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Five Hottest Upcoming Digital CamerasBy Mike Perlman, 20 January 2009
From high-speed to high style, we bring you some of the hottest upcoming digital cameras in 2009.

Casio Exilim EX-FS10

A lightbulb went off for Casio sometime last year, which led to the rollout of several new compact models at CES, two of which are capable of high-speed image and video capture. Perhaps it's what the company should have done in the first place, rather than release the hulking Casio EX-F1 at last year's CES and follow it up with the EX-FH20, but practice makes perfect, right? Finally, a wider market for high-speed is here and the new Casio Exilim EX-FS10 is a marvel amongst its super-compact competitors. First off, the EX-FS10 is about the size of 15 credit cards stacked on top of each other. But that doesn't stop this puny little punk from capturing up to 30 images per second and video of up to 1,000fps. Toss in 21 BS (Best Shot) modes including Multi-Motion Image, Slow Motion View and Pre-record and that's only a little taste of what the Casio Exilim EX-FS10 has brewing in its tasty stew of features. We're not expecting the greatest image quality though, based on what we saw with the Casio Exilim EX-F1 and Exilim EX-FH20, and the EX-FS10 has a 9-megapixel 1/2.3" sensor. If you want a little more out of your high-speed experience, the Casio Exilim EX-FC100 has a 5x optical zoom lens, larger 2.7" LCD, slightly larger aperture range and CMOS-shift Image Stabilization. We can't wait for high-speed in our pocket.

Samsung HZ10w

Samsung is serious about stepping up their game in the digital camera big leagues. We saw four new models announced at CES, one of them slimmer than a shiny deck of cards. However, there was nothing intriguing underneath the tiny Samsung TL100's hood. That's why we went with the Samsung HZ10w, the company's first powerhouse camera that rivals the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 and Canon PowerShot G10. Unfortunately, the Samsung HZ10w doesn't even come close to the two aforementioned giants, but it does have a 24mm wide-angle lens, manages to pack in a 10x optical zoom and shoots 720P high-definition video. In back, the Samsung HZ10w displays a 2.7" LCD, which could have easily been extended to a full 3 inches. Overall, this is a sheik looking and classy, something we'd be proud to pull out of a pinstripe jacket. We'll see if the Samsung HZ10w's 10-megapixel 1/2.33" CCD can knock a couple out of the park when we get our hands on one soon.

Olympus Tough 8000

Olympus finally had an epiphany and slapped a burly name across the behinds of its newest rugged stylus cameras. What was once known as the Stylus SW will now be replaced with the Tough, and the Olympus Tough 8000 is the follow-up to the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. If you read our Olympus Stylus 1050 SW review, you know that the validity of the freeze-proof claim melted away after our model died a tragic death in the heart of a menacing ice block. Now Olympus is extending the resume, adding dust, shake and crush-proof to its list of badass traits. The new Tough 8000 can now plummet to 33 feet under the sea and withstand a drop from 7 feet. As these numbers continue to grow, so do our testing imaginations, and this camera is going to be a field day for us. Olympus also pumped up image resolution to a 12-megapixel max, but the camera retains a 1/2.33" CCD. We had trouble with the Olympus Stylus 1050 SW's image quality, so we're hoping this has been amended. We love the new style, however, and can't wait to see how tough this thing really is.

Pentax Optio P70

Our enchantment with the Pentax Optio P70 stems primarily from its seductive looks and compact size. This was certainly one of the hottest looking cameras we had the privilege of handling at CES, and nothing more. A mere one-night stand with a 12-megapixel 1/2.3" CCD-toting smooth operator. This camera was so light and the white color scheme was definitely a hit with all the booth babes. The 28mm wide-angle lens was a nice addition too, though we would have liked to see a generous 3" LCD in back. Highlights include Smile Capture, Blink Detection and Vertical Snap mode, which uses the OK menu button as a shutter button. The Pentax Optio P70 has a 4x optical zoom, captures 720P high-definition video and has an ISO that reaches 6400. Look for the Pentax Optio P70 in the hands of really hot people this February.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3

We've had our share of relentless battles with first-generation Wi-Fi cameras, but the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3 is the first contestant that looks like it can do the job right, including a basic browser that allows for easy uploads. Though we weren't able to connect to a CES Wi-Fi access point, we liked Sony's interface, especially the massive 3.5" LCD. We haven't been crazy over Sony's touch-screen functionality in the past, especially on their more compact models like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T77, but the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3 appeared to operate more smoothly. We also dug the DSC-G3's covert architecture, allowing the shooter to slide one end of the camera out to reveal the lens and zoom toggle. Sony also crammed in an impressive 4x optical zoom, which is a decent accomplishment for such a compact camera. As far as image quality, we're dealing with a 10-megapixel 1/2.3" Super HAD CCD, which is not a top imager. As usual, Sony threw in a slew of consumer-friendly features like Smile Shutter, Face Detection, Anti-blink and HDTV compatibility. The real question is whether or not the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3's Wi-Fi mode works or if it falls flat on its face like the rest of them.
TOP 5 PERFORMANCE CAMERAS
Name Score Price
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 84% $670
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 82% $600
Canon PowerShot G12 80% $500
Olympus E-P2 80%
-
Olympus E-PL1 80% $600
EXPAND PERFORMANCE CAMERA CHART »


TOP 5 P&S CAMERAS
Name Score Price
Canon PowerShot S95 78% $400
Canon PowerShot SX230 HS 76% $350
Nikon Coolpix S9100 75% $330
Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS 74% $325
Nikon Coolpix S8100 74% $300
EXPAND P&S CAMERA CHART »


TOP 5 DSLR CAMERAS
Name Score Price
Nikon D7000 89% $1200
Nikon D700 89% $3000
Pentax K-r 88% $800
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 88% $2700
Pentax K-7 87% $1300
EXPAND DSLR CAMERA CHART »
 
 
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