Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens Reviews.

After owing a Canon EOS 10D camera, which was damaged while traversing a mountain stream during a photo shoot, I wanted to continue with a like-kind Canon replacement. The EOS 50D was just released in October. I purchased it and have been using it for one month now. The 50D is just like my now retired 10D but with a few upgrades.

One significant upgrade is the larger LCD display. It is crisp and sharp and easy to review images captured. While I do like the larger LCD display, there is a downside to the larger LCD display. I have found that my face inevitably touches the LCD display while looking through the viewfinder. This almost always leaves facial marks (oils) much like fingerprints all over the left side of the LCD display. I now find I must keep at-the-ready a soft, clean cloth to wipe it clean to review images clearly. While this is not necessarily a hardware issue, it is becoming somewhat of a major annoyance–especially when on a fast-paced photo shoot. Of course, unless one is as particular about a clean LCD display as I am, it might not be an annoyance. Perhaps Canon could consider moving the LCD display to the right side vs the left in later models.

Another significant upgrade is the better image quality versus my former 10D. The images are now taken at 15.5 mega pixels versus the 6.3 of my former 10D. This alone made my purchase a worthwhile upgrade from the 10D.

I have also noticed a noticeable difference with the 50D to capture a bit sharper images in low or available light situations. While the difference I have noticed is not always a sure thing in every situation, it is noticeable enough that it can often mean the difference between a “keeper” and a deletion. Fuzzy images in low light was a major issue with my former 10D. The sensors in the 50D appear to have been improved markedly.

While the Canon EOS 50D can certainly over-kill for a novice or a point-and-shoot photographer, it does meet all of the quality standards and versatility requirements that I require as an advanced photographer. Whether used fully automatic or manually, this camera has all the technology I need to keep it from becoming a technical drag on my creativity. I consider myself an artist with a camera, not a technician. So, once I learn most of the camera’s features, I make the camera work for me, not against me. That’s everything a Twenty-First Century digital camera should be. And, the Canon EOS 10D certainly is.

While the Canon EOS 50D is not a radical upgrade over more recent Canon digital SLRs, it is for my former 10D. Therefore, I am delighted with my new 50D and would readily recommend it as a quality new or replacement digital camera for any serious photographer.

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens Reviews.

This is my first venture into buying a DSLR and I have a college budget so I made sure I was spending my money on the best camera possible. I had been reviewing DSLRs for months and months before finally deciding on the XSI, and I could not be happier with my decision! From the moment I took it out of the box I have been taking better pictures than I ever thought I could.
I have some photography experience from a black and white photography class my first semester, but I am still quite green when it comes to the finer points of photography. It didn’t at all matter with this camera. Right out of the box it didnt take me long to figure out the controls and which buttons did what. I love that there was a dedicated ISO button, white balance button, metering options button, AND shooting mode button. The worst thing is when you have a great shot that wont last long (think kids, animals, nature) and you have to dig through menus to get what you want. This camera eliminates that worry.
The lens that came with this thing is also much better than I expected in a kit lens. The image quality looks amazing while doing both very close up shots and landscape. I am not an expert on lenses, but I used one of my fathers lenses that cost several hundred dollars and there REALLY was hardly any difference in picture quality. Especially for a kit lens, I was quite impressed.
One last thing I love, THE LCD screen! This thing is HUGE and has very good image quality. It is great for reviewing your shot, right up to the fine details. It really makes it easier to see if you got the shot you wanted before you take it all the way back to your computer and see you screwed it up. As for the live view, I wasnt real sure when I would use it, but I found out the other day. There was a nest of hornets low to the ground and I sure as heck wasnt sticking my face down there. I convieniently used the live view feature to get the camera close and compose the shot while keeping my body in position to run

Really the only thing that has annoyed me so far is how you have to smush your nose and face into the LCD when using the viewfinder. I am all the time having to wipe smudges off. But really, after having this camera for a week and all I have to complain about is smudges on the LCD? That really is hardly a complaint at all. I would recommend it for anyone from complete newbies, to people like me with a smattering of experience, to those that actually know what they’re doing. This camera is amazing.

Olympus Evolt E520 10MP Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens Reviews.

I evaluated the Canon 40D and new EOS XSI before stumbling onto this little beauty. I can argue that it takes just as good pictures as the 40D – at least in my hands. It’s smaller than the Canons and for the price, an incredible deal.

Now, not to put down Canon… I actually broke my Canon brand loyalty for this camera, but overall, Olympus did a great job in packing features and ease of use into this camera and once its in your hands, you’ll see it.

The back has lots of buttons but once you spend 15 min figuring out how to navigate the camera and its buttons, you’ll like the ready access to many functions.

In terms of image quality, it’s breathtaking for those looking to step up from advanced point and shoot cameras. It’s not a pro camera for sure but I’m no pro and for what I do, it more than gets the job done. I use it for baby photos, nature macro, nature landscape and cityscape photography and it does great for the variety of environments I shoot in. One thing I find really impressive is the flash. Flash on most DSLR’s tend to wash out or harshen images. This camera’s flash is just enough but not too much so long as you compose your shots correctly. (Like not having your subject 1 meter from the lens!)

Overall – I’m glad I looked at this and Olympus won themselves a convert!

EDIT – 8/8/08. After using the camera for a few days, I noticed that when I turned the camera off, a rattle would emanate from the inside of the camera. Distraught, I removed the lens and still the rattle continued. Upset that my new beauty was defective, I boxed it back up and prepared to return it… but before I did, I called Olympus support to see if they had any insight since I could find NOTHING on the internet about the rattling. Well, as it turned out, it was the image stabilizer in the camera body that was creating the rattle! The tech said it was a natural function of the IS “resetting” itself. (Remember, this camera has in-body IS, not lens IS) When I turned off the IS, no more rattle. Whew, good thing I called – Olympus support was great and saved a return. Only con is that they should document this in the manual, its a little unnerving at first but you get used to it. Don’t worry, the rattle is slight – nothing that will jar the camera from your hands or damage any internal parts. It was that I just never felt something like this emanating from a camera before. Verdict after 1000 shots, still love it!

Canon PowerShot SD1100IS 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Reviews.

I have been a loyal Fujifilm camera owner for as long as I can remember. I have always loved their cameras and the ease of use. When searching for a new camera this spring, my friend insisted I branch out to a new brand. As difficult as it was (I hate change!) I purchased this camera. I LOVE IT!!! For the same price range, this camera trumps the other camera I was looking at. Tons more features! At first these features intimidated me, but Canon makes it easy! The menus use lots of pictures and simple words. So the photographer dummy I am doesnt get confused. I want to point…and shoot…then print. I am not taking fancy pictures or looking to make poster prints. I have 4 kids, and just want to capture the moments. This camera is great! But even if you ARE an expert, this camera has enough features to keep you satisfied.

The BEST feature is how QUICKLY it turns out! Almost instant! Within a blink of an eye the camera is on and ready to take pics. Just as quick between pics too!! My old camera must have had a 5 second delay at least!

And the zoom!!! The zoom is amazing! Crystal Clear pictures at full zoom…no joke!!! My old camera got grainy once I hit the digital zoom level. It looks blurry on screen, but once you load it to your computer you see that its crystal clear sharp and crisp! As if you were right next to the object. I couldnt believe it!!

The camera is very small too! Fits in my back jeans pocket so i can carry it everywhere! Its less bulky than my cell phone! Weighs about the same as my cell phone too, even with the battery in.

Great camera! I am glad my friend talked me into this one! Amazon offered the best price around (By $30!) so I got a great deal. I am very pleased!

The next test is to see if it will stand the test of time. My FujiFilm cameras all lasted a long time and took a beating! (One still works and is now my daughters camera) I hope Canon is just as sturdy. Like I said, with 4 kids… things get dropped!

Highly recommended camera! No surprise why Canons are rated the #1 consumer camera around!

Canon PowerShot A590IS 8MP Digital Camera with 4x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Reviews.

So allow me to start by saying i’m just your average “joe-user” who enjoys snapping photos while on vacations and out with friends. Recently i owned an Olympus Stylus 810 and was very, very pleased with it. Unfortunately i dropped it damaging the entire lens assembly and it was going to cost $140 to repair. With a week at the beach coming up i didn’t have time to research a lot. On a friends recommendation i made this purchase.

Now my goals are to have a smaller sized camera that will allow nice point and shoot photography but has some manual (even minimal) controls as i do enjoy photography and if i decide to go further, i’ll be familiar with the manual controls and such. So after getting this camera i did a few test runs to get it all working w/ my MacBook Pro laptop. Here’s my experience thus far:

Install on Windows Vista and Mac OS X Leopard were both absolutely flawless. Software went right in, once connected downloading the images and viewing them was a one click event. The software bundled is actually quite nice. I no longer have iPhoto (thanks Leopard) so i was unsure what to use for basic photo management. Not to worry Canons bundled software, “ZoomBrowserEX” does a fantastic job of that.

Now as far as options go i’m by no means skilled in the realm of cameras, however from my limited experience i can say this camera packs quite a large array for such a small price tag. The auto modes work very well, not to mention having the ability to just pop it into “Manual” mode and tweak by hand! All it takes is 20-30min of reading on the internet and you can be messing with the settings and taking some great low light, artistic, etc… photographs. I also found it’s quite easy to use single handed. A lot of times on my beach trip i was holding onto a rock to balance myself and only had my right hand available. Switching into say “Macro” mode is very simple. Same goes for things like zoom, flash, etc… overall very user friendly design.

Picture quality has been absolutely stunning! I truly did not expect it from a camera under $160. As with most “point and shoot” cameras when upping the ISO level to take dim light shots without a flash it does tend to get grainy. Although this camera does counter balance that a little, and does a good job, it’s still noticeable. That’s where the “Manual” mode came in for me. Being able to adjust shutter and aperture etc… really allowed me to take some exceptional low light shots that are not grainy at all.

So my overall impression is absolutely pleased! For the money i doubt you’d find a better camera with as many features that can produce the quality of photos this can. I was impressed to see how small it is in person and exactly just how well constructed it feels. Also the thing i loved is there’s a huge wealth of accessories like extra lenses such as telephoto, macro, lens filters, etc… Amazon has a “kit” that looks like a fantastic deal that comes with most of those things including a tripod. That is definitely going to be my next purchase.

So if you’re looking for a great camera that can “point and shoot” and has the manual controls if you think you may be interested in getting into photography, this is my recommendation hands down. I posted 11 photos in the “Customer Photos” section. Feel free to check them out to hopefully get an idea of what this camera can do with “default” settings, i was blown away. Lastly as i’m finding out photography is all about your “eye” and knowing enough about your hardware to capture what you “see.” I’m not much for taking pictures of people i really enjoy closeups and different angles, so that’s what i’m learning to capture with this camera. Hopefully my pictures will be a decent display of what this camera can do. Just remember if you don’t like your photos it’s probably not the cameras fault! There will never be a one stop solution, but overall this one is fantastic!

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28S 10.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom Reviews.

As many people said before me, this camera is great! I received it from OneCall a few day ago in perfect condition for a low price. It was new in the box and was delivered right on time. Trying on this camera was a similar experience. It is great!
I am not a professional photographer, I just like to have a versatile camera that can do it all. First off, it has great picture quality in most given conditions. I made most of my pictures inside of my house to test low light conditions and it handled it well. Previous cameras I used always made pictures with yellow tints from indoor light. FZ28 has a party and indoor portrait mode which can eliminate that. And if that is not it enough there are manual settings that can be tweaked in every way.

IA MODE: Perhaps the greatest part of this camera is the intelligent auto mode. It is the best one I have ever seen. I would say, 9 out of 10 using IA were perfect. Its not 100%, but what is?

FOCUS: I am also very impressed with the focusing abilities of this camera. It is very good considering the 18x zoom. Sometimes is takes a little bit to focus well, but once it does it is great.

MOVIE: The movie mode is very good on this camera. It is high quality and there are 5 different quality setting. To use HD make sure you have a fast SD card.

SIZE: It is clear that you will not be able to fit this camera into your pocket. However, it depends how much size means to you. Personally it took me a long time to decide to get this camera and I am surprised that it is actually very small for its parameters. It gives A LOT for its size. So I suggest if you have somewhat of an issue with size but really want a lot for that sacrifice. Buy the camera. Its really not so good to carry a camera in a pocket anyway.

OUTDOOR PICTURES: WOW. WOW. WOW. Outdoor, sunny, well lit places are simply phenomenal!!

ZOOM: 18x optical zoom with 10 megapixel? Heck Yea. And up to 32x optical zoom (125x with digital zoom) on lower megapixel settings (7, 5, 3).

IMAGE STABILIZATION: Panasonic has the best OIS in my opinion. At 18x the manual says a tripod is required, I find otherwise. With OIS mode 1 the picture is stabilized with the shutter button halfway pressed. You can still take a great picture if you can limit your shaking hands.

OVERALL: There is still so much to write about this camera. I am very satisfied with it. It has all functions in a relatively small body. Every picture is great because it could also be tweaked with RAW editing software. Finally, it is easily adaptive to any user. My whole family can use it. I read the manual and set a few custom modes that my parents will most likely use. One for my brother and one for my self. In the end there is still a great auto mode and raw editing.

I have some sample pics uploaded.

Sigma SD14 14MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Reviews.

This is a truly amazing and different breed of DSRL on market. It should not be your first DSLR to buy because it is not an all around camera to use (IMO). If you are planning to buy your first DSLR, Nikon D60 or Canon XSi should be a better choice since that’s what they’re designed for.
The Sigma SD14 has a very unique image sensor (Foveon X3) that can produce a very sharp and beautiful color image under sufficient lighting. However under dim light, images could be disappointed due to high noise and grainy. Using Sigma’s own Photo Processing software to process the RAW (X3F) files is truly joyful.
The SD14 is a big improvement over the previous models (SD9 and 10) on design. The camera body feel very comfortable in the hand, shutter noise is nice and quiet, much improved battery system, a build-in flash… Besides, when you take off Sigma’s unique dust protection filter on the body and add an infrared filter on the front of the lens, you can turn the SD14 into an IR ready camera and open up a whole new photography field.
Sigma is planning to have a new SD15 coming out soon so the SD14 has drop to an unbelievable price. It is really a joyful camera to use but remember that it has it’s own drawbacks. Also you might find the choice of lenses are kind of limited. That’s why I don’t recommend it as your first DSLR.

Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) Reviews.

The D700 is as capable as a quality Nikon F4 or similar SLR product. Image quality is excellent, accessing features of consequence to a photographer is intuitive. I have used the camera for scenic, still life and portrait photography. Lighting has been daylight, mixed source, low level available light and studio flash. The camera provides lots of photographic latitude, offsets and adjustments are predictable. Digital control genuinely provides all of the looks typically determined by film type and speed. Battery service between charges is long.

Auto focus is fast and accurate, auto exposure is the same and manual operation offers precise control over aperture and shutter speed while maintaining auto focus function with manual setting as an alternative. Metering, even with fancier names, offers scene averaging, center weighted and spot capability. Focus emphasis is approximately the same.

Within a few days, as an experienced SLR user with a little computer lingo knowledge, I was taking pictures that were better than any I ever took with 35mm film. Then I spent the next month working my way through all of the menus and submenus until I realize that much of it has no place in the routine of photography.

The D700 worked to the capabilities of all of my F4 legacy autofocus lenses, flash units and, of course, the full capabilities of newer CPU lenses. Radio signal remote flash triggering systems work just fine in manual mode.

Negatives -

I don’t care for the Nikon editing software or the editing functions that are built into the camera. They are not intuitive and they don’t offer a lot of user control over images. There are far better stand alone editing programs.

I think Nikon camera bodies and lenses have gotten a little cheesy for the price they command. Large rubber access doors, flimsy plastic access panels and lenses with way too many plastic parts have replaced some really nice looking machinery of Nikons past. But then, so have virtually all consumer electronic products. Functionally, the camera is excellent and provides all of the features and functions a 35mm photographer could use.