Lexar Professional 133x Speed 2GB CompactFlash Card

Rugged construction and fast data transfer speeds for today’s DSLR camera users.Just over a year after SanDisk released its Extreme III line of memory cards, Lexar Media has produced a competing line-up in its Professional range, under the ‘133x Speed’ label. The new Lexar cards offer the same 20 MB/second minimum sustained write speed as the SanDisk cards and include the proprietary Write Acceleration Technology, which allows high-performance DSLR cameras to store images as quickly as possible. Each card also carries a lifetime warranty and gives professional photographers unlimited access to Lexar’s technical support facilities.

Canon EF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 IS USM Zoom Lens

An affordable long-zoom lens with two effective image stabilisation modes.Released concurrently with the EOS 5D, Canon’s EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM telephoto zoom lens replaces the 10-year-old EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens. We tested it on Canon’s new EOS 30D, where it covered a focal length range equivalent to 112-480mm in 35mm film format. The new lens combines ultra-low dispersion (UD) and aspherical lens elements and includes an improved optical image stabiliser (IS) that allows users to shoot at approximately three shutter speed increments slower than a non-stabilised lens. This is a one-stop improvement over its predecessor.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1

8.5 Rating

The world’s first Micro Four Thirds System camera with features and performance to appeal to photo enthusiasts.Panasonic’s new Lumix DMC-G1 is the first model in an entirely new camera system, officially known as ‘Micro Four Thirds’ but sometimes dubbed ‘EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens)’ to provide a better picture of the difference between it and a DSLR (which it resembles superficially). Cameras made for this system have no reflex mirror and no optical viewfinder. The sensor is also significantly larger than the sensor in similar-sized advanced digicams.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7

8.5 Rating

An easy-to-use, long-zoom digicam with an excellent menu system and effective image stabilisation. Available in silver or black, Panasonic’s new DMC-FZ7 Lumix camera replaces the popular FZ5 and offers a higher-resolution sensor, larger LCD screen and a redesigned body that is slightly larger and heavier. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) has been relocated directly over the lens barrel, where it’s more comfortable to use and your nose is less likely to touch the LCD – an important feature with the enlarged monitor. A new omni-directional joystick makes manual focus and exposure easier to operate and a higher capacity battery allows up to 320 images to be recorded per charge.