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Fujifilm Finepix S6000fd / S6500fd Review
Digital Photography Review
Originally announced in July, but only just making its way onto the shelves in time for Christmas, the S6000fd is the latest in a long line of keenly-priced big zoom ‘bridge cameras’ from Fujifilm that can trace its roots back to 2001’s FinePix 4900 Zoom. The new model has several key features of interest; top of the list being the 6.3MP, 1/1.7″ Super CCD sensor used to wide acclaim in the F30 and F31fd and offering ‘full resolution’ shooting at up to ISO 3200. The S6000fd (known as the S6500fd in Europe) also has a different lens to its recent predecessors, sporting what appears to be the same 28-300mm equivalent 10.7x zoom as the S9100/9600. It’s also the first camera to feature Fuji’s hardware face detection - a feature so important that Fuji decided to append ‘fd’ to the camera’s name. Elsewhere there’s a comprehensive suite of photographic tools, raw mode, electronic viewfinder, 2.5″ screen and VGA movie mode - all in a package that costs less than half what you’d pay for a budget SLR with a similar lens - and weighs less too. But is it any good? Let’s find out!
Note: the S6000fd and S6500fd are the same camera; Fujifilm uses different names in different areas of the world. In this review we will refer to the camera as the S6000fd.
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01.12.07
Pentax K100D - Review
Digital Camera Resource Page
On the outside, the new Pentax K100D ($599 body only, $699 with lens) looks a lot like its predecessor, the *ist DS2. Pentax didn’t just change the name, though — inside the K100D is a CCD-shift image stabilization system. This system, which Pentax calls Shake Reduction, lets you take sharper photos at slower shutter speeds than on an unstabilized camera — and with ANY Pentax lens ever made. Other features on the K100D include a 6.1 Megapixel CCD, full manual controls, a 2.5″ LCD display, and all the expandability you’d expect from a digital SLR. And did I mention that it uses AA batteries?
To save $100 you can also check out the K110D model, which is the same as the K100D, except that it lacks Shake Reduction. The entry-level D-SLR field is very competitive. Read the review to see how the K100D compares!
Canon PowerShot G7 Review
Digital Photography Review
Announced just before Photokina 2006 in September 2006, the G7 came as something of a surprise to many who had written off the G series of high end PowerShots when the G6 (launched 2004) wasn’t updated last year. The G series has a long and distinguished history at the top of Canon’s PowerShot range, offering SLR-like functionality in a solid, compact body and high-end features such as fast lenses and external flash capabilities. The G7 continues the tradition, adding all Canon’s latest gizmos (including the new Digic III processor, face detection and image stabilization), though since its announcement there has been heated discussion about some of Canon’s decisions - particularly the loss of raw mode and the slower lens. So let’s find out if the new model is a worthy successor to the G6, or if Canon really has - as some users feel - squandered the legacy of one of the most acclaimed cameras in the short history of digital photography. We’ll start, as ever, by looking at the headline features:
- 10.0 Megapixels
- 6x optical zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer and SR coating
- DIGIC III and iSAPS with Advanced Noise Reduction and Face Detection AF/AE
- 2.5?? high-resolution LCD with wide viewing angle and anti-glare coating
- ISO 1600 for flash-free, low light shooting
- Ergonomic design with dedicated ISO and Multi Control dials for fast, easy operation
- 25 shooting modes including full manual control and 2 custom settings
- Extra telephoto reach with Digital Tele-Converter and Safety Zoom
- Hot shoe support for Canon Speedlite flashes and optional lens accessories