Jul 19: Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is being billed by Panasonic as a successor to the popular DMC-LX1. It has a 16:9 widescreen sensor, 10.2 megapixel sensor, 4x Optical Zoom, and has a wider 2.8 inch LCD screen.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is said to have a lower noise than the LX1 and now features the possibility of pictures taken at up to ISo 3200 as well as an automatic 'intelligent ISO Control' which boosts ISO if motion is detected in the shot.

Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and get the latest price on the Panasonic DMC-LX2S at Amazon.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 News Release

Panasonic today introduced the Lumix DMC-LX2, successor to the DMC-LX1, which has received high acclaim worldwide for its unique 16:9 wide CCD, plentiful functions, and smart design. The DMC-LX2 inherits the f/2.8 28mm wide angle LEICA DC lens, 4x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 112mm on a 35mm film camera) and MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) system in addition to an enhanced CCD capable of 10.2-megapixels and larger 2.8” 16:9 wide LCD.

The DMC-LX2 is unique in that it incorporates triple-“wide” features of 28 mm wide angle LEICA DC lens, 16:9 wide CCD and 16:9 wide LCD. Not only that, the LX2 is further distinguished from other cameras by its full manual controllability with a joystick allowing users to easily enjoy creative shooting. The DMC-LX2 also boasts Venus Engine III high performance image processing LSI to dramatically reduce the noise that challenged the predecessor, realizing image recording at max. ISO 1600 high sensitivity setting at full resolution.

To fight against the major cause of blurred images, Panasonic invented the MEGA O.I.S. system taking advantage of its superior lens technology to compensate for handshake – a feature which has long been incorporated into the LUMIX range of cameras. In addition, to also compensate for the other major cause of blurred images – movement of the subject – the LX2 is also equipped with the world’s first* Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) within the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III. When set to the I.I.C., the Venus Engine III detects the subject’s movement and adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the subject movement and the light condition automatically. Panasonic’s excellent image stabilizing system allows users to take clear, crisp images in any situation automatically, leaving everything to the camera.

The LUMIX LX series are distinct from other compact cameras in the way they feature extensive manual controls including manual focus and manual exposure which can be smoothly operated with a joystick. This joystick further provides operation shortcuts to the frequently used settings including white balance, ISO, image size, compression format, light metering and AF mode by simply pressing and holding it. It also allows exposure compensation and selection of one out of nine focusing areas.

The aspect ratio is easily selectable between 16:9 wide, 3:2 and conventional 4:3 with a switch located on top of the lens barrel to shoot in the framing aspect that best suits the subjects’ composition or image’s purpose of use. In addition, the DMC-LX2 is capable of recording wide 16:9 high definition (1280 x 720) motion image at 15 fps.

The other features that elevate the DMC-LX2 is the incorporation of 13 MB of built-in memory while the battery life is extended up to 300 pictures* on one charging, not to let you miss those great spur-of-the-moment shots. A print mode has been added to the mode dial so that you can print the images quickly and bundled software allows users to edit and develop RAW files.

The unique 16:9 wide CCD and 28mm wide angle LEICA DC lens provide a unique view of the world and which is refined by the Panasonic’s excellent image stabilizing systems of MEGA O.I.S., the high sensitivity recording and the I.I.C.

The LUMIX DMC-LX2 is like no other compact camera, enabling both high-end amateurs and entry-level users to explore the creativeness that surely enhances the joy of shooting.

* Based on the CIPA standard.

10.2-megapixel 16:9 aspect CCD and f/2.8 28mm wide angle 4x optical zoom LEICA DC Lens

The DMC-LX2 features a 10.2-megapixel 16:9 aspect CCD and f/2.8 4x optical zoom 28mm wide angle* (equivalent to 28 mm to 112 mm on a 35 mm film camera) LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens. Incorporating three aspherical lenses provides high optical performance while preserving the compactness of the unit. The aspect ratio can be easily selected between 16:9 or 3:2 in addition to the conventional 4:3 with a switch on the lens barrel on a shot-by-shot-basis to best suit the composition of the image. Even after shooting, the 16:9 ratio can be converted to 3:2 or 4:3 with the camera according to your purpose of use.
The Extra Optical Zoom, made possible by using the center part of 10.2-megapixel high resolution CCD, further extends the zoom ratio to 5.5x for 5-megapixel image recording in 16:9 aspect with minimal deterioration.

* In 16:9 aspect ratio.

More than just a MEGA O.I.S., LUMIX’s image stabilizing system further evolves

Taking advantage of its superior lens technology, Panasonic invented the MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) to fight against the major cause of blurred images. It compensates for handshake and is now featured on the entire LUMIX range, and having been highly evaluated and appreciated by the users across the world. Every slight hand-shake movement is detected accurately with the sampling frequency at 4,000 times per second and will be compensated to render clear, sharp images. In addition, movement of the subject, the other major cause of blurred images, is suppressed by the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III with the Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and max.ISO1600 high sensitivity recording capabilities. The world’s first incorporation* of this I.I.C. allows the automatic adjustment of the suitable ISO setting and shutter speed that best suits the situation by analyzing the speed of subject movement. If the subject is moving, the ISO setting would automatically rise to allow high shutter speed. On the other hand, if the subject is still and no movement is detected, you can take beautiful natural images with a low ISO setting.

Accordingly the new LUMIX automatically takes the best countermeasures against any causes of blurred images with MEGA O.I.S. compensating for hand-shake and the I.I.C. compensating for movement of the subject. Image stabilizing system is further evolving with LUMIX.
*For a digital still camera, as of July 19, 2006.

Dramatically reduced noise with Venus Engine III

The DMC-LX2 adopts the Venus Engine III to realize high sensitivity recording at max. ISO 1600 at full resolution. The noise reduction system is greatly improved by removing noise at the processing stages in series. First, critical noise is roughly undraped and the chromatic noise and the luminance noise are separated to respectively go through the supplemental noise reduction process so that the remaining noise is appropriately minimised.

Despite the significantly increased performance of the camera, the Venus Engine III consumes only 80% of the power utilized by the Venus Engine II and is able to achieve a longer battery life of 300 pictures (CIPA) on a single charge. With its multi-task image processing capability, the Venus Engine III also boasts outstanding response time with a shutter release time lag of as short as 0.009 sec*. minimum and the shutter interval of 0.6 sec*. The DMC-LX2 enables easy capture of those spur-of-the-moment shots. The DMC-LX2 also allows unlimited consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD/SDHC memory card**.

* Not including the time for AF.
**The number of recordable pictures depends on the memory card size, battery life, picture size and image compression.

Joystick-operated intuitive full manual control

The easy-to-use joystick operation and good design, which were part of the highly acclaimed trademarks of the predecessor, are inherited by the DMC-LX2. The joystick was incorporated to facilitate operational ease and thereby get the best technical advantage of the multitude of functions offered by the camera. With the joystick it is possible to set focus and exposure manually, and also quickly shortcut to frequently used variables by just pressing and holding the joystick even while monitoring a subject on the LCD. The predecessor LX1 contained white balance adjustment, ISO setting, image size setting and compression format in its shortcut menu, and the light metering and AF mode settings are now added for the new LX2. It also allows the exposure compensation and selection of one out of nine focusing areas.

A switch on the side of the lens barrel lets you quickly change the focus mode between MF, AF or Macro AF. When you focus in the Manual Focus mode, not only the focus distance but also the DOF (depth of field) according to the zoom range and aperture is displayed. An MF assist function enlarges the center of the image to make focusing easier. The focusing area can be enlarged up to 4x and is movable, which also contributes to easy and comfortable manual focusing.　

Crystal-clear, large 16:9 wide 2.8-inch LCD

To express the best of the extensive 16:9 wide image recording, a 2.8” wide and large 207 k high resolution LCD is newly equipped. The pixel mixed readout method performed at the CCD achieves high sensitivity to offer sufficient brightness for easy shooting even in low-lit situations. The Power LCD function boosts the brightness level by 40% to secure clear view even in sunny outdoors.

The High Angle mode makes the display extremely easy to view from low angles, for example, when holding the camera up high to take pictures over a crowd and can be accessed easily and quickly by using the dedicated button.

High definition 16:9 wide motion image recording

The DMC-LX2 is capable of recording the 4:3 VGA(640 x 480) and 16:9 wide VGA(848 x 480) motion image recording at 30 fps. Shooting is one thing but viewing is another, and you will be suitably impressed by the 16:9 moving image when it is displayed on a wide screen TV. In addition, the LX2 can record motion images even in high definition (1280 x 720) format at 15 fps. The pixel mixed readout method assists the bright motion image recording even in low lit situation.

Faster AF

The AF mode can be selected according to the shooting situation: 9-point, 3-point high speed, 1-point high speed, 1-point normal speed and Spot. In the 1-point and 1-point high speed AF mode, the AF area is selectable from the nine focusing areas with the joystick to best fit the composition of the subjects. Also, the AF assist lamp helps quick, accurate focusing in situations where focusing is difficult due to the lack of light. The AF/AE lock button is also succeeded from the predecessor.

A Variety of Scene Modes and Other Features to Enrich Your Photography

An even larger variety of scene modes are contained — a total of seventeen* scene modes to assist you in a wide range of photographic situations. The newly incorporated “Beach” mode is perfect for shooting in strong sunlight and the “Aerial” mode assists with shooting through the windows of an aeroplane. “High Sensitivity**” mode is made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method by the CCD, is ideal for shooting moving subjects clearly without blurring at a maximum sensitivity setting of ISO 3200.

For additional improvement, the Print mode is also added to the mode dial of the LX2 so that you can make prints by just connecting the camera to Pictbridge -corresponding printers via included USB cable. Of course you can get plural prints of a image or print only those you have selected as your favourite.

The DMC-LX2 includes 13MB of built-in memory to serve not just as a tool of shooting images but also as a digital album, to enjoy seeing and showing your favorite pictures.
Finally, to edit and develop RAW files, “SILKYPIX Developer Studio 2.0SE” software application is included with the DMC-LX2. With that, you can freely adjust various setting such as exposure, white balance, and so on afterward with the RAW files to take maximum advantage of digital camera photography enjoyment.

* Not including Macro Mode.
** Resolution significantly decreases in high sensitivity mode.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 Reviews

DCRP reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and writes - 'The DMC-LX2 is a midsize camera with three "wide" features. First you have its exclusive 16:9 widescreen, 10.2 Megapixel CCD. Yes, if there's one thing the original LX1 didn't need, it's more resolution. Next we have the wide-angle lens, which covers a nice range of 28 - 112 mm. Completing the puzzle is the 2.8" widescreen LCD, something which was missing on the LX1. I found the LCD easy to see both outdoors and in low light. The LX2 lacks an optical viewfinder. One of the other standout features on the LX2 is its optical image stabilizer. I found that it works well for both still and video recording. In terms of build quality, the LX2 is well put together. It's made mostly of metal, and feels solid in your hands. You can buy the LX2 in either silver or black.'

Camera Labs reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and writes - 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is very much a camera of two halves. In use, it can be an absolute dream with its wide lens, sensor and screen inspiring your creative side, and the decent build quality and high level of manual control satisfying the demands of enthusiasts. In these and many other respects it’s an excellent product. It’s only once you get home and take a closer look at the images that you realise anything shot above 200 ISO is severely compromised by noise reduction and processing - see our outdoor results page.'

DP Review has posted their review of the Panasonic DMC-LX2 and gives it a rating of 'recommended' and writes - 'And so, in conclusion, we have what is becoming something of a theme with Panasonic's high end models; a superb, innovative, unique and well-designed camera with an (apparently) noisy sensor and - much more importantly - a processing engine that replaces fine detail with smeary, watercolor-like artefacts. You can avoid this by turning the noise reduction down and sticking to ISO 100 or 200 (you REALLY want to turn the NR down at ISO 200) - or by shooting in raw mode and doing your own noise processing, if it bothers you. Of course at 'normal' print sizes the noise issue is largely moot, but if you want to make decent enlargements you will need to pay careful attention to the setting you use when shooting, and stick to the lowest ISO modes.'

Photoxels reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and writes - 'the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is, in my opinion, among the best of the compact models. It has many nice features that are well implemented and practically useful. The camera is responsive with robust performance and a very effective optical image stabilization. It supports RAW file format and has full manual exposure, so the advanced photographer should be able to make the most of this little gem.'

Imaging Resource reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and writes - 'As you can tell from the long list of Pros and very short list of Cons above, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 has a lot going for it. Though it looks virtually identical to last year's LX1 and makes only a few refinements, this camera is the better for it. For starters, the LX2 now offers a widescreen 2.8-inch LCD that lets you see images you captured at 16:9 in their full widescreen aspect ratio on the display without cropping. Other improvements include increased image resolution to 10 megapixels on shots captured at 16:9, increased light sensitivity of up to ISO 3,200 in High Sensitivity mode, and the speedy new LSI Venus Engine III image processor which has quickened the performance of the LX2 in just about all areas, while lowering image noise at ISO 400 and above.'

Digital Camera Info has posted their review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 where they write - 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 is a great addition to the compact market if only for the unique 16:9 native 10-megapixel CCD. Photographers should keep in mind that the megapixel count will drop when shooting in other aspect ratios and when shooting at the somewhat ludicrous ISO 3200 level in High Sensitivity mode.'

PCAuthority has a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and concludes, "Using the Lumix is a frustrating experience. Once the camera is focused, taking a shot is straightforward and fast, but getting the camera to focus took around a second for every shot we took — no use at all for sporting occasions, and tedious for portrait shots. The manual pop-up flash isn’t particularly user-friendly either, failing to notify you if you’re about to take a photo without it in a dark setting. You’re left with a striking-looking camera with decent image quality. ... it’s difficult to recommend the Lumix in spite of some redeeming features."

PCMag has a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and writes, "In the daylight and flash test shots, the LX2 really stood out. There was very little noise in both images. Colors were vibrant and accurate. The images had very good contrast, with no loss in detail. Overall, my pictures were very balanced and evenly lit, although the flash was a bit too powerful. In my tests, the camera had an average of 1,925 lines of resolution, which is very good for a 10MP camera. ... Yet what keeps the LX2 out of Editors' Choice contention is its weak performance—the recycle time, at 7 seconds, is way too slow for an enthusiast camera. There was noticeable shutter lag, and the 3.8-second bootup time is also disappointing."

PCWorld has a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and writes, "The DMC-LX2 earned excellent scores in nearly all of our image-quality tests. Most shots--even magnified enlargements--looked sharp, and the camera earned our top score for exposure quality. In our lab tests, cameras capture images while mounted on a tripod, but outside the lab, I tried the Lumix's two image-stabilization modes (one works continuously, and the other works only when the shutter release it held down, ostensibly to save battery life). Neither mode can prevent blurry pictures in extremely shaky settings (on a roller coaster, for example), but they will gain you an f-stop or two, which is enough to save some pictures, particularly in low light."

DPInterface has a review of the Panasonic Lumix LX2 and writes, "Image quality was good though the noise levels and camera post-reduction smearing are fair issues. Thank goodness there's a RAW image mode where you can save your photos from becoming paintings, to a certain extent. Movie mode is good, except the question about the usability of the choppy movies at the highest resolution. The Panasonic Lumix LX2 looks like a good choice for landscape photographers with its three "wide" features (Photos, lens, LCD) who will likely be shooting in RAW at the lowest ISO."

Compare prices on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2 and get the latest price on the Panasonic DMC-LX2S at Amazon.

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Jul 19: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 is a 7.2 megapixel point and shoot camera featuring an image stabilized 3.6x Optical Zoom (28mm wide angle lens).

The FX07 sports a 2.5 inch LCD screen, Intelligent ISO control (which selects higher ISO if motion is detected in the shot), aperture as low as f2.8, VGA video (up to 30 frames per second) and high speed auto focus.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC FX07 is an update of the previously released FX01.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 and DMC-FX07 News Release

7.2-Megapixel LUMIX DMC-FX50/DMC-FX07 with 28mm Wide-Angle LEICA DC Lens

Featuring Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S. and World’s First Intelligent ISO Control

Panasonic today introduced the new LUMIX 7.2-megapixel, 28mm wide angle f/2.8 LEICA DC lens with 3.6x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera) DMC-FX50 and DMC-FX07 cameras, both featuring an Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO control. The DMC-FX50 also newly incorporates a 3-inch large LCD whereas the DMC-FX07 pursues further compactness with a 2.5-inch LCD.

Inheriting the highly valued 28mm LEICA DC lens in a compact body from its their predecessor, the DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras allow users to enjoy the benefit of a wide angle lens when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes, or architectural scenes.

To fight against the major cause of blurred images, Panasonic invented the MEGA O.I.S. system taking advantage of its superior lens technology to compensate for handshake – a feature which has long been incorporated into the LUMIX range of cameras. In addition, to also compensate for the other major cause of blurred images – movement of the subject – the FX50/FX07 cameras are also equipped with the world’s first* Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and max. ISO 1250 high sensitivity recording at full resolution capabilities within the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III. When set to the I.I.C., the Venus Engine III detects the subject’s movement and adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the subject movement and the light condition automatically. Panasonic’s excellent image stabilizing system allows users to take clear, crisp images in any situation, leaving everything to the camera.

Taking advantage of the newly incorporated 3-inch large LCD, the DMC-FX50 allows dual image playback to see and compare any two images at a time. It is also possible to select 9 sequential frames from a captured motion image file and display them as thumbnails which can then even be saved as still images. Furthermore, a print mode has been added to the mode dial to allow users to connect the camera to a Pictbridge-corresponding printer via an included USB cable to get the printouts.

When shooting indoor group portraits, it sometimes occurs that the room is not large enough to allow the photographer to get everyone in the frame, or the light is insufficient forcing the photographer to use a flash. However the winning combination of 28mm LEICA DC lens and the Intelligent Image stabilizer enable every type of user to take ideal beautiful images with everyone in the frame and without having to use the flash which would spoil the ambience of the picture.

The DMC-FX50 will be available in silver and black, the FX07 in silver, black, red and blue, each with a specially textured finish.

The new LUMIX DMC-FX50/FX07 are beautifully designed and featured -packed digital cameras, ideal for recording and preserving all those precious moments that life gives.

* On a 35mm film camera, at wide-angle.
** Not available in some countries.

28mm Wide Angle 3.6x Optical Zoom f/2.8 LEICA DC lens in a Compact Body

The 7.2-megapixel LUMIX DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras both have a 28mm* wide angle 3.6x optical zoom f/2.8 LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens housed in a compact and slim body, achieved thanks to the incorporation of a EA (Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical) lens. This wide angle lens enables easy capture of large indoor group subjects or expansive architectural structures and sceneries with dynamic width and a rich perspective. The lens unit comprises of a LEICA DC lens of seven elements in six groups, incorporating four aspherical lenses to generate high optical performance while preserving the compactness of the unit. The zoom ratio can be extended up to 5.5x in 3-megapixel resolution mode thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function which gives extra magnification (and minimal image deterioration) by intentionally using the centre part of the CCD.

*On a 35mm film camera.

More than just a MEGA O.I.S., LUMIX’s image stabilizing system further evolves

Taking advantage of its superior lens technology, Panasonic invented the MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) system to fight against the major cause of blurred images. It compensates for handshake and is now featured on the entire LUMIX range and has been highly evaluated and appreciated by the users across the world. Every slight hand-shake movement is detected accurately with the sampling frequency at 4,000 times per second and will be compensated to render clear, sharp images. In addition, movement of the subject, the other major cause of blurred images, is suppressed by the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III with the Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and max.ISO1250 high sensitivity recording capabilities. The world’s first incorporation* of this I.I.C. allows the automatic adjustment of the suitable ISO setting and shutter speed that best suits the situation by analyzing the speed of subject movement. If the subject is moving, the ISO setting would automatically rise to allow a higher shutter speed. On the other hand, if the subject is still and no movement is detected, you can take beautiful natural images with a low ISO setting.

Accordingly the new LUMIX automatically takes the best countermeasures against any causes of blurred images with MEGA O.I.S. compensating for hand-shake and the I.I.C. compensating for movement of the subject. Thus Image stabilizing systems are further evolving with LUMIX.

* For a digital still camera, as of July 19, 2006.

High Picture Quality, Quick Response Image Processing LSI: The Venus Engine III

The DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras both adopt the Venus Engine III to realize high sensitivity recording at max. ISO 1250 at full resolution. The noise reduction system is greatly improved by removing noise at the processing stages in series. First, critical noise is roughly undraped and the chromatic noise and the luminance noise are separated to respectively go through the supplemental noise reduction process so that the remaining noise is appropriately minimised.

With its multi-task image processing capability, the Venus Engine III also boasts outstanding response time with a shutter release time lag of as short as 0.005 sec. minimum and the shutter interval of 0.5 sec. Together with the fast startup time of approx. 1.3 sec., the quick response of DMC-FX50/FX07 enable easy capture of those spur-of-the-moment shots. In the burst shooting mode, it is possible to shoot at three frames per second in full resolution**. The DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras also allow unlimited consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD/SDHC memory card***.

Despite the large, bright LCD, the DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras achieve long battery life to shoot approx. 300(FX50) / 320(FX07) pictures (CIPA) on a single charge thanks to the energy-efficient Venus Engine III.

* Not including the time for AF.
** Max. eight images in standard mode/ six images in fine mode.
*** The speed of the consecutive shooting varies depending on the memory card.
The number of recordable pictures depends on the memory card size, battery life, picture size and image compression.

Advanced　3-inch (FX50) / 2.5-inch (FX07) Large LCD for Easy Shooting and Playback

The FX50 newly incorporates an easy-to-see 3-inch large 230 k high resolution LCD (2.5-inch 207k pixels high resolution LCD for FX07). Taking advantage of this large, high resolution LCD, the FX50 enables dual image playback to display any 2 images vertically in the LCD and compare them as well as the 9-frame cutouts from a motion image. Furthermore, it becomes possible. Also, the pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD automatically increases the brightness level of the live image on the LCD, which greatly facilitates shooting in low light situations.　With the help of the Power LCD function, which boosts the backlighting of the LCD by 40%, even shooting in bright outdoors situations is no longer a problem.　The High Angle mode makes the display extremely easy to view from low angles, for example, when holding the camera up high to take pictures over a crowd and can be accessed easily and quickly by using the dedicated button.

Clear, bright, wide VGA motion image recording for viewing on wide screen TV

In addition to standard VGA (640x480) at 30 fps motion image recording, the DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras can also record stunning full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848x480) at 30 fps. Shooting is one thing but viewing is another, and users will be suitably impressed by the 16:9 moving image when it is displayed on a wide screen TV. The brightness level of these motion images is also enhanced as a result of the pixel mixed readout method performed by the CCD.

An exceptional function is that it is possible to select and display as thumbnails 9 sequential frames from a motion image, which would be helpful to see the how you swing a racket or golf club.

Unimpeded, high speed AF

The various AF mode can be selected according to the shooting environment and the position of the subject: 9-point, 3-point high speed, 1-point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed and spot. In the 1-point normal speed AF, the AF time is reduced by one third of the time compared to the predecessor, to provide a quick and smooth AF without screen-freeze. The inclusion of an AF assist lamp provides further assistance in low light situations when focusing is difficult. The result is stress free photography with never a moment missed.

A Variety of Scene Modes and Other Features to Enrich Your Photography

An even greater variety of scene modes are included: seventeen scene modes for FX50 and eighteen for FX07 to assist the user in a wide range of photographic situations. The newly incorporated “Beach” mode is perfect for shooting in strong sunlight and the “Aerial” mode assists with shooting through the windows of an aeroplane. “High Sensitivity**” mode, made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method by the CCD, is ideal for shooting moving subjects clearly without blurring at a sensitivity as high as ISO 3200. On the other hand, in the “Simple” mode, almost all adjustments can be automatically set even including the backlight compensation, allowing even entry-level users to take beautiful images easily.

An additional improvement is the addition of a print mode onto the mode dial for the FX50 so that users can make prints by just connecting the camera to the Pictbridge-corresponding printer via an included USB cable. Of course users can get plural prints of a image or print only those they have selected as favourites.
The FX07 is compatible with a marine case*** with which users can shoot underwater while scuba diving etc. Both DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras include “World Time Setting”, which was featured on other recently released LUMIX models and much appreciated, allowing users to set the time and date of 74 locations across the world.　

* Not including Macro Mode.
** Resolution significantly decreases in high sensitivity mode.
*** Optional

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 Reviews

BoingBoing has a review of the Lumix FX07 and writes, "I love these cameras (I've bought three more since January as gifts, with great results). They shoot stunning pictures (here's Flickr's collection of FX07 shots) and have totally kick-ass image stabilization that works great in low-light, getting me incredible shots without using a tripod or leaning the camera against a table. They also shoot wicked-fast, making it easy to shoot a continuous stream of photos of something exciting as it's happening. The presets are also really smart -- the aerial photography setting got great shots when I was in a helicopter last month over the Grand Canyon. The camera also shoots crisp, 640x480 Quicktime video."

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Jul 19: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 is a 7.2 megapixel point and shoot camera featuring an image stabilized 3.6x Optical Zoom (28mm wide angle lens).

The FX50 sports a 3inch LCD screen, Intelligent ISO control (which selects higher ISO if motion is detected in the shot), aperture as low as f2.8, VGA video (up to 30 frames per second) and high speed auto focus.

The FX50 is an update of the previously released FX01.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 and DMC-FX07 News Release

7.2-Megapixel LUMIX DMC-FX50/DMC-FX07 with 28mm Wide-Angle LEICA DC Lens

Featuring Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S. and World’s First Intelligent ISO Control

Panasonic today introduced the new LUMIX 7.2-megapixel, 28mm wide angle f/2.8 LEICA DC lens with 3.6x optical zoom (equivalent to 28mm to 102mm on a 35mm film camera) DMC-FX50 and DMC-FX07 cameras, both featuring an Intelligent Image Stabilizer by MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) and Intelligent ISO control. The DMC-FX50 also newly incorporates a 3-inch large LCD whereas the DMC-FX07 pursues further compactness with a 2.5-inch LCD.

Get a price on the Panasonic DMC-FX50 at Amazon and compare prices on the Panasonic DMC-FX50.

Inheriting the highly valued 28mm LEICA DC lens in a compact body from its their predecessor, the DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras allow users to enjoy the benefit of a wide angle lens when shooting indoor group portraits, expansive landscapes, or architectural scenes.

To fight against the major cause of blurred images, Panasonic invented the MEGA O.I.S. system taking advantage of its superior lens technology to compensate for handshake – a feature which has long been incorporated into the LUMIX range of cameras. In addition, to also compensate for the other major cause of blurred images – movement of the subject – the FX50/FX07 cameras are also equipped with the world’s first* Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and max. ISO 1250 high sensitivity recording at full resolution capabilities within the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III. When set to the I.I.C., the Venus Engine III detects the subject's movement and adjusts the ISO setting and shutter speed to best suit the subject movement and the light condition automatically. Panasonic’s excellent image stabilizing system allows users to take clear, crisp images in any situation, leaving everything to the camera.

Taking advantage of the newly incorporated 3-inch large LCD, the DMC-FX50 allows dual image playback to see and compare any two images at a time. It is also possible to select 9 sequential frames from a captured motion image file and display them as thumbnails which can then even be saved as still images. Furthermore, a print mode has been added to the mode dial to allow users to connect the camera to a Pictbridge-corresponding printer via an included USB cable to get the printouts.

When shooting indoor group portraits, it sometimes occurs that the room is not large enough to allow the photographer to get everyone in the frame, or the light is insufficient forcing the photographer to use a flash. However the winning combination of 28mm LEICA DC lens and the Intelligent Image stabilizer enable every type of user to take ideal beautiful images with everyone in the frame and without having to use the flash which would spoil the ambience of the picture.

The DMC-FX50 will be available in silver and black, the FX07 in silver, black, red and blue, each with a specially textured finish.

The new LUMIX DMC-FX50/FX07 are beautifully designed and featured -packed digital cameras, ideal for recording and preserving all those precious moments that life gives.

* On a 35mm film camera, at wide-angle.
** Not available in some countries.

28mm Wide Angle 3.6x Optical Zoom f/2.8 LEICA DC lens in a Compact Body

The 7.2-megapixel LUMIX DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras both have a 28mm* wide angle 3.6x optical zoom f/2.8 LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens housed in a compact and slim body, achieved thanks to the incorporation of a EA (Extra High Refractive Index Aspherical) lens. This wide angle lens enables easy capture of large indoor group subjects or expansive architectural structures and sceneries with dynamic width and a rich perspective. The lens unit comprises of a LEICA DC lens of seven elements in six groups, incorporating four aspherical lenses to generate high optical performance while preserving the compactness of the unit. The zoom ratio can be extended up to 5.5x in 3-megapixel resolution mode thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function which gives extra magnification (and minimal image deterioration) by intentionally using the centre part of the CCD.

*On a 35mm film camera.

More than just a MEGA O.I.S., LUMIX’s image stabilizing system further evolves

Taking advantage of its superior lens technology, Panasonic invented the MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) system to fight against the major cause of blurred images. It compensates for handshake and is now featured on the entire LUMIX range and has been highly evaluated and appreciated by the users across the world. Every slight hand-shake movement is detected accurately with the sampling frequency at 4,000 times per second and will be compensated to render clear, sharp images. In addition, movement of the subject, the other major cause of blurred images, is suppressed by the advanced image processing LSI Venus Engine III with the Intelligent ISO Control (hereafter I.I.C.) and max.ISO1250 high sensitivity recording capabilities. The world’s first incorporation* of this I.I.C. allows the automatic adjustment of the suitable ISO setting and shutter speed that best suits the situation by analyzing the speed of subject movement. If the subject is moving, the ISO setting would automatically rise to allow a higher shutter speed. On the other hand, if the subject is still and no movement is detected, you can take beautiful natural images with a low ISO setting.

Accordingly the new LUMIX automatically takes the best countermeasures against any causes of blurred images with MEGA O.I.S. compensating for hand-shake and the I.I.C. compensating for movement of the subject. Thus Image stabilizing systems are further evolving with LUMIX.

* For a digital still camera, as of July 19, 2006.

High Picture Quality, Quick Response Image Processing LSI: The Venus Engine III

The DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras both adopt the Venus Engine III to realize high sensitivity recording at max. ISO 1250 at full resolution. The noise reduction system is greatly improved by removing noise at the processing stages in series. First, critical noise is roughly undraped and the chromatic noise and the luminance noise are separated to respectively go through the supplemental noise reduction process so that the remaining noise is appropriately minimised.

With its multi-task image processing capability, the Venus Engine III also boasts outstanding response time with a shutter release time lag of as short as 0.005 sec. minimum and the shutter interval of 0.5 sec. Together with the fast startup time of approx. 1.3 sec., the quick response of DMC-FX50/FX07 enable easy capture of those spur-of-the-moment shots. In the burst shooting mode, it is possible to shoot at three frames per second in full resolution**. The DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras also allow unlimited consecutive shooting up to the capacity of the SD/SDHC memory card***.

Despite the large, bright LCD, the DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras achieve long battery life to shoot approx. 300(FX50) / 320(FX07) pictures (CIPA) on a single charge thanks to the energy-efficient Venus Engine III.

* Not including the time for AF.
** Max. eight images in standard mode/ six images in fine mode.
*** The speed of the consecutive shooting varies depending on the memory card.
The number of recordable pictures depends on the memory card size, battery life, picture size and image compression.

Advanced　3-inch (FX50) / 2.5-inch (FX07) Large LCD for Easy Shooting and Playback

The FX50 newly incorporates an easy-to-see 3-inch large 230 k high resolution LCD (2.5-inch 207k pixels high resolution LCD for FX07). Taking advantage of this large, high resolution LCD, the FX50 enables dual image playback to display any 2 images vertically in the LCD and compare them as well as the 9-frame cutouts from a motion image. Furthermore, it becomes possible. Also, the pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD automatically increases the brightness level of the live image on the LCD, which greatly facilitates shooting in low light situations.　With the help of the Power LCD function, which boosts the backlighting of the LCD by 40%, even shooting in bright outdoors situations is no longer a problem.　The High Angle mode makes the display extremely easy to view from low angles, for example, when holding the camera up high to take pictures over a crowd and can be accessed easily and quickly by using the dedicated button.

Clear, bright, wide VGA motion image recording for viewing on wide screen TV

In addition to standard VGA (640x480) at 30 fps motion image recording, the DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras can also record stunning full-size movies in wide-aspect VGA (848x480) at 30 fps. Shooting is one thing but viewing is another, and users will be suitably impressed by the 16:9 moving image when it is displayed on a wide screen TV. The brightness level of these motion images is also enhanced as a result of the pixel mixed readout method performed by the CCD.

An exceptional function is that it is possible to select and display as thumbnails 9 sequential frames from a motion image, which would be helpful to see the how you swing a racket or golf club.

Unimpeded, high speed AF

The various AF mode can be selected according to the shooting environment and the position of the subject: 9-point, 3-point high speed, 1-point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed and spot. In the 1-point normal speed AF, the AF time is reduced by one third of the time compared to the predecessor, to provide a quick and smooth AF without screen-freeze. The inclusion of an AF assist lamp provides further assistance in low light situations when focusing is difficult. The result is stress free photography with never a moment missed.

A Variety of Scene Modes and Other Features to Enrich Your Photography

An even greater variety of scene modes are included: seventeen scene modes for FX50 and eighteen for FX07 to assist the user in a wide range of photographic situations. The newly incorporated “Beach” mode is perfect for shooting in strong sunlight and the “Aerial” mode assists with shooting through the windows of an aeroplane. “High Sensitivity**” mode, made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method by the CCD, is ideal for shooting moving subjects clearly without blurring at a sensitivity as high as ISO 3200. On the other hand, in the “Simple” mode, almost all adjustments can be automatically set even including the backlight compensation, allowing even entry-level users to take beautiful images easily.

An additional improvement is the addition of a print mode onto the mode dial for the FX50 so that users can make prints by just connecting the camera to the Pictbridge-corresponding printer via an included USB cable. Of course users can get plural prints of a image or print only those they have selected as favourites.
The FX07 is compatible with a marine case*** with which users can shoot underwater while scuba diving etc. Both DMC-FX50/FX07 cameras include “World Time Setting”, which was featured on other recently released LUMIX models and much appreciated, allowing users to set the time and date of 74 locations across the world.　

* Not including Macro Mode.
** Resolution significantly decreases in high sensitivity mode.
*** Optional

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 Reivews

CNET reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50K and writes - "It's not easy being a 7-megapixel snapshot camera. You have to be fast, cute, cheap, smart, and talented just to get noticed. If you're lucky, your company will give you a clear spot in the lineup with your siblings; if not, you've got to duke it out with a cheaper version of yourself. By these standards, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX50 has a hard life. Forced to share a spot in the line with the marginally less-expensive, nearly identical DMC-FX07, which comes in a peacockish array of colors, the DMC-FX50 has only its slightly larger, 3-inch LCD to jazz up its black (DMC-FX50K) and silver (DMC-FX50S) bodies. And though it has a few things going for it--it's stylish and smart--its poor photo quality and nondescript performance leave it destined to be a wallflower."

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Jul 19: Panasonic DMC-FX3

The Panasonic DMC-FX3 is an entry level 6 megapixel point and shoot camera with a 3x Optcial Zoom lens.

The FX3 features image stabilization, 2.5 inch LCD screen, 13.5 megabytes of internal memory, VGA video at up to 30 frames per second and ISO of up to 1600.

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Panasonic DMC-FX3 News Release

Panasonic today introduced the new LUMIX 6-megapixel, f/2.8 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 35 mm to 105 mm on a 35 mm film camera) LEICA DC lens DMC-FX3 featuring MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer) and max. ISO 1600 high sensitivity mode*.

Panasonic has long led the industry with its incorporation of an optical image stabilization system - MEGA O.I.S. - into even its compact range of cameras. This system produces no deterioration of picture quality and has now become a standard feature for all digital cameras in the market. Now the new DMC-FX3 also benefits from a High Sensitivity mode* which allows shooting at a maximum sensitivity setting of ISO 1600*. This mode acts as another anti-blurring measure, in addition to the MEGA O.I.S. system, by suppressing image blur which can be caused by the movement of subjects, and especially benefits indoor photography of children and pets at fast shutter speeds.

For the image processor, the Venus Engine Plus LSI is incorporated for high performance image processing, both in terms of speed and image quality, while still preserving low energy consumption. Another feature that elevates the DMC-FX3 is the incorporation of 13.5 MB of built-in memory while the battery life is long enough to shoot up to 320 pictures(CIPA) on one charging, in order to ensure that you do not miss those great spur-of-the-moment shots. In addition, motion images can be taken in even wide VGA in addition to the normal VGA format so that you can enjoy dynamic viewing on wide aspect TVs.

The LUMIX DMC-FX3 is not just a compact and stylish camera but a special model having a winning combination of MEGA O.I.S. which conquers the blur due to hand-shake and High Sensitivity which suppresses the other major cause of blurred image resulting from the subject’s movement, enabling every type of user to take clear, beautiful and blur-free pictures. The FX3 will be available in silver and black. The new FX3 is a step above the average stylish & compact models and can be confidently recommended for saving those precious memories of your family and friends.

* Resolution significantly decreases in High Sensitivity mode.

3x Optical Zoom f/2.8 LEICA DC lens for high image quality

The 6-megapixel LUMIX DMC-FX3 features 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 35 mm to 105 mm on a 35 mm film camera) f/2.8 LEICA DC VARIO-ELMARIT lens housed in a compact body. The lens part comprises of seven elements in six groups, incorporating three aspherical lenses to generate high resolution images with richer gradation. The zoom ratio can be extended up to 4.1x in 3-megapixel resolution mode thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function which gives extra magnification (and minimal image deterioration) by intentionally using the centre part of the CCD.

MEGA O.I.S. against Hand-shake and High Sensitivity Mode against Subject Movement

MEGA O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer), deemed by Panasonic as indispensable for all digital cameras, is featured on the entire LUMIX range and, having been highly evaluated and appreciated by the users across the world, has now become a standard requirement within the digital imaging arena. It compensates for hand-shake by shifting the O.I.S. lens unit to keep the optical axis aligned straight against the CCD, ensuring that the image is always captured sharply.

As a result, MEGA O.I.S. produces beautiful pictures, free from blur and with no deterioration of image quality, at slower shutter speeds of more than 3 steps compared to other conventional models which do not have O.I.S. You can now shoot stunningly clear pictures with ease, even in situations that require slow shutter speeds, such as indoor or night time portrait shots, or close-up shots of a delicate flower using macro mode.

Furthermore, the FX3 allows shooting at a maximum sensitivity setting of ISO 1600, with the High Sensitivity mode*, which reduces image blur caused by subject movement, and especially benefits indoor photography of children or pets at fast shutter speeds. This High Sensitivity mode* is made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method on the CCD. The picture quality is good enough for printing out to standard 4” x 6” (10cm x 15cm) size.

Thanks to this winning combination of image stabilization technologies, which compensate for both hand-shake and subject movement – the two major causes of image blur. With MEGA O.I.S. and the new High Sensitivity mode*, you can take clear and sharp shots in so many ways.

* Resolution significantly decreases in High Sensitivity mode.

High performance, low energy consumption image processing LSI: Venus Engine Plus

With its multi-task image processing capabilities, the Venus Engine Plus boasts excellent response time with a shutter release time lag of only 0.006 sec. and a shutter interval of 0.7 sec*. In the burst shooting mode, it is possible to shoot at three frames per second in full resolution**. The DMC-FX3 enables easy capture of those spur-of-the-moment shots. The FX3 also allows unlimited consecutive shooting up to the capacity of your SD/SDHC Memory card***.
Despite the high performance mentioned above, the DMC-FX3 achieves long battery life to shoot approx. 320 pictures (CIPA) on a single charge.

* Not including the time for AF.
** Max. eight images in standard mode / six images in fine mode.
*** The speed of the consecutive shooting varies depending on the memory card.
The number of recordable pictures depends on the memory card size, battery life, picture size and image compression.

Bright 2.5” Large LCD with High Angle Function for Easy Shooting and Playback

The FX3 has a 2.5” large LCD. The pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD automatically increases the brightness level of the live image in low-lit situations, which greatly facilitates easy monitoring to shoot. With the help of the Power LCD function, which boosts the backlighting of the LCD by 40%, even shooting in bright outdoors situations is no longer a problem. The High Angle mode makes the display extremely easy to view from low angles or high angles, for example when holding the camera up high to take pictures over a crowd, and can be accessed easily and quickly by using the dedicated button.

Unimpeded, high speed AF

The various AF methods can be selected according to the shooting environment and the position of the subject: 5-point, 3-point high-speed, 1-point high-speed, 1-point normal-speed and spot. The inclusion of an AF assist lamp provides further assistance in low light situations when focusing is difficult. The results: stress free photography with never a moment missed.

Clear, Bright Motion Image Recording in Wide VGA Size at 30 fps

In addition to standard VGA (640x480) motion image recording, the FX3 also records stunning full-size movies in 16:9 wide VGA (848x480) at 30 fps. Shooting is one thing but viewing is another, and you will be suitably impressed by the 16:9 moving image when it is displayed on a wide screen TV. The brightness level of these moving images is also enhanced as a result of the pixel-mixed readout method performed by the CCD.

A Variety of Scene Modes and Other Features to Enrich Your Photography

The FX3 contains a total of sixteen scene modes* to assist you in a wide range of photographic situations. When shooting in our unique “Baby” mode, your children’s age at the time of image capture is automatically recorded onto that image, determined by the date of birth which has been preset by you. “Underwater” mode, a great mode for underwater photography, for use with the Marine Case**, which is available separately. High Sensitivity*** mode is made possible by the pixel-mixed readout method by the CCD, is ideal for shooting moving subjects clearly without blurring at a maximum sensitivity setting of ISO 1600. On the other hand, in the “Simple” mode, almost all adjustments can be automatically set even including the backlight compensation, allowing even the entry-level users to take beautiful images easily. The DMC-FX3 includes “World Time Setting”, which was featured on other recently released LUMIX model and much appreciated, allowing you to set the time and date of 74 locations across the world.　

And finally, the 13.5MB built-in memory allows you to record the image even if you do not have an SD Memory Card or to keep your favourite images in your camera to playback or show like a digital album.

* Not including Macro Mode.
** Optional
*** Resolution significantly decreases in high sensitivity mode.

Panasonic DMC-FX3 Reviews

Trusted Reviews has posted a review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3 and recommends - 'Basically the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3 is an upgraded DMC-FX9 with improved noise reduction, better low-light capability and a more competitive price. It's an above average social snapshot camera with bags of style, good performance and decent handling, but the image quality at high ISO settings leaves a lot to be desired.'

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Jul 19: Olympus SP-320 Review at CNET

CNET has a review up of the Olympus SP-320 and writes, "Photo quality is decent; if you don't compare it to that of other cameras, you could probably be pretty happy with it. Hues are accurate and white balance is neutral, but a lack of dynamic range in the highlights make photos look low-contrast with desaturated colors. JPEG images are soft--the raw versions unusably so, even after turning up the sharpening as far as possible--with details falling just shy of resolved. Focus falls off sharply on the left side, producing haloes on light edges. Photos shot at ISO 64 and ISO 100 have little noise, but at ISO 200, the SP-310/320's odd combination of noise suppression and aggressive sharpening yields a noticeable, mosaic-like grain that is visible on 8x10 prints. ... The Olympus SP-310 and the Olympus SP-320 are competent shooters and compact, feature-rich cameras that are nevertheless outclassed by competitors' speed and photo quality."

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Jul 19: Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 Review at Trusted Reviews

Trusted Reviews has a review up of the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 and writes, "For all its raw pixel power, the Z-1000 is designed to be an easy point-and-shoot compact, so it lacks any real manual control. However it does have that staple of the Exilim range, the Best Shot mode. This provides a menu with example pictures to set the camera up for common shooting situations such as portraits, landscapes, sports and night scenes, and also more specific situations such as candlelight, sunset, fireworks, flowing water, autumn leaves and natural greens. ... Despite, and not because of, the megapixel willy-waving, the EX-Z1000 is a superb camera. It possesses first class build quality, brisk performance, outstanding image quality and an innovative and easy-to-use control system that makes it ideal for a first-time user. As to whether you really need 10 megapixels, only you can decide."

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Jul 19: Fujifilm FinePix F30 at Megapixel

Megapixel has a review up of the Fujifilm FinePix F30 and writes, "Photos captured using the wide angle end of the zoom exhibit only a very slight amount of barrel distortion. However, given the right contrast conditions, a chromatic aberration - a purple fringe that appears on the edges of dark image elements captured near bright ones - can be seen. ... But at the telephoto end, images are free of any pincushion distortion, and show no trace of chromatic aberration. Moreover, whatever the focal length, the F30's images have excellent vibrant colours, particularly if the Chrome setting is used. ... The F30's strength lies in its ability to capture images at up to 400 ISO that compare very well with the 200 ISO images of other cameras. Moreover, the F30 yields excellent colours, and detailed, low-noise images up to 400 ISO."

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Jul 19: Samsung Digimax L60 Review At Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicams has a review up of the Samsung Digimax L60 and writes, "Image quality was average for a 6-megapixel consumer model. While the majority of our samples were sharp with pleasing color saturation and exposure, the canon shot was a bit troubling. When you view the image to fit your screen (about 30% for my 19-inch LCD set at 1024x768), the image looks good. However, at 100% you can see lots of chromatic aberrations (purple fringing around highlights) and the subject itself looks pixelated. On a better note, the L60 did well in the portrait department. Both our indoor and outdoor samples show sharp facial detail as well as natural skin tones. Samsung claims the L60's built-in flash can cover approx. 9.8 feet (3m) at wide angle, with the ISO set to Auto. When shooting close-up portraits of our model, I found it produced good flash exposures from about 5 or 6 feet away, using the mid telephoto end of the zoom range. ... Bottom line - the Samsung Digimax L60 is a tempting model in the 6-megapixel compact consumer digicam category."

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Jul 19: Fujifilm FinePix F30 Review At Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicams has a review up of the Fujifilm FinePix F30 and writes, "Image quality was very good for a 6-megapixel model in this price range. All of our samples were sharp and showed good color balance and saturation. The exposure system did well in most lighting situations, however it did tend to overexpose the sky on very sunny days. When shooting in marginal lighting, you'll be happy the F30 features an AF-assist lamp, which will allow you to focus on subjects in complete darkness. Its flash also has a powerful range of approx. 21.3 feet using ISO Auto. This is due to the camera's ability to us ISO speeds as high as 3200! Overall, I found this flash worked very well for your typical indoor people photos as well as a fill flash for outdoor portraits. ... Bottom line - The FujiFilm Finepix F30 is an awesome digital package. With its unmatched ISO capabilities, great image quality, robust performance, durable metal body, and loads of useful exposure modes, the F30 is tuff to beat in the 6-megapixel category."

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Jul 18: Nikon Coolpix P3 at CNET Asia

CNET Asia has a review of the Nikon Coolpix P3 and writes, "Image quality is where the Nikon Coolpix P3 really shines, overshadowing any shortcomings in its Wi-Fi implementation and almost overcoming its flawed performance. Colors are neutral but rich and pleasing, from the bright greens and blues in landscapes to the subtle tones of human skin. Reds, usually difficult to capture with digital cameras, are reproduced with fine gradations and detail; one macro shot of an apple revealed the texture of the fruit's skin with detail intact. ... Chromatic aberration, the purple fringing that appears on high-contrast edges, is also in check, appearing only slightly even in extreme backlighting. ... Noise levels are below average in the Nikon Coolpix P3, with images appearing very clean at ISO 50 and ISO 100, usable at ISO 200, and tolerable at ISO 400."

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Jul 18: Canon Digital IXUS 60 Review at CNET Asia

CNET Asia has a review up of the Canon Digital IXUS 60 and writes, "With less noise than usual, this camera performs better than other cameras in its class, especially in low-light, no-flash conditions such as indoor performances and museums. It's hard to find any fault with the IXUS 60's imaging pipeline. Colors are appropriately warm and saturated at all speeds; it produces very sharp and detailed pictures. The camera's automatic white-balance and exposure decisions are consistently accurate and pleasing. Lens distortions such as vignetting or pincushioning are negligible in the IXUS 60, though as with many ultracompacts, lens sharpness falls off dramatically in the upper-left corner of the scene. Fringing is also barely there, even under heavily backlit objects such as branches against a sky."

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Jul 18: Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 Review at Camera Labs

Camera Labs has a review up of the Sony Alpha DSLR-A100 and writes, "There's no denying Sony's Alpha DSLR-A100 is an impressive camera for the money. Simply having 10.2 Megapixel resolution and built-in anti-camera-shake is enough to elevate it beyond most budget digital SLRs. Throw in a high resolution 2.5in screen and some neat image processing options, along with a kit lens which zooms-in further than the competition, and it's looking even stronger. But it's not all good news. Increasing resolutions on sensors with the same surface area always raises concerns over higher noise levels, and as our results show, the A100 is noticeably noisier than rivals like Canon's EOS-350D / Rebel XT, particularly at 800 ISO and above. Our gallery also reveals higher noise levels than we'd like even at 400 ISO. It's interesting to note the A100's also noisier than the Nikon D200 at high ISOs, despite them sharing essentially the same sensor."

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Jul 18: Olympus FE-140 Review at Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicams has a review up of the Olympus FE-140 and writes, "Image quality was sub par for a 6-megapixel entry-level model. The majority of our outdoor sample photos had good center sharpness, but the white balance was a bit off, showing a slight bluish bias. Corners of the FE-140's images were noticeably soft, and compression artifacts were evident. The 3x optical zoom lens offers flexibility in composing your shots with a focal range of approx. 38 - 114mm (35mm equivalent.) It exhibited average amounts of barrel distortion at wide angle and pincushioning at telephoto, and moderate amounts of purple fringing were evident in high contrast areas. Image noise was not an issue in our test shots. Auto ISO sensitivity settings can range from 80-320, and Digital Image Stabilization mode can extend ISO to 800. Image quality at ISO 400 was acceptable, especially considering the 4x6 prints that the FE-140's images will be called upon to produce. ... Bottom line - Olympus' FE-140 may be appealing because of its under-$180 street price, but its image quality leaves a lot to be desired."

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Jul 18: Olympus FE-130 Review at Steve's Digicams

Steve's Digicam's has a review of the Olympus FE-130 and writes, "Image quality was sub par for a 5.1-megapixel entry-level model. The majority of our outdoor sample photos had good center sharpness, but the white balance was a bit off, showing a slight bluish bias. Corners of the FE-130's images were noticeably soft, and compression artifacts were evident. The 3x optical zoom lens offers flexibility in composing your shots with a focal range of approx. 38 - 114mm (35mm equivalent.) It exhibited average amounts of barrel distortion at wide angle and pincushioning at telephoto, and moderate amounts of purple fringing were evident in high contrast areas. Image noise was not an issue in our test shots. Auto ISO sensitivity settings can range from 64-320, and Digital Image Stabilization mode can extend ISO to 800. Image quality at ISO 400 was acceptable, especially considering the 4x6 prints that the FE-130's images will be called on to produce. ... Bottom line - Olympus' FE-130 may be appealing because of its under-$160 street price, but its image quality suffers even in comparison to the entry-level FE-115."

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Jul 18: Kodak EasyShare z612 at ThinkCamera

ThinkCamera has a review of the Kodak EasyShare z612 and writes, "the image quality is quite a pleasant surprise. The lens appears to pick up lots of detail and the image stabilisation works well. All my test shots were pleasantly exposed and rather better than I expected given the huge amount of zoom built in. ... The camera delivers some really nice images and the zoom has a fantastic range. Image stabilisation is essential on a camera this small with a 420mm lens but I'm pleased to say that it works well and removes a lot of blur from pictures. The screen is very pleasant to use and the eyepiece is great. It's a little flickery in low light but it gains up nicely so that you can always see what is going on regardless of how bright or dark the day."

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Jul 18: FujiFilm FinePix Z2 at Lets Go Digital

Let's Go Digital has a review up of the FujiFilm FinePix Z2 and writes, "The Fujifilm FinePix Z2 is an attractive, extremely digital compact camera. It performs excellently and is easy to operate. ... The speed with which the Fujifilm Z2 processes the pictures is great to use. If we look at picture quality, the realistic colours and fantastic performance of the white balance stand out. In particular, the different ISO values are great to work with, a quality that Fujifilm has also scored well with in the past. The pictures have a good strong contrast and great colour saturation that can be seen directly in the prints. If we add the excellent video features, we can only conclude that Fujifilm has once more made a compact digital camera without compromising the picture quality."

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Jul 18: Canon Powershot SD700 IS at Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review has a review of the Canon Powershot SD700 IS and writes, "The image quality was excellent. Colors were accurate (unless you play around with the My Colors shooting mode), showed good dynamic range and exposure was excellent. Images were very sharp except for some shots taken at full telephoto where the focus might have been off just a tad. Noise was very well controlled. In my opinion, it's acceptable up to ISO 200 but a little too much at ISO 400, but you could probably get away with a smaller print of ISO 400. The camera does sport an ISO 800 mode if you really need that extra sensitivity to capture a shot. Keep in mind that the camera does employ some on-board noise reduction when the shutter speed is slower than 1.3 seconds."

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Jul 17: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 Review at Imaging Resource

Imaging-Resource has a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 and writes, "The high sensitivity of ISO 1,000 brings with it plenty of noise, but also delivers shots you wouldn't otherwise get. With image stabilization and a good noise filter in your editing software, you won't mind. The double digital zoom option was welcome as well. Smart Zoom is restricted by the image size you've selected (unavailable at the largest sizes), so it's nice to have Precision Zoom available as an option on the Sony DSC-H5. And being able to select the Flash sync front or rear curtain was a delightful surprise, too. But the real thrill of a long zoom is its extended optical zoom. The Sony DSC-H5 brought back some crisp, colorful images that are beyond the reach of many other digicams. No complaints about that!"

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Jul 17: Canon PowerShot SD700 IS Review at DPReview

DPReview has a review of the Canon PowerShot SD700 IS and writes, "The SD 700 IS is, in essence, everything a pocket camera should be; fast, easy to use, well designed and - above all - reliable. When you've got little or no manual control the reliability and accuracy of the automatic focus, exposure and white balance systems is of paramount importance, and it is here where the SD 700 IS really shows its mettle; out of the 750+ shots we took for the gallery no more than a handful had any problems at all with exposure, focus or color. That's an impressively high hit rate, and one that inspires the confidence needed for someone like me, used to endless tweaking of camera controls, to use a true 'point and shoot' model. It's also surprisingly good in low light, with the combination of image stabilization and usable ISO 400 (even ISO 800 is fine for social snaps), meaning you can shoot without flash if you want to. If you do use flash it's fast and exposure is excellent (though the range is a bit limited unless you crank up the ISO). ... ultimately the thing that matters is taking pictures, and - a few minor quibbles aside - that's where the SD 700 IS's strength lies. It's fun to use, takes great pictures in almost any situation and it's fast and accurate; what more could you ask for?"

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Jul 17: Nikon Coolpix S6 Review at PCMag

PCMag has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S6 and writes, "When it comes to the meat and potatoes of the camera - picture quality -I was a little disappointed. In my still-life test shots, I saw some noise in the flash shot. Color accuracy and saturation were quite good, and images showed decent contrast and only a little fringing. Still, the images taken by the PowerShot SD430 were sharper and more dynamic, although the S6's flash shot had about the same coverage and evenness. The S6's resolution wasn't impressive either. In my tests, it had just 1,400 average lines of resolution, not good for a 6MP camera."

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Jul 17: Ricoh Caplio R4 Review at Pocket-lint

Pocket-lint has a review of the Ricoh Caplio R4 and writes, "Image noise becomes an issue, but only when you get to sensitivity settings above ISO 400 (you have ISO 64, 100, 200, 400 and 800 to play with). ISO 64, and 100 look good, 200 things get a little worse but not problematic, at ISO 400 noise becomes noticeable, but in a film grain-like way. At ISO 800, the camera throws all its toys out of the pram and you get some serious noise all over the images. However, thanks to the anti-shake system, you can shoot a lower ISOs than you might otherwise be able to get away with and because the anti shake works well, particularly at longer focal lengths when the limited maximum aperture of the optics means shutter speeds quickly drop into camera shake territory. Overall, detail is superb, fringing is almost non-existent, colour control is great – natural rather than over saturated – but you can adjust that too if needed all making the R4 a very accomplished little camera."

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Jul 15: HP Photosmart R927 Review at PCMag

PCMag has a review of the HP Photosmart R929 and writes, "In our PC Magazine Labs testing, the daylight and flash shots revealed just a touch of noise, but nothing that interfered with the image. Colors were accurate and the exposure was good overall. The camera had excellent flash coverage in our still-life test shot, which gave it a nice well-balanced exposure. The saturation could have been stronger in the daylight image, which was a little contrasty, with shadow areas blocking some image details. ... The HP Photosmart R927 is a solid camera that offers myriad entertaining and useful features, from artistic effects and shooting modes to image advice and capture options. But nothing beats the "tummy tuck" feature for giving you a whole new, slimmer image."

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Jul 15: Nikon Coolpix L2 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Nikon Coolpix L2 and writes, "Overall I would have to describe the photos I took with the Coolpix L2 as disappointing. There were a number of plus points, but eventually these were outweighed by the problems I found with the camera. This was especially true indoors. ... Owing to problems with picture quality in some instances and also shutter lag I find it hard for me to recommend the Nikon Coolpix L2. It is a shame because the camera appears to be well made, but at the end of the day it is the quality of the pictures a camera can take that is the most important factor. "

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Jul 14: HP Photosmart R927 Review at Infosync

Infosync has a review of the HP Photosmart R927 and writes, "Images retained bright colors and crisp details in a variety of lighting conditions. The 3X optical zoom is a bit scant yet acceptable, and we didn't experience any purple fringing or blur in our test shots. ... The HP Photosmart R927 isn't the most chic digicam on the market, but it takes very good photos and offers tons of scene modes and in-camera tweaks. Photos looked clear and vibrant overall, and its Design Gallery improves snaps before printing and provides creative controls not found elsewhere."

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Jul 14: Sony Alpha 100 Review at CNET Asia

CNET Asia has a review up of the Sony Alpha 100 and writes, "Our JPEG images were pleasing with rich vibrant colors and lots of details which we liked. Barrel distortions were minimal, though we did see some traces of it, especially with straight lines along the corners at the wide end of our lens. Exposures were well-controlled and the camera's automatic white balance was spot-on most of the time--good for first-time dSLR users still learning the workings of a dSLR. One thing to note is the shadow cast at the bottom of your frame caused by the pop-up flash. ... Noise was very well-controlled between ISO 100 and ISO 400 and it's only at ISO 800 where we began to see image quality suffer a little. At the maximum selectable sensitivity setting of ISO 1,600, noise was clearly evident. However, that's still manageable for a camera of its class and our real-world shots looked decent."

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Jul 14: Kodak EasyShare V610 Review at PopPhoto

PopPhoto has a review up of the Kodak EasyShare V610 and writes, "In its zeal to create the world's smallest 10X zoom, Kodak overlooked a crucial feature: Image Stabilization. We always prefer optical, but even digital stabilization for still shooting mode would be better than nothing, especially since the LCD is your only framing option. Past the 5X zoom range in anything but the best light, and you'll have to crank up the ISO to try to keep it steady, which drops resolution and increases noise, based upon our test results. Also, we've found that the most secure grip for holding the camera steady puts your thumb on the LCD screen. ... The Kodak EasyShare V610 is not perfect–but it is a stylish record-setting camera that looks great."

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Jul 14: Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Review at DSLRBlog

Chris at DSLR Blog has posted a first impression review of the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens where he writes - 'Yes it is a lot of money for a non-L lens, and more than the third-party competition. It is also a lens for APS-C so will not go with me when I upgrade to a pro camera. On balance though I was willing to pay extra to get the best available to me and if I do upgrade to a full frame pro body I will probably swap this lens for the superlative full frame equivelant, the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L.'

I had a chance to take this lens for a test run a few weeks back at a photo shoot and was pretty impressed by it also. I noticed a bit of distortion at 10mm (as you'd expect) but it was a fun fun lens to play with.

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Jul 14: Casio Exilim EX-Z600 Review at Photography Review

Photography Review has a review up of the Casio Exilim EX-Z600 and writes, "The EX-Z600's image quality is okay - about what you'd expect from a point-and-shoot digital camera. The manual ISO range is limited from 50-400. Under the BS key you can boost the ISO to 800 with the "High Sensitivity" mode. When set to auto-ISO the camera does a good job choosing an appropriate sensitivity between ISO 50 and 800. Of course, at higher ISO's the quality of the images is greatly affected by obvious noise. ... This is not a ground-breaking camera. It is, overall, one of the better point-and-shoots I have used -. The nice thing about the EX-Z600 is that you can count on it to simply and quickly produce a quality image. It's pretty "idiot proof." There are plenty of custom features included, if they are a bit hard to find. It's definitely a better point-and-shoot and easily compares with Canon's SD600 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01K. As long as you are not expecting a professional camera hidden in a point-and-shoot package, then you'll be happy with this camera. If you're going somewhere where image quality Is the top priority, then this isn't the right camera."

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Jul 14: Fujifilm Finepix F30 Review at Digital Camera Review

Digital Camera Review has a review up of the Fujifilm Finepix F30 and writes, "Overall, I was pleased with the pictures from this camera, particularly when the camera was not pushed to (or beyond) its limits. Daytime pictures were very sharp and well-balanced, and colors were good. The camera performance overall was also very good. Startup time and shot-to-shot times were quick. I did not have the opportunity to run through an entire battery during shooting, so I don't know if the 580 shot per battery claim is accurate, although I had plenty of battery life left over during my testing. Is this camera the holy grail of low-light photography? No, but then again I can't always get great low-light shots out of my D-SLR either. Considering that the F30 is a moderately priced compact digital camera, it gets very acceptable results, even in tricky lighting situations. I am not quite sure that the camera lives up to its marketing hype, but it's performance is very good considering the price point and form factor."

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Jul 14: Nikon Coolpix P3 Review at HardwareZone

HardwareZone has a review up of the Nikon Coolpix P3 and writes, "Where image quality was concerned, noise (grains) was notable from ISO 200 onwards - thankfully, they appeared more like film grain than unsightly color blotches. The VR modes also worked a treat, giving us at least a 2-stop allowance in aperture and shutter speed. Although night shots returned noticeable softening of edges, they can be easily remedied using any photo editing software, which was just about our only gripe with the COOLPIX P3. To sum up, the P3 is a pretty handy camera that is well capable of helping you capture precious memories in vivid digital impressions."

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Jul 14: Kodak EasyShare P880 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review up of the Kodak EasyShare P880 and writes, "The P880 powers up in around a second and, as enthusiasts would expect, it allows you to manually tweak the camera’s settings ­ including the speed at which it takes an image (shutter speed) and the amount of light it lets reach the sensor (aperture). The camera can save a personalised set-up so it can be recalled next time you switch on. There is also the familiar range of pre-programmed scene modes, though its Program mode in which it automatically selects the best combination ­ is a reliable fallback, capable of picking up fine detail like dust on a jar lid. Overall, it’s one of the nearest experiences you’ll get to owning an SLR without actually buying one."

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Jul 14: Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W70 Review at Imaging Resource

Imaging Resource has a review up of the Sony CyberShot DSC-W70 and writes, "The Sony DSC-W70 is an impressive offering, much like the rest of the W-series in the Cyber-shot line. It is handsomely constructed, with a feel of quality, is uncomplicated to operate, has good battery life, and is compact enough for most pockets or purses. Its ample LCD screen and quality lens should give most users a great experience capturing pictures they'll be proud to display. The one thing I found to complain about in the W30 and W50 was their extremely high image noise at ISO 800 and 1,000. With the W70, the image noise was indeed quite high at those elevated ISO settings, but I think that most consumers would be perfectly satisfied with 5x7 inch prints made from such shots. ... If you're looking for a good "take anywhere" camera with great versatility and good color and tonality, the Sony DSC-W70 deserves a close look."

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Jul 14: Olympus FE-115 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk has a review up of the Olympus FE-115 and writes, "it is important to take into account the price level of the FE-115. This is after all one of the cheapest digital cameras you can buy from a well known brand. ... The results are a bit mixed. This is something to be expected. ... Starting off with the outdoor scenic shots focusing levels are good. A further plus point is that the level of focusing stays fairly sharp up to the edges and there is no really noticeable loss of quality as you move away from the centre. ... It would be too much to expect the Olympus FE-115 to produce brilliant photographs. The camera does have its weaknesses, but that is only to be expected in this price range."

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Jul 14: Fujifilm FinePix F30 Final Review at Digital Camera Info

Digital Camera Info has a final review up of the Fujifilm FinePix F30 and writes, "The Fujifilm FinePix F30 successfully follows the F10 with a host of improvements inside and out of the camera. The redesigned 6.3-megapixel image sensor and Real Photo Processor work together to create crisp, clean pictures without the shutter lag that lingers on many compact digital cameras. The F30’s body got a makeover to be flatter and more portable, but many of the components are still the same. Like the F10, the new Fujifilm FinePix F30 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The new model has twice the resolution; with 230,000-pixels of screen resolution, the view is much finer. It also comes with a higher ISO 3200 setting – the highest offered on a consumer compact digital camera. More importantly, the F30 adds some manual functionality with its new aperture and shutter priority modes. These allow photographers a little more room to hone their shooting skills, which they can do over and over again without worrying about whether the battery will die: it lasts for an incredible 580 shots per charge. The i-Flash system is incredibly effective and virtually banned red eyes from its images, but it did need a lot of time to recover and flash again; it just can’t be rushed."

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Jul 14: Ricoh Caplio R4 Review at PhotographyBlog

PhotographyBlog has a review up of the Ricoh Caplio R4 and writes, "The Ricoh Caplio R4's image quality is below average. The Ricoh Caplio R4's main drawback in terms of image quality is noise, with ISO 200 showing obvious noise, particularly in shadow areas. ... the R4 still suffers from obvious chromatic aberrations and poor night shots, although once again the the amazing macro mode and the anti-shake system are definitely worth having. The main attractions of the R4 remain the same. A point and shoot camera that can easily fit in your pocket, yet has a massive 7x wide-angle optical zoom lens. A camera that is easy-to-use, well-built and stylish in an understated kind of way, with a genuinely useful anti-shake system. ... The R4 isn't worth upgrading to from the R3, but it's definitely worth a look if you want a camera that offers something a little different to the norm."

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Jul 14: Sanyo VPC-E7

Sanyo has added the Sanyo VPC-E7 to its range of digital cameras. The VPC-E7 offers the following features:

* 7.1 megapixel CCD
* 3x optical zoom
* 4x digital zoom
* 2.5-inch LCD monitor
* VGA-size (640 x 480) video clips
* maximum ISO setting: 800
* touch sensor shutter button
* red-eye correction
* 23MB internal memory
* dimensions: 91.1 x 55.5 x 21.6 mm
* weight: 132g with battery and SD card

Via PhotographyBlog.

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Jul 14: Sanyo VPC-S7

Sanyo has added the Sanyo VPC-S7 to its lineup.

The VPC-S7 offers the following features:

* 7.1 megapixel CCD
* 3x optical zoom
* 4x digital zoom
* w.5-inch LCD monitor
* VGA-size (640 x 480) video clips
* touch sensor shutter button
* 23MB internal memory
* maximum ISO setting: 800
* dimensions: 92.2 x 60.3 x 22.0 mm
* weight: approx 166g with battery and memory card

Via PhotographyBlog.

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Jul 14: Kodak Easyshare V570 Review at BusinessWeek

BusinessWeek has a review of the Kodak Easyshare V570 and writes, " Wide-angle lens designs are prone to distortion around the edges. I saw little of it for everyday shots in Thailand. But for test, close-up shots of doorways in New York, what should have been straight lines around the edges came out curved, as if my apartment were sagging under the weight of the ceiling. My landlord wouldn't like the V570. ... Distortion aside, the wide-angle lens produced exceptional sharpness right into the corners of the image, better than what I got from the regular lens."

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Jul 14: Rollei dx63 Tribute

The Rollei dx63 Tribute sports a 6.36 Megapixel 1/2.5 inch CCD image sensor and 3x optical zoom, as well as the following features:

* JPEG, DCF, DPOF, MPEG4 format
* Secure Digital support, 32MB internal memory
* Auto focus
* ISO 100, 200, 400
* 3.0 inch LCD monitor
* USB 2.0 interface
* Lithium Ion battery
* Weight 142 g

Source: Let's Go Digital, via Engadget.

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Jul 14: Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 Review at Digital Trends

Digital Trends has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 and writes, "Initially when I used the camera I had some difficulty getting accurate focus but checking in the Owner’s Manual on 65, I discovered the camera has a factory default setting for Quick Focus that helps you grab quick shots. The manual said if you want more accurate focus you should turn it off. Well, if you buy this camera, make sure you do just that. The results were like night and day during my test. I also switched from multi point to spot focus; that helped as well. ... I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this new 10MP point-and-shoot digicam. I really didn’t like the Casio EX-S500 but this digicam is definitely a shooter of a different color. The EX-Z1000 has a nice feel, superb onscreen menus, is simple to use and it takes good—not great—photos. I recommend it, especially if you can get it for around $350."

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Jul 13: Fujifilm FinePix F20

The Fujifilm Finepix F20 is a 6.3 megapixel (Super CCD) digital camera with a 3x Optical Zoom lens.

The F20 features ISO of up to 2000 (in some modes). It seems largely based upon the previously released F30 and features an Anti-Blur button (which will increase the shutter speed of the camera) as well as 'natural light and flash' dual shot mode, 300 shot battery capacity and PictBridge.

Expect to find the Fujifilm Finepix F20 in stores in September 2006.

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Fujifilm Finepix F20 News Release

Fujifilm today announces the FinePix F20 digital camera. Sitting alongside the TIPA award winning FinePix F30 in Fujifilm’s high-end compact range, the FinePix F20 is an affordable digital camera for photo-lovers who won’t compromise on quality. The camera’s ISO 100-2000 sensitivity delivers detailed, natural looking photographs with no need for flash even in very low light.

The FinePix F20 sleek, lightweight proportions belie its technology heavy specifications and leave other ‘style’ compacts in the dark. Featuring Fujifilm’s 6th generation 6.3 megapixel Super CCD, Real Photo Processor II and ISO 100-2000 sensitivity, it delivers images that remain sharp and natural in bright sunshine, low light or with fast moving subjects. Fujifilm’s Real Photo Technology cameras are among the only digital compact cameras to deliver high ISO at full resolution. This means there’s no need for a trade off between high- quality, low light photography, and potential print size.

For flash photography, the FinePix F20’s iFlash intelligent flash system automatically sets power output and exposure for balanced results, combining natural foreground illumination with optimum background exposure. Furthermore, its innovative ‘Natural Light & Flash’ Dual Shot mode takes two shots in quick succession; one with flash, and one without, then displays them side-by-side for on-the- spot comparison.

With one-touch Anti-Blur Mode, 14 scene positions, beach, snow and fireworks, and 300 shot battery life, the FinePix F20 will be a constant companion; producing photographs of stunning quality no matter where you take it.

FinePix F20 features at a glance - 6th generation Super CCD 6.3 million pixels - Real Photo (RP) Processor II - ISO 2000 sensitivity at full resolution on Anti-Blur Mode and Natural Light Mode (on Auto and Manual Mode only up to ISO1600) - Anti-Blur Button to set high shutter speed to reduce the risk of blury images - ‘Natural Light & Flash’ Dual Shot mode - 3.0 x optical zoom - Long-life battery (up to 300 shots) - VGA movie capture of 30 frames per second with sound - PictBridge compatible for direct printing without a PC - Quick response times (0.01 second shutter lag and 1.4 second start-up)

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Fujifilm Finepix F30 Reviews

Digital Camera Info reviews the Fuji FinePix F20 and writes - 'The Fujifilm FinePix F20 has obviously been built on a budget, with a poor screen and a very limited amount of memory. But it’s still a nice camera if you’re on a budget too. The F20 is a good choice if you’re looking for a simple to use, straightforward camera with reasonable resolution. We’ll have to wait and see how the image quality works out, but it looks promising, as previous Fuji models with similar imaging chips have performed very well.'

PhotographyBLOG reviews the Fujifilm Finepix F20 and gives it a rating of 4.5 out of 5 and writes - 'In not placing so many demands on performance, chiefly not unduly overstretching itself (and its SR chip) as regards ISO, Fujifilm has delivered a minor triumph. Though of course you're going to lose detail shooting above ISO 800, I was also surprised how much was retained. Any unusable images were due more to camera shake, and resultant image blur, than image noise, which is perhaps one area that Fujifilm has yet to adequately address. Though ISO 2000 is less of a headline grabber than the F30’s ISO 3200, I think the Fujifilm Finepix F20 is a better camera for it. To sum up, a recommendation and certainly one of the most successful marriages of price to performance I've seen in recent months. It's well built, feels sturdy enough to withstand a few knocks and suggests itself as another reliable option for a back up point-and-shoot camera on those occasions when taking a consumer-level DSLR out is both impractical and inadvisable.'

Steve's Digicams has a review of the Fuji FinePix F20 and writes, " I was a bit surprised that Fuji only changed a few of the features from last year's F30 model but was reminded of the old saying that "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That seems to be their thinking with their "F" series of 6- megapixel Super CCD HR models. That said, I feel the FujiFilm FinePix F20 is a nice, compact digicam that offers good performance, a durable all-metal body, great image quality, and numerous user-friendly exposure modes. This model also features a more appealing price tag of US$299 or less, yielding a better "bang for your buck" value than the previous model."

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Fujifilm FinePix F20 and writes, "Even with its exceptional low-light performance and battery duration, it is in picture quality that the F20 really shines. Exposure and colour rendition are flawless, and the excellent Fujinon f/2.8-5.0 lens produces pin-sharp images with tons of fine detail, with virtually no barrel distortion at the wide-angle end. Fuji’s 6.3MP SuperCCD HR sensor captures more fine detail than any comparable six megapixel sensor that I can think of, and more than some seven or eight megapixel cameras. ... In the FinePix F20 Fujifilm have a virtually perfect social snapshot camera. Its crisp performance, exceptional low-light capabilities, powerful flash, long-lasting battery and ease of use make it ideal for parties and social occasions, and its excellent image quality means that all those embarrassing photos of your drunken friends will be sharp, detailed and colourful."

ePhotoZine has a review of the Fuji FinePix F20 and writes, "For a budget price camera, the Fuji F20 scored well on all accounts. Images are clear, retaining good detail, and, with the exception of the blues, the rendition of colours in the colour chart test were impressively accurate. The build of the camera is good and the design is stylish, not at all what you would expect from a lower-priced camera. ISO tests showed that while there was a lot of noise and detail loss in the highest setting, lower settings were acceptable, and remained relatively clear. Additionally, the F20 is easy to use, and an ideal starter camera for any newcomers to digital photography."

DigicamReview has a review of the Fujifilm FinePix F20 and writes, "The F20, despite being a budget digital camera, has great image quality. Colours are very good and in a very wide range of situations the camera will take sharp, detailed pictures with good exposure. The camera is probably great for events where fast photography is essential. The challenges that this camera will face that most others will fail at will be low light situations where you don't particularly want to use the flash. For these situations it has a scene mode that allows you to try and see what a photo would be like without the flash, and yet not lose the benefits of flash photography. The camera was generally competent and fast at focusing with the focus assist lamp activating when light was low. There is a good range of image sizes but few compression options, and the camera lacks a 16:9 wide-aspect ratio mode. The camera doesn't give you many options to customise images in-camera, there are no sharpness or contrast controls for example. Purple fringing is slighly higher than average."

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Jul 13: Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd

The Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd is a six megapixel (CCD) digital camera with a 10.7x Optical Zoom (28-300mm) and new 'face detection' technology (hence the 'fd' in the model name).

The Face Detection will find up to 10 faces in a frame and will focus and meter for them appropriately.

The Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd has an ISO of up to 3200 and has a mechanical zoom ring. It will hit stores in October 2006.

Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd News Release

New digital camera combines hardware based Face Detection technology and high ISO sensitivity to stunning effect

Fujifilm today announces the launch of the FinePix S6500fd digital camera, debuting industry-first hardware based Face Detection technology to enable the camera to recognise faces and optimise settings to get the best photograph in just 0.04 seconds. With Fujifilm’s acclaimed sixth generation, six megapixel Super CCD sensor and Real Photo Technology II, class-leading ISO 100-3200 sensitivity and Fujinon 10.7x (28-300mm equivalent) optical zoom lens, the FinePix S6500fd combines the photographic possibilities of a digital SLR with the ease of use of a compact.

Fujifilm expects the FinePix S6500fd to be a popular camera for hobbyist photographers. It will be a powerful, fun tool for people looking to move on from their compact digital camera, but who don’t want the restrictions or level of manual input that can be required by a Digital SLR.

Face detection

Photographs of friends and family are among the most popular in day-to-day photography. Yet these are the shots that are hardest to get right because the best photographs are not the posed ones, but those that are unexpected. Previously, face detection concepts have been a slow, software based process, relegating them to a novelty feature rather than a powerful picture-taking tool. The potential delay in ‘seeing’ a face and optimising settings is not conducive to good people photography. Crucially, Fujifilm has built its Face Detection technology into the FinePix S6500fd’s processor, enabling it to identify faces and take a photo within 0.04 seconds.

The FinePix S6500fd’s Face Detection uses an algorithm, which recognises eyes and a mouth to lock on to faces in the frame. Coping with up to ten faces in a frame, it optimises settings such as focus and exposure level before taking the photo. Face Detection can identify a face irrespective of its position in the frame or the composition of the shot, and is not confused by spectacles. Furthermore, movement tracking ensures the camera stays locked on the subject until they move out of the frame. All this, combined with split-second accuracy, results in picture-perfect people shots with no need for user intervention.

High sensitivity for precision photography

Alongside Face Detection, the FinePix S6500 features Fujifilm’s Real Photo Processor II technology, delivering class-leading ISO 100-3200 sensitivity. Research shows that the majority of photos are taken in low light with the subject in the foreground. These shots can be problematic because of blur, or because the subject is over-exposed by an automatic flash. The high ISO of the FinePix S6500fd means that sharp, focused images can be achieved in low light without the need for a flash, so skin tones look natural and foreground and background exposure remain balanced. When used in conjunction with Face Detection, the result is natural-looking people pictures that appear just as the human eye sees them, even when shot in low light.

The FinePix S6500fd features a Fujinon 10.7x optical zoom lens with twist barrel control to give plenty of scope for precision composition. Because the camera’s high ISO sensitivity also combats image blur, the user can even achieve sharp, clean images at the telephoto end of the zoom; perfect for fast-moving sports photography. Its fixed lens also prevents dust collecting on its sensor, another convenience factor versus DSLRs.

For flash photography, the camera features Fujifilm’s Intelligent Flash system, which automatically balances flash power output and exposure for both foreground and background. This ensures more natural-looking skin tones and clearer background exposure when using the flash function. In addition, a ‘Natural Light & Flash’ Dual Shot Mode takes two shots in quick succession, one with flash and one without. These are then displayed side by side for immediate comparison.

The FinePix S6500fd also features a High Speed Shooting Mode with rapid focus and a shutter lag of just 0.035 seconds.

The 2.5” LCD screen and high resolution electronic viewfinder give the user a choice of how to compose and view images. With fourteen special-scene modes, including Portrait, Landscape, Sport, Night, Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Museum and Party, the FinePix S6500fd ensures users will never miss an opportunity for a great photo. A 30 fps VGA movie mode with sound and manual zoom capability provides an attractive alternative to still photography that can not be incorporated into a digital SLR.

Adrian Clarke, Fujifilm’s Director of Photo Products said, “The FinePix S6500fd is aimed at people for whom photography is a hobby. They want to be able to get fantastic images but also want the option of point-and-shoot simplicity on demand. With Face Detection and incredibly high sensitivity, this camera does a particularly good job of photographing the most important subject of them all: people. This model is all about combining absolute convenience with fantastic image potential.”

Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd Accessories

The FinePix S6500fd’s optional Wide Conversion Lens, WL-FXS6, expands the camera’s wide-angle capability without compromising image quality. It allows the extreme angles of view normally only available with changeable lenses on an SLR camera.

Also available is an optional premium leather case. Fujifilm World Travel Adaptor, for charging abroad, and spare Lithium-ion battery, NP-70 make travelling with the FinePix S6500 easy.

The camera comes with shoulder strap, USB and A/V cables, Lens cap and hood and software CDs FinePix Viewer (with RAW File Converter included), ImageMixer VCD2 LE for FinePix and RAW File Converter LE.

Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd features at a glance

* Hardware based Face Detection technology
* Sensitivity range of ISO 100-3200 for low-noise photography in all light situations
* Super CCD HR VI sensor delivering six million effective pixels
* Real Photo Processor II reduces noise and delivers enhanced colour reproduction
* Fixed 10.7x (28-300mm equivalent) optical zoom lens with twist barrel control
* Intelligent Flash achieves the optimum combination of high sensitivity and natural skin tones
* Manual, shutter- and aperture-priority and program exposure modes
* Single, continuous and manual focus modes
* Jpeg and RAW file formats
* High Speed Shooting Mode with a shutter lag of just 0.035 seconds
* High resolution 2.5 inch LCD screen with reinforced, scratch-resistant glass
* TV-quality VGA movie recording of 30 frames per second with sound
* PictBridge compatible for direct printing without a PC

Availability & pricing

The FinePix S6500fd will be available from UK retailers in October 2006. Pricing and stockists will be announced nearer to the date of retail launch.

Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd Reviews

Photo-i reviews the Fuijifilm Finepix S6500fd and writes - 'I used the FujiFilm FinePix S6500fd for about three weeks. It was love at first sight, but the novelty wore thin when I started to use the camera on location. I didn't like the 1.5 seconds review time after every picture, when the "Live" picture came back either the camera or the subject had moved. Handling was comfortable and it is easy to see the entire viewfinder even when wearing glasses. The lens was more than sharp enough for most picture taking situations, but the focusing often spoilt the picture.'

Think Camera reviews the Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd where hey give it a rating of 9 out of 10 and write - 'If I wanted to buy a bridge camera right now I'd get a Fujifilm S6500fd. If I wanted to buy a budget DSLR with a travel zoom then I'd also think long and hard about whether the S6500fd wasn't a better choice. It's between £50 and £100 cheaper than the S9600 and unless you need the extra pixels I think it's a better buy. It will also save you £100 - £200 off the price of an entry level DSLR and be somewhat easier to live with. The face detection isn't perfect - many times it just doesn't work yet but I like to see it as a handy bonus. This is a great camera with face detection thrown in. '

PhotographyBLOG has a review up of the Fujifilm Finepix S6500fd and writes, "The major dislike that I had with the Fujifilm Finepix S6500fd is the EVF display, which is low resolution (just 115,000 pixels) and also on the dim side, not a great combination. As this camera has largely been designed to replicate a DSLR, it means that you will invariably compose your images by holding the camera up to your eye. I found that the EVF, as well as being dim and pixellated, doesn't keep up with the eye quite as quickly or precisely as an optical viewfinder, and it also gave me eye-strain after extended periods of use. On the plus side, there is a lot more visual feedback via the EVF than on most optical viewfinders, it offers 100% scene coverage and dioptre adjustment, and you can also playback your images on it! ... In summary the Fujifilm Finepix S6500fd almost achieves what Fujifilm set out to do - combine a digital SLR design with all the advantages of a compact digicam. There are some notable flaws and omissions, notably the lack of an optical image stabilisation system, slow RAW format and poor EVF."

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Fuji Finepix S6500fd and writes, "as is typical of Fuji cameras the Finepix S6500fd outperforms other brands when a higher ISO setting is being used. Lower levels of noise are visible at ISO 400 than with other makes. Even so if you push the ISO rating up much higher than this noise becomes an increasing problem and reduces overall picture quality. ... The Fuji Finepix S6500fd is one of the few super zoom cameras I have reviewed that appears to be able to avoid the dreaded purple fringing. If you have a slightly higher budget you will get more features including image stabilisation, but this is certainly a camera worth considering."

Absolute Gadget has a review of the Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd and writes, "Taking a test picture of the fireplace in the office was a pleasant surprise. Everything in focus and the colours are rich and vibrant without being overbearing. ... If you want what a compact camera does but in something that looks more like an SLR then the Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd is for you and it does take really good pictures. Although for around a hundred quid more you could just go out and buy a proper digital SLR camera like the Canon 350D."

Let's Go Digital has a review of the FujiFilm FinePix S6500fd and writes, "Not only the quality convinces, also the operation of the camera is without a doubt good. Let it be with a few glosses. Essential settings are, like RAW, light measurement and white balance, in the menu. And the flap for the battery holder has a less solid construction. On the other hand you have an excellent LCD monitor, very pleasant operation of the zoom, excellent face detection and a ditto auto focus. ... After a long test period, my conclusion is therefore unambiguous; I am particularly satisfied about the qualities of the camera. The image quality of the Fujifilm FinePix S6500fd is excellent and Fujifilm again shows its image. The Fujifilm S6500fd is an all-round digital Megazoom camera that offers a lot for its money, excellent!"

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Jul 13: Nikon Coolpix P4 Review at Megapixel

Megapixel has a review up of the Nikon Coolpix P4 and writes, "As is very often the case the Coolpix P4 produces its best image quality when used outdoors with generous, natural light. ... Under artificial light however, or under low light conditions, the Auto white balance is a touch inconsistent, and the auto focus — particularly when the camera is selecting the focus point — is more hesitant. ... while some indoor shot captured with the P4 occasionally require some adjustments with software for sharpness or colour balance, those shot with good outdoor light, rarely need adjustments. Indeed, the Coolpix P4 produces excellent high definition images that are very well exposed and print out beautifully."

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Jul 13: Panasonic DMC TZ1 Review At Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Panasonic DMC-TZ1 and writes, "the photos have a bright, vivid feel to them. This is true of both indoor and outdoor shots and helps to inject a bit of extra life into them compared to many other digital cameras. ... Although the camera has performed very well in my standard indoor tests I must warn you not to expect too much in some lowlight situations. Even with image stabilisation switched on it becomes difficult to get crisp pictures when the camera is handheld, the zoom is used to its maximum extension and the light is low. ... There is a lot to like about the Panasonic DMC TZ1. With its ten times optical zoom in a compact body it offers something different. It provides plenty of zoom power whilst allowing you to carry the camera around easily. Picture quality is very good and the camera is also easy to use."

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Jul 13: Kodak EasyShare v610 Review at ThinkCamera

ThinkCamera has a review up of the Kodak EasyShare V610 and writes, "The pictures aren't outstandingly good but they are not outstandingly bad either. Chromatic aberration (aka “purple fringing�) seems well under control. It was only really evident at really high contrast edges in my test shots. ... The 6 million pixels sensors (there is one for each lens) deliver images that are full of detail and should print nicely up to A4 and maybe further. However, they are a little soft from the camera, even with sharpening set to “high�. ... I was slightly disappointed though in the A4 prints that I made. The focussed areas were fine but the out of focus zones were smeary and indistinct. It's not unusual in a camera this size but personally I wouldn't want to print larger than A4 from the v610."

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Jul 13: Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W100 Review at CNET

CNET reviews the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W100 and writes, "One advantage the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W100 has over the DSC-W70 is a sensor that's capable of shooting at ISO 80. Photos shot at this sensitivity level--and to a certain extent, at ISO 100--are relatively sharp with little noise and few processing artifacts. Beyond that, the aggressive noise-suppression algorithms kick in, blurring and smearing details. Photos print reasonably well to as large as 8x10, but they look a little soft and foggy. In addition to some distortion in the bottom corners at its wide angle, the lens also produces some cyan and magenta fringing on the sides, as well as purple fringing on high-contrast edges."

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Jul 13: Olympus Stylus 720 SW Review at Imaging Resource

Imaging Resource has a review of the Olympus Stylus 720 SW and writes, "the color is muted and color detail is mushy at best, even at the lowest ISO. Colors on the Macbeth chart not only appear faded next to the sharply oversaturated Verve, it looks like each color was put into a blender and poured back into each square as a pulpy mess. Admittedly, the Verve's sharpness isn't much better, but the vibrant color ads a snap back to the picture. The Canon's colors are more tame, and image sharpness in color areas is considerably better. ... 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."

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Jul 13: Acer CP-8660 Review at Trusted Reviews

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Acer CP-8660 and writes, "Picture quality is of course the most important criteria, and here the CP-8660 can provide good results under the right circumstances. Colour rendition is very natural, and in good light and normal conditions the exposure system produces generally nice shots. Oddly the ‘vivid’ colour mode didn’t appear to make any difference to colour rendition at all. ... The CP-8660 is, as I said at the start, an audacious camera but as it turns out, overly so. It does offer a unique combination of features but performance is slow and the anti-shake system is largely ineffective. However, picture quality is generally adequate and the 6x zoom range is very useful. The problem is that there are better cameras on the market that can beat it in every respect, and for about the same price."

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Jul 12: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 and writes, "When it comes to reviewing the H2’s images, there is some evidence of fringing – visible as a line of different coloured pixels – between areas of high contrast, though this is only noticeable under close inspection. A very reasonable level of detail is captured thanks to a quality Carl Zeiss lens. As we commonly find with Sony cameras, colours are vividly rendered, so no complaints there. ... In all, this camera will satisfy enthusiasts who don’t want to stretch to an SLR, and beginners who want room for their photography to grow as their understanding does. The price also can’t be faulted."

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Jul 11: Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 at CNET Reviews

CNET Reviews has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 and writes, "The EX-Z1000 produced attractive images of well-lit subjects, but we saw no benefit to the extra resolution. In part, that's because the camera tended to overprocess its photos, resulting in compression artifacts and soft details. Our test shots were virtually noise-free up to ISO 200, though the ISO 400 setting produced a marked amount of fuzziness and grain. Low-light shots disappointed, with fuzzy details and large amounts of noise. ... A slim design and an easy-to-use interface make the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 appealing, but its overprocessed images and mixed performance depress its overall value."

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Jul 11: Sony Cybershot DSC H5 and Canon Powershot S3 IS: Side by Side at DCViews

DCViews has a side by side comparison review of the Sony Cybershot DSC H5 and the Canon Powershot S3 IS. Overall: "On most points the Powershot S3 leaves the Sony H5 behind, but the latter has a very appealing LCD and resolution and image quality (besides the CA) are better. The colors of the H5 are somewhat more natural and the visible noise is less at higher ISO's."

On the DSC H5's image quality: "In most situations exposure is spot on, but sometimes the camera tends to underexpose to keep detail in the highlights. A simple levels adjustment solves this 'problem'. In Normal color mode colors are very accurate and natural, even at ISO 400. With 7 Mp and a Carl Zeiss lens the camera captures a lot of detail. The in-camera sharpening is moderate but delivers crisp pictures. The Super Steady Shot does a good job for handheld shots. In spite of the noise reduction enough detail is kept at ISO 400."

On the S3 IS's image quality: " Thee Powershot S3 handles the most common exposure situations very well, although there is a small tendency to blow out highlights. The colors are a bit warmer (yellow) than those of the Sony H5. The S3 has one megapixel less than the H5 and in some situations detail is a bit less than with the H5. The default sharpening in the camera is a bit high, but can be adjusted by the user."

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Jul 11: Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 Review at PhotographyBlog

PhotographyBlog has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 and writes, "The Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 is a frustrating camera. It is one of the best-built, well thought-out, feature-rich and quick compact digital cameras that I've ever reviewed. On the other hand, the 10 megapixel sensor is a liability, producing images that look good at first glance, but which upon closer inspection suffer from noise at ISO 200 and faster, purple fringing in many shots, including situations where you wouldn't expect to find it, and almost completely ineffective anti-shake and high-sensitivity modes. In short, I thoroughly enjoyed using the EX-Z1000, but didn't like the images that it produced, which is possibly the worst kind of disappointment. ... Unfortunately it also proves that you can't squeeze 10 megapixels onto such a small sensor without creating some serious image quality issues."

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Jul 10: How to Make a Macro Photo Studio for $10

Strobist has a really cool tutorial at their blog titled DIY $10 Macro Photo Studio which, as the name suggests, shows you how to make a very affordable photo studio to help you get stunning macro shots.

All you really need is a box, some tissue paper and a little tape.

Great tutorial and the results look fantastic.

Found via Lifehacker.

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Jul 9: Nikon Coolpix S6 Wi-Fi Review at Photoxels

Photoxels has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S6 Wi-Fi and writes, "Image quality at ISO 100 is very good and, to obtain the best results from this camera (including better low-light capability), I therefore recommend setting ISO 100 as your default. ... Overall, the Nikon Coolpix S6 delivers good to very good image quality in "sunny outdoors" situations but is a bit challenged in low-light situations. It does have many practical features, such as BSS, D-Lighting (see User's Experience) and Manual AF areas that help you get the most in those challenging situations."

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Jul 9: Nikon Coolpix P3 Review at Pocket-lint

Pocket-lint has a review of the Nikon Coolpix P3 and writes, "So, the P3 is jammed with goodies, but how good are the results? For a kick off the detail it’s possible to capture is superb, the lens and CCD working well together. I’ve discussed the AF system which works well (though macro focusing was a challenge on some subjects) while the metering (all 256-segments of it) works a treat too, though some images were mystifyingly overexposed and I did not get to the bottom of the problem. It’s probably me though. ... Noise is controlled well at all sensitivities up to ISO 200, at ISO 400 things get a tad noisier than I’d like and the limited sensitivity available (ISO 400 is the top setting) is attributable to the camera possessing VR; you don’t need the higher settings to get a reasonable shot in lower lighting. All those lovely images can be stored either on the 23MB of internal memory or on external SD/MMC storage."

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Jul 9: Olympus Stylus 720 SW at Infosync

Infosync has a review of the Olympus Stylus 720 SW and writes, "Pictures had good color, contrast, saturation. The 3X optical zoom sacrificed little quality but when we pushed the 5X digital zoom, resulting in rather grainy images. ... Making a stab at improving results under poorly lit conditions and reducing the impact of camera shake, photos can be taken up to ISO 1600 - but prepare for a certain loss of quality if it's pushed that far. ... Photo quality suffers when the zoom and ISO are pushed too far, but overall snaps look vibrant."

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Jul 9: Samsung Digimax L85 at Infosync

Infosync has a review of the Samsung Digimax L85 and writes, "Colors and details proved to be accurate, and the 5x optical zoom sacrificed little quality. Some purple fringing appeared in several of our shots, but did not exceed tolerable levels. ... Our only real complaints are that photos can only be taken up to ISO 400 (which won't help much in low-light situations), as well as the complete lack of neither digital nor optical image stabilization ... The Samsung Digimax L85 isn't the thinnest or most feature-packed camera available, but it offers a respectable feature set, unique design, and most importantly – good pictures. Some photos experience minor fringing and the ISO doesn't exceed 400, but overall this point-and-shoot won't let you down."

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Jul 9: Fujifilm FinePix F30 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Fujifilm FinePix F30 and writes, "And so to the images, which are pin sharp straight out of the camera. Colours err on the side of being naturalistic – even slightly muted - rather than vivid, though these can be boosted by switching to our preferred ‘chrome’ setting. ... At the top ISO of 3200, shots start to break up and noise is readily visible, but not to a throwaway degree. A 16MB XD-Picture Card comes as standard - plus 10Mb internal memory – which, while enough to get you started, doesn’t do away with the need to invest in a larger card. ... The F30 but doesn’t offer a compulsive argument for upgrading from the F10 or F11, but is one of the more attractive and better performing compacts available."

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Jul 8: Canon PowerShot SD700 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Canon Digital IXUS 800 IS (Canon PowerShot SD700) and writes, "The camera powers up in two seconds, the lens barrel extending from flush to the body; however we felt the location of the on/off button above the LCD didn’t make for the most fluid operation. ... The shutter button is surrounded by a responsive zoom lever, while a slightly recessed mode dial falls under your forefinger. The screen attracts prints as you grip the camera, so you’ll be constantly wiping it. ... Images the 800 IS delivers onto its 16Mb SD card are mainly sharp. Even with image stabilisation on continuous there was the occasional blurred shot, though less than you’d get without. Switching to ‘shoot only’ was more reliable. There’s also occasional fringing in areas of high contrast, only visible when enlarging a small area. Colours were well saturated."

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Jul 8: Canon PowerShot A430 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Canon PowerShot A430 and writes, "Canon’s new PowerShot A430, available in a choice of four colours, is an inexpensive way to go digital. A budget price hasn’t meant a lack of features, and it’s a surprise to see a better than average 4x optical zoom included here. ... Inevitably there are compromises, like the plastic body, wider build (when compared with IXUS cameras further up the range), noisy zoom mechanism and 1.8in screen that’s also tiny, though at least there’s an optical viewfinder for shot composition. Light sensitivity is capped at ISO400, adjustable manually. ... perhaps the only slip up on Canon’s part was to not make the PowerShot A430 dust and waterproof."

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Jul 8: Kodak EasyShare V603 at Steve's DigiCams

Steve's DigiCams has a review of the Kodak EasyShare V603 and writes, "This is a fully automatic point-n-shoot model that is great for the beginner, and with 22 scene modes and access to exposure settings like ISO, white balance, and metering, it will also allow users to be more creative in various shooting environments. ... Image quality was good for a 6-megapixel model in this class. The majority of our samples are sharp and show pleasing exposure. Colors are richly saturated, and the white balance seemed to work well in a variety of different lighting conditions. Noise levels are low for a consumer model, with the exception of the chromatic aberrations we mentioned earlier. Kodak's PERFECT TOUCH technology claims "to help ensure better, brighter pictures". I was surprised at how well this feature works. ... Kodak has created an appealing digital package with the EasyShare V603. With great image quality, robust performance, and loads of "cool" exposure modes and features, the V603 will make a great choice for anyone who wants a simple to use 6-megapixel model that can be tucked away in almost any size pocket or handbag."

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Jul 8: Olympus FE-115 Review at Steve's DigiCams

Steve's DigiCams has a review up of the Olympus FE-115 and writes, "The FE-115's Shooting performance was disappointing. Power up to first image captured was about 4.5 seconds. Shutter lag, the delay between depressing the shutter button and capturing the image, measured 3/10 second when pre-focused and 1.0 second including autofocus; both measurements include the approximately 1/10 second delay in the LCD's live image. When capturing a sequence of images, the shot to shot delay averaged about 6 seconds without the flash and between 7 and 10 seconds with flash. Use of the FE-115's red eye reduction flash mode extends the shutter lag to 1 second when pre-focused. The FE-115 does not offer a continuous shooting mode. Image review mode also suffers from poor performance, taking about 4 seconds to scroll from one image to the next."

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Jul 8: Pentax Optio W10 Review at Digital Camera Info

Digital Camera Info has a review of the Pentax Optio W10 and writes, "There is an incredible amount of noise with the “longer� shutter speeds, which really only last a quarter of a second. The noise isn’t the only thing to ruin low light shots. Colors were already inaccurate in optimal lighting; it only gets worse as the light wanes. This is bad news for photographers who frequently take portraits and pictures indoors without the flash. Overall, photographing in low light will be tricky with the W10. Users should either avoid it or use the built-in flash. ... The Optio W10's unique benefits are its waterproofing, its simplicity and its styling. Its image quality is by no means outstanding. Still, there will be plenty of people who want a convenient, moderately-priced beach camera or even a snorkeling camera, and they will be pleased with the W10. For under $300, the 6-megapixel, 3x optical zoom Optio W10 offers a unique feature set at its price point, although users will have accept the sacrifice in image quality for the added durability and underwater functionality."

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Jul 8: Canon PowerShot S3 IS at Imaging Resource

Imaging Resource has a review of the Canon PowerShot S3 IS and writes, "The Canon S3 IS doesn't keep you waiting: Not when you start it up (even though the lens has to extend); not when you've taken a shot; not when you're shooting in Continuous mode; and not when you're shutting down. ... It isn't instant, like a digital SLR, but I never felt like I had to wait for it. And not having to wait meant I felt free to turn it on or off at will. When it takes a camera a long time to start up or shut down, I just let the power management routine put it to sleep so a half-press of the shutter button wakes the camera up. With cameras that have extendable lenses, this is a risky strategy. But the PowerShot S3 IS was quick enough to shut down and start up, and the lens extends and retracts quietly."

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Jul 8: Kodak EasyShare P712 Review at CNET

CNET reviews the Kodak EasyShare P712 and writes, "Overall, colors looked natural and well saturated, and exposures were accurate with plenty of detail in both highlights and shadows. The auto white balance did a very good job of neutralizing colors under our lab's tungsten lights, retaining just the barest hint of warmth. The tungsten preset yielded slightly cool images, while the manual white balance produced almost perfectly neutral results. Fringing was minimal but still present, mostly in the corners of our field-test images. ... If you're not bothered by noisy images and slightly sluggish performance, the Kodak EasyShare P712's many other merits make it an attractive megazoom."

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Jul 8: Olympus EVOLT E-500 Review at MobileTechReview

MobileTechReview reviews the Olympus EVOLT E-500 and writes, "For an entry level digital SLR, the EVOLT E-500 sports a few high end features such as exposure bracketing, white balance bracketing and ISO that goes all the way down to 100 (Nikon and Pentax low models and even the D70s only go down to 200) up to 400 in auto or 1600 in manual. You can set ISO in 1/3EV increments and set metering to Digital ESP (full frame evaluation), center weighted or spot (some Canon's have been missing spot). Metering was very good in our tests and it only failed us on some of the most challenging shots (contrasty and backlit scenes). But for a camera in this price range, it did a good job. ... Good times for dSLR shoppers. It's really hard to go wrong with any of the intro offerings from Olympus, Canon, Nikon or Pentax. The EVOLT E-500 does give a lot of bang for the buck, especially if you go with the 2 lens bundle. It has some of the most user-friendly controls we've seen, that won't scare the pants off of point and shoot folks, feels good in the hand, looks and feels well made and it takes very good photos. The feature set is more advanced that we'd expect from a camera in this price range, which is appealing for more serious photographers and gives novices room to grow. Photos do have a somewhat more "computer-ish" look than the more natural photos from the Nikon D70 and Rebel XT thanks to the camera's image processing algorithms which favor strong contrast and very saturated colors. Those accustomed to digital cameras (the non-SLR variety) won't notice this, and there are a lot of folks who love the vivid and sharp look of processed images over a more film-like" look."

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Jul 8: Pentax *ist DL2 Digital SLR Review at Trusted Reviews

Trusted Reviews reviews the Pentax *ist DL2 Digital SLR and writes, "Shooting performance is a little erratic. In continuous mode the DL2 can shoot five frames in about three seconds, and after that slows to an average of about one frame a second. I say average because it has no sense of rhythm at all, and shoots at apparently random intervals. ... However, in single shot mode, focusing and exposure are admirably quick and shutter response is effectively instant, which is what one expects from a digital SLR. ... In the default vivid mode, images are sharp bright and colourful. Possibly a little too colourful in fact, with reds especially being a bit over-saturated. In natural mode, images have a much more realistic tone, with just a hint of softness that responds very well to a light application of unsharp mask. ... The Pentax *ist DL2 is bargain-priced entry-level DSLR that combines the ease of use of a compact with the performance and picture quality of an SLR. It may lack some features, but it has all the important ones and even has one or two surprises. Experienced users may find it restrictive, but it is a perfect camera for the beginner who wants to learn, or for those making the switch from compact to SLR. It also gives you access to a vast range of Pentax lenses and accessories."

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Jul 7: Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W70 Review at CNET

CNET reviews the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W70 and writes, "For the most part, the Cyber Shot DSC-W70 performs well relative to its classmates. From power on to first shot takes about 2.2 seconds, with about 1.4 seconds between shots thereafter. The flash recycles quickly, adding only 0.2 second to the shot-to-shot time. Though relatively fast to focus in good light--shutter lag is a decent 0.5 second--focus in dim light jumps to a not-so-good 1.9 seconds. Burst shooting at full resolution is limited to 4 frames at about 1.4fps despite its 58MB of built-in memory. ... Although the Sony Cyber Shot DSC-W70 is a decent enough camera, both the DSC-W30 and the DSC-W50 are probably better values than the DSC-W70."

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Jul 7: Kodak EasyShare Z650 Review at CNET

CNET reviews the Kodak EasyShare Z650 and writes, "Noise fared slightly worse. At ISO 80, noise was minimal, with just a few speckles showing up, mostly in darker colors, and it remained well under control at ISO 100. By ISO 200, noise was obviously noticeable, and at ISO 400, it grew to the point of obscuring finer details and gave images an overall softer look. Images we shot at ISO 400 were usable as 4x6 prints but likely wouldn't be pleasing at larger sizes. ... Casual snapshooters who need a long zoom lens might be happy with the Kodak EasyShare Z650, though if you plan on shooting in lower light, you'll likely want to look for a camera that has less noise at higher ISO, such as Canon's PowerShot S3IS, or at least step up to a Kodak with image stabilization, such as the EasyShare Z612."

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Jul 7: Fujifilm Finepix F30 Review at ePhotoZine

ePhotozine reviews the Fujifilm Finepix F30 and writes, "For a compact digital camera the low level of noise at all sensitivities is stunning, rivalling many SLR cameras. Noise levels are very low up to ISO400. At ISO800 a little more luminance noise shows, but it's still very acceptable. By ISO1600 the noise levels have increased to noticeable levels, but still very low by comparison. The 'landmark' sensitivity of ISO3200 produces acceptable quality with very little chroma noise. I did notice that the colour tends to shift slightly at the maximum sensitivity, but not enough to cause any major problems and the noise that is present is fine, randomly arranged and not brightly coloured, giving a wonderful film-like appearance. ... There is no doubt that the Fuji Finepix F30 is a fantastic compact camera. Images are clear, sharp, colourful and the control over digital noise is superb."

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Jul 6: Kodak EasyShare V610 Review at T3

T3 has a review of the Kodak EasyShare V610 and writes, "The focal length of the first lens ranges from 38-114mm, while the other zooms it all the way from 130-380mm. The transition between the two isn't totally smooth, but it's bearable. While the big zoom is great, it's hard to keep such a small camera steady at maximum zoom, while the anti-blur feature is no match for the optical stabiliser on rival models. ... Overall, image quality is fine. You'll find that highlights occasionally get blown out and detail can be a little soft around the edges, but nothing awful. You can increase the sensitivity to ISO 800 for low-light shooting."

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Jul 6: Fuji Finepix A400 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk have a review of the Fuji Finepix A400 and writes, "Taking into account the low price of the Finepix A400 it is understandable that allowances need to be made in certain areas for this camera. Even so I am disappointed by the quality of the photos I managed to take with this camera. ... Looking at the outdoor scenic shots there are three major issues I have with the camera. The first and most important one is the lack of sharp focus to each of the shots. ... The next problem is that the camera is unable to cope with the light surfaces of the boats. ... Another worrying issue is that purple fringing is evident along the edges of bright objects where they are caught by the sun."

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Jul 6: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W100 at CNET Asia

CNET Asia has a review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W100 and writes, "Even though there's no option to custom set white balance on this Cyber-shot, the W100 still churned out decent images. Noise was reasonably controlled up to ISO 400, but at ISO 800 and ISO 1,250, you would be making only small prints at best. Still, the W100 proved to be one of the better-faring cameras when it came to noise at ISO 400. ... Overall, our images were well-exposed with purple fringing only moderately affecting some of our heavily backlit pictures. Barrel distortion was kept to a minimal. Colors were also rich and saturated which we liked."

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Jul 6: Olympus Stylus 720 SW Review at T3

T3 has a review of the Olympus Stylus 720 SW and writes, "Image quality is pretty damn good for a compact. Even at maximum size, photos have waves of colour and plenty of detail. The flash is strong, but perhaps not powerful enough for serious underwater shooting. Nevertheless, this camera's combination of SAS levels of toughness and performance make it a real contender."

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Jul 6: Samsung Digimax L85 Review at T3

T3 has a review up of the Samsung Digimax L85 and writes, "The eight-megapixel sensor enables you to print up to A3 though pictures are pretty average. Edges can be soft, but colours are strong. There's no optical stabilizer, though, so be wary of camera shake. A full range of manual and automatic scene settings are available and there are also various effects built in, although they’re of dubious benefit.The LCD's bright enough indoors and out. The generous 5x optical zoom is quick."

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Jul 6: Olympus EVOLT E-330 Digital SLR Review at DPExpert

DPExpert has a review of the Olympus E-330 and writes, "As we expect from Olympus the camera has a nice feel with all controls and mechanical actions nicely damped. Auto-focus is quick and precise. Controls are well laid out and intuitive in use, which is just as well as Olympus sticks to its cheapskate policy of not providing a printed instruction book. ... The E-330 has the excellent Olympus ultra-sonic dust remover, something all DSLR cameras should have. ... we were surprised to see how badly the camera handles saturated reds. Colour bleeding in the red/orange areas on the birds’ chests was so bad that all feather definition was lost. We found a partial solution by turning down the in-camera saturation to its lowest setting. Default colours are absurdly over-saturated. Shooting RAW improves the image quality and the E-330 also records TIFF files which are very large and do not allow the same degree of post-camera manipulation as RAW does."

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Jul 6: Nikon Coolpix S6 Review at Photography Blog

Photography Blog has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S6 and writes, "As a camera that is good to look at, the Nikon Coolpix S6 fits the bill, but does it take good photos? Thankfully yes - on the whole pictures from this camera are well-exposed, relatively noise-free up to ISO 200, with little purple-fringing. The only flies in the ointment are blurred corners at the 35mm wide-angle focal length and poor night shots. Obviously, as the S6 is strictly a point and shoot camera, it offers very little in the way of creative controls, but it's perfectly suited to it's target audience, and even produces good photos too! If you're looking for a stylish, intuitive compact camera with the option of wireless connectivity, then make sure to take a look at the Nikon Coolpix S6."

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Jul 6: Sony DSC-H5 Review at DPReview

DPReview has a review of the Sony DSC-H5 and writes, "The good news is that everything we liked about the H1 and the H2 is still here; handling is excellent, it's very fast and responsive and the results - even shooting in full auto mode with default settings - excellent. There are few cameras I can wholeheartedly recommend to both novice 'snappers' and experienced photographers, but the H5, like the H2, is that rarest of beasts; a 'compact' camera with handling and control close to a DSLR, yet one that - even in inexperienced hands - can be left in 'idiot-proof' mode and trusted to produce the goods time and time again. Above all, the H5 is fun and easy to use, which means you will find yourself taking a lot more pictures, which has to be a good thing. ... The choice when looking at this class of camera is a difficult one, and one that more often than not comes down to handling, personal preference (in terms of the actual output) and how important certain specific features (in this case the screen, basically) are to you. The H2 represents far better value for money than the H5, which is why I still consider it to be the pick of the bunch, but the H5 still offers an awful lot of 'bang for your buck'. Whilst it would be unfair to penalise the H5 simply because it doesn't offer a lot more than the H2 in terms of real benefits, I would point out that whereas the $399 H2 was an easy choice for a Highly Recommended, the H5, like the Canon S3 IS, was a much closer call."

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Jul 5: Canon Powershot A700 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Canon Powershot A700 and writes, "From the tests I carry out Canon digital cameras produce the sharpest photos. The Powershot A700 underlines this position with a series of very sharp shots. ... For close up photography the macro shot is above average without being one of the very best. The image is sharp and clear. ... The Canon Powershot A700 does not come cheap. It is more expensive than a number of digital cameras with a 10x optical zoom lens. Putting aside the price if picture quality is important this camera will not let you down. Photos are as sharp as I have managed to take. Colours are strong as well. It also has all the features you need if you enjoy photography. All in all the Powershot A700 makes a compelling case to be bought. Recommended. "

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Jul 5: Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 at Ephotozine

Ephotozine has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 and writes, "Although the image produced by the Casio is larger than those of the other two cameras due to the extra pixels, it is not as sharp or any more detailed than the others. Some of the fine detail appears to have been smudged out, either by in-camera noise reduction, or by a lack of lens resolution, which gives the image a slightly plasticcy look at 100%. There are also quite prominent sharpening artifacts (which can be seen where the building meets the sky), which detract further from the overall quality of the image. ... Ergonomically, the EX-Z1000 is a great camera. The controls are well laid-out plus the camera is quick and responsive. ... Unfortunately I am less impressed with the images produced by this camera, especially as the 10 megapixel resolution is one of the major selling points of this camera. Noise at high sensitivities and sharpening artefacts detract from what should be a fantastic camera on paper."

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Jul 5: Pentax Optio A10 Review at DCRP

DCRP has a review of the Pentax Optio A10 and writes, "Overall the photo quality on the Optio A10 was very good. Photos were generally well-exposed, with pleasing colors and sharpness. Purple fringing was minimal, and noise was reasonable considering the resolution of the camera. My only real complaint is that fine details like grass, shrubs, and trees look really muddy, with this shot being an extreme example. Unless you're inspecting the photos at 100% on your computer screen (which is my job) or making large prints, this shouldn't be a huge issue." However, the conclusion was "The Pentax Optio A10 is an ultra-compact camera that offers a lot of features for much less money than competitive cameras. You'll get an 8 Megapixel CCD, image stabilization system, sharp 2.5" LCD display, VGA movie mode, and plenty of point-and-shoot features for a little over $300. Most of the competition (save for the Panasonic FX01) costs $50 - $100 more. Unfortunately the Optio A10 lags in a number of areas -- most notably camera performance -- so you're better off trying another product. ... While the Optio A10 has a lot to offer (with good image quality and image stabilization), it's lacking in too many areas (performance and LCD visibility) to earn my recommendation."

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Jul 4: Samsung Digimax L85 at ComputerActive

ComputerActive reviews the Samsung Digimax L85 and writes, "Though its pricing suggests a fully auto point and shoot, the L85 mixes in manual features alongside gimmicky picture effects and photo frames, plus a high quality MPEG4 movie mode with sound that allows full use of the optical zoom. ... If you don't mind the fact it won't fit in a shirt pocket, at 250 the L85 represents impressive value. ... That given, it's easy to overlook light sensitivity is disappointingly capped at ISO400, and no removable memory is included - just a 23Mb internal cache for storing four max quality JPEGs. ... Making up for this, a 'super macro' close up mode allows focusing down to 1cm, and is perfect for photographing the fine detail of summer blooms."

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Jul 4: Samsung NV3

Samsung announces the NV3 7-megapixel digital camera featuring Digimax Converter software for playing movies and MP3 files, SHD optics, Personal Media Player, Samsung digital imaging technology and 16MB of internal memory.

Get full details of the Samsung NV3 in Samsung's official announcement below.

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Samsung NV3 News Release

Samsung Camera announces the introduction of NV3, one of three new camera models that comprise the revolutionary new NV series of digital still cameras featuring sleek, stylish designs and high technology. The NV3 is a 7-megapixel digital still camera that features Samsung's exclusive Digimax Converter software to play movies and MP3 files. The ground-breaking NV3 is a state-of-the-art digital still camera featuring revolutionary SHD optics with the added convenience of a Personal Media Player that allows users to enjoy video content and their favorite music on-the-go.

Samsung's new NV Series of digital still cameras are immediately recognizable by their highly attractive and sleek bodies in brushed black, stainless steel and a trademark Samsung blue ring located around the lens of each model. This premium line was developed after two years of extensive market research, and as with the NV3, feature the latest in Samsung digital imaging technology as well as personal media player functions.

"The NV3 is the epitome of the New Vision Samsung has set out to achieve with NV series," says Stewart Henderson, National Marketing Manager at Samsung Opto-Electronics. "It combines cutting-edge technology with a bold, stylish design and an easy-to-use interface to create a truly unique and desirable product for today's consumer." At the heart of the NV3 is a 7-megapixel digital still camera measuring a mere 3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7" with a 2.5-inch, high resolution LCD display. For outstanding image quality, the NV3 integrates a 3x optical zoom (equivalent to 38-114 mm in 35 mm format) capability with Samsung's exclusive SHD lens technology.

The NV3 is equipped with Samsung's state-of-the-art Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) technology to combat hand shake and ensure crystal-clear images. The ASR function provides enhanced image clarity by electronically compensating for excess hand shake and improving color in environments lacking sufficient lighting where the use of the flash is not desirable. With the touch of a button, the unique technology uses proprietary algorithms to interpret sharpness and color information to deliver an image that looks like it has been taken with the flash. As the flash is disabled, side effects, such as red eye, are prevented.

For entertainment on-the-go, users simply use the included Digimax Converter software to easily convert their favorite MP3 files or watch their favorite video content on the large, 2.5-inch color display. The user-friendly software can seamlessly convert MPEG, AVI, MOV, WMV and ASF files for viewing on the NV3. For music on-the-go, the software can also convert MP3 and WAV audio files in several simple steps. The innovative software also allows users to view subtitles, adjust the screen size and crop and stretch the image to fit the screen as desired. Users can listen to their entertainment using the included ear buds or on the dual stereo speakers discreetly located on the camera, and for a seamless experience, even listen to their music while taking photos.

In addition to playing video, the NV3 can also make movies using MPEG-4, the high-compression, high quality video format. The NV3 can record in VGA (640x480) at 30fps, for smoother video and a bigger view of the movie on LCD and TV screens. For steady videos, the NV3 includes a movie stabilizer function that automatically detects and corrects minor lateral and vertical camera movement. For additional control the continuous video recording function allows the user to pause and resume video recording at any time, while the built-in movie editing function allows users to edit video in-camera. The NV3 features several special effects functions for creative control in-camera, such as Color Effect, Highlight, Photo Frame, Negative and Composite Shot. Color effects include B/W, sepia, blue, green and red.

For crystal-clear images, under various shooting conditions, the NV3 features 11 scene modes including Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-up, Sunset, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow and Text Recognition. Text Recognition, a feature unique to Samsung digital still cameras, allows users to shoot documents such as books, papers and magazines and then extract text from the image taken using the bundled "Digimax Reader" text recognition software.

To ensure the clarity of images regardless of shooting range, the Auto Macro function automatically adjusts shooting distance and focus. By using the macro button, users can set the camera to automatically adjust distance and focus from between 5cm to infinity. The NV3 also includes a super macro mode that enables subjects to be photographed up to as close as 1 cm. All Samsung digital still cameras feature a built-in image editing function allowing users to edit a variety of images without the use of a PC. The Trimming function can be used to cut an undesired part of an image and save only the required part. When short of memory, shooters can use the Resizing function to recover some of the memory space, by resizing and saving images in a smaller size. The Rotating function allows users to rotate an image in the desired direction and save it. The NV3 features 16 MB of internal memory and comes bundled with ear buds and a powerful lithium ion battery.

The Samsung NV3 has an MSRP of $349.99 and will be available in Fall of 2006.

Samsung NV3 Review

Pocket Lint reviews the Samsung NV3 and writes - 'People no longer want just good pictures when it comes to their digital camera, but to look good taking them as well. So can Samsung's latest approach with its new NV series be the ticket to stealing the lead from more traditional market leaders like Canon? We get snapping to find out.... The NV3 is a killer camera that oozes style and performance. The 7 megapixel resolution is a bit of an overkill in our mind, however the image quality is second to none. Better still with a sub-£250 price tag it's affordable too.'

Digital Camera Review has posted their review of the Samsung NV3 and writes - 'The NV3 has the looks to make a fashion statement. Your friends will definitely want to check it out when you pull it out of your pocket. The NV3 takes good pictures, but its main point of difference is the personal media player capabilities. Once you have a high capacity memory card, you can take your mp3s and videos with you. You no longer have to carry your ipod and your camera! While image quality, in my opinion, is average, the multimedia capabilities of the camera are attractive, so make sure you consider them if you're considering this camera. The stereo speakers are quite powerful, for being so small, and the included ear buds ensure that you're all set to listen right out of the box.'

Think Camera reviews the Samsung NV3 and writes - "From a multi-function point of view the NV3 performs quite well, the video and music modes working better than other PMPs I've seen and the LCD and speakers being up to the job. However as a camera the NV3 is lacking. The sensor seems to be inadequate for a £225 7.2 MP camera these days and the noise reduction techniques may keep some photos from being brilliant. Still, if you were using the whole package of features as intended and you were only going to use the photos for the web then it would be worth a look - especially if style is important. "

PCWorld has a review of the Samsung NV3 and writes, "image quality isn't a strong point of the NV3. In our tests, the camera earned below-average scores in all categories, compared to other recently tested point-and-shoots. Among other things, it scored poorly on image distortion and on color accuracy. Most of my informal shots looked bluer than they should have, though they tended to be well exposed and looked sharp. Fortunately, one of the NV3's controls lets you tune the camera's red-green-blue balance. ... If you're looking for a good $250 digital camera, you have bunches to choose from--and many candidates offer better image quality than the NV3 does. On the other hand, its novel multimedia capabilities come at no significant price premium, giving it an odd sort of attraction."

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Samsung Digimax NV3 and writes, "Overall I thought the Digimax NV3 handled my tests well. There were one or two areas where the camera may have done better, but on the whole I felt the camera produced shots of a comparable quality to many other pocket sized digital cameras. ... I think the Samsung Digimax NV3 offers good value for money. It is not one of the more expensive pocket sized cameras, but the quality of the photos it takes is good in most situations. Worth a closer look, but you do need to keep an eye on shutter delay."

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Jul 4: Samsung NV7

Samsung has announced the NV7, a 7.0 megapixel camera in a super slim design (4.2 x 2.5 x 8 inches).

The NV7 features Optical Pictures Stabilization and Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR), Schneider 7x optical zoom lens and multiple manual functions. It will be available in the fall of 2006.

Get full details of the Samsung NV7 in Samsung's official announcement below.

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Samsung NV7 News Release

Samsung Camera is pleased to announced a breakthrough in digital camera design with the launch of the NV7 OPS. Part of Samsung's new NV Series, the seven-megapixel NV7 OPS has effectively created a new "slim-bridge" product category, packing an extraordinary 7x Optical zoom into a super-slim body measuring just 4.2" x 2.5" x .8". This innovative and unique model also features two types of image stabilization - Optical Picture Stabilization, which physically adjusts the CCD to combat handshake and Samsung's Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR), electronic image stabilization to ensure a steady, crystal-clear shot in almost any shooting condition.

The NV7 is one of three new models that make up the NV Series of digital still cameras from Samsung. All three models feature unique, slim designs with sleek bodies in brushed black, stainless steel and a trademark Samsung blue ring located around the lens. This premium line was developed after two years of extensive market research, and as a result, two of the NV models feature a revolutionary, easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows users to easily toggle through menu functions using a convenient touch pad located along the LCD on the back of the camera, instead of the traditional dial located at the top of the camera. For outstanding image quality, the NV7 features legendary Schneider optics.

"We worked closely with our designers to develop a long-zoom camera that would fit within the lifestyle of today's style-conscious consumer and came up with the slim-bridge design," says Stewart Henderson, National Marketing Manager at Samsung Opto-Electronics. "As part of the NV Series, this model is sleek, compact and includes important features like optical picture stabilization in a package that can be easily slipped into a purse or pocket."

For outstanding image quality, the 7-megapixel NV7 includes a world-renowned Schneider 7x optical zoom lens (equivalent to 38-270 mm in 35 mm format). For clear images in undesirable shooting conditions, the NV7 includes an Optical Picture Stabilization system. The system combats the many causes of blurry images, including handshake, long zoom shooting, long exposures and nighttime shooting, by incorporating a sophisticated CCD shift mechanism that senses motion and that will automatically shift the CCD to compensate for the movement. Also included is Samsung’s Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) that electronically combats blurry images in environments lacking sufficient lighting.

For the more advanced photographer looking for additional control, the NV7 provides multiple manual functions at the user's fingertips. The NV7 features three kinds of manual exposure adjustment, including Aperture Priority, which allows more control of depth, Shutter Priority, which allows better capture of fast motion, and Manual adjustment, which allows users to set the shutter and aperture themselves. For additional control, the NV7 also includes an Auto Macro function that automatically adjusts shooting distance and focus between 10cm to infinity, as well as a super macro mode that enables subjects to be photographed up to as close as 4 cm.

For smoother video and a larger view of the movie on LCD and TV screens, the NV7 can record in VGA (640x480) at 30fps. The NV7 also includes a movie stabilizer function that automatically detects and corrects minor lateral and vertical camera movement. For additional control the continuous video recording function allows the user to pause and resume video recording at any time, while the built-in movie editing function allows users to edit video in-camera. The NV7 features several special effects functions for creative control in-camera, such as Color Effect, Highlight, Photo Frame, Negative and Composite Shot. Color effects include B/W, sepia, blue, green and red.

For crystal-clear images under various shooting conditions, the NV7 features 11 scene modes including Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-up, Sunset, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow and Text Recognition. Text Recognition, a feature unique to Samsung digital still cameras, allows users to shoot documents such as books, papers and magazines and then extract text from the image taken using the bundled “Digimax Reader�? text recognition software.

The Samsung NV7 has an MSRP of $449.99 and will be available in Fall of 2006.

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Samsung NV7 Reviews

Digital Camera Info reviews the Samsung NV7 OPS where they write - 'Samsung priced the NV7 at $399 and I can take plenty of guesses why. Perhaps it’s the 7.2-megapixel image sensor. Perhaps it is the high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD screen with the groundbreaking Smart Touch interface. Maybe it is the 7x optical zoom lens pinned onto the 0.8-inch thick body. Perhaps it is the optical picture stabilization system that is so effective it even warrants the end of the camera’s title, Samsung NV7 OPS. The camera has many great qualities, but most have to do with its raw specs. The camera also has plenty of great components, but those didn’t translate into beautiful pictures on the display model we examined. Many of the pictures looked blurry, noisy, or distorted from various recording factors. So while the Samsung NV7 OPS looks like the next big thing on paper, if there isn’t a firmware fix or some other alterations to the internal components prior to shipping, its pictures won’t pan out to be as gorgeous as its specifications.'

PhotographyBLOG reviews the Samsung NV7 and writes - 'So, as with the NV10 that we reviewed a couple of weeks ago, the Samsung NV7 offers a truly unique user experience, but sadly the images that it produces do not match the high quality of the rest of the camera. Thankfully the purple fringing problem that plagued the NV10 has been largely cured on this camera, but the NV7 is still as noisy, with even the slowest speed of ISO 100 displaying some noise. The image stabilisation system compensates for this to some extent, in that you can set the camera to ISO 100 and use slower shutter speeds than normal, but Samsung really needed to come up with a better sensor than the one in the NV7. It's a real shame, as the NV7 is otherwise very enjoyable to use and a genuine breath of fresh air. If you can live with the noisy images, then we can just about recommend the Samsung NV7.'

DPReview has a review of the Samsung NV7 OPS and writes, "Taken as a whole the NV7's output is probably best described as being overprocessed. In good light the results are bright and almost ridiculously over-saturated (making wintry, dull London look like Disneyworld). ... Much more serious is the issue of noise, which rears its ugly head even at the lowest ISO setting, but really becomes a problem at ISO 200 and above. ... And yet if this all sounds terrible I should add some qualification. From the 500 or so shots taken in preparation of the gallery a very small number showed any serious problems - focus and exposure are generally very reliable (though the focus struggles in low light), and the color may be over cooked, but I'm sure it would appeal to the novice 'point and shoot' customer wanting punchy shots without doing any post processing."

DCResource has a review of the Samsung NV7 OPS and writes, "Like the NV10, the NV7's image quality is its weak point. The good news it that photos are well-exposed, with pleasing colors and well-controlled purple fringing. The bad news is that images start out with both visible noise and noise reduction artifacting, and go downhill rapidly from there. The NV7's closest competitor, the Canon PowerShot A710 IS, produces much better photos in all situations. Redeye was also a big problem, as it was on the other NV-series cameras. The Samsung NV7 OPS is a camera with a lot of nice features that ultimately is as let down for reasons I listed earlier. If you are intrigued by its design and features and will be sticking to small prints then it may be worth a look (just buy a spare battery). But you'll probably be better off choosing something else entirely. Something that will take better photos, have a more traditional user interface, and last longer on a set of batteries."

ThinkCamera has a review of the Samsung NV7 OPS and writes, "you soon get fed up with the funky smart touch buttons when you keep getting the wrong button and you have to use your finger nails to make sure you don't hit two at once or select the wrong one. The battery is poor on the NV7. From first charge to the camera shutting down I only managed to take a measly 40 photos. It warned me that the battery was low but as I had taken so few I didn't believe it. But it was!"

Digicam Review has a review of the Samsung NV7 and writes, "Sometimes a little bit of noise is acceptable, especially if you can use the lowest ISO setting for noise free photos, but the NV7 features noise even when using ISO100. The "Smart Touch" interface is an interesting idea, but whilst it was designed to make using the camera easier, none of the buttons are labelled, and I found the controls fiddly and difficult to use, meaning even the simplest of changes were time consuming. The camera has appealing features, such as CCD-shift image stabilisation, a 7x optical zoom lens, however, it also has a number of annoying faults: for example optical image stabilisation is off by default, the lens is rather bulky meaning the camera is difficult to fit in your pocket, noise is visible at all ISO settings, and battery life is disappointingly short. Overall, it makes it difficult to recommend this camera. It produces bright colourful images, and is fairly speedy in operation, but I found it annoying and awkward to use, even after several weeks of trying to get used to the user interface."

LaptopMag has a review of the Samsung NV7 OPS and writes, "Images were decent overall, but as we bumped up the ISO, we experienced increasing noise. At ISO 200, some artifacts began to appear, and at ISO 400 the noise was more apparent. Even when the antishake feature was enabled, we were a little disappointed with some of the shots. On the plus side, the Night and Super Macro modes performed very well, and once we tweaked a few settings, we were able to capture some good photos. The 7X optical zoom is one of the highlights of the NV7 OPS. While it adds to the camera's bulk, it also got us very close to a building across the street without sacrificing quality. ... Overall, the Samsung NV7 OPS feels solid and produces decent images in most situations, although its interface involves a bit of a learning curve. If you're not quite ready for a DSLR, however, this digicam is worth a look."

Vnunet has a review of the Samsung NV7 and writes, "The NV7’s worst feature is probably image noise; moving above ISO 100 introduces rather a lot of it. But thankfully the NV7 comes with two different forms of anti-shake technology to help you take sharp images at slower shutter speeds without resorting to high ISOs. The same electronic system found in the NV10 is used here, but with the addition of optical picture stabilisation built into the lens. ... It’s not without its faults, particularly image noise, but we were impressed with the NV7 OPS. It’s an interesting combination of a small camera with a big lens that seems to pay off."

CNET has a review of the Samsung NV7 and writes, "The NV7 OPS' performance matches its image quality, delivering acceptable but not great speed for its class. Based on CNET Labs' test results, it wakes up and shoots in a longish 3.1 seconds, with a respectable shutter lag of 0.5 and 1.0 second in bright and dim light, respectively. The 2 seconds it takes between consecutive single images puts it slightly behind the competition, though the 2.3 seconds it takes with flash enabled puts it ahead. Unfortunately, its continuous shooting is fixed at about 8 frames and .8fps, regardless of image size. The Samsung NV7 OPS shows a promising interface but is held back by sluggish performance and so-so photos."

Trusted Reviews has a review of the Samsung NV7 OPS and writes, "As might be expected the lens performs superbly, producing excellent sharpness across the entire frame at all focal lengths, with minimal wide-angle barrel distortion. Colour rendition and exposure are also excellent, although dynamic range is somewhat limited, with little shadow detail and some burned-out highlights. However the NV7 does have a major problem with image noise, and I’m not talking about the buzzing OPS system. Even at the lowest ISO setting and normal shutter speeds there was visible chromatic noise (random red/green mottling) in the darker and mid-tone areas of the picture and luminance noise elsewhere. The 7MP image files average just over 3MB, which is a bit on the small side, and there is some evidence of image compression on most images even at the maximum quality setting. This is the fault of the image processing system, which is very disappointing. It could have been so much better."

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Jul 4: Samsung NV10

Samsung has just announced the Samsung NV10, a 10-megapixel camera that measures just 0.7-inches thick and includes a Schneider 3x optical zoom lens, a 5x digital zoom and a large 2.5-inch color LCD display.

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Get full details of the Samsung NV10 in Samsung's official announcement below.

Samsung NV10 News Release

New York, NY - Samsung is proud to announce the newest addition to their technologically advanced and stylish NV Series, the NV10. This 10-megapixel model features the distinctive styling of the NV Series including an innovative touch pad Graphical User Interface (GUI), a sleek, brushed black aluminum body and compact design. The NV10, measuring just .7-inches thick, includes a Schneider 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm equivalent), a 5x digital zoom and a large, 2.5-inch color LCD display.

The NV10, a 10-megapixel model, joins the NV Series of digital still cameras featuring unique, slim designs with sleek bodies in brushed black, stainless steel and a trademark Samsung blue ring located around the lens of each model. This premium line was developed after two years of extensive market research, and as a result, feature a revolutionary, easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows users to easily toggle through menu functions using a convenient touch pad located along the LCD on the back of the camera, instead of the traditional dial located at the top of the camera. For outstanding image quality, the NV10 features legendary Schneider optics.

"The NV10 perfectly rounds out the NV Series offering consumers a broad choice of models - from advanced features like those found in the NV7, to a convergence product like the NV3, to a high-megapixel count like in the NV10," says Stewart Henderson, National Marketing Manager at Samsung Opto-Electronics. "The NV10, along with the entire NV Series, is redefining the style and technology in digital still cameras."

The NV10 is equipped with Samsung's state-of-the-art Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) technology to combat hand shake. The ASR function provides enhanced image clarity by electronically compensating for excess hand shake and improving color in environments lacking sufficient lighting where the use of the flash is not desirable.

With the touch of a button, the unique technology uses proprietary algorithms to interpret sharpness and color information to deliver an image that looks like it has been taken with the flash. As the flash is disabled, side effects, such as red eye, are prevented.

As with the entire NV Series, the NV10 can record in VGA (640x480) at 30fps, for smoother video and a larger view of the movie on LCD and TV screens. The NV10 also includes a movie stabilizer function that automatically detects and corrects minor lateral and vertical camera movement. For additional control, the continuous video recording function allows the user to pause and resume video recording at any time, while the built-in movie editing function allows users to edit video in-camera. There are also several special effects functions for creative control in-camera, such as Color Effect, Highlight, Photo Frame, Negative and Composite Shot. Color effects include B/W, sepia, blue, green and red.

For crystal-clear images under various shooting conditions, the NV10 features 11 scene modes, including Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-up, Sunset, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow and Text Recognition. Text Recognition, a feature unique to Samsung digital still cameras, allows users to shoot documents such as books, papers and magazines and then extract text from the image taken using the bundled "Digimax Reader" text recognition software.

The Samsung NV10 has an MSRP of $399.99 and will be available in the Fall of 2006.

Samsung NV10 Reviews

Pocket-lint reviews the Samsung NV10 digital camera and gives it a rating of 5 out of 10 writing -'Manufactures are keen to point out 10 megapixels will give you “plenty of creativity when it comes to cropping�?. However so far we've yet to see a compact digital camera with 10 megapixels that produces good results without any noise and the Samsung NV10 isn't the one to break the mould. Nice looking, this camera falls down when it comes to taking pictures and for that reason we can't recommend it. If you do like the style, and you probably do because it does look nice, opt for the more practical and equally stylish NV3.'

DP Review has reviewed the Samsung NV10 where they give it a rating of 'recommended' and write 'Ultimately then, this is a very well priced, very well specified and well-designed camera that offers a real alternative to the Casio Exilims and Canon Elphs that dominate the ultra-slim sector. It's not the most compact camera on the market, but it is very slim and pocketable, and it packs a weighty punch. If you find the output to your taste there are few reasons not to consider it, nor for me to recommend it.'

PCMag has a review of the Samsung NV10 and writes, "The camera fared well during lab testing. I didn't find much noise in the daylight shots, but high ISO settings indroduced some colored noise. Pictures had pretty good color, with just a touch of purple fringing. My flash pictures displayed nice illumination with lots of detail in the highlights. The NV10 averaged 1,900 lines of resolution, which is excellent for a 10MP camera. There was no pincushion distortion to speak of, and just a touch of the usual barrel distortion. ... All in all, the Samsung NV10 is a very good camera ..."

ePhotoZine has a review of the Samsung NV10 and writes, "With a colossal 10Mp resolution, there's the temptation to take this camera into the countryside for some landscape work, but really that isn't what the camera, or most other compacts, is for. You really do not need that high a resolution for people and holiday shots which is what this will see the most use doing. The drawback of that high res is that there is noise at every ISO setting, including 100, though there it's the shadow areas. There's also a lack of fine detail in the mid to background areas as the lens can't really resolve it that well. For portraits, which is where the NV10 really is aimed, it's fine. Hair is rendered well, and ski tones, though veering on the lively side, at least make people look healthy. The controls, design and build quality are the other selling points, and these are all very good. You'll be shocked at how high quality the body is for the money being asked. This really does lift the camera above what is otherwise an entirely average performance."

GearDigest has a review of the Samsung NV10 and writes, "There's a lot to recommend the Samsung NV10. A 10 megapixel camera in a sleek compact form factor for $350 (list) represents a fairly good value. The innovative user interface is fairly intuitive, but the user manual leaves a lot to be desired. A novice photographer will experience a steeper learning curve due to skimpy documentation, and more experienced photographers may want a camera that has shutter and aperture priority modes as well as a manual focus, features all missing in the NV10. Of course pricing on the web varies greatly, but for approximately the same amount of money, I'd prefer the HP Photosmart R967."

Megapixel has a review of the Samsung NV10 and writes, "The Samsung NV10 is a camera that must be tamed. It takes time to get accustomed to its interface. But once used to it, it can prove to be fast to use, and possibly faster to use than any of the other systems used on other compact cameras. Equipped with a solid group of scene modes, the NV10 also offers a Manual mode that makes it even more versatile. So, while staying within the bounds imposed by the characteristics and intended use of the camera, the NV10 can produce good images that will easily generate bright and vibrant prints."

CNET reviews the Samsung NV10 where they write - "Despite some notable flaws, photos taken on the NV10 generally look good. Pictures appear crisp and full of detail, with vivid color reproduction. Fine textures such as fur, fabric, and text come out very clearly, with few artifacts. Noise stays manageable at low sensitivity levels, though shots taken at ISO 400 develop a distinct grain that can be easily seen on computer monitors and is accompanied by a minor loss of fine detail. At ISO 800 and above, that grain becomes a prominent fuzz that obscures fine details and muddles colors. Fringing also tended to find its way into some photos, with pinkish auras developing on nearly every contrasting edge."

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Jul 3: Canon PowerShot SD700 IS Review at Photoxels

Photoxels reviews the Canon PowerShot SD700 IS and writes, "This camera is targeted to Point-and-Shoot photographers with 6.0MP resolution (which is more than plenty for producing very large prints), and a 4x optical zoom (where most of its competitors stop at 3x). AUTO and 9 Scene Modes (plus 2 Color Effects) simplify shooting, but more advanced photographers can also switch to the Manual (M) mode (essentially a Programmed Auto mode with manual long shutter speeds (up to 15 sec.) for more control. ... The Canon PowerShot SD700 IS is stylish and easy to use, and produces very good to excellent image quality. The addition of optical image stabilizer technology makes it a perfect easy-to-use take-anywhere ultra compact digital camera."

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Jul 2: Panasonic DMC LZ5 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk review the Panasonic DMC LZ5 and writes, "The DMC LZ5 upholds the reputation of the Panasonic brand. Once again I found the photos it produced to be crisp and with strong colours. ... The camera produces strong, vivid colours. The skies are bluer than other cameras managed to produce despite the fact I tested them at the same time as the DMC LZ5. ... I enjoyed reviewing the Panasonic DMC LZ5. It seems to me to be a well thought out digital camera. It takes good pictures, is easy to use, offers extra zoom and also has image stabilisation. It is well priced and is worthy of close consideration."

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Jul 2: Panasonic DMC LZ3 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk review the Panasonic DMC LZ3 and writes, "For a relatively inexpensive digital camera the DMC LZ3 hits a high standard when it comes to picture quality. Importantly the camera is as at home in lowlight situations as it is in bright sunlight.... Looking at the outdoor scenic shots the first point that strikes me is how sharply focused the photos are. ... The dedicated test for colour produces a fairly standard result. The colours are vivid without being at all shocking. Each colour is well balanced and levels on general are about right in my opinion. ... I really like the Panasonic DMC LZ3. With its six times optical zoom lens it offers something different to so many digital cameras. Its simplicity is another factor that goes heavily in its favour. Picture quality is good and I think this camera represents a bit of a bargain."

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Jul 2: Fuji FinePix F30 Review at DCRP

DCRP has a review of the Fujifilm Finepix F30 and writes: "While it's not quite perfect, the F30 won me over with its great high ISO performance, battery life, LCD, and manual controls. It's a camera that I can recommend without hesitation. ... Camera performance was very good in most areas. The F30 starts up quickly, focusing times were above average, and I didn't find shutter lag to be a problem. Shot-to-shot times were just average, and I wasn't terribly impressed with the continuous shooting modes either. Battery life, on the other hand, was stupendous -- the F30 lasts longer than any compact camera on the market. The camera supports the USB 2.0 High Speed standard for fast photo transfers to your Mac or PC. Photo quality was very good, especially in terms of high ISO performance. The F30 isn't quite as clean as a digital SLR, but it's way better than your typical fixed lens camera. You can print 8 x 10's (and maybe larger) all the way through ISO 800, with smaller prints at ISO 1600. The F30 took generally well-exposed photos, though I thought the colors could be brighter. Sharpness was just about where I like it. Unfortunately the F30 has higher than average purple fringing levels, which is really a shame since Fuji got almost everything right. "

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Jul 2: Fujifilm FinePix Z2 Review at ComputerActive

ComputerActive has a review of the Fujifilm FinePix Z2 and writes, "Overall operation is similarly fuss-free, navigation of screen menus is intuitive, whilst a hand logo warns of possible camera shake and blurred images. ... Downloaded photos are vividly coloured and rendered, but, not uncommonly, there’s occasional purple fringing visible between areas of high contrast - and since there’s little to grip on this slender camera, and the lens is not centrally situated, beware of stray fingers creeping into shot."

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Jul 2: Nikon Coolpix L3 Review at Pocket-lint

Pocket-lint has a review of the Nikon Coolpix L3, and writes, "there is a problem, one that manifests itself most clearly in the Landscape settings; images are very soft and highlights are totally lost in some contrasty scenes. In addition, colours such as the greens of foliage and almost any reds seem so boosted until they look Disneyesque and very artificial. This is presumably deliberate and set to get a more vibrant looking print at the output stage. ... Given the L3’s price, nice styling and clever ergonomics, it looks great value for money and while it does handle well and look nice, the final image quality lets the side down in the end."

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Jul 1: Nikon Coolpix S5 Review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S5 and writes, "In terms of focusing the Coolpix S5 starts off well enough but in many of the photos the sharpness drifts away as you move towards the edge of the photo. This is evident in the first outdoor landscape shot. In the centre of the photo the brickwork and the tiles on the building are in sharp focus. As you move away towards the edge the focus gets progressively softer. This happens to a greater degree than I am used to seeing with other similar digital cameras. This is also noticeable in both the second and third landscape shots as well." The conclusions: "Although I have found little to actually put me off this camera I am finding it difficult to come up with reasons why you should buy it in preference to other digital cameras with similar features."

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Jul 1: Kodak EasyShare Z612 Review at Infosync

Infosync has a review of the Kodak EasyShare Z612 and gives it a rating of 72%. The review notes, "photos looked natural with decent color and saturation, although some indoor shots displayed a yellowish tinge. Photos taken outdoors returned to normal, but bright light caused noticeable artifacts as well as a loss of certain details." Overall? "The Kodak EasyShare Z612 offers a mix of advanced features and ease of use. If you're looking to step up from a basic point and shoot, but aren't ready for a DSLR, the Z612 is a good option. Photo quality suffers a bit in certain lighting conditions, but overall snaps look natural. With the Z612's 12X zoom, you'll be able to get closer to the action than ever before (without suffering image distortion)."

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Jul 1: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S600 Review at ThinkCamera Reviews

Think Camera reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S600 where they give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars and write - 'Although not as slim as some current cameras, the DSC-S600 is significantly cheaper, and you get Sony quality and features. For many people the size is much better as it's easier to hold and there's space to set the controls out in a more intuitive layout. You also get an optical viewfinder, which many people still find is a more natural way to take photos, and a decent tripod socket.... The Sony DSC-S600 is a good value, all-round entry-level camera, though because it's been built down to a price it's unlikely to satisfy experienced photographers. But the well-chosen blend of features makes it an extremely good choice for general use and particularly while travelling and on holiday.'

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Jul 1: Canon PowerShot SD700 IS Review at Imaging Resource

Imaging Resource reviews the Canon PowerShot SD700 IS where they write - 'Though it's a pricey little camera, the 6-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD700 IS offers some great tools for improving your photos that go beyond megapixels. In particular, the camera might change how consumers think about taking low-light photos. Instead of "nuking" your subject in a flash of harsh light, turn on this camera's Image Stabilizer and set it to one of the higher ISO light sensitivity levels and you'll be able to take very nice, atmospheric shots with little blur. Speaking of high ISOs, while some competing models offer ISO settings above the SD700 IS' maximum of 800, Canon's latest models do a better job controlling noise in their images. This can make a big difference when deciding whether to keep or trash an image, especially if you're considering printing it out. In the case of the SD700 IS, images captured in low-light at ISO 800 made excellent 4x6's and not-bad-at-all 8x10s. In regular lighting at lower ISOs, things improved further with the camera providing solid image quality, good color and accurate skin tones.'

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Jul 1: Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens Review at ePhotozine

ePhotoZine reviews the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens and writes - 'I can’t help feeling that Canon have pushed the focal range a tad too far at the wide end of this optic because from the 20mm mark through to the 85mm end it is a cracking walkabout lens. It is only the widest few millimetres that let it down a touch. Having said that, with a little judicious work post processing images at that end, they are still very usable. The Image Stabilisation system is a boon in low lighting conditions and made pictures in those situations quite viable. For owners of the cameras that the lens will fit, it is a good addition to the camera bag.'

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