Pay Less! $213.65
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W370 digital camera has a 14.1-megapixel Sony sensor and a Sony-branded 7x optical zoom lens. The Sony W370's lens offers an equivalent range from a rather tight 34mm wide-angle to a useful 238mm telephoto. The lens has a two-step aperture with ND filter, which offers either F3.6 or F7.1 at wide-angle; at telephoto the maximum aperture is F5.6, and the minimum aperture is F11. The W370 includes Sony's Sweep Panorama function for the first time in a CCD-based Cyber-shot camera, allowing automatic creation of a 243-, 167-, 127- or 88-degree panoramas in-camera by simply sweeping the lens across the subject.
Pay Less! $201.37
Olympus Stylus Tough-6020
Perhaps the Olympus Stylus 6020's most unusual feature is what Olympus has dubbed "Tap Control". A 3D accelerometer in the camera's body is used as an input method, allowing different patterns of taps on the camera's body from different directions to control functions on the camera. For example, a double tap on the camera's side can be used to turn on the camera's flash or Shadow Adjustment function. It's an unusual idea, and one that perhaps makes some sense if you consider that the camera can be used in conditions where taking your hands out of thick gloves might not be the best idea. The Olympus Stylus Tough-6020 employs a contrast-detection autofocus system operating off data streaming from the camera's image sensor, and the Stylus 6020 also includes face detection capability, able to detect up to twelve faces in a scene simultaneously. Olympus' Face Detection function is linked to both the autoexposure and autofocus systems, ensuring that your subjects' faces are taken into account when determining both these variables. It also allows for tracking of a subject's face as it moves around the frame,once detected.
$247.7
Casio EXILIM EX-FH20
In the runup to the annual Photo Marketing Association trade show this Spring, Casio announced what's arguably one of the most interesting cameras we've seen this year - the EXILIM Pro EX-F1. Capable of a frankly astonishing 60 frames-per-second when shooting at its full six megapixel resolution, the Casio F1 also offered high-speed movie modes ranging anywhere up to 1,200 frames per second (albeit at fairly low resolutions). Sadly, the combination of a fairly high $1,000 price tag and a hefty DSLR-like body with a somewhat complex user interface conspired to dampen the appeal of the Casio F1. That's where the new Casio High Speed EXILIM EX-FH20 steps in. With a simplified user interface, a significantly lower price tag, a smaller and lighter overall package, and updates to both the optics and imager, the Casio FH20 is obviously aimed at generating greater consumer appeal.
Pay Less! $229
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 has a slim inch-thick body, and offers an effective sensor resolution of fourteen megapixels from a 1/2.33-inch RGB CCD image sensor. Panasonic has coupled the ZR3's sensor to a Leica DC Vario-Elmar branded 8x optical zoom lens, which offers focal lengths spanning the range from a generous 25mm-equivalent wide angle to a useful 200mm telephoto. Importantly, the Panasonic ZR3's lens features a true optical image stabilization system, with which to fight blur caused by camera shake. The DMC-ZR3's POWER O.I.S. system is said to offer double the stabilizing power of the company's previous generation MEGA O.I.S. systems. The minimum focusing distance for the Panasonic DMC-ZR3 is just three centimeters at wide angle or 100 centimeters at telephoto, when the camera is switched to either the Macro or Intelligent Auto mode. The Panasonic ZR3 has a two-step aperture, which can select between F3.3 or F10.0 at wide angle, and F5.9 or F18.0 at telephoto. There's sadly no optical viewfinder, with the Panasonic ZR3 instead opting solely for a 2.7" LCD display with 230,000 dot resolution, on which images and videos are both framed and reviewed.
.$247.30
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 is a stylish ultra-compact digital camera with an effective resolution of twelve megapixels from a 1/2.33" RGB CCD image sensor, which Panasonic has coupled to a Leica DC Vario-Elmar branded 4.6x optical zoom lens with a useful 28mm-equivalent wide angle. Importantly, the Panasonic FP8's lens features a true optical image stabilization system with which to fight blur caused by camera shake. The DMC-FP8's POWER O.I.S. system is said to offer double the stabilizing power of the company's previous MEGA O.I.S. systems. The Panasonic FP8's lens has a two-step aperture that offers F3.3 and F10.0 at wide angle, or F5.9 and F18.0 at telephoto. The minimum focusing distance for the Panasonic DMC-FP8 is ordinarily 30 centimeters, but drops to just five centimeters at wide angle when switched to Macro mode.
There's sadly no optical viewfinder, with the Panasonic FP8 instead opting solely for a 2.7" LCD display with 230,000 dot resolution on which images and videos are both framed and reviewed. Back-panel control buttons have a blue backlight that should help in low-light shooting, although the control labels aren't backlit so you'll need to remember the function of each button. The Panasonic DMC-FP8 has an 11-point multi-area autofocus system which also includes a single-point "high speed" focusing mode. As with many digital cameras these days, there's also a face detection function, with Panasonic's implementation using the information to adjust both focus and exposure to properly capture your subjects' faces. In addition, the FP8 can be programmed to recognize the faces of three specific individuals for labelling purposes. The Panasonic Lumix FP8 also has an implementation of autofocus tracking, which can monitor a subject as it moves around the frame, continuing to update autofocus as required.
Pay Less! $279
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5
The Panasonic DMC-ZS5 has an 11-point multi-area autofocus system which also includes a single-point "high speed" focusing mode. As with many digital cameras these days, there's also a face detection function, with Panasonic's implementation using the information to adjust both focus and exposure to properly capture your subjects' faces. The Lumix DMC-ZS5 can also be programmed to recognize specific individuals' faces, and prioritize these over other detected photos when capturing photos, or search for photos containing a specific face in playback mode. The Panasonic Lumix ZS5 also has an implementation of autofocus tracking, which can monitor a subject as it moves around the frame, continuing to update autofocus as required.
ISO sensitivity ordinarily ranges from 80 to 1,600 equivalents, with the ability to extend this as far as ISO 6,400 equivalent in High Sensitivity Auto mode. Shutter speeds from 1/2000 to 60 seconds are possible. The Panasonic DMC-ZS5 uses Intelligent Multiple metering by default, with Center Weighted and Spot metering options available. The ZS5 offers six white balance settings including Auto, Manual, and four fixed presets. A whopping selection of twenty nine scene modes let users tailor the look of their images with a minimum of effort, and the Panasonic ZS5 also offers aperture-, shutter-priority, or fully manual modes when more control is desired. There's also an Intelligent Scene Selection function, which can automatically select from a subset of the available scene modes. A five mode flash strobe includes red-eye reduction capability, and has a rated range of up to 5.3 meters at wide angle, or 3.6 meters at telephoto when using Auto ISO. There's also digital red-eye correction, and Panasonic's Intelligent Exposure, Intelligent ISO, Intelligent Auto functions as seen on past models.
Pay Less! $242.20
