What’s New in Digital Cameras

Locations in this article:  San Diego, CA

Kid with cameraThere have been some big advances in digital cameras over the past year, so if you’re planning to splurge on a fancy new device to record your travel memories, here’s what you need to know…

New models have been introduced with features that go a long way toward improving the quality of the images, and which pack more capabilities into a smaller frame.

As with other digital products, all of this new technology comes at a lower price.

One of the most exciting breakthroughs, particularly for advanced amateurs and professionals, is the addition of high-definition video capability to digital SLR cameras (DSLRs).

First to be announced was the advanced amateur 12 MP Nikon D90 ($1,000 for body).

Then a week later came the pro Canon EOS 5D Mark II ($2,700) with a 21 MP sensor, the first normal-size DSLR with a full-frame sensor. Professional photographers have reported astounding results, and said it was comparable to professional video equipment costing thousands of dollars more.

photographerBut the bulk of still cameras are found in the consumer category, particularly the small pocket-size models that you can carry anywhere. They’re getting more features that really do improve image quality over a wider range of shooting conditions.

Some models can examine what’s being photographed, figure out what kind of a scene it is—from landscapes, to close ups to night portraits—and then make adjustments to maximize the quality of the image. All of this is done in the fraction of a second before the shutter button is tripped. After the image is recorded, artificial intelligence in the camera improves the image by making further adjustments before it’s even displayed.

When I first used the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K 9MP, one of the first models with these capabilities, the results were startling. For example, an image I took of some friends at night exposed their faces equally as perfect as the illuminated buildings in the distant background. Normally the faces would be washed out and the background black.

These cameras now include almost standard advances such as face detection, shake reduction, longer zoom ranges of 4x to 10x, larger LCD displays, greater resolution, and special-purpose features such waterproofing (if you buy the Pentax W60 compact zoom from San Diego-based Surfcamera’s Web site—and it comes bundled with a case they’ve designed just for surfers.)

But there are a couple of disappointments in this category:

Manufacturers are adding more pixels to the tiny sensors in these small cameras more as a marketing ploy than for better images. While higher resolution benefits DSLR cameras, it’s of little help on these models and can actually result in poorer results. That’s because as the tiny pixels are made smaller, they make up a smaller percent of the active sensor area than cameras whose sensors have fewer, but larger pixels.

Here is a list of some of the most interesting new products. Most will be available within a month or two:

Canon PowerShot G10
Powershot G10 This tenth-generation compact camera reminds me of a digital version of a Leica rangefinder camera. It’s ruggedly built, beautifully finished, has a wide-angle 5x zoom with optical Image Stabilizer, a complete range of manual settings, a 14.7 megapixel sensor and Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor. $500.

Canon Digital Elph 980 IS
This latest Elph is another pocket gem in a molded titanium case with a viewfinder. It adds manual controls, has a newly designed processor for faster shots, and adds intelligence. It has a 14.7 megapixel sensor that I’ve not tested yet, something that likely adds little value. It’s comparable to their $400 models of two years ago without the new features. $200.

Casio EXILIM EX-FH20
This is a specialty still and video camera that captures video up to 1000 frames per second, or can take 40 7-megapixel still images each second. It’s designed for capturing fast motion events such as golf swings and sporting events. $600.

Sony DSC-T700
Sony T700s swirl Sony has always made some of the thinnest and most attractive pocket cameras. The T700 is their latest: it’s 5/8-inches thick with a huge touch-panel LCD with touch controls. It adds scene and face detection, even allowing you to prioritize between the face of a child and a nearby adult. And it can wait to fire until either one is smiling. Best of all, you have the ability to store and arrange all of your images in its built-in 4GB of memory and use it as a pocket photo album. $400.

Panasonic DMC-G1
This is the first in a new class of digital interchangeable lens cameras that provides some of the benefits of a DSLR in a smaller size. While it doesn’t have the DSLR’s through-the-lens viewing, it has an electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses in a very small form factor. $800 with lens.

Cameras are a bright spot for the upcoming holiday season. You can easily find a camera that will do a noticeably better job than those of just three years go, and for a lot less money.

By Phil Baker. Originally published in the San Diego Transcript. Check out Phil’’s blog at https://blog.philipgbaker.com.

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