 |
Fujifilm Finepix S5600
by broxi3781
I have debated for some time whether or not to review this camera. First although it is still available form a few sources, a newer more advanced model will cost you less. Second I am an imbecile where cameras are concerned. I know next to nothing. But then I decided there must be others with no technical knowledge, who want a simple ... camera with excellent results. I love this camera so much, should it ever break I honestly would consider paying above the odds for the exact same thing.
I bought this camera because of optical zoom. this has 10x optical zoom and what looks like a real lens. The salesman told the only factor in a camera was mega pixels. At 5.1 million mega pixels, this was not top of the line even at the time. But I still believe a good lens must make a difference so I bought it. I am also convinced optical zoom is so much better than digital.
features
10 x optical zoom
4 x digital zoom
5. million mega pixels
video recording 30fps
auto focus - just point and shoot
anti blur
night mode
portrait
landscape
colour or monochrome
Macro zoom 10cm
16 megabyte - throw this away and buy a proper sd memory card asap at least 2 gb. It has been so long since I used this card - I am not certain the number of photos it held - but I believe it was around six. There is no internal memory.
In all honesty I use this camera for one thing only - family photos. This includes night shots ( Halloween) action shots with children and posed shots. I have tried the video, but prefer my video camera. I have only rarely tried anything but auto focus - even for night shots. All I do is point and shoot. But we have enlarged some of our photos to frame and display. I often have people ask where we had the photos taken, stating the natural background looks so real - it is real. When I reply I took them they I get surprised looks - "I never knew you were a photographer". Some of these pictures have captured every nuance, the exact shade of my children's' eyes, it even seems to have captured the twinkle. I have suppressed the flash and still have recognisable pictures of my children alongside their glowing Jack O lanterns, pictures of fireworks going off, the children in mid air jumping on trampolines (and beds). My favourites though are the up close portraits. I do believe the quality of these prints exceeds the few professional photos we have had taken. Additionally the cost of this camera - around £120 new - is very close to the cost of the portrait package I purchased when my oldest was a newborn.
Batteries : This uses 4 AA batteries. I would recommend Duracell. Cheaper batteries results in lag between photos and blurred photos. As soon as you notice a lag, replace batteries. I take a lot of photos and use 3 -4 sets per year. Using the regular viewfinder rather than the lcd screen as I do, does make them last longer. Because this requires more juice than many applications though, I have found the discarded batteries do a grand job with toys, clocks and lower drain items.
This camera sells for £75 used on Amazon. You can buy a new one online around £125, but at £119, the FinePix S2950 is likely a better buy. It looks like an upgraded version of this. Still I absolutely love this camera. It has survived drops, bangs, spills and a 2 year old photographer. It has given me years of top quality , cherished family memories and never let me down by missing that all important shot - except the time I tried pound shop batteries - my fault - or the time I left the lens cap on - oops. I have no intention of replacing this unless I absolutely must.
This camera came with an instruction book ( which i never really read) and a cardboard box. Nothing else. There was no software, no photo editing suite, no carry case, no batteries not even so much as a usb cable. You can upload your photos straight from memory card - but we do find transfer much easier via a cable.
If you have always wanted to take pictures like a pro, but do not have a professional's budget or expertise, this is the camera for you.
Read the complete review |
 |
Casio Exilim Hi-Zoom EX-H5
by Nuzziebaba
I actually got this camera a year ago when my old one fell into the Indian sea and refused to work at all! I bought this at around £160 but the price has gone fairly since then because its an older model, however still worth it!
Onto the technical details, this camera has 12.1 megapixels and 10x optical zoom, with a 24mm wide ... angle lense and a large 2.7 LCD screen on the back to work with - standard for the mid-range priced digital cameras. It also has an extra add on of HD video recording and that may always come in handy. The battery life is very impressive on this one, lasting me a day with constant picture taking, but this really depends on the level of photo taken, the flash etc.
One interesting thing about the camera is the 'make up mode' it offers. You can set the camera so any photo of a face is taken, and a level of 'photoshop' work is done, depending on the setting you put it on, from 0-12, which is good for all those who feel that their photos need an extra tweak. A variety of other themes is also available on this camera, which can be accessed from the menu, so making picture taking even more fun! Another good thing is the level of flash that can be set, a softer option is available, and even when without a flash, there is anti-shake technology in the camera, which I was glad to discover since this was the only issue I was having!
The camera is fairly sleek and small, easy to carry, even for a digital one, the colours available are black, red and silver but the price varies between them. It turns on very easily and has no trouble zooming to its full capacity, without the camera feeling heavy either! The video recording is fab as well, definitely at HD quality if you set it so, but be wary, you will need a fairly large memory card to hold the videos.
This camera doesn't seem very popular around the market, but is definitely worth the money.
Read the complete review |
 |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1
by JJJJ
Nowadays there are dozens of compact super zoom cameras to choose from - however, finding one that could plausibly fit into your pocket three or four years ago was a rarity. On its release in 2007, Panasonic's TZ1 was the smallest camera to offer a ten times optical zoom - although since that time it has been usurped by a number of newer ... models. Originally, the TZ1 was available to buy for £250, whereas nowadays you can pick one up for £50 on eBay.
Design & Appearance
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Available in silver, black, or blue, the TZ1 is comfortable to hold with a designated grip section on the right hand side of the body. The build quality is top-notch, and the metal construction makes a change from some of the ultra-plasticky cameras that i've used in my time. The metal body does make the camera a little heavier than some of its contemporaries (265 grams) - but it's not an overly weighty machine and can be carried around with ease. Overall, the TZ1 looks rather pleasant, and at 112 x 58 x 40 mm it will just about squeeze into a trouser pocket. Round the back there's a 2.5 inch LCD screen, which, although clear and glossy, struggles somewhat with reflections in sunny outdoor conditions.
The Optics & Manual Options
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
So let's take a look at the main selling point of this camera - namely the 10x zoom lens. This 35 - 350 mm bad boy extends the entire length of its range almost silently and at a respectable speed. The glass is of a high quality, and although there isn't much distortion, I've noticed evidence of purple fringing at the longer end of the zoom. The TZ1's macro mode is qausi-effective, allowing the user to focus as close as around five centimetres of its subject, and there's dual image stabilisation, which, in my experience, I have found to work especially well. I usually like my cameras to have full manual controls, but unfortunately, the TZ1 is limited in terms of what you can fiddle about with. You can set the white balance and exposure compensation, but the lack of manual shutter and aperture settings means that the camera isn't one with which you can get especially creative.
Image Quality Camera Speed & Flash
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In terms of the image quality, the TZ1 is slightly unimpressive - images shot at anything over ISO 200 are quite noisy, so night time photography isn't this particular machine's forte. The Panasonic's Venus Engine II does attempt to employ noise reduction techniques, and although this helps with worst of the grain, it also results in smudged details. The full ISO range of the camera extends from 80 - 1600, and thankfully colours are vividly reproduced and natural looking for the most part. What's especially good about the camera is its speed - the TZ1 is quick off the mark with a fast start up, and there's very little evidence of shutter lag between shots. The TZ1's flash is for the most part effective, and has a range of 3.7 metres (2.4 metres when using zoom) - all the usual flash modes are present including auto and red-eye reduction.
Battery Life & Additional Features
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The TZ1 comes complete with a lithium-ion battery which performs to an acceptable standard before it needs replenishing. Obviously the amount of shots you'll be able to take will depend on the amount you use the flash and the LCD screen, although my rough estimate would be in the region of 200 - 250 photos. During my time with the camera I've found that the battery life could be significantly extended by dimming the screen down from the default level. The camera's main options can be scrolled through via a mode dial on top of the device - and whilst I appreciate the inclusion of this physical control, it can accidentally be nudged to an unwanted setting with a light knock. The rest of the options are engaged via the menu system, which is clear, nicely presented, and easy to understand.
Storage-wise, the camera takes a standard SD card, plus there's around thirteen and a half meg of internal storage to also use up. The additional features? well, the majority of modern digital cameras allow you to shoot video, and the TZ1 is no exception with a fluid and generally clear movie mode. The standard setting is the sub-HD 640 x 480 pixel resolution, although there's also an option to shoot in widescreen (16:9 @ 480 x 848 pixels). Sound can be recorded and the zoom can be used as well, and overall the image quality is pretty good.
Final Word
- - - - - - -
Although it doesn't have a wealth of manual options, the Panasonic TZ1 is an extremely well made and easy to use camera which features an attractive design. Its specs are starting to look a little dated (especially where megapixels are concerned) - however, for a beginner the camera would be a perfectly adequate travel companion (especially if you can pick one up for under fifty quid). It has to be said that the TZ1's photographic image quality isn't amazing, but for daylight use at lower ISO settings you won't notice the noise too much - three out of five dooyoo stars.
Read the complete review |
