Fujifilm Finepix JZ300 – Review

In spite of a press release claiming that FujiFilm’s Finepix JZ300 is the “James Bond of compact cameras”, it’s actually one of what seems to be an increasingly rare breed: the plain old compact camera.

There are no pretentions here of ultra-sensitivity, water resistance, Spielberg-style movie abilities or more megapixels than a professional dSLR. The JZ300 is just a small, midrange point and shoot, designed to be popped in a pocket and to take photos when the button on top is pressed – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The JZ300 does well for itself in terms of specifications, with plenty of zoom (10x optical), a reasonably wide lens (28mm), sensor shift image stabilisation, 12 megapixels and 1280×720 HD movie recording.

The JZ300’s black and silver finish is attractive but, at almost 30mm deep, it’s not the slimmest compact around. Build quality is good and the camera feels remarkably solid, with even abuse-level prodding and twisting finding no weak spots.

Handling is uncomplicated, with simple controls laid out in the traditional ‘four buttons plus one’ style, with a comfortable concave rotating dial above.

Like most FujiFilm cameras, the menu system is less elegant and modern than some competitors, with slightly low resolution graphics; but with only two tabs and limited settings, it is easy to navigate.

In addition to full auto modes, the JZ300 offers a number of scenes with two positions on the dial allowing favourite shooting modes to be easily selected. It’s always worth trying the scene modes to see if they give a better result than auto.

Startup time is reasonably fast, as is the autofocus system, and there’s little shutter lag. Write times aren’t super-quick but they’re no worse than many in the class; the three-shot burst mode, however, has a lengthy write time that drags on for close to 10 seconds.

Image quality is about average for this type of camera. The photos aren’t razor sharp under magnification but they’re entirely adequate for prints up to A4. The metering system is accurate and produces nicely balanced shots in natural light or with the flash (which is quite small and doesn’t have much reach at all). Saturation is a little light, as is contrast in some shots but the overall results are pleasing.

Like many compacts the JZ300 has the annoying habit of increasing the sensitivity to levels where it just shouldn’t go, which leads to increased noise and lost detail; ISO3200 is limited to 3MP but is still noisy. Realistically, the JZ300 will cope well with daylight or well-lit shots but less so with dim rooms or night shots, even with the flash firing, so consider how often you shoot in the gloom before you choose your camera.

Video quality at 720p is good, with the ability to zoom while shooting, although the microphone picks this up as a large, angry robot moving around in the background, which limits its usefulness.

There’s a tendency to compare this type of camera with advanced compacts, which leads to opinions laced with faint praise. But on its own terms, FujiFilm’s Finepix JZ300 is a well-built compact at a nice price, and it’s capable of capturing images and video that will please point-and-shoot users for a long time to come.

Fujifilm Finepix JZ300 – Specifications

Effective Pixels: 12.1 million
Image Sensor: 1/2.3 inch CCD
Lens: F3.3-5.6 – 5-50mm (35mm equivalent 28-280mm)
Image Stabiliser: CCD shift
Shutter speed: 4-1/2000sec
Formats: JPEG, AVI, WAV
ISO: 100-3200
Monitor: 2.7-inch colour LCD, 230,000 dots
Viewfinder: None
Movie Modes: 1280×720/24, 640×480/30, 320×240/30
Media: SD, SDHC
Interface: USB 2.0
Battery: Lithium-ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 97 x 57 x 28.5mm
Weight: 148g excluding battery

CONTACT

www.fujifilm.co.nz

PROS

• Well built
• Speedy autofocus

CONS

• Average low-light performance
• Ineffective flash
• Slow continuous shooting

Design                      15
Performance           15
Features                   16
Image Quality         15
Value for money     15

TOTAL 76/100

This article is from D-Photo issue 37. Click here to check it out.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX5V – Review

Ashley Kramer tries out the new Cyber-shot and finds features galore but only average image quality.

Poor low-light performance is a common complaint in reviews of compact cameras. It’s a bugbear because blasting away with the flash doesn’t always get the photo you wanted. For example, shooting family snaps indoors with soft natural light often requires a high ISO setting to maintain a decent shutter speed. On most compacts, this gives a noisy result. Also, if your camera ramps up sensitivity as part of the image stabilisation system, you can be stuck with noise when you don’t expect it.

For years, every camera manufacturer’s priority was to have more megapixels than the competition. But cramming millions of extra pixels onto a tiny sensor is just a recipe for more noise. Canon took the bold step of dropping the megapixels in the G11 and S90 advanced compacts and the results were impressive.

The Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V is Sony’s stab at getting noise under control in a compact. It’s a fully featured camera with all the bells and whistles expected at the price point, including HD video with stereo sound, a high-spec 25mm, 10x optical zoom lens and a GPS receiver, which geotags images and videos with location information. The HX5V also supports TransferJet, which sends data wirelessly between compatible devices.

To improve low-light performance, the HX5V uses a new generation 10.2MP backlit Exmor R CMOS sensor, paired with Sony’s BIONZ image processor, which assists with noise reduction.

Unfortunately, despite the sensor’s claimed prowess and sensitivity, the HX5V selects unusually slow shutter speeds in its automatic modes. Combine that with the noise reduction and there’s a faint hint of softness and lost detail on all images, even at lower ISO settings. This is only really noticeable under close examination but from ISO500 onwards the noise reduction is aggressive enough to blur edges and soften images, while at ISO800-plus, images are very soft indeed.

It seems that the sensor isn’t living up to its promise here, forcing Sony to implement specific low-light modes. Thus the HX5V offers ‘Handheld Twilight’ and ‘Anti-Motion Blur’ settings, where multiple exposures are superimposed to form one optimised shot. These modes do work and produce decent low-light images with little noise but, again, they’re not all that sharp.

On the positive side, the HX5V is compact and well laid out, with simple controls. The LCD is bright and the menu system is clear and easy to understand. There are plenty of scene modes and an intelligent easy mode plus the cool ‘intelligent sweep panorama’ feature, which produces wide panoramas almost effortlessly. Shutter lag is negligible, image processing reasonably quick and the Sony can shoot a short burst of photos at 10 frames per second, which is great for capturing fast-moving subjects. The manual control mode is of limited use because the steps between aperture settings are just too wide.

One of my pet hates pops up here in the form of a proprietary data cable connection; yes, I get that the cable combines USB and analogue audio/video but standard USB is still the way to go. You’ll need an HDMI cable to connect the HX5V to a high-definition TV but the adapter is supplied.

Sony’s DSC-HX5V is a well-built, easy-to-handle camera with a comprehensive feature set. Image quality is good at the lowest ISO setting but softens as the ISO numbers climb, which sets back the overall rating, especially at this premium price point.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX5V -Specifications

Effective Pixels: 10.2 million
Image Sensor: 1/2.4 inch Exmor R CMOS
Lens: F3.5-5.5 – 4.25-42.5mm (35mm equivalent 25-250mm)
Image Stabiliser: Optical
Shutter Speed: 2-1/1600sec
Image Formats: JPEG, AVCHD/MPEG-4
ISO: 125-3200
Monitor: 3.0-inch LCD, 230,000 dots
Viewfinder: None
Movie Modes: 1920×1080-50i, 1440×1080-50i/25, 1280×720-25, 640x480x25
Media: SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Duo/PRO Duo/PRO Duo (HS)
Interface: USB 2.0
Battery: Lithium-ion rechargeable
Dimensions: 102.9 x 57.7 x 28.9mm
Weight: 170g excluding battery

CONTACT

www.sony.co.nz

PROS

• Well-built and user-friendly
• Fun image modes
• GPS geotagging

CONS

• Soft images, especially at high ISOs

This article is from D-Photo issue 37. Click here to check it out.

Leica M9 – Review

Tim Grey drools over Leica’s latest rangefinder

Leica is synonymous with quality. Associated with the Magnum school of documentary photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, Leica’s M-series of 35mm rangefinder cameras emphasised simplicity, discretion and reliability. But Leica struggled to maintain its relevance in the early 21st century, where technological advances began to undermine the brand’s reputation for excellence.

The company had always been stoical, if not stubborn, in adhering to its idea of design, and its cameras outwardly changed very little after the 1950s. Leica’s first digital rangefinder, the M8, wasn’t exactly welcomed with cheers, following serious issues with image quality. But after four years of headscratching, there’s a team of German engineers who might be listening for the sound of applause.

Announced late last year, the M9 might look identical to its forebears, but the addition of a full-frame, 18 megapixel sensor and a dual processor make Leica’s latest a significant step in the rangefinder evolutionary chain.

Build quality is, as expected, near perfect. In terms of simplicity of form, quality of materials, durability, strength and careful manufacturing, there’s nothing to fault on the M9.

Although the camera’s design was invented before the word ‘ergonomic’ entered the lexicon, the M9 and your hands were meant to be together. There are no dedicated grips or moulded handles because there don’t need to be; the bevelled corners and subtly rough trim provide enough purchase

There’s a compelling reason the camera is identical to the Leicas of yore: they’re beautiful.

The M9 comes in the standard black trim found on the previous model, but there’s also a titanium ‘steel grey’ option that hard-out Leica fanatics will be unable to resist.

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Pentax Optio W90 – Review

Ashley Kramer takes Pentax’s new Optio for a swim

Rugged cameras such as Pentax’s Optio W90 are perfect for active Kiwis who choose boats, beaches and ski fields over couches and cafés. There’s something comforting about a camera that doesn’t need to be treated like a delicate little flower and, clad in its armour, the W90 looks tough enough to survive a session with David Tua.

The W90 is waterproof to six metres, shock resistant to 1.2 metres, dustproof  and freeze-proof to a chilly minus 10. A weak link in a camera that will be beaten like a drum may be leaving the lens front exposed; as tough as that bit of protective glass is, it’s eventually going to get scratched.

Pentax has kept the W90 compact and though it isn’t super-slim, it’s still very much a pocket camera. The specification is appropriate for its intended use: there’s a 12 megapixel sensor paired with a 28-140mm (5x optical) lens backed up by no fewer than 22 scene modes and a stack of image editing functionality. The W90 is shipped with a standard wrist strap as well as a carabiner so it can be clipped to backpacks, belts and so on. The inclusion of a complete printed manual in the box is a great touch.

Operationally, there are few surprises with the W90; the controls are conventional and the menus simple. Startup is quick, as is the shutter release, but write times are slow, with an annoying ‘data being processed’ message popping up regularly. The autofocus is fast and accurate in good light but often hunts back and forth in dim conditions.

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Canon EOS 550D – Review

Phil Hanson takes Canon’s entry-level dSLR for a spin

They must be working up a sweat in Canon’s R&D and pricing departments. The EOS 550D comes just a year after the 500D in the company’s consumer SLR range and it’s so full of good stuff it’s a wonder they did it at a recommended retail price of $1700 for the body.

You wouldn’t be far wrong thinking of the camera as a ‘lite’ version of the acclaimed $2500 EOS 7D.

By the way, the 500 hasn’t been tossed; it says in the range a couple of hundred dollars below the newcomer.

ALL THE STUFF

Hero features for many will be the 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor coupled with the DiG!C 4 image processor, and the ability to take 1080p high-definition video at up to 30fps, with manual control. Those who take their videoing a little bit seriously will also welcome the ability to fit a stereo microphone via a 3.5mm socket.

It gains the 7D’s excellent 63-point iFCL metering system, has an improved widescreen 3-inch LCD panel with 1040k dot resolution, ergonomic improvements and a long list of other stuff including 3.7fps continuous shooting.

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Samsung NX10 – Review

Phil Hanson encounters Samsung’s first Micro Four Thirds camera

Samsung has become known in the camera world for an often interesting but rarely exciting range of point-and-shoot compacts favoured by those who want images better than a cellphone’s but who aren’t overly concerned about the ins and out of photography. In other words, a significant segment of the digital market.

But Samsung has now branched out into serious territory with the NX10 Micro Four Thirds (MFT) and its own (currently limited) range of interchangeable lenses. Small, light and feature-rich, it’s a camera that’s bound to both interest and fascinate keen photographers.

Among these features is a remarkably compact pancake-type 30mm f2 fixed focal length ‘standard’ lens, equivalent to a 46mm full-framer. Pentax introduced a range of not inexpensive pancake lenses with its K10 and these became a major talking point. Samsung and Pentax used to have a collaboration agreement and although Samsung makes a point of saying that this camera is all its own work, you’d think its designers might have been inspired and impressed by the Japanese company’s compact glass.

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Another key feature is the sensor. Samsung went out on a bit of a limb here, fitting an APS-C sized CMOS sensor to the MFT body. The larger sensor should mean better high ISO performance, and possible bragging rights over the pixel count on this piece of silicon real estate: 14.6 useable megapixels from a 15.1MP total. However, the bigger sensor means the lenses also have to be larger than a typical MFT’s.

BODY BEAUTIFUL

A strength of the NX10 is a good looking and well thought out body with sensibly arranged controls and a shape that’s easy and comfortable to grip. Some users will appreciate both a pop-up flash and a hot shoe for an external unit.

It’s a camera that can be used quickly and intuitively. The extensive menus, in particular, are delightful to use and their graphics are among the best in the business.

The back is dominated by a 3.0-inch active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) screen that’s supposed to allow the photographer to view images in bright sunlight. In practice it’s still no daylight viewing nirvana, so users will find themselves putting eye to electronic viewfinder (EVF). These finders, so familiar in the video sector, are common to MFT cameras and are a main reason for their compact size and lightness.

But as someone who grew up with the conventional prism finders of single lens reflexes, I am not enamoured of the EVF. The NX10’s, for example, is quite slow to react and adjust when moving from light to dark subjects. It incorporates a sensor to detect the user’s eye so it knows when to turn on and off, but gets confused if the camera hasn’t been moved far from the face when changing from looking through the EVF to the back-mounted screen.

There’s also a now-common 1280 x 720 HD movie function at a fixed 30fps and the ability to shoot with or without mono audio.

RECIPE FOR A GOOD PANCAKE

Good on Samsung for providing a fixed focal length lens; let’s hope the company widens the range. Those used to zooms may find it odd having but one field of view and having to zoom with their feet, but it imposes a certain discipline on the photographer that can result in clever and well thought out photos. Other advantages are its light weight – a mere 85g – small size and a large maximum aperture that comes into its own in low light when flash would spoil the mood.

Optical performance at f2 is excellent. Sharpness is good and there’s plenty of contrast. It gets better a couple of stops smaller, but not by a whole lot.

ZOOM GLOOM

Also supplied with the body was an image-stabilised 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 zoom with a 58mm filter size. This covers the useful 28-85mm full-frame range. A 50-200mm f4-5.6 lens rounds out the current offerings, giving the equivalent of a 77-308mm spread.

The 18-55 is physically larger than one designed for a true Micro Four Thirds, but still stores in the corner of a bag and weighs only 198g. Sadly, the lens has a particularly plasticy ambience; the zoom function feels raspy and friction increases noticeably towards the long end. On the other hand, it balances nicely on the camera.

Optically, it’s one of the better lenses of its type that I’ve tried. There’s little light falloff and little distortion at the wide end, while the full tele delivers good contrast and sharpness.

IN THE DARK

With that fine f2 lens and the oversized sensor, I was expecting stellar low-light performance. The NX10 tops out at 3200 ISO, which might be seen as a little conservative in these days when 6400 and 12,800 are bandied about.

But 3200 is where the NX10 needed to stop. Although fairly typical for a modern APS-C sensor, there’s a fair bit of noise at that setting and it’s best left for must-get shots or creative effects. However, 1600 is quite acceptable and, with the f2 lens wide open, you can capture a lot of darkness.

CONCLUSION

The NX10 mixes the image quality and performance of a dSLR with the convenience of a point-and-shoot and, in doing so, Samsung makes a promising entry into the upper echelon of camera manufacturers.

SAMSUNG NX10 with 18-55mm lens – Specs

Manufacturer: Samsung
Model: NX10
RRP: $1600 with 18-55mm lens
Sensor: CMOS 28.4 x 15.6mm, 15.1MP, 14.6MP effective
Viewfinder: VGA (640 x 480) 614,000 dots, -4 +2 dioptre adjustment
Display: 3.0-inch AMOLED VGA (640 x 480), 614,000 dots
Shutter: 1/4000sec to 8 minutes, bulb
Shooting Modes: Smart Auto, Program, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Night, Portrait, Landscape, Scene (Beauty, Children, Close Up Test, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach, snow), Movie
Exposure Metering: multi, centre-weighted, spot
ISO: Auto, 100-3200
Focus Modes: Contrast autofocus, single, continuous, manual; face detection and focus assist
Media: SD to 4GB, SDHC to 8GB
File Format: RAW, JPEG, MPEG-4
Flash: TTL built-in pop-up, GN 11 at 100 ISO
Interface: USB 2.0, DC 9v in, HDMI
Battery: Rechargeable lithium-ion BP1310
Dimensions: 123 x 87 x 40mm
Weight: 353g without lens, battery and card

CONTACT

www.samsung.com/nz

PROS

• Competent all rounder
• Excellent image quality
• That lovely 30mm pancake lens

CONS

• Currently limited range of lenses, accessories
• Dreary EVF

Design                      18
Performance             17
Features                   17
Image Quality           17
Value for money       16

TOTAL 85/100

This article is from D-Photo 36. Click here to check it out.

Nikon D3S – Review

Pro dSLRs such as Nikon’s new top-of-range D3S exist in a rarefied atmosphere. Ashley Kramer samples the oxygen

If amateur photographers choose their cameras based on desire, then professional photographers select their tools based on need. When you make your living with a camera, you generally buy the best you can afford. If you’re successful enough, then you own flagships such as the two cameras in Nikon’s D3 series, which are the absolute top-of-the-range, no-expense-spared full-frame statements.

The D3 range consists of the D3X, which has been around since 2008, and the new D3S. They’re more or less the same camera except for one vital element: the sensor. The frighteningly expensive D3X uses a 24.5 megapixel unit and is orientated more at studio and static work such as fashion, landscapes and architecture, where every last iota of detail is critical. The relatively more affordable D3S features a 12.1MP sensor, which is optimised for a wide range of circumstances including high-speed shooting (nine frames per second) and low light conditions, where it truly excels.

Not much has changed in the update from 2007’s D3 to the D3S, either. The big news is a state of the art sensor with a dust removal system, HD video recording as well as dedicated info and Live View buttons. The full-frame (FX format) sensor found in the original D3 and D700 is known for its high ISO capability, but this updated model is even more sensitive. It has a native ISO range of 200 to 12,800 and can be hustled right up to 102,400.

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