving them their money's worth.
It's unfortunate to see such a long-standing, venerable manufacturer seemingly hit rock bottom. By putting out sub-par product, Kodak has allowed its competitors, particularly Canon, to run away with the point-and-shoot camera market. We'd much rather see a robust Kodak fighting it out with Canon, resulting in more technological innovation and greater price drops. It'd be better for consumers. Instead, Canon dominates and the other brands weakly flail against their more committed rival. People are willing to give Kodak a chance. Unfortunately, even though those loyal shoppers are still pushing the button, Kodak isn't doing the rest.