What's New - April 2007
April 30
Full Review posted for 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T100!
If the attractive compact design doesn't win you over at once, the Sony T100's large, gorgeous LCD will. The T100 is a very capable camera that captures good detail and color. Thanks to the Bionz image processor and Super SteadyShot, there isn't much the slim, 8.1-megapixel, 5x zoom Sony T100 can't do. We had a little trouble with the speed and logic of the new menu design, but it is attractive and useful once you get used to it. Detail does fall apart at the T100's high ISO settings, but that appears to be a tradeoff Sony makes to salvage color. I was able to shoot street scenes with usable results despite the high level of noise suppression. The Sony T-series is the ultimate "party" camera, a popular take-along for evening events, but with the T100 make sure you stick to low ISO settings and shoot with flash in about the six foot range, as the T100's noise suppression will obliterate detail otherwise. The Sony T100's in-camera editing tricks are actually pretty fun and useful, producing good quality images, and the high definition slideshow feature is impressive, working on a standard TV out of the box. Though we want to warn you about the high ISO softness with the Sony T100, we still think it's a great camera. See the full Sony T100 review for more!
April 19
Express Review posted for 
Casio EXILIM EX-S770!
Packed with features, this 7.2 megapixel Casio EX-S770 includes a 3x optical zoom, a wide-screen movie mode, a high resolution 2.8-inch LCD, and 34 scene modes. This slim little shooter comes in silver, red, and purple, and has a high quality feel. One of the speediest ultra-compact cameras we've tried, the Casio S770 has virtually no shutter lag when you prefocus. Using included software you can transfer web pages, emails, and business documents for later viewing on the Casio S770's wide screen display. The Casio S770's 230,400-pixel, 2.8-inch widescreen LCD is great for composing and viewing images and widescreen movies, but it also allows a near-full Function menu to stay on the display for quick access. Since the Casio S770 is a small camera, there are naturally some image quality limitations, especially at higher ISO settings. Read our Express Review for more on the Casio S770.
Express Review posted for
Casio EXILIM EX-Z700!Though it's not the flashiest or slimmest model on the market, the Casio EXILIM EX-Z700 has a lot that should make beginning snapshooters happy. With a 7.2 megapixel sensor, a fairly standard 3x zoom (38-114mm equivalent focal range), and a 2.7-inch LCD, the Casio EX-Z700 doesn't break any new ground, but it is a reliable little camera and very speedy if you prefocus. Like most Casio cameras, the EX-Z700 comes packed with Best Shot scene modes, including a new Auto Framing mode that's great for capturing sharp photos of moving subjects such as pets or children. Low ISO shots produce sharp 11x14 inch images, but the Casio EX-Z700 didn't fare as well in low light. See the Casio EX-Z700 Express Review for more.
April 17
Full Review posted for 
Canon PowerShot A550!
As we've come to expect from Canon's A-series, the PowerShot A550 is a great little digicam. Fairly frill-free, the Canon A550 still takes great shots with its 7-megapixel sensor. It has a satisfying 4x zoom, and is quite easy to use. The A550's no-nonsense mode dial is backed up by a simple Function menu; and though you can dig deeper with the main menu, you'll find fewer settings there than on other Canon models. In our opinion, less is more when it comes to a camera meant for the mass-market. More options will only confuse and invite error. Still, the A550 can make 640x480 movies at 30 frames per second, so it's ready to do anything most consumer buyers will need; and everything it does is above par for the category. The A550's 9-point AiAF autofocus system is excellent for candid shooting, and its high ISO functions are actually useful, turning out images that make excellent 8x10 prints. Its 7-megapixel sensor makes pictures that can be printed at 13x19 inches, quite an achievement at this price point. Though it doesn't have the biggest LCD, it still has an optical viewfinder. Priced at under $200, the Canon A550 is another bargain. See our review of the Canon PowerShot A550 for all the details.
April 16
Full Review posted for 
Fujifilm FinePix S9100!
Shooting with the Fujifilm FinePix S9100 is a lot of fun. All this long zoom digital camera lacks is optical image stabilization. That may seem like a big omission these days, but the S9100 does surprisingly well without it, capturing usable images with a handheld shutter speed as low as 1/5 second. The lack of optical image stabilization does make the S9100 a very affordable long zoom, and it won't disappoint anyone who wants to learn how to take great pictures. All the controls are there, most of them just a button away. Exposure Compensation was required to hang on to highlight detail in full sun, but otherwise, Programmed Auto, and Auto white balance delivered natural color that was not oversaturated. Most impressive was Natural Light mode, which made it possible to get some great shots of a few favorite canvases at the local museum. But also worth noting is the intelligent flash, which performed much better than most digicam flash guns. And don't forget the wide and long 28 - 300mm zoom lens. It all adds up to a lot of camera for not a lot of money. See our review of the Fuji FinePix S9100 for more.
April 11
Full Review posted for 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55!
Writer Rob Murray took a look at the Sony W55, and generally liked what he found. Sony upped the resolution over last year's W50, added some higher shutter speeds, and seems to have made good progress with their high-ISO performance: The Sony W55's high-ISO shots don't look all that different from those of the W50 on-screen, but when printed, the improvements are readily apparent. The Sony W55 is also unusual among relatively inexpensive digital cameras in the number of accessories that Sony offers for it. All in all the Sony DSC-W55 delivers a lot in a little package. It only just missed being named a Dave's Pick, as we'd really like to have seen better handling of incandescent lighting, a very common light source in US homes. Read our Sony DSC-W55 review for all the details!
April 9
Express Review posted for 
Olympus Stylus 760!
Reviewer Rob Murray found a lot to like in the Olympus Stylus 760, but also at least one "glaring" issue, namely glare from the LCD monitor when shooting outdoors. The Olympus 760 is compact, ultra-stylish, slips in and out pockets easily, and takes great pictures under the right conditions. It's also splashproof, a very nice feature if you're ever caught in a rainstorm with your camera. The LCD screen is big, bright, and high-resolution too, but when Rob took it outdoors, glare from the sun made it all but impossible to see what he was framing. This is frequently the case with LCD viewfinders, but many cameras also offer an optical viewfinder as an option for just such situations. Unfortunately, the LCD is the only viewfinder option on the Stylus 760. Bottom line, the Olympus 760 is almost a great camera, but a near-miss when its glare-prone screen is taken into account. For more details, see our Olympus 760 Express Review.
April 5
Full Review posted for 
Pentax K10D!
Just picking it up with a standard set of expectations, the Pentax K10D does not necessarily impress. Spend some time, explore the new exposure modes, learn how to tweak white balance, and you might discover a digital camera that could significantly improve your photography. That does impress. We're willing to bet that some photographers won't want to shoot with anything else once they've discovered a few of the K10D's unique modes. But beware, the Pentax K10D isn't for everyone. There are no Scene modes, and Auto White Balance doesn't work the way we've come to expect, nor the way we think it should. You have to plan ahead. While you shouldn't have to do that with Auto White Balance, we were surprised by more than a few of the Pentax K10D's subtle approaches to what a digital SLR can be. Modes that let you shoot in new ways, buttons that eliminate steps, and custom functions that make the camera work for you: all add up to a camera worth a second look. Read the full review for more on the thought-provoking Pentax K10D.
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