Reviews

Plenty of enthusiast features plus good picture quality but dynamic range restrictions and image processing artefacts may reduce user satisfaction.Kodak is targeting enthusiast photographers with its 8-megapixel EasyShare P880 camera. Sporting a fast, 5.8x mechanically operated zoom lens with both zoom and focusing rings and a large, bright LCD it provides most of the controls and functions keen photographers require. The angle of view of this lens starts at the equivalent of 24mm in 35mm format, which is wider than most digicams offer and it extends to 140mm, which will suit many users. [ia]

The P850 is the first of Kodak’s new series of ‘Performance’ digicams and the first model with a 12x optical zoom lens. Made by Schneider-Kreuznach, this lens includes an optical image stabiliser and has a threaded mount for fitting optional wide and tele converter lenses or a lens filter. The lens is reasonably fast (f2.8 at the wide position and f3.7 for tele) and covers a focal length range equivalent to 36-432mm in 35mm format.

A slimline digicam with a 10x optical zoom lens, Sony’s 10-megapixel backlit Exmor R CMOS sensor and Full HD video recording.Despite designing its Cyber-shot primarily for snapshooters, DSC-HX5V Sony has included some features to appeal to photo enthusiasts. For starters, there’s the new Exmor R (back-illuminated) CMOS sensor, which provides a sensible effective resolution of 10.1 megapixels. Next there’s the high-quality G lens with 25mm wide angle and 10x optical zoom. In addition, the HX5V can record Full HD video clips using the efficient AVCHD format.

A stylish Slimline point-and-shoot camera with some useful shooting modes and excellent close-up capability.Sony’s new Cyber-shot DSC-W55 is an update to the popular W50 model with higher resolution and a greatly expanded internal memory. The CCD imager offers 7.1-megapixels, while the internal memory has risen from 32MB to 56MB plus an expansion slot for Memory Stick Duo cards. Physically little has changed in the new model although its brushed aluminium cladding now comes in four colours: Caribbean blue, blush pink, black and silver. The camera body itself is made from plastic, which contributes to its light weight.

An attractive 8-megapixel slimline digicam with a touch-screen interface and 5x optical zoom lens.An update to the DSC-T100 Cyber-shot, the DSC-T200 is similar in size and styling to its predecessor but the button controls on the rear panel have been replaced by a huge 3.5-inch touch-panel TFT LCD with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The entire screen is only used for viewing when the 16:9 aspect ratio setting – which reduces resolution to 1920 x 1080 pixels – is selected. At the 4:3 and 3:2 aspect ratios, black bars appear at each side of the screen.

A stylish slimline digicam with a large LCD, 5x optical zoom lens and easy user interface.Available with a silver, black or red brushed aluminium body, Sony’s new DSC-T100 Cyber-shot sports a high-quality 5x optical zoom lens and 3.0-inch LCD. A step up from the cheaper T20 model it has the same (rather small) 8.1-megapixel CCD imager and the new graphical user interface (GUI) that makes Sony’s latest digicams easier for novice photographers to operate. The BIONZ image processor that was developed for the A100 DSLR has been adapted for the new digicams, providing Face Detection and Double Anti-Blur capabilities.