Casio EX-G1 pros:

+ Interesting design
+ Good color reproduction
+ low noise levels
+ Excellent sharpness
+ Dedicated video record button
+ Comfortable controls
+ Well balanced and so easy to handle

Casio EX-G1 cons:

- Slight problems with reds and yellows
- In high ISO noise reduction leads to loss of details
- Poor colors in video recording

Performance:
The images taken with the Casio EX-G1 have quite good resolution and sharpness. Only on the edges the sharpness gets worse, but it most probably be hardly noticeable for non-professionals. The camera offers 7 image sizes with the largest being 12 megapixel (4000 x 3000). Although the camera has a form of image stabilization called AntiShake it makes almost no difference to the images.
The camera has only a 2.5-inch screen with average resolution, yet the menus are easy to read and navigate trough. The flash is a bit too close to the lens on the camera which means that you may get some red eye effect on your photos. The small battery in the Casio EX-G1 should be enough to take about 300 photos. The camera comes with only 35 MB of internal memory so you will have to buy a microSD memory card.

Other recently reviewed digital cameras:
Nikon COOLPIX S570, Sony Alpha DSLR-A550, Panasonic DMC-GH1, Canon PowerShot S90, Olympus E-P1, Nikon Coolpix L100, Kodak EasyShare Z950

Nikon COOLPIX S570 pros:

+ Superb image quality
+ 5x optical zoom
+ Good battery life
+ Video recording in 640 x 480 at 30fps
+ Low noise levels

Nikon COOLPIX S570 cons:

- No optical image stabilization
- No HD video recording

Performance:
The built-in flash in the Nikon COOLPIX S570 has  the reach of 5.5 meters which is better than cameras such as Canon PowerShot S90, or Nikon Coolpix L100. The red-eye reduction feature in the camera not only pre0flashes, but also applies some image post-processing to remove the vampire eyes effect. It takes the Nikon COOLPIX S570 less than three seconds to start up so it is quite fast. Unfortunately, the camera has no optical image stabilization and the electronic stabilization that it does feature won’t work miracles.

Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 pros:

+ 14.2 megapixel CMOS sensor
+ ISO range of 200 – 12800
+ 3-inch screen showing 921,600 pixels
+ Two live modes
+ Continuous shooting at up to 7 fps
+ 9-point autofocus
+ Powerful battery

Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 cons:

- Tends to oversaturate
- Larger than competition
- No AF assist lamp
- Limited scene modes
- 4-way controller may seem small
- No video recording

Performance:
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 has a powerful battery, large screen and great flash. It produces sharp images and it supports 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The camera features a built-in image stabilization system, although it isn’t that good. The auto white balance works surprisingly well, even in fluorescent lighting and rarely only the incandescent light may pose a slight problem.
Playback has somewhat limited functionality, but it should be quite sufficient. The camera has also no in-camera editing features. If you are a keen continuous mode shooter the Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 is a camera for you. It can shoot up to 9 photos per second.

• Megapixel

14.20

• Resolution

4592 x 3056 pixels

• Sensor

CMOS
23.4×15.6mm

• Zoom

N/A

• Video

N/A

• Display

• LCD 3″

921600 pixels

• Storage

SD
SDHC
MS Pro Duo / Pro HG Duo

• Battery

Li-Ion
1000 shots

• Price: $999 body only

Other recently reviewed digital cameras:
Panasonic DMC-GH1, Canon PowerShot S90, Olympus E-P1, Nikon Coolpix L100, Kodak EasyShare Z950, Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.

Panasonic DMC-GH1 pros:

+ Plenty of customizable color modes
+ Nice design, small size
+ 3-inch LCD screen displaying 460,000 pixels
+ 12.1 megapixel photos
+ Sharp images
+ Full HD video recording

Panasonic DMC-GH1 cons:

- Color accuracy below average
- Noise higher than in competition
- Little in camera editing
- Slow burst speed

Performance:
Panasonic DMC-GH1 has a very effective image stabilization system. The resolution achieved by the camera is much better than in the competitive digital cameras, such as Olympus E-P1. The playback mode in the Panasonic DMC-GH1 offers plenty of features and up to 16x magnification. There is also the slideshow feature and a calendar to help you browse your photos by date. However, there is no software for Macs and only few in-camera editing features.

Video quality:
In the video mode the Panasonic DMC-GH1 produces accurate colors and little noise. Motion is recorded very well, and the images are sharp. In low light the camera produces slightly worse color than the competition and more noise than in bright light. Thanks to the abundance of manual control you can further improve the video quality.

Other recently reviewed digital cameras:
Panaconic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Kodak EasyShare Z950, Nikon Coolpix L100, Olympus E-P1, Canon PowerShot S90

Canon PowerShot S90 pros:

+ Nice design, compact body
+ 10 megapixel photos
+ Good color accuracy
+ Little noise
+ Sharp images
+ Good quality 3-inch screen
+ Well balanced, comfortable grip

Canon PowerShot S90 cons:

- Nice reduction makes photos look soft
- Videos have little detail
- Merely 3.8 zoom lens

The design:
Canon PowerShot S90 measures 100 x 58 x 31 mm and weighs 175 grams. The front of the camera houses the 3.8x Canon zoom lens, the autofocus illuminator and the control ring. The back go the Canon PowerShot S90 features the 3-inch LCD screen, the mode dial, 4-way controller and a few more controls. The controls at the back are a bit small so people with bigger hands might have difficulties using them. The left side has no ports, or controls, whereas the right side houses HDMI port cover and A/V out port cover. On the bottom there is the tripod mount and the battery and memory card cover. The Canon PowerShot S90 houses the pop-up flash, power button, shutter release and the mode dial.

Performance:
The Canon PowerShot S90 can shoot up to 10 megapixel photos (3648 x 2736), but megapixels are not everything nowadays. The image resolution is as important and the camera does a very good job with it. There is little distortion in the images which always look very sharp. The chromatic aberration is almost non-existent and the image stabilization works really well.

Video quality:
The Canon PowerShot S90 can record videos in up to 640 x 480 using the H.264 compression. The files are recorded as .mov files so you should not have problems finding some editing software. Although the color in still images is very good it is much worse in videos. Unfortunately, also sharpness in not so good which means the videos are not really too good and they are practically only goof for youtube.

• Optical sensor

CCD

• Sensor Resolution

10 megapixels

• Photodetectors

10 million

• Zoom range

3.8

• Focal length

28mm to 106.4mm (35mm-equivalent)

• Light sensitivity (auto)

80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 ISO

• Lens aperture

F2.0-4.9

• Normal focus range (min)

5 cm

• Shutter speed

15 – 1/1600

• Creative controls

Yes

• LCD size

3 inch

• Type of flash

Built-in

• Tripod mount

Yes

• Battery type

Lithium

• Storage type

Secure Digital, Secure Digital HC

• Hotshoe

Yes

• Still image format

JPEG, RAW

• Max. image resolution

3648 x 2736

• Digital video capture

Yes

• Max video resolution

640 x 480 @ 30 fps

• Audio capture

Yes

• Face recognition

Yes
Other recently reviewed digital cameras:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, Kodak EasyShare Z950, Nikon Coolpix L100, Olympus E-P1

Olympus E-P1 pros:

+ Outstanding color accuracy
+ Nice ‚retro’ design
+ Good sharpness
+ Excellent white balance
+ LCD clearly readable in bright light
+ Good menu structure

Olympus E-P1 cons:

- No viewfinder, or built-in flash
- Poor noise performance
- Slowish autofocus
- Limited lens selection

The design:

Olympus E-P1 measures 120.6 x 69.9 x 36.4 mm and weighs 335 grams. Although the camera has a very traditional look it has all the goodies modern technology can provide. The front of the Olympus E-P1 features the Micro Four Thirds lens mount and above it he stereo microphone. Also on the front is the lens release button, self-timer lamp and textured grip. The back of the camera houses the 3-inch LCD screen, mode dial, speaker, 4-way controller and plenty of other (customizable) buttons. The left side of the Olympus E-P1 is completely bare, whereas the right side houses the USB/AV connector along with the HDMI jack. The bottom features the tripod mount and the battery & memory card port.

Performance:
Olympus E-P1 has a wide ISO range (100 – 6400) which is a good thing considering its noise issues. The overall resolution of the 12 megapixel photos taken with the Olympus E-P1 is really good. There is little chromatic aberration and the distortion is quite low. The image stabilization proves useful for shooting slow shutter photos. Also the white balance present as well as the auto mode work really well. The biggest issue with the cameras performance is the rather slow continuous mode which shoots only almost 3 frames per second.

Image quality:
The Olympus E-P1 has truly remarkable color accuracy despite its few color modes. You can manually adjust the saturation, contrast and sharpness which can further enhance the images. The biggest issue with the camera seems to be the highish noise levels. Textured are captured very well, the resolution is outstanding and if you use noise reduction the images look great. The automatic white balance and color modes make it really easy to take nearly perfect photos with the Olympus E-P1. Generally, if you don’t plan on shooting in high speed continuous mode you won’t find a better digital camera than Olympus E-P1 in 2009.

Video quality:
Unfortunately, the Olympus E-P1 does not perform as well with videos as with still photos. Color accuracy is worse and the noise is always present. And although the Olympus E-P1 can record up to 1280 x 720 at 30p frame rate is can hardly substitute a camcorder.

Selected Olympus E-P1 features and specifications:
Resolution: 12Mp
Sensor size: 17.3×13.0mm
Sensor type: Hi-Speed LiveMOS Four Thirds
Image size: 4032×3024
Aspect ratio: 4:3
Focus system: Contrast detection AF system
Focus points: 11
Crop factor: 2x
Lens mount: Micro Four Thirds
File type: 12bit RAW, JPEG
Sensitivity: ISO100-6400
Storage: SD, SDHC
Focus types: Area, single, face detection
Metering system: TTL open aperture
Metering types: Digital ESP, centre-weighted, spot
Exposure compensation: +/- 3EV in 1, ½, 1/3 step increments
Shutter speed: 60sec-1/4000sec
Frames per second: Approx. 3fps
Flash: External only
Flash sync speed: 1/30sec-1/180sec
Image stabilisation: Sensor shift type, one or two dimensional movement to 4EV steps
Integrated cleaning: SSWF
Live view: Yes, Contrast detection system, 100% field of view
Viewfinder: Optional accessory
Monitor: 3in Hypercrystal LCD, 230,000dots (73,000px)
Interface: USB 2.0, HDMI
Power: Li-Ion battery

Other recenelty reviewed digital cameras:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, Kodak EasyShare Z950, Nikon Coolpix L100

Nikon Coolpix L100 pros:

+ 10 megapixel photos
+ 15x optical zoom
+ 3-inch 230,000 dot LCD
+ Low noise
+ Plenty of scene modes
+ Simple to use
+ Effective image stabilization
+ Feels comfortable and durable

Nikon Coolpix L100 cons:

- Limited ISO range
- Images tend to be too soft
- Video recording only in standard definition
- No manual modes

Performance:
The Nikon camera has five color modes. Some of them are quite useable, others like Cyanotype, or sepia are in my opinion unnecessary as you may easily apply such effects on your computer. Unfortunately, there is no manual ISO setting so you will have to make do with the automatic one, but as it works pretty good. The camera is capable of taking up to 3648 x 2736 images, or 3584 x 2016 in the 16:9 mode. The image stabilization works fine and is very useful especially if you zoom in to the entire 15x.
The video recording feature in the Nikon Coolpix L100 is rather disappointing as it manages only recording in standard definition (640 x 480). The color accuracy is good, as is the resolution, but the camera records audio only in Mono. So you end up with low resolution videos with rather poor sound.

Nikon Coolpix L100 features and specifications:

• Effective pixels

10.0 million

• Image sensor

1/2.33-in. CCD; total pixels: approx. 10.7 million

• Lens

15x Zoom-NIKKOR; 5.0-75.0mm (35mm [135] format picture angle: 28-420mm); f/3.5-5.4; Digital zoom: up to 4x (35mm [135] format picture angle: 1680mm)

• Focus range (from lens)

50cm (1 ft. 8 in.) to infinity (∞); Macro close-up mode: 1cm (0.4 in.) to infinity (∞)

• Monitor

3-in., approx. 230k-dot, TFT LCD with anti-reflection coating

• Storage media

Internal memory (approx. 44 MB), SD/SDHC memory cards*1

• Image size (pixels)

3648 x 2736 (High: 3648★/Normal: 3648), 2592 x 1944 (Normal: 2592), 2048 x 1536 (Normal: 2048), 1024 x 768 (PC: 1024), 640 x 480 (TV: 640), 3584 x 2016 (16:9: 3584), 1920 x 1080 (16:9: 1920)

• Vibration Reduction (VR)

Image sensor shift VR

• ISO sensitivity

Auto (auto gain ISO 80-800), High sensitivity mode*2 (ISO 720-3200)

• Interface

Hi-Speed USB

Other recently reviewed digital cameras:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, Kodak EasyShare Z950

Kodak EasyShare Z950 pros:

Kodak EasyShare Z950

+ Nice design
+ Good color accuracy
+ Low noise
+ 3-inch LCD screen
+ HD video recording
+ 10x zoom
+ Good image stabilization
+ Good overall image quality

Kodak EasyShare Z950 cons:
- Videos are a bit fuzzy
- Slight problems with reds and yellows
- A few buttons feel flimsy
- limited slideshow options

The design:

Kodak EasyShare Z950 measures 4.3 × 2.6 × 1.4 in. And weighs 223 grams. The front of the camera is dominated by the 10x zoom Schneider-Kreuznach lens, but it also features the flash, microphone and the AF illuminator. The back houses the 3” display with good direct sunlight legibility, the 4-way controller and a few other buttons, such as delete, info, play and menu button. The left side is completely bare, whereas the right side houses the ports hidden under a cover.  The bottom features the battery and memory card compartment, as well as the tripod mount. Last, but not least, the top, which features the mode dial, power button, delay button, zoom controller, shutter and flash button.

Performance:

The Kodak EasyShare Z950 is a quite fast camera so you will not get bored waiting for it to get ready for taking photos. The menus structure is straightforward and it looks nice. There are some in-camera editing features, but the 3” display is too small for anything serious. The camera can also print photos directly through PictBridge, or DPOF.
The camera lacks viewfinder, but the 3-inch display does a really good job. Both the viewing angles and the screen resolution are more than sufficient.

Image quality:

The camera has more than decent image quality. The Kodak EasyShare Z950 captures color very accurately. In fact, considering that the camera (sometimes) had problems with reds and yellows it is a very good score for a point and shoot camera. Kodak Z950 has 5 different color modes so it will surely suit all occasions. The noise is very low no matter the lighting conditions. Also, the ISO ranges are very good, from 100 to 1600 and if you decide to limit Th. Image size to 3 megapixels you can even shoot photos at ISO 3200. Unfortunately, the images taken with the Kodak EasyShare Z950 tend to suffer from some chromatic aberration, and sometimes they lack details. The optical image stabilization found in the camera does a really good job so you don’t have to worry that your images will be blurry.
The Kodak camera can take up to 12 megapixel photos which result in 4000 x 3000 resolution images.
The camera can also record videos in 720p resolution and record them as MPEG-4 files. Although there are plenty of features and settings for video capture the camera slightly disappoints. The videos are frequently not sharp enough and the color accuracy is somewhat worse than in still photos.

Conclusion:

Kodak EasyShare Z950 is quite a good digital camera for amateurs. It takes high resolution photos and is easy to use so even newbies should not have problems with it. However, if you know, that you will need to record videos with it, or take macro photos you’d better look for a different digital camera.
Selected Kodak EasyShare Z950 features and specifications:
Sensor type
1 / 2.33 type
Effective pixels
12 MP (4024 × 3012)
Lens
35–350 mm (35 mm equiv.) f/3.5–f/4.8 SCHNEIDER-KREUZNACH VARIOGON Optical Zoom Lens
Zoom
10X optical, 5X advanced digital, total zoom range 50X
Image stabilizer
optical
Shutter speed

1/8–1/1250 sec. (auto)

Monitor
3 in. high resolution (230K dots), 5 level brightness adjustments
Storage
32 MB internal memory[1]available, SDHC/SD card expansion slot
Auto focus
Focus Type
TTL imager AF system
Modes
normal, macro, infinity, manual
Focus range

wide standard: 0.5 m–infinity
tele standard: 1.2 m–infinity
wide macro: 0.12–0.6 m
tele macro: 0.6–1.3 m

Auto focus control
single, continuous
Auto focus zones
TTL multi-zone, center zone AF
AF (Auto Focus) assist light
yes
Exposure control
ISO sensitivity
auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200[2]
Metering modes
multi-pattern, center-weighted, spot
Compensation
±2.0 EV with 1/3 EV steps
Bracketing
±1.0 EV with 1/3 EV steps, 3 images
White balance
auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, open shade
Flash
Range

5.4 m (@ wide, ISO 400)
3.9 m (@ tele, ISO 400)

Modes
auto, off, fill, red-eye reduction
Compensation
±1.0 EV in 1/3 steps
Shooting specifications
Drive modes
single shot, first and last burst (up to 3 images), self-timer (10 sec.), delay shutter (2 sec.), 2-shot self-timer
Shooting modes
Smart Capture, high ISO, sport, P (program), A (aperture priority), S (shutter priority), M (manual), panorama (left–right, right–left), video, SCN (scene modes)
Scene modes
portrait, night portrait, landscape, night landscape, flower, sunset, backlight, candlelight, manner/museum, text, beach, snow, fireworks, children, self-portrait, stage
Click to capture
< 0.3 sec.
Shot to shot
< 1.5 sec

Other recently reviewed digital cameras:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 pros:
+ 10.1 megapixel photos
+ Compact size, pleasant design
+ 12x optical zoom
+ SD, SDHC support
+ Full HD video recording in AVCHD
+ Excellent color accuracy
+ ISO ranges from 80 to 1600
+ 3-inch LCD display

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 cons:
- No viewfinder
- Images get noisy in poor light
- LCD display is hard to read in bright light
- Smallish buttons

The design:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 measures 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.4 in. And weighs 214 grams so it is quite compact. The front of the camera features the 12x zoom Leica lens, the flash and the  AF illuminator. The back of the digital camera houses the bright, 3-inch LCD screen, the 4-way controller and some other buttons in charge of quick menu, video capture, and mode switching. The left side of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is completely bare, whereas the right side houses the ports hidden under a protective cover. The bottom of the digital camera features the tripod mount and the battery cover. The top is crammed with the speaker and the stereo mic, shutter release butt, power button and mode dial.

Performance:

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 can take up to 10 megapixel photos in 3 different aspect ratios and so the largest images are 3648 x 2736. As with all bigger photos the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 tends to produce slightly too much noise. Fortunately, the optical image stabilization is very effective which makes all the photos look sharp.
The Panasonic camera is also capable of recording videos in up to 1280 x 720 pixels. As they are saved in AVCHD, or Motion JPEG formats most users should have no difficulties handling such files. The video performance of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is very good.

Image quality:

The color accuracy is almost perfect in the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, perhaps because it offers 4 color modes to choose from. The noise levels produced by the camera are decent in good light, but the low light noise performance is below average for compact digital cameras. The chromatic aberration, amount of detail and sharpness are all outstanding which combined with the accurate color reproduction make the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 a very good digital camera.

Conclusion:

To sum up, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is a very good compact digital camera offering plenty of features and good quality photos for a reasonable price. Therefore, is you are not a professional and you’re looking for a fast, easy to use and user-friendly digital camera the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 might be just right for you.
Selected Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 features and specifications:

• lens / zoom

25mm – 300mm (12x) (21.4x @ 3MP or less)  (dig. 4x)

• focus / macro

auto / 50cm / 3cm

• metering mode

intelligent multiple; center weighted, spot

• aperture

auto / F3.3 – F6.3 (W) / F4.9 – F6.3 (T)

• white balance

auto, 5 presets, adjustable

• shutter

auto / 60s – 1/2000s

• exposure

+/- 2EV in 1/3EV steps

• flash / mode

internal –  5 modes / 0.6m – 5.3m (@ iso auto)

• iso ratings

80, 200, 400, 800, 1250, 1600  (1600 – 6400 in high sensitivity mode)

• image size

3648×2736, 3072×2304, 2560×1920, 2048×1536, 1600×1200, 640×480 / [3:2] 3776×2520, 3168×2112, 2656×1768, 2112×1408, 2048×1360 / [16:9] 3968×2232, 3328×1872, 2784×1568, 2208×1248, 1920×1080

• image format

jpeg (exif 2.21)

• image compr.

fine, standard

• remote control

self timer 10s, 2s

• video options

Qt m-jpeg, with audio – 1280×720, 848×480, 640×480, 320×240 (30fps)

• audio options

wav, stereo

• connectivity

usb 2 HS;  A/V (PAL/NTSC)

• storage

40MB internal; SD, SDHC, MMC (still images only)

The design of the transducer R Exmore interception allows more light than standard CMOS solutions, which translates into greater sensitivity and less noise in the image. As a result, images are characterized by a natural appearance and detail – even when they are taken in low light. High speed cameras are presented merit performance BIONZ image processor.

Snapshot of TX1 WX1 models lets you perform a series of photos at a rate of up to 10 frames per second – more than some professional digital SLRs. The camera also has the “panorama mode” in which you press the shutter release, and then move the camera horizontally or vertically. The digital camera automatically performs a series of photos and can record the image of the field of view, even reaching 256 ° in the model WX1 and 185 ° in TX1. Whetn taking photos at dusk (special mode) the camera performs a series of six photos, and requires them to form an image of the optimized low noise radically. You can also select the express traffic, to facilitate the registration of the moving objects in low light conditions and reduces the noise level. The Sony camera also is equipped with optical image stabilizer and features STEADYSHOT face recognition and smile recognition.

And TX1 models WX1 is the world’s first camera which when connected to the station offered separately Party-shot become “personal photographers.

Party-shot to a new solution that allows you to automatically capture smiling faces of family pictures, friends and the owner of the camera. For great results, you do not even need to touch the device.

Cyber-shot TX1
The device is 14.1 mm thick and the first in a series of Cyber-shot T contains sensitive transducer R Exmore CMOS image. It has 3-inch widescreen touch screen Clear Photo LCD Plus with the new, easy-to-use system maintenance. Frequently used functions, such as setting the flash and ISO sensitivity, you can drag to a special, easily accessible menus.

Cyber-shot WX1
Flagship model in the series Cyber-shot. Complemented by the transducer and image Exmore R BIONZ processor is designed for Sony G. Wide range of lens focal lengths, the resulting 5-fold optical zoom, goes hand in hand with exceptional resolution and contrast throughout the length. Furthermore, the lens is distinguished by great clarity – f / 2.4 at the shortest focal length which is 24mm.