By
Damian Koh
08/08/2006
URL:
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39001469,39380427,00.htm
Yet another month has gone by, though August looks to be more exciting, especially with the annual COMEX 2006 fair coming right up from August 31 to September 3. If luck has it, since manufacturers don't usually set firm dates on when new shooters will hit the market, we should see the Casio's Exilim EX-Z700, Pentax's K100D, Pentax's Optio S7 and Sony's Cyber-shot T10 before month end.
Meanwhile, leading the chart are Panasonic's Lumix FX01 and TZ1 at the top two spots for July. We also saw a bit of shuffling last month. Sony's Cyber-shot T30, Canon's PowerShot S3 IS and Olympus' Mju 720SW moved a couple of slots down, while Canon's Digital IXUS 800US and Casio's Exilim EX-Z1000 continued to make its way up the list.
Fujifilm's high-ISO shooter--the FinePix F30--remained solidly entrenched in the No. 9 spot, with two new entrants Canon Digital IXUS 60 and Nikon Coolpix S6 making their first Top 10 appearance for July.
Note: Results are based on readership and polls conducted with selected retailers (Alan Photo Trading and Cathay Photo Store) in Singapore.
Top five | Next five cameras | June's top 10
Click here for a feature comparison table.
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1. |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01
CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10
The good: Wide-angle (28mm) lens; wide-aspect video recording at 30fps; dual image stabilization; High Angle LCD; uses same battery and charger as FX9 and FX8.
The bad: No manual features or optical viewfinder; slight barrel distortions at 28mm wide angle; chromatic aberrations in the form of blooming and purple fringing; unable to select desired ISO level in High Sensitivity mode.
The bottom line: The Lumix FX01 proves to be a compact shooter that performs, just like its previous incarnations, though it misses the mark in terms of image quality.
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2. |
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1
CNET Asia rating: 7 out of 10
The good: Firm handgrip on camera facilitates one-hand shooting; familiar and user-friendly menu interface; 10x optical zoom for still and motion image shooting; travel-related functions.
The bad: Removable lens cap a hassle; lack of manual (aperture- and shutter-priority) controls; can shoot a total of only three frames in Fine image quality; slow zoom startup; noisy images beyond ISO 800.
The bottom line: For users who don't care for manual options on a 10x optical zoom camera, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1 is a good choice.
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3. |
Canon Digital IXUS 800 IS
CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10
The good: Great performance and pictures; effective image stabilization; attractive, comfortable design.
The bad: No aperture-priority or shutter-priority modes; awkward optical viewfinder and power button.
The bottom line: The Canon IXUS 800 IS has practically everything you could want in a compact camera, though you might think the price tag a bit steep.
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4. |
Casio Exilim EX-Z1000
CNET Asia rating: 7.4 out of 10
The good: Sturdy body with an elegant design; simple and intuitive interface; continuous shooting with flash; negligible shutter lag.
The bad: Unusable pictures at high ISO settings; effective 2.5-inch screen estate; slow continuous shooting.
The bottom line: The trendy design and user-friendly features manage to steal some thunder from this high-resolution shooter. However, the Exilim EX-Z1000 is still a basic digicam targeted at users who want a high-resolution camera.
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5. |
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T30
CNET Asia rating: 7 out of 10
The good: Large 3-inch LCD screen; optical image stabilization; 58MB of built-in memory.
The bad: Bulkier design; flimsy battery and memory stick compartment cover; camera's back tends to retain fingerprints; slow flash recharge cycle; no unlimited continuous shooting mode; noisy images at ISO 800 and ISO 1,000.
The bottom line: The slightly bulkier Cyber-shot T30 (compared with the Cyber-shot T9) is targeted at those looking for a compact-sized shooter with a large LCD screen.
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Top five | Previous five cameras | June's top 10
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6. |
Canon PowerShot S3 IS
CNET Asia rating: 7.6 out of 10
The good: Comfortable design; 12x optically stabilized zoom; reasonably fast camera; unlimited continuous shooting mode at 1.5fps; 0cm Super Macro mode; uses AA-sized batteries.
The bad: Lens cap a hassle to deal with; small 2-inch LCD monitor; doesn't support RAW formas; ISO 800 pictures unusable.
The bottom line: Like its predecessor, the Canon PowerShot S3 IS is a formidable prosumer with a 12x optical zoom lens and impressive performance.
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7. |
Olympus Mju 720SW
CNET Asia rating: 6.6 out of 10
The good: Solid build quality; waterproof up to 3m and shockproof up to 1.5m; basic onboard image-editing functions.
The bad: No manual controls; no true continuous-shooting mode; noise at higher ISO levels.
The bottom line: The Olympus Mju 720SW is for those who want to carry a snapshot digicam without having to constantly take care of the unit like a baby.
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8. |
Canon Digital IXUS 60
CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10
The good: Excellent image quality; top-notch build quality; quick performance.
The bad: Basic feature set.
The bottom line: Despite its no-frills feature set, the Canon Digital IXUS 60 delivers quality photos and strong performance in a small package.
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9. |
Fujifilm FinePix F30
CNET Asia rating: 7.4 out of 10
The good: Produces usable shots, without digital noise, even at high ISO 1,600 and ISO 3,200 sensitivity levels; aperture- and shutter-priority modes; versatile 2.5-inch LCD.
The bad: Noticeable fringing in photos; lens could be wider.
The bottom line: Low-light shooters will love that the Fujifilm FinePix F30's screen actually lets you see through the darkness and that its high ISOs produce usable photos with acceptable levels of noise.
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10. |
Nikon Coolpix S6
CNET Asia rating: 7 out of 10
The good: Great click wheel; slim design; solid color reproduction.
The bad: Irritating top buttons; extremely limited Wi-Fi capabilities.
The bottom line: The Nikon Coolpix S6 is a stylish performer with a handy control wheel, but its Wi-Fi implementation feels almost like an afterthought.
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