Digital Camera Fiend - A Camera Review

My trusty old Canon Powershot A85 wasn’t functioning the way it used to, so I knew it was time to buy a new point and shoot. I wanted to stay within the Canon family and after some research, I decided to buy the SD850.

What a great purchase! The camera was listed at $308 online at Circuit City. The sticker price at the store was about $50 more so I was glad I checked online first. The store clerk matched the online price.

At 8 megapixels, the SD850 packs as much wallop as the average user will need. It delivers clear and crisp pictures. I was happy with the amount of manual control the camera offers as well–play with the ISO in instances of low light and you’ll get pleasant results. I’ve found the Macro feature to be useful as well.
Probably the biggest selling point for me was the fact that the SD850 is one of the few cameras that offers a view finder window as well as an LCD screen. It’s one of my annoyances that new point and shoot digital cameras have gotten rid of the viewfinder to expand the LCD screen. Do we really need the extra LCD space? What happens in bright light when you can’t see the LCD screen? I also find it easier to frame shots when I do it the old fashioned way through the viewfinder.

The SD850 is light-weight, slim and sleek. It’s one of the better camera purchases I’ve made, and it has my highest recommendations.

The Canon Powershot S2 IS is a powerhouse in its field of competition. Released in April 2005, this compact digital camera improved every aspect of its predecessor, the Powershot S1.

It’s got a 12x optical zoom, 5-megapixel resoltuion, and a solid optical image stabilizer. If that’s not enough to sell you on this gem, check out its stellar movie mode–one of the best among digital cameras. Even the movie mode’s stereo sound is high-quality, and you can use the image stabilizer when shooting in this mode.

Sure, the swivel LCD monitor can be a bit difficult to see in bright conditions and pictures shot above ISO200 won’t be ideal, but the Powershot S2 is well-priced, versatile, and will produce quality photos.

Another win for Canon.

Asking someone what the best camera is, is like asking what the best food or best movie is: totally subjective and based on personal preference.

David Pogue, tech writer extraordinaire for the New York Times, can’t tell you how many times readers pose the ‘best camera’ question to him.

“That’s a crazy question,” Pogue says on his blog. “There are so many models and so many people with different priorities.”

That said, he decided to humor his legions of readers and posted a Best electronics list that includes two cameras: the Canon SD800IS and the Nikon D40.

Canon’s SD800 IS (the IS stands for Image Stabilizer) is a 7.1 megapixel compact digital camera with a 3.8x zoom. It’s the best camera that fits in your pocket, according to Pogue.

He especially praised the SD800’s image stablizer which, “saves about 90 percent of the low-light photos that would otherwise have been ruined by blur.”

The camera also has face recognition technology, ISO capabilities of up to 1600 and an easy-to-use interface. DP Review.com also recommended the Canon SD800 IS, but complained that the ISO 800 and 1600 were of limited use and that there is very little manual control. The older version, the SD700, is better, DP Review said.

The Nikon D40 has received heaps of praise from reviewers, and is Pogue’s pick for ‘Best Amateur SLR camera’. This entry-level DSLR camera is great for SLR beginners.

The Nikon D40 takes features from the more advanced Nikon D50 but is more lightweight and significantly lower priced. It’s a solid, well-built camera with an insanely low price.

“The price is amazing ($530) considering everything you get: fast startup, zero shutter lag, fast autofocus, big sensor, spacious and bright viewfinder, big screen,” Pogue wrote in his blog.

He says it’s a better buy than Canon’s Digital Rebel, which he finds awkward to hold and handle compared to the Nikon.

Although the D40 is barely six months old, Nikon has already updated it with the D40x, which has 10.2 megapixels compared to the D40’s 6.1 megapixels.

But seriously, unless you are going to be doing professional poster-size prints, you don’t need more than six megapixels. The D40 gets the job done and image quality differences are negligible.

Don’t forget to take a look at the best lens for the Nikon D40 and D40x. This one is also a bargain and would be a great addition to your lens kit.

A perfect companion for the popular Canon EOS 20D, 30D, or Digital Rebel 350D XT, the EFS 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens has a pleasing zoom range in a nice, light package.

This versatile lens, considered a wide angle to short telephoto zoom, has a built-in Image Stabilizer technology to reduce camera shake particularly in low light levels.

Canon lens reviewers find the EFS 17-85mm lens ideal for landscape photography, due to its very large depth of field. Crisp action shots will be a challenge unless there is abundant light or a flash is used for the main lighting.

Although the EFS 17-85mm is not a macro lens, it will focus down up to 1.5 feet, which is close enough to fill the lens with delicate subjects like flowers.

Overall, the great range of focal lengths and the image stabilization make this Canon camera lens a photographer’s friend.

The Canon EOS 30D is the upgrade to the Canon’s popular EOS 20D model. It was released exactly a year ago and was well-received by the photography community. It’s a fine piece of machinery and I would recommend buying one here.

The 30D isn’t an exciting or ground-breaking upgrade from the 20D, in fact it has the same CMOS sensor and image processor and 8-megapixel count.

The real improvements are a larger 2.5-inch LCD monitor, third stop ISO selection, an improved shutter, faster start-up from sleep mode, and a new spot metering option.

These are nice, but not “I’ve gotta get that” improvements, so if you already have the 20D, you don’t have anything to worry about. Those who don’t may want to take a look at the 30D, or its direct competitor, the Nikon D200.

Originally uploaded by down_the_rabbit_hole. Taken with a Canon EOS 30D.

Night shots can present extremely difficult photographic conditions. The dark night when this photo was taken in Jervis Bay, Australia posed quite a challenge, yet the photographer managed to capture a breathtaking shot.

“A lucky moment, in that all the elements were there, but tricky in putting them together because it was so dark I couldn’t see anything through the viewfinder,” the photographer said. “Added to this I was on a suburban street so I had to time the shots in between car headlights destroying the silhouettes of the trees.”

The silver reflection from the moon contrasts nicely with the tree silhouettes and inky sky.

The composition might be stronger if the tree branches didn’t partially obstruct the moon, but as the photographer noted, stepping to the side to avoid the obstruction would have ruined the symmetry of the photo.

Canon promises you can “go anywhere” with its line of Digital ELPH cameras, like the SD600. Of course, you’ll need a little help if you plan to test that promise.

This Canon waterproof casing is a great buy for any underwater afficionados. The WP-DC4 will allow you to take your SD600 or SD630 camera up to 130 feet underwater. Like all good waterproof systems, the WP-DC4 has large buttons that are easy for the gloved hands of a scubadiver to use.

Priced at less than $200, the Canon waterproof housing is a great buy for anyone serious about underwater camera work.

The Powershot SD600 is a sleek, compact camera that packs a big-time punch. Reviewers praise its usability and latest advances, like the DIGIC II Imaging processor which enhances picture definition, vibrancy, and quality. It also helps to increase the camera’s start-up speed, autofocus and shutter response. You can buy the SD600 here..

Some other specifics:

• Six megapixels
• ISO equivalent speed settings from 80 to 800
• A bright 2.5-inch LCD screen
• An unlimited movie mode with sound.

Also for the first time in the Powershot line’s history, the SD600 “My Colors” feature allows users to retouch captured photos directly from the camera without the need for software like Photoshop or Nikon’s Capture NX. Earlier models only allowed color adjustments while shooting.

The SD600 is also truly a “go-anywhere” camera. Check out Canon’s waterproof housing systems made specifically for the Powershot Digital ELPH cameras.

Originally uploaded by Sir Fish at flickr.com

Taken with a Canon Digital Rebel 350D XT

Macro, or close-up photography, can be a great way to put a new spin on a familiar subject. We can almost smell the waxy scent of crayons in this shot–it takes us back to our thrid grade classroom.
Take into consideration the limited depth of field on macro shots–you will notice that segments outside the focal plane are noticibly blurry. (Example: In the excellent photo above there is slight distortion on the gray crayon). Therefore, it’s crucial to focus only on a miniscule portion of your subject.
Usually a special-purpose camera lens will have to be used when taking macro shots. Many photographers will use a telephoto macro lenses to help with lighting issues.