Digital cameras for traveling

[ Photo courtesy of woodleywonderworks/Flickr. ]

When I was younger, I enjoyed flipping through National Geographic and Life magazines for their amazing travel images. It might be an unforgettable portrait of a woman from Afghanistan or maybe a wolf in a barren landscape. If you like to shoot photos when you travel, here are some models to consider.

All are very good overall, but vary in response speed and other aspects, which we don't cover here. To see how they fared in our tests, check our point-and-shoot Ratings (information is available to Consumer Reports.org subscribers only):

• Canon PowerShot SX10 IS
  This superzoom has plenty of features; two that one feature that stands out for travelers are is its long, 20x optical zoom with wide-angle capability and ability to shoot high-def video. [UPDATE: As some of our readers have pointed out, the SX10S does not have the ability to shoot high-def video. However, the more expensive Canon Powershot SX1 IS does have the ability to shoot HD video. –Ed.]


• Fujifilm FinePix F200EXR
  This subcompact has a very flexible sensor that can automatically adapt to ambient lighting or a particular scene. So, if you're in the Uffizi gallery in Florence, it might switch to a low-light setting. But if you're strolling across the Ponte Vecchio on a sunny day, it might use a dynamic range setting.

Father's Day: Electronics gifts for every e-dad

[ Photo courtesy of Duncan Rawlinson via Flickr. ]

If your dad has been sending signals, subtle or otherwise, about his need for a cooler digital camera, a lighter laptop, or a GPS to rid himself of those infernal maps that never fold up right, Father’s Day is your chance to shine.

As we did for mom on her day, we’ve picked some e-toy categories that we think our diverse group of dads would like to get. We’ve also recommended a model (or sometimes two) to buy in each category. These selections aren’t definitive; we’ve added links to our full Ratings (available to subscribers), where you’ll find many other recommended models.

The artsy type. For serious photographers, an SLR camera is the best choice. They are large and heavy but are more versatile than point-and-shoots, allowing a savvy shooter to capture images in a range of light conditions and styles. Not for amateurs.

• Recommended: Canon EOS 40D Digital, $900. For the price, this camera’s excellent image quality, large LCD viewer, and ability to snap 6.5 frames per second make this advanced SLR a great deal. Full SLR camera Ratings

Olympus unveils E-P1 digital SLR-like camera

Olympus introduces its E-P1 digital camera, the latest in the mirco four-thirds type of cameras which offer the size and simplicity of point-and-shoot digital cameras, yet also feature interchangeable lenses—much like digital SLRs. Click to enlarge.
[ Photo: Olympus ]

Nine months ago, Panasonic created a lot of buzz in the photo industry by introducing the first micro four-thirds digital camera, the Lumix DMC-G1, $800. This camera combined key SLR features—a large image sensor and interchangeable lenses—with the smaller size and weight of a point-and-shoot. Today, Olympus is generating some buzz of its own with the introduction of its first interchangeable-lens point-and-shoot, the 12-megapixel E-P1.

In some ways, the E-P1 outdoes Panasonic (which offers both the G1 and the GH1, $1500, which includes HD video features) by offering a very compact and lightweight camera. According to the specs, it weighs just 11.8 oz., which is a bit lighter than the 14.9 oz. Lumix, half the weight of many models in our Ratings of digital SLRs,  and lighter than a number of choices in our point-and-shoot camera Ratings. (Ratings are available to subscribers only.) Its dimensions are also impressive, particularly since it's so thin. At 4.74"(W) x 2.75"(H) x 1.37"(D), the Olympus is more compact than the Lumix, which is 4.9"(W) x 3.3"(H) x 1.8"(D), and all other SLRs.

Yet, like the G1, the E-P1 has compromises of its own. There's no built-in viewfinder, which is one of the highlights of the Lumix micro four-thirds cameras. You can get a viewfinder accessory if you buy the E-P1 with the 17mm fixed lens, but it appears you have to slide it into the hot-shoe, which means you'll be unable to use an external flash. It also doesn't have Panasonic's swiveling LCD, although having one may have increased its thickness.

The Olympus E-P1 micro four-thirds camera is seen here with an optical viewfinder (mounted on the camera's hot-shoe, where an external flash would normally be used and a 17-mm lens. A 14-42mm lens is next to it. Click to enlarge. [ Photo: Olympus ]

One element that stands out is E-P1's design. Olympus decided to take a chance and bring back a motif it used in a film camera from the middle of the last century. Based on its Pen series of "half-frame" film cameras, Olympus seems to have produced a sleek and stylish camera that looks substantial and solid. I particularly like the leathery-looking handgrip.

In addition to size and design, the E-P1 is full of features, including HD video with stereo audio, body-based image stabilization, a dust-reduction system, and a few magnification modes, which allow you to, among other things, magnify the central part of your subject 5x by turning the focus ring.

At the time of this announcement, Olympus has only two lenses available for the E-P1: the 14-42mm zoom lens and the 17mm fixed lens. Yet, you should be able to buy any micro four-thirds lenses that are available from Panasonic, such as its 14-140mm, 7-14mm or 45-200mm lenses. In addition, you can buy a lens adapter for the E-P1 that will let you use a four-thirds SLR lens, from Olympus, Panasonic, Leica or third-brand camera companies, such as Sigma. However, my guess is that some of these full-size SLR lenses may dwarf the E-P1 and make it a bit unbalanced.

The E-P1 will ship in July and be available for $750 for the camera body only, $800 with a 14-42mm lens and $900 with the 17mm lens and optical viewfinder accessory. —Terry Sullivan

Pentax joins ranks of SLRs that shoot video

Pentax K-7 digital SLR (Click image to enlarge.)

Canon and Nikon will no longer be alone as the only camera companies making SLRs that can shoot video. Pentax today announced the K-7, a 14.6-megapixel SLR that, in addition to shooting high-resolution still images, will be able to capture video. The video format will be 720p at 30 frames per second.

The K-7 will be available in July (an exact date was not announced) and will retail at $1,300 for the camera body only. That's pricier than two video-capable competitors—the Nikon D5000 and Canon Rebel T1i are both priced under $1,000—but less than the Canon 5D Mark II, which retails at $2,700.

Here's what's most noteworthy about the new Pentax:

• It's one of the first SLRs I've seen with an HDR (or high dynamic range) image-capture mode, which captures three images then combines them in-camera into one composite image. The intent is to expand the dynamic range of images and bring out detail in all areas of an exposure. It will be interesting to see if other SLR makers follow suit and start including HDR controls on their cameras.
• It has a 3-inch live view LCD.
• It's somewhat more compact than previous Pentax SLRs.
• It offers in-camera lens-correction function, which electronically adjusts for various types of distortion and aberrations.

New Sony SLRs target point-and-shoot photographers, but there’s no video

Sony alpha DSLR-A230 with kit lens (Click to enlarge.)

Sony's just refreshed its existing line of consumer-level SLRs with three new models: the 10-megapixel Sony alpha DSLR-A230 ($550 with kit lens), 10-megapixel alpha DSLR-A330 ($650 with kit lens) and the 14-megapixel alpha DSLR-A380 ($850 with kit lens). The company says they have simpler graphical interfaces with help guides, more compact, lightweight bodies and HDMI outputs, to hook up to your HDTV. All three have two memory card slots, for Sony's Memory Stick Duo or an SD card. The two more expensive models also have live-view features and tilting LCDs. According to Sony, these SLRs, along with new lenses and a flash, are targeted at consumers who want to use SLRs more or less like point-and-shoots, but with better image quality and more options.

Sony alpha DSLR-A330 with kit lens (Click to enlarge.)

But with Canon and Nikon redefining the SLR market by producing SLRs that can capture video, like the Nikon D5000 and the Canon Rebel T1i, why didn't Sony include video features on these SLRs? I think Sony may have dropped the ball, although maybe they left out the video in order to avoid cannibalizing their camcorder products. No matter; they could have done a better job of appealing to point-and-shoot users by including video capability.

Still, Sony seems to have done a lot right with this announcement: They've also introduced four lenses (two zooms and two primes) and a flash, which in some ways may be more interesting than the SLRs themselves. Why? Sony priced these products to be inexpensive, at least cheaper than some of their past lenses and flashes, so you can afford to buy not just one, but perhaps several lenses and a flash to go with them.

Sony alpha DSLR-A380 with kit lens (Click to enlarge.)

Here's a rundown of the new lenses:

• A standard, 3x, 18-55mm zoom lens, $200
• A telephoto, 3.6x, 55-200mm zoom lens, $230
• A portrait, 50mm prime (or fixed) lens, $150
• A macro (or close-up), 30mm prime (or fixed) lens, $200

Of course, other camera companies have inexpensive kit lenses as well. But I think Sony's smart to introduce several at once, which gives the impression that Sony's looking to offer an inexpensive way for you to build up an SLR system. We'll be looking to see if Sony continues this trend in future product announcements.

My favorite among the new Sony products is the HVL-F20AM, a lightweight, easy-to-carry external flash that you attach to the SLR's hot shoe.

Sony alpha DSLR-A330 with the HVL-F20AM flash unit in the down (left) and up positions. (Click to enlarge.)

Here are two things I like about it: First, the price is only $130. Second, it pops up like the smaller, on-board flashes that most SLRs have. So, when you're not using it, it's compact and close to the SLR body. (Sony's been inventive with other SLR flash designs, such as the pricier HVL-F58AM external flash, $500, which can pivot 90 degrees left or right, as well as being able to tilt up and down, which is great for shooting vertically.)

The takeaway: Sony dropped the ball by not including video capability on these new SLRs, but their introduction of inexpensive lenses and an inventive flash may be Sony's saving grace. It will be interesting to see if Canon and Nikon and other SLRs companies pick up on this and start producing more super-cheap SLR lenses and accessories. —Terry Sullivan

New Nikon D5000 SLR with video and swiveling LCD

Nikon's continuing to set and define the trend: It announced a new digital SLR, the 12-megapixel D5000, which will be its second with video capabilities. It has many of the same features found on the Nikon D90, the first SLR with video, but it's cheaper: The body-only D5000 will cost $730 and $850 with an 18-55mm image-stabilized lens. It will also be available in a two-lens kit, for around $1100. (The Nikon D90 is about $1000, body only and $1300 with an 18-105mm lens.)

One new feature is a swiveling LCD. This can be very useful when shooting in hard to reach places, such as over-the-head shots. The display also has liveview capabilities.

Other specs include an ISO range from ISO 200-3200, an 11-point AF system, 4 frames per second and a 2.7-inch LCD (although it only has 320,000 points). There are some specialized autofocus features that were originally on pricier Nikon SLRs, like 3D tracking AF. Like the D90, the video will be 720p, but at 24 frames per second. Also, like the D90, it will not be a full-frame SLR, but a DX format, which has a magnification factor of 1.5x for lenses.

The takeaway: More SLRs will include video. Right now it's only Canon and Nikon, but as more manufacturers get into the game, prices will drop. As we've seen in the past, we don't expect the quality to match camcorders. However, there are some in the industry who are claiming that SLRs will perform in low light situations better than camcorders. We'll have to wait to see how they fair when we get this model into the labs for testing. —Terry Sullivan

UK official resigns: Blame the zoom lens?

Today’s telephoto and telephoto zoom lenses on both point-and-shoots and SLRs appear to be getting more powerful and sharper. For most of us, this is a good thing, since it gets you closer to the action and allows you to see it all its glorious detail.

But one high ranking British security officer may have wished the lenses (particularly SLR lenses) weren’t so sharp. Today, the BBC reports that Bob Quick, a high ranking anti-terrorism official, was forced to resign after inadvertently revealing a secret document to photographers. How much did he reveal to the photojournalists? See for yourself from a closeup shot from the British newspaper, The Guardian, which appears to have Photoshopped some of the names for security reason. A bit ironic, wouldn't you say?

Of course, most of us are not in the public eye as much as this politician. But it does underscore the speed, power and ubiquity of digital imaging and its ability to capture photos that we may not always want to have on public display. In short, keep private documents and personal information more hidden than Bob Quick.

Like in a manila folder.

—Terry Sullivan

Best ways to shoot panoramic photos

As baseball season gets underway, photography buffs are gearing up along with sports fans. That's because digital camera owners know that ball games bring lots of photo ops. In stadium after stadium this spring, fans will try shooting the entire span of the stadium from their seats: In short, they'll be trying to shoot panoramic photos. (See the example below.)

Luckily, most models in our digital camera Ratings as well as some models in our digital SLR Ratings (Ratings are available to subscribers) include panorama or photo-stitching scene modes. Here are three such approaches, along with their pros and cons:

Canon EOS Rebel T1i: an $800 SLR that shoots HD video

For years, I've wondered which type of product will win the "hybrid" or "convergence" war: An HD camcorder with all the quality and flexibility of a good digital camera? Or a camera offering the quality of HD video found on a good camcorder? I've got my motives: I'd love to be able to use just one device to shoot photos and video of my kids, family and friends.

To date, no one product meets both of my requirements. But Canon's new 15-megapixel EOS Rebel T1i SLR seems to be giving cameras a slight edge over camcorders. (Although all consumer-grade camcorders can take digital still photos, nearly all do a mediocre job, producing middling quality and low-resolution images.)

Meanwhile there are three SLRs and many point-and-shoots that claim to capture HD video. Plus, Panasonic's second micro four-thirds, SLR-like camera, the Lumix GH-1, also takes HD video.

The Rebel T1i is Canon's response to the Nikon D90, the first SLR on the market to offer HD video. (The third SLR is Canon's first with HD video, the EOS 5D, Mark II. But priced around $2800, body only, it's more than what most average consumers will pay for an SLR.)

PMA09: This camera show needs a makeover

OK, I'm not saying the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse showed up at the Vegas Convention Center for the PMA show. But I picked up at least four signs that the Photo Marketing Association will need to rethink its approach for future shows.

Sign number 1: Too many concept products. As much as I love looking at products that promise outlandish technologies and visions of the future, that's not what people are buying in the stores and online. I saw "concepts" at Samsung, Fujifilm and Olympus. But I think companies need to present more products, particularly budget cameras under $100. And it was somewhat stunning that there was only one digital SLR announced at the show: the Olympus E-620.

Sign number 2: Competition from other shows. Actually, one reason there was just one SLR introduced at PMA is that there were a number of them announced at another show, last year at Photokina, a biennial camera show that takes place in Germany. But more and more camera vendors are introducing cameras at CES in January too. And quite frankly, that just steals PMA’s thunder.