Digital Cameras Ratings

I got this camera because it was on sale, a good bargain for a 12 MP camera. I have a Samsung 52″ LCD HD TV that I am so happy about and love a lot. The price was much less than the competition from Sony or Mitsubishi on the TV I felt like I got a real value and thought I would trust Samsung again because I knew what they are capable of.

The SL620 is a nice form factor, fits in my pocket and comes out ready for action quickly. It has the 12.2 Megapixels and 5x zoom, really astonishing technical achievements in a great package.

There are some things that I do not like about this camera that might have been deal breakers had I known about it before my purchase.

I really do not like the proprietary USB port and cable. Every time I go to hook this up to charge it or download the mini-hdmi (what it looks like) connector does not want to connect. It is hard to see whether it is up or down because it is so small. This is really irritating, and I am sure would be expensive if I ever lost or damaged the cable. A big thumbs down for that. I have gotten used to a standard mini-USB cable, but Samsung uses this one port for download, charging, and displaying to TV as well which probably saves money and parts – for them, but it does nothing to make the camera easier or better to use.

Second thing is that I love the on-screen help, but when you flick between modes the text is on the screen not even fast enough to read – and I’m a pretty fast reader – very frustrating. You have to keep clicking away and back to read the help screens? Maybe there is a setting to adjust this, but learning the camera becomes harder, and when they do not implement the help well, it is worse than no help at all because it is just a distraction.Otherwise the menus are laid out pretty well and logically.

Next is the viewfinder. I have found that I have to be very conservative, ie. move back and try to give extra margin around my subject to shoot because what I see on the viewfinder is not necessarily the picture I end up with. I have not really analyzed this to find out exactly where the picture is or how it changes with modes, but one needs to see on the viewscreen exactly what the picture is, otherwise the viewscreen is useless too.

I wish I could post some video I shot on this camera, the subject is off to the top of the frame, and even cut off. When I was shooting it it was all in the center of the viewscreen. This is a major problem … I wish I could take it back at this point.

The pictures are so huge that taking the picture seems to take a while before the camera comes back. The “snappiness” of the response leaves a bit to be desired.

I also do not like the way the zoom is implemented as a vertical rocker switch up near the top of the trigger. Your thumb wants to move right and left if you hold the camera like a normal human being, and making it go up and down really makes the zoom clumsy to use, and makes the camera more likely to shake.

As I said, I like the form factor, the detail is wonderful, the size and shape are great. The picture quality is very good. The screen help idea is great, and the text that comes up when you change modes is a good idea, but as I said you can hardly read it before it goes away leaving it just as hard to tell what mode you are in as the cameras that have no such help.

I have to say I am disappointed overall in the design details of this camera, though all the parts are there and the picture is nice and very detailed an the zoom power is very good.

The video is sharp and clear and very nice. I cannot say for sure but I think the image is stabilized in the video.

I would recommend this camera for those who want all the features of a 12 MP 5x optical zoom for an inexpensive price and do not mind overlooking some … what I think of anyway … as bad design judgements. With proper tweaking this camera could have been so much much better.

I wonder if Samsung can make a firmware upgrade or something to fix some of my gripes … though I have never heard of a f/w upgrade for a camera.

Product Description
The SL620 has everything you need in one compact camera. 12.2 megapixels give you the power to capture memories with beautiful details. And with a 5x optical zoom, it’s easy to get close to your subjects. Worried that photos might be less than perfect? The SL620 includes the SAMSUNG perfect portrait system which automatically retouches facial imperfections, selects the right scene mode and more. Make every shot a beauty, with the SL620 digital camera.Effective Pixel -approx. 12.2 megapixelType -1/2.33 (approx. 1.09 cm) CCDISO Equivalent -auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 (up to 3 M)Media – internal memory -34 MB, external memory (optional) -SD card (up to 4 GB guaranteed), MMC plus (up to 2 GB guaranteed, 4 bit 20 MHz), SDHC (up to 8 GB guaranteed)File Format – still image -JPEG (DCF), EXIF 2.21, DPOF 1.1, PictBridge 1.0; movie clip -AVI (MJPEG); audio -WAVImage Size – up to 12 M -4000 x 3000 pixels Power Source – rechargeable battery -SLB-10A (1050 mAh) Dimensions (WxHxD) – 3.7 x 2.32 x 0.93 Weight – approx. 0.3 lbs. (except for battery & card)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung SL620 12MP Digital Camera with 5x Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0 inch LCD (Grey)

This Kodak dig. is as good as you are at taking pics.It gives you some lee way to make choices, but if you don’t have camera sense don’t blame the camera. If you want to take pictures in the dark thats always risky, a camera that allows some choices usually takes hits because some make poor choices.. as they say, it ain’t rocket science.. I have a few other digital brands which I won’t name and this one is real fun, if your Kodak moment is in the dark, well mine are usually somewhat lit.. If you got a shaky hand with x 5 Zoom,don’t be surprised if the result is blurred.. with any of these less exspensive cameras. When I put the resulting picture on paper.. colors are vivid, sharp and pro looking… inside pictures are naturally not as good as sun lit pictures by about 10 percent. shooting in the dark has eluded me because I can’t see in the dark (:>)

Product Description
Who says you can’t have it all? The Kodak EASYSHARE M380 digital camera blends the latest picture-taking technology with the ultimate in style – and with Kodak’s innovative smart capture feature, it’s the take-anywhere camera that does it all – automatically.The M380 is part of the Kodak EASYSHARE system, so sharing your pictures is amazingly simple. Just press share.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Kodak EasyShare M380 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.0 inch LCD (Purple)

This Kodak dig. is as good as you are at taking pics.It gives you some lee way to make choices, but if you don’t have camera sense don’t blame the camera. If you want to take pictures in the dark thats always risky, a camera that allows some choices usually takes hits because some make poor choices.. as they say, it ain’t rocket science.. I have a few other digital brands which I won’t name and this one is real fun, if your Kodak moment is in the dark, well mine are usually somewhat lit.. If you got a shaky hand with x 5 Zoom,don’t be surprised if the result is blurred.. with any of these less exspensive cameras. When I put the resulting picture on paper.. colors are vivid, sharp and pro looking… inside pictures are naturally not as good as sun lit pictures by about 10 percent. shooting in the dark has eluded me because I can’t see in the dark (:>)

Product Description
Get stunning pictures at a nice price with the 10.2-megapixel Kodak EasyShare M380 digital camera. With 5x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD screen and innovative features like Smart Capture, the M380 automatically adjusts camera settings to deliver beautiful pictures, more often – automatically. And with easy upload to YouTube and Kodak Gallery, you can share your beautiful shots with friends and family.3.0-inch LCD screen; Smart Capture, Blur Reduction features Still Images -up to 10.0 MP (3648 2736) 4 – 3, 7.5 MP (3648 2048) 16 – 9; Movies -VGA (640 480) at 30 fps, QVGA (320 240) at 30 fps Media -Capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included) File Format -JPEG/EXIF v2.21, QUICKTIME MOV, motion JPEG2002 with audio recording during capture and playback Shooting Mode -Smart Capture, program (P), scene, video, sport, blur reduction, panorama, video Blur Reduction – Reduce blur caused by camera shake or subject movement or fast action situations to deliver sharper picturesSmart Capture – Take better pictures than ever before. Kodak’s innovative Smart Capture feature (Intelligent scene, Intelligent capture, Intelligent image) adjusts camera settings for great pictures in just about any environment–automatically.HD picture capture – Capture beautiful HD pictures in 16 – 9 formatFace detection – For great shots of friends and family, face detection locates faces and automatically adjusts camera settings High ISO – Capture the details in low light conditions and fast action situations with high ISO (up to 1600)Multimedia slideshow – Tell your story your way using the multimedia slideshow feature.Shoot video with ease – Record continuous VGA video (640 x 480) at 30 fps and QVGA (320 x 240) at 30 fpsOne-button upload via Share button and Kodak EasyShare Software (included) Power -Li-Ion rechargeable battery Dimensions (W H D) -3.9 x 2.3 x 0.8 (99.9 59.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Kodak EasyShare M380 10MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom and 3.0 inch LCD (Pimento Red)

I take pictures of meetings and wanted a pocket camera with good low light handling because some people in the meetings don’t like to be disturbed by flash.I have owned and still own many pocket size digital cameras.But I end up having to carry my bulky SLR to the meetings because the pocket cameras don’t handle low light well.Another feature I want is the convenience of AA batteries instead of those special types.A2100IS meets both of my needs.

Other features, such as face detection, auto white balance, and button locations, are really great too.

Why did I remove one star?The low light pictures are still noisy, though acceptable (for the price).The flash does not reach far enough, so when I got a chance to use flash for a group of 8 people today against light, the picture turned out to be less satisfactory than the one without flash.You would normally expect dark faces without flash since it was against light, but the low light handling (along with face detection) turned out to work better than flash shooting.

This is Canon’s cheaper model, so they delay applying the more recent technology.A larger CCD like the one they use for SD990 (1/1.7″), plus a larger lens (f2.8 or better) would make this camera a dream. If SD990IS uses AA batteries, I would have already bought it.

Still, this camera is the best in its class and price range.If you don’t care about AA batteries and rather have a smaller and lighter camera to carry, and don’t mind a spending little more money, consider SD990IS.

Product Description
Your creativity knows no limits with the sleek, compact PowerShot A2100 IS. Engineered with 12.1 megapixels of resolution and a 6x optical zoom lens with Optical Image Stabilizer, you’ll get the awesome image quality you’ve always dreamed of. The bold, bright, supersized 3.0-inch LCD offers a clear view of everything. Evolved Face Detection Technology and Face Detection Self-timer give you new control when shooting moving subjects and group self-portraits. Smart AUTO makes getting great shots astonishingly easy. LCD Monitor -3.0-inch TFT color LCD, Approx. 230,000 pixels Maximum Aperture -f/3.2 (W) – f/5.9 (T) ISO Sensitivity -Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 equivalentShooting Modes -Auto, Easy, P, Portrait, Landscape, Special Scene (Night Scene, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Aquarium, ISO 3200, Long Shutter), Indoor, Kids & Pets, Night Snapshot, Movie Continuous Shooting -Approx. 1.1 fps Compression Mode -Still Image -Exif 2.2 (JPEG); Movie -AVI Storage Media -SD/SDHC Memory Card, Multimedia Card, MMC Plus Card, HC MMC Plus Card Number of Recording Pixels -Still Image -up to 4000 x 3000 (Large); Movie -Standard Definition -up to 640 x 480 (30 fps) Video Output -NTSC/PAL Dimensions -4.01 (W) x 2.5 (H) x 1.26 (D) Weight -6.53 Ounces

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon PowerShot A2100IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD

This review is based off of several days of use and a THOROUGH review of the manual.If you are interested in seeing specifications and actual pictures of this camera (which I suggest you do) I recommend visiting websites that offer extensive these types of reviews [...]First, lets review what seems to be common CONS to the camera.

POP UP FLASH.Contrary to some reviews, this camera is not hard to handle/hold nor does the pop up flash get in the way or feel flimsy.Notice Canon has made three designs to combat this problem (e.g. indented thumbprint above controls on back of camera, curved body on right side of camera, and about 3/4 inch space to place finger behind the flash. As I right this review, I am playing around with the flash and notice it feels sturdy; not flimsy.Also, the further the distance between the flash and the lens allows for a better red-eye reduction.

NO VIDEO (optical) Zoom.This camera offers excellent video quality for a “point and shoot camera”.It is 720 so expect that quality – no more no less.As for the zoom, it only has a digital zoom (i.e. less quality than optical).Nonetheless, it should not be a deal breaker – unless you are in the market for a digital videorecorder.I recommend a stand alone video recorder at this point.Would it be nice to have a zoom, sure, but honestly, this is not a big deal.

NOISE – Indoor use.PLEASE believe me when I say I find very little if any noise on indoor shots (when using the camera correctly (e.g reading the manual!!!).There are many ways to adjust this camera – MANY ways!Again, I am reviewing pictures I just shot today inside my local library and find them very pleasing and no noise!

FIT/FEEL of Camera.This camera does not feel flimsy.This I think I can promise you.Actually, when I got the camera in my hands, I was suprised to feel and see it was thicker than I thought – but not too thick.Still able to put in pocket (although not if you are wearing tight jeans).If you are looking at this camera, chances are you doing so because of the aesthetic body – and you are right.When/if you put it in your hands, you’ll understand that it is, well, sexy and fashionable.

I have put forth what I saw as potentially “deal breakers” to some people and find all of these supposedly negative points not so negative.After thorough research and an extensive review of the manual, I find this camera to be excellent.

Finally, let me try to state what I believe to be the absolute best features of this camera.
1. Quality.The only way to defend this point is to recommend doing research.Many websites have posted pictures this camera has taken – many of them stunning.I even saw a side by side comparison with the SX200IS rival – the TZ7.It was a picture of a night time view of a major city.This camera won hands down.And as for video quality, I was happy with the quality – if you expect 720 and not blu-ray quality.It honestly is great- oh yea, and I notice that when shooting with video, the image seemed to have little or no shake ( I was suprised about this).
2.Function.You can immediately use this even if you never used a camera before.Thank canon for the “easy” function which lets you only hit the shutter button: it does ALL the work for you, and has hints/tips on the screen as you shoot.Or if you are not so novice, you can turn this camera into a complete manual function and create your own aperture, shutter, and ISO values.(This is the reason I bought this camera; so I could go more manual while my wife could just point and click).
3.After having this camera, I have noticed that CANON has not marketed this camera well enough.It has LCD image brightness control that changes on screen depending on how bright it is where you are shooting.Very nice to view the lcd.Also, the LCD has been layered with a scratch resistant coating!
Finally, in my opinion, this camera’s best feature is its versatility.What I mean by this is that it takes excellent pictures and allows you to grow with the camera – this point needs to be emphasized.
I suggest that you truly do your research (as you are doing!!:) and you may see as I did that no matter how many cameras I reviewed, I kept coming back to the SX200IS.I am glad I have it.
One final point.If you do get this, please review the manual.It is your bible and will really help you understand the camera if you want to turn it into more than a point and shoot.I wrote this review because I was SHOCKED at the criticisms this camera received.I agree that this camera can be fine tuned (longer battery life…..etc…) but these are by no means deal breakers.Don’t worry, whatever camera you get, it will be soon outdated – all cameras get their annual tweaking.Having said that about camera’s getting outdated, note that I chose this camera for the features it has for the price it is.Having taken it home, I realize that I am more than getting my money’s worth.I am honestly concerned about answering any questions you may have.I wish I could ask people questions before I buy things, so please feel free to comment and/or ask.Best wishes.

***Updated 4-6-08****
For those interested in comparisons, I have recently compared the SX200IS vs the Panasonic TZ5 [...].Unbelievable, I was able to find same scene shots taken by these two different cameras.This is hard to find.Plus, being that the TZ5 is really the main competitor to the SX200IS, it makes for an interesting comparison.If you do review this website, particularly notice the “city night shot” and ISO 400 setting.In my opinion, the SX200IS is much clearer and offers a more accurate picture.Again, the SX200IS is a winner to me!

***Updatd 7-26-09***
After 4 months of extensive use, this camera is now having power issues.When the camera is turned on, and then turned off, it automatically turns on when I do not want it too! It will go back to be fixed.So in terms of reliability, I am a little disappointed.Nonetheless, given the quality and features of this camera, I will GLADLY keep the camera and GLADLY have it fixed.Even with this electronic issue, it is still the best camera out there.

Product Description
Creating gorgeous images is more fun than ever with the sleek, impressively equipped PowerShot SX200 IS, elegantly designed in three new colors. Capture close-up, wide-angle shots with stunning 12x optical zoom. Experience the unprecedented image quality and point-and-shoot convenience of Smart AUTO, along with enhanced operability and an intuitive new menu. HD shooting at 1280 x 720 pixels with HDMI output lets you see all the beauty of your HD images and movies on your HDTV. HD movie shooting capability plus HDMI output for easy playback of video and photos on your HDTVJpeg Compression -Still Image -Exif 2.2 (JPEG); Movie -MOV (Image -H.264; Audio -Linear PCM (Monaural))Blink Detection alerts a shooter after a shot has been taken that a subject had closed eyes DIGIC 4 Image Processor has evolved Face Detection Technology that tracks the faces of moving subjects and lets the shooter enter the frame seamlessly with the Face Detection Self-timer ISO Sensitivity -Auto, ISO 80/100/200/400/800/1600 equivalentContinuous Shooting -Normal – approx. 0.8 fps; AF -approx. 0.5 fps; LV -approx. 0.6 fps (Large/Fine) Storage Media -SD/SDHC Memory Card, Multimedia Card, MMC Plus Card, HC MMC Plus Card Number of Recording Pixels -Still Image -up to 4000 x 3000 (Large); Movie -High Definition -up to 1280 x 720 (30 fps) Video Out -NTSC/PAL Power Source -Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Shooting Capacity -Still Image – approx. 220 shotsPlayback Time -Approx. 360 min Dimensions (WxHxD) -4.06 x 2.38 x 1.48 Weight – Approx. 7.76 oz

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon PowerShot SX200IS 12 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD (Blue)

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