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All posts tagged "canon"


Monday, September 17, 2012

Canon Releases a Trio of Powershot Compact Cameras: The G15, S110 and SX50 HS

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 11:43 AM

Moving on, Canon also has announced three compact cameras. Let's start with the Canon Powershot G15. It is the successor to the G12, and the main upgrades come in the form of a new 12 megapixel sensor, and a much faster optically stabilised 4x 28-140mm equivalent f/1.8-2.8 lens. The camera also gains a faster AF system and a 3" VGA LCD. 1080p video at 24fps is available, and the camera is also smaller now. That, however, does not come without a price: The G15 no longer features an articulating arm for the LCD, and also loses the dedicated ISO dial. The camera will ship in October for US$500.

Up next, is a modest update to the S100, the Powershot S110. The new model gains WiFi, a touchscreen, and supposedly has a tweaked 12 megapixel sensor. The lens is still the optically stabilised 5x 24-120mm equivalent f/2.0-5.9 lens, and the ring control is still present. In keeping with the "What Canon Giveth, Canon Taketh Away" theme this Photokina, the S110 loses the built-in GPS that the S100 had. Ships in October for US$450.

Finally, there is the SX40 HS update, the crazy Powershot SX50 HS. Crazy because it features a 50x zoom lens. That's right. The optically stabilised 24-1200mm f/3.4-6.5 lens is the camera's main talking point. Is there anything else to talk about? Same 12 megapixel sensor, and well... 50x zoom lens. Ships in October for US$480. More photos and details at the links below.

DPReview.com: Canon Powershot G15 and Canon Powershot SX50 HS

DPReview.com: Canon Powershot S110


Thursday, August 23, 2012

Canon Announces Powershot SX160 IS and SX500 IS Superzoom Digital Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:59 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/news/news...tem.php?id=4542

Let's take a look at Canon's announcement. The first is the Powershot SX160 IS, which is an update to the SX150 IS. Essentially a budget superzoom, the lens has been upgraded to an optically stabilised 16x 28-448mm equivalent f/3.5-5.9 zoom lens. The sensor is now a 16 megapixel CCD; the rest of the camera remains relatively the same. The screen is still a 3" QVGA LCD, and the video mode is still a 720p one. The external controls are similar, as is the AA power source. Canon has promised improved AF and shutter lag performance, after complaints of the SX150's sluggishness. Otherwise, it looks like a minor tweak. Ships in September for US$230.

Next up is the Powershot SX500 IS, which has more in common with the above SX160 than the SX40. It boasts a bigger lens in the form of an optically stabilised 30x 24-720mm f/3.4-5.8 zoom lens, and has a 3" HVGA LCD instead of the QVGA one. Oh, and now it uses a lithium ion battery instead. Ships in September for US$330. Hit the link for full specifications and more photos of the cameras.


Monday, August 20, 2012

Engadget's Back to School "Guide" for Digital Cameras 2012

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/17/...igital-cameras/

"Your Facebook friends and future employers deserve an accurate account of those glory days, and you'll need a proper snapper to get the job done. College is as good a time as any to learn responsibility, but don't expect to walk out of the experience with all your gear unscathed."

What do you get when gadget editors pick cameras for students? You get US$3000 SLRs in the equation. I'm not sure what kind of college these people went to, but I am quite sure most students aren't going to be able to splurge that kind of money, especially in these times. In fact, there are a lot of high-end picks here, when there are plenty of cheaper but good cameras out in the market. Particularly for DSLRs - there're competent cameras like the Canon Rebel T4i/EOS 650D or the higher-specified Nikon D7000 that will take great pictures without breaking the bank. What are your own personal recommendations?


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Canon Launches EOS M Mirrorless System Digital Camera

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 02:20 PM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/0...ands-on-preview

"Canon has, as expected, announced the EOS M - its first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Based around the same 18MP APS-C sensor as the recent EOS 650D/T4i, the EOS M is the first model to use a new, smaller 'EF-M' lens mount."

Well, it had to happen sooner or later. Canon has finally joined the mirrorless party with the EOS M. While Canon is late, being the largest player in the digital camera market affords this luxury. The camera is basically a Rebel T4i/EOS 650D squeezed into Powershot-like body in both size and external controls. The sensor is the same one found in the EOS 650D, an 18 megapixel one with phase-detect sensors on it. The LCD is the same on the EOS 650D (you get the pattern), a 720x480 high resolution touchscreen at 3". Given the lack of external controls, the touchscreen is expected to be used a lot more than the one on the EOS 650D. Having played with the EOS 650D's touchscreen, it is still a better way of controlling the camera than the Nikon 1, even though both are not ideal from an enthusiast-level perspective. Like the EOS 650D (again), the camera will feature the same video modes, which includes 1080p video at 30, 25 or 24 FPS with stereo audio recording. The camera boasts a 4.3FPS continuous stills advance as well.

The camera will also debut with two lenses and a new flash. Both lenses feature the new STM focus motor introduced with the 40mm f/2.8 and 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lenses, which are designed to be silent for video work. The 22mm f/2 EF-M lens is a compact 35mm f/2 equivalent, which will no doubt please many street photographers, along with the usual 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom. The small 90 EX flash also debuts, and will be considered to be essential by some, as the camera lacks a built-in flash.

I have no doubt the camera will sell quite well. Like the Nikon 1 before it, it will make good sales to a large segment of non-photographers who want something that is significantly better than either their phone's cameras or a compact digital camera. Enthusiasts might be on the fence, as it lacks a number of external controls like a mode dial or a main command dial, as well as the inability to add an EVF to the hotshoe. The interesting thing is that unlike Nikon, Canon's decision to use an APS-C-sized sensor means the platform has room to grow into the enthusiast area if they choose to. The question then is, will they?

The camera will go on sale in USA in October with only one kit, the 22mm f/2 lens at US$800. Other countries are expected to have a kit with the 18-55 as well, and are expected to bundle the 90 EX flash in the kit. More details in the link, which includes a full preview!


Friday, June 15, 2012

Canon Announces EOS Rebel T4i/650D and Two New Lenses; We Have First Impressions

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 09:00 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/news/news...tem.php?id=4513

Canon last week announced the Rebel T4i/EOS 650D, and while it is one of Canon's famous incremental upgrades, it does make quite a nice package for casual shooters and point-and-shoot upgraders. The main new features are the 18 megapixel sensor with a hybrid design that incorporates phase-detect autofocus around the centre of the frame, promising faster AF in live view and video mode, a new 3" 7240x480 capacitive touchscreen, 9 point cross-type AF points, and 5 FPS continuous still shooting mode. The camera still does 1080p video at 24, 25 or 30 FPS. Ships in late June for US$850 body only, US$950 with the standard 18-55 kit lens, or US$1200 with the new 18-135 STM lens, which I will talk about next.

The two lenses are a special bunch: They are Canon's first "STM" lenses, which incorporates a stepping motor to allow for smooth and quiet autofocus while recording videos. The first is the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 STM lens, which will ship in late June for US$550. The second is Canon's first pancake, the adorable 40mm f/2.8 STM, which is really small. Priced at US$200, I can imagine they will be quite popular when they appear in stores in late June. More specs at photos of the lenses at the read link, and jump past the break for my first impressions!

Read more...


Saturday, March 3, 2012

Canon Announces EOS 5D Mark III; Canon Users Rejoice

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 05:30 AM

This is under the better-late-than never category, but here goes. Canon has announced the 5DIII, and it is quite an impressive piece of kit. While the camera may not be quite the breakthrough its predecessors were (the 5DI was the first affordable 35mm DSLR, the 5DII was the first Canon video DSLR), it is the first 5D that is not compromised in the AF department. In addition to me not liking the Canon SLR UI, the AF on the 5D reminded me of how Canon cut corners in the AF system in the EOS D30 (and D60): Slow and underperforming compared to the rest of the camera. Thankfully, the 5DIII now gains the 1DX's 61 point AF module with 41 cross points and what Canon says are 5 dual cross points. These are not very sensitive for slower lenses, so make sure you have f/4 or faster lenses to make full use of the AF features.

The camera now uses a new 22 megapixel sensor, which personally I feel is more than enough for many purposes, and the accompanying electronics (what Canon markets as Digic 5+) is finally capable of removing lateral chromatic aberrations in-camera. That took long enough for Canon to implement a very handy feature. The sensor claims an ISO range of 100 to 25k, expandable to 100k. The new electronics also promises a fast readout that can support the maximum burst rate of 6 FPS for up to 18 RAW images and more than enough JPEGs (Canon claims 16,000).

The video section has been upgraded too, with the codec now supporting either intraframe or interframe compression, in resolutions of up to 1080p. There is also SMTPE timecode support, which is aimed at professionals using mutiple-cameras (or even audio recorders). There is an audio jack for monitoring audio, a microphone jack (not the XLR variety though) and very nicely, the rear-wheel is now touch sensitive, so settings can be changed without jerking the camera during recording.

There are a number of other upgrades, like the new 100% optical viewfinder, a new 3.2" 720x480 LCD screen, in-camera HDR, a few nice tweaks to the UI (still will not make me use a Canon SLR without tearing my hair out however), and a lot more. Check out the read link which goes to DPReview. The Canon 5D Mark III will be available for US$3500 in end of March.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Canon Announces Ten New Compacts

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

So the parade of compacts continues. Canon yesterday announced a bunch, and I will start with the more interesting ones. The Powershot ELPH 320 HS and ELPH 530 HS (IXUS 240 HS and IXUS 510 HS respectively outside of North America) are the latest additions to the ELPH/IXUS line up. The 320 HS features a 16 megapixel sensor with a 5x optically stabilised 24-120mm equivalent f/2.7-5.9 zoom lens, while the 530 HS features a 10 megapixel sensor with a 12x optically stabilised 28-336mm equivalent f/3.4-5.6 zoom lens. This uses folded optics to get fit into the small body. The two ELPHs share a lot of features otherwise, with a 3.2" HVGA touchscreen LCD and very little physical controls, 1080p video at 24 FPS, still shooting at up to 5.2 FPS, and new here, built-in wifi that in addition to uploading to various services, also allows transferring files to a smartphone, with an app coming for iOS and Android. The 530 HS also uses microSD cards instead of the usual SD cards for storing its photos. I sense many cameras will switch to the smaller form factor as time goes by; this is the third camera announced in 2012 utilising the smaller format. The two cameras will ship in late March, with the 530 HS going for US$350, and the 320 HS going for US$280. More cameras after the break!

DCResource: Powershot ELPH 320 HS / ELPH 530 HS

Read more...


Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Canon Announces Three New Lenses for EF-mount

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/0...IS_28mm_f2p8_IS

"Canon has released three EF lenses, including an updated 24-70mm F2.8 II USM. The latest version features what is promised to be a more durable body, despite being a little smaller. In addition to this high-end full-frame standard zoom, there are completely redesigned semi-fast 24mm and 28mm F2.8 primes, both of which feature USM focus motors and image stabilization."

Canon has updated three lenses, including a highly popular one, and leaves me slightly confused. For some strange reason Canon has seen it fit to add IS to light wide angle primes, but thinks the heavier 24-70 with a telephoto end needs it less (which in my opinion, does not). Sometimes you wonder what the camera companies are thinking. In any case, the 24-70/2.8 L II is a new lens, and not just minor update to the previous 24-70/2.8 L. It promises better image quality, and better physical durability. The 24/2.8 and 28/2.8 have small wideangle primes, but now come with IS (which I still find utterly weird), and newly designed optics. No word on pricing or availability.


Monday, January 9, 2012

Canon Announces Powershot ELPH 520HS and 110 HS Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:18 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/news/news...tem.php?id=4430

Phew. Compared to Fuji's product diarrhoea, Canon has released just two more cameras from its popular ELPH/IXUS line. The one above, is the Powershot ELPH 520 HS, or IXUS 500 HS in Europe and parts of Asia. The camera boasts a 10 megapixel CMOS sensor, an optically stabilised lens with a huge (for a compact) 12x 28-336mm equivalent f/3.4-5.6 zoom lens, a 3" HVGA LCD, and 1080p videos at 24 FPS. Like all HS cameras, it is capable of some high speed stuff, which in this case results in a 6.8 FPS frame rate in continuous shooting mode at a reduced resolution, and the requisite 240 FPS videos at QVGA resolution. The camera is really tiny; it is a fraction larger than the very small Pentax Optio S5n I had in 2005, and that only had a 3x zoom lens. Something had to give, and the result is a compact camera that uses microSDHC cards instead of the usual SDHC cards. The camera will ship in March 2012 at US$300.

The Powershot ELPH 110 HS, or IXUS 125 HS, has a 16 megapixel CMOS sensor. an optically stabilised 5x 24-120mm equivalent f/2.7-5.8 zoom lens, a 3" HVGA LCD, and 1080p vidoes at 24 FPS. Similar to its sibling, it offers a continuous mode of 5.8 frames per second at a reduced resolution, and the same 240 FPS videos at QVGA resolution. The camera will ship in February for US$250. Both cameras have some new automated features for casual shooters, so check out the source link for more, along with more photos of both cameras!


Canon Announces Powershot G1X Large Sensor Camera

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:18 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/0...anonG1X_Preview

Today, it is Canon's turn in the limelight. Unfortunately for you all EOS lovers, there is no new DSLR, but there is something fairly interesting (which would have been more so if not for all the leaks) in the new Powershot G1X, which is like the G12 compact, but boasting a sensor that is slightly larger in size than a Micro Four Thirds sensor.

As an aside, who comes up with these names? Between Panasonic's GX1, this Canon G1X, all the other G and X cameras, as well as the current D cameras, there is going to be some mighty fine confusion in the near future. Hint: The current Latin alphabet has 26 alphabets. Can we use some of the others?

On to the G1X proper, the heart of the camera is an 18.7mm by 14mm CMOS sensor with 14 megapixels. That's about 1mm longer on each end than a Micro Four Thirds sensor. Then sensor itself goes from ISO 100 to ISO 12,800, and is mated to an optically stabilised 4x 28-112mm equivalent f/2.8-5.8 zoom lens. Given the size of the camera, the dimmer telephoto end of the zoom is a trade-off Canon had to make. The LCF is a 3" VGA affair mounted on an articulated arm, but unfortunately the optical viewfinder is the same useless optical tunnel similar to those on all Canon G series cameras. Personally I would have liked a high resolution EVF even if it meant a hump in the camera. The camera also does 1080p videos at 24 FPS. A big minus in my eye is the loss of the ISO dial; it has gone back to being a function on the directional pad instead. The Powershot G1X will ship in February for US$800.

All-in-all, while the camera looks competent, I cannot help but feel this is a feeble attempt to counter the mirrorless march. For US$600 it is possible to get the Panasonic G3 with the 14-42 kit lens, which loses a couple of dials and buttons and a slightly slower and shorter lens, but adds a high quality EVF and the ability to change lenses. Both the giants are behind in this race, first Nikon with its Jekyll and Hyde One system, and now Canon with this. One hopes Canon has more up its sleeve. What do you Canon die-hards think? In any case, check out DPReview's comprehensive preview for the details.


Thursday, December 15, 2011

Digital Camera Resource Page Reviews the Canon Powershot S100

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:30 PM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/c...hot_s100-review

"As you can see, the PowerShot S100 got a bump in resolution, zoom power, and continuous shooting performance -- plus it now has a GPS receiver. The S100 retains the compact metal body and customizable lens ring of its predecessor, plus full manual controls (with RAW support), an HDR mode, and larger-than-average sensor. The PowerShot S95 was one of my favorite cameras from last year. Will the same be true for the S100? Find out now in our review!"

The S100 is a nice upgrade from the S95, unlike the S95 itself, which was a small bump in terms of specs from the original S90. The 24mm equivalent wide-angle is a highlight for me, and the images have a smoother look to them compared to its CCD predecessor. All-in-all, I think this is the small compact camera to beat.


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Canon Europe Explains the EOS-1D X

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:00 AM

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content..._x_explained.do

"The EOS-1D X is the new flagship camera in the Canon DSLR range, taking the best of the EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds cameras and melding them into a single unit that gives both high resolution and high speed shooting. No longer do you need to choose between the two when both are available in one body."

Here is some more information about the 1D X, straight from Canon Europe. Regardless if you have the money to buy one, it should be interesting for those of you who wonder at what a top-of-the-line camera is like.


Monday, October 17, 2011

Canon Announces EOS-1D X; Looks to Reclaim Crown from Nikon

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:33 PM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1110/1...canoneos1dx.asp

"Canon has announced the launch of the EOS-1D X, its latest flagship professional DSLR. The 18MP camera is built around a full-frame sensor capable of shooting at up to 14 frames per second (12fps with AF), allowing it to replace both the 1D Mark IV and 1DS Mark III in Canon's lineup."

I am not sure if this will truly replace the EOS-1DS series, but after Nikon's success with the D3 and D3s, Canon probably felt the old 1D and its APS-H sized sensor needed a rework, and the EOS-1D X is the result. Canon certainly is seeking to upstage Nikon in all areas: The 1D X has an 18 megapixel sensor that allows ISO 512,000 natively, and ISO 2,048,00 when boosted. Despite the huge number, I would like to remind readers that it is just two stops above the native ISO limit. Ah, the wonders of multiplication. Other areas of improvement (and one-upmanship) include a new 61 point AF sensor with 21 cross sensors, improved AF tracking (after the 1DIV fiasco) with what Canon calls EOS iTR AF, a new 100,000 pixel RGB sensor (a Canon first), and up to 14 FPS continuous shooting (12 FPS with AF tracking). There is even a gigabit Ethernet port for transmitting photos, along with dual Compactflash card slots.

The improvements also extend to the video side of things, with 1080p video available in 24p, 25p or 30p, and 720p available in 50p or 60p. Manual audio level control is present, along with a stereo mic-in jack, and on the software side of things, Canon promises better codecs that offer intra-frame or inter-frame compression, along with timecode embedding (cue squealing from video editors).

Canon is even seeking to upstage Nikon in the UI department: Where Nikon offers two buttons between the camera grip and the lens mount for the photographer to use, Canon is offering four for the EOS 1D X user; two for each orientation. Talk about leaving no stone unturned. Incidentally this makes the Canon UI starting to look more like the Nikon.

The EOS 1D X will only be available in March 2012 for US$6,800. Canon is probably hoping to pre-empt Nikon's D4 announcement, whenever that is. More photos after the break. See the link to DPReview for an overview, as well as the very compact Wifi and GPS accessories for the EOS 1DX.

Read more...


Thursday, September 15, 2011

Canon Releases Powershot S100 and SX40 HS

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:33 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/15/...point-and-shoo/

"Today, we've got a pair of Canon point-and-shoots to show you. The S100 is the successor to the highly regarded S95, while the SX40 HS takes on the super-zoom market with its 35x lens. Both cameras use the company's new DIGIC 5 image processor, which brings high-speed burst shooting and 1080p video to the party."

Canon has launched a pair of high-end compacts, both of which are upgrades to popular cameras. The S100 is an update to the S95, which features a new 12 megapixel CMOS sensor which is made in-house by Canon, a new 5x optically stabilised 24-120mm equivalent f/2.0-5.9 lens, and now offers 1080p video at 24 FPS. The LCD is the same 3" HVGA affair, as is the wonderful front control ring, but the new version also adds GPS and a high speed movie mode (not too different from the HS line of compacts. It can also do a burst of 8 shots at 9.6 FPS. Available in November for US$440, in both titanium (yuck) and classic black. Check out DPReview's preview as well!

The SX40 HS has a pretty amazing 35x optically stabilised 24-840mm f/2.7-5.8 lens, a 12 megapixel CMOS sensor, a 2.7" articulated LCD, and 1080p videos at 24 FPS. The camera can also do the same high speed videos as implied by the HS moniker, and like the S100, features an 8 shot burst mode, but at a higher 10 FPS. Available in late September for US$440.

DPReview Preview of the Canon Powershot S100


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Canon Announces ELPH 510 HS, ELPH 310 HS and Powershot SX150 IS

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 06:40 AM

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/about...01e024803780ca#

We start off a week of camera announcements with... three compacts from Canon. First up are two additions to the ELPH/IXUS line, the ELPH 510 HS and the ELPH 310 HS (also known as the IXUS 1100 HS and IXUS 230 HS respectively). The ELPH 510 HS features the same 12 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor found in many recent Canon compacts, a 12x 28-336mm equivalent f/3.4.-5.9 stabilised optical zoom lens, which is pretty impressive on a camera less than an inch thick. Canon also claims improved stabilisation for the new cameras. There is 1080p video at 24 FPS, as well as a number of other video modes, including the high speed modes at up to 240 FPS. All this is handled through a 3.2" HVGA touchscreen LCD, which given the size of the screen and the camera, means there're practically no buttons on the rear of the camera. Hope you like touchscreens in your cameras. The ELPH 310 HS is similar, but drops the zoom down to 8x, giving a 28-224mm f/3.0-5.9, and drops the screen down to a non-touchscreen 3" HVGA LCD, but this means the buttons are back. Both cameras will be available in October, with the ELPH 510 HS going for US$350, and the ELPH 310 HS for US$260.

Next up is the Powershot SX150 IS, a budget superzoom replacing the SX120 IS. The camera offers a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, a 12x 28-336mm f/3.4-5.6 stabilised lens, 3" QVGA LCD screen, and 720p videos at 30 FPS. Pretty much the same as the SX120 IS save for the 14 megapixel sensor. It does offer some manual controls, which is not saying much on a small sensor compact. Available in September for US$250.

More photos after the break.

Read more...


Friday, July 29, 2011

Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Monday, July 18, 2011

Lifehacker's Guide to Choosing Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

http://lifehacker.com/5822098/how-t...-for-your-needs

"Choosing a digital camera used to be a simple process that was heavily dictated by the amount of money in your pocket. Now the same money can buy you different benefits and compromises, making the decision much more complex. Here's a look at your camera-buying options, the pros and cons of each, and some specific suggestions to help you pick the perfect camera for your needs."

Lifehacker has a long article on how to choose a camera (and it even includes a guide on cameras in phones), but I recommended not going through the recommended picks just because they are there. Seriously, a Sony NEX-3?


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Canon Offers Rebel T3 in Multiple Colours; Rest of the World Yawns

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/20/...t3-in-assorted/

"The outfit's now selling its beginner-friendly EOS Rebel T3 in red, brown, and metallic gray -- all in addition to your garden-variety black, of course. Sure, that's tame by Pentax's wacky standards, but for Canon it's pretty... outlandish."

For those in Europe and Asia, this is nothing new. The EOS 1100D (as the T3 is called there) has already been available in these colours for months now. Personally, I think the red is striking, but its a real pity that the lenses that come with the coloured DSLRs do not match: They are still the same black 18-55 lens. Promotional price is now US$550, so now is a good time to grab them if you want them funky colours.


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