Canon Powershot S5 IS+4GB 150x SD+bat+cha+7gift+2yrswty US $339.57 End Date: Friday Jul-25-2008 3:32:08 PDT Buy it now | Add to watch list

Gordon Laing reviews the Canon PowerShot S5 IS digital camera. The S5 IS is a nice 8 megapixel digital camera that is somewhat of a digital SLR, but not quite… yet better than a simple point and shoot digital camera.

We’ve just opened a store featuring only Canon Digital Rebel XTi digital cameras.  You can buy new models, used, body only or you can buy kits with one or more lenses.  If you want to upgrade from your consumer or prosumer digital camera, the Canon Digital Rebel XTi is a great digital SLR that takes stunning photos..and at an amazing price.  Take a look now… visit the Canon Digital Rebel XTi Camera Store.

Nigel Atherton from What Digital Camera reviews the Nikon D300 Digital SLR, which is replaces the Nikon D200.  One of the changes between these two cameras is an increase in the LCD screen - from 2.5″ to 3″.  It also has increased resolution to 12.3 megapixels and uses a CMOS which will let you shoot more frames per second and use less power as well.

In addition to the increase in size of the LCD screen, they have also increased the screen resolution to allow you to see what you are photographing easily in daylight and also so you can zoom in to check your photos for sharpness and other details.  The Nikon D300 also has live view to let you see what you are shooting in real time.

The D300 has a nice and solid body made from a magnesium alloy and is “built like a tank”.  It is also one of the better digital SLRs in the area of minimizing image noise.  Overall, this is a great camera to consider if you are a professional, aspiring professional…or simply want to take great digital photos.  They give it a 93% rating and a gold award.

Nikon D300 in depth reviews and sample photos

DPReview Nikon D300 review
Ken Rockwell Nikon D300 review
Imaging Resource Nikon D300 review

Nikon D300 sample photos at Pbase
Nikon D300 sample photos at Flickr

Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com gives an in-depth video review of the Fuji Finepix S8000fd digital camera, one of Fuji’s latest SLR-like super zoom digital cameras.  The S8000fd has 8 megapixels of resolution and 18x optical zoom which is equal to 27mm - 486mm giving plenty of options from wide angle to telephoto.  You can also use its super macro mode to focus as close as 1 cm.  Gordon demonstrates what the lens looks like at various zoom positions.

The camera has built in image stabilization which is demonstrated very well in this review.  The camera is fairly compact and has a pretty big grip so you won’t have to worry about dropping it.  Gordon gives you a tour of the controls of the S8000fd, most of which are on the top of the camera.  The S8000fd takes SD as well as xD memory cards and runs on four AA batteries.

The main drawback of the Fuji Finepix S8000fd is visible image noise across the entire image sensitivity range.  So, if you are the type of person that likes to examine your images close up, you probably won’t want this camera.  But, this is fairly common for almost any non digital SLR and what you will want to do is compare this model to the Panasonic Lumix FX18.  The Fuji Finepix S8000fd currently sells for $316-$399.

Be sure to read Gordon’s full review by following the link below.  Fuji Finepix S8000fd in depth reviews and sample photos:

Camera Labs Fuji Finepix S8000fd review
Photography Blog Fuji Finepix S8000fd review
Trusted Reviews Fuji Finepix S8000fd review

Fuji Finepix S8000fd sample photos on Flickr
Fuji Finepix S8000fd sample photos on PBase

Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com gives an in-depth review of the Canon PowerShot G9 - their latest high end compact digital camera.  The PowerShot G9 is the successor to the PowerShot G7 and from the outside they may look the same: The G9 has the same 6x optical zoom lens with image stabilization and has virtually the same camera body, but there are a few changes if you look close - the grips have been modified and the G9 now has a 3 inch screen instead of the smaller 2.5″ screen.

The most significant changes are inside as the Canon PowerShot G9 has 12.1 megapixels of resolution, time lapse movie recording mode, face detection, wireless flash unit support and raw recording which gives you more  flexibility when processing  your photos on your computer.   Gordon gives you a nice tour of the controls as well as the  menu system on the LCD  display.   As mentioned earlier a  big plus  of this camera is the flash hot shoe which lets you use other Canon flashes or wireless flash transmitters.

A demonstration of the time lapse movie mode is shown in this review and the results are very impressively shown with a nice and smooth time lapse of the clouds rolling by.  Some of the cons of the G9 include the fact that this camera is slow in areas of power up, auto focus and continuous shooting.  It could also benefit from a widescreen movie mode and wide angle lens.

The Canon PowerShot G9 is one of the most powerful compact digital cameras on the market and currently sells for approximately $498 (which is pretty amazing considering what that would give you a few years ago).  Be sure to read Gordon’s full review by following the link below.

Canon PowerShot G9 in depth reviews and sample photos:

CameraLabs Canon PowerShot G9 review
CNET Canon PowerShot G9 review
Digital Photography Blog Canon PowerShot G9 review
Digital Camera Review Canon PowerShot G9 review

Canon PowerShot G9 sample photos at Flickr
Canon PowerShot G9 sample photos at PBase

Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com gives you a review and tour of the Canon EOS 40D digital SLR.  The 40D is Canon’s latest digital SLR that is targeted to the semi-professional market.  This digital SLR is a tough camera that feels great in your hands.  The Canon 40D has 10 megapixels of resolution and shoots at 6.5 frames per second.  In this video review, Gordon demonstrates what that sounds like.

The LCD screen has been increased from 2.5″ to 3″ and this camera also features a live view so you can see exactly what you are photographing and compose by looking at the screen instead of the optical viewfinder.  This camera now displays the ISO setting on the top and back displays as well.  Gordon gives you a tour of the displays, dials, video output, hot shoe and more.

A really cool feature of the Canon EOS 40D is the ability to remotely control it from your PC.  Gordon demonstrates this and personally, after I saw the demo it REALLY made me want this camera!  Maybe it’s just the nifty-ness of it all?  You can see a live view from the camera directly on your PC, zoom in and out, do time lapse photos and more.

There are are virtually no complaints about the Canon EOS 40D, except in the area of its competition - the Sony A-700 and the Nikon D300.  They have even more features, so you might want to compare between these three cameras before purchasing a 40D.  This camera currently retails for approximately $1,299.

Canon EOS 40D in depth reviews and sample photos

CameraLabs Canon EOS 40D review
Luminous Landscape Canon EOS 40D review
CNET Canon EOS 40D review

Canon EOS 40D sample photos at Pbase
Canon EOS 40D sample photos at Flickr

Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com reviews the Canon PowerShot A640 compact digital camera.  The PowerShot A640 has 10 megapixels of resolution and a 35mm - 140mm 4x optical zoom lens.  The A640 is larger than most compact digital cameras, but the good thing about this is how easy the camera is to grip.  It has full manual control including aperture and shutter priority.

The PowerShot A640 has a 2.5 inch flip out and tilt LCD screen.  This is very useful if you want to take shots above everyone’s head or low to the ground.  You can also use the cameras optical viewfinder if you want to conserve battery power or if it is bright outside.

Some of the cons of the PowerShot A640 include the fact that the LCD screen has a low resolution and the size of the camera may not be desireable if you want a compact digital camera you can put in your pocket.  The Canon PowerShot A640 currently sells for approximately $350.00.

Canon PowerShot A640 in depth reviews and sample photos:

CameraLabs Canon PowerShot A640 review
DPReview Canon PowerShot A640 review
Steve’s Digicams Canon PowerShot A640 review

Canon PowerShot A640 sample photos from Flickr
Canon PowerShot A640 sample photos from Pbase

Matt from WhatDigitalCamera.com gives a video review of the Nikon Coolpix L12 digital camera.  The Nikon Coolpix L12 has 7.1 megapixels of resolution and a 35mm - 105mm 3x optical zoom lens.  You will love the 2.5″ LCD screen on the L12 as well as the image stabilization feature not normally found on compact digital cameras similar to this.  A downside to this camera is you cannot adjust the ISO which may bring noise to some of your photos in low light conditions.

The Nikon Coolpix L12 uses two AA batteries for power - so you will definitely want to buy some rechargeable NiMH batteries for more power as regular batteries will not last long.  Overall, the Nikon Coolpix L12 is an excellent compact digital camera if you want to just point and shoot and not worry about a zillion manual settings.  The Nikon Coolpix L12 currently retails for an average of $172.

Nikon Coolpix L12 in depth reviews and sample photos:

DCRP Nikon Coolpix L12 review
Steve’s Digicams Nikon Coolpix L12 review
DigitalCameraReview Nikon Coolpix L12 review

Nikon Coolpix L12 sample photos at PBase
Nikon Coolpix L12 sample photos at Flickr

Gordon Laing of CameraLabs.com reviews the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 digital camera.  The FX30 is an ultra compact digital camera with 7.1 megapixels of resolution and 3.6x optical zoom.  The range is equivalent to 28-100mm providing nice wide angle and telephoto views.  This camera at the time of this writing is the slimmest digital camera with a 28mm wide angle lens.  It is also slim enough you can comfortably carry around in your pocket.

The FX30 has a 2.5″ LCD screen that is bright and clear.  The metallic body has a nice, solid feel and the camera’s controls are simple and clutter free.  Gordon gives you a nice tour of the camera, menu system and demonstrates the image stabilization mode and other features of the camera.

Overall the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 is a nice compact digital camera, but every camera has some kind of down side to it.  The downside of this camera has to do with image noise when you zoom in on your photos after downloading them to your computer.  But, image noise is common with compact digital cameras and if you’re picky in this area, you should consider a digital SLR.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 in depth reviews and sample photos:

CameraLabs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 review
DigiCamReview Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 review
Megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 review

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 sample photos at Flickr
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX30 sample photos at Pbase

Nigel from WhatDigitaCamera.com reviews the Olympus E-410 EVOLT digital SLR which they claim to be the world’s smallest digital SLR.  The E-410 is an upgrade from the E-400 and the main advantage of the E-410 is the live view feature so you can get a precise view of what your photo will look like as you are taking it.  The processor on the E-410 is faster, allowing you to shoot at 3 frames per second.

Nigel gives you a tour of the controls of the E-410 and shows that you can use compact flash or SD cards with this camera.  The Olympus E-410 has 10 megapixels of resolution and the image noise problems that were prevalent on the E-400 are fixed due to this camera’s Live MOS sensor.  The Olympus E-410 sells for approximately $799 if purchased with a 14-42mm lens, making it one of the most affordable digital SLR’s on the market.

Olympus E-410 EVOLT in depth reviews and sample photos:

DPReview Olympus E-410 EVOLT Review
DCRP Olympus E-410 EVOLT Review
ThinkCamera Olympus E-410 EVOLT Review

Olympus E-410 EVOLT sample photos from DPReview
Olympus E-410 EVOLT sample photos from PBase