Archive for Review

28 January, 2007 | No comments

Samsung NV7 OPS Reviewed x DP Review

DP Review just posted an in-depth review of the Samsung NV7 OPS.  The reviewer stated that despite being very excited and intrigued by the bold design and tech specs on paper, he was disappointed in the camera.

DP Review concludes, “The NV7 OPS is an otherwise fantastic camera that produces mediocre - and on occasion downright poor - images, certainly when compared to the best alternatives on the market. Which is a bit like saying ‘it takes 20 minutes to hit 60mph, at which point it rattles enough to loosen your teeth, but otherwise it’s a fantastic sports car’. To us, at least, the end result is the defining quality of a camera, and the NV7 OPS simply doesn’t deliver the goods.”

28 January, 2007 | 1 comment

Nikon D40 Reviewed @ Steve’s Digicams

Steve’s Digicams has a positive review of the Nikon D40, which is Nikons latest Digital SLR. There are several reasons to purchase the D40 however the greatest reason is the inexpensive price in relation to the relative high quality of the camera. A D40 with lens included will cost you less than $600! In terms of performance the Camera produces quality images even at the high ISO 1600 level.

Steve’s Digicams describes the cameras performance:

“Both our indoor and outdoor image quality results were very good when using the in-camera JPEG/Large Fine mode. The model utilizes a 6.1-megapixel Nikon DX format image sensor that records photos with a good amount of sharpness, accurate exposure, and rich color saturation. The D40 features a 3-area TTL AF system, it was fast and accurate, as you can see by our shooting performance numbers above. I was very impressed with the lack of image noise in our test shots, even ISO 1600 looks relatively good in my opinion. There’s also a HI 1 setting that, according to Nikon is “an equivalent of roughly ISO 3200″. I would suggest not using this mode unless in a real bind as the noise levels are very high.” Sample D40 Picutres.

13 July, 2006 | No comments

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5

DP Review has a review posted for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5, and gives good reasons why to with the upgraded model or its processors. The review states:

The good news is that everything we liked about the H1 and the H2 is still here; handling is excellent, it’s very fast and responsive and the results - even shooting in full auto mode with default settings - excellent. There are few cameras I can wholeheartedly recommend to both novice ’snappers’ and experienced photographers, but the H5, like the H2, is that rarest of beasts; a ‘compact’ camera with handling and control close to a DSLR, yet one that - even in inexperienced hands - can be left in ‘idiot-proof’ mode and trusted to produce the goods time and time again. Above all, the H5 is fun and easy to use, which means you will find yourself taking a lot more pictures, which has to be a good thing.

Like the H2, the H5 improves on its predecessor (the highly-praised DSC-H1) in several small but significant ways, both in terms of features and in the all-important matter of image quality. What it doesn’t offer is a significant step up from the H2 in any respect (bigger, sharper screen aside). Of course there are differences in the output; the H5 has even worse purple fringing than the H2 and has slightly less impressive high ISO performance, but it seems a lot less prone to highlight clipping, so what you win on the one side, you lose on the other. At standard print sizes you’ll see burnt out highlights a lot more than you’ll see purple fringing, but it’s still something Sony needs to address. The screen is lovely, but does come at a cost; slightly lower battery life, and the black finish is nice, but only you will know if it’s worth paying extra for.

If you’re attempting to decide between the H2 and H5 then it won’t come down to image quality or performance; there really isn’t going to be a visible difference in the printed output. It’s a bit like the choice you make when buying a car; do you go for the base model or splash out on the ‘Sport’ with its leather seats, aircon and fancy body styling kit? The H5 appeals to those of us who feel we’d regret not paying the little bit extra every time we settled back into cloth seats…