Photo Review Reviews section

Canon Ixus 210 IS Touch

8.5 Rating

A high-resolution point-and-shoot camera with a 3.5-inch, high-resolution touch screen and 720p HD video capabilities.Hard on the heels of the Ixus 200 IS Touch (which we didn’t review) comes Canon’s Ixus 210 IS Touch, which shares many features with its predecessor but is $100 cheaper. The sensor size remains the same as its predecessor but resolution is increased from 12.1 to 14.1 megapixels. The LCD touch screen is also larger; with a 3.5-inch diagonal instead of 3-inch and its resolution is 461,000 dots, up from 230,000 dots.

Canon Digital Ixus 980 IS

8.8 Rating

An elegant, high-resolution digicam with a wider-than-normal range of adjustable controls.The first Ixus with genuine manual controls, Canon’s Ixus 980 IS features a 14.7-megapixel (effective) CCD sensor and 3.7x optical zoom lens that covers focal lengths from 36mm to 133mm in 35mm format and focuses to 5 cm. Equipped with the new DIGIC 4 image processor, the 980 IS also sports a 2.5-inch TFT colour LCD with 230,000 dots and a wide viewing angle.

Canon Ixus 1000 HS

8 Rating

The first Ixus with a 10x optical zoom lens and Full HD video (1080p) recording.The Ixus 1000 HS follows hard on the heels of the Ixus 300 HS, which was announced in May. The 10-megapixel sensor appears to be the same in both models but the 1000 HS boasts a 10x optical zoom lens (36-360mm in 35mm format) and is the first Ixus camera to support Full HD video (1080p) recording. The new model will be offered in pink and silver.

Canon Digital Ixus 870 IS

8.5 Rating

A slimmer Ixus model with a wide-angle zoom lens, high resolution and some useful new functions.Replacing the Ixus 860 IS, Canon’s new Ixus 870 IS features the new DiG!C 4 image processor and a slightly larger imaging chip with 10-megapixel (effective) resolution. The weight of the two camera bodies is the same but the new model is slightly longer, not quite as high and almost 2 mm slimmer. Available with a silver or gold metal front panel, the new model has a slightly longer zoom range but retains its useful 28mm (equivalent) wide-angle coverage. The image processor has also been upgraded.

Canon Digital Ixus 80 IS

9 Rating

A stylish slimline digicam with 8-megapixel resolution and excellent performance.Four desirable characteristics will give Canon’s Ixus 80 IS kudos with style-conscious snapshooters: compact size, stylish appearance, ease of use and excellent imaging performance. The 8-megapixel effective resolution of the Ixus 80 iS is just right for the target audience, who will also be comfortable with the 3x optical zoom lens and 2.5-inch LCD screen. As a bonus, there’s also a small – but functional – viewfinder.

Kodak ESP-5 All-in-One Printer

7 Rating

An easy-to-use printer/scanner/copier for snapshooters and home offices.Unlike the EasyShare 5300, which we reviewed in October last year, Kodak’s latest ‘All-in-One’ (AiO) printer, the ESP-5, doesn’t have messages proclaiming you can ‘Save up to 50%’ on ink costs plastered on its top panel. This is probably because the price of consumables has risen since last year. Nevertheless, the ESP-5 is clearly targeted at price-driven snapshooters who want a multi-function printer that is cheap, easy to use and reasonably versatile.

Kodak EasyShare Photo Printer 350

7.5 Rating

A compact snapshot printer for camera phone photographers, which delivers good print quality.Kodak is taking its first steps into the competitive camera phone market with its new EasyShare Photo Printer 350. Offering direct printing from Bluetooth-compatible mobile phones it uses thermal dye-transfer (aka ‘dye sublimation’) technology to produce snapshot-sized (10 x 15 cm) prints. No card slots are provided for direct printing but you can connect a PictBridge enabled camera to a port on one side panel or hook up a computer via a rear B port on the rear. A USB cable is supplied.

Kodak EasyShare 5300 All-In-One (AIO) Printer

8 Rating

An easy-to-use printer/scanner/copier for family snapshooters.Kodak is really pushing the cost savings message with its first consumer all-in-one inkjet printer, the EasyShare 5300. Even before you unpack it, the box is emblazoned with bubbles claiming ‘Save up to 50%’ and listing the ink costs: $14.99 for the black cartridge and $24.99 for the colour. These messages are repeated on a sticker that covers the top panel of the printer itself.

HP Photosmart D7460 Printer

8.5 Rating

An easy-to-operate printer for home or small business use with dual trays for A4 and snapshot papers.HP’s Photosmart D7460 is one of several models that combine photo printing with document printing. Targeted at families and small businesses that print their own photos, it is network-ready with wired and wireless connectivity options plus memory card slots for direct printing. The USB port on the front panel is PictBridge-enabled, which means you can print directly from compatible digital cameras.

HP Photosmart Pro B9180 Printer

8.8 Rating

A solidly-built A3+ printer that can produce excellent, long-lasting prints with consistent quality.HP’s Photosmart Pro B9180 photo printer is built like a truck: solid, heavy and somewhat clunky sounding at times. It’s 5.4 kg heavier than the Epson R2400 and 3.1 kg heavier than Canon’s Pixma Pro9000, both of which could be seen as competitors. A comparison of the three printers is provided at the end of this review. The B9180 is designed for HP’s new range of A3+ size photo papers and Digital Fine Art media and pigment-based Vivera inks, which produce waterproof prints when used with HP’s ‘Advanced’ photo papers.