Canon Ixus 1000 HS Review

It’s 10 years since the first Digital Ixus camera, and Canon has marked the occasion with the launch of the 1000 HS. The number 10 is a running theme, defining the megapixel rating and the zoom range. Even the video mode records at 1080p (pronounced ten-eighty-p, in case you’re wondering).

We’ve got little time for marketing gimmicks, but in this case, the 10 theme makes a lot of practical sense. 10 megapixels strikes a sensible balance between detail and noise levels, and the back-illuminated sensor design (where the electronic circuits don’t get in the way of the light path) bodes particularly well for noise. Meanwhile, the 10x zoom lens nudges this camera into ultra-zoom territory – perfect for sightseeing, sports and nature photography, as well as capturing candid portraits. It’s not the brightest of lenses, with an f/3.5-5.6 aperture, but that’s par for the course for this type of camera. More disappointingly, the lens is lacking when it comes to wide-angle photography, starting at 36mm. Rival cameras manage anything from 30mm to 24mm, capturing a much wider field of view.

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS Review

Compact ultra-zoom cameras are perfect for people who want to expand their photographic horizons but don’t want to lug an SLR-shaped camera around. The Canon SX130 IS is amongst the cheapest ultra-zoom compacts, undercutting most rivals by £50 to £100. It’s not completely without company at this price, though. The excellent Samsung WB600 has fallen in price since we reviewed it and is now available for around £150 too.

Although the WB600 shows few signs of cost-cutting, the SX130 IS’s budget price is more obvious. Its batteries are the main giveaway. We used to think of AA batteries as a mixed blessing but these days we’re less forgiving. The advantage is that it’s cheap and easy to buy additional batteries. In practice, the downsides are more significant. AA batteries are heavier, bulkier and more hassle to charge than a Li-ion cell. They also make flash photography very slow – full-power flash shots were 15 seconds apart in our tests. We found that the SX130 IS warned of low batteries for a long time before they actually ran out. It’s not a disaster but it was a little distracting. It’s also important to note that rechargeable batteries and a charger aren’t included in the box. By the time you’ve budgeted for them, the SX130 IS costs around £20 more than the WB600.

The camera itself is much larger and heavier than other compact ultra-zoom cameras. At 46mm from its lens to its screen, it’ll only fit into generously proportioned pockets. The bulbous plastic design feels reassuringly solid but it’s no looker.

The upside of the big, curvy design is that it’s extremely comfortable to hold, with a raised metal grip on the front allowing stable one-handed shooting. It also provides room for lots of controls alongside the spacious 3in screen. Face detection and exposure compensation get dedicated buttons, and we’re happy to see that ISO speed is easily accessible by pressing the top of the navigation pad. The pad doubles as a wheel, speeding up operation where large changes to settings are needed, such as shutter speed or focus. The wheel’s design could be better though – the pressure needed to rotate it sometimes resulted in us pressing it in, inadvertently selecting one of the four button functions.

Source Article by : http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/digital-cameras

Canon EOS 60D Review

Canon EOS 60D Review based on a production Canon EOS 60D Canon's X0D series has throughout its life appealed to a wide range of photographers, from enthusiasts and semi-pros through to some pros who appreciated having a lightweight option. Each model offered a high enough specification (usually in terms of build quality and AF sophistication) to ensure it was both aspirational and attainable for users who had out-grown their Rebel/XX0D series. However, the feature set always left a sizeable gap below the company's full-blown 'pro' models.

Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR Review

Canon EOS 550D Digital SLR

Canon's new mid-range flagship builds on the popular EOS500D by squeezing in an 18Mp CMOS sensor and a top sensitivity of ISO6,400, improved movie capabilities and a higher resolution screen amongst other improvements into the same-sized body. Here we'll take a look at whether it's worth the current asking price of £749 for the body only, or £899 with the 18-55mm IS F/3.5-5-6 lens., but at a much lower price point.

Canon releases PowerShot G12 premium compact

Canon releases PowerShot G12 premium compact

          Canon today announces the new PowerShot G12 – the latest model in the multi award-winning PowerShot G-series trusted by professional photographers the world over. The new model offers photographers best-in-class flexibility and all-round powerful performance, with professional levels of control and support for a wide range of accessories.
          While retaining the classic handling and control of its predecessor, the PowerShot G12 has been designed to offer superior performance to suit the needs of professionals and enthusiasts alike. Canon’s HS System, 720p HD movie recording and Hybrid IS are new additions, delivering premium image quality in stills and movies, and a new Front Dial provides improved handling and swift manual control. The PowerShot G12 is also compatible with a new optional Lens Filter Adapter, which extends with the lens when using the zoom to offer full coverage throughout the zoom range.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Reviews:

Canon Eos 5D Mark II Front and Back

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Pros- Awesome image quality
- Excellent low-light shooting performance
- Full-frame sensor offers shallow depth-of-field control for portrait shooters
- Beautiful 1080p HD video
- Stereo sound for movies with optional external stereo microphone

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Cons
- No auto focus in movie mode
- Bigger and heavier than APS-C sensor Canon DSLRs
- .MOV video files are difficult to edit with Windows PCs
- 3.9 frames-per-second high-speed capture is a little slow.

Introduction.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II may have been one of the most anxiously awaited digital SLRs in Canon’s history. The original 5D was getting long in the tooth and there was much restlessness in the ranks of 5D users. Many Canon pro shooters were eyeing the new batch of Nikon bodies and their excellent low-light performance with obvious envy. So the 5D Mark II’s 21-megapixel sensor and ISO 6400 sensitivity were a relief to Canon owners on the verge of trading thousands of dollars of Canon gear for a new Nikon system.

The new 5D Mark II body delivered the goods in terms of image quality but the professional level 1080p HD video caught most photographers by surprise. Following shortly after the Nikon D90, the 5D Mark II’s video mode wasn’t a complete surprise. But the quality and commitment to serious video-making was a surprise. While the Nikon D90 made it possible to capture video with a digital SLR, the EOS 5D Mark II’s 1080p HD video and stereo mic input meant it could be used for professional-level video and even moviemaking. The new 5D Mark II won’t replace dedicated video or motion picture film cameras. But the extent to which the 5D Mark II was able to catch the attention of the movie and video industry and make photographers think seriously about video caught everyone by surprise.

Resource: www.photographyreview.com