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DigitalCameraInfo has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z75 and writes, "While the outside looks good, the inside needs some work. The Casio EX-Z75 runs a little behind the times. Consumers shouldn’t expect to find advanced features like mid-range optical zoom (above 3x) or optical image stabilization at the $200 price point, but the Exilim EX-Z75 is bested by some of its competitors that offer face detection technology, higher sensitivity ranges, or wide panoramic shooting capabilities. In general, the Casio Exilim EX-Z75 gives an average performance and suffices as a basic point-and-shoot, but there are more compelling options available for the same price."
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-Z75.
Get a price on the Casio Exilim EX-Z75
DigitalCameraReview has a review of the Lumix DMC-FX30 and writes, "The FX30 is an excellent choice for family photographers, snap-shooters, casual photographers, and first time digital camera buyers who want a digicam that is capable of capturing excellent images, small enough to be dropped in a pocket and taken along just about anywhere, and simple enough to be used easily by just about anyone. Consumers who want the convenience and immediacy of a pocketable ultra-compact P&S digicam, but yearn for the performance and image quality of a more complex camera may find the FX30 an acceptable compromise – especially when potential purchasers consider that the FX30 is significantly lower in price than other 28mm (equivalent) zoom digicams. Serious photographers and those who may occasionally need large prints should look elsewhere."
Read more about the Panasonic FX30.
Get a Price on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30
DigitalCameraReview has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Focus speed is a bit slower than the pro and semi-pro Nikons, but not bad at all. Shutter performance isn’t quite as quick, but also not bad. Image quality is first rate with the kit lens and there are a bunch of fully compatible Nikon lenses to expand out from the 18-55mm focal range of the kit lens; the camera can be had as a body only if you don’t care for the 18-55. Colors are rich at default settings and there are a bunch of internal image optimizing settings to tweak the color if default is not your cup of tea. There’s a decent continuous shooting capability, and ISO performance is good. Folks moving into a DSLR from a P&S will feel right at home with the auto and scene program modes. I haven’t shot other entry-level DSLRs, but after living with the D40x for about three weeks I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t hold its own with the competition. At the entry level, this camera does a lot of things very well."
Read more about the Nikon D40x.
Get a Price on the Nikon D40x
The Ricoh Caplio R7 is a 8.15 (CCD) megapixel digital camera with a 7.1x Optical Zoom lens (28-200mm equivalent).
It features image stabilization, upgraded image processing system and a 2.7 inch LCD.
The Ricoh Caplio R7 comes in black, orange and silver. It will have a retail price of £230 when it hits stores in September.
Get a price on the Ricoh Caplio R7 at Amazon.
Ricoh Caplio R7 News Release
7.1x Wide-Angle Digital Camera Features Low Noise in High-Sensitivity Photography
Ricoh Co., Ltd. (president and CEO: Shiro Kondo) has developed and introduced the new Caplio R7 digital camera. With a new image processing engine and a 7.1x optical wide zoom lens (28–200 mm in 35 mm camera format) mounted on a slim body only 20.6 mm at its thinnest point, the Caplio R7 takes digital photography to an even higher level of image quality.
The new Caplio R7 is the successor to the award winning Caplio R6 (launched March 23, 2007), which earned high recognition for its slim body, wide-angle zoom lens, vibration correction, and face recognition mode.
With a new image processing engine and a 7.1x optical wide zoom lens (28–200 mm in 35 mm camera format) mounted on a slim body only 20.6 mm at its thinnest point, the Caplio R7 takes digital photography to an even higher level of image quality.
Retaining the best features of earlier models, the Caplio R7 further enhances the line’s established reputation for high image quality with the introduction of:
1. Smooth Imaging Engine III, a new image processing engine capable of even more sophisticated image processing, and
2. An effective 8.15 megapixel CCD for outstanding results.
In addition, the Caplio R7 achieves a variety of other evolutionary advances in fun and easy photography with enhanced usability for its unique ADJ. (Adjust) button function, which makes it easy to set exposure compensation and white balance. The introduction of brightness and colour-tone functions allows still image brightness and colour-tone to be adjusted in the camera after the picture is taken.
Available colours: Silver, Black and Orange
Available: September 2007 at £229.99 inc vat.
Main features of the new Caplio R7
1. The introduction of the new image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III makes higher-picture-quality photography possible.
* Smooth Imaging Engine III reduces the noise that can occur in high-sensitivity photography, without loss of resolution. As a result, even with high-sensitivity photography, crisp outlines are preserved and clear, non-grainy images are possible.
* Through sophisticated brightness and colour-tone adjustment, natural colours are reproduced that are closer to those seen by the naked eye.
2. The Caplio R7 comes equipped with a new high-resolution 8.15 megapixel CCD.
* An effective 8.15 megapixel CCD has been included. Working together with the new image processing engine Smooth Imaging Engine III, this new CCD achieves high-quality photography.
3. The Caplio 7 features a 7.1x wide angle zoom lens on a body measuring only 20.6mm at the thinnest point - the slimmest in its class.*
* As a result of the adoption of miniaturized components and the original double retracting lens system, Ricoh was able to equip the Caplio R7 with a 28-200mm 7.1x wide-angle zoom lens in a slim 20.6 mm body.
* A wide range of photographic options are supported, from wide-angle photography – for panoramic landscapes and indoor shooting near the subject – all the way to impressive telephoto photography.
4. Enhanced usability when shooting
* ADJ. (Adjust) button increases usability
o A cross-key function has been added to the ADJ. (Adjust) button, which makes it easy to switch exposure compensation, white balance, ISO sensitivity, and other settings to reflect the preferences of the photographer. As a result, menu operations can be operated quickly and easily with one hand.
* New on screen display
o The elegant and functional style of the new on screen display gives a high-quality feel of the Caplio R7 operation. The adoption of a highly readable font and clearer menu tabs makes the Caplio R7 even easier to use.
* Two zoom speed levels
o Zoom speed can be switched between the two levels of high speed and low speed to enable the photographer to move quickly and accurately to the desired zoom position.
5. Image editing functions allow for a variety of changes to images after shooting in the camera
* Brightness correction for adjusting image brightness and contrast
o With the brightness correction function it is possible to adjust (on a five-level scale) the brightness and contrast of a still image in the camera and then record the resulting image. In this way, the image as it was intended by the photographer can be recreated in the camera without unwanted black or white saturation.
* Colour tone correction for adjusting image colour tone
o With the colour tone correction function it is possible to adjust colour tone by strengthening red or blue tones (on a five-level scale) of a still image in the camera and then record the resulting image. In this way, the original image shot can be adjusted to better reflect the colour tone desired by the photographer.
* Image rotation
o Still images in the camera can be rotated 90 degrees and then recorded. (The rotation is only reflected when the image is viewed in the camera.)
6. Popular vibration correction function and face recognition mode
* The Caplio R7 contains Ricoh’s original CCD-shift vibration correction function which compensates for camera shake when it is detected.
* Face recognition mode automatically identifies faces in a scene and automatically adjusts the focus, exposure, and white balance for best results.
7. Wide viewing angle, high contrast 2.7-inch LCD
* The Caplio R7 has an easy-to-see 2.7-inch LCD with 230,000 pixels. In addition to having a wide viewing angle and high contrast, its colour reproduction is excellent, making it easy to view images during shooting and playback.
8. Powerful macro functions, a Ricoh specialty
* Ricoh’s original macro mode allows close-in shooting of objects as close as 1 cm with wide macro and as close as 25 cm with telemacro. A zoom macro function enables the use of digital zooming from the optical zoom position where subjects can be captured at their largest.
9. Three types of bracketing functions
* The Caplio R7 has three different types of bracketing functions: auto bracketing automatically shoots consecutive shots changing the exposure each time, white balance bracketing automatically shoots consecutive shots changing the white balance each time, and colour bracketing automatically shoots three consecutive shots, a black and white image, a colour image, and a sepia image.
Accessories included:
Rechargeable Battery DB-70 / Battery Charger BJ-7 / USB Cable / AV Cable / Handstrap / Software CD-ROM / Instruction Manuals
Get a price on the Ricoh Caplio R7 at Amazon.
Think Camera reviews the Ricoh Caplio R7 where they give it a rating of 7 out of 10 and write - "Still, minor issues aside, Ricoh's R7 is yet another solid device from a growing stable of top-notch cameras. If you are in the market for a reliable, fast compact, that comes with the bonus of a limited-space defying zoom lens that is capable of getting you right up to the action without weighing you down, then the Ricoh Caplio R7 is well worth checking out."
The Casio Exilim Zoom EX-V8 is an 8.1 megapixel stylish point and shoot camera with a 7x optical zoom lens.
It features a 2.5 inch LCD, 4 shot per second continuous shooting (at 2.0 megapixels), YouTube capture mode (for shooting images optimized for web display), blur reduction, and face detection technology.
It comes in Silver.
The Casio Exilim Zoom EX-V8 will retail for $330 USD when it ships in September.
"Casio Exilim EX-V8 at Amazon.
The EX-V8 is equipped with a 7X Optical Zoom and 8.1 Megapixels; the EX-Z1080 features High ISO 6400 Sensitivity and 10.1 Megapixels
DOVER, NJ, AUGUST 28, 2007 – Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., released two new EXILIM digital cameras today. The EX-V8 features a slim, yet powerful optical zoom like its predecessors in the EXILIM Hi-Zoom series. The EX-Z1080, the latest addition to the core EXILIM Zoom series, packs an outstanding range of functions into a compact size.
The EX-V8 delivers 8.1 effective megapixels in a slim shape that is compact enough to fit in the palm of the hand. The camera features a 7X optical internal zoom lens designed for quiet operation. The EX-V8 also offers four blur reduction technologies, including a CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism.
The 10.1 megapixel EX-Z1080 produces beautiful photographs even when making large prints. It also enables high sensitivity photography up to a maximum of ISO 6400, and is ideal for photographing darker scenes and reducing blur caused by shaky hands and subject movement.
Both new models incorporate the EXILIM Engine 2.0 high-performance image processing module, which allows high quality movies to be recorded at the high compression rate of the next-generation H.264 standard. They also feature a YouTube™ Capture Mode, which enables users to shoot and save movies at the optimum size, quality and other settings for YouTube™, the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube™ allows people to easily upload and share video clips on www.YouTube.com and across the Internet through websites, blogs and e-mail. Casio has also included an exclusive software application that makes it fast and simple to upload movies to YouTube™. This makes it easier than ever for people to enjoy “snapshot movies” of everyday fun, trips, and other occasions.
“Each year we strive to make advancements in our popular EXILIM digital cameras,” said Bill Heuer, Vice President of Sales for Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “These models are no exception, as they blend many of the standard features EXILIM cameras are known for, with groundbreaking new technology such as YouTube™ Capture Mode, and the EXILIM Engine 2.0 high performance image processing module. If you ever needed an excuse to shoot photos and videos of friends or family these EXILIM cameras are it!”
The EX-V8 will have an MSRP of $329.99 and the EX-Z1080 an MSRP of $279.99. Both models will be available at retail in September.
Main Features of EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-V8 & EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1080
* High-quality movies using the H.264 standard
o YouTube™ Capture Mode allows users to shoot movies at the optimum size, quality and other settings for uploading to YouTube™.
o Comes with unique “YouTube™ Uploader for CASIO” software that enables users to upload movies to YouTube™ in as few as two steps.
* The combination of face detection*1 technology and the auto-tracking AF system using motion analysis technology maintains both sharp focus and correct exposure for a human face
* Blur reduction technologies driven by the EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processing module
o Based on motion analysis technology, sets the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed.
o Anti Shake DSP reduces blur due to shaky hands and subject movement, using high shutter speeds and high sensitivity settings.
o Movie mode with electronic image stabilization function.
Other Features of the EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-V8
* 8.1 million effective pixels, 7X optical zoom
* CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism
* 2.5-inch Bright LCD display (maximum brightness of 1000 cd/m2 at the center of the screen)
* Maximum 4 shot/second*2 high-speed continuous shutter (only at 2.0 megapixel image size)
* Available in silver
Other Features of the EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1080
* 10.1 million effective pixels, 3X optical zoom
* BEST SHOT function with high-sensitivity shooting mode, up to a maximum of ISO 6400
* 2.6-inch Bright widescreen LCD display (maximum brightness of 1000 cd/m2 at the center of the screen)
* Maximum 7 shot/second*2 high-speed continuous shutter (only at 2.0 megapixel image size)
* Super Life Battery allows up to 370 shots to be taken when fully charged
* Choice of four body colors: gray, black, blue, pink
*1. The face detection feature includes a face detection technology provided by OKI’s face image processing engine, FSE (Face Sensing Engine).
*2. Number of shots can vary depending on the memory card used.
Digital Camera Info reviews the Casio Exilim EX-V8 and writes - 'Most every point-and-shoot is capable of recording movies. What Casio does is uniquely partner with an exciting, successful business – YouTube. The popular video-sharing website appeals to everyone from the Star Wars Kid to presidential candidates. For better or worse, Casio effectively matches its customers with an already recognizable brand name. Even more, the camera model name, itself, is already recognizable – who hasn’t heard of V8 drinks or V8 engines? The V8 is much easier to remember than the four-numbered product numbers that modify Casio’s earlier Z-series cameras (eg. the Casio Exilim EX-Z1080). It is genius on its part, making good on a strong coupling between the digital still camera world and the popularity of the website dedicated to personal video.'
Digital Camera Review has reviewed the Casio Exilim EX-V8 and writes - "The Casio Exilim EX-V8 is a capable ultracompact ultra-zoom camera, but mainly outdoors. The 7x optical zoom lens is nicely stabilized and performs well for being such a compact lens. The YouTube video mode worked well and the stereo sound capture was a nice feature. Image quality was very good outdoors. If you need to use flash indoors, results weren't as good, with the weak flash and red-eye showing up way too often. Battery life was very good and the camera operated very quickly overall. If you're in the market for a compact ultra-zoom, definitely give the EX-V8 a look."
"Casio Exilim EX-V8 at Amazon.
The Casio Exilim Zoom EX Z1080 is a 10.1 megapixel point and shoot digital camera with a 3x optical zoom lens.
It features a 2.6 inch widescreen LCD display, ISO range of up to 6400, 7 shot per second continuous shooting mode (at smaller image sizes) and 'best shot' function.
The Casio Exilim Zoom EX Z1080 comes in black, gray, blue and pink.
It will retail for a price of $280 USD and should appear in stores in September.
Casio Exilim Zoom EX Z1080 News Release
CASIO INTRODUCES TWO STYLISH EXILIM® DIGITAL CAMERAS WITH YOUTUBE™ CAPTURE MODE
The EX-V8 is equipped with a 7X Optical Zoom and 8.1 Megapixels; the EX-Z1080 features High ISO 6400 Sensitivity and 10.1 Megapixels
DOVER, NJ, AUGUST 28, 2007 – Casio America, Inc. and its parent company, Casio Computer Co., Ltd., released two new EXILIM digital cameras today. The EX-V8 features a slim, yet powerful optical zoom like its predecessors in the EXILIM Hi-Zoom series. The EX-Z1080, the latest addition to the core EXILIM Zoom series, packs an outstanding range of functions into a compact size.
The EX-V8 delivers 8.1 effective megapixels in a slim shape that is compact enough to fit in the palm of the hand. The camera features a 7X optical internal zoom lens designed for quiet operation. The EX-V8 also offers four blur reduction technologies, including a CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism.
The 10.1 megapixel EX-Z1080 produces beautiful photographs even when making large prints. It also enables high sensitivity photography up to a maximum of ISO 6400, and is ideal for photographing darker scenes and reducing blur caused by shaky hands and subject movement.
Both new models incorporate the EXILIM Engine 2.0 high-performance image processing module, which allows high quality movies to be recorded at the high compression rate of the next-generation H.264 standard. They also feature a YouTube™ Capture Mode, which enables users to shoot and save movies at the optimum size, quality and other settings for YouTube™, the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube™ allows people to easily upload and share video clips on www.YouTube.com and across the Internet through websites, blogs and e-mail. Casio has also included an exclusive software application that makes it fast and simple to upload movies to YouTube™. This makes it easier than ever for people to enjoy “snapshot movies” of everyday fun, trips, and other occasions.
“Each year we strive to make advancements in our popular EXILIM digital cameras,” said Bill Heuer, Vice President of Sales for Casio’s Digital Imaging Division. “These models are no exception, as they blend many of the standard features EXILIM cameras are known for, with groundbreaking new technology such as YouTube™ Capture Mode, and the EXILIM Engine 2.0 high performance image processing module. If you ever needed an excuse to shoot photos and videos of friends or family these EXILIM cameras are it!”
The EX-V8 will have an MSRP of $329.99 and the EX-Z1080 an MSRP of $279.99. Both models will be available at retail in September.
Main Features of EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-V8 & EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1080
* High-quality movies using the H.264 standard
o YouTube™ Capture Mode allows users to shoot movies at the optimum size, quality and other settings for uploading to YouTube™.
o Comes with unique “YouTube™ Uploader for CASIO” software that enables users to upload movies to YouTube™ in as few as two steps.
* The combination of face detection*1 technology and the auto-tracking AF system using motion analysis technology maintains both sharp focus and correct exposure for a human face
* Blur reduction technologies driven by the EXILIM Engine 2.0 image processing module
o Based on motion analysis technology, sets the most appropriate ISO sensitivity and shutter speed.
o Anti Shake DSP reduces blur due to shaky hands and subject movement, using high shutter speeds and high sensitivity settings.
o Movie mode with electronic image stabilization function.
Other Features of the EXILIM Hi-Zoom EX-V8
* 8.1 million effective pixels, 7X optical zoom
* CCD-shift image stabilization mechanism
* 2.5-inch Bright LCD display (maximum brightness of 1000 cd/m2 at the center of the screen)
* Maximum 4 shot/second*2 high-speed continuous shutter (only at 2.0 megapixel image size)
* Available in silver
Other Features of the EXILIM Zoom EX-Z1080
* 10.1 million effective pixels, 3X optical zoom
* BEST SHOT function with high-sensitivity shooting mode, up to a maximum of ISO 6400
* 2.6-inch Bright widescreen LCD display (maximum brightness of 1000 cd/m2 at the center of the screen)
* Maximum 7 shot/second*2 high-speed continuous shutter (only at 2.0 megapixel image size)
* Super Life Battery allows up to 370 shots to be taken when fully charged
* Choice of four body colors: gray, black, blue, pink
*1. The face detection feature includes a face detection technology provided by OKI’s face image processing engine, FSE (Face Sensing Engine).
*2. Number of shots can vary depending on the memory card used.
The Nikon Coolpix L15 point and shoot digital camera has an 8 megapixel image sensor and a 3x optical zoom lens (35-105mm).
The L15 features a 2.8 inch LCD screen, image stabilization and will ship for $180 USD when it ships in September.
Nikon Coolpix L15 News Release
The New Nikon Coolpix L14 And L15 Digital Cameras Add Innovative Imaging Technologies To Nikon's Life Series
User-Friendly Design and Simple Functionality Provide Consumers With An Enhanced Shooting Experience
Nikon introduced today two new additions to the LIFE family of digital cameras: the COOLPIX L14 and L15. As the ideal companions to capture all of life’s moments, these compact, user-friendly cameras combine high performance and easy operation with the latest in imaging technology at affordable prices. Representing the utmost value to the consumer, the L14 will be able to capture an astounding 1,000 shots on a single pair of included Energizer e2 Lithium AA batteries, the most of any camera in its class.
“With the COOLPIX L14 and L15, users of any experience level can capture great images without having to master complicated features or controls,” says Bill Giordano, General Manager Marketing, COOLPIX for Nikon Inc. “These cameras are great for casual snap-shooters who want to take great pictures, easily.”
Building on the success of previous L-Series digital cameras, the L14 and L15 include new technologies designed to enhance the experience of the point-and-shoot consumer. With an enhanced face recognition function, each model will be able to recognize five separate faces, faster and more efficiently than ever before. Additionally, the L14 and L15 incorporate the new EXPEEDTM advanced image processing system for enhanced speed and brilliant color reproduction.
The L14 and L15 also feature In-Camera Red-Eye Fix™, an innovation that automatically corrects red eye. In addition, scenes with poor backlight or underexposed faces can be corrected with the D-Lighting function, which is also done in-camera. After activating these functions or shooting in one of 15 different scene modes, the original settings of these cameras can easily be restored through the Easy Auto Mode. The L15 also offers active full-time Optical Vibration Reduction image stabilization, which compensates for camera shake and minimizes the instances of blurry images.
For composing and displaying images, the L14 and L15 feature incredible, bright LCD screens, measuring 2.4-inches and 2.8-inches, respectively. Adding to the convenient portability of these cameras, both models are compatible with easily accessible AA-size batteries.
The seven megapixel L14 and eight megapixel L15 allow for high-quality prints in a variety of sizes and are easily connected to compatible printers via a PictBridge port for on-the-spot printing without a computer. Each camera features a 3x optical zoom and up to ISO 1000, helping to ensure sharp photos in any setting. In addition to the scene and movie modes found in every COOLPIX camera, the L14 and L15 will have a stop-motion feature, allowing the consumer to create fun, animated movies.
The COOLPIX L14 and L15 will be available in stores September 2007 with MSRP’s of $149.95 and $179.95. For more information about these cameras and the full line of COOLPIX products, please visit www.nikonusa.com
The Nikon Coolpix L14 is a seven megapixel compact point and shoot digital camera.
It features a 3x optical zoom lens, 2.4 inch LCD display and is powered by 2 AA batteries (which Nikon claims can take 1000 or so shots).
The Nikon Coolpix L14 will have a retail price of $150 USD when it ships in September.
Nikon Coolpix L14 News Release
The New Nikon Coolpix L14 And L15 Digital Cameras Add Innovative Imaging Technologies To Nikon's Life Series
User-Friendly Design and Simple Functionality Provide Consumers With An Enhanced Shooting Experience
Nikon introduced today two new additions to the LIFE family of digital cameras: the COOLPIX L14 and L15. As the ideal companions to capture all of life’s moments, these compact, user-friendly cameras combine high performance and easy operation with the latest in imaging technology at affordable prices. Representing the utmost value to the consumer, the L14 will be able to capture an astounding 1,000 shots on a single pair of included Energizer e2 Lithium AA batteries, the most of any camera in its class.
“With the COOLPIX L14 and L15, users of any experience level can capture great images without having to master complicated features or controls,” says Bill Giordano, General Manager Marketing, COOLPIX for Nikon Inc. “These cameras are great for casual snap-shooters who want to take great pictures, easily.”
Building on the success of previous L-Series digital cameras, the L14 and L15 include new technologies designed to enhance the experience of the point-and-shoot consumer. With an enhanced face recognition function, each model will be able to recognize five separate faces, faster and more efficiently than ever before. Additionally, the L14 and L15 incorporate the new EXPEEDTM advanced image processing system for enhanced speed and brilliant color reproduction.
The L14 and L15 also feature In-Camera Red-Eye Fix™, an innovation that automatically corrects red eye. In addition, scenes with poor backlight or underexposed faces can be corrected with the D-Lighting function, which is also done in-camera. After activating these functions or shooting in one of 15 different scene modes, the original settings of these cameras can easily be restored through the Easy Auto Mode. The L15 also offers active full-time Optical Vibration Reduction image stabilization, which compensates for camera shake and minimizes the instances of blurry images.
For composing and displaying images, the L14 and L15 feature incredible, bright LCD screens, measuring 2.4-inches and 2.8-inches, respectively. Adding to the convenient portability of these cameras, both models are compatible with easily accessible AA-size batteries.
The seven megapixel L14 and eight megapixel L15 allow for high-quality prints in a variety of sizes and are easily connected to compatible printers via a PictBridge port for on-the-spot printing without a computer. Each camera features a 3x optical zoom and up to ISO 1000, helping to ensure sharp photos in any setting. In addition to the scene and movie modes found in every COOLPIX camera, the L14 and L15 will have a stop-motion feature, allowing the consumer to create fun, animated movies.
The COOLPIX L14 and L15 will be available in stores September 2007 with MSRP’s of $149.95 and $179.95. For more information about these cameras and the full line of COOLPIX products, please visit www.nikonusa.com
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 is a 12.1 megapixel point and shoot digital camera with a 3.5x optical zoom lens.
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 features optical vibration reduction image stabilization, full manual mode, shutter and aperture priority modes as well as a large range of semi auto shooting modes and 52MB of built-in memory.
It has a magnesium alloy casing, hotshoe for external flash and a 2.5 inch LCD screen.
The Nikon Coolpix P5100 will have a retail price of $400 USD when it hits stores in September.
Get a Price on Nikon Coolpix P5100
The COOLPIX P5100
Designed for the consumers looking for more creative control in a compact camera, the 12.1 megapixel COOLPIX P5100 has the ability to capture every last detail, while also providing creative freedom to crop and edit. It features a 3.5x optical Zoom-Nikkor lens, Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization, as well as an optimized image menu for producing high-quality images that look stunning in any size.
The P5100 offers program, shutter, aperture and manual exposure modes that allow photographers increased creative control over their photos. Adding to the camera’s versatility is its compatibility with add-on system components, such as Nikon’s telephoto and wide angle lens converters.
The COOLPIX P5100 features a quality-crafted body that feels immediately familiar in the hand. Made of solid magnesium alloy, the body features a quality finish, a comfortable grip covered in grid-pattern rubber, as well as an optical viewfinder to aid composition in any light condition. The built-in accessory shoe adds support for Nikon Speedlights and advanced i-TTL flash control.
To ensure sharp and steady images, this camera boasts an anti-shake mode that combines the benefits of Optical VR image stabilization and Nikon’s exclusive Best Shot Selector, (BSS) that snaps multiple frames and automatically selects the best one. The P5100 has an optical viewfinder and an incredibly bright, high resolution 2.5-inch LCD monitor. The P5100 is powered by a Li-ion rechargeable battery.
Get a Price on Nikon Coolpix P5100
PhotographyBLOG reviews the Nikon Coolpix P5100 and writes - 'If you are aware of its shortcomings at least the camera can however be brought under your control, and there's enough here than can be tweaked manually to allow you to get great shots at least 80% of the time. And, while the Nikon P5100 isn't perfect, that quibble is to an extent at least negated by the fact that it doesn't demand a premium price either. For that price you get a better-constructed, more fully featured camera than most 8 MP rivals. Meaning that, although the Nikon Coolpix P5100 doesn't quite hit the full five stars, it's still well worthy of your consideration.'
Photoxels review the Nikon Coolpix P5100 where they write - 'The Nikon Coolpix P5100 gives the photographer a quiet feeling of confidence that it can handle any photographic challenge. It will appeal to the serious amateur photographer desiring a compact and light digital camera with an effective image stabilization and full control over camera operations.... The Nikon Coolpix P5100 strikes a good balance between ease of use and richness of features: it is point-and-shoot easy to use and also packed-full of practical features advanced photographers like to have in their digital cameras.'
DP Review has posted their review of the Nikon Coolpix P5100 where they give it a rating of 'recommended' and write - 'And so, once again Nikon has produced a compact capable of excellent results in the right conditions, but one that cannot ever be described as an 'all rounder' (just try using it indoors in low light and you'll discover why). It's a superb walk around camera for the landscape photographer (and has unusually 'purist-friendly' output) and it manages to fit an awful lot into a very small body, but it is disappointingly far from the camera it could have been.'
Cameras.co.uk has a review of the Nikon Coolpix P5100 and writes, "The Coolpix P5100 ticks most of the boxes when it comes to picture quality. There are very few areas I have a problem with. ... The Nikon Coolpix P5100 is one of the more advanced compact digital cameras. It has many features you would expect to find on an SLR, but retains a certain ease of use. Picture quality is very good and the camera feels good in the hand."
Megapixel has a review of the Nikon Coolpix P5100 and writes, "The Coolpix P5100 is designed to be both a point and shoot and a camera that can satisfy the needs of a more assiduous photographer thanks to the inclusion of more advanced modes and a fully manual mode. And once printed, or reduced in size so as to be seen whole on a monitor, or on high definition television or through a projection system, the images from the Coolpix 5100 should please most people."
DPexpert reviews the Nikon Coolpix P5100 and writes - "This camera, like all the compacts that boast absurdly high pixel counts, is prone to image noise above ISO200. Below that point the images are clean enough, particularly if the end display medium is a 10 by 15 cm print. With Noise Reduction turned on in the menu there is some loss of fine detail at ISO400 and above. However, if your expectations are not too high, the output at a stratospheric ISO3200 is acceptable, with a bit of post-camera clean-up in noise removal software. The sad fact is that if this camera had a 7 megapixel sensor it would be a world-beater. We really enjoyed using it, and as the only competition, the Canon G9, is also over-pixelled these are as good as it gets in compact cameras."
CNET reviews the Nikon Coolpix P5100 and writes - "Unfortunately, the P5100 shows very little--if any--performance improvement over the P5000, so you may want to stick to static subjects such as landscapes and inanimate objects. It wakes up and shoots in 2.4 seconds--slow, but acceptable. Even under the best shooting conditions, however, time to focus and shoot is 0.9 second, and when the light gets dim that rises to a bottom-of-the-class 2.4 seconds on CNET Labs' tests. That 2.4 seconds carries over to the shot-to-shot time (still not great), but thankfully only increases to 2.6 seconds with flash enabled. Burst shooting is a middle-of-the-road one frame per second. "
The Nikon COOLPIX P50 is an 8.1 megapixel point and shoot digital camera with a wide angle 3.6x optical zoom lens.
The P50 features a 2.4 inch LCD screen, optical view finder, Vibration reduction (electronic) and 52 megabytes of internal memory.
The Nikon Coolpix P50 will have a retail price of $230 USD when it hits stores in October.
Nikon COOLPIX P50 News Release Extract
The COOLPIX P50 combines classic design with contemporary performance. Engineered for the photo enthusiast, the P50 delivers easy handling and comfortable ergonomics. The P50 features an 8.1 effective megapixel resolution, a 3.6x wide-angle Zoom-Nikkor lens, and a large 2.4-inch LCD monitor. The P50 boasts an optical viewfinder and Electronic Vibration Reduction to compensate for camera shake at slow shutter speeds. Program and manual exposure modes come standard with the P50, so users have creative freedom when capturing images. The P50 is powered by two AA-batteries adding to the convenience and portability of this camera.
The Nikon Coolpix S510 is an 8 megapixel point and shoot camera with a wider than normal angle 3x optical zoom lens (35 - 105mm equivalent).
The S510 has optical image stabilization, 2.5 inch LCD screen, 52 megabytes of internal memory and ISO range of 64 to 2000.
It will have a retail price of $299.95 USD when it hits stores in September.
Nikon Coolpix S510 News Release
Nikon's New Coolpix S700 And S510 Digital Cameras Blend Elegant Camera Design With Enhanced Speed And Imaging Technologies
Slim Models Blend Sophisticated Styling and Construction with Advanced Performance
Buy the Nikon COOLPIX S510
Nikon is pleased to introduce two Style series cameras that offer fast response and outstanding photographic performance. Developed for the savvy consumer who appreciates style and demands speed, the 12.1 megapixel S700 and 8.1 megapixel S510 digital cameras deliver increased resolution for high quality photos from the 3x Zoom-Nikkor glass lens, and Optical Vibration Reduction image stabilization technology. Nikon’s newest Style series offer picture-taking performance modeled in a sophisticated package: the S700 in sleek brushed aluminum and the S510 in elegant stainless steel.
“With the S700 and S510, Nikon is further distinguishing itself as a leader in compact camera design and innovation," says Bill Giordano, General Manager Marketing, COOLPIX for Nikon Inc. "These cameras combine elegant yet sophisticated compact designs with quick response to capture any memorable moment."
The COOLPIX S700 and S510 feature several imaging innovations designed to encourage carefree shooting for the consumer. Both cameras incorporate Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization, a feature that helps to overcome camera shake to ensure sharp photos at shutter speeds up to three times slower than would normally be possible. They also offer High ISO capabilities: the S700 up to 3200, and the S510 up to ISO 2000, ideal for capturing images in low-light situations.
For sharing and composing, the S700 and S510 have incredibly bright, high resolution 2.7-inch and 2.5-inch LCD monitors, respectively, with an anti-reflective coating, easing the composition of photos, even in direct sunlight. These cameras also have the ability to capture images at a 16:9 aspect ratio, making them ideal for sharing images on wide screen televisions. The S700 also offers Distortion Control that automatically corrects for barrel distortion, making this the ideal camera for cityscapes and interior photography.
Nikon has incorporated user-friendly imaging innovations into the new line of COOLPIX cameras, designed to make the photo-taking process fun and easy. These technologies, referred to as “Nikon In-Camera Innovations” include In-Camera Red-Eye FixTM, D-Lighting, and Face Priority AF. In-Camera Red-Eye FixTM automatically detects and corrects red eye, a common condition that occurs in flash photography. In playback mode, D-Lighting compensates for excessive back-light or insufficient flash in images.
Nikon’s new enhanced Face-Priority AF automatically finds and focuses on up to 12 people’s faces within one frame. This feature also provides faster speed and sharper focus to produce clear, crisp portraits wherever the subjects are positioned in the frame.
Advanced performance is particularly pronounced in these two cameras. In comparison to other compact digital cameras, the COOLPIX S700 and S510 deliver remarkably fast response including the class leading start-up time of less than one second, and a shutter lag of 5 milliseconds. Nikon’s new EXPEEDTM processing engine gives the S700 and S510 enhanced image processing and brilliant color reproduction.
Both cameras are compatible with the new high capacity SDHC cards and utilize the new ultra-compact EN-EL10 rechargeable Li-ion battery.
The COOLPIX S700 and the COOLPIX S510 will be available at photo-specialty stores nationwide beginning September 2007 at a MSRP of $379.95 and $299.95, respectively. For more information about these and other COOLPIX cameras, please visit www.nikonusa.com.
Pocket Lint reviews the Nikon Coolpix S510 and writes - "Overall, the S510 marks a small step up in terms of performance, image quality, resolution and processing but it is also a step down in terms of user control but there’s an ace in the hole that I’ve not mentioned yet. And is its price. At £199.99, it is £50 cheaper than the introductory price of the S500 and makes it a very competitive camera indeed. Brilliant build and pricing, big fat dollops of image quality and great features but with a few demerits in terms of user control, the Nikon Coolpix S510 is nevertheless well worth the money for anyone in the game for a well made high resolution compact digital camera."
Buy the Nikon COOLPIX S510
The Nikon Coolpix S700 is a 12 megapixel (CCD) point and shoot camera with a 3x optical zoom lens (37 - 111mm equivalent) and optical image stabilization.
It features a 2.7 inch LCD screen (230,000 pixels - without an optical view finder), ISO of 64 to 3200 and 52 megabytes of internal memory.
The Nikon Coolpix S700 measures 89.0 x 54.0 x 23.0mm and weighs 130.0 grams.
The Nikon Coolpix S700 will have a retail price of $380 USD.
Get a Price on the Nikon Coolpix S700
Slim Models Blend Sophisticated Styling and Construction with Advanced Performance
Nikon is pleased to introduce two Style series cameras that offer fast response and outstanding photographic performance. Developed for the savvy consumer who appreciates style and demands speed, the 12.1 megapixel S700 and 8.1 megapixel S510 digital cameras deliver increased resolution for high quality photos from the 3x Zoom-Nikkor glass lens, and Optical Vibration Reduction image stabilization technology. Nikon’s newest Style series offer picture-taking performance modeled in a sophisticated package: the S700 in sleek brushed aluminum and the S510 in elegant stainless steel.
“With the S700 and S510, Nikon is further distinguishing itself as a leader in compact camera design and innovation," says Bill Giordano, General Manager Marketing, COOLPIX for Nikon Inc. "These cameras combine elegant yet sophisticated compact designs with quick response to capture any memorable moment."
The COOLPIX S700 and S510 feature several imaging innovations designed to encourage carefree shooting for the consumer. Both cameras incorporate Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization, a feature that helps to overcome camera shake to ensure sharp photos at shutter speeds up to three times slower than would normally be possible. They also offer High ISO capabilities: the S700 up to 3200, and the S510 up to ISO 2000, ideal for capturing images in low-light situations.
For sharing and composing, the S700 and S510 have incredibly bright, high resolution 2.7-inch and 2.5-inch LCD monitors, respectively, with an anti-reflective coating, easing the composition of photos, even in direct sunlight. These cameras also have the ability to capture images at a 16:9 aspect ratio, making them ideal for sharing images on wide screen televisions. The S700 also offers Distortion Control that automatically corrects for barrel distortion, making this the ideal camera for cityscapes and interior photography.
Nikon has incorporated user-friendly imaging innovations into the new line of COOLPIX cameras, designed to make the photo-taking process fun and easy. These technologies, referred to as “Nikon In-Camera Innovations” include In-Camera Red-Eye FixTM, D-Lighting, and Face Priority AF. In-Camera Red-Eye FixTM automatically detects and corrects red eye, a common condition that occurs in flash photography. In playback mode, D-Lighting compensates for excessive back-light or insufficient flash in images.
Nikon’s new enhanced Face-Priority AF automatically finds and focuses on up to 12 people’s faces within one frame. This feature also provides faster speed and sharper focus to produce clear, crisp portraits wherever the subjects are positioned in the frame.
Advanced performance is particularly pronounced in these two cameras. In comparison to other compact digital cameras, the COOLPIX S700 and S510 deliver remarkably fast response including the class leading start-up time of less than one second, and a shutter lag of 5 milliseconds. Nikon’s new EXPEEDTM processing engine gives the S700 and S510 enhanced image processing and brilliant color reproduction.
Both cameras are compatible with the new high capacity SDHC cards and utilize the new ultra-compact EN-EL10 rechargeable Li-ion battery.
The COOLPIX S700 and the COOLPIX S510 will be available at photo-specialty stores nationwide beginning September 2007 at a MSRP of $379.95 and $299.95, respectively. For more information about these and other COOLPIX cameras, please visit www.nikonusa.com.
Imaging Resource reviews the Nikon Coolpix S700 and writes - "Small, compact, and very capable, the Nikon Coolpix S700 will please many consumers with its good color, exposure, and resolution. The Nikon S700 captures great images under a variety of conditions, thanks to its range of preset Scene modes and useful tools such as D-Lighting and Distortion Control. Face-Priority AF technology helps get the best focus on portraits, even of large groups. The 12.1-megapixel CCD captures excellent resolution and detail in good light an at low ISO, and the 3x optical zoom lens is sharp and clear. High ISOs extend the camera's low-light shooting capabilities, though strong image noise becomes a factor. Printed results show that ISO 800 is capable of getting a good 5x7. "
Get a Price on the Nikon Coolpix S700
The Nikon Coolpix S51C is a new Wireless compact point and shoot camera. It and it's sibling - the S41 both features an 8 megapixel image sensor, (VR stabilized) 3x optical zoom nikkor lens(38-114mm) and a 3.0 inch LCD.
The Nikon Coolpix S51C will have a retail price of £229.99 and the Nikon Coolpix S51 will have a price of £199.99.
Both should hit stores in September.
Buy the "Nikon Coolpix S51c 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom (Silver)" (Nikon)
Nikon Coolpix S51 and S51C News Release
NIKON ANNOUNCES NEW WIRELESS COOLPIX S51C DIGITAL CAMERA AND MY PICTURETOWN, AN INNOVATIVE PHOTO SHARING AND STORAGE INTERNET SERVICE
New Wi-Fi Camera and Photo Sharing Service Will Allow Consumers to Access and Share Their Photos Anytime, Anywhere
Furthering the development of wireless sharing technology in digital cameras, Nikon today introduced the new COOLPIX S51c digital camera. This camera not only sends images via email through Wi-Fi, but it also supports my Picturetown, Nikon’s new photo sharing and storage service. In addition to an innovative Wi-Fi feature, the S51c boasts 8.1 megapixel resolution for generating high quality prints, a 3x Zoom-Nikkor glass lens ensuring great pictures with true-to-life color, and a huge, bright 3.0-inch LCD screen for users to easily compose and share images. The S51c is also the first in Nikon’s Style line of COOLPIX cameras to utilize the new EXPEED™ image-processing system. To help ensure the consumer will be able to capture stunningly sharp images, the S51c features an Optical Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization system and ISO up to 1600, enhancing the camera’s low-light performance.
“Not only does the S51c boast superior imaging abilities, but it also enhances the photo sharing experience for the consumer,” said Bill Giordano, General Manager Marketing, COOLPIX for Nikon, Inc. “With the S51c and my Picturetown, consumers will be able to easily share and securely store their images, faster and more efficiently than ever before.”
Across town or across the ocean, by using the S51c’s One Touch Email with the Picture Mail button and Nikon’s new photo sharing and storage service, my Picturetown, consumers can take advantage of several avenues for sharing their images and videos. Through my Picturetown, users can email pictures directly to friends and family, publish pictures to the photo community sharing website Flickr, and link their photos to blogs and social networking sites. Pictures can also be sent to the email addresses of a Blackberry® device for viewing. Each S51c ships with a six-month complimentary T-Mobile™ HotSpot™ Wi-Fi service for digital cameras, allowing the user to send images and videos to my Picturetown from over 8,200 T-Mobile™ HotSpots™ nationwide.
In addition, S51c owners can utilize my Picturetown to store up to 2 gigabytes of images and movies, providing a valuable back up to memory card storage. S51c users are also able to access my Picturetown from their computers and Blackberry® devices, providing instant access to their images anytime, anywhere.
Adding to the advanced sharing capabilities of these cameras, the S51c features a huge, bright, high resolution 3.0-inch LCD monitor with a 160-degree viewing angle and an anti-reflection coating facilitating easier composition and high-quality playback anywhere, even in direct sunlight.
Furthermore, the LCD monitor serves as an excellent platform for Pictmotion™, which allows users to select up to 200 images along with music that’s pre-loaded, or from the user’s library. The music and photos are then automatically compiled in-camera to produce audiovisual shows in VGA quality for a truly personalized photo-sharing experience.
For capturing great portraits with ease, Nikon has enhanced their hallmark Face-Priority AF feature. When using the camera’s convenient One-Touch Portrait button, the S51c will be able to detect up to five faces in a frame, ensuring in- focus smiles and properly exposed faces. In addition to face detection, S51c users will be able to take advantage of In-Camera Red Eye Fix™, for fixing most instances of red eye, D-lighting, a feature that automatically lightens dark images as well as Optical Vibration Reduction, ensuring sharp pictures. This camera will also utilize EXPEED™, Nikon’s new imaging processing system for enhanced speed and brilliant color reproduction.
In addition to the COOLPIX S51c, Nikon has also today introduced the COOLPIX S51. Similar in features and form, the S51 offers the same stylish body and advanced yet easy to use imaging technologies as the S51c without the wireless transfer capabilities.
Both the COOLPIX S51 and the COOLPIX S51c come bundled with Nikon's COOLPIX software suite for transferring, organizing, editing, and sharing images. The cameras utilize a rechargeable EN-El8 Li-ion battery and are compatible with a wide array of SD and SDHC memory cards.
The COOLPIX S51 and the COOLPIX S51c digital cameras will be available nationwide beginning September 2007. The S51c has an MSRP of $329.95, and the S51 has an MSRP of $279.95. For more information about these and other COOLPIX cameras, please visit www.nikonusa.com.
ABCNews has a review of the Nikon Coolpix S51C and writes, "Nikon's newest point-and-shoot digital camera might be the latest marriage of high-tech capabilities — Wi-Fi and point-and-shoot — but it falls short in its core purpose: quickness. ... Although the camera is well-designed, it would be better suited to fast photography if it had a better response to shooting and focusing. It seems as though the camera was designed around the Wi-Fi feature instead of its ability to shoot."
Imaging Resource reviews the Nikon Coolpix S51c and writes - "It's beautiful. It's faithful. But it's crippled. The lovely design, among the most striking of all digicams, with WiFi that only talks to Nikon's my Picturetown server, only marginally updates the S50c that preceded it. Take the WiFi issue away (as on the S51) and what do you have? A camera that can't hold a highlight in sunshine and has a less-than-responsive Shutter button. On the plus side, the Nikon S51c has a VR lens, D-Lighting, and In-Camera Red-Eye Fix, all automatically activated by Face Priority autofocus in Portrait mode. The scroll wheel is a pleasure to use, as is Nikon's menu system. The large LCD flatters your images (particularly macro shots) and ISO 1,600 performance is among the best I've seen."
Buy the "Nikon Coolpix S51c 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Vibration Reduction Zoom (Silver)" (Nikon)
CNET has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-S880 and writes, "The Casio Exilim EX-S880 tries to slide by as an upgraded S770 with a higher resolution and a different image processor. Unfortunately, it doesn't meet the standards set by its predecessor. While a new image processor usually means faster performance, the S800 performs slower and photos are terribly soft compared to the older camera. The addition of face detection and YouTube uploading software present mildly handy features, but they really don't justify purchasing the S880 if you can still find an EX-S770. Alternately, you might want to look to another manufacturer. For example, Sony's DSC-W80 is in the same price range and only a little larger in size, and it scored well in our review."
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-S880.
Steve's Digicams has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 and writes, "Image quality with the Z77's 7m image size mode was good indoors and out. Outdoors the camera showed overall very good exposure and color balance. Indoors as well, the color balance and exposure were very good and the flash works very well from the 5 to 10 foot range. The 3x optical zoom has the 35mm equivalent of a 38mm - 114mm camera. There is a little edge softness which is typical among many ultra- compact consumer digicams. You can also see slight amounts of barrel distortion and pin cushioning, which are things that you will find even on more expensive cameras. Unless you are very critically examining your photos, these are things that might not even be noticed. There was also some noticeable noise when increasing the ISO to ISO200 and above. A big improvement over the Z70 however, was the fact that I did not see hardly any Chromatic Aberrations (purple fringing) in our outdoor photographs."
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-Z77.
Megapixel has a review of the Samsung NV11 and writes, "This second New Vision Samsung camera is much like the first in some respects, but adds a very good 5X optical zoom, making it more versatile than the NV10. The image quality it offers, when set to the highest (Super Fine) setting, is generally very good. Photographs captured under natural light turn out very well, and it is only under mixed lighting and when the flash is used that the auto white balance can have difficulty. The NV11 is, overall, a good camera that excels in certain areas, and offers an imaginative interface. It would, however, benefit from a less reflective monitor surface."
Read more about the Samsung NV11.
Get a Price on the Samsung Digimax NV11
The Kodak EasyShare V1233 is the last of 3 mistakenly announced digital cameras from Kodak today. Here are some of the V1233's listed features.
Kodak EasyShare V1233 features
Buy the Kodak Easyshare V1233
TrustedReviews has posted their review of the Kodak EasyShare V1233 where they write - 'While the V1233 is a well-made, elegantly designed and easy-to-use camera with an attractive price tag for its specification, the woefully slow performance and inferior image quality make it a poor choice. If you really have to have a 12 megapixel compact (why?), then there are better ones on the market for not much more money.'
The Kodak EasyShare V1253 is another compact point and shoot camera that seems to have been leaked from Kodak's website today. Here are some of the V1253 listed features:
Pocket Lint reviews the Kodak EasyShare V1253 and writes - "The Kodak EasyShare V1253 comes across as an average 12 megapixel camera from Kodak. While we are impressed with some of the images, we can't but help that if you are a party goer, you will be disappointed with the performance and the images the next morning. We also don't like the fact that to benefit from this camera the most, ie use the full 3-inch screen, you have to shoot in 9 megapixels not the full capable resolution of 12."
CNET reviews the Kodak EasyShare V1253 and writes - "If you've got your heart set on a 12-megapixel camera--and unless you're printing larger than 8x10 or cropping in very tightly, you might want to scale your sights back to a lower-resolution model with optical image stabilization, such as the comparably priced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T20--the Fujifilm FinePix F50fd still looks like the best of the group with a broader feature set, faster performance, and better photo quality than the Kodak EasyShare V1253. Still, if the real attraction for you is the V1253's large LCD and easy-to-use design, you should find the V1253 a satisfying option."
Get a price on the Kodak Easyshare V1253
The Kodak Easyshare Z812 IS was accidentally revealed on the Kodak website in the last day or two. Before being taken down we grabbed a little information on it including these features:
DigitalCameraInfo has a review of the Kodak EasyShare Z812 IS and writes, "In terms of image quality, the Z812 IS doesn’t perform as well as top ultra-zooms from other manufacturers, such as the Panasonic Lumix FZ18, Canon Powershot S5 IS, or Sony Cyber-shot H7. The Kodak Z812 IS has one of the slowest processing times we have seen. At high ISO settings, images suffer from extreme noise smoothing, which destroys fine image detail. The camera also has disappointing color and white balance accuracy. On the up side, our tests show the camera has very good resolution, good dynamic range, great versatility in low light, and decent video capture. ... Overall the EasyShare Z812 IS is an affordable ultra-zoom that takes decent images for the price. However, there are models by competing manufacturers that cost about $100 more that offer more zoom and better overall image quality."
Vnunet has a review of the Canon Digital IXUS 950 IS and writes, "The photos from the camera are sharp and very colourful, though detail in highlights – for example, embroidery on a white shirt – is lost in bright sunshine. Such conditions also gave rise to occasional fringing – lines of different coloured pixels between areas of high contrast – though this was only noticeable under close inspection. And if you want to avoid image noise when taking snaps without flash, stick to ISO400 or below. For the most part the 950 IS proves itself a reliable and stylish snapper, managing the feat of appearing outwardly sophisticated while actually being very easy to use."
Read more about the Canon IXUS 950 IS (PowerShot SD850 IS).
Get a price on the Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
DigitalTrends has a review of the Olympus Evolt E-510 and writes, "how was the quality of the photographs? Simply stated they were very good. Colors were very accurate particularly the subtle shades of my orange tabby’s fur and his copper eyes. Detail was also very good with nice detail even in shadows. Noise didn’t become an issue until hitting ISO 800. The sensor-shift stabilization did a good job holding steady focus even in dim settings. There have been some reports on various sites about the relative softness of the images in the default settings but I didn’t find this annoying at all. That said there are enough tweaks on the camera to dial it in to your liking. ... I have no problems recommending the Olympus Evolt E-510 two lens kit for D-SLR newbies or those who don’t have an extensive collection of older lenses. However if you have a collection of glass, go with similar 10MP Canons or Nikons. And, as noted, any fans of Olympus’ Live View let me know what I’m missing."
Read more about the Olympus Evolt E-510.
Get a Price on the Olympus Evolt E510
Infosync has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 and writes, "The EX-Z77 is slim, solid and practical, a camera you might find yourself taking everywhere. The lack of a dock is disappointing, but both novice and expert point-and-shoot camera users will find themselves satisfied with the size and speed of the device. Images left us wanting better quality, especially under low-light conditions, but the anti-shake features did help a bit, and the Best Mode scenes filled in the gaps in our camera expertise. The menus are a little confusing and could use a little feng shui, but for the most part this is a nice device."
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-Z77.
Digital Trends has a review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z77 and writes, "The Casio Exilim EX-Z77 is a simple, fun, and hassle-free camera that seems best suited for non-critical uses like eBay, YouTube, non-photo blogs, documenting life at junior high, or maybe even some funny takes at frat parties. I had high expectations for the Exilim EX-Z77, but was let down in too many ways to justify a strong or even tentative recommendation. As a semi-pro photographer myself, I cannot use the Exilim EX-Z77 for anything but QuickTime H.264 movie captures (as long as the lighting is sufficient). Despite its weaknesses, the Exilim EX-Z77 would still suffice as a super-slim, attractive budget camera for beginners or as a backup camera in case your primary camera crashes, goes missing, etc."
Read more about the Casio Exilim EX-Z77.
DigitalCameraReview has a review of the GE A730 and writes, "While the A730 offers several features of today’s top P&S cameras, I was not impressed with my overall experience. Indeed, its features are overshadowed by the fact that they often do not perform the functions they are meant to. I felt like I was constantly combating the camera’s poor battery life, the LCD screen’s graininess, and the camera’s overall sluggishness. And when I finally found subject matter I wanted to capture, I would have to take several pictures before the camera performed like I thought it should. I was pleased with some of the pictures I shot with the A730, but conditions had to be almost completely ideal for it to produce a good image. Furthermore, I spent a lot of money buying AA batteries to keep it powered up ..."
Read more about the General Electric A730.
ByThom has a review of the Fujifilm S5 Pro and writes, "the S5 Pro is a hands down winner in (un-neutral but) pleasing color and dynamic range. Boy could I have used that shooting white arctic foxes on snow earlier this year. But the lack of speed, some handling issues, and slightly less usable resolution make the S5 Pro more of a specialist than the all-around D200. If you need a specialist that does what the S5 Pro does, you'll love the S5 Pro. That's why, it, too, has found a place in my bag. I don't use it as often, but when I need what it does, nothing else can match it. If I were an event shooter or portrait specialist, I'd probably use it more than I do--there's something quite pleasing about the color rendering of most skin tones (once you get it dialed in with the white balance)."
Read more reviews of the Fujfilm FinePix S5 Pro DSLR.
Get a Price on the Fujifilm Finepix S5 Pro Digital SLR
ThinkCamera has a review of the Nikon D40x and writes, "Nikon's D40x takes great pictures, there are plenty of controls and it comes in at a terrific price. However, it's essentially a D40 with more megapixels (one could say almost the same of the Canon 400D, too). More isn't necessarily better; unless you print large or crop heavily, you may as well save yourself the £100 difference and go for the D40. That aside, if you pick up a D40x then you'll be happy with the results."
Read more about the Nikon D40x.
Get a Price on the Nikon D40x
ePhotozine has a review of the Olympus mju 780 and writes, "While some might lament omitting an aperture or shutter mode, this camera really is aimed at the person who hasn't got to that stage yet. The Guide mode is a nice idea, and if you are starting out in photography, quite educational. The other noteworthy point is of course that its weather proof so there's no need to worry about a few splashes of water short-circuiting the electronics. I would let little Johnny jump in the paddling pool with it mind you. At the end of the day, the camera is judged on the image quality and here the mju performs well enough providing the ISO is kept to 200 or under. Over that the results are poor."
Read more about the Olympus Stylus 780.
Get a Price on the Olympus Stylus 780
The Pentax Optio Z10 is an 8 megapixel point and shoot digital camera with a 7x optical zoom lens (38-266mm).
It features face recognition (auto focus and auto exposure), digital shake reduction, 2.5 inch LCD and 15 shooting modes.
The Pentax Optio Z10 will have a retail price of $249.95 USD when it hits stores in September 2007.
Get a price on the Pentax Optio Z10
The PENTAX Optio Z10 is equipped with a 7X optical zoom lens, the highest magnification among current PENTAX compact digital camera models. Designed with a refraction lens system so the lens never protrudes from the camera while zooming, the 7X optical zoom covers a broad range, from wide-angle to telephoto zoom, and offers an ultra high-magnification of up to approximately 35.7X when combined with digital zoom. With 8.0 megapixels, the Optio Z10 also features high speed detection time Face Recognition for improved portraits and digital Shake Reduction that allows ISO to 3200 to capture sharper images even in low light settings. The sleek, stylish PENTAX Optio Z10 body design also features a sliding lens cover for extra protection that also operates the on/off camera setting.
PENTAX also announced the stylish PENTAX Optio S10 compact digital camera with 10.0 effective megapixels. This latest model in the popular PENTAX Optio S series offers digital Shake Reduction and a high-speed Face Recognition AF&AE function for fast, high-quality portraits. The Optio S10 is the seventh DivX Certified® digital camera from PENTAX. Now enhanced with digital Shake Reduction, the DivX format enables users to create high-quality video files that may be played back on a wide variety of DivX DVD players and other devices. The PENTAX Optio S10 digital camera is one of the smallest, lightest 10 megapixel digital cameras in the world.
Priced at US $249.95 each, both cameras will ship in September. The PENTAX Optio S10 will be available exclusively at Wal-Mart Stores in the United States. Images of the cameras are available at http://www.pentaxtech.com/Press/pressfiles.html.
Trusted Reviews has posted a review of the Pentax Optio Z10 and writes - 'The Pentax Optio Z10 is a bit of a departure for a company that has specialised in 3x zoom compacts for several years. Build quality and design are good, and general performance is adequate, but image quality issues and the lack of any image stabilisation limit its usefulness, and it looks rather weak compared to several competing models.'
Pocket Lint reviews the Pentax Optio Z10 and gives it a rating of 7 out of 10. They write - 'This is nicely made point and shoot digital camera comes with a few extra bells and whistles ringing the changes for Pentax, but it is also one with a few bells and whistles missing, ones that really should have been there to ring out loud and clear. Image quality is okay but hampered by noise, unless this camera is discounted quickly, it is hard to see how it can compete.'
PhotographyBLOG reviews the Pentax Optio Z10 and writes, "The Pentax Optio Z10's image quality is below average. The camera's main drawback is noisy images, with the relatively slow speed of ISO 200 showing some noise and blurring of detail. The noise gets progressively worse as you go from ISO 400 to ISO 800 and finally to the completely unusable 1600 and 3200 settings. The Pentax Optio Z10 handled chromatic aberrations quite well with limited purple fringing effects appearing only in high contrast situations."
CNET reviews the Pentax Optio Z10 and gives it a rating of 7 out of 10. They write - "It's not easy for a camera company to make a small, good-looking camera that takes nice pictures. There always has to be a tradeoff when you try to cut costs. In this case, Pentax seems to have traded some time between shots in favor of a long zoom lens and nice, if not stellar, image quality. As long as you don't mind the wait, you might be surprised with the images you get from the Optio Z10."
Get a price on the Pentax Optio Z10
The Pentax Optio S10 is a 10 megapixel poitn and shoot camera with a 3x optical zoom lens (38-114mm).
It will be sold exclusively through Wal-Mart in the US and will have a retail price of $249.95 USD when it hits stores in September.
Main Features
1. Ultra Compact body with a stylish design
The Optio S10's compact design makes carrying more comfortable and convenient not only in travel and leisure but also in the daily snapshots and business scenes. The aluminum alloy adopted as outer cover gives a sophisticated texture to the camera, and the front face with glossy spindle finish creates an elegant appearance. Despite a 3X optical zoom lens and a large 2.5 inch LCD monitor, the Optio S10 realizes one of the smallest and the lightest ultra compact camera body with 10.0 megapixels, by miniaturizing circuit board and applying high-density compact mounting technology.
2. 10.0 effective megapixcels with high resolution
With an upgraded 10.0 effective megapixels, the Optio S10 ensures much higher resolution and delivers clear and crisp photo even when images are enlarged to A3 ( 11.7 x 16.5 inch ) size. A large 1/1.8 inch CCD with large sensing area is newly used for the image sensor, so it provides excellent performance for tone reproduction, texture delineation and noise reduction.
3. Digital SR ( Shake Reduction )
Digital SR ( Shake Reduction ) *1 mode reduces camera shakes and blurring of the subject when photographing still images. The sensitivity is adjusted automatically, to as high as the ultrahigh sensitivity of ISO 3200, to match the brightness of the subjects. This enables photography with fast shutter speeds, and images with less blurs can be obtained.
*1 Recording image is fixed at 5M ( 2592 x 1944 pixels ) when “Digital SR” mode is selected
4. “Face Recognition AF & AE” function that photographs portrait more beautifully with simple operation
The Optio S10 is equipped with a “Face Recognition AF&AE” function *2 that automatically detects and focuses on faces. In addition, the Optio S10 also comes with new functions that apply face recognition technology, such as “Natural Skin Tone” mode, which smoothly presents skin texture based on the detected information, and “Half-length Portrait” mode *3 , which automatically takes close-up photograph of the upper body by trimming the people recognized in photo frame.
*2 Available when the picture mode is “Portrait”, “Natural Skin Tone”, “Kids”, or “Half-length Portrait” and the camera is directed at people from the front
*3 Recording size is fixed at 3M ( 2048 x 1536 pixels ) when “Half-length Portrait” mode is selected
This Camera's Face Recognition AF & AE function use the Face Tracker face-recognition technology from FotoNation.
5. Auto Picture mode automatically determines the best settings for the shooting conditions
The Auto Picture mode lets the camera automatically determines the shooting conditions for Landscape, Portrait, Night Scene, and Normal mode and choose the optimum settings for each subject. This function makes photography a lot easier for users since it eliminate the necessity of making a number of individual settings.
6. Bright and easy-to view LCD monitor
This LCD monitor is a high intensity type equipped with an LCD booster that adjusts the brightness of screen, which users can easily check the screen even at the outdoors. With 2.5-inch and high resolution of 232,000 pixels, it is easy to confirm picture compositions and the focus. Due to its wide viewing angle, the screen can also be easily viewed, since there is little change in brightness and colors even when looking at the monitor diagonally.
7. Video recording function enabling high-quality recording for long period of time
The Optio S10 smoothly captures movies at 30 fps ( frames per second ) at sizes up to 640x480 pixels with image quality rivaling camcorders. Since it employs the DivX® ( MPEG-4 ) movie format *4 , the Optio S10 can record long, high-quality movies. In addition, Movie SR ( Shake reduction ) effectively corrects blurring in images through software, so it enables users to easily enjoy movie recording.
*4 The Optio S10 is DivX® certified. Movie playback is not supported on Macintosh operating systems
8. Other features
* A “Green button” that enables you to assign functions that are frequently used, and recall them in just one touch
* An “Intelligent zoom” function which enables images to be magnified even larger and stored, while maintaining the image quality of optical zoom
* Mode palette provide quick access to 18 shooting modes and 15 playback modes
* Data imprint function for easier image categorizing
* Approximately 22.0 MB of built-in-memory
* Compatible with SD memory cards and SDHC memory cards
* FotoNation's red-eye compensation function for flash shots
* Includes the ACDsee for PENTAX image viewer/image management software
* Support PictBridge, DPOF functions, Eixf Print, and PRINT Image Matching III
Trusted Reviews has posted a review of the Pentax Optio S10 and writes -