Reviews

Konica Minolta’s latest ‘X’ series camera is similar to the X50 model, although slightly smaller and lighter. Price-wise the X60 competes with the Olympus ø‚ µ-mini S and Pentax Optio S5z models, and, like an increasing number of ultra-compact digicams, replaces the viewfinder with a large LCD, which is used for shot composition and image reviewing.

Konica Minolta’s DiMAGE X50 is the smallest of the X-series cameras and the only one with a 5-megapixel sensor. It’s available in three colours – silver, red and black. The camera’s small body size and comparatively large sensor restricts the zoom range to 2.8x but up to 12x magnification is provided via the 4.3x digital zoom.

[ia] Kodak’s EasyShare Z700 combines a medium-range Retinar all-glass zoom lens (35-175 mm equivalent) with a 4-megapixel CCD and 1.6-inch indoor/outdoor monitor. Straightforward to use, its body has the ‘boxy’ shape Kodak favours for its ‘high-zoom’ models, plus a built-in flash. A rotating mode dial switches the camera on and engages the main shooting modes.

Kodak’s 4-megapixel CX7430 features an all-glass Kodak Retinar aspheric lens with 3x optical zoom. Up to 4x digital zoom is also provided.

HP’s Photosmart R707 is a keenly-priced, compact, entry-level camera with some interesting functions that will help novice photographers to capture a higher percentage of good, usable shots. Its solidly-built body feels comfortable in the hand and is small enough to slip in a jacket pocket.

A smart-looking slimline digicam with some features to attract everyday photographers.Keenly-priced for such a stylish point-and-shoot camera, Fujifilm’s FinePix Z5fd sports a 6.3-megapixel Super CCD HR imager and a 3x optical zoom lens that remains within the camera’s metal body. It’s available in raspberry red, mocha brown and silver and offers some handy features for web-savvy users. The camera is activated by sliding the lens cover to the right, as shown below, which lights up the model name on the front panel.

Designed for snapshooters, Fujifilm’s S3500 has SLR-like styling, a light plastic body and pop-up flash and comes with a clip-on lens cap and screw-in lens hood. Four shooting modes are provided – auto, scene position, manual and movie – and the scene menu has only four settings: portrait, landscape, sport and night. The manual mode is the only one where users can set exposure and flash compensation, adjust the white balance and sharpness and use the aperture priority mode (which has three aperture settings).

A slimline digicam with a 10x optical zoom lens and new, extended dynamic range sensor technology.Fujifilm has used the EXR sensor technology featured in the FinePix S200EXR camera in its slimline FinePix F70EXR model. The sensor chip is the same size, too, but its resolution is lower at 10 megapixels instead of 12. The retracting zoom lens is quite different from the flagship model, offering only 10x optical zoom but providing a wider angle of view (equivalent to 27mm in 35mm format) at the expense of light-capturing ‘speed’.