Digital Photography Blog: Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings, News, Tips and Tutorials.
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New Digital Photography Blog - DPexpert - has a good tip on how to make your colour photos black and white using Photoshop.
DCRP reviews the Canon PowerShot SD400 and writes - 'The SD400 is an ultra-thin camera with an all-metal body. It's very well put together for the most part, save for that plastic door over the memory card and battery compartment. Camera performance is superb, and probably the best in its class (along with the other SD models). The camera starts up in a little over a second and it's fast at just about everything. The continuous shooting and movie modes are both first-rate. The SD400 has a 2-inch LCD display that automatically gains up in low light. Speaking of low light, the AF-assist lamp helped the camera focus well in darker rooms. The SD400's support for the USB 2.0 High Speed protocol means less time waiting for your photos to be transferred to your computer. Once there you'll find Canon's software to be better than average.'
Read more about the Canon Powershot SD400 Digital Camera
Get the Latest Price on the Canon PowerShot SD400
'The digital camera industry has reached maturity early, and the heady growth rates will slow, according to a report.
Shipments will be strong in the next couple years but will slow and then dip over the long term, research firm IDC forecast in a report Thursday. Indications are that the market will peak prematurely, missing the opportunity to replace film cameras as the predominant method of taking photos--instead the market will be made up of a more diverse range of devices with photo capturing abilities, such as cell phones and other combination devices.
“Digital cameras won't become as ubiquitous as film because manufacturers became obsessed with features instead of the unmet market,” said Chris Chute, digital imaging analyst with IDC. “They were rewarded with market growth, but once they filled that bucket there wasn't any other bucket to fill.”'
Read more at Digital camera market peaked too soon
DP Expert reviews the Sony DSC-V3 and writes - 'Like this: This is an excellent camera for the serious photographer. The build quality and lens are outstanding. There is a flash shoe, which might be needed because the on-board flash is not powerful. The V3 takes both Sony Memory Stick and the cheaper Compact Flash memory.
Dislike that: Images at ISO400 are noticeably noisy (grainy). This seems to be the price to be paid for having 7 million photo receptors on a small area. It means that the ISO setting should normally be kept at 100/200.'
Read more about the Sony DSC-V3
DP Expert reviews the KONICA MINOLTA DiMAGE G600 Digital Camera and advises that - 'The natural competitors of the Konica Minolta G600 are the Canon Powershot S60 and the Olympus C-60. The Canon is a 5mp camera and the Olympus is 6. The Canon and Olympus have more easily accessible manual controls which will appeal to some customers and deter others.'
Read more about the Konica Minolta DiMage G600
Get the Latest Price on the Konica Minolta DiMage G600
DP Expert reviews the KODAK DX7630 and comments - 'This is the best Kodak digital camera we have used. Kodaks generally look and feel different from the Japanese cameras and some models lagged in things like appearance and smoothness of operation. The DX7630 is still different, but in a nicer way. For its price and intended purpose this camera is highly recommended.'
Read more about the Kodak DX7630
Get the Latest Price on the Kodak DX7630
PC Magazine reviews the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and recommends - 'The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT is a superbly crafted camera that will please nearly anyone with any interest in photography—from those who want to set their camera on auto to those who want to experiment. And by keeping the price under $1,000, Canon ensures the continued popularity of its Digital Rebel line. This camera provides a truly excellent value, and we wholeheartedly recommend it.'
Read more about the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Get the Latest Price on the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Imaging Resource reviews the Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom Digital Camera and writes - 'The Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom represents a slightly pared-down version of the previous C8080 Wide Zoom model, with a slightly smaller zoom range, slightly lower-resolution CCD, and less external control. (Or alternately, the Olympus C7070 could be viewed as a follow-on and upgrade to the previous C5060 model, as its features are perhaps more closely aligned with that predecessor.) The Olympus C7070 Wide Zoom features a 4x wide-angle zoom lens reaching to 27mm (among the widest in the consumer digital camera market), a 7.41-megapixel CCD, an update to the C8080's improved user interface, and the same phase-detection autofocus system using an external phase-detect sensor for faster autofocus performance. Pair these features with excellent exposure, color, creative control, and a return to an optical viewfinder, and the Olympus 7070 a very capable camera for just about any shooting situation. An optional underwater housing is also available for the Olympus C7070, for use with the camera's two preset underwater Scene modes, so it can literally go just about anywhere.'
Read more about the Olympus C-7070 digital camera
Get the Latest Price on the Olympus Camedia C-7070
Photo Marketing's News page reports that Canon have reported 2005 first quarter sales were up 5.7% in comparison to 2004's first quarter.
'Toshizo Tanaka, senior managing director and group executive for Finance and Accounting, said the increase in net sales was due to strong sales of color copying machines and color laser beam printers as demand for office color has increased, and stable sales of digital cameras. Tanaka added, “Although a difficult environment is expected in the second quarter and for the full year, we expect to exceed our sales and profit results of last year and achieve our sixth consecutive year of sales and profit growth.”'
On the flip side Sony have reported $533 million in 2004 fourth quarter losses.
'Sony recorded a group net loss of ¥56.5 billion yen (US$533 million) for the fourth quarter, compared with a loss one year earlier of ¥38.2 billion. Sony said in a statement that sales shrank 4.2 percent to ¥1.697 trillion (US$16 billion) from ¥1.772 trillion (US$16.7 billion) for the same quarter last year.'
PhotographyBLOG reviews the Sanyo Xacti VPC-C4 and writes - 'The Sanyo Xacti C4 adds very little in the way of new features when compared to its predecessor, the Xacti C1, and some of what it does add actually makes it a worse camera. The new 4 megapixel sensor may give you slightly bigger images, but it also introduces a host of problems including noisy images, obvious chromatic aberrations and soft images, all things that were present on the older C1 but to a much lesser degree. In my opinion the extra pixels that the Sanyo Xacti C4 offers just aren't worth it when you consider the problems that go with them. I also wouldn't bother using the interpolated 8M image quality setting, as the quality does not compare well to the true 4 megapixel images. The only other changes are the slightly larger 1.8 inch LCD screen, which just about keeps the Sanyo Xacti C4 in line with other 4 megapixel digital cameras, and the welcome addition of built-in image stabilisation.'
Read more about the Sanyo Xacti C4
PC Mag reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 and writes - 'The FZ5 is geared toward several different skill levels. Easy mode provides access to just the most basic functions of the camera. For shooters who want to tailor their pictures a bit, Panasonic includes scene modes like sports, night portrait, fireworks, party, and snow, among others. For more advanced users, the FZ5 offers a manual mode, which lets you set the aperture and shutter speed for more creativity and control.'
Read more about the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5
Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 and get the latest price on it from Amazon.
Nokia have come out today with two new 2 megapixel camera phones that incorporate Carl Zeiss lens technology.
The Nokia N70 and Nokia N90 (pictured left) both include integrated flash, 20x digital zoom, PictBridge, Bluetooth and video capture capabilities.
The phones are sure to turn a few heads and will compete with some of the low end digital cameras currently on the market. Camera phones continue to improve and in the months ahead will see a number of high megapixel units (up to 7 megapixels) released onto the market.
Read more about these cameraphones at Camera Phone Zone (a sister site of Digital Photography Blog which updates readers with all the latest in camera phone news, reviews and information).
Digital Camera Review has just posted a review of the Canon Powershot A520 and writes - 'Canon's “A” series digital cameras have always provided consumers with impressive ease of use, exceptional performance, excellent image quality, and “best in class” bang for the buck, the A520 doesn't deviate from this family tradition. The A520 is a super choice for advanced amateur photographers just making the jump to digital, but it will also do a great job for casual shooters and as a primary family camera. The A520 is an excellent imaging option for travelers who want a digital camera that will allow them to record their adventures and student photographers who want a digital camera that they can “grow into” as their photographic capabilities evolve.'
Read more about the Canon Powershot A520
Get the Latest Price on the Canon Powershot A520
Photoxels has posted a review of the Kodak EasyShare Z740 and writes - 'Even though the Kodak Z740 is targeted to beginner amateur photographers, it is equipped with full exposure flexibility and all the features important to serious amateur photograhers. Beginners will obtain great images in Auto mode, Program Auto mode, or the many Scene modes -- and progress to use the other exposure modes, including full Manual mode, when they are ready for more challenging and creative photography.'
Read more about the Kodak EasyShare Z740
Get a Price on the Kodak EasyShare Z740
DP Review has reviewed the Nikon Coolpix 7900 digital camera and writes - 'In an increasingly crowded 7MP compact market, the Coolpix 7900 has much to recommend it. Design, build and ease of use are excellent, and there is a surprising amount of power hidden in the extensive menus, offering control over focus, metering, white balance and so on for those who like to tweak. The novice market the 7900 is aimed at will surely welcome the hand-holding approach of the scene and scene assist modes, and the overall responsiveness makes using the camera a real pleasure. Features such as Best Shot Selector (which takes a burst of shots as you hold down the shutter, then chooses and saves only the sharpest one), D-Lighting, Face-Piority AF and In-Camera Red-Eye Fix (which works virtually every time) add value to an already well-priced camera.'
Read more reviews of the Nikon Coolpix 7900
Buy the Nikon Coolpix 7900 digital camera
The Hitachi HDC-302Slim is a a 3.15 megapixel super slim camera which belongs to the 'i.mega' series of Hitachi digital cameras. It has interpolation (bringing resolution up to 8MP).
The HDC-302Slim measures just 0.86 inches thick and should hit stores on 13 May.
The Ricoh Caplio GX8 is an 8 megapixel (CCD) digital camera with a 28mm wideangle lens with a 3x Optical Zoom. It comes with a 1.8inch LCD, 1cm Macro Mode, live histogram and 1.3 second start up time.
TrustedReviews has a review of the Ricoh Caplio GX8 digital camera and writes - 'The Caplio GX8 is a technical marvel with superb adaptability, outstanding performance, some very useful features and good handling. For the price it offers more pixel power than almost anything else on the market, but there are other even more capable cameras available to the advanced user. You’ll have to decide if it’s really what you’re looking for, but if it is then it won’t disappoint.'
Lets Go Digital Reviews the Ricoh Caplio GX8 Digital Camera and gives it a good recommendation writing - 'The Ricoh Caplio GX8 is a different digital camera. Different because of its design and different because of a number of unique features. The Ricoh Caplio GX8 is a digital compact camera with the shortest interval of release ever. It belongs to the cameras with the highest amount of pixels and it certainly is one of a few with the highest ISO setting. Besides that, the camera stands out because of its real wide angle and its remarkable continuous mode. It makes the Ricoh Caplio GX8 a great and astonishing camera, one that you have to like whether you want it or not!...
Concluding I can say that the Ricoh Caplio GX8 is a beautiful digital camera for the photographer who exactly knows what he wants. A comprehensible camera with a number of interesting features and qualities. The Ricoh Caplio GX8 deserves to be considered as your next camera and it certainly offers sufficient possibilities to achieve beautiful results.'
Digicam Review has reviewed the Ricoh Caplio GX8 Review and recommends - 'The 8 megapixel Ricoh Caplio GX8 is a very good digital camera. The easy to use camera is capable of very good results, however you may have to work with the image(s) to get the best out of them - for example to remove noise, etc. The camera gives you a lot of control through manual settings, manual focus, ISO range, flash expansion, lens expansion, battery type etc. The macro mode is excellent, producing photos with good colour, excellent detail and extreme close-ups! This camera would make a very good camera for someone looking to produce detailed wide angle photos - the camera is also excellent value for money.'
PhotographyBLOG reviews the Ricoh Caplio GX8 and writes - 'The Ricoh Caplio GX8 is a frustrating camera. It's one of the most usable, intuitive and well-designed digital cameras that I have ever reviewed. At the same time, however, the images that it produces are some of the worst that I have ever seen. Large amounts of chromatic aberrations are present in many varied situations, including those where you wouldn't expect to see it, and noise is very apparent at ISO 200 and faster. If only Ricoh could have improved the image quality, they would have had a winner on their hands, but sadly the introduction of that 8 megapixel sensor has just made the image quality worse than it was on the previous 5 megapixel GX camera (which wasn't great anyway).'
Main Features
More Pixels
Equipped with a superb 8.24-megapixel (effective) CCD, the Caplio GX8 breaks new ground among compact digital cameras. All that power in a slim 29 mm package weighing a mere *205 grams. Those 8-megapixels deliver stunning clarity and resolution for prints up to A3 size, and Ricoh’s proprietary image processor ‘Smooth Imaging Engine’ ensures accurate colors, quick response and low noise levels.
* without battery, strap and SD Memory Card
Go Wide
A 28mm wide-angle zoom lens ideal for capturing breathtaking landscapes or street shots complements the 8.24 megapixel CCD. Composed of 9 glass elements in 7 groups this lens delivers sharp, clear pictures without distortion or aberration even at wide-angle operations, as well as 12x zoom capability combining a 3x optical zoom with a 4x digital zoom to hone in on even the smallest detail of a distant object.
Lightning fast response time
Boasting the fastest response times the Caplio GX8 is always ready to capture those precious moments where speed is of the essence. The Caplio GX8 takes only 1.3 seconds* from start up to taking the first shot. Incorporating a hybrid auto-focus system, the shutter instantly focuses on the object and shoots in 0.10 seconds. Moreover, the Caplio GX8 is ready to take the next shot in 1.7 second intervals (fine mode, resolution 3264 x 2448) until the memory card** is full. In continuous shooting mode, the Caplio GX8 can shoot 16 consecutive images in roughly two seconds with one press of the shutter. This feature could come in handy for checking a golf swing frame by frame, or for creating a slide show of a toddler’s precious first steps.
* with flash off
** high speed SD Memory Card (10MB/s)
Unmatched expandability
Featuring unrivaled versatility, the Caplio GX8 exceeds the limitations of a regular compact digital camera: it acts more like an advanced single-lens reflex camera, connecting with a vast array of both Ricoh and non-Ricoh brand accessories and instruments. No other compact digital camera offers such a range of opportunities in digital photography.
By attaching a Ricoh optional wide conversion lens (with adapter), the wide-angle capability of the Caplio GX8 further expands to an incredible 22mm. An external USB equipped cable release allows for self-portraits as well as preventing camera shake during long exposures In situations where a flash or strobe unit is required, the interval time between shots can be shortened significantly by using an external strobe mounted to the Caplio GX8’s dedicated hot shoe instead of the built-in flash. Furthermore, the Caplio GX8 is compatible with a broad range of external finders, field scopes, microscopes, and even telescopes, for astrophotography.
Naturally, the Caplio GX8 connects directly to a personal computer or a PictBridge* printer with a USB connector, so pictures stored in the Caplio GX8 can be downloaded or printed with the greatest of ease.
* PictBridge is a trademark
1cm Macro!
With greatly enhanced focus precision, a little imagination is all that is needed to take professional-looking macro pictures. The Caplio GX8 automatically measures the closeness, size, and contrast of the object and captures even the tiniest details of an object as small as 18mm x 24 mm to reveal an world of intricate beauty normally unseen by the naked eye. Even with the camera on a tripod, the focus point can be freely shifted within the frame without moving the camera using AF Target Selection. Additionally, the Caplio GX8 is outfitted with a special flash capable of illuminating objects even 15cm away without producing any of the washed out effects present with regular flash.
Creative control
The Caplio GX8’s aperture priority and manual exposure modes allow photographers to explore creative possibilities and produce quality images that go beyond pixel resolution. Aperture priority mode allows control of depth of field, very useful for portraiture.
In addition to aperture priority, the Caplio GX8 provides other greatly improved auto exposure functions. For added control, exposure compensation is possible in 1/3EV steps over a range of ±2.0EV. Shutter speed can be adjusted manually from a very fast 1/2000 seconds to 30 seconds for night exposures. Moreover, the Caplio GX8 LCD monitor provides “live” feedback of current exposure levels with a histogram, so the necessary adjustments can be made before taking a shot. In especially difficult lighting, the Auto Bracket function automatically takes three consecutive shots at three different exposure levels so that the best shot can be selected without re-shooting.
Trusted Reviews has a good review of the Samsung Digimax V700 and advises - 'Samsung’s best model to date; a powerful super-snapshot camera with some excellent features and good build quality. Not without its faults, but redeemed by superior image quality and good performance. There are better cameras, but few that offer better value for money.'
Read more about the Samsung Digimax V700 digital camera
Buy the "Samsung Digimax V700 digital camera"
CNET Reviews posts a review of the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-P200 and writes - 'This replacement for the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-P150 adds no significant capabilities to the skimpy feature set of its predecessor. However, it retains its position as one of the most compact 7-megapixel models, offering good performance, outstanding battery life, and adequate photo quality. While competitors such as Pentax and Olympus offer lots of bonus features and zoom ranges longer than the P200's 3X zoom, 38mm-to-114mm (35mm equivalent) optics, this Sony upgrade is a good choice for casual snapshooters who want to make big prints and can live with nagging color-balance problems. Photo enthusiasts looking for shutter- or aperture-priority controls, TIFF or raw file formats, or other extra features should check out the competition.'
Read more about the Sony CyberSHot DSC-P200 digital camera
Buy the Sony Cybershot DSC-P200Tipa Europe have announced their Annual Best Digital Camera Awards. The Winners include:
- Canon EOS 350D: Best Digital SLR Entry Level
- Fuji S3 Pro: Best Digital SLR Midrange
- Canon EOS-1DS Mk II Best Digital SLR Professional
- Sony Cybershot T7: Best Digital Ultra Compact
- Nikon Coolpix 7900: Best Digital Compact
- Panasonic DMC-FZ20: Best Digital Superzoom
- Epson R-D1 - Best Prestige Camera
- Epson Perfection 4990 Photo - Best Flatbed Scanner
- HP Photosmart 375 - Best Small Format Printer
- Canon Pixma iP8500 - Best A4 Photo Printer
- Epson Stylus Photo R1800R - Best A3 Photo Printer
- Sony Ericsson K750i - Best Mobile Imaging Device
- Olympus µ[mju:] - Best Innovative Design
Found via Digital Camera Tracker
Imaging Resource has published a review of the Canon PowerShot SD500 Digital Camera and advise - 'Canon's ELPH line of digital cameras have consistently offered good image quality, user-friendly design, and excellent build quality, and the new Canon PowerShot SD500 is no exception. While it's not actually that much smaller than the previous CompactFlash-based SD500 model, it feels a lot smaller, thanks no doubt to its sleekly sculpted, curving body design. When it comes to picture taking, while actual exposure control remains automatic, the ability to adjust ISO, White Balance, and access longer shutter times significantly increases the camera's shooting range. Thanks to its high-speed DIGIC-II processing chip, it's also very responsive for a subcompact digital camera, and its movie capability goes far beyond what I'm accustomed to seeing from subcompact digicam models. One particularly positive note is that the Canon SD500 seems to largely avoid the problems with softness in the corners suffered by the SD200 and SD300 models, and its 7-megapixel CCD also manages to keep noise levels under control, even at ISO 400.'
Read more reviews of the Canon Powershot SD500
Technorati Tags: Digital Cameras
Buy the Canon Powershot SD700/IXUS 700
Digital Camera Info has posted a review of the Fujifilm FinePix F10. Their buying advice is - 'The F10 has good solid guts — a 1/1.7-inch Super CCD with 6.3 effective megapixels and a Real Photo imaging processor — in a fairly lightweight 3.6 x 2.3 x 1.1-inch camera body. The Fujifilm F10 produced the highest percentage of resolution from a compact camera we’ve tested to date, recording 5.47 of its advertised 6.3 megapixels (90%). It also produced an overall manual ISO noise score to rival that of high-end, thousand-dollar DSLRs (obviously, without the dynamic range). This compact camera has several SLR elements to it, including the high quality images and fast startup. However, there are drawbacks. If it seemed too good to be true, it may be. The catch is somewhat substandard construction that is materializes in wretched noises when focusing and using the shutter mechanism. The misspelled headings and settings is inexcusable. Fujifilm has expressed plans to limit the defective releases and ensure that further shipments do not include these oversights, as well as contemplating an update to correct the flaw. '
Read more about the Fujifilm FinePix F10
Technorati Tags: Digital Cameras
Buy the “Fujifilm Finepix F10 6.3MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom”
The HP Photosmart m517 is a 5 megapixel digital camera from HP that packs a 5.1 megapixel image sensor (CCD), built in flash, Bluetooth, 3x Optical Zoom lens, 2 inch LCD screen and 32 megabytes of internal memory (expandable with SD or MMC cards). The HP Photosmart m517 also features PictBridge which makes printing directly from the camera a breeze.
Get the Latest Price on the HP Photosmart m517
HP Previews the HP Photosmart M517 digital camera and writes - 'In order to make high quality photos one does not have to be a professional. With the new HP Photosmart M517 this task is easily done. But is not only the easy operation, an innovative technology like the HP Real Life Technology is able to, for example, automatic correct red eyes in the picture or ensure good back light pictures directly in the camera itself. The results can be examined comfortable on the 5cm format LCD display. Among the bases for perfect image quality is a resolution of 5 Megapixels and a total zoom of 24x (3x optical and 8x digital). The necessary storage capacity comes with a internal memory of 32MB and a card slot for optional Secure Digital or MMC cards.'
Byte Sector reviews the HP Photosmart M517 & R817 digital cameras and writes - 'Both cameras deliver average image quality, with the R817 having an advantage over the M517. This is because of its more diverse picture and exposure capabilities, extra built in imaging technologies, and better lens. However, both cameras share the same problem; they both lack a steady feature to eliminate blurring when you use a slow shutter speed or no flash. This is especially disappointing in the R817 because it is able to go down to ISO 50.'
PC Magazine reviews the HP Photosmart M517 and writes - 'When testing the camera itself, we found the still-life images unspectacular, but inoffensive. There was a little noise in both the daylight and the flash shots, though it wasn't very distracting. Color saturation and accuracy were adequate, although the M517 had better contrast than the M417. We also found a little bit of purple fringing with the M517. Like the M417, it has 1,250 average lines of resolution, which is a bit low for a 5MP camera.'
Excellent Photos, Exceptional Camera
Capture great photos of your family and friends with the new HP Photosmart M517 Digital Camera
HP has announced the launch of its new digital camera designed to make it easier for all of the family to take exceptional digital photographs every time.
Equipped with 5 megapixel resolution the HP Photosmart M517 Digital Camera is perfect for taking pictures of both outdoor family activities as well as intimate portraits. With 24x total zoom (HP Precision 3x optical lens and 8x digital zoom), the images captured can be clearly viewed on the large 5 cm LCD screen or printed and enlarged up to A4 photo size, without any loss of quality to the image.
The camera is beautifully styled, featuring an intuitive button layout and ergonomic design, making it easy to secure a perfect image with one click every time. With 32 MB of internal memory, you can store dozens of images directly on the camera, or increase capacity with an optional SD/MMC memory card to potentially hold hundreds more.
The HP Photosmart M517 Digital Camera comes equipped with a set of award winning HP Real Life technologies. HP Adaptive Lighting makes it easy to automatically brighten dark areas in high contrast shots, revealing details normally lost in shadows. This feature gives great results even when photos are taken facing into the sun or in front of a window. HP In-camera Red-Eye Removal is another feature that allows quick adjustments of photos. The camera intuitively identifies and removes red-eye, saving red-eye free images in a few easy steps, explained on the camera’s large colour LCD screen.
The ‘fast shot’ mode allows you to take photographs in a rapid burst, making it possible to capture great action shots of family and friends, performances and events. This camera even allows you to grab short video clips, including audio, of those special occasions, so that the sentiment of the situation is not lost in years to come.
With HP Instant Share you can print and send images directly to your friends and family without having to send images as large file attachments. In addition HP Image Zone enables photos to be edited, organised and shared within seconds, avoiding complex procedures and large file downloads.
There are several optional accessories available for purchase to accompany the HP Photosmart M517 Digital Camera, including the HP Photosmart M-Series Dock (C8907A), HP Photosmart Quick Recharge Kit (L1815A) and stylish HP Photosmart M-Series Camera Sleeve (Q6214A) and Silver Camera Case (Q6217A).
The HP Photosmart M517 Digital Camera is available at a recommended retail price of €229 (actual prices may vary) (approx. $386).
Building on the success of the award-winning HP Photosmart R-series cameras, this easy-to-use 5 MP camera uses the latest technology to help you take better photos.
The HP Photosmart M517 Digital Camera is designed for people who enjoy digital photography and want to take better photos of friends, family and events. As well as easy printing and enlarging, they will also want to be able to share photos by e-mail.
Exceptional photos from a great little camera. Snap crisp, sharp photos for beautiful prints and enlargements.
- Take photos at 5 MP resolution for beautiful 10 x 15 cm prints and enlargements.
- Get crisp shots from a distance with 24x total zoom – HP Precision 3x optical lens, 8x digital zoom.
- Easily frame and view photos – indoors or out – with bright 5.0 cm LCD.
- Stylish design with ergonomic grip and intuitive button layout.
- Store dozens of photos with 32 MB internal memory; slot for optional SD/MMC card.
- Rechargeable NiMH batteries included, or use AA Photo Lithium or standard AA batteries.
- Designed to help you every step of the way. Get better photos every time with easy-to-use HP Real Life technologies.
- Automatically brighten dark areas in high contrast shots to reveal details normally lost in shadows with HP adaptive lighting – get great results even when shooting into the sun or in front of a window.
- Remove red-eye via your LCD screen as soon as you’ve taken a photo: your camera identifies the problem and you can save, view or cancel changes on the spot.
- Get great action shots with fast shot mode; take a series of photos with burst mode; grab video clips with audio.
- Share photos however you want. Print with one touch and e-mail photos to friends – without large attachments.
- Select where to send photos as you take them, then e-mail without attachments or print using HP Instant Share™.
- Edit, organise, print and share photos easily using included HP Image Zone software.
- Transfer and print photos – and recharge batteries at the same time – with the optional dock.
- Print with or without a computer – print direct to any PictBridge-enabled printer or using optional memory card.
Olympus Japan have just announced the Olympus Camedia X-600.
Olympus Camedia X-600 features:
- 5 megapixel image sensor
- 3x Optical Zoom lens
- 4x digital zoom
- 2.0 inch LCD screen
- 14 megabytes internal memory
- XD card memory expansion
See the press release announcing the Olympus Camedia X-600 (Japanese).
Pocket Lint Reviews the Epson F-3200 Film Scanner and has the following advice - 'So the Epson F-3200 does what it does well, but I can’t help wondering why the print scanning is included: the scanner falls between two stools. It’s not going to appeal to, say, top professionals and it’s too expensive at £549 to appeal to the enthusiast or consumer end of the market, so should be a good £150 cheaper.
Top scanning capability (particularly for medium format film) combined with some very neat functions and super build but all are compromised in the end by a very high price tag, which has nibbled the score down a good degree as a result. Having said that, since you get what you pay for, hopefully street and online economics will allow that price to change in future.'
Read more about the Epson F-3200 Film Scanner
Get the Latest Price on the "Epson Perfection 3200 Photo Flatbed Scanner
PhotographyBLOG review the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 - 'The Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 is almost twice the price of the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z20 that I reviewed last week, but is it twice the camera? The Z5 has several key features that differentiate it from the cheaper Z20. The 12x zoom offers an increased focal range of 36-420mm, whilst the built-in image stabilisation really will make a difference to your photos, allowing you to effectively handhold the camera and get the best out of that massive zoom. The larger 2 inch LCD screen makes a big difference when using the menu system and playing back images. Build quality is generally better, although there is actually more flex in the design around the handgrip area than on the cheaper Z20. Other poorly implemented features on the Z20 have been fixed in the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5, like the exposed memory card slot, and the way in which you switch between the EVF and the LCD screen is now electronically operated. The Z5 also offers a raised pop-up flash and a hotshoe that supports several dedicated flashguns. Image quality is slightly better on the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5 with less evidence of chromatic aberrations, although like the Z20 it does produce very noisy images at ISO 200 and above.'
Read more about the Konica Minolta DiMAGE Z5
Get the Latest Price on the Konica Minolta DiMage Z5
Ken Rockwell has a review of the Nikon D50 DSLR and advises - 'The Nikon D50 is a great camera for basic photographers, non-photographers or backup. Image quality should be identical to the D70 and D70s, which means brilliant 12 x 18“ prints that many people confuse with prints from a medium format film camera. Most people will never miss the few features I would, so if you don't have any idea what I'm talking about in my comparisons get a D50 and you'll love it.'
Macworld reviews the Olympus Evolt E-300 and writes - 'The Olympus Evolt E-300 is a very good camera. It’s well-built and yields excellent images. However, you’ll get better high-ISO image quality from Canon and Nikon cameras (as well as better JPEG shooting) and a better lens selection from just about any other camera manufacturer.'
Read more about the Olympus Evolt E-300 digital camera
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DCRP reviews the Olympus C-5500 Sport Zoom and finds it to be something of a hit and miss digital camera. They write - 'Camera performance is all over the map. The camera starts up quickly and there's no shutter lag. In other areas, such as focusing times, the camera is average. And in some instances the C-5500 is sluggish. This includes shot-to-shot and playback speeds, as well as the sequential shooting mode. Come on Olympus, if you're going to call this a “sport zoom” at least offer a decent continuous shooting mode. The one here only takes 4 shots in a row (at 1.2 fps) and you can't even use the SHQ image quality setting! The camera makes up for these shortcomings in the image quality department: I was not disappointed, except for the colors seeming a little dull at times. Thankfully that's easy to remedy -- just boost the in-camera saturation setting. The camera performed well in our redeye test as well. So well, in fact, that I couldn't even test out the in-camera redeye reduction feature.'
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Lets Go Digital reviews the FujiFilm FinePix Z1 digital camera and writes - 'At this moment we have come to the conclusion that the Fujifilm FinePix Z1 is recommendable. Unless the final production model differs a lot from the pre-production model we've got here, but that seems not very likely to me. The Fujifilm Z1, with the built-in 5th generation Super CCD HR technique and the application of the Real Photo technology distinguishes this new Fujifilm sibling from the other competitors. The trend of designer cameras didn't escape Fujifilm's attention, and introducing the Fujifilm FinePix Z1 made it obvious that Fujifilm understands how lifestyle products should distinguish themselves from traditional digital camera models, and I would like to add, Fujifilm didn't miss the actual fact of what a digital camera is about: photography and quality.'
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The Samsung Digimax Pro 815 is an SLR like digital camera with a a 28-420mm zoom lens (15x Optical Zoom), a 2/3 inch CCD sensor, a 3.5inch TFT LCD screen, flash hot shoe and 2.5 frames per second fast shooting mode. It has an 8 megapixel sensor.
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Samsung Camera releases the best-in-class 8 megapixel digital camera - Pro815
Samsung Camera releases the best-in-class 8 megapixel digital camera
Samsung Camera has announced that the company will release the world's longest(15X) optical zoom 8 megapixel high-end digital camera(model name: Pro815), targeting enthusiast photographers, later this year. The Pro815, offers unrivalled features and performance and is beyond comparison to other cameras in the same class. This marks the pinnacle of Samsung Camera's product range for 2005.
The Pro815 is equipped with a 15X optical zoom with a focal length of 28-420mm(35mm equivalent), this means you can shoot from wide angle to telephoto with one lens. Normally it is not possible to incorporate both 28mm wide-angle and 420mm tele-zoom capabilities in an average high-end camera, since they generally, only come with a 7-8X zoom. With SLR systems, different lenses need to be switched to shoot wide-angle and ultra high zoom pictures, this means carrying lots of equipment, missing some shots due to lens changeover and buying multiple lenses. The Pro815 has four low-dispersion glass lenses specially manufactured to minimize chromatic aberration that can occur when wide-angle and ultra high zoom are supported at the same time. In addition, it employs 2 aspherical lenses for the correction of spherical aberration and lateral colours for the entire zoom range from wide to tele. This world-renowned Schneider-KREUZNACH lens offers outstanding reliability. This lens combined with the high-sensitivity CCD means the Pro815 provides the best image quality possible in its class.
Another feature of the Pro815 is that it has the world's largest 3.5" TFT LCD used in a digital camera. Conventional high-end or SLR cameras use a relatively small 1.8-2.0" LCD and the screen does not show the shot at the point of taking the picture for SLR. With the Pro815, anybody can easily take a picture and view images through its large LCD, the large LCD is also a real benefit for better composition. By using Transmissive with Micro Reflective(TMR) technology, it can be displayed at bright condition outdoors.
This, coupled with the 16.7million true colours supported means you can share your images with other people because the viewing angle is wide and the colours are well reproduced. There is also an electronic viewfinder.
The Pro815 comes with the world's largest-capacity 1900mAh, 7.4V lithium-ion battery included. A large-capacity battery is a must because this camera encourages you to take more pictures. On a full charge this battery can enable shooting of up to 500 frames(based on CIPA standard), before further charging is required.
Another great feature of the Pro815 is waist-level shooting, enabled by its top LCD. The 1.44" wide colour TFT LCD of the Pro815 displays a preview screen in real time, allowing the waist-level shooting style often adopted by professional photographers. This LCD position enables high-level shooting as well as taking pictures from various angles. The top LCD can also be used as a status LCD to display shooting data. Since the required information is available on the LCD at all times, you can shoot a subject or choose a desired function more quickly.
The High speed mode provided by the Pro815 ensures steady shooting even in tele-zoom. The camera has a highsensitivity 2/3" CCD and a large high-performance lens. When High speed mode is selected, the Pro815 automatically increases the sensitivity up to max ISO 800, depending on the surrounding exposure and focal length. Employing an exclusive low-noise processing algorithm, the Pro815 ensures superb image quality with low noise, even at ISO 800. In addition, in High speed mode, a faster shutter speed enables sharp shooting of fast moving targets.
The Pro815 achieves the fastest response times in its class. Its startup and shot-to-shot speeds have been reduced to 1.0 second and 1.3 second respectively, and it delivers a fast AF speed of lower than 1.0 second even in tele-zoom mode by utilizing a passive AF sensor. The shutter release lag of 0.05 seconds lets you capture those shots without fail.
The Pro815 includes high-speed continuous shooting at 2.5 frames/sec, normal continuous shooting that lets you shoot while viewing an image taken on the LCD, and ultra high speed continuous shooting that allows you to shoot up to ten 1Megapixel-sized images per second. As it has high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity, images taken can be transferred to a PC quickly.
The Pro815 offers comprehensive manual photography features that should meet all the needs of aspiring photographers. Manual exposure(Aperture/Shutter/Manual) and manual focus control features are included as standard.
Three rings surrounding the lens controls manual zoom, manual focusing and EV compensation, provide you with direct control of manual operations. The dual jog system, which is used to control aperture and shutter speed, also delivers precision in manual operation. The camera has various focusing modes including AF Lock, Continuous AF and Select Area AF. Its direct manual focusing feature lets you switch to manual focusing from AF instantly by turning the manual focus ring. In addition, bracketed shooting is allowed for exposure, focus and white balance. In particular, white balance is available in Preset, Custom and Colour Temperature Adjust modes. This lets you express colours exactly as you want. Contrast and saturation can also be controlled for creative expression in the depth of colour required. The camera supports Adobe RGB color space as well as an 8 MP non-compressed RAW file, making it the perfect choice for enthusiast image output.
The Display mode of the Pro815, which utilizes a large 3.5" LCD, extends its application potential even further. In contrast to the normal 9-thumbnail screen, the Pro815 has a 25-thumbnail display, allowing you to search for a desired picture more quickly. The camera also offers histogram display for checking and adjusting an exposure, and grid display for easier image composition.
In particular, the exclusive features are Review Shot mode, that lets you set the optimal image composition while viewing an image just taken, together with the technical details: and a display mode that allows you just to display an image in the centre of the screen, and place the icons and other screen information at the edges of the screen. The Pro815 is equipped with a high-powered built in flash to let you obtain a perfectly exposed picture even in dark environments. The Pro815 not only has a powerful flash that allows shooting at up to 7.7m(wide settings) but can also compensate a flash light by +/-2EV depending on the surrounding exposure environment. Not content with delivering a truly all round still picture experience the Pro815 supports video recording to VGA screen size with stereo sound.
A rich and varied set of accessories enhances the Pro815 offer even further.
First, a lens hood, essential for outdoor photography, is included and can be reversed to make it easier to carry when the camera is not being used. A lens adapter for general-purpose filter mounting and lens cap for lens protection are also included.
The optional external flash(SEF-42A) is a large-capacity flash that follows Guide No. 42, and its angle can be adjusted for creative use of flash lighting. In addition, an optional external remote control can also be purchased. The external remote control can be operated to the side of the camera as well as with the front. A luxury case can also be purchased separately.
The launch of the new Pro815 is a brilliant achievement from Samsung Camera, based on the technology it has refined through compact digital camera development. The launch of the Pro815 by Samsung Camera will add a truly aspirational camera for enthusiasts to its already strong compact camera product lines.
suse.de gives a first impression review of the Samsung Digimax Pro815 and writes - 'Samsung promised a high-end prosumer camera with high quality standards, a superb lens, great workmanship, a huge LCD, a very good wide angle and an impressive zoom.
That promise they lived up to. I really like all the attributes mentioned above of that camera.
I also found it very intuitive to use. OK, I had cheated, I had read the manual - not all users do that, I know ;-) . But even so I needed very little help from the helpful road show people.'
DP Review has posted a review of the Samsung Pro815 digital camera and writes - 'Compared to a digital SLR the Pro815 certainly offers a lot of 'bang for your buck', and the lens is excellent, but it's bigger and heavier than most entry-level DSLRs, and - if you shop around - you could pick up a body and a lens or two for not a great deal more, which will give you a more responsive camera and much, much better high ISO performance. It's perfectly possible, for example, to buy the Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D body for under $600, which will leave you a couple of hundred dollars towards your lens collection. And for $200 more you could look at the Sony R1, which may not have the zoom reach, but it has a wider short end and much better sensitivity.' They give The Samsung Pro 815 a rating of 'recommended'.
CNET reviews the Samsung Digimax Pro 815 where they give it an 'average' rating and write - 'As a precursor to Samsung's entry into the SLR market--and a statement by the company that it's serious about the camera market--the Digimax Pro 815 serves its purpose. It shows that Samsung has a handle on the systems and features that photographers want. Plus, more recent cameras, such as the most current L-series models, have shown that the company can deliver image quality better than that of the Pro 815. Given its flaws, it's difficult to recommend the Samsung Digimax Pro 815.'
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Photo Tips at Earthbound Light have a great tip on the useful Unsharp Mask in many photo editing software packages:
'To understand what this is all about, we'll need to go back to the beginning. The name has its origins, as do many things photographic, in the conventional darkroom. Creating a print the old-fashioned way involves exposing photosensitive paper by projecting onto it a negative of the desired image. In order to accentuate edges in a print and thus make it look sharper, the darkroom operator made something called an unsharp mask.
The technique consists of creating a weak, slightly out of focus positive transparency of the original negative. Rather than exposing the negative on photographic paper, it is instead exposed on another sheet of film. Thus, this new version will be a positive image. Since we recorded it slightly out of focus, if we sandwich it with the original piece of film, all the edges in the composite image will have slight halos in the exact opposite color of whatever is on the other side of each edge.'
DigiCamReview has a review of the Konica Minolta Dimage Z5 and writes - 'Image quality is good, the images have very good colour, saturation, contrast and good detail with very low purple fringing - however there is high noise, and images are a bit soft. The camera did a good job focusing. There is a good range of image sizes and a very good choice of compression options. The super macro mode is very good. Auto white balance and metering seemed to be quite good. Red-eye was controlled well. The movie mode is very good as the camera lets you use the optical zoom and has a night mode - the resolution and framerate is also very good at 640x480 / 30fps with sound.'
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The Canon PowerShot S2 IS is the successor to the Powershot S1 IS which was released last year. The S2 has a big 12x Optical Zoom lens (with image stabilizer), 5.0 megapixel image sensor and 30 frames per second video shooting (for up to 60 minutes and stereo sound). It shoots still images at up to 2.4 images per second at shutter speeds of up to 1/3,200 of a second.
Buy the Canon Powershot S2 IS
DP Review reviews the Canon PowerShot S2 IS and write- "The appeal of the S2 IS goes beyond simple pixel-peeping; it has a class-leading feature set, a very reli