Olympus E-PL1 Review

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The Olympus E-PL1 is the latest in the line of PEN cameras, which prior models include the original E-P1 and the E-P2.  The E-PL1 is the first PEN camera targeted at and priced toward the consumer market.  As with the other PEN models, the E-PL1 is a Micro Four Thirds format camera and features a 2x crop factor over traditional 35mm sensors.  That means that the 14-42mm lens feels like a 28-84mm lens on a full frame camera.

One of the biggest problems I experienced with the first generation PEN, the E-P1, was slow autofocus tracking, which spoiled the solid image quality the camera otherwise delivered.  Overall, I gave the E-P1 rather poor marks in usability for all but a rather niche group.  Time heals all wounds though – and the new E-PL1 provides a better overall experience even if it still has less-than-perfect autofocus.

To see where the Olympus E-PL1 shines and shames, read on. [Read more...]

Sony Cyber-shot HX5V Review

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The Sony Cyber-shot HX5V is a 10.2MP point and shoot camera that was introduced in January 2010 with the Cyber-shot TX7.  The HX5V complements the TX7 well and, fortunately, packs in many of the great features of its thinner counterpart.

To see how the Sony Cyber-shot HX5V stacks up and whether it’s right for you, read on. [Read more...]

Olympus SP-800UZ Review

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The Olympus SP-800UZ is a 14-megapixel superzoom camera with a whopping 30x zoom range, which measures to the equivalent of 28-840mm on a 35mm camera.  With a feature set that matches up against the likes of the Nikon P100 and Fuji HS10, the Olympus SP-800UZ has some serious competition in the superzoom department.  To see how it stacks up, read on. [Read more...]

Canon Rebel T2i Review

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The Canon Rebel T2i (aka 550D outside the US) is the follow-up entry-level DSLR to the great Rebel T1i. Even though the T2i follows just one year after the release of the T1i, it is not the typical, incremental upgrade you might expect. The Rebel T2i packs a whole lot of firepower for both still and video shooters. To see whether the performance matches up to the spec sheet, read on. [Read more...]

Sony H55 Hands-On Review

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Sony H55

The Sony H55 is a 14.1MP point and shoot camera with a 10x optical zoom, which covers an equivalent range of 25-250mm on a 35mm format camera.  It retails for $249 and is a sort-of middle-of-the-road point and shoot.  It’s not quite as high end as the Sony HX5V; however, it’s still a step up from most of Sony’s W-series of Cyber-shot cameras. [Read more...]

Shooting Hoops with the Nikon D3S

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While evaluating the autofocus performance of the Nikon D3S, I shot with it at a couple of recent Tennessee basketball games.  I’m working on a more in-depth evaluation of the AF performance. In the mean time, however, here are a few of the resulting images.  All of the following images were captured as NEF files and processed in Lightroom 2. [Read more...]

Samsung TL350 Hands-On

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Samsung TL350

The Samsung TL350 is a rather compact point and shoot camera that is sort of the little brother to the Samsung TL500.  It features a 10MP CMOS sensor, a 5x optical zoom and a 3-inch VGA AMOLED screen.  In terms of its specifications, the TL350 is packed full of features and killer numbers across the board. [Read more...]

Olympus SP-800UZ Hands-On Review

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Olympus SP-800UZ

The Olympus SP-800UZ is a 14MP superzoom camera that features a 30x optical zoom lens.  The lens zoom range works out to a 28-840mm equivalent on a full frame camera. To help out with keeping the camera steady, the SP-800UZ offers Olympus’ Dual Image Stabilization, which combines sensor-shift stabilization with high ISO and faster shutter speeds to reduce blur.

The SP-800UZ can also capture 720p HD video, which is easy to activate thanks to a dedicated one-touch video record button on the rear in easy reach of the thumb. [Read more...]

Canon PowerShot S90 Review

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Canon PowerShot S90

The Canon PowerShot S90 is a 10MP point and shoot camera, but it’s more than just another compact camera.  It symbolizes a return of the popular Sxx-series of cameras.  It boils down to a G11-junior with a portability bonus and, of course, the same RAW format capture.

Is it worth the price of admission? Read on to find out. [Read more...]