Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
Overview
The Canon Powershot A530 is an ultra compact digital camera with 5 megapixels resolution and a 4 times optical zoom. The Powershot A530 distinguishes itself from its competitors with its optical viewfinder (in addition to the 1.8 inch display), and its manual exposure mode, which gives additional control to advanced photographers. Of course, a fully automatic shooting mode, as well as a wide range of preset scene modes are available as well, making it an ideal take anywhere camera for both novice and experienced photographers. A widescreen viewing mode is available when connecting the A530 to a widescreen TV, making use of the full 16:9 format.
The Canon A530 uses standard AA type batteries, which, unlike battery packs, are easy to replace while travelling.
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Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
The Sony Cybershot W30 digital camera has been reviewed at DPinterface.
The conclusion of the review:
“The Sony Cyber-shot W30 is essentially a W50 with a smaller LCD. The W30 and W50 are both about 10% smaller than the W5 yet features a 6 megapixel CCD, 3x zoom lens with the same specifications, excellent battery life and can still support conversion lenses! […]
Like the W50, the W30 is also adept at macro shooting. Not only can it go as close as 2 cm, the flash throttles down appropriately so the photo won’t be overexposed. Overall image quality (not only macro shots) was excellent.
[…] Buffer could be increased as continuous shooting is rather slow and I think the overall performance of the W30 is lacking.
The excellent movie mode from other Sony cameras is here too - Also recorded in MPEG format, the main reason file sizes are small and easy to buffer for movies.
I think that the Sony Cyber-shot W30 is a great overall camera - featuring great image quality, excellent battery life, good macro mode and can record VGA movies at 30 FPS.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Sony Cybershot W30.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
A review of the HP Photosmart R927 digital camera is available at Designtechnica.
The review result:
“Anyone looking for a compact, attractive 8MP point-and-shoot digicam should give this camera serious consideration. Although the R927 had some flaws, the large LCD screen, the great menus, the built-in special effects and—most important—the photos it took put it on the plus side of the ledger. Still for the next go-around HP engineers should figure a way to juice up the time it takes to save a shot. And for God’s sake, put a video out on the supplied dock rather than forcing buyers to shell out another $80 for an accessory.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the HP Photosmart R927.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
The Nikon Coolpix P2 digital camera has been reviewed at PCWorld.
The Coolpix P2 was awarded 73 out of 100 points, a ‘good’ rating.
The camera’s image quality: “But while the wireless image transfer is a nice feature to have, I found that the quality of the P2’s images was not so appealing. They weren’t particularly bad; they just weren’t that good when examined alongside the images of other similarly priced cameras.”
The reviewer’s verdict:
“Despite the P2’s wireless connectivity and some advanced controls, this camera’s unexceptional image quality and limited battery life fail to justify its price.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Nikon Coolpix P2.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
The Olympus Stylus 710 digital camera has been reviewed at DCRP.
They write:
“Camera performance was fairly good. The Stylus starts up in an average 2 seconds, but then it focuses quickly, lacks any noticeable shutter lag, and can take another shot without any major delays. The Stylus’ burst mode wasn’t much to write home about. At the normal speed it takes just three shots in a row at 1.1 frames/second. While the high speed mode takes more photos (and at a much faster rate), it does so by cutting the resolution down to 3 Megapixel. Battery life on the Stylus was average for its class. […]
While there are some nice features on the Stylus 710, I was ultimately disappointed with its photo quality, which is the most important feature on any camera. If you’re only going to be making 4 x 6 prints and can live with the flaws I mentioned in this review, then I suppose it’s worth a look, but the bottom line is that there are better cameras out there in this class.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Olympus Stylus 710.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
A review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 digital camera is available at CNet.
The DMC-LZ5 scored 6.6 out of 10 points, a ‘good’ result.
The review summary:
“The good: Optical image stabilization; long-range, relatively fast lens; lots of handy features.
The bad: Mediocre performance; cheap build quality; some problems with image quality.
The bottom line: Poor low-light performance hinders the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5’s useful features.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
A review of the Fujifilm FinePix S5200 digital camera, also known as the S5600 is available at PCWorld.
The Finepix S5200 scored 84 out of 100 points, a ‘very good’ result.
The reviewer was most impressed with the S5200’s image quality:
“In our tests with studio and natural lights, images displayed bright, vivid colors and lots of detail. Flesh tones looked great, with natural colors and plenty of shadow detail. Though the camera shoots only at a resolution of 5.1 megapixels, the results were noticeably sharper than from many higher-resolution cameras (such as the 8-megapixel Panasonic DMC-FZ30 and the 6-megapixel Konica Minolta DiMage 6Z).”
The conclusion:
“The easy-to-use S5200 takes great pictures and offers a good range of advanced features for a low price.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Fujifilm FinePix S5200.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
A review of the Pentax *ist DS2 digital camera has been published at CNet.
The *ist DS2 scored 7.2 out of 10 points, a ‘very good’ rating.
The review conclusion:
“The good: Relatively compact; beginner-friendly mix of manual and automatic features.
The bad: Poor high-ISO photo quality; sluggish autofocus in dim lighting.
The bottom line: The compact and inexpensive Pentax *ist DS2 performs well and blends automation and manual controls into a beginner-friendly dSLR. For those approaching the dSLR market with a bag of Pentax lenses–or no lenses at all–it’s worth considering.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Pentax *ist DS2.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
A review of the Canon Powershot A530 is available at Steve’s Digicams.
The review conclusion:
“Like its big brother the A540, the PowerShot A530 is an excellent entry-level point-n-shoot model. It continues Canon’s tradition of offering outstanding image quality and performance, with helpful and easy to use exposure modes. It is small enough to be tucked away in an average size pocket or handbag, and the durable metal/polycarbonate body is sure to survive the active users lifestyle; or when Mom tosses it into her purse. The only annoyance I found was the flash recharge time and the fact that the LCD goes blank while the flash is charging. With an MSRP of only $229, we feel it offers an awesome value and will make any family, business, or tourist user very happy, whether you’re just entering the digital age or upgrading to a newer model. Love this model but want more resolution and a few added features? Be sure to check out our review of the 6-megapixel PowerShot A540, which you can get for only about $70 more.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Canon Powershot A530.
Posted by Steve on 28th March 2006
A review of the Casio Exilim EX-S600 digital camera is available at PC World.
The Exilim S600 scored 76 out of 100 points, a ‘good’ result.
The review results:
“The slinky 6-megapixel camera’s image quality is also pretty appealing. In our tests, its shots were of above-average quality, with strong, bright colors that remained true to life. I found the sharpness a bit lacking, however, as fine details were often lost in a haze. […]
With its fairly good image quality and compact design, the EX-S600 would be a good choice for people who need a camera they can grab and take on the run.”
Click here for all available reviews and more information on the Casio Exilim EX-S600.