UK Digital Cameras Blog

The “credit card-sized” sized Nikon Coolpix S210 is the thinnest camera ever produced by the Japanese technology manufacturer, according to reports.

Measuring just 0.7 inches wide, the 8.1-megapixel camera can nevertheless produce images sharp enough to be blown up as large as 16 inches by 20 inches, the company said.

With a 3x optical zoom lens equivalent to a 38mm to 114mm on a 35mm model and Nikon’s new Expeed image processor, the Nikon Coolpix S210 can also handle quick shooting while still producing “natural looking” shots, it added.

Other features include electronic VR image stabilisation, auto-ISO up to 2000 for shooting in low light conditions and a 2.5-inch LCD display, which has an anti-reflection coating to enable clear viewing in all conditions, including direct sunlight.

In a recent preview of the camera, technology site CNet. com praised the Nikon Coolpix S210 for its easy of use, adding that it “ticks the size and price boxes” as an affordable compact.

The new Ricoh G600 is a water and dust-resistant digital camera that is smaller and lighter than its predecessors yet still robust enough to be “perfect” for shooting outdoor activities such as climbing, fishing and marine sports, the manufacturer has said.

The camera has been tested to Ricoh’s shock resistance standard - a 1.5 metre fall. This test also conforms to US Department of Defence specifications, the company added.

It also comes with improved water and dust sealing to protect its features from being damaged by the elements.

Among those features are a 5x optical zoom lens, equivalent to a 28mm to 140mm lens on a 35mm camera, a one centimetre macro mode and a flash with a range of ten metres.

Furthermore, the ten effective megapixel camera comes with a 2.7-inch high definition display, automatic light balance and skew correction, which makes images shot from an angle appear as though they were shot from the front.

Other cameras in the Ricoh range include the Ricoh Capilo R7 and the Ricoh Capilo R8.

The Kodak Easyshare Z1285 “refreshes” the Easyshare range of zoom digital cameras, offering a 12 megapixel resolution and 5x optical zoom lens, it has been reported.

Dpreview. com says the camera, which was introduced to the UK along with the Kodak Easyshare Z1085 IS and the Kodak Easyshare Z8612 in January, is “built around” a 5x optical zoom.

The zoom uses Schneider-Kreuznach lenses and is equivalent to a 35mm to 175mm zoom on a 35mm camera.

Other features of the Kodak Easyshare Z1285 include high definition video format, autofocus, a maximum ISO of 3200 for shooting in low light and in-camera red eye reduction.

It also includes 16 scene modes, such as portrait, landscape, sports, sunset and panorama stitch, which allows users to take a series of images then blend them into a seamless panoramic view.

On the camera’s rear, there is a 2.5-inch TFT colour LCD screen that can be used to view images in playback mode. Alternatively, the Kodak Easyshare Z1285 can display its images via a connection cable on HDTV.

The Kodak Easyshare Z1285 is available in the UK from around £111.99.

The Pentax Optio W30 has been praised for its “ruggedness and durability” while also being an “ideal holiday camera” in a recent review.

Writing on Trusted Reviews, Cliff Smith said the model, which replaces the Pentax Optio W20 in the W-series line-up, comes with a similar control layout to its predecessor - but it also boasts a number of “crucial differences”.

Chiefly, the Pentax Optio W30 comes with improved seals around its controls and hatches, which have improved its water resistance to a depth of three metres for up to two hours - double the depth and quadruple the duration of the Pentax Optio W30, Mr Smith states.

The camera also comes with higher ISO at 3200 and Digital Shake Reduction, which increases shutter speed to reduce blurring caused by movement.

Image-wise, the Pentax Optio W30 has 21 shooting modes, as well as “several useful features” when using playback, such as auto red-eye reduction, cropping and resizing, voice memo, frame composites and a range of colour filters, Mr Smith commented.

Overall, he gave the camera an eight out of ten rating, concluding that the Pentax Optio W30 is a “stylish and well made camera” that is easy to use and “especially impressive” in low light conditions.

Other cameras in the Pentax Optio range include the Pentax Optio E50, the Pentax Optio S12 and the Pentax Optio A40.

The Sony Cybershot W120 offers quick performance, crisp picture quality and a “surprisingly robust” set of features, making it a “solid choice” for shoppers looking to buy a budget digital compact, a reviewer has said.

Writing on CNET.co.uk, Will Greenwald said the camera has the functions and features to mark it out as a model not designed specifically for the budget market or “gadget hounds” but as camera able to “stand on its own” merit.

The seven megapixel Sony Cybershot W120 includes a 32mm to 128mm equivalent zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD screen and optical viewfinder.

It also comes with Sony’s Super SteadyShot optical image stabilisation, a nine-point autofocus system and face detection that can be configured to prioritise either adults’ or children’s faces in a crowd.

Furthermore, the camera comes with Photo Music, Sony’s in-camera slideshow programme that allows users to upload their own soundtrack and view pictures on either the camera’s screen or a high definition TV via an AV cable.

Available in silver, black, blue and pink, the Sony Cybershot W120 is available in the UK from around £125.99.

The Fuji FinePix Z20fd camera’s wireless image transfer and automatic resizing technology makes it easier for users to share their pictures and video via email or on social networking websites such as YouTube or Facebook, according to reports.

Technology site Pocket-lint said the camera features Fujifilm’s IrSimple system, which allows images to be sent wirelessly to any other IrSimple-enabled device.

It also comes with a new Dual Blog mode that automatically changes pictures and movies to the optimal size for sending to friends and family via email or posting on the web.

In addition, the site says, the Fuji FinePix Z20fd comes with ten megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom lens and 45Mb of internal memory.

On top of this, its face detection system can identify and “lock on” to up to ten faces within a frame. A green square surrounds the “primary” face, the site says, while white boxes mark up to nine other subjects, all of whom are tracked by the camera until they leave the picture.

The Fuji FinePix also features picture stabilisation, 14 shooting modes and an MPEG4 video mode.

A review of the Pentax K10D has praised the camera for its “host of advanced technologies” that enable to produce “excellent” images.

The UK Digital Camera Reviews website said the 10.2 megapixel model, which includes an interchangeable lens and Pentax’s Shake Reduction system, also comes with a “stylish black” body that is resistant to both bad weather and dust.

Furthermore, a new Dust Removal system has been introduced to keep specks off the surface of the charged-coupled device (CCD).

A variety of ISO speeds are available to optimise shooting in different lighting conditions, while the camera’s white balance modes include auto, shade, cloudy, daylight, tungsten and light fluorescent, the site said.

Images can be viewed using playback on a 2.5-inch colour LCD screen, which comes with brightness adjustment and 140-degree viewing angle. Playback options include single shots, enlargements, rotations and slideshows.

There are also modes for shooting in black and white, sepia and brightness, as well as standard colour with autofocus.

A review of the Sony Cybershot W120 has praised the camera for its “contemporary styling, powerful in-camera technology and ease of use”, adding that its features make it an “ideal choice” for those looking to get into digital photography.

The camera comes with an “impressive” 7.2 effective megapixel resolution, gadgetheaven. com said, with a “high quality” 4x Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens. This allows it to take pictures of both close-up and distant objects “effortlessly”.

Meanwhile, Sony’s face detection technology picks out and tracks faces in the frame, while also adjusting for their distance from the camera, the site added.

The Sony Cybershot W120’s face detection can also distinguish children’s and adult’s faces - and it adjusts exposure, skin tone and red eye reduction accordingly.

Furthermore, the Smile Shutter feature means the camera waits until its subject is smiling before the shutter fires. The “smile level” can even be adjusted to guarantee that everything from gentle smiles to ear-to-ear grins are caught every time, the review says.

An HD output means that the Sony Cybershot W120 can be connected to HD-ready display to allow the viewing of images in high-definition.

The Sony Cybershot W120 is available from around £125.99.

The Panasonic Lumix LS80 is an entry-level compact digital and a “camera without pretence” that nevertheless boasts the kind of mechanical anti-shake image stabilisation normally reserved for high-end models, a review has said.

Technology site CNET. com said the camera’s optically-stabilised lens “stands out” as its best feature, while its built-in Mega Optical Image Stabilisation system sensor-shifts elements of the lens to compensate for camera shake.

It also features an eight megapixel resolution, a 2.5-inch LCD screen and 30 frames-per-second movie mode.

The Panasonic Lumix LS80 is also “comfortably small and light”, measuring 31mm deep and weighing in at 177 grams including SD card and batteries.

“Its relatively slim profile design lets it fit easily into most pockets,” the review stated.

According to the company, the Panasonic Lumix LS80 is also designed with features intended to make it “easy to capture perfect images”, such as intelligent ISO control, auto-macro mode and quick autofocus.

The Panasonic Lumix LS80 is available in the UK from around £99.99.

The Nikon Coolpix L18 aims to be an easy-to-use point-and-shoot model for people
who want to “capture life’s memories at an affordable price”, it has been said.

Commenting on the release of its new Life series model, Nikon said the camera was designed for customers looking for a “full-featured but affordable” digital compact, according to photographyblog. com.

The Nikon Coolpix L18 features eight megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom
Nikkor lens and a new Easy Auto application that allows users to compose shot
without having to manually access controls or settings.

Available in a number of colours, the Nikon Coolpix L18 also comes with enhanced face priority autofocus, in-camera red-eye detection and correction, and D-Lighting, which compensates for excessive backlight or inadequate flash in pictures.

On the rear the model has a three-inch LCD viewfinder and review panel, together with 32mb of internal memory. It is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards.

Other models in the Coolpix range include the Nikon Coolpix S210, the Nikon Coolpix P50 and the Wi-Fi enabled Nikon Coolpix S51c.