Digital Camera Technology

Top Ultra Compact Digital Cameras

Not everybody is a professional photographer.  But everybody would like to take a professional shot of something that is dear to them.  This is made possible with the ever-advancing technologies in digital cameras.  Improvements to smaller cameras are being made so that people who like to pack light can also avail of smaller cameras that take high quality snapshots.  Here are some top ultra compact digital cameras that are available on the market under different brands.

Canon

When it comes to small, lightweight, and solid designs, the average consumer will tell you that the Canon camera is the way to go.  Canon develops some of the world’s top ultra compact digital cameras.  One of those is the Canon Powershot SD750.  This slim camera has a form factor that will allow you to slip it in a shirt pocket.  It packs a whopping 7.1 mega pixels and sports a large 3.0-inch LCD screen that you can use to review your snapshots comfortably.  Inside resides the DIGIC III chip that helps to sharpen images, reduce blur, and reduce power consumption.  Like most Canon products, this camera has a metal finish that makes for a stylish addition to anybody’s lifestyle.

Nikon

Although Nikon has in more recent years been concentrating on their DSLR series of cameras, they do have a line of top ultra compact digital cameras in the market.  One of their more surprising products is the Nikon Coolpix S50c.  This thin package packs a bursting 7.1 mega pixel sensor, and a vivid 3.0-inch LCD screen for better picture review.  The one thing that makes this digital camera stand out from many on the market is the fact that it has WIFI capabilities so you can actually send your pictures out to site on the Internet or to your email as soon as you snap them.  This is probably one of the better selling points of the camera that most other companies have yet to emulate into their products.

Sony

Nothing presents style much like Sony’s top ultra compact digital cameras.  The Sony W90 is a sleek and small camera that packs 8.1 mega pixels, has a Super Steady Shot stabilization system that promises blur-free shots, and auto and manual focus.  The number of mega pixels is amazing for such a small package and for just a little over $250, this is definitely a bargain for the consumer on the go.

Panasonic

Never has the world seen so much packed into such a compact product in such a way that it seems impossible.  Enter Panasonic and the Lumix DMC-LX2.  This camera almost has it all.  With a 10.2 mega pixel sensor, this camera is also capable of high definition video at a 16:9 ratio; for those who don’t know what it means, think widescreen which is all the rage in today’s camera products.  This is actually one of the first cameras on the market to offer the widescreen aspect ratio feature.  The camera sports a built in microphone and speaker just for that special movie mode feature, a balanced 4x optical and 4x digital zoom, and a 16:9 aspect ratio LCD screen for high quality panoramic shots.  The ratio can also be easily switched to 4:3 or 3:2 aspects.  This is definitely the epitome of small yet powerful products out in the market of top ultra compact digital cameras today.

It used to be that you could go out there, buy a camera and load it with all kinds of film.  Quality of that film was defined by brand like Kodak, Fuji, etc.  There was no real basis for telling which film was the best for your pictures.  Only through a trial and error method was it possible and this meant that you had to spend a lot of money for film.  This no longer holds true with digital cameras.  Through mega pixels alone you can tell what kind of quality you get.  It’s a simple process: the higher number of mega pixels, the better the quality.  Don’t know that your mega pixel choice is?  Here is a list of the recommended camera per mega pixel category.

5MP

For digital cameras at a cheaper price, it’s not the number of mega pixels that will help you.  It’s actually what other features the camera has.  You can actually get a really good camera with 5 mega pixels and a high price tag.  A good recommend for choosing a camera by mega pixel is to go with one that has other good features too like the Fuji FinePix S5200 Zoom.  For just under $250, you can have a 5.1 mega pixel camera with 10x optical zoom that allows you to choose between auto and manual focus.

6MP

An obvious choice for a good 6 mega pixel camera is the Canon PowerShot S3 IS.  It doesn’t break the $300 mark and it packs in a 12x optical zoom, 4x digital zoom, optional conversion lenses can be attached to its body, and it runs on AA batteries.  The build is probably what makes this camera stand out from the rest; it is painted with a dark, metallic gray and it doesn’t feel weak in the hands at all.  One of the most solid of digital cameras, this is definitely a winner when choosing a camera by mega pixel.

7MP

For a fairly price deal on a 7 mega pixel digital camera, you may want to look in the direction of Panasonic.  The Panasonic Lumix FZ8 is one of the best cameras out their in its price range.  A few bucks under $300, the camera lets you to reach almost professional standards without having to change the lenses when required.  The Lumix FZ8 is great casual camera and packs a whopping 12x optical zoom lens; yet it manages to retain a form factor that is small and portable.  This is definitely something for the creative individual choosing a camera by mega pixel.

For choices above the 7 mega pixel mark, you may want to look into the DSLR territory where professional photographers focus their attention.  Prices may be a little steeper than usual but if you do have the budget and the expertise, you may find good bargains with Nikon and Canon.  Sony DSLR’s tend to be over priced but over time, the prices do drop to acceptable levels.  Otherwise, your other option is to buy a digital camera off of someone who has no use for it; which is highly unlikely.

It was once believed that 5 mega pixels would be the lasting standard for all digital cameras in the world.  This is almost similar to Bill Gates saying that 64kb was all computers ever needed.  The fact is that digital camera manufacturers all over the world are pushing their own standards to their limits.  And this can’t be said more about the point and shoot variants that are available in the market today.  Let’s take a look at a few 10 mega pixel point and shoot cameras that are pushing the envelope for average photographers.

Sony Cybershot N2

It was only about a year a half ago that the 5 mega pixel craze hit the entire planet and Sony was there every inch of the way.  They promoted all sorts of products that were hopefully going to be the leaders and standard in mega pixel quality.  Today, Sony joins the race with others in making 10 mega pixel point and shoot cameras just as successful as the once famous 5 mega pixel variants.  With the Cybershot N2, Sony has proven that you can pack that much power into such a small package.  This little compact monster has an amazing touch screen interface in the form of its massive 3.0-inch LCD screen.  A free-spot focus feature is one of the gems of this product.  All one has to do is select a desired area to focus on and the camera will do as it’s told.  Stylish and powerful, this 10 mega pixel point and shoot camera is causing waves in every resellers shop.

Canon Powershot SD900

The first thing that you will notice about any Canon camera is the solid build.  It’s an unmistakable trademark that Canon is built with some kind of metal that gives off just how solid it is.  The PowerShot SD900’s body is titanium and if anything, it is nice and shiny.  A huge 10 mega pixel point and shoot sensor isn’t obvious from this tiny camera.  With the standard 3x optical zoom and movie mode that Canon offers, it’s obvious that they are playing it safe with innovation this time, providing their market with a toy that’s just like the older models, only a lot more powerful and precise.  With all the 10 mega pixel point and shoot offerings from Canon, the Powershot SD900 is not one that will be easily ignored.

Casio Exilim Z1050

Casio was one of the first companies to put out some of the highest quality slim digital cameras in the market.  The Casio Exilim Z1050 is no exception.  Still retaining many of the physical features of its predecessors, the Exilim Z1050 is probably one of the thinnesr cameras in the 10 mega pixel point and shoot category.  With 10.1 effective mega pixels, it’s a camera that will fit in any small space like pockets in bags or shirts.  It’s stylish and commands its own kind of respect; the kind that will attract the market to its fair price as well.  Expect more models of this kind from Casio and the Exilim series.

A Japanese company that specializes in all sorts of optical products, Canon has also established its reputation in photocopiers and computer printers.  It’s no surprise that they also sell specialized printers for some of their cameras.  But in professional photography, the Canon is well respected for the Canon Digital Rebel products: DSLR juggernauts that sell for a price that is shockingly fair.

DSLR

A DSLR camera (or Digital Single-lens Reflex Camera) works much in the same way in optical and mechanical standards as a modern SLR.  The difference, of course, is that this kind of camera does not use film.  It is replaced with a CCD or an image sensor (a measure in mega pixels).  This dismisses the need for any chemical developing and yet you can get the same quality as you would from a camera using film, which is said to be much better than a digital camera reproduction.  The Canon Digital Rebel products have stood against the notion that only film can produce great pictures.  Truly, the product stands for the word it is named after.

The Canon Digital Rebel 400D

The Canon Digital Rebel is only fondly called that by most North American manufacturers and resellers but its real name is the Canon EOS.  The latest offering from Canon comes in the form of the Canon EOS 400D.  In North America it is referred to as the Digital Rebel XTi and in Japan the EOS Kiss Digital X.  But beyond all the names, the EOS 400D stands to be one of the most powerful DSLR’s in the market; and easily the most popular with a price tag of only approximately $800.  A successor to the ever-popular 350D, the 400D packs a 10.1 mega pixel sensor, a larger buffer for continuous shooting, an image sensor vibrating cleaning system, a 9-point auto focus system that is much more improved in this model, and a larger viewing angle screen.  The cameras also has a bigger grip for better handling.  About the only problem that can be fixed with simple solutions (like covering or exposing the viewfinder to light) is that the 400D will tend to underexpose depending on light availability.  The 350D, on the other hand, had the tendency to overexpose.

Upgrading

The Canon Digital Rebel 400D is not a camera that can be messed around with.  It isn’t the typical point and shoot camera and there are different settings that you have to adhere to so that you can get the best possible results from the pictures you take.  Put simply, if you are ready to go professional, then this is the camera that you can drop your point and shoot camera for.  The 400D is compatible with many of the lenses that Canon also manufacturers and sells.

You will most probably end up buying the body only so you may have to save more money for all sorts of lenses.  This, of course, is the drawback that any professional photographer has to experience.  But the results are worth every penny and you can make all the money back if you choose photography to be a profession.

Digital cameras are changing the way we look at the world.  Anybody can take a picture, transfer it, delete it, and then take another picture with these new gadgets that hit the market every day.  But what separates the normal digital cameras from the ones that really do a great job in all aspects is the amount of zoom that’s possible.  Mind you, we’re talking about optical zoom; not digital zoom that loses quality the farther it goes.  So let’s take a look at these extended zoom cameras that seem to be taking the spotlight in every outdoor person’s photography experience.

Sony DSC-H7

Extended zoom cameras are known for their one feature; their zoom barrel.  The DSC-H7 (Sony CyberShot H7) is one of the most popular extended zoom cameras out in the market since the H5, its predecessor.  Boasting a 15x optical zoom, it has the second longest zoom range in the digital camera market.  It also features an 8.1 mega pixel sensor so quality is not sacrificed much halfway through the digital zoom of which it has 30x.  Beyond that, and you can expect pixilation and all sorts of artifacts.  Of course, these can all be taken care of with a little editing on the computer.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50

The extended zoom cameras that Panasonic develops are some of the well-respected.  Fairly priced, you will want to get your hands on the Lumix DMC-FZ50, which not only looks gorgeous in black, but also sports a gorgeous zoom barrel that promises 12x optical zoom.  The Lumix also plays it safe in the extended zoom cameras category, as it only provides 4x digital zoom, unlike the Sony H7.  This is just as well since digital zoom will only stand to ruin an image further.  With the much lauded OIS technology that Panasonic has built into the Lumix to reduce shake, this makes for one outdoor camera that stands firmly against its competitors.

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon is never to be one to be outdone by its competition.  Their extended zoom cameras are beautifully designed and yet built for the outdoors.  The PowerShot S3 IS is their latest extended zoom offering; sleek and built with a black metal and grey paintjob, this camera is definitely one that you can literally throw in the bag.  With a 6 mega pixel sensor and a 12x optical zoom, the PowerShot S3 IS is a camera that is practical in form and function; and it doesn’t sacrifice any detail.  With a strong video mode, the camera seems to even be built to go against any standard video recorder.  Now this is a camera that is meant to be experienced.

Olympus Stylus 550UZ

The most wanted adventure camera comes in the form of an 18x optical zoom, super-telephoto lens, 7.1 mega pixel monster; and this is exactly what Olympus has built for the outdoors consumer.  With sensor-shift and digital image stabilization, the Olympus is in a class of its own.  The most powerful of present extended zoom cameras, the Stylus 550UZ means business and pushes the limits of photography pleasure.