All best cameras for you: December 2010

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Canon PowerShot G12

Canon's PowerShot G12 digital camera is the company's latest flagship fixed-lens camera, and a direct successor to last year's PowerShot G11 model. The Canon G12 retains the same ten megapixel CCD sensor resolution as its predecessor, coupled to the same DIGIC 4 image processor that featured in both the G10 and G11. The pairing of sensor and processor has now been giving branding, described as the "HS System," with the initials standing for "High Sensitivity."

The Canon PowerShot G12 retains the same 5x optical zoom lens from the PowerShot G10 and G11, which offers 35mm-equivalent focal lengths ranging from a useful 28mm wide-angle to a 140mm telephoto. And as with its predecessor, the Canon G12 includes true optical image stabilization to help combat blur from camera shake.

Also like its predecessor, the PowerShot G12 has a 2.8-inch tilt/swivel LCD display, with 461,000 dot resolution. Other features retained from the G11 include a high-definition HDMI video output connector with Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI-CEC) compatibility, and the ability to save still images not only as compressed JPEGs, but also as Raw files.

So what's new? There's a new control dial on the front of the camera body, mirroring those on Canon's EOS-series DSLRs, and support for an optional FA-DC58B lens filter adapter which extends along with the lens itself, accepting Canon 58mm-threaded filters. The top-panel ISO dial is also finer-grained, allowing adjustment in 1/3 stop increments, and there's also a new user-configurable Auto ISO function. Another addition is tracking autofocus capability.

The addition of an electronic level function will allow photographers to assure themselves of even horizons. The PowerShot G12 also offers a variety of new aspect ratios, including 4:3 (native), 3:2, 16:9, 1:1, and 4:5.

A Smart Auto function automatically selects the appropriate scene mode from among 28 types, depending on subject matter. The Canon G12 is also now certified as Eye-Fi Connected, meaning it provides access to certain management features of the popular WiFi-capable SD cards in-camera.

The Canon PowerShot G12 further adds a new high-definition 720p movie mode, with stereo sound recording -- a significant update from the G11's standard-def, VGA video with monaural audio. A miniature effect function is available during video shooting in the Canon G12, something we've seen in several of Olympus' digital camera models -- and early indications are that, as in those cameras, this will have an effect on framerate.

There's also a new high dynamic range (HDR) shooting mode, which captures three successive photos with varied exposure, and then combines them in-camera to produce a single image with increased dynamic range. Since the function relies on multiple source images, it's only of use for relatively static scenes. It further requires use of a tripod, and hence can't be used handheld, because the Canon PowerShot G12 can't microalign the source images before merging.

Availability for the Canon PowerShot G12 in the US market began early October 2010. List pricing is set at around US$500, the same as that of its predecessor.

Sony Alpha NEX-5

Reviewed by Dave Etchells, Shawn Barnett, Zig Weidelich, and Mike Tomkins
Review Posted: 05/11/2010
Update 06/08/2010: Production-level 16mm lens

As the fourth major manufacturer to enter the market for small, mirrorless digital cameras with interchangeable lenses, Sony had to make a big impression. We think they'll do just that with the new Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3, two cameras they're calling "alpha compact interchangeable lens digital cameras."

The promise of mirrorless digital cameras has been high image quality without all the bulk, and the photographic versatility of interchangeable lenses. The Sony NEX-5 delivers that better than any model so far, and does it with style and a sturdy build.

There are so many interesting innovations in the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3, that it's difficult to know where to start. Easily the biggest news, though, is that the Sony NEX series is the first interchangeable lens digital camera system designed to tackle continuous autofocus and exposure adjustment while recording video, where all the components, bodies and lenses, support the feature. (Panasonic's GH1 was the first to take on this challenge, but only Panasonic's HD lenses support these advanced features, not every Micro Four Thirds lens.) Video is indeed the one major area, aside from size, where the two new cameras differ: The NEX-5 supports 1080i AVCHD video recording, while the NEX-3 is limited to 720p video capture.

A 14-megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor is responsible for the high quality we found in the images from both cameras, and a new Bionz processor is also hard at work in the two cameras.

Several hot features were brought over from recent Alphas and Cyber-shot digital cameras, including Sweep Panorama, Auto High-Dynamic Range shooting, Handheld Twilight, and Anti-motion-blur modes, each of which strategically combine and align several images into one seamless one. It's pretty impressive stuff. As if that weren't enough, Sony's also announcing an upcoming upgrade (even before the cameras ship!) that will enable a special 3D Sweep Panorama mode that will work with several as-yet unannounced Bravia TV sets coming in July 2010.

Both the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3 sport a wide, 3-inch LCD with 921,000-dot resolution. The surprise is that the super-slim LCD tilts up 80 degrees and down 45 degrees for easy viewing. With TruBlack technology borrowed from Sony's picture frames, shooting in or out of doors is a pretty good experience.

Though by name the new cameras are Alphas, they no longer use the Alpha mount; instead Sony has christened a new E-mount, for which two lenses will ship right away, both as kit lenses. The first is a fairly standard 18-55mm f/3.5-6.3 lens with Optical SteadyShot, and the second is a 16mm f/2.8 pancake prime lens. Both have a beautiful aluminum barrel in brushed gunmetal gray.

An adapter is available for mounting Alpha lenses, but autofocus will be disabled with the NEX cameras. Two converters will also ship for use with the 16mm lens: an Ultra Wide Converter with a 12mm equivalent view, and a Fisheye Converter.

Finally, an 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS lens is planned for shipment some time this year.

Both the Sony NEX-5 and NEX-3 accept both Memory Stick Pro Duo/Pro-HG Duo/Pro-HG HX Duo and SD, SDHC, and SDXC media.

The NEX-5A will ship in July with the 16mm lens for US$650, while the NEX-5K with the 18-55mm lens will sell for US$700. NEX-3A cameras with the 16mm lens will sell for US$550, while the NEX-3K cameras with the 18-55mm will sell for US$650.