Photo Review Reviews section

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ2

Panasonic’s 5-megapixel DMC-LZ2 – and its ‘sister’ the 4-megapixel LZ-1 (RRP $549) – are unusual in combining a moderately long zoom lens with a compact, point-and-shoot style body. The lens takes roughly two seconds to extend when the camera is switched on and packs away when it’s turned off. The Mega O.I.S. stabilisation has two modes – continuous and standby – and can be switched off to conserve power when the camera is tripod-mounted.

Olympus Mju 810

8.5 Rating

A well-built digicam that combines good point-and-shoot performance with an affordable price.A minor upgrade to the Mju 800, the Olympus Mju 810 is $100 cheaper, slightly smaller and lighter. The lens doesn’t focus quite as close but more resolution options are provided for still and video recording. The control layout has been redesigned and the shutter and on/off buttons are now smaller and rectangular. But buttons remain small and too much toggling is needed to access menu settings.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX8

Panasonic’s new DMC-FX8 Lumix camera is an upgrade to the FX7 model released a year ago. It has the same 3x optical/4x digital zoom lens, 2.5-inch LCD monitor and 5-megapixel CCD sensor and also features Panasonic’s Mega O.I.S image stabilisation system. Body dimensions and weight are also unchanged, although some minor cosmetic adjustments have been made to styling.

Olympus mju 410

Test shots were rather contrasty with above-average saturation and blocked out highlights in brightly-lit conditions. Low-light shots contained a scattering of stuck pixels but were otherwise relatively noise free. These shots had a more usable dynamic range than shots taken in bright sunlight. The white balance control was an above-average performer, particularly with the manual pre-sets. Average shutter lag was 0.85 seconds.

Olympus Camedia D-590 Zoom

The Camedia D-590 Zoom features a 4-megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom lens and an enhanced, ‘semi-transmissive’ LCD display that is easier to view in bright lighting than normal LCDs. No viewfinder is provided. The control suite is basic. A slider on the front panel exposes the lens and turns the power off and on, the shutter button is located on the top panel and the rear panel carries the remaining controls.

Nikon Coolpix S2

Essentially identical to the Coolpix S1 model, which was released mid-year, the slightly heavier, 5.1-megapixel Coolpix S2 features a splashproof aluminium alloy body that allows it to be used in challenging weather conditions – but is not actually waterproof. The camera should never be immersed in water, although a scattering of raindrops should do no harm and can be easily wiped off.

Nikon Coolpix P4

9 Rating

Stabilised optics and some neat shooting modes make this a good choice for family snapshooters.Although Nikon’s 8.1-megapixel Coolpix P4 is a very capable point-and-shoot digicam, with more user-adjustable controls than many competitors, it can’t compete with the slimline models for pocketability and style. However, its 3.5x optical zoom lens reaches further and the new lens shift-based Vibration Reduction (VR) system helps to compensate for the camera’s limited ISO range.

Leica C-Lux 1

8 Rating

An attractive-looking, pocketable digicam with some useful features for family photographers and an excellent software bundle.The Leica C-Lux 1 has so much in common with Panasonic’s DMC-FX01 model that we suspect both cameras came from the same factory – readers may wish to check the review of the FX01 on this site to see how they compare. Both cameras have the same minimalist styling, with much of the rear panel covered by a 2.5-inch LCD, which doubles as a viewfinder. Both models are based on a 6-megapixel imager coupled to a Leica-branded 3.6x optical zoom lens (28-102mm equivalent in 35mm format) with integrated Mega O.I.S. image stabilisation.

Nikon Coolpix 4100

Nikon’s Coolpix 4100 has a similar body, control suite and layout to the lower-resolution Coolpix 3200 and 2200 models. In auto mode, the only settings accessible are resolution/quality (combined), white balance, exposure compensation, continuous shooting, Best Shot Select and Colour Options. Five colour options are provided: standard colour, vivid colour (high saturation),sepia, and cyanotype (monochrome blue).

Kodak EasyShare V570

8 Rating

Dual lenses extend wide-angle capabilities for this pocketable digicam. Kodak’s new EasyShare V570 is remarkable for having two separate lenses, each linked to its own 5-megapixel CCD sensor. The top lens is the ‘ultra-wide’ one, while the 3x optical zoom sits below it. Neither extends beyond the camera body, thanks to a ‘folded optic’ design that tucks them in, one above the other, just below the flash assembly. Both are concealed behind a metal cover when power is off.