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June 28, 2005
[ THREE LITTLE BEAUTIES... ]
...and one beautiful model.
dpexpert is right now trying three compact digital cameras, all more or less in the same price range, between $800 and $850.
The KODAK V550 is a 5 megapixel camera with a 3x zoom and is aimed at women and is being promoted as a fashion accessory. The face area of the camera is a little larger than a credit card and it is 20mm thick. The Schneider Kreuznach lens is fast to focus and is pin sharp.
While the camera is clearly intended for the point-and-shoot photographer it is possible to over ride the automatic functions and to create a set of preferred custom functions that will come up when the SCN button is pressed. "Button" is not quite the right word -- it is simply a marked area on the flat top of the camera body.Very modern!
White balance is exceptionally good and colours are accurate and saturated. Flash works well. Exposure tends to over exposure which for some reason seems to be an issue with all of these pocket cameras. However, of the three cameras being tested the Kodak came closest to consistently accurate exposure.
The LCD screen is big – 63mm – and high resolution. There is a small, awkwardly located optical viewfinder.
The CANON iXUS700 is a 7 megapixel 3x zoom camera in a beautifully crafted metal body. Face area is the same as a credit card and it is approximately 25mm thick.
The Canon lens is pin sharp and colour rendition is good, if a little cool compared with the Kodak.
It is interesting to see that Canon continue to use the menu and on-screen function layout and graphics that they have used for years. It was outstanding on day one and it is still the best display of a camera's settings on a digital compact. Like all the cameras in this category the intended user is the person who wants the camera to do all the thinking. The Canon will do it well enough, except that it tends to over expose by a fairly gross degree. To get the best results the camera should be turned onto the M setting -- which is the equivalent of P on most cameras -- and the exposure compensation racked down a full stop at least. In over all flat lighting a stop and a half is sometimes needed. There is no separate aperture/shutter priority setting on the camera.
Resolution is superb.
The NIKON 7900 is another 7mp/3x zoom camera in a tiny body. It also has a face area the same as a credit card but is thicker because Nikon have fitted it with a small hand grip that protrudes at the right hand end.
Insofar as there are manual controls on this camera they have to be set through the menu and setup function.
Focus and exposure are excellent. White balance in shade is a little cool. Resolution is outstanding and pictures straight from the camera are sharp and reasonably saturated.
EACH OF THESE CAMERAS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. THERE WILL BE FULL REVIEWS OF THE THREE CAMERAS HERE SHORTLY.
Posted by terry at June 28, 2005 03:17 PM
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