August 3rd, 2008 at 12:30am
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The Canon G9 is sometimes said to detect up to nine faces but the instruction manual says that up to three frames display where the G9 detects faces. When the G9 is in face detection mode, the LCD display shows the detection frames lock onto a face. Most of the vendors offer the Canon G9 for about 450 - 500 dollars. However a few Web sites offer it for the low $300s.
After running the Canon G9 through a battery of scientific tests in our imaging lab, we are convinced this camera is worth the hype. It takes excellent pictures, and its 12.1 megapixels are very effective at capturing detail. I also came across a post on a blog dedicated to the Canon G9 about how the Canon G9 works for underwater photos.
The analogue-inspired design of the Canon G9 has been updated on this model with a textured coating and a black alumite lens ring. A larger grip and pronounced thumb rest ensure secure and comfortable handling. The Canon G9 definitely is one of the best point-and-shoot cameras. It’s sort of an expensive Polaroid. A waterproof case is also available for your underwater shooting with Canon G9 Camera.
To make this more relevant, 12-megapixels (12MP) is the new 8MP and the Canon G9 is the perfect example of this logic, with a 12MP sensor in a very compact form. Retail price for this little jewel is $499, but I have seen a few reputable dealers selling it online for about $420, so a little smart shopping will save enough money for a 4GB memory card! I was walking back from a dinner meeting in Las Vegas with a Canon G9 and a small Gorillapod tucked away in my jacket pocket. I felt like shooting something, but nothing caught my eye until I climbed a set of stairs for a street overpass. I picked up a Canon G9 that seemed to have nice specs (12.1 megapixels, a 35-210mm image stabilized lens, and RAW capabilities) and an even nicer price (under $500).
Under the surface the Canon G9 uses the same advanced DIGIC III processor as the company’s digital SLR cameras for faster performance and image processing. The ISO range is 80-3200 and there are 25 different shooting modes on offer, including Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority and Manual shooting modes for those who desire greater control. But surprisingly, I like the look of the crop from the Canon G9 photo better. The DSLR should have performed better here, but it did not rise to the challenge.
By Dave Jackson
July 20th, 2008 at 10:22pm
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The Canon Powershot A580 is an 8.0-megapixel digital camera with 4x optical zoom. It is designed to be rugged, lightweight, and packed full of features. Puppy-dog styling and an anonymous feature set leave the Canon PowerShot A580 feeling short of personality. Cameras from the IXUS or Lumix ranges, such as Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5 , are much sleeker and more innovative, if more expensive. The Canon PowerShot A580 is 9×6.5×3.5cm, the last figure is maximum and only applies at the right side where the pair of ‘AA’ batteries are. When the lens is extended in use the total width is 6.5cm.
The Canon PowerShot A580 features 8.0MP resolution, 4x optical zoom with Image Stabilization, a F2.6 maximum aperture, and a shutter speed range of 15-1/2,000 sec. It has a sophisticated styling with a nice grip that fits snugly into the hand. The 8-megapixel Canon PowerShot A580 features an f/2.6-5.5, 35-140mm 4x zoom lens, and a 115,000-pixel, 2.5-inch LCD and optical viewfinder. The camera uses Canon’s DIGIC III image processor, and the company claims that its autofocus systems has been improved to perform better at low light levels.
The entirely new Red-eye Correction during shooting uses the Face Detection Technology to recognize and remove red-eye from flash images as they’re taken, before the file is written to the memory card. It’s also possible to correct red-eye during image playback, using simple settings in the A580’s menu. The camera pays special attention to the faces so they come out clear and crisp in the photographs. AF Point Zoom is available in Centre Point and Face Detect AF and helps you check focus accuracy by magnifying the area under the AF frame when the shutter release button is pressed halfway. Digital Zoom should be turned off when shooting stills and only activated for capturing [standard] movie clips.
The entirely new Red-eye Correction during shooting uses the Face Detection Technology to recognize and remove red-eye from flash images as they’re taken, before the file is written to the memory card. It’s also possible to correct red-eye during image playback, using simple settings in the A580’s menu. A new AF Point Zoom function, which is only available in Face Detect mode, lets you enlarge the AF frame when the shutter button is half-way pressed to check that the subject’s eyes are open. In auto mode, the AF system scans the subject and automatically sets the lens to focus, regardless of whether the camera is in normal or close-up mode.
By Dave Jackson
July 18th, 2008 at 07:14pm
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It sports a 10x optical zoom lens with optical image stabilization, high definition output and face detection abilities. It will retail at $300 when it is available in September. The zoom toggle’s soft-touch feel allows for fine adjustments, and the zoom is not stepped – allowing for apparently limitless settings between 1x and 10x. An on-screen read out displays the magnification level. Dominating the front of the camera is a Carl Zeiss-branded Vario-Tessar 10x optical 38-380mm equivalent f/3.5-4.4 zoom lens, which feeds light to an 8.1-megapixel CCD sensor. Around back you’ll find a 2.5-inch, 115,000-pixel LCD.
Combine this with a step-less 10x zoom lens covering an equivalent 38mm to 380mm and multi-mode image stabilization and you’ve got the makings of a winner for an amateur sports/nature photographer. A promised battery life of around 330 shots is equally enticing; we’ll see whether the H3 lives up to this hype, but Sony’s Stamina battery technology has proven true to the advertising copy in the past. Whereas most compacts have a paltry 3x zoom - boosted by an often unusable digital zoom - superzooms typically offer around 10x-18x optical zooms. But do they fill a gap or merely offer too many compromises? Sony puts 10x optical zoom in the palm of your hand. With compact body design, 8.1-megapixel resolution, and a top-quality Carl Zeiss lens, the Cyber-shot DSC-H3 packs more photo opportunities in a small size.
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 is yet another take on the emerging compact ultra-zoom theme, sporting a 10x optical zoom in a large pocket camera package. Amid some other more prominent entries into this field, the Sony seems to have been often lost in the mix. The 8.1-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 features an optically stabilized f/3.5-4.4, 38mm-380mm (35mm equivalent) 10x Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom lens and 115,000-pixel, 2.5-inch LCD screen. In addition to the lens, the camera’s design, resolution, and price put it into close competition with Canon’s PowerShot SX100 IS . To begin, the new camera features a powerful Carl Zeiss ? 10x optical zoom lens, which makes it ideal for capturing every expression when shooting little stars from the audience. It also includes a long-range flash that lights up subjects farther from the camera.
It offers a generally good, stabilized 10x zoom lens, snappy shot-to-shot performance, a good flash unit, and nice color reproduction. But in evaluating cameras, I always come back to the idea of how refined a particular unit feels. But as is typical of the 10x pocket camera, there’s neither an optical viewfinder, nor an EVF on the H3.
By Dave Jackson
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