Archive for August, 2009:
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS
Canon PowerShot SX120 IS camera functions
The Canon SX120 IS digital camera is ideal for capturing a variety of scenes and activities. A 10x optical zoom lens is perfect for family holidays or school sports days, when you often need extra zoom. For pin-sharp results, the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS features technologies that dramatically reduce camera shake and image blur. Canon’s Image Stabiliser (IS), ISO Auto and Motion Detection Technology work together to form a complete Anti-Blur solution.
10 megapixel Canon PowerShot SX120 IS camera
To capture every detail, the Canon PowerShot SX120 IS includes a 10 Megapixel sensor with Canon’s powerful and intelligent DIGIC 4 processor – ensuring superb response times and natural colour reproduction. Canon DIGIC 4 also takes care of difficult lighting conditions with i-Contrast – a technology which prevents highlight blowout, whilst retaining shadow detail.
Record VGA movies with the Canon SX120IS
More experienced users can choose their settings with additional shooting modes such as Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority. A full manual control mode is also provided – perfect for users who wish to experiment with their shots. The camera can also shoot VGA movies with sound, so users can film action as well as shooting beautiful stills.
Shoot perfect portraits with the Canon PowerShot SX120IS
The Canon SX120 IS digital compact camera also comes with the latest DIGIC 4 Face Detection Technology which recognises up to 35 faces in a scene and automatically adjusts key focus and exposure settings to ensure everyone looks their best. This technology includes Auto Red-Eye Correction, Face Detection AF/AE/FE, and Face Self-Timer – a feature that is great for group shots and self-portraits as the camera waits until it detects a new face in the frame before taking the shot. Faces can also be detected if they are at an angle to the camera so that the correct focus and exposure can be achieved without subjects facing the camera directly.
Buy Canon PowerShot SX120 IS Online
Canon PowerShot S90
Canon PowerShot S90 camera features
The Dual Anti-Noise system takes maximum advantage of the available light, while substantially reducing image noise. This is particularly useful in low-light portrait and landscape photography, where users are able to shoot high quality full resolution images even at ISO 3200. Canon DIGIC 4 also includes an enhanced version of i-Contrast: Canon’s Intelligent Contrast Correction technology, which delivers a wider dynamic range to reduce high-light blowout while retaining low-light detail.
Canon S90 equipped with a wide aperture f/2.0 wide-angle lens
Canon has fitted the PowerShot S90 camera with a wide aperture f/2.0 wide-angle lens to help photographers take full advantage of the Dual Anti-Noise System. The f/2.0 wide-angle lens allows twice as much light into the camera as an f/2.8 lens, enabling photographers to use faster shutter speeds to reduce blur or achieve a shallower depth of field.
Canon S90 features a 3″ LCD display
The Canon PowerShot S90 camera also includes Canon’s optical Image Stabilizer (IS) technology, which uses a lens-shift system to minimise camera shake and image blur – effectively giving photographers a 4-stop advantage over less capable cameras. To help users capture the perfect shot, the Canon PowerShot S90 includes a 3.0 inch LCD display, which features Canon’s PureColor II LCD technology. It enables users to frame and review pictures easily thanks to an exceptionally wide viewing angle, 461k dot resolution and great colour rendition.
Canon PowerShot S90 includes a Smart Auto mode
The Canon S90 digital camera allows fine custom adjustment of the camera’s white balance settings – enabling compensation of different kinds of tungsten, fluorescent and other light conditions for perfect results every time. For quick and easy snap shots, the Canon PowerShot S90 includes Smart Auto with Scene Detection Technology. This selects the scene type from 22 variables, applying the best settings for optimum output – a great asset to those who love to point-and-shoot without worrying about the technical details. Smart Auto now measures movement of objects or people in a scene, activating Servo AF/AE to ensure that the focus and exposure are locked onto a subject.
Buy the Canon Powershot S90 from Dirt Cheap Cameras
Canon PowerShot G11
Canon PowerShot G11 camera features
The premium quality Canon lens delivers picture-perfect performance, offering a 5x wide angle (28mm) zoom with optical Image Stabilizer (IS). This allows handheld shots to be taken at much slower shutter speeds (4-stops) than conventional non-IS models – allowing perfect shooting in darker conditions or at a lower ISO. The Canon PowerShot G11 also greatly reduces blur caused by camera shake, photographers can shoot at longer focal lengths and in lower light conditions without the need for a tripod.
Shoot RAW photos with the Canon G11
The Canon PowerShot G11 digital compact camera includes the ability to shoot in RAW format and is compatible with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, ensuring that photo shoots can be easily integrated into a photographer’s workflow.
Canon PowerShot G11 deals with any light condition
The Canon PowerShot G11 digital camera is equipped to deal with any light condition. Low Light mode enables photographers to shoot up to ISO 12,800 in reduced 2.5MP resolution at 2.4fps capturing brilliant shots indoors without the need for a flash, whilst a built-in Neutral Density (ND) filter decreases light levels by 3 stops allowing creative control in bright conditions.
Fast moving objects easily captures by the Canon G11
The Canon PowerShot G11 compact camera gives photographers the freedom to perfectly shoot fast-paced action. Quick Shot mode takes images almost instantly after pressing the shutter, so fast moving objects are always captured, whilst Servo AF/ AE continuously adjusts focus and exposure to optimise settings when photographing moving subjects.
The Canon Powershot G11 will be release online soon at Dirt Cheap Cameras
JVC Everio GZ-HD40 Review
The Everio GZ-HD40 is a significant camcorder for JVC. The AU$1,999 model supports AVCHD in addition to JVC’s traditional MPEG-2 TS format, offering more flexibility in your video-editing options. It also marks a shift from using three, low-resolution CCD sensors to a single, comparatively high-resolution CMOS sensor — a 2.7-megapixel 8.5mm sensor, if you’re curious. The result is an Everio with video quality able to compete with similarly priced HD models from Canon and Sony.
Design and features
Considering there’s a 120GB hard drive inside, JVC kept the HD40 reasonably compact at 73mm wide by 68mm high by 123mm deep, and with battery it weighs 123 grams. An otherwise identical 80GB version, the GZ-HD30, is available for AU$1,649. Out in front there’s a 10x optical zoom lens but, alas, there’s no optical image stabilisation, only electronic stabilisation.
Behind the lens on top of the camcorder’s body is a serviceable stereo mic followed behind it by an accessory shoe for use with an external microphone attachment. It’s worth noting that the shoe’s cover is not attached to the body, pretty much guaranteeing that it’ll eventually get lost. Another niggling design issue: like most straps on camcorders this size, it’s positioned too low on the body, causing the weight to be off-balance and the camcorder to flop to the left with the slightest relaxation of your grip. In the case of the HD40, it appears the location is low to avoid having the strap block inputs, but that doesn’t make it any less irritating.
Flipping open the 2.8-inch LCD reveals a set of buttons on the camcorder body’s right side: Direct DVD for burning discs without a PC using an Everio Share Station, Focus Assist (explained further on), Play/Rec for switching to playback mode and back again, and Delete. There’s also a Power button, although the camcorder does have an instant-on setting for when the LCD is opened. On the left side of the LCD are the remaining controls for menu navigation and settings: Menu and Index buttons and a five-way thumb-stick.
Ports include HDMI, AV and component outputs at the back above the DC input for power and charging, a mic input and headphone out on the body’s right side near the lens, and a USB mini-connector in front below an LED lamp to lens’ right. On the left of the lens is a switch for sliding the manual cover open and close. On the HD40′s bottom is a microSD/SDHC card slot for recording still photos or AVCHD video to cards up to 8GB in capacity; MPEG-2 TS video can only be recorded to the hard drive. There’s also a docking port for use with the included base that adds a FireWire port for file transfers.
The Everio HD40 has a number of manual controls for white balance, exposure, sharpness, shutter priority, aperture priority and brightness. You get manual focus, too, controlled by the stick to the left of the LCD. To help you actually see what’s in focus JVC has a very handy Focus Assist feature. Turn it on and the LCD’s picture becomes black and white, while what’s in focus will be outlined in your choice of one of three colours. There’s an exposure assistant, too, that puts zebra stripes across areas that are overexposed in your shot.
Changing settings can be tortuous depending on what you’re looking to adjust. The Menu button gets you into a majority of your options, but important settings are buried three levels deep, and there doesn’t appear to be any order. For example, switching between MPEG-2 and AVCHD — one of the major reasons for buying this model — requires you to press the Menu button, go to Basic Settings, find the selection titled Stream Format and then choose either SD Video, which is in fact MPEG-2, or AVCHD. Then once you’re back out, you have to hit Menu again, find Video Quality and select what recording quality you want to use. True, this probably isn’t a setting you’ll be changing all that often, but it’s illustrative of the rest of the menu system, so if you’re easily intimidated by digging through settings, you may want to try the JVC before buying.
Recording speed options for AVCHD (MTS files) include XP at 17Mbps, a 12Mbps SP mode, or EP video at 5Mbps. JVC’s MPEG-2 TS — recorded as TOD files — are 26.6Mbps variable bitrate (VBR) when set to full high definition (FHD) or 27Mbps in 1440 CBR (constant bitrate). The 120GB hard drive will store up to 10 hours of FHD MPEG-2 video or 15 hours of the more compressed AVCHD format at XP quality.
Performance
Video quality on the whole is very good. Colours lean more toward saturated than natural, but are definitely pleasing and enhance the high-resolution video. This was particularly true when recording in MPEG-2 TS, which produced a more consistent tonal range compared to the more digital-artefact blockiness of our AVCHD recordings. White balance, when left in Auto, was a bit warm and dull; it’s definitely best to use the manual white balance option or one of the three presets (Fine, Cloud or Halogen).
Low-light performance was better than expected and actually quite good. There was some noticeable off-colour noise, but the amount was certainly acceptable for dim shooting conditions. As with most consumer camcorders’ auto-focus systems, the HD40 tended to hunt in low-light shooting, causing it to bounce in and out of focus. Not surprisingly, the higher-bitrate MPEG-2 TS presented finer detail and smoother-looking video than the AVCHD results. But frankly as long as you’re shooting in good lighting and unless you’re really examining the video you’d be hard pressed to see a significant difference.
Photo quality is OK for a camcorder. It won’t replace a dedicated point-and-shoot camera, but it’s there if you need it.
Conclusion
For a high-def camcorder priced less than US$1,000, the JVC Everio GZ-HD40 has a lot to offer — especially if you’re into manual settings and are not easily intimidated by digging through a convoluted menu system. However, the lack of optical image stabilisation is regrettable for a camcorder of this calibre.
Thanks to Cnet
Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V Review
The Sony HDR-XR520V packs a lot of punch—and a lot of hard drive capacity—into a relatively small consumer camcorder. The retractable viewfinder and the return of last year’s excellent manual control dial are just a couple of the features that will intrigue proficient camcorder users. Also intriguing? The incredibly low noise levels, clear and smooth motion, built-in GPS, and 240GB internal hard drive.
There are some downsides that consumers of every ilk will have to weigh for themselves: no manual aperture/shutter control, mediocre low light performance, the lack of 24p or 30p frame rates, and an intimidating array of buttons, switches, and layered menus. It’s not the ideal camcorder for a first-time user, nor does it offer every bell and whistle that the experienced videographer could want. It does have some intuitive features and excellent video performance: a combination that might be just what some consumers are looking for.
There are some downsides that consumers of every ilk will have to weigh for themselves: no manual aperture/shutter control, mediocre low light performance, the lack of 24p or 30p frame rates, and an intimidating array of buttons, switches, and layered menus. It’s not the ideal camcorder for a first-time user, nor does it offer every bell and whistle that the experienced videographer could want. It does have some intuitive features and excellent video performance: a combination that might be just what some consumers are looking for.
Buy the Sony Handycam HDR-XR520V