Product At-a-Glance

The Canon EOS 60D digital SLR is the successor to the EOS 50D released in 2008. It adds an articulating display, enhanced image processor, and a 18 megapixel sensor. With the increasing popularity of digital SLR video, the 60D also includes the EOS HD Video mode for recording up to 1080p video. How does the EOS 60D perform and is it worth the cost? Find out after the jump.

The 60D body design doesn’t stray too far from its predecessors or any other model on Canon’s lineup, but it combines the newest features from the consumer T2i and prosumer 7D models to create an enthusiast-level model.

On the back are the normal camera controls you’d find on a typical Canon digital SLR: the delete, live view/record, autofocus and zoom buttons along the top and the menu, info, playback, scroll wheel and setting buttons along the bottom right corner. On the right side of the body is the SD card slot that supports SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards for storing up to 128 GB of images and video. On the left side is the external microphone input, mini HDMI output, USB and video out, and a remote control input. The 60D also has a locking mode dial, a feature that is somewhat new to the EOS lineup, but placing the lock button in the center of the dial is cumbersome and awkward.

Spec wise, the 60D can take photos at up to ISO 6400 (and even further up to ISO 12800, but the usability of these photos is questionable) with the DIGIC 4 processor and has the ability to take photos at up to 5.3 frames per second, so you’ll always be ready to capture the action. On the back is a large three-inch LCD that complements the secondary information display on the top right of the body. The camera also adds some functionality for in-camera editing from the PowerShot line of point-and-shoot cameras including a tilt-shift and toy camera effects.

The image quality from the EOS 60D is excellent in both JPEG and RAW modes, though we’d recommend staying away from taking photos at ISO 3200 and up in JPEG-only mode. In RAW, it’s possible to clean some of this noise out in post by using the Camera Raw plugin in Photoshop or Lightroom.

In terms of video quality, we were very satisfied when testing out the mode with the Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L lens. In video mode, you can shoot at 1920 x 1080 at 30, 24 and 25 frames per second, and 1280 x 720 and 640 x 480 at up to 60 frames per second. We didn’t even notice any rolling shutter effect in our test captures, unlike earlier video-capable digital SLRs. In a step up in functionality over the T2i, the 60D has a microphone input jack for plugging in a shotgun or lavalier microphone, even though the built-in microphone sounds decent if you’re in a rush to get a shoot done. You can use either auto or manual input level settings with up to 64 levels. The articulating display did come in handy while shooting video but it did become washed out in bright sunlight while outdoors.

Canon’s user interface hasn’t changed considerably for a long time and is still relatively easy to use (even for a Nikon shooter like myself). However, the large scroll wheel and four-way joystick on the back of the camera has been replaced by a smaller wheel that doesn’t offer as much tactile feedback.

Overall, the EOS 60D from Canon is a great choice for the photographer looking for the next step up from their entry-level digital SLR. It has great photo and video quality and an excellent feature set.

The Canon EOS 60D digital SLR is available as a body only for $899.99 and with a 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens for $1199 at Amazon.com.

All kidding aside, this is a solid option for those who are looking for a rugged camera that is still feature rich and takes quality pictures. The 14 megapixel sensor is sure to take brilliant pictures, as well as 720p movies. And undeniably while you’re on your arctic boat trip, you’ll need to utilize the image stabilization that the XP30 offers.

The XP30 will ship with both a GPS-enabled model with the ability to geotag your every photo for $240, as well as a GPS-free camera for $200 even. But honestly, if you’re going to be in need of a camera this rugged, you might as well know where you took all of your adventurous photos.

Check it out here.

Product At-a-Glance

Full Review

Touch screen technology is becoming more available and is in more devices than ever before. Companies are finding new ways of interacting with their devices. Today we’re taking a look at the Canon PowerShot SD3500 IS, a digital camera with a touch screen. But is Canon focusing too much on the experience instead of the quality? Find out after the break.

The PowerShot SD3500IS is a 14 megapixel point-and-shoot camera, weighing 5.6 ounces, and relatively compact. It packs in a 5x optical zoom equivalent to a 24-120mm 35mm lens. It also shoots 720p high definition video that can be output through the camera’s built-in HDMI port for connecting to a HDTV. On the side of the camera are two small doors to access the USB and HDMI ports. They are somewhat hard to open with your finger though. The highlight of this camera is obviously the 3.5-inch touch screen on the back, and that’s the only thing that’s on the back of the camera. No buttons here except the power, playback, mode switch and shutter release button at the top.

The screen is one of the best touch screens I’ve used, the other being the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. It’s responsive and doesn’t need much of a tap to do anything unlike other (cheaper) screens where sensitivity is an issue. Canon allows you to use the screen to control a variety of different things besides the menu options. Touch AF allows you to focus on a certain object just by tapping on it and you can flick through images, just like the iPhone. Canon also includes a feature dubbed Active Display technology for advancing images by tapping the camera and tilting it.

The camera offers several unique shooting modes including Smart Auto, which selects the proper settings based on different shooting situations. In our tests, this worked wonderfully. Try and get a closeup of an object and the camera switches to macro mode for getting the perfect image. One of the other unique modes is Miniature Mode, similar to the tilt-shift effect but produced in-camera by blurring the top and bottom of the image.

There are several others including Color Swap and Color Accent which have become staples of the PowerShot lineup and favorites of consumers. Another set of modes is the Smart Shutter feature, which includes a Smile, Wink and Face Detection self-timer, all triggering the shutter release when one smiles, winks, or new faces are detected. Low Light mode allows you to utilize the ISO 6400 setting of the camera for capturing the moment in situations without much light available. The pictures are somewhat usable, but if all you care about is capturing something, it’s there for you.

Performance while shooting pictures isn’t something to write home about, however. Time between shots is around 2.6 seconds without flash and around 4.1 seconds with the flash. Not the best if you’re trying to capture a fast moving subject. Color and exposure performance is excellent, along with the HD video quality that rivals a Flip Mino HD or similar camera.

All in all, the Canon PowerShot SD3500IS is a decent camera with a strong emphasis on touch screen controls, but it does fall short in shooting performance. If the touch screen is really important to you and the creative features are what you want, go for it.

The Canon PowerShot SD3500IS is available from Canon’s website as well as Amazon.com where it retails for $299.99 in black, silver and pink.

More digital SLRs these days are adding video recording functionality to their already advanced feature set. The ability to record high-definition video with amazing prime lenses is a videographer’s dream. Today we’re taking a look at the Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i.

The Rebel T1i is a 15-megapixel digital SLR with the latest DIGIC 4 image processor, a 3-inch LCD screen, and full HD video capture up to 1080p (1920×1080) resolution. The T1i uses the 3-inch LCD screen to display information such as F-stop, exposure, and ISO settings. This important information is also displayed inside the viewfinder. Sensors located below the viewfinder turn off the LCD screen to save battery life and reduce glare.

The camera has a wide ISO range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, and thanks to the DIGIC 4 image processor, you won’t regret using that ISO 3200 setting in low-light situations. The T1i also has Canon’s Live View function which allow you to zoom in and compose your shot similar to a standard digital camera. The feature works in both still and video modes.

The 15.1-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor shoots images at a resolution of 4752×3168 pixels, and can capture 3.4 frames per second in burst mode to an SD or SDHC card.

Controls were easy to use, especially for me (a Nikon shooter), with auto-focus, white balance, and ISO settings all within a finger’s reach. Focusing is quick and accurate with the 9-point autofocus and burst mode worked great in our testing. Canon also has added a Creative Auto feature, which basically dumbs down the advanced controls so you can learn which settings make the background of a subject softer or sharper, and the exposure brighter or darker.

In our ISO tests, images up to ISO 400 were noise-free, and noise started appearing at ISO 800 up until ISO 3200 where noise began saturating the images (although still usable). Overall, image quality was excellent.

When it came down to testing the video functionality, we paired the T1i with Canon’s 85mm f1.2 prime lens, one of the best on the market. You have the option of shooting at 20 frames per second at 1080p or 30 frames per second at 720p, which is equal to what something like a Flip Mino HD would record at.

Video quality was decent, certainly a step-up from a portable Flash camera like the Mino HD, but not nearly the quality of a higher-end DSLR with video like the EOS 7D or 5D Mark II. There is no microphone input, so you’re stuck with the built-in mono microphone on the front of the camera. There are also no manual exposure controls available to the user while shooting video, and ISO is stuck in auto mode. We can only hope that this will be added in a firmware upgrade like it was to the 5D Mark II.

Overall, the Rebel T1i is a great choice for anyone looking to step up from their first digital SLR looking for a somewhat more advanced feature set. However, at the time of writing this review, Canon has introduced the Rebel T2i B0035FZJHQ which has a 18-megapixel sensor, a microphone input jack, and capturing 30 frames per second at the 1080p movie setting. If you don’t need any of those, the T1i is a great cheaper alternative.

Pros

• Great image quality.
• HD movie capture.

Cons

• No microphone input.
• Cannot adjust settings for exposure or ISO in movie mode.

Panasonic has always had a stronghold in the digital camera market, since they have been somewhat cheaper alternatives to Leica cameras but use the same Leica lenses. Today we’re taking a look at the 10.1 megapixel compact DMC-LZ10.

The LZ10 has a 30mm wide-angle Leica lens and a 5x optical zoom which allows you to fit more in a photo than with a 35mm lens for landscape shots and more. The 5x zoom also can be boosted to 8.9x thanks to the Extra Optical Zoom function. The camera also has a large 2.5-inch LCD, which is highly visible in outdoor sunlight. When we first got the LZ10 in our labs, we were disappointed after finding out the camera doesn’t use a rechargeable battery, but rather two AA batteries. Great for frequent travelers who can always find batteries at the local electronics or small retailer though.

The LZ10 supports SD, SDHC, and MultiMedia Card formats as well as saving to the built-in 27MB of memory (which won’t fit many photos). We used a SanDisk 4GB Ultra II SDHC card in our testing of the DMC-LZ10.

In our various tests of image quality and image stabilization, the LZ10 was a very good performer – colors were vivid and accurate. The image stabilization feature worked fairly well and we were impressed with the results. We weren’t impressed with the amount of noise that was visible in most of our test shots however, and although you’ll be fine if you resize the photos or are printing small 4×6 prints – the noise issue is visible when viewing them at full size on your computer screen.

On the flip side though, we were impressed with the slew of manual controls that are available from Program AE to Shutter Priority AE and Aperture Priority AE. The boatloads of scene modes were also impressive, including one called “Pet” that allows you to set your pet’s birthday and name into the camera, in which the camera will place the name and birthday on top of the photo but this also shrinks them down to 3 megapixels. Interesting feature though.

Overall, if you’re looking for a compact point-and-shoot camera for quick shots around town and at birthday parties, the DMC-LZ10 from Panasonic seems to be a great choice. If you like to do large prints though, noise will be an issue and can be fixed somewhat in post-production. Buy the Panasonic DMC-LZ10 in black or silver at Amazon.com today.

Pros

• Decent image quality.
• Wide-angle 30mm Leica lens.
• Slew of manual controls and scene modes.

Cons

• Only takes AA batteries.
• No optical viewfinder.
• Image noise a huge issue.
• Small grip.

Digital SLRs are still becoming more and more popular as they become cheaper in price. A couple of years ago, an ordinary consumer couldn’t buy a camera like the EOS 40D from Canon since it would cost more than $1500. It’s a midrange SLR for those looking to step their photography up. Read on to find out how it performs and if it’s really worth $1300.

The 40D has a 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor paired with a DIGIC III image processor and is built out of magnesium-alloy to sustain the day to day use of an enthusiast photographer. It supports both Type I and Type II CompactFlash memory cards in addition to Microdrives.

It shoots up to 6.5 frames per second and can capture up to 75 JPEGs or 17 RAW images in burst mode. Previewing your photos before you get back to the darkroom is a breeze with the large 3″ LCD screen with Live View. Don’t worry about getting dust in your sensor either, since Canon has built-in the EOS Integrated Cleaning System which cleans the sensor whenever the camera is turned on or off.

When we first unpacked the 40D we fell instantly in love with it, from its build quality and its performance. The Live View feature took some time for us to figure out, even after reading the manual once or twice. We think it won’t be used at all with most photographers looking at a camera in this product range. It only works in manual focus mode too.

Images taken with the 40D were simply stunning and even at higher ISO levels (over ISO 1600) noise was barely noticeable. Buildings taken in a downtown area were sharp and colors were vibrant.

This is a perfect camera for someone who’s been using a digital SLR for one or two years and is looking to make their photos even more professional and stunning. The Canon EOS 40D is available today for $1299 or less depending on if you buy a lens bundled or not.

Pros

• Durable and rugged design.
• Large 3-inch LCD.
• EOS Integrated Cleaning System for sensor cleaning.
• Noise is barely noticeable at high ISO levels.
• Amazing image quality.

Cons

• Live View mode only works in manual modes and only with manual focus.

Before, when we wanted to get our pictures off our digital camera we would have to get our digital camera, the USB cable or card reader, and plug it into our computer – until today. The Eye-Fi is a wireless memory card that allows you to wirelessly upload your photos to your computer or favorite photo sharing website.

Currently the Eye-Fi is only available as a 2GB SD (SecureDigital) card, but we’re pretty sure they’ll have bigger capacities and other formats available soon. In the coolest box ever, you’ll find the Eye-Fi card, a USB card reader for setting up the card, and a quick start guide.

Setting up the Eye-Fi is a cinch on both PCs and Macs, using the latest versions of either Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari. The Eye-Fi connects to a 802.11b, 802.11g or backwards-compatible 802.11n wireless network. We had no problem connecting it to our D-Link DIR-655 802.11n router. The Eye-Fi supports KODAK Gallery, Shutterfly, Wal-Mart, Snapfish, Photobucket, Facebook, Webshots, Picasa Web Albums, SmugMug, Flickr, Fotki, TypePad, VOX, dotPhoto, Phanfare, Sharpcast and Gallery for photo sharing, or your computer if you want to edit them first.

We tested the Eye-Fi using a Nikon D50 digital SLR camera at it’s 6-megapixel setting. It transferred the images immediately to our iMac and we were able to edit them in full-resolution in Adobe Photoshop CS3. The Eye-Fi is also intelligent and re-sizes the photos if limited by your chosen photo sharing website.

If your digital camera or SLR supports SD memory cards and you’re sick of having to carry around a USB card reader or cable every time, look no further than the Eye-Fi wireless memory card. If you plan on using it while traveling, you’ll still have to carry around a laptop to tell the card to connect to the new network. It’s available today at Amazon for $99.99 with free shipping.

Pros

• Easy to setup and use.
• Works with almost any photo sharing website.
• Compatible with most wireless networks.
• Comes with a USB card reader.

Cons

• Limited to certain browsers for card management.
• Doesn’t automatically connect to open wireless networks.

Final Verdict
4.5 out of 5 stars

Just over a year ago, I reviewed the EVOLT E-500 from Olympus and it was by far the best digital SLR I’ve ever used. More recently, Olympus took this camera to the next level with the E-510.

The E-510 Dual Lens Kit we received comes with a 14-42mm lens for wide angle shots and a 40-150mm for telephoto shots, and it’s a great package for someone who is new to digital SLR cameras. Compared to the E-500′s 8.0 megapixel sensor, the E-510 kicks it up a notch to 10 megapixels – giving you high-quality, stunning images. Combined with the sensor is the Live View CMOS that gives you the live view (get it?) of the image without having to look through the viewfinder.

After unboxing the camera, I charged the battery, installed a memory card, and got to the shooting. No need to read the manual. It’s that simple. Battery life was great, and I didn’t even have to charge the battery within the month that I had the camera.

Olympus also included 13 scene modes in the camera and an additional 5 dedicated modes on the control dial itself for things like fireworks, macro, nature, sports, and more.

In terms of performance and photo quality, the E-510 won’t let you down. It offers a fast continuous shooting mode at 3.2 frames per second and optical image stabilization system that works quite well. On the downside (and the only downside with the camera), Live View is sluggish at times like when autofocus is on.

Worried about having to lug around a heavy camera and lens? Not to worry, the EVOLT E-510 is very light and comfortable to hold in your hands. Best of all, you can buy it for under $1000 for the dual lens kit, or $900 with the 14-42mm lens only. Already have Olympus lenses? The body will set you back $800.

Pros

• Fast continuous shooting mode.
• Optical image stablization system works great.
• Lightweight and comfortable.
• Live View allows you to see a preview on the LCD.
• 18 scene modes.
• Dual memory card support (CF and xD).
• Excellent battery life.

Cons
Live View is sluggish in autofocus mode.

Final Verdict
5 out of 5 stars.

The Kodak EasyShare V1003 is Kodak’s latest offering in their lineup of consumer digital cameras, but how does it perform? Find out after the jump in our review.

The V1003 comes in numerous different colors including: black, blue, brown, purple, gold, pink, and white. It offers 10 megapixels and has a 3X optical zoom, and Kodak’s Perfect Touch technology.

It’s also very easy to operate, as long as you can fit your fingers on to the small, teensy-weensy buttons, or on the small joystick for navigating between photos and modes.

How does it perform, you say? It doesn’t perform too badly, but long shutter lag makes it nearly useless. By the time you take the photo, the person is out of the shot or has moved. Another problem was that the shots were particularly noisy and grainy, and although the pictures were vibrant and rich in color – we advise you to stay away from this camera at all costs.

Kodak seems to think it’s more important to be stylish than to have good performance, especially since there are better performing cameras in this price range at $229 USD.

Pros

• Different colors to choose from.
• Operation is simple and clearly labeled.

Cons

• Long shutter lag.
• Extremely small controls.
• Grainy images.

Final Verdict
2 out of 5 stars.

The Gorillapod SLR Zoom builds on top of the SLR model we reviewed late last year. It now supports heavier cameras and camcorders, up to 6.6 pounds compared to the SLR’s paltry 1.7 pounds.

Like all of the Gorillapods the special sauce of it is the flexible joints that allow you to wrap the tripod around various objects and get shots you never could before. It’s by far our favorite photographer accessory that you simply must have, it’s always there when you need it and it isn’t too bulky. Unlike the standard SLR model it does not have the quick-release plate, but you can attach a tripod head to the SLR Zoom which allows for more versatility.

Don’t expect it to replace your current tripod, but it certainly is a great companion to one. It costs $55 and a smaller version is available for regular point-and-shoot cameras.

Pros

• Supports up to 6 pounds.
• Compresses into a small, and light package.
• Extremely versatile.
• Allows use of a tripod head for more control.

Cons

• No quick-release plate.

Final Verdict
5 out of 5 stars.

Digital cameras have been improving in quality since their popularity increased a few years ago. Olympus has introduced one of the best digital SLR (single lens reflex) cameras I’ve seen, the EVOLT E-500.

The EVOLT E-500 is a 8.0 megapixel camera with a 2.5″ LCD that is bigger than most cameras today. The E-500 also has a dust reduction system and a dual card slot that accepts both CompactFlash and xD memory cards. The E-500 comes with either a 14-45mm lens and a 40-150mm lens for closeups, but the kit we reviewed came with only the 14-45mm lens.

The dust reduction system is a very unique feature, and is making it’s way into most digital SLRs these days. It works by vibrating the image sensor at 35,000 times per second, being unnoticeable to the user, which means you have no specks of dust on your images requiring you to edit them. The downside is that it delays the startup of the camera by almost 2 seconds, not good for when you need that quick shot. Nevertheless, it is a good feature.

The 8.0 megapixel full frame CCD allows you to capture virtually stunning images that will be sure to attract many people to your photos in an instant. The 8.0 megapixels allow you to take images at a whopping 3264 x 2448 pixels at it’s highest resolution. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture and upload sample images as I had some issues with the xD card that Olympus had sent me. However, DCRP has some sample images you can look at that have been taken with this amazing camera.

Some images that were captured had some noise in them and some jagged edges, but these problems could eventually be fixed in post-editing. The burst mode was a bit slower than my own Nikon D50 but if you don’t care for this feature (and beginner users probably won’t) you have nothing to worry about.

The LCD on the back of the camera was large and excellent for previewing photos. The E-500 allows you to zoom in on an image, allowing you to see an image clearly before viewing it on your computer. Speaking of your computer, the E-500 only uses USB 2.0 Full Speed (slower), not USB 2.0 High Speed (faster) to transfer images, so transferring large RAW files could take longer than usual JPG images. Unfortunately, using this nice LCD does use quite a bit of battery life, and you might not want to use it all the time since the battery takes a hefty five hours to fully complete a charge.

Overall, the EVOLT E-500 is a killer digital SLR camera that is great for a beginner who wants to get started with an SLR camera. Note: For more on SLR cameras and their differences, see the Wikipedia page explaining SLR.

Pros

• Truly stunning images.
• Huge LCD compared to other cameras in it’s class.
• Great price point.
• Dual memory cards accepted (CF and xD).

Cons

• Startup is delayed by dust reduction system.
• Battery takes a long time to charge.
• Only uses USB 2.0 Full Speed.
• Burst mode is slower than others.

Final Verdict
4 out of 5 stars.

Final Verdict
5 out of 5 stars.