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4 new cameras for great holiday gifts
By Seth Porges |
January 4, 2009, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AS a sure-fire gift, digital cameras can't be beaten. But shopping for them is nothing if not confusing. Each year, dozens of new models come out, and deciding which one to buy ?? or even telling their number-heavy names apart ?? is never easy.
But there's good news, too. Today's cameras are cheaper and more reliable than ever, and some come packed with features that would have been the stuff of science fiction a few years ago. Here are four of my favorite new cameras. Not every one is perfect for every customer, but each successfully stakes out its own turf in the crowded marketplace, and none will disappoint as gifts.
Nikon D90, US$1,300 for body and lens
Digital SLR cameras typically do one thing, and one thing well: still photos. These superior shots are the reason SLR devotees are willing to pay top dollar and deal with bulky bodies. In fact, until recently, no digital SLR camera could even shoot video. The Nikon D90 changed that. It is the first SLR with the ability to capture video (and one of only two on the market with that function) - and it does it in 720 pixel high-definition.
To anybody who has used a compact camera, this may not seem like a big deal. After all, even the cheapest compact models are able to shoot video clips (albeit ones that are often pixelated and jittery). But from a technological perspective, it is compelling, and quite possibly a breakthrough.
The D90 won't suffice as a full-fledged camcorder replacement. Its video can't auto focus and it only allows you to capture movies for a maximum of about five minutes at a time in high-definition, and 20 minutes in standard definition. But it is one of the best-performing still cameras I've tested in its price range.
Olympus Stylus 1050 SW, US$300
Because cameras are filled with glass, gears and other fragile innards, accident-prone photographers typically need to coddle their tools. Not the 10-megapixel, 3x-optical-zooming Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. It's drop-proof (from up to about 1.5 meters), waterproof (down to about 3 meters), freeze-proof (down to minus 10 Celsius), and shockproof. The payoff: A camera that rock climbers, snow boarders, snorkelers and klutzes won't be afraid to carry.
Such photographic fortification is nothing new; Olympus first introduced it in other cameras in 2006. What the 1050 SW adds is a feature uniquely geared to glove-wearing snow-sporters: "Tap Control," which allows users to change some settings by applying pressure to the camera's outer shell without fiddling with tiny buttons. Yes, it's a bit gimmicky, and fairly useless when you aren't wearing massive gloves, but for the frequent skier or snow boarder (or those who live in cold climates), it is undeniably useful.
While the 1050 SW probably isn't the best primary camera (I was unimpressed by its low-light shooting, in particular), as an action-sports backup, it's unbeatable.
Casio Exilim EX-FH20, US$600
In a single second, most digital cameras are capable of capturing a maximum of two or three shots. The 20x-optical-zooming Casio Exilim EX-FH20 doesn't just top that - it tops it by about 2,000 percent.
When you press the shutter, the camera instantly grabs 40 shots in the span of a single second. The pictures are then presented to you like a flip-book, allowing you to select which ones you want to keep, and which you want to ditch in order to save space.
The first time you shoot with the EX-FH20, you'll almost feel like you're using a superpower: Press the shutter, and you can stop time and backtrack through the milliseconds until you find the perfect shot from the perfect angle. Action sports suddenly go from a photographer's nightmare, to a chance to play around with a fun toy. So, soccer moms and gym dads: this one's for you.
Canon PowerShot SD880 IS, US$300
While other manufacturers pump their cameras full of flashy features, Canon's designers focus on things like improving the image sensor and the quality of glass used in the lens. These components may be a bit boring, but they are what really matters when it comes to picture quality.
Take the 10-megapixel, 4x-optical-zooming Canon PowerShot SD880 IS. There probably aren't any features on this camera that you couldn't find three years ago, but as a compact, easy-to-use camera that takes frameable photos, it's as good as it gets. The shots are bright and clear even in low light, the optical image stabilization works beautifully, and the whole thing is small enough to fit in just about any pocket (unlike some so-called "pocket cameras," which seem to be aimed at clowns and kangaroos.)
So even if you think you want a revolution, you may be better served by an evolution.
But there's good news, too. Today's cameras are cheaper and more reliable than ever, and some come packed with features that would have been the stuff of science fiction a few years ago. Here are four of my favorite new cameras. Not every one is perfect for every customer, but each successfully stakes out its own turf in the crowded marketplace, and none will disappoint as gifts.
Nikon D90, US$1,300 for body and lens
Digital SLR cameras typically do one thing, and one thing well: still photos. These superior shots are the reason SLR devotees are willing to pay top dollar and deal with bulky bodies. In fact, until recently, no digital SLR camera could even shoot video. The Nikon D90 changed that. It is the first SLR with the ability to capture video (and one of only two on the market with that function) - and it does it in 720 pixel high-definition.
To anybody who has used a compact camera, this may not seem like a big deal. After all, even the cheapest compact models are able to shoot video clips (albeit ones that are often pixelated and jittery). But from a technological perspective, it is compelling, and quite possibly a breakthrough.
The D90 won't suffice as a full-fledged camcorder replacement. Its video can't auto focus and it only allows you to capture movies for a maximum of about five minutes at a time in high-definition, and 20 minutes in standard definition. But it is one of the best-performing still cameras I've tested in its price range.
Olympus Stylus 1050 SW, US$300
Because cameras are filled with glass, gears and other fragile innards, accident-prone photographers typically need to coddle their tools. Not the 10-megapixel, 3x-optical-zooming Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. It's drop-proof (from up to about 1.5 meters), waterproof (down to about 3 meters), freeze-proof (down to minus 10 Celsius), and shockproof. The payoff: A camera that rock climbers, snow boarders, snorkelers and klutzes won't be afraid to carry.
Such photographic fortification is nothing new; Olympus first introduced it in other cameras in 2006. What the 1050 SW adds is a feature uniquely geared to glove-wearing snow-sporters: "Tap Control," which allows users to change some settings by applying pressure to the camera's outer shell without fiddling with tiny buttons. Yes, it's a bit gimmicky, and fairly useless when you aren't wearing massive gloves, but for the frequent skier or snow boarder (or those who live in cold climates), it is undeniably useful.
While the 1050 SW probably isn't the best primary camera (I was unimpressed by its low-light shooting, in particular), as an action-sports backup, it's unbeatable.
Casio Exilim EX-FH20, US$600
In a single second, most digital cameras are capable of capturing a maximum of two or three shots. The 20x-optical-zooming Casio Exilim EX-FH20 doesn't just top that - it tops it by about 2,000 percent.
When you press the shutter, the camera instantly grabs 40 shots in the span of a single second. The pictures are then presented to you like a flip-book, allowing you to select which ones you want to keep, and which you want to ditch in order to save space.
The first time you shoot with the EX-FH20, you'll almost feel like you're using a superpower: Press the shutter, and you can stop time and backtrack through the milliseconds until you find the perfect shot from the perfect angle. Action sports suddenly go from a photographer's nightmare, to a chance to play around with a fun toy. So, soccer moms and gym dads: this one's for you.
Canon PowerShot SD880 IS, US$300
While other manufacturers pump their cameras full of flashy features, Canon's designers focus on things like improving the image sensor and the quality of glass used in the lens. These components may be a bit boring, but they are what really matters when it comes to picture quality.
Take the 10-megapixel, 4x-optical-zooming Canon PowerShot SD880 IS. There probably aren't any features on this camera that you couldn't find three years ago, but as a compact, easy-to-use camera that takes frameable photos, it's as good as it gets. The shots are bright and clear even in low light, the optical image stabilization works beautifully, and the whole thing is small enough to fit in just about any pocket (unlike some so-called "pocket cameras," which seem to be aimed at clowns and kangaroos.)
So even if you think you want a revolution, you may be better served by an evolution.
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