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.

Nikon is a Japanese company that specializes in optics and imaging. Over the years that they have been in business, they have brought out products to the market which include binoculars and microscopes so you can see why their brand is trusted especially in the areas of lenses. Nikon is still up to the game when it comes to competing with some of the best in the industry. This year, the latest Nikon offerings did nothing but wow their consumers.

The Nikon Coolpix S50

Bound to become an easy favorite, the Coolpix S50 is one of the latest Nikon offerings that is dressed to impress. Sleek and tiny, this 7.1 mega pixel digital camera sports a huge 3.0-inch LCD screen and integrated image stabilization. For a few extra bucks, consumers might also want to take a look at the Coolpix5c that has WIFI capabilities. With or without it, though, Nikon has come out with yet another winner in the ultra compact digital camera category.

The Nikon L12

A casual camera that has captured the hearts of everyday users, this compact is one of latest Nikon offerings that is more than just affordable; it’s a digital camera that does the job. The Nikon L127.1 mega pixel sensor includes face detection technology to help focus portraits so that you can capture the expressions of people’s faces precisely and correctly. Nikon has gone out of their way to make sure that their consumers will have evidence of all the smiles and moments that they want to remember. Nikon has also packed the L12 with D-lighting and RedEye Fix to help make the pictures taken look more accurate even if you are not a professional photographer. With a , 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, the L12 is a great startup, easy-to-use digital camera and is one of the best of the latest Nikon offerings of 2007.

The Nikon Coolpix P5000

The latest Nikon offerings also includes on that is one of many contending to be the best digital camera in the 10 mega pixel category; after all, it seems that 10 mega pixels is fast becoming the new standard. As a point and shoot camera, the Coolpix P5000 is no doubt after the crown that the Canon A640 currently holds. They look physically similar and this looks like a challenge for Canon to upgrade their winning product. The camera does have a few tricks up its own sleeves that may attract some of Canon’s market though. For example, it has a lens-shift vibration reduction system that offers stabilization that the A640 cannot. The camera itself is bound to push customers into thinking about what there other choices are aside from the Canon A460.

The Nikon D40

Known for their budget DSLR’s, Nikon likes to simplify the technology so that aspiring photographers will also get a chance at understanding the concepts behind the DSLR and its capabilities. The new Nikon D40 is a high-performance DSLR with a 6.1 mega pixel sensor. It is not as large as most DSLR’s tend to be and this is certainly one of its high points. Nikon has hit it right with their DSLR line and the latest Nikon offerings like the D40 are bound to be a huge success with many beginner and serious photographers.

Pentax Corporation has actually been working hard to regain their ground in the digital camera industry. With their new line of DSLRs set for release in the year 2008 (although no real date has been suggested officially), one must wonder about what will have to its more recent products; in particular, the Pentax K10D, which has a few elements that will inspire the release of the K100D Super in August of 2007.

The Camera

It’s almost a year since the Pentax K10D was in the market and the arrival of the K100D in August is just about right. However, there are a couple of features that will be included in the K100D such as the dust removal system found in later versions of the K10D and a full Supersonic Drive Motor lenses support. The K10D, it seems, was ahead of its time on its release. It’s Pentax’s current best selling DSLR and has garnered a few prizes of its own, including DSLR of the Year as awarded by the magazine American Photo. And this is all for good cause. The Pentax K10D packs 10.2 effective mega pixels and a Pentax –developed Shake Reduction system that is believed will become pretty much standard in the DSLR’s to follow this model.

The Technologies That Will Stick

The Shake Reduction system is designed to minimize camera shake and therefore give more advantages at taking sharp, blur-free images even under the most difficult of shooting conditions, like low light areas. Pentax also developed what is known as the Pentax Real IMage Engine (PRIME) which will only ever appear in Pentax products such as the Pentax K10D and those to follow. This helps the camera to produce true-to-life images. There is also a 22 bit converter built into the camera that will speed up the transfer of images with accurate color tones from the CCD and into the imaging engine. Talk about fresh shots. The earlier mentioned Dust Removal system is something that seems to have picked up in the Pentax K10D and we believe this is the reason why it will appear in newer Pentax DSLR models such as the K100D. What this does is incorporate a Special Protect coating to help the CCD surface be dust-free and there is a built-in shift mechanism that will help shake off any dust that does get into the CCD area.

Other Features

There are also a few other things that have made the Pentax K10D a success which will most probably find there way into upcoming models of Pentx DSLR’s. This includes the all weather body that allows for use of the camera in almost any weather condition and the ergonomics that the camera was built around. In fact, the K100D will most probably look a lot like the K10D in more ways than we originally anticipated.

For fans of Pentax products, the moment is soon to arrive when they get their hands on the new K100D. A lot more consumers who have the Pentax K10D will more than likely stay with what they have which is advisable until Pentax fixes up any glitches that may be experienced with the release of the K100D in August.

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.