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All posts tagged "cybershot"


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Sony Announces the DSC-RX100, or the Canon Powershot S100-killer

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 08:56 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/0...-sensor-compact

Oh my. Sony has announced a pretty interesting camera, the DSC-RX100. It is a pocket-sized metal-bodied camera that in many ways is similar to the Canon S90/95/100 series, right down to the lens control ring and fast (on the wide end) lens; in this case, it is an optically stabilised 3.6x 28-100mm equivalent f/1.8-4.8 zoom lens. What sets it apart, is the sensor: Unlike many other premium compacts which use a 1/1.7" sensor, this uses a much larger 1" sensor similar in size to the Nikon 1 CX format, and packs 20 megapixels. The camera has a 3" VGA LCD that uses a new array that packs white pixels on top of the usual RGB trio which promises a brighter screen, full manual controls, 1080p video at 60 FPS that can take 16:9 stills while capturing video, 10 FPS continuous stills shooting, electronic horizon level, and the always popular Sweep Panorama feature. I suspect for those who can afford the US$650 asking price, this will be the compact camera of choice, as it combines a faster lens than the Canon S100 with a much larger sensor. Only downside is the 28mm equivalent starting point, instead of 24mm like the Canon. Ships in July. Check the link for DPReview's hands-on preview!


Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Sony Launches a Trio of Cameras; Thinks We Need 18 Megapixels

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

This always happens. A company produces a minor design innovation that might allow for compacts to be less awful to the point where I might consider getting one again, then same company ruins it by increasing the megapixel count, thus negating (and maybe even worsening) any advantages said innovation might have brought otherwise. Sony's latest, the DSC-TX200V, is clearly intended to be Sony's flagship compact camera, but 18 megapixels? It packs the otherwise promising Exmor R CMOS sensor, which Sony touts it will be great in low-light situations (and I have a bridge to sell you folks), a slow-ish 5x optically stabilised folded optics zoom lens at 26-130mm equivalent with maximum apertures of f/3.5-4.8, a tasty 3.3" WVGA OLED touchscreen (which unfortunately also means most physical controls have been obliterated), 1080p video in AVCHD, crammed with a ton of software features, like Sony's famous Sweep Panorama mode, all in a slightly waterproof, freezeproof and dustproof body that is also pretty stylish. It is the second compact that will make use of micro SD cards, and will sell for a princely sum of US$500 in March. More photos and full details at the link below.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX200V

The other two cameras, The DSC-WX70 and DSC-WX50, are more conventional affairs. They are still slim cameras, but pack a more standard retracting lens. Both offer 16 megapixel Exmor R sensors, 5x optically stabilised 25-125mm equivalent f/2.6-6.3 zoom lens, 1080p video in AVCHD, and similar inter software to the TX200V. The difference between the two cameras are in their screens. The WX50 offers a 2.7" HVGA LCD, while the WX70 offers a 3" VGA touchscreen LCD. Both cameras will ship in March, with the WX70 going for US$230, and the WX50 going for US$200. More photos and full details at the link below.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX70/WX50


Friday, July 29, 2011

Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Digital Photography Review's Travel Zoom Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q31...lzoomgrouptest/

"The so-called 'Travel Zoom' category was effectively invented by Panasonic, with the Lumix DMC-TZ1. Released in 2006, the TZ1 was the first camera with a 10x optical zoom lens that could truly be called 'compact', and although Panasonic had the field to itself for a while, it wasn't long before other manufacturers started to move into the same space. Fast forward to 2011, and almost all of the major camera manufacturers offer compact cameras with at least 10x optical zooms, up to almost 20x in some cases."

The travel zoom area is probably the last major growth area for compacts in light of compacts getting squeezed from smartphones at the low end and cheap DSLRs and cute mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras on the high end, so it would be nice to see some more innovation in this area, instead of so-so image quality tacked to a design that has not changed much from the TZ1's launch in 2006. Still, they are still popular enough, and DPReview takes a look at some of the latest round of travel zooms, and there's a surprise winner in the round-up. Hint: The brand starts with an "N". I always thought their compacts were on the lacklustre side, and in fact, the sample images are not very inspiring in some cases; the camera gets a win mostly in the way it handles and operates. Hit the link for the roundup!


Monday, July 18, 2011

Lifehacker's Guide to Choosing Cameras

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

http://lifehacker.com/5822098/how-t...-for-your-needs

"Choosing a digital camera used to be a simple process that was heavily dictated by the amount of money in your pocket. Now the same money can buy you different benefits and compromises, making the decision much more complex. Here's a look at your camera-buying options, the pros and cons of each, and some specific suggestions to help you pick the perfect camera for your needs."

Lifehacker has a long article on how to choose a camera (and it even includes a guide on cameras in phones), but I recommended not going through the recommended picks just because they are there. Seriously, a Sony NEX-3?


Wednesday, June 29, 2011

PhotographyBLOG Reviews the Sony DSC-HX100V

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:30 AM

http://www.photographyblog.com/revi...c_hx100v_review

"The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V is a feature-packed super-zoom camera, offering a 30x, 27-810mm zoom lens, 16.2 megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, built-in GPS tracking complete with a compass, full 1080p high-definition video recording with stereo sound and HDMI output and 3D Sweep Panoramas and 3D Still Images."

The Sony HX100V is a good example of the current state of superzooms. It is well-made, takes good photos, has huge amounts of zoom in a small package, and is not too expensive. I just wonder who will still buy them? This is probably what I call a refined end-game product; there is nothing much to go on beyond this without significantly breaking the mould. I just wish camera makers will hurry up and see the signs on the wall and do something about it already!


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

GPS Ultra Zoom Camera Roundup

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 01:00 PM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/c...ra-zoom-cameras

"One of the most popular digital camera genres in recent years has been what some have called the "travel zoom". These compact cameras have typically featured lenses of around 10X - 14X, large LCDs, and HD movie modes. In 2011, camera manufacturers really put the "travel" in travel zoom, by adding GPS receivers to their cameras. So, not only do you now have a camera which can go anywhere, but you'll know exactly where you took the photo."

One advantage of dedicated cameras is the ability to offer a zoom lens, so huge zoom factors are still pretty much a selling point. Combine that with a compact size and the result is a camera that still sells pretty well in this age of smartphones. I was a bit surprised at the winner of this shoot out, but I won't spoil the surprise, other than saying that the initial debut of the line was very lacklustre to begin with. Well done C... I mean, camera company!


Thursday, January 6, 2011

Sony Churns Out Eleven Cameras, Six of Them are Budgets

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 07:45 AM

Let me repeat myself here: The budget market does not need overcrowding of products at every $10 price point. A couple with clearly defined features that are clearly explained to the consumer sells better than when all the differences are so minor it leaves the consumer confused.

But here's something that's not budget, and not ill-defined: The Cybershot DSC-TX100V. It features a 16 megapixel Exmor R sensor, a Carl Zeiss branded 4x optical stabilised 25-100mm equivalent f/3.5-4.6 zoom lens, 3.5" OLED touchscreen, GPS, videos at 1080p with stereo sound at 28 Mb/s bitrate in AVCHD, the ability to take 10 photos at 10 FPS, take 3D photos (how gimmicky), and SD Card support (coming from Sony, that is news) all in a slim good-looking package. Ships in March for US$380.

Cybershot DSC-TX100V

There are also some more similar slim cameras from Sony, the Cybershot DSC-T110 and DSC-TX10. The T110 drops the Exmor R sensor for a standard CCD, loses the GPS, some of the internal software like 3D photos, does 720p videos in place of 1080p vides, and has a standard 3" touchscreen LCD instead of the OLED screen. The result is the camera costs US$230 instead. The TX10 restores the Exmor R sensor and funky software features of the TX100V like 3D photos, has a 3" VGA LCD, can do the 10 shots at 10 FPS trick, 1080i videos, and a rugged body that is waterproof to 4.5 metres, shockproof from 1.4 metres, and operate at down to -10C temperatures. Not bad for US$330.

Cybershot DSC-T110/TX10

The updated H-series, like the T/TX series above, are differentiated by the sensor, LCD screen, GPS and the internal software features. The DSC-H70 has a 16 megapixel sensor with an optically stabilised 10x 25-250mm equivalent f/3.5-5.5 Sony-branded lens, a 3" LCD screen, 720p video recording, and some manual controls. The DSC-HX7V has a 16 megapixel Exmor R sensor, GPS and 3" VGA LCD. In many ways it's a superzoom version of the TX100V sans OLED screen. The H70 will be available in March for US$230, and the HX7V for US$300.

Cybershot DSC-H70/HX7V

And now, for the compacts. There are six W-series cameras here, and I am just going to mention the two most interesting ones here. First is the unremarkable DSC-W510, which comes with a 12 megapixel CCD, a 4x 26-105mm f/2.8-5.9 equivalent zoom lens, and VGA movie mode for US$110. The DSC-WX9 uses a 16 megapixel Exmor R sensor, a 5x 25-125mm equivalent f/2.6-6.3 Carl Zeiss-branded lens, a 3" VGA screen, 1080i video mode, and all the software features of the TX100V, for US$220. The rest are just filler, in my opinion, but you can take a look in the link below.

Cybershot DSC-W510/W530/W560/W570/WX9/WX10


Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Sony Cybershot DSC-TX7 Reviewed by PhotographyBLOG

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.photographyblog.com/revi..._dsc_tx7_review

"The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX7 is the latest addition to Sony’s extensive range of slim, compact and stylish pocket cameras. The 10 megapixel TX7 has an Exmor R back-illuminated CMOS image sensor which promises to greatly improve low-light performance, resulting in cleaner images with less noise. Featuring a metal body, sliding front plate and folded lens optics, the super-slim Sony TX7 offers a 25-100mm equivalent 4x zoom lens, 3.5 inch touch-sensitive rear screen, SteadyShot optical image stabilisation, face and smile detection technology, ISO 3200 and intelligent scene recognition."

Phew, Sony seems to be packing a lot of stuff into their recent compacts. I'll admit I generally don't follow Sony products ("Friends don't let friends buy Sony" is a personal mantra of mine), so some of the features on the new cameras are surprising to me, like the inclusion of a SDHC card slot. Sony must be hurting for sales if they're doing that; traditionally they've almost always favoured their in-house proprietary solution. PhotographyBLOG seemed quite impressed with the camera, and I'm sure the extra features like Sweep Panorama will entice a fair number of buyers. I still won't be buying one though!


Monday, June 28, 2010

Budget Camera Shootout - Eight Cameras Tested at Digital Camera Resource Page

Posted by Lee Yuan Sheng in "Digital Home Hardware & Accessories" @ 06:43 AM

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/2...camera-shootout

"For many years now, the trend on this website has been to review the more expensive, cutting-edge cameras. Not only do those cameras capture my interest -- they are what the majority of DCRP readers are curious about, as well. Recently, I was reminded by a reader that I wasn't giving enough attention to entry-level cameras. These cameras may be boring to tech enthusiasts, but let's face it, millions of them are sold every year to regular folks who want something easy-to-use that takes decent photos."

Jeff Keller of the Digital Camera Resource Page has done a nice roundup of eight budget digital cameras. As digital cameras becomes more commoditised, reviews tend to become fewer and fewer, especially in the budget section, where unfortunately it is an area where it's likely to be a big segment of consumers who will likely need some help in making their choices. So if you know of anyone who's just looking for a cheap, no-frills camera that won't let them down, send them over to this roundup.


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