I’ve been using the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW for a few months now. It’s a 10-megapixel pocket-sized point-and-shoot that’s also waterproof and shockproof, making it a great outdoor camera. It was also the first digital camera to feature Tap Control, which allows you to access a few camera features simply by tapping on the camera. This is supposed to make the camera easier to use for people who are wearing gloves - snowboarders, skiers, cyclists, etc.

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Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Studio Test Images
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Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Pros Waterproof and nearly indestructible Pocket-sized Live histogram Panoramic mode (requires Olympus xD card) Tap Control really works!	Olympus Stylus 1050 SW Cons Sliding cover too easy to open accidentally Tap Control doesn’t access most useful controls Batteries lose power too quickly in the cold Image quality isn’t as good as some other 10-megapixel cameras 38mm wide-angle isn’t really very wide No mechanical image stabilization No optical viewfinder xD memory cards only work with Olympus and Fujifilm compact digital cameras

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The Nikon D90 is Nikon’s latest mid-range digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera and the world’s first DSLR to offer high-definition video capture. The D90’s 12-megapixel APS-sized CMOS sensor also ups the high-ISO ante with very low noise up to - and in some situations, beyond - ISO 800.

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Nikon D90 Studio Test Images
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Pros 720p HD D-Movie video mode! Excellent low-light, high-ISO performance Ultrasonic sensor cleaning Backwards-compatible with many of Nikon’s older F-mount lenses Good battery life	Cons Video quality needs to be improved No auto focus in video mode Non-weather-sealed, plastic body Small grip uncomfortable with pro lenses and Speedlight flashes

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Nikon launched their second VSLR (video DSLR) attack a few weeks ago with the announcement of the 12-megapixel, 720p HD D5000. A D5000 review camera arrived on our doorstep this week and this preview is based on what we’ve learned from that camera. The Nikon D5000 has the same sensor as the D90 with a simplified set of controls. The standout feature on the new camera is the new 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD display - the first tilt-swivel LCD on a Nikon digital SLR. This isn’t a perfect analogy, but the new D5000 is sort of like D60 with a Vari-angle LCD and a D90 sensor. The suggested retail price is $730 without a lens and $850 in a kit with the AF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6G VR Nikkor lens.
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Canon USA got their first batch of PowerShot D10 waterproof and shockproof digital cameras last week. I timed my request right and got one of the first they sent out. Our D10 review camera is already in the hands of professional photographer Ann Torrence, who will be taking it on a float trip down the Grand Canyon next week. I’m hoping for a great real-world camera test with sweet rafting and canyon photos! Before I handed the D10 over to Ann, I shot a shot box opening video and camera tour, made product shots, and shot controlled studio test photos at all ISO settings.
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The Sony Cybershot DSC-H50 is a compact, 9.1-megapixel digital camera with an impressive image-stabilized 15x Carl Zeiss f/2.7-4.8 optical zoom lens and a 3-inch tilting LCD monitor. The DSC-H50 features Face Detection, Smile Shutter and Intelligent Scene Recognition technologies, as well as video recording, HDTV compatibility and a remote control. It has a retail list price of $399.99.

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Sony Cybershot DSC-H50 Studio Test Images
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Sony Cybershot DSC-H50 Pros 15x zoom lens with Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization (31-465 mm equivalent). Very good image quality. Exposure settings ranging from Easy Mode to full manual control. Compact size and light weight. Large, tilting LCD monitor. MPEG video recording with zoom functionality. Easily accessible continuous shooting/bracket button. Remote control - great for group and self-portraits. In-camera editing and slideshow functions.

Sony Cybershot DSC-H50 Cons Optical viewfinder is so small it’s almost useless. Somewhat awkward physical design and user interface. Battery for remote control is difficult to access.

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I shot this video of the Olympus E-620 box opening on February 11th, two weeks before the camera was officially announced. Getting pre-release camera gear is fun! I love opening up a box, not really knowing what’s inside and getting to be one of the first people to see something. And it’s even better when I get to share it with you!
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Olympus announced the 12-megapixel E-620 digital SLR this morning. The new E-620 is the second “Creative” digital SLR from Olympus. It’s sort of a combination of the E-520 and the E-30, with the E-520’s size and build and the some of the features and performance from the E-30, including a 12-megapixel sensor, Art Filters, Multi Exposure, improved auto focus and a 2.7-inch tilt-swivel LCD. I think the E-620 is the camera many Olympus photographers were hoping the E-30 would be - a compact, high-performance upgrade to the E-520 platform.
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Hands-On In Miami With The Panasonic Lumix ZS3 & TS1

Panasonic 2009 Lumix Digital Camera Intro
I’m wearing shorts and sandals and I’ve got a greasy film of sunscreen on my pale, winter skin. Forty-eight hours ago I was skiing knee deep Utah powder at 10,000 feet. Now I’m on a beach taking pictures of a girl in a bikini with a huge albino snake. Is this a dream? Nope – it’s Panasonic’s 2009 Global Lumix Seminar. I’m on Miami’s famous South Beach and I’ve got two pre-production Panasonic digital cameras to play with and pretty girls to point them at. It’s a crazy paradigm shift to be sure. But I’m a pro and I can handle it.

The word “Lumix” comes from combining “lumi,” meaning light and “mix,” for the combination of technologies Panasonic uses in their digital cameras. Panasonic introduced the Lumix designation in 2001. They manufacture nearly all of the critical camera elements in their own factories, which means they have the ability to really control the quality of their digital cameras. They got outside help for one part of the camera, and for that they went to one of the most respected names in optical design and manufacturing – Leica. The Leica DC Vario-Elmar lenses on Panasonic’s Lumix cameras are all made in Leica certified factories.
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The Panasonic Lumix TZ5 is a compact digital point-and-shoot camera with a 10x Leica 28mm wide-angle zoom lens. The TZ5 has 9.1 megapixels of resolution, a large and vivid 3-inch LCD screen, an Intelligent Auto mode as well as regular Auto and scene modes, QuickTime and HD video recording, and a special Clipboard mode geared toward travelers.

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Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 Studio Test Images
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Pros 10x optical zoom — one of the longest lenses on a pocket point-and-shoot. 28mm wide-angle lens makes it easy to capture the whole scene. Intelligent Auto mode really helps get great pictures. QuickTime and HD video recording with zoom capability. 2 frames-per-second continuous burst shooting mode. Optical image stabilization. Fits in a pocket or purse. Large, easy-to-see LCD screen. Clean, simple design inside and out. Long battery life.

Cons Image quality could be better. No manual exposure options. No optical viewfinder. Flash takes a while to recharge.

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The Nikon Coolpix P6000 is Nikon’s flagship compact camera, improving on its predecessor the P5100 with 13.5 megapixels of resolution and a wider 28mm - 112mm (35mm equivalent) zoom lens. The P6000 also brings back RAW format, and adds things like GPS and online connectivity. I reviewed the P5100 in 2008 and this review of the P6000 is concerned primarily with changed specifications and performance. The P5100 just needed a couple tweaks to be a strong photographic tool. Does the P6000 clear those hurdles? Well, as one might expect from a 13.5-megapixel camera, the P6000 produces excellent images at low ISO and acceptable quality at higher ISO settings. But my overall feeling for the Coolpix P6000 is one of indifference rather than the enthusiasm I felt for the P5100.

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Nikon Coolpix P6000 Studio Test Images
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Pros RAW format Excellent handling and ergonomics Strong image quality at low ISOs Sharp Nikon lens with useful zoom range Pocketable size and weight Color controls Optical viewfinder	Cons Relatively high price Auto focus average to slow Menu interface slow Slow card write speed/small buffer No live histogram Lens relatively slow f/5.9 at 112mm Manual focus is imprecise Hot shoe only works with Nikon Speedlites Ethernet only for Nikon’s Web site No separate battery charger (charge in camera)

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The Canon PowerShot SD790 IS is a 10-megapixel, pocket-sized digital camera with optical image stabilization, a big 3-inch LCD display, DIGIC III image processing, and ISO 1600 sensitivity.

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Canon PowerShot SD790 IS Studio Test Images
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Pros Compact size Large, 10-megapixel (3648 x 2736 pixels) image Sharp lens Good image quality up to ISO 400 Large LCD screen Compact, pocket-sized body Video with zoom capability Long battery life	Cons Horrible Control Dial Poor image quality at high ISO No optical viewfinder

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We were lucky enough to be one of the first to get the new 12-megapixel E-30 digital SLR from Olympus. Rather than wait for a complete review, I’ve been shooting with the E-30 for the past few days so I can put together some initial impressions.

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