Thursday 31 March 2011

The 'NEW' Fujifilm Finepix F550 EXR - Review


Just in & Quick initial thoughts on the 'NEW' Fujifilm Finepix F550 EXR!!!

For those of you fans of Fuji's award winning range of 'F-series' digital compacts, the F550 EXR will not dissapoint. There are alot of initial similarities with the Fujifilm Finepix F300 EXR- for example,

  • 15x Optical Zoom (24-360mm)
  • 3" High Contrast LCD screen (460,000-dot LCD)
  • Mode wheel & quick Movie recording button
  • Body Casing & Size are identical (apart from the new GPS system on the top of the F550 EXR)

But they are very different, the F550 EXR looks are far more elegant with its black shell complimented with a subtle red ring around the lens & the EXR badge is also finished in red text. But it is infact the heart & brain of the new F550 EXR which seperates it from the F300 EXR- for example,

  • 16MP EXR CMOS sensor
  • EXR Processor
  • 11 frames- High speed shooting
  • GPS
  • Improved Motion Panorama
  • 320fps High Speed Movie
  • Stereo Mic
pros:
  • The F550 EXR CMOS sensor & EXR Processor really makes this camera quick and responsive & truely a great low-light performer.
cons:
  • The in-built pop-up flash on the F550 EXR now has what seems to be a magnet which holds it down & feels delicate to pop back up.
4.5 out of 5



   

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Sony NEX Lens Rumour


Could it be true????

Rumour has it that there are 7 new lenses for the Sony NEX range of cameras.

If your a Sony NEX 3, NEX 5 or NEX 10 owner then this is exciting news. From this corporate looking image, it looks like there are going to be much needed range of longer focal lengths.
  • Portrait?
  • Macro?
  • Telephoto?
  • Sony G?
  • Carl Zeiss?
If the current NEX lenses are anything to go by, these are more than likely to be extremely high quality. Why we are on the subject of high quality, it appears a Sony G lens and a Carl Zeiss will be joining the NEX range of lenses.

What Lenses would you hope Sony will launch for the NEX range?

Rumour Rating: 
4.9 out of 5

Tuesday 29 March 2011

Fujifilm Finepix X100 Professional - Review


Quick Description: A new breed of camera, retro looking but bursting with the latest technology. APSc DSLR size sensor, Bright 35mm f/2.0 Lens and Hybrid viewfinder.

There has soo much interest in this camera, very Leica looking and truly focused on high quality rather than price. For just under £1000 it needs to deliver as it falls into the price range of many well regarded DLSR's inc Nikon D7000 and Canon 60D. The Hybrid viewfinder is superb and easily and beautiful flicks between optical for true bright viewing and digital for full info display and image playback.

Pros:
  • Build Quality - Does not disappoint
  • Lens - Ultra bright / sharp 35mm f/2.0 lens
  • Hybrid finder - Brilliant
  • Looks - Who doesn't love the retro look.
Cons:
  • Not interchangeable lens? The 35mm is beautiful, but would be nice to have options
  • Price - £1000 not cheap, but it is good.
Verdict:
If your in the market for this sort of high quality digital camera, it knocks the socks off its competitors. The DSLR sized APSc EXR sensor is superb, a fantastic option to have in your camera collection.

4.8 out of 5

Canon Digital IXUS 220 HS - Review

Canon IXUS 220 HS 

Quick description - Stylish little compact digital camera with the new HS system to improve pictures in tricky conditions, low light, fast moving etc. Just like most digital cameras now this also is able to do HD movie but this time in full HD with High Speed and Slow-motion. 


Pros:
  • Style - Definitely a looker, available in red, black and silver. 
  • Build - Feels great, metal body.
  • Ultra Wide lens - Widest lens on the market right now 24mm!
  • Movie - Full HD with high speed and super slow-motion recording
Cons:
  • Limited Zoom - 5x is quite short these days
  • Screen Size - 2.7" not bad, but lots have 3.0" now.
Verdict:
If your in the market for a small, stylish, simple compact then this is a great camera for the money - not the highest spec, but a true high quality digital camera. You could buy a lot worse.


4.5 out of 5