Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Canon G1 X review
The new Canon PowerShot G1 X - commonly shortened to Canon G1 X, or even Canon G1X - occupies the top spot in Canon's prestigious G-series compact camera range, offering a truly impressive array of high-end features.
Launched at CES earlier this year, the new digital camera is aimed at advanced photographers in search of a high-quality, take-anywhere primary camera and/or backup for their DSLR.
To that end, the Canon G1 X is packed with advanced technologies designed to deliver the very best performance.
It may not be the compact system camera (CSC) that everyone was expecting to see from Canon, nor is it a direct replacement for the highly popular Canon PowerShot G12 - rather, it's something in between.
As such, it's difficult to slot the Canon G1 X into any one particular category and so - as Canon is keen to point out - it's just as tricky to determine natural rivals for this new camera.
The Canon PowerShot G1 X's specifications make for very impressive reading. It boasts a 14.3MP CMOS sensor that's almost the same size as an EOS DSLR's, sporting a pixel structure and size that's equivalent to that on the entry-level Canon EOS 600D's CMOS device.
The latest generation Digic 5 image processor drives this camera's performance and promises to deliver richly-detailed shots with well-controlled noise, while the Canon G1X's fast, 4x optical image stabilisation (IS) zoom lens incorporates a new design using Ultra High Refractive Index Aspherical (UA) elements for supreme image quality.
Factor in a 3-inch, high-resolution, articulated LCD, built-in flash, optical viewfinder and an impressive ISO sensitivity range that tops out at an unprecedented (among G-series cameras) ISO 12800, and you can appreciate why we were incredibly keen to take the Canon G1 X out for a spin the minute it arrived.
You can also begin to appreciate why its recommended retail price is £699 in the UK and $799.99 in the US.
At the heart of the Canon PowerShot G1 X beats a large 4:3 aspect 14.3MP CMOS sensor and the latest Digic 5 image processor.
The sensor size - measuring 18.7mm x 14mm - is just over six times bigger than the one featured in the Canon PowerShot G12, and is just a shade smaller than the APS-C sensors used in entry and enthusiast-level EOS DSLRs. This ensures top-notch image quality and - potentially - lower levels of noise at high ISOs.
The latter point is reinforced by the integration of Canon's latest-generation Digic 5 processor, which - as we've seen with PowerShot S100, PowerShot SX40 HS and Canon EOS 1DX - is very capable of handling large volumes of data at speed, as well as keeping noise under tight control.
Canon's latest-generation Digic 5 image processor determines the speed at which data is processed, enabling the Canon G1 X to shoot 1080p movies at 24fps and keep up with the action in its High Speed Burst HQ mode. It's also responsible for the way in which noise is handled and JPEGs and moving images are compressed.
Like many of the latest cameras we've seen recently, Canon has chosen to equip the PowerShot G1 X with an articulated screen, which proves useful when shooting movies, macro subjects and from high/low perspectives, for instance.
The 3-inch LCD screen - which boasts a pleasing resolution of 920,000-dots - is bright and detailed, with a wide viewing angle and effective anti-reflective coating that means it remains usable in all but the very brightest of conditions.
The Canon G1X also offers a small, but nonetheless useful optical viewfinder as an alternative means of composition.
A first for a G-series compact, the Canon G1 X boasts a comprehensive sensitivity range that spans ISO 100-12800, with on-chip noise reduction promising a clean performance in low light.
Full HD (1080p) movie recording capability at 24fps is another key item in the Canon G1 X's feature-set, bettering the lower-resolution modes seen on some other potential rivals' spec sheets.
With a 4x optical zoom that offers a range equivalent to 28mm-112mm on a 35mm camera, the Canon G1 X covers you for most everyday shooting situations.
And its new design - developed specifically to marry with the larger sensor - shows off Canon's impressive level of expertise when it comes to optical performance.
Additional features including full manual control, raw file shooting capability and innovative technologies such as Canon's Intelligent IS all help to bolster the Canon PowerShot G1 X's impressive set of functions.
The latter option is able to analyse the focal length, distance to the subject and to interpret any form of camera movement before selecting one of seven different IS modes - including Macro and Panning, for example - to suit the situation.
Launched at CES earlier this year, the new digital camera is aimed at advanced photographers in search of a high-quality, take-anywhere primary camera and/or backup for their DSLR.
To that end, the Canon G1 X is packed with advanced technologies designed to deliver the very best performance.It may not be the compact system camera (CSC) that everyone was expecting to see from Canon, nor is it a direct replacement for the highly popular Canon PowerShot G12 - rather, it's something in between.
As such, it's difficult to slot the Canon G1 X into any one particular category and so - as Canon is keen to point out - it's just as tricky to determine natural rivals for this new camera.
The Canon PowerShot G1 X's specifications make for very impressive reading. It boasts a 14.3MP CMOS sensor that's almost the same size as an EOS DSLR's, sporting a pixel structure and size that's equivalent to that on the entry-level Canon EOS 600D's CMOS device.
The latest generation Digic 5 image processor drives this camera's performance and promises to deliver richly-detailed shots with well-controlled noise, while the Canon G1X's fast, 4x optical image stabilisation (IS) zoom lens incorporates a new design using Ultra High Refractive Index Aspherical (UA) elements for supreme image quality.
Factor in a 3-inch, high-resolution, articulated LCD, built-in flash, optical viewfinder and an impressive ISO sensitivity range that tops out at an unprecedented (among G-series cameras) ISO 12800, and you can appreciate why we were incredibly keen to take the Canon G1 X out for a spin the minute it arrived.
You can also begin to appreciate why its recommended retail price is £699 in the UK and $799.99 in the US.
Features
At the heart of the Canon PowerShot G1 X beats a large 4:3 aspect 14.3MP CMOS sensor and the latest Digic 5 image processor.
The sensor size - measuring 18.7mm x 14mm - is just over six times bigger than the one featured in the Canon PowerShot G12, and is just a shade smaller than the APS-C sensors used in entry and enthusiast-level EOS DSLRs. This ensures top-notch image quality and - potentially - lower levels of noise at high ISOs.
The latter point is reinforced by the integration of Canon's latest-generation Digic 5 processor, which - as we've seen with PowerShot S100, PowerShot SX40 HS and Canon EOS 1DX - is very capable of handling large volumes of data at speed, as well as keeping noise under tight control.
Canon's latest-generation Digic 5 image processor determines the speed at which data is processed, enabling the Canon G1 X to shoot 1080p movies at 24fps and keep up with the action in its High Speed Burst HQ mode. It's also responsible for the way in which noise is handled and JPEGs and moving images are compressed.
Like many of the latest cameras we've seen recently, Canon has chosen to equip the PowerShot G1 X with an articulated screen, which proves useful when shooting movies, macro subjects and from high/low perspectives, for instance.
The 3-inch LCD screen - which boasts a pleasing resolution of 920,000-dots - is bright and detailed, with a wide viewing angle and effective anti-reflective coating that means it remains usable in all but the very brightest of conditions.
The Canon G1X also offers a small, but nonetheless useful optical viewfinder as an alternative means of composition.
A first for a G-series compact, the Canon G1 X boasts a comprehensive sensitivity range that spans ISO 100-12800, with on-chip noise reduction promising a clean performance in low light.
Full HD (1080p) movie recording capability at 24fps is another key item in the Canon G1 X's feature-set, bettering the lower-resolution modes seen on some other potential rivals' spec sheets.
With a 4x optical zoom that offers a range equivalent to 28mm-112mm on a 35mm camera, the Canon G1 X covers you for most everyday shooting situations.
And its new design - developed specifically to marry with the larger sensor - shows off Canon's impressive level of expertise when it comes to optical performance.
Additional features including full manual control, raw file shooting capability and innovative technologies such as Canon's Intelligent IS all help to bolster the Canon PowerShot G1 X's impressive set of functions.
The latter option is able to analyse the focal length, distance to the subject and to interpret any form of camera movement before selecting one of seven different IS modes - including Macro and Panning, for example - to suit the situation.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Nikon P300 Hands-On Preview
Although at first glance it looks a lot like the Canon Powershot S95 and Olympus XZ-1, the P300 is a significantly different camera in a couple of important ways. It offers higher resolution, at 12MP rather than the 10MP common in that class. It also offers Full HD video (1080p as opposed to 720p), but its true colors are betrayed by a lower price-point, a smaller sensor (1/2.3" as opposed to 1/1.6" or 1/1.7"), and the inability to record RAW files. Whether or not you care about the smaller sensor and lack of RAW depends on your priorities as a photographer, but we suspect that a lot of enthusiast photographers will be disappointed that Nikon hasn't taken the opportunity with the P300 to create a true S95/LX5 competitor.
And so, despite obviously being designed to appeal to the same audience as the Panasonic LX5 and Canon S95, the Coolpix P300 is actually a lot closer in specification terms to a camera like the Canon SD 4000 IS/IXUS 300 HS. Like the SD 4000 IS, the P300 offers excellent build quality and manual control in a genuinely compact body, for less cash than the larger sensor, RAW-enabled Powershot S95, or its 'big brother' the Coolpix P7000. The P300's lens is optically stabilized, covers a useful 24-100mm (equivalent) range, and is impressively fast at wideangle, if unspectacular at the long end (f/1.8-4.9). The rear 3in LCD screen is bright and contrasty with 921k dots - the same specifications as the screens in Nikon's mid-range and top-end DSLRs.
The market for high-end compact cameras with a small form factor is booming at the moment, which is evidenced in the rash of new releases in the past few months. We're certain that, purely because of its styling, a lot of consumers will regard it as a cut-price alternative to cameras like the Canon Powershot S95 and Panasonic Lumix LX5. It certainly offers comparable build quality and manual control but its sensor is 35% smaller and that's arguably the most important determinant of image quality, so we'd expect its performance to be more in line with regular compacts. Read our hands-on preview for our impressions of how it works, and how it compares to its peers in terms of usability and specification.
Key features
12 megapixel BSI (back side illuminated) CMOS sensor (1/2.3in)
ISO 100-3200 at full 12MP resolution
1080p High Definition video mode
24-100mm (equivalent) f/1.8-4.9 lens with optical stabilization
PASM modes
Twin control dials - one top, one rear
Built-in stereo microphone
The 'big' new feature introduced in the Coolpix P300 is 1080p, 'Full HD' video. Full HD is still relatively rare in compact cameras, and it is something that none of the P300's 'high-end' peers currently offer. In most other respects, the P300's specification sheet is comparable to our expectations of the latest compact cameras. At the equivalent of 24mm, its lens is wider than either the Canon S95's or Olympus XZ-1's 28mm equivalent, but is slightly shorter than both at the tele end. It is worth noting that although it boasts a very fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, this gets a lot smaller as the lens is zoomed in. In fact, f/1.8 is only available with the lens set to its very widest focal length.
Beside two of its most obvious competitors (in control terms) the similarities between the P300 and Canon S95 are obvious. The two cameras are almost exactly the same size, and offer similar control layouts. The Olympus XZ-1 is slightly larger in all dimensions, mainly as a result of the larger lens required to offer its wider-aperture and larger imaging circle to light its larger sensor.
From behind, the main difference between the P300 and S95 is the direct movie shooting button of the former. As you can see from looking at all three cameras in this view, the rear control layout has become almost 'standard'.
A fast lens usually means greater control over depth of field, but here too, all is not what it seems. Because, all other things being equal, a smaller sensor means less control over depth of field, the P300 doesn't match up to its high-end competitors despite seeming to offer a similar maximum aperture range. Also, for good depth of field control the lens really needs to be fast at the telephoto end, and the P300's isn't. So don't expect to be able to get the same sort of blurred backgrounds with the P300 as you can with the Olympus XZ-1, for example.
Coolpix P300 Specifications
| Recommended price | • $329.95 • €tbc • £tbc |
|---|---|
| Sensor | • 1/2.3" Type Back Side Illuminated CMOS • 12.0 million total pixels |
| Image sizes | • 4000 x 3000 (4:3) • 3968 x 2232 (16:9) • 3264 x 2448 • 2592 x 1944 • 2048 x 1536 • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480 • 2048 x 1536 • 1600 x 1200 • 1280 x 960 • 1024 x 768 • 640 x 480 • 1024 x 768 |
| Movie clips | • 1920 x 1080p @ 30fps (HD 1080*) • 1920 x 1080 @ 30fps (HD 1080) • 1280 X 720 @ 30fps • 640 X 480 @ 30fps • 640 X 480 @ 120fps (HS 120fps) • 1280 x 720 @ 60fps (HS 60fps) • 1920 X 1080 @ 15fps (HS 15fps |
| File formats | • Still: JPEG (Exif v2.2) • Movie: MOV [H.264 + Linear PCM (stereo)] |
| Lens | • 24-100mm (35mm equiv) • f = 4.3 - 17.9 mm • 4.2x optical zoom • F1.8-4.9 |
| Image stabilization | Yes (Lens-Shift) |
| Digital zoom | up to 2x |
| Focus | • Auto focus :TTL - Multi-point Auto/Manual selection AF - 1-point AF • Subject tracking • Face tracking priority • Face detection |
| AF modes | • Single • Full-time |
| AF lock | Yes (half-press of the shutter button) |
| AF assist lamp | Yes |
| Focus distance | Closest focus distance 3 cm (macro mode) |
| Metering | • Matrix • Center-weighted average |
| ISO sensitivity | • Auto • ISO 160 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1600 • ISO 3200 |
| AE lock | Yes (half-press of the shutter button) |
| Exposure compensation | +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments |
| Shutter speed | • 4 - 1/2000 sec (wider in auto) |
| Modes | • Auto • Program AE • Shutter Priority AE • Aperture Priority AE • Manual • Backlighting • Night landscape • SCENE • Movie |
| Scene modes | • Scene Auto Selector • Portrait • Landscape • Sports • Night portrait • Party/indoor • Beach • Snow • Sunset • Dusk/dawn • Night landscape • Close-up • Food • Museum • Fireworks show • Black and white copy • Panorama • Pet Portrait • Special Effects (Soft, Nostalgia Sepia, High-contrast Monochrome, High Key, Low Key) • Image Mode (resolution/quality selection) |
| White balance | • Auto • Preset Manual • Daylight • Incandescent • Fluorescent • Cloudy • Flash |
| Self timer | • 2/10 seconds • Smile Self Timer |
| Continuous shooting | • Maximum approx. 7 shots/sec. |
| Image parameters | N/A |
| Flash | • Auto, Auto with red-eye reduction, Flash off, Night portrait flash • Flash exposure compensation +/- 2EV in 1/3 stop increments |
| LCD monitor | • 3.0 inch LCD • 921,000 dots |
| Connectivity | • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • HDMI mini connector • AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable) |
| Connectivity | • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • HDMI mini connector • AV out (PAL / NTSC switchable) |
| Storage | SD, SDHC, SDXC |
| Power | Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL12 |
| Weight (inc batt) | 189g (6.6 oz.) approx |
| Dimensions | 103 x 58 x 32 mm |
Monday, April 2, 2012
SONY Cyber-shot Digital Camera DSC-W570 review
larger size photo, 5x optical zoom 25mm wide angle Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with optical image stabilization and Sweep Panorama mode. The W570 also supports iAuto mode and intelligent auto focusing. Now it priced at $179.99 with high cost performance.
Light, compact and beautifully styled, the new Sony Cyber-shot W570 digital camera lets everyone capture detail-packed still images and HD video. Features like Sweep Panorama expand shooting possibilities, while iAUTO takes care of adjusting settings for great results without fuss.
Sweep Panorama mode, first introduced in Sony’s breakthrough CyberShot DSC-HX1, DSC-TX1 and DSC-WX1 CMOS models, utilizes a CCD sensor to capture dramatic panoramic scenes. The Sony CyberShot W570 shoots images continuously to capture wide landscapes or tall buildings in one easy “press and sweep” motion. Images are automatically stitched together to create one stunning panoramic photo.
The built-in help guide of the Sony DSC-W570 is another way to make it easy to get the best shot. Designed to help users learn about the cameras’ features and how to use them on the spot, the “In-Camera Guide” is accessible from the menu button on the Sony W570 digital camera and allows users to easily search by purpose or keyword for functions they seek.
Not sure how to pick the perfect digital camera settings to suit a particular scene? Don’t worry, help is at hand. Intelligent Auto (iAUTO) mode automatically adjusts exposure and other camera settings for optimum results in a wide range of shooting situations.
Dramatic landscapes, architectural photos, interiors and even family scenes can produce disappointing results when a scene gets cut off at the edges. A wide angle zoom lens on your camera lets you pack more into the picture without having to stand further back from the subject.
The famous Sony Sweep Panorama feature takes the hard work out of creating fabulous panoramic shots. Now it’s easy to grab breathtaking wide-screen views of that landscape or city scene. Sweep Panorama mode shoots a high-speed burst of frames as you sweep the camera from side to side (or up and down!). Images are stitched together automatically by the camera to create one big amazing panoramic photo.
With stylish profile, delicate workmanship and good optical performance, the W570 is designed for those who like simple and elegance. Overall, W570 has the balanced performance and affordable price. 5 colors available, gold, silver, black, pink and purple.
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