megazooms

Panasonic's latest megazoom goes wider

It's not only compact cameras that are embracing the wide-angle views this fall; even the megazooms are getting in the game. Panasonic's replacement for its Lumix DMC-FZ18, the FZ28, maintains its 18x zoom range, but backs off on the telephoto to provide a slightly wider 27mm entry focal length compared with 28mm previously.… Read more

Kodak announces two cameras for fall

Kodak updates its camera line this fall with two models. The first, a 15x megazoom, as many models are doing, wisely trades some of its telephoto reach for the wider angle--it starts at 28mm-equivalent--and incorporates a 3-inch LCD. Though previous models used an optical image stabilizer, the 10-megapixel Z1015 IS instead uses mechanical (sensor shift) stabilization. Kodak also claims a sub-0.22 second shot lag ("click to capture"). The Z1015 IS will ship in September for $349.95.

As for the other model, the M1093 IS is a 10-megapixel, 3x zoom compact with a 3-inch LCD. Like most … Read more

Sony megazoom resolution rises, price falls

Though it can't match the stalker creds of Olympus' SP-570 UZ, Sony's latest top-of-the-line megazoom has its own attractions. Like the recently announced H10, the H50 offers a modest update over its predecessor.

Though Sony increases its resolution to 9.1-megapixels, it incorporates the same f/2.7-4.5 31mm-465mm-equivalent 15x zoom lens (naturally with Sony's Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization system). That 31mm wide-angle remains a bit narrow compared with Olympus' 26mm and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18's 28mm. On the upside, it also retains the tilting 3-inch LCD.

As with the newly announced W300, the … Read more

Sony H10 megazoom better by half than H3

The DSC-H10 has a 230,000-pixel 3-inch LCD display, compared to the 115,000-pixel, 2.5-inch version on the DSC-H3 it replaces. Given the lack of an electronic viewfinder, that's a nontrivial enhancement, but pretty much the only one. Expect to see it in mid-April, for $299. Now go read something more interesting.

Olympus 20x zoom camera for the vox paparazzi

From its inception, Olympus' Ultra Zoom series--simply referred to as "UZ" in recent years--has always led the telephoto field for sheer reach. Once again, the company jumps ahead of the paused-at-18x pack with its 20x lens-equipped SP-570 UZ.

Size matters most in this update to the SP-560 UZ: it's got a higher-resolution CCD, longer (and slightly wider-angle) lens, and slightly larger LCD display. In a nice design tweak, the lens now has a manual zoom ring; on the preproduction unit we toyed with briefly, it still had that odd servo feel that similar controls on camcorders have, … Read more

Sony's midrange megazoom

Suddenly, it seems that compact, inexpensive megazooms without an eye-level viewfinder are all the rage. Canon just announced its first foray at the $300 price point, the PowerShot SX100, and now Sony follows suit with the Cyber-shot DSC-H3.

The H3 will offer the usual set of buzzword features, including face detection and HD downconversion for correct-aspect HDTV output.

Sony rated performance specs:

Startup: 1.8 secs Shutter lag: 0.3 secs Shot to shot: 1.3 secs Burst: 2fps Battery life: 330 shot   Canon SX100 IS Sony DSC-H3 Sony DSC-H7 Resolution 8 megapixels 8 megapixels 8 megapixels Lens f/… Read more

Canon's budget megazoom, the PowerShot SX100

The continuing popularity of its less-expensive but last-generation PowerShot S3 IS and its competitors around the $300 price mark such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 and Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS has likely driven Canon's decision to release a new megazoom option in that price class. The PowerShot SX100 IS, which Canon expects to ship in early October for $299, offers some attractions over the S3 IS, but makes some tradeoffs as well.

  S3 IS SX100 IS S5 IS Resolution 6 megapixels 8 megapixels 8 megapixels Lens (35mm equivalent) f/2.7-to-f/3.5, 36mm-to-432mm (12X) f/2.8-4.… Read more