KODAK PLAYTOUCH 1080p HD Video Camera Review
At 4.16 ounces, the Playtouch is about the same weight as its competitors, but at 4.3-by-2.3-by-0.6 inches (HWD), it’s much thinner than the Flip UltraHD. The Playtouch comes in black, orange, blue, or chrome; the sides of the camcorder feel rubbery, but the back and front are glossy and elegant looking.
There’s an SD card slot on the right panel that accepts up to 32GB cards (you only get 128MB of internal storage); an HDMI out to connect the camera to your HDTV is located on the left side of the camera (and an HDMI cable is included). On the top panel, there’s a jack/3.5mm microphone input, which is a rare find on a camcorder in this class.
Kodak includes a wall adapter to recharge the removable battery via the camera’s Micro-USB port, but you can also charge it up, albeit more slowly, via the built-in, flip-out USB arm.
Nikon COOLPIX 6200 Review
The S6200 has a 16 megapixel and a 10x optical zoom lens, offering a 35mm equivalent of 25 – 250 mm. There are 18 scene modes as well as Scene Auto Selector. Other features include special effects and filters and smart portrait system with Smile Timer, Skin Softening and in-camera red-eye fix.
To help take blur free images there is Lens-shift VR (Vibration Reduction), ISO up to 3200 and Best Shot Selector (BSS) which automatically selects the sharpest of up to 10 sequential shots. There are also some dedicated light modes to take images in low light even without a tripod including Backlight scene mode, Night Portrait and Night Landscape.
Movie recording is in 720p HD with stereo sound, optical zoom and autofocus available. You can also take a picture while filming. There is also a built-in HDMI connector with HDMI-CEC support for output to an HDTV.
The front of the camera is made of metal with a plastic rear and is very compact considering it has a 10x optical zoom lens packed in. The buttons are generally easy to press with the exception of the power button which does need a more concentrated effort to activate, at least you won’t accidently switch the camera on! There is a dedicated video record button and the d-pad allows you to go up, down, left and right and also rotates in a circular direction in order to toggle through camera menus.
Sony Alpha NEX-7 Digital Camera Review
The high-end Sony NEX-7 is a compact system camera that offers enthusiasts more control over camera settings, as well as a built-in high-resolution electronic viewfinder. But that’s not all they’ll be enthused about, because the NEX-7 also has a 24.3-megapixel APS-C sensor and can shoot up to 10 frames per second; it can also shoot Full HD video (AVCHD 2.0).
Another key feature is the new XGA OLED electronic viewfinder, also inherited from its dSLR cousins, which may just be a game-changer, providing users an eye-level viewfinder in a super compact package. Of course, there’s also a fully articulating and tiltable 3-inch, 921,600-dot LCD. Other standout features include:
20-millisecond release lagISO sensitivity range 100-16000,Flash/accessory hot shoe, wireless control, and built-in flashUser-selectable lens compensation for chromatic aberration, distortion, and vignettingFull AVCHD progressive video recordingHigh-speed shooting of up to 10fps at 24 megapixelsObject tracking AFFace recognitionLevel gaugeMic input jack
Sony NEX-C3 Review
The 16-megapixel Alpha NEX-C3 builds upon the successes of its predecessor — the NEX-3 — sporting a slimmer body and redesigned APS-C sensor. It also adds a reported 20-percent boost in battery life, improved low light performance, and a slimmer, more attractive design. We spent well over a month using the NEX-C3 as our primary camera for product shoots, trade shows, hands-on videos, and vacations, and were blown away by its performance as both a versatile still snapper and a powerful video camera.
It’s important to note that while the C3 does capture 720p video, it can’t shoot in 1080p, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if you need full HD. Like all mirrorless cameras, there’s also no optical viewfinder, nor is there a traditional hot shoe. Instead, Sony included the same propriety connector found on the NEX-3 and NEX-5, enabling connectivity with a dedicated external microphone and a limited variety of external flashes, including the compact strobe that ships in the box.
While some photographers may find the NEX-C3 inadequate for their needs, we absolutely loved shooting with it, and we think you will too. Jump past the break to see why.
Nikon 1 J1 Review
Nikon employs both phase and contrast detection, because although current phase detection AF systems are faster, contrast detection is generally more accurate.
While the V1 has both an electronic and mechanical shutter (and the user can select which to use), the J1 just has an electronic shutter. Using an electronic shutter enables the continuous shooting rate to be pushed as high as 60fps, with 30fps and 10fps options also being available.
In Motion Snapshot mode, the camera shoots a snippet of full HD video footage at 69.94fps for replay at 23.976fps (making it around one second long), with accompanying music and ending with a still image. Footage is recorded to the buffer memory from the moment the shutter release button is half-pressed, so the video includes slow-motion action from the point immediately before the shutter release is pressed home.
Considering the size of the sensor, the Nikon J1 resolves a respectable level of detail. However, our resolution tests reveal that it can’t record as much detail as some Micro Four Thirds cameras. As usual, more detail can be extracted from raw files than is present in the simultaneously recorded JPEGs.
Noise is pretty well controlled, but even images captured at the lowest sensitivity settings have a faint texture that is just visible when they are examined at 100% on the computer screen.