Dave's Picks

Full-frame image quality and a great lens in an astonishingly small package Full-frame sensors have always meant the highest image quality in handheld cameras, but they've also always meant big, bulky,... (more)

Full-frame image quality and a great lens in an astonishingly small package Full-frame sensors have always meant the highest image quality in handheld cameras, but they've also always meant big, bulky, heavy cameras. The Sony RX1 breaks this mold, though, and not just by a little bit. It's hard to convey just how small the Cyber-shot RX1 is without actually handing you one to hold yourself. It's not much bigger than some high-end digicams, and the same size or smaller than some models in Sony's excellent NEX line of Compact System Cameras when you include one of the kit lenses with the latter. The 24 megapixel full-frame sensor is the same as used in Sony's flagship A99 SLT camera, and it's paired with a 35mm f/2 Carl Zeiss lens with T* optical coatings and superb corner to corner sharpness. The combined package is perfect for "street photography" aficionados, or anyone wanting ultimate optical and sensor quality in a super-portable, beautiful little camera. With an introductory price of $2,800, it clearly won't be the camera for everyone, but even at that price, we think it'll be one of Sony's most popular models. If you're looking for ultimate quality in a "pocket" camera, the Sony RX1 defines the state of the art. (minimize)

Large-sensor image quality in a compact, zoom body Every once in a while, a camera comes along which offers a genuinely different approach to its rivals. Some--like the first... (more)

Large-sensor image quality in a compact, zoom body Every once in a while, a camera comes along which offers a genuinely different approach to its rivals. Some--like the first mirrorless models--go on to fundamentally change the market. Others aren't quite so successful. Either way, we welcome designs that think outside the box. The PowerShot G1 X is Canon's first large-sensor compact. Its announcement last Spring prompted much speculation: was this Canon's final answer to that blossoming mirrorless market, or a first tentative step towards its own mirrorless debut? The fixed-lens design and narrower-aspect ratio have allowed Canon to create a large-sensor PowerShot with a worthwhile size advantage over mirrorless models, and a night-and-day image quality advantage over small-sensor cameras. Like many first-gen products, the G1 X does show a few rough edges though. Will the advantages of its unusual design outweigh the drawbacks? For the verdict, read our Canon G1 X review! (minimize)

A major step forward for Canon's flagship premium compact Canon's PowerShot G-series cameras were some of the first premium compact cameras to really grab the attention of the professional... (more)

A major step forward for Canon's flagship premium compact Canon's PowerShot G-series cameras were some of the first premium compact cameras to really grab the attention of the professional photographer and the amateur shooter alike. With the PowerShot G15, Canon takes a huge step forward by incorporating a fast 5x optical zoom lens with a maximum aperture that ranges from f/1.8 at wide to f/2.8 at tele. The camera also boasts a 12-megapixel, 1/1.7-inch CMOS sensor to produce sharper images and full 1080p HD video recording (finally). And at the heart of the Canon G15 resides a ton of advanced photographic controls, including RAW image capture. One significant downgrade from its predecessor, the G12, however, is Canon's decision to replace the articulating LCD monitor with a fixed one, ostensibly to slim the G15's dimensions. Click here for our final verdict on the Canon G15! (minimize)