Stuff Photography Supplement | May 2011

GADGETS / GEAR / TECH NOLOGY

PHOTOGRAPHY Everything you need to know about the latest cameras, coolest kit and hottest accessories

CAMERAS | CAMCORDERS | DSLRs | AND MORE May 2011 A Motivate Publication

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Motivate Publishing FZ LLC Building 8, Office 508, Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates email us stuff@motivate.ae surf us www.stuffmag.ae Editor-in-Chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Group Editor & Managing Partner Ian Fairservice Group Senior Editor Gina Johnson Editor Thomas Shambler Senior Designer Clarkwin Cruz Chief Sub Editor Iain Smith Contributors Paul Sterry, Ana Maksic, Roui Francisco General Manager Group Sales Anthony Milne Senior Advertisement Manager Dale Isaac Advertisement Manager Omran Naseem GM – Production and Circulation S. Sasidharan Production Manager C. Sudhakar

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Licensing Director Tim Bulley Licensing Executive Isla Friend Managing Director Kevin Costello Publishing Director Susan O’Hare Editor Fraser Macdonald © All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. Liability: while every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information herein, or any consequence arising from it. In the case of all product reviews, judgements have been made in the context of the equipment available to Stuff at the time of review, and value-for-money comments are based on US$ prices at the time of review, which are subject to fluctuation.

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thomas@motivate.ae | twitter.com/tshams

Back when gadgets were mere novelties, and hard graft still prevailed; cameras were altogether more complicated bits of kit.

The first to shoot like a proper snapper consisted of a large wooden box shrouded in black cloth with a mixture of glass and mirrors inside and, if you were lucky, a bag full of gunpowder to be set alight and used as a flash.

Hardly what you’d want to lug about on a night out with mates. Fast forward a 100 years and it seems everything under the digital sun packs a snapper of some kind.

There’s dinky pocket cams and high-powered DSLRs, along with multitalented mobile phones, tablets and even games consoles, all looking to cash in on the megapixels.

But which is the right camera for you? Turn the page, and let Stuff show you pixel perfection...

04 Canon’s snap-

happy cams Top-notch DSLRs and compacts galore

07 Shooters for

all seasons Panasonic’s photo efforts mean business

19 Multi-coloured

Pentax K-r A dashing red DSLR with snaps just as stylish

22 Nikon knows a

thing or two...

Squeezing topnotch tech into its snappers

28 Camcorders, eh?

These take stunning stills and awesome video, to boot

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ZOOM IN : MID-RANGE DSLR WITH SUPERIOR SHOOTING SKILLS

Canon EOS 600D

Sharp attack The 3in screen is retina-stabbingly sharp thanks to a million-strong pixel count, and the screen flips out too, handy for over-the-hedge paparazzi-style shooting.

US$1,090 | www.canon.com

Hold me tight The 600D is pleasingly light for a full DSLR, but still packs enough heft to hold comfortably in the hand.

Videographer The video mode gives you Hollywoodlevels of crispness, and you can record in 1080p at 24, 25 and 30fps. You can even get close while shooting, via handy 3x digital zoom.

Use with...

Best invest in a high-capacity SD card like SanDisk’s 32 GB Extreme Pro, especially if you shoot in RAW. Just 25 of the 600D’s 18MP RAW files take up 1GB of space.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

Armed with 18 megapixels of RAW shooting power, Canon’s 600D packs some photographic punch for a mid-range DSLR. And it’s no slouch in the video department either; giving you 3x digital zoom while shooting Full HD 1080p video. There’s a 3in flipout LCD screen, handy for over-the-head pap-style

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shooting, wireless flash control and a variety of creative filters, too.

Smart shooter?

If you’re planning on getting into DSLR shooting for the long haul, you can’t do much better than a Canon; along with Nikon, it has the widest range of additional lenses available. The 600D gives you the best of both:

stunning still shots with a good amount of detail and bags of clarity, along with the ability to shoot silky smooth HD video at 30fps.

Tech specs 18MP APS-C CMOS 3.7fps continuous shooting - 1080p video at 30fps -3in LCD wireless flash control

STUFF SAYS

Versatile and powerful in both photo and video departments, plus there’s a huge range of superb lenses

SHOOTING STARS If anyone knows how to make decent snappers it’s Canon, packing advanced shooting features and HD video into everything from entry-level DSLRs to dinky point-and-shoots

Canon IXUS 220 HS US$245

Don’t be fooled by the slim stylings of this super-compact IXUS 220 HS, it packs a huge amount of quality camera tech inside its 18mm casing. There’s 12.1MP shooting, HD movie recording and an assortment of motion and face detection modes. It’s a capable little camera indeed, and cuts a dashing figure in its choice of silver, black, gold or red trims.

Tech specs UÊ12.1MP UÊ 5x optical zoom UÊ ISO 100/3200 UÊ 1280x720 video at 30fps UÊ 2.7in LCD

Canon EOS 1100D US$655

If a pro-level DSLR is too much for your camera skills and wallet, the entry-level 1100D packs a good 12.2MP CMOS sensor and 720p HD video shooting.

The best bit, especially if you’re just finding your photographic feet, are the handy on-screen guides, with explanations of lingo like ‘Aperture Priority’ for those who don’t know their F-stops from their flash.

Tech specs UÊ12.2MP CMOS UÊ built-in flash UÊ 1280x720p video at 30fps UÊ 2.7in LCD

HOW TO TAKE... A GREAT PORTRAIT SHOT STEP 1

Don’t shoot with the sun behind your back, for a few reasons. First, you might cast a shadow across the entire frame darkening your shot and second, the person in shot will probably be squinting at camera. If you have to shoot into the sun, put the flash on so you don’t get a dark subject - this is called fill flash.

STEP 2

It’s always better to get a good shot of your subject than a bad shot of them with some trees and a mountain behind them, so don’t worry about cropping or letting the background go out of focus. If you really want the scenery, pick the smallest aperture you can to keep everything in focus.

STEP 3

If nothing else, the person’s eyes should be sharp as they’re the first things people look at (have a gander at Stuff’s cover if you don’t believe us - where do your eyes travel? No, look up from there...) If your subject is offcentre, choose the focus point nearest to their eyes to keep the important parts looking good.

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ZOOM IN : GPS-ENABLED POWER PORTABLE

Panasonic Lumix TZ20 US$490 | www.panasonic.ae

Touch me Panny gives you both touchscreen and physical controls, that’s the best of both in our eyes.

Zoom to move The TZ20 has a whopping 16x optical zoom, usually reserved for much chubbier compact cams.

Where am I? This pocketfriendly cam has GPS that can geo-tag and identify over half a million locations.

More focus Thanks to clever Power OIS image stabilisation, your snaps and video will come out in focus every time.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

The Panasonic TZ20 is a compact superzoom snapper, a pint-sized camera that totes 16x optical zoom, a bit like having a 25mm to 350mm lens in your pocket, meaning you can capture a wide landscape vista one moment, and close in on a far off detail the next. And it’s not just for stills - you can zoom the full range while

capturing 1080i movies, to boot.

Smart shooter?

Like most Panny cameras, the TZ20 is beautifully easy to use. Want point and shoot? Just flick to Intelligent Auto Mode and it will tweak your snaps for you. The TZ20 also packs a GPS receiver. This allows you to automatically geotag your

photos with ultra-precise coordinates. Why? Well, it means you can plot your holiday snaps on a map when you get home, so in years to come you’ll never forget exactly where you were.

Tech specs 14.1MP U 16x optical zoom U AVCHD 1080i at 50fps U 3in touchscreen U optical image stabilisation

STUFF SAYS

A solid performer and super-simple to use, the TZ20 packs a megazoom along with fantastic GPS capabilities

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ZOOM IN : TANK-LIKE TOUGHCAM

Panasonic Lumix FT3 US$490 | www.panasonic.ae Location, location, location This clutch of sensory wizardry embeds your snaps with location info like air pressure, altitude and nearby landmarks.

Tough but sharp The FT3’s rugged build doesn’t hurt the photo quality; shots look highly detailed with little camera noise.

Tough cookie The FT3 is hard as nails. You can drop it a couple of metres onto a hard surface, dunk it in 12m of water or freeze it down to -10 degrees C.

Action movie star The full HD movie mode gives you full 1080p video - and you can film underwater, which is pretty darn impressive.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

Rugged cameras have been around for years, but the new generation of steelskinned snappers is stepping things up on the feature front - and the Panasonic FT3 is a perfect example.

Not only can this compact camera take a bashing and a splashing, it comes with added GPS capabilities, a compass, an altimeter and

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even a barometer. That’ll do for the holiday snaps.

Smart shooter?

Take a photo with the GPSpacking FT3, and years later you’ll be able to know not only where it was taken, but which direction you were facing, what the air pressure was and how high above sea level you were standing. Do you really need all this info?

Well if you do, the FT3 does a decent job of providing it.

Added features aside, this is still a very capable camera, shots look highly detailed and the 4.6x optical zoom is impressive considering the lens is completely internal.

Tech specs 12.1MP U 1080i video U 4.6x optical zoom U SD (HC/XC) U 2.7in LCD

STUFF SAYS

One tough son of a gun, but backs that up with first class features and strong performance

SHOOTING STARS Panny knows point-and-shoots. That’s why all these slick snappers squeeze mucho megapixels and high-end features into their compact cases

Panasonic Lumix S3 US$155

Cheap and rather cheerful, the Lumix S3 shoves some serious camera smarts between its pebbleshaped shell. The 14.1MP sensor gives you excellent depth and decent colour range in still shots, while 720p video footage is sultry smooth at 30fps.

There’s also a 2.7in LCD under the hood, with Panasonic’s excellent IA autofocus tech built-in.

Panasonic Lumix FH27 US$tba

This is a tiny camera with a little extra zoom, 8x optical to be exact. Add that to the already whopping 16.1MP sensor, 28mm wide-angle lens and optical image stabilisation, and you’ve got a recipe for a successful shooter. There’s a 3in LCD touchscreen around the back, and it handles HD video recording of the 720p variety.

Panasonic Lumix FP7 US$280

Beneath the FP7’s slim stylings lies an awful lot of ultra-smart camera tech. It pairs a much-improved 16MP sensor with 4x optical zoom for stunning still images, and even does 720p video recording, too. The 3in LCD touchscreen makes navigating through your snaps a doddle, while Panny’s speedy autofocus will turn any photo noob into a pro-level snapper.

HOW TO TAKE... A GREAT ACTION SHOT WITH A RUGGED CAMERA STEP 1 Don’t be afraid to get in close. Of course, you don’t want to put yourself in any danger (it’s never a good idea to stand that close to a pack of bloodthirsty lions), but use the zoom to crop in really close to fill the frame.

STEP 2 For a great shot, you’ll need to play around with shutter speeds. Slower 1/60th of a second will give some blur (depending on the speed of the action) - and a blur conveys a sense of movement. Try 1/30th for a decent balance.

STEP 3 Try the burst mode available on most cameras.

Taking a sequence of action shots not only gives you a better chance of capturing the right moment, but you could end up with a cool sequence that tells a story.

STEP 4 Don’t fret over the small stuff. If your shot’s a little out of focus, or you’ve chopped the head off your subject, change your settings, move location and try again. Photography is 90 per cent perspiration, and 10 per cent inspiration.

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ZOOM IN : PHOTO-EDITING SLIMLINE SNAPPER

Panasonic Lumix FX78 US$395 | www.panasonic.ae Complete control Panny has loaded its pocket cam with all manner of editing features, like retouching faces, teeth whitening and skin texture improvements.

Mean screen The 3.5in high-res touchscreen makes viewing your snaps a doddle, not to mention editing that much easier.

Automatic is OK While you can get some great results by messing about with your camera’s settings, remember to set it back to automatic mode when you’re done. Taking a great photograph is often about capturing a moment, and if you’re fiddling around with settings, there’s every chance you’ll miss it.

Protect your image This cam packs an all-new 12MP high-speed CCD sensor with Panny’s Venus Engine FHD processing for seriously sharp images.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

The large 3.5in touchscreen dominates the back of this supremely pocketable snapper, making it easy to check your snaps after every shot. It’s more important, however, when you start using the FX78’s many editing abilities, where you can whiten your subject’s teeth, add make-up to portrait shots as well as Art

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Retouch, which lets you fiddle with brightness and saturation levels.

Smart shooter?

The added editing features are sweet, but not much good if the camera takes rubbish snaps. But that’s not a problem for the FX78, which pairs a 12MP sensor with 24mm wide-angle lens.

This combo gives you high-

speed burst shooting full resolution at 3.7fps and full 1080p HD movie mode in AVCHD format. There’s also Panny’s excellent Intelligent Auto mode for fuss-free shooting.

Tech specs 12MP U 1080p video U 3.7fps burst mode U 5x optical zoom U 24mm wide-angle lens U full editing suite

STUFF SAYS

This fully-fledged compact cam takes great shots, but where it really shines is the in-camera editing suite

ZOOM IN : DINKY DSLR-LIKE POCKET-CAM

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 US$735 | www.panasonic.ae Smalls in As we write this, the Panasonic GF2 is the world’s smallest swappable-lens camera on the planet. And yep, it does feel tiny next to the likes of Samsung’s NX100 and the E-Pen range from Olympus.

Turbo-charged focus Autofocus is lightning fast, putting the sloth-like focus of other cams to shame.

Spot the difference The GF2 looks much like its predecessor, the GF1, but there are a few handy changes like the rear-facing touchscreen and much trimmer body.

Hidden away There’s a built-in pop-up flash, thankfully, so you’re not forced to use high ISOs in murky conditions.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

The GF2 does feel tiny compared to DSLRs and even most Micro Four Thirds cameras, especially fitted with the dinky 14mm pancake lens. No, it’s not the first interchangeable lens camera to be shrunk to the fabled “pocket-size” level, but you could undoubtedly wedge the GF2 into a large jacket pocket.

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Smart shooter?

We’re impressed that Panasonic managed to pack so much top-notch camera tech into a body this small, squeezing a 12.1MP sensor and all the manual controls you’ll ever need. Image quality is on par with other Panasonic Micro Four Thirds cams and photos are in the DSLR ballpark, in terms of detail and colour. It does

1080p HD video too, and those videos are sharp and crisp with smooth motion – just about as good as you’ll get right now from a camera.

But that’s really just a bonus from a mightily impressive micro-SLR. Tech specs 12.1MP - 1080p video at 30fps - 3in touchscreen SD(HC) - ISO 100-6,400

STUFF SAYS

An almost-DSLR camera shrunk into the tiny package you see here, without killing the quality.

It must be magic!

SHOOTING STARS These cameras have big zooms, speedy settngs, wide-angle lenses and a few more surprises stuffed into their sleek stylings

Panasonic Lumix LX5 US$545

The large Leica lens that dominates the front of Panasonic’s new Lumix LX5 isn’t the only design debt the Japanese camera-maker owes the German giant. It’s styled with the rugged charm of a classic rangefinder, with enough heft, dials, switches and buttons to make even the most modern snapper fall for this 10.1MP, 720p-shooting legend.

Panasonic Lumix FP5

NEED TO KNOW Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds (or MFT for short) is a new lens mount system developed by Panasonic and Olympus, which already uses the Four Thirds system.

1

It doesn’t use a mirror and prism to reflect light into the sensor like a traditional DSLR does, which means both the lenses and the camera can be smaller.

2

Without the prism, these cameras don’t make such a nice chunkchik noise when you take a picture. but it does have a much-bigger DSLR-like sensor over compacts.

3

US$tba

It used to be that slim snappers traded picture quality and megapixels for their slim stylings.

Not anymore. As the FP5 will prove, it packs an excellent 14MP sensor into its trim casing, along with 4x optical zoom and the same optical image stabilisation found on bigger cams.

There’s even a 3in touchscreen round the back, handy for scrolling through your many snaps.

You can, with an adaptor, use your existing Four Thirds system lenses... right up tot he crazy three-foot telephotos; a favourite of the paps.

4

Panasonic Lumix FH25 US$235

The FH25 is the workhorse of Panny’s pocket cam line-up; not quite the star of the snapper show, but filled to the brim with useful photo features, like 720p HD movie recording, a 2.7in LCD screen, and optical image stabilisation. And the proof is in the photographic pudding, with the FH25 able to produce pixelperfect shots thanks to a 16MP sensor and wide-angle lens.

Get closer In photos of people, the subjects can often be lost amidst too much background. Get close to your subject to make sure they are the focus of your shot, and position them to one side of the frame, not dead centre.

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ZOOM IN : MICRO FOUR THIRDS MACHINE

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 US$1,770| www.panasonic.ae

Touchy feely We love touch-friendly screens. You can simply tap the GH2’s touchscreen LCD to set the focus and metering points; very useful indeed.

Twist and shoot The screen is nice and sharp, and can be twisted to face any angle; a boon when framing shots above your head.

That’s quality Picture and video quality are both solid; colours are bright and details are sharp at lower ISOs.

Fancy a flash?

The pop-up flash is handy when shooting indoors and when the sun dips below the horizon.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

The Panasonic GH2 is a Micro Four Thirds camera. It’s not as diminutive as its brother, the Panasonic GF2, but its chunkier shape, fully adjustable screen and electronic viewfinder make it arguably easier to handle.

The grip on the right, coupled with the camera’s rubberised finish and viewfinder, make taking snaps a doddle.

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Smart shooter?

While the Panasonic GH2 doesn’t quite offer the same level of performance from dedicated DSLRs, it’s very easy to take great shots with, whether you’re an old hand or young pretender, you can grab the GH2 and be instantly able to use it.

Designed for all types of photography, this cam succeeds brilliantly, helped in

part by the slick menu system and LCD touchscreen.

There’s the Q.Menu button for rapid adjustment of aperture, ISO and the like, and for those less comfy withmanual controls there’s Panny’s excellent IA mode.

Tech specs 16MP U 1080p HD video in AVCHD U 3in touchscreen U electronic viewfinder

STUFF SAYS

Gives you fussfree, high-quality photography and swappablelenses; handy for noobs and vets alike

Dhs 30 Dhs 115

Dhs 62 Dhs 225

Dhs 109 Dhs 555

Dhs 29 Dhs 129

Dhs 62

Dhs 49

Dhs 59 Dhs 230

Dhs 99

ZOOM IN: MICRO FOUR THIRDS MARVEL

Olympus PEN E-PL2 US$tba | www.olympus.com Fast focus Previous PENs have been sluggish to autofocus, but not the E-PL2. It’s definitely a gear or two above its predecessors.

Get in the picture It’s the best PEN so far for image quality; at its lowest ISO 200 sensitivity setting it produces shots with stiletto sharpness.

Look, don’t touch The screen isn’t touch-sensitive, which is a shame, but it’s sharper than the LCDs on older PENs thanks to a higher pixel count.

Get the right kit The brand new 14-42mm lens matches the old one for compactness but feels far less cheap and plasticky when you give it a twist.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

When it comes to dinky cameras with swappable lenses, the Olympus PEN range has been the pioneer of Micro Four Thirds snappers.

This is an improvement from the original PEN, with an improved kit lens, higher-res screen, speedy autofocus and a brand new aluminium shell a big improvement over the previous’ plastic frame.

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Smart shooter?

But what about picture quality? Well, we reckon it’s the best PEN so far on that front, too. At its lowest ISO it produces amazing shots with no trace of speckly noise. Colours are vibrant, and these virtues are carried into the E-PL2’s video performance, it offers 720p HD that looks gorgeous - but you’ll have to whack on the

official external mic for stereo sound - as the onboard one is plain old mono. For our money, both Sony and Panasonic produce some slick swappable lens cameras, but the E-PL2 certainly deserves a place at the top table.

Tech specs 12.3MP U 720p video at 30fps U 3in LCD U SD(HC/XC)

STUFF SAYS

The mightiest PEN so far: gorgeous, user friendly, great shots and a top performer all round

SHOOTING STARS Need a camera? Olympus has your back no matter what your preference, be it tank-like toughcams, superzoom compacts or pint-sized pockatables

Olympus XZ-1 US$660

Most compact cameras are pretty hopeless at low-light shooting, forcing you to use a flash in murkier conditions. Not so the Olympus XZ-1, according to its makers: with its bright F1.8 Zuiko lens, dual image stabiliser and ultra-sensitive CCD sensor, it should make shooting in dingy clubs and on gloomy evenings a piece of cake.

JARGON BUSTER cameras Noise Without enough light, the sensor will create a speckled, grainy, ‘noisy’ image.

1

Depth of field A short depth of field allows for sharp subjects and blurry backgrounds. A longer one is useful for landscapes, as it will keep a greater amount of scene in focus.

2

ISO The light sensitivity of a camera. A higher ISO allows you to take photos in low light situations without a flash, but also increases noise and reduces detail.

3

Olympus Touch TG-810 US$430

Cameras don’t come much tougher than this. Thanks to its sealed suit of armour, the Olympus Tough 8010 is able to shrug off a 2m drop onto hard ground, 100kg of pressure, -10 degree temperatures and dunkings of up to 10m in water.

The perfect 14MP snapper to accompany your next bungie.

Kit lens The standard lens that comes bundled with most DSLR-type cameras, usually a lightweight standard zoom covering the wideangle to medium telephoto range.

4

Olympus Super Zoom SZ-30MR US$480

You have two lenses (eyes) and one processor (brain), so you can see in 3D. But you can’t see two images at once like the SZ-30 can, because it has one lens (and one 16MP sensor) and two processors. So it can shoot two simultaneous Full HD movies, which can then be made into 3D. Quite possibly amazing, just like you.

Micro Four Thirds, SLT SLRs use a moving mirror to feed their optical viewfinders; MFTs ditch this for compactness, and SLTs use a translucent mirror instead for improved speed.

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ZOOM IN : MID-RANGE DSLR IN A DASHING RED HUE

Pentax K-r

Held back The K-r body is study and chunky enough to sit snugly in your hand.

It’s very ‘old school DSLR’ and that’s no bad thing.

US$990 | www.pentax.com Great shakes At lower ISOs the K-r’s picture quality is superb, even with the standard 18-55mm kit lens attached.

Video Jobsworth The 720p video quality is nothing to write home about, but it does the job. Needless to say, budding Scorseses will be opting for something else.

Battery versatile The Pentax K-r accepts either its rechargeable battery or four standard AAs. That means you can whack in some batteries if you’re out of juice.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

Pentax might be a notch behind Canon, Nikon and Sony in the DSLR market, but the K-r demonstrates that there’s life in the old dog yet.

This new mid-range camera feels like a premium version of the K-x released last year, using the same sensor but boosting the build quality and performance. Take ISO, for example, this soars all the way

up to 25,600 (almost double most mid-range DSLRs).

Smart shooter?

At lower ISO levels the picture quality is superb, while in-body image stabilisation means you get anti-shake tech for any lens you attach, too. The kit lens is a great performer, and less plasticky than most, and the controls are nicely situated -

there’s no need to contort your fingers or dip into the menu screens to change settings aroud. The chunky mode adds Sv, or sensitive priority, into the mix. In this mode, you set your desired ISO and the camera works out the rest - clever idea.

Tech specs 12.5MP U 720p HD video U 3in LCD U SD (HC)

STUFF SAYS

A dependable DSLR sidekick with some handy extras, and the crazy colours don’t hurt either

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ZOOM IN: STELLAR SUPERZOOM COMPACT

Ricoh CX5 US$430 | www.ricoh.com Get creative There’s a handy creative mode that adds effects to your shots, including grainy black and white, fake HDR and Lomo-style cross.

To be continued The Ricoh’s continuous mode is exceptional, which shoots full 10MP shots at around 5fps. Not to be sniffed at.

Maze of menus The 3in 920,000-pixel screen is so big and bright it makes even the CX5’s massively detailed menu screens look good.

Ready for my close-up The 10.7x optical zoom lens works well, and you can zoom another 2x further thanks to ‘super resolution’ mode.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

Ricoh might not be the la-dida big name in the camera world, but it has been churning out lovely compact snappers for years, and this new superzoom is no exception.

The fifth model in the CX series, the CX5 (see what they did there?) looks much the same as its predecessors: matte black exterior and large retractable lens on the front.

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Smart shooter?

The brick-like metal construction feels good, with an ultra-sharp 3in screen around the back. There’s much to admire here: and the whole thing can be slipped into your jeans without too much discomfort. Ricoh has slapped a new contrast autofocus on the CX5, and it’s lightning fast; in good light it locks on in under a second.

Stills are crisp and clear, with generally low noise up to ISO 1600. All in all, this is a great little superzoom that gives a good account of itself next to the Nikons and Canons of the world.

Tech specs 10MP U 720p video U 3in LCD U 10.7x optical zoom U SD(HC)

STUFF SAYS

A solid, dependable and versatile superzoom; it’s a nice alternative

ZOOM IN : PHOTOGRAPHY DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS

Nikon D5100 US$tba | www.nikon.com Be your guide Want to master the basics quickly? Nikon’s handy ‘guide’ mode will show you how to get the best shots from your DSLR. Sensation The Nikon D5100 packs the same 16.2MP CMOS sensor as its bigger pro-level brother, the D7000.

That means stunning RAW images even in low-light.

Use with...

Start papping away with the D5100’s gorgeous 16.2MP CMOS sensor, and you’ll appreciate the need for a super-speedy high capacity memory card. SanDisk’s 64GB Ultra SDXC card is this cam’s perfect partner.

Micro Four whatsit The much-improved high-resolution 3in swivel screen will make the most of your 1080p HD flicks. It articulates too, making it easier to survey your shots.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

The sequel to the muchloved D5000, this camera borrows a lot of features that made its big brother the D7000 a winner, while offering a slew of cool new features. There’s the same 16.2MP sensor as its big bro, with an improved 3in swivel screen and a range of handy special effects that work with both photos and video.

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Smart shooter?

The EXPEED 2 processor that powers this photographic powerhouse really shines when taking RAW images, while its superior Night Portrait mode delivers up to a staggering 102,400 ISO sensitivity. And that’s just the stills. This DSLR packs top-notch video skills, including crisp 1080p HD

video at the flick of a switch.

The special effects, like Miniature Mode, Colour Sketch and Selective Colour are fun to play around with, and an excellent addition to this well-rounded shooter.

Tech specs 16MP CMOS U 4fps continuous shooting U 1080p video at 30fps U 3in articulated LCD U SDXC

STUFF SAYS

A fine DSLR that’s both versatile and powerful, not to mention the range of comprehensive and superb lenses available

SHOOTING STARS Want pixel-perfect shooters that fit in your pocket? Nikon has the answer, in not one but three different models that pack big photographic smarts into compact casings

Nikon Coolpix S9100 US$435

The ultra-slim Coolpix S9100 packs a massive 18x superzoom lens, the likes of which most telephoto-laden paparazzi would sell shots of their mothers for. There’s 1080p video skills, along with stereo audio capture for better sound, and a back-illuminated 12.1MP CMOS sensor. A backlit sensor will give you better low-light performance, without introducing more grain into night-time shots.

Nikon Coolpix P500 US$545

More zoom, sir? How’s 36x for you? That’s what the P100’s replacement is offering, alongside the 12.2MP CMOS sensor with wide-angle lens, 5x optical zoom, and 4-way VR image stabilisation makes taking speed shots a doddle, while 1080p HD video is available with the touch of a button. There’s 18 different scene modes, for pro-level style shots, and even a macro mode that lets you get up to 2cm close to your subject.

Nikon Coolpix S1100pj US$410

Want to spruce up your holiday slideshow? Nikon has given this loudly-coloured pocket cam its very own projector, letting you display your snaps on any wall you please. With all that talk of projection, it’s easy to forget this it’s still a very capable camera, too. There’s a 14.1MP sensor, 5x zoom and an LCD touchscreen on the back, plus a number of in-camera editing modes for a bit of post shot tweaking.

NOW ADD THESE Lexar professional 600x CompactFlash from US$110 www.lexar.com Yes, we know memory cards are important, but speed matters too. These pro-level CompactFlash cards are blazing fast, making it easier to transfer your shots.

Lexar Professional 133x SDXC from US$45 www.lexar.com Designed for sustained, rapid-fire picture taking and full-motion HD video, this tiny card can give you a whopping 128GB of storage space in a space.

Lexar Echo ZE Backup Drive from US$20 www.lexar.com Quite possibly the smallest USB drive ever seen, this one packs up to 32GB of movies, music and images into trim shell. There’s even handy automatic backup skills.

Lexar 400x CompactFlash from US$75 www.lexar.com You might say the boffins over at Lexar know a thing or two about memory.

How else would they have known how to stuff up to 32GB of storage onto a CompactFlash card?

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ZOOM IN : RETRO-STYLED HYBRID SNAPPER

Fujifilm FinePix X100 US$tba | www.fujifilm.com Old school The design is beautifully retro very 1950s with a wealth of gnarled knobs and engraved, paint-filled logos.

Leica light It’s a lot lighter than you might think, especially if you’ve ever used a Leica. The use of magnesium where old Leicas had brass gives it minimal weight.

Lens wear The 23mm lens is considered the ideal focal length for street photography.

It’s super-sharp at every aperture, starting from a very fast f2.

Find your focus The autofocus is impressively nippy, putting all those sluggish compact system cameras to shame.

BEHIND THE LENS Picture this...

The Fujifilm FinePix X100 is a very special camera, indeed. It’s a compact you see, but not as you know it. It looks like an old Leica rangefinder, has a lens that won’t zoom no matter how much you fiddle with it, and houses an SLR-quality sensor with a unique hybrid viewfinder.

In a word, it’s class.

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Smart shooter?

The viewfinder is unique, featuring an optical finder with a digital overlay that can be switched to all digital.

It works a treat, as does the 12.3MP APS-C sensor.

That’s the same as most digital SLRs, and 40 per cent bigger than Four Thirds cameras. That means it does an amazing job of noise reduction in

low-light, with minimal grain up to ISO 12800.

Colours and detail are also absolutely outstanding. It’s like a digital Leica rangefinder, it makes photography a whole lot more fun.

Tech specs 12.3MP APS-C U 720p HD video U optical viewfinder U 2.8in LCD U SDXC

STUFF SAYS

Wonderfully retro, but with performance that’s right up there with today’s best

SHOOTING STARS Fujifilm’s FinePix range does exactly what it says on the tin, but it’s not just the photos that are fine, the cameras are some of the best and most powerful around

Fujifilm FinePix HS20 US$570

If Lord of the Rings was set in a photography studio, the FinePix HS20 would be one camera to rule them all. It’s the ultimate all in one, using superior sensitivity, its high speed sensor and massive 30x optical zoom to create stunning stills with the Fuji’s 16MP lens. It can record video at full 1080p, and boasts a heady mix of sensors and processing tech to give every flick its Hollywood-style.

Fujifilm FinePix F550 US$410

It may not look anything out of the ordinary, but this Fujifilm is packing EXR technology that promises to make your snaps anything but average. With a 16MP CMOS sensor, the built-in EXR tech is essentially an auto mode that gives you the best image quality, regardless of picture size. Meaning, in bad light this clever cam will drop the image size down to accommodate a higher ISO - without the noise that comes with it.

Fujifilm FinePix XP20 US$520

This stylish-looking toughcam is nigh unbreakable, and packs a ridiculous amount of features into its tank-like shell. The camera is waterproof down to 3m, shockproof to drops up to 1m and freezeproof down to -10C. But being able to survive the Armageddon is one thing, being able to take decent snaps is another. Thankfully, with a 14MP sensor and HD-quality video recording, it doesn’t disappoint.

NOW ADD THESE Epson Stylus BX625FWD US$325 www.epson.com An acceptable allrounder for printing photos and text, and it works unusually well with your digital camera. It packs fast black text printing and 5760x1440 optimized dpi.

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Epson Stylus P50 US$190 www.epson.com Epson’s top-ofthe-range photo printer takes aim at your shots with its perfect pixel printing. It uses individual ink cartridges for better, more vivid colours instead of the bland blends.

Epson Stylus Photo PX660 US$190 www.epson.com This all-in-one packs a smart-navigation touch-panel that lets you scan, copy and print. Better still, you’ll never need to develop again thanks to its glossy-quality photos.

Epson Stylus Photo PX720WD US$270 www.epson.com Billed as an all-in-one for photo-lovers, this Epson printer is very easy to use and serves up the conventional mix of CMYK dye-based inks, with light cyan and magenta.

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<"" Ê Ê:ÊKILLER CAMCORDER THAT SHOOTS IN EYE-POPPING 3D

JVC Everio GS-TD1 US$1,905 | www.jvc.com

Clever auto The intelligent auto mode is perfect for straightforward shooting. It’s so good that you’ll rarely need to twiddle with the camcorder’s manual controls.

Don’t flip-out Flip out the LCD when you’re in 3D mode and you’ll be treated to a live preview of the 3D effect. No wonky glasses needed.

Get closer The 10x optical zoom comes in handy for faraway shooting, although this does flatten out the 3D effect somewhat.

Look into my eyes The twin lenses give you the best of 3D and standard video, unlike current conversion kit lenses.

Better yet, it takes 3D stills.

Ê/ Ê Picture this...

JVC has topped its popular Everio range with a strangelooking beast. Its twin lens design makes it look a bit like Wall-E, but those eyes are the secret behind this camcorder’s effortlessly brilliant 3D capture. It uses twin lenses and sensors, giving you all the benefits of a standard camcorder while shooting in 3D.

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Smart shooter?

The TD1 gives you the option to record two independent streams as well as the popular sideby-side format - this means you can get true 1920x1080 HD in 3D, unlike most other 3D-capable cams that cut it in half to 720p. And the fun doesn’t stop there; the TD1 also packs a 3.5in 3D-ready

touchscreen, meaning you can preview your shots just after you’ve recorded them. That way, you can check whether the multidimensional effect is working as intended.

Tech spec Full 1080p HD 3D video UÊ10x optical zoom U 3.5in 3D touchscreen U 64GB HDD U 675g

-/1 Ê- 9-Ê

The best 3D camcorder currently available, and a capable performer in any dimension, even on stills

SHOOTING STARS Yes, we know these are all camcorders. But apart from being able to handle high-quality HD video, they take smashing still shots too. Honest...

JVC GZ-HM970 US$1,145

This clever camcorder lets you shoot in boring old two dimensions, then play your video back in 3D, thanks to handy built-in 2D-to-3D conversion.

The 3.5in touchscreen screen is 3D-friendly too, letting you watch your multidimensional movies without special glasses, and there’s even a 32GB hard drive stashed inside (expandable via SD card slot). Apart from being able to handle 1080p high-def video recording with its 10x optical zoom, it also takes decent 10MP snaps thanks to its CMOS sensor.

JVC GZ-HM965 US$1060

Can one pocket-friendly camcorder really offer all things to all people? It certainly seems that way with the HM965 (the HM970’s little brother). It too packs 2D-to-3D conversion, along with the 3.5in 3D-capable touchscreen and 32GB hard drive. The CMOS sensor gives you stunning low light performance, while the 29.5mm wide-angle lens is more than enough to catch junior’s first steps on file. And with 15x dynamic or a whopping 200x digital zoom, you’re not going to mind filming from afar.

JVC GZ-HM855 US$790

The JVC HM855 packs more video features than you can shake an Oscar at, with every recording, recognition, editing and focus feature ever made seemingly squashed between its trim casing. Where do we start? It packs Full 1080p video recording, naturally, along with a 3.5in LCD screen and 16GB flash memory, for stashing your vids when done recording. And then there’s the bucket loads of built-in software, like facial recognition, the smile meter, advanced image stabiliser, and time laps recording mode.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR CAMCORDERS Size The marketing folk think smaller is better. That’s not always true. Try models in advance to ensure they’re comfortable in the hand and make sure you don’t need the slender digits of an elf to be able to operate them.

Storage A combo of internal memory and removable media is common, but some are SD or Memory Stick-only. If you go for memory only, use the fastest and most capacious cards you can afford.

Optical zoom Optical zoom has no illeffect on your movies, unlike digital zoom, which can add grain, noise and lower the resolution. Ignore digital zoom claims (and hybrid-zoom talk), and look for a model with high optical zooms.

Price Consider what sort of movies you’ll be shooting: if it’s YouTube-style then don’t break the bank, go for a pocket-friendly easy-to-use cam. If your ambition is to reach Hollywood, you will need greater investment.

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SHOOTING STARS Yes, we know these are all camcorders. But apart from being able to handle high-quality HD video, they take smashing still shots too. Honest...

JVC GZ-HD520 US$550

What’s better than catching little Jimmy taking his first steps on camera?

Recording a hundred hours of the little tyke falling over afterwards. That’s where JVC’s HD520 comes in, packing a built-in 120GB hard drive for up to 50 hours of home movie storage. There’s also a mammoth 40x optical zoom and full 1080p HD video recording, for high quality stumbles. Throw in a Konica’s Minolta lens, and you’ll be set ‘till graduation.

JVC GZ-HM650 US$490

This tiny little HM650 gives other pocket cams a real run for their megapixels, giving you picture quality and low-light performance to rival most bigger camcorders. There’s 40x optical zoom, almost unheard of in a shell this small, a handy 2.7in touchscreen, advanced image stabiliser, and 8GB built-in flash memory (expandable via SD). And thanks to JVC’s own Super LoLux technology, your pixelperfect video will boast buckets of colour.

JVC GZ-HM445 US$410

Compact camcorders can now shoot HD to rival their big brothers, and JVC’s HM445 is no exception to that rule.

Proving that just because it sports a tiny shell, it can stand up to the video big boys, with a whopping 40x optical zoom, a 2.7in touchscreen, full HD video and SD card slot for easy storage. It even has easy upload skills, letting you send your latest video of your cat to the likes of YouTube and Facebook with the click of a button.

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HOW TO TAKE great video STEP 1 Give your shots variety.

Too many similarly framed scenes will make your movie look repetitive.

You need to mix things up with wide shots to establish where your subjects are, and then add medium and close-ups for depth and character.

STEP 2 Use short, sharp clips.

You might dream of recreating Scorsese’s Goodfellas tracking shots, but it’s usually better to keep the length of the clips short and sweet.

It provides pace and interest - and if you enjoy the editing process, it’ll keep you occupied for longer.

STEP 3 Auto mode will ensure watchable footage, but you could be more creative by playing with exposure and shutter speeds, or shooting in black-and-white mode.

Auto will put everything into focus, so why not switch to manual and knock the background out of focus?

STEP 4 Most camcorders have a quick-start setting.

This enables you to fling open the LCD screen and start filming straight away. It’s an invaluable mode, especially if you don’t want to miss important, oncein-a-lifetime shots.

/GADGETS /GEAR /TECHNOLOGY /ONLINE

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HAPPY SNAPPERS Yes, we know these are all camcorders. But apart from being able to handle high-quality HD video, they take smashing still shots too. Honest...

JVC GZ-MS150 US$245

This camcorder has been built with YouTube in mind, which explains the rather disappointing lack of proper HD shooting skills. Still, it’ll handle the odd video of your nan falling asleep down the back of the sofa, which you can shoot from afar thanks to its 40x optical zoom. There’s an image stabiliser, for when she wakes up and chases you with her cane, and easy one-click upload function so your mates on Facebook can enjoy the fun too.

JVC GZ-HM30 US$325

How JVC managed to make the simple rectangle a beautiful thing is beyond us. Minimal protrusions and a stylish colour finish are the standout style touches with this HD shooter, along with a 2.7in LCD. There’s also great YouTube integration with the included PC software, handy for the impressive HD video it shoots in full 1080p. The HM30 uses SD/SDHC cards to capture its video and stills, an 8GB card can hold up to 40 minutes of Full HD.

NOW ADD THESE SanDisk Ultra SDHC card US$60 www.sandisk.com This baby can store thousands of photos before you have to think about deleting any of your masterpieces, not to mention quite a bit of hi-def video too.

Stock up on extra cards though, you never know when you’ll need them.

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SanDisk ImageMate reader US$55 www.sandisk.com Keep your footage and stills neatly stowed on your PC using this Windows and Mac compatible USB card reader.

It accepts a variety of SD, SDHC and microSD cards, very handy if you own multiple shooters.

Velbon Sherpa 200R US$75 www.velbon.com If you take more shots than a Japanese tourist, then get one of these.

They’re weirdlooking things we know, but they don’t half fold away neatly.

This threelegged tripod is lightweight and extends to 160.5cm.

Apple MacBook Pro US$1,520 www.apple.com Apple’s aluminum-clad 3in laptop is powered by Intel Core 2 Duo chips, Nvidia graphics and a 250GB hard drive, more than enough to fulfil your portable video editing needs.

Genius

SLR CAMERAS

Pro photographers would use nothing less, but what’s so great about SLR cameras, and what witchcraft goes on inside those mysterious black cases? Let’s find out…

WHAT IS AN SLR?

A Single-Lens Reflex camera, with a viewfinder that sees through the lens.

WHY WOULD I WANT ONE?

Compacts are simple to use, but SLRs offer greater control. Lenses can be changed, a viewfinder allows you to quickly compose photos without looking at a screen, and sensors are superior.

3

HOW DO THEY WORK? Light enters the camera through the lens 1 and hits the mirror 2 directly behind it.

The mirror reflects the light upwards towards a pentaprism (or pentareflector) 3 which corrects the image so that you see what the lens sees. This system means that SLR viewfinders provide an accurate rendition of the resulting photograph.

4 5

Press the shutter release button… and the mirror swings up, the aperture sets to the correct width and a shutter 4 in front of the image sensor opens, allowing light from the lens to fall onto it. The image sensor 5 converts the light into electrical impulses that are manipulated by the SLR’s processor and recorded to a memory card. Snaps are then stored either as compressed JPGs or uncompressed RAW files.

INTERCHANGEABLE LENSES

There are lenses for every type of photo. Focal length affects how much of a subject is captured. Short focal lengths (eg. 24mm) capture light from a wider area and are, in effect, “zoomed out”. Long focal lengths (eg. 115mm) are “zoomed in”, accepting light

from a tightly cropped area. Lenses with wider maximum apertures (f2.8 or less) are referred to as “faster”, because they let in more light and thus let you use higher shutter speeds.

Prime lenses have set focal lengths (they don’t zoom) and suffer less distortion.

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2

1

24mm

115mm

WHAT ABOUT...

SLRs with Live View?

In Live View, the mirror and shutter are held out of the way so that the sensor can feed the screen with pictures. Shooting this way is slow because most SLRs need to close their shutters before taking a snap, and also because they use their mirrors for autofocusing.

And video?

In some respects SLRs have a head start when it comes to video, thanks to quality lenses and sensors. However, to record video, the camera must also have sufficient grunt to compress each frame and string them into a sequence. The challenge increases with higher frame rates and hi-def.

A great story is in the detail.

Tell your story in spectacular resolution on the new Canon EOS 550D. 18 MP and full HD movie with manual control means that every element of your story, still or moving, is captured in stunning detail.

With high ISO performance for low light conditions, 9 point auto focus system and 3.7 frames per second continuous shooting capability, the Canon EOS 550D lets you take stories your way.

Follow the full story at http://www.canon-me.com/takestories/ http://www.canon-europe.com/eflenses/

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