(Credit:
Canon USA)
Canon traditionally avoids lower-margin market segments--nice work if you can get it--and its announcement of the new EOS Rebel T2i continues that trend. Instead of replacing its tired, old XS and XSi models to compete with younger, spryer sub-$700 models from Nikon, Sony, and Pentax in that extremely popular price segment, Canon instead chose to release an update to its more expensive T1i, in the less competitive $800-$1000 range. Included in the new T2i are some notable enhancements to the video capabilities and the updated metering scheme from the 7D, but the T2i also seems to retain the old autofocus system from the T1i and a possibly unwelcome jump to 18-megapixel resolution.
Given Canon's focus on staying ahead of the field for video implementations in dSLRs, unsurprisingly the most whizzy new feature of the T2i is support for 1080p video at 30 frames per second (as well as 24p and PAL-friendly 25p) and 720p at 60/50fps. Those video files may make the camera's SDXC card support a necessity. There's also a jack for an external microphone. Canon also claims full manual controls and on-demand autofocus during shooting (which you don't really want to do with most lenses, since they're too noisy) as well as the usual set of manual exposure controls. In addition, in VGA quality (which the company mistakenly refers to as standard definition) the T2i camera supports a form of digital zoom where it optically crops to a smaller area on the sensor in order to produce a greater telephoto effect.
For photographers, the new high-resolution display--it uses a slightly wider 3:2 aspect ratio instead of the 4:3 ration in the T1i--and the incorporation of the 7D's metering system should also be very welcome. Canon also says that it has an expanded exposure compensation range up to five stops, which sounds really nice for HDR work, although it's not clear whether it can handle more than the typical three-shot bracket.
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Canon)
Canon's PowerShots are my go-to cameras for best photo quality. However, when it comes to cutting-edge features or shooting options, the company tends to lag behind much of the competition. I'm still on the fence about whether this is a bad thing, but regardless, Monday it announced four PowerShots, three of them refreshes of older models as well as the new SD3500 IS. Judging by the specs, my opinion holds true.
Overall, the updated models don't appear all that different from the prior models; just some minor improvements to features, boosts in resolution (hooray, more 14-megapixel compacts), a couple new photo effects, and Eye-Fi support. The SD3500 looks good for those who like touch-screen interfaces, but otherwise it doesn't seem to break new ground for the category.
Lastly, it looks like Canon is steering clear of optical viewfinders, so if you need an ultracompact camera with one, I suggest you pick up an SD780 IS or SD1200 IS while they're still around; the SD1400 IS and SD1300 IS will replace them, respectively.
PowerShot SX210 IS
- 14 megapixels
- 14x 28mm-equivalent wide-angle lens
- 3-inch LCD
- HD video (720p) with stereo sound
- HDMI output
- Optical image stabilization
- Dynamic mode reducing camera shake while recording movies
- New Fisheye and Miniature effects
- Eye-Fi support
- SD/SDHC memory cards
- Lithium ion rechargeable battery
- Choice of black, purple, and gold
- $349.99, March 2010
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(Credit:
Crave UK)
In these financially troubled times you can never be sure when a banker will go from filching money from your bank account to coming to your house and nicking your actual stuff. So why not prevent more banker-related woes by fitting a home security camera? The EyeSpy247PTZ is a very capable example.
Using a wired or wireless network to send images from your home back to you, wherever you are in the world, it's a smashing system for keeping an eye out for burglars, and handing video evidence to the police if someone does get in and take your stuff.
Read more of "EyeSpy247PTZ security camera: Spy on your dog, catch intruders" at Crave UK.
Everyone out there who leaves their camera set on full automatic, raise your hands.
A Sony dSLR mode dial.
Automatic is great while you're learning your camera, and I frequently recommend it to people who want to step up to a dSLR but are too intimidated by all the settings on the camera. But like any crutch, ultimately you're better off without it. Here's some guidance about all those other modes you could be shooting in.
If you're frequently unhappy with your photos shot in Auto, it's time to substitute some of the camera's decisions with your own. Auto can only guess that you're shooting sports, but you know. Why leave it to chance? Choosing from these modes is the way you provide important information to the camera to help it make better decisions. Yes, it'd be nice if the camera could just take perfect pictures without any thought on your part, but most technology simply isn't that smart yet.
I'll start with some basic terms, then move to the core shooting modes--ones that have been around forever and that you really should try (if your camera has them) when you're ready to take control of your photography. If you're not ready for these, then jump below to Typical scene program modes and Less-common scene modes.
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(Credit:
Ricoh)
It's been a few months since we've heard anything from Ricoh. That product, the GXR, was very original compared with what the company has announced Wednesday, the CX3. However, that's not to say it's not worth checking out.
(Credit:
Ricoh)
The CX3 is a compact megazoom using a 10.7x 28-300mm-equivalent lens, a 10-megapixel backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor, 720p HD movie mode, and a 3-inch 920K-dot LCD. The camera does many of the new shooting options available thanks to the BSI CMOS sensors including high-speed burst shooting at 5fps at full resolution and improved dynamic range and low-light modes that take several images and combine them into one photo.
What Ricoh brings to the table is its advanced noise reduction methods and a handful of unique shooting options. For example, the CX3 features a multipattern auto white balance that can simultaneously correct for different lighting conditions in the same photo doing the same for color that multipattern metering does for exposure.
(Credit:
Ricoh)
The camera also has a multitarget autofocus setting that will snap off five rapid shots focusing on five different subjects and you can choose later what subject you want in focus. Plus, the macro function lets you shoot as close as 0.4 inch to a subject.
The CX3 doesn't come cheaply, though. Available in February in black, violet, and two-tone pink/gray versions, the price is going to be about $440.
(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET)
The first round of interchangeable-lens cameras offered a lot to appeal to enthusiasts, but at prices upward of $800, not quite a no-brainer for point-and-shooters in search of an upgrade. The bigger sensors in these models can generally deliver better photo quality at somewhat higher ISO sensitivities than the smaller snapshot models and they support video capture, but the alternative has been the moderately larger dSLRs with action-friendly optical viewfinders and kit prices starting at a significantly lower $600. Even the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1, which delivers the right set of performance and features for these folks in a compact, attractive design, comes in at an ouch-worthy $900 or so. Olympus' sleek E-P1 and E-P2 have attracted a lot of attention, but without a built-in flash they're simply not the right camera for snapshooters, especially at their relatively high prices. So Olympus is trying again to lure this lucrative audience to its Micro Four Thirds camp, this time with the more consumer-friendly designed and priced E-PL1.
At $600 for a kit with the 14-42mm (28-84mm equivalent) lens, a boxier but not unattractive aluminum body that's definitely smaller than a dSLR and this time with a pop-up flash, this latest model might just be a contender. (Unfortunately, I only had a preproduction model to play around with, so I can't address key aspects like performance and image quality.)
If you're one of the crowd attracted by the low price, though, keep in mind that even though both Olympus and Panasonic make compatible lenses for the system, because it's much newer there are still a lot fewer choices in Micro Four Thirds lenses than for dSLRs, and they tend to be more expensive than their SLR-compatible counterparts. For example, Olympus' 14-42mm lens lists for $299, while both Canon and Nikon's staple dSLR 18-55mm lenses run $199. The Micro Four Thirds lenses and bodies are more compact, though, and people are historically willing to pay more for less bulk.
While the elder E-P models mimic a traditional film design, the E-PL1 takes its design cues from digital cameras like the Canon PowerShot G series and Panasonic Lumix LX models. It will come in blue, champagne gold and silver and black, and the black and silver model still has a somewhat retro look. The plastic and aluminum body doesn't feel quite as tanklike as the E-P models, but it feels sturdy, with a relatively large, comfortable grip. Still, I found it just a tad slipperier to hold than I'd like, especially with winter-dry hands.
Some basic specs compared to its linemates:
... Read MoreHo hum, ho hum. Another day closer to PMA 2010 and another bunch of camera announcements. This crop from Nikon fills in the company's "S is for style" line. I've listed out the few specs Nikon managed to scribble into its press release. I've marked the upsell features on the cameras so you can see just what $50 more is getting you. The most impressive thing with these, though, is that Nikon finally managed to put a 720p HD movie mode into three of the four models. Enjoy.
(Credit:
Nikon)
Coolpix S3000
- 12 megapixels
- 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR lens
- 2.7-inch LCD
- VGA movie capture
- Digital image stabilization
- Subject Tracking autofocus, Smart Portrait System
- Choice of plum, silver, black, orange, green, and blue
- $149.95, March 2010
(Credit:
Nikon)
- 12 megapixels
- 4x wide-angle Zoom-NIKKOR lens
- Upsell: 3-inch, 460K-dot touch-panel LCD
- Upsell: HD (720p) movie capture
- Digital image stabilization
- Choice of plum, silver, pink, red, and black
- $199.95, March 2010
(Credit:
Nikon)
- Upsell: 14 megapixels
- Upsell: 7x Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens
- 2.7-inch LCD
- HD (720p) movie capture
- Upsell: HDMI output
- Optical VR image stabilization
- Choice of silver, black, red, and bronze
- $249.95, March 2010
(Credit:
Nikon)
- 14 megapixels
- Upsell: 10x Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens
- Upsell: 3-inch 921K-dot LCD
- HD (720p) movie capture
- Upsell: Stereo mic
- Optical VR image stabilization
- Choice of black, red, bronze, and silver
- $299.95
(Credit:
Nikon)
Nikon's Coolpix L100 and L20 were very popular models last year and actually continue to be well trafficked on CNET. That has a lot to do with their price tags and far less to do with their quality. I didn't review the L20, but the L100 was a fairly weak camera. (But it had a 15x zoom for less than $250!) Nikon is now announcing their updates: the Coolpix L110 and L22.
For the same MSRP as the L100 ($279.95), Nikon increased the camera resolution to 12 megapixels and the 3-inch LCD resolution from 230K dots to 460K, added a 720p movie mode and a built-in stereo microphone, added use of the optical zoom and autofocus while shooting video, and includes four, AA lithium batteries for 840 shots or seven hours of video. So all in all, a better package, and it'll come in a choice of black or red.
(Credit:
Nikon)
The L22 is just a basic 12-megapixel camera with 3.6x zoom lens, a 3-inch LCD, electronic image stabilization, and powered by AA-size batteries. Versions in black, red, blue, and silver will be available for $129.95.
Both models hit stores in February.
So this is the Nikon Coolpix P100. It's a complete overhaul inside and out of the flagship P90. The changes include, for starters, the zoom on the camera's f2.8-5 26-678mm-equivalent lens now goes out to 26x (just in case you were still having trouble seeing into your neighbor's house or their neighbor's house). Though you really don't want to use a zoom like that without a support, the camera does have sensor-shift image stabilization, contrary to Nikon calling it Optical VR.
While I'm on the sensor, it uses a 10-megapixel backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS type, which in other cameras I've tested, improves shooting speed and helps reduce noise in low-light photos, which Nikon claims it will do for the P100. It'll do a continuous burst at up to 10 frames per second, but like the other BSI CMOS models, once they're shot you have to wait a bit for them to be stored before you can shoot again. It also has a high dynamic range option that'll combine several shots of the same scene to get a single image with a broad range of tonal detail. There's a similar low-light landscape mode that does the same thing, but to reduce blur and noise.
(Credit:
Nikon)
Now onto video: The P100 supports HD movie capture up to a resolution 1080p and has a stereo mic on top and an HDMI output on the left side for connecting directly to an HDTV or monitor. Along with the HD movie recording, the P100 does high-speed movie capture creating slow-motion video by shooting at up to 240 frames per second. There's also a switch on back for changing between the two and a one-press record button.
Shooting modes include full manual and semimanual options in addition to a bunch of scene modes, auto scene recognition, subject tracking autofocus for moving subjects, and a single spot for a group of user-selected settings. There's no raw support, though, which seems silly to leave out on this model.
The feel is overall very nice and amazingly compact considering the lens and all the camera can do. The grip is nice and deep and comfortable and all the controls are well placed and responsive. Even the menu systems look sharper than those on older Coolpix models. There's an electronic viewfinder and a 460K-dot 3-inch vari-angle LCD for framing up your shots.
The whole package seems sound and a lot of fun, and with a new sensor and no doubt new processing to deal with its results, there's hope the P100's photos will be better than the P90's shots. Look for the P100 in stores in March for $399.95 and a full review from us shortly.
(Credit:
Fujifilm)
Really, Fujifilm, 13 is a lot of cameras to announce at one time. Just trying to sort them all out was a bit of a task, but we managed. On the upside, with that many models there really is something for every type of point-and-shoot user.
Below are links to learn more about all the cameras. For the most part, they're listed top-to-bottom according to pricing and features: from the most basic $99.95 FinePix AV100 to the $499.95 30x megazoom FinePix HS10. And all of them--every last one--shoots HD-quality video. Of the bunch, I'm most looking forward to testing out the Z700EXR (pictured), a 3.5-inch touch-screen ultracompact using the company's Super CCD EXR sensor.
Do any of these look particularly interesting to you?
Just the basics: Fujifilm FinePix AV100, AX200
Fujifilm redesigns its J-series point-and-shoots
Fujifilm's camera for style-, budget-conscious
Fujifilm FinePix XP10: Ultracompact with extra protection
Touch-screen model added to Fujifilm EXR lineup
Fujifilm enhances its EXR compact megazoom
