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Ultracompact megazoom cameras compared

Zoom lenses sell cameras these days, so it's no surprise that manufacturers are doing everything they can to get longer lenses into increasingly smaller bodies.

A 3x or 5x zoom lens used to be the standard for ultracompact cameras -- those measuring 1 inch thick or slimmer -- but in 2012, you can easily find a skinny point-and-shoot with a 10x optical zoom.

The frontrunner here is the sub-$250 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150 thanks to its excellent features, fast autofocus, and the quality of its pictures and video (though its color accuracy could be better). Most of the category consists of sub-$200 cameras, though, so there are several options if you're just looking for a simple pocket camera with a long lens.… Read more

The iPhone 4S and Canon PowerShot 100 HS shoot it out

Camera phones get better. Point-and-shoot cameras get cheaper. Readers query. Tests must be run.

So today I shot my way around Madison Square Park with the iPhone 4S and the Canon PowerShot Elph 100 HS. I chose the 100 HS because it's exactly the type of camera whose existence camera phones like this threaten: inexpensive, with prices as low as $150, and a minimal feature set that doesn't offer any obvious advantages over the convenience of a single device with built-in communications. But it's also a decent little point-and-shoot that takes good photos for its class, and … Read more

Canon PowerShot SX40 HS announced

On the outside, the new Canon PowerShot SX40 HS doesn't look any different than its predecessor, the SX30 IS. In this case, it's what's inside that counts.

While other camera manufacturers had started using backside-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensors in their higher-end 2010 compact cameras, Canon stuck with a 14-megapixel CCD for SX30. That changes with the SX40 HS getting the same 12-megapixel BSI CMOS that's in Canon's Elph HS models, which so far has proved good for improving shooting performance and low-light photo quality.

On top of the new sensor, this camera gets a new … Read more

Canon announces PowerShot SX150 IS compact megazoom

Canon does little with the PowerShot SX150 IS to entice SX130 IS owners to trade them in for the refresh. The SX130 IS is a regular recommendation for me due to its AA batteries for power, full manual to full auto shooting modes, and large comfortable design that still squeezes in a pocket. None of that changes with the SX150.

In fact, it seems to have all the same shooting modes (except for the addition of a Discreet mode that shuts off all noises and lights), the same 28mm wide-angle lens with 12x zoom, and the same 3-inch LCD. What'… Read more

Canon PowerShot A2200 review: Good photos and video if not much else

The Canon PowerShot A2200 is basically filler in Canon's A-series PowerShot lineup and, despite that, it's one of the most popular cameras on CNET. It's a step-down from the A3300 IS, getting a shorter lens, smaller LCD, and no optical image stabilization. (It's also lower resolution: 14 megapixels compared to the A3300's 16-megapixel resolution.) Below the A2200 is the A1200, which is basically a 12-megapixel version of the A2200. It has the same shooting options, LCD, and lens, but the A1200 has an optical viewfinder and AA batteries.

That's not to say the A2200 … Read more

This Day in Tech: Microsoft loses patent case, Hulk Hogan at E3

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Thursday, June 9.

Daily cost of a 'promoted trend' on Twitter: $120,000 Cost of buying space in Twittersphere zeitgeist is up more than 400 percent. More

Hulk Hogan at E3 2011 (Video featuring Brian Tong) Hulkamania runs wild at E3 2011. Brian Tong flexes with the wrestling legend to talk pythons, pistols, and toothpicks. More

Microsoft loses patent case at Supreme Court Software giant loses legal battle with a small Canadian company in a decision today that will cost … Read more

Apple releases Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.5, adds Nikon D7000

Apple has released version 3.5 of its Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update, which includes support for several new cameras including Nikon's D700 and Coolpix P7000.

Other cameras included in the update are:

Canon PowerShot G12 Leica D-Lux 5 Leica D-Lux 7 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2

Users can find a running list of compatible cameras, here.

If you do not see Digital Camera Raw Compatibility Update 3.5 in Software Update, be sure you are running Mac OS X 10.6.5. If you have a lesser version of Mac OS X installed, the update will not … Read more

Limited-edition Canon G12 sports lipstick stain

Pucker up! Acclaimed fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg has specially designed 50 units of the Canon PowerShot G12 exclusively for online retailer AhaLife. The shooter's hand grip area is embellished with Swarovski crystals, and there's also a lipstick stain pattern on it. The limited-edition advanced compact will set you back $600 (a normal version costs $499). It ships with a case also designed by Furstenberg.

Considering the designer is a legend in the fashion industry, $600 is a small price to pay compared with the limited-edition Titanium Leica M9, which costs a pocket-blowing $29,938.

(Source: Crave Asia … Read more