Cameras
March 11th, 2010 by D-Photo
Tim Grey welcomes back Canon’s S-series
In the last round of releases under the PowerShot moniker, Canon apparently decided to buck the trend for ever-increasing megapixels and focus on the real business of taking photos: image quality.
As far as we can surmise, the rationale behind shrinking resolution was simple: extra pixels created more noise while shooting in low light, while photographers would rarely be making a print the size of a bus with a compact camera. With this in mind, Canon released two cameras that use a new 10 megapixel, 0.43cm2 sensor: the G11, whose predecessor had a 14 megapixel sensor, and the S90, the latest in the long-dormant S-series.
The G-series cameras tend to make professional photographers lusty, particularly the G10, which has found its way into the back pockets of shooters who use dSLRs. The cameras have great lenses, shoot RAW and go fully manual, but despite all their high-end functionality, the Gs aren’t really that slim. Enter the S90.
Gone are some functions, the swivel screen, and you’ll have to look at the monitor rather than through a viewfinder. Continuous shooting isn’t as quick and the zoom has been shaved. None of it matters. This is a camera that’ll fit in real-world pockets and which has guts to boot.
The first feature you’ll notice is the aperture ring on the front, which is easily assignable to a number of functions, including ISO, aperture, the (probably unnecessary) white balance, and the fantastically useful manual focus, which throws a magnified section of your shot into the centre of the screen and allows you to make fine adjustments to focus. Spin the wheel at the front and Bob’s your uncle – the experience is something like using a shrunken SLR.
While it’s a feature that belongs on more compacts, the wheel itself is a bit on the tacky side, and a small turn makes the whole camera move.
Otherwise the camera is solidly built despite its stature, with few plastic elements giving you the sense it’s going to break. It’s small but not fiddly, and its particularly well designed form means it’s not really in need of extra grip.
Although the S90 forgoes a viewfinder, given the compact’s intended usage its inclusion would have been inessential. While the 3.0-inch PureColor II LCD is big and crisp, it’s still an LCD screen and you’ll struggle to see it in bright daylight. When the going gets tough you can, however, trust your histogram, which handily pops up on the viewscreen.
Of course, what really matters when it comes to cameras is image quality, and with the S90 the quality is particularly high. The 28-105mm f/2.0 is an outstanding lens, especially for a camera of this size. It’s fast and sharp glass, and you’ll be able to create shots with shallow depth of field without hassle.
The S90 also makes good on its promise to deliver better low-light performance. While the f/2.0 lens in concert with the built-in image stabilisation goes a long way when you’re shooting in the dark, the sensor design takes it a step further. Noise is still an issue anywhere above and beyond 800, but shooting at 1600 will produce usable shots.
Make no mistake: at $899 the S90 is more than a lot of people would want to spend on a point-and-shoot. But it’s a cracking camera and it’s nearly $200 cheaper than its bigger brother, while matching it in terms of performance. Discerning photographers lusting after a compact camera, eat your heart out.
Canon PowerShot S90 – Specifications
Manufacturer: Canon
Model: PowerShot S90
RRP: $899
Effective pixels: 10.0 million
Image Sensor: 7.60 x 5.70 mm, 0.43cm²
LCD Monitor: 3-inch, 461,000-dot, PureColor II
Shutter: 1/1600 to 15 seconds
ISO: 80-3200
Exposure Metering: Evaluative, center-weighted, spot
Movies: 640 x 480 at 30fps, 320 x 240 at 30fps
Storage Media: SD, SDHC, MMC, MMCplus, HC MMCplus
Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI
Battery: Lithium-ion NB-6L and charger
Dimensions: 100 x 58 x 31mm
Weight: 195g (incl batteries)
Contact: www.canon.co.nz
PROS
- Performs well in low light
- Sharp, fast f/2.0 lens
- Very compact
CONS
- Aperture ring sticks while spinning
- Expensive for a compact camera
Design 19
Performance 17
Features 18
Image Quality 16
Value for money 17
TOTAL 87/100
This article is from D-Photo 34. Click here to check it out.
March 3rd, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier trials a camera that doubles as a projector
Miniature LED-based projectors have appeared in recent years. Nikon has applied that technology to the Coolpix S1000pj, bringing photography and projection together in a camera body.
At a glance the S1000pj looks like an average midrange digital compact camera. The layout and controls are relatively standard and although the camera is a little heavier than its contemporaries, that may just be a product of its solid construction. The only thing that really stands out is the extra lens for the projector, located on the centre-front of the camera.
The camera’s imaging lens is the non-extending type, zooming and focusing entirely within the body. When the camera is off the 
lens is well protected by an external shutter. This makes for a particularly robust lens: you’ll never suffer motor damage when the lens extends in your pocket. That’s great for parties and travel but the flattened optics have a cost in terms of image quality.
Overall, image quality is reasonable – exactly what you’d expect of a midrange compact camera. Dynamic range is good and can be improved further with Nikon’s D-Lighting feature. However, noise can be a problem, even under good lighting conditions. If you’re shooting for the web (Facebook, Flickr and the like), this is fine. The noise disappears when you resize the image to more screen-friendly dimensions, leaving you with rich, well-contrasted photographs. If you’re hoping to use all 12 megapixels for extensive cropping or detail work, expect to be disappointed.
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February 24th, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier reviews a dSLR that has a particular penchant for Live View
The A550 is a comprehensive addition to Sony’s entry-level range, offering functionality catering to both digital-compact camera users and those with existing digital SLR experience.
Taking a clever approach to Live View, the A550 uses a secondary image sensor to capture the preview image shown on screen. This lets the camera use its fast phase-detect autofocus, instead of the slower contrast-detect method seen in most Live View implementations. The result is viewfinder-speed autofocus in Live View, the fastest I’ve seen on any camera to date.
A second mode, ‘Manual Focus Check Live View’, is also provided; this uses the camera’s main image sensor, giving you far more detail and allowing you to zoom in on screen to check focus.
Combined with the A550’s beautifully crisp variable-angle LCD monitor, the two Live View modes provide the full digital compact camera experience. For those new to digital SLRs, this is a great way to smooth the learning curve. Even to experienced amateurs and professionals, the convenience is still noteworthy.
On the downside, the A550’s viewfinder is set flat into the rear of the camera, half a centimetre back from the raised LCD monitor. I found this meant my nose was always in the way, pressed up against the screen when looking through the viewfinder. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it ensures the screen is perpetually smudged.
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February 24th, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier finds Samsung’s new compact to be less of a gimmick than you might think
Samsung brings a major innovation to the market with its latest digital compact offering, the ST550. In addition to a huge high-resolution touchscreen, the ST550 features a secondary display on the front of the camera next to the lens. This is brilliant for framing self-portraits, a feature more useful than ever before in the world of Facebook and MySpace.
Even under close inspection, it’s difficult to spot the front display. The 1.5-inch monitor is hidden behind the camera’s shiny plastic facade, a standard fingerprint-magnet. Held under the right light at the right angle, the edges of the display are barely visible. However, two taps on the camera’s rear touchscreen bring the front screen to life, shining clearly through the casing. At the very least, it’s a great party trick.
The ST550 boasts strong face detection, combined with a smile shutter-release feature that actually works. Together with the front screen, you can snap the perfect profile picture or group shot 
without having to press the shutter button.
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February 16th, 2010 by D-Photo
Tim Grey loves Canon’s new dSLR but hankers after a full-frame sensor
You’d need about eight frames per second to capture the rate of camera development. When you’re choosing a new kit, you’ve either got to steel yourself for your new camera’s almost instantaneous obsolescence, or be prepared to fork out for the latest model as well.
With the release of the 7D, Canon hasn’t so much as updated any of its existing cameras as carved out a new niche, creating what the 
company describes as an “all-rounder” that ostensibly targets the prosumer sports-orientated shooter.
At first glance the 7D looks like it might be a souped-up 50D, last year’s sporty EOS, or a slightly cheaper version of the mighty 5D Mark II. In fact, the 7D actually rumbles all three models in significant ways.
Announced at the beginning of September, the 7D has received a feverish response from the photo community. D-Photo’s web story on the camera’s release was the month’s most read and retailers have been telling me they just can’t keep the things on the shelf.
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February 16th, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier trials the latest DX format Nikon
The D300s is Nikon’s latest digital SLR, replacing the D300 at the top of the company’s DX format range. Packing a comprehensive feature set behind its 12.3 megapixel crop sensor, the D300s is likely to appeal to serious amateurs and upstart professionals who can’t quite afford to go full-frame.
Image Quality
The D300s produces images of near-professional quality. The level of detail captured by the sensor is excellent, but I did find slightly 
more image noise than I would have expected. The noise is present across the ISO range when shooting with either automatic or manual settings in a variety of lighting conditions.
Image quality is otherwise very high. Dynamic range is good, assisted by Nikon’s ‘D-Lighting’ feature. It helps even out tones in highly contrasted images and can be applied automatically as shots are taken. This does tend to amplify any noise already present in the image, relative to the level of D-Lighting applied. I had some issues with dynamic range when shooting in extremely bright sunlight, but all digital cameras on the market suffer this problem to some degree.
Low-light performance is excellent, especially with a good wide-aperture lens. The low level of noise found in daytime shots is still present, but this doesn’t appear to increase as the light level goes down. Black remains black, without a hint of visible noise in darkened skies.
Performance
Start-up time is great; there’s no discernable delay between powering on the camera and taking the first shot. Shooting speed is high at up to seven frames per second using the camera’s battery, or up to 8fps with the optional MB-D10 battery grip. The image buffer is a reasonable size, allowing sustained shooting for several seconds depending on image quality and format.
Battery life is rated at approximately 950 shots on a full charge. This is completely believable — I managed to take more than 700 images while keeping the battery just over 50 per cent full. Liberal use of the built-in flash would bring the numbers down, but battery life is definitely impressive.
Useability
The D300s provides dedicated buttons and dials to control most of the critical functions without having to dredge through the menu system. This is great when you’re rushing to set up a crucial shot and don’t want to take your eye off the viewfinder.
The menu system itself is customisable, as are many of the camera’s controls. Four sets of custom settings can be saved, letting you define the best settings for the studio, landscapes, nightscapes or whatever else you care to shoot.
Some may find minor annoyance in the camera’s grip design. The thumb space on the D300s is noticeably reduced from that of the D300: with a weighty lens attached, I found it difficult to get a comfortable grip on the camera body. With smaller and lighter lenses, this isn’t so much of an issue.
Live View
Live View is well implemented on the D300s, making use of the camera’s 920,000-dot (VGA) monitor. Two modes are provided: Handheld and Tripod.
In Handheld mode the camera’s fast phase-detect autofocus is used. The mirror comes down to allow focusing when the shutter is half depressed, temporarily interrupting Live View. While this isn’t ideal, it beats the extremely slow autofocus found in many Live View implementations.
In Tripod mode, slower contrast-detect autofocus is used. This maintains Live View during focusing but doesn’t work across such a wide range of scenes as normal phase-detect autofocus. Manual focus can be used in either mode, but in Tripod mode you can zoom in considerably tighter on-screen to check the focus before shooting.
HD Video
The D300s records high-definition video up to 720p. The results are good, in line with the video performance of other HD-capable 
digital still cameras.
In Tripod mode, contrast-detect autofocus can be used. However, the process is slow and the sound is clearly captured by the camera’s on-board microphone. An optional stereo microphone may be used, and capturing audio away from the camera body would help avoid the noise of autofocus, though it wouldn’t make the process appear any smoother on-screen.
You can always pull focus manually when moving around or zooming, though this does take a fair amount of practice. Really, the D300s’s video mode is best suited to fixed-focus recording from a tripod. For truly mobile recording, a dedicated video camera is going to give far better performance in terms of autofocus if nothing else.
Some basic on-camera editing of videos is supported — namely, cutting off the start or end. While it may seem trivial, this can remove those awkward “is it on yet?” moments without the need for video editing software. If you’re going to have any video editing options at all, these are certainly the most useful.
Storage
Like Nikon’s professional D3 and D3X models, the D300s features dual card slots. The primary slot accepts Compact Flash (CF) cards, while the secondary slot accepts SD and SDHC cards. When shooting with two cards, various storage options are available: all shots can be backed up across both, the secondary card can take any overflow once the first card is full, or the primary (CF) card can store RAW files while the secondary (SD) card stores JPEGs. The latter option is great if you want to combine the convenience of immediately useable JPEG images with the post-processing potential of RAW files without compromising on storage space or speed.
The camera’s top LCD shows the images remaining and the status of both card slots, even while the camera is switched off. This is great when you want to check the capacity of several cards in the field: just pop each one into the camera and see the space remaining, without even touching the power switch.
Conclusion
As Nikon’s most powerful crop-sensor digital SLR, the D300s is a fine upgrade for anyone with a stock of Nikon DX format lenses. It’s also an excellent starting point for serious amateurs entering the dSLR market and looking for high-end features but not ready to shell out for a full-frame sensor.
Nikon D300S – Specifications
Manufacturer: Nikon
Model: D300s
RRP: $3659 Inc. Lexar 4GB SD card
Effective Pixels: 12.3 million
Image Sensor: 23.6 x 15.8mm CMOS (Nikon DX format)
Viewfinder: ~100% frame coverage
LCD Monitor: 3-inch, 920,000 dot (VGA) TFT LCD, 100% frame coverage
Shutter: 1/8000 to 30 seconds, bulb ISO: 200-3200 in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV (also supports ISO100 and ISO6400 equivalent)
Exposure Metering: 3D Colour Matrix Metering II (type G and D lenses), Colour Matrix Metering II (other CPU lenses), centre-weighted, spot
Media: Compact Flash (Type I), SD/SDHC
File Format: NEF (RAW) 12- or 14-bit, TIFF (RGB), JPEG, AVI
Interface: USB 2.0, composite video out, HDMI video out
Batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion, approx 950 images
Dimensions: 147 x 114 x 74mm
Weight: 840g (without battery or memory card)
Reviewed with Lenses:
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED VR (21-36mm equivalent on the DX format D300s)
Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G
Contact
www.nikon.co.nz
PROS
- Great image quality
- Powerful feature set
- HD video recording
CONS
- Not the most comfortable grip
- Slight image noise
Design 18
Performance 18
Features 19
Image Quality 17
Value for money 18
TOTAL 90/100
This article is from D-Photo 33.
February 10th, 2010 by D-Photo
Claimed to be the world’s smallest digital compact camera with a 10x zoom lens, Fujifilm’s FinePix F70EXR brings a range of powerful new features to the ultra-compact market, says Harley Ogier
Design
Sleek and subtly rounded, the F70EXR is an excellent about-town camera; it feels solid enough to be pocketed without a case, and has few sharp corners to ruin the line of your jacket or trousers. The cost of that sleekness is a very plastic look and feel, all shiny surfaces that attract fingerprints faster than you could possibly hope to remove them.
The controls are pretty standard for a compact camera and easy to figure out without having to delve into the manual. Everything can be operated one-handed, and although the plastic body can be a little slippery, it fits nicely in the hand and isn’t too easy to drop.
Image Quality
Image quality is better than average, though like all compacts the F70EXR displays some image noise under all but the most brilliant lighting. The ‘EXR’ automatic shooting mode produces good results in a wide range of environments, both indoors and out. Dynamic range is particularly good, though in extreme sunlight you can still end up with a white-out sky.
Although you get good results for free, the F70EXR is capable of much more. Only when you switch over to the scene modes or manual controls do you really make the most of the camera’s capabilities. Noise can be virtually eliminated and dynamic range can be improved to a level that rivals many amateur dSLRs.
Shooting Modes
The F70EXR includes several highly innovative shooting modes aimed at working around some of the limitations of the compact camera format.
A ‘Pro Focus’ mode allows you to take shots with your subject in focus and the background blurred. Creating a shallow depth of field like this is notoriously difficult on the average digital compact, if not outright impossible — it’s a capability dependent on the lens, not something that can be easily emulated in software.
Fujifilm takes the clever approach of shooting multiple frames: one of your subject in focus, and the rest of the background out of focus. These are then superimposed into a single image, with impressive results. There can be a fair amount of image noise generated, especially where the subject and background meet. Still, it’s a small price to pay for a feature that other digital compact owners just can’t have.
Using a similar multiple-image approach, a ‘Pro Low-Light’ mode provides impressive low-light performance without using the flash. The results in very dim light are noisy but passable, where other high-end compacts fail to produce a usable image at all. Under reasonable indoor lighting, results are virtually noise-free and far exceed the quality of images shot by similar cameras in the same environment.
Conclusion
Those only interested in pressing the shutter button won’t be disappointed by the F70EXR but they’ll never make the most of their new camera. Truly, this is one for the digital compact buyer who wants to put some effort into researching and tweaking settings for the perfect image.
FUJIFILM
FINEPIX F70EXR – SPECS
Manufacturer: Fujifilm
Model: FinePix F70EXR
Effective Pixels: 10.0 million
Lens: 5-50mm (35mm equivalent 27-270mm)
Viewfinder: None
Monitor: 2.7-inch TFT LCD,
230,000 dots
Shutter: 1/2000 to 1/4 seconds,
up to 8 seconds in manual modes
Aperture: Wide – f3.3-f6.4,
Telephoto – f5.6-f11.0
ISO: 100-12,800
Shooting Modes: Auto, EXR, natural light & with flash, scene, program, manual, movie
Exposure Metering: Multi-
segment (256 zones)
Focus Modes: Auto focus (multi, centre), continuous AF
Internal Memory: ~47MB
Media: SD, SDHC
File Format: JPEG, AVI, WAV
Flash: Built-in
Interface: USB 2.0, Composite
video out
Batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion
Dimensions: 99.3 x 58.9 x 22.7mm
Weight: 180g without battery or card
CONTACT
www.fujifilm.co.nz
PROS
- High image quality
- Good dynamic range
CONS
- Manual settings necessary for
best performance
Design 17
Performance 18
Features 18
Image Quality 17
Value for money 16
TOTAL 86/100
This article is from D-Photo 32.
February 10th, 2010 by D-Photo
Nikon’s D3000 offers a great stepping stone to the world of dSLRs, says Harley Ogier
Nikon’s new entry-level dSLR, the D3000 aims to make dSLR photography accessible to the beginner in terms of both useability and price.
The D3000 is a Nikon DX format (crop-sensor) camera, compatible with a huge range of existing Nikkor lenses. The camera is available bundled with a nice 18-55mm zoom lens (equivalent to 27-82.5mm in 35mm film terms). This is a pretty good all-rounder that beginners 
will find sufficient for a wide range of photography.
If you’re looking for an entry-level dSLR as a stepping stone to a more serious model, any Nikon DX format lens you purchase will be compatible with the full range of Nikon’s DX format cameras.
You can go wider, longer, whatever you need without tying yourself to an entry-level camera forever.
Though entry level, the D3000 performs brilliantly alongside Nikon’s existing DX format range. The image sensor is a 10.2 megapixel CCD, as opposed to the 12-plus megapixel CMOS sensors used in higher end models. CCD sensors tend to produce less image noise than their CMOS equivalents but operate more slowly. The D3000 does in fact produce beautifully low-noise images, though the maximum ISO speed is lower than its higher end siblings.
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January 14th, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier tests the retro-chic EP-1
Look and Feel
Camera manufacturers exist in a flurried blur of technological change, so it’s nice to see someone tip their hat to tradition. The new E-P1 pays homage to Olympus’s Pen SLR, released 50 years ago and a camera famed for its pocketable size, phenomenal popularity and chic styling.
But for all that it bears a physical resemblance to a camera five decades old, under the hood the E-P1 is all 21st century. By subscribing to the new Micro Four Thirds standard, the E-P1 does away with the mirror and pentaprism of traditional SLR cameras. Instead of an optical viewfinder, the camera features a large 3.0-inch LCD monitor, making the E-P1 the lightest interchangeable-lens digital camera I’ve worked with.
Despite its light weight, the E-P1 sports a gorgeous all-metal body with leather handgrip. From the front it looks very much like a compact film camera; only when viewing the controls and monitor on the rear does the E-P1 resemble the piece of modern technology it really is.
Usability
Following traditional digital compact camera designs, almost all of the E-P1’s controls are located on the right-hand side of the camera; most shooting and playback functions can be operated one-handed.
The mode dial is recessed into the top of the body, accessible only via an exposed plastic wheel on the back of the camera. This definitely prevents flipping between modes accidentally, but also makes intentional mode changes a little difficult. Switching from one mode to the next is easy, but it’s not possible to quickly spin the dial to reach a mode on the opposite side.
Two scroll wheels are provided on the back: a vertical wheel near the top and an iPod-style mechanical click wheel below it. The click wheel also serves as a four-way directional pad with an ‘OK’ button in the centre. The directional pad is the best option for navigating menus, while the scroll wheels work well as traditional controllers of exposure, aperture and similar settings.
Image Quality
The E-P1 produces high-quality images with a lot of fine detail. I had some issues with image noise while shooting in the fully automatic mode, but was able to limit it to very reasonable levels using the camera’s noise reduction feature. The automatic mode also gives slightly oversaturated images, and over-exposes at night: the manual shooting modes can produce noticeably better results.
The pre-programmed scene modes are a decent compromise for those not wishing to venture into full manual territory.
Being a fan of long exposures, I was delighted to find the E-P1 supports up to 60-second timed exposures in Shutter Priority mode. Most cameras don’t allow exposures nearly as long without going to Bulb, and it makes for some great fun if you’re dealing with night-time traffic, aircraft, starry skies or cats chasing laser pointers. At the shorter end of the scale, simple night landscapes are a breeze — the E-P1 gave some of the best performance I’ve seen to date on my Auckland City view.
Optical image stabilisation does a good job of eliminating camera shake; I found that my night shots came out perfectly sharp even without the two-second self timer. Shooting freehand in daylight is no problem —I don’t think I encountered a single case of motion blur, even though I did my test shooting on the go.
Performance
Like the Live View mode of most dSLRs, the E-P1 suffers from slow contrast-detect autofocus. Unlike a dSLR, however, there’s no option to switch back to the viewfinder and letting the much faster phase-detect autofocus do the work instead.
Panasonic’s Lumix G1, the first Micro Four Thirds camera to hit the market, didn’t suffer so obviously from this problem, and its autofocus performance was more in line with the average entry-level dSLR. Olympus doesn’t seem to have quite such a good implementation of contrast-detect at this stage.
If you carefully frame your shots and aren’t the quick-fire type, this isn’t likely to be a huge problem. The E-P1 has so much else going for it that slow autofocus shouldn’t be a deal breaker. However, expect to be a little disappointed if you’re after dSLR shooting speed.
Lens Compatibility
The E-P1 is available with either or both of two kit lenses: the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f2.8 and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6.
The 17mm (equivalent to 34mm in 35mm film terms) is a wide-angle pancake lens with a length of just 22mm and a weight of 71g. This makes it the perfect travelling companion for the E-P1 if you can do without a zoom. Alternatively, it allows you to carry the camera ready to shoot while your larger lenses are packed away.
The 14-42mm (28-84mm equivalent) is a compact and lightweight zoom lens designed specifically for the E-P1. In keeping with the camera’s concise design, the lens is collapsible to just 43.5mm, around half of its fully extended length.
Personally, I would have to stash a 200mm lens somewhere for those long-distance opportunities. Fortunately, there’s a small but growing number of Micro Four Thirds lenses on the market. Olympus also offers an adapter ring that allows the E-P1 to mount standard Four Thirds format lenses.
Finding the View
I can see why Olympus has omitted an electronic viewfinder from the E-P1; it would have taken up valuable space both inside the camera and on the back where the large LCD monitor is located. However, all it takes is one day of shooting in bright sunlight to realise that it can be a major disadvantage.
A snap-on viewfinder is available to match the 17mm kit lens, but this is useless once you start working with zoom lenses. The snap-on also lacks any kind of heads-up information, depth of field preview, and other such features one would expect of an in-camera viewfinder.
Conclusion
The E-P1 is a brilliant addition to the Micro Four Thirds range, especially for those wanting dSLR quality in a small form factor. Slow autofocus and the lack of a viewfinder may be problematic for some users, but others will love the high image quality and point-and-shoot ease of use.
OLYMPUS E-P1 – SPECS
Manufacturer: Olympus
Model: E-P1
Effective Pixels: 12.3 million
Image Sensor: 17.3 x 13.0mm MOS
Viewfinder: None
LCD Monitor: 3.0-inch, 230,000 dot LCD, 176 degrees viewing angle
Shutter: 1/4000 to 60 seconds, bulb
ISO: 200-6400 in steps of 1/3 or 1 EV
Exposure Metering: Digital ESP metering (324-area multi-pattern metering), centre-weighted, spot
Media: SD/SDHC
File Format: RAW (12-bit), JPEG, AVI
Interface: USB 2.0, composite video out, HDMI video out
Batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion, approx 300 shots
Dimensions: 120.5 x 70 x 35mm
Weight: 335g (body only, without battery or memory card)
CONTACT
www.olympus.com
PROS
- Excellent image quality
- Point-and-shoot ease of use
CONS
- Slow autofocus
- No viewfinder
Design 19
Performance 17
Features 17
Image Quality 18
Value for money 17
TOTAL 88/100
This article is from D-Photo 32.
January 14th, 2010 by D-Photo
Harley Ogier finds the Optio W80 to be a surprisingly
good example of a modern ‘take anywhere’ camera
Design
At a glance, the Optio W80 really doesn’t look waterproof. It doesn’t look particularly shockproof, either. But having left the thing in the sink (intentionally), it is quite clearly fine when dipped in water. It’s also far sturdier than it looks; the kind of twisting and bending that usually starts cheap plastic cameras creaking has absolutely no effect on the W80. If the definition of elegant design is to make the solution to a difficult problem look easy, Pentax has definitely managed elegance here.
The W80’s controls are taken from the most basic digital camera designs; everything is a simple push button, from the zoom controls to the four-way navigation pad. There are no wheels, rocker switches or anything else that would be difficult to make waterproof without also making unusable. The most complicated control is the shutter, with its universal push-half-way-to-focus mechanism.
While this makes the camera look a little clunkier than its non-waterproof counterparts, it also means anyone can pick it up and use it without wondering why the mode dial is so hard to turn (solution: there’s a mode button instead, which won’t get clogged with wet sand).
Image Quality
Shots taken in full daylight are reasonably sharp and detailed, though with a disappointing amount of image noise. Manually setting the lowest possible ISO speed for the conditions goes some way to reducing this, but it’s not an all-around fix and a fair amount of noise always remains.
Oddly, I found low-light performance in the Night Scene mode to be particularly good. Down at ISO64 or 100, noise was lower than the average compact camera and images came out fine using a tripod and the W80’s self-timer. This suggests that perhaps there’s hope in other shooting modes to fine-tune out the noise, but the lack of serious manual controls makes it difficult to experiment.
Face Detection
The W80 implements some amazingly good face-priority autofocus, claiming to detect up to 32 faces simultaneously. I managed to detect at least fifteen from a still image, so I have no doubt this is true.
Face detection is nearly instantaneous — definitely the fastest I’ve ever seen. Tracking of moving faces works well, as long as they stay oriented toward the camera. The down side is a few mistaken recognitions (nope, that’s a tomato). These only last for a fraction of a second and are probably what lets the camera track real faces so quickly. As soon as motion stops, only real faces remain.
I can see serious potential for this in outdoor group shots during the kinds of recreational or sporting activities where you might need such a rugged camera.
Conclusion
Deceptively simple to look at, the Optio W80 is a feature-packed digital compact. Although not the highest rated in maximum depth or drop distance, it’s still one of the better offerings in today’s range of waterproof digital cameras that you can take anywhere.
PENTAX
OPTIO W80 – SPECS
Manufacturer: Pentax
Model: Optio W80
Effective Pixels: 12.1 million
Lens: 5-25mm (35mm equivalent 28-140mm)
Viewfinder: None
Monitor: 2.5-inch TFT LCD, 230,000 dots
Shutter: 1/1500 to 1/4 seconds, up to 4 seconds in Night Scene mode
Aperture: f3.5-f5.5
ISO: 64-1600 auto, 64-6400 selectable
Shooting Modes: Auto, Program, pre-set scene modes, basic ‘Green’ mode
Exposure Metering: Multi-segment, centre-weighted, spot
Focus Modes: Face, multiple AF (9-point), spot AF, auto tracking AF, macro, super macro, infinity landscape, pan focus, manual focus
Internal Memory: 33.7MB
Media: SD, SDHC
File Format: JPEG, AVI, WAV
Flash: Built-in
Interface: USB 2.0, composite video out
Batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion, approx 170 images
Durability: Waterproof (5m), dustproof, shockproof (1m), coldproof (-10°C)
Dimensions: 100 x 56 x 25mm
Weight: 136g with battery
CONTACT
www.irl.co.nz
PROS
- Waterproof, shockproof
and coldproof
CONS
- Some problems with image noise
Design 18
Performance 17
Features 17
Image Quality 16
Value for money 16
TOTAL 84/100
This article is from D-Photo 32.
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