Fujifilm FinePix HS10 Review
Billed as the ultimate all in one photographic solution, the Fujifilm FinePix HS10 packs virtually everything you can think of in one very DSLR-looking camera body. While a good portion of attention is focused on the HS10’s 30x zoom lens (that’s 24-720mm for those keeping count), the HS10 also offers a 3″ tilt screen LCD, shoots RAW, captures stills at 10 fps, shoots 1080p HD video, and for fun even shoots lower res video at 1000 fps. Photographer’s wonder cam or camera overload? Perhaps a bit of both, but the HS10 is a very compelling option for photographers looking for the convenience of covering all the bases, with just one camera.

Key Specifications

• Sensor: 1/2.3 ” BSI-CMOS, 10.3 million effective pixels
• Lens: 30x optical zoom, 24-720mm (35mm equiv.), f/ 2.8- F5.6.
• ISO: 100-6400.
• Continuous Shooting: 10 fps for 7 frames.
• LCD: 3″ 230K dot.
• Shooting Modes: Auto, SR, Adv, SP1, SP2, PANORAMA, Custom, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual
• Scene Modes: Portrait, Portrait Enhancer, Landscape, Sport, Night, Night (Tripod), Fireworks, Sunset, Snow, Beach, Flower, Text, Natural Light, Natural Light & Flash
• Video: 1920 x 1080 pixels, 1280 x 720 pixels, 640 x 480 pixels, 320 x 240 pixels, 30 frames/sec., Stereo sound
• Dimensions: 5.1 x 3.6 x 5.0 in. (131 x 91 x 126 mm).
• Weight: 25.0 oz (709 g) includes batteries.

Exterior and Interface

While Fujifilm’s marketing will emphasize the HS10’s compact-ness, it is decidedly not compact, easily being the size of a small DSLR camera, which it indeed greatly resembles. Relative to a DSLR with a 720mm lens attached, the HS10 suddenly does seem a good deal more compact, but even for a super-zoom type camera the HS10 is a big bulbous beast of a camera.

Build quality is quite good, a textured plastic shell will likely be pretty resistant to abuse over time, and overall fit and finish is pretty satisfying. Ergonomically the HS10 also scores well. It offers a substantial grip, covered in large swath of rubber grip material, together with a  thumb recess on the rear, the HS10 feels secure and comfortable. Oriented to more experienced photographers, the HS10 provides plenty of physical controls, a dedicated movie record button, and even a command dial, so at least on the outside the HS10 is friendly for on-the-fly camera changes. The 3 inch tilt screen is nice right up to the point that you realize that 230k of resolution can make focusing and playback much less satisfying than a 460K or higher LCD would have.

On the interface front, the HS10, like the other Fujifilm cameras we’ve tested recently looks rather archaic…like Panasonic’s interfaces, the HS10 packs a good deal of info and camera setting options onto the screen in a not so pretty way, it’s mostly intuitive, just not neat or attractive. Regardless, pressing a dedicated camera function button (ISO for example), and turning the command dial with the thumb makes quick work of adjusting the camera, similarly, the command dial also works great for changing things like aperture when in one of the program modes (the HS10 does provide program, aperture priority, shutter priority, and manual shooting modes).

Shooting screen with info. As you can see, the HS10 can jam a lot of info on screen, just not in such an appealing sort of way.	Camera setting changes are easy, press and hold a dedicated button (ISO here), then use the command dial to set.
...here the focusing options, which include a tracking AF. AF speed is average only, and tracking AF is made less useful by slow shot to shot times.	Turn the shooting mode dial and the screen duplicates the action. Note here you can set a position to you're own custom choice.
The HS10 can take a super wide panorama shot by simply panning the camera from left to right (or up and down).	Note here in AUTO, the HS10 has quickly picked out a face in the composition.
The menu system allows for a bit of customization, but again is dated looking for a contemporary camera.	...
Playback allows for two views, with and without info. Here's the with info view, but note the lack of histogram.	Additionally, the playback options, like in-camera editing are quite limited, no creative options are available.

Unlike most super-zooms, the HS10 doesn’t provide a zoom lever, focal length changes are done manually (just like a DSLR), which provides the advantage of dialing in exactly the right needed distance, and eliminates the need for waiting for a lens motor to do the chore for you. It does eliminate zooming in or out during video as the action on the lens is far to stiff for such duties (not to mention a lack of an effective continuous focus). Finally, a 200K EVF is available for photographers who don’t care for composing on the rear LCD. Our unit’s lacked the clarity for prolonged use, but in bright light, an EVF is better than not being able to see the LCD.

Fujifilm HS10 10MP Digital Point and Shoot Camera (Black) at B&H Photo Get the Fujifilm HS10 10MP Digital Point and Shoot Camera (Black) and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 Review

Two compacts cameras that have impressed us this summer are the Sony HX5V (our review here), and the subject of this review, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 (the TZ10 in some markets). Both cameras share very similar form factors, similar specs, and both of them feature built-in GPS, a fun and potentially useful addition that lets you geotag your photos for either organizational purposes, or simply for locating images later on Google Maps for example. The ZS7 brings to the table a slightly longer lens than the HX5V (12x zoom vs 10x zoom) and also seems a bit more oriented to somewhat skilled photographers, as compared to the more beginner friendly HX5V. Either camera makes an excellent traveling companion, indeed our preference for either almost seems like a coin toss, but most of the time that coin comes up ZS7.

Key Specifications

• Sensor: 1/2.33″ Type CCD, 12.1 million megapixels.
• Lens: 12x optical zoom, 25 – 300mm (35mm equiv.), f/3.3 – 4.9.
• ISO: 80-1600, High Sensitivity (1600 – 6400).
• Continuous Shooting: 2.3 fps for 5 frames (standard), or 3 frames (fine).
• LCD: 3″ 460K dot.
• Shooting Modes: Intelligent AUTO, Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual, Custom, SCN, My SCN 1, My SCN 2, Clipboard.
• Scene Modes: Portrait, Soft Skin, Transform, Self-Portrait, Scenery, Panorama Assist, Sports, Night Portrait, Night Scenery, Food, Party, Candle Light, Baby1, Baby2, Pet, Sunset, High sensitivity, Hi-Speed Burst, Flash Burst, Starry Sky, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Aerial photo, Pinhole, Film Grain, High Dynamic (Standard, Art, B&W), Photo Frame, Underwater.
• Video: 1280 x 720 @ 30fps, 848 x 480 @ 30fps, 640 x 480 @ 30fps. Stereo sound.
• Dimensions: 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.3 in. (103 x 60 x 33 mm).
• Weight: 7.7 oz (217 g) includes batteries.

Exterior and Interface

For a camera packing an awfully complicated 12x zoom lens, the ZS7 is quite compact, featuring a well made and rather classy exterior. The camera’s front offers a slight bulge for grip which is paired with a textured surface for the thumb on the rear. It’s an easy hold, but the camera’s slick surface should encourage users to consider using the wrist strap for security. Camera controls on the rear are a bit small, but are well labeled and are responsive to the touch. Panasonic’s typical “Capture/Playback” switch is here, and a dedicated movie record button means that video is always a button press away. A dedicated flash means no annoying pop-up action (sorry Canon SX210 IS), and clever placement of the stereo speakers means fingers aren’t apt to accidentally cover them during recording. All in all the ZS7 is a well made camera, that while not offering the most innovative design, sure comes off quite practical and compact.

As to the interface, the ZS7 appears to be a bit more complex at first blush than the competitors, and it certainly offers more in the menu section in terms of customization (like control noise reduction for example). It isn’t nearly as pretty as the HX5V or SX210 IS, nor does it come off as intuitive, but in actual practice the interface is fairly to use: the “Quick Menu” button allows for easy camera setting changes, the “Display” button offers several different views of your composition, or captures depending on the mode you’re in, and as we mentioned, while the menu isn’t as neat in appearance, it’s still effective at getting the job done, and offers more options than “the other guys”. The visuals aren’t just a ZS7 thing, it’s a Panasonic thing we’re noticing, and though we don’t mean to make to big of deal of it, we do wish they’d consider giving their interfaces a bit of refresh.

The default shooting screen. It isn't aesthetically pleasing, but provides plenty of information. The optional live histogram is enabled here. You can access views with less info or one with grid lines by pressing the "Display" button.	Grid line view.
Note the GPS info at the bottom. The ZS7 refers to an internal database of locations to supply the info base on your coordinates.	Pressing the "Quick Menu" button allows you to make key camera setting changes.
The menu system, again, isn't all that visually pleasing, but does allow for more customization and options than the Sony HX5V or Canon SX210 IS.	Face detection quickly detects faces in compositions, even the dolls head here. Registered faces would display the person's name under the focus box.
The ZS7 offers so many Scene shooting modes, that it'll take awhile to really familiarize yourself with all of them.	Playback is implemented via a dedicated capture/playback switch. The "Display" button enables various views of your captures.
Here, and unobstructed view.	The zoom lever allows you to get a nice magnified view.
In-camera editing options are quite limited, but found by pressing the "Menu/Set" button while in playback mode.

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS7 (Black) Digital Camera at B&H Photo

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS7 (Blue) Digital Camera at B&H Photo

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS7 (Silver) Digital Camera at B&H Photo

Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS7 (Red) Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZS7 Digital Camera and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Review

The Canon PowerShot SX210 IS is one of the leading contenders in a category that many describe as the “travel zoom”, a sort of swiss army knife camera that’s small enough to take anywhere, while still typically offering a versatile zoom lens that allows the camera to go from wide angle to full telephoto to capture almost any sort of scenario, and thus perfect for traveling. The SX210 IS succeeds the PowerShot SX200 IS, bringing a sleeker, slimmer exterior, a longer 14x zoom lens (vs. 12x), and less useful, more “resolution” at 14.1 megapixels. The SX210 largely improves on the SX200, and stands up well to the competition, but also features its share of problems, both with overall image quality and with the camera’s design.

Key Specifications

• Sensor: 1/2.3″ Type CCD, 14.1 million effective pixels
• Lens: 14x optical zoom 28 – 392mm (35mm equiv), f/3.1-5.9
• ISO: 80-1600
• Continuous Shooting: 0.7 fps
• LCD: 3″ 230K dot, widescreen
• Shooting Modes: Auto, Program AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Easy, Portrait, Kids & Pets,Landscape, Night Snapshot, Scene, Movie
• Scene Modes: Portrait, Indoor, Smart Shutter(Smile, Wink Self-Timer, FaceSelf-Timer), Low Light (3.5MP), Color Accent, Color Swap, Fish-eye Effect, Miniature Effect, Beach, Foliage, Snow, Fireworks, Stitch Assist
• Video: 1280 x 720 @ 30fps, 640 x 480 @ 30fps, 320 x 240 @ 30fps. Stereo sound.
• Dimensions: 4.17 x 2.33 x 1.26″ (105.8 x 59.3 x 31.9 mm)
• Weight: Approx. 7.58 oz/215g (including battery)

Exterior and Interface

The SX210 IS gets an all new exterior, and on first take, it’s a nice improvement. The SX210 IS looks slimmer and sleeker than its predecessor (and its competitors), and aesthetically takes the series in a nicer, more contemporary direction. It does so at the expense of any sort of grip, but the design does provide a grooved bezel that makes the SX210 still easy to manage.

Many may remember that the SX200 IS had a particularly annoying pop-up flash design, only partly addressed here with the SX210 IS. On power-up, the flash still comes up automatically, but it’s now easy to push it back down to the closed position where it locks itself away. Unfortunately it stays locked away until you reboot the camera. Another little oddity, the zoom lever doesn’t surround the shutter release as you’ll typically find on most digital compacts. Instead it gets its own separate lever that moves left or right, a move likely intended to maintain the SX210 IS’ sleek exterior. It isn’t difficult to use, but we find it to be more awkward than the traditional design of surrounding the shutter.

The rear of the camera gets a 3 inch widescreen 230K LCD. The widescreen works great for shooting HD videos, but does mean stills images are presented smaller than on a typical 3 inch display. The SX210 IS uses the black bars on either side of the still image display to present user interface information. Camera layout on the back is cramped as you’d expect on a camera with a 3 inch display, but buttons are nicely sized, and the stepped dial surrounding the multi-selector is better than most other PowerShots’. Unfortunately, the multi-selector’s 4 directions are not labeled, a rather annoying blunder that hopefully will not be duplicated in any future SX2xx cameras.

The camera interface is textbook PowerShot, in other words, clean, concise, and easy to control. Outside of the camera’s few and unlabeled physical controls, the interface allows for fairly easy access to various camera settings, and intuitive icons and text descriptions keep things from becoming confusing. The menu system too, is kept nice and tidy, there’s a minimum of customization available, but it’s likely enough for the intended user (read: not enthusiasts or advanced photographers in need of more advanced camera setup options).

The widescreen display mean that stills get surrounded by black bars on either side. The SX210 IS uses those sides to display interface information. The DISP button offers a couple of different choices for viewing your composition, this one is the unobstructed view. Note that here in "AUTO", the SX210 IS has detected a face, focused on it, and put the camera into portrait mode.	Here's the view with info added. You can also opt for a grid overlay in the menu.
Pressing the FUNC/SET button allows the user to make changes to camera settings like WB, ISO, Metering, etc.	In the programmable modes, exposure adjustments are made by spinning the stepped wheel around the multi-selector. To switch from aperture to shutter (or exp. compensation) press up on the multi-selector.
The menu system is clean and organized affair, but it lacks a lot of customization options. Users can't, for example, adjust noise reduction.	In-camera editing options are pretty basic, but the SX210 IS does provide some organizational abilities.
The movie shooting mode allows you to see your video full screen before you start recording. Note with the widescreen display, movies get the viewing priority with the SX210 IS, not stills.

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera (Black) at B&H Photo

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera (Gold) at B&H Photo

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera (Purple) at B&H Photo Get the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera and support this site at the same time, by making your purchases through the links above at B&H Photo Video.

Olympus E-PL1 In Depth Review

The third camera in Olympus’ PEN series, the E-PL1 is intended for photographers anxious to take a step up from their compact cameras, promising much improved image quality, while still being approachable for those nervous of the seemingly overwhelming amount of controls required to operate a more enthusiast oriented camera. Ironically though, the E-PL1 may also appeal to those very same enthusiasts. It does indeed lack the physical controls of the E-P1/E-P2, and their overall build qualities, but the E-PL1 does deliver the same image quality, HD video, a built-in pop-up flash, and the accessory port for using the VF-2 viewfinder and optional stereo microphone. It also sports a dedicated movie record button and a lighter low pass filter, and it does all of this for a lower price than either of the first two Pen cameras. Yes, dumbed down controls and a new “Live Guide” user interface will be nice for beginners, but we suspect there’s a number of enthusiasts out there anxious to take advantage of these new smaller mirror-less interchangeable lens cameras, but simply unwilling to invest the larger sums of money thus far needed. Regardless of the end-user, one thing’s for sure, the E-PL1 easily delivers on the promise of much better image quality than any compact camera, taking photographs with the same punch and contrast (a good thing for many) found on the pricier PEN models.

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera (black, blue, champagne) at B&H Photo Get the Olympus PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera (black, blue, champagne) and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Olympus PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera Body (Black) at B&H Photo Get the Olympus PEN E-PL1 Digital Camera Body (Black) and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Comparison

Given the target audience, and pricing of the E-PL1, the most likely competitor we can think of would be the Sony NEX-3, which like the E-PL1, features a consumer oriented interface, compact size, and most importantly, a relatively affordable price. For those deciding between the E-PL1 and E-P2, we’ve included its specifications in the comparison below as well.

Canon 18×50 IS All Weather Binoculars In Depth Review

A magnified view is one thing, but an 18x magnified view is another thing all together. Typically even at 8x or 10x magnification even a beautiful pair of Swarovski binoculars will succumb to a good deal of stabilization issues, so it’s natural to assume that at 18x, a tripod (forget the monopod!) is all but a necessity.

Enter Canon’s 18×50 All Weather binoculars, that not only provide an amazing 18x reach, but feature image stabilization, promising support free viewing in stunning detail. Even better, the Canon 18×50’s offer the consumer worry-free viewing in rain, sleet, or snow with a robust weather-proof (not water-proof) construction. With obvious appeal for nature viewers, even some light astronomical gazing, the question is do the Canon 18×50 IS binoculars merit your attention?

Canon 18×50 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars at B&H Photo Get the Canon 18×50 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Specifications

Design

Binoculars or small piece of exercise equipment? No question, the Canon 18×50 IS are a large and heavy pair of binoculars (about 2 1/2 lb.), and while they do indeed come with a neck strap, I question how long one would really want to carry a pair of these around their neck on any sort of extended walk. Instead, as with Canon’s 10×42 L IS WP Binoculars, these are probably best lugged around in a backpack. The weight of them in the hands could be an issue for some as well, we’ll cover the stabilization a bit further down in the review, but most users will be looking for limb support with any extended use. That said, the 18×50’s are very well made binoculars, with a hearty rubber coating that not only provides the 18×50 with some rain resistance, but also offers a good deal of grip, so that the 18×50’s always feel quite secure in the hands.

Ergonomically, the 18×50’s are quite comfortable in the hands, it’s a bulky design, but one that works well for viewing, again assuming one can handle the weight over longer lengths of time. The two eye pieces are easily adjusted for optimal viewing, the image stabilization button is well placed for the index finger to activate it, and the focus ring is easy to reach and rotate, without being too easy to accidentally turn.

Several negatives drag the overall design score down however, and all are a bit disappointing given the cost of the 18×50’s. First you’ll open the box, and assume your binoculars may have accidentally shipped without objective covers. It isn’t an accident, the 18×50’s don’t include them, and since I highly recommend protecting them (they’re not even deeply recessed), you’ll immediately be wanting to buy a pair of protective UV filters (58mm) as an insurance policy against scratching them. Worse, the eyepiece covers are a flimsy and cheap affair, the type that randomly fall off when you’re not paying attention, and so easily lost. The included protective case for the binoculars also borders on the cheap, real protection would be offered by a better case in my opinion. Again, for $1000 plus pair of binoculars, I’d have really preferred better accessories than this.

A couple of design issues are worth pointing out as well. The dioptric correction ring does not lock into place, and can be moved out of position while handling the eyepieces. Not all binoculars offer this, but it is annoying to accidentally move the ring out of your correct position, and subsequently re-adjust your binoculars. Finally the 18×50’s offer very little in the range of eye-cup adjustability, essentially there’s two positions, normal, and literally rolled back, which is recommended for spectacle wearers.

Usage

The use of a pair of 18x binoculars is a compromised experience that one either accepts for the positive, a tremendously magnified (and stabilized in this case) view, or dismisses for the negatives: smaller field of view, shallower depth of field, etc. For starters though, using the Canon 18×50 is a mostly “wow, this is amazing” type experience. As stated above, the 18×50’s fit nicely in the hand, and operation of the unit is easily done with simple movements. Focusing is done quite quickly, but one will be doing it more frequently as the 18x view means things come in and out of focus more frequently than normal.

Eye relief is a minimal 15mm and the non-adjustable eye cups aren’t all that helpful in the viewing pleasure dept. I don’t typically wear glasses, but I frequently found myself rolling over the eye cups, as with them extended, the “porthole” effect is quite noticeable. A big drawback of course of greatly magnified binoculars is less field of view, the 18×50’s offer 3.7 degrees, so in effect you’re having to keep your eye movement minimal to avoid “black-out” in the eye cups, while trying to keep them focused on a small sliver of magnified viewing experience. We take pains to point out this issue, because as amazing as it is to see wildlife, nature, and celestial bodies in great detail, it can also be quite difficult to actually keep them in sight, and with extended time, it can be taxing on the eyes as well.

On the other hand, the view is rather amazing, and Canon’s image stabilization works incredibly well, in large part eliminating the need for external support. Activating the stabilization is simple enough, press the conveniently located button on the top of the binoculars, and the IS is activated for 5 minutes. Lower the binoculars, and in a moment the IS shuts itself off. Pressing the button provides a magical effect of stability vs. shakiness, though due to the 18x magnification it doesn’t seem quite as spectacular as on the Canon 10×42 L IS WP binoculars. It isn’t perfect though, close examination can reveal a “shimmer” effect, and of course the IS can’t keep up with rapid panning or other body movements. Still, we’ve said it before, once you try a pair of binoculars with image stabilization, you won’t go back, and the fact that the 18×50’s are easily usable hand held is a testament to just how effective IS can be.

One last note, the image stabilization feature requires the use of two AA batteries. A pair of alkaline batteries provides about 2 and half hours of use, but we recommend lithiums, which are rated at 8 hours of use. Using the binoculars does not require batteries, and they will function as normal binoculars without them. Additionally, the 18×50’s are “all weather” binoculars. They will hold up fine in a pouring rain (tested), but this is not to be taken as meaning the 18×50’s are “waterproof”, they are not.

Image Quality

Despite not being blessed with the wonderful “L” series glass found in the Canon 10×42 L IS WP binoculars, the 18×50’s are still more than capable of providing a clear, detailed and vivid viewing experience. Sharpness is good across the viewing plane, but unlike the “L” glass there tends to be more color fringing (chromatic aberration), especially at the edges, and the 18×50’s don’t provide the diamond-like clarity offered by the 10×42’s, and certainly not anything like the Swarovski EL 10×42 SwaroVisions . This is largely due to the quality of glass involved, but it doesn’t detract from the viewing experience very much, if at all. Detail abounds even at great distances. The surface of the moon never looked this good before, and we’re nearly able to make out menus in a restaurant half-down the street from our studio window! Part of the wow factor is simple, you’re average binoculars don’t typically reach half this far, and don’t do so as steadily. The 18×50’s can “get you there” and do it without the need of a tripod, and the combined experience can equal a lot of fun, if one can tolerate the caveats mentioned in the “Usage” section of this review.

Conclusion

As we’ve noted, Canon’s effective image stabilization, easily turns a pair of 18x binoculars into a relatively steady viewing device, without the use of a monopod or tripod. Before offering our final verdict, let’s run down the positives and negatives.

Positives

• Amazing 18x magnification.
• Image stabilization eliminates need for external stabilization.
• Excellent overall build quality.
• Good ergonomics for large binoculars.
• Design includes tripod socket. (your arms may need it eventually)
• Weatherproof finish allows use in inclement weather.
• Lenses provide sharp “corner to corner” view.

Negatives

• Big and heavy.
• Doesn’t include caps for objectives.
• Minimal eye relief.
• Flimsy protective carrying case.
• Non-adjustable eye-cups.
• No lock for dioptric correction ring.
• Small field of view.
• Chromatic aberration at the viewing edges, possibly enhanced with IS on.
• Shimmer effect on some subjects from IS.

Verdict

After reviewing and using a number of 10x or 8x magnification binoculars, we’d been pretty excited to play with Canon’s 18×50’s. Without a doubt, 18x magnification can add a great deal of interest in your viewing experience, especially for enthusiasts anxious to point their binoculars to the night sky, and nature watchers keen for a closer look. The Canon 18×50’s satisfies that need, and the image stabilization actually allows you to do so without a monopod or tripod, a blessing in its own right. What we’ve learned though is that even when the issue of stabilization is eliminated from the equation, using a pair of high magnification binoculars is not without its serious viewing problems. For the Canon 18×50’s it means a very restricted field of view, and average at best eye comfort. Further, keeping subjects in focus requires more attention than ever, and finally there’s the simple issue of the 18×50’s just being a large pair of binoculars, so that you may not need a tripod, but you’ll be wanting a lounge chair with arm support while using them. The binoculars do work as advertised though, and for many the amazing view will be well worth the caveats I’ve included. For the money, I’d steer consumers to the excellent Canon 10×42 L IS WP binoculars, which offer a spectacular view, minus the magnification, and its caveats, but for those who can’t live without the more fun, but compromised magnification, we certainly “Recommend” the Canon 18×50 IS All Weather binoculars.

Design: 7
Operation: 8.5
Focusing: 9
Optics: 8
Value: 8

Where To Buy

Canon 18×50 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars at B&H Photo Get the Canon 18×50 IS Image Stabilized Binoculars and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Sigma DP2s In Depth Review

The Sigma DP2 was one of our first reviews here at Neutralday, and since then we’ve reviewed many a fine camera, some of the best cameras money can buy in fact. In spite of that, our fondness for the DP2 hasn’t wavered or diminished in the slightest. Instead the DP2 remains one of our absolute favorites here at the site, and we’ve taken great strides to have a DP2, or DPx variant in the studio as often as Sigma has been willing. The reasons why don’t involve user experience, form factor, or convenience, no…our interest in the DP2 lay entirely with the Foveon sensor inside and the 41mm f/2.8 lens that it’s attached to. The combination creates some of the most fascinating images that one get from a camera today.

In February Sigma announced a “successor” to the DP2, the DP2s. Improvements came almost entirely from a new AF algorithm, though the DP2s also gets a new power save mode, and a “revised” rear layout. Note that the rear layout changes essentially boil down to some red labeling, and that DP2 owners soon after gained access to the other improvements thanks to a firmware upgrade. The DP2s also ships with a copy of Sigma’s Photo Pro 4.0, which itself is modestly improved over its predecessor, and which we’ll also point out is available as a free download to DP2 owners. So, no big changes, but its been a while since we reviewed the DP2, and we’re more than happy to have given the DP2s a thorough spin.

Sigma DP2 Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Sigma DP2 Digital Camera and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Sigma DP2s Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Sigma DP2s Digital Camera and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Comparison

The DP2s is fixed lens camera with a DSLR sized sensor inside. The most accurate comparison with it could be made to the Leica X1, but no doubt many potential DP2s customers are more likely considering the Panasonic GF1 or the Olympus E-P2. To give you a better sense of how these cameras compare and contrast, we’ve put together some key stats below. (note: we’ll omit comparisons with the DP2 because there are none, the cameras are identically spec’d as far as we can tell)

Samsung NX10 In Depth Review

At the beginning of this year, Samsung unveiled a new camera system, the “NX” series, headlined with the launch of new mirrorless interchangable lens camera. The NX10 offers photographers a 14.6 megapixel sensor, a beautiful 3 inch 614K AMOLED display, a 921K electronic viewfinder, all housed in a camera body not unlike Panasonic’s larger G series cameras. Clearly, photographers had several very good options already in mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras, the already mention G series from Panasonic (at the time the G1 and GH1, but now including the G2 and G10), as well as the smaller form factor cameras, the Pen series from Olympus, and the GF1 from Panasonic. To distinguish itself from the competitors, the NX10 includes a larger APS-C image sensor, offering 50% more surface area than the micro four thirds sized sensor included in the Panasonic and Olympus cameras. The most notable aspect at the time though was the NX10 pricing, presumably with Samsung’s incredible leverage behind it, the NX10 came priced rather affordably when introduced, and not at the expense of being a very competent camera. As it turns out the NX10 is a very fine camera, but for more details please continue reading our review of the Samsung NX10.

Samsung NX-10 Digital Camera at B&H Photo Get the Samsung NX-10 Digital Camera and support this site at the same time, by making your purchase through the link above at B&H Photo Video.

Competition

The NX10 enters the market as one of a quickly growing herd of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. On a comparative basis there’s a couple of ways of analyzing things, either by form factor or by sensor size. We say sensor size because recently Sony has introduced the NEX-5 and NEX-3, near identical cameras, both with APS-C sized sensors in them like the NX10. So for a quick comparison, we’ve assembled some key specs of the NX10, Panasonic’s G2 and G10, and the Sony NEX-5.

Fujifilm FinePix Z700EXR Review

The Fujifilm FinePix Z700 EXR is a stylish and slim digital compact camera offering a 12 megapixel sensor, 5x zoom lens and the ability to shoot 720p HD video. In addition, the Z700EXR is part of this year’s growing trend of touchscreen based digital compact cameras, in the Z700EXR’s case, the screen is a generous 3.5 inches in size with a respectable 460k dots of resolution. You won’t find the ability to shoot RAW, aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual shooting shooting modes, so real enthusiasts can stop reading now. Instead the Z700EXR should appeal to style-conscience photographers looking for a pretty competent compact camera, that’s straightforward to use, and takes good pictures in a variety of shooting environments. The Z700EXR does all that and even offers HD video as well, with its touchscreen handling shooting duties quite nicely. Fujifilm positions the camera as “stylish”, “fun”, and “advanced”, and in many respects those are apt descriptions. To find out if it’s the right camera for you, just continue reading our review of the Fujifilm FinePix Z700EXR

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