Canon SX100 review by Cliff Smith

Cliff Smith of TrustedReviews has got his hands on Canon SX100 - Canon's latest addition to a horde of compact digicams range. His impressions are quite positive except for low battery life. In his tests Canon SX100 has ate almost all power from the two AA accus just after 70 shots. Fortunately, 10x optical stabilized lens provides very good image quality. And Canon's proprietary 1/2.5" sensor is good enough up to ISO400.

For a relatively modest price the Canon PowerShot SX100 IS offers a good range of features to accommodate both novice and more experienced photographers. Its long zoom range gives it added versatility, and its fast performance, superb AF system and high image quality are capable of producing excellent results in a wide range of situations. Its only disadvantages are its bulk and weight, and its poor high-ISO noise reduction.

BTW, Amozon has Canon SX100 for as low as $259. Take a chance to get this compact ultrazoom for such unbeatable price.

Sony H3 review - huge CA found

Australian PhotoReview website has posted Sony H3 review. They have discovered a number of really bad things such as chromatic aberrations (CA) a.k.a. purple fringing and lens hood problems. Sony H3's hood is so big and poorly designed it's obscure a lot of built-in flash light making flash photography with the hood on almost impossible. Purple fringing in highlights and in the high contrast areas are too obtrusive - the number of details eaten by the purple contours is unacceptable. Look at the supplied samples at the review page. These issues almost ruining quite expensive for 10x zoom 8 megapixels camera.

Canon SX100 review

DigitalCameraInfo has thoroughly reviewed Canon's newest series 10x zoom compact point&shoot Canon SX100. This 10x zoom 8 megapixel camera could be pretty usual if it wasn't so small and compact what makes it the direct competitor to Panasonic's TX series. Also it's just $299 MSRP (and even cheaper in retail stores especially online ones) so SX100 outperform compact Panasonic ultrazooms in terms of value for money.

Reviewers have liked Canon SX100 a lot: its 10x zoom with optical image stabilization system in a tiny body, its handy hand grip, its excellent color accuracy and full range of manual controls.

The Canon PowerShot SX100 IS makes a solid impression. As the first in Canon’s new line, the SX100 IS performs well with its optical image stabilization and updated face detection. Even more, Canon earns major innovation points for the Face Select Tool, which utilizes a unique rotary dial that puts a spin (literally) on an old function. While most manufacturers have by now included face detection on their newer cameras, Canon took the face-finding technology a step further by allowing users to select which face to focus and expose.

Panasonic FZ18 review at DigitalCameraInfo

Panasonic FZ18 becomes the most reviewed and the most tested Panasonic's camera of the pas two years and the most reviewed and tested ultrazoom camera of the year. Not a surprise thus you get a load of amazing features such as wide and long 18x zoom for less than $400.

Another one addition to Panasonic FZ18 reviews horde is a thorough test at DigitalCameraInfo website:

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 is much improved from the FZ8. It has more resolution, a longer and wider 18x optical zoom lens, and adds features like face detection. The Panasonic FZ18 outperforms its predecessor in almost every way. Its pictures have much more accurate colors and richer dynamic range.

Very nice feature of this review is the constant comparisons between FZ18 and its predecessor - Panasonic FZ8.

Panasonic FZ18 RAW ISO800 samples

JortS29 has testes high ISO RAW performance of Panasonic FZ18 ultrazoom. His results at ISO800 is close to excellent for a $350 digicam. Noise is visible in the shadows but highlights is almost clear.

Here is the link for more sample images, full size and 100% crops.

Fuji S8000fd review at Photoxels

Photoxels has reviewed latest Fujifilm addition to its ultrazoom lineup - Fuji S8000fd. This is the first Fuji's try to make a camera with the built-in image stabilization. As you can see in review it works good but could be better. Pansonic's ultrazoom will overperform S8000fd easily.

In any other sides Fuji S8000fd is a nice 8 megapixel 18x wide-angle ultrazoom digital camera with a good to excellent image quality, sensor-shift image stabilization, comfortable handling and intuitive controls.

Unfortunately this Fujifilm camera lacks RAW file format and has a long 3 sec start-up time.

Panasonic FZ18 review at Cameras.co.uk

Cameras.co.uk have published their own review of Panasonic FZ18 18x zoom camera. And the have loved it very much. FZ18's wide range of manual controls, color rendition and class best 18x ultrazoom lens impressed them a lot.

Overall the Panasonic DMC FZ18 is a winner. There are one or two areas where I think picture quality could improve, but that is the same for just about every other camera too.