SlashScope

A review of the Olympus FE-190 Digital Camera has been posted over on the Digital Camera Resource Page. 'Like many cameras these days, Olympus has built memory right into the camera instead of bundling a memory card. The FE-190 has 22MB of onboard memory, which holds a grand total of five photos at the highest quality setting. That means that you'll want to get a memory card right away. Like all Olympus cameras, the FE-190 uses xD Picture Cards, and I'd suggest starting out with a 512MB card. There's no need to get a high speed (Type H) card for use with this camera. The FE-190 uses the familiar LI-42B lithium-ion battery. This compact battery holds a paltry 2.7 Wh of energy, which is about as low as you'll find these days.'

Read: DCRP Review: Olympus FE-190

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A review of the Canon XH A1 Camcorder has been posted over at Camcorder Info. 'The Canon XH A1 is equipped with three 1/3” CCDs. Each chip offers 1.67 gross MP (breaking down to an HDV effective pixel count of 1.56MP, a 16:9 DV effective pixel count of 1.56MP, and a 4:3 DV effective pixel count of 1.17MP). HDV is recorded in 1080/60i, along with frame rates of 30F and 24F, with the “F” standing for “frame.” For a full explanation of the distinctions between “F” and “P” (as in the AG-HVX200’s 24P), scroll all the way down to the Scan Rate/24P section. DV video is recorded in 480/60i, and can also take advantage of the 30F and 24F frame rates. Canon promises that the XH A1 and XH G1 have exactly the same video performance as the XL H1, which retails for more than twice the price of the XH A1. Of course, the XH H1 has an interchangeable lens, and different lenses can seriously affect video performance. Their claim seems to be based on the performance with the 20x kit lens, which is what we used in testing for our review of XL H1. Let’s see if the XH A1 can uphold its claim.'

Read: Canon XH A1 Camcorder Review Complete Color Charts: Canon XH A1 Camcorder Review

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Trusted Reviews have reviewed the Samsung GX 1L Digital SLR which is Samsung’s first digital SLR camera 'You may get a strong sense of déjà vu looking at these pictures of the Samsung GX 1L . Don’t worry, it’s not a glitch in the Matrix; you really have seen it before. I reviewed it back in July, but then it was called the Pentax *ist DL2. Samsung and Pentax have a joint development deal for digital SLR technology, and have launched their own versions of several key models including this one, the GX 1S and the new GX 10, which is actually a slightly re-modelled Pentax K10D.'

Read: Samsung GX 1L Digital SLR - Trusted Reviews

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A review of the Nikon Coolpix L6 Digital Camera has been posted on Digital Camera Review. 'Nikon's Coolpix L6 could be the poster child for a whole new generation of "back to the basics" digital cameras. The L6 isn't just easy to use; it also produces (in good light) dependably excellent 6 megapixel images. L6 purchasers will also love the bright, hue accurate, and fluid 2.5 inch TFT LCD screen and the sharp and contrasty 3X zoom. The L6 is an almost perfect traveler's camera - it's cheap, relatively tough, compact, lightweight, and it produces consistently excellent images. If all that isn't enough, the L6 features Nikon's Face Priority AF and automatic in-camera red-eye fix (for exceptional portraits), D-Lighting (which automatically lightens dark underexposed images), and it offers the best battery life of any camera in its class. Nikon claims the L6 has the best battery life of any compact digicam currently available (up to 1000 exposures from a pair of high capacity Energizer e2 Lithium AA batteries or up to 400 exposures from a pair of cheap and available anywhere alkaline AA batteries).'

Read: Nikon Coolpix L6 - Digital Camera Review

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The Olympus Stylus 750 Digital Camera has been reviewed over at Digital Camera Review. 'One of the most exciting features about this particular Stylus model is that it includes a CCD-shift image stabilization mode in addition to a "digital" image stabilization mode. This is the first Stylus model to include “optical” image stabilization. If the optical stabilization is not enough, the camera also has what Olympus calls "Digital Image Stabilization". With this image stabilization, camera movement is recorded and during image processing, any blurring caused by the camera movement is removed. All of the cameras in the Stylus line have Olympus’ Bright Capture Technology (BCT) that is kind of an “umbrella” term for several features. First, with BCT, the LCD gains up automatically in low light so you can preview the image before you take it. (An important feature since there is no optical viewfinder). Then several scene modes are built-in for low light shooting: Available Light Portrait, Indoors, and Candle.'

Read: Olympus Stylus 750 Digital Camera Review

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The 6 Megapixel Nikon D40 Digital Camera has been reviewed over at Lets Go Digital. ‘Remarkably, the Nikon D40 has not joined in the Megapixel race. Instead of 10, this camera 'only' has 6 million pixels. The number of Megapixels has a large psychological effect on the average consumer. This can be explained in part by the early years wherein the number of pixels contributed to the quality, but it was mainly the manufacturers who spurred each other on to the 10 Megapixel limit in such a short period of time. It looks as if this record will shortly be broken with the introduction of a 12 Megapixel sensor by Sharp that will be used for a compact camera. Do we really need ever increasing amounts of pixels? The answer, to be blunt, is no; we need better pixel quality and you can get high quality prints sized an A4 or even A3 with 6 million pixels. With the introduction of the D40, Nikon as a manufacturer is making it clear that they share this opinion; 6 Megapixels gives the photographer top quality.’

Read: Nikon D40 Digital Camera – Lets Go Digital

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A review of the the Stylus 1000 Digital Camera from Olympus has been posted on CNET. 'The Stylus 1000's sturdy metal body has a gentle wedge shape, making the camera extremely comfortable for one-handed use. However, the tapered left side makes it even more awkward for left-handed users than most point-and-shoots. The controls are mostly flat buttons that are responsive under the thumb, but extremely similar in feel. It's easy to accidentally hit the menu button instead of the direction pad when reviewing your photos. The power and the image-stabilization buttons sit on either side of the shutter release, but they're recessed enough that you probably won't accidentally press them while shooting. Though light on the manual controls, the Stylus 1000 has some very nice features. Like all Stylii, its metal body has rubber gaskets and seals to keep water and gunk out. You can't shoot underwater, but you can splash it without fear or hesitation. For low-light and action shots, the Stylus includes digital image stabilization and can shoot at as much as ISO 6,400, but images greater than ISO 1,600 are cut down to five megapixels. The camera lacks an autofocus light, but it does automatically increase the gain of its 2.5-inch screen when shooting in low light, making it easier to frame your shot. Besides some basic controls, such as exposure compensation, ISO, and white balance, it has 24 scene modes that let casual shooters set the camera for the type of shot they want. The camera also includes a 30fps VGA movie mode for shooting video clips. '

Read: Olympus Stylus 1000 - CNET

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CNET have reviewed the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1, 7.5-megapixel digital camera. 'Physical design is probably the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1's worst attribute. As they admitted at the Photo Marketing Association trade show last February, the body shares much of the internal design with Olympus's Evolt E-330, including its side-swinging Porro Mirror view finder, which provides a through-the-lens view without the prism that causes most SLRs to have a hump in the middle of the top of the body. The cameras also share the same 7.5-megapixel Live MOS sensor, which lets them offer a live view from the sensor on the camera's LCD screen, so you can frame your shots as you would on a compact camera. Unlike the Evolt, which has a second CCD sensor for a second live view mode, the Panasonic has only one sensor and one live view mode.'

Read: Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1- CNET

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A review of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 Digital Camera has been posted over on the PhotographyBLOG. 'The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 has a 7.38 megapixel, 1/2.5 inch CCD that delivers 7.2 effective megapixels. There are three aspect ratios on offer (4:3, 3:2, 16:9) with a range of image sizes (4:3 Aspect Ratio: 3072 x 2304, 2560 x 1920, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x960, 640 x 480 / 3:2 Aspect Ratio: 3072 x 2048, 2048 x 1360 / 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 3072 x 1728, 1920 x 1080 pixels). Images can be recorded as either Fine or Standard quality JPEGs. The camera's 3.6x Leica DC Vario-Elmarit optical zoom lens is equivalent to a 28-102mm lens on a 35mm format camera. There is also a 4x digital zoom should you feel the need to use it. MEGA O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) is available with 2 different modes. The camera is supplied with a 16Mb SD Memory Card and also supports the SDHC and MultiMedia Card formats.'

Read: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 - PhotographyBLOG

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A review of the Fujifilm Finepix S9100 digital camera has been posted on Digital Camera Review. 'Resembling a small single lens reflex camera (SLR), the S9100 offers the shooter full auto and programmed auto (P) modes, as well as “natural” (low) light, “portrait”, “landscape” and” night” specialty modes. There is a “picture stabilization” mode as well, accomplished by the camera “selecting a fast shutter speed” rather than some form of built-in image stabilization. These modes along with the manual (M), aperture priority (A), and shutter priority (S) settings are selected via the mode dial on top of the camera body. The camera’s built in flash pops up from the camera top as well.'

Read: Fujifilm Finepix S9100 Digital Camera Review

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The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3 "snapshot" camera has been reviewed over at Trusted Reviews. 'The first impression of the FX3 is overwhelmingly favourable. It’s a beautifully designed little camera with a high-quality aluminium body finished in a light brushed-metal colour with chrome trim, (a black version is also available). Measuring 24.2mm thick and weighing only 154g with card and battery on board, it is small and light enough to slip into a shirt pocket or purse. Furthermore, the lens fully retracts into the body and there are no protruding controls. Handling is excellent for a camera this size thanks to a sensible control layout leaving plenty of room to grip the camera. As for style it shares the same vaguely art-deco retro look as most of Panasonic’s compact camera range, with a particularly close resemblance to the FX9, which I believe it replaces.'

Read: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX3 - Trusted Reviews

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Andy Lane writing over at Think Camera has posted a review of the Fujifilm FinePix S9600 Digital Camera. 'As this is an upgrade from the S9500 I shall concentrate on what's different. You can read up on the S9500 to get all the other features. So, as one of the main differences between the S9500 and the new S9600 is said to be the faster focusing and the better anti blur I took it along to a car event that I wanted to cover. I really noticed the difference in the speed of focus and once I had turned off the auto-preview of the photographs I found that I could manage to take a lot more shots straight after the other. With the S9500 I found I was lucky if I could manage 3 shots on one test. From turned off, to up and ready to shoot its much quicker. I was really pleased.'

Read: Review: Fujifilm FinePix S9600 - Think Camera

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David Berlind has posted his impressions of the pricey Panasonic AG-HVX200K HD Camcorder over at ZDNet. 'When, as a part of ZDNet’s effort to turn its journalists into independent video producers as well, the folks in our broadband group sent me a Panasonic AG-HVX200K to play around with, I had no idea how much the camera they were sending me would prove to be a game changer when it comes to commercial video production in a distributed, collaborative environment. At $6995, it’s a very pricey device compared to other cameras that are far less expensive and that ultimately turn out a final product that’s similar in video quality to the one that might come from the Panasonic AG-HVX200K if the Web is your final target. Mostly for performance reasons, a lot of quality must be stripped out of raw video before it’s published to the Web. '

Read: Panasonic’s AG-HVX200K video camera enables a new age of video production - ZDNet

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Kurtis Gothreaux writing over at Astromart has posted his review of the Astro Sky 16" f/4.5 Dobsonian telescope. 'I brought the scope back home and eagerly awaited a clear night to set the scope up on my back patio for first light to see how my scope would perform. Several nights later a clear sky broke and I set the scope up. I have moderately light polluted skies in my backyard and wasn't really expecting to see a whole lot and was more just wanting to test the movements and mechanics of the scope and try out the Sky Commander. My main purpose of this scope is for dark sky star parties which I try to attend several a year. Well, my first views through the scope really wowed me. I was immediately amazed at how bright and crisp the stars were with my 27mm Televue Panoptic in the focuser. Not even using the Sky Commander yet I swung the scope to M31 to just see what it would look like. The telescope moved effortlessly and when I saw M31 from my backyard in this scope, and with what I saw, I knew I had a winner. M31 was surprisingly large and bright. I could just start to make out the dust lane. I couldn't wait to see what I would see under dark skies. Next, after familiarizing with the Sky Commander manual I went to work on learning Sky Commander. I must say the Sky Commander was a pleasure to use and worked flawlessly. Put in the date, catch two alignment stars and you are off the to races. I owe the workings of the Sky Commander to the installation job James did on it. I know the encoders have to be square on the axes and things of that nature for the DSC to operate properly. Evidently James knew what he was doing. I went on to use Sky Commander to locate other objects I would have had a hard time locating from scratch in my back yard and they were all within the field of view of my eyepieces. I closed down the evening looking forward to an upcoming dark sky star party in several weeks.'

Read: Astro Sky 16" f/4.5 Dobsonian - Astromart

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Imaging Resource have posted a review of the Canon PowerShot A710 IS Digital Camera. 'The Canon PowerShot A710 IS couples a 7 megapixel CCD imager sensor with an image stabilized 6x optical zoom lens that offers a 35mm-equivalent focal range of 35 to 210mm -- a moderate wide angle to a useful telephoto. With a total range of 6x optical zoom, this is quite a bit more than most compact cameras offer, and the inclusion of a stabilizer should help ensure photos aren't blurred from camera shake at the telephoto end of the zoom. Maximum apertures vary from f/2.8 to f/4.8 across the zoom range. The A710's sensor yields an ISO range equivalent to 80 to 800, while shutter speeds from 1/2000 to 15 seconds are possible.'

Read: Canon PowerShot A710 IS - Imaging Resource

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The stylish Fujifilm FinePix F650 Digital Camera has been reviewed over at CNET. 'Although Fujifilm was among the first manufacturers to raise the sensitivity of its compact digicams, the F650 oddly tops out at ISO 400. And since it doesn't come with image stabilization, you'll have to rely on the flash when shooting in low light. The lack of flash compensation makes flash shooting less versatile than we like. On the plus side, the FinePix did a decent job of balancing fill flash with a desk lamp in our test scene. All the camera's controls are located on the right-hand side of the body, so one handed operation is possible--though as we always suggest, you should use two hands for better stability. As usual, Fuji splits its menus in two. One menu is accessed through the F button, and provides access to ISO settings, resolution, and color settings. The second menu is accessed through the regular menu button, and provides access to all other settings. By splitting the menus, Fuji can keep the most-often adjusted settings up top where they're easy to access in each of the main menus.'

Read: Fujifilm FinePix F650 - CNET

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The HP Photosmart R927 Digital Camera has been reviewed over at Digital Camera Info. 'The HP Photosmart R927 is one of this manufacturer’s most feature-rich digital camera models with 8.2 megapixels, a 3x optical zoom lens, and a 3-inch LCD screen. The R927 has a range of manual and automatic modes and controls, along with an on-screen user guide. This digital camera has HP’s Real Life technologies that help to remove red-eye and fix lighting and such. There are also interesting in-camera editing features that can do everything from discolor a photo to slim the subject down. The HP Photosmart R927 retails for $399.'

Read: HP Photosmart R927 - Digital Camera Info

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The "easy to use" Nikon Coolpix L5 Digital Camera has been reviewed by CNET. 'Top among its features is its 7.2-megapixel CCD sensor and a 5X optical, 38mm-to-190mm, f/2.9-to-f/5.0 zoom lens with optical (a.k.a. lens shift) vibration reduction (VR). This method of VR is the most effective offered by Nikon. Other variations on the theme include electronic, which combines info from sensors at the time of image capture with internal processing to try to remove blur from images that have already been shot; and mechanical, which shifts the CCD to compensate for shake Unfortunately, Nikon doesn't specify on its packaging which type is included with which cameras because it thinks that consumers don't want to know, but if you check the technical specifications on the Nikon USA Web site, you can find out which type each camera has. The 2.5-inch LCD is a decent size but has only 115,000 pixels, so images appear coarser on it than on cameras that include LCDs with higher pixel counts.

Read: Nikon Coolpix L5 - CNET

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CNET have reviewed the compact VC Everio GZ-MG57 Hard Disk Camcorder. 'Released in September 2006 with little fanfare, the JVC Everio GZ-MG57 seems to do nothing more than fill a hole in JVC's hard-disk camcorder lineup. Similar to its predecessor, the GZ-MG50, JVC made several small changes without really changing the overall product. For one, the GZ-MG57 is slightly more compact than the GZ-MG50; it's a very good size for small adult hands and might even be comfortable for older children. At 14 ounces, it's also quite light compared to most other camcorders. Like the other Everio models, you control most of the cameras options via a joystick on the bezel of the LCD. The menu system is fairly straightforward, and it provides quick access to all the shooting settings, including white balance, shutter speed, and scene modes.'

Read: JVC Everio GZ-MG57 - ZDNet

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The Nikon Coolpix S7c Digital Camera has been reviewed by Trusted Reviews. 'At its widest point the camera is just 21mm thick, making it one of the slimmest cameras on the market. Its other measurements are also diminutive, although thanks to the large screen it isn’t among the smallest available. Nonetheless it will slip unobtrusively into a shirt pocket or handbag, and weighing 140g dry it won’t rip through the lining. Having a big screen on a small camera means there isn’t a lot of room on the rear panel for anything else and here we come to one of the S7c’s main problems. At the top right of the rear panel is something that is clearly supposed to be a thumb rest and it even has a little pattern of four raised dots to give it some grip, but it’s only 7mm wide. Unless you have a right thumb the width of a pencil it’s virtually useless. You have to grip the camera by the very edge, and it feels awkward and insecure. That pretty matt finish is quite slippery, and several times while I was testing only the wrist strap saved me from having to write a grovelling apology to Nikon for having dropped their camera.'

Read: Nikon Coolpix S7c - Trusted Reviews

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Dan Havlik writing over at Imaging Resource has posted a review of the compact Casio EX-S600 digital camera. 'The EX-S600 I tried out was the "blue" version which is actually an attractive metallic bluish-grey color which the "metrosexual" in me says also might have a hint of lavender. (Sorry, maybe I've been watching too many Fab Five reruns on Bravo lately.) Though it's made mostly of polycarbonate, there are nice silver metal accents on the Casio EX-S600 around the lens and across the faceplate including a solid metal fingergrip and raised metal lettering spelling out the EXILIM name. The metal accents are picked up in a silver band that runs across most of the top of the camera, and in the metal zoom rocker, multi-controller, and various buttons on the back.'

Read: Casio EXILIM CARD EX-S600 - Imaging Resource

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Camcorder Info has posted a solid review of the Canon XL H1 Camcorder. 'The Canon XL H1 – you’ve seen it, you’ve studied it, and you’ve put it on your wish list. Now we have the complete review. This HDV camcorder with a $8999 (MSRP) price tag has just about everything you want in a professional camcorder: 30F and 24F frame rates (no, it does not have true 24P, but Canon claims you can’t see the difference), a huge array of manual controls, great handling, a removable lens, and every input and output you could need, whether you’re an ENG, an indie filmmaker, or a corporate videographer. There’s certainly more details than we can fit in an introduction, so please read on.'

Read: Canon XL H1 Camcorder Review - Camcorder Info

Source: The Truth About Cars

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The Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ50 Megazoom camera has been reviewed over at Lets Go Digital. 'As more and more digital SLR cameras are becoming attractively priced, the market for high-end compact cameras seems to have shrunk significantly. Undeserved perhaps, as the top class segment offers first-rate compact cameras that can almost compete with a digital SLR as far as quality is concerned, and offer the additional bonus of being considerably more compact. Moreover, there are plenty of interesting, perky models, such as -for instance- the so-called Megazoom cameras, which certainly have an identity of their own. Although we must say these too seem to have suffered a recent loss of popularity. Panasonic, however, remain an advocate for the super zoom, and the brand recently introduced the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50.'

Read: Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ50 - Lets Go Digital

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The Casio Exilim EX-Z700 (red) ultracompact camera has been reviewed over at CNET. 'The EX-Z700 comes with the same handy features as the rest of Casio's Exilim cameras. Casio's Best Shot modes offer users more than two dozen different scene presets, including the auction-photo-optimizing eBay mode. Digital image stabilization helps reduce shake and blur when using the camera's 38mm-to-114mm-equivalent lens, though it shouldn't be confused with the more-effective optical or mechanical image stabilization offered by some other camera makers. The camera maxes out at ISO 400 sensitivity, leaving it somewhat underequipped for low-light or high-speed shooting. The Z700's 2.8-inch LCD screen is quite bright but washes out very easily. Since the display leaves no room for an optical viewfinder, users are forced to use the LCD whenever framing a shot, regardless of the lighting.'

Read: Casio Exilim EX-Z700 (red) - CNET

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