Pentax K20D Review - Cnet

Micah — Sat, 31 May 2008 04:56:58 +0000

Cnet reviews the Pentax K20D: “The Pentax K20D is a very good camera for the price. Pentax users looking to step up should feel comfortable doing so. If you’re brand agnostic and looking for a solid midrange SLR, the Pentax K20D is a safe bet. It has an extra stop of sensitivity compared with the Canon EOS 40D, which tops out at ISO 3,200 compared with the K20D’s ISO 6,400. Plus, if you think you’ll use the Pentax’s wireless flash control, you should note that Canon forces you to buy a separate controller, or its priciest flash unit, if you want that.”

Read more from the Pentax K20D review.

Samsung NV24HD Review - PhotoBlog

Micah — Sat, 31 May 2008 04:51:38 +0000

PhotoBlog reviews the Samsung NV24HD: “The Samsung NV24HD certainly stands apart from the hordes in terms of both design and user interface – love or hate the latter – sadly falls down when it comes to its inconsistent image quality performance. And, given that the Samsung NV24HD isn’t really aimed at the photo enthusiast who will be happy to tweak their images to perfection, or try and try again, that’s disappointing.

At the point and shoot level there are more reliable alternatives for its price and headline specification. However, the Samsung NV24HD’s more esoteric features – including the funky photo styles, placed right at the fore of its operation – are indeed fun and less run-of-the-mill than many, meaning it feels churlish to bash this model with too large a stick. So, in summary, the Samsung NV24HD is a collection of interesting ideas that, taken as a whole, don’t quite work as well as they should.”

Read more from the Samsung NV24HD review.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX520 Review - PhotoReview

Micah — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:32:53 +0000

PhotoReview reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX520: “The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX520 is the company’s first digital camera with a 3-inch touch-screen LCD and a very compact camera for its advanced range of functions. While the touch screen may excite some buyers, photographers are more likely to be attracted by the P, A, S and M shooting modes and the wide-angle Leica DC lens, which supports 5x optical zoom and covers a focal length range of 25mm to 125mm (35mm equivalent).”

Read more from the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX520 review.

Ricoh R8 Firmware Update 1.20

Micah — Fri, 30 May 2008 03:24:06 +0000

The Ricoh R8 firmware update 1.20 is here. The Ricoh R8 firmware update 1.20 improves the accuracy of exposure at continuous shooting with full-press. So, it’s definitely something you want to get.

As a reminder the Ricoh R8 features include: “a 10MP compact with a lens covering a range equivalent to 28-200mm. Like previous Ricohs, it includes several non-mainstream features such as snap focus, the ability to step the zoom to specified focal lengths (28, 35, 50, 85, 135 and 200mm equivalents), and the 1:1 picture ratio that has proven popular in the company’s G100 and GRD II models.”

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Canon EOS 450D Review - PhotoBlog

Micah — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:32:32 +0000

PhotoBlog reviews the Canon EOS 450D: “The Canon EOS 450D is the fourth model in the best selling digital SLR series of all time, and as with many recent DSLR launches (with the exception of Nikon, who have raised their game considerably), it refines a winning blueprint, rather than reinventing the wheel. There are a smattering of improvements that help keep the 450D up with the ever-increasing competition, but unlike the 350D which pretty much had the field to itself, this new model is no longer the sole leader of the pack.

The 12 megapixel sensor, 3 inch LCD screen, spot metering mode and use of SD cards are all very welcome additions, but they don’t add up to a radically new camera. As for the Canon EOS 450D, it is an excellent camera, especially with the image stabilised 18-55mm lens, and it still offers a fantastic introduction to DSLR photography, just like its more illustrious predecessors.”

Read more from the Canon EOS 450D review.

Sigma DP1 Review - TR

Micah — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:09:01 +0000

TR reviews the Sigma DP1: “The Sigma DP1 has a lot of richness to the color of the images, an area that’s caused arguments among reviewers and users of the previous Sigma cameras. I rather like the general look of the images produced. I wouldn’t call them wrong, just different. However there are times when things do go to pot on the Sigma DP1, and color and lack of detail combine to produce occasional blobby, fuzzy detail. As for white balance I found no problems to speak of.”

Read more from the Sigma DP1 review.

Olympus E-420 Review - CameraLabs

Micah — Wed, 28 May 2008 05:03:14 +0000

CameraLabs reviews the Olympus E-420: “The Olympus E-420 and pancake lens will equally appeal to those with larger DSLRs looking for a secondary, smaller option – even if they use a different brand. These people may have been considering enthusiasts compacts like the Canon G9 or Sigma DP1, but by going only a little larger, with the Olympus E-420, they could enjoy a fully-fledged DSLR with the power and flexibility that brings.”

Read another Olympus E-420 review.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm Lens Review - PopPhoto

Micah — Tue, 27 May 2008 06:40:09 +0000

PopPhoto reviews the Canon EF-S 55-250mm lens: “The Canon EF-S 55-250mm lens is a natural for globe-trotting vacationers and soccer parents, this is the obvious second lens for Canon EOS 40D and Rebel XSi owners. Clearly it and the 18-55mm IS make an attractive team that promises sharp pictures in dicey light across an amply wide 13.9X zoom range. And you can’t beat the price of the Canon EF-S 55-250mm lens.”

Read more from the Canon EF-S 55-250mm lens review.

Pentax Optio W60

Micah — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:32:56 +0000

The Pentax Optio W60 is coming soon. “The Pentax Optio W60 is a new fully waterproof, 10 megapixel digital camera with 5x zoom lens and 28mm wide-angle capability. The Pentax W60 can operate up to 13 feet underwater for two hours and at extreme temperatures well below freezing. The new Digital Wide function merges two shots into one image for ultra-wide-angle image capture (equivalent to a focal length of 21mm in 35mm format). The High-Quality Movie mode offers HD resolution up to 1280 x 720 pixels, comparable to a 720p HDTV. The Pentax Optio W60 will be available in July 2008 for $329.95 in a choice of two colors, Ocean Blue and Silver.”

Read more about the Pentax Optio W60.

Fujifilm FinePix A850

Micah — Sat, 24 May 2008 05:29:07 +0000

The Fujifilm FinePix A850 is on it’s way. “The Fujifilm FinePix A850 is a new entry-level digital camera offering 8 megapixels, a 3x zoom lens and ISO 800 sensitivity at full resolution. Image Intelligence processing, 14 selectable scene modes, icon-based Graphical User Interface and complete the major specifications. The Fujifilm FinePix A850 will be available from retailers from July. Pricing will be announced nearer to the date of the launch.”

Read more about the Fujifilm FinePix A850.

Kodak EasyShare M1033 Review - PCMag

Micah — Fri, 23 May 2008 04:40:33 +0000

PCMag reviews the Kodak EasyShare M1033: “The Kodak EasyShare M1033 is a simple camera that boasts a generous feature set. The 10-megapixel camera adds style, comes in six colors, and is easy enough for any beginning photographer. It even offers 720p resolution HD video capabilities. Although it’s not quite on a par with Canon’s high-quality cameras, the Kodak EasyShare M1033 is certainly an affordable alternative.”

Read more from the Kodak EasyShare M1033 review.

Olympus mju 1020 Review - TR

Micah — Fri, 23 May 2008 04:35:43 +0000

TR reviews the Olympus mju 1020: “The Olympus mju 1020 image quality is mostly very good. The lens performs well, with no wide-angle barrel distortion or chromatic aberration at all, although it’s not the sharpest I’ve ever seen. The Olympus mju 1020’s images have an overall softness that robs them of the kind of fine detail that we’ve come to expect from 10MP compacts. There is also some slight additional blurring in the far corners of the frame, but no worse than may other comparable models.”

Read more from the Olympus mju 1020 review.

Olympus SP-570 Ultra Zoom Review - Photoxels

Micah — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:20:57 +0000

Photoxels reviews the Olympus SP-570 Ultra Zoom: “The Olympus SP-570 Ultra Zoom once again leads the ultra zoom pack by being the first to announce a 10MP resolution, 20x wide-angle optical zoom (26-520mm, 35mm equiv.) with sensor-shift Image Stabilization. We are continually amazed at the tremendous reach of ultra zoom digital cameras these days and the Olympus SP-570 Ultra Zoom shines in providing both a wide-angle (which is obligatory for capturing wide landscapes and large groups) as well as an exceptional tele reach (great for zooming in on the action in sports photography).”

Read more from the Olympus SP-570 Ultra Zoom review.

Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Review - Photoxels

Micah — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:16:14 +0000

Photoxels reviews the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW: “The Olympus Stylus 1030 SW is the perfect snapshot digital camera to take with you if you do a lot of traveling and want a tough camera to take snapshots at the beach, boating on the lake or ocean, hiking in the wild, or skiing down the slopes—without worrying about bumps, knocks, rain, mud, sand or dust!”

Read more from the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW review.

Canon PowerShot A580 Review - PhotoBlog

Micah — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:24:13 +0000

PhotoBlog reviews the Canon PowerShot A580: “The Canon PowerShot A580 is a worthy successor to an entire line of moderately priced, yet capable compact cameras marketed by Canon over the past couple of years. In two weeks of use, I have found basic operation to be highly intuitive, with the controls working efficiently.

Thanks to the matured design concept, the camera is largely free of the handling issues typically associated with small digicams. There were a few exceptions, functions I would never have thought existed if I had not read the manual, but these were few and far between. Operational speed on the Canon PowerShot A580 was generally faster than one would expect in this class, with only the burst rate and the flash recycle time being a disappointment. Image quality has also exceeded my expectations in terms of detail, colour accuracy, AWB consistency and centre sharpness.”

Read more from the Canon PowerShot A580 review.

Pentax Optio A40 Review - Steves Digicams

Micah — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:14:24 +0000

Steves Digicams reviews the Pentax Optio A40: “The Pentax Optio A40 is an ultra-compact digicam that is full of features. It has a 12-megapixel imaging sensor, Triple Shake Reduction technology, Enhanced Face Detection, Dynamic Range Adjustment and a 2.5” LCD screen with bright mode and a wide field of view. The face detection will select the proper exposure and focus based on the faces detected, giving you a properly exposed image every time, while Dynamic Range Adjustment automatically adjusts highlights and shadows on the Pentax Optio A40 to properly expose the whole image.”

Read more from the Pentax Optio A40 review.

Nikon CoolPix P60 Review - TrustedReviews

Micah — Tue, 20 May 2008 04:26:51 +0000

TrustedReviews reviews the Nikon CoolPix P60: “The Nikon CoolPix P60 is a big improvement over the disappointing P50. It still has its faults, most notably its slow overall performance and the immensely irritating shutter release logic, but the design, handling and build quality are very good, as is the picture quality. The range of features is better than a simple point-and-shoot, but it will still leave a keen photographer wanting more. The Nikon CoolPix P60 is also quite a lot more expensive than its main competitor, but on the whole not a bad little camera.”

Read more from the Nikon CoolPix P60 review.

Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS Review - IR

Micah — Tue, 20 May 2008 04:19:44 +0000

IR reviews the Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS: “The Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS is a full-featured point-and-shoot digicam that really impresses. It offers all the best feature sets of 8MP resolution, Image Stabilization, Face Detection, Widescreen/Panorama Stitch, Movie Mode, Macro mode, and much more, all in the size of a pack of playing cards. If you crave compactness without sacrificing too much, the Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS really delivers. Probably the only real compromise is the “mere” 3x zoom.”

Read more from the Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS review.

Nikon Coolpix S700 Review - PhotoBlog

Micah — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:49:47 +0000

PhotoBlog reviews the Nikon Coolpix S700: “The Nikon Coolpix S700 build is as you’d expect to find it, with little to actually distinguish it from the crowd. On a positive note, the lack of extra gimmicks at least means that the Nikon Coolpix S700 is easy to use, Nikon’s on-screen menus are clean and clear and the camera’s functions clearly designated, plus even if the screen does suffer in bright light, you can take a snapshot with the minimum of fuss – which is, along with the fact that the Nikon Coolpix S700 looks outwardly stunning – in truth all its target mass market audience are going to be buying it for.”

Read more from the Nikon Coolpix S700 review.

Olympus E-420 Review - DigiCamReview

Micah — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:34:20 +0000

DigiCamReview reviews the Olympus E-420: “The Olympus E-420 is touted as the “world’s smallest digital SLR” and there is no doubt the camera is compact and light – mounting the 25mm lens and ready to shoot with a CF card onboard, my review unit weighed in at just under 18.5 ounces. As DCR.com editor David Rasnake mentioned in his First Thoughts piece on this camera, with the 25mm lens onboard in particular, the Olympus E-420 is approaching mid-size ultrazoom territory: 5 x 3.5 x 3.75 inches, versus the Canon S5 IS at 4.6 x 3.15 x 3.06 inches and about 18 ounces. To be fair to the Canon, it does pack a zoom lens featuring a 36-432mm focal length range, while the Olympus E-420 is stuck at an equivalent 50mm, but it’s still a fairly dramatic example of just how small a full-featured DSLR can be.

I personally found the Olympus E-420 a bit small for my hands, and the placement of the strap attachment eyelet and ring near the shutter button rubbed my middle finger the wrong way. The Olympus E-420 also had some difficulty acquiring focus in dim light on occasion – perhaps not out of the norm for entry level units, but annoying none the less. All in all, though, there’s not much to gripe about on this otherwise capable entry level unit.”

Read more from the Olympus E-420 review.