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| Olympus Stylus 1040 |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
 The Olympus Stylus 1040 is a sexy little compact fashion cam that will lure consumers with its glossy sliding faceplate and flat light-up control panel. However, we weren’t too impressed with the functionality of the flat control panel and could have used a bigger screen, perhaps a touchscreen interface. Features are minimal on the Stylus 1040, so Manual Control-hungry shooters are out of luck. This is particularly unfortunate because the Stylus 1040 has a tendency to underexpose its images and without any advanced exposure control, most shooters will be left in the dark. In optimal lighting the Stylus 1040 shines, but you’ll have to rely on the flash for most dimly lit shooting environments. With a 38mm wide lens, you’ll have to back up significantly in order to fit content into your shots. So, we’re looking at style in an alluring compact package with the Stylus 1040, which is great if that’s all you want in a camera. Release: October 2008. Price: $200.
Pros: Compact design. Great style. Decent images in optimal lighting.
Cons: Poor low light performance. Control Panel is difficult to access. Limited shooting features.
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60%
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| Fujifilm Finepix F60fd |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
 We think Fujifilm could have done a better job with the Fujifilm Finepix F60fd in most respects. The shooting modes are unconventional and not very practical for many shooting environments. Advanced shooters will want to avoid this camera like the plague, and novices will struggle with the illogical menu system. The 3x optical zoom is average at best, but at least you get a 3" LCD screen. Unfortunately, the image preview screen is misleading and the image you capture will look different than what the preview presents. The Finepix F60fd is portable and possesses a significant amount of sex appeal, but there's nothing truly original about this camera. Image quality is hit or miss as well, and we found the dynamic range to be a tossup. At least the Playback image review system is sweet, but we didn't care too much about the stellar photo viewer since the pictures were far from exciting. Release: September 2008. Price: $300.
Pros: Good image review interface. Compact and portable.
Cons: No full Manual mode. Hit or miss image quality. Counterintuitive menu system.
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61%
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| Olympus Stylus SP-565UZ |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
 We're pretty happy with the Olympus Stylus SP-565UZ. This underdog has clawed its way up in the Ultra Zoom pack with a great imaging performance, solid handling and oodles of manual controls and image features. For the advanced budget shooter or the novice looking to learn, the Stylus SP-565UZ is an excellent choice. And that's not because the Stylus SP-565UZ is capable of a 20x optical zoom range and has a zillion Scene modes. This camera is built like a tank, handles like a mini DSLR and is equipped with a welcoming interface that helps you actually learn how to use the camera. From Auto all the way up to full-on Manual mode, Olympus has included many shooting modes that fluctuate the level of manual intensity to suit the needs of the shooter. The Stylus SP-565UZ's image quality is not too shabby either. In fact, it's one of the best performances we've seen from a camera with such a small sensor. So, if you're looking for a zoom machine with tons of features and great image quality, the Olympus Stylus SP-565UZ could be your next weapon of choice. Release: October 2008. Price: $400.
Pros: Surprisingly good image quality. Tons of features and great interface. Huge 20x optical Zoom.
Cons: 4-way directional pad could be replaced with a wheel or dial. Slight image artifacts, typical of a small imager. Small LCD screen.
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70%
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
 The prognosis is just as we expected. Sony's top of the line fashion cam is just another cute accessory packed with many consumer-driven features. And there's nothing wrong with that. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700's fans would not have it any other way. Who wants to fiddle with Shutter Speed or Aperture while you're half in the bag at an Armani show? The Cyber-shot DSC-T700's offers a slew of playback features, is fully touch-screen operated and can fit in a wallet—a very big wallet that is. Perhaps the most tantalizing spec is the built-in 4GB of internal memory. How many other cameras do you see with that much space? Between the giant LCD, sexy colors and hot design, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 has its place within the digital camera world. Release: September 2008. Price: $350.
Pros: Huge LCD screen. Super Compact. Sleek design.
Cons: Inconsistent image quality. Stubborn interface. Minimal manual controls.
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59%
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| Canon PowerShot SX10 IS |
| Full review » Scoreboard » Features » Gallery » |
 From the outside the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS looks like a formidable opponent to other Ultra Zooms in its class. It has a 20x optical zoom, versatile LCD swivel screen and all the manual controls and shooting options most amateur photographers could ask for. However, the Canon PowerShot SX10's basic imager just couldn't handle areas of high contrast, producing blowouts all over the place. Only in the right light will the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS crank out an acceptable image, and when it does you can bet your boots it will be a brilliant image. But the inconsistency was enough for us to consider this camera suitable for only amateurs those looking to teach themselves a little Photography 101. For the feature set, this camera is a bargain. If image quality is not the be all end all, then the Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is definitely worth taking a look at. Release: October 2008. Price: $335.
Pros: Rugged construction, 20x optical zoom, DSLR-like handling and design. Great interface and manual controls.
Cons: Limited dynamic range, leading to contrast issues. AA battery system with mediocre battery life. Bulky for beginners on the go.
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Mediocre |
71%
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Excellent |
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