Features
7-Megapixel Compacts Shoot-out
We took eleven top high-res compacts and put 'em to the test
WHICH ONE IS FOR YOU?
Just two or three years ago this comparison feature would have
been impossible because there weren't any affordable 7 megapixel
cameras (and only a couple of unaffordable ones). Today, almost
every major maker of digital cameras has one or more offerings
in this category, and they usually don't even represent the high
end of their lines. 7 megapixel has become sort of a new standard.
It used to be 3.2 megapixel, then 5 megapixel. Will it ever end?
We don't know, but the good news is that you now have your choice
of very high resolution cameras.
Why
would you want a 7 megapixel camera when a lowly 3.2 megapixel
is enough to print out perfectly good 8x10 enlargements? How often
do you run monster-sized prints? How many inkjet printers can
even do that? The answer is "not often and not many." But that
would be like saying why bother buying a new computer with the
latest processor when all you want to do is wordprocessing and
email. Time and technology move on. Everything gets better and
better, and you can get it for less to boot. Yes, the 7 megapixel
cameras in this roundup each cost roughly half as much as what
their much less powerful predecessors of circa 2003 went for.
Compare that with prices for new cars where you get a bit more
performance and luxury for a lot more money! Bottomline is that
the current sweet-spot -- the performance and technology level where
you get an awful lot for your money -- is in the 7-megapixel range.
So why not go for it?
There
are other reasons why you'd want one of these beauties. They generally
have more features and better technology than the lesser models
in a manufacturer's lineup. That can make all the difference.
A large, bright LCD can make a digital camera a pleasure to use
whereas a small, murky one can make it nearly useless. Same goes
for speed. If you have to wait forever for a camera to boot up,
switch from record to view mode, or get ready for the next picture,
the hundred dollars saved by buying a lesser camera may quickly
look like a bad idea.
As
for the 7 megapixel resolution, I can't say enough for having
that many pixels available, all the time, for every shot. It means
that you never have to worry about cropping a shot -- there are always
plenty enough pixels left even after you trim off unnecessary
background. It also means you can digitally zoom in and enlarge
an important detail without ending up with a pixilated print.
And in some cameras it even means you can use the much maligned
digital zoom to get results comparable to those from optical zooms.
Now
what can you expect from a 7 megapixel camera and which one should
you get? Here it gets tricky because 7 megapixel cameras come
in many shapes and sizes. Some are large and bulky and full of
features, others are small and light and designed to neatly fit
into your pocket. Some cater to buyers who seek special features
like, for example, a powerful optical zoom or extensive manual
control. About the only thing all the cameras in this roundup
have in common is that they all have a maximum resolution of jut
over 7 megapixel (with the exception of the Konica Minolta DiMAGE
A200 which has 8). The purpose of this feature is to show you
what's out there, describe all the products, give you all the
specs, tell you how they perform, and then rate them in all the
areas that matter in real life..
The
rating part is actually not as easy as it sounds and we've given
it much thought. Comparing a large, heavy camera with tons of
features with one that is designed to pack as much power as possible
into the smallest possible body is truly comparing apples with
oranges (or melons with strawberries as far as size goes). So
what we did is rate the cameras for three different types of users
with different kinds of priorities. We then designed a weighted
rating system specific to those different users. For example,
an advanced user probably cares about having a camera capable
of saving images in various formats and at various levels of compression,
so in the "advanced user" rating scale, the number of different
formats carries a high value. On the other hand, in the "for snapshots"
category, qualities such as small size and weight rate are important,
and so it is those specs that contribute to the camera's rating.
Finally, we weighted the ratings and presented them on a 1-10
scale. Here are the types of users and uses we identified and
rated for:
Advanced
user: This is a person who is familiar with cameras and
takes photography seriously. S/he knows all about shutter speeds,
aperture settings, lighting, white balance, metering systems,
auto focus technologies and all the numerous other factors that
can separate great pictures from mere snapshots. Such a user will
value manual control, image quality, features, image formats and
so on. Size, ease of use, gimmicks, coolness factor and even price
probably matter less.
Beginner:
This ratings profile is for those who don't know much about photography
and simply want a good camera that lets them take great pictures
without a whole lot of learning and studying. That doesn't mean
that "beginners" don't care about their pictures, so this profile
assumes not a total beginner, but someone who is interested enough
to spend good money on a 7 megapixel camera rather than got for
a $99 point & shooter from a drugstore. So priorities here are
ease of use, popular features (such as movies, voice, easy to
get batteries and storage cards, and so on.
For
snapshots: Many people want two cameras, one for "serious"
photography and one to carry around just in case they want to
take a few quick snapshots. There are also occasions where it's
simply not feasible to carry a large, bulky camera, so these "second"
cameras do need to be as powerful abd feature-laden. The emphasis
clearly lies on small size and weight, good speed and battery
life, quality and convenience.
Casio Exilim EP-Z750
The
Casio Exilim EX-Z750 is the smallest, thinnest (by a good margin),
and lightest camera in this roundup. At first sight it hardly
seems possible that such a little thing should be a full 7 megapixel
camera, and yet it is. It would also seem impossible for it to
have very many features, and yet it has enough to keep you entertained
and exploring for weeks. And you might expect a tiny little LCD
and not much battery life, and you'd again be wrong on both counts.
No other camera here has a larger screen than the Casio's gorgeous
2.5-inch LCD, and Casio somehow managed to stow away a large enough
battery to officially last for 325 pictures. Add to that stunningly
good looks, a clean overall design, masterful use of various different
metallic surface treatment and that "milled from a solid block
of metal" feel, and you have a product that will definitely attract
attention. Whip it out and everyone wants to take a look at the
little marvel. But can the tiny Casio deliver on all that promise?
It
sure tries. Where most cameras have half a dozen or so scene modes,
the Z750 has 30. Each of them has an information screen with a
sample picture and a description of the mode. Scene mode #10,
for example, is named "Natural Green." It shows a forest and describes,
"Hard sharpness and high saturation enhance green hues." If 30
is not enough, you can also register you own, including your own
shot. This wealth of scene modes, however, doesn't mean the Casio
is only a point & shoot. It actually has a full manual mode or
you can set it to Aperture or Shutter priority. There is also
voice recording and an audio snap mode.
With
so many functions, is the Z750 difficult to operate, with half
the functions deeply buried under menu layers? Not at all. Casio's
clever and intuitive menu system is nicely complemented with more
manual controls than you'd expect on a camera this small, and
especially one where most of the real estate is taken up by the
large display. There is a little bit of a learning curve with
all the little buttons, but they are logically arranged and you
quickly get the hang of it. You also need to learn how to hold
the little thing. There are no power bulges here, and no matter
how you hold it your thumb probably ends up sitting on top of
a button or control wheel, but that's no big deal either. Some
functions have been farmed out to the cradle that comes with the
camera. It acts as a charger and also as the USB conduit to a
computer. The Casio is not a speed demon, but it starts up reasonably
quickly and you rarely wait for the shutter. The flash, on the
other hand, takes a bit long to recharge. The tiny flash is also
the only part of this camera whose performance is in relation
to its size. It is barely adequate.
Image
quality is amazingly good. We detected very little purple fringing,
macro shots came out well, and most pictures you take with the
Z750 come out much better than you'd expect from something this
small. They also tend to be quite vibrant, sometimes perhaps a
bit too much so.
With
all this praise, is the Exilim EX-Z750 perfect? Not entirely.
There are some areas where Casio cut a corner or two. For example,
while the LCD is very large and nicely viewable outdoors, its
115k pixel resolution is pretty marginal and the display doesn't
have very wide viewing angles. The optical viewfinder is tiny
and has, of course, no diopter adjustment. And we already mentioned
the flash. Overall,
the Exilim EX-Z750 is a winner.
Cool:
Almost impossibly thin and light
Tons of features
Very good image quality
Not
so cool:
Large LCD display is too low-res
Weak flash even for a camera this small
Only average speed
Rating
for:
advanced users-8.8
beginners-9.9
snapshots-10.0
Canon PowerShot S70
Canon
perhaps more that any other company took full advantage of the
wholesale move from film to digital cameras by consistently offering
a large selection of state-of-the-art products. You can't go wrong
by picking a Canon, and that certainly applies to the 7.1 megapixel
PowerShot S70 -- with some exceptions.
At
first sight you might not be overly impressed with the S70. In
this field it is middle-of-the-road in terms of size and weight -- not
big and bulky but definitely too large and heavy to slip into
a pocket. Despite its classy looking dark gray finish the S70
is more workmanlike than beautiful. It looks and feels like a
tool for a job -- purposeful and very well made. Quality will never
be an issue with this camera.
The
camera's feature set seems remarkably in tune with its appearance:
it is more utilitarian and functional than flashy and spectacular.
The 28-100 mm zoom, for example, is a bit wider than usual, and
the 3.6X magnification offers more flexibility than the common
3X opticals. Canon also gave the S70 a very powerful Li-Ion battery
rated at a full 550 images (which heats up the metal body quite
a bit). The popular Compact Flash card format appeals to people
who have plenty of them lying around. And the camera feels so
solid and trust-inspiring that you never feel like you need to
baby it. So there is much to like.
On
the other hand, the S70 also has its share of fairly ordinary
features that may limit its appeal to some potential customers.
In a camera this size, a tiny 1.8-inch LCD is simply not enough,
even if it is nicely readable outdoors. Those who like to shoot
movie clips will be disappointed at the very brief 30 second maximum
length in the 640 x 480 format, and even more so at the very slow
10 frames per second speed in VGA resolution. The S70 also isn't
terribly fast on start-up or cycle time between pictures. And
the extensive menus are in very small print and a bit confusing.
When the camera tries to be fancy, as in the manual focus that
magnifies a small part of the picture so you can focus, it doesn't
do too well (you can't see if something is in focus on a small
part of a small screen). Flashiness is just not its game.
If
you're starting to think we didn't like the S70 very much you'd
be wrong. True, this is not a thrilling, exciting camera, but
not everyone needs or wants flashy whistles and bells. The S70
is a tool for the job and that job is taking pictures, and the
compact Canon does this very well. Thanks to its large battery
and no-nonsense approach you can shoot away day-in, day-out, anywhere.
And like any good tool, the S70 helps you do your job. If you
shoot raw, you can get a JPEG preview images saved at the same
time. There is full manual control, of course, and the shutter
and aperture priority settings have a "Safety Shift" feature so
the camera can override inappropriate settings. There is noise
reduction for long exposure pics, auto exposure bracketing, a
playback histogram that shows overexposure. The S70 is a good
companion.
The
software in the S70 box consists of ArcSoft's very good PhotoStudio
and VideoImpression. There are different versions for PC and Macintosh,
and both work very well.
After
all is said and done, the PowerShot S70 is a camera that provides
you with all the tools to shoot good pictures, but it also expects
you to know what you're doing, else you might be a bit disappointed
in the picture quality and the significant purple fringing that
we didn't expect in a camera of this caliber. The excellent wide-angle
lens will be appreciated by many, but advanced users -- who this
camera is really made for -- may be disappointed by some unexpected
weaknesses in macro mode, focusing speed, and even the feature
set. Overall,
the S70 is not among our favorite Canons.
Cool:
Quality design and execution
Some advanced features
Good software suite
Not
so cool:
Small LCD, limited movie mode
Busy controls and menus
Excessive purple fringing
Rating
for:
advanced users-7.0
beginners-8.0
snapshots-8.0
Canon PowerShot G6
The
Canon PowerShot is a large, heavy prosumer class camera with a
storied history and superb reputation. Weighing almost a pound
and sporting a SLR-size power bulge, the G6 will never be mistaken
for anything that even remotely fits into a pocket. This is a
serious camera for people who are serious about photography. Everything
about the G6 is designed to be of maximum possible usefulness
for the job at hand. The large matte silver body feels a bit plasticky,
but it is certainly designed to comfortably fit into even the
largest hand. The Li-Ion battery is massive, almost camcorder
style. In addition to the LCD, there is a large SLR-style information
display on top of the camera. Those used to be common in digital
cameras but have almost disappeared, much to the chagrin of serious
photographers who want to see settings at all times. The 4X optical
zoom covers the 35-140 millimeter equivalent. The lens is very
high quality and very fast (f/2.0), the fastest, in fact, in this
entire lineup. The anti-reflective LCD measures 2 inches diagonally -- large
enough for a digital camera but we'd like it even larger in a
camera this size. The LCD is of the flip/rotate variety, which
adds a lot of flexibility to picture taking. The anti-reflective
coating makes the otherwise marginal LCD fairly viewable outdoors,
but in case you need to use the optical viewfinder, it is one
of the most pleasant to use thanks to good diopter adjustment
and a round lens sitting in front of it that makes it bright and
easy to find. Though the camera has a powerful internal flash,
it also has a standard shoe (and a metal tripod thread).
In
the buzzword department, Canon's DIGIC image processor crunches
through pictures faster, improves autofocus, and reduces noise.
Something called iSAPS uses a large internal image database to
recognize scenery and apply the best possible exposure and white
balance. A 9-point autofocus allows you to keep off-center subjects
perfectly sharp. There is also a way to manually move a small
rectangle around the display. That is what the camera will focus
on. And, as you'd expect from a camera of this caliber, there
is ample opportunity to exert manual control for those who like
to do it the old fashioned way.
All
of this requires a good number of dials, levers, wheels and buttons,
as well as extensive menus. No matter what surface of the G6 you
peruse, it'll be littered with controls. Despite cryptic icons,
most are fairly self-explanatory, but it definitely pays to spend
some quality time with the user manuals. I use the plural because
Canon provides several, the 207-page User Guide, the 102-page
Software Starter Guide, and the 35-page Direct Print User Guide.
And that's in addition to a very extensive Quick Start Guide.
So prepare to hit the books! We like the software: ArcSoft PhotoStudio
and VideoImpressions plus a Solution Disk with ImageBrowser, PhotoStitch,
PhotoRecord, etc.
Comparing
the G6 with the more compact PowerShot S70, both share inherent
goodness and Canon technology. Both are workmanlike rather than
flashy. The G6 is much larger and has many more controls to get
the most out of the camera. Unfortunately, the two share a weak
movie with a 30 second limitation and a slow 10 fps speed in its
highest (640 x 480) resolution. This may not matter to the G6's
target audience, but it is a weakness nevertheless.
What
you get with the Canon PowerShot G6 is a large, conventional camera
that provides all the tools to take the best pictures possible.
However, this camera does best with knowledgeable use of its manual
controls. In automatic mode, macro shots can be sub-optimal and
other shots grainy. So hit those manuals.
Cool:
Excellent image quality when used right
Extensive manual controls
LCD status display in addition to swivel LCD
Not
so cool:
Large, aging overall design
Weak movie mode
Fairly steep learning curve
Rating
for:
advanced users-8.6
beginners-8.3
snapshots-7.8
Minolta DiMAGE A200
The
Konica Minolta DiMAGE A200 represents the high-end in this group.
It stands out both in size and weight as well as in features,
power, performance, and image quality. It is also the only camera
in the lineup that exceeds the 7 megapixel range. With the A200
you get a full 8.0 megapixel from a 2/3-inch interlaced primary
color CCD. We included the A200 because Konica Minolta doesn't
have a 7 megapixel camera but its 5 megapixel Z5 is so good that
we really wanted to have a camera from this highly regarded maker,
and also because despite its power and features, the A20 is surprisingly
affordable and fits into this price category.
What
you get with the A200 is any budget-minded photography enthusiast's
dream. 8-megapixel. A massive 7X optical zoom. A LCD that folds
out and twists so that you can easily hold the camera overhead,
shoot from the hip, or take the ever-popular self-portraits. The
A200 is also full of features and technology. One example is Konica
Minolta's Anti-Shake system that detects movement and shifts the
CCD accordingly. The result is sharper zoom and low-light pictures.
That comes in handy when you tackle difficult shooting conditions
without tripod (needless to say, the A200 has a metal tripod mount).
Advanced photographers will appreciate that. They will also appreciate
the fact that the 7X zoom lens is manually operated, just like
in a SLR camera. And it's even clearly marked in 35 millimeter
equivalent terms, from 28 to 200. Like other Konica Minolta offerings,
the A200 is a "Single Lens View" camera, meaning that it addition
to the LCD it has an electronic instead of an optical viewfinder.
Advantages are that you see what the camera sees, plus you have
access to all the same menu functions onscreen, and there is even
an excellent diopter adjustment. Disadvantages are that even at
a rather good 235k resolution, the picture looks a bit course.
The LCD also has good resolution, though it is too small for our
taste -- only 1.8 inches diagonal. However, it uses transflective
screen technology so it remains perfectly visible outdoors. Konica
Minolta also spoils A200 users with plenty of other features.
it's the only camera in this lineup that can take full SVGA 800x600
movies. That slows the frame rate to 15 fps as opposed to the
30 fps you get with the lower res modes, but it is still a big
plus. There is an innovative "Flex Digital Multiplier" that lets
you enlarge any part of a screen image to see if you're really
in focus. For those who like the RAW format but not the extra
processing required for every shot, you can save in RAW and JPEG
at the same time. And if the powerful (manual) pop-up flash isn't
strong enough, there is a flash shoe that can accommodate Maxxum/Program
flashes and also an adapter for standard external flashes. The
A200 has complete manual control, but you can also pick from a
number of scenes, color modes, digital effects and bracketing.
You even get a remote control usable for both shooting and playback.
On the software side you get the DiMAGE Image Viewer for Mac and
PC, and also Ulead VideoStudio 8 SE (PC only).
A
camera with this much power and functionality cannot be small,
and the A200 isn't. It weighs over a pound, and with its big lens
and full-size body it won't fit into any pocket. This is a camera
that you take with you when you want to shoot some serious pictures.
Operating the A200 isn't entirely simple. While Konica Minolta
has done an excellent job making things as self-explanatory as
possible, and while ergonomics, for the most part, are quite good,
prepare to spend some time learning the operation of this camera
and everything it has to offer. All in all, features galore in
a large, powerful package with uniformly excellent picture quality.
Cool:
Tons of features, giant zoom
Excellent quality, both camera and images
Powerful professional-style features
Not
so cool:
Big and heavy
Small LCD
Mediocre battery life and macro mode
Rating
for:
advanced users-10.0
beginners-9.4
snapshots-8.6
Nikon Coolpix 7900
Once
upon a time Nikon was primarily known for its high quality film
SLR cameras. When digital came along, Nikon was among the first
to jump on the bandwagon with its Coolpix cameras. Initially those
were high end models, but then Nikon decided to offer less expensive
consumer cameras as well, and these days they cover the entire
spectrum though the trend seems to be more upmarket again. Oh,
and if you're a digital camera expert and are puzzled by Nikon's
frequent changes in design and direction, you're not the only
one. We used to loudly lament
the passing of a particularly interesting Nikon digicam or style.
we're used to it now and simply look forward to what interesting
things they'll do next.
As
for the 7900, former low end Nikons had low numbers in their names,
so I expected the Coolpix 7900 to be a big camera. It even looks
big in pictures. That, however, is deceptive. The Coolpix 7900
is the second-smallest and second-lightest camera in this entire
lineup. It measures just 3.5 x 2.4 x 1.4 inches and weighs 5.3
ounces, which makes it about as pocketable as it gets in the 7
megapixel category. Fans of tiny ultraslim cameras should note,
however, that the Coolpix 7900 doesn't quite fall into that category.
For that it is too thick, and when you power it up the zoom lens
motors out another three quarters of an inch. What this camera
is is really a shrunken version of a more conventional larger
camera. It has a "power bulge" on the right size, which makes
it easy to hold despite its small size.
What
do you get with the Coolpix 7900? That would be a small, handsome
7.1 megapixel camera, beautifully designed and finished in a black
and silver aluminum housing.
There
is nothing revolutionary, or even out of the ordinary, but that's
not necessarily a bad thing. The 7900 has a 3X optical Zoom Nikkor
lens, a large 2-inch LCD that is perfectly visible outdoors, a
fairly large battery good for hundreds of pictures, a decent flash,
640 x 480 movies at a full 30 frames per second, and some of those
cool features camera manufacturers come up with to get an edge.
One such feature is Nikon's "Face-Priority" autofocus which will
automatically detect the face in a portrait and focus on it. Then
there's "D-Lighting" that lightens areas that are too dark during
playback. There's also in-camera redeye fix that can eliminate
most instances of that dreaded syndrome before the pictures are
even uploaded into your PC. When taking movies, there is a vibration
reduction feature. All very useful.
In
terms of operation, the 7900 is somewhere in between a simple
point & shoot and a more advanced camera. It doesn't have full
manual control or even shutter/aperture priority modes. Instead,
there are scene modes for just about any situation, even underwater,
and there are plenty of settings to tweak and play with. The menus
are clear (you can even set them to display as text or mainly
as icons) as are all the controls. The mode dial is a bit busy,
but other than that, it shouldn't take long to be up and running
with this camera. On the software side you get Nikon PictureProject,
a simple, intuitive application to organize, edit and design on
both Windows and the Mac.
The
Coolpix 7900's picture quality is far above what you'd expect
from such a small camera. In fact, it was among the top three
in this lineup of excellent, powerful cameras.
Bottomline
for the Nikon Coolpix 7900: a very small and handy little camera
that is both powerful and easy to use. Consider it a de-luxe point
& shooter and, given its pedigree and features, a bargain at just
$399. If you can live with the lack of full manual control, this
is a perfect beginner's camera. It is also a near perfect second
camera to take along for snapshots on trips or to events.
Cool:
Small and handy
Excellent picture quality
Simple to use, but has many features
Not
so cool:
Very little manual control
Busy mode dial
Rating
for:
advanced users-8.6
beginners-10.0
snapshots-9.8
Olympus C-7000 Zoom
Olympus,
despite its excellent overall record in the digital camera field,
has been known to suffer from a hit-or-miss syndrome in the styling
and design department. we're happy to report that the C-7000 Zoom
sits squarely in the "hit" category as far a looks and implementation
go. This is an exceptionally attractive and well designed camera
that also feels like it's been crafted from a solid block of some
precious high-tech metal (it's actually aluminum). It also has
superior ergonomics, with some lines and curves crafted so cleverly
that you'd swear Olympus has secretly taken a gypsum mold of your
hand and designed the thing just for you. Most interestingly,
they did all this while maintaining a family resemblance going
back to the very first Olympus digital cameras. it's like looking
at a BMW automobile -- the latest model is infinitely more advanced,
but it shares styling elements with automotive DNA with its distant
predecessors. To me, that is the mark of a confident manufacturer
with a superior handle on its products (most of the time, anyway).
In
this field of 7 megapixel cameras, the C-7000 is on the compact
side of the spectrum and you might even be able to squeeze it
into a pocket, though it'll be a tight fit that's neither to the
benefit of you or the camera. Why does Olympus add the "Zoom"
descriptive to the C-7000's name? Because it's a 5X optical going
from 39 to 190 mm, and not just the garden variety 3X. Multiply
that with a perfectly workable 6X digital zoom, and you can stretch
magnification to a gratifying 30X. The news is also good on the
LCD front. The C-7000's has a 2-inch "semi-transmissive" display
that excels outdoors. It is not only a good deal more readable
outdoors than most, but also has very wide viewing angles.
The
tiny pop-up flash is fairly powerful, but requires manual activation.
This means you can miss shots when you need the flash, but haven't
popped it up. Not a good solution. There are other little problems.
While having the zoom ring around the shutter is a fairly common
solution I don't like it because it means you first zoom, and
then put your finger on the shutter. I like to have my finger
on the shutter while I zoom. And while the large mode dial is
clearly marked and devoid of the clutter of tiny icons so often
found on digicams, some of the other buttons do rely on tiny icons
and color coding. The otherwise impeccable body is marred by a
plastic tripod mount, and Olympus uses the xD-Picture card -- a nice
enough format, but one that means buying new cards and new adapters
for most. And though I use an Olympus as my daily driver, I've
never been particularly fond of Olympus' menu systems that rely
on a mix of text and icons and also use the "OK" button sometimes
to select a setting, sometimes to escape out of a menu. On the
plus side, the menus are large and very legible.
In
the buzzword and features department, Olympus is relatively modest.
We have the TruePic TURBO image processor for fast operation and
good detail. The C-7000 is quick and takes very good pictures,
so the TURBO works. There's also a red eye removal feature so
you don't have to do that dirty work on the PC, handy direct printing
to PictBridge-compatible printers, and 12 shooting modes (including
manual control) that are not always obvious to access. The movie
mode records at full 30 fps, but you can only do 20 second clips.
Despite the fairly user-friendly nature of the C-7000, a quick
stroll through the manual is definitely recommended, and that
requires perusing a pdf file on the documentation CD. The printed
manual only contains the very basics in six languages. it's a
big world out there, but English is a fairly common language,
so can't we just have English manuals? In the software department
you get Olympus Master, the successor to Olympus Camedia. it's
an odd mix of very basic file management and rather complex RAW
processing. It is not an optimal solution and we wish Olympus
would revamp its software offerings.
In
the end, the C-7000 is an attractive compact camera with a good
deal of power. We were a bit disappointed in the quality of macro
shots, but it did everything else well. Like most Olympus cameras
it has its little quirks, and like with most Olympus cameras,
you need to work its simple and yet at times confusing user interface
to get to all the features of this very appealing product.
Cool:
Great looks and design quality feel
Excellent 5X optical zoom
Superb ergonomics
Not
so cool:
Confusing menus and controls
Only 20-second movie clips
marginal software and manuals
Rating
for:
advanced users-8.5
beginners-8.7
snapshots-9.1
Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom
The
first thing you think when you see the Olympus Wide Zoom C-7070
is, "Man, that's a big camera." And it is. we're talking almost
a pound of big, solid black camera body. that's roughly twice
the size and weight of the Olympus C-7000 Zoom. Both are 7-megapixel
cameras, both have large optical zooms, but the C-7070 definitely
looks like it belongs into an entirely different class of cameras,
one that offers more. And the C-7070 does offer more.
There
is, for example, one of those ever-useful flip-up-and-twist LCDs
that lets you take pictures while holding the camera up high,
down low, or even sideways. One disadvantage of the flip-up LCDs
is that they tend to be a bit smaller. The one in the C-7070 measures
just 1.8 inches diagonally. It partially makes up for that with
a semi-transmissive design and wide viewing angles that provide
good visibility even outdoors. The LCD is supplemented by a good
optical real image viewfinder with diopter adjustment. There is
also a secondary status LCD sitting on top of the camera. There
is a built-in flash and also a flash hot shoe. The tripod mount
at the bottom is metal. The Li-Ion battery is massive and the
most powerful in the entire lineup. Open the storage card cover
on the right side and you'll find two slots, one for xD-Cards
and one for the more popular CF Cards. Quite obviously, Olympus
has thought about everything, and you get an awful lot for your
money when you buy this camera. Especially since, despite its
many features, it costs no more than the C-7000 Zoom, and you
might even find it for less. This makes the C-7070 Wide Zoom a
bargain for anyone in the market for a large, powerful camera.
The C-7070 , though, will never slip into a pocket and it'll never
go unnoticed. Carry it around and you know you have a camera with
you, and everyone around you will notice as well.
The
C-7070 is called "Wide Zoom" because its 4X optical covers the
27-110 millimeter range. The Konica Minolta A200 also goes down
to 28 mm (and has a 7X optical that goes all the way up to 200
mm), but the big Konica can't match the C-7070's on the other
end of the spectrum -- macro mode -- where you can get as close as an
inch. This Super Macro definitely adds utility to the big Olympus.
The
camera also has some tricks, like a "predictive" autofocus that
keeps objects moving towards you in focus, and a target function
that lets you focus on any part of the picture. The movie mode
allows 30 frame per second 640 x 480 pixel recording with sound
until the card is full. Print manuals (full manual is on CD) and
software are marginal, but anyone interested in such a full-function
camera will likely use advanced imaging software anyway.
As
far as operation goes, the C-7070 is ergonomically designed and
perfectly fits into the palm of your hand. Controls are where
you expect them. I don't like the way Olympus combines zoom control
and shutter, but it's actually one of the best implementations
of that design solution. The rest of the controls and menus are
all Olympus-style, which means buttons spread out all over the
place and marked with a combination of words, letters, icons and
colors. That tradition of mixing metaphors and styles carries
over to the menu system which you'll either love or hate. Those
familiar with Olympus digicams will feel right at home. Anyone
else will have to get used to it, and also every one of the many
controls. Once you do, there is little the C-7070 can't do. It
offers superb manual control over all aspects of the camera, but
you can also use it as a point & shooter. The C-7070 produced
good to very good image quality, but suffered from purple fringing.
Cool:
Great wide-angle zoom, great super macro
Lots of features and full manual control
Excellent ergonomics
Not
so cool:
Smallish LCD
Large and heavy
Marginal audio capabilities
Rating
for:
advanced users-8.9
beginners-8.3
snapshots-8.0
Samsung Digimax V700
To
many it may come as a surprise to find a Samsung in this lineup
of powerful 7 megapixel cameras. that's because despite of an
impressive lineup of digital cameras and and even more impressive
product catalog of cellphones with built-in digital cameras, Samsung
is not exactly a household name as a camera company. The Korean
giant is on a steep upward trend, and so we'll probably see more
and more of it. After all, Hyundai didn't make much of an impression
with its first cars, and look where they are now with their excellent,
yet affordable automobiles.
As
for now, the Samsung Digimax V700 doesn't quite look like it belongs
in this lineup. it's a smallish device with a silvery metal body
and a rounded soap-bar design that's pleasant enough but also
looks non-descript and unexceptional. If you tell people you picked
it up for $39.95 at a local drugstore, no one would disbelieve
you. Quite obviously, Samsung still has a thing or two to learn
about bringing design into sync with perceived quality and status
of a camera.
Take
a closer look, though, and you see that those first impressions
are wrong. There's much more to the V700 than meets the eye. The
lens is a Schneider-Kreuznach multi-coated affair, which means
the technology used to develop it comes from the Jos. Schneider
Optische Werke GmbH in Germany, superb optical specialists with
a history going back to before the First World War. And all the
features you'd expect in this class are there, and then some.
In
terms of basics, there's the excellent lens, with its 3X optical
zoom complemented by a 10X digital magnification that, thanks
to anti-shake technology, actually produces perfectly usable 30X
pictures. The display is large (2 inches) and bright, and it remains
somewhat readable outdoors. There is a 640 x 480 MPEG-4 movie
mode that records, with sound, at a full 30 frames per second
pace until the SD card is full. Should you so desire, you can
record voice memos up to a full hour. None of the others can do
that.
While
the V700 certainly looks like a simple point & shoot, it can do
much more than that. There is full manual control as well as shutter
and aperture priority. There are all the usual adjustments, and
the important ones -- such as exposure compensation -- can be manipulated
either through menu or external controls. Very clever but also
a bit confusing at times. For example, an Olympus-style lever
ring around the shutter is actually used to control aperture and
shutter speed settings, and not the zoom. The menu interface is
very well designed and never gets confusing. Most of the major
digital camera manufacturers could learn a thing from Samsung.
The V700's simple operation is complemented by an excellent 135
page manual. With a camera as straight-forward as this one, you
almost don't need it. With the exception of excessive purple fringing,
picture quality was very good, much better than expected.
All
of this makes the Samsung Digimax V700 a pleasant camera to take
along just about anywhere. it's small and light and you can stick
it in any pocket. it's well made and looks like it can take a
beating. If you want to keep it all new and shiny, put it in its
attractive protective mesh case. The software is entertaining
(it even has OCR), but Windows only.
When
you turn on the camera via a recessed button, it springs to life
instantly, but taking this snappy startup as a promise of overall
speed leads to disappointment. There is significant shutter lag
here, the kind you don't except today. it's not a deal breaker,
but it is one of the less pleasant aspects of the V700.
In
summary, the Samsung Digimax V700 is a camera that's much more
powerful and competent than it looks. It also works well in almost
all other respects and you can probably get it for almost a hundred
dollars less than most of the others. The only problem is that
it looks like it should be two hundred dollars less. we're sure
Samsung is working on that.
Cool:
Easy to use, with great controls and menus
Very good image quality
Low price
Not
so cool:
Bargain basement looks
Significant shutter lag
From Samsung we'd expect a better LCD
Rating
for:
advanced users-7.7
beginners-8.7
snapshots-8.8
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V3
There
was a time when the thought of a Sony digital camera brought up
visions of the Mavica, the big square boxes that used floppy disks
for storage. Then came a time when Sony introduced ever smaller
little techno-marvels that fit into a shirt pocket. The Sony Cyber-shot
DSC-V3 is reminiscent more of the former than the latter. This
is a large, conventional looking camera with a fairly subdued
black metal body. The big Sony was one of the first 7 megapixel
"prosumer" cameras and has been around for over a year. In this
fast moving field, is it still up to date and a viable option?
This camera cost $700 when it first came out, and street prices
are still all over the place, but if you're intrigued with the
V3, you can find a good price that's in line with the rest of
the cameras here.
When
you look at the V3, you immediately notice two things. One is
a huge 2.5-inch LCD, the kind that we'd expect in a camera this
size. it's a fixed design and doesn't swivel or pop out like the
screens of two other large cameras, the Canon G6 or the Olympus
C-7070, but its size and clarity are definitely a plus. The other
thing is really just a peculiarity: when you look at the V3 from
the front it seems like it's missing a lens. There's this big
hefty metal thread-mount ring for optional wide and tele conversion
lenses, but the actual lens is much smaller and hidden behind
an automatic lens cover when the camera is off. it's a good lens,
actually -- a 4X optical 34-136 millimeter Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar.
Still, somehow that little lens inside that big ring just didn't
look right, and I also constantly bumped into it with my fingers
when I held the camera. Small detail, but sometimes it is small
details that matter.
Like
most Sony products, the V3 is very thoughtfully designed and finished.
All the controls and buttons are just perfect, and they are all
clearly marked. A printed 150-page manual helps answer any question
about operation. In contrast to the often intricate and confusing
menu systems of some of the competition, Sony's is simple to the
max. No matter what mode dial function you're in, hitting the
menu button always brings up a menu bar at the bottom of the large
screen. Each menu item then has a vertical pop-up from which you
can select the desired setting. Everything is clear and simple.
All text is plenty large enough to be easily readable. This is
the way it should be.
Sony
always does things Sony-style, so you'd expect the V3 to be somewhat
proprietary. that's why it was a pleasant surprise to find a Compact
Flash slot sitting next to the Memory Stick slot. And you can
use any old flash on the advanced accessory shoe located on top
of the tiny (and very weak) flip-open flash that opens automatically.
I much prefer that over flashes that need to be opened manually.
As
far as features go, the V3 is well equipped. It offers complete
manual control in addition to preset scenes. It supports RAW mode
and MPEG movies, yet you can also use it just to point & shoot.
Thanks to its Nightframing/Nightshot feature, you can focus in
the dark or even take (eerie greenish) pics without the flash.
And a special "smart zoom" lets you use digital zoom with almost
optical zoom quality. That only works in the lower resolutions
because the camera uses the unused pixels to do this trick. In
daily operation, the V3 is the opposite of the Samsung V700 that
starts up blindingly fast, but then takes forever to go from picture
to picture. The Sony takes quite some time to start up, but once
it's going, it is blindingly fast.
Image
quality was only average in our tests and there was too much purple
fringing. Still, overall Sony quality and lots of features continue
to make the Cyber-shot V3 a good choice for those in the market
for a full-size camera.
Cool:
Large, bright 2.5-inch LCD
Easy to use, with very clear menu system
Speedy operation
Not
so cool:
Weak internal flash
Massive lens mount ring gets in the way
F
Rating
for:
advanced users-8.1
beginners-8.2
snapshots-7.9
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7
The
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W7 is a small, compact camera that packs a
powerful punch in a boxy, high-tech, metallic body that weighs
just south of seven ounces. "Small" is relative, though. This
is not a tiny sliver of a camera such as the Casio Exilim EX-Z750.
This Sony has heft to it, its lens motors out an inch when you
turn the camera on with the push of a button, and while it fits
into a pocket, you'll definitely feel that it's there. In fact,
the W7 gives you the impression that it is bigger than a small
camera should be. Its size and weight make the massive 2.5-inch
TFT seem not as large as we remember it from earlier super-compact
Sonys like the T1. The screen also doesn't seem to have the crispness
and sharpness of some of its predecessors. Maybe that's because
it has slightly fewer pixels than they had, 115k versus 123k,
which is also fewer than the Sony P200's smaller 2-inch display.
The
lens is a standard 3X optical 28-114mm affair, but one of Carl
Zeiss Vario-Tessar quality. Yet, here, too, there is slight disappointment.
After the "folded" zoom of the old DSC-T1, you don't want to go
back to a zoom lens that motors out of a small camera body. it's
just not as elegant. And with the W7's size, couldn't Sony have
made it internal...
Once
you get past these reservations, the W7 is a very nice camera.
The large screen makes selecting and framing pictures easy. There
are other convenience features in this camera. For example, most
Sony products use the Memory Stick which comes in several formats
and is generally more expensive and harder to find than cards
in the more common storage formats. For those times when a Memory
Stick card is full and you don't have another one handy, Sony
gave the W7 a full 32MB of internal storage. that's still not
a lot in a 7 megapixel camera, but it is about three times what
most cameras with internal storage have.
Another
area where the W7 provides flexibility is in its power pack. While
all other cameras in this lineup come with proprietary Li-Ion
batteries that are expensive to replace, the W7 comes with a couple
of simple rechargeable AA NiMH cells. It can also run on standard
alkalines (not very long, though). This means that the chance
that you'll find yourself stranded without power are much lower
with this camera.
In
daily use, the W7 is a pleasant companion. Its combination of
fairly small size, very large display, simple controls, very fast
startup and quick recycle time strike a balance that comes in
handy for snapshots and such, and snapshots is what this camera
is primarily about. Primarily, but not exclusively. There is a
manual mode that provides separate control over shutter speed
and aperture and even gives an approximation of what the picture
will look like by making the LCD go brighter and darker. I wouldn't
call it a full manual mode, but it can come in handy.
With
other features it's often hit and miss. There's a good movie mode,
but in order to use the 640 x 480 mode you must use a Memory Stick
PRO instead of whatever old Memory Sticks you have lying around.
Movies have good sound, but there is no sound annotation for images.
The autofocus illuminator light, on the other hand, is very strong
and that can help in iffy lighting conditions.
In
this field, image quality was only average and pictures often
had too much contrast, but the camera impressed with an almost
total absence of purple fringing. With Sony offering so many models
with similar capabilities, the W7 is for those who value flexibility
and choices most.
Cool:
Large outdoor-readable LCD
32MB of internal memory -- most in group
Can use standard AA batteries
Not
so cool:
Relatively large and heavy for a compact
Only average image quality
Tiny optical viewfinder
Rating
for:
advanced users-7.2
beginners-9.0
snapshots-9.2
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P200
The
Cyber-shot P200, the third 7 megapixel Sony in this lineup, is
barely larger than a flip-phone. It measures approximately 4 x
2 x 1 inches and weighs just five ounces -- making it the second-lightest
here, after the Casio Exilim EX-Z750. Yet, despite its small size,
this is a powerful 7.2 megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar
3X zoom lens, a bright 2-inch outdoor-viewable LCD screen, and
a wealth of all those Sony micro details we've come to know and
love.
In
terms of design, the P200 is very different from the boxy DSC-W7
and, of course, the much bigger DSC-V3. It is playfully styled,
with one side square and the other swooping around three bright
concentric circles in the midst of which sits the P200's zoom
lens. In fact, almost everything on this camera is lusciously
rounded and curved -- buttons, lines, inserts, even the tiny little
flash window, and a long concave molding around the left side
of the camera which is probably there so that you can more easily
hold the P200 with the index finger and thumb of your left hand.
Just
as was the case with the many different CLIƒ PDAs Sony offered
in, and then withdrew from, the US market, it is not entirely
clear why Sony needs so many different lines of very similar digital
cameras. As is, you could say that the Cyber-shot P200 is for
people who like very small cameras and also prefer style and elegance
over angular shapes, but is that enough to justify yet another
line? Only sales figures can tell, and Sony apparently sells enough
P-Series cameras to make it worth their while.
Regardless
of model line politics, the P200 is certainly a perfect match
for many customers' expectations -- a nice, small high-resolution
camera with a quality 3X optical zoom lens and a large-enough
2.0-inch LCD. You also get 30 frames-per-second 640 x 480 movies
with sound (though that requires a Memory Stick PRO storage card).
As long as Sony made the camera this small and slender, we would
have liked an internal, foldable zoom like the T-Series has instead
of one that moves out an inch when you power up the camera.
In
daily use, the P200 does almost everything well. It is small enough
to fit into any pocket. The optical zoom can be multiplied by
either a standard 2X digital zoom or Sony's "Smart Zoom" that
employs unused pixels to enlarge an image taken in one of the
camera's lower resolution modes. A small optical viewfinder helps
when the LCD washes out too much outdoors. The controls are easy
to figure out although I'd suggest a pass through the 100-page
manual. You'll learn all the tricks the P200 can do, plus gain
insight into some of the less obvious stuff.
While
many P200 customers may never venture beyond the automatic point
& shoot mode, the camera also has a P(rogram) mode where it controls
aperture and speed and leaves the rest to you. There is also a
M(anual) mode where you control everything. Items such as macro,
flash, or resolution are easily changed by pushing one of the
four directional controls, which is a good thing as the P200's
onscreen menus are neither always obvious nor always easily visible.
Overall,
the P200 is pleasant enough. It doesn't get in the way, has long
battery life, and takes good, but not great, pictures with almost
no purple fringing. The display offers plenty of information,
including a live histogram. Controls, icons and text are a bit
small, and the P200 is only average in autofocus and recycling
speed, but it's quick enough. All of this makes the Cyber-shot
P200 a good choice for those who want a small and very reasonably
priced high-res camera with the Sony name and cachet.
Cool:
Small and handy
Long-lasting battery
A lot of camera for the money
Not
so cool:
Only average autofocus and recycling speed
Not many features compared to competition
Tiny mode wheel and zoom control
Rating
for:
advanced users-7.3
beginners-8.9
snapshots-8.8
7
Megapixel WINNERS
For
advanced users:
Konica Minolta A200
Sure, the 8 megapixel camera won in this field of 7 megapixel
cameras, but it also would have won with just 7 megapixel.
The Konica Minolta A20 simply offers more than anyone else
in this class. It has a terrific 7X manually controlled optical
zoom that gets you close to the action, it's the only camera
with a 800x600 movie mode, one of only two with ISO 800, and
it has all the manual controls you want. The macro mode isn't
great and the rotating LCD is too small, but other than that
this camera has it all.
|
For
beginners:
Nikon Coolpix 7900
If you're new to digital cameras but want something that lets
you take great pictures without first taking a college course
in photography, the Nikon Coolpix 7900 is for you. The little
Nikon is much smaller than it looks in the picture and you
can take it anywhere. It doesn't have full manual controls,
but there are plenty of scene settings for just about any
situation. The 7900 also takes great movies. This is a nice
camera to get started with because it is simple to use but
also has enough features to let you experiment and learn. |
For
taking snapshots:
Casio Exilim EX-P750
If
you need a second camera to take along on trips or just about
anywhere, the Casio EX-P750 is hard to beat. It is the smallest
and lightest of all the cameras in this lineup, yet it has
the largest screen and its picture quality is right up there
with the best. And while you can point & shoot all day with
this little marvel, the Casio also has more useful (and entertaining)
features than most. The only minor black mark is a wimpy flash
that isn't always up to the task. So what? Get closer. |
-HHC staff
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